KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
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Shield
LET'S CONSIDER THAT prized trophy or treasured car... Would you consider leaving it outside in the open, exposed to the elements of nature, animals, dirty-fingered kids, and inconsiderate neighbors? Probably not. More likely you would shield it from these... (continue reading Shield)
Brawling
IN HER BOOK The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains has parable entitled "The Brawling Bride..." The parable describes a climatic moment in a wedding ceremony. Both families have been seated. The grooms and his attendants are in... (continue reading Brawling)
Faithful
"WE ARE THANKFUL for a faithful wife, husband, bank teller, teacher, doctor, etc... But how much more to rejoice over the fact that the most faithful of all is God!" H. L. Willmington in Basic Stages in the Rock... (continue reading Faithful)
Providence
WHAT IS MEANT by the providence of God and how does providence work? A concise statement of "divine providence" is difficult to set forth or explain, but the concept is that God exercises a preservation, care, and government over... (continue reading Providence)
Elite
IN OUR SOCIETY, being a member of an elite, exclusive group is anathema... It supposedly evidences a snobby attitude where we disdain everyone else who does not attain our lofty standards. In a postmodern age, when feelings matter more... (continue reading Elite)
Conversion
SOSTHENES (1 Corthians 1:1) WAS A common first-century name... This name also appears in Acts 18:17. There Luke describes how someone with this name was beaten by a Jewish mob because he failed to make a case against Paul.... (continue reading Conversion)
Red
WHILE MILLIONS READ their Bibles, few know why some Bible publishers print the words of Christ in red... Words in red are neither more nor less important than the words in black. Jesus said to the seventy, "He who... (continue reading Red)
Sign
MANY PEOPLE ARE looking for a sign from God... They want to know for certain that God is there, that he really is who the Bible says he is. They are willing to believe in Him, but first they... (continue reading Sign)
Treasure
IT IS IMPORTANT for husband and wife to have fun together... What do you do for "play time"? Do you spend your recreational time together or doing your own thing? There is nothing wrong with having some activities that... (continue reading Treasure)
Lust
DURING WORLD WAR II, Nazi Germany dropped pornographic pamphlets from the sky over enemy territory... The reason; to distract the soldiers minds with fascinations causing them to ignore the front line. This has been the strategy of porn from... (continue reading Lust)
Self-discipline
ELVIS PRESLEY WAS one of the most talented singers and performers in the history of our country... In fact, the Smithsonian Institute described Elvis as having the MOST influential impact on the entire history of American music. This man... (continue reading Self-discipline)
Test
DID YOU KNOW...? That the Bible nowhere says, "Accept Jesus as your personal Savior?" That the "Rapture" is not once mentioned in the Bible? That no one was ever told to "Ask Jesus into your heart" in answer to... (continue reading Test)
Jolt
AMY CARMICHAEL HAS a note in her little book If... "A cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted." If it is full of sweet water and is jolted, what will... (continue reading Jolt)
Compliment
THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL and straightforward way of winning with people is to give them a compliment -- a sincere and meaningful word of affirmation... If you want to make others feel like a million bucks, you've got to master... (continue reading Compliment)
Change
MOST PEOPLE FIGHT against change, especially when it affects them personally... As novelist Leo Tolstoy said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." The ironic thing is that change is inevitable. Everybody has... (continue reading Change)
Translator
IN A SERIES of very difficult technical reviews conducted in a foreign country, the company representatives with whom I was meeting became extremely upset about the products from my company... I had a translator for the meeting, hired from... (continue reading Translator)
Contagious
THE ITALIAN WORD for influence is influenza... The word influenza was introduced into English in the mid-1700s, apparently coming from the Italian phrase which attributed the origin of this malady to an influenza di freddo (influence of the cold).... (continue reading Contagious)
Elijah
WHEN WE THINK of Elijah, we never think of him as one who would doubt because he was strong and bold when he encountered the false prophets at Mount Carmel... He proved that God was the true God of... (continue reading Elijah)
Rejoice
WHENEVER I FIND myself wading through the pity pool, whining about how hard I have it, how unfair life can be, I am reminded of a phone call that took place several years ago... My cousin, my best friend... (continue reading Rejoice)
Misery
WHAT IF SOMEONE knocked on your door today and asked, "Could I sell you some misery today...? What have all kinds for sale." Would you buy it? Of course not, but many of us, including me, have "bought" it... (continue reading Misery)