“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15 Oxford Dictionary defines compassion as: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. During the last few weeks, many parts of the world have been devastated by hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, and other life-threatening events. People have lost everything that they owned. There is a scarcity of food, shelter, and medical supplies. Charitable organizations have made a plea for compassion, and donations have been pouring in. People have seen the need and given of their finances to…
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Ephesians 5:1-2 Our pastor usually walks around the church praying before the service, and often, we see his grandson walking in his footsteps. The pastor also makes a unique gesture with his hand when he is preaching or worshiping. Recently, I noticed the grandson doing the same thing when the children were on the platform singing on Family Sunday, Children imitate the actions of those they love. In this verse in Ephesians, Paul admonishes the church to walk in love and in the footsteps of Jesus. I like how the Amplified Bible expresses it: “Therefore be imitators of God – copy Him and follow His example – as well-beloved children (imitate their father).” When Jesus was here on earth, He spent time teaching His disciples. By spoken word and by His example, He showed them what it meant to love God. He was preparing them for their ministry after He was gone. John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one…
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14, NIV. You’ve probably heard the quote, “Having a strong end is more important than having a perfect beginning.” Do you agree? When we look at the beginning of Saul’s story, it becomes clear that there was much more to Saul than failure. His story didn’t start in rebellion or pride—it began with humility, reverence, and promise. A HUMBLE BEGINNING When Saul first appears in Scripture, he is a respectful and humble young man. He worked faithfully for his father with a herd of donkeys. He also honored the things of God. When he sought Samuel for direction, he was troubled because he had nothing to give the man of God, not because he wanted to buy a blessing, but because he wanted to honor the office. (1 Samuel 9:7) When God chose him to be Israel’s first king, Saul responded with sincerity and uncertainty. “Am I not a Benjamite, of…
“They came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus… began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” Mark 10:46–47, KJV In this passage we meet Bartimaeus—a blind beggar sitting beside the highway. That roadside was known as a place where outcasts, the unclean, and the overlooked gathered. His daily routine was painfully predictable: “I’m blind… can you spare a shekel?” Nothing about his day suggested anything extraordinary was coming. But then he heard something; voices, footsteps, movement. And because he…
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Matthew 5:14. I’m one of those people who love a power outage; I think it’s fun to get off the grid for a few hours, playing a board game, reading a book to candlelight, or just being cozy with blankets acting like a shelter of protection. Even though there is darkness in the world, it doesn’t mean there isn’t something more powerful. Light will always prevail. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:4-5. God has a remedy for every bit of darkness in the world and that is Himself, the truest light form in the universe. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105. When we are led by the Word of God we will have clear direction on where we need to go and what we need to do. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under…
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:8-11. This time of year evokes a deep sense of gratitude because I reminisce my childhood around Thanksgiving and Christmas. In past devotions I’ve shared how I did not grow up with a lot of monetary blessings; some Thanksgiving dinners were baked chicken breasts, rather than a Turkey, and many of my Christmas presents were from the Dollar Store. None of those memories bring me to a place of sadness; rather, I feel so blessed to feel a great depth of love interwoven with each meal and celebration. Fancy dinners are quickly eaten and forgotten, but the family traditions that are made and love shared are what make memories become legacy. Expensive toys are lost, ruined, or outgrown, but learning that love is more valuable than material items is priceless. Love is a treasured gift, and it is something we can all give and receive without needing a robust checking account. I love to give gifts, but when I begin to feel pressure to ‘deliver’ something spectacular, that is the moment I need to step back and…