How Not to Pray

Mar 4, 2013 | Devotions

Matthew 6:1-6 As Jesus begins his teachings on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, he starts by telling us how not to pray. Jesus is critical of mechanical piety, praying with the attitude that if you simply say the correct words often enough, you can purchase the...

Does God Punish You for Your Sins?

Mar 3, 2013 | Devotions | 1 comment

Luke 13:1-9 Do you believe that when something bad happens to you, God is punishing you for something you did wrong? In Jesus’ day, many Jews held such a belief (see John 9:2-3), partially because numerous passages in the Old Testament speak of God’s punishing the...

What Are You Adding For Lent?

Mar 2, 2013 | Devotions | 2 comments

Ephesians 4:25-5: Growing up Baptist, I didn’t have much exposure to Lent at the church I attended. Much of my limited knowledge of Lent came from the Ash Wednesday chapel services at my Episcopal elementary school. Once, I asked my mom about giving things up...

When Religion Becomes A Sin

Mar 1, 2013 | Devotions | 1 comment

Amos 5:11-15, 21-24 “I despise your festivals and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.” Is that really possible – our worship, our singing, and even our prayers can be a sin? The prophet Isaiah raises the same questions when he pictures God as saying, “I will...

When We Are at the End of Our Rope

Feb 28, 2013 | Devotions

Joel 2:1-3, 12-17 There are times in life when we were at the end of our rope, when we are hanging on to life by our fingernails. Joel is speaking to the children of Israel at such a time. They had just endured a terrible pestilence of a locust plague and now they are...