The Declaration of Independence reads: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” That final clause is provocative. Every person has the God-given right to life and liberty. We only have the right to pursue happiness. Every person is in the pursuit of happiness. Your pursuit may be conscious or unconscious.  Your pursuit may be active or passive.  Your pursuit may be cheap or expensive.  Your pursuit may be moral or immoral.  Your pursuit may be worldly or spiritual.   Everyone pursues happiness. We do not agree...

Some parents talked to a music teacher about giving their son piano lessons. When they asked how much the piano lessons would cost, they were taken aback by the music teacher’s answer. There was a rate for children receiving piano lessons for the first time. It would cost double if the child had previously received piano lessons. Assuming previous lessons were an advantage, the parents asked why they cost more. The music teacher explained that it cost more because it required him to unlearn the learned before he could learn the unlearned.  Solomon has an all-important lesson to teach us in Ecclesiastes. He holds...

A young man graduated from college. His family threw a party to celebrate his accomplishment. His father asked him aside, “Now what?” “I am going to start my career,” he answered. “Then what?” “I will climb the corporate ladder to success.” “Then what?” “I will make a fortune and invest it wisely.” “Then what?” “I will marry the girl of my dreams and raise a family.” “Then what?” “I’ll retire and enjoy the good life.” “Then what?” “I guess I will grow old and die.” Once more, his father asked, “Then what?”  This father-son exchange reflects the probing question in...

David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. When Bathsheba became pregnant, David killed Uriah to cover his illicit deeds. He then married Bathsheba, who gave birth to a son. That child died at a young age. In God’s mercy, David and Bathsheba had another son named Solomon. Solomon succeeded David and reigned for forty years.  Early in his reign, the Lord visited Solomon and said, “Ask what I shall give you.” What would you do with a blank check signed by God? 1 Kings 3:9 says Solomon requested “an understanding mind” to discern between goodand evil. Solomon’s request for wisdom pleased the Lord because he did not ask for longevity, fame, strength, wealth, or success. The Lord granted Solomon surpassing wisdom and threw in incomparable riches and honor.  Solomon is the wisest man who ever lived. His God-given wisdom...

The novelist, Charles Dickens, was asked what he considered the best short story in the English language. Dickens replied, “The Prodigal Son.” Indeed, the Parable of the Prodigal Son is the best-known and most beloved parable of Jesus. It is not actually about the prodigal son. It is about the loving father. The prodigal son consumes attention. He is the character we identify with. The fundamental message of this parable is the love of the father for his two sons.  Luke 15:1-2 sets the scene: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Jesus responded by telling three...

Luke 15:1-2 reads: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  The notorious, irreligious, and outcast gathered to hear Jesus. Representatives of the religious establishment were also present to catch this upstart rabbi saying something to use against him. Even better, they catch him doing something to discredit him. Jesus shared food, friendship, and fellowship with the ragamuffins around him. The religious leaders concluded Jesus could not be a man of God, much less the Son of God. God would not receive sinners and eat with them. So they grumbled against Jesus. Jesus responded...

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a parable of grace. It is the definitive parable of grace. It is about the God who bestows favor on the unworthy and undeserving. This famous parable is often misunderstood because we focus too much on the prodigal son. The star is the loving father, not the prodigal son. The prodigal highlights and spotlights the grace of God. In that regard, the elder brother is just as important as the prodigal son – maybe more.  Luke 15:1-2 is the occasion of the parable: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Scribes and Pharisees were deemed righteous because they did...

Psalm 1 opens the Psalter with the Lord blessing man.  Psalm 150 closes the Psalter with man blessing the Lord.  In between these poetic bookends, the psalms address all of the vicissitudes of life – from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Warren Wiersbe wrote a book entitled “Meet Yourself in the Psalms.” That’s an apt description of what occurs when you read the Psalms. In the God-breathed writings of the various psalmists, you meet yourself. However, the Psalms – like all of sacred scripture – are about God and his glory, not man and his needs. Our chief end – to glorify God and enjoy him forever – comes into view as the Psalms end. John Phillips said, “The sobs and sighs...

“A win-win situation” is a business transaction in which both parties benefit. I get what I want from the deal. You get what you want from the deal. Thus, we both win. This business term can also apply to a situation in which one party benefits regardless. Life’s circumstances are typically good or bad, positive or negative, favorable or unfavorable. Yet there are rare occasions when a person comes out on top, no matter how things turn out. Philippians 1:21 states the ultimate win-win situation: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  Philippians is “The Epistle of Joy.” Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome, where he awaited trial. He did not know if he...

When he woke up marooned on a deserted island, his first thought was, “Why didn’t I die at sea like everyone else on the ship?” Survival instincts quickly ended this pity party. He collected items that had washed ashore that may come in handy in the days to come. He took branches and made a hut to store his goods. Then, for the first time, he felt he might get through this ordeal. Later, after searching for food, he returned to find his hut burning down. With an angry fist lifted heavenward, he screamed, “Why?” God did not speak. But...

The Lord commanded Moses to erect a tabernacle – a tent of meeting that signified God’s presence with Israel during their wilderness wanderings. It was to be built according to the Lord’s exacting specifications. David desired to build a house for God. Solomon – David’s son and successor – built the temple in Jerusalem. The temple complex had three courts.  The outer court of the temple was the vestibule that was open to the public.  The Holy Place was the inner court where the priests performed their ministry.  The Most Holy Place is where the Lord’s glorious presence symbolically resided.  A curtain separated the outer court from the Holy Place. Another curtain separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. These curtains were not the...

In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning writes about a dynamic young businesswoman who showed signs of stress and strain. The doctor prescribed tranquilizers and asked her to report to him in a couple of weeks. When she came back, he asked if she felt any different. “No, I don’t,” she replied. “But I’ve observed that other people seem a lot more relaxed.”   It’s true, isn’t it, that we usually see other people, not as they are, but as we are. That tendency is the occasion of the Parable of the Lost Coin. Luke 15:1 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.”  Tax...