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Exodus tells the story of Israel's beginnings and the establishment of their faith. Malachi is composed in the period of Israel's national identity as God's people. In spite of the very different time and circumstances, both texts address the same key question: What is the focus and evidence of your faith?

When fall arrives, Baptists know what to expect. It’s church budget time, so there will be sermons about tithing and a budget campaign.

As I prepared to write this lesson today, news came that my dear friend, encourager and fellow minister, Dr. John Howell, has died. You will know John as the other Sunday School lesson writer for Word & Way. I will miss John, but one day we will be together again because of our Savior's promise that we will all be together again when Christ returns.

When my mother passed away last year, a few days shy of 96 years of age, her family wasn’t concerned with distributing her digital assets. She had none. That would not have been the case with any of her four children, and it would not be the case with most people in this digital age.

The phrase “May you live in interesting times” is purported to have originated from China, though that’s doubtful. It certainly can describe this year’s presidential race, however.

The Christian faith is built on a foundation of relationship.

In Christ, God has come into our world and our individual life at a staggering personal price: the cross. God did not love us as the human race, but as individuals, fully understanding our flaws and willing to make himself vulnerable.

There are times in the Christian life when we all must choose to move forward, whether the obstacles are frightening, painful, lonely or the immediate goal is unclear.

Twenty years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians (50-51 AD) to a people Paul describes “your work that comes from faith, your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father” (v.3). In Paul's commendation we note the three essentials of the Christian life: faith, love, perseverance.

In this series about finding God as you face grief we read from Obadiah for an example of anger as Judah raged against the Edomites for siding with their enemy. Lamentations 1 composed a song of despair at Judah's fall. In Lamentations 3 the writer tried bargaining with God to bring vengeance on Judah's enemy. None of these common stages of grief healed or erased the pain of Judah's situation. But today Isaiah will remind us, as he speaks to Judah, that in the trials and tragedies of life God offers us encouragement and hope.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross describes bargaining as a common stage in the grieving process. We make promises to God, change a habit or attitude and get more active in church. But what about the inside of your life – a change of heart, a realization that unless motive and understanding are clarified, nothing really changes?