Read: Genesis 32:3-12 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant. —Genesis 32:10 Unlike those who think highly of themselves, Jacob knew that he had been ruined by sin (Gen. 32:10). He thought himself a man...

Read: Mark 4:35-41 Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? —Mark 4:38 We often hear it said, “Perception is reality.” That idea for Americans may have dawned on September 26, 1960—the date of the first televised debate between two presidential candidates. In front of the cameras, John Kennedy...

Read: Psalm 30 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper! —Psalm 30:10 Minnie and George Lacy were faced with some questions: “Is Jesus enough? Is our relationship with Christ sufficient to sustain us? Will He be enough to help us want to go on living?...

Read: Psalm 46 Be still, and know that I am God. —Psalm 46:10 I remember bobbing for apples when I was a child, a game that required me to have my hands tied behind my back. Trying to grab a floating apple with my teeth without the use of my...

Read: Ephesians 2:10-22 We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. —Ephesians 2:10 For 3 weeks every fall season, our city becomes an art gallery. Nearly 2,000 artists from around the world display their creations in galleries, museums, hotels, parks, city streets, parking lots, restaurants, churches, and...

Read: Romans 5:1-8 God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8 Years ago I asked a young man who was engaged to be married, “How do you know that you love her?” It was a loaded question, intended...

Read: 2 Corinthians 3:17-4:7 We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. —2 Corinthians 4:7 Christopher Locke buys old trumpets, trombones, and French horns and transforms them into acoustic amplifiers for iPhones and iPads. His creations are...

Read: Jeremiah 42:1-12 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? —Psalm 27:1 Someone was shadowing me. In a darkened hallway, I turned the corner to go up a flight of stairs and was alarmed by what I saw, stopping dead in my tracks. It happened...

Read: Ecclesiastes 5:10-17 What profit has he who has labored for the wind? —Ecclesiastes 5:16 Howard Levitt lost his $200,000 Ferrari on a flooded Toronto highway. He had driven into what seemed like a puddle before realizing that the water was much deeper and rising quickly. When the water reached...

Read: Luke 15:3-7 There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. —Luke 15:7 While on a ministry trip with a Christian high school chorale to Jamaica, we witnessed an illustration of God’s love in action. On the...

Read: Psalm 98:1-9 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. —Psalm 98:4 For years my wife’s piano and my banjo had an uncomfortable and infrequent relationship. Then, after Janet bought me a new guitar for my birthday, she expressed an interest...

Read: James 5:13-16 Be anxious for nothing, but . . . let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God . . . will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:6-7 When my husband, Tom, was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery,...