Watch What You Watch Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 99-101 Key verses: Psalm 101:2b-3 “I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” Have you ever thought about all the visual stimuli to which you are exposed every single day? How about that to which you expose… Continue reading Week 34 Wednesday
Author: Paul Simrell
The Reverend Paul W. Simrell has served for over thirty years in a variety of congregational and institutional settings. He is a recognized minister with standing in the Virginia region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and is nationally endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for specialized ministry in both pastoral counseling and chaplaincy. Ordained in 1982, he has served congregations in Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. He currently serves as the pastor of Elpis Christian Church, a small, historic congregation located just a few miles west of Richmond, Virginia. Elpis is the Greek word meaning “expectant hope.” He also serves on the associate clinical staff of the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, Richmond, Virginia, both as a pastoral counselor and a ministerial assessment specialist, specializing in executive, clergy and relationship coaching. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and Lexington Theological Seminary and has done advanced clinical training in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas and the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care in Richmond, Virginia. He is a Certified Pastoral Counselor, an ACPE Practitioner, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is a Certified Facilitator of the Prepare-Enrich relationship assessment and skills-building program and served as a volunteer chaplain for over twenty years with the CJW Medical Center campuses in Richmond, Virginia. His avocational interests include playing the piano and drawing. He is very happily married to his wife Elizabeth Yeamans Simrell, a free-lance writer, who is also a Certified Facilitator for the Prepare-Enrich program.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
Week 34 Tuesday
Established by God Today’s scripture selection: First Chronicles 10-14 Key verse: First Chronicles 14:2 “And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.” How do you know when you’ve “made it” to the top? What are… Continue reading Week 34 Tuesday
Week 34 Monday
The Blessing Today’s scripture selection: Numbers 5-8 Key verses: Numbers 6:24-26 It’s funny the things that you remember; that stick in your mind as you grow older. My father was a minister; a hospital chaplain for most of his career. I don’t remember when I first heard him say it; or how often – but… Continue reading Week 34 Monday
Week 34 Sunday
Whose Fault Is It? Today’s scripture selection: John 7-9 Key Verses: John 9:1-3 Jesus and his disciples were going about their business when they came upon a man blind from birth. The disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus told them it wasn’t anybody’s fault. … Continue reading Week 34 Sunday
Week 33 Saturday
The Worst Sinner Today’s scripture selection: First Timothy 1-3 Key verse: First Timothy 1:15 There’s nothing like a little humility. The apostle Paul, whom some would call the greatest apostle, was – at one time in his life – anything but humble. He was proud of his lineage; proud of his education; proud… Continue reading Week 33 Saturday
Week 33 Friday
But, When? Today’s scripture selection: Daniel 7-12 Key verses: Daniel 12:8-9 Daniel was a faithful man – from the beginning to the end of his life. Because of his unique God-given abilities to interpret dreams and other visions, he had a rich and full life, even while in captivity in another land. But, toward the… Continue reading Week 33 Friday
Week 33 Thursday
Money, Money, Money Today’s scripture selection: Proverbs 17-19 Key verse: Proverbs 17:1 “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” As a pastor I’ve seen too many families torn apart over money. How many is too many? Even just one. And I’ve seen many, many more than… Continue reading Week 33 Thursday
Week 33 Wednesday
A Brand New Tune Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 96-98 Key verses: Psalm 96:1-2 “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.” Life can be fun and exciting; frightening and difficult; and sometimes – a little boring.… Continue reading Week 33 Wednesday
Week 33 Tuesday
Consequences Today’s scripture selection: First Chronicles 5-9 Key verses: First Chronicles 9:1 “All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.” Life has consequences – sometimes very serious ones. While it makes for difficult reading,… Continue reading Week 33 Tuesday
Week 33 Monday
The Most Holy Things Today’s scripture selection: Numbers 1-4 Key verses: Numbers 4:4 The book of Numbers, like the book of Leviticus, makes one thing pretty clear. God wanted the people of Israel to do things the right way. Ritual; order; organization – these weren’t just “good” things to do – they were essential to… Continue reading Week 33 Monday