Corona Devotionals

I've noticed "angels" in the news lately.   Some of my favorite pastors are writing books about angels, and sermons surrounding the purpose and idea of angels abound.   And it's not just people standing in pulpits, and sitting in church pews that are wondering about angels: the best-seller lists always have a steady stream of angel-related books and titles.    What do we need to know about angels? ~~~ People are curious about angels.  I guess we always have been.  Angels are intriguing, fascinating, and awe-inspiring.  Not to mention: Shocking.  Most mentions of angels in the Bible begin with these heavenly-beings telling people not to fear them.  But how can a human reconcile a non-human in their midst? Like I said: people are curious about angels.  Who are they? Why are they?  Where are they?  God knows that we want to know about angels.  He also knows what we need to know  about angels. Long ago God spok...

Oh my goodness :  are we going through it today?   Are we overwhelmed, or in-too-much-pain, or completely exhausted, or just can't keep up  with life?   I was.   I was so tired.  I was heavy.  I was empty.  I was in need  of the Lord and the rejuvenation that only He and His Word can provide.   "Lord, please revive me" , I wrote in my journal as I sat down to have pre-sunrise time alone with God.  I knew that where-I-was was not where-I-wanted-to-be.   Lord, please revive me. And, wouldn't you know it: God does.   He revives us (mind/body/spirit) with the Bible.   I was reading the Book of Lamentations, Chapter 3 , and that chapter kicks off ugly: pretty much exactly  the mood and att-ti-tude that I was feeling.   Do these verses meet anyone else right where they are at today?-- I am the one who has seen the afflictions  that come from the rod of the...

Me.  My opinions.  My version.  My conclusions.  My side.  My bias.  My pride. Fire goes out without wood,  and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.  ~Proverbs 26:20   Hurt feelings.  Words we can't take back.  Not knowing the full-story.  Judgements.  Other angles (besides our own).  Circumstances.  No filter.  Foot-in-mouth. Pride. Fire goes out without wood,  and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.  ~Proverbs 26:20   Rumors furthered without foundations.  Speaking with authority about subjects/people with which we have none.  False information (knowingly or unknowingly) furthered.   Just shhhh . Fire goes out without wood,  and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.  ~Proverbs 26:20   A tiny verse has much to say to us today.   Are we creating " fires " with the words that we drop and lay and craft and plant into others minds and...

Did you ever read the story of "The Little Engine That Could"?  It tells of the (eventual) success of a small engine who struggles and works and believes  that he can pull a ( long !) broken-down train over a big mountain.  It is much work, but the Little Engine knows the (simple) steps of what-to-do, and he is persistent and enduring and resilient in doing it.   He persists and succeeds, all the while chanting to himself, " I think I can ".   ~~~ Brothers and Sisters in Christ, WE are the little engine that could, and our Lord is the God who can. We have the Bible, and it explains to us all of God's ways to live and love and forgive and endure.  God has given us the (mostly) simple steps of what-to-do and how-to-live for Him.   Want a hint?     Read the Bible daily and be persistent in God's principles and in enduring, and in following His Law, and in being resilient  in doing it.   If we think we can , we...

Is God longing  for us  to know this freedom of forgiveness?  God settles all scores and even erases them once we allow Him to have control over our heart and our hurts.   Is the Lord inviting us to forgive someone today?   He is  asking  us, and not  demanding  us. ~~~ God (through the Bible) is  asking a favor of forgiveness of us today, and (don't be misled), He's not  demand ing it ( Philemon 1:8 ).   That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. ( 9)  But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. ~Philemon 1:8-9  The Lord wants us to help  (forgive) because we are willing, not because we are  forced (Philemon 1:14). But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to h...

As a kid, did you ever hang up posters on the walls in your bedroom of people that you liked or that you wanted to be like?   Athletes, musicians, movie stars, scientists, writers...we look up to people.  We see what they do and who they are, and they inspire us, motivate us, and encourage us.  We want to be like them.   After reading Philemon Chapter 1 in the Bible today, I decided that I want to hang a poster of Philemon up on my wall.   Philemon was a brother-in-Christ to Paul, and they labored (together and separately) to share the Good News of Christ's salvation with others.   In this letter, Paul, who (himself) is a beast-for Christ--in terms of preaching, teaching, and spreading God's truth and hope to others: Paul compliments and encourages Philemon for encouraging him  in his  efforts for Christ.   Paul lives (large!) for the Lord, but he is essentially putting a poster of Philemon up on his wall becau...