Today’s Verse: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. ~Genesis 4:7 Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you did not know what to choose, and someone told you to flip a coin? The idea behind flipping a coin is that when someone is at a crossroads in making a difficult decision, the flipping of a coin makes the decision for him. Using a nicke

Today’s Verse: And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting…. ~Acts 11:12a Whenever I travel with other people, I am a strict adherent to staying on schedule so as not to miss our transportation or be late to our event. As we approach fifteen minutes before our departure, I remind everyone traveling with me that it’s time to go! In Acts 11, Peter was rehearsing to the church leaders at Jerusalem how the Lord opened the door for Gentiles to hear the gospel and be save

Today’s Verse: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ~James 1:22 Sometimes, we can get to the place in our Christian life where we can sit under preaching and teaching but find ourselves not applying what we learn. We agree with what we hear, but we do not put it into practice. The Greek word for doers is also translated “poets” in Acts 17:28. It is a word that the Greeks used to describe a maker, producer, or author. In its basic meani

Today’s Verse: Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. ~Isaiah 28:28 The Bible is very rich in its use of analogies, metaphors, and parables to help make a Bible concept become very real to the reader. Through symbols that we can identify with, God enlightens our hearts and minds to the timeless truths of His Word. Isaiah 28:23-29 uses the symbol of a plowing to help us understa

Today’s Verse: Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. ~1 Kings 20:36 One of the most sought-out areas of the zoo that people will visit is the “big cats” section. This is the area that houses the lions, tigers, leopards, and other big, predator cats. I have always been thankful for the barrier that k

Today’s Verse: And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, ~Jonah 3:1 “The second time” is an opportunity for us to prove that we are capable of doing what we did not or could not do the first time. It is the opportunity for us to show that we can do what is expected of us. Jonah tried to escape God’s calling to preach at Nineveh. God caught up with him, and through an excruciating process, Jonah realized that it does not pay to disobey God’s calling on

Today’s Verse: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ~2 Timothy 3:15 The word Bible refers to the collection of the sacred writings pertaining to the Old and New Testament. Within the Bible, the terms “the Word of God” and “the Holy Scriptures” are used to describe the entirety of the Bible. As Paul was giving a word of final exhortation to Timothy, he strongly referen

Today’s Verse: But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. ~Jeremiah 38:20 The name Zedekiah means “Jehovah is righteous.” However, unlike his name, this king did not have a reign that pleased God or depicted His righteousness. He had heard the prophecies of Jeremiah about coming judgment on Jerusalem. However, he was torn between pleasing people a

Today’s Verse: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ~Genesis 17:1 There are times in our life when things seem murky and unclear. However, we are greatly encouraged, strengthened, and renewed when we come to the place of keen understanding and that which was obscure becomes as clear as the day for us. Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born. Through his sel

Today’s Verse: And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. ~1 Samuel 3:19 Great things happen early in childhood. Paul told Timothy, “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” A child prodigy is a child who is recognized as being exceptionally talented because of talent or IQ. Samuel was exceptional because, as a child, he had a gr

Today’s Verse: It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. ~Psalm 119:71 I am an avid coffee drinker, especially good, aromatic coffees. There used to be reports citing that drinking coffee is bad for your health. In recent years, the medical reports are saying drinking coffee is good for you. I think all of us want what’s good for us. The psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” Let us see the good that is affliction.

Today’s Verse: Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. ~Luke 5:4 The first time I went deep-sea fishing was many years ago out on Monterey Bay with some professional colleagues. We spent the morning challenging one another to grow our businesses and lives, and then we went out about 30 minutes outside of the harbor. I dropped my fishing line as instructed, and within 45 minutes, I caught 8-10 varieties

Today’s Verse: And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly. ~2 Chronicles 29:36 Being spontaneous is when we do something by natural impulse or tendency. It is something we do on the spot that was not necessarily planned for. There are many things we do that are planned and premeditated. This is part of being organized and orderly. There are other times when we must be spontaneous in our response and action. Thi

Today’s Verse: And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? ~Judges 6:14 In third grade, I tried out for the 3rd-4th grade boys basketball team without knowing how to play basketball. I was very anxious and assumed I would be told that I didn’t qualify. “Coach Tony” took time that first day to give me an orientation on basketball basics and let me participate in the drills. His

Today’s Verse: Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? ~Acts 11:17 One of the most remarkable chapters in the Bible is Acts 10-11, when God sent Peter to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. This was a major paradigm shift in the expansion of the gospel. Until that time, the gospel was mainly being preached to a Jewish audience. With the gospel being preached to the Gentiles,

Today’s Verse: Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. ~John 11:9 There have been many mornings when I have been up when it is still very dark outside. Thinking I know my surroundings well, I will make my way downstairs, then to the kitchen to brew my morning coffee. On some occasions, I have stumbled on an object on the floor or on a chair leg because I tried to find my way

Today’s Verse: As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. ~Joshua 11:15 The word “done” means completed and finished. “All done” is when the task we set out to do has been completed with nothing left over. “Well done” is when we are praised for completing the task we were given. Joshua was given an incredible compliment: he left nothing undone of all that the Lord comman

Today’s Verse: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ~James 1:27 The word “religion” has the connotation of worship and the practice of a belief. This word is used to describe all belief systems. Biblically, it is used to describe the worship and service of God by those who have a personal and saving faith in Christ. I prefer to use the word “spiritua

Today’s Verse: And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. ~Luke 5:6 Commercial fishing is perhaps one of the hardest and most-demanding occupations in the world. This kind of fishing is done mainly at night when it is dark and cold. It is rewarding work when the evening catch is very good (filled nets) and very disappointing when the catch is dismal to nothing. Cleaning the nets and the boat is a daily necessity in order to be

Today’s Verse: …[T]hey hear thy words, but they will not do them…. ~Ezekiel 33:31b One of the greatest tests of character is our obedience. Obedience is doing what you have been told to do. It is doing it immediately after you have received instructions and doing it exactly as described. God raised up Ezekiel as His prophet during the time that Judah was under Babylonian captivity. God told Ezekiel, “They hear what I told you to tell them, but they are not doing it.” This mor