Recent Devotions
“The unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and…in thee also . . . stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not . . . ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” (II Timothy 1: 5-8). At my mother’s funeral, a pastor who was a product of my parents’ pioneering ministry in New York testified of how my…
Several years back, the Lord started really dealing with me to study the subject of being an encourager. Though I had spent most of my life in ministry trying to help others, I felt a special need to explore the topic even deeper than I had currently known. One day…
“En-” means to put in or into; “courage” means to be confident and strong, therefore, encourage means to put courage and strength into someone. “Dis-” reverses the word it’s attached to. “Discourage” means to take courage away. An encouraging person is pleasant to be around because he builds you up…
Readers Loved
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10 Most of us have read or heard this scripture read and, in our minds, have said that it is impossible for a woman to reach the high ideal that is portrayed. The writer of Proverbs said her value was above rubies. I found the following interesting information about rubies in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “The quality of a ruby is determined by its color, cut, and clarity, which, along with carat weight, affect its value. The brightest and most valuable shade of red called blood-red…
“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (Proverbs 12:26, New King James Version). Do you ever thank God for the wonderful friends He has placed in your life? I do. I realize that good friends enrich my life and encourage me in my walk with the Lord. Of course, not all friends are on the same level. Some are just acquaintances or casual friends. We are friendly when we meet at an event, but we really don’t invest in each other’s life. We feel closer to others and are comfortable sharing…
“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14, English Standard Version). We live in a very mobile society. Statistics say on average Americans move slightly more than eleven times during their lifetimes. Europeans average about four moves. Reasons we move vary—job relocations, changes in the family, renting to ownership, moving up or scaling down. If you’re like me, you don’t really enjoy all the sorting and packing, but you’ve probably done it several times already and more moves may be in your future. Various articles describe the best and worst…
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 This week I looked at the shoes that I have been wearing around the house for the last few years. The band is “I Love Comfort.” Though shabby and worn, they are comfortable and familiar. They still have good support, but I know they are not suitable to wear out in public. It is time to choose something else to wear in their stead. I am not…
