Scripture: James 4:6-10 But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be
Guest Writer—Rev. Paula Gembala Scripture: John 19:1-3 – Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face. Thought for the Day: Several years ago, a large group
Scripture: Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Thought for the Day: I have been deeply distressed over the resume discrepancy of Manhattan’s basketball coach, Steve Masiello. A few weeks back, he was one of the rising stars in college basketball. It looked as if he’d be the next coach at South Florida, with an incredibly large paycheck.
Scripture: Proverbs 17:12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly. Thought for the Day: I thought about doing an elaborate April Fools’ Day Devotional, something on the scale of Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds radio broadcast. The 1937 radio program used fake news bulletins that unexpectedly flamed the fears of an already anxious nation in the
Scripture: Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Thought for the Day: In her book, Wonderful and Dark is This Road: Discovering the Mystic Path, Emilie Griffin describes mysticism as “a deep and sustained intimacy with a loving God,
Scripture: Psalm 41:4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” Thought for the Day: I always liked the humorous story about the four ministers who would get together on occasion. During one of their conversations, one of the ministers suggested that they confess their sins to one another. “Our people always pour out their hearts to
Scripture: 1st John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. Thought for the Day: I recently came across the name of a great Christian—Secundus of Asti. In 119AD, he was arrested, tortured and executed for providing a Christian burial for a fellow Christian named Marcian of Tortona. Secundus understood the implications of his actions, but went forward despite the danger. In the days before his death, he
Scripture: James 1:23-27 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their
Scripture: Genesis 46:1-3 When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
Scripture: Daniel 9:4-6 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings,