“pray without ceasing…” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV) It’s a disturbing time. Unsettling. Russia has attacked Ukraine. This is serious stuff. Last evening our congregation had a call to prayer at 7:15 p.m. I know that many of you have been praying as well—and “without ceasing,” as Paul says. My friend Winston Newman says that “Hardship … Continue reading An opportunity to trust God
Tears have a way of bringing clarity
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” (Psalm 126:5). The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan is the best-selling English devotional book of all time outside of the Bible. It’s an allegory of the Christian life. The main character, Christian, decides to leave the City of Destruction and experiences all sorts of ups, … Continue reading Tears have a way of bringing clarity
When we know the stakes are high
After the disciples saw Jesus cleanse the temple, they remembered that it was written: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:17). What words do we associate with Jesus? Loving, truthful, holy, powerful, or forgiving? What about zeal? If we want to be “like Jesus,” shouldn’t then zeal be a part of our lives … Continue reading When we know the stakes are high
Ritual or relationship?
“Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” [Jesus said] His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:16-17). Jesus had zeal. But what is it? Is it emotionalism? Unbridled fervor? Extremism? No, no, and no. Zeal is a deep and abiding passion and concern for the things … Continue reading Ritual or relationship?
An anchored identity
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12). In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl reflects on what he learned about identity while suffering through a Nazi concentration camp: “The majority of prisoners suffered from a kind … Continue reading An anchored identity
Discuss your priorities
If you’re reading or listening to this, you’re probably someone who values priorities. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be subscribed to a devotional which is dedicated to keeping our focus on God. The greatest command is an articulation of priorities: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?... The Lord our God, the Lord is one. … Continue reading Discuss your priorities
The source and security of your dignity
These days a lot of people are on shaky mental-emotional ground. I recently heard the phrase ‘the spiral of exhaustion.’ Here’s a part of my concern: When we are exhausted, we start to doubt ourselves; we start to question who we are; and we are more susceptible to untruth. You make a mistake and then … Continue reading The source and security of your dignity
The word you should say when you look in the mirror
To the Ephesians, Paul writes: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). Do you notice the irony? He tells them to live a worthy life while he himself is in prison. In many people’s eyes, Paul was living a … Continue reading The word you should say when you look in the mirror
Disgrace, dignity and wine
John 2:6-7: “Nearby stood six stone water jars… each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.” One of Jesus’ most popular miracles is turning water into wine. We like a party, don’t we! And it’s not like it was … Continue reading Disgrace, dignity and wine
The fresh air of friendship
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). Glenn Peterson is the President and Superintendent of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada. Recently he said, “You can never have enough kingdom friends.” Isn’t that the truth! In a world with a lot of isolation and … Continue reading The fresh air of friendship
