Scripture: Acts 16:20-22 When the owners of the slave girl had brought Paul and Silas before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with
Scripture: Proverbs 14:16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless. Thought for the Day: Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of a rather well known inaugural address, though its notoriety was not from its poetic style or lofty humanitarian ideals. It was George Wallace’s 1963 address following his election as Governor of Alabama. It is best known for
Scripture: 2nd Samuel 14:14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. But God will not take away a life; he will devise plans so as not to keep an outcast banished forever from his presence. Thought for the Day: As we approach MLK Day, I was thinking about the words of Brian McLaren (The Secret Message of Jesus),
Scripture: Luke 3:16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Thought for the Day: The old evangelist Billy Sunday spoke truth when he said, “Religion needs a baptism of horse sense.” On
Scripture: Romans 14:21 (the Message) When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don’t eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love. Thought for the Day: There are times in scripture when the
Scripture: Luke 6:39 Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? Thought for the Day: There is a lot of talk about how people’s personal lives should make no difference as long as they get the job done in their professional lives. I don’t wish to enter a debate within this devotional on whether, for
Scripture: Proverbs 22:16 Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself, and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss. Thought for the Day: On this day in 1645, William Laud (Archbishop of Canterbury) was beheaded because he supported the state instead of the people during the English Civil War. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but too often Christianity has sided with the powerful instead
Scripture: Luke 6:24-26 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. Thought for the Day: As compared to
Scripture: Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Thought for the Day: Back in 1998, I participated in a 36-hour fasting and prayer retreat. Now fifteen years later, I don’t know if I could do another 36 hours of silence and fasting…without sleep. It takes a toll on the body and spirit, though our
Scripture: Matthew 2:19-20 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” Thought for the Day: I don’t want to sound too callous, but occasionally there are some good deaths. Herod’s death allowed