8/4
Acts 8:18-19
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Simon saw the amazing things the apostles could do with the power of God and he wanted that, too. He coveted the ability to heal and perform other miracles. He craved the power and praise that inevitably came along with that. So he tried to buy it from the apostles. He tried to buy the power of God with money.
I’m sure Simon had seen this done before in the course of his life. Why couldn’t he do the same with God? I mean, that’s how things work at times in the world. People pay significant amounts of money to gain influence with politicians or jobs in government. People pay out bribes to weasel out of tough situations or to sway someone’s opinion.
Sometimes people will give a lot of their time in a relationship or to an organization so someday they can cash in on a big return. Sometimes people will “butter up” someone with flattering words to get something they need. I mean, even kids do that.
But Simon would find out and we find out through his evil, the gifts of God cannot be bought and sold. You can’t buy influence with God or a position in his kingdom by donating a lot of money. You can’t purchase spiritual blessings. You can’t give so much of your time that you win time in heaven. There is no such thing as buying spiritual blessings from God.
The reality is God gives you spiritual blessings. He gives forgiveness of your sins and heaven to you through faith. He gives you the fruits of the Spirit. He gives you his presence and attention. He gives you all you need. That’s how wonderful God is.
We serve an amazing God who operates on the basis of grace, not obligation. Contrary to the way things work in this world, God is the opposite. He has gifted you every spiritual blessing you need through Christ Jesus. God can’t be bought and sold, and the wonderful truth is, you don’t need to, because he gives you all the spiritual blessings you need.
August 2025
8/11
8/18
8/25
Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
What should I wear? Ever heard that question before? We have clothes for all sorts of occasions. We have grungy clothing for working out or working in the garden. We have a reliable pair of sweats or yoga pants for lounging. We have formal clothing for weddings or fancy parties. We have clothes for all aspects of life.
God gave us something to wear for every moment of our life: it’s our new life in Christ. Paul teaches us to clothe ourselves not with attitudes and actions of the sinful world, but our new self. We have been gifted the attitudes, heart, and mind of Christ Jesus.
The world loves to put on impatience, grudges, revenge, hate, harshness, and pride. When people wear those things in their life, what happens? Relationships are destroyed and never repaired. People are divided and polarized. Unity is lost and disunity reigns. People become lone wolves, in it for themselves and no one else. We can think of times we have seen that happen and maybe even “worn” that type of clothing in our own lives. In short, life isn’t fun or good anymore when that’s what people wear.
We don’t have to wear that anymore. We are people of God now. Christ created us to be new. He has thrown out our old wardrobe given by the sinful world and fit us with new attitudes. He’s given us kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and humility. He’s given us his attitudes and heart to wear for all occasions. Jesus has gifted us attitudes for any and every situation of life.
Go ahead and stress and worry about what clothing you’re going to wear for different occasions of life. Don’t stress when comes to how you will live your life in this world. Jesus has given you the attitudes and actions you can display for all to see. And quite frankly, they’re very beautiful.
8/4
8/11
8/18
8/25
August 2025
Psalm 119:14
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
How would you react if you won the lottery? The big one! You know, millions upon millions of dollars. Or how would you react if a relative or friend of yours passed away leaving you more money you could spend the rest of your life? Maybe as you read this you think about people whose lives became worse after winning a big jackpot or receiving a tremendous inheritance and so you say you wouldn’t change at all. It wouldn’t have an effect on you. You would have very little reaction.
But let’s be honest, if you actually received a gigantic sum of money out of the blue, wouldn’t you be just a little excited? Of course! Be honest. You would rejoice! You would be ecstatic! I know I would.
In the same vein, don’t we also rejoice at the reality we have God’s written Word? Psalm 119:14 says that very thing. God’s written Word is his will for our lives. It shows us what we need to do and at the same time haven’t done. It shows us the great love he has for us by sending his Son to rescue us from those sins. It gives us a road map on how to live a life that glorifies God and brings blessing to our lives. It provides strength when weak and peace when troubled. The Word of God does all that without our effort. We simply open it and read it and God goes to work in our hearts.
God’s Word is a great treasure, a treasure greater than any on earth, a treasure worth rejoicing in.
8/4
8/11
8/18
8/25
August 2025
3 John 1-2
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
Are you someone who tries to fix everyone else? Have you ever tried to do that? Perhaps you have had times in life when you see an issue with someone that needs to be fixed and you jumped in, engaged, and it did not go well. What then?
I’m not saying there are no times to engage people when we notice problems and issues with their health or life or spiritual life. There are! But first, before engaging, pray.
The last of three letters the apostle John wrote is to his good friend, Gaius. We don’t know a lot about Gaius, but notice when John began his letter he didn’t launch off into a variety of things Gaius needed to fix. He didn’t jump all over Gaius. He didn’t try and get him to fix this or change that. Instead, he began his letter with a sincere he was praying for Gaius. He prayed Gaius’ health would be good and his life would be good, just as his spiritual life was good. In other words, he put Gaius’ life into God’s hands and let him do any fixing that needs to be done.
We all have people in our lives who are near and dear to us. We know the ways they need to be changed or fixed. Or maybe we don’t. Maybe we don’t always have the full picture. Or maybe we do know there needs to be a fix, but we aren’t able to help. Let’s take the approach of John and pray.
Instead of engaging first, entrust them to God’s care. Put their life and situation in God’s hands and let him do the fixing. Maybe there will come a time for you to engage and fix. Maybe not. Either way, take the time to pray for that person you love so dearly and be at peace God can take care of it.
8/4
8/11
8/18
8/25
August 2025
7/7
Matthew 14:29-30
“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!”
Even Christians have doubts. That is a fact. Do we want them? No! However, we all have them. But why do they happen? Where do they come from? Matthew 14 provides the answer to that and the solution.
Peter walked on water and the simple reason why is because he trusted in Jesus’ word. He focused on Jesus. Jesus said, “Come,” and so Peter left his boat and walked on water. He didn’t do it because it made sense. He didn’t do it because he was a sandbar beneath the water. He didn’t do it because he had some super human courage. He walked on water because he trusted Jesus’ command and word. However, as soon as he looked away from Jesus, his faith wavered and he sank. There it is. He took his focus off Jesus. That led to the doubt.
What is taking your focus off Jesus?
Is it the cares and concerns of the world? Are you more focused on temporary things than eternal? Are you focused on your own power and strength to get you through struggle? Are you focusing on false and idolatrous senses of security the world offers such as power, or investment, or relationship, or your wits? What happens when we take our focus off Jesus? Invariably, we sink.
The solution? I think it’s pretty obvious. Keep the focus on Jesus! Trust his Word. It will not fail you. His Word will never lead you astray. Just trust him and what he says.
And if it does happen you sink, never fear! Jesus is right there to save and restore faith. He did it for Peter. He will do it for you. Keep your focus on Jesus and his Word.
July 2025
7/14
7/21
7/28
Exodus 14:15
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.
God says this so “matter-of-factly.” Move on!
The Israelites stared at the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them. God then placed himself between the Israelites and the Egyptians. However, there is still the problem of the Red Sea. The people cried out for help. Moses told the people to stand firm and they would witness the Lord fight for them. And God? God’s done with the talking. Move on! Then he parts the Red Sea and forever frees them from Egyptian slavery and oppression.
When God says something, we can do just what the Israelites did, namely, move on. Sometimes we do a good job of crying out and praying to God for help. We go to him, expecting help. But then we do nothing after that! We don’t always act on his sure and certain Word. Move on!
God says in no uncertain terms Jesus paid for your sins. We cry out in repentance and maybe even hold onto our guilt. Move on! Walk away from the guilt and sin. Jesus paid for it.
God promises to be with you and take care of you. Then you see the uncertainty of the future or the many aspects of your life that seem impossible to figure out. What do you do? You cry out for help. You wait for God’s deliverance. But God says, “move on!” Walk into the future with confidence and no fear because God will be with you and take care of you.
We might see the Red Sea, but when you have God on your side, there’s no obstacle in the way that is too big or daunting for God. Stop talking. Move on!
7/7
7/14
7/21
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July 2025
Psalm 119:7
I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
Jeff got his first full time job after high school and at first he wasn’t so sure about it. At least he had a job, but he didn’t know how long he intended to stay or what he thought of the company.
As time went on however, Jeff got to know more and more people and what the company was all about. He learned about the honesty with which the company operated and how fairly they treated everyone who worked there. They didn’t throw money at politicians for company favors, but simply produced their quality product in quality ways. The company was fair and equitable in how it treated people and paid them. He watched as people were given raises and promoted who worked hard and were honest. He got to know the CEO as she frequently was seen with other workers in the company. She asked about people’s kids, things the company could improve for a better work environment, and just genuinely cared about people.
Jeff continued to work for that company for several decades because what he saw changed him. He took on and developed the attitudes of the company. He sang the praises of the company to many people. He did that because as he learned more and more about the company, praise about the company came naturally.
The writer of Psalm 119 had that same attitude when it comes to God and invites us to learn the same. The writer learned to praise God more and more every day with honest and genuine intentions. The reason? He studied God’s Word and learned ways his life didn’t line up with God’s will. He discovered ways his righteousness paled in comparison to God’s. He discovered that while his life didn’t line up, God covered over his sins with his Son’s forgiveness. That drove him to live more and more in line with God’s will. The more he learned about God’s righteous law and Word the more he praised God. God changed the writer and he praised God accordingly.
Spend some time this week in God’s Word, not just reading it, but learning from it. Learn what God wants from his people and honestly assess if you live like that. Learn what kind of life God wants from his people. Discover again the God of grace and mercy who shapes people, molds them to live like he wants, and covers over their sins with his forgiveness. The more you learn from God and learn to live like God, the more you, too, will sing his praises for who he is and what he’s done for you.
7/7
7/14
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July 2025
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
I like to be on the throne of my life and I’m sure you do too. I like to be in charge and give orders. I like to know what’s going on and have control of it. I like it when I get my way and my “kingdom”, whatever that might consists of, grows. I like being in charge and getting on the throne.
But I have to confess to you, I’m tired of it. I’m tired because it doesn’t work. I’m tired because I can’t always control everything. I’m tired because I don’t always get things my way, and sometimes (ok, often times) when I get things my way it backfires. I really don’t know how to be king of my life because usually that means I become very self-centered and not others-centered. I’m tired of being the king and sitting on the throne of my life. I’m done. And that’s good, because I’m not the king nor can I be king nor do I have to be. And neither do you.
Jesus gave his people a prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer. In that prayer, he shares with us the way we are to pray and one phrase sticks out to me.
YOUR kingdom come.
YOUR will be done.
That is our prayer as people of God. God, we want your kingdom to come, not ours. We want YOU to be the king, not us. We want YOUR will to be done and not ours.
And that is a good thing. It’s good because God is God and can do all things, even rule my life and yours. It’s good because he loves us through his Son, our Savior Jesus. It’s good because he doesn’t tire. He doesn’t want to give up nor abdicate his throne. It’s good because when God is the king of your heart, life doesn’t deteriorate into chaos, but flows beautifully according to his good and gracious will.
Take off your crown and step down. Abdicate your seat on the throne of your heart. There’s only room for one king and that king can’t be you. It can’t be me. It’s God. And that’s a good thing.
7/7
7/14
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July 2025
6/2
1 Peter 2:21-22
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Our daughter’s dance recital is coming up rather quickly. She and the rest of the girls in her class have been working hard to learn the routine. The jazz dance, however, needed a little work. The teacher knew they needed to practice more often outside of class. They needed to see the steps, twirls, and moves to learn them better. In order to help with that, she recorded a video of herself doing the dance! That way all the dancers could watch her example and do what she did.
Peter tells us about an example to follow for our whole life, both how we live and how we speak. And the example? It’s the life of Jesus. The perfect, spotless life of Jesus is our example to follow.
While that may sound intimidating or unachievable, think about this: Jesus lived that way first and foremost to save you. That’s a done deal. We don’t have to or need to imitate Jesus to earn anything from God. We don’t do it to prove ourselves to him. We also don’t imitate Jesus because “if you don’t the big guy in the sky is going to get you.”
We imitate Jesus because he loves and saved us. We imitate him because of his selfless sacrifice to save us. We imitate him because he calls us to do just that. We are his followers. Our lives are hidden and wrapped up in his. There is no greater life to imitate as an example than the life that freed from sin.
What will that look like for you today? This week? In what ways can you speak with a truthful and honest voice? In what ways can you keep your heart and life from sin and lived for Jesus? In what ways can you imitate your gracious, amazing Savior this week?
June 2025
6/9
6/16
6/23
6/30
John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
If you take a look at a lot of our family photos, you’ll notice there is often one person missing. It’s not because we forgot someone or kicked someone out of the family. It’s simply this: Someone is taking the picture. Every so often it happens that we take a picture on a vacation, but no one besides us is there to take the picture. That means the job falls to my wife or myself.
In a manner of speaking, the Holy Spirit is like the person behind the camera. When you search through the Bible you see him in a variety of spots, but he usually is doing one thing, posting pictures of Jesus! Ok, not literally, but figuratively speaking, the Holy Spirit is always pointing our attention to Christ.
Why? That’s where you find salvation! That’s where you receive life. The Spirit wants you to focus on Jesus and trust in him. It gives him no greater joy than for Christ Jesus to be the foundation for your life and the focus of your faith.
The Spirit does that great work through the Word of God, drawing our attention away from self and onto Christ. He made sure when the Scriptures were inspired the focus was on Jesus and remains on him. He works to point us to Christ when we are filled with guilt and guides us to live like Christ in our daily lives.
The focus needs to be on Jesus in our lives and the Spirit will make sure of it!
6/2
June 2025
6/9
6/16
6/23
6/30
Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
“Pastor, what is going on?” You know what. I don’t know. I hear about a lot of violence. I see a lot of division. I hear about a lot of people who are scared. I sense a lot of anxiety, uncertainty, and animosity. I don’t know what is going on! But there are three things I do know.
Evil is alive and well in the world just it has been from the Garden of Eden and on. Satan is still stirring up things. The sinful nature inside of people still has a propensity to evil. Evil is still wreaking havoc through people’s words and actions. That I do know.
I also know this. Psalm 46:10 is still the truth and is still the place where our faith rests and finds peace. God is still God and evil cannot overcome him. He overcame our sin and evil when he died on a cross. He overcame death when he rose from the dead. God is still God. HIs will for your life will always win out. Evil does not have the final word. God has that. God’s Word, promises, and his will always wins out in the end.
That means we can be still, be at peace. Rest confidently that God is God and his will for his people will always win out.
6/2
June 2025
6/9
6/16
6/23
6/30
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
I hear it often and so I try to point out the opposite when I have the chance. There are plenty of people who think that the people in the Bible were rock-solid, unflappable figures who are just in a different class of spirituality than the rest of us.
I mean, they made it into the Bible, right?
If you think that, please stop, for your own sake. The Bible is not a people-centered book. It’s the story of a gracious, saving God who intersected this fallen world at a time and place in order to save the world through his Son. That’s the point of the Bible. The people included just happened to intersect with God as he did his saving work!
What made those people “special” (if you even want to use that word) is simply this: In the face of trial and uncertainty, they knew where to turn.
Sometimes they did it. Sometimes they didn’t. However, the promises and presence of God in their lives gave them the ability to put their trust in God in the midst of danger, trial, uncertainty, threats to their faith, and more. That’s why David could write in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
If there are struggles, uncertainty, or a rocky path in your life right now, take the words of Deuteronomy 31:6 to heart and put your trust in the Lord. He is the God of your salvation, the God who rescued you from your sins and promised you eternal life through Christ Jesus. That God who defeated all your great spiritual enemies is with you wherever you go. He will not and cannot forsake you. You are his dear child. You can be strong and courageous in the face of all trials because the Lord God is with you wherever you go.
6/2
June 2025
6/9
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Philippians 4:2-3
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
The story in a conflict is usually somewhere in the middle.
In Philippians 4:2-3, we hear about two women in the church of Philippi who were at odds with one another. They had a conflict with one another. We don’t know what it was, but it was bad enough or affecting the church enough that Paul pleaded with these two women to reconcile with one another. They had ministered alongside Paul in the past, proclaiming the gospel, and serving the Lord. At one time, they were on the same team! But now, something divided them and Paul wanted them to reconcile with one another. Their names were all written in the book of life! They were part of the family of God!
I’ve read this before, maybe you have too, and thought to myself, “how stupid! Just get over it and move on!” But then I realize, deep down, this Scripture speaks to all of us. Paul is appealing to all us with these words.
There is an old saying that goes something like this, “to dwell above with saints I love will be glory. But to dwell below with saints I know that’s another story.” Have you felt that tension with other believers?
Paul’s urgent plea to these women is an urgent plea to all of us who claim the name of Christian.
Help us Lord to see members of our congregation and other family in Christ as those whose names are written in the book of life. Help me to cross the bridge over whatever divides to reconcile. May the gospel be the thing that causes us to run away from cold isolation and holds us together in a relationship of forgiveness.
6/2
June 2025
6/9
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6/30
5/5
Luke 24:13-15, 28-29
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
How long would you stay with someone who was in need of your counsel, presence, and advice?
I’m sure it would depend on a lot of factors, right? If it was family, you would probably stay much longer and do much more than if it was a co-worker or an acquaintance. The closer you are to someone the more you would feel it was worth your time.
But Jesus? Well, he’s willing to stay with people as long as it’s needed. Jesus willingly walked almost seven miles to have a Bible study with two of his disciples.
The reason? He needed to reignite their dwindling faith. So he walked with them and spent time with them in the evening until their faith burned bright again.
Jesus still does the same for you.
And do you know why Jesus will stay with you to reignite your dwindling faith or strengthen your weak spirit? Simply this: he willingly suffered hell and death to rescue you for eternity. He went as far as he needed to in order to secure your salvation.
If he’s willing to do that, won’t he be with you always? Won’t he counsel and guide you with his Word? Won’t he stick with you even when all others might abandon or run away? Of course he will. He loves you too much not to do that.
May 2025
5/12
5/19
5/26
Psalm 103:8-10
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
This last week in our Bible study, we used Psalm 103 for an opening discussion. Someone mentioned verses 8-10 as a good faith reminder about God’s heart and essence. Our faith needs that reminder because our eyes can convince us the opposite.
As we look at our life and all the events in it, it can be easy to conclude God is upset with us or angry when bad things happen. Perhaps, we think, we did something to incur his anger and wrath. If we find ourselves facing hardship—how many times don’t we ask what we did to deserve it? Or what do we have to do for it to stop? Why would God allow this to happen?
In hard times, our eyes and sinful nature can tempt us to believe God is angry or he is giving us what we know we truly deserve. However, looks can be deceiving, and nothing could be farther from the truth.
Psalm 103 is the great reset for faith. This is who God is. This is God’s heart. He IS compassionate and gracious. He IS slow to anger. He does NOT treat us as our sins deserve. God is not a “tit for tat” God.
Put your faith in who God is because he is a compassionate and gracious God. Take a look at how he laid down his life and took it up again to save you. This is who your God is all the time.
5/5
May 2025
5/12
5/19
5/26
Revelation 7:9
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
Abraham stood outside his tent because God had something for him to see. Abraham and his wife had just moved from their home in Haran to the unknown land of Canaan. They went there because of promises God made to them, one being that he would give them numerous descendents. God told Abraham to count the stars, if he could. Then told him, “That is how many offspring you will have.”
Fast forward thousands of years when a man named John stood on some ground and an angel of God showed him something amazing. It was the descendents of Abraham. It was the descendents God talked about—but they looked different. They weren’t just physical descendents, but were from every tribe and language under heaven. They were holy, perfect, and celebrating a victory. But just like the first time Abraham saw them, they were without number.
Who is that? Well, it’s all the people who believe in Christ as their Savior and stand in heavenly glory for all eternity. And you know what? You are in that crowd of people. That’s right! And the reason is you, too, are a descendent of Abraham. You are someone who believes in Jesus because those are the descendents of Abraham.
You have been washed clean of your sin by the blood of the Lamb. You have been declared holy and righteous by the Son of God. You have the promise of eternal life in heaven and someday you will be there with that uncountable multitude.
Because of Jesus, eternal life in heaven is yours. Because of Jesus, you can expect to be with all believers in heaven someday. Because of Jesus, you can count on it.
5/5
May 2025
5/12
5/19
5/26
Psalm 3:4-6
I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
A prayer for your day:
Dear Lord, this morning when you woke me up, I thought about all the things surrounding me and waiting for me. There is a lot of activity from evil people in my life. I’m fearful for myself and my family. I get nervous when I think about all the diseases or troubles that can assail me. So today, I’m telling you all my fears. Here is what I’m afraid of…
Lord God, today I am not going to live in fear. Surround me with your holy angels as I go about my daily routine. You sit enthroned in heaven, over all things, including my life. Watch over my loved ones and me today. Guide me. Preserve me. Protect me. Then enable me to fall asleep tonight free from fear and worry. Amen.
5/5
May 2025
5/12
5/19
5/26
4/7
John 2:19-22
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
What are you passionate about? What do you have zeal for? Maybe it’s advancing in your career and job, putting in extra hours and staying late to make sure you get ahead. Maybe it’s playing sports or your sports team. The cost doesn’t matter and the price is never too high to see that team play or be the best at your sport. Maybe it’s something else that you are extremely passionate about. What is that thing?
Jesus’ zeal and passion is that you would know him and trust in him. He wants to make sure you see clearly who God is and how much he cares about you. He wants to make sure you can listen to and hear his Word proclaimed clearly and purely so your faith can grow. Is that your passion?
I’m sure you can think of all the times when listening to God’s Word and growing in your faith has not been a passion or maybe not even been on your mind. You and I can come up with a lot of excuses why we can’t or don’t want to hear from God. I can be passionate about a lot of things and many times God is not one of them.
But Jesus took care of that by demonstrating his passion for you. He died and rose from the dead, clearing out all the distractions and washing away your sins so you could come to him. He continues to drive away the distractions in your life so you can see God clearly, hear from him, and grow in faith. Jesus knows you need God more than anything else so he was zealous to make God known to you. He is zealous to make sure you trust in God and remain close to him forever.
April 2025
4/14
4/21
4/28
Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Does that verse excite you or defeat you?
What I mean is: when you hear that verse from Philippians and how we are to live in relationship with other people with the mindset of Jesus, does that motivate or defeat you? Do you want to go out and do it? Or do you realize pretty quickly you don’t do that all the time?
Well, to answer that, what is the mindset of Jesus on earth? It was service, wasn’t it? Jesus even said “I come to you as one who serves.” And that’s incredibly humbling to think about considering the fact Jesus is God! We and all people should serve him. He should demand 100% service from us. And yet he came to serve us and all people.
I will confess it doesn’t initially excite me. I don’t always have a servant’s mindset like Jesus. Sometimes I want people to serve my wishes and do what I want them to do. Sometimes I don’t have the desire or joy to help and serve others without expectation of reward. Sometimes there are even times people take advantage of that servant mindset for their own selfish interests.
And at the same time that is all true, Jesus still served you, and me, and all people. He served with his whole heart, soul, and mind. He did it willingly and without expectation of thanks. He did it of his own free will, without our earning or deserving it. And he served us in the most amazing way possible, by laying down his life to rescue ours for eternity.
Now through his sacrifice you GET to put on the mindset of Christ. Through the power of the Spirit in you, you get to put on Christ and live like him. You have the ability to say yes to service and no to self-centered living. You have Christ living in you because of what he did for you.
This week is Holy Week, the time we stop and remember and hear all our Savior did to save us from our sins. He came with a servant’s heart and lived a servant’s life, so you and I would be able to live like him now, and live with him forever.
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April 2025
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John 20:19-20
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Jesus knows when you need him. He knows what’s going on in your heart when you shut out everyone else. He knows what is needed and when.
Sometimes he will come to you and wake you up with his sweet, gentle voice. Other times he will send someone to do the job for him. There are other times he will just barge in, right past whatever locked door or barriers you have in your heart, because he loves you that much.
The day Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples were locked in an upper room, fearful of Jesus’ enemies, fearful they abandoned Jesus, fearful of so much. Jesus would not leave them in that uncertain, lonely, and fearful spot. He just walked into that room, passed the lock door, for one, big reason. He would drive away their fear. He would speak peace into their life and their hearts. He was alive and triumphant. Enemies did not win. Death did not prevail. He was alive and so there was nothing to fear any longer.
Jesus knew you needed his presence too, and so he just barged into your life to speak peace into your heart and life. He drove away your sin, your unbelief, and gave you the gift of salvation. That’s what Jesus has delivered to you by his resurrection from the dead.
If you find yourself in a place of fear, loneliness, or uncertainty today, then know this. That same Jesus who found you is still with you. He knows your needs and fears. He will drive them away. He has defeated your spiritual enemies and nothing they do can separate you from God. If your heart is all locked up with fear and uncertainty, be at peace. Jesus knows what you need. You need him. He’s with you and he’s going to drive it all away.
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April 2025
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Luke 24:26-27
Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
It happened just as Jesus said it would. Everything that happened during Holy Week, Jesus’ arrest, suffering, the mocking, the conviction, the crucifixion, the resurrection, yes—all of it. It all happened exactly as the Old Testament Scriptures predicted. What God promised, it happened. What God stated, was accomplished. The events of Holy Week weren’t out of control, but orchestrated by God to win salvation for his people. Everything was OK.
Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection provides us a blueprint for our own lives, too. There are plenty of experiences in life that make little sense. Sometimes things look chaotic or out of control. We can feel unsettled for any number of reasons. When that happens, look to God’s Word and the promises he spoke for you.
While the exact events of your life aren’t in there, the promises that provide comfort and strength are everywhere.
Jesus promised his people would have trouble in this world, but in the same breath he says he overcame the world.
God’s people express sorrow and regret over their sins. However, Jesus removed them as far as the east is from the west.
God promised his people are super victorious through Jesus Christ.
Nothing in all this world will be able to separate you from the love of God in Christ.
There are so many things going on in life, but God says in all things he works good for those who love him.
The promises of God are the portrait of your life, the assurance of God’s care, and the foundation in every season of life. Run to the Word and immerse yourself in his promises. Everything will be OK.
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April 2025
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3/3
Luke 6:27-28
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
God’s love is different, and because it’s different, it teaches us to love differently as well.
The way we know to love is simple: do good to those who are good to you and repay evil with evil. It comes naturally. On the playground, we take revenge on people who hurt us. We gravitate toward those who appreciate us and love those who love us. It comes easy.
God teaches us a new way, because his love is different.
God demonstrated his love for us by sacrificing his Son to pay for OUR sins. He repaid our evil with the goodness of his grace and forgiveness. He took revenge on his Son and gave us eternal life.
And where do we go from here?
Well, what does God’s love toward us prompt us to do? What does it inspire us to do? We hear God’s call and see his love in action and go out to love. We love those who we would call an enemy. We do good to those who hate us. We pray for and bless those who persecute us.
Why?
That’s how God treated us. That’s the new attitude God instilled in us when he brought us to life and faith. That’s what it means to live like God and reflect his glory in the world.
Our natural self knows an aspect of love, but God teaches us a wholly different way to love, a way that reveals God in all his glory.
March 2025
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Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The young girl hid the disaster as long as she could. She had broken a crystal vase that sat on a table in the living room. Mom always talked about how special this vase was because it belonged to her grandmother. It was precious for a variety of reasons. Now it lay in a bunch of pieces.
The young girl tried to hide it. When questioned, she lied and claimed ignorance. Finally, the truth came out. She spilled the beans about what she had done. Her mother asked her why she had lied and hidden what she had done. The little girl, through her sobs said, “I didn’t think you would love me anymore.”
Do you ever feel like that with God? Do you hold things in your heart that are really bad and feel like there is good reason for God not to love you? Maybe you look at difficult things you are going through and wonder where God is in all of it. You question whether he loves you. Those questions make sense to our natural mind. That’s what that little girl thought about her mom. Aren’t there things so bad that they would end God’s love for you?
The answer is no. Paul makes a bold statement in Romans 8 that there is absolutely nothing in all creation that can get between you and God. You are forgiven, saved, and chosen by God. He accomplished all that through Jesus your Savior.
So what things weigh on your heart? What sins trouble you? Bring them to Christ and have them forgiven. He’s already paid for them. What doubts or fears do you have about what’s going on in your life? Go to the empty tomb of Jesus. Remember what God declared about you and gave you at your baptism. You are his child, chosen and dearly loved.
There’s no need to hide the damage. There’s no reason to fear God. Nothing is going to separate you from his love.
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March 2025
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John 12: 23, 27-28
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
The cross of Jesus is God’s centerpiece on the table of time. It’s not the end of the story. You can see that by the way in which the whole Bible is structured. The Old Testament is filled with symbolism, pictures, prophecy, and messages all pointing ahead to the day the Messiah came and was lifted up on a cross. The New Testament points back to that event with preachers like Peter, Paul, and others proclaiming that event as the goal and fulfillment of Jesus’ life.
Jesus himself knew and understood that. The cross wasn’t something he wanted to avoid, nor was it defeat.
It was the goal.
It was the place where life would be won.
He didn’t ask to be saved from that moment, but rather embraced it.
Don’t think for a minute, however, that it was easy. It wasn’t. He knew the pain involved, but that wasn’t the part that troubled him. He knew what this cross meant. All the sins of the world heaped onto him and he would pay for them. He would be treated as the enemy. He would bear the punishment. But in doing so, it meant people in the world would be treated as God’s friends. People would go free and receive eternal life.
From now until April 20, Easter, take some time to thank God for the cross. Thank Jesus for his willingness to suffer and die so we might live eternally. Meditate on the sacrifice Jesus made for you. Thank you Jesus for the cross, for embracing it, enduring it, and completing God’s plan of salvation so we could have life again.
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March 2025
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Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Trusting in the Lord leads to life, especially when difficulty comes. That’s the lesson God wants to instill in us through Jeremiah’s words in chapter 17. He does that with a simple picture.
He tells the story of a tree that sunk its roots deep into the ground. That paid off because of the inevitable things coming in the future, heat and drought. When those seasons hit, one normally dangerous for a tree, the tree not only survived, it thrived even in the harshest of conditions. The reason? It had tapped into an ever-present source of life from the water deep in the ground.
You are that tree and you will be ready for harsh and difficult seasons of your life when you trust in the Lord. Trusting in the Lord taps you into an ever-present source of God’s life, power, and strength. Difficult and harsh seasons of life will come. That’s inevitable. However, God’s life and power gives you the ability not simply to survive them, but rather to thrive in them.
Trusting in God and his powerful Word prepares you to praise and glorify God and produce goodness even when under pressure not to do that. Trusting in God gives strength to stand strong when the peer pressure of the world heats up.
Cling in faith to your God because he is your ever-present source of life for every season of life, especially the hard ones.
3/3
March 2025
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1 Thessalonians 2:20
Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
There are many people I have served as a pastor over the last 17 years who fill my heart with joy, more than I can count.
One who sticks out in my memory is a believer named Paula, who is now in heaven. Paula came to my church years ago and she wore her faith on her sleeve. As people came into the church, she was ready with hugs. She wanted to know about your week and how you were doing. She loved the Word. She was always in the front row at Bible study with her husband, eager to listen, learn, and grow. She was one of many people who always lifted my heart and filled my ministry with joy. God took her home to heaven much sooner than I and many other people wanted, but her memory still brings me joy.
Paul thought of the Thessalonians in that way. They brought him great joy, a group of people who latched onto God’s Word, believed it, and wanted to grow in faith even though they only were able to spend three and a half weeks with Paul. The people Paul served gave him great joy because he had been used by Jesus as the instrument to bring them to faith and someday to glory.
I have been writing these weekly devotions since September 2018 and I want you all to know that I feel the same about you as Paul did about the Thessalonians. It is truly a humbling and amazing thing to realize God is using me and his Word I share with you to grow your faith and discipleship. Some of you are close by and others are far away. Some of you are part of my congregation and some are not. But none of that matters, because I know God is using his Word to do great things in your life wherever you are.
I pray God continues to draw you closer to himself through his Word I am privileged to share with you. Thank you!
3/3
March 2025
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2/3
Jonah 1:1-3
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.
Jonah was an Israelite prophet. He was a believer. He was proud of his people, his nation, and his God. He also did NOT want to share the Word of God with the people of Nineveh. They were unbelievers. They were Gentiles, not Jews. They were evil. Why would God want his Word preached to them? Why would God command him to do that? And because he disagreed with God, he ran away from God.
But Jonah was asking the wrong question.
The real question is, “Why would God want his Word preached to any of us?”
When the question is framed that way, well then it adds a whole new dimension to God’s grace and the salvation we’ve received.
The truth is nobody deserves God’s grace. Nobody has earned it. Instead, we’ve all done everything possible not to earn or deserve it. And yet, here we are today, believers in the Lord in spite of all that. The salvation we have from God is a pure gift, completely, and totally undeserved. Salvation is also not just for a few. It’s for all and that message needs to get out.
God eventually brought Jonah to that understanding. He took the Word to the Ninevites and they were saved. Praise the Lord for his unrelenting love for Jonah.
What about us? What people do we think are not worthy of God’s salvation? What groups will we not share the gospel with? What times have you said “No” to God’s command to spread the Word to all?
Dear friend, loved unconditionally by God, shake off that Jonah attitude and take the Word out. All need to hear it and believe it.
February 2025
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Jeremiah 1:7-8
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
There are some things in life you are too young to do. Do you remember that when you were younger? Remember being told “you’re too young for _____ or to do _____?” Doesn’t it hurt to know you’re too young to do something you really want to do?
But did you know there is one thing you’re never too young to do?
That’s right. Serving and glorifying God has no age requirement. It has no age restrictions. In fact, you can glorify God at any age.
Jeremiah the prophet found that out when God called him to ministry. Jeremiah was scared to preach to the people of Israel. He was scared of the reaction and because he had no experience. By all accounts, Jeremiah was a teenager when God called him to preach. But God knew age and any other excuse Jeremiah had would be blown away by God’s promise of his presence and the fact God had appointed Jeremiah to do this. Age wasn’t a reason not to glorify God. God would overcome any perceived obstacle to unleash Jeremiah as a representative for his kingdom.
There is also no hurdle in the way of you serving, worshiping, and glorifying God in your life. Maybe your excuse isn’t age anymore. It could be inexperience or fear or inability or something else.
But guess what? God has appointed you too.
He has appointed you long before the world began to be his representative and be in his kingdom. He made that happen when he called you to faith and infused you with the Holy Spirit. He set you apart for the purpose of glorifying his name and singing his praise through your words and actions. That’s no small thing God has called and equipped you to do.
No excuses! God has called you to bring him glory through your life.
2/3
February 2025
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Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
I learned about friction pens a few years ago. I had never heard of these things. However, they are really neat. Friction pens write like any other pen. However, if you rub the top of the pen against the ink, the ink disappears. You can erase the ink! What’s even cooler is that you can do the same thing with a flame. Write with the pen on paper and then hold a flame under the paper, far enough away it doesn’t burn the paper but close enough for the heat to hit the paper. Then watch as the ink disappears. It’s like it was never there. That pen is pretty cool.
God has something like that for your sin. It’s a sacrifice made by your Savior. In Isaiah 6, we hear about God’s call to Isaiah to enter the ministry. Isaiah was noticeably and understandably upset because when his life was face-to-face with God’s holiness he realized very quickly how imperfect and sinful he was. But God had a solution, a burning coal from the altar was applied to Isaiah and all his impurity was washed away. A sacrifice had been made for Isaiah to cleanse him of all his sin. He was now forgiven and righteous before God.
God has done the same thing for you through Jesus your Savior. Yes, your sin is great, but God’s forgiveness and Jesus’ sacrifice is greater. His sacrifice had burned away all the sin in your life and so it’s as if it never existed. God doesn’t see it because Jesus took care of it. Your sin is gone. Forgiven. That’s pretty cool.
2/3
February 2025
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Luke 6:36
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
The other day I was scraping off my car windows, preparing to take my children to school when all of a sudden a weasel-like creature ran under my car, across the street and down the road. Boy, was I surprised. What in the world was that thing?
My wife and I investigated and found out it was a mink. I had only heard about those things in American history textbooks. I had never seen one in real life. They exist! They exist in my neighborhood. What a surprise at 7:45 a.m. on a Thursday.
Does it surprise you when Jesus says in Luke 6:36, “Your Father is merciful?” Maybe you think that shouldn’t surprise you or it isn’t a surprise to you. But then again, maybe it does surprise you.
It might surprise you because of the many times in your life you thought, this isn’t fair. I don’t deserve this right now. What is God doing that this would be allowed to come into my life? There’s no way God is going to love me or forgive me after I ask for repentance for this particular sin for the umpteenth-millionth time! So maybe it’s a surprise to hear that God is merciful.
But that’s just who he is.
Or maybe you think so little of yourself and your life and your actions that to hear “God is merciful” is a huge surprise because you assume God isn’t. God doesn’t care for you or about you. God is disappointed in your life and what you have or haven’t done during it. Well, here’s good news: Surprise! Your Heavenly Father is merciful. That’s his nature. That’s what he does.
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