Acts 13-14 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 “THE DOOR IS OPEN” Jesus’ final words to the apostles were, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The gospel would be preached in an ever-widening circle. For about a decade, the preaching was only to Jews, proselytes, and Samaritans who accepted the books of Moses. When…Keep Reading

Psalm 118:12 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, November 20, 2019 They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.” We hid behind the fence (like that was going to protect us). There were several of them and only two of us. We were bigger than they were and we hoped that was to our advantage. The…Keep Reading

Acts 11-12 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 “WHAT’S IN A NAME” In Shakespeare’s play, Juliet, says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Some tell us that this is true regarding the names we wear religiously. Names must have been important to God because throughout history he has given people names before their birth or changed the name…Keep Reading

1 Samuel 17:58 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, November 19, 2019 “Whose son are you, young man?” “Whose boy are you?” David had just defeated Goliath; and King Saul wanted to know who he was. “Whose boy are you?” If someone had asked me that question when I was growing up, it probably was trouble. Identity is important to most people. There was a time when children were known by whom their…Keep Reading

Acts 9-10 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2019 “FROM PERSECUTOR TO PERSECUTED” The first time Saul of Tarsus appears in the Scriptures, he is consenting to the death of the young evangelist Stephen, which made him a hero to the Jews (Acts 7:58; 8:1). We must begin much earlier if we are to grasp the big picture. Saul’s background was in stark contrast to that of the other apostles, who…Keep Reading

1 Peter 2:1 King James Version (KJV) THOUGHT FOR TODAY, November 18, 2019 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings Are we ready to move ahead with the glorious life of Christ? Have we been to Calvary to get our ticket? We can have Peace with God today; and we can have the assurance that we are ready to take our…Keep Reading

Acts 7-8 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 “WHY SOME PREACHERS FAIL AND OTHERS SUCCEED” In attempting to discover why some preachers succeed and others fail, many begin with the preachers. While that could be beneficial, it will not be our approach. Both Stephen and Phillip had been among the seven appointed to supervise the distribution of food to the widows in Jerusalem. The apostles had laid hands on both…Keep Reading

Acts 4-6 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2019 “FIVE PRINCIPLES IN PROBLEM SOLVING The Scriptures are not a handbook on dealing with church problems, but in Acts 6:1-7, we see five principles of problem-solving which every congregation needs to follow, not as a one-two-three-step pattern, but as principles: “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their…Keep Reading

Acts 1-3 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019 “THE SPIRIT AT WORK” When the Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind on the Day of Pentecost and the apostles began to speak in tongues, it was not a moral influence, but a mechanistic one, as the Spirit took control of their tongues, enabling them to speak in languages they had not learned. Not all believers received this power (1 Corinthians…Keep Reading

Proverbs 28:13 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, November 16, 2019 “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 It was getting dark as we walked up the steps into the church. I looked down and saw something near…Keep Reading

Hosea 14:5 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, November 15, 2019 “He shall blossom like the lily” It is hard to believe that we are already into the middle of November? Trees are making themselves bare in order to flex their limbs and say “Come right ahead” to the winter snows. Neighbors are exchanging leaves as the winds blow through town; and there are still a few resilient flowers that are refusing to…Keep Reading

Luke 24, John 20-21 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 “DIVINE ALCHEMY” The word “alchemy” refers to a medieval chemical pseudo-science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold. By association, it has come to also mean: “a power or process of transforming something common into something special.” Jesus had drunk the cup and his body had been laid in the grave. He was…Keep Reading