Devotional (Page 7)
Devotionals written by the pastoral team.
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…
DELAYS ARE NOT DENIALS
When [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. JOHN 11:6 In today’s fast paced world of drive through dining, same-day Amazon delivery and online grocery shopping, we’ve lost the art of waiting. If you ask any child, they rank the words not yet as nearly the most awful in the English language, second only to the word no. Children don’t like to hear the answer, “Not yet.” When our wise, loving heavenly Father deems it best to say,…
Our First Desire
25 “Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are? 27 Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your…
Our Identity in Christ
Have you ever struggled with knowing who you are? We live in a world where people struggle with identity. Some of which is caused by broken families and troubled childhoods. Some of which is caused by careless friends and negative people in our lives. But I believe that who we are is determined by “whose” we are. Where did I come from and who do I belong to? The answers to these questions shape our identity. Psalm 139:13-14 says “For…
Embracing the Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to…
Being Part of a Community
It seemed inevitable that sports would be a big part of our family life! A husband that wasn’t content with his years of high school sports proceeded to play years of ice hockey and softball. And when it comes to being a fan, any professional sports team that makes its home in Seattle has a devoted following in the Roth household! Eventually those passions filtered down to our children, taking root at different levels, but becoming a part of the…
Psalm 5
Psalm 5:1,2 Give ear to my words, O Lord; Consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, My King and my God, For to you I pray. What should I do when I’m sad? Reading the Psalms is teaching me to pray differently. When I’m sad I should at least acknowledge to God that I am. So often I want to hide from myself the condition of my own heart. I’ve learned over time that I’m…