Category: Devotion

THE SEED“I formed [my people] for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” Isaiah 43:21 “Why are we here?” The question is not limited to philosophers and theologians. And it’s not only “Why are we (humanity) here?” The question is more personal: “Why am I here?” Through Isaiah and Peter, God gives the same answer.… Continue reading Formed For Praise

THE SEED“You have set … our secret sins in the light of your presence.” Psalms 90:8 Hidden faults and secret sins are not an isolated theme in the Scriptures. The psalmist admits, “You have set … our secret sins in the light of your presence. ”The teacher concludes, “God will bring every deed into judgment,… Continue reading Hidden Faults, Secret Sins

THE SEED“Your Father, who is unseen … sees what is done in secret.” Matthew 6:6 Jesus instructs us not to make a spectacle of praying to our Father, “who is unseen.” And he adds, “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” We don’t see our Father, but our Father… Continue reading The Unseen Sees

THE SEED“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” Mark 1:1 The first six words of Mark’s gospel prompt the question “How does the good news begin?” John the Baptist comes “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” and many respond by “confessing their sins.” We… Continue reading How Does The Good News Begin?

THE SEED“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:6 I read Paul’s words from Philippians 1. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He was an unlikely eyewitness to the resurrection and one “abnormally born” into Christian service (1 Corinthians 15:8). His special calling might have… Continue reading Teamwork

THE SEED“I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal …” 1 Kings 19:18 Elijah was burned out. After confronting the prophets of Baal and winning a great victory, Elijah had thought Ahab’s pitiful kingdom would totter and fall. Not so. Instead, he had to run for his life. (See… Continue reading Hidden Believers

THE SEED“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2 How do you connect with people who are different from you? One way is to sit together and share a meal. The Pharisees were shocked that Jesus had dinner with tax collectors, notorious for exploiting their own people, and with prostitutes and other sinners.… Continue reading Dinner’s Ready!

THE SEED“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12 Indonesia is not the most dangerous place to confess Christ. But over the past ten years, hundreds of churches in that country have been burned to the ground. For some of us, persecution of the church is… Continue reading The Cost Of Holiness

THE SEED“I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalms 32:5 David spoke to that reality in Psalm 32. He had made a total mess of his life. His moral failures included adultery and murder. David acknowledged that when we mess up, we are eaten… Continue reading Guilt And Grace

THE SEED“Our struggle is … against the rulers … the powers of this dark world and … the spiritual forces of evil” Ephesians 6:12 There is a new kind of hidden warfare today—cyber war. This war is fought from behind a computer screen, as websites important to national security are hacked in attempts to bring… Continue reading On The Cutting Edge Of The Kingdom