Jealousy is an intense emotional reaction.  It is not passive.  No one experiencing it can remain in neutral.  At its worst, it finds itself placed in the list of the works of the flesh recorded in Galatians 5:20.  And yet, at its best, it finds itself being identified as a trait of God!  How can this be without accusing the Bible of hypocrisy?

We have been told for many years of the extremely high volume of phone calls to mothers on Mothers’ Day.  Maybe you have wondered how that number compares to calls to fathers on Fathers’ Day.  Here are some interesting statistics from a time when landlines were much more commonplace.

Love is not a feeling that you feel when you feel a feeling that you never felt before. Try saying that fast 3 times. That can’t be the definition because what you thought was a feeling of love might just be a feeling of an upset stomach. There is no greater place to look than in the life of Jesus to define true love.  Jesus gave us these words that set the foundation for finding a definition of love. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35). If we see what He did, we will learn what love is.

Many little children (and big ones too!) really want attention.  They do all kinds of things to try to get a special someone to notice them.  Sometimes, they even misbehave in order to get what they want.  Even if they are disciplined, they have received what they wanted in the first place—attention.

It is so much fun talking with people about favorite memories.  I was thinking about memories from our time in Richmond and came across an article written 15 years ago.  I began immediately reliving these memories and thinking of new ones.  Walk with me for a few minutes down memory lane.

The children had been led out of Egyptian bondage.  Three months later, they came to the new promised land and the LORD said to go up and take it for He had delivered it into their hands (Numbers 13).  They, however, did not believe that they had to ability to take the land even though the LORD had already given it to them.  So, they refused to go in (Numbers 14).

What is “the law of your mother”? That is the phrase Solomon uses in Proverbs 1:8. As he begins his foray into wisdom and wise sayings, Solomon first reminds his son about his responsibility not to forsake the law of his mother. He does not go on to say specifically what this phrase means, but we can surmise what his intentions were.

God designed only two institutions—the Church and the family.  They are so interrelated that He spoke of them in the same text (Ephesians 5:22-33).  Jesus’ relationship to the Church is described in the family terms of husband and wife.  Elsewhere, we learn that all who are in the Church are in the family of God and are named Christians after God’s Son Jesus (Ephesians 3:15).

Charlie Brown and Lucy were constantly picking at each other.  Lucy was pretty much a bully and Charlie was a wimp.  You probably remember that Charlie tried so many times to kick a football for a field goal only to have Lucy pull the ball away at the last moment and Charlie went flying through the air and landed on his backside.

Robotics is a fascinating field.  I observed robotic firsthand during my recent visit to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  My very close, good, and wonderful friend picked up his personally built Corvette at the plant upon its completion. (I hope he reads this and someday lets me drive it!)  I met him and his wife for the “birth”. 

Ah, peace…What a beautiful word.  It conjures up different scenes in each individual mind.  For me, I think of a mountain stream rolling toward a spectacular waterfall while I just sit and watch.  Or, I think of a gorgeous golf course with a slight breeze and the sounds of birds while I play a leisurely 18 holes.  There are probably many other scenes I have imagined.

When I get in our Honda Pilot to drive after Rebecca has driven, it does not fit.  I have to readjust the seat for it to fit.  I pulled out a pair of pants hanging in the far corner of my closet.  I was wondering why they were not with the others.  When I tried them on, I found the answer.  They did not fit!  Major adjustments would have to be made.

In the mid 1800s, there was a Hanoverian countess who was a staunch unbeliever.  Her biggest objection was to the resurrection of all the dead at the end of time.  Her opposition led her to make unusual preparations for her impending death that occurred when she was only thirty years old.

When was the last time you were pursued?  Was it by that special person who pursued you into a relationship with them?  Maybe you were pursued by someone who wanted you to come and work with them.  Or, maybe you think of it as a time that you were pursued by something that you didn’t want.  Maybe you think that the devil has been pursuing you for a long time.

For many years, the Roman army occupied the land of Palestine.  The Jews, understandably, could hardly stand it.  They so much hated it that there arose a group of people called the Zealots whose sworn mission was to cause havoc and turmoil with the express purpose of expelling the Romans.  There was one Roman law that especially incensed the Jews.  This law allowed for any Roman soldier to conscript a Jewish male to carry his backpack for him for one mile.  They dreaded this proposition.

“I’ve got joy like a fountain.

I’ve got joy like a fountain.

I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.” 

This is one verse of a song that I have sung since I was in my home church youth group.  It’s an enjoyable song.  But, it also teaches a great lesson.  Joy really is like a fountain of water.  It constantly flows from the heart of the one who is filled with it.  If joy resides in your heart, it will not be possible to contain it.

The teacher stood before the Sunday morning Bible class of 6-year-olds.  She asked them, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?”  The children all shouted, “NO!”  “Well, what if I cleaned the church building every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?”  Again, the children answered, “NO!”

When I was growing up, my dad often picked up hitchhikers and drove them some distance.  It was a day and a time when doing that was not so dangerous as it is today.  I have, over the years, done my share of "hitchhiker hand-out".

Once children learn to talk, the whole world changes for their parents. One of those changes occurs when those children begin to ask questions. Those of us who have been through that phase of life with our children have probably asked ourselves several times, “Where are they getting all of these questions?”

How is it that someone can learn to love and then turn away from that love? Why do people leave their first love? More importantly, how can those people retrieve that love if they have left it?