Today's Verse: This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. ~Ezra 7:6 Ezra was one of God’s great men in the Old Testament. God used this man’s pen, personality, and persuasion to help with the finishing of the temple construction after the Jews returned from captivity. He was a tenderhearted man whom God use

Today's Verse: Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. ~Ezra 8:31 Years ago, Allstate Insurance Company branded the slogan, “You’re in good hands with Allstate.” When it comes to insurance, this is an important statement. When we say someone is in good hands, we are referring to the fact that

Today's Verse: They have spread a net by the wayside; ~Psalm 140:5b The word wayside describes the side of a road. It is not the beaten path that is commonly traveled. In driving this could be considered the shoulder of the road where cars pull off after a mechanical failure, accident, or for a road violation. To every day travelers, the wayside had the idea of a location that was not preferred or prominent. It is farm land to the side that was not broken up and ready for so

Today's Verse: In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. ~Proverbs 15:6 New housing developments will have model homes for potential buyers to survey and walk through. Model homes are designed to have the most up-to-date appliances, colors, furniture, and other amenities to appeal to a buyer's taste. Some people enjoy walking through model homes to get ideas for the current home they are living in. Everything about a model

Today's Verse: They were as fed horses in the morning: ~Jeremiah 5:8a As we read the Word of God, we find the Lord using many colorful images to describe a situation. Since the people who lived during the time the Bible was written lived in an agrarian society, the Lord used real-life examples to more powerfully convey the message He was trying to get across. An example of this is the frequent usage of sowing and reaping, or sheep and a shepherd. In our study this morning, t

Today's Verse: A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. ~Proverbs 15:1 Publius once wisely said, “I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence.” I think all of us can think of one or more instances when we answered or reacted too quickly to something said to us, and later regretted that we spoke too soon. Solomon said in a later proverb, “a fool uttereth all his mind.” This morning, let us examine the virtue of a soft answer. We see a

Today's Verse: Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. ~Daniel 3:29 What does the term “no other” bring to your mind? It is a term of comparison that demonstrates the greatness and superiority of one object over another. It is a way of sayi

Today's Verse: Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; ~Psalm 103:4 Mercy is pity and undeserved favor given to someone who is in trouble. When someone is tried in a court of law and found guilty, he desires the mercy of the court and the judge. Mercy extended to a condemned man exonerates him from the charges he has been found guilty of. One of God’s great attributes is His mercy. The psalmist used the phrase “tende

Today's Verse: Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. ~Ezra 1:3 New housing construction statistics are vitally important in gauging our economy’s growth and health. Booming housing construction indicates strong consumer spending and confidence in the future. I have had the privilege of seeing my church go through t

Today's Verse: And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. ~Numbers 28:3 The nation of Israel was commanded to observe various offerings and ceremonies as part of their spiritual relationship with God. Each of these offerings and ceremonies was designed to keep them conscious of and committed in their relationship to God. This morning,

Today's Verse: Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. ~Numbers 25:11 This morning, our attention and focus is on the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron. His name is Phinehas. His name means “the face of trust.” He is noteworthy for being righteous and doing the right thing at the right time.

Today's Verse: And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. ~Numbers 26:9-10 Are you good at reading the signs when d

Today's Verse: And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. ~1 Samuel 9:6 A few years ago, I was preaching in the state of Virginia for a pastor friend. He took me to visit Mt. Vernon, which is famous as the place where George Washington lived and made his residence. That city is keenly identified with Ge

Today's Verse: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. ~Proverbs 10:26 Apple cider vinegar is touted as a natural way to help you in many ways. It is said to alleviate gout, lower blood sugar levels, and decrease risk of diabetes, lower cholesterol levels, and assist with weight loss. However, one of the side effects that a user must be careful of is its effects on the enamel of your teeth. Apple cider vinegar is acidic an

Today's Verse: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. ~Proverbs 10:22 Are you rich? According to Charles Schwab and Company you are considered rich if your net worth exceeds $2.4M. Being financially rich will depend on where you live and the cost of living. To be considered rich in Detroit, MI you need to have an annual income of $51,000. The extreme of this is you are not rich in Anchorage, Alaska unless your annual income does not exceed

Today's Verse: That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. ~Nehemiah 6:2 The reality of the Christian life is that we are challenged with many adversities and adversaries. Each of them tests our character and whether we will stand or wilt when the pressure is on. Nehemiah was being pressured by two men who were his avowed enemies. They did not welcome his prese

Today's Verse: And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. ~2 Samuel 15:30 Are you comfortable walking barefoot? While being barefoot is a great relief from being confined to shoes and socks, there are many risks. You are more prone to accidents and injuries to your feet. You are at risk of ba

Today's Verse: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. ~Psalm 112:4 Integrity refers to the character, honesty, truthfulness, and virtue of a man. A man of integrity is non-compromising when it comes to his affairs and relationship with others. He is a trusted and respected individual. Another word that describes a man of integrity is upright. Ps. 112 is about the upright man. Upright means he is straight u

Today's Verse: Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise. ~Nehemiah 5:13 Dictionary.com defines integrity as our adherence to moral and ethical principles. It refers to the soundness of our moral character. Another way of looking at it is, are you

Today's Verse: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. ~Jeremiah 1:5 When I was in second grade, I remember a discussion my father had with me while he was driving me to elementary school. He embedded in my mind the importance of knowing what career path I should take for my life. From that point on, he encouraged me to think about where I saw myself as a wo