[This post is adapted from devotions I shared with the arts campers in June.] Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving andContinue Reading
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in seasonand whoseContinue Reading
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:10 ESV) If you have a burden to pray for this nation, you are not alone. A quick glance at the news headlines or a conversation withContinue Reading
(We have been working our way through the Christmas Story in Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1. Mary and Joseph have been visited by angels, endured very challenging circumstances, and finally watched the birth of the God of the Universe in a shelter for animals, before being visited by local shepherds whoContinue Reading
Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. (Isaiah 11:1 NLT) Delayed hope makes one sick at heart, but a fulfilled longing is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12 GW) A tree stump is a representation ofContinue Reading
How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! (2 Samuel 7:22 NLT) My 81-year-old father has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, and two weeks ago I took him to a group of prayer warriors toContinue Reading
Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Samuel 7:22 ESV) One of the sayings that goes around Christian culture is God will never give you moreContinue Reading
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV) I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feetContinue Reading
Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:3-5 TPT) Amazing grace will always be myContinue Reading
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! (Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV) “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.” – Chinese proverb Do you have anything in your life that you regret? MaybeContinue Reading