THE HOME DEVO

  DISCUSSION:                                If you watch TV or read social media you will see that there are thousands of things designed to make you happy. So, it should be easy to find happiness, shouldn’t it? I think the fact is that nothing in this world will bring us happiness. We have to choose to be happy regardless of what is going on in our lives. Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun and all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 14). Using today’s language we might say, Solomon has been there and done that. Solomon wasn’t a doctor, but he realized the mind had a big influence upon the body. In Proverbs 17:22 He presented two options: Live a happy life and enjoy good health or live without happiness and risk a life of sickness. Sadly, although Solomon knew this because of his God given wisdom, he ended up ignoring his own advice. (Thought) Do we do this same thing a lot of times? Abou...

  DISCUSSION:                        The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22, Happiness is good medicine, but sorrow is a disease. If we don’t constantly work on having a good attitude and think on good things (Philippians 4:8), instead of feeling happy and energetic, happiness is likely to get lost in our busy lives. Without happiness life can feel pretty empty and meaningless. Poor health will follow in a life without joy.   As Christians, we have a big reason to be happy. Our savior Jesus has given us a hope, through His willingness to die on the cross for our sins. He paid the debt we could not pay. How do you think He feels when we let the things of this world trump His ultimate gift of joy? I think Paul was telling us in Philippians 4:7, as Christians if we focus on Jesus we will have a joy that is beyond the understanding of the world and that peace (joy) within our hearts ...

  DISCUSSION:                                                     A teenage boy, Jack, is riding his aging bicycle down the road when he is pulled over by one of his friends, Tom. Tom was sporting a new car.   As he exited the car he told Jack that it was a gift from his brother.   He continued to show all of the extras the car had and how plush the insides were. Jack was taken aback by the costly gift Tom's brother had given him. For a moment he was speechless.   Even though he hadn’t said anything, Tom had a good idea what he was thinking. Jack opened his mouth and said, "I wish I…."   Tom didn't even listen to what Jack actually said for he knew he was going to say he wished he had a brother like Tom.   However, what came out of ...

  DISCUSSION:                                                     There is a short story that is told about a young paper boy. It’s said that an older man was on his way to work one morning and he heard this young voice calling out, “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.” It was a cold rainy day in November and as he looked up, he saw this thinly clad young boy, shivering in a doorway, soaked to the skin. He had no shoes and watched as he would lift one foot and press it against his leg to get a little warmth and then the other one. Every few minutes he would call out “Morning Paper, Get Your Morning Paper.”   Now the man was well protected by his coat and his umbrella and he stopped to buy the early edition. And he said to the paper boy, “This ki...

  DISCUSSION:                                         V.6 – So when the woman saw that the tree was pleasing to the eyes … she took of its fruit. The story is told about a young child that was being cared for by a baby sitter while the mother worked in the office of her home. When the child saw this beautiful vase in the china cabinet, he wanted it. When the baby sitter refused to give it to him he began crying, screaming and kicking. When his mother heard him she came into the room to see what was going on. Picking up her precious little boy she said, “What do you want darling?” He pointed to the vase in the china cabinet, so his mother took it out and gave it to him and went back to work. Not long after that the child started screaming again and the mother came back and said, “Now what does my little darling want?” Between sob...

  DISCUSSION:                                              Many times we are so very short-sighted, placing greater value on the pleasures of this life, than on the glories of the future life in heaven. I can’t say we all do it but I do know that it is all too easy to be caught up in the thoughts and cares of daily living and just forget about God. We invest our time and our talents in acquiring more and more earthly wealth, a bigger house, a fancy car, a bigger bank account. For what?   I’m reminded of the parable of the “Rich Man” in  Luke 12:13-21 . This guy had acquired so much stuff he had no more room to store it. So he said he would tear down his barns and build them bigger so he could get more stuff.   But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then w...

  DISCUSSION:                                                                                                               Verse 4 of 1 Timothy 1 says,  “Give no heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes.” The truth about babies: A new mother said, but we need our rest. So, we started him on formula so he’ll sleep through the night. Sounds logical right? We’ve been told this for years by our parents or others we love and respect. The problem is it’s not true. It’s what we might call an old wives...