Read: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Your faith, being much more precious than gold . . . may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 1:7 When unspeakable tragedy shatters people’s lives, they search for answers. Recently, a mother who had lost a teenager...

Read: Exodus 4:10-17 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. —Exodus 4:12 (niv) More than 10,000 evangelists and Christian leaders sat in a giant auditorium in Amsterdam in 1986 listening to world-renownedevangelist Billy Graham. I sat among them, listening as he narrated some...

Read: Ephesians 4:20-32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. —Ephesians 4:32 A friend told me about the time he was watching football on TV as his young daughter played nearby. Angered by his team’s bad play, he grabbed the closest...

Read: Joshua 5:13–6:5 See! I have given Jericho into your hand. —Joshua 6:2 In 2008, house values were tumbling in the United Kingdom. But 2 weeks after my husband and I put our home of 40 years on the market, a buyer offered us a good price and we agreed to...

Read: Luke 15:11-24 The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. —Luke 19:10 Every day a father craned his neck to look toward the distant road, waiting for his son’s return. And every night he went to bed disappointed. But one day, a...

Read: Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. —Psalm 24:1 I knew my son would enjoy receiving a map of the world for his birthday. After some shopping, I found a colorful chart of the continents, which included illustrations in every region. A birdwing butterfly hovered...

Read: Isaiah 40:6-11,28-31 The grass withers, the flower fades . . . . But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. —Isaiah 40:7,31 The majestic African cheetah is known for reaching speeds of 112 kph (70 mph) in short bursts, but it doesn’t do so well over...

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 [The Lord] gave some . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. —Ephesians 4:11-12 A pastor’s wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. That put the family in a difficult, stressful situation. The...

Read: Revelation 22:1-5 He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words. —2 Corinthians 12:4 My friend Gus passed away a few months ago. Gus was a fellow trout fisherman. Weekends usually found him in his little boat on a nearby lake, casting for fish. I got a letter...

Read: Matthew 26:36-46 O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. —Matthew 26:39 “God never gives us more than we can handle,” someone said to a father whose 5-year-old son had just lost his battle with cancer. These words, which were intended to encourage him,...

Read: 1 Peter 5:1-11 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. —1 Peter 5:7 George Burns, American actor and humorist, said, “If you ask, ‘What is the single most important key to longevity?’ I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress, and tension. And...

Read: 1 Samuel 23:1-5 David inquired of the Lord. —1 Samuel 23:2 When my husband and I supervise our son’s piano practice sessions, we begin by asking God to help us. We pray first because neither my husband nor I know how to play the instrument. Together, all three of...