Today’s Verse: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ~Philippians 2:12 Our American labor laws require employers to give their employees rest breaks at different intervals during the day. This encourages employees to take a walk, make a phone call to their family, eat a snack, or recalibrate themselves. In some settings, a foreman or supervisor will rem

Today’s Verse: Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. ~John 1:49 Nathanael is one of the lesser-known disciples. He is only mentioned in the Gospel of John. It is believed that he is the Bartholomew who is referred to in the other gospels. In our devotion this morning, we see Nathanael undergoing a forever life-change. Philip, his friend, brings Nathanael to Jesus. We see the importance of bringing our friends and f

Today’s Verse: …But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: ~Daniel 11:32b-33a People in the business world have an axiom that says, “Knowledge is power.” By this, it is implying that knowledge gives the advantage to the one who has it. Obviously, knowing everything about your product and your competition makes you more competitive. This morning, we see a statement that was prophetic in

Today’s Verse: It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. ~Lamentations 3:27 Our text this morning centers on a recommendation that Jeremiah made for every man. The Jews were going through a time of great trial. He came to realize that the men especially did not appreciate the labors of their forefathers. They had forgotten the price that was paid to give them the blessings that they enjoyed. So, he made this recommendation that it is good for a man to bear the

Today’s Verse: Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. ~Amos 7:14-15 Famous Amos® is a popular brand of chocolate chip cookies. It is named after its founder, who took a treat that he enjoyed into a national brand name. The very name of the cookie, as well as its v

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: And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. ~Exodus 21:5-6 Do you enjoy serving? Are you someone who desires to help others? Do you possess a volunteer spirit that is quick to respond to needs of the church

Today’s Verse: Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. ~Proverbs 14:4 Solomon enjoyed using examples from agriculture, farming, and the animal world as metaphors in his writings. In our passage this morning, he speaks of the strength of the ox. Oxen were a symbol of service. Oxen were used for plowing or as a means of transportation. Oxen were used in sacrifices and food. Oxen were an important part of the local economy in Solomon

Today’s Verse: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. ~1 Corinthians 15:58 A roller coaster is a ride that goes up and down. Like a roller coaster, life will have its ups and downs. Most of us prefer our life being stable and predictable. We can be going along in life with a season of success and without anything unsettling, and then unexpectedly, w

Today’s Verse: It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. ~Lamentations 3:27 Our text this morning centers on a recommendation that Jeremiah made for every man. The Jews were going through a time of great trial. He came to realize that the men especially did not appreciate the labors of their forefathers. They had forgotten the price that was paid to give them the blessings that they enjoyed. So, he made this recommendation that it is good for a man to bear the

Today’s Verse: Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. ~1 Chronicles 15:7 King Asa was in the 15th year of his 41-year reign. He did many valiant things during those first 15 years. He put away most of the idol worship, and led the people of Judah to follow the Lord. He demonstrated great faith and reliance upon the Lord when the Ethiopians tried to overtake Judah. However, he was in a critical moment of his reign and spiritua

Today’s Verse: Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. ~Proverbs 14:4 Unless you are a farmer, an animal stall is not a place you want to frequent or spend a lot of time in. Animal stalls are where cows, donkeys, horses, and oxen are kept at night or during very bad weather. The animals eat and drink there, and it becomes the place where they do their animal business. The stall, or crib, can become very dirty, smelly, and unsightl

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: And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: ~Genesis 18:3 In tennis, players yell out, “Serve” to indicate that the one who has the tennis ball is about to hit it toward his opponent. I have always thought that was an awkward word to announce that the ball is being "served” to the opponent, but on the other hand, it represents a powerful image of the fervor in which we should serve our Lord. Our serv

Today’s Verse: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ~1 Peter 5:2 Can be said that you are on top of your game? In other words, you perform at your maximum best. In secular terms, it implies being unbeatable at what you do. You are the absolute best at what you do and are the benchmark for others. In 1 Peter 5:1-4, Peter put in writing how all of us, and pastors spec

Today’s Verse: Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. ~Luke 10:3 Lambs and wolves are natural enemies. Lambs are young sheep that are less than a year old. Lambs are cute, cuddly, and compact (small). They are extremely vulnerable and must rely on the safety of the flock and the shepherd. Wolves, on the other hand, are carnivorous predators. Wolves see lambs as easy pickings for food. Jesus told seventy men whom He sent out to proclaim the gospel that H

Today’s Verse: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; ~Romans 12:11 The word maximum means best, highest, or utmost. It is the upper limit or greatest amount of something. When applied to service, it implies the very best and second to none. Companies that are committed to customer service want their customers to experience superior service from start to finish. They want to be ahead of the competition and remembered for their excellence. When it comes

Today’s Verse: But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. ~Matthew 20:22 The Navy SEALs is one of several elite, specialized, tactical military groups that go through very intense and rigorous training for high-risk covert missions. In order to be selected to serve as a SEAL, a candidate must go through a serious and in

Today’s Verse: And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. ~Matthew 10:1 The greatest business in the world is the propagation of the gospel and the starting of churches. When we think of business, we think of an enterprise that is established to provide needed goods and services to the marketplace for a profit. Everyone who starts a business d

Today’s Verse: And they said, The Lord hath need of him. And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. ~Luke 19:34-35 One of my favorite hymns is “I am Happy in the Service of the King.” It’s a privilege and joy to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Our devotion this morning centers itself on a young colt (a juvenile donkey) that Jesus took into His service. Let us see the meaning behind “the Lord hath need of him.” We see th