Devotional

Read the Word: Joshua 5:10-12 Meditate on the Word: The philosopher Seneca is noted as saying, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” If you’re Gen-X, you may have just read that to the tune of Semisonic’s 1998 song “Closing Time.” But this is what the Israelites were experiencing. After a journey that… Read More »

Read the Word: Matthew 15:1-9 Meditate on the Word: God had made several provisions in the law for His people to care for each other. And it was just expected that people would care for their aging parents. This was part of honoring them. The parent-child relationship does not end at 18 or 21, but… Read More »

Read the Word: Mark 13:32-37 Meditate on the Word: At church, we have spent the last two weeks studying Jesus’ speech to the disciples regarding His return. We should note a couple of things that Jesus does not say in this account. First, he never says to slice and dice the scriptures and world events… Read More »

Read the Word: Matthew 24:29-31 Meditate on the Word: Matthew has an interesting inclusion in His discussion of the return of Christ, “the loud trumpet.” The slight difference may have been in the audiences to whom these two gospel writers were communicating. Mark was primarily aimed at a Gentile audience, where Matthew was writing to… Read More »

Read the Word: Joshua 2:1-14 Meditate on the Word: In response to the Lord’s command to prepare to take the land (Joshua 1:2), Joshua sent spies to Jericho to gather intelligence. Like spies in a box-office thriller, they get found out and are forced to rely on the kindness of a prostitute. She deceives her… Read More »

Read the Word: Psalm 107:1-9 Meditate on the Word: Later this month, we will celebrate a holiday dedicated to giving thanks to the Lord. For the last several years, one of my friends has used his Facebook account every November to post something he is thankful for every day and to encourage others to do… Read More »

Read the Word: Mark 13:3-10 Meditate on the Word: Peter, James, John, and Andrew had a natural question. Jesus had just told them that the Temple was to be destroyed. The Temple Complex was huge, solid, and beautiful. It would take something devastating to destroy it. So they wanted to know when. They were also… Read More »

Read the Word: Ephesians 2:8-10 Meditate on the Word: The idea that we are saved by grace alone through faith, and not by works is important. Throughout human history, we have tried to add works, feeling that we must have some role in our salvation. But the simple fact is that we cannot add anything… Read More »

Read the Word: Mark 13:1-2 Meditate on the Word: Within a generation, the magnificent Temple, the center of Jewish worship, would be leveled. The Jews rebelled against the Romans and Jerusalem (and the Temple) were completely destroyed in 70 A. D. The importance of the Temple was that it was where the presence of God… Read More »

Read the Word: Titus 2:11-15 Meditate on the Word: I love the way the English Standard Version puts verse 12, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” It is a bit of a reminder to me that we are not yet fully… Read More »