DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

January 26 A Little Folly Ecclesiastes 10:1–9 ; Hebrews 3:1–5:10 Like dead flies in perfumer’s oil, the writer of Ecclesiastes aptly proclaims that a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Sometimes fools are elevated to positions of power, while those who are fit for the position are given no influence. The Preacher says, “I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves” ( Eccl 10:7 ). It’s not difficult to nod our heads and say “Amen” when we come to this example of an “evil under the sun.” We probably all have a story to tell about a leader who wasn’t fit for a position and about the injustices we endured under their authority. When a fool is set up as an authority figure, everyone suffers. The Preacher gives a suggestion, though: “If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest” ( Eccl 10:4 ). This doesn’t just tell us we should have a posture of humility and obedience bef...

Prayer Rev. Lynwood F. Mundy Thank  You Lord  for this day of  Your grace and mercy  bestowed upon me. Bless the peoples of the world and churches that truly worship  You  in all holiness without a  "will-shop of worship".   Father , bless those that keep your  Sabbath  in worshiping  You . In  Jesus' name . Amen.

January 25 Radiance Hebrews 1–2 When I was a boy, my dad took me to his construction site, and told me, “Don’t look directly at the welding light; it can blind you.” But a welding flame is cool and dangerous. As my father was talking with the foreman, I fixated on the light. I saw spots for the rest of the evening, but didn’t tell anyone. I secretly feared that the radiance had actually blinded me. The radiance of Christ is blinding—it was for Paul ( Acts 9:1–31 ). In an epic hymn about the work of God’s Son throughout history, the author of Hebrews calls Jesus “the radiance of [ God’s ] glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all things by the word of power” ( Heb 1:3 ). It’s easy to wonder if sustainability is possible, if the world will one day crumble and fall. But in Christ , there is hope. Jesus is much like the sun. You don’t always notice its power, warmth, or even that it’s there. That is especially the case for the cloudy days. We forget that...

Royal Seals of Judah ‎Ancient kings sealed important correspondence with a lump of wet clay, stamping the clay with a seal. These seals were often engraved in semi-precious stones such as brown carnelian. The seals of the kings of Judah featured handles similar to this one.

Today's Verse of the Day is From Lamentations  3:26 KJV Translation: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD . NKJV Translation: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD . Explore Thomas Nelson's King James Bibles and take your Bible reading further. © Copyright Thomas Nelson Publishers.

January 24 Undue Favor Genesis 38–39 Genesis 38 interrupts the climax of the Joseph narrative with another tale: Judah and Tamar. Switching protagonists is a surprising enough, but the tale itself shocks us. We’re hardly given time to process the strange cultural practices of the ancient Near East, prostitution, deception, and the sudden death of those who displease God before we’re returned to Joseph’s struggles in Egypt. The story is additionally confusing because it seems to lack a hero. Judah uses Tamar, as his two sons did—though he at least acknowledges his actions. Tamar uses her wits and risks her life to secure a future for herself, but she does so through deplorable means. Attempts have been made to justify the characters and put it all in perspective, but there is no neat packaging. The characters in this story face dire circumstances and a unique cultural context—one that is nearly impossible for modern readers to understand. But we don’t need a lesson in ancie...