Recent Devotions
“Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.” (Acts 6:3, ESV) After the Day of Pentecost, the early church experienced a time of rapid growth. And growth can cause growing pains. Acts 6 describes one of those times when the young church had to deal with some housekeeping problems—both literally and figuratively. But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of…
“I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all!” (Job 16:2, NKJV) I recently again read the Book of Job. Each time I read this familiar story, I gain new insights (and ask more questions) about the meaning of suffering. Job faced great affliction and loss, yet ultimately he…
“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character” (Psalm 105:19, NLT) When I recently did an online search for the meaning of character, I knew it wouldn’t be easy to define when one entry came up as the ”best 74 definitions of character.” The list included…
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“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” (Psalm 143:5, English Standard Version) Have you ever forgotten a name? Or walked into a room only to forget why you came? We all have memory lapses—and all aren’t age related. Forgetfulness can be caused by lack of sleep, certain medications, stress, or a medical condition. Perhaps one of the most frequent reasons we forget is we are human and it’s a natural tendency. Life gets busy and memories slip away. Genesis 28 tells the story of Jacob leaving…
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 I am writing this on January 2. We had a snowstorm overnight and the view from my window this morning is beautiful. This verse was going over and over in my mind. There is nothing more lovely to look at than a field of new snow that has not been disturbed. The Lord who created the snow, probably had this scene in mind when…
You open a packet of Hot Chocolate mix, pour it in your cup, add boiling water, and stir. Not as good as homemade-from-scratch, but not bad either. Suddenly, you’re called away for something. When you return, not only is the drink cold, the flavor is now weakened. The contents of a variety of drinks and foods, when left unattended, can separate. To enjoy the best flavors, it’s important to stir it up. Keep it viable. Make it workable. God has given you a gift that is comprised of various layers: Faith, Prayer, Hope, and Joy, to name a few. With…
“O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.” Proverbs 23:26 Sometimes we over-complicate things. Okay, most of the time we over-complicate things. We as women tend to overthink things, and our imaginations can sometimes get the best of us. I always struggled with “what does God want from me?” I was always searching for this deep, profound answer. Boy, was I off base. I always thought He wanted me at my best, slaying giants and conquering mountains. In reality, I was setting myself up for failure because I have experienced the valley…
