Today’s Verse: Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ~Philippians 2:2-3 If you work with people to any degree, you have probably experienced conflicts. Conflicts occur when there is disagreement regarding precepts, principles, preferences, and practices. Conflicts occur when we and the people we have

Today’s Verse: I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. ~Psalm 40:8 The subject of the will of God is one that is either delightful or disconcerting to Christians. You are either doing the will of God or you are not. All consternation or concerns that people have about God’s will is due to ignorance, misunderstanding, or outright disobedience. God’s will is not the enemy of the Christian. Rather, God’s will is His best for our life. God’s will for

Today’s Verse: As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. ~Psalm 42:1 Have you ever been without water to drink for a very long, extended period of time? Have you ever experienced the feeling of dryness of throat, parched lips, a swollen tongue, and the physical languishing of being thirsty? If you have, you will empathize with the psalmist. The psalmist speaks of being thirsty, but in a spiritual sense. He describes for us what it is li

Today’s Verse: But this I say, brethren, the time is short.... ~1 Corinthians 7:29a Someone has once said, “We master our minutes, or we become slaves to them; we use time, or time uses us.” Benjamin Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” Seneca said, “We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end to them.” The Apostle Paul said, “The time is short.” This morning. le

Today’s Verse: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ~Romans 12:3 The greatest battle that most of us have is with our ego. We have a tendency to have a much higher opinion of ourselves than we should. A preacher was once gloating over how eloquent of a preacher he thought that he was. He asked h

Today’s Verse: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, ~Jude 20 Perhaps, the one area of the Christian life that most people struggle with is in the area of prayer. Finding time to pray, knowing how to pray, being consistent in praying, and seeing answers to our prayers can be a struggle for some Christians. Maybe you have read Jude 20 many times and have asked the question, “What does it mean to pray in the Holy Ghost?” The

Today’s Verse: And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ~1 John 2:28 Like yourself, I enjoy unplanned-for surprises that surround a special event or celebration. When my father celebrated his 70th birthday, we surprised him with a large banquet that included many guests and gifts. He was pleasantly surprised. On the other hand, none of us like to be surprised by an event or occurre

Today’s Verse: My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. ~Job 23:11 We live in an age where people find it easier for them to quit than to stay at something. If trouble arises in the home, they leave their marriages. If there is too much work at their job, they quit their job. If they encounter trouble in church, they leave the church. Whatever it may be, the trend is to quit rather than to be steadfast. This morning, we want to be encouraged to be s

Today’s Verse: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ~Philippians 4:13 When we became sons of God, we entered a relationship that assures us of enablement through the adversities, hardships, and opportunities in life. Peter describes this enablement when he said, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). So, Paul ma

Today’s Verse: Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. ~Psalm 46:10 Several years ago, my wife and I made a visit to a family where there were three very hyperactive children. After fifteen minutes of their continued interruptions and disruptive behavior, I told them, “Let’s play a game.” The game required them to sit still and not make a move for fifteen minutes. The one who made any movement would lose and be re

Today’s Verse: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. ~Ephesians 5:17 Perhaps the greatest question in the mind of most believers is, “What is God’s will for my life or in a certain matter?” God’s will refers to God’s plan for every area of life. It is what I call God’s best for you. God has a perfect will for every Christian. God desires that we do His will. Jesus taught us to pray, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” In His model prayer,

Today’s Verse: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. ~John 14:12 Do you have a desire to do something great for God? Is it in your heart of hearts that God will use you greatly? The disciples were discouraged because Jesus told them that He would go away. The human side of them did not want the Lord to leave them. They felt a sense of weakness and in

Today’s Verse: Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. ~Mark 16:14 The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest miracle ever that attests to the veracity of Jesus Christ being God, the Word of God being true, and the hope of life that is eternal beyond the grave. We are told in Acts 1:3 that Jesus showed Himself al

Today’s Verse: Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. ~Isaiah 53:12 This morning, we are considering the greatest sacrifice ever performed: we are remembering Jesus' death on the cross for every sinner. Isaiah 53 has been called the Suffering Servant c

Today’s Verse: Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. ~Acts 26:28 Are you someone who almost made a killing on an investment but did not take the risk? Are you someone who almost became influential, but you did not do everything that was required of you? Almost implies close, but not there. It implies the opportunity was there, but it was turned down. It implies you could have, but you did not do it. There is the delay in almost. Almost is p

Today’s Verse: I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. ~Song of Solomon 2:1 Of the many descriptions that we have of our Lord Jesus Christ, one of the favored ones used for Him is that of a flower. In Song of Solomon 2:1, He describes Himself as the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys. It is the description as the Lily of the Valleys that we want to consider and focus upon this morning. There is the species of the lily. Like other flowers, a lily is a one

Today’s Verse: The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. ~Proverbs 18:10 One of the most famous towers in the world is the Eiffel Tower. Standing at 1,063 feet tall, it is an architectural icon of Paris, France. It is the most visited tower in the world. It stands upright as a symbol of strength and the French culture. Towers in the Bible were not constructed so much as an icon but as places of refuge whenever a city was under attack.

Today’s Verse: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? ~Psalm 22:1 Psalm 22, 23, and 24 are a trilogy of psalms that are known as the Shepherd Psalms. In Psalm 22, we see Jesus as the Good Shepherd Who laid down His life for His sheep. In Psalm 23, Jesus is referred to as the Great Shepherd Who cares for and leads His sheep. In Psalm 24, Jesus is referred to as the Chief Shepherd of the sheep. In Psalm

Today’s Verse: And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. ~Luke 23:24-25 Have you ever helped another person clean out a room or desk, and when you found something that looked like it had no value, he said to you, “Don’t throw it away!”? How about if you have ever played in a competitive event and your team was in the

Today’s Verse: Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. ~Isaiah 12:3 Wells are necessary water sources. In the arid, hot desert areas of the Middle East, a well was a source for personal consumption, farm irrigation, and watering the herds and flocks. Entire communities depended upon wells for their survival. The daily task of drawing water from the wells was a reminder that without that well, life would be miserable. This morning, we are consider