Joe Barnett

To us a child is born . . . And he will be called . . . Prince of Peace                      —Isaiah 9:6 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wife had recently died. His soldier son lay wounded. And he was in despair over the massive loss of lives […]

On earth peace, goodwill toward men.                               —Luke 2:14 Edmund Sears was depressed. The United States and Mexico were struggling in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). And Europe was staggering under the weight of the numerous revolutions of 1848.

A fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.      —Philippians 4:18 Out for my morning jog, I knew a family was—or soon would be—at the breakfast table, because the aroma of bacon was in the air. The sense of smell is one of God’s great gifts. I get caught up in remembrance of

You had [him] killed by hanging him on a tree.         —Acts 5:30 A large window in my mother’s kitchen framed a beautiful oak tree. She had breakfast every morning watching the sun do its magic on her tree. Mother loved that tree. It started me thinking about some other trees. There

See how very much our Father loves us.                             —1 John 3:1 Nineteenth-century British cleric Joseph Parker was asked why Jesus chose Judas to be a disciple. He pondered the question, but said he kept running into a more baffling one: “Why

The people living in darkness have seen a great light.     —Matthew 4:16 An abnormally high percentage of the 3,400 residents of Rjukan, Norway, have suffered from mental depression. They blame it on living in the dark. Surrounded by high mountains, Rjukan receives no sunlight for six months a year. It’s one of the

A good name is more desirable than great riches.         —Proverbs 22:1 Charles Ponzi’s fraudulent investment ploy became known as a “Ponzi scheme.” Investor money snowballed on Ponzi’s promise of a 100 percent profit within ninety days. He used money from new investors to pay previous ones. When the ruse collapsed, victims

God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”                     —Galatians 4:6 Members of President John Kennedy’s cabinet were seated around his desk, discussing weighty matters. A photographer’s camera caught the image of two-year-old John-John crawling under the desk at his

What can mere mortals do to me?                   —Hebrews 13:6 On October 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali and world heavyweight champion George Foreman stepped into the ring in Kanshasa, Zaire, for the fight dubbed “Rumble in the Jungle.” Foreman’s strategy was to come on fast and take Ali