[Notice: Pause alert - see details in the footnotes.] ~ What does it mean to be the hands and feet of Jesus?When I ask that question, what first comes to mind? Do you think about praying, feeding the poor, going to church, or loving your neighbour? Those are all good things. But I recently came across … Continue reading What happened to the hands and feet of Jesus
Pleas for mercy—with fasting
While reading the prophet Jeremiah, Daniel came across a very important detail. The exile of his people was about to come to an end.In response, this is what he did: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).This … Continue reading Pleas for mercy—with fasting
The right attitude in prayer
In Daniel 9:18-19, this inspiring man of single solitary devotion gives us an example of the ideal attitude we should have in prayer.This is what he says: “For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay … Continue reading The right attitude in prayer
The words of men are unstable things
Promises shape the character and direction of our lives.Some promises are small. “I’ll pick you up after soccer practice, I promise.” Others are big, like the ones people say during wedding ceremonies. “For better, for worse, in sickness, and in health…”However, over time it is easy to get cynical about promises. We sometimes hear campaign … Continue reading The words of men are unstable things
How to avoid God (by C.S. Lewis)
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).In an essay in 1963, literary critic and author C.S. Lewis said something about how to avoid God:“Avoid silence, avoid solitude, avoid any train of thought that leads off the beaten track. Concentrate on money, sex, status, health and (above all) your own grievances. Keep the … Continue reading How to avoid God (by C.S. Lewis)
Faithful and true, no matter what
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).In the previous devotional we asked how Daniel was able to manage all of that hardship.He was sent into exile as a young man. He had most of what he had known and loved taken from him. He was forced to … Continue reading Faithful and true, no matter what
Prayer and perseverance
Lately, we’ve been spending time studying Daniel.Over the past few weeks, we have considered all the difficulty he had gone through. As a teenager, he was taken captive to serve in a foreign land. His home was most likely burned. Many of his family members and friends would have been killed. He was probably castrated … Continue reading Prayer and perseverance
The epicentre of the war in the world
John Eldredge is an author and therapist. Recently in an interview he said: “The war for the human heart is the epicentre of the war in the world.”*That made me stop and think. I hope it makes you stop and think as well.First, it reminds us that there is in fact a war for the … Continue reading The epicentre of the war in the world
What God is doing in you, not just around you
Xu Yonghai was imprisoned in China because he was working for the legalization of house churches. Here in North America we might take this sort of thing for granted. But over there it is very serious (and dangerous) business. Not only was he imprisoned, but he was sentenced to be executed. His last stop was a … Continue reading What God is doing in you, not just around you
The psalms and the personal voice of Christ
Have you ever wondered what the voice of Jesus must have sounded like?Jesus would have spoken Aramaic. He would have known Hebrew and Greek as well. As a boy he would have received the standard education for his day, been raised in the synagogue, and learned the language of commerce when apprenticing under Joseph.Unfortunately, we … Continue reading The psalms and the personal voice of Christ
