Devotionals

Matthew 6:19-21

A number of years ago I read that, believe it or not, the average American is exposed to about three hundred advertisements a day. Today that number has very likely increased! 

Acts 19:23–31

After Paul had been willing to stay at the task in Ephesus even with the dream of going to Rome on his heart (Acts 19:23), “about that time...” That’s the way it happens. Just about the time you get out of your prayer closet and you’ve got it all worked out, everything breaks loose. Look at the rest of verse 23: 

There occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way [which was a first-century label for Christianity]. 

Acts 19:21–41

Today’s Scripture passage, which details events in the life of the Apostle Paul, has a lot to teach us about finding peace in spite of our natural tendency to panic. I hope you will read it thoroughly. In these 21 verses it is not difficult to pick out three significant moments that normally bring anxiety. 

Isaiah 26:3–4

I invite you to focus your full attention on one of the rarest of all virtues. It is a virtue that everybody pursues, but very few possess on a regular basis. I’m referring to the often-longed-for but seldom-found virtue of peace. 

Hebrews 4:1–11

Exodus 18:13–27

We’ve been talking about the very common and very real problem of stress. Today I’d like to tackle a practical suggestion for stress-reduction: spreading out the workload. 

There is a side of stress that is easily overlooked, and that is trying to do too much ourselves. All of us have a limit. If those huge freight trucks on the highway have a load limit, you can be sure each one of us does, too. When we try to do more than we were designed to do, our level of anxiety immediately begins to rise. 

Proverbs 3:5–6

Yesterday, we looked at a couple of New Testament examples (one negative—Martha, the other positive—Jesus) of people under stress. Let’s now go back to the Old Testament and lift out some familiar words of hope to those clenched in the vise-grip of worry. 

The following passage is so well known to most Christians that we have perhaps missed its significant message. Read slowly the words of Solomon: 

Here is the Apostle Paul’s version of the Christmas story:

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal. 4:4-5)

Before you read again on the birth of Jesus, it might be best for you to lay it aside and start from scratch.

The Christmas story has been so sanitized and romanticized over the centuries that even Hollywood—as jaded a culture as can be found anywhere—fails to capture the gritty pathos that surrounded Jesus’ arrival. Truth be told, even some churches annually idealize the birth of our Saviour. Yet it was anything but ideal.

1 Corinthians 16:14

Over the past several days, we’ve been talking about how to face chaotic times with courage. So, once you’ve identified the enemy, gotten your marching orders, and plucked up your courage, then what? Surprise attack? Storm into battle with guns blazing? Climb into your planes and tanks and blow the scum away? “Come on, we’re ready! We studied four commands in 1 Corinthians 16:13. What’s the final command?” There is a fifth one—in verse 14. You thought I missed that, didn’t you?