Posts with the category “daily-devotionals”

Today, as you read this short devotional, I would like to encourage you to center your thoughts around one of the central themes of Christianity…forgiveness.  It is our privilege each week to gather f...  Read More

When I read this it reminded me of Satan in the garden when he said to Adam, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?...You will not surely die.” Satan’s ways haven’t chan...  Read More

If you could be any animal you wanted to be, which one would you choose?  I’ve always thought it would be fun to be a dolphin.  They seem happy and playful.  Plus I love the ocean.  But if I could be ...  Read More

Here we see a command and a promise from God regarding the tithing by Israel of their harvest. In ancient Israel it was commanded to tithe, or give a tenth of your harvest to the storehouse, also know...  Read More

The first time I flew by myself was almost disastrous.I was just shy of 15 years old, flying from my home in Dallas to Erie, PA, where I’d catch a ride to a Christian boys’ leadership training camp in...  Read More

In the age of streaming EVERYTHING, most of our music is now listened to on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or Pandora. With that, we have lost the ancient art of making mixed tapes. Today, while...  Read More

Have you ever picked berries from the vine?  You gently, carefully pluck the juicy berry from the vine taking care to not get scratched by the prickly thorns.  You pop the berry in your mouth and tast...  Read More

Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘fool’ as “a person lacking in judgment or prudence.”Did you know the Bible has a lot to say about a fool? No one wants to be called a fool, yet many of our behaviors are ...  Read More

In 2010 I began a renewal. I have had several of these significant periods. It always means I have to start doing something different. It does not mean what I was doing was bad, more that it was time ...  Read More

We do have a great cloud of witnesses who have walked in Christlike endurance. One of those witnesses is Job. Here was a man who lost not one but ten children. He lost all his wealth and his workers. ...  Read More

This past week I finished reading through the Gospel of John.  I was impressed at how many times Jesus made statements that He was doing what His Father does.  He declared to the religious leaders tha...  Read More

Can you remember a time when you were a child and your parents disciplined you for doing something wrong?  For most of us, that would be a long list.  My mom was a softie when it came to discipline, b...  Read More

If you had to pick the darkest day of the year, spiritually speaking what would it be? For me, I would say October 31st, All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, as we know it would be a top contender. It is th...  Read More

The question often arises this time of year: “What has magic to do with Scripture?” The answer is... complicated. On the one hand, I have no objection to the Disney-esque “pixie-dust” magic common in ...  Read More

I totally believe in the power of prayer. And even when I don't get an answer or don't get the answer I want, I know the Lord listens to me when I pray. That being said, there are days that I fret and...  Read More

Recently, we’ve had several game nights planned at our church. Regarding games, it would be awesome to have access to “power-ups” in life, similar to those found in video games. A good power-up can co...  Read More

Planes, trains, bicycles, automobiles, golf carts, cable cars... So many ways to get from one place to another.  Big cities have subways that speed you to your destination. There are even underwater s...  Read More

What makes you angry? For me it’s being disrespected and seeing weak people bullied. I never got in a fight in school (I was big), but I came closest when I was sticking up for a little guy getting pi...  Read More

I have spoken often of the relationship between Lynn and me, which began in February 1967. There were many things which bound us together: our romantic love, college classes, Fresno State sports, humo...  Read More

Under the cruel Roman Empire of the first century AD some who committed a crime, depending on their social status, could be fined, disgraced publicly, enslaved, or banished. Sometimes they were shackl...  Read More

I often think back through the years to an event that took place the summer following my graduation from High School.  I was at a church summer camp up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of Oroville,...  Read More

Here in 1 John we see a verse that looks very similar to John 3:16. A summing up if you will of God’s salvation plan for us. However, this passage differs a little in that it focuses more on the love ...  Read More

When I tell people that I work with junior highers, I usually get a quizzical look. Even for people who like spending time around children, that wonderfully awkward age of 12–14 is rarely their first ...  Read More

In the Old Covenant, the temple in Jerusalem had a veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place – the Holy of Holies.  I always thought the veil simply represented the holiness of God.  He ...  Read More

When I read this verse I thought of a situation in my life that at times I wonder if the Lord understands my grief and if He really has control over making things right for those I love. But here the ...  Read More

Raising teenagers can be disheartening.  One-minute parents are amazed and hopeful as they see their teens act responsibly.  The next minute their hopes are dashed as they see them do or say something...  Read More

I remember a time when my grandmother hated video games. She’d say things like, “They’re destroying our young kids' minds.” To which I’d laugh and just say, “Oh silly grandma!” But today, I’m starting...  Read More

Do you pray before you eat, thanking God for the food and asking Him to nourish your body? When I was growing up, my parents taught us a prayer they wanted us all to say together before our evening me...  Read More

There are a lot of nice places to live in Fresno. The area Lynn and I came to love the most, early on in our lives together, is the Old Fig Garden community. It is a county island, caught in the middl...  Read More

In ancient times it was routine for a Roman soldier to demand a civilian—especially a Jewish male—to carry his load for up to a Roman mile—actually a distance of 1,000 paces (in Latin: mille passus), ...  Read More

As I go through life, I find that it is always important to express to the Lord my thankfulness and love for Him.  It is easy to take for granted the things God is doing.  Busyness often draws my atte...  Read More

One of the books that is often neglected in the Old Testament is Haggai—named after the prophet who lived in the sixth century B.C. Haggai ministered during the period after the Babylonian exile when ...  Read More

This verse is the end of a parable in which Jesus is telling his disciples about watching for the return of the Master, alluding to His return, Jesus’ second coming. We are reminded here to be ever-wa...  Read More

I had the privilege of helping lead a team of around thirty high school students this past July as we served in Baja California, Mexico. One of the most impactful parts of the trip was working with an...  Read More

This was part of the message from the Lord that Nathan the prophet spoke to King David when David sinned by having Uriah the Hittite killed and taking his wife Bathsheba.In 2 Samuel 7 the Lord tells D...  Read More

“What is that noise?”  My daughter was driving when the noise became more clear. “Meow!” over and over again. She pulled her car over to investigate, popped the hood up, and peered inside. There was a...  Read More

Every now and then I just feel the need to unplug. I started thinking much more about that word and the other places and times it’s used. I began realizing that often when I need to unplug something i...  Read More

When it came time for Jenn and I to start having babies, I have to admit, I didn’t know a lot about them…and frankly, I didn’t like them very much. All they do is eat and poop…then they start crying a...  Read More

Lynn and I both lived at home all our lives until we were married at 22 years old. Our first place was modest, but we were thrilled! Our own address! Our own phone number! It was in Harvard Arms Apart...  Read More

In the late 1800s, the three founders of The Gideons International sought to meet a need among their peers. They wanted to create an Association for Christian traveling men to identify  and support ea...  Read More