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I recommend any books I put here because they have helped me grow stronger. In the interest of full disclosure, I would get a small commission if you bought this. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself
Monthly Archives: December 2016
Taking a Break…
Greetings folks! I am taking a break from writing the devotionals until January 1. I will be traveling and my schedule will make it difficult to keep up with the writing. I need to relax and retool during this time. … Continue reading
Posted in Administrative Issues
Tagged break, devotionals, new start, New Year, rest, travel, vacation
December 25 – The Message of Christmas
Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-14 Christmas Day has rolled around again. It’s easy to get caught up in the shopping, traveling, cooking and baking, and all the peripherals of things we do at Christmas time that we … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged baby Jesus, baking, born in a stable, Christmas, Christmas Day, Christmas Shopping, Christmas story, Cross, Forgiveness, gospel, Grace, Immanuel, Keep Christ in Christmas, lain in a manger, love, mercy, power over sin, purification for sins, real meaning of Christmas, Take Christ out of Christmas, traveling, War on Christmas, year round
December 24 – Sacrifice
Luke 1:46b-55; Micah 6:6-8; Hebrews 10:5-10 Alfred Vanderbilt was a member of THAT Vanderbilt family. He lived a life of luxury and ease. He was so wealthy that he was scheduled to be a passenger on the Titanic. He cancelled … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged Alfred Vanderbilt, animal sacrifice, broken and contrite heart, faith, following the Law, Forgiveness, God sacrificed for us, Grace, Hebrews, help others, human sacrifice, Judaism, life belts, life boats, Lusitania, luxury, money, offerings, religion, sacrifice, special gifts, Temple, time, Titanic, Vanderbilt family
December 23 – Answered Prayer
Psalm 113; Isaiah 42:14-21; Luke 1:5-25 If you read tales from the mission field you will hear of answered prayers again and again. Whether it’s a miraculous provision of food or supplies, protection from hostile inhabitants of the land, or … Continue reading
December 22 – Endure Now for the Future Glory
Psalm 113; Genesis 30:1-24; Romans 8:18-30 The story of the ant and the grasshopper is an interesting story. In the original fable by Aesop, the ant works hard gathering and storing food while the grasshopper refuses to work and plays … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged Aesop's Fables, ant, beatings, Christians, destructive, disowned, endure, future, give up, glory, God's love, Grace, grasshopper, hardships, imprisonments, left for dead, lifestyle, lost jobs, mercy, Paul, play, relationship with Christ, Romans, summer, walking with God, winter, work, worldly pleasures
December 21 – Reconciliation
Psalm 113; Genesis 25:19-28; Colossians 1:15-20 Hollywood seems to enjoy those movies where people switch bodies. A kid playing an adult, an adult playing a kid, or one gender playing another all become plot devices that can be used for … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged big, burdensome, Christians, Christmas, Cross, fellowship with God, fullness, God, Hollywood, incarnation, Israel, Jews, Law, peace through His blood, Pharisees, reconciliation, Sadducees, strict taskmaster, switch bodies, Tom Hanks
December 19 – Advance!
Psalm 80:1-7; Isaiah 42:10-18; Hebrews 10:32-39 The Battle of Chancellorsville was one of those pivotal battles in the American Civil War that changed the course of the war. General Joseph Hooker had replaced Gen Burnside. He had spent the winter … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged advance, afraid of losing, American Civil War, Battle of Chancellorsville, Christians, Civil War, Confederacy, coworkers, destroyed, faith, family, Forgiveness, friends, General Joseph Hooker, General Lee, General Robert E Lee, Grace, Hebrews, Hooker, losing battles, mercy, Neighbors, restored relationship with God, retreat, saved, shrink back, sinless perfection, timidity, Union
December 18 – God in the Ordinary
Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80:1-7; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-55 In a small town in Indiana in 1954 a coach with a past that probably doesn’t fit the pedigree of most successful coaches took a team to the state championships. He had … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged 1954, agent of creation, ancient times, beginning, Bethlehem, David, Elijah, glory and splendor, heir to the throne, Herod, Hoosiers, Indiana, Jerusalem, Jesus, King of Israel, magi, messiah, Micah, Milam, ordinary, religious leaders, Scribes, state championship, temptation from Satan
December 17 – Sorry
Psalm 80:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 10:10-18 An executive wrote about a problem she had: she apologized too much. You’ve probably known people like this. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, but can I ask you a question?” “You don’t need … Continue reading
Posted in Devotional Thoughts
Tagged apologies, confession, Cross, follow Christ, Forgiveness, forgotten, Grace, high standards, I'm sorry, lawless acts, Martin Luther, mercy, new covenant, offended, over apologize, overwhelmed by sin, sacrifice, sinfulness, sins
