Recent Devotions
“I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.” (Psalm 102:7, ESV) Today, July 11, is “Cheer Up the Lonely Day.” I’ll admit I had not heard of this observance until I read about it in a magazine. I did a little research, and yes, there is such an unofficial holiday. It’s easy to celebrate—just let someone feel loved and appreciated. We can do this by visiting in person, reaching out by phone (especially to those not living nearby), or just giving a big hug when appropriate. Aloneness and loneliness are not the same. When we are…
“But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had predicted.” Exodus 8:15 Isn’t it so easy for us to look at Pharaoh and shake our heads in disbelief. After numerous plagues that destroyed his crops,…
“But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” Mark 5:19 Mark chapter five tells us the story of a man who is possessed by evil spirits. He was living a life of torment…
Readers Loved
Why is it human nature to crave affection? Is love an extravagant gift? Candy hearts? Red roses? Is love three words spoken or the sensation of butterflies in one’s stomach? Or, is love putting your personal convictions aside to prove to someone you care about them more than you care about yourself? Is love a game to be won or a heartbreak to dodge? What is love and why is it so desperately hard to find? Yesterday was Valentines day, a day to exihibt love. However, there are too many times people think they have found true love and then discover it…
I look up to the mountains- does my help come from there My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both…
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13) Have you ever been in a place where pure water was difficult to find? I’ve visited a few places where the water was questionable. I live where an abundant supply of good water is available, so it seemed strange to use bottled water to brush my teeth. However, I’d been warned I could make myself sick by using tap water even for that simple routine. Although the water looked as clear as my…
“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4). Oh how we love this verse! It is probably one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. We all love the idea of God giving us our heart’s desire; but as I study this verse, I see a set of instructions that we must follow to make this reward of “heart’s desire” possible. If we look at verses 3-7 we see that we are to trust, delight thyself, commit, and rest. Trust Before we can delight in the Lord, we must…
