Serving publishers by bringing Bible-centered ideas to life
TomTom Enlists “Star Wars” Voices for GPS
Come to the Dark Side OK, maybe this isn’t about publishing but it’s too brilliant not to include. That voice on your GPS? How about Darth Vader? One company is doing just that.
Three Overlooked Lessons about the iPad
So, What’s Your Take on the iPad? Technology is changing so fast I gave up keeping up long ago. I don’t even yet have a Kindle or an iTouch, never mind an iPad (although just try wrestling the iTouch away from my 75-year-old mom). Maybe this article is right—as I roll my eyes from behind my laptop . . .
What Fans Will Find at Universal Orlando’s World of Harry Potter
And So It Continues . . . If you (or your kids) just haven’t had enough of Harry Potter, head to the new theme part at Universal. See the Hogwarts Express. Visit Hogsmeade. Try some Butterbeer. Ride the high-speed roller coaster Dragon Challenge. Sounds like a magical time to me!
Today is the anniversary of the first Postage stamp.
In 1840, Britain issued the very first postage stamp. It bore the profile of Queen Victoria and was known as the “Penny Black” because it was printed in black and cost a penny. Before the advent of the postage stamp, the person receiving the letter was the one who had to pay for the delivery costs. Since the rates were so high, many people refused to accept the letters. In fact, some people developed secret codes that they put on the outside of the letter to get around the high costs of postal service. The intended receiver could look at the code, get the message, and refuse delivery of the letter.
Because of this, the British post office decided that postage had to be paid before the letter was delivered. The payment was marked by a small piece of colored paper on the outside of the letter—the stamp! The idea was so popular that the United States adopted the same system, and in 1847 the U.S. Post Office printed its first stamps, a 5-cent stamp picturing Benjamin Franklin and a 10-cent stamp picturing George Washington.
Did you know that you have been stamped? It’s true. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is our guarantee, our stamp, that we belong to God and that we will receive all his benefits (Ephesians 1:13, 14). Because we bear the stamp of the Holy Spirit, we know that salvation is ours, and that we will live forever with Jesus in heaven.
The best news, though, is that the Holy Spirit’s stamp is not only the pre-payment of all that is promised to those who believe in Jesus. Right now Christians we have the power and the comfort of the Holy Spirit living in them. We can depend on the Spirit to guide us and enable us to live as God wants us to while we wait for Jesus’ return.
By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete (2 Corinthians 1:22, The Message.)
Create your own personal stamp that reflects what your faith in Jesus means to you.
1915—Babe Ruth hit his first major league home run while playing for the Boston Red Sox.
1994—The Chunnel officially opened. The tunnel under the English Channel links England and France.
1997—The Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Today is Cinco de Mayo.
Cinco de Mayo (which means the fifth of May) is one of two days that celebrates the independence of Mexico. Although Mexico’s official independence day is el Dieciseis de Septiembre (September 16th), Cinco de Mayo is also considered a day of great importance. On this day, a vastly outnumbered, untrained, and poorly equipped Mexican people defeated a much stronger and more powerful French army.
Today, it has become a popular holiday in the United States. People mark the day with fiestas, parades, mariachi music, piñatas, and of course, lots of great-tasting Mexican food. At its heart, Cinco de Mayo remains a day to celebrate the Mexican people’s courage, culture, and freedom.
While holidays like Cinco de Mayo are wonderful opportunities to remember important events in a nation’s history, they also are a great reason to have a party and have fun!
Ezra knew that. The people of Israel had just finished rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem. Now it was time to restore the people’s faith, so Ezra and others spent several hours reading God’s Word to the people. The people wept as they heard God’s Word, realizing how they had strayed from obeying God. Yet Ezra reminded them: “Don’t be sad! Now is the time to celebrate.” Ezra sent the people home to “celebrate with great joy” because they had heard God’s words and understood them.
Some people like to think that God is all about dos and don’ts and is just looking for ways to stop us from having fun. That couldn’t be further from the truth. God wants us to celebrate and to be joyful. That’s why he has commanded his people to observe certain holidays and to party!
And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Throw a party for Cinco de Mayo and include God in your party by thanking him for the courage and the freedom that he gives to you.
1891—Carnegie Hall opens in New York City with Tchaikovsky as the guest conductor.
1956—Jim Bailey became the U.S. first runner to break the four-minute mile. He was clocked at 3:58.5.
1961—Alan Shepard piloted “Freedom 7” to become the first American in space.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Today is National Weather Observer’s Day.
Imagine a world without weather forecasters. We wouldn’t know whether to take an umbrella, if we should bring a jacket, or if we need sunscreen. We certainly wouldn’t be able to tell if a dangerous storm was approaching or if we should go ahead and plan that picnic. Such information is critical for people like pilots, farmers, or anyone whose work is dependent on weather conditions.
Thankfully, we don’t have to guess about what the weather is going to be like for the next day or even the next several hours. We can tune in the nightly weather forecast or listen to the radio to quickly find out how to prepare for the predicted conditions. At times, such information can be life saving.
As Jesus was preparing for his return to heaven, he urged his followers to be vigilant. But they weren’t to be concerned about the weather conditions. They were to be looking for a special event—Jesus’ return to earth. More than 2,000 years has passed since Jesus spoke those words, but the truth remains: Jesus is coming again, and as his followers, we need to be on constant watch.
So what does that mean? For one, it means working faithfully at the tasks that God has given you. It means keeping close to God at all times. It means being faithful to pray and meet with God daily, to read his Word, and to be actively doing his will.
Think about it. When Jesus returns, do you want to be caught napping or to be engaged in helping others? The best way to be prepared and vigilant for Jesus’ return is to be doing his work. That way you can “keep a constant watch.”
Keep a constant watch. And pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36).
Think of two ways you can “keep a constant watch” so you will be ready for Jesus’ return.
Today is National Tuba Day.
1626—Dutch explorer Peter Minuit landed on Manhattan Island. Native Americans later sold the island (20,000 acres) for $24 in cloth and buttons.
1715—A French manufacturer debuted the first folding umbrella.
1979—The first woman prime minister of Great Britain (Margaret Thatcher) was elected.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Today is Tax Freedom Day.
As the saying goes there are only two certainties in life—death and taxes. Taxes, the special fees collected by governments and rules, have been around since Bible times. And the idea of paying taxes probably has been hated just as long.
The first tax mentioned in the Old Testament was a census tax commanded to be paid by Moses for every person 20 years and older to be used for the care of the Tabernacle. Later, when the Israelites demanded to be ruled by kings, the kings (as the prophet Samuel had warned!) began to tax the people to help pay for buildings, armies, and other government projects. Then, as invading countries conquered the Israelites, the foreign kings demanded even higher taxes.
When Jesus was born, the people were paying taxes to the despised Roman Empire. Their coins, which carried Caesar’s image, were a constant reminder that their hard-earned money was going to support Rome. Yet, when the Jewish leaders questioned Jesus about whether it was right for the Jews to pay taxes to Rome, Jesus reminded them that this was money due to Caesar. At the same time, however, Jesus told the people they needed to give to God what he was owed.
Think about that. What do you think you owe God right now? How about your faithfulness, your obedience, your love? What about your time and the abilities he has given to you? What might you owe God there? Just as we are expected and obligated to pay taxes to our governments, we need to “pay” God what is owed him as well. You can even take this a step further. What do you “owe” your parents, your teachers, your friends?
The Bible reminds us that we are to give to everyone what we “owe” him or her, whether it’s respect, time, or our money.
Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and import duties, and give respect and honor to all to whom it is due. (Romans 13:7)
Make a pretend bill of what you owe God today. Consider how you can “pay up.”
1802—Washington, D.C., was incorporated as a city.
1921—West Virginia imposed the first state sales tax.
1966—The game “Twister” was featured on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Today is Sibling Appreciation Day.
Be kind, you say? To my brother? You’ve got to be kidding. You don’t have to live with him! Many of us have a sibling whom we would rather ship off to a deserted island than be kind to. And we may have good reasons—clothes that are borrowed and never returned, nonstop teasing, phone messages that mysteriously get lost. You know.
Sometimes it is hard to get along with those who live in the same house as we do. Did you know that even Jesus had half-brothers who weren’t thrilled to be related to him? In fact, Jesus’ family thought that he was a bit crazy (Mark 3:21) and laughed at him for what he was doing (John 7:3). Later, after Jesus had died and rose from the dead, two of his half-brothers (James and Jude) became leaders in the early church.
Joseph also encountered troubles with his brothers. Of course, some may argue that he brought it on himself by telling all his brothers that someday they would worship him. (Never a good idea to say to a sibling!) Still, Joseph’s brothers reacted a bit harshly by selling him off as a slave and telling his father he was dead. Yet even in those extreme circumstances, we see Joseph and his brothers reunited at the end of the story, and Joseph offering these wonderful words of forgiveness: “God turned into good what you meant for evil. . . . Indeed, I myself will take care of you and your families” (Genesis 50:20, 21).
God has placed us into our families for his purposes. And it is his desire that we get along with our brothers and sisters—no matter how difficult that may be on certain days.
How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! (Psalm 133:1).
Be nice to your sib today. Do your sibling’s chores today. Let her wear your favorite shirt. Let him ride your bike! Say something positive about your sib.
Today is the National Day of Prayer.
1519—Leonardo da Vinci died.
1919—The first U.S. air passenger service started.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Today is National Loyalty Day.
Here’s the situation: you have promised your best friend that you will spend Friday night helping him watch his little brother. Another friend calls and invites you to attend a concert featuring your absolutely favorite band. What are you going to do? Give yourself 10 points on the Loyalty Meter if you said you were going to stick with your best friend; give yourself five points if you had to think about it for more than a minute; and give yourself zero points if you decide to go to the concert.
Loyalty is all about sticking with your friends or family no matter what. In fact, the Bible tells us that the greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyalty—loving at all times. (Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:7.) So what does it mean to be a loyal friend? It means sticking by your friend when she is having a tough time at home. It means helping your friend with his math homework when you would rather be watching TV. It means standing by your friend when everyone else has disappeared.
Jonathan and David shared that kind of friendship. You can read about it in 1 Samuel 20. Jonathan knew that his father, King Saul, was out to get David. He knew that being David’s friend was against his father’s wishes. But David and Jonathan had vowed before God to remain friends, and so Jonathan did everything he could to help and support David. Later, David returned that loyalty when he took care of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. That’s the kind of loyal friends that God wants us to be.
So, on National Loyalty Day, what kind of friend are you—a fair-weather friend, or one who is there through thick or thin?
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need (Proverbs 17:17).
Do you have a friend who has been loyal to you? Take time today to thank him or her.
Today is National Teen Day.
1941—Cheerios hit the store shelves.
1952—Mr. Potato Head was introduced.
From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.
Livingstone on Twitter
Livingstone on Facebook