Then he will punish those who do not know God and who do not obey the Good News about our Lord Jesus Christ. Those people will be punished with a destruction that continues forever. They will be kept away from the Lord and from his great power.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 (NCV)

As the Bible pronounces hell for the sinner, it also promises heaven for the saint. A saint has been described as a sinner who has been forgiven. The subject of heaven is much easier to accept than the subject of hell. And yet the Bible teaches us both.

— Billy Graham

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

July 24

Happiness is pleasure; joy is peace. Happiness is a tangible result, dependent on circumstances; joy is the result of faith, independent of happenings in life.

Joy is internal, solid and light; pleasure is external, liquid and gray. Joy is and will be; pleasure is a has-been. Joy is character; pleasure is a condition. Joy is expansive; pleasure is expensive. Joy is reflection on the way to perfection; pleasure is deflection.

Joy is sense; pleasure is senses. Joy has reserves; pleasure has reservations. Joy is sharing; pleasure is shearing. Joy is a variety of blessings; pleasure is a variable of emotions.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for July 24	Spurgeon's Evening for July 24
"Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." – Exodus 14:13	"His camp is very great." - Joel 2:1
What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time.	The powers of nature are all subject to the absolute control of the Creator: stormy wind and tempest, lightning and rain, and snow, and hail, and the soft dews and cheering sunshine, come and go at his decree.

dbiblc.gif (5194 bytes)

July 24 Proverbs 16:1 - 19:29

365 days of Bible Readings Linked to Bible Gaitway TM

Current Bible Question

The disciples James and John were the sons of Zebedee. Who was their mother?

Previous question and Answer:

What was the name of the city where King Ahasuerus lived?

Shushan (Esther 1:2)

Today's Devotion

.. ...and by his light I walked through darkness! JOB ...and by his light I walked through darkness! JOB 29:3 NIV

A Woman Named Martha

by Pat Nordman

". . .A woman named Martha opened her home to him."

(Luke 10:38 NIV)

I personally feel that Martha has been much maligned. There are two sides to us all, a harmony -- an equanimity -- to our natures that includes the Martha-side as well as the Mary-side. It takes the oars of both faith and works to row our ship through earth's uneven waters. The Martha in us takes care of the practical in life: the everyday cleaning and toiling and taking care of our families and the necessary duties of each day; the Mary in us takes care of the spiritual in life: the everyday concern in prayer for others when we join Jesus in the Garden each morning and have Him hold us close to Him while we love Him and thank Him and bring before Him our loved ones and our not-so-loved ones who we want to love.

The Mary in us studies to do well; the Martha is us does well. We need both. Perhaps there is a lesson here that we have not before considered. Martha worked very hard to feed at least thirteen extra people that day. She was the angel for this hungry and tired group. While Mary had the privilege of sitting at the feet of Jesus and absorbing wisdom, Martha was busy preparing the meal. We are told, "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made." V.40. Surely this is understandable. We all can relate to Martha as well as Mary. Let us remember that God is a God of the hearth-keeper as well as the heart-keeper. Let us remember it was Martha who unwittingly fulfilled the hospitality call: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2. Also, when their brother Lazarus died it was Martha who went forth to meet Jesus: ". . .She went out to meet him, but Mary stayed home." John 11:20.

Some of us are the meeters and greeters and some of us are the quiet ones who wait at home. Neither should be criticized.

Send a note to © Pat Nordman, the writer of this devotion..

... the Mary in us takes care of the spiritual in life: the everyday concern in prayer for others when we join Jesus in the Garden each morning and have Him hold us close to Him while we love Him and thank Him and bring before Him our loved ones and our not-so-loved ones who we want to love.

More Walking Through the Darkness