Daily Devotionals

Galatians 5:25–26

What exactly is envy? How does it differ from its twin, jealousy? Envy (the more sophisticated of the two) is a painful and resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another...accompanied by a strong desire to posses the same advantage. Envy wants to have what someone else possesses. Jealousy wants to possess what it already has. Jealousy is coarse and cruel. Envy is sneaky and subtle. Jealousy clutches and smothers. Envy is forever reaching, longing, squinting, thinking (and saying) sinister insinuations.

Psalm 141:3–4

Can you keep a secret?

Can you? Be honest, now. When privileged information passes through one of the gates of your senses, does it remain within the walls of your mind? Or is it only a matter of time before a leak occurs? When the grapevine requests your attention from time to time, do you refuse to help it climb higher, or do you encourage its rapid growth, fertilizing it by your wagging, unguarded tongue? When someone says, “Now this is confidential,” do you respect their trust or ignore it...either instantly or ultimately?

Ephesians 4:20-25

GENTLEMEN:

Enclosed you will find a check for $150. I cheated on my income tax return last year and have not been able to sleep ever since. If I still have trouble sleeping, I’ll send you the rest.

Sincerely,
______________

This note was actually received by the Internal Revenue Service some time ago. We chuckle because the sender was willing to be honest up to a point...just far enough to help relieve his guilty conscience...just far enough to help his sleep to return...but not far enough to make a clean break.

John 14:27

The scene is familiar: a hospital lobby with all the trimmings...soft sofas and folded newspapers...matching carpets and drapes illumined by eerie lighting...a uniformed lady at the desk, weary from answering the same questions...strange smells...and lots of people.

Matthew 25:34–40

Chances are very good that there are those in your church fellowship, workplace, or family who feel unwanted, forgotten, unloved (and unlovely!)—and are more lonely than words can express. I wish to speak on their behalf and in their defence today.

Psalm 25:16

Her voice was weak and fearful as she spoke to me over the phone. It was almost midnight and she kept apologizing...but she was so lonely and wanted someone to listen to her. I never got her name nor her address nor enough hints about her location to follow up our conversation. Her desperate story broke my heart. I actually wept after she said, “Goodbye—thanks for listening.”

1 Peter 1:13

Eagle thinkers ask the hard questions, take strategic risks, search hard for the whole truth, and soar high above mediocrity. Parrot people enjoy the predictable, routine, rehearsed words of others.

Hebrews 6:11-12

We are running shy of eagles, and we’re running over with parrots.

Genesis 35:1–4

Yesterday we talked about how the Israelites began to worship what started out as a good thing but became too much of a good thing: a bronze serpent they called “Nehushtan.”

1 John 5:20–21; Matthew 6:33

It was the Apostle John’s final warning to his readers:

Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)

“Watch out,” said John, in effect. “Be on guard against anything that might occupy the place in your heart that should be reserved for God.”