Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. Acts 13:43 One Sabbath day, Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue for a regular service in Antioch of Pisidia. While in attendance, they received the following invitation. After the… Continue reading Rely On The God Of Grace
Category: Devotionals
Christ Living in Us Brings Us into New Jerusalem
“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20) When you… Continue reading Christ Living in Us Brings Us into New Jerusalem
The Right Emphasis at Christmas
I don’t know what it’s like at your house in December, but many of us have a Christmas tree prominently displayed. Probably some lights and a box or two of ornaments—including the ugliest, but most treasured ornament: the quirky little ornament your child made in preschool class. Our habits and traditions with Christmas decorations are… Continue reading The Right Emphasis at Christmas
The Impact of the Daily Drip
The Monday after a full Thanksgiving weekend you stumble into the kitchen and turn on your coffee pot. After a few minutes, you lean in to get a closer look, convinced your machine is not actually making coffee. You move your cup off the burner and a few drops sizzle against the plate. Once it’s… Continue reading The Impact of the Daily Drip
I Am The Light of the World (Advent Devotional)
This post is a part of our Advent series. If you’d like a PDF version of the full Advent devotional,click here! As we celebrate Advent, the darkness of late autumn and winter begins to set in. When we rise from our slumber each morning, we are greeted by dark, starlit skies. Shortly after we pull… Continue reading I Am The Light of the World (Advent Devotional)
Leave No Place Empty
“Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order” (Matthew 12:44). Jesus shared the parable of the return of the unclean spirit. He shared that when an unclean spirit is driven out of a person, it passes… Continue reading Leave No Place Empty
A Pilgrim Poem: For All Who Long for a Better Country
Providence and the Pilgrim By William Bradford (1590–1657) FROM my years young in days of youth,God did make known to me his truth.And call’d me from my native placeFor to enjoy the means of grace.In wilderness he did me guide,And in strange lands for me provide.In fears and wants, through weal and woe,A pilgrim, passed I… Continue reading A Pilgrim Poem: For All Who Long for a Better Country
Enter New Jerusalem through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus
Revelation 21:21’s description of New Jerusalem is “the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was, respectively, of one pearl.” In the lamp the person of the Son is shining and expressing the Triune God, but in the pearls (v. 21) we see the Son’s work of death and resurrection. We have seen… Continue reading Enter New Jerusalem through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus
A Theology of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is here and that means family, friends, lots of food, and Black Friday sales. From a cultural viewpoint, Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas season. As I (and many others) would argue, Thanksgiving Day deserves our devout attention and ought to necessitate a spirit of thankfulness to God for his goodness in… Continue reading A Theology of Thanksgiving
Accept My Limits
The first time you read Ecclesiastes, it seems very cynical. Its topics include death and the futility of human efforts. That’s not exactly an uplifting read. But if you read it a few more times, you may notice that Ecclesiastes shares the wisdom of acceptance. The book is a search for meaning, but before the… Continue reading Accept My Limits