Past Devotions

“You are a steward of every moment, of every talent, of every gift, of every resource that God has given you. Choose wisely what you do today!” [Paul Washer]

I came across this quote recently and it reminded me of something James wrote in his letter.

James said it this way. “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” [4:14 NLT]

There is an old year behind us and there is a new year ahead of us, but what we really have is just today. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. That became clearer after my recent hospital stay.

I am trusting God that the new year has great things for me. I am praying for opportunities to share the glories of God. I am praying for the energy to walk through the doors God places in front of me. I am praying for a focus that is not on my difficulties, but on my Savior and LORD.

But I am also aware I only have today—this day January 14 2026 – and that I need to choose wisely how I use it. I need to make sure that every talent, gift, and resource God has granted is used for His glory. Amen & Amen

Just as 2026 began I came across one of my favorite invitations issued by Jesus. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” [Mark 6:31]

In Mark Chapter 6, Jesus had dispatched His disciples two-by-two into the surrounding villages to carry the message of repentance and to heal the sick and deliver the oppressed.

Upon their return Jesus (who was being hounded by the crowds Himself) invited the disciples to go with Him and rest in a quiet place.

I had been thinking about rest and quiet places before I ended up in the hospital. That certainly wasn’t a quiet or restful place, but since I have been home, I’ve found that this new “condition” is demanding quiet and rest.

And honestly, I’m not so sure I like quiet and rest. I much prefer to be in the bustle of things, to be among people who love to laugh and love to talk about Jesus. I am not sure what God is doing – maybe He’s teaching me to talk more TO Jesus than to talk ABOUT Him.

During my recent hospital stay I saw love in action … just as John commanded. “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” [1John 3:8 NLT]

That love flowed toward me from all types of people. No one asked me my political affiliation, my religion, or my “gender identity.” They just cared for me … love in action.

Love in action … love shown in the truth of our actions … is not a “qualified” or “conditional” action. We don’t question or survey someone first before showing our love. And Jesus said we were to not just love those like us; we were also to love and pray for those who set themselves against us.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 5:43-45 NLT]

Love … agapaó … to love wholeheartedly, unconditionally, with devotion. This type of love that the Scriptures command isn’t even a feeling. It is a determination of the mind. This love is what is commanded of us.

Let us show our love by our actions!

I spent five days in the hospital recently with a condition caused by a medication I take for another condition. I am still dealing with recovery and all the pain and fatigue that accompanies it. I have had a lot of time to think about that phrase “first do no harm,” but that is a topic for another time. Instead, what I have been focusing on are the positive and important things that came into view during this time.

Some things were obvious – the importance of family, the blessing of having praying friends and loved ones, the care of strangers, and the peace of God.

Family rallied around immediately taking care of my needs and Bob’s. Praying friends and loved ones lifted me up in prayer and I could sense those prayers and the peace of God surrounding me. As difficult (and embarrassing) as some of the hospital stay was, I knew God was with me and His peace and love were carrying me.

I am so grateful for the care of strangers. The people who came through that room, RNs, CNAs, technicians, hospitalists – not one left me with the feeling that what they were doing was just a “job.” They made me feel safe, valued … human. Men and women, all kinds and all types, joined together to care for me.

“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Galatians 5:14 NLT]

For those days, I was the neighbor. Thank you LORD. Amen

Let’s start the year with the correct focus. If I judge the new year by the old year, I guarantee there will be some kind of challenge I will need to face. It might be health, it might be wealth, it might be something else. But it will be!

If I am going to be triumphant in each challenge, which is my goal, I need to find the source of all authority and power that will turn every challenge into the opportunity to grow more like Christ Jesus. I need to direct my prayers to the ONE who is ABLE to give me the VICTORY.

Christ Jesus promised His disciples that when He ascended to the Father, He would be in the place of POWER. “In the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” [Matthew 26:64 NLT]

Power is the word dunamis. It means POWER, strength, ability, might, miracle.

Jesus also promised that He had ALL AUTHORITY. “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.’” [Matthew 28:18 NLT]

Authority is the word exousia. It means AUTHORITY, power, right, jurisdiction.

My focus in this new year is Jesus, who sits in the place of power and has all the authority that goes with it. Why would I look anywhere else for help. Amen & Amen

If you open your Bible to the beginning, this is what you will find.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” [Genesis 1:1 NLT]

If you open your Bible to the beginning of John’s Gospel, this is what you will find.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” [John 1:1-3 NLT]

In the beginning. This is how it all began. God created the universe through His Son, the Word, who is Christ Jesus our LORD.

I had a conversation with someone I love the other day. He said something about looking “to the universe for answers.” I told him to forget “the universe” and go straight to the One who created the universe. Why settle for second best when you can have the highest and best.

I guarantee “the universe” is not going to answer you … nor does it have the power to change you or heal you or rescue you. But Christ Jesus our LORD alone – the One through whom “the universe” came into being – has the power and authority to answer you, change you, heal you and rescue you.

To Him be all the glory. Amen & Amen

As we face the end of the year and a new year just hours away, I am going back to the beginning. Not to the beginning of the year, but to the beginning of my walk with the LORD. I have said this many times while behind the pulpit, in private conversations and in these devotions – the first scripture I memorized after I surrendered to the LORD was Philippians 1:6.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

When Paul wrote this, he was in prison. While there he wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon. He would be released from this imprisonment but would be martyred in about ten years. While our knowledge of the timeline of Paul’s life isn’t widely established, the writing of these letters occurred approximately thirty years after his conversion. That means Paul had more days behind him than he had ahead of him.

After all the difficulties and trials he had experienced, Paul was able to say, “I am sure of this! What God began in me He will complete.”

I was saved when I was 26. I have walked with the LORD for more than five decades. I have a lot more days behind me than I have in front of me.

After the difficulties and challenges faced, I can say, “I am sure of this! What God began in me He will complete.”

Amen & Amen.

Today and tomorrow are the final two days of Year 2025 AD. As we see a new year approaching my thoughts always turn to reviewing the past year and planning for the next.

My focus is usually on “did I grow in the grace and knowledge of my Savior and LORD as I should have?”

That is a command found in Peter’s second letter. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 3:18]

An essential part of our Christian Walk is to consistently grow in Christ. I wish I could say that was easy, but it often comes with challenges. A long time ago I learned that the Chinese symbol for challenge is also the symbol for opportunity.

Each day presents us with challenges that are opportunities to deepen our relationship with God. When we face those challenges in the wisdom and power of God’s Indwelling Spirit, He will lead us to become more like Christ Jesus. That’s the Holy Spirit’s primary work in us.

I know I faced a lot of challenges this year – I am praying I used those opportunities to become more like Jesus.

Turning 79 reminded me of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-17: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long [light & momentary]. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” [NLT]

For many of us, the troubles we must face each day do not seem light and momentary. They seem very heavy and unending. Many of us wake up each day having to face difficult situations. The loss of someone we dearly love. Financial problems. Prodigal children. Aging. Loneliness. The list is endless and individual. Everyone is wasting away. Everyone has some kind of trouble.

But is just having trouble enough to achieve that eternal glory that Paul describes? I know people that have had plenty of troubles, have had them their entire lives, but it seems despite that, they haven’t achieved anything at all. No, just having troubles doesn’t guarantee anything. It is allowing those troubles to work in us that result in glory.

Paul goes on “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.”  [vs18]

If all we ever do is focus on what we can see, our troubles will never work in us a great glory. It is in looking beyond what we can see, to behold what remains unseen, that will achieve for us an eternal glory that far outweighs the problems that surround us daily.

We must look past the problem and see Jesus, the anchor of our soul. We must depend on God’s Spirit daily to teach us how to handle, get through, endure, overcome, these light and momentary troubles. We must seek to grow amid the problems. When we seek God’s face, His wisdom, His help, then the problems and troubles we face will achieve for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them. Just as Paul promised.

I love Thursdays. Seems an odd day of the week to rejoice in. Most of us look forward to the weekend. However, Thursday is the day designated by my church as a day to gather at 9 AM for community prayer.

I find several odd things about Thursdays. First, I have a difficult time sleeping and most of the time pain will wake me up between 4 and 5 AM. Not on Thursdays, however. On Thursdays I often wake up late. (Seems someone or something doesn’t want me to make it to prayer.) I now set my alarm.

Another oddity about Thursdays. I can go all week long without interruptions to my schedule, but Thursdays are often full of them.

One more oddity about Thursdays. There are only a few of us gathering to pray. I am amazed – but resigned – that more people don’t take the divine opportunity to pray alongside others.

I understand that we are a busy people. But Jesus was busy also. Luke 5 reports that as people learned about the miracles happening through Him, they began to pursue Him. His response was to withdraw to pray.

“…the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” [vs 15-16 NLT]

If Jesus took time from His “busy schedule” to prayer, how much more ….