Effort

Effort Today’s Scripture Selection: Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” I’ve always loved these encouraging words spoken by… Continue reading Effort

Duty

Duty Today’s Scripture Selection: Acts 23:1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” When you hear the word “duty” – what does it bring to mind? I think of something along the lines of God, country, honor, duty.… Continue reading Duty

Downcast

Downcast Today’s Scripture Selection: Psalm 42:5 “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” I think of myself as a pretty positive person.  One child in my congregation, in giving me a wonderful, hand written letter of appreciation for me as his pastor even said so.  He said, “He’s always smiles.”  I like that. But it’s… Continue reading Downcast

Discipline

Discipline Today’s Scripture Selection: Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” How disciplined are you? I know there are more than a few times in my life when I wish I had… Continue reading Discipline

Discerning

Discerning Today’s Scripture Selection: Proverbs 14:6 “The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.” Discernment – it’s one the most valuable things we can nurture in order to grow as a person and as a child of God. I believe it is also one of the things that God… Continue reading Discerning

Devotion

Devotion Today’s Scripture Selection: Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” I love it when scripture gets right to the point. Oh, there are many passages that are long and profound and worth savoring bit by bit – like a good meal. But there are other portions that are short and sweet,… Continue reading Devotion

Despair

Despair Today’s Scripture Selection: Second Corinthians 4:7-9 It is one of the selections from scripture which I love most of all: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not… Continue reading Despair

Desire

Desire Today’s Scripture Selection: Isaiah 26:8 “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” And while we are on the subject of how the scripture often uses words differently than our common culture…let’s talk about this thing called desire. Desire… Continue reading Desire

Delight

Delight Today’s Scripture Selection: Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” How often do you “delight” in something? So often people think of delighting in things that are, in the grand scheme of things, pretty superficial: They delight in ice cream. … Continue reading Delight

Cry

Cry Today’s Scripture Selection: Psalm 18:6 Who didn’t hear it growing up: “Oh, stop being a crybaby”? I know I did, more than once. But I also learned that sometimes crying is perfectly acceptable.  And somewhere along the way, thank God, I learned that crying to God is particularly acceptable. The Psalmist agrees: “In my… Continue reading Cry