Category: Daily Devotions

“Sing with joy to God our strength …” (Psalm 81:1a) Have you ever laughed so hard that you felt weak or been so happy that you cried? These experiences are a testament to the ways in which joy can be overwhelming, but I wonder: Can joy also make us strong? Psalm 81’s call to sing…

“… Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.” (2 Samuel 15:5b,6) Read 2 Samuel 15:1–16. A person once came to me…

“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2) There is bad news, and there is good news. The bad news is, when David tried to hide his sin, God exposed it to the entire nation. The good news is, when he repented of his sin, God forgave him and expunged…

“… Jesus often slipped away to be alone so He could pray.” (Luke 5:16, NCV) In a world of constant pressure and stress, prayer is like a spiritual decompression chamber. Jesus knew that. When you read the Gospels, you see Him — over and over again — leaving the stress of His everyday life and…

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) To have peace, you must focus on God’s presence. What you choose to focus on either fuels your fears or your faith. The Bible says, “You will keep in perfect peace…

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) The Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (vv. 5-6). God wants you to trust Him.…

“I am not trying to do what I want, but only what He who sent me wants.” (John 5:30, GNT) Jesus lived His life under constant stress. People were always following Him — wanting Him to heal them or teach them, or worse, trying to trap Him and even kill Him. Yet, if you look…

“… O Sovereign Lord, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant [David]. Is this Your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign Lord?” (2 Samuel 7:19) Read 2 Samuel 7:18–29. A common question to ask my confirmation class is: “How many gospels are there and what are they…

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of…