Posts by SFNAZ Devotional Team

Obedience I must be one of those people that God gives special gifts too. A few years ago, we were given the Distinguished Service Award, here at Spokane First. About two weeks before it happened, I walked into the sanctuary, just me and God. I knew that we were getting this prestigious award.   I told my husband Wyatt first, and then I called Wayne, our son in Louisiana.  I said, “guess what? I know who is getting this award.” It…

In Matthew 6:6 Jesus says, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.” I’ve been praying since before I can remember.  That doesn’t mean it’s always been easy.  Since high school, I’ve been told that to be a good Christian I needed to have “my devotions” every day, to read my Bible and pray without fail.  That was hard to me, that was a real struggle.  For many years…

You’ve seen the Bible picture illustrations of the Israelites traveling through the desert wilderness led by a small column of cloud out in front of them. It was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. What a miraculous experience it must have been to be led in such a way. Many of us love to lay out in the sun, especially on a warm beach somewhere, but I’m more of a shade guy, I…

Making Room for One More  16 Jesus replied, “A certain man hosted a large dinner and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the dinner to begin, he sent his servant to tell the invited guests, ‘Come! The dinner is now ready.’ 18 One by one, they all began to make excuses. The first one told him, ‘I bought a farm and must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19  Another said, ‘I bought five teams of…

John 13:34-35 The violent events of the past couple of weeks have sent a shock wave across our nation.  A young Ukrainian immigrant attempting to escape her war-torn country was randomly and senselessly stabbed to death while riding on a light rail train in Charlotte, NC.  Last Wednesday the nation was shaken by the assassination of a prominent architect of a conservative resurgence in younger Americans, a champion of biblical truth, and a bold proclaimer of the Gospel.  A minute…

Last week I had the opportunity to view Leonardo Da Vinci painting of the Last Supper. It was beautiful and inspiring. It’s interesting to think of the pervasiveness of Christianity so many years ago. As we toured Europe’s County side, every city had a Cathedral, and every village a Church, and many farms in places like the Black Forest had a chapel. Christianity was the norm, and everyone went to church. Now most Cathedrals are mainly known as tourist attractions,…

Think about powerful moments in history that shaped generations. For some, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s words on December 8, 1941, declaring the attack on Pearl Harbor “a date which will live in infamy,” still bring strong emotions. For others, it’s the raw feeling of President George W. Bush’s speech after the Twin Towers fell on September 11, 2001: “our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.”…

Eccl. 4:9-12 This week we celebrate Independence Day, remembering the birth of our nation almost 250 years ago.  It is a day worth remembering as we began the hard work of separating ourselves from a tyrannic ruler and his country.  We set in stone the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as the cornerstones of American identity.  We also recently celebrated Juneteenth, a holiday that remembers the day when slaves in Texas found out that they were…

Ephesians 5:31-32 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the Church.” The apostle Paul has been giving instruction on marriage and marriage relationships and then he switches the script and says he’s really talking about Christ and the church. I went to the doctor today for a checkup where I…

1 Lord, hear my prayer; let my cry for help come before You. 2 Do not hide Your face from me in my day of trouble. Listen closely to me; answer me quickly when I call.   Psalm 102:1-2   There have been times in my life that I’ve needed to hear from God.  Times that I needed to know I was doing the right thing.  Times I needed confirmation from God. I am not alone.  Throughout scripture, especially in the Psalms,…

Luke 24:13-35 The Lenten season is in the rearview mirror, and Easter decorations have been stored for another year.  It is easy to move from one season to another without fully processing what has just passed.  As a therapist I practice a form of therapy called Lifespan Integration.  It is a therapy that works to build new neuropathways for those who have experienced trauma.  What strikes me about that work is how the brain continues to process the session for…

2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” One of the last conversations my nephew had with his father was about perspective, “Dad, it’s all about your perspective”.  And while my brother-in-law was unable to revive his son, my nephew is now in heaven in the presence of Jesus.  If Jesus gave him a choice of whether to…