Recent Devotions
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 So often when we see Nativity scenes, the wise men from the East are pictured around the manger. But according to the record in Matthew, they did not come to the manger but to a house where Mary and Joseph were residing. They brought gifts of immense value to present to the child Jesus. I am sure that…
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” I John 3:2 Another Christmas season is drawing to a close.…
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other…
Readers Loved
“The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Proverbs 12:26, New English Translation). I just watched my friend walk to her car and head toward home. Last night I hugged another friend goodbye before she left town. The three of us had just enjoyed girlfriend time together. It took a lot of talking to catch up on life since we live hundreds of miles apart. Distance, crazy schedules, and just living life keeps us from getting together often. Sometimes years pass before we realize it. Some friends are in our lives…
“Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came . . .They came, men and women alike, all who had willing hearts . . .The Israelites brought a freewill offering to the LORD, every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring materials for all the work that the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.” (Exodus 35:21-22, 29, New English Translation) What things excite you? Stir you? Make you want to get involved? For some people, it’s politics. Others are passionate about the arts, a sports team, religion, or environmental issues. It…
“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in…
1 My child, listen to what I say,and treasure my commands. 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:1-6 We live in a world where everyone believes that they are right, and people struggle to admit when they are wrong. I’ll be honest, I don’t like being wrong, and it…
