By: Obed Pineda Sacred Scripture advocates “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3). This verse from the Psalm demonstrates how greatly having a family was valued by the ancient world. They understood well that children are essential to constructing…
By: Obed Pineda During the second century BC, the ancient kingdom of Lydia was ruled by Eumenes II. On the Cogamus River, 105 miles east from Smyrna, a city was founded upon a terrace 650 feet above the sea, with volcanic cliffs behind it feeding the soil with rich minerals…
By: Obed Pineda Since Eden, man has often struggled with taking responsibility for his actions. This reality is evinced by how prolific mankind has become in the art of self-justification. At Eden, Adam and Eve placed blame on another as an explanation for their “unintentional” disobedience (cf. Genesis 3:11-13). Curiously,…
By: Joel Ramirez In a recent adult class I attended, the subject of Esau was reviewed and I began to see his story in a new light. The discussion started with how easily Esau gave up his inheritance over a bowl of soup. The discussion moved on to Jacob, the…
By: Obed Pineda If you enjoy camping in the woods on a summer evening, then you have undoubtedly been mesmerized before by the intermittent flashes of fireflies filling the night. These nocturnal beetles are able to produce their famed glow through a process called bioluminescence. Lightning bugs have special cells…
By: Obed Pineda There is no doubt that mankind has always been captivated by the pleasures and beauty of water. The soothing sounds of waves washing upon the sands or the constant running of the river currents invites an individual to jump in and enjoy a refreshing swim. The calm…
By: Obed Pineda Edgar A. Guest was an American poet that was given the moniker “the People’s Poet,” because of how relatable his poetry was to everyday life. In one of his most popular poems titled Sermons We See, Guest eloquently voices how actions have a greater value over words…
By: Obed Pineda It is fascinating how language can often be simple and complex simultaneously, especially from generation to generation. When words are used as they were originally designed, a clear flow of comprehension manifests between those engaged in conversation. Yet, in that same conversation, one word, sentence, or phrase…
By John Mitchell Most people would say that they don’t worship any statues. In the Old Testament, in Exodus 20:3-5, God wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets. The first one is, “You shall have no other gods before Me” and the second one is, “You shall not make…
By: Obed Pineda “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:26-27) It is undeniable that the greatest honor any man or woman can receive in life is to be…