Category: Daily Devotions

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) During the 1970s and 80s, a popular publication for those in the industry was “In Search of Excellence” by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. I liked this title because it didn’t demand that I actually attain excellence but continue to strive towards…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1) The story is told of a traveler who met a guru along the road and…

“How long must your servant wait?” (Psalm 119:84a) A radio talk show host in California once asked his listeners a troubling question. “What,” he asked, “would you do with the rest of today if you knew it was the last day you had to live?” Immediately they responded. “I would go to an organ donor…

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.” (Psalm 119:76) In today’s world “unfailing” and “love” are two words that, for most individuals, are left to one’s imagination or personal interpretation. “Unfailing” for some would be interpreted as not giving up “until I get bored,” or “until I find…

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) On first reading, these words seem somewhat oxymoronic. My eyes are designed for seeing. How are they meant to see what is unseen? However, it…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness …” (Galatians 5:22) Everybody has influence over somebody. It’s what you do with that influence that determines whether it’s negative or positive. Sociologists tell us that over a lifetime even the shyest and most introverted person will influence about ten thousand…

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) To be “under the influence” means to be controlled by something or someone other than yourself. Who you are, what you are,…

“For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’.” (Romans 15:3) Christian freedom (in Paul’s setting around issues like eating meat sacrificed to idols) is not the excuse to flaunt your liberty against the weaker faith or less free conscience of others. Instead,…

“For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:16) I am so grateful for the way the Bible captures the highs and lows of our human experience as God’s beloved creatures. Yesterday,…