LIGHT AND DARKNESS

PSALM 91:1-8 About 140 houses on two streets joined by a cemetery were served by a lad who delivered newspapers. He had to leave at three in the morning to walk through that graveyard in the dark since he delivered the morning newspaper. He would occasionally become so terrified that he would actually start to … [Read more…]

PENCIL FIGHT

JUDGES 2:11-22 My teacher required that I hold my pencil a certain way when I was learning to write. I held it in the manner she requested as she observed me. But when she turned away, I stubbornly flipped the pencil back to the position that felt more comfortable to me. I believed I had won … [Read more…]

PUT YOUR HAND UP

JOHN 3:7; JOHN 4:7-15,28-30 A premier choir, the St. Olaf Choir was established in 1912 and is based in Northfield, Minnesota. What takes place in rehearsals for the choir is one intriguing aspect. Members raise their hands when they make a mistake. They draw attention to the error rather than trying to cover it up! This increases … [Read more…]

OUR ANCHOR

HEBREWS 6:13-20 Estella Pyfrom purchased a bus, furnished it with computers and desks, and began driving “Brilliant Bus” around to give at-risk children a place to do their schoolwork and learn technology after she retired from teaching. Children who may otherwise be persuaded to give up on their hope for a better tomorrow were given … [Read more…]

LOOK UP!

PSALM 121 Walking on flat surfaces has some health benefits, but if we choose a route that comprises hills or steep inclines, our results will be even better. Strength, stamina, and general health are improved more quickly for people who walk hills. The Israelites sang the “Songs of Ascents” (Ps. 120–134) as they walked the road … [Read more…]

GOOD WORDS

PROVERBS 10:18–21; 12:17–19 Which human muscle has the most strength? Some claim that the tongue is the strongest muscle; however, since muscles do not function in isolation, it is difficult to say for sure. But we are aware of the power of the tongue. It can cause a lot of harm. This dynamic, tiny muscle that aids … [Read more…]

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LEARN

2 TIMOTHY 3:10-17 Jane reads a great deal. She is engrossed in a book while others are watching television or playing video games. Her zeal is mostly the result of her early years. Her family frequently went to see an uncle who had a bookshop. Uncle Fred would read to her while she sat on his lap, … [Read more…]

FAILURE IS NOT FINAL

JOHN 18:15-27 We all want to be remembered for our “finest hour.” When he declared, “Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God,” the apostle Peter may have had his finest moment (John 6:69). But occasionally, we let our mistakes define who we are. Peter walked outside and sobbed vehemently after repeatedly denying … [Read more…]

HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU?

JOHN 21:15-22 Although there are many uses for social media, satisfaction is not one of them. Even when we have good intentions, it can be discouraging to constantly be reminded that others have already achieved their goals or have done so more successfully. Yet, God has not wronged us. Everything we require to complete the … [Read more…]

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE

GALATIANS 6:1-10 When we cook three times a day, seven days a week, it may become tiresome. We can grow weary of processing food by peeling, chopping, slicing, and mixing it before baking, grilling, or boiling it. Yet, eating is never tedious! Despite the fact that we do it every day, we really like it. … [Read more…]