“Baal-Hanan the Gederite was over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowlands, and Joash was over the store of oil” (1 Chron 27:28). Why all those names in the Bible? Well, they were real people, and God takes note of everyone. Were these men unimportant? No, without them—no temple service! […]
“Now the works of the flesh are…But the fruit of the Spirit is…” (Gal 5:19, 22). The first list is a catalog of what people do to fail: things like hatred, jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, envy, etc. The other list, the Spirit’s work in us, is the secret of success. You pick! […]
“Before he was taken [Enoch] had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Heb 11:5). He had no gravestone, because God took him straight Home (wouldn’t that be great today?), but if he had, here’s what it could have read: “He pleased God.” Lord, help me aim my little life at that! […]
“Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely” (Song 2:14). It can well be said that prayer expresses the soul’s desires, praise expresses the soul’s delight, but personal communion expresses the soul’s devotion. May we enjoy our time with Him today. […]
“We make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality” (2 Cor 8:1-2). You’ve heard it before: the best things in life aren’t things. But the things […]
“I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Rom 12:6). God never wants me to be better than someone else; He wants […]
“Make straight paths for your feet…” (Heb 12:13). Your life bears an influence all its own—everyone of us is responsible for something that we alone were designed to do. Since someone is following us, God help us to get it straight! […]
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph 4:29). Of course we should be positive in our outlook. How can you be a pessimist when every prayer is heard, every promise is true, every soul is redeemable, and […]
“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up” (Ps 5:3). When is a good time for a musician to tune his instrument—before or after the concert? So it tunes my soul to hear His voice at daybreak, and then […]