Posts with the category “spring-2024”

The Devo is on Break!Our summer series, On the Road Again, begins Sunday, June 2. The devo will resume on Monday, June 3. Watch this space for the next entry as we venture back in the Gospel According...  Read More

DAY 25 - The PursuerPsalm 23:6The Lord provides, guides, protects, and honors his people. Last of all, we read that God PURSUES us. “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my lif...  Read More

DAY 24 - The Banquet HostPsalm 23:5Suddenly, the image changes in v.5. God the shepherd becomes a banquet host who HONORS his people. God provides, guides, protects, and honors his people. Imagine bei...  Read More

DAY 23 - Shepherds GuidePsalm 23:3“The LORD is my shepherd…”What else does a shepherd do? A shepherd GUIDES his flock. V.3, “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” The psalmist knows...  Read More

DAY 22 - Shepherds ProvidePsalm 23:1-3 “The LORD is my shepherd…”Shepherding livestock was a common sight in ancient Israel (and still visible there today). If it’s true that the Lord is my shepherd, ...  Read More

DAY 21 - The Lord is My ShepherdPsalm 23Trust is the foundation of all relationships, even our relationship with God. “I trust you” is a prayer in many of the psalms. It’s most obvious in the most fam...  Read More

DAY 20 - Divine ReadingPsalm 1 How do we meditate like Psalm 1 encourages?One of the best - and easiest - ways I’ve found is called lectio divina. It’s an old Latin phrase that means “divine reading.”...  Read More

DAY 19 - Thinking With to Talk ToPsalm 119:9-16 What’s the connection between thinking ABOUT and talking TO God?Psalm 1 and others, like Psalm 119, encourage us to meditate on God’s word. Biblical med...  Read More

DAY 18 - MeditationPsalm 1:1-2What’s the key difference between these two ways of life in Psalm 1? The blessed person “delights in the law of the LORD, and meditates on it day and night.” One rejoices...  Read More

DAY 17 - Rooted or Rootless?Psalm 1:1-4We need to consider both what Psalm 1 says and what it does. First, what does Psalm 1 say? Psalm 1 is all about what it means to be blessed. Blessing is another ...  Read More

DAY 16 - Let Me Think About ItPsalm 1We’re looking at the Psalms to help us pray with wisdom and honesty. We’re calling this unique book of the Bible “a prayer soundtrack” for two reasons. First, the ...  Read More

DAY 15 - Think to Thank, Pt 2Psalm 107:42-43 Yesterday we said, “The more you think, the more you’ll thank.” We were encouraged to think about our own history with God.Psalm 107 isn’t just a song abou...  Read More

DAY 14 - Think to Thank, Pt 1Psalm 107:42-43 How does Psalm 107 help us to pray?The answer is in v.42-43. V.42 says, “The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.” You always wan...  Read More

DAY 13 - Our StoryPsalm 107:10-22 Who’s story is Psalm 107 telling?The NIV repeatedly uses the word “some” to introduce the four sections between v.4-32. However, that makes it sound like different gr...  Read More

DAY 12 - God’s Loyal LovePsalm 107:1-9Why does God deserve our gratitude?The Psalm 107 songwriter wastes no time telling us why, v.1, “The LORD is good, his love endures forever.” Say, “Thank you, God...  Read More

DAY 11 - That’s An Order!Psalm 107:1Gratitude is that thing most of us think we should do but maybe aren’t so good at. But it keeps pushing its way back in front of us. Study after study links gratitu...  Read More

DAY 10 - Don’t Give UpLuke 18:1-8We need honesty to pray our pain but we also need perseverance. That means we keep carrying this burden to God, over and over again, until there’s breakthrough. Until ...  Read More

DAY 9 - Honest PrayerMatthew 6:5-8You have to be honest to pray your pain until it’s praise. Jesus urges us to be honest when he teaches about prayer. Don’t pray to get attention or put on a show. Don...  Read More

DAY 8 - The TurnPsalm 10:12-18Our songwriter prays his pain but makes a turn in v.12: “Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.” He calls on God to get up and do something! H...  Read More

DAY 7 - Handling HurtPsalm 10:7-11Psalm 10 wrestles with the question that holds a lot of people back from faith: if God exists, why do we suffer? It’s the so-called problem of evil. You’ve probably f...  Read More

DAY 1 - Why, God?Psalm 10:1-6We all ask “why?” It’s how we learn, but sometimes we ask “why” about things more emotionally explosive: Why am I sick? Why did he walk out on me? Why am I here? Sometimes...  Read More

DAY 5 - I Love You, LordPsalm 8:3-6“I love you” is easy to say when you already know you’re loved. What would adoration look like in your life? How can you more easily say, “I love you, Lord?”Think ab...  Read More

DAY 4 - A Little Lower Than…Psalm 8:3-6It’s natural to look at the bigness of the ocean or a mountain and feel small. Psalm 8 seems headed that way in v.4, but throws a curve in v.5: “You have made [u...  Read More

DAY 3 - Glory in the HeavensPsalm 19:1-6Psalm 8 says, “You have set your glory in the heavens.” Everything between here and v.8 is “I love you because…” He uses a Hebrew poetry pattern, repeating idea...  Read More

DAY 2 - I Love You Because…Psalm 8 Psalm 8 is a psalm of praise. Praise psalms teach us to say, “I love you, God!” You can feel the songwriter’s love oozing off the page!“O LORD, our Lord, how majesti...  Read More

DAY 1 - Honest PrayersPsalm 8:1Sometimes you can sing what you can’t say. In the 2010 film, The King’s Speech, King George VI learns to overcome his stutter by singing what he wants to say. This unusu...  Read More

NEW DEVO!Our new devotional (devo) begins Monday, April 15. It publishes every morning, Monday-Friday, around 5 am. This devo takes you deeper into our Sunday morning message series, Psalms: A  Prayer...  Read More

DAY 9 - Can You Change?Colossians 3:3Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. We have this new power through God’s Holy Spirit to live a new life, to change for the better.But can we r...  Read More

DAY 8 - Our EnemiesColossians 3:1-5 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. We have power to overcome temptation and sin, to live a new life. The apostle Paul says, “You have been rai...  Read More

DAY 7 - NEW POWEREphesians 1:3, 18-23 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we have new power. Christians often talk about the forgiveness available to us through Jesus Christ. It’s true! We’re forgiv...  Read More

DAY 6 - PEACEFUL THINKINGPhilippians 4:8-9Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. The apostle Paul called this “peace that passes understanding” - unbelievable peace! He also tells us...  Read More

DAY 5 - UNBELIEVABLE PEACEPhilippians 4:4-7 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. The apostle Paul had unbelievable peace in his prison cell. He calls this “peace that passes all un...  Read More

DAY 4 - Peace I Give YouJohn 20:19-23Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can have peace. During his last night with the disciples, Jesus promised them peace. Soon they’d be separated and he’d be ...  Read More

DAY 3 - Embrace the New You2 Corinthians 5:16-17 Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new person - even if you can’t always see it.Have you ever been misunderstood? In 2 Corinthians, the ...  Read More

DAY 2 -  Baptized into a New PersonColossians 2:9-12Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new person. Baptism is key to our new identity in Christ. Baptism isn't just a ritual; it's a powe...  Read More

DAY 1 - Liberated from LabelsGalatians 3:26-28 * Because Jesus is alive and in charge, we can be a new PERSON. *In a world obsessed with branding and labeling, it's easy to get imprisoned by the ident...  Read More

DAY 49 - Trusting GodLuke 23:44-49 What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?in Luke 23:46, we hear Jesus’ last words as he dies: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Foll...  Read More

DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusLuke 23:26-34What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?Yesterday we talked about daily denial. As we follow Jesus through Holy Week to the cross, we also...  Read More

DAY 47 - Daily DenialLuke 9:23-24 What does it look like to take up your cross and follow Jesus?First, it means daily denial. Luke includes one word that dramatically clarifies what it means to carry ...  Read More

DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossLuke 9:21-27 Before we have time to wonder why Jesus would embrace suffering and death, he turns to us (yes, you and me). He says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple (that’s m...  Read More