Category Archives: 2014 Devotions

Isaiah 26:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2; John 8:12-19 Decades ago, I visited the exhibit of one of the great archeological discoveries of the previous century: King Tut’s tomb. On display was great wealth, including a gold covered sarcophagus, in which was … Continue reading →

Isaiah 25:1-9; Revelation 1:9-20; John 7:53-8:11 Even as the people of old used to come to the temple and be taught by Jesus, day after day we have come here this year to look into the word of God together. … Continue reading →

Isaiah 12:1-6; Revelation 1:1-8; John 7:37-52 Isaiah tells us that he had done wrong, sinned, and that it angered God but that in his great mercy he comforted (forgave) Isaiah. He then announced that he placed his trust in the … Continue reading →

Matthew 18:1-14 Christmas Day is past. Gifts are opened, festivities done, and Christmas/Easter Christians are gone again until spring. Or are they? Some years ago, there was a young girl whose father was inactive in church. They rarely attended worship. … Continue reading →

1 John 5:1-12 Listen to a discussion about Athanasius, and you are likely to hear the saint described as having been contra mundum: against the world. Listen long enough, and those Latin words will become cinched together with his name: … Continue reading →

2 Chronicles 24:17-22; Acts 6:1-7; Acts 7:59-8:8 Joash rejected the prophet Zechariah’s admonitions, favoring instead courtly sycophants, and finally killing the Lord’s prophet. As the early church was increasing in size, some of the people wanted a church leadership that … Continue reading →

John 3:31-36 Despite efforts by many businesses to reduce Christmas to a prime commercial time of the year, and despite the robust effort that some groups undertake to remove the name of Jesus Christ from Christmas and turn Christmas into a “generic” … Continue reading →

Isaiah 29:9-24; Revelation 21:9-21; Luke 1:26-38 One of the most beautiful scenes of the church is found on Christmas Eve. Most sanctuaries are lovely on their own. Add some red poinsettias and the warm glow of candles held in the … Continue reading →

Luke 1:5-25 When God told Zachariah and Elizabeth of the impending birth, they were stunned. She who was barren will give birth. The Lord worked a miracle when John the Baptist was conceived. He worked another miracle when a teenage … Continue reading →

Isaiah 11:10-16; Revelation 20:1-10; John 5:30-47 Sir Walter Raleigh was a man who had earned much—and lost much. But he never lost one thing he had: a free gift that he never earned. Eventually, Raleigh fell out of favor with Queen … Continue reading →