Recent Devotions
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 Through the years, the Jewish people read these words of the prophet Isaiah. In their minds, they formed a picture of a mighty conqueror coming in power and glory. He would deliver them from their Roman bondage and reign as their king. This child would be born in a notable family, educated and prepared for the roles He would…
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 I want to share a poem with you today. I wrote the first part of this a few years ago and then added more this…
“Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, wipe away my sins.” Psalm 51:1 Have you ever been on the receiving end of mercy? If you have, then you know, it does something to your heart. A few years ago, I was…
Readers Loved
“A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” (Proverbs 14:30, ESV) Having a tranquil heart is a good way to live. It sounds peaceful, calm, serene. But often life is not as tranquil as we would like because other things creep in—things that tear down rather than build up. Throughout the Bible, along with many uplifting passages we find stories of conflict, dissatisfaction, resentment, envy, and jealousy. Cain killed Able because of jealousy and resentment that Able offered the better sacrifice. Joseph’s brothers grew jealous because their father favored him most. King Saul became…
“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4 I deeply treasure my alone time with God. There is intimacy in the secret place that cannot be replicated. Yet, there is also something uniquely precious about gathering with the body of Christ. When I worship beside fellow believers, I am strengthened because their faith stirs mine, and their praise reminds me that I am not…
The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (John 11:44-46, ESV) Many times, eyewitnesses to the same event will each “see” the event differently. I suppose it’s a combination of one’s perspective, attentiveness, or even bias that may affect our perception of…
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 Wait: to allow time to go by, especially while staying in one place without doing very much, until someone comes, until something that you are expecting happens, or until you can do something. Most of us do not like waiting. We make it on time to our Medical appointment and then sit for what seems like hours before our name is called. We pop into the…
