“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10). Every blessing is a burden; every resource, a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; and every skill, a stewardship. Life should not be spent, but invested—not for time, but for eternity. […]
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes” (Prov 25:4-5). You might meet a fool today, so note this: The first is a warning against our style—not answering in a similarly foolish way. […]
We don’t often think of ourselves writing a true-life autobiography each day, but we are. Standing in the shadows is the Editor-in-Chief. He gets a say in the twists and turns of the storyline. The red-letter days happen when our story criss-crosses with His story. This story is one of those days. […]
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1). If God is a very present help, He must want to help here and now. He wants to help you do what you can, where you are, with what you have. As He said to Moses, “What is that in your […]
Two drinking parties going on at the same time in the same town. They’ll soon connect. What could go wrong? The Persian emperor Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) ruled over a vast realm of “one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia” (Est 1:1). The empire was divided into 20 satrapies, or territories, each governed by a satrap […]
My friend Barry served with the Brooklyn, NY, district attorney’s office. Once when I was visiting him, he was prosecuting an interesting case. Two sweet little ladies had been robbed by a young thug, it was alleged. They had just removed funds from an ATM when he supposedly accosted them and took their money. My […]
“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” (Gen 50:20). Instead of asking, “Who is to blame for this?” Joseph saw God’s overruling plan and asked, “What good can the Lord bring out of this?” That’s your winning game plan today. […]
“Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.” —William Cowper Meanwhile, back at the palace… The Book of Esther gives some of the historic events unfolding with the Jews in Persia, who hadn’t returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, Ezra, or Nehemiah. The term “Ahasuerus” was a title, like Pharaoh or Caesar. The king called […]
“In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty” (Prov 14:23). When all is said and done, more is said than done. Florence Nightingale wrote: “I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought to be distilled into actions which bring results.” […]