Life Reference: Genesis 1:27, 5:3; Luke 20:19-26 Focus Verse: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself…
Recent Devotions
Wisdom from Proverbs “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4, ESV) A familiar children’s rhyme declares, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It sounds good, but unfortunately this little rhyme is not true. Yes, sticks and stones can injure us, but so can words. What we say may not leave visible scars, but our words do have the ability to injure another’s spirit. Proverbs 12:18 says words can pierce like a sword. They can cut deep. Perhaps it is because of the power…
Wisdom from Proverbs At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” . . . “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able…
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, NKJV) We are often only vaguely aware of innate spiritual yearnings and cravings within us. Yet, if…
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“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” Exodus 3:1 Have you ever found yourself in a “backside of the desert” kind of season? The kind where nothing seems to be growing, your strength feels like it’s running on fumes, and even your prayers sound a little dry? The desert can feel barren — a place of disapproval, health struggles, or heartbreak. That’s the kind of place Moses found himself in. Gone…
“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…
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Psalm 32:8, KJV). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23–24). Finding Direction in a Lost World In a world filled with complexity, shifting values, and uncertain choices, we all long for direction—something steady to help us navigate life’s crossroads. Sailors depend on a compass to cross uncharted seas. Pilots…
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. Psalm 42:7 A few weeks ago at church prayer, there was a depth that our congregation experienced in the presence of God. I felt like Peter when he began to walk on the water. Peter didn’t step unto still waters, he stepped unto raging waters in the middle of a storm! Regardless of how we may judge Peter for getting distracted and looking at his surroundings, he is still the only man who has ever lived, other than Jesus, to have…
