There Is A Gift

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (Ephesians 2:4-5) Read: Isaiah 41:17-43:13, Ephesians 2:1-22, Psalm 67:1-7, Proverbs 23:29-35 Relate: Sometimes I imagine the day it will happen. I’ll be sitting at my desk…

The Best Thing

Samson is in many ways every Sunday School boy’s hero. He has superhuman strength. He doesn’t have to worry about haircuts. And he goes around killing bad guys with a jawbone, tearing gates off cities, and setting wild animals on fire. What preteen or early teenage boy wouldn’t love this guy?

Jesus is God

May 16 – I AM

My head says “yes” to these I am statements of Jesus, but does my life really back that up? Is Jesus my bread of Life? Or do I look to other sources for my provision? Is he the light through which I see my world? Or is he merely a tack on, an afterthought to my life?

Rewind

People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy. (Ecclesiastes 9:12) Read: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 22:17-19 Relate: There was a show my mom used to watch when I was a kid. I think it was called…

The Arrival

But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. (2 Corinthians 7:6) Read: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7, Psalm 47:1-9, Proverbs 22:16 Relate: There are a few people I know that everybody just loves being around. Some people just have a gift to always be an encourager. When you get…

Broken and Patched Up

Read: Job 34:1-36:33, 2 Corinthians 4:1-12, Psalm 44:1-8, Proverbs 22:10-12 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Relate: I had a large bowl of pasta in each…

The Most Important Thing

Read: Job 8:1-11:20, 1 Corinthians 15:1-28, Psalm 38:1-22, Proverbs 21:28-29 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures…

Generosity

Read: Job 1:1-3:26, 1 Corinthians 14:1-17, Psalm 37:12-29, Proverbs 21:25-26 Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! (Proverbs 21:26) Relate: I did an internship in the Bronx a good 20 years ago or so. There was a White Castle nearby and it was my first experience with that sliver of grease they…