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Daily Devotion: Matthew 11:1-3

Matthew 11:1-3      "And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.  Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?"   Jesus had spent a good deal of time instructing the twelve disciples (whom He would later call apostles). He gave them clear directions as to where they should go and to whom they should preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He gave them miraculous abilities over unclean spirits and disease. He warned them that they would not always receive a welcome and what to do when they did not. At some point during these early days of Jesus’s ministry, John the Baptist had been taken by Herod and put in prison. The reason for his imprisonment was that he had told Herod the truth. Herod had taken his brother’s wife, whose name w...
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Daily Devotion: Genesis 13:3-4

Genesis 13:3-4     "And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;  (4)  Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD." The life of Abraham deserves more attention than just one time of study. Yesterday, we stopped with the words that Abram "... as the LORD had spoken unto him..." As in my life, it would have been much better for Abraham if all the actions of his life were under that directive. Sometimes we think of Biblical characters as being somewhat superhuman, when in reality they were totally human just as you and me. We all make mistakes. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all have to stop at some point in most, if not all, days to say, "Lord, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." You might be asking what all this has to do with today's verses. I'm glad you asked. We a...

Daily Devotion: Lifted Eyes, Guarded Hearts - Acts 1:4-11

 Acts 1:4-11 teaches us Jesus calls His people to a faith that waits, a testimony that goes, and a hope that looks up. With our “spiritual ears” we can hear in this passage a summons to Spirit-dependent ministry, Christ-centered unity and kingdom-influenced expectation that shapes everyday church life.  (4) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (7) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;...

Daily Devotion: Matthew 10:37-39

Matthew 10:37-39     " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.   And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.   He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." The tenth chapter of Matthew is full of instruction that Jesus gave to His disciples. He warned of men who would seek their destruction. He told them He was sending them forth as sheep among wolves. They would be persecuted and brought to stand before both Jews and Gentiles to bear witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those that follow Christ are to revere God rather than man. In this instruction we find a very simple yet profound statement about the way our Heavenly Father watches over us. Jesus tells us that not one sparrow falls from the sky without our Father’s knowledge. The sparrow is found on every continent in the wor...

Sermon (Video): Our Only Hope - 1 Corinthians 15:16-20

Daily Devotion: Genesis 12:1-4

Genesis 12:1-4     "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  (2)  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  (3)  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  (4)  So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran." Imagine 3/4 of a century old. (Some of us do not have to imagine that part.) But imagine being that age and suddenly being completely uprooted and taken to a place you've never been and even more than that, you have no idea where you're going. As a pastor, we are often moved from one congregation to another. But even when that move is several states away, there is always s...

Daily Devotion: Matthew 10:12-15

Matthew 10:12-15     " And when ye come into an house, salute it.   And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.   And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.   Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city." As Jesus continues to instruct His disciples concerning their travels, it is apparent that they will not receive a warm welcome everywhere. It is also apparent that the Lord will be aware of every step and circumstance as they journey. Luke 10:5 tells us that the salutation to be given when a home was entered was “Peace be to this house.” The worthy house (including its inhabitants) was one where real hospitality and kindness were found. The idea of “letting” as it is used in the scripture does not always mean to a...