Then the Lord called Samuel.Samuel answered, Here I am. And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me. But Eli said, I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 1 Samuel 3:4–5, NIV. Samuel, at this moment, did not know the voice of…
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (I Corinthians 12:27, NKJV) I frequently arrive a little early for Sunday morning service. The sanctuary usually has a few other early birds, and the musicians are sometimes still practicing. I make my way to my “usual spot” (you have…
“A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” (Proverbs 15:13, ESV) I discovered something today. The word smile is not in the Bible, or at least not in the King James Version. It does appear a few times in other versions, but usually in supplication for God to smile (shine) upon…
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (I Corinthians 3:16, ESV) It’s January—that month when gym memberships rise as many resolve to become lean and healthy. It’s also the month churches focus on getting our spiritual life on target for the…
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15, ESV) In a recent conversation with a friend, she confided that things seem to be shifting in her feelings about her…
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34, NKJV) When God created our world, He gave us days and nights, hours and minutes. God could have spoken the world into existence in just one blink…
“The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.” (I Kings 17:16, NKJV) Yesterday I organized the shelves of my pantry, checking expiration dates and organizing my canned goods by food types.…
“And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.” (I Samuel 18:14, NKJV) The amazing thing about the Bible is it tells things like they are—the good, the bad, the ugly. It shows us the ugliness of man’s sinful nature, but it also allows us…
Ephesians 3:7-8 MSG “This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was…