Tag: devotional

August 31, 2026

August 31st, 2026

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 11

Highlight Verse:

“But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭11‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A pastor friend once told me that on the Sunday afternoon menu for most churchgoers is roast pastor.

We Christians (and humans in general) have made an art form of criticizing pastors and churches.

Even today, there is a post making the rounds on social media criticizing the church we used to attend for how they handled a situation.

What if – Instead of criticizing a sermon, we tried to figure out what we can learn from it. Even a bad sermon will likely have some truth we can apply to our lives.

What if – Instead of criticizing a church’s policy, we engaged in productive conversation to get the policy improved.

What if – Instead of gossiping about what a person did, we befriended that person to help guide them in a better path.

Churches and pastors will make mistakes. We all do.

There is a place for constructive criticism. In fact, that’s what the Jewish believers were doing in today’s passage.

But read on and notice that they listened to Peter when he explained the situation. They were open to this new move of God once they heard his story.

So, when you see something wrong, go ahead and talk about it – to the person who did the wrong or who can make a difference.

Anything else is gossip.

Have you ever been the victim of public criticism?How have you helped correct a wrong in the past?

By the way, if you disagree with this or any other day’s devotion, feel free to respectfully let me know in the comments.
August 30, 2026

August 30th, 2026

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 7-8

Highlight Verse:

““My days fly faster than a weaver’s shuttle. They end without hope.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Auto-correct keeps changing Job to Jim or Jon – whichever it feels like in the moment. It can’t seem to handle Job. (Of course, it didn’t change it in that paragraph.)

To be honest, sometimes I have a hard time dealing with Job too.

It is natural for us humans to not want to face anything to do with depression.

It’s not comfortable.

But it is real.

And Job had it bad.

Of course, he had good reason to be depressed. He lost everything and was in physical pain as well.

You don’t have to lose everything to feel the effects of depression.

When our thoughts turn away from hope, it doesn’t take much to push them over the edge into depression.

For some, brain chemistry plays a significant role as well.

I’m here to say that, even when the valley or depression is so deep, there is no light of hope to be seen,

hope is still there.

It may be a long struggle to get out of the valley to where you can see that hope, but Jesus is always available to help you as much as you will let Him.

He can give you the strength to make that climb, even holding you up when you stumble.

Even when Job couldn’t see it, hope was there. Take a peek at the end of the book if you don’t believe me.

Then rest in that hope.

When have you been in hopeless situations and how did you get out?
Are you in need of hope now? Let us lift you up in prayer to the Author of hope.
August 29, 2026

August 29th, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – 1 Peter 1:1-12

Highlight Verse:

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Institutions would have me accept that what they believe about God is the only possible truth.

Everything they teach is based on this one assumption.

I don’t have that kind of faith.

What they believe about God is that He doesn’t exist.

Everything they believe about how the Earth and everything on it came to be is based on the assumption that there is no God.

They believe this with such passion that anyone who disagrees with this assumption is banned from teaching.

They teach their theories as facts.

And if God does exist, their theories fall apart.

Their faith is flawed.

I wrote recently about Creation as the proof that there is a Creator.

I could go on for many pages about that, but I’d like to look at the situation a little differently.

The secular science education establishment has become as religiously zealous about science excluding God as churches in the dark ages were about following their rules.

They leave no room for questioning their assumptions.

To the most ardent of them, their theories are hard facts “proven” by their evidence.

I would suggest that their attitude will come back to bite them.

We were made for faith.

Where there is no room for doubt or disagreement, human intellect dies.

I offer this backwards logic as an encouragement to those who have ever had their faith tested. I would say that if you have never questioned your faith in God, then it has never been tested and is not as strong as it could be.

It is through tests of faith that our faith emerges victorious and strong.

So, when your thoughts turn to doubt, push in and learn from them. Face those difficult questions with an open mind. Find the answers through the Bible. And build a faith that can bounce back when the lies of the devil assault it.

How has your faith been tested?
What brought you through that test?
August 28, 2026

August 28th, 2026
Friday – Prophets

Reading – Micah 5-6

Highlight Verse:

“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Micah sets out God’s will for us in simple language.

“To do what is right” – The language here implies this is about relationships.
- Do right by your family, friends and neighbors.
- Don’t take advantage of them.
- Treat them with respect.
“Love mercy” – Not just like or appreciate but love it.
- This implies that mercy will be your default mode.
- When wronged, you will automatically not hold any wrong against people if you follow this.
- This reflects God’s mercy for us, which we should also love.
“Walk humbly with your God” – Walk, not just try to look humble.
- Walking humbly implies consistency.
- It does not imply bragging about your humility.
- True humility seeks to put all the attention on God and others.
Let’s be honest, I’m not terribly good at following these instructions. Pride and selfishness rear their ugly little heads too often in my life.
As I learn to walk in humility, the pieces begin to fall into place a little more each day.

If we walk together, perhaps we can help each other learn true rightness, mercy and humility.

Which of these three commands stand out the most to you? Why?
Please share any ideas you have about living them out.
August 27, 2026

August 27th, 2026

Thursday – Letters

Reading – Revelation 5

Highlight Verse:

“And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Is it bad that when I read this, the fun folk tune (All God’s Critters Got) “a Place in the Choir” pops into my

Read that verse again.

It clearly means that the entirety of God’s animal creation will sing praise together.

I don’t know if it means that the animals will literally sing those words together.

That would be fun!

But even if it’s figurative, think about it.

The sheer variety and the complexity of the animal kingdom points to incredible engineering and creativity.

Take the lowly squirrel.

Not only can a squirrel smell nuts through a foot of snow, but it can also detect whether the nuts are fresh enough to bury. Then it knows to pretend to hide nuts when other animals are looking and goes off and hides them in secret.

It even knows to plant trees for future harvests by leaving about a fourth of its stash uneaten.

And to climb down trees, its hind ankles can rotate 180 degrees to get a better grip.

In my opinion,

the amazing designs of animals serve to bring God praise in a very special way.

But I’m still looking forward to seeing that animal and human concert of praise someday.

What is your favorite animal?
How do you think God’s design of that animal brings praise to the Designer?
August 26, 2026

August 26th, 2026

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Chronicles 34-36

Highlight Verse:

“During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭34‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Josiah was 8 when he became king.

He was 16 when he started seriously seeking his faith.

When he was twenty, he made huge changes to bring faith back to the nation of Israel.

He didn’t wait until later in life to seek God.

He didn’t let anyone discourage or stop him from bringing revival to Israel.

He showed without a doubt that youth can make a huge difference.

I’ve participated on one level or another in next generation ministries for most of the last 44 years.

I’ve seen too many churches treat children’s ministry as a way to attract young families.

And others who treat youth ministry as an afterthought.

I’ve seen children get excited about getting to know Jesus.

And I’ve seen youth spearhead revival.

The vast majority of adult believers came to faith before the age of 18.

Many find genuine faith much earlier.

My faith story is rooted in a Wednesday night children’s ministry when I was in elementary school.

At 13, I committed my life to Jesus and haven’t turned back since.

I dare say that many of you found your faith through the efforts of Sunday school teachers and youth leaders.

Just over a week ago, I helped for one last night at a youth ministry I was at for several years.

While it was time for me to move on from that, I was greatly encouraged by the words from youth and leaders I influenced over that time.

I am continuing in next-gen ministry in children’s church at my current church home.

If this 62-year-old simple man can still influence the next generation, so can you!

What are you doing to help the next generation find Jesus?
How has God used you in the past to reach children and youth?
August 25, 2026

August 25th, 2026

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Numbers 33-34

Highlight Verse:

“While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the Lord to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened in midsummer, on the first day of the fifth month of the fortieth year after Israel’s departure from Egypt.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭33‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I spent most of yesterday in my basement home office.

That was good.

At the end of my workday, I went out to put something in my van.

It was 93 F.

It’s been a very hot summer for the Denver area. I like those rare days when I get to work in the coolness of my home.

And God’s final command to Aaron in the middle of summer in the Middle East at the age of 123?

Go climb this mountain.

I hate to admit it, but my insensitive mind thinks, “No wonder Aaron died.”

Where my mind should go is, “What amazing faith Aaron had!”

Now, I did look up the height and normal temperatures at Mount Hor (likely Jebel Harun near Petra, Jordan) and it was probably not too much hotter than here.

Still, a hike like that at his age would have been brutal.

But Aaron trusted God’s plan and I am sure he was welcomed into heaven at the end of his hike.

I’d like to say that my faith is that strong, though it has not been tried by any decision that drastic before.

Of course, I am rather certain that I would say yes to God if He asked me to hike to my death, provided he waited until I was 123 years old.

Seriously, I want my faith to be strong enough that I would obey any command that I know for sure was from God.

For now, I will continue to hone my faith by following the less deadly commands He has given me through the Bible.

And if one of those commands puts me at risk, I will trust in the will and power of the Commander.

Have you ever had to risk your life to obey God’s commands?
How do you think you would respond if you were in Aaron’s sandals?
August 24, 2026

August 24th, 2026

Monday – Gospels and Acts

Reading – Acts 10

Highlight Verse:

“Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭10‬:‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the things that blows my mind is that one of the biggest things that divides Christians today is that which should unite us – The Holy Spirit.

Some say the gifts of the Spirit were for a time before the Bible Canon was sealed.

Some say they are for today.

Some say we get the Holy Spirit the moment we get saved.

Some say there is a separate baptism in the Holy Spirit.

My story is a strange mix of the two sides.

I was raised Lutheran and came to a genuine faith in Jesus during my catechism training.

When I moved to Virginia at 16, the nearest Lutheran church was a long way away, so I went to a local Methodist Church, which happened to be an on-fire charismatic congregation. It was there that I first witnessed the gifts of the Spirit and prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In college back in California, I went to an EV Free church (think conservative Baptist) where I was introduced to some solid Biblical teaching from people who truly lived out their faith, while rejecting and notion of miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Then came Lighthouse Church, a Foursquare congregation that offered solid Biblical teaching about the Holy Spirit and put it into practice in such a way that they had a major impact on the community.

If that’s not confusing enough, I could go on about the variety of churches I’ve attended and served in as well as my Bible college experience in my 30’s.

You would think that would leave me confused in that important area of theology.

I am not.

I firmly believe the Holy Spirit still acts through the gifts.

While dispensational churches deny them, I still see the gifts working within their walls. They just don’t recognize them. If they would realize that genuine manifestations of the Holy Spirit will never add to or change the truth of the Bible, God could be even more effective through them.

I have seen a few Pentecostal churches that focus all their attention on the gifts. If they focused on the whole Word of God, the gifts would flow more naturally and effectively.

Focusing on the Truth of Bible would also reign in those who act like they are working through the Holy Spirit while they are really advancing their own personal agendas. Yes, I have seen that.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:
The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.

What theological background did you come from?
How have you seen the Holy Spirit work through you and those around you?
August 23, 2026

August 23rd, 2026

Sunday – Poetry

Reading – Job 5-6

Highlight Verses:

“People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. “If I were you, I would go to God and present my case to him.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I really want to dislike Eliphaz.

But a lot of the stuff he said was true.

Verse 7 points out the fallen nature of mankind.

Verse 8 points to God as the one to rescue us from our troubles.

So, while Eliphaz may seam judgmental and insensitive at times, it seems that he really wants to help his friend Job with the truth.

The writer of Job wants us to hear that same lesson.

When in trouble, turn to God.

Yes, I know you should turn to God even when you are not in trouble. But let’s keep it simple today.

Are you in the midst of troubles?
Have you brought your case before God in prayer?
How have you seen God answer when you have come to him with your problems?
August 22, 2026

August 22nd, 2026

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Luke 4:31-44

Highlight Verse:

“But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It was a very hot day today.

The idea of eating my lunch in my work van either in the heat or running the engine for an hour did not appeal to me.

There’s a long story involving crazy traffic that somehow directed me to the Raising Canes across the freeway from where I wanted to go. Oh well, it’s cheap good food with good AC and free refills of good iced tea.

When I got in line, a rough and dirty looking man had just come in.

I could barely understand anything he said but it was apparent that he was looking for a free meal.

I just wanted to enjoy some good food in peace and to play some games on my phone. I didn’t want to get involved.

So, yes, of course, I ordered two meals instead of one and hoped he would take his away.

He sat across from me.

And talked nearly non-stop.

With his slurred voice and all the noise in the restaurant, about all I could make out was, that he just got a roofing job, and – he was a man of faith, though I couldn’t really tell what kind of faith.

What little I could understand did not strike me as coherent. I tried to listen but not very well.

He did not seem to be completely in his right mind.

In the not-too-distant past, many would have said he was demon possessed.

In his case, I don’t think so. But there was something very wrong there.

So, are demons real?

Yes! Today’s verse is only one of many where Jesus deals with demons.

Am I afraid of them?

No. I am protected by the blood of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Those demons have no power over me unless I give it to them.

I choose not to.

I am not someone who sees demons behind every corner. But I recognize that there is a spiritual realm in which good and evil do battle.

We can join that battle in prayer and fasting

I could go on and explain the spiritual realm further but in this brief format, the most important points are that it is real and we need not fear that realm if we are equipped through the Holy Spirit and oppose the evil with the power of Jesus.

How have you fought evil in the past?
How do you recognize when a problem is from the spiritual realms?

Tag: devotional

A pastor friend once told me that on the Sunday afternoon menu for most churchgoers is roast pastor.

Churches and pastors will make mistakes. We all do.

So, when you see something wrong, go ahead and talk about it – to the person who did the wrong or who can make a difference.

It is natural for us humans to not want to face anything to do with depression.

You don’t have to lose everything to feel the effects of depression.

hope is still there.

Then rest in that hope.

Institutions would have me accept that what they believe about God is the only possible truth.

And if God does exist, their theories fall apart.

It is through tests of faith that our faith emerges victorious and strong.

If we walk together, perhaps we can help each other learn true rightness, mercy and humility.

That would be fun!

Take the lowly squirrel.

the amazing designs of animals serve to bring God praise in a very special way.

He didn’t wait until later in life to seek God.

And I’ve seen youth spearhead revival.

If this 62-year-old simple man can still influence the next generation, so can you!

It was 93 F.

Go climb this mountain.

Seriously, I want my faith to be strong enough that I would obey any command that I know for sure was from God.

One of the things that blows my mind is that one of the biggest things that divides Christians today is that which should unite us – The Holy Spirit.

My story is a strange mix of the two sides.

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.

I really want to dislike Eliphaz.

When in trouble, turn to God.

When I got in line, a rough and dirty looking man had just come in.

So, are demons real?

We can join that battle in prayer and fasting

The bottom line before I step off my little soap box here is this:
The Holy Spirit is for all believers. We should be open to Him working through us, verifying that work through the Truth of the Bible.