Daily Devotionals

Mark 6:18–20

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.

Luke 12:34

Idols take many forms.

2 Timothy 4:1–2

During my pastoring days in New England, I heard of a teacher who quizzed a group of high school students on the Bible. The quiz preceded a Bible-as-literature course he planned to teach at the Newton (Massachusetts) High School, generally considered one of the best public schools in the nation. Among the most astounding findings he got from the students:

Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers.

Jezebel was Ahab’s donkey.

The four horsemen appeared on the Acropolis.

The New Testament Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark,Luther, and John.

Psalm 78:70–72

Both adversity and prominence confront our equilibrium, but prominence is perhaps the more challenging test. The classic example is David.

[God] chose his servant, David, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’sdescendants—God’s own people, Israel. He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands (Psalm 78:70–72).

Matthew 7:24–25

The Great Plague stretched across London like a thick, drab blanket. It came as a thief in the night. The mortality rate was astounding.

Proverbs 4:23–25

Instant replays have become old hat. We now expect them in all televised scenarios. Whether it’s a tennis pro’s impressive backhand or an in-store video camera capturing the sticky-fingered shoplifter or a squad car dash-cam chronicling an officer’s every move! These days, we never should worry about missing it the first time around. It’ll be back again and again and, probably, again—splashed across cable news.

1 Peter 3:15–16

One of the toughest assignments in life is to communicate clearly what happened during a time when emotions were high. People who “fall in love” can hardly describe the details of the moment. Those who’ve endured a sudden loss or witnessed a tragic accident often convey the information in a confused manner.

Psalm 8:3–4

We often hear people say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Although sweating the small stuff can occasionally be a drag, there’s another side to that coin. Greatness and attention to detail, in my opinion, are welded together. A great piece of music is like that—carefully arranged orchestration carrying out a majestic melody blending with the surrounding sound of harmony. Haunting chords, rhythm, and lyrics. The choral group that performs is also committed to the fine line. Not much room for the “don’t sweat the small stuff” philosophy.

Jude 1:20–23

During the reign of Oliver Cromwell, the British government began to run low on silver for coins. Lord Cromwell sent his men to the local cathedral to see if they could find any precious metal there. After investigating, they reported: “The only silver we could find is the statues of the saints standing in the corners.”

To which the radical, outspoken soldier and statesman of England replied: “Good! We’ll melt down the saints and put them into circulation!”

Proverbs 5:23

Samson was a he-man with a she-weakness. Although he was born of godly parents, set apart from his birth to be a Nazirite, and elevated to the enviable position of judge in Israel, he never won the battle with lust. Instead, lust eventually conquered him. Several things that illustrate his lustful bent may be observed from the record of his life, eachone in the book of Judges.