The mysterious 3 letter Hebrew word shown above is pronounced as hesed (or khesed) and is found 250 times in the Old Testament. It expresses an exceedingly wonderful aspect of God’s character. In his book, The Mystery of Hesed, Michael Card writes, “A good case can be made for the claim that this word, hesed, has the largest range of meaning of any word in the Hebrew language, and perhaps in any language.”

One of the best definitions I’ve found that attempts to unfold the remarkable breadth of this word is, “The consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, furious love of our Father God!”

This post explores the mystery of this word through three meaningful meditations, two helpful videos, and an excerpt from the book of Jonah that reveals God’s hesed in action. May this post bless you with a greater understanding of the awe-inspiring hesed God has for you.

Last weekend my father and I watched an emotional movie titled “Taking Chance”, the true story of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a voluntary military escort, who accompanies the body of 19 year old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, WY.

The movie triggered a poignant memory from Memorial Day weekend in 2009 when our family was in Carmel to celebrate my mother’s birthday. On Memorial Day a group of people set up 4,698 white crosses on Carmel beach, each with a name of an American who died fighting in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

As I thought about the loss of life through war, I was reminded of the profound verses from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that begin, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven”. There are 14 couplets in these 8 verses that reflect the contrasting experiences humans go through in this life. This poem, believed to be written by King Solomon, invites us to trust in God’s timing and sovereignty in all things, both the good and bad.

This post includes two meditations on this scripture; one titled “To Everything There Is A Season” and the other “A Time for War and a Time for Peace”. The post closes with an article from the Carmel Pine Cone from May 2009 and a video I made from the photographs I took on the Carmel beach that Memorial Day. Whatever season you are currently experiencing, know that “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

One of the most beautiful descriptions of Jesus’ willingness to humble Himself for the sake of humanity is found in Philippians 2:6-11. Rather than coming to earth in power and glory as God and King, Jesus instead freely took on the form of a human being to serve others rather than be served. His public ministry climaxed when He gave up His life on a cross to atone for humanity’s sin. As a result of His obedience to His Father’s will, His Father raised Jesus from the grave and has exalted His name above every other name. And one day, Jesus will return in all His glory, to judge the world and establish His reign over all powers in heaven and on earth.

The amazing truth is that Christ kept His human body and nature at His resurrection, and by His ascension, His glorified body and human nature entered God’s eternal kingdom. Never before had a human being been so exalted as to be brought up into heaven to receive worship. And what’s more, according to Mark’s Gospel, this man (who is also fully God) sat down at the right hand of His Father, the place of exalted authority!

May this post, which includes relevant scripture, a sermon by Brian Bill, and a moving video that reveals the names of God found in the Bible, bless you with a humble reverence and faith in the One whose name is above every name!

When Jesus proclaimed the words “It is finished” from the cross at Calvary, He declared that what was accomplished would span eternity. This passionate statement represents the pinnacle of God’s redemptive plan for humanity that was formulated by the Triune God before the beginning of time.

This redemptive plan involved a promise made by the Father to the Son and it involved eternal life. The promise was that if the Son would become the Lamb of God, and die as a sacrifice to atone for humanity’s sin, the Father would grant eternal life to all who would place their trust in Jesus and He would seal the promise with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Fast forward through creation to around 32 A.D. and we find the incarnate Jesus suspended on a cross. In his dying breath, He proclaimed the plan of redemption had been completed. But what exactly was finished? And how do these words transform our understanding of faith and redemption today?

This post includes an essay by Benedict I.k titled “It Is Finished” in which he explores the breadth, depth, and wonder of Christ’s dying words. May you know that this plan of redemption, accomplished by Christ’s finished work on the cross, is available to you this very day and that you may receive all of God’s spiritual blessings by simply placing your trust in Jesus, the Savior of humankind.

Fast forward centuries through the prophets of Judah and Israel, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fall of the Roman Empire, then nearly 1,000 years of the Middle Ages followed by the Renaissance, and we arrive at the Age of Reason which dominated the 17th and 18th centuries. The website "allabouthistory.org" describes this age:

The Age of Reason was fraught with attacks on basic Christian beliefs, rejection of God and denial of miracles. In an attempt to divorce himself from the mysticism of the Middle Ages, man during the Age of Reason, applauded intellect and disdained spirit. God was believed to be unknowable, if He existed at all, and certainly there was no need for divine communication or revelation. Nature was revelation enough, showing all that needed to be known of God.

It was during this age we encounter, Blaise Pascal, a 17th century mathematician, scientist, inventor, and Christian apologist. Pascal's most well known work was the Pensees ("Thoughts") which was published posthumously in 1670. It’s in this book we find a short essay known as "Pascal's Wager" which has generated endless debate these last 350 years. This post is a thoughtful essay by John Piper titled “Wrestling with Pascal’s Wager”.

A few years ago I was preparing for an annual client retreat. One of the sessions was with the patriarch’s grandchildren on the topic of FOMO (the fear of missing out). A good definition of FOMO is the "anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website". This anxiety can lead to addiction in the use of social media, such that people begin to feel increasingly unhappy and isolated, thereby missing out on the fullness of life God desires for us.

It so happened at this time my nephew was working as an intern at our CPA firm and I asked for his advice on this topic. He shared that his perspective on social media had been changed dramatically by a short video shown in one of his high school classes titled "Look Up". This post includes this profound video by Gary Turk and Scripture that encourages us to “look up” to Jesus who said, “I came that they might have life, and have it in all its fullness. May this post be a blessing to you.

The book of Acts begins where the Gospels leave off, recording the actions of the apostles and the work of the Holy Spirit who had been sent to indwell believers, as was promised by Jesus. Beginning in Jerusalem, the church was established and grew rapidly, then faced intense persecution, which drove the believers into the surrounding cities, and as a result of this dispersion, Samaritans and Gentiles heard the Gospel and many came to faith in Christ.

The ministry of spreading the Good News throughout the world was commissioned by Jesus and it applies to every generation of believers. In fact, in the last week of His life, Jesus told His disciples that He would not return to earth until the Gospel was preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations. If you believe in Christ, do you feel prepared to share the Gospel if someone asks you the reason for the hope you have (1 Peter 3:15)?

May this post serve two purposes: (1) to help believers be better prepared to share the Gospel and (2) also to help reveal the Gospel to those who’ve never heard it or aren’t clear about why it’s good news. This post contains both writings and videos that address the question, “What is the gospel?”.

In the C.S. Lewis book “The Screwtape Letters”, Screwape, the senior demon, writes letters to his nephew, Wormwood, giving him advice on how to best keep humans away from encountering God. In one letter Screwtape writes, “Music and silence - how I detest them both! We will make the whole universe a noise in the end…The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end.”

A few months ago I came across a moving story by Joseph McSpadden titled “500 Miles and 40 Years of Healing”. In it Joseph shares how two songs he encountered during dark periods of his life brought him healing. Reflecting back he writes, “Often we think that when God does something for us, it is meant to signal some sort of mission. But this was a tender, personal gift. He spoke to me in song, a language I knew. It was my Father demonstrating His love for me, in a way that was intimate.”

In a world littered with distractions and noise, may this story encourage you this day to quiet your mind and remember with gratitude times when the Lord comforted you with similar tender, personal, intimate gifts.

Over this last year my dad and I have enjoyed listening to music on YouTube, particular those sung in multiple part harmonies by trios, quartets, or choirs. It brings back great memories for Dad, for when he was in high school and college he sang in an acapella group with his twin brother and another friend. Their repertoire consisted mostly of Mills Brothers songs.

Earlier this year, Dad and I stumbled on a refreshing group called the “Redeemed Quartet” that sings hymns in four-part harmony. The group is composed of two sets of brothers who live in rural Indiana and the fathers of these brothers both happen to be pastors.

This post includes a brief bio of the group and three of their hymns. Speaking on behalf of the quartet, Ben Duncan says that “A sermon certainly can reach people, but we’ve found that a song also can open up people’s hearts to the Gospel.” May it be so for you.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus proclaims, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Unlike other 1st century rabbis, Jesus does not exclude anyone from His invitation. There are no qualifications and only one requirement, that is to “Come to me.” And what does Jesus promise when we come to Him? In the verse above He promises to give the weary and burdened rest for their soul. Yet, this is just one of a plethora of promises Christ makes to those who come to Him in faith. In this post let us thoughtfully consider the person of Jesus who throughout scripture claims to have the power to give us not only rest, but also peace, hope, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, and a treasure of other amazing gifts. If you find yourself wearied and burdened this day, know that Jesus invites you this very moment to come to HIm to receive rest for your soul.

Bob Dylan, one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, is best known for songs that chronicle social and political issues. Yet in the late 70’s the Jewish-born musician surprised everybody by declaring that he had become a born-again Christian, which outraged thousands of his fans. In 1979 Dylan released his first gospel album titled Slow Train Coming, on which Gotta Serve Somebody was the opening track.

This post chronicles the incredible story from 1 Kings 18 where the prophet Elijah confronts Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel, who had led his people into idol worship. Elijah requested a showdown with the 450 prophets of Baal. He then gathered the people of Israel and asked them, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

The post concludes with a video of Dylan’s song, an article on the choice he made to serve Christ, and the final moving words spoken by Charles Spurgeon to his congregation after 38 years of preaching. This biblical event, Dylan’s song, and Spurgeon’s words all ask the same question. Who will you choose to serve?

The Bible declares that all believers are Christ’s ambassadors, called to share the good news about Jesus with the world (2 Corinthians 5:20). Since Christ ascended back to His Father about 2,000 years ago about 66 generations of believers have assumed this responsibility to keep the flame of faith alive. For this post I thought we might be encouraged by peering into the life of one such ambassador from the mid 1800’s, Horatius Bonar, who was a Scottish pastor and hymnwriter.

Commenting on the state of the Christian faith in his day, Bonar once wrote: “It is not opinions that man needs, it is TRUTH. It is not theology, it is GOD. It is not religion, it is CHRIST. It is the knowledge of the free love of God in the gift of His only-begotten Son”.

Included in this post is a link to a beautiful rendition of one of his most well-loved hymns titled “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” and a sermon titled “How Shall Man Be Right with God?”. May this post prompt you to remember all those who shared the good news with you and may it give you the courage and conviction to be a faithful ambassador for Christ.

In opening chapter of John's gospel there is a wonderful promise about Jesus: "The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."

Genesis chapter 5 reveals a subtle distinction between the first man, Adam, that Scripture says was born in the likeness of God, and his son, Seth, who was born in the likeness of fallen Adam, who died spiritually after disobeying God’s one command. I've often heard it said that we are all by physical birth children of God, but Scripture above indicates otherwise. The good news, however, is that everyone has the right to become a child of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.

This post includes Scripture that speaks to how one may become a child of God and an essay by Mike Stone on the new birth God promises to all who place their trust in Jesus. May God grant us understanding of this glorious truth.

For nearly 60 years, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” has brightened the lives of millions of people. In a tender scene, Linus, in response to Charlie’s Brown’s question about the true meaning of Christmas, recites the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke’s gospel.

Before it was first aired on December 9, 1965 the powers to be thought Charles M. Schulz had crossed a line in having Linus recite Bible verses, as they felt it might alienate viewers. But Schulz stood his ground stating, “If we don’t do it, who will?” Today this scene is considered, as one producer described it, “the most magical two minutes in all of TV animation.”

Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver said, “During this time when our religious freedom is threatened in so many ways, Charles Schulz’s courage in writing A Charlie Brown Christmas is a great reminder that we must share the gospel despite opposition. And this simple but profound animation continues to live on as an inspiration for us to seek true peace and security in Jesus Christ.”

This post includes two short meditations by Pastor Jason Soroski along with two clips from A Charlie Brown Christmas. It closes with a video documentary titled “The Magic of A Charlie Brown Christmas”. May you embrace the good tidings of great joy this season as you remember the birth of the Savior of the world, who is Christ the Lord.

The attached is a thought-provoking musing on the wonder of wine from “The Supper of the Lamb”, a book written by Robert Capon, an Episcopalian priest and passionate chef. The book is part cookbook, part theology. In it he writes “Each thing, at every moment, becomes the delight of His hand, the apple of His eye. The bloom of yeast lies upon the grape skins year after year because He likes it; C6H12O6=2C2H5OH+2CO2 is a dependable process because, every September, He says, that was nice; let’s do it again.”

May we count our blessings and give thanks to God this holiday season for all His gracious provisions. Cheers!

Last December I posted Truman Capote’s beautiful short memoir, “A Christmas Memory”, a moving story I discovered years ago and enjoy reading each Christmas. This post includes Capote’s companion memoir titled, “The Thanksgiving Visitor”, another heart-warming childhood holiday memory of rural Alabama in 1932. Danny Heitman writes, “These two stories seem a perfect encapsulation of the qualities for which Capote was celebrated: lavishly lyrical language, an acute eye for human vulnerability, and the often poignant blooming of tenderness in a ruthless world.”

The publisher introduces the story as follows:

Buddy and his closest friend, his eccentric, elderly cousin, Miss Sook - the memorable characters from Capote's “A Christmas Memory” - love preparing their old country house for Thanksgiving.

But there's trouble in the air. Odd Henderson, a scrawny, freckled, red-headed bully makes Buddy the target of his relentless torment. But Miss Sook counsels patience and understanding. “He can't help acting ugly; he doesn't know any different”, she says. Filled with emotions that are universal to both young readers and adults, this poignant story brings to life what we all should cherish and be thankful for - the gifts of friendship and love.

For the first time in our 46 year marriage my wife and I are reading the Bible over the course of a year. We finished the New Testament and the Wisdom books in March and then starting in Genesis are reading the remaining Old Testament books consecutively.

As Christians who believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah for both Jews and gentiles, we have found great blessing in reading entire Bible, which progressively predicts and ultimately reveals God’s plan to rescue the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The history of Israel began some 4,000 years ago when God called Abram (later renamed Abraham) to leave his home in Ur (probably in southern Iraq) and travel to a land that God would give to him and his descendants in perpetuity. It was from there that God would make a people for Himself; a people who would be a witness of God to all nations, and eventually a blessing to all peoples on earth.

In this post I have included an essay by Professor J. Carl Laney titled “7 Reasons to Study the Old Testament” and an excellent video teaching by Pastor Gary Hamrick titled “Israel: Past, Present, and Future.” Perhaps this post may inspire you to undertake one of the 365 Day reading plans available on the internet in 2025.

This post includes another story titled “The Porcupine Whose Name Didn’t Matter” from the book, "The Way of the Wolf: The Gospel in New Images" by Martin Bell, first published in 1970. The book contains a collection of stories and poems that touch the heart and reveal how God appears to us in subtle and often mysterious ways.

Some of us may be entering this holiday season experiencing depression, grieving the loss of a loved one, living with the pain of a broken relationship, suffering with a serious illness, struggling financially, anxious about work, or just feeling alone. This particular story is about a porcupine named Joggi who suffered in loneliness until one day his life was changed when he encountered a wounded racoon named Gamiel. In the year they spent together they developed “a bond of trust that asked no questions, expected nothing at all except the merciful being together that made waking up tomorrow possible.”

Mother Teresa once said, “There are no great things; only small things done with great love.” In this holiday season may we be attentive for small opportunities to display kindness, hospitality, and love to those who need a friend.

During His earthly ministry, one of the teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied that the most important was to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.

The day before Jesus was crucified He shared a last supper with His disciples. After Judas left the table to betray Him, John records that Jesus said to the remaining 11 disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” After issuing this new command Jesus comforts His friends with some of the most beautiful words in all of scripture, culiminating in what many consider the greatest prayer ever prayed (John chapters 13-17).

This post includes scripture related to the biblical commandments to love and an illuminating sermon excerpt by Charles Spurgeon on what this new command means to Christ followers. It closes with a poignant video titled “My Brother” in which Brian Doyle reflects on his dying brother’s words of love to his family. In closing Brian says: “And all day I have thought this: Why do we not tell each other every hour that we love each other? ” Is there anyone in your life who needs to hear today that you love them?

This beautifully written essay by Jeffrey Tucker titled "Find Your Oasis" recalls a transcendent moment he experienced in Grand Central Station surrounded by a multitude of people all rushing off to somewhere. In the midst of the chaos he was captivated by a distinctly different sound; that of a cello playing what he thought sounded like one of the suites by J.S. Bach, written some 300 years ago.

The experience was mesmerizing as he writes, "There I stood in people's way for the better part of 20 minutes, transported by that middle voice between time and eternity." Later he adds, "Without such music, we might forget there is a soul, that we are purely biological creatures with physical senses. Bach's cello suites deploy the senses in order to compel the rediscovery of our deepest and highest spiritual longings, elevating the mind and heart to experience a place without the passage of time."

Just as one may find peace in the eye of a hurricane, Jesus offers similar refuge to the chaos in the world; "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

In Jeffrey's experience Bach's music was the voice God used to awaken him to the reality of His timeless presence and to bless him with His peace in the midst of the noise of this world. May we live attentively each day listening for God's invitation to enter His sanctuary, a place where He promises rest and renewal.