Today’s Verse: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. ~Philippians 2:30 Have you ever made the statement, “This almost killed me”? We sometimes use this cliché to describe something that we participated in that required such effort that we felt completely exhausted and spent when the exercise was over. Someone who runs a very grueling and long marathon might say at the conclusion, “This almost k

Today’s Verse: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. ~Proverbs 18:24 “Krazy Glue©” is the brand name of an adhesive substance that bonds things together very well. I have used Krazy Glue© to bond broken items. Its very name speaks of how it bonds the most difficult things together well. Our devotion this morning speaks to us about relationships that are like “Crazy Glue” in its results. We see the camara

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: And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ~2 Samuel 24:24 A chaplain was ministering to a soldier in the hospital and said, “You have lost an arm in the great cause.” The soldier replied, “I didn't lose it; I gave it.” This morning, we want to consider a

Today’s Verse: She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. ~Mark 14:8 Have you ever found yourself dreaming about what you would do if you had a substantial amount of money or talent? Maybe something like, “If I had $10,000,000, I would do something big.” “If I had that ability, I would use it to solve some problem.” The truth is, we have in our possession a lot more than we realize, and much of it is not being put to as good a use as

Today’s Verse: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: ~1 Corinthians 5:7 The Feast of the Passover was deeply embedded into Jewish life. On the night that the Passover was instituted, every household was to take an unblemished lamb of the first year, kill it, apply its blood to the doorposts and threshold, roast the body with herbs, and eat it. What they did that might was a beaut

Today’s Verse: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ~Hebrews 11:4 Hebrews 11 is the great chapter on faith. Some have referred to this monumental chapter as “The Hall of Faith.” Others have referred to it as “The Westminster Abbey of Faith Heroes.” It is a chapter that definitely inspires us about the faith of Old Testament bel

Today’s Verse: But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. ~Philippians 4:18 The word sacrifice implies the life of a victim being offered. It is a word that is used 29 times in the New Testament, and the majority of its usage is by the Apostle Paul. Paul understood the concept and cost involved with a sacrifice. All of us have a subjective i

Today’s Verse: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. ~1 Peter 2:24 The Romans were notorious for how they tortured their condemned. Their methods were atrocious, cruel, horrific, inhumane, and wicked. Foremost of their instruments of cruelty was the crucifixion. This method involved the placing of the condemned individual on a cross, with the hands and feet eith

Today’s Verse: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ~Romans 12:1 I am thankful for the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul refers to the blessing of salvation as the mercies of God. We do not deserve salvation, the forgiveness of our sins, or the gift of eternal life. We must realize that God has more for us after we are saved. Ou

Today’s Verse: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. ~John 12:3 Husbands and wives who love each other will seek to lavish each other with gifts that demonstrate their affection and love. The desire is to lovingly show that the one they love is worth everything spent to purchase the gift. This morning’s devotion challenges us on ho

Today’s Verse: And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: ~Genesis 4:4 Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. In Hebrews 11, he is the first of the heroes of faith who are mentioned. His name means “breath.” David referred to his days as an “hand breadth.” The shortness of Abel’s life is embodied in the concept of a hand breadth. I think of the brevity of life and how important it

Today’s Verse: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ~Hebrews 11:4 There are several brothers in the Bible that are noteworthy characters. There is Esau and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, Hophni and Phinehas, James and John, and Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel are the first two brothers in the Bible. In Hebrews 11, Abel is the first hero

Today’s Verse: And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? ~Judges 12:3 Risk is when we have the possibility of losing something important to us. There are risk takers, and then there are those who are risk-averse. The upside in risk is substantial reward. The downside is substantial loss. Jephtha

Today’s Verse: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ~Ephesians 4:1 In the first century, most of the travel that people did was by foot, or by walking. They did not have the advanced transportation capabilities as we have. It was not unusual for a man to walk 4-8 hours per day or up to 30 miles if he walked an entire day to get to a different location. Walking is good for your health. Walking is the mo

Today’s Verse Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. ~Philippians 2:30 The recent passing of a famous and talented sports personality in a tragic accident gripped the hearts of our nation, the basketball community, and his hometown where he played. When news of his tragic passing occurred, everyone was stunned. One retired sports personality said that this news changed his priorities and how he

Today’s Verse: And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. ~1 Chronicles 11:18 Well water was an important and necessary component of life in the arid Middle East during the days of the patriarchs and David. Finding well water meant that you had a great location for herds of cattle, flocks of she

Today’s Verse: Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. ~Hebrews 13:13 The camp in the Old Testament was the sanctuary area where there were altars for burning sacrifices and incense. There was the brazen altar, where blood sacrifices were made. Then, there was the golden altar, where incense was burned in the morning and evening, representing the prayers of God’s people. The bodies of the animals offered as a sin offering had to be taken out

Today’s Verse: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. ~2 Corinthians 12:15 Living in California is very expensive. Many adults become value shoppers in order to maximize the purchasing power of their money. They will give focused attention to weekly sales on groceries, appliances, furniture, and other consumer items. They will discipline their budget to only purchase in bulk and when the items are on sale

Today’s Verse: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. ~John 12:3 Have you ever gone to someone’s home, and as soon as you approached the front door, you smelled the delicious aroma of food being prepared? There is something very appealing to our senses when we smell the aroma of food being cooked. The same can be said about the wond