Joe Barnett

There is a remnant chosen by grace.                       —Romans 11:5 Jesus told his apostles, “I have chosen you out of the world” (Jn 15:19). When two men were put forward as prospects to fill the vacancy left by Judas, Luke used the same verb (eklegomai): […]

[Ruth] went out and began to glean in the fields.                —Ruth 2:3 Jennifer Schuldt and her daughter were making brownies. When Jennifer poured the batter into the baking pan, her daughter asked her to leave some of it in the mixing bowl so she could lick some of

Being cheerful keeps you healthy.                  —Proverbs 17:22 In an analysis of 229,391 participants, cardiologist Dr. Alan Rozanski and colleagues found that optimists were much less likely to have a heart attack than pessimists—and had a lower mortality rate from any cause. Health columnist Jane Brody suggests assessing

It is this Good News that saves you.                  —1 Corinthians 15:2 Gospel means—and is—“Good News.” But before there is good news, there is bad news. The bad news is that we are sinners: transgressors and trespassers; derelicts and deadbeats; reprobates and renegades; frauds and phonies. No one

Even in old age they will still produce fruit.                                  —Psalm 92:14 In Illinois, citizens 87-and-older are required to take a driving test every year to keep their driver’s license. Lois Paulson passed hers with flying colors. She’s 105. “I

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.               —Romans 12:3 A significant portion of my time is spent working with words. So, when I read, I notice misteaks in grammar and spelling. (Caught it, didn’t you?) My judgmental reaction is to frown when I spot composition

Examine me and know my heart.                    —Psalm 139:23 Thurman refused to have physical exams—said if something was threatening, he didn’t want to know about it. He’s no longer with us. I have several friends who bought the farm sooner than they had to. They weren’t opposed

Give me neither poverty nor riches.                   —Proverbs 30:8 Ernie was rich. “Wealth scares me,” he said. He cited Luke 18:25, the Lord’s warning about it being hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God; and Luke 16:19ff, the story of the rich man and

Do you really think you can find someone or something to compare to Me?                                 —Isaiah 40:25 I watched as hundreds of handsome youngsters swarmed out of Klein High School as the school day ended—all of them, it seemed, staring