Read 1 Samuel 16:1 through 17:58 In 1876 missionary Mary Slessor sailed to Africa. Three years later she returned to Scotland to recuperate from malaria. Undaunted, she returned to Africa, this time living with natives. She spoke against cruel local punishments that killed people over minor issues. Through sharing the gospel, she changed many customs and superstitions. In 1915 Slessor …
God’s Vice-Regents
Read Judges 20:1 through 21:25 Last year, God-fearing people watched the news as Terry Schiavo was being put to death by the courts and judges of our land. These judges are vice-regents of God and as such bear a tremendous responsibility to God and will answer to Him. In Genesis 9:5,6, God gave human government. Its main purpose is to …
Peace, Be Still
Read Mark 4:1 through 5:43 Jesus and His disciples got into a boat heading for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Exhausted from ministering to crowds of people all day, Jesus lay down in the back of the boat and went to sleep. About halfway across the lake, a violent wind came up. Though the disciples had watched …
Place of Refuge
Read Joshua 18:1 through 21:45 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses” (Joshua 20:2). When the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, God made a point to provide safe havens for certain members of the population. Anyone who unintentionally killed a fellow citizen could go to a city of refuge and escape …
Not Alone
Read Deuteronomy 31:1 through 34:12 Sometimes circumstances can lead people to feel like they have been abandoned by friends, relatives, and even God. Anthony Hawkes may have felt that way after a mishap left him stranded in a wooded area. Hunting squirrels along the Loosahatchie River north of Memphis, Hawkes somehow became mired in mud up to his waist. He …
Fatal Error
Read Deuteronomy 12:1 through 18:22 Violating the spearfishing regulations in the Florida Keys can be deadly. Fisherman Gary Cagle died in September 2006 after shooting a goliath grouper, a member of the sea bass family that is illegal to kill in the Keys. The wounded fish, weighing between 160 and 200 pounds, swam under a coral reef. Unfortunately, Cagle’s spearfishing …
Gospel Summary
Read Acts 17:1 through 19:41 Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had only five minutes to share the gospel? Many have tried to summarize the good news in the public arena, and usually someone takes exception to any attempt to do so. Outside of church walls, the gospel is not a subject people want to talk …
Avoid Black Crabs
Read Numbers 11:1 through 15:41 A certain motivational speaker has painted a word picture of a bucket of black crabs gathered by a morning beach walker. One of the crabs dreams about climbing out of the bucket and escaping to a new life. He stretches, pushes up, and manages to get one claw over the edge. But just as the …
Order Out of Chaos
Read Numbers 1:1 through 2:34 Chaos exists throughout this world: crime, disease, war, natural disasters. We also experience chaos in our own lives from demanding schedules, financial overload, illness, and broken relationships. Is there a remedy for the deluge of confusion that surrounds us? No one can rectify the disorder in the world. But God, the Creator of the universe …
Desperate Needs Answered
Read Leviticus 13:47 through 15:33 The phone awoke Connie, 71, in the early morning. It was the hysterical cry of Julie, 27, living next door. Connie had met her by hosting her three children in a neighborhood Bible club. “I’m pregnant, and my husband has rejected me. I’m going to get an abortion!” Connie went to see Julie and offered …