Today’s Verse: And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: ~Luke 21:3 Back in the day, it was very difficult to be a widow. A widow was considered a plight of poverty. With her husband gone, she basically lived in survival mode. She got by with what she could. However, her clothing, frugal lifestyle, and branding by society indicated that her life was hard. Jesus uses a poor widow woman as an example of sacrifice and devotion.

Today’s Verse: Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. ~2 Samuel 19:32 The name “Iron Man” refers to a fictional, comic-book hero who was always at the right place at the right time for others. It is a term that refers to a man who is sturdy, strong, and steadfast. Our devotion this morning is about a lesser-known man who came to the scene at a critical time

Today’s Verse: And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. ~1 Kings 19:21 We live in a time when commitment is based on the idea of, “What can I get out of something?” instead of, “What am I willing to give up?” Commitment is missing in employment, marriage, friendships, church membership

Today’s Verse: Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. ~Ecclesiastes 11:1 By nature, we are stingy and greedy. Our sinful nature tends to only look out for itself. We are more likely to keep than to give away. We would rather retain our goods than part with them. Yet, in the Scriptures, we are encouraged repeatedly to have a spirit of generosity and giving. This morning, we want to consider the principle of sowing and reaping; of giving and rec

Today’s Verse: There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. ~Proverbs 13:7 Our devotion this morning is one of many paradoxes of the Bible. A paradox is a statement that appears to be contradictory but, in fact, is factual and truthful. This statement catches the attention of everyone who reads it. It is a statement about being rich and poor. Most people whom I know want to be rich. Consumer-wise, being rich an

Today’s Verse: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. ~Acts 3:6 Marquis de Lafayette was a French officer who provided invaluable assistance to George Washington and the struggling American army. After the war was over, he returned to France and resumed his life as a farmer of many estates. In 1783, the harvest was a terrible one, and there were many who suffered as a result. Lafa

Today’s Verse: And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: ~Luke 21:2-3 What do you do with your pocket change? Whenever I pay for items with cash, I tend to take the loose change and put it in a bag or a container. My intention is to spend it, but I wind up forgetting to bring it with me. After it builds up to several dollars (a lot of change), I sort it out a

Today’s Verse: But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand. ~Isaiah 32:8 A recent news article revealed that one of the richest female philanthropists in the world donated an astounding $2.7M to 286 organizations. While I do not agree philosophically with most of the organizations she donated to, her action falls within the thought of “the liberal deviseth liberal things.” Giving is a major aspect of the Christian life. We must remember that

Today’s Verse: Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: ~Acts 11:29 Americans gave almost $428 billion to charity in 2018. This group includes foundations and very wealthy individuals. When we look at giving to churches, the average Christian in America gives 2.5% of his income to his church. Only 10%-25% of regular attendees actually tithe 10%. These statistics are alarming and should cause all

Today’s Verse Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. ~James 5:1 Is it wrong or a sin to be rich? Does God despise rich people? When we read James’ epistle, we see that he had to address many things that were wrong about those who were rich. These rich people were being warned so that they would repent of their behavior. James gave them a stern warning about coming judgment if they did not repent. In effect, he told them that they wou

Today’s Verse: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ~2 Timothy 4:6 Are you ready for the New Year? Most of us are in amazement of how quickly time has gone by this year. While we are thankful for accomplishments and new milestones, it feels like the year passed very quickly. Even with New Year planning that we may have been doing over the last few weeks, we might feel unprepared for the New Year. Paul told Timothy, “I am now ready.” As we

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 if you live in Anchorage, Alaska: you are not rich unless your annual income e

Today’s Verse: Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. ~2 Corinthians 8:7 There are three levels of performance. There is what is known as a normal performance. This is when we do exactly as we are told and we have achieved what is expected of us. Next, there is a sub-par performance, when what we do is below the expectations and our result is not accep

Today’s Verse: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. ~Matthew 26:13 Have you ever thought about what kind of legacy you will leave behind? What do you suppose will be the greatest achievement of your life that will continue to be an inspiration and a blessing to people long after you leave this life? This morning, we are considering the legacy of a l

Today’s Verse: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. ~Matthew 10:8 In Matt. 10, we have the basic training that our Lord Jesus Christ gave to the men known as Apostles. As we study what Jesus taught them, there are many profound and unchanging principles for effective and Christ-honoring service found in this chapter. One of the key principles of service is found in our devotion this morning. That virtue is

Today’s Verse: And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: ~Luke 21:2-3 What do you do with your pocket change? Whenever I pay for items with cash, I tend to take the loose change and put it in a bag or a container. My intention is to spend it, but I wind up forgetting to bring it with me. After it builds up to several dollars (a lot of change), I sort it out a

Today’s Verse: Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. ~Acts 3:6 Marquis de Lafayette was a French officer who provided invaluable assistance to George Washington and the struggling American army. After the war was over, he returned to France and resumed his life as a farmer of many estates. In 1783, the harvest was a terrible one, and there were many who suffered as a result. Lafa

Today’s Verse: I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. ~Acts 20:35 Whenever I get ready for an out of town trip, I refer to a trip reminder checklist that I developed several years ago. This checklist includes reminders about bringing my passport, any needed travel visas, cell phone, travel insurance, medicines, vitamins, clothes to w

Today’s Verse: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ~2 Corinthians 8:9 The passage of 2 Cor. 8-9 provides important instruction regarding “grace giving.” Grace giving is when we allow the grace of God to work in our hearts to produce a spirit of unrestricted giving. It is the giving of ourselves to God without reservation, then to one another. Giving on the part of a Christian is not to be restri

Today’s Verse: Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee. ~Deuteronomy 16:16-17 A marker is a form of identification. When we lay down a marker, we are telling peo