Recent Devotions
“Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.” (Genesis 13:12-13, ESV) When someone moves to a new location, there are so many things to consider. How much will suitable housing cost? Is the neighborhood safe? What is the quality of the school district? Is the area convenient for shopping and for commuting to work? Do neighbors maintain their properties? Is there a church nearby that upholds biblical truth? Any move requires serious…
“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.” (Philippians 1:29, NLT) Contrary to what we would like to believe, bad things really do happen to good people sometimes. This becomes evident as we read the Book of…
Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” (Genesis 16:13, NLT) Hagar really didn’t have much going for her in life. An Egyptian…
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So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying . . . Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. “And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” (Acts 9:11, 13-14, NKJV) The Bible does not tell us much about the man named Ananias that we meet in Acts chapter 9. We do know he was a resident…
A conversation with someone looking away or at something else besides you is only half a conversation. Their inattention makes you wonder if what you have to say is important to that person at all. They may be distracted because they don’t have a vested interest in what you are saying. It may be selfishness on their part that has them believing that only what they say is worthy of a listen. It might even be that the value they place upon you is less than what you thought, and therefore they can justify their divided attention. That is a…
“Our LORD, I will remember the things you have done, your miracles of long ago. I will think about each one of your mighty deeds.” Psalms 77:11-12 CEV There is an old song titled “Count your blessings, name them one by one” and the scripture above brought it back to mind. Sometimes, especially in the midst of chaos, we need to remember past miracles. We are absolutely surrounded by confusion and weariness right now, and it’s so easy to become consumed with all the wrong things. It’s so beneficial for us to take a few minutes each day and remember…
The walls of Jericho seemed indestructible. God gave them instructions as the Israelites stared up at those fortified walls. He didn’t tell them to go up and storm the city; that would have been a suicide mission. Instead, they were directed to walk daily around the city for seven days. They marched, they camped, and they waited for God to move. Each day as they made the long walk, it increased their faith and their expectation that God would move miraculously in their situation. They had a promise. They didn’t question; they knew God was ordering their steps. If the…
