Scott: Devotional
Scripture Passages
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Aiming Higher
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:2 It doesn’t happen often, thankfully. But sometimes there’s a voice inside my head giving me some bad advice. That voice paid me a visit last week, right about the same time that my “shift” key on my old MacBook laptop started giving… Continue reading
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The Spiritual Danger of Hurried Living
Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt… Continue reading
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We Are Hopeless Without Jesus!
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. – James 4:17 I believe Jesus’ parable about The Good Samaritan is a pretty accurate illustration of what James is talking about here. We have the priest who saw the wounded man. Then the Levite saw… Continue reading
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We Should Celebrate This Year-Round
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. – 1 Corinthians 15:19 If this world is all there is, then Christians really are to be pitied. We deny ourselves, we fight against sin, we endure many hardships, and we cling to Christ even when following… Continue reading
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He Couldn’t See the Forest For the Trees. Can We?
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” – John 14:8-9 Some came to Jesus… Continue reading
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Did I Not Tell You?
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”– John 11:40 How often we stand where Martha stood. Surrounded by difficult situations and circumstances, we are so stubborn to trust the wisdom of our Lord’s ways, aren’t we? The stone set before her brother’s tomb… Continue reading
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The God Who Knows Me
O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say… Continue reading
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Who’s Your Daddy?
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.– Ephesians 1:17 I’m often reminded of a slogan I heard years ago. Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be… Continue reading
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The Problem With “Let Me First….”
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”– Luke 9:61 It’s easy for us to read this and think, “What’s so wrong with saying goodbye?” But the crux of the matter is priority, isn’t it. Jesus was calling this man to follow Him… Continue reading
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Sent to Speak, Called to Obey
The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’” The old prophet… Continue reading
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When the Carpenter Spoke
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his… Continue reading
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What the Spirit Gives
The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 Paul reminded Timothy that he had everything he needed to face his fears and faithfully follow God’s calling for him. I think we need that reminder also. I need the power of the Holy… Continue reading
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Not Available in Stores
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. – John 15:11 Recipe for Joy Preparation Time: A lifetimeServes: Anyone hungry for something deeper than fleeting happiness Ingredients Instructions Begin by emptying your heart of yesterday’s burdens. They don’t improve the recipe, and carrying them… Continue reading
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Is There Oil in Your Lamp?
“Remember Lot’s Wife!” – Luke 17:32 It’s a short verse, but it sure says a lot. And we would be wise to take heed. Here Jesus is speaking about the end. Not the end of a city or a nation, but the end of the age itself! The day is coming when every business transaction,… Continue reading
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What a Rescue Dog Can Teach Us About God’s Love
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18 It’s funny how we can so easily become attached to our pets. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago as… Continue reading
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There Can Be No Ceasing of Hostilities Where Sin is Concerned
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. – 1 John 3:6 John gets straight to the point, doesn’t he?! He doesn’t say anything about a true Christian being sinless. Every believer still battles the presence of sin and often grieves… Continue reading
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On Holiday!
Good afternoon, dear friends. I’m off to Scotland for some much needed R&R with my wife. I hope to take some pictures while there and may post a few upon my return later next week. Until then: May our Lord bless you and keep you; and may His face shine upon you and be gracious… Continue reading
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Peace is Purchased Only Through the Currency of Humility
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1 There’s perhaps no clearer mark of true Christian maturity than controlling the tongue. Many can speak boldly, many can master a room. But few can speak gently and with self-control. Let us consider our Lord Jesus Christ. He was… Continue reading
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What Are You Building?
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unlessthe Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.– Psalm 127:1 I’ve always loved building things. One of my fondest memories takes me back to my senior year of high school, where I was in vocational school (carpentry)… Continue reading
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The Greatest Question in All the World
“Amazing love! how can it beThat Thou, my God, should die for me?“– Charles Wesley, “And Can it Be That I Should Gain” (1738) He was one of many, and yet there was something different about him from the others. Although a prominent religious leader, he wasn’t so rigid in his religious tradition that he… Continue reading
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The Man Who May Dwell With God
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile… Continue reading
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The Gift of Laughter
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.– Ecclesiastes 3: 1; 4 There are certain people who I love being around. And not because they’ve got everything going for them… Continue reading
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Better to Love Well Than Argue Well
But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.– Matthew 23:23 There’s a kind of attitude prevalent in today’s religious culture in America that I find deeply troubling, and it’s one that our Lord spoke directly to in Matthew 23:23–28. The… Continue reading
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Guard the Truth, Not the Territory
As I was reading my Bible plan this morning, I came across a passage in the Old Testament that sounded strikingly similar to something in the New Testament. Don’t you just love it when that happens – when you’re reading something in the Old Testament and suddenly something comes to life in the New Testament?… Continue reading
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The Most Comforting Thing You’ll Read Today
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. – Hebrews 13:8 How many people do you know who love you just as much on your good days as your bad days? Who you can always depend on when you need help? Are they trustworthy? When they say they’re going to do something, do… Continue reading
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A Sheltered Faith is Seldom a Strong Faith
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. – John 17:15 I was reading Jesus’ high priestly prayer this morning in John 17 and what He prays in verse 15 really stood out to me. Doesn’t Jesus know the world far better… Continue reading
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Sometimes I’m a Glory Thief!
Develop the habit of having such a relationship to God that you do good without knowing it. – Oswald Chambers I enjoy doing good things. You probably do too. That in some small way I’ve helped someone who wasn’t expecting it – that makes me feel good. The real challenge for me sometimes, however, is… Continue reading
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We All Enter Through the Same Gate
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. – 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 I was reading 1 Thessalonians 1 this morning, and I found myself lingering over these words: “For… Continue reading
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Are You Running on Empty?
Have you ever found yourself stranded on the side of the road because of your car breaking down? It’s not a good feeling! This happened to me many years ago. I was on active duty at the time and heading home for a week of military leave. I had just fueled up with only an… Continue reading
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A Righteousness Beyond Our Own
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. – Luke 10:33 There are few portions of Scripture more often misunderstood than this familiar parable recorded in the Gospel of Luke. It’s frequently presented as a lesson in social kindness—a reminder that the world would improve if people… Continue reading
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The Struggle of Faith
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is… Continue reading
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The Judgment of Getting What You Want
“The worst thing God can do to human beings in the present is to let them reach their idolatrous goals. His judgment is to give us over to the destructive power of idolatry, and of evil.” – Tim Keller Romans 1:18 tells us that “God’s wrath is being revealed,” and not always in the way… Continue reading
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What’s Your Definition of “Enough”?
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”Hebrews 13:5 “Do we really need all of those wooden spoons?” she asked. I was very direct in my reply. “‘We’ don’t need any of them,… Continue reading
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Sometimes the Most Spiritual Thing We Can Do is Pause
In 1 Samuel 24, David shows self-control in sparing King Saul’s life. Two chapters later, he spares Saul’s life once again. It’s evident that he understood the gravity of those two moments; David knew that it wasn’t God’s will for him to take the life of His anointed. So instead of acting in a place… Continue reading
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A Model of Consistency
And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.Daniel 1:21 I was reading the story of Daniel in the Old Testament last evening, and a verse from the New Testament came to life for me. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.… Continue reading
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God’s Not Bothered by Circumstances
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:6-7 I was prepping for an upcoming Bible study series in Exodus yesterday evening and my wife pointed out something… Continue reading
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All or Nothing
“When the ship is in danger of sinking, the crew think nothing of casting overboard the precious cargo. When a limb is mortified, a man will submit to any severe operation, even amputation, to save his life. Surely a Christian should be willing to give up anything which stands between him and heaven.” ~ John… Continue reading
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The Morning That Sealed the Promise
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” – Luke 24:5b-6a He is risen, indeed! Christ didn’t rise merely to be spoken of, but to be known. That He arose means we can trust that the work of salvation is finished, and the empty tomb declares… Continue reading
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It Is Finished.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19:30 “One comfortable thought, at all events, stands out most clearly on the face of this famous expression. We rest our souls on a “finished work,” if we rest them on… Continue reading
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Four Voices, One Story
I would like for you to imagine four people standing in totally different places and watching the same sunrise. Now, if you were to go ask each of them to tell you about that experience, no doubt you’d hear each of them describe it a little differently. Obviously each person has a unique angle and… Continue reading
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Jesus Didn’t Plead the Fifth
Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.” – Luke 22:71 I think it’s good for us to sit with this verse for a bit. It might speak to us more than we realize. Luke lets us see how quickly things move. Jesus is brought… Continue reading
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They Didn’t Get It. Do we?
The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what [Jesus] was talking about.– Luke 18:34 Jesus couldn’t have been any clearer to His disciples. He told them exactly what would happen—His suffering, His death, and His resurrection. He told them three times! And still,… Continue reading
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You’re Not an Afterthought
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? – Romans 8:32 When I read Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, it’s like standing before a buffet with all of my favorite foods. It’s so hard… Continue reading
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Did They Think They Were Going to a Picnic?
When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” – Matthew 26:5-7 There’s something almost winsome about this moment… Continue reading
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Judas: Divine Sovereignty or Human Responsibility?
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the… Continue reading
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A Biblical Response to Stress
All of us deal with pressure. I deal with it, you deal with it – it’s just part of human life. And it shows up in all kinds of ways, and it doesn’t ask for permission before it does. Sometimes it comes from things outside of us, like a boss at work who’s difficult to… Continue reading
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A Man With a Plan
As [Jesus] approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If… Continue reading
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When The Fields Are Empty, is God Still Enough?
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in… Continue reading
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Trusting The Gardener
Roses are some of the most beautiful flowers in a garden, but they require careful attention if they’re going to flourish. If a rosebush is left entirely on its own, the branches will eventually begin to grow inward and crowd one another. The stems then start competing for sunlight, space, and nutrients. As they grow… Continue reading
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A Preacher’s Courtroom Defense
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” – Acts 26:27-28 The Caesarean courtroom was the highest political setting in the region. And it was there that the Apostle Paul… Continue reading
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Rahab: From Outsider to Insider
[Rahab said] “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you.”– Joshua 2:12 Rahab appears in Scripture in an unexpected place and with an unexpected reputation. Here in Joshua 2, as Israel prepares to enter the Promised Land, Joshua sends two… Continue reading
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You Better Hope This Isn’t “Your Best Life Now”
You’re stronger than you think you are – you can overcome anything you set your mind to. Believe in yourself and follow your heart. At some point, someone has encouraged us with some of those sentiments above. We’ve probably even said a few of those things to someone else going through a tough spot in… Continue reading
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Gifts From Above
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.– James 1:17 Years ago I received a check in the mail from the federal government. The letter explained that I had overpaid my taxes for a previous fiscal year, and this… Continue reading
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Struggle Doesn’t Equal Failure
There’s a real tension in the Christian life that’s clearly illustrated with two passages of Scripture. The first is in Romans 7, where Paul speaks honestly about the war going on inside him: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”… Continue reading
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Remember Your Chains
“I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” – Colossians 4:18 At the end of his letter to the church in Colossae, Paul calls his faithful brothers and sisters in Christ to “remember my chains.” He wasn’t seeking their pity; he was trying to encourage those who… Continue reading
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Some “Problems” Are Often Deeper Than We Know
Yesterday’s lesson came to me before I’d even had my first cup of coffee. I woke up and the house was freezing. Now, there are some things around the house I know how to fix. A leaky faucet doesn’t intimidate me. I can replace an electrical outlet without too much drama. A clogged drain? Most… Continue reading
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Unity Through Christ
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. – Philippians 2:1-2 The church in Philippi had… Continue reading
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What’s For Dinner, Moses?
Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. – Exodus 23:19b When you sit down to eat a meal that someone else cooked, do you ever think about how the meal was prepared? What other ingredients were used? Where the food came from, or the culture it originated from? Unless we have a… Continue reading
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Do I See Jesus?
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. – Matthew 25:40 Reading Jesus’ words above, we can easily sense how He ties Himself so closely to the hurting, the overlooked, and the struggling that He takes it personally. “You did… Continue reading
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Every Day is His Day
In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was a gift God gave to Israel. It was part of the Law given through Moses – a covenant sign between the Lord and His chosen nation. The Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and it’s never been changed. It belonged to Israel under the old… Continue reading
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Comfort? Or Truth?
Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because… Continue reading
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Family Trees With Few Branches
Look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth.When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. – Isaiah 51:2 It might come as a shock to us in our current times to read how common marriage between relatives was in the Old Testament.… Continue reading
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God Plus Nothing Else
So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw… Continue reading
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The Wisdom to Say Nothing
I’ve noticed over the years that one of the hardest things is stay quiet when we feel misunderstood. Or when someone questions our motives, or we’re criticized unfairly. When part of the story gets told, but not the whole thing. Something in us rises up and says, I need to fix this. I need to… Continue reading
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The Echo of a King’s Failure: Thoughts on 2 Samuel 11-18
I’ve been revisiting 2 Samuel this week (namely chapters 11-18). And man… talk about how one terrible decision can lead to so much heartache and destruction! Two passages of Scripture stand out to me. The first is at the very end of chapter 11 (v.27). After David commits adultery with Bathsheba, she becomes pregnant, and… Continue reading
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God As He Is
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. – Romans 1:21 In his commentary on Romans chapter 1, R. C. Sproul observes, “The most fundamental sin in our fallen, corrupt nature is the sin of idolatry,… Continue reading
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Who Would Want to Go Back?!
As a volunteer in a local prison Bible study a few nights each week, I often hear men say to me, “I’ve learned my lesson! When I get out of here, I’m never coming back!” You might be surprised to know just how many of those men serve their time and get out, only to… Continue reading
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What Moves You?
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” – Mark 13:1 Just moments before this scene in Mark 13:1, Jesus and His disciples were inside the temple. While there, He drew their attention to something that no one else noticed but Him.… Continue reading
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The Greatest Revival in History
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. – Jonah 3:10 If you were casting the lead role for the greatest revival in history, Jonah wouldn’t even make the long list. He wasn’t warm, or winsome,… Continue reading
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If Fig Trees Could Talk
Some thoughts on fruit, faith, and what God is really looking for. If trees could preach sermons, the fig tree would be one of Israel’s best pastors. It grows where life seems unlikely – rocky ground and thin soil. Not exactly prime real estate! And yet the fig tree thrives there. That alone should catch… Continue reading
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In The Midst of Our Doubts…
“God always gives us light in the midst of our doubts when we have no other purpose but to please Him.” – Brother Lawrence, Fourth Conversation That quote above by Brother Lawrence speaks to something that most of us know by experience, even if we don’t always recognize it in the moment. God’s light doesn’t… Continue reading
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The Essence of Worship
There is a powerful moment in Exodus 15 after Israel had just crossed the Red Sea. They realized they were standing somewhere that only God could have brought them. Because of that, silence couldn’t define that moment. No one instructed them to sing… Moses didn’t call a worship service. The song simply happened. Miriam grabbed… Continue reading
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Missed Moments to Love Well
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. – James 4:17 All throughout his letter, James spurs his audience into action. They are to be “doers of the word and not just hearers” (James 1:22). Faith without action is no faith at all. Jesus… Continue reading
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Thoughts on Hebrews 10:14
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. – Hebrews 10:14 When a child is adopted, there is a moment – usually marked by a court decision – when everything becomes legally and permanently true. From that day on, the child belongs to the family. The last name… Continue reading
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A Faith Strong Enough to Carry Someone Else
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”– Luke 5:20 There’s something important in this verse that’s easy to miss if we’re not paying attention. Jesus didn’t respond to the faith of the lame man. Scripture never mentions if he had any. What Jesus saw was the faith of his friends.… Continue reading
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Isaiah 19: Nobody Gets Left Out!
In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying,… Continue reading
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God is Never Limited By Our Preferences
Let’s be honest… most of us like what we like. Maybe it’s the songs we grew up singing in church, or the way a certain pastor preaches. Maybe technology in worship makes us uncomfortable. Maybe we wouldn’t dream of leaving our Bible at home and using a phone app. Or perhaps the energy of a… Continue reading
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One Plow, Two Paths
Two friends decided to go into business together. One loved the Lord. The other did not. They shook hands, pooled their money, and signed a contract. At first, the business prospered. But then decisions became challenging. The unbelieving friend wanted the store open on Sundays.“Foot traffic is highest,” he said. “We can’t afford to close.”… Continue reading
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More than Just a Snow Day
I rejoiced with those who said to me,“Let us go to the house of the LORD.” – Psalm 122:1 The winter weather the past couple of weekends has done more than canceled local church services; it’s stirred up memories I didn’t expect. Consecutive Sundays without gathering have quietly taken me back to the days of… Continue reading
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Entering Into His Glory
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. – 1 John 3:2 When the Bible speaks of God’s glory, it’s talking about those moments… Continue reading
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Instant Access
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” – Ephesians 3:12 My father-in-law will be 102 next week. He’s never owned a computer. That still blows my mind. And then there are my kids -unable to imagine a world without cellphones. They don’t remember life before instant access,… Continue reading
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Are We Troubled by What Troubles God?
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.… Continue reading
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Confession is Essential
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9 John doesn’t allow much room for pretending, does he. “If we claim… Continue reading
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Genesis 46: Family Reunion
So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied. “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not… Continue reading
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Little Conversations
I had a conversation recently that’s been sitting with me. It started the way these conversations often do – grief. Someone talking about losing a person they loved. Then the familiar sentence: “At least they’re in a better place now.” I didn’t pounce or preach. I just listened. But I did notice the door cracked… Continue reading
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The Divine Usefulness of Trouble
“…We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 As Paul begins his second letter… Continue reading
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Delightful Obedience
[Saul said] “Tell David that all I want for the bride price is 100 Philistine foreskins! Vengeance on my enemies is all I really want.” But what Saul had in mind was that David would be killed in the fight. David was delighted to accept the offer. – 1 Samuel 18:25-26a (NLT) This account in… Continue reading
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Choose Your Wisdom Wisely
“Who is wise and understanding among you?…” (James 3:13) It’s one thing to admit being wrong – we all make the occasional mistake. But who wants to admit to lacking wisdom? Not me. And probably not you either. So when James transitions into the topic of wisdom in James 3, he does so with what… Continue reading
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God Can Work Even Through Family Dysfunction
“Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.” – Genesis 27:35 Let’s be honest – this story is a real mess! Isaac can’t see, won’t really listen, and seems determined to do things his own way. Rebekah plays favorites and cooks up a scheme that belongs in a bad… Continue reading
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The Serious Matter of Speech
John Wesley once was approached by an opinionated woman in his congregation who told him that she knew what her God-given talent was. “I think my talent from God is to speak my mind,” she said. Wesley replied, “Lady, I don’t think God would mind one bit if you buried that talent.” Some days, that… Continue reading
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The Darkness We Must Confront in Genesis 19
Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to… Continue reading
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Everybody Wants to Rule Their World
Because man is born a rebel, he is unaware that he is one. His constant assertion of self, as far as he thinks of it at all, appears to him a perfectly normal thing. He is willing to share himself, sometimes even to sacrifice himself for a desired end, but never to dethrone himself. No… Continue reading
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Snip Happens: When Religion Misses the Mark
Ever wondered why circumcision was such a hot-button topic for Paul and why he spent so much time talking about it in his New Testament letters? To understand Paul’s passion, we have to go back to the Old Testament. Circumcision began as a God-given sign of covenant, first given to Abraham (Genesis 17). It marked Israel… Continue reading
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The Most Dangerous Judgments We Make
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”– Luke 7:39 Luke places this moment inside an ordinary dinner and exposes something that’s anything but ordinary. Jesus… Continue reading
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An Unusual Sunday at Not-So Happy Valley Church
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. – Revelation 3:15 Not-So Happy Valley was a real place. At least, it felt real to the pastor… Continue reading
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Genesis 4: Eve’s First Words After the Fall
A few days ago I started a new Bible in One Year reading plan for 2026, and yesterday I was reading in Genesis chapter 4. And the very first verse in chapter 4 (where Eve gives birth to Cain) got my attention: “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” Now, the… Continue reading
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The Artist and the Windows
We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. – Rom. 6:3-4 There’s an old story about an artist who traveled to Europe – sometimes to Rome, sometimes to France – to study the stained glass in some of the world’s greatest cathedrals. He wanted to… Continue reading
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Do You Worry About Your Anxiety?
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,but a good word makes him glad. – Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety doesn’t announce itself with a parade and a marching band. There’s no welcoming party. It just settles in and presses against us, draining the joy out of ordinary moments until suddenly everything seems a whole lot heaver… Continue reading
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They Thought They Were Increasing Their Tax Base
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. – Luke 2:1-3 Luke tells us that just before Jesus was born, Caesar… Continue reading
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There’s No App for Righteousness
No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.– C.S. Lewis Recently my auto insurance company sent me an email with the subject title, “Want to save up to 30% on your auto insurance premium? Look inside.” I figured it was probably a gimmick, perhaps something about referring… Continue reading
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The Shadow of the Cross Rested on the Cradle
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was… Continue reading
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God Shows Up Unannounced
[The angel said to Zechariah] “Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”– Luke 1:20 An angel appears to Zechariah, a priest who has been faithful for years, and tells him his… Continue reading
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Does God View All Sin the Same?
It’s a question that a new Christian might ask, perhaps out of confusion, or maybe even fear: Does God really see all sin the same? We sense the weight of the question because we know, instinctively, that not every wrong feels equal. Yet Scripture leads us to a deeper, more careful answer – one that invites… Continue reading
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How A List of Names Helped Build a Manger
When Christmas comes around, most of us jump straight to the manger. The straw, the animals, the wise men, the baby wrapped tight, Mary and Joseph looking tired and stunned… It brings familiarity and gentleness. Maybe that’s why we like to start there. But the Gospels don’t rush us to the manger quite as fast… Continue reading
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A King’s Sword Grows Heavy
After having Uriah killed, Nathan warned David, “The sword will never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12:10). Absalom’s defeat might’ve felt like the end of that prophecy, but it wasn’t. There was still more trouble ahead. Almost immediately, the nation starts arguing… Judah and Israel bicker over who has the greater claim on the… Continue reading
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Heartbreak, Humanity, and Hope
Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made… Continue reading
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Jesus Accomplished What David Couldn’t
Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king. – 2 Samuel 14:23-24 I find the story of David and… Continue reading
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Beware of Falling Objects
Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from… Continue reading
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The Good Shepherd’s Prayer
[Jesus said] I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. – John 17:9 His work was almost finished. With the cross only hours away and the weight of the world pressing in on Him, Jesus wasn’t thinking about Himself – He… Continue reading
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The Urgent Matter of Prayer
“Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when upon his knees he comes face to face with God.” – Martin Lloyd Jones I’ve been thinking a lot about prayer lately… particularly how routine my prayers have become, especially this season. I’m finding that… Continue reading
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Mercy Comes Before Everything
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” — Romans 9:16 There are few statements outside Scripture that pierce the pride of the human heart like Jonathan Edwards’ words: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” We instinctively want to bring something to… Continue reading
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Sometimes it Takes Faith to Do Nothing
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. – Psalm 37:7 Yesterday we talked about how fear can keep us stuck in our safe routines and convince us that staying put is the safer way to go. We looked at the one-talent servant who let fear bury what God had given him instead… Continue reading
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The One-Talent Servant
Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs… Continue reading
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Things Unseen
Jesus keeps pointing us to the quiet places of faith. When you give, don’t draw attention to it (Matthew 6:2–4). When you pray, slip away and close the door (Matthew 6:6). When you fast, don’t make a show of it (Matthew 6:17–18). It’s not that public faith is wrong, but that Jesus knows how easily… Continue reading
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Competing Thoughts
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:1-2 When Paul writes these words, he’s reminding us of a profound reality: in Christ, you have already been raised. Your… Continue reading
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Happy Thanksgiving
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;his love endures forever. – Psalm 118:1 I have many things in my life to be thankful for today! Including you! May you and yours have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Continue reading
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For Such a Time as This
When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s… Continue reading
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Borrowed, Not Owned
It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.– 1 Cor. 4:2 When we think about stewardship, many of us immediately think of money: namely tithes, offerings, and charitable giving. But the Bible presents us with a far bigger picture of stewardship. It really begins with one simple truth: God owns… Continue reading
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Can You Spot a Knockoff?
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them —bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed… Continue reading
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A Spirit of Belonging
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. – Romans 8:9 Cultivating a Spirit-filled heart and mind takes some intentional… Continue reading
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A Reminder of His Promise
“Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.” – Isaiah 54:9 Today on our way back to the cruise ship, God decided to put on a show. Out of… Continue reading
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Taking a Break
Friends, my wife and I are leaving tomorrow for Portugal, and from there we will be boarding the Norwegian Star cruise liner and sailing to several ports of call throughout the Mediterranean. To say that I’m looking forward to this holiday would be an understatement! While I can’t tell you where we will be exactly,… Continue reading
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Beautiful Feet Bring Good News!
Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Rom. 10:17 When William Tyndale set out to translate the Bible into English, he knew what it could cost him. In his day, the church and the crown had forbidden ordinary people from reading the Scriptures in their own language. But Tyndale couldn’t… Continue reading
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Encouragement For the Weary, Clumsy Traveler
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. – Psalm 37:23-24 These verses remind me of that night in the Upper Room when Jesus prayed what we call “The High Priestly Prayer.” Hours before… Continue reading
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What If Jesus Hadn’t Come Yet?
Have you ever thought about what the world might look like if Jesus had yet to come? It’s kind of hard to wrap your head around, but it’s worth thinking about. Because honestly, it would be a completely different world! Darker, colder, and a whole lot more hopeless… If Jesus hadn’t come, we’d still be… Continue reading
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Truth Overcomes Fear
Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. – John 7:12-13 It’s interesting to me how divided people were about Jesus, even back then while walking… Continue reading
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So, I’ve Been Banging on This Door…
In Acts 13:50-51, Paul and Barnabas were in a city called Pisidian Antioch (which today is an area in west-central Turkey), and it was there that they were preaching the gospel in the local synagogue. At first, things went really well! Many Jews and Gentiles were excited about what they heard and wanted to learn… Continue reading
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If You’re Not Reading Your Bible, How Do You Know What’s True?
Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. – John 17:17 Truth is under attack. Always has been. Satan’s not subtle about it – well, he is subtle, actually. He doesn’t just come out and lie; he twists the truth, mixes in half-truths with lies, and makes it all sound reasonable. Jesus called him… Continue reading
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Mercy and Justice: Was Shimei’s Death Justified?
“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But… Continue reading
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Lasting Impressions
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16 Jim had gone through round after round of interviews for his dream job. Each one felt like a test to him. Every question, every handshake, every smile was carefully looked at and considered.… Continue reading
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Getting to Know God’s Heart
“Find out what pleases the Lord.” – Ephesians 5:10 Paul says, “Find out what pleases the Lord.” To me, he seems to be suggesting that we don’t automatically know. Even as believers, we sometimes assume we already understand what God likes – that He’s pleased when we do “Christiany” things or stay out of trouble.… Continue reading
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In These Times, Being Wise Means Being Radical
Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but wise. – Ephesians 5:15 You don’t have to look very hard to see that we’re living in evil times. It’s as though the world has gone upside down and decided to stay that way! The things that once seemed sacred – faith, family,… Continue reading
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The Wonderfully Weird Ways We’re Made
I’ve always been surrounded by people with quirks. Some are endearing, and some are…. mildly concerning. But all of them make life much more interesting and entertaining! There’s my buddy – Steve the Sniffer. He can’t buy anything without smelling it first. Candles? Of course. That makes sense. He’s also been known to spend hours… Continue reading
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Becoming Hard to Hate
“When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” Proverbs 16:7 Isn’t life so much more enjoyable when we’re at peace with God? We’re not in such a hurry. We don’t have nearly as much stress. We ignore the little things that normally bother us. We’re much more patient with… Continue reading
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The Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25)
Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of… Continue reading
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Are You a Ten Percenter?
Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? – Luke 17:17 Of the ten lepers who Jesus healed, only one came back to thank and worship Him. As much as I want to believe that I’d be just as thankful as that one leper was, there have been many times in my life… Continue reading
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At What Point Does “No Big Deal” Become One?
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. – 1 Cor. 6:12 I read this verse over the weekend and for some reason I keep thinking about it. It’s not like Paul was saying “don’t do… Continue reading
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No More Guilt and Shame
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1 If anyone knew what it felt like to live with regret, it was the Apostle Paul. He did everything in his power to destroy the early church. Imagine the memories that must have haunted him – the faces of… Continue reading
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The Warning Signs of Spiritual Disease
A man once took his car to a mechanic and said, “The ‘check engine’ light on my dashboard is on, and I need you to see what the problem is.” The mechanic connected his diagnostic equipment, ran a few tests, and returned with confidence. “It’s nothing serious,” he said. “This model is notorious for giving… Continue reading
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Why “Just Follow Your Heart” is Horrible Advice
“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” – Jer. 17:10 In Jeremiah chapter 17, the Lord’s prophet draws a sharp line between those who trust in human strength and those who trust in the Lord. Judah’s sin was… Continue reading
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The War is Over!
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1 I don’t know about you, but I can’t ever remember a time in my life when I considered God an enemy. But according to Scripture, that’s what our sin made us – enemies of… Continue reading
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The Comfort of Covenant Love
May your unfailing love be my comfort,according to your promise to your servant. – Psalm 119:76 There are days when God feels silent, when prayers seem to echo off the ceiling and peace feels just out of reach. In those moments, comfort can feel like a distant dream. We want relief. We want clarity. We… Continue reading
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God’s Global Positioning System
Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. – Acts 9:43 My wife is currently traveling abroad on a women’s ministry trip. And to be upfront about it, when she first mentioned this to me and where she would be going several months ago, I wasn’t too keen on the idea.… Continue reading
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Grace Reverses Our Stories
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 9:19b-20 “Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.” It would be easy for us to read that and think nothing of it. But those few words say… Continue reading
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The Power of a Desperate Prayer
Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. – 1 Samuel 1:13 In the ancient world, a woman’s ability to have children, and especially to provide her husband with a son, was considered an expression of God’s favor and blessing. But a woman’s inability to have… Continue reading
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More Than Lip Service
“It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital ‘H’ than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular.” C. S. Lewis C.S. Lewis had such a wonderful way of… Continue reading
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A Season for Everything
There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under the heavens: – Ecc. 3:1 Life doesn’t stay the same. We might want it to sometimes, but it doesn’t. There are seasons we’d love to hold onto forever, and there are others we’d erase if we could. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that God… Continue reading
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The Danger of Having a Commercial Spirit
Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” – Matthew 19:27 Rees Howells (1879-1950) was a Welsh coal miner for many years before becoming a prominent revival preacher in Wales in the early 1900’s. Every night for three years, Rees would finish his 12-hour shift in… Continue reading
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A Hard Truth Followed by an Irrevocable Promise
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 When someone makes a promise to you, do you take that person at their word and trust that they’ll follow through? Or do you treat them… Continue reading
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It’s Not Always the Devil’s Doing
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? – Hebrews 12:7 People sure are interesting sometimes. I have this one lady friend who likes to say, “If you don’t have any problems in your life, it’s probably because Satan recognizes you already belong… Continue reading
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Don’t Forfeit Your Blessings!
But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’ Your wickedness has deprived… Continue reading
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While There’s Still Daylight!
They said, “Rabbi, you can’t do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you’re going back?” Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn’t stumble because there’s plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can’t see where… Continue reading
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Lessons From the Prodigal: The Road to Repentance
When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to… Continue reading
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Lessons From the Prodigal: High Life to Sty Life
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. – Luke 15:15-16 If the Pharisees listening to Jesus’ parable up to this… Continue reading
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Lessons From the Prodigal: The Allure of “Distant-Country” Living
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. – Luke 15:13-14 The younger son didn’t waste… Continue reading
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Lessons From the Prodigal: A Son’s Foolish Request and a Father’s Astonishing Response
“There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. – Luke 15:11-12 In the opening of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which is nestled within Luke’s trio of stories about the lost being… Continue reading
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The Disciples’ Last Question
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” – Acts 1:6 Right before Jesus went back to heaven, His disciples asked one last question: “Lord, is now the time You’ll restore the kingdom to Israel?” They were still thinking about politics, power,… Continue reading
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Is the World Crucified to You?
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. – Galatians 6:14 It’s hard for us to realize how strange Paul’s words must have sounded back then. To the people who saw crucifixions, the words cross and… Continue reading
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God Will Never Forget About You
Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. – Genesis 40:23 Have you ever had somebody promise to do something for you, and then – just like that – they forgot all about it? That’s exactly what happened to Joseph. The chief cup bearer, thrilled to be released from prison,… Continue reading
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Jesus Didn’t Suffer the Cross Just to Make You Nicer
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 We live in a world that celebrates self-improvement. Bookstores are lined with shelves of “how-to” guides that promise a better marriage, a better attitude, or even a better you. And the truth… Continue reading
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Made for More
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20 C.S. Lewis once said that if we find in ourselves a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, then maybe the reason is that we were made for another world. That hits home… Continue reading
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Ain’t It Good to Know You’ve Got a Friend?
I was listening to this song today while driving. It’s an old James Taylor song – one of those songs with beautiful lyrics that cause you to think of someone special in your life: When you’re down and troubledAnd you need a helping handAnd nothing, nothing is going rightClose your eyes and think of meAnd… Continue reading
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Not-Fun Fact: We Really Can’t Become Like Christ Apart from Suffering.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son… Romans 8:28-29 One of the great truths of Scripture is that God… Continue reading
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Good and Proper Thinking
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5 As I reflect on 2 Corinthians 10:5 this morning, I’m reminded that Godly living isn’t just about my actions; it begins in my mind.… Continue reading
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Heaven’s Chapter 11: How to Go Broke and Get Rich
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:3 We live in an age intoxicated with self. Our culture worships confidence, celebrates self-promotion, and urges everyone to “believe in yourself” as the ultimate virtue. Social media is a monument to the human ego, where self-worth is measured in… Continue reading
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God’s Kindness Opens the Door
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? – Rom. 2:4 Have you ever considered how God’s patience and kindness in your life are gently calling you to turn away from sin and draw closer to Him?… Continue reading
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But That’s Not Fair!
About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. – Matthew 20:3-5 I have to admit, my natural instinct bristles at Bible stories like this… Continue reading
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God’s Work, Done God’s Way, Requires God’s Spirit
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.– Zechariah 4:6 There have been many times in my life when I thought, “I can handle this. I’ve got the skills, the experience, and the determination.” And sometimes, I did manage to get things done – at least to a point.… Continue reading
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Guard Your Soul Before You Scroll
I’ll never forget the day I first got internet access at home back in the mid-90s. I was clueless, fumbling with a screeching dial-up modem that sounded like a cat arguing with a fax machine. Honestly, even now, I’m not sure I’ve cracked the code on this whole internet thing. I keep hearing about “the… Continue reading
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God’s Morning Notes by the Coffee Pot
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.– Proverbs 16:9 Scott, while you were sleeping (quite loudly, I might add… might wanna schedule a sleep study soon!), I went ahead and reviewed your schedule for today. Now, a few quick updates. Notice I changed some things: You’re welcome. Have some… Continue reading
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From Battleground to Holy Ground
Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. – John 11:54 During Old Testament times, Ephraim was a symbol of rebellion and instability. Situated in the central part of Israel, its territory… Continue reading
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God Doesn’t Offer a Half-Hearted Salvation
I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6 What point would there be if scientists found a cure for cancer, in which the cancer itself was removed, but the symptoms of the cancer were not… Continue reading
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In Old Testament News: Nation Rejoices as Forty-Year-Old King Dies; No Funeral Planned
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. – 2 Chronicles 21:20 Obituary for Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat It is with a distinct lack… Continue reading
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But He’s Such a Good Fellow!
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 Many today don’t want to think about God, about eternity, about heaven and hell. For to think about such things inevitably leads to some very uncomfortable questions, of which require even… Continue reading
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What if We Considered Our Suffering a Privilege?
You have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. – Philippians 1:29 Have you ever considered that trusting God and suffering for Christ can go hand in hand? This question challenges us to look beyond our pain and see God’s purpose in it. As… Continue reading
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The Journey Can Feel Lonesome Sometimes
Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. – Psalm 12:1 The exact context of Psalm 12 is uncertain, as it could’ve been written during any number of moments in David’s life. But it’s evident that David felt isolated, surrounded by untrustworthy people. Maybe you… Continue reading
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I’m Thankful Jesus Picked ‘The Twelve’ He Did
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26 There are times when I’m reading my Bible and I think to myself, “What’s the point? I’m not smart enough, I’m not brave enough, I’m not disciplined enough, and I’m not good enough. What use… Continue reading
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A Warning About Pretending
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. – Acts 5:1-2 After witnessing the selfless generosity of Barnabas, Ananias and Sapphira found themselves longing… Continue reading
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A Few Good Men
Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. – Nehemiah 5:19 Nehemiah was a man who lived for God and His people. His life, as we see in the Book of Nehemiah, shines as a powerful example of what faithfulness truly looks like. He was faithful to the Lord,… Continue reading
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Kudos to Those Who Didn’t Rob a Bank Today
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. – 1 Cor. 10:13 Temptation is like sailing into a… Continue reading
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They Didn’t Get Wet
Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” – Joshua 3:5 Imagine someone coming up to you today and saying to you, “Get ready and be prepared! Tomorrow the Lord is going to do amazing things right in front of your very eyes!” Well, that’s precisely what… Continue reading
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The Divine Intersection Where Our Stories Meet
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. – Ephesians 3:7 Logging over 10,000 miles of missionary journeys, authoring 13 New Testament letters, planting 15-20 churches, enduring imprisonments, shipwrecks, and relentless persecution and suffering – the apostle Paul’s ministry shaped the foundation… Continue reading
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Maybe Someday…
They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding. My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led… Continue reading
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The People We Overlook
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. – Rom. 12:16 Isn’t it something how God uses the most unexpected circumstances to teach us the most valuable lessons? I’ll never forget those early days of the pandemic. Life came to a standstill. So much uncertainty and fear. And suddenly,… Continue reading
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A Glory That Far Outweighs Any Temporary Pain
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. – Romans 8:18 The apostle Paul knew a thing or two about pain. Before meeting Christ, he dished out suffering as Saul, persecuting believers. Then later, as a follower of Jesus, he endured beatings, imprisonment, and… Continue reading
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How Often Do You Think About It?
If the resurrection of Christ were to rest on reason, then only the highly reasonable people could be converted. If the resurrection of Christ were to rest on man’s ability to gather and weigh evidence, then the man trained in the gathering and evaluating of evidence might believe, but the simple-hearted man could never believe.… Continue reading
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The Old Man Had to Go
Many years ago before giving my life to Christ, I went fishing with an old army buddy. It was a Saturday (I think) and as we sat on his boat on the lake, the conversation turned to his plans for the next day. He mentioned going to church with his wife, then invited me to… Continue reading
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Don’t Be a Glory Thief
I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. – Isaiah 42:8 God is very clear in this verse – He will not share His glory with anyone or anything. He alone is the Lord. He alone is worthy of praise. And He… Continue reading
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You Don’t Need That Mat Anymore
One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” – John 5:5-6 The man by the pool of Bethesda had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years,… Continue reading
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Sometimes We Need a Worm
But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. – Jonah 4:7 I’ve had moments in my life when I’ve acted just like Jonah. God gives me a clear command, but instead of obeying with a grateful heart, I grumble. I focus on what I don’t… Continue reading
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Your Past Doesn’t Equal Your Future
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18-19 Have you ever thought about how God might be using you? If not,… Continue reading
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How’s The Weather?
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.– Luke 8:22-23… Continue reading
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Are You Being Choked Out by Life?
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. – Luke 8:7 In his book entitled, “Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad,” John Eldredge asks a very simple yet profound question: “What does it say that you look like some sort of a nut job… Continue reading
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A Heart Broken by Sin
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:3 A life surrendered fully to God is one that faces sin head-on, not with excuses but with a heart broken by its offense against a holy and righteous God. Here in Psalm 51, we see King David, a man after God’s… Continue reading
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A Higher Perspective
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – Colossians 3:2 Not everything earthly is evil. Many aspects of our daily lives, things like our work, our relationships, and even our hobbies can be good and God-honoring. Yet, even the harmless things can become harmful when they overshadow what truly matters: our relationship… Continue reading
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Living in The Shadow of Regret
Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. – Psalm 86:4-5 Here’s an honest confession: Sometimes I have the unfortunate tendency to respond without taking a moment to think things… Continue reading
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Real Men Carry Handkerchiefs
Jesus wept. – John 11:35 Time seemed to stop in its tracks. I stood there, completely paralyzed, not knowing what to do. With a heart that had never felt more heavy, a tear rolled down my cheek. For the first (and only) time in my life, I saw a side of my father that I… Continue reading
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God Can Use Your Weakness
Is it possible that the very limitations and handicaps in my life are the key to usefulness in the service of God? – Alistair Begg I was reading this afternoon and this quote jumped off the page at me. I’ve often looked at my struggles – my physical limitations or things I’m not good at… Continue reading
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A Parable of the Haves and Have Nots
Jenny, a single mother of two, leaves her young children with her mother each day to work two grueling jobs. Her life is a constant juggle – paying rent, buying groceries, and stretching every dollar. Yet, when asked how she’s holding up, she responds with a weary but genuine smile: “Could life be easier? Sure.… Continue reading
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Thankful For The Pain
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. – Psalm 119:71 Life has a way of knocking us down sometimes, doesn’t it? When things get tough, it’s easy to feel like we’re stuck in a mess we can’t get out of. But Psalm 119:71 tells us something powerful:… Continue reading
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Obedience to God is a Duty, Not a Favor
So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” – Luke 17:10 In the modern church, a dangerous notion has crept in: the idea that our obedience to God is some sort of grand gesture, a favor we bestow… Continue reading
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Because You Say So
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” – Luke 5:5 In yesterday morning’s devotional in Luke 4, we read about Jesus being tested in the wilderness prior to beginning His earthly ministry. And we may remember that the devil… Continue reading
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God’s Spiritual Conditioning Program
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. – Luke 4:13 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8 As we come to Luke 4:13, we find a sobering moment in the life of… Continue reading
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Giant Slaying 101: Clinging to the Cross
“David defeated Goliath, but lost to Bathsheba. Our real giants are the sinful desires that we have yet to kill.” – Anonymous The life of David stands as a sobering testament to the dual realities of divine enablement and human frailty. By God’s power, David struck down Goliath, a nine-foot Philistine, with nothing more than… Continue reading
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Everyone Wants The Crown
Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.1 Kings 1:5 In 1st Kings 1, King David is old, nearing the end of his life, and the question of who will succeed him as… Continue reading
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What it Means To Be Included
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. – Ephesians 1:13 I spent much of my early life trying to fit in somewhere. But for some reason I never had much luck. I was too slow and not athletic enough on the playground to… Continue reading
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Tent Living
So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the body of this earthly tent, because I know that I will soon put it aside,… Continue reading
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Fixing Our Eyes on What is Unseen
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since… Continue reading
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What Has Jesus Done For You?
They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” – John 9:26 When the topic was about Jesus, nothing good came out of the mouths of the Pharisees. But despite their flawed, self-righteous religiosity, they were the authors of two of the most wonderfully profound questions that would… Continue reading
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An Honest Prayer
Today I learned that a young boy from our community recently underwent a biopsy procedure for what his doctor presumes to be a cancerous tumor in his lung. During that procedure something went terribly wrong, leaving him in a medically-induced coma for a number of days. Thankfully he regained consciousness yesterday and is able to… Continue reading
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The Peril of Compromise with Evil
Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every… Continue reading
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What Shall I Render to the Lord?
What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? – Psalm 116:12 Oh, the weight and wonder of this question! The psalmist stands, as it were, on the precipice of God’s overwhelming goodness, gazing back at a sea of divine benefits – mercies too numerous to count, too vast to comprehend.… Continue reading
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Riding the Storm with God’s Faithful
“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” – Acts 27:10 In Acts 27, Paul, a prisoner on his way to Rome, is aboard a ship facing a perilous journey. As an experienced traveler, he senses an… Continue reading
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I’ve Got a Peaceful, Easy Feeling…
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1 Friend, let me tell you something: there’s a big difference between being happy and having peace. Happiness? It comes and goes. It depends on whether the sun’s shining, the bills are paid, or the… Continue reading
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A Faith That Can Be Seen
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” – Luke 5:20 Have you ever thought about what faith looks like? We often think of faith as something private, tucked away in our hearts… just a quiet and simple trust in God. And sometimes it is. But there are moments when faith… Continue reading
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The Problem with “Just Follow Your Heart”
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?Jeremiah 17:9 Have you ever stood at a crossroads in life, feeling a strong pull in your heart to go one way, certain that it was the right choice? Maybe it was a decision about a job, a relationship, or perhaps even… Continue reading
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Spiritual Dehydration
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. – Psalm 63:1 Ever found yourself feeling stuck? Like you’re in a deep spiritual rut and no matter what you do – nothing changes? And… Continue reading
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Is It Really Worth It?
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9 Do you ever feel like you’re pouring out every ounce of kindness, patience, and love that you have, and feel like it’s barely making a dent? Yet you… Continue reading
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Men… Do You Really Appreciate Her?
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” – Proverbs 31:28-29 She doesn’t ask for much. She just keeps showing up. Day after day. She holds her family together with a strength that comes from time spent on her… Continue reading
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Has Someone Ever Stolen Your Thunder?
But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” “What have I done now?”… Continue reading
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Have You Prayed About It?
One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles… ~ Luke 6:12-13 (NLT) The weight of the world rested on Jesus’ decision. From a group of followers, He… Continue reading
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Boredom Can Have a Spiritual Purpose
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian… Exodus 3:1 Some seasons feel like a spiritual standstill. No big revelations. No burning bushes. Just quiet, repetitive days – emails, chores, appointments, kids’ soccer games, sleep, repeat. We don’t talk much about boredom in the Christian life. But it’s there.… Continue reading
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The Things You Refuse to Leave Behind Can Leave You Left Behind
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.– Matthew 4:19-20 A lot of people come to Jesus. And along with them they bring their worries, their concerns, their problems, their aches and pains, their sorrows and frustrations. Coming to… Continue reading
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Divine Interruptions
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.– Proverbs 16:9 No one that I know of appreciates being delayed. Perhaps the worst type of delay that annoys me is when traffic is backed up for miles on the local interstate, only to find out 35 minutes later that there was… Continue reading
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Small Things, Big Reminders
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin… – Zechariah 4:10 (NLT) The old woman chuckled softly, “Have you been snooping around in my purse, young lady?” Her granddaughter looked up, wide-eyed, holding a tiny, rusted nail in her hand. “I just wanted a piece of gum.” The… Continue reading
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Fading Grass, Enduring Word
A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers… Continue reading
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Resting in the Sovereign Hand of God
To know that nothing happens in God’s world apart from God’s will may frighten the godless, but it stabilizes the saints. – J. I. Packer, in Knowing God For those who don’t know God, the idea that nothing – nothing – happens outside His will is a most dreadful thought. It’s unsettling, isn’t it, to… Continue reading
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Are You a Benny?
There once was a squirrel named Benny who lived in the Big Oak Tree. Benny was always in a rush. Every morning, he leapt out of his nest like a furry cannonball, chattering about how much he had to do – gather nuts, organize his acorns by color, beat the neighbor squirrel to the good… Continue reading
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Love… Lifts Others Up
[Love] does not boast; it is not arrogant or rude. – 1 Corinthians 13:4b (ESV) Love, as Paul describes it, is a force that lifts others up, without lifting itself. It invites us to examine our hearts… do we seek to glorify God and serve others, or are we chasing our own glory? Boasting and… Continue reading
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Love… is Rejoicing in Others’ Blessings
[Love] does not envy… – 1 Corinthians 13:4b Yesterday we read the apostle Paul’s initial thoughts on what Love is. Today we examine more of this “Portrait of Love” that Paul continues painting; negative things that are absent because of love. He shifts his attention to a destructive emotion that love has no part of:… Continue reading
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Love… Endures a Lot
Love is patient and kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4a Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:4 cut through the haze of emotions we often associate with love. He isn’t describing how love feels… he’s showing us how it acts. True love is not a fleeting sentiment, but rather a deliberate choice, always revealed through action. It’s… Continue reading
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A Nation Deteriorates Without God. That Includes Us, Too.
In those days Israel had no king… – Judges 19:1 The opening verse in Judges 19 sets an ominous tone: “Israel had no king.” Of course that was true in a monarchial sense. But the nation as a whole had become a godless cesspool. Morality had collapsed. As society crumbled, the family structure disintegrated. No… Continue reading
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Greater Than The Grave
That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. – John 20:19 (NLT) After His resurrection, Jesus could have appeared to kings, or confronted His enemies, or displayed His glory to the world.… Continue reading
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What Now?
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19:30 The day after Jesus’ crucifixion must have dawned heavy with silence, confusion, and grief. The words “It is finished” lingered in the air, their meaning shrouded in mystery and pain… Continue reading
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Love Doesn’t Stay Quiet
Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. – Proverbs 27:5-6 I knew I had a drinking problem. And a majority of my “friends” that I hang out with at the time knew I was struggling with alcoholism also. But only one of them… Continue reading
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When There’s No Bloom on the Fig Tree
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.… Continue reading
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The Parable of the Three Travelers
In a distant land, there was a great city known as Haven, ruled by a wise and merciful king. The road to Haven was long and winding, and many travelers sought its gates, for it was said that those who entered would find peace and purpose. But the path was narrow, and the king required… Continue reading
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Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks
“Let your gentleness be evident to all.”– Philippians 4:5a Gentleness isn’t weakness, it’s strength under control. It’s choosing kindness when you could demand your way. It’s responding with patience instead of becoming irritated. Paul’s words remind us that our faith should be visible in how we treat people. The way we speak, how we handle… Continue reading
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From Grief to Joy
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. – John 16:20 As Jesus spoke these words, the shadow of the cross loomed large. He knew the pain His disciples would soon endure – heart-wrenching sorrow as they watched their… Continue reading
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Just Because Something Isn’t Bad Doesn’t Always Mean That It’s Helpful.
“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” – 1 Corinthians 8:9 Robert throws a big Super Bowl party every year. Wings, nachos, loud friends, and a cooler full of beer – it’s tradition. People look forward to it. It’s one of the things he’s… Continue reading
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Do You See Giants, Too?
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” – Numbers 13:30 You know that moment when you’re staring at something big – maybe a dream, a challenge, or a step you know God’s nudging you toward – and… Continue reading
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A Quiet Example
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others. – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT) In his letter to the… Continue reading
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Tread Carefully
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.… Continue reading
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A Holy Habit
“We cannot escape the dangers of life except with the real and continual help of God. Let us ask Him for it constantly. How can we pray to Him without being with Him? How can we be with Him unless we think of Him often? And how can we think of Him often unless we… Continue reading
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Do We Take It For Granted?
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. – Ephesians 3:12 I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it must have been like for people back in the days of the Old Covenant. Imagine heading to the tabernacle, your heart desperately longing to connect with God, to… Continue reading
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The Parable of the Late Night Mechanic
Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or destroy it?” – Luke 6:9 There once was a small-town mechanic named Sam who ran a little garage on the edge of town. Now some mechanics have less than stellar… Continue reading
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God’s Treasured Possession
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. ‘On the day when I act,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them,… Continue reading
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Beware, My Prideful Heart…
“Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is a nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful,… Continue reading
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Strength in Waiting
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. – Psalm 27:14 We live in a world that hates to wait. We have fast food, same-day delivery, and instant downloads. If something isn’t available right now, we find a way to get it faster. Patience feels like such an outdated… Continue reading
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More Than Religion
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of… Continue reading
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Even on the way to the cross, Jesus stood up for you!
“I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” – John 18:8 Jesus’ words in John 18:8 stands before us as a beacon of hope amid the encircling gloom of our trials. In that moment of divine confrontation, when the accusers and persecutors pressed in like… Continue reading
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Plunderer’s Remorse
The people summoned the Philistine rulers again and begged them, “Please send the Ark of the God of Israel back to its own country, or it will kill us all.” For the deadly plague from God had already begun, and great fear was sweeping across the town.– 1 Samuel 5:11 (NLT) Have you ever seen… Continue reading
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Refuge and Redemption
“May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” – Ruth 2:12 Ruth had every reason to give up. A foreigner in a strange land, widowed and poor, she could have chosen an… Continue reading
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The Power of Small Choices
“Good and evil both increase at compounding interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.” – C.S. Lewis We often think of life’s biggest moments as the ones that define us. But more often, it’s the small, daily choices that shape who we become. A… Continue reading
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Do You Believe It?
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30 Oh, what a wonderful word this is! Just one word in the original Greek – Tetelestai – yet within it lies the entire gospel. The work is done, the price… Continue reading
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Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. – Titus 3:9 (NLT) One evening after Bible study, two men found themselves in the church lobby engaged in a spirited conversation regarding something they had… Continue reading
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Calm Seas Don’t Make Skillful Sailors
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. – 1 Cor. 16:13 It’s easy to be bold when there’s no cost. It’s easy to stand tall when the crowd is with you, when the waters are calm, and when doing the right thing doesn’t demand much. But life isn’t always… Continue reading
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A Call to Holiness
“You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you. – Deuteronomy 7:16 This verse can be difficult to understand, especially when viewed through modern sensibilities. Why would a loving… Continue reading
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God Won’t Share His Throne
“Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.” – Deut. 6:14-15 God isn’t casual about your loyalty. He’s not okay… Continue reading
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Seeking the Father’s Will
I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me. – John 5:30 (NKJV) Jesus lived his life fully surrendered to the will of His Father. He didn’t act on His own desires or ambitions, but aligned every decision with God’s purpose. What an impossible standard that is for… Continue reading
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A Beautiful Thing
“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” – Matthew 26: 10-11 Mary’s act of pouring expensive perfume on Jesus was a demonstration of pure devotion. She wasn’t calculating its worth or considering what… Continue reading
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Love in Action
“I’d rather see a good sermon than hear one any day.” – Edward A. Guest The small church had never been this full. Every pew was packed, people stood along the walls, and some even gathered in the back. It seemed like the whole town had come to say goodbye to Mr. Williams. Most people… Continue reading
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Not Even One
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” – John 8:6b-7 The Pharisees dragged a woman before Jesus,… Continue reading
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The Lord Remembers
Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the… Continue reading
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Keep Striking
Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The… Continue reading
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A Light in the Darkness
Mr. Edwards, an elderly Sunday School teacher, sat in his usual chair with his Bible open on his lap. The children gathered around him, listening intently as he told stories about Jesus – His miracles, His kindness, and His love for sinners. As he spoke, a boy named Charlie hesitantly raised his hand. “Mr. Edwards,… Continue reading
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Are You Going?
So he sent other servants to tell them, “The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!” But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. – Matthew 22:4-5 Imagine being… Continue reading
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God Sees, God Knows, God Acts
During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was… Continue reading
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Trusting the Potter’s Hands
“You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding‘?” – Isaiah 29:16 (ESV) The people of Judah had a major problem: outwardly they… Continue reading
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Victory That Lasts
And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. – 2 Samuel 8:14b How would you define success? Of course, you might try to answer that question any number of ways. For example, you might say that your marriage is successful or that your family has health, happiness, and security. Some may look at… Continue reading
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A Good (But Dangerous) Prayer
Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.– Psalm 139:23-24 David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he knew his own heart was not always pure. He was committed to following God’s ways, but… Continue reading
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The Farmer’s Trade
They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. – Romans 1:25 Old Henry had worked the land his whole life. From the time he was a boy, he knew that if he wanted something, he had to earn it. His… Continue reading
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A Personal Savior
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” – Luke 8:49-50 As I read this passage this evening, the thought occurred… Continue reading
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For What Shall it Profit a Man?
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” – Matt. 19:21 A lot has happened in my faith journey since accepting Jesus in my heart. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people and I’m… Continue reading
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Purify My Heart, Lord
For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” – Exodus 12:19-20 God commanded the Israelites to… Continue reading
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It Was Definitely a Buyer’s Market
Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance… Continue reading
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Leaving the Old Self Behind
“If you are renewed by grace, and were to meet your old self, I am sure you would be very anxious to get out of his company.” – Charles H. Spurgeon Spurgeon’s words remind us just how much God’s grace transforms our lives. If we were to meet our old selves – the person we… Continue reading
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The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth
I am the way and the truth and the life.– John 14:6 When we become a friend of Jesus, something revolutionary happens inside us. He doesn’t just tweak a few things here and there – He transforms us completely. Our hearts soften, our perspectives shift, and our ability to love expands in ways we never… Continue reading
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Thinking Like Jesus
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 2:5 (NKJV) There are days when my thoughts get the better of me – when pride, impatience, or self-interest creeps in before I even realize it. Then I read this verse and it stops me in my tracks. Am I really… Continue reading
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The Greatest in the Kingdom
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of… Continue reading
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A Most Comforting Truth
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. – Hebrews 4:15 To the ancient Greeks, the gods were distant and unmoved by human struggles. Their concept of… Continue reading
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Daily Bread for Today
When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. – Exodus… Continue reading
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Seeing Our Work as Worship
Do you sometimes feel like nobody cares about all the work you do? Ever feel unnoticed and unappreciated? It’s tough, isn’t it? You work hard, whether it’s at your job, in your family, or even in serving others, and sometimes it feels like no one even notices. Maybe you’ve thought, “Why am I putting in… Continue reading
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He Was Thinking of You and Me!
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent… Continue reading
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When Hope Feels Lost
“But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” – Luke 24:21a You ever have those moments where your hope feels crushed? Where the thing you were so sure God was going to do just… doesn’t happen? That’s where these two disciples were on the road to Emmaus. They’d… Continue reading
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What Do You See?
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. – Romans 1:20 Have you ever stood beneath a star-filled sky at night or… Continue reading
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Only Jesus Could Do That!
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had… Continue reading
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“Did God Really Say…?”
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what… Continue reading
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Seeing People Through Fresh Eyes
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.… Continue reading
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“But God.”
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” – Acts 9:15-16 God’s plan for Saul (later Paul) was nothing short of extraordinary.… Continue reading
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Are You In or Out?
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is… Continue reading
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You Can’t Take It With You
Then [Jesus] said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said,… Continue reading
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When God Edits Your Life Plans Without Asking
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”Proverbs 16:9 Have you ever been turned down for a job? Or maybe applied for a bank loan and was denied? Perhaps you didn’t get into the school that you desperately wanted to attend, or maybe you came up with a great idea… Continue reading
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A Complaint about Complainers
Have you ever noticed how complainers have a way of finding each other, like pigeons flocking to a park bench covered in breadcrumbs? One minute you’re stuck in line behind someone griping about the weather, and before you know it, someone else chimes in with, “Oh, you think that’s bad? Let me tell you about… Continue reading
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What Year That Was!
Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3 Well… I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to stepping into a brand new year. And not because 2024 was a year to forget. It was, however, a year of dramatic change for me and my family. My… Continue reading
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Knowledge Alone Ain’t Enough
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. – John 5:39-40 Have you ever been so close to something that you couldn’t actually see it? Back in the early… Continue reading
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The God Who Knows and Sees
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you… Continue reading
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Merry Christmas!
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had… Continue reading
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What is Your “Field”?
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.– Matthew 13:44 There’s something about a treasure hunt that captures the imagination. We picture maps, riddles, and the thrill of… Continue reading
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What We Think About Matters
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:8 A few weeks ago a friend called me, frustrated and overwhelmed. There were some situations going on at home that were stressing… Continue reading
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How Big is Your God?
My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. – Psalms 25:15-17 This sweet, comforting psalm came from a season of… Continue reading
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Despite All That We Are
Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.– Deuteronomy 9:6 Israel stood on the threshold of the Promised Land, and Moses made it clear – they were not about to receive God’s blessings because… Continue reading
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“My Name is Scott, and I’m….”
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.– Romans 1:16 As a recovering alcoholic, I’ve been actively involved in a 12-Step recovery program for several years now. This program has been an incredible… Continue reading
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Created For His Purpose
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. – Ephesians 5:17 God placed each of us on this earth for a purpose. Yet many people drift through life unsure of what God’s will is for them. Instead of seeking His direction, they remain caught up in their own plans, wasting valuable… Continue reading
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Do Not Be Afraid!
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching… Continue reading
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Stepping Out of the Boat
Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out… Continue reading
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A Word About Anger
He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. – 1 Peter 2:23 Growing up I loved watching The Incredible Hulk series. The main character, Dr. David Banner, was generally an easygoing fella. But when someone pushed… Continue reading
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Confidence in God’s Word
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain… Continue reading
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Simple Faith, Powerful Witness
My message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 Paul’s ministry was not built on flashy speeches or… Continue reading
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They Couldn’t Find Fault
Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. – Daniel 6:4-5 (NLT) As I was reading this passage yesterday evening, I couldn’t help but think of… Continue reading
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Greater Things Through Him
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” – John 14:12 Jesus wasn’t threatened by the idea of His followers doing greater works than He had done. In fact, He… Continue reading
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The Strength to Let it Go
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.– Proverbs 19:11 When we’re hurt or offended, our natural response is to often lash out or stew in bitterness. But Proverbs 19:11 reminds us that patience, rooted in wisdom, leads us to something greater: the ability to let go. Overlooking an… Continue reading
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A Heart That Repents
But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, LORD, for doing this foolish thing.” – 2 Samuel 24:10 (NLT) Near the end of his reign, David, a man after God’s own heart,… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!
Former Blackout Artist 