Work, Work, Work Today’s scripture selection: John 5-6 Key Verses: John 5:16-17 It was the Sabbath. And the law was clear: no work, period. So, first, they went after the man whom Jesus had healed, because he was no longer an invalid. Why? Because he was up walking and carrying the mat on which he… Continue reading Week 33
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 32 Saturday
Settle Down Today’s scripture selection: Second Thessalonians 1-3 Key verse: Second Thessalonians 3:11 There were times when the apostle Paul would just “tell it like it is.” Take this little passage for example: “We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people… Continue reading Week 32 Saturday
Week 32 Friday
Dream Reader Today’s scripture selection: Daniel 1-6 Key verse: Daniel 1:17 When a young man named Daniel was sent, along with three friends, into captivity into a very foreign land, they weren’t alone. God was with them. This is made very clear, right at the beginning of their story, as told in the book of… Continue reading Week 32 Friday
Week 32 Thursday
Good Planning Today’s scripture selection: Proverbs 16 Key verse: Proverbs 16:3 There are a few “free spirits” among us – you know, the ones who fly by the seat of their pants and can’t ever be pegged down to exactly what they are going to do or when they are going to do it.… Continue reading Week 32 Thursday
Week 32 Wednesday
Life in the Pasture Today’s scripture selection: Psalms 93-95 Key verses: Psalm 95:6-7 As a pastor I have always loved these verses from Psalm 95: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock… Continue reading Week 32 Wednesday
Week 32 Tuesday
All in the Family Today’s scripture selection: First Chronicles 1-5 Key verses: First Chronicles 1:34 Do you know very much about your heritage? Have you ever done much with genealogy? Who were the heroes and the “black sheep” in your family? Are you related to kings, horse thieves, or both? These are the… Continue reading Week 32 Tuesday
Week 32 Monday
Jubilee Today’s scripture selection: Leviticus 25-27 Key verses: Leviticus 25:11-12 It was called the year of Jubilee. A great festival, lasting the entire year, held every fifty years – it was a sort of Sabbath for the entire nation. According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, during this year “The land was to be fallow, and the… Continue reading Week 32 Monday
Week 32 Sunday
Night Visitor Today’s scripture selection: John 3-4 Key Verses: John 3:1-3 Nicodemus, one of the renowned members of the Jewish high court – the Sanhedrin; and Jesus, the troublesome religious leader making them nervous; and the story of their meeting one night – it’s all very interesting. But what I have always found… Continue reading Week 32 Sunday
Week 31 Saturday
Therefore, Encourage One Another Today’s scripture reading: First Thessalonians 4-5 Key verse: First Thessalonians 5:11 Everyone needs encouragement. We need to be encouraged that we are appreciated; loved; worthwhile; and many other things. The apostle Paul certainly knew how to encourage others. But one thing that strikes me about his greatest and best encouragement is… Continue reading Week 31 Saturday
Week 31 Friday
Glory Today’s scripture selection: Ezekiel 43-48 Today’s key verse: Ezekiel 43:2 Not many of us have had visions of God. No wonder then when we are a little intimidated by language like this: “…and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing… Continue reading Week 31 Friday