Category " Deeper Devotions"

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 It’s difficult for [...]

We’re all broken. We all have flaws. We all know those places in our lives we’d rather forget. The recurring sin we can’t seem to break. The heartbreak we endured at the hand of a friend. The nagging insecurity, fear, or doubt. The deep, dark secret we’re convinced no one could handle knowing about. The [...]

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 We are made in the image of God. It’s the core of understanding our status as new creations. That doesn’t mean God has two arms, two legs, and suffers from allergies [...]

Now when God looks at us, He doesn’t define us by our sin, our shame, or our mistakes.
He defines us by the righteousness of His son.
And doesn’t hold our sin against us any longer.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Each new year brings with it the idea of a new start. It’s why we make resolutions, look forward to the new year, and celebrate its arrival. The new year brings hope. Renewal [...]

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6 Prince of Peace.It’s what the Israelites expected to find in their Messiah. They were looking for someone who would bring an end [...]

“When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.” Luke 1:57-58 Joy. It’s found throughout the Christmas story. Angels proclaimed good news of great joy. Mary experienced joy at the pronouncement [...]

God chose the outcasts, the failures, the embarrassments of the Israelite clan as his human bloodline to show his love isn’t reserved for those who have it all together.

He loves the misfits, the murderers, the prostitutes, the liars, the failures, those who turned their back on him for one fleeting moment of satisfaction.

And He loves you.

No matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or how badly you’ve messed up.
That is the crux of the Christmas story.

When we begin thanking Him for the little things, when we praise Him for the mundane, when we pour out gratitude for those things we easily pass by without noticing, it develops thanksgiving within us.

A heart of thanksgiving changes us.
Gives us a bigger perspective.
And draws us closer to God.

God desires a heart that always gives thanks for everything in our lives.
Whether big or small.

There seems to be a belief among many Christians that the season of Advent is strictly reserved for High Liturgical churches. Most protestant, evangelical churches shy away from Advent, believing it too traditional to have any redemptive value. History of Advent The origins of Advent aren’t completely clear, but do trace back to the Latin [...]