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- Mar 9
- 3 min
White as Snow
Today’s Verse: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ~Isaiah 1:18 Here in Northern California, we are within a close driving distance to the Sierra Nevada mountains. After a snow storm, the Sierra mountains are a beautiful, white landscape that appears to go for miles upon miles. Everything is covered in snow. We use a snow-covered scene to d
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- Jan 31
- 3 min
The Valley of Achor
Today’s Verse: And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. ~Hosea 2:15 There are some locations that will be memorialized or remembered as places of tragedy. I think of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the site of the bombing of the federal government building that resulted in 168 fatalities and hundreds of inju
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- Dec 12, 2020
- 3 min
The Solution of Pollution
Today’s Verse: For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. ~2 Peter 2:20 One of the big social emphases in our world is to “save the earth.” The goal of this group is to save the earth from climate change, erosion, pollution, and harmful toxins being put into the environment. Everyone understands the d
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- Nov 15, 2020
- 3 min
Sinners Above All Men
Today’s Verse: Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? ~Luke 13:4 Luke 13:1-5 addresses the question, “Are all tragedies the judgment of God?” Perhaps you, like I, have considered a tragic calamity such as an accident, natural disaster, disease breakout, or other unexpected, unfortunate event as the judgment of God upon people. We may have thought, “This most likely is God’s j
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- Nov 10, 2020
- 3 min
Wounded
Today’s Verse: A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. ~Proverbs 6:33 Years ago, when I was about 9 or 10 years old, I rode a friend’s go-cart down a steep driveway. I navigated a sharp turn too quickly and fell off the cart. Among the injuries I sustained were cuts and abrasions to my right shoulder, elbow, hands, and knees. I had numerous bruises. You can say that I had many wounds from my experience. The Bible describes the aftermath o
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- Oct 24, 2020
- 3 min
It Was Found Out
Today’s Verse: And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king. ~Esther 2:23 Sin is our willful disobedience against a holy and just God. Sin is defined as missing the mark, breaking God’s law, and going contrary to the direction that God has prescribed that we should follow. All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. However, we don’t want
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- Jul 10, 2020
- 3 min
Down for the Count
Today’s Verse: And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. ~Judges 16:20 In the sport of boxing, a boxer is considered beaten and defeated when he falls to the canvas and does not get back up. He is “down for the count.” As soon as he is on the canvas, the referee will count to ten. If he is not up on his feet by the e
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- Jul 7, 2020
- 3 min
Honey in the Carcase
Today’s Verse: And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. ~Judges 14:8 The harvesting of honey has always been interesting to me. I am amazed at how meticulous and careful beekeepers are in dealing with the beehive and the bees when it is time to extract the honey. I have no reason to question honey I purchase at a store because of the generally acce
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- May 3, 2020
- 2 min
Blot Out
Today’s Verse: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. ~Psalm 51:1 One of the most practical and loved inventions that many have used is Wite-Out®. With it, we can blot out mistakes on paper as if the mistake never happened. The correct letters or words can be inserted, and the sentence and document is good to go. David used two words to describe how he wanted God to deal with h
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- Nov 18, 2019
- 3 min
Failure is Not Fatal
Today’s Verse: For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:) ~1 Chronicles 5:2 Judah was the fourth son of Jacob. His name means “praise.” However, there was a time in his life when there was nothing praiseworthy about him. Over time, Judah rose out of the ashes of his failures and demonstrated that failure is not fatal. Judah is commended by his father in Genesis 49 and by the writer of 1 Chronicles 5. Let us see h
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- Nov 11, 2019
- 3 min
Step On It!
Today’s Verse: But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. ~Psalm 68:21 In ancient Bible times, conquering kings would take the defeated king and his generals, he make them lie down on their faces, and then he would place his foot on their necks. This publicly represented a defeated foe. It told everyone that the enemy has been conquered, defeated, and done away with. We see the defeat of the devil. “He
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- Sep 11, 2019
- 3 min
Lost Time
Today’s Verse: And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. ~Numbers 6:12 There have been times when I have spoken with men and women who have reached retirement age, and some of them have said: “I wish I could relive my life. I cannot make up for the days that are lost.” It is tough when we lose a sports compe
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- Sep 10, 2019
- 3 min
Snares of the Soul
Today’s Verse: Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. ~Psalm 124:7 During David’s time, men were experts in catching small game for food. Among this small game were small birds. Hunters would make these clever traps that an unsuspecting bird would venture into and be caught in. The capture typically would inhibit the bird from flying away once it was caught. The trap was commonly referred to as the snare of the
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- Sep 5, 2019
- 3 min
Sour Grapes
Today’s Verse: What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? ~Ezekiel 18:2 I enjoy eating grapes, especially when they are firm, crunchy, and sweet. My favorite grapes are black and red. Sour grapes can be a challenge to eat, unless you like sour things. Generally speaking, sour grapes did not ripen long enough on the vine to allow the sweetness to develop. The Lord s
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- Aug 31, 2019
- 3 min
Why Not Now?
Today’s Verse: And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. ~Exodus 8:9-10 Are you someone who tends to put things off? Do you have a difficult time making decisions? Are you a procrasti
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- Jul 26, 2019
- 3 min
Chains of Sin
Today’s Verse: … For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. ~2 Peter 2:19b Addiction is when something has power over the desires and willpower of an individual. Addiction is controlling, enslaving, and overpowering. When a person realizes that he is addicted to a desire or substance, he is under its control. He has been overcome. It is sad to say, but it is a true reality that even a Christian can be under a controlling power that has made him its s
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- Jul 13, 2019
- 2 min
Champion Defender
Today’s Verse: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ~1 John 2:1 Advocacy work is when a person or group represents another person in a legal matter. The advocate stands in the place of the person in need, fully represents him, and makes a compelling argument that will be to his benefit. A successful advocate is a champion defender. He has a win-loss record that
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- Jun 29, 2019
- 3 min
Markdown Merchandise
Today’s Verse: Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. ~Ezekiel 22:18 I know a lot of people who are bargain hunters when they go shopping. They look for merchandise that is marked down in price. The markdown could be due to scratches, defects, being a returned item, or being seasonal. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t have the same value as the same m
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- Jun 28, 2019
- 3 min
The Rx for Failure
Today’s Verse: He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. ~Proverbs 28:13 All of us have experienced failure in one way or another. It could have been a failing grade on a test or class. It could have been a losing season. It could have been a business venture that went out of business. It could have been our inability to live up to a required standard of excellence. Failure hurts. Failure is a setback. Failure makes
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