Today's Verse: Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. ~1 Timothy 5:1-2 When I was growing up, my father, elders, and teachers in school placed a strong emphasis on respecting other people. The age we now live in has morphed into barbarism, crudeness, and disrespect. Sadly, we find disrespect in our Christian homes and even in our churches. Disrespect is an indicato

Today's Verse: And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. ~Judges 7:4 Has anyone ever told you that you have “too much” or “too many”? “Too many” implies more than necessary or more than is required. The Isr

Today's Verse: Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! ~Amos 6:1 I love the ministry and serving the Lord. The role that I serve in involves a multiplicity of tasks, responsibilities, and many people who need to be ministered to. The fast pace and large workload require me to be highly inspired and on the edge when it comes to completing tasks. I purposely try to plan a

Today's Verse: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ~Ephesians 3:20 Paul referred to himself as the prisoner of Jesus Christ in Ephesians 3:1. He was a prisoner of Rome and used his time in prison to write to the church at Ephesus. The idea of being a prisoner presents someone who is held captive. It speaks of little to no liberty. It indicates that the prisoner is held by a power great

Today's Verse: Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. ~Acts 20:31 Whenever we enter into a contract, purchase real estate, purchase insurance, incur a debt, or agree to a medical procedure, we want in writing the terms and conditions of what we are getting into. We want full disclosure of what are agreeing to, the risks, exclusions and limitations. We do not want any surprises after the fact, or

Today's Verse: I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. ~Psalm 119:32 A few years ago, a missionary that we support indicated that she was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. This condition led to several other life-threatening health developments. Mayo Clinic says the following about an enlarged heart: “An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) isn't a disease, but rather a sign of another condition. The term 'cardiomegaly' refers to an enlarged heart s

Today's Verse: And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. ~1 Kings 17:24 Do you know anyone who is a skeptic? Are you someone who is a skeptic? The Jews tend to be skeptical people. Jesus said about them, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” After crossing the Red Sea, the Hebrews saw and then believed. However, faith means believing first and then seeing. Faith is belie

Today's Verse: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. ~1 John 4:18 When I was a toddler, my favorite book to have read to me was “Fraidy Cat.” I could identify with his character because I was so afraid of almost everything. Fear is the apprehension we have about a situation and the lack of courage to face it. Fear can be tortuous mentally and emotionally. We want to run and hide.

Today's Verse: Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. ~Proverbs 12:25 Everyone gets discouraged. Whenever events in our life result in a setback, or we experience a serious challenge that leaves us feeling weak and vulnerable, we can find ourselves becoming discouraged. A heavy heart is when we are sad, lonely, defeated, and lacking a desire to go on. However, God in His infinite love for us brings us encouragement when we need it the

Today's Verse: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. ~1 Kings 17:3 There is something tranquil and peaceful about resting at a brook, lake, or calm river. It captures our attention and helps us to get our minds and thoughts off the things that make us anxious and discouraged. This morning, we are at the Brook Cherith. It was there during a terrible drought that God sent Elijah. Let us see the education that com

Today's Verse: On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: ~Acts 10:9 Every Christian believes in the importance of prayer. We know that prayer is a vital part of our fellowship with God. Jesus taught, “that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” Paul taught that “men should pray everywhere lifting up holy hands.” Prayer is the means by which the hand of God is moved to work

Today's Verse: Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. ~Psalm 86:1-2 A man prayed this prayer one morning: “Dear Heavenly Father, So far, today, I've done all right. I haven't gossiped or lost my temper. I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, or self-centered. I'm really happy about that so far. But in a few minutes I'm going to be getting out of bed and then I'm goi

Today's Verse: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ~Acts 9:6 Have you ever been in a dark cavern or room where all you saw was pitch blackness? If you have, you know how eerie a feeling that is. You feel lost, blinded, unsure, and at a standstill. However, once you are able to see light again, you must act decisively. Saul (later Paul)

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: 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: 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