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- Flee to God - Flee to God: It’s been said it’s been said that there are no atheists in foxholes. That is probably true, to a certain extent. A friend of mine and I have shared a common experience: We both have been taken to the hospital in an ambulance after heart attacks. He tells me that throughout the trip he recited the Lord’s prayer over and over again. As I said, a shared common experience. You and I may have regular times that we set aside for meditation and prayer, but often our circumstances, not our schedule, drive us into the arms of the Lord. Anyone who has been brought to the brink of desperation knows the feeling of great relief, that washes over us when health and safety are restored. Continue reading
- The Silence of God - The Sound of Silence: Sixty years ago, Paul Simon wrote a strange but insightful poem that he set to music. It was recorded by Capital Records and released in 1966 as The Sounds of Silence. God uses silence as a means of communicating with us. That may sound a little bit odd, but in a very real way it is true. Often God’s silences are His answers to prayers, to hopes, to our times of need. There is a wonderful thing about God’s silence, it is contagious. Continue reading
- Waiting - Waiting: Advent is a season of waiting. It’s a sacred season, symbolically waiting for the blessed Jesus to arrive. Celebrating His arrival in our lives, his forgiveness and the blessedness that He represents – God among us. I wonder if we sometimes test the Almighty? We may wonder why doesn’t God save me? Then I think, that one is on me. In truth, based on faith, He has accomplished and provided for my salvation and it is I that has not entered into a regular relationship with Him. Continue reading
- Matthew 6:9-13 - Matthew 6:9-13: In the course of the worship service, the pastor tells us to turn to Matthew 6:9-13 and says let us say this in unison. There is no Bible in the pew, you look at one another, search your brain for a clue, nothing. Then the pastor says, “Let us begin…”. and he starts with - ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be they name…’ Phew, oh yes, and you immediately follow along the familiar prayer. Isn’t it interesting that we have any number of Bible verses that we can recite by rote memory but we would have a hard time identifying where in the Bible that versus appears. I have a friend who can do that seemingly without a problem. While I wish, I had the memory retention of my friend, and I’m not belittling his gift, it may be more important to know the verse and live the verse and not worry too much about cataloging the verse. Continue reading
- A 40-Day Fast? - A 40-Day Fast? What an interesting topic, and just twelve days after Thanksgiving. Have you ever been on a fast, a true fast? You know, multiple days with no solid food, only liquids. Jesus’ Ministry begins with 40 days in the Judean wilderness, a vast grassland.His time in the wilderness is a time of searching. He knows that he has a special, God-given purpose.Here in this desolate place he is tempted by Satan. The magnitude of 40 days without food brought him to a point where Satan tempted him to use his power to find something to eat, turn these stones into bread. He answered the temptation with “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.” Continue reading
- Look! Appreciate! Know! - Look! Appreciate! Know! Several months ago, Oswald Chambers’ devotional started with this: “We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there.” I know that we all have those moments that we treasure, remembrances we call to mind and find that sense of amazement is still fresh. Maybe it was a sunset, or a special event in your life, an unexpected grace that just astounded you. Why is that? I believe it is the Glory of God being revealed to us and through all of creation. Continue reading
- What’s Next? - What’s Next? In the 1999 TV series, West Wing, there are multiple episodes where the President, played by Martin Sheen, after hearing all the discussion on a topic, asks the question, ‘What’s next?’ For the apostles, the believers of Jesus, members of The Way, the temple and the tongues of fire and wind is behind them. What the Master had promised, the Holy Spirit, was now within. Their brief time with Jesus on earth was over and, yes, they knew the lessons, the memories were clear; what they have seen and heard. But, now, there on that street in Jerusalem, at that time, the question: What’s next? What’s next? You, me, each of us, we have a “next”, directed by the Holy Spirit that is speaking to us, right now, this moment. Continue reading
- At Jesus’ Feet - At Jesus' Feet: We believe that Jesus is Lord, and, therefore, we are gifted with the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit that equipped and prepared the disciples, and us, to be the eyes, the voice and the hands of the Lord. Our faith journeys are many and varied, but each one of us is led by that Holy Spirit. For the two pairs of brothers, Simon and Andrew, James and John, as well as Levi, the invitation to come follow was a life-changing invitation. That is their story, but you and I have similar stories. Oh sure, the times may be different, the names have changed, but the story is the same. We are transformed, we are changed because of this Man, this God-Man, because His love surrounds us at all times. Continue reading
- Never Retire! - Never Retire! Several years ago, a very close friend of mine and my pastor, reached what, in our culture, was ‘retirement age’ and told me in strong words, “I’ll never retire.” It took me a while to fully understand what he meant. Now I understand. There are all kinds of examples of people who have continued their life far beyond that magic age of retirement and yet continued. Victor Borge continued doing concerts until he died at age 91. At 86 I had my first book published. What is the common denominator here? God gives us as many years as we are allowed on this earth, and It’s up to us to make every one of those years count. Continue reading
- Will of God? - Will of God? We read about the will of God and we hear it referred to in many a worship service and sermon. We may struggle to discern the will of God and decisions that we have to make. In our prayers we may close with, your Will be done. What does the will of God mean? We hear a lot about that, we frequently pray that we follow the will of God, what, in your everyday life, does that mean. Can you define it in practical terms? We can say that the will of God is following the lessons that Jesus taught. God has a plan for you and me. Isn’t that comforting? Continue reading
- The Light Within - The Light Within: Thomas Kelly, in his book A Testament of Devotion, has a chapter entitled "The Light Within." Kelly writes that deep within us all there is an amazing ‘inner sanctuary of the soul’, a Holy Place, what he calls a Divine Center. In that Divine Center, there resides a voice. It is that voice, that we sometimes call conscience, which we turn to, continuously, whether we are aware of it or not. Kelly goes on to say that the Light Within is what "illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of man". Continue reading
- Thanksgiving Day - The Love of God: Have you thought about this – Thanksgiving is an action, it is giving thanks for all that we received. It is also a testimony to generosity, sharing what we have been graced with to those who have less than we. Today's devotional is a short collection of writings on God's work within us on this a day of gratitude. Continue reading
- Tuesday, November 22 - Who Do You Say I Am?: Ask the right question. Paul was confronted with many questions in his ministry to the Galatians. Some were contained within challenges from the Judaizers who were trying to incorporate Jewish law into Christianity. Who do you say that I am?’ We are told to make it personal, don’t just repeat Peter’s word. Confront your relationship with Jesus and find the truth. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into that truth. Are we modern-day "Judaizers", trying to blend our will with God's to make things just a little more comfortable? Continue reading
- Wisdom and Choice - Wisdom and Choice: The Daily Stoic reminded us of George Washington’s favorite saying: “Many mickles make a muckle.” The author goes on to explain that it was a Scottish proverb that illustrates a truth that we know – things add up. Even little ones. Even one day at a time, builds. If we looked with uncompromising eyes at what we do day in and day out, over time, we see things that will shape us into the future, for better or for worse. Think about it. What you read. Your daily routine. The training you have had. The rules you follow. The habits you cultivate day to day and practiced over a lifetime. All those, taken together, with love and compassion, can create greatness and a good life. Conversely, anger, isolation and an unforgiving nature can create a ‘nothingness’ and a life of sadness. Wisdom. Continue reading
- Faith Part 3: Faith and Works - Faith Part 3: Faith and Works: How would you define faith? When you dig into God’s Word, it seems that the idea or the Word of faith has multiple meanings. In Hebrews 11:1, we see that the central idea of faith—is confidence or trust. In the Bible, the object of faith is God and his promises. That does raise a question: How is our faith visible? James is tough, he is making a strong point when he says faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all. Continue reading
- Faith Part 2: Faith vs. Faithful - FAithe Part 2: Faith vs. Faithful: Jesus calls us for our “Little Faith”, then he reassures us that “if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you”. If we are such slow learners, why take so much time with us? How about God’s love for us? Oh, wait, that requires faith, doesn’t it? Can we take it on “faith”, a faith that is so little, so skimpy? Yes, we can and must. God’s love is a free gift, why do we even debate? There is difference between faith and faithful. If our trust in Christ is reflected in our everyday lives, then, yes, we are being faithful. Continue reading
- Faith Part 1. Ye of Little Faith - Faith Part 1: Ye of Little Faith: I believe all of us who are reading devotionals profess faith in our Lord. I have a great deal of empathy for the disciples, for they were going through a difficult phase of growing up into their faith, the same tract that we’ve all experienced or we are experiencing now. It was hard for us to trust something we could not see, cannot feel and have not watched as it had an impact on our lives. I doubt whether Jesus had second thoughts about who He selected as disciples, maybe Judas, but I doubt even that. When He said O you of little faith, that wasn’t said as a derogatory, it was a measure of where they were in their faith development. Yes, their faith was new, but Jesus knew, long before Erik Erickson, that it was a stage, a phase, and He would strengthen them. He saw beyond the bend in the road, He knew what was coming. What about you and me? Where are we in our faith development? Continue reading
- Wait on the Lord - Wait on the Lord: I have no idea how many times I have sat in a doctor’s/dentist’s waiting room, waiting and waiting. There is a difference between waiting for an appointment and what the scripture is telling us to be strong and wait for the Lord. What does it mean to “wait on the Lord”? In practical terms, waiting on the Lord means spending time in prayer, seeking Him. It means standing firm on what God has already promised. To wait on the Lord is to wait on God’s answer, His voice, His promise. Wait on the Lord is as simple as - Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Continue reading
- War within Yourself - War within Yourself: Somewhere, deep within, a voice is telling you “You’re not good enough” and that “you will never amount to anything”, and it sounds like your own voice, your 7-year old voice, or 11, or perhaps your 17-year-old voice, and you believed it. You carried that scar with you as you grew into adulthood. Then, more recently, another voice, the Voice of God, saying “Come to me, my dear child, you are weary and burdened, come to me and I will give you rest for your soul”. The voice tells you to take His yoke upon you and learn from Him” and you can tell from the tone of His Words that He is gentle and humble and you know that is the better road to go. And as you come to Him, the other voice is stilled, for a time. You hear, again, God speaking: “My beloved, I have been waiting for you these many years. I AM Your good, good Abba FATHER and you belong in My Family. Continue reading
- Long-life Lament? - Long-life Lament? So much of Psalm 90, “A Prayer of Moses”, reads like it should be part of Lamentations. It speaks about God’s anger consuming us all of our days. Regardless of how many years we live, they pass under the wrath of God. There are phrases like “we finish our years with a moan”, and “the best of our years, are but trouble and sorrow”. This Psalm is attributed to Moses as author. I like the idea that a saint is just a sinner who fell down, but who got up with the help of the Lord. Continue reading
