Mladen Jovanovic is my friend who preaches for a church in Zagreb, Croatia, which was a center for benevolent work during the years of conflict between Serbians and Croatians. They resolved not to throw food to people out of the back of trucks, but to interview each recipient and listen carefully to each story. They […]
Archive | Devotionals
Complaint Department – Philippians 2:14-16
What do you do when you don’t like the way things are going? If you’re in charge, you may be able to make a change, but what if you’re not in charge? What if the situation is totally out of your hands, as it often is? Eder Rojas, 19, was a flight attendant for Compass […]
Waiting on the Lord, and Waiting, and Waiting – Isaiah 40:31
Walter Houston was a devoted Christian who died at age 91. He had been waiting on the Lord to give him clear direction about what to do with his life for 70 years. His wife in Tupelo, Mississippi, said, “He hung around the house and prayed a lot, but just never got that confirmation. Sometimes […]
Up, Up and Away! – Luke 9:23-25
Ewa Wisnerska, a German paraglider, was preparing in Australia for the February 2007 world championship competition. She was flying around a rapidly developing storm front and was being tracked by her personal GPS and computer, when her greatest adventure began. She was swept up, up and away! Trapped in the merger of two storm cells, she […]
Watch With Me – Matthew 26:38
When I visited the Christian school where both my grandsons attend, I got to visit with the high school boys’ Bible teacher in his classroom. He is John Wetteland, best known as MVP in the 1996 World Series as closing pitcher for the Yankees, who pitched for the Rangers through 2000. He told my daughter […]
High Hopes – Hebrews 6:19
London floor-fitter Lefkos Hajji planned to propose to his sweetheart Leanne on March 14, 2008. He wanted to get the moment exactly right, but it went terribly wrong. He concealed a $12,000 ring in a helium balloon with a plan to give her a pin to pop the balloon as he popped the question. It […]
Location, Location, Location! – Matthew 7:24-27
You’ve heard the old real estate rule about location. The Selken family thought they had the ideal location for their home near Shirley, Arkansas. Tonya was very careful to choose the best two of her grandfather’s 210 acres, not just for the incredible scenery, but also for protection from tornadoes. During 60 years of property […]
Practical Christianity with a Capital P – James
The New Testament book of James is poignant. Convicting. Very, very practical! Only 5 short chapters with 108 verses, but it contains 54 imperatives, one for every 2 verses. Described as a series of pearls on a string, it does not flow with neat transitions, but it does encourage and challenge. For this devotional, I am […]
Acting on Acts – Acts 1-16
The fifth book of the New Testament does more than record the “Acts of the Apostles.” Luke’s spotlight really only shines on two of the apostles, Peter and Paul, but he focuses more on the Holy Spirit and His actions in the early church. A recent reading of the book brought several lessons to my […]
When is Amazing Grace Not Amazing? – 2 Corinthians 9:15
The NFL star that lost his shine, Michael Vick, was serving a 23-month prison sentence for bankrolling a dogfighting operation. He was once one of the highest paid players in the NFL as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, but in July 2008 he filed for bankruptcy, claiming $16 million in assets and $20 million in debts. […]