Recent Devotions
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:6–9 My mom is a classy lady. As far back as my memory reaches, I can remember…
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped, Job 1:20. Job chapters 1 and 2 survey the heartrending account of Job’s loss. First, he loses his material wealth and possessions, and then he receives the devastating news that all…
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? James 3:11. We have spent the last week in Iceland. It is the most remarkable place I have ever had the privilege of visiting due to its vast natural beauty. One of the most interesting things I…
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“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.” (Philippians 1:29, NLT) Contrary to what we would like to believe, bad things really do happen to good people sometimes. This becomes evident as we read the Book of Acts and realize the persecution that the early church experienced. Despite the things they faced, even death, they did not waver in their faith or turn back from the Lord. When Paul wrote about the privilege of suffering to the church at Philippi, he did not choose those words lightly.…
The greatest obstacle preventing the Israelites from escaping Egypt and entering the Promised Land wasn’t Pharaoh and his vast army. It wasn’t the daunting Red Sea or the fortified Canaanite cities. The greatest obstacle to the fulfillment of God’s promise was the grumbling of God’s people. Grumbling gives voice to our distrust of God’s sovereignty in our lives. God said, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me” (Numbers 14:27, ESV). Like a parent who has reached the end of their patience, God had…
“Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Let’s be honest: we may not measure success like the world, but we still tend to measure our success. If we are at a certain age or place in life, we subconsciously compare ourselves with others at…
“And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” (Joshua 4:20–22, KJV.) Joshua’s act of setting up twelve stones was more than a historical marker—it was a spiritual declaration. These stones told the story of God’s power and provision. They were a lasting reminder that Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground only…
