Posts with the category “daily-devotionals”

Through over 46 years of ministry God has brought special people into my life and they have been a great blessing to me. The Apostle Paul thanks the Lord for the Thessalonians who were a blessing in h...  Read More

In college some of my friends nicknamed me “the seeker.” At the time I wasn’t a Christian, and even though I didn’t realize it I was searching for something missing in my life. That’s why I joined the...  Read More

Nehemiah prayed this to the Lord after King Artaxerxies allowed him to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild. While there he made reforms in the temple, he made reforms to re-establish the Sabbath, he made ...  Read More

It has always struck me as odd that the day after Thanksgiving, a day set aside to be thankful for all the things we do have, is regarded as the biggest shopping day of the year. We spend a day reflec...  Read More

On this very day 78 years ago, a British ship named the SS Benlomond sunk in the South Atlantic. At 2:10pm the Benlomond was spotted by the German submarine U-172. The U-boat fired two torpedoes at th...  Read More

Am I the only one who thought Smarties candy would actually make you smart? I remember being 6 years old thinking I'd only need to take a Smartie a day ("Rockets" for Pastor Jim) and I'll be smart in ...  Read More

Friends, what would you say is one of the clear distinguishing differences between saints and sinners, beyond being magnificently pardoned? It is that we get to live with a distinct Divine purpose. Be...  Read More

As I read Hebrews 10:24-25 a word jumps out at me…consider. I need to consider what? Reading on, more direction is given. I need to consider how to stir up love and good works towards others. I get it...  Read More

We ask God for many things in this life.We want cars and money and health and security and a husband or a wife and comfort and happiness and children and politicians and a career and…Those are not bad...  Read More

I  am reminded today of the many wonderful passages in the Bible showing how accessible our great God is: * God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). * . . . the nea...  Read More

I am always amazed at the Lord’s thoughts of love toward each of us. This side of heaven I don’t think we will ever fully understand. It is a love that values us with the very life of His Son that He ...  Read More

When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river and entered the promised land, they encamped near the city of Jericho. Tensions were high as the people prepared for their first battle with the Canaanites...  Read More

I find it amazing that after the people of Israel had been taken captive to Babylon and the house of God burned, the walls broken down, the palaces burned and all its precious possessions, that it was...  Read More

I think of this verse in light of our nation’s recent election for President and am reminded that I am first and foremost a citizen of Heaven! Many people these days are now dealing with election resu...  Read More

Even if you are not a list person and like to be completely spontaneous (I can’t even imagine such a life!), I still think it is important for all of us to prayerfully and carefully outline and priori...  Read More

When I think of this verse, I think of chocolate covered pretzels. Trust me, it makes sense…I love chocolate covered pretzels. I don’t really know why (other than the fact that they are simply amazing...  Read More

This charge given to Christ’s disciples is so inspiring. He starts out commanding his disciples to love one another and then gives a description of the ultimate expression of love…to give your life fo...  Read More

God is still seated on the throne.It doesn’t matter who is in the Oval Office because God is still seated on the throne.Some people vote while others choose not to, and after all is said and done it d...  Read More

I recently read a touching eulogy as a friend spoke of the deceased as a man “on a mission to go from his best interpretation of what the Bible says to his best imitation of how Jesus lived.” Oh, how ...  Read More

As I look at our world today, it seems that it is coming unraveled. All that we have depended on humanly in the past has been shaken. I realize over the past months how much this has affected me. We a...  Read More

This exhortation comes in a passage when David is charging his son Solomon with instruction on building the temple. Knowing that God had ordained Solomon to build the temple, like a good father David ...  Read More

Some people think the will of God is mysterious and enigmatic – hard to understand.  But this passage makes it crystal clear.  While there are puzzling questions in life that require patience and wisd...  Read More

In his Gospel, Luke records what happened when the people saw the power of God demonstrated before their eyes. Pastor Jon calls them “God-sightings” and “God-moments.” They can be amazing spiritual vi...  Read More

In Proverbs 16:4 we are reminded that the Lord has made “everything” for its own purpose. Might that also include each of us? Let’s rehearse a few of our purposes for being alive today: • “I am a Belo...  Read More

I’ve never been in a fight. I’ve “fought” with others, but never a real, true come-to-blows fight. I have been punched in the face, but the punch was delivered by my best friend. It wasn’t supposed to...  Read More

I wonder if God grades on a curve.I wonder if the Lord is more interested in our efforts than he is in seeing our monthly results.Yes, I wonder…Human beings are drowning in numbers and stats and quart...  Read More

Does He still see me?This is such a significant question that I’ve asked so many times in my years of faith-walk with Jesus, and can only imagine how many of us are also asking this same question now....  Read More

What timely hope there is in this promise from God! This is the road map for how to heal our broken and sinful land. It is so simple, and yet it is also difficult for us at the same time. You see, God...  Read More

I have little doubt that if you've been following Christ for a significant amount of time that you've seen this verse before. It appears on cards, Bible journals, jewelry, and you may even have it han...  Read More

As I reflect on these verses my mind rushes to a special memory of a dear old friend, John Fischer, singing a song he wrote when we were both starting in the ministry. It is called the All Day Song. P...  Read More

One of my favorite scenes in John Bunyan’s classic work The Pilgrim’s Progress is when the main character – Christian – spends time in the house of Interpreter.  Interpreter (who represents the Holy S...  Read More

Do they sound the same? This was the word of the LORD spoken to Solomon at two different times. The first was when Solomon became king of Israel and the LORD said to him "Ask!, What shall I give you?"...  Read More

Though this verse is talking about finances, I think there is a greater inheritance that God’s people can leave behind than just a financial one. We can leave behind an inheritance of a life lived in ...  Read More

As most of you know, I grew up on a farm in northern California. Our family farm was just 18 miles north of Chico in the northern part of the Sacramento valley. My parents moved to the farm in Decembe...  Read More

One day I pulled out my Betty Crocker Cookbook. I took off the thick rubber band that held all the pages together. A couple pages floated to the floor. It is worn, torn, and stained. It contains all m...  Read More

Forever is an interesting word. In fact, I'd say it's one of the most used, least understood words in our language. It's telling when we use phrases like, "best friend forever" or "I haven't seen you ...  Read More

This is a powerful verse, a convicting verse, and the answer to anyone who asks, “Do I need a savior?” The answer to that question is of course a very solid YES. The great equalizer among humans is th...  Read More

Today my son Micaiah turns 3 years old. He is our youngest child; we also have a daughter named Mikayla who is 5 and a daughter named Melina who is 7. My children all continue to grow (despite my clea...  Read More

I don’t ever want to be crucified. I don’t want to die that way. I can’t think of a more exCRUCiating way to die than that.I don’t want to be burned in a fire or drown in water, either. No thank you. ...  Read More

Growing up I wanted to be a singer. The only problem: I didn’t sing well. In my last years of high school, I considered pursuing a career in law. In my first year of college I believed I was headed to...  Read More