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  Revelation 19:1-8 Listen to today's devotional Burying the  alleluia  is a spiritual practice that dates back to the Middle Ages. It's a simple act of worship. Or non-worship, I suppose. Typically, during Lent, the church would not sing hymns that included the word  alleluia . The translation of the word is "Praise the Lord." As such, to sing or repeat it is an act of praise, worship and even joy. Lent is a more penitential season. And, when we bury the alleluia, we expect to revive it at the Easter celebration. So, some consider the practice a form of fasting. If your hallelujah is a praise sentence, entombing it can help shape your prayers and worship experiences. But the word also serves as a command. Not just a declaration, it's asking or directing someone else to do something. In this case to praise the Lord. In the Old Testament,  hallelujah  shows up mainly in the psalms. That makes sense because the psalms are worship. In the New Testament, the wo...

  Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube Monday: Introduction to Grace Main Passage: Luke 15:11-32 (Parable of the Prodigal Son) Reflection: Today, we begin our journey into understanding the depth of God's grace through the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This story is essential for comprehending the infinite love of God and how it calls each of us, regardless of where we find ourselves. By reflecting on the themes of "come home," we see how these two simple words encapsulate God's invitation to us. Reflection Questions: What does "come home" mean to you in your current spiritual season? How do you typically respond to God's invitation of grace? In what ways have you experienced the love of God calling you back to God? Additional Scripture: Isaiah 55:7 Psalm 103:8-12 Tuesday: The Younger Son's Journey Main Passage: Luke 15:11-32 Reflection: The younger son represents the story of many of us who have wandered away and experienced the cons...

  Joshua 4:1-13 Listen to today's devotional God doesn't need our perfection to be God. And we know the Lord's goodness and holiness don't stand on our merit or our righteous abilities. Who God is and what God does is enough. We're used to thinking our testimonies have to recount earth-shattering, life-changing experiences. It's doesn't feel right to celebrate the small moments of peace or revelation. While there are times we move mountains with God's help, there are many, many more times the still, small voice speaks its truth in quiet moments. Be thankful for those experiences. Celebrate them like you would any move of God. Don't worry if they don't sound as breathtaking as something you've heard from someone else. Now, let's think about the Israelites crossing the Jordan River into the promised land. That's no small thing. It's the fulfillment of a promise God made to the Israelites that may have seemed like would never come to...

  Joshua 4:1-13 The man showed me the picture of Earth he had carried for decades. I had seen the picture in history books and online. But this was his picture. He had been part of the space mission that first provided this image. After its success, this was a keepsake given to crew members and others involved. So, this wasn't just a picture of a historical event. This was his cherished reminder of what that day was to him. And with the picture came the stories. Personally, that's my favorite illustration of Joshua's instruction to the people. Twelve men were to carry one stone each from the center of the Jordan River where the people would cross into the promised land. These stones weren't a functioning part of getting the people over. Instead, "in time to come," children were going to ask about them. None of the ancients probably carried pictures in their pockets. But they would have these stones and they would have the stories that went with them. The stone...

Numbers 13:17-27 It's the classic good news, bad news scenario. The spies have spent 40 days surveying the promised land. They've seen what this place of promise is, what it offers and who lives there. Interestingly, their report doesn't seem to include anything we wouldn't have already known. The good news is "look at this fruit!" The bad news is "the people!" I'm not quite sure who initiated their exploratory mission. Numbers 13 says "the Lord spoke to Moses" and told him to send spies (13:1). As its recorded in Deuteronomy, Moses said the people came up with the idea (Deuteronomy 1). He merely agreed. It could be Moses heard it, thought about it, prayed and got his okay from God. Whatever the case, the spies have returned with their findings. Again, we already knew the kind of people who were there. And God had already said it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Of course, the bigger story will be that most of the spies will conv...

  Psalm 39 I used to joke that I became a preacher because the church was the only place that said my big mouth was a spiritual gift. But one doesn't need to be loud or boisterous to put one's foot in their mouth, do they? We all run that risk. So, maybe, you can relate to the psalmist as he opens Psalm 39. He shares with us what he, presumably, told himself, "I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue" (39:1). Now, I can only base my reading on my personal experience. I know what it's like to internally repeat something I want to do or keep from doing. "I will do this. I will do this." Or, "I won't do that. I won't do that." That technique has been helpful before, but it isn't fail proof. I say I won't, but I do. I say I will, but I don't. The psalmist said he would make sure not to open his big mouth. But he did. He had held his peace for too long and watched too much happen around him. Notice, though, in this ...

  Romans 2:1-11 From time to time, I preach a good enough sermon that someone has a wish. Their wish is that so-and-so would have been there to hear it. That's a relative or friend they know. And the reason is always the same. They really should've been there because they really needed to hear it. Now, how many of us don't need to hear gospel-focused reminders? I like to remind my wish makers that so-and-so wasn't there. They didn't hear it. You did. And we're all accountable to what we have heard and what we will do with it. In Romans 2, Paul seems to be talking to a group of people who thought they were good with God. That is, whatever sharp words the apostle had to share, he must've meant them for so-and-so. They're the ones who needed to hear this drastic call. But Paul doesn't let his listeners off the hook. If you're reading this, whoever you are, this message applies to you. I can't help but wonder if Paul's audience would have tho...

Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube   Monday: Turning Off the Noise Scripture Reading:  Philippians 4:8-9 Devotional:  Begin your week by reflecting on the pervasive influence of news and media in our lives. How often do you find yourself consumed by the news cycle, seeking to validate your pre-existing beliefs rather than seeking truth? Today, challenge yourself to discern between entertainment-focused news that stirs division and news that genuinely informs and enlightens. Reflection Questions: How does consuming sensationalized news affect your mood and outlook? What steps can you take to focus more on truth and less on fear? How can Philippians 4:8-9 guide you in being intentional about what you allow to occupy your mind? Additional Scripture:  Psalm 119:105 Tuesday: The Blame Game Scripture Reading:  Luke 6:41-42 Devotional:  Consider the tendency to shift blame onto others, as discussed in the sermon. Just as Jesus faced the crowd questioning him abou...

  Daniel 12:1-4 Do you feel the world is broken? If someone sang that in worship, your next response would probably be: We do. That's the opening line to Andrew Peterson's "Is He Worthy?" In that song, not only do worshippers acknowledge the brokenness of the world, we admit the shadows deepen around us as well. Why would that be a song of praise? Because it leads to a confident assurance that Christ is worthy. But it begins with the unquestionable distress of the world. Many Christians find that a strange place to begin our praise of God. We should always start with God's goodness, some would say. Yes, the goodness of God is a worthy starting point. But praise isn't only saying nice things about God. When we face the world's brokenness--the hurt, the injustice, the suffering--our hearts begin to hunger more for God's goodness, to cry out for it and to work for it. How can we fully know the power of God's goodness until we've reckoned with the ...

  Psalm 63:1-8 A good comic doesn't need sophistication to make us think. One stand up comic's set comes to mind to demonstrate this. Speaking of us in the U.S., he painted a picture of a thriving society. His proof of our triumphant posture was waterparks. After building momentum with several water-themed jokes, he finished off by saying, "That's how you know we've made it. Other people in the world can't find water to drink and we're over here playing in it." It was a joke, yes, but it was also social commentary. A punch in the gut wrapped in a belly laugh. Besides the comic's thought provoking intent, I also see a faith lesson in his joke. I take it from Psalm 63:1. The psalmist begins his worship set with his aim on God. He seeks God. Now, to be frank, that feels like language we dally with today. The backdrop to the psalm tells us the psalmist is in the wilderness. So, he isn't playing with his words. He seeks God as if he was in a dry and...

  Luke 13:22-31 I reflect often on a drawing called  The Narrow Way . It's of a person maneuvering herself from a cross-shaped pit. As you view the picture, you can tell this is no easy task. The soul's will must contort the body to escape the angles of the cross. I haven't seen the picture in quite a while, but it's as vivid in my mind as it was the first time I saw it. It's a reminder to me of the challenge to walk faithfully a cruciform life. In Luke's gospel, the narrow way is a door. Responding to the question "Lord, will only a few be saved," Jesus instructs those listening to strive for this door. Many commentators note that to strive can have a sense of sport to it. That is, the word used means to "enter a contest" or even contend or fight an adversary. But it also points to a contention with danger or difficulty. That helps me understand Jesus more. At this point, religious leaders are ready to be done with Jesus. Herod wants him dea...

  1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Being that Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books of the Bible, I regularly call to mind that "there's nothing new under the sun." Yes, there are circumstances happening to us and all around us that couldn't have happened before. Quite often, though, only the details have changed. What we're facing, what's at stake and what we should do follows a pattern the world has seen from us before. Mark Twain said it differently from the old preacher: "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." My way of saying all of that isn't as eloquent, but it's been helpful to me. I like to say, "It's our turn." It's our turn to make the tough decisions of life others have struggled through. It's our turn to appreciate and celebrate the opportunities other generations have established and shared. It's our turn to mourn, to grieve and to suffer loss. What you and I might go through today is nothing ...

  Listen on Spotify Watch on  YouTube When we align ourselves with God's rhythm, we resist evil, embrace love, and find that God is already waiting for us with open arms. Monday: Recognizing Life’s Rhythms Scripture:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Devotional: The rhythms of life are evident all around us, from the changing seasons to the daily patterns of work and rest. In the same way, our spiritual lives follow rhythms that God has set in place. Recognizing these divine rhythms helps us live in harmony with God’s creation and purpose. Reflection Questions: What rhythms in your daily life help you feel connected to God? How do you respond when your life’s rhythm feels disrupted? Additional Scripture:  Psalm 104:19-23 Tuesday: Repentance as a Rhythm Scripture:  1 John 1:9 Devotional: Repentance is not a one-time event but a continual rhythm of our walk with God. Each moment of repentance is an opportunity to realign ourselves with God’s will. It frees us from the past and...

  Exodus 33:1-6 Listen to today's devotional For about a week now, I have been, literally, stiff-necked. Several projects have required my attention be set on a computer screen a bit more than usual. My eyes are typically the first to signal it's time for me to get up from the desk. This time, it's been my neck. That is, of course, a physical affliction. But it's easy to make a few spiritual connections. As a reminder, in Exodus 33, the Lord told the Israelites it was time to get up and go to the land promised to their ancestors. God would not, however, "go up among" the people. Instead, an angel would go before them. God's reasoning was the people would not last one moment with God as companion. The Lord's holiness would consume them because they were "a stiff-necked people." This word comes after God punished Israel for their constructing of the golden calf. It seemed clear the people were not going to be totally able or willing to leave be...

  Genesis 14:17-24 Recession fears are widespread in our nation right now. As a result, many of us are thinking about our financial future. As things would be, my social media algorithm sent related several videos my way today. They included tips on how to take care of your money during hard economic times. Most of the advice was pretty straightforward: Don't eat out as much. Cancel some of your subscriptions. Start a side hustle or get a second job. Stop giving to charities for a time. When it comes to saving money, "Consider yourself the charity right now" is a big idea that gets shared. Several people even suggest you stop tithing to your church. Of course, that caught my attention the most. I had to check my heart, as they say, as I pondered more on that one. There are several reasons I thought that may have rubbed me the wrong way. One, I teach people to be generous. So, should I tell them to stop? Two, frankly, people's giving impacts my livelihood. We don't...

  Philippians 3:7-11 As I stood in line to receive communion, I saw the little one three steps ahead of me. The pastor had offered the cup as "the blood of the Lord, poured out for you" for every person who came forward. When the young saint approached him, he changed his script. It was something like, "Remember that Jesus always loves you." I've done that before. The blood of the Lord line can sound scary or off-putting to youngsters. Don't think so? Our family has a funny story about a child nervously confessing she did not want to eat the body or drink the blood of Jesus. So, perhaps, the Jesus-loves-you reminder is a bit more agreeable to a young mind. That doesn't mean we should shy away from using traditional language with our children. They need to hear our common expressions and listen to the same things we as adults hear. One day, their  amen  will be personal. It will be full of conviction and praise. For now, our role is to model faith and tea...

  Luke 21:34-22:6 What would make Judas betray Jesus? If you're reading from Luke, you might rely on the old "the devil made me do it" defense. Luke says plainly, "Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve" (22:3). Judas walked with Jesus and had seen him do many great things. I imagine the Lord's teaching astounded him on more than one occasion. Even so, Judas' proximity to Jesus wasn't enough. Besides Luke's rationale (and John's) and the idea he was a thief, we're left to speculate what motivated Judas' betrayal. Was he simply the right person for the devil's "opportune time" (Luke 4:13)? Or did Jesus disappoint him enough that he decided to get out while he could and get something out of all this? Again, speculate and discuss. As we reflect on the actions of the betrayer, we also turn our attention inward. That is, what would make me betray Jesus? What would make you and us betray the L...