No matter where you go, there is always something trying to steal your peace. But Philippians 4:6–7 speaks to the heart of our struggle. It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (NIV).
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“He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’” (Matt. 17:20–21, NIV).
My family vacations in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., at our family beach home every year.
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2, NIV).
Paul took great joy in knowing, walking with and loving Christ. His personal mission was to spread the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. But that hadn’t always been the case. Earlier in his life, Paul was against Christ and His divine message, and destroyed anyone who believed in it.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13, NIV).
As I look at 1 Corinthians 13, it is clear that prophecy, the gift of tongues and other gifts of the Spirit will come to an end because they will no longer be of value. But verse 13 has the wonderful word, “remain,” which expresses the idea of permanence for the three basic elements of our Christian experience: faith, hope and love.
This verse signifies that love is the element used to describe the very nature of God. That’s the reason Paul clearly says that, above all gifts of the Spirit, this one is the greatest.
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26, KJV).
At six months pregnant, I found myself facing the repercussions of severe marital distress. As a result, I was placed on hospital bed rest until I gave birth—a blessed event that seemed incredibly far away.
Upon admission to the hospital, I was so devastated by what was happening in my relationship that I was too crushed to pray. All I could do was cry out, “Jesus.” Almost immediately, the Lord’s peace began to flood my mind, heart and room. Rescuing me from the depths of despair, He reminded me that He was with me, that I could face everything with Him and that His grace was sufficient.
“For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7, NKJV).
He landed on our doorstep, without an invitation, nor in swaddling clothes. He answered, on occasion, to “Buddy.” He was a white, 40-pound fur ball. My wife, Jackie, lacked enthusiasm regarding this unexpected addition to an otherwise empty nest. She had never liked big dogs, especially at grooming time. She never liked boy dogs for the obvious reasons, and she did not like the fact that he was all white, too hard to keep clean. And to boot, he came without papers. By all outward appearances, this pooch was a loser.
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20, KJV).
Except for the cross, the most convincing evidence that shows the Father’s love is found in Luke 15:20. The prodigal son left his father’s house to travel on the pathway of sin. After wasting his entire inheritance, he had no money or friends. While feasting on slop with the hogs, he thought of his father’s house and of the comforts of life. Pulling himself out of the slimy pit, he headed for home, hoping his father would let him be a servant. At least he would be able to survive.
Adventist HealthCare earned a spot on The Washington Post's list of Top Workplaces 2021 in the Washington, D.C., area. Adventist HealthCare was the only provider of medical services on the list of 200 employers from public and private industries, nonprofits and government agencies. Adventist HealthCare was one of only 12 organizations that The Post honored in the largest company category.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NKJV).
This verse has taken on many meanings throughout the course of my life. I remember first hearing it while listening to the radio program Your Story Hour. Throughout the story, the main character kept saying that “all things work together for good.” To my young self, this meant that, no matter what, everything would be OK, and nothing too terrible would happen to me because God wouldn’t let it. Of course, now I think a little differently.
Story by Jerry Woods
WGTS 91.9 is celebrating the expansion of the ministry to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware.
The station just hosted a sign-on party from the Washington, D.C., area studios. Donors, staff, and listeners joined together in-person, on the air, and online to see the new station sign on for the first time. In March, generous donors shared enough funds to purchase station WRAU from American University in Washington, D.C. The station’s new call letters are WGBZ, Ocean City, Md., and it is on the dial at 88.3, FM. It will cover over 500,000 residents in the Eastern Shore region.