Category: Daily Devotions

“The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.” (Proverbs 15:14) It’s been said that we forget more than 80 percent of what we learn in school and college. That raises the question, “Why bother? Is education really worth what we invest in it?” It is. There are many valid…

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) The disciples were not able to drive out a demon that was harming a young boy. That made them feel useless. They ended up dealing with their frustration by arguing with ­critics in the crowd. What went wrong? Did they need to think more positively? Sometimes…

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) Our son, Scott was a career US Coast Guardsman. He told me that they have a motto that says, “we have to go but we don’t have to come back.” People have jobs with great risks…

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.” (Zechariah 3:1) Sometimes Satan’s attacks are obvious. In the Old Testament the prophet Zechariah writes, “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and…

“What about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29) Jesus’ question is kind of like a midterm exam, when a test is given halfway through the course to see how far the students have come. After asking his disciples what they have been hearing from other people about who he is,…

“For we wanted to come to you — certainly I, Paul, did, again and again — but Satan stopped us.” (1 Thessalonians 2:18) Paul writes, “We wanted to come to you — even I, Paul, time and again — but Satan hindered us.” Note the words “time and again”. When you have an assignment from…

“Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’” (Mark 8:23) When you learn a new game—maybe a card game or board game — it can take a while before you fully understand it. The first time it is explained to you, you begin to understand, but not fully, not right away. Discipleship is like that. It involves…

“Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD.” (Genesis 19:27) Abraham had a special place where he met with God. So did Daniel, when his life was threatened: “In his upper room … he knelt … three times that day … and prayed and…

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1) Sometimes life gets so overwhelming that we feel as though we are caught in quicksand. The problem with quicksand is that when someone gets stuck in it, they usually resort to what comes naturally to them. They thrash and…