Today's Verse: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ~Hebrews 11:17 How much do you trust God? Do you have enough faith to trust God about everything in your life? Do you have enough faith to believe that God will take care of you? This morning we are considering “faith under fire.” We see the reason. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried...” God uses trials to determine our spiritua

Today's Verse: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. ~Genesis 22:1 I remember very vividly in grade school the class roll call. The teacher would stand up at the beginning of class, after recess, and after lunch and call out the names of the students. We were expected to respond with “here” to indicate we were present. If there was no answer, we were marked off as being absent. In the

Today's Verse: And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. ~Acts 18:24 The city of Alexandria was the citadel of higher learning and a place that thrived on philosophies, occultism, and godlessness. Corrupted manuscripts of Scripture came out of Alexandria and gave way to a corrupted translation that would later be rejected. As a believer, you would have to be discerning and careful about what came out

Today's Verse: And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. ~Acts 18:5 A pressure point is defined as a point on the surface of the body that is sensitive to pressure. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that applying pressure to specific areas of the body can help relieve tension and stress. In our devotion this morning, we read about how the Apostle Paul was pressed in the spirit. Y

Today's Verse: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. ~Genesis 5:24 Enoch’s name means “dedicated.” To be dedicated means to be wholly committed and devoted to someone or something. It implies being wholly controlled and owned by the possessor. However, Enoch’s life did not change until he experienced the birth of his first son, Methuselah, at age 65. His life took on a new and higher priority. For the remaining 300 years of his life on earth, we are to

Today's Verse: Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. ~Judges 6:24 “Shalom” is the Hebrew word for “peace.” Jewish people greet one another with the expression “shalom.” Most people desire peace. They want to be at peace with other people. They want peace in their sleep. They want peace instead of worry. They want peace and safety in their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and the wor

Today's Verse: The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? ~Psalm 118:6 Who do you go to if you need help? Little children go to their parents. Little brothers or sisters go to their big brothers and sisters. Members of a congregation go to their pastors. Wives go to their husbands. The psalmist made a monumental proclamation. He said, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear; what can man do unto me?” Let’s see what he meant by that emphatic statement.

Today's Verse: Arise, Barak, and lead….. ~Judges 5:12b The Bible contains the historical account of insignificant and weak people whom God used to do great things. Someone said, “The men who conquered the world were men the world could not conquer.” One of these seemingly insignificant men was Barak. Barak is presented to us as a man of faith. “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae....” (Hebrews

Today's Verse: And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. ~2 Kings 4:4 In many corporate business dealings, some of the most important decisions are made behind closed doors. The President of the United States makes important decisions with his cabinet behind closed doors. In 2 Kings 4, reference is made three times to “shut the door.” The first time

Today's Verse: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. ~2 Timothy 3:17 When I go on vacation, we enjoy using our timeshare which gives us the opportunity to live in a unit that is “fully furnished.” It has comfortable furniture for relaxation, sleeping, and dining. It has all of the kitchen equipment for cooking. Being fully furnished provides us with all the amenities we need to have an enjoyable time away. Paul uses the term “throughly

Today's Verse: Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; ~Psalm 114:7 The words "tremble" and "trembling" are found 78 times in the English King James Version of the Bible. These words are associated with being moved with awe, respect, and fear. They mean to shake and shiver within. When we are very cold or our body temperature drops below normal, we tend to shiver. When we have been terribly frightened or traumatized by a serious

Today's Verse: And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. ~Acts 16:25-26 Breakout is a term that is used in many descriptive ways. It is used to describe something unexpected that occurs like the breakout of a rash. In the stock market, it describes a st

Today's Verse: And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. ~2 Kings 3:16 I had a conversation with a pastor friend of mine whose ministry has been blessed of God. Somehow our topic shifted to, “What if the offerings dropped and the church found itself in financial difficulty?” My friend responded by saying if this happened, he would probably go and dig ditches to pay his bills. I don’t personally know anyone who digs ditches for a living, but undoubte

Today's Verse: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. ~Acts 16:14 Lydia is one of many special women whom God used in a great way. Her name means “travail,” which implies hardship and difficulty. She was a successful businesswoman from Thyatira. She thrived in the mercantile business selling purple garments. However,

Today's Verse: And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. ~2 Kings 2:12 Are you a person with focus? Do you find yourself getting easily distracted? It is a term that is used to describe a focused person is “eagle eye.” When we say, “He has an eagle eye,” we mean that a person has a keen focus on his objective and will not bec

Today's Verse: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ~Galatians 6:2 Do you do weightlifting? Weightlifting is when you use weights to build and strengthen your muscles. This type of exercise is very helpful in preventing muscle atrophy and strengthening your bones. As a sport, competitors seek to lift massive amounts of weight to demonstrate power and strength. Everyone should do some form of weightlifting for good health. This morning, we want to c

Today's Verse: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ~Romans 13:1 One of our key Baptist tenets is the separation of church and state. By this, the state is not to control the affairs of the church, and the church is not to unduly influence the state for unbiblical reasons. However, Christians are obligated to obey the laws of the land as good citizens. God refers to government as “the high

Today's Verse: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ~Hebrews 11:17 The word "sterling" is typically associated with silver and implies the very best quality. It speaks of gold or silver that meets the highest available standard. Something sterling is the standard by which other things must measure up. It is the benchmark of all that is excellent. We are looking at the faith of Abraham w

Today's Verse: As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; ~Job 29:4 A secret is something that is hidden from the view and understanding of others. It is a hidden answer, fact, idea, or solution. We sometimes refer to a secret pathway to a destination as a path that only a few know about. We sometimes refer to secret plans as plans that are hidden from other people. Job referred to the secret of God. By this, he was speaking of the privi

Today's Verse: And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ~1 Thessalonians 4:11 High school is a daunting time for students. Their lives revolve around getting excellent grades, taking as many advanced classes as possible, being involved in sports and community service and being top-notch achievers. Top achievers know that they have to manage their time very well, stay focused, and go the extra mile when