PLAYING BY THE RULES

Read Colossians 2:16–23 Today’s Scripture: Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Colossians 2:18 The word translated “disqualify” means “to declare unworthy of a prize.” It is an athletic term: The umpire disqualifies contestants who do not obey...

Continue reading

HOW THE MIGHTY FALL

Read Isaiah 13—18 Today’s Scripture: How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! Isaiah 14:12 Jeremiah had prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would last for only seventy years. So, the...

Continue reading

THE HOPE SEQUENCE

Read Romans 5:1–21 Today’s Scripture: We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3–4 Suffering builds Christian character. The sequence is: suffering— perseverance—character—hope. Our English word tribulation comes from the Latin word tribulum. A tribulum was a heavy piece of timber with spikes in it, used...

Continue reading

FEAR AS A MOTIVATOR

Read Job 18 Today’s Scripture: The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out; the flame of his fire stops burning. Job 18:5 In Bildad’s second speech, his weapon was fear. However, Bildad made two mistakes when he gave this speech. To begin with, he preached it to the wrong man,...

Continue reading

THE RULES

Read 2 Timothy 2:1–13 Today’s Scripture: Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5 A person who strives as an athlete to win a game and get a crown must be careful to obey...

Continue reading

A SOBER REVERENCE

Read 1 Peter 1:17 Today’s Scripture: Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 1 Peter 1:17 God will give us many gifts and privileges as we grow in the Christian life, but He will never give...

Continue reading

THE SINGLE MIND

Read Philippians 1:21–24 Today’s Scripture: To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 James tells us that “a double-minded man [is] unstable in all he does” (James 1:8). Or, to use the old Latin proverb: “When the pilot does not know what port he is...

Continue reading

AUTHORITY AND MATURITY

Read 2 Corinthians 10:7–11 Today’s Scripture: Even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 2 Corinthians 10:8 In my many years of ministry, I have never ceased to be...

Continue reading

ACT NOW

Read 1 Peter 3:18–20 Today’s Scripture: [Christ] went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3:19–20 Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and the lost world needs to hear...

Continue reading

DOCTRINE AND DUTY

Read 1 Corinthians 16:1–24 Today’s Scripture: On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:2 It is unfortunate...

Continue reading