The word for today is ambition. “And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you” (1 Thess. 4:11). “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a b...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is grace. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Cor. 9:8). “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me...
Continue Reading“The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. Praise the Lord, you angels of his, you mighty creatures who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everywhere in his kingdom …” (Ps. 103:19-22 NLT). ...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is waiting. “He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.’And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. ‘What have you done?’ asked Samuel. Sa...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is faith. “For what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’” (Rom. 4:3). “Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the wor...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is obedience. “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams’” (1 Sam. 15:22). “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written ...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is wisdom. “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’ Solomon answered, ‘You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his ...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is choices. “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent J...
Continue ReadingThe word for today is availability. “Now it came about that while the multitude were pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them, and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way ...
Continue ReadingMarch 21—A Pearl for Today “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry” (Ps. 34:15 NASB). CRYING FOR HELP IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES A busy lifeguard was once asked how he could distinguish a cry for help from the playful noises of a crowded beach: screams of people getting dunked, kids ...
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