Recent Devotions
“A glad heart makes a cheerful face.” (Proverbs 15:13, ESV) I discovered something today. The word smile is not in the Bible, or at least not in the King James Version. It does appear a few times in other versions, but usually in supplication for God to smile (shine) upon us. What caused this sudden interest in smiling? I saw a short clip online of an experiment in which someone would smile at a stranger on the street and wish them a good day. As you can imagine, some of the “smiled at” viewed the smiler with suspicion, while others…
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (I Corinthians 3:16, ESV) It’s January—that month when gym memberships rise as many resolve to become lean and healthy. It’s also the month churches focus on getting our spiritual life on target for the…
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15, ESV) In a recent conversation with a friend, she confided that things seem to be shifting in her feelings about her…
Readers Loved
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:6 I saw this quote today and thought it would fit into this very well: “Let your hands be so busy catching blessings, that there is no room to hold on to a grudge.” All of us like to be shown mercy, but when it comes to others, we want to see them get what they deserve. In this verse Jesus is reminding his listeners that God has been very merciful to them and in turn they should show mercy to others. David cried out to God for mercy because…
“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions…” (II Timothy 3:10-11). How well do your friends know you? The people at work? What about those at church? Do they know what you believe and how you live your everyday life? In the verses above the apostle Paul made a very inclusive statement. He is saying, “You know what I believe, how I live, my purpose in life, how I show the fruit of the Spirit in my life, and the way I face trials.” Paul lived transparently before those to whom…
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 One morning I was changing the sheets on my bed and as I was tucking the fitted sheet under the mattress, I began to think of how we used to only have flat sheets on our beds. No matter how carefully we tucked them in as we made the bed, we would often wake up in the night to find them pulled out and we were lying on the mattress. At home I shared the bed with two sisters, so…
“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” Prov. 31:13-15 The NLT version reads like this: “She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship bringing her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.” Apparently, this lady was well-to-do and had servants to…
