Recent Devotions
If you have ever been to Canal Street in New York City, you will find a plethora of fake merchandise—anything from a faux Gucci bag, to a fake Rolex to Chanel purses with backward C’s on the pleather exterior. Many people do not care about authenticity anymore, plus it costs so much more to pay for designer prices, right? When a designer puts their own name on a product, it’s a stamp of quality and excellence. Tiffany & Co is named after its founder, Charles Tiffany, and has become the go-to jewelry store for the affluent and famous. Louis Vuitton…
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” 1 Peter 1:20 (NIV) Before God spoke light into darkness, named every star, and formed humanity, He already had a plan—a plan of redemption (Gen. 1:3; Ps. 147:4; Gen. 1:27). From…
When I was a teenager, I worked at a shoe store. It was, without question, the best job ever. I received 50% off regular stock, and the discount still applied to items already on sale. In other words, it was a teenager’s dream. Let’s say I owned a lot of…
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Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua . . . .” (Exodus 17:14, NKJV) I am currently working on a seventy-fifth anniversary history project for my church, and I’m finding it both fascinating and frustrating. It’s fascinating because of the miracles I’m discovering in our church’s history. It’s frustrating because I have questions that can’t be answered. Those with the answers are no longer among us. Someone on this committee jokingly said, “Let’s leave good notes for those who do the hundredth anniversary.” I also have many…
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither?… I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart… And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 1 Samuel 17:28–29. At this juncture of scripture, David has already been anointed to be the next reigning King over Israel. However, he has lived under the radar, caring for his father’s sheep and has been the King’s minstrel when Saul was vexed with an evil spirit. David’s father, Jesse, sent…
Numbers 14:19-20 “Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:” Moses was eighty years old when the Lord directed him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the promised land. In spite of all their murmurings and complaining, he had done his job well. He brought them to Kadesh-Barnea and sent the twelve spies into the land to check it out. They came back, carrying samples of the…
“Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (II Timothy 1:9) In school I was frequently assigned a seat near the back of the classroom. (I’m tall and teachers sometimes did that.) Then the time came that I began to squint while trying to read the teacher’s writing on the board. Squinting did not help much; the letters remained fuzzy and indistinct. I had become nearsighted eyes and needed to move closer to…
