Devotionals

02 Apr Devotional Thought – The Greater Sin

"Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."  John 19:11 At first these words that Jesus spoke to Pilate seem very strange. Jesus tells Pilate that his role in His crucifixion is not as bad as that of Caiaphas. "Caiaphas," Jesus tells Pilate, "is the greater sinner, even though you have made the final decision in this matter." This really is an unexpected judgement on the Judean Governor. On the surface it seems that Pilate was the one that was most culpable for Jesus' death. After all, it was Pilate who passed the sentence. It was Pilate who chose the means of execution - the cross. He even tried to wash his hands of the whole thing. But, the Lord Jesus seems to be saying that there comes a certain point in wickedness when things are beyond the control of man. The seed that has been planted will surely sprout and grow into a tree. So here, standing before Jesus, Pilate found himself standing under that tree. He was now heir of the sinful decisions of those who had gone before him. No longer was it possible for Pilate to put a stop to this national sin. It would have taken a miracle to put a halt to the murder of Jesus.

26 Mar Devotional Thought – The Root Of Worldliness

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15 John tells us here that he believes the darkest shadow to fall on the human heart is that of worldliness. No doubt each one of us has that sin to which we have a special aversion. As you read the scriptures it is evident that Matthew, Mark and Luke place a special emphasis on the sin of blasphemy.  Paul stresses the danger of the sin of unbelief. James highlights the wickedness of idle hands. But John details the dangers entwined in the sin of worldliness. Why is that? It could very well be because this was the sin that had so often ensnared him.

23 Dec Devotional Thought – Seeing The Star

"When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them. . ." Matt. 2:9 Where...

20 Dec Devotional Thought – The Promise of Christmas

When we open the pages of our Bible, we encounter what many Christians refer to as “the book of beginnings.” And in Genesis 3:15 I believe that we discover one of the greatest Christmas verses in the entire Bible. The book of Genesis is, of course, the book of “firsts.”  Here we find the first day, the first planet, the first plant, the first ocean, the first mountain, the first animal, the first fish, the first bird, the first man, the first woman, and even the first promise ever given in the Word of God. It’s a powerful, personal promise concerning the coming of Christ into a world that had rebelled against the Father’s command. The result of such disobedience is a fallen, terrible condition which the Bible calls “sin.”  In the wake of this terrible decision, God gives to a subtle, slimy, sneaky serpent (and us as well), “the Promise of Christmas.”

25 Sep Devotional Thought – Don’t Knock The Knock

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." Revelation 3:20 What does a knock mean?  Why does the Revelator write that the Resurrected Lord stands and knocks - waiting patiently for the door to be opened?  Why doesn't Jesus just go ahead and come on in?  Surely He is powerful and forceful enough to do so.  After all, He created the sun, moon and stars in the beginning.  He created everything that is and has been used to build the house and even the door that gives entry into it.

18 Sep Devotional Thought – Winning Through Losing

"For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever..." Philemon 1:15 There are certain thing that only become truly ours when we have lost them for a while.  There are joys that will never be internalized and made fully ours until they have first gone through the cloud of grief.  So many times we're like Philemon in that it is our losses that ultimately come to enrich us.  Far too often we hold a faith only because we were born with it and as a result we fail to realize its true value.  But when there comes a cloud for a season which removes it from our sight for a while, suddenly we understand it is precious and therefore come to cherish it.  We wake to the knowledge that we have held a diamond in our hand.  We've been rich without the realization of our riches and we would given and entire world to hold once again what just the day before we tossed away.