A Lamp and Light

"You must pay close attention to what the prophets wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:19-21)

How do you feel about the Bible—does it confuse you? Comfort you? Do you want to understand it better? Peter’s words encourage us to truly believe God’s Word, for it IS from Him! Though men may have written the words down, the messages in those words come from the LORD Himself!

Psalm 119 proclaims God's Word as the ultimate source of life, wisdom, guidance, and joy, urging us to meditate on it, obey it, and find our hope in it, even amidst suffering. It highlights that a life centered on living out God's Word leads to blessings, holiness, and a clear path through life's challenges. Sometimes, though, those words can be confusing or hard to grasp. If we want to understand it better, where can we find help?

First and foremost, we can pray, asking God for understanding and for guidance in applying His Word to our lives. (Psalm 119:18, 27) We can also talk with mature Christians who have studied God’s Word and who do their best to live by it. Proverbs 27:17) We can read commentaries and other study helps written by Biblically sound teachers to research the passage of Scripture that we have questions about. (Proverbs 15:22)

God wants us to read His Word daily. He will help us understand His Word. He will show us to apply it to our lives. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Be encouraged!

©2026 Pamela D. Williams

Dirty Snow

It’s been a snowy couple of weeks here in Central Pennsylvania. And with the cold temperatures, the snow just isn’t going away. What was once a pure and pristine blanket of white, reflecting the brilliance of the sun, is now a dirty, disheveled pile, heaped up along the streets and roadways marred by cinders, tiny stones, salt, tree litter, and critter pee.

In Psalm 51:7 David says, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7) The trouble is, like the snow now lining our streets, it’s difficult to remain pure and clean, to avoid the temptations that come our way. We don’t always make the choice to please God rather than ourselves. Like the gradual sullying of the snow by dirt and grime, we find ourselves once again stained by sin and selfishness. We become a poor reflection of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul struggled with this, too. In Romans 7:24 he asks, “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” Thankfully, Romans 7 flows into Romans 8 and offers the hope we so desperately need. "There is now no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit frees you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

God’s Holy Spirit lives in us who have asked Jesus to save us and have believed He died on the cross as payment for our sins, taking the punishment we deserved. God’s Spirit makes us aware of our sins so we can confess them and be forgiven. (1 John 1:9) We can once again be pure and holy, able to let God’s light be reflected in our lives.

Be encouraged!

©2026 Pamela D. Williams