Recent Devotions
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (II Kings 6:16, NKJV) How could one man’s actions cause an entire army to go on a search mission to find him and seize him? Yet, that is what happened in II Kings 6. The man was Elisha, the prophet of the Lord, and the Syrian army wanted to find him. Is There a Spy? Time and again, Israel managed to evade the Syrian army. They seemed to always know where the Syrians would be. Was there a traitor within their ranks? The Syrian king was…
“They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus.” (Acts 15:39, CSB) Conflict is painful. Whether it’s within the family, on the job, or in the church, it hurts. Acts 15 relates a painful time in the friendship…
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV Fear is something I believe most, if not all of us, have dealt with in the last few years. In moments when I would personally…
Readers Loved
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 At our Seniors’ Fellowship a few months ago, the subject of using cash arose. Most people said they did not carry cash. They rely on credit cards or online banking to pay bills and buy supplies. I asked them what they did when the Holy Spirit prompted them to give money to someone. One replied that they would go…
Faith is often tested in difficult moments. Many believers remain steady when life is peaceful, but true faith is revealed when trials come unexpectedly. The Apostle Paul experienced such a test in Acts 28. While traveling to Rome as a prisoner, he survived a violent storm and a shipwreck. After finally reaching the island of Malta, another danger arose—a venomous viper latched onto his hand. The people on the island believed Paul would die. Instead, Paul simply shook the snake into the fire and continued his work. Paul’s response teaches an important lesson about unshakable faith. 1. Unexpected Dangers Can…
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near, Hebrews 10:24-25. It’s important to not only pray about the call of God on people lives, but to also encourage the call of God on their life. For a moment, think about David in the Bible. We know him as a shepherd boy, a harpist, an armor bearer, a giant killer, a military genius, a King, a sinner…
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” Psalm 139:23 The business world often uses the week between Christmas and New Year’s day as an opportunity to take inventory. Stock on hand is counted and recorded. Reports are compiled to show what sold well the past year and should be re-ordered. Anything broken or unusable is thrown away. Surplus items are marked with a reduced-price tag and put on a sale table. Shelves are reorganized for greater efficiency. Perhaps this week would be a suitable time for each of us to take a good…
