1 PETER 2:1-10 We have accumulated a lot of stuff throughout the course of our lives. We have bags or boxes full of items that were once important but have now lost their attraction. And, as unrepentant collectors, we have discovered that the thrill comes from finding and obtaining new things to add to our collections. … [Read more…]
JOHN 12:12-19; 19:14-16 Every year, between Ash Wednesday (the start of Lent) and Easter (Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection), I am reminded of how rapidly public opinion may change! When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, he was greeted by multitudes who chanted for Him to be crowned king. The same people, meanwhile, were … [Read more…]
1 PETER 5:1-11 Benedictions are common at the conclusion of church services. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you,” Peter concludes in his first epistle (1 Peter 5:10). The phrase “after that … [Read more…]
GENESIS 2:7 God did not have to worry about running out of material when He created Adam out of dust (Gen. 2:7). It is estimated that between 1 and 3 billion tons of desert dust are released into the atmosphere annually. Nobody needs to buy dust since we all have more than enough. Some people in their … [Read more…]
HEBREWS 12:1-3 Rob Sloan hopped on a spectator bus 20 miles into the Kielder marathon in England – and finished third before being discovered. When questioned by officials, he claimed that he had stopped running because he was exhausted. As we run the race of faith, many of us can relate to the tiredness of a worn-out … [Read more…]
2 CORINTHIANS 1:12-14 The fourth president of the United States, James Madison, was a key figure in the development of the US constitution. He warned against making laws that are “so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.” That counsel still needs to be heeded a little more frequently today! … [Read more…]
EPHESIANS 5:15-17 Life is similar to the weather in that it is seasonal. Whether we like it or not, it has a way of forcing us into the next season. And as we are pushed into the next season, we are often uncertain and even afraid of what lies ahead. We can count on God’s faithfulness no … [Read more…]
COLOSSIANS 3:22-24 Is ambition a bad thing? Is it wrong to be ambitious, to strive for excellence? It can be. The distinction between good and bad ambition is in our motivation or goal – whether it is for God’s glory or for our own. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 that Christians should live lives that … [Read more…]
1 SAMUEL 3:1-10 John and his coworkers were walking to the gate after passing through airport security, he heard his name: “Paging John Clean. “I am calling John Clean.” He was certain it was him. He assumed he had forgotten something at the check-in counter. He checked with an airline agent, who instructed him to pick … [Read more…]
COLOSSIANS 3:1-14 A well-known apparel retailer insists that its salespeople dress up like the models in the store displays who promote the company’s products. “Guarding their brand” is the term for this practice. The theory is that buyers will be more willing to buy items because they want to look like the people who are wearing them. … [Read more…]
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