Posts with the category “devotional”

Romans 6:22-23 We are in the midst of the (hopefully) worst days of winter. When we have had enough of the cold temperatures and snow and are longing for the spring sunshine and warmer temperatures. We’ll soon say, “Well, I’m glad that winters over!” We try to forget the past and are excited to look towards the future. However, when it comes to our journey of faith, many get caught up with things ...  Read More

Romans 6:19-21 The movie “Days of Thunder” is a fun film about NASCAR racing. The two main rival drivers played by Tom Cruise and Michael Rooker, are causing all kinds of dangerous chaos on the racetrack trying to win races. They are constantly spinning people out, bumping and crashing their way to front of the field. They are brought before a disciplinary committee because of their lack of regard...  Read More

Romans 6:17-18 Years ago, when I was a youth pastor, I had a tough situation. I had one of my teenage girls about to “move in” with a guy much older than her. I sat down and explained to her why Biblically and practically this was a bad idea. She didn’t listen to me, and it eventually shipwrecked her relationship with God. Many years later, I am not even sure if she is serving the Lord in a good c...  Read More

Psalm 119:160 Fake news, AI, and personal ideologies are filled with fallacies and misrepresentations that spread and can be so pervasive. Somewhere along the way, truth is being shaped by the culture, watered down or dismissed altogether. We often hear the definition of truth as, “truth is what it means to me” and worse yet is that many will base their truth off feelings. We live in a world that ...  Read More

John 8:31-32, 14:6, 17:7 It seems every generation has their own slang or phrases. Even young children today are walking around saying the phrase “Six Seven”. Even our almost two year old has picked it up from other children! The Gen Z generation says words like “Lit, Bussin, No Cap.” My generation (millennials) would say “YOLO, Bae, On Fleek” - at least when I was in high school. My favorite was ...  Read More

Romans 2:5-11 I had a Bible Study with some of my teens in the youth group. That study mentioned that most people who do things that are wrong are not fully aware of their sin or do not want to acknowledge what they are doing is even sinful. We as people do not like to admit that we need to change! We are stubborn and deceitful not just to others but mainly to ourselves. We want to do what we beli...  Read More

Romans 1:28-32 Oxford dictionary defines the word Indulge as allowing oneself to enjoy the pleasure of ____________. We all have something we tend to indulge in. Whether it be a Netflix series, social media or even food. For me, it's Dr. Pepper! For those of you reading this that think Dr. Pepper is the same as Mr. Pibb, you are sadly mistaken and should get right with the Lord. The point of the m...  Read More

Romans 1:24-27 Steven Mulhall appeared before Judge Michael Orlando for a parole hearing. After the hearing, the placard with the judge’s name on the courtroom door was missing. A couple weeks later, Steven was before Judge Orlando again for stealing the $40 nameplate. Because Steven had several arrests for petty theft, this nameplate heist broke his parole and turned it into a felony with jail ti...  Read More

Romans 1:18-23 “I don’t know” or “I do not recall” are phrases we hear a lot…especially when it comes to congressional testimony. Somehow, ignorance is construed as an excuse. It can be a reason, but not an excuse. As much as we like to use these as an out, they only go so far. Going back to my childhood, I remember I was throwing small stones in the driveway, and for whatever reason I thought it ...  Read More

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Here we are with February knocking at our door and my grandchildren are still so excited to tell me about the gifts they received at Christmastime. As soon as I walk in the door, they are eager to show me a variety of toys, dolls, sports jerseys or the latest and greatest electronic gadgets. I listen intently as they enjoy telling me all about it. This is such an opportune ti...  Read More

Romans 10:9-15 “For some people the distance from heaven to hell is 18 inches - the distance from their head to their heart.” Maybe you’ve heard that quote before. Although it’s a man-made quote, we see its direct connection to scripture through today's reading. Many will miss heaven because they have head knowledge but not heart knowledge! I did not grow up in a Christian home. I always believed ...  Read More

Romans 6:11-14 Jesus has saved us! We are saved by grace, and we are now under grace! When you believe in the Lord Jesus and he saves you from your sin, you are no longer a slave to that sin! The Bible is very clear that those who are not saved by the grace of God can do nothing to save themselves. They are a slave to their sinful nature. Everything we do before Christ is as dirty rags! Nothing we...  Read More

Romans 6:8-10 I think it safe to say when anyone thinks of the word death, it’s in a negative or sad way. No one truly wants to die. We have a long list of unchecked bucket list items or even simple tasks that are not completed. The world tells us death is the end. However, as believers in Jesus Christ, death has no real power over us! As born-again followers we know that death is just the beginni...  Read More

Romans 5:9-11 At a very young age my parents introduced me to archery. Both shot in archery leagues and really enjoyed the challenge. During many summers and falls I would be outside practicing, trying to hone my skills. After a lot of practice, I started hitting the bullseye often. That drove me to practice harder, trying to be perfect on every shot. I was starting to get really consistent then s...  Read More

Romans 5:6-8 One of the hardest stumbling blocks for a non-believer to convert to Christianity (at least it was for me anyway) was the idea of coming to the realization of who I was in a natural fallen state. Throughout my childhood, my siblings and I were given value and worth by our parents. They encouraged us to pursue our ambitions and afforded us the opportunity to pursue them. My father was ...  Read More

2 Corinthians 8:5 Think of a time when you selflessly sacrificed something. It could be as simple as letting someone eat the last slice of pizza that you really wanted. I’m kidding… but really! Every day there are sacrifices to be made; your time, your resources, your money. But imagine giving more than that.   Our culture is “me”-centric. We have a hard time giving up our time, resources and mone...  Read More

1 Corinthians 12:20-27 We are the body of Christ! God has saved us and his given each person a calling! All of us have talents given to us by God. None of us are greater than the other. It is so easy to say, “well, I do not really know where I fit in, or what it is that I am to be doing.” Not all of us are called to be missionaries, or to be pastors, or to be on the worship team. Years ago, I read...  Read More

Romans 12:9-21 If your family is anything like mine, you know that having siblings is a blessing but can also be the worst thing in the world (some days).  Siblings fight over anything and everything, and when we say everything, it really means everything. From what show to watch, who wore whose clothes, to the major things of whose side of the room is whose if you shared a room. Siblings can find...  Read More

Romans 12:3-8 The “arrogance of youth” is a phrase that annoys you when you are young but makes perfect sense as you get older. I can remember as a teen telling my dad during an argument- “Dad, you don’t understand-I know stuff!” His response was given with a chuckle “The stuff you know, isn’t worth much. It doesn’t lead to godliness or have any value in real life situations”. My dad was right; I ...  Read More

Romans 12:1-2 As a parent, you can think of countless sacrifices that you have made for your kids, I’m sure. Why did you do it? It’s because you loved them. Growing up, my mom and dad sacrificed a lot to put my siblings and I through Christian school and then Bible college. My dad often wore the same old clothes, and my mom didn’t experience the trips and treasures that she could have experienced....  Read More

2 Peter 1:3-8 Here we are already halfway through the first month of the new year. If you set a few goals or resolved to change any behaviors, how are you doing with that? Perhaps you resolved to exercise more, pay down debts, read your Bible more, lose weight, cut down your screen time, quit cussing, learn something new, stop smoking, read more, or spend more time with family. Growth. I think we ...  Read More

Romans 8:31-39 Have you ever gotten separated from your parents in a grocery store? I feel like that is a universal experience! The feelings of fear and uncertainty overcome you as you frantically search up and down the aisles, hoping they wouldn't leave without you!   Before Jesus, we were separated from God and without hope. We lived in fear and uncertainty; wandering alone and frantically searc...  Read More

Romans 8:28-30 We serve a great and awesome God! He is a Father who knows everything, created everything, and has an eternal love that has no beginning and no end. I think that so many people go through life asking, what is their purpose? People can spend their lives asking, is this all there is? Is there a reason why I am even here? So many movies and other things are about people who have lost a...  Read More

Romans 7:14-25 The alarms are sounding, big flashing red lights are going crazy, and the news reporter hits us with the BIG HEADLINER: “The struggle is real, we indeed are all sinners.” That's right, we all struggle with sin! The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10-12, “there is no one good, no not one.” Paul goes on to tell us in Romans 7:14-25 that what he wants to do, he does not do, and what he does...  Read More

Romans 6:11-13 “Dead man walking” is a phrase that was used by guards many years ago in prisons. When a death row inmate was taken from his cell to be executed, the guards would shout “dead man walking” as he headed to the execution chamber. This phrase is a great way to sum up our lives before salvation. As an unbeliever I was a “dead man walking” – my sin, my rebellion against God, and His comma...  Read More

Romans 6:1-7 Sometimes when you have a “big brother,” you feel as if you can “get away with murder.” Sometimes when you have a strong father, you feel as if you can do whatever you want to do. When I was a little kid, I had this attitude. My dad was a bus driver for our church. We picked up kids every Sunday, and at the age of five years old, I was his “bus captain.” He would pull up to a house an...  Read More

Romans 12:6-8The book of Romans is deep. It’s mainly about God’s beautiful plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It’s filled with theology explaining how all people, both Jews and Gentiles, can be made righteous before God. This is by His grace and not by our own efforts. The book details the universal need for salvation due to sin and the power of the Gospel. I would encourage you to t...  Read More

Romans 12:3-5  Have you ever played with a Mr Potato Head toy? These few verses remind me of playing with one of those as a kid; you get to place the arms, feet, ears, mouth, nose, eyes, and hat! The individual body parts are stored inside the toy, and you get to place them where you want. Every body part has its own function, but it’s all part of one body. The same goes for our bodies; our eyes a...  Read More

Romans 10:9-10 Do you have any “go-to” verses that you use when you have an opportunity to share the gospel? Oftentimes, when preaching or sharing the gospel, I like to use a few verses in Romans that are often called the “Romans Road”. It is an easy path through a couple of verses that clearly articulate the gospel in a way that can be shared very quickly but effectively. Let’s take a look at eac...  Read More

Romans 5:1-2We just finished celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ as well as the start of the new year. If your family is anything like our family, it is celebrated with lots of food and time spent with family, full of laughter and naps. (Nothing wrong with a post-celebration nap.) Although sometimes I think we can take for granted celebrations, it's awesome to celebrate accomplishments such as g...  Read More

Romans 3:24-26 “Whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood”- ESVPropitiation- oh-no! That is a big church word that pastors like to flex to sound smart. When we come across it in the Bible, it is easy to read over it and move on without exploring the deeper and richer meaning it has for us. In today’s modern, frenzied, and chaotic world, we have lost the patience to slow down and investig...  Read More

Romans 3:10-23If you want to watch me at my worst, it’s usually when I either played sports or watched one of my favorite teams. I always struggle to respond with patience and kindness because, by nature, I am a very competitive person. Over the years, I have had to create boundaries so that I wouldn’t harm a relationship or lose my testimony. I have watched guys get into fights, say inappropriate...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   What you don’t need is “self-help” or a “YMCA community center” or “religious clichés” or anything else out there that has religious overtones without life-change. At Emmanuel, we are desperate to connect you to the only one who can bring peace and purpose to your life – the Lord Jesus Christ! It begins with a true understanding of our hopeless, helpless, and hapless con...  Read More

1 Peter 1:6-9This week’s devotions are central to the theme of “making the most of our circumstances”. A very relevant topic for sure, as I don’t know anyone who could say that they’ve made it this far in life without experiencing a challenging or painful circumstance. Peter penned a letter to Christian believers who were scattered across the Roman Empire to remind them of the wonderful joy ahead,...  Read More

James 1:2-4, 12Perseverance. It’s a trait that’s needed and applicable to every facet of everyday life: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Physical endurance comes through healthy living. We achieve that through diet and exercise. Granted, as we get older (and I resemble that remark), we might not have the endurance we had when we were twenty, but nonetheless, eating right and keeping act...  Read More

Acts 22:1-21 Who doesn’t like a good story? When it comes to our walk with the Lord and especially your Salvation testimony, we all have a story to tell. It doesn’t matter if you are old or young, saved 100 years ago or saved within the last few seconds; the story matters! For some of you, you may be reading this thinking your story isn't important enough to share, but that is the furthest thing f...  Read More

Acts 21:27-37This scene of Paul is a flashback to when Jesus was arrested. The crowd seizing him, the beatings, the uproar to “get rid of him”. Sound familiar? Paul is now experiencing on a smaller level what Jesus went through. Earlier in the chapter, we see the warnings of other believers urging Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Paul goes anyway, even telling them he is ready to die for Jesus and tha...  Read More

Acts 21:17-26 As Paul arrives in Jerusalem, he knows that trouble probably awaits him. Despite the warnings, Paul continues to go, choosing to submit himself to the leadership of the Jerusalem elders. In doing so, he ultimately is submitting himself to the will of God, even if it might not seem like it in the moment. When Paul meets with James and the elders, they all rejoice and praise God for wh...  Read More

Acts 10The risk is real, and the Gospel is worth the risk! Paul had an understanding that I think is very important. Jesus has given him a second chance. Jesus died on the cross for Paul and for all people. Jesus has given everything for Paul! Paul understands that he must be willing not only to be bound for Jesus and the gospel news but also to die as well. This is not the only time we see this k...  Read More

Main Point and Overview:   The Apostle Paul knew from the beginning that when Jesus called him to Gospel ministry, his purpose would include great suffering. In fact, every time he suffered, he used it as a catalyst for preaching the Gospel. He didn’t see comfort or security as his top priority. Some may say that he was reckless in how he lived; I prefer to say that he was relentless in what he be...  Read More