Examen*
1 Corinthians 11:28-34 Life can be busy and frantic. Living such a way can often lead to an unexamined life. We can become unaware of what is shaping us. We may read a devotional in the morning,...
View ArticleFormed By Ritual
Luke 22:7-16 Jesus was a good Jew. This fact is often overlooked when talking about Jesus. We can forget that He did not seek to eradicate Judaism and He wasn’t anti-Jewish. He was seeking the...
View ArticleYou Are What You Eat
John 6:47-53 John tells us that Jesus’ teaching about eating His flesh cost Him dearly. Many deserted Jesus after He told them they had to eat His flesh. They did not understand what Jesus meant...
View ArticleBeggars In Heaven?
Acts 2:40-47 When we all get to heaven, will anyone go hungry? Will there be homeless or poor? Will there be beggars on the streets of gold? How many people will be lonely in eternity? These...
View ArticleResurrection People
Colossians 3:12-17 In most western cultures, Sundays may be first on the calendar, but Mondays are treated as the first day of the week. Not so with resurrection people. We know that the first...
View ArticleThe Witnesses
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 It’s amazing how simple the gospel is. In Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, he points out their stand on the gospel. He passed down the word and the Corinthian believers...
View ArticleFaith and Expectation
1 Corinthians 15:9-15a In the movie Breakthrough, Christian actress and singer Chrissy Metz gave a moving portrayal of Joyce Smith, a mother whose athletic high-schooler fell through the ice on...
View ArticleResurrection Trust
1 Corinthians 15:15b-23 In Genesis 3:22, we encounter these words, “He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Death was ushered...
View ArticleVictory Through Jesus
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 Years ago, during my senior year in high school, I saw a notice recruiting swimmers for the high school swim team. In my younger years, my neighborhood friends and family...
View ArticleLiving Godly Training
1 Timothy 4:6-11 Paul agrees that physical training holds some value (v. 8). However, when we exercise our spiritual muscles, we practice not only for this life, but also for the life to come. Paul...
View ArticleAnchored In Hope
Hebrews 6:13-20 Abraham waited patiently for what he did not have—yet. Are you waiting for one of God’s promises? I received a vision of ordination from the Lord in my early 20s. I actually saw...
View ArticleAbundance of Hope
Psalm 16:5-11 There are three important details about God in Psalm 16:11. God will point out the right path for us if we listen and focus on Him. When we spend time in God’s presence, we find...
View ArticleWhere Do the Pieces Come From?
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 While reading 1 Corinthians 12, one might have flashbacks to their mother giving them a pep talk about how they are uniquely made and how their gifts help to make up the body of...
View ArticlePotluck
1 Corinthians 12:12-20 Who doesn’t love a good potluck dinner at church? Growing up, this was always a highlight for me. I would like to think that, had Paul lived in our context, maybe he would have...
View ArticleLesson In Fractions
1 Corinthians 12:21-31 In 1 Corinthians 12:21-31, it becomes apparent that Paul repeats the word “part” over and over again. A quick flashback to elementary school fractions reminds us of how...
View ArticleNo Doubt Instructions
Romans 12:9-16 Any parent who has left an older child at home to watch over younger siblings knows that they remember many of the important instructions just as they are walking out the door. Usually,...
View ArticleTo Know
Ephesians 1:17-23 Anyone who has been married for long or has witnessed friends who have been married for long, knows that spouses know each other intimately. Married people get to know their...
View ArticleFruits of Grace
Hebrews 12:12-17 If I were to ask for a list of poor decisions that you have made, most of us could make a pretty significant list. Some would be small decisions—like choosing the wrong route to get...
View ArticleRemember God Is Greater
1 John 4:1-6 In 1 John, the author addresses a rift within the congregation: Some believers held onto their faith and others were pulled away by a false teacher. John’s words were aimed at the remnant...
View ArticleFine Print
1 Corinthians 12:31b—13:7 If you’ve ever bought a house, leased a car, or even filed for a rebate after a purchase, then you’ve encountered the legendary fine print: the famous list of stipulations...
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