29 AUGUST THE SCEPTRE (THE SON) “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have...
28 AUGUST THE SCEPTRE (THE KING) “The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. (Genesis 49:10, NIV) Many biblical prophecies have dual meanings – on the...
27 AUGUST WEAKNESS TURNED TO STRENGTH “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26, NIV) As much as this Bible passage primarily refers to the Holy Spirit’s help in our weakness in prayer, our weakness may also include physical pain and suffering, as well as...
26 AUGUST HANDICAP TURNED INTO STRENGTH “Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.” (Judges 3:15, NIV) Security was tight to enter into the...
25 AUGUST BE THE MASTER NOT THE MASTERED “I have the right to do anything,” you say— but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”— but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12, NIV) “Free! Free! He who the Son of man sets...
24 AUGUST SAVED BY COURAGE AND HOPE “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our courage and the hope in which we boast.” (Hebrews 3:6, NIV) Here is a story adapted from an online forum: “One...
23 AUGUST DOUBTS CAN LEAD TO DESTRUCTION “The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will...
22 AUGUST THE MUDDY JORDAN RIVER (2) “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’! (2 Kings 5:13, NIV) Can...
21 AUGUST THE MUDDY JORDAN RIVER “Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” (2 Kings 5:10) I remember, on our visit to Israel, at the source of the Jordan...
20 AUGUST THE WOMAN AT THE WELL “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring...