Roger Meyer

When my wife and I get up to have our morning coffee, we often say, “Shall we turn on the news and see what ‘blew up’ last night?” We wonder: What disaster, murders, shootings, riots, robberies, accidents, fires, pandemic deaths, political bickering, legislative logjams, scandals, bankruptcies, lawsuits, debt increases, or other negative things happened since yesterday? There is usually something to sigh about.

Have you heard the saying, “Confession is good for the soul”? This exact statement is not in the Bible, but the principle of confessing our sins is. What and to whom do we confess, and why?

Violence is increasing rather alarmingly. It fills the news, with reports of murders, assaults, and other violent crimes in our cities. People are living increasingly in fear for themselves and their loved ones. Many, if not most, are taking extra safety precautions and buying alarm systems, pepper sprays, and weapons for personal protection. Why is this happening, and what can we do to protect ourselves and our families?

We all get offended at one time or another. And, very likely, we have offended someone ourselves. What does God want us to know about offenses?

One of the meanings of the word “offense” is “being annoyed or feeling resentment towards someone who has insulted or disregarded us.” People say or do things that hurt and anger us, whether inadvertently or intentionally. Our feelings may range from annoyance to anger, from mild irritation to great indignation, or from resentment to rage. Likewise, our words and actions may arouse these feelings in others.

News reports occasionally feature "The Big One"—the expectation of an earthquake of mammoth magnitude wreaking widespread destruction. What did Jesus say about earthquakes? Does the Bible foretell a massive earthquake striking the Earth in the last days?