There is someone who fully knows what lurks in our hearts. Our God, alone knows. He sympathizes with our weaknesses and forgives all our transgressions. To Him there are no secret struggles or silent cries. He hears. He sees. He stays near.
From Psalm 145:18: “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”
Need a lifesaver? Ours walks on water!
From Matthew 14:25-27: “And early in the morning He came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'”
Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.
People are messy, unpredictable things.
Mary Roach (born 1959) is an American author who specializes in writing with themes about science and humor.
The happy sequence culminating in fellowship with God is penitence, pardon, and peace–the first we offer, the second we accept, and the third we inherit.
From Ephesians 1:7: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”
Charles Brent (1862-1929) was the Episcopal Church’s first Missionary Bishop of the Philippine Islands. Canadian-born, he served as Chaplain General of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.
Once we’re thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it’s only here that the new and the good begins.
If you feel pain, you’re alive. If you feel another’s pain, you’re a human being.
Leo (Count Lev Nikolayevich) Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer. Many consider him to be one the world’s greatest authors of all-time.
The world says that the more you take, the more you have. Christ says, the more you give, the more you are.
From Matthew 23:11-12: “The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Frederick Buechner (1926-2022) was an American pastor, Christian theologian, and author. His writings were published in 39 books, which included several different genres.
Do anything that might make the world a better place.
We are stronger together than we are alone.
Walter Payton (1953-1999) was an American professional football player. During his Hall of Fame career of 13 seasons, he played running back for the Chicago Bears. The annual National Football League’s Man of the Year award bears his name, due largely to his legacy of giving back to humanity.
At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God’s hand until we learn to hear Him.
From Matthew 10:27: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.“
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
The most important attitude that can be formed is that of desire to go on learning.
Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn; and the doing is of such a nature as to demand thinking; learning naturally results.
John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American philosopher and educational reformer. A native of Vermont, he was born in Burlington.
It is true that we may desire much more. But let us use what we have, and God will give us more.
From 1 Peter 4:10: “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American pastor and missionary. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in Burma, where he would serve for nearly 40 years.
Big Sky Buckeye 