Devotions

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Nov
02
Say Again?*

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in […]

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Sep
30
Zero Value Added

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9 Being a Lutheran, I am very familiar with potluck dinners. These mainstays of the church calendar are simple to manage. You just invite people to […]

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Sep
20
Contradiction in Terms

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” – 2 Chronicles 20:20 One method […]

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Aug
31
Painters & Pointers*

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33b Once upon a time, I found myself in a marriage bootcamp session listening to someone sharing some of the differences between men and women. This speaker was providing insights about approaches to communication. He offered two different communication styles that […]

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Jul
28
Whom Shall I Fear?

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall […]

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Jun
16
Lead, Follow, & Get Out of the Way*

Therefore, David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours […]

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Jun
06
Celebrating Our Failures*

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” – Psalm 73:26 On April 23, 2022, Detroit Tigers Designated Hitter Miguel Cabrera drove a single into right field to collect the 3,000th hit of his illustrious career. Long considered a major achievement in the sport, […]

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May
03
Simply Heroic

If I were to ask you to define a hero, what kind of answer would you give? Some heroes wear colorful costumes with flowing capes. They exude strength. They uphold truth, justice, and the American way. They possess superhuman powers and use highly sophisticated tools in pursuit of the villain. They are generous, intelligent, compassionate, […]

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Mar
31
What I’ve Learned: The COVID-19 Edition

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8 “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” – Malachi 3:6 Now that our “two-week break” for COVID-19 has passed the 100-week mark, I thought this might be a good time to reflect upon some […]

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Mar
15
WANTED!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17 One of the things I find intriguing about history are wanted posters. It started when I […]

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