“And this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the LORD saves, for the battle is the LORD’s. He will hand you over to us.” (I Samuel 17:47, Christian Standard Bible) A favorite Bible story from childhood tells of the shepherd boy David slaying…
When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:15, ESV) Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in…
“I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us.” Psalms 44:6-7 We have been given many tools to fight the battles we will have to…
“Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.” Proverbs 24:27 Anyone out there a little bit spontaneous? When the mood hits you will paint a room in your house, rearrange the future, decide you want another child and rescue a dog from the local animal shelter. Yeah,…
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19 Pause Pray Proceed The first time I read those three words it was as if a lightbulb went off in my mind. So simple, yet so…
“Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 What talents and gifts have you been given? What abilities can you use for the kingdom? Personally speaking, I often question if what I have…
ul> Baby takes its first breath, lungs filling with air and cries at being thrust from the safety of the womb into bright light. That first cry brings life, hope and dreams. When the baby’s mother is wheeled to the curb at the hospital, going home, optimism blossoms. She visualizes her baby in the future. First tooth. First steps. A smiling kindergartner in cap and gown. She sees happy days with a bright future, not thoughts of tragedy awaiting the warm bundle of life cradled in her arms. Although death begins at the moment of birth, the mother acknowledges only life and hope. Jesus, recognizing His destiny to die, said “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, (John 10:10, Holy Bible, King James Version).
-
Prayer : Eternal God, between the first breaths of life and the last before death, there is hope for each of Your children to make a difference. I pray for an expectant mother who has little hope to dream big, pray and nurture her child to be a winner for you. Amen.
-
Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
-
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding,” (Proverbs 3:5, Holy Bible, New Living Translation). Some modernists have become so entangled in the independent do-it-yourself mode that it’s encroached into Christianity. While self-sufficiency may be an option for wallpapering a home or maintaining a yard, the writer of Proverbs does not recommend it for heart maintenance. His instruction is total dependence on the Lord.
-
Prayer: Lord, in my struggle for self-sufficiency, I try to work things out alone before I talk it over with You. Teach me to trust completely in You. Amen.
-
Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
-
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it,” (Matthew 13:45-46 from the Holy Bible New King James). This parable is a reminder that natural pearls were valued beyond other treasures in ancient times. Formed by irritations caused by foreign particles, wild mollusks or oysters produced rare natural gems with incomparable beauty. Mass produced cultured pearls from controlled environments are common look-alikes, often the same size, shape and color of lesser value. Christians cultivated in a sheltered atmosphere without life’s intrusions are like cultured pearls. They can’t match the beauty and strength of those who conquered circumstances and became priceless treasures.
-
Prayer: Eternal God, give me strength to weather the storms in my life so I will shine with Your natural glow. Amen.
-
Devotion by Violet Carr Moore