Today's Verse: Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. ~Hosea 10:1   I enjoy eating grapes, especially the seedless black and red ones. Grapes are good for your health as they have rich anti-oxidants and fiber. The grape industry in the U.S. is very big. According to the National Agricultural Statistic Services in 202

Today's Verse: So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. ~Romans 1:15 Whenever a prosecutor prepares to take a criminal case to trial, he knows the importance of having witnesses who are credible and compelling. A compelling witness convincingly persuades the jury that what he saw and heard was real and unmistakable. When we apply this analogy to the witness of a Christian, we must ask ourselves, “Is my witness for Christ compellin

Today's Verse: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ~Romans 1:8   Major corporations are driven by the quest to become a household name. There are established consumer brands, such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, which can be found in most countries of the world. Then, there are the tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Facebook, whose products and services have affected most areas of life. All of these

Today's Verse: Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. ~John 21:12   It is a blessing and privilege when someone invites you to their home for a meal or a banquet celebration. The hosts go to great lengths in effort and expense to make this event something special and enjoyable. In our Western tradition of making invitations, the invited guest is asked to respond with an RSVP. This helps the ho

Today's Verse: And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. ~Joshua 10:11   Hail is formed when the temperature of the upper air reaches a point that transforms rain or water particles into ice. Basically, water is turned into ice, and ice pe

Today's Verse: But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: ~ Malachi 3:2   Have you ever done a load of white laundry only to be disappointed that the white clothes did not come out as clean as you had anticipated? Perhaps you tried applying a stronger detergent or more bleach to get the effect you wanted. At His Second Coming, our Lord Jesus is described as a refiner’s fire and a ful

Today's Verse: He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. ~Matthew 10:39   Have you ever left an important personal article like clothing, sunglasses, or an electronic device at a store while shopping, on public transportation, or even at church and could not find it where you thought you left it? If you have, you have most likely gone to the “lost and found” hoping that someone honest had found it and turned it in. “Lost an

Today's Verse: Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ~Daniel 3:14   How important is truth to you? Truth consists of absolute facts that are essential for our belief and behavior. What we believe determines how we behave. Truth is pure honesty. Truth is authenticity in the representation of facts. The opposite of truth is falsity and lies. This morning,

Today's Verse: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. ~Hebrews 13:15   The idea of a sacrifice refers to something or someone being offered up without reservation. It conveys the idea of something being given up for a good purpose. When we study sacrifices in the Bible, we see that they are costly, consuming, and continuous. This morning, we are encouraged to make the sacrifice of pra

Today's Verse: And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: ~Genesis 9:20   In self-defense, a student is taught the importance of keeping his guard up. This means keeping one hand and arm at a certain level to quickly deflect or block a jab or punch that is aimed at the head. Keeping your guard up is also used to describe being careful and watchful when you are negotiating or dealing with someone who is not trustworthy. We also see how this applies to us wh

Today's Verse: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. ~Malachi 4:2   Malachi 4 is prophetic in its message. In this chapter, we see the judgment of sinners. "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall