DEVOTION 3/3/2021 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. Psalm 40:1-2 Patience with God is the ability to trust and wait […]
DEVOTION 2/3/2021 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 KJV Trusting in God brings comfort and cheer, even in the midst of stress and crushing difficulties. Faith is what helps us trust God in difficult times. To trust, means to have a firm belief in […]
Devotion 1/3/2021 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 This is a very insightful statement made by Paul. Having gone through all the challenges to deliver the word of God, deemed it fit to rely on the strength of God to accomplish his purpose. When […]
February 28, 2021 | Romans 16:1–26 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue When I was a pastor, our church hosted Vacation Bible School every summer. Planning began months before the event with the same announcement every year: “Many hands make light work.” Paul would have liked this announcement because he was not a lone ranger in his […]
February 27, 2021 | Romans 15:14–33 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Missionaries often refer to those who support their work as “ministry partners.” They aren’t trying to flatter donors so they will send more money. They know that their ministry depends on the prayers and finances of others. The book of Romans is both an explanation […]
February 26, 2021 | Romans 15:1–13 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue The church today is divided over many things. Race and politics, in particular, have become a flashpoint in recent days. But there are also many other, less volatile matters over which we disagree. We may have different preferences in the style of the church building, […]
February 25, 2021 | Romans 14:13–23 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue Cartoons often depict our conscience as a tiny angel standing on one shoulder, telling you to do good, and a miniature devil standing on the other, urging you to do the opposite. This cartoon image is right in one respect. The voice of our conscience […]
February 24, 2021 | Romans 14:1–12 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue My father was a fan of Dixieland jazz. If I complained about it, he usually responded with the Latin phrase: De gustibus non est disputandem, which means, “In matters of taste, there can be no disputes.” While one person has a great love of jazz, […]
February 23, 2021 | Romans 13:8–14 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue “Oh, to grace, how great a debtor. / Daily I’m constrained to be!” begins the third stanza of the hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” As recipients of God’s amazing grace, we are in His debt! What do we owe? We must love God […]
CHRISTIANS AND GOVERNMENT February 22, 2021 | Romans 13:1–7 DEVOTIONS This Month’s Issue In addition to the health threat it presented, the COVID-19 crisis created political tensions for many churches when some states ordered them not to meet for worship. Some complied with government regulations while others saw the order as an infringement on their […]