July 24 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Rom. 14:5) The word “alike” should be omitted from this verse; it was added by the translators. It should read, “another esteemeth every day/’ that is, he looks upon every day…
July 23 “…they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” (Acts 5:15) The people recognized that Peter’s ministry was a ministry of power. Wherever he went, the sick were healed. No wonder the…
July 22 “Behold, Lord…if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” (Luke 19:8) As soon as Zacchaeus had opened his heart to the Lord Jesus, a divine instinct told him that he should make restitution for the past. It might sound from the text that there was a…
July 21 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7) It is possible to live a long, long life as a believer and yet never learn to cast our care on the Lord. We can memorize the verse and even preach it to others, yet never really practice it…
July 20 “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” (Prov. 18:24) Even though all modern versions translate this verse differently, the King James Version enshrines the valuable truth that friendships must be cultivated. They thrive on attention but die through neglect. An editorial in Decision Magazine said, “Friendships don’t just happen; they have…
July 19 “…as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17b) Here is one of those New Testament truths that shocks us by its sheer audacity. We would not dare to utter the words if we did not see them in the Bible. But they are gloriously true, and we can revel…
July 18 “Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.” (2 Sam. 6:23) David was ecstatic when he brought the ark to Jerusalem and when it was placed in the tent that he had specially prepared for it. Sensing that this was one of his greatest achievements and…
July 17 “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” (Gen. 12:3) When God first called Abraham to be the head of His chosen earthly people, He promised to bless the friends of that nation and to curse its enemies. In the intervening centuries the Jewish people have suffered…
July 16 “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psa. 12:1) Faithful people are an endangered species; they are rapidly vanishing from the human race. If David mourned their demise in his day, we often wonder how he would feel if he lived today. When…
July 15 “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” (Mt. 9:13) God is far more interested in how we treat other people than in how many religious ceremonies we go through. He prefers mercy to sacrifice. He places practical morality above ritual. It might seem strange to…