“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…

Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. , ESV. For the sake of discretion, I will tell the story like this… in the last twenty years, between the north pole and south pole, there was someone who made my life very difficult. It seemed like their goal was to make my day miserable with their distasteful attitude. They had a problem with me regardless of how nice I was or how hard I tried to make “things right.” So, what did I do? With the prompting of the Lord, I invited them to dinner. There is something that happens when you break bread with someone. There is a calmness that saturates a dinner table when you sit down and enjoy a meal with other people. Time slows down and conversations flow freely. Most of the time, people’s walls are down. When you sit next to someone, you share your life with them and vice versa. When you share a meal, you share a piece of yourself with them. That, to me, is true fellowship. The Greek word for fellowship is ‘koinonia’…

Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.”   (Matthew 26:48, ESV) This week we have studied several biblical events that happened around the midnight hour. The Bible has many other midnight stories, but today’s is the most significant. Let’s follow the Lord’s footsteps into the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that the Lord agonized in prayer in the hours before Judas gave his kiss of betrayal. THE FINAL WEEK The week had been long and eventful — the triumphal entry, the cries of “Hosanna” from the crowd, the Lord’s lament over Jerusalem, overthrowing the tables of the money changers, teaching in the Temple, and so much more. Jesus understood what His disciples did not grasp. His earthly ministry was ending. Behind the scenes, the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death without creating an uproar of the people. Soon He would be betrayed by someone close to Him. Following what we call the Last Supper, the Lord and His disciples made their way to Gethsemane, a garden of olive trees on a slope of the Mount of Olives. Not everyone was…

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” (Acts 12:5, NKJV) As we read the Book of Acts, we see the rapid growth of the church. The followers of Jesus demonstrated passion and reckless boldness in spreading the gospel. Wherever they went, they took the message with them. There was revival, but there was also opposition. Herod had just killed James, the brother of John, and Peter was his next target. Herod was just waiting for the Jewish feast days to end before Peter would suffer a similar fate. Peter already sat in a prison cell—chained to a guard on each side and with two more guards at his cell door. He was under around-the-clock watch. Escape was impossible—or so they thought. While everyone slept, an angel of the Lord woke Peter. As his chains fell off, Peter followed the angel’s instructions to get dressed and follow him. The angel then led him through the prison and out the gate to freedom. The guards and other prisoners knew nothing until morning when they discovered Peter was missing. Constant Prayer Across town a number of believers were holding a prayer meeting at…