Devotional (Page 5)
Devotionals written by the pastoral team.
WAITING FOR THE LORD
Psalms 27:13-14 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Waiting is sometimes a hard concept to tackle. We have to wait for test results, wait in lines, wait for our next vacation. We just finished Christmas and we see through our kids how hard it is to wait to open gifts. The waiting can…
The Upside-Down Kingdom
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth…” (Matthew 5:1-5 NIV) Yesterday, I received my first “Happy New Year” card for 2024. My friend who sent the card filled…
Looking Forward to a Better Way of Living
We are almost to a New Year. It is exciting to be looking forward to 2024. Before we leave this Christmas Season, I have a new thought for each of us to consider. My text is Matthew 2:1-6 You are familiar with the story. It is the story of the birth of Jesus. The Magi came from the east and stopped in Jerusalem to visit King Herod. They asked the King where the King of the Jews was born. Most…
A Christmas Friendship
Ephesians 4:17, So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. Galatians 2:14, When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it then, that you force Gentiles…
His Presence in Presents
Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon. James 1:17 Think back to the weeks leading up to Christmas when you were a little child. The anticipation grew each time a new present appeared under the tree. For me, I’d sort, shake, try to peak and take wild guesses at…
The Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55 (ESV) My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the…
Gratitude
Give thanks to the Lord for He is Good Psalm 107:1; 136:1 This Thursday we take time to offer prayers of thanksgiving, before diving into a feast of turkey with all the fixings and a day of football. The next day we begin the hunt for presents that most people don’t need and exercise our bargain hunting license looking for those extreme deals. When we were growing up, we always got one toy for Christmas, and you hoped that you…
Compassion
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Lamentations 3:22 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless. Matthew 9:36 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 When you hear compassion what are the first few words that pop into your mind? I asked the kids that question this week and they all…
Trapped By Fear
People are trapped by their fear of others; those who trust in the Lord are secure. (Proverbs 29:25 CEB) As I commuted to the hospital this morning, the podcast I was listening to got me thinking about fear in the life of a Christian. I can’t deny that the rapid changes in our culture, along with present international conflicts provide ample fuel for fear. I confess there are times when I too fear what the future may bring. However, my…
What Do I Do With My Calendar?
I sit here looking at my November calendar. It is not getting filled up at this point. My calendar only has two places that are filled. Awesome. Here is where you can see the Holy Spirit actively at work. My days get busier with soul names on the spaces. Yes, I write the names down and what time I should be there. I even write what I’m doing. Visiting, praying or doing communion. Actually those are the fun ones to…
Love Your Neighbor
Love your Neighbor After months of the house next door being vacant, we finally got new neighbors. Only… except… well, to be honest it has been quite a struggle adjusting to them. They brought a lot of clutter with a boat, construction trailer, and multiple trucks and cars that block the sidewalk. They have many friends/co-workers who spend much of their time on the back deck while they smoke, which we smell in our back yard. Oh, and they love…
One Plus One Equals One
One plus one equals…wait! ONE Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Math in the Bible sometimes doesn’t work the way we expect it to work. Some of the most important elements about God don’t stack up like a box of Legos does, because…