DAILY READING Jeremiah 10: 1-16 REFLECTION What are Your Idols? By Carmel Elmer If you make your way through the Old Testament, it will become clear that the Israelites had a recurring, long-standing problem with idolatry. When Moses went up Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 commandments, the Hebrew people began to grow restless and it's as if they suddenly forgot that to this point, God had rescued them from 400 years of slavery, fed them, protected them, parted the Red Sea so they could cross...

DAILY READING Acts 2:1-4, 14-41 Spirit Enabled By Carmel Elmer Imagine yourself in the crowd at Pentecost. When I try to visualize the "tongues of fire" resting on the heads of the apostles I imagine I would have been terrified. I might have even been in the camp of those believing they were drunk on wine when they began speaking in tongues! It reminds me of a time when I was a little girl and I woke to find my older brother, John with his hand on my head, chanting what sounded like...

DAILY READING John 5:36-47 REFLECTION Where Do You Find Glory? By Carmel Elmer After reading today's passage, I looked up the definition of glory. There are a number of different meanings but the one I like best is this: "High renown or honor won by notable achievements" At first glance, I didn't set out to write about glory, but in reading and re-reading this text, it's the word that stood out to me and I realized, God was convicting my heart. I generally talk a good game and have...