Recent Devotions
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6-7 For the past few days, we have been looking at the choices made by people in the Bible, good and not good. But the Scriptures recorded them all as examples for us. When I was reading Ephesians yesterday, the above verses stood out to me. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus, commending them for their…
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me…
“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 Have you ever had company arrive at your door unexpectedly and…
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“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9, ESV). When considering difficult people, we must be careful to distinguish between truly dangerous people (who wish to destroy us) and those who are merely “different.” Culturally speaking, I have been called a godsend in some places and a nuisance in others. If we are honest, cultural differences can sometimes be deemed “difficulties.” But what does the Bible teach us? Sometimes the only thing that makes a person difficult to us is the way we perceive them. If someone does…
“Be thou an example of the believers, in word.” I Timothy 4:12 This week we are looking at this verse in I Timothy where Paul is giving Timothy guidelines for his life, and considering how they can apply to our lives. Perhaps you can remember instances of someone making a promise to you and then not following through on it. It is very disheartening to be anticipating a special treat and then being disappointed. It is far better to not make a promise than to break it. One of the greatest compliments that someone can say about us is that…
It’s a new year and a new day dawns. I love a new year for all it represents: the excitement of ringing out the old and welcoming the new, the wonder of where I’ll go and what I’ll do. Will a dream be fulfilled this year? It’s a time to take stock: Am I living with purpose? Have I released yesteryear once and for all? Hope springs eternal when I look forward, expecting the good. I grew up on the mission field in Norway and Sweden. Europeans view the New Year as a major event. Traditions vary: Spaniards eat one…
When you read the Psalms of David, you will notice that he experienced the highest of mountaintops and the steepest drops into the deepest valleys. He encountered every long, dark tunnel, the greenest meadow, the driest desert, and every upside-down twist and turn of the best (or worst) roller coaster ever built. As we enter David’s life in Psalm 56, we find this is one of the low places. He wrote these words to the chief musician when the Philistines captured him. He begins by saying: “Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting…
