Scripture: Luke 11:14 (the Message) Jesus delivered a man from a demon that had kept him speechless. The demon gone, the man started talking a blue streak, taking the crowd by complete surprise. Thought for the Day: Henri Nouwen wrote, Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to
Scripture: Philippians 1:27-28 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to
Scripture: Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. Thought for the Day: This is the same passage
Scripture: Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. Thought for the Day: Since last Friday, I have
Scripture: Ephesians 5:20 …always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ… Thought for the Day: This is the core verse for our current worship series, and Sunday morning, I talked about the importance of making gratitude more than the occasional thought. And though it might have seemed strange to some, the key to the sermon was gratitude for those
Prayer for the Week: Our voices join together as we give thanks for All the Saints. Sisters and brothers, from generation to generation, have provided a witness to your magnificent and transformative love. There are so many, O Lord of Life, who have shared stories of the faith; modeled generosity beyond measure; revealed forgiveness
Scripture: Mark 12:13-14 They sent some of the Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you’re genuine and you don’t worry about what people think. You don’t show favoritism but teach God’s way as it really is. Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay taxes or
Scripture: Mark 12:7-8 But those tenant farmers said to each other, “This is the heir. Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. Thought for the Day: This is the continuation of the parable that was referenced in yesterday’s devotional. The Landowner sent back three servants to collect his share of the money yearned from
Scripture: Mark 12:1 Jesus spoke to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a tower. Then he rented it to tenant farmers and took a trip…” Thought for the Day: Like many of you, I love the parables of Jesus. This one, like most, begins in a very casual, dull and uneventful way. One
Scripture: Isaiah 57:14 It will be said: “Survey, survey; build a road! Remove barriers from my people’s road!” Thought for the Day: I have never personally built a road, but it would be my guess that without the proper knowledge or tools such a task would be challenging…maybe impossible. There are many roads associated with faith – the road to God; the road toward reconciliation; the road beyond