Devotional

10 The Lord proclaims: When Babylon’s seventy years are up, I will come and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. 12 When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will be…

This last week, I had the opportunity to attend M25 – a Nazarene conference held every four years focused on evangelism.  I’d estimate there were about 3500 Nazarene pastors, leaders, and laity from across the USA/Canada region in attendance.  It was a powerful time of reconnecting with God and ministry refocus for me.  I was blessed by the twice daily full conference worship services that included preaching by General Superintendent Carla Sunberg, USA/Canada Regional Director Stan Reeder and best-selling author…

This week many of us will celebrate Valentine’s Day. We will spend way too much money on cards, flowers, and a special dinner.  Most spouses or girlfriends will appreciate the special attention they receive on that special day.  But what about the other 364 days of the year?  My years of working as a marriage and family therapist suggests one day is not enough. The word most often used in Scripture for “love” is “agape.”  It is a verb.  It…

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:5,6 I used to think…

“Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) In life, we often encounter moments of challenge, doubt, and darkness. It is during these times that our inner light, our hopes, dreams, and faith can become dim. The world around us might try to extinguish it, whether through negativity, disappointment, or the pressures of daily life. But God, in His wisdom, has given us people who are meant to walk alongside us, friends who can shield and protect that…

“There’s a season for everything and a time for every matter under the heavens: a time for giving birth and a time for dying…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, CEB) You might think, “Wow, that’s an encouraging passage to start with,” but there’s a reason my mind wandered to Ecclesiastes. As we begin a new year, I’ve been reflecting on a book that offers a timely perspective. In Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, the author reminds us that the average person lives…

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: [a] The old has gone, the new is here!18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself…

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. Joel 2:25   Hope, that powerful essence which helps us look beyond the bleak and difficult days we’re living with anticipation that something better is on the horizon, and gives us confidence that we will discover the beauty that we can’t see. We all need hope. It helps us persevere through difficulty.…

Hebrews 4:12 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It really isn’t the luck of the draw.  It just happens to be where my name appears on the list of names of pastors who write devotionals for our church.  My first devotional for 2025 and I am already having troubles writing “2025”. I don’t think I have…

Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns, let men their songs employ. While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy. He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love.   As we dwell in the afterglow of Christmas,…

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This…

Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.  ~ Hebrews 9:28  As a young child, I had a very difficult time waiting for Christmas morning. How many of those presents under the tree were for me? Do they make a noise when shaken? How heavy are they? What could be wrapped in that fancy paper,…