“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him [Moses] in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.” Exodus 3:2 (NKJV) It has been  intensely hot this  summer in most parts of the country. It has also been a season of wild fires. Pictures on television  have highlighted the devastation. When a fire occurs in the forest, it burns rapidly and destroys everything in its path. But in our focus text, a blazing fire rages on a bush in the wilderness, but the bush is not burned up.  It’s a…

“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing  but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13 (NKJV) Several years ago, I took a writing course in which one of the essays I wrote was about salt and its  harmful effects on one’s health.  It was later published as a magazine article titled “Don’t Shake It Out.”  The main idea  was to keep the salt in the salt shaker and avoid health problems. My writing teacher had praised my essay but had made a note on my paper saying  that…

“Oh, that you would  be silent. And it would be  your wisdom!” Job 13:5 How good a listener are you?  Communication coaches say that we aren’t  good at listening to others during a conversation.  Check yourself during a conversation, and you may find that you aren’t really listening at all. Your mind has jumped off the rail to think of  things irrelevant to what you’re supposed to be talking about. We’re told that focused listening is  more difficult today with the presence of  our gadgets, the main one being the smartphone. With about 5.4 billion people in the world using smartphones, the temptation to half-listen, or not listen at all,…

“And in him  you too are being built together to become  a dwelling in which  God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22 (NIV) I like to look at building projects, to observe the people and the activities  involved, and I must say I have plenty to look at in  my part of town, where developers are furiously building.  The city officials  appear to be pleased that things are booming along so well. They say the city is growing. It isn’t just the large  complexes that are being constructed. A few  houses destroyed in the major tornado we suffered four years ago are just being rebuilt. It’s good to see all…

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,  that you also love one another.” John  13:34  (NKJV) Did Christ’s disciples need a new commandment?   Jesus knew  the time was coming when He would be betrayed into the hands of His enemies. Death on the cross loomed ahead. Leaving to His discciples  a new commandment  was essential. The  rivalry and self-promotion would have to cease if they were going to be able to  do the  work ahead of them. They needed to love one another in order to carry out the Great Commission. I have heard  Jesus’ new commandment to love one…

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10  (NIV) Not many of us, perhaps none of us, would  admit to being name-droppers. You know, the  person who sprinkles his or her conversation  with names of well-to-do  people they know. Or the individual who, in sharing an incident involving  a friend, unnecessarily  brings up that person’s social status or financial assets. Name-dropping can even extend to the clothing some folk wear. The designer gets top billing on their outfits. Like you, I try to avoid name-dropping, but I recall one instance  when I resorted to it. I was invited back…

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) This week’s  focus verse is one  that seems fresh and inviting every time I read it. The poetic passage in which it appears is a gem in biblical literature, and much of its appeal  stems from its  tendency to make our spirits soar. In writing these devotions, I try not to quote from famous writers so that I may keep the spiritual focus, but, in connection with   today’s text,   I must mention the renowned American historian, David McCullough’s book  about the Wright Brothers’  experiment at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The story …

“Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say  to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” Matthew 18: 1-2 (NKJV) If you  sometimes attend a church other than your home church, nearly everywhere you go, you’ll find the children’s story- time to be a  regular part  of the worship service. It’s not a mere add-on. It is listed in the bulletin, and the people who tell the story come prepared, sometimes  with props and slides,  even a PowerPoint presentation, and lots of imagination and…

    “not with eyeservice as menpleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”  Ephesians 6:6 (NKJV)   When I was in elementary school, our class recited  what our teacher called gems, one of  which was “Health Is a Blessing.”  It was intended to make us children feel  thankful for our bodies and take good care of them. At a later age, I  grew to know that work is a blessing, providing me with the means for earning a living, but is also a virtue that gives meaning to my life and  helps me survive and flourish.   The book of Ephesians, from which our…

“Then Jesus said,  I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 (NIV) I like bread, good quality bread, of ccourse, but I welcome any bread. A couple weeks ago I went out of my way to drive a few miles  to a market that sells great tasting, nutricious bread.  When I got to the bread aisle, the shelf was completely empty, not one loaf of that bread was there. I turned away disappointed and bought a few other things. At the checkout counter, a woman came  and began putting her things…