Sharper Today’s Scripture Selection: Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” I absolutely love this passage of scripture. It gets to the heart of how I… Continue reading Sharper
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
Seek
Seek Today’s Scripture Selection: First Chronicles 28.9 It is some of the best advice a father could ever give his son: “….acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him,… Continue reading Seek
Reason
Reason Today’s Scripture Selection: Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together.” Faith sometimes gets a bad rap. It is seen, by some, to be too Emotional Illogical Sentimental Fanciful It is seen as being anything but reasonable. But I have found it to be anything but that. To me, faith and reason can go… Continue reading Reason
Reality
Reality Today’s Scripture Selection: Colossians 2:17 “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” In popular culture these days – reality is a big deal. There’s a focus on reality TV (which, as far as I can tell, is anything but real). There’s talk about… Continue reading Reality
Radiant
Radiant Today’s Scripture Selection: Psalm 34.5 “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” It’s an interesting way to describe them – those who look to the LORD – as radiant. But as you think of it, perhaps it makes sense. Consider the contrast between light and dark in… Continue reading Radiant
Profit
Profit Today’s Scripture Selection: Titus 3:8 “This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Ask people about what the word “profit” brings to… Continue reading Profit
Praise
Praise Today’s Scripture Selection: Exodus 15:2 “….He is my God, and I will praise him….” It is one of the most basic things we are called to do – offer our praise to God. Too often believers and their respective churches get into arguments about how best to do this. How often have I heard brothers… Continue reading Praise
Power
Power Today’s Scripture Selection: Second Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” It is some ways one of the most perplexing scriptures of all, and yet it is one of the most comforting. Our world defines power as it always had… Continue reading Power
Ponder
Ponder Today’s Scripture Selection: Psalm 64:9 “…they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.” Do you ponder things? I know I do. I suppose it is something of an occupational hazard (or blessing, depending on your perspective) of people in ministry. We like to proclaim and ponder and hopefully others… Continue reading Ponder
Plans
Plans Today’s Scripture Selection: Isaiah 32:8 “But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.” Life takes planning – lots of it. That is, if you want to be very successful at whatever you set out to do. Teachers will tell you; organizational experts will tell you; coaches will tell you;… Continue reading Plans