“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility… Daniel 1:3,6,7 NIV

My name is me!

“Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” Mark 1:38,39 NIV

To some, the idea of demon possession is hilarious—to others, horrific.

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.” Eph 6:14 NIV

In 1858, the sleeve of Pastor Tyng’s gown was caught in a machine for shelling corn, being pulled by his mule. His arm was mangled, then amputated. He died the next week. As he was dying, he was asked what message he wanted to give to his people.

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.” Jonah 3:10, 4:1 NIV

The only God, the holy God, likes us. But we are not like him.

“We spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (KJV) Psalm 90:9,10

Even if we grew up with the King James Bible, we still don’t usually count years according to scores.

“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up’, he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’” Matthew 2:13 NIV

The words can be a rebuke when spoken with bitterness. “Happy now?” The message is, “Now you are miserable because you did not heed my warning.”