Joe Barnett

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.     —Ephesians 4:1 Micah chapter 6 opens with the prophet confronting Israel as the voice of God. I saved you from slavery and delivered you from danger. What have I ever done to cause you to turn from me? (vv. 3–5). Convicted of their […]

I have loved you with an everlasting love.                   —Jeremiah 31:3 God doesn’t always step in and stop suffering, but his love is assured in good times and bad. His love is unfailing and unshakable: “Though the mountains be shaken . . . yet my unfailing love

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.        —Psalm 46:1 On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria slammed Puerto Rico, leaving behind an estimated 2,975 dead. Natural disasters are devastating. So are personal disasters: a fatal accident, a harrowing health issue, a lonely crisis. Sooner or later, we’re all ambushed

Fear not, for I am with you. . . . I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you.       —Isaiah 41:10 Are you traveling into new territory? A new town? A new school? A new relationship? A new job? A new challenge? Or tiptoeing through a painful passage in

Be grateful and enjoy what [you] have worked for. It is a gift from God.      —Ecclesiastes 5:19 Wealth isn’t sinful, but it’s risky. “Command those who are rich . . . not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God . . . Let them do good

There is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live. —Ecclesiastes 3:12 Canadian broadcaster Robert Blondin toured numerous countries, asking 600 people of diverse cultures one question: “What makes people happy?” The three highest ranking answers were: controlling one’s attitude, being thankful, and doing good. Here

How good is a timely word.         —Proverbs 15:23 Being noticed and appreciated fulfills a deep human need. Today consciously look for things that you appreciate and can praise in those you cross paths with. When you acknowledge someone’s work and worth, you contribute to their happiness and sense of self-worth. Don’t

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.  —Philippians 3:1 It’s hard to be happy when you’re hurting. But happiness isn’t entirely at the mercy of circumstance. Here are three examples: Habakkuk was hurting. His nation was in chaos. The economy was in the tank: failed crops; sheep and cattle dead. Even so, he

All you have made will praise you, O Lord.                             —Psalm 145:10 The Houston Museum of Natural Science features an exhibit of life-size specimens of the human anatomy, detailing the functioning of each body part: an animated model of the working of

Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above. —James 1:17 Unrequested blessings were the bookends of the Israelites’ wilderness odyssey. On the front end was the dry-ground crossing of the Red Sea when they departed Egypt. On the back end was the dry-ground crossing of the Jordan when they entered Canaan forty years