Scripture: Daniel 10:12 He said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words…” Thought for the Day: “Do not fear,” is a statement that assumes fear, but often within scripture, the statement is said to one who
Scripture: Daniel 10:2-5 At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris), I looked up and
Scripture: Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits and whose width was six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Thought for the Day: Just a few verses ago, King Nebuchadnezzar had this marvelous transformation where he turned toward the Lord God. You’d think there was no going back, but then we arrive at
Scripture: Deuteronomy 18:18 I’ll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I’ll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. Thought for the Day: In my noon study yesterday, I mentioned the author and scholar, Abraham Joshua Heschel. I read a few of his books in College and Seminary, including his well respected two
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:8-14 The LORD of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: Don’t let the prophets and diviners in your midst mislead you. Don’t pay attention to your dreams. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn’t send them, declares the LORD. The LORD proclaims: When Babylon’s seventy years are up, I will come and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to
Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7 Happy are those who trust in the LORD, who rely on the LORD. Thought for the Day: One of my favorite authors is Barbara Brown Taylor. In her book, An Altar in the World, Brown writes: What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My
Scripture: Jeremiah 15:16 When your words turned up, I feasted on them; and they became my joy, the delight of my heart, because I belong to you, LORD God of heavenly forces. Thought for the Day: Have you ever felt as if you were called by God to do something, started doing it, and then thought to yourself, why did I say YES. Chapter 15 is Jeremiah’s lament
Scripture: Jeremiah 9:24 No, those who boast should boast in this: that they understand and know me. I am the LORD who acts with kindness, justice, and righteousness in the world, and I delight in these things, declares the LORD. Thought for the Day: For me, this is one of the pivotal scriptures in the book of Jeremiah. In just a few words, we are reminded of who
Scripture: Jeremiah 9:4-5 Be wary of your friends! Don’t trust your sibling! Every sibling is a cheater, and every friend traffics in slander. One cheats the other; no one tells the truth; they train themselves to lie; they wear themselves out by doing wrong. Thought for the Day: Let’s be real – not EVERY sibling is a cheat and not EVERY friend’s primary communication tool is slander. The
Scripture: Jeremiah 6:16 The LORD proclaims: Stop at the crossroads and look around; ask for the ancient paths. Where is the good way? Then walk in it and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said, “We won’t go!” Thought for the Day: Stop and smell the roses! This verse of scripture almost sounds as if it is attempting to say the same thing, and the response