Devotionals

John 1:14

What exactly is grace? And is it limited to Jesus' life and ministry? You may be surprised to know that Jesus never used the word itself. He just taught it and, equally important, He lived it. Furthermore, the Bible never gives us a one-statement definition, though grace appears throughout its pages...not only the word itself but numerous demonstrations of it. Understanding what grace means requires our going back to an old Hebrew term that meant "to bend, to stoop." By and by, it came to include the idea of "condescending favour." 

Ephesians 1:7 

Candidly, I know of nothing that has the power to change us from within like the freedom that comes through grace. It's so amazing it will change not only our hearts but also our faces. And goodness knows, some of us are overdue for a face change! Were you reared by parents whose faces said "No"? Or are you married to someone with a "No" face? If that is true, you envy those who had "Yes"-face parents or are married to "Yes"-face mates. All of us are drawn to those whose faces invite us in and urge us on. 

Galatians 6:1

This day—this very moment—millions are living their lives in shame, fear, and intimidation who should be free, productive individuals. The tragedy is they think it is the way they should be. They have never known the truth that could set them free. They are victimized, existing as if living on death row instead of enjoying the beauty and fresh air of the abundant life Christ modelled and made possible for all of His followers to claim. Unfortunately, most don't have a clue as to what they are missing.

Deuteronomy 8:11-14; Matthew 24:12; Revelation 2:4-5

It happened in a large, 75-year-old stone house on the west side of Houston. A massive stairway led up to several bedrooms. The den down below was done in rough-hewn boards with soft leather chairs and a couple of matching sofas. The wet bar had been converted into a small library, including a shelf of tape recordings and a multiple-speaker sound system. The ideal place to spend a weekend...unfortunately, my wife and I were there just for the evening.

Exodus 3:10-4:14; Amos 7:10-17; 2 Chronicles 16:9a; Ezekiel 22:30

Leadership is influence. To the extent we influence others, we lead them.
If I were asked to name some of the standard qualities or characteristics usually found among natural-born leaders, I would list:

1 Chronicles 16:7-36; Psalm 30:9; 100:2; 149:1-5; Luke 19:40

I was on a scriptural safari. Prowling through the Ephesian letter, I was tracking an elusive, totally unrelated verse when God's sharp sword flashed, suddenly slicing me to the core.

...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19)

Psalm 27; 2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 51:12-16

Proverbs 4:1-19; Job 12:10-13; Proverbs 16:31

I'm writing these words soon after my birthday.

No big deal...just another stabbing realization that I'm not getting any younger. I know that because the cake won't hold all the candles. Even if it could the frosting would melt before I'd be able to blow all of them out. My kind and thoughtful secretary reminded me of another approach I could take. She gave me a birthday card showing an old guy standing beside a cake covered with candles. On the front it reads:

Proverbs 16:31; Psalm 92:14; Isaiah 46:4; Titus 2:2-3

Growing old, like taxes, is a fact we all must face. Now, you're not going to get me to declare when growing up stops and growing old starts—not on your life! But there are some signs we can read along life's journey that suggest we are entering the transition (how's that for diplomacy?).

2 Timothy 2:24; Hebrews 12:14, 15; James 3:14-16; 1 John 2:9-11

Leonard Holt was a paragon of respectability. He was a middle-aged, hard-working lab technician who had worked at the same Pennsylvania paper mill for 19 years. Having been a Boy Scout leader, an affectionate father, a member of the local fire brigade, and a regular church-goer, he was admired as a model in his community. Until...