JOHN 3:22-31 A city-wide service served as the church’s capstone to its outreach initiatives. The team’s leader was a man who was hardly noticeable. “We hardly spotted you throughout the programme,” I told him when I ran into him a few days later, as I praised and acknowledged him for his efforts. He said, “I like to work … [Read more…]
1 KINGS 18:1,41-45; ISAIAH 46:9 A severe drought that struck China’s Yunnan Province in 2012 caused their crops to wither. Everyone was concerned, and in an effort to put an end to the drought, several superstitious customs were observed. When nothing worked, the villagers began accusing the Christians of upsetting the ancestors’ spirits. These Christians came together … [Read more…]
PSALM 119:9-16 Reading publications online is becoming more common, and many people enjoy saving trees in the process. Many folks still retain their preferred printed Bible—the one they have highlighted and read numerous times—in addition to the digital one they have on their reading devices. We do not know what the future holds for the printed … [Read more…]
HEBREWS 10:32-39 Homes in and around the central Texas community of Bastrop were destroyed by a raging wildfire at the beginning of September 2011. The headline of an article published a few weeks later in the Austin American-Statesman newspaper read, “People who lost the most, focus on what wasn’t lost.” The story discussed the community’s … [Read more…]
JOSHUA 24:2,8-14 As she put together lunch for her 3-year-old daughter, a young mother sighed. She said aloud, “If we just had a basket of fruit, I would feel rich!” when she noticed the empty fruit basket on the table in their small kitchen. Her young daughter heard her. Weeks went by. God provided for the … [Read more…]
MATTHEW 21:28-32; 1 JOHN 3:18 The student realised at the conclusion of the term that he needed a higher grade in order to participate in sports. What was he to do? I gave him two days to finish the assignments he had missed in order to raise his grade. He replied, “I am grateful. I will … [Read more…]
PSALM 119:105-112 Small compasses helped 27 sailors survive World War II. After being attacked, their ship caught fire and started to sink. Compass-equipped lifeboats were lowered into the water by Waldemar Semenov and his crew, who then used the compasses to direct them toward the shipping lanes closer to land. They were saved after three days. We … [Read more…]
PROVERBS 13:10-20 A couple went camping. One evening, as they were making their way back to their campground, they noticed two male bears boxing each other’s ears in the midst of a grassland. They halted to observe. They inquired of a hiker who was passing by about the conflict. “A young female,” he said. They questioned, “Where is she?” … [Read more…]
HABAKKUK 1:1-11; ISAIAH 55:8 Why is the sober victim gravely hurt in an accident while the drunk driver walks away unharmed? Why do evildoers thrive while good men suffer? How often have events in our lives left us feeling so perplexed? As he observed the unpleasant circumstances in Judah, where immorality and injustice were pervasive, Habakkuk was … [Read more…]
PSALM 34:1-7; ISAIAH 41:13 I made the choice to fly the lengthy distance. I felt just as nervous getting on the plane as I had the first time. In any case, what exactly is holding up the plane? We should not be terrified by irrational or even justified worries. King Saul, who was envious of David’s popularity … [Read more…]
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