“Give us day by day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3) A little water and a morsel of bread. That is all the prophet Elijah asked from the widow woman. A simple request, but it was not an easy one to fulfill. Times were worse than difficult; they were desperate. Because of drought and famine, food was scarce. All the widow had left was a scant handful of flour and a little oil. It was only enough to bake a small cake for her son and herself. Their resources were gone, and soon they would die from starvation. Elijah did not stop at this home by accident.…
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13, NKJV) ACHAN’S STORY Joshua 7 tells us the story of Achan, a man who thought his secret sin would stay a secret. When the children of Israel went up against the city of Jericho, they were instructed to take none of the spoils from the city. Only the silver, gold, brass, and iron could be kept, and that was to be consecrated to the Lord. Keeping anything else was forbidden. But Achan took a garment, 200 shekels silver, and a wedge of gold. (Remember, the silver and gold were God’s.) Achan then dug a hole inside his tent and hid the stolen goods. After all, who would know? But secrets do not stay buried, and sin has consequences. Unfortunately, those consequences often affect not only the wrongdoer but also those around him. When the men of Israel went up to take the city of Ai, thirty-six of them died in battle. It should never have happened, but God revealed there was sin in the camp. One man’s greed affected everyone and innocent men died. Also, Achan and his entire household were destroyed because…
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it . . . So I do not run aimlessly.” (I Corinthians 9:24 and 26, ESV) I am not a morning person, but occasionally I find myself out in the pre-dawn hours as I drive a friend to the airport for an early flight. It amazes me when I see a lone figure up ahead determinedly jogging. I wonder at the passion that compels someone to be out at such an early hour just to run. Running is more than just putting one foot in front of the other and starting out. As one runner’s blog stated, “My friend implicitly understood that there was a difference between wanting to start running and wanting to become a runner.” PREPARATION COMES FIRST Running requires preparation. It is not a spur-of-the-moment, haphazard type thing. It requires the right shoes for support and dressing appropriately for conditions. The runner also needs a good diet and good hydration. But none of this is sufficient without dedication and determination. Many runners set a goal of completing a marathon. This 26.2 mile (42.195…
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10, ESV) Do you ever have trouble deciding what to wear some mornings? I have a few favorite outfits that I tend to choose frequently. More and more my style has evolved into something called comfortable, not elegant or trendy. I have no need to…
“A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away.” (Ecclesiastes 3:6, NKJV) It’s often said that “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” I always assumed it referred to thrift shopping like garage sales and second-hand stores. However, variations of this saying go back hundreds of years. Because I am of a certain age, I have too many “treasures.” I don’t have space for them. Most have little dollar value, but I find it difficult to let go. Decluttering is difficult because memories are attached to so many items. These things that fill my space may be trash or they may be treasure, but someday I will need to clear the clutter. Toss or keep? Ecclesiastes 3:6 tells us that there is a time to keep things and a time to throw them away. That’s true in a physical sense and also true in our spiritual lives. When our lives get cluttered with busyness and distractions, we may not realize how our clutter is crowding God out of our lives. Physical clutter is easy to recognize—stacks of papers, messy closets, covered tabletops and dressers, or stacks of books toppling over.…
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV) It’s January, the start of a new year. Many consider it an opportunity for a fresh start. We can put last year’s disappointments and failures behind us and begin with a clean slate. We make resolutions, choose a focus word for the year, set goals, and begin our journey toward self-improvement. Also during this month, many churches set times of prayer and fasting to help us focus on the spiritual. checking my priorities These opening days of 2026 are an excellent time for reflection and self-examination, especially about our relationship with the Lord. Is He a priority in our lives? Have we grown in our walk with Him? Are we aligned with His will? Ephesians 5:15 tells us to examine how we walk and to consider how to make the best use of our time. Here are just a few of the questions that may help us get started on this self-examination. Do I hunger after God and things of the Spirit? Have I grown closer to the Lord since this time last…