John Haldone, a scientist, once suggested to Monsignor Knox that in a universe containing millions of planets it was inevitable that life would appear by chance on one of them. “Sir,” said Knox, “if Scotland Yard found a body in your Saratoga trunk, would you tell them, ‘There are millions of trunks in the world—surely […]

The story is told of a science professor who constructed a planetarium, a precisely scaled model of the universe. A student came into his office and asked him who made it. The professor said, “No one.” The student laughed and asked again, “Come on, who made this fantastic piece of precise work.” The professor replied, […]

A letter from a missionary out in the jungles of New Guinea writing to his friends at home caught the nature of spiritual warfare: “Man, it is great to be in the thick of the fight, to draw the old devil’s heaviest guns, to have him at you with depression and discouragement, slander, disease. He […]

The experience at the ford of the River Jabbok occurred as Jacob returned from his long stay at Haran. While preparing for a reunion with his brother, Esau, of whom he was still afraid (32:7), he had a profound experience that left him changed in both body and spirit. At the ford of the Jabbok, […]

From the spiritual mountaintop of Bethel, Jacob descended into everyday life where he met uncle scheming Laban. Genesis 29:12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father. Jacob’s Service for Laban’s His Daughters 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and he […]

The temple address,  was delivered in prose to the people coming through the gates “to worship the LORD” (7:2), is famous for its powerful insistence that no rite or institution or building can shield a guilty people from the wrath of God. To think otherwise is to descend to ridiculous superstition. (1) The merely repetitious […]

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness  For His name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I […]

On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower was anchored off the coast of Cape Cod. One hundred two passengers including thirty-four children had crossed the ocean from England. Of the passengers, sixteen men, eleven women, and fourteen children were Pilgrims, having been associated with the Separatist church in Scrooby, England. Refusing to conform to the Church […]

Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, […]

Genesis 28:10–22 28:1  And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. […]