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  Click here to listen to today’s devotional Maybe I Was Wrong August 28, 2026 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 I don’t look at every war, earthquake, election, or new technology and connect the dots to the end times. If it’s the end, it’s the end. Which is probably why I struggle with passages like 2 Thessalonians 2. There’s a “lawless one,” Satan, deception, signs and wonders, all the stuff that can send some of us to the Mystery Machine to start looking for clues. But there is one part of the imagery I love. Paul says Jesus will destroy the lawless one “with the breath of his mouth.” Isaiah 11 tells of a promised ruler who beats wickedness with the breath of his lips. In 2 Thessalonians, after a whole buildup of the rebellion to come, Jesus breathes. Evil tries to put on a show. Jesus barely has to exhale. Then there's the part that really steers me away from worrying about end times. The writer describes people who perish because they “refused to love the truth.” Not people who refused t...

  Click here to listen to today’s devotional Psalm 105:1-6 I'm about two months into a new appointment, which means a new city, a new church, and a new home. The city and church have their things in order. And most things are in place at home, too. But there have been several times when I've had to actually seek something out. That's gotten me turned around in the city, taught me what I don't have at the church, and left me wondering how in the world I lost what I could always find at home. The thing is, when I find what I'm looking for, all I have to do next is not forget it or misplace it. But what about seeking God? Considering the glory of God's name, the psalmist in Psalm 105 tells us to "seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually." Well, is that something we find once and for all? Is it something we can lose? The rest of the psalm gives us a clue. Psalm 105 is basically a long memory. The psalmist starts telling stories: Abraha...

  Click here to listen to today’s devotional Psalm 8 Personally, I've got the wonder and joy of children on my mind. That could be why I've noticed the little ones that walk by my office window each day. Our church has a day school, and each class takes a trip to the playground. Thankfully, my office is along their way. It's early in the school year, but they already seem to know to walk safely in line, one behind the other. One day last week, I noticed something I'm sure I'd seen before. Maybe my new grandparent eyes were kicking in. As each class followed the leader, no one only looked straight ahead. Each child of God seemed to carry a sense of curiosity and astonishment about their surroundings. Their heads turned and swiveled in all directions. Each little step brought them closer to something new or made them tune in even more to something they were getting further from. I wonder if the psalmist looked around before writing Psalm 8. It seems like he looked at ...

  Exodus 2:11-15 Moses had grown up in Pharaoh’s house, but he knew the Hebrews were his people. One day, he went out and saw what life looked like outside the palace. He saw the forced labor, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Moses knew something was wrong. So he looked around, saw nobody was watching, killed the Egyptian, and buried him in the sand. The next day, Moses saw two Hebrews fighting. He confronted the one who was in the wrong, who then snapped back at him, “Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Uh-oh. “Surely the thing is known,” Moses thought. The sand might not be a great hiding place, after all. Think about Moses for a second. In this moment, he knows what injustice looks like and that his people were suffering. He even knew enough to recognize when one Hebrew was mistreating another. His problem wasn’t that he couldn’t tell right from wrong. His problem was that he didn’t automatically know what to do about it. Isn't that a part of growing up s...

  Acts 18:24-26 Click here to listen to today’s devotional My grandma wanted to watch a movie with us one night. So, we took her pick and had a blast. As the movie went on, she kept saying she didn't remember certain parts. She didn't remember the movie being as funny as it was that night. Turns out, we were watching the director's cut. The director's cut is the same story, but there are additional scenes added that you didn't know about. New conversations, details, or experiences help develop and make more sense of the story. Apollos had a faith like that. Acts describes him as eloquent, passionate, and deeply knowledgeable in the Scriptures. He boldly taught about Jesus. In other words, he wasn't a beginner. But then Priscilla and Aquila invited him into their home and, as The Message puts it, "told him the rest of the story." Now, they didn't tear down what he already knew. They expanded it. They gave him the director's cut. How many of us ...

  Joshua 18:1-3 Click here to listen to today’s devotional We were eating our eggs and bacon at a men’s Bible study, reading Joshua 18, when I kept going back to something Joshua asked the people: “How long will you be slack about going in and taking possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?" Remember, Joshua was one of those brave spies in Numbers 13. Back then, he would have been about forty, part of that original group sent to scout the land. Now, he’s an old man. And yet, it doesn't sound like he's softened his passion. He still speaks with urgency and fire. As the leader, he expects that God’s people should step forward into their promise. That means a lot to me in part because I’ve heard the warning several times in my life, “Just wait until you get older.” As if age automatically drains your joy. But I don’t think that’s the way it has to be. I’ve been fortunate to know many older saints who didn’t just get older; they grew olde...

  James 3:13-18 Click here to listen to today’s devotional After the English Civil War of the 17th century, some leaders in the Church of England were tired of the endless theological battles. Some of them became known as Latitudinarians. Their name came because they argued for a little more latitude or room to choose in matters that weren't essential. They believed Christians could disagree on many secondary issues while remaining united in faith. They valued reason, moderation, and charity over the constant conflict that had brought about so much turmoil. While I'm still learning more about their movement, I find myself admiring their desire. The church today still spends a lot of energy arguing about issues that, while important, often turn into a desire to win debates rather than love neighbors. The Latitudinarians remind me that a gentle spirit often bears more witness than a loud opinion. But their movement also had weaknesses. In prioritizing reason and tolerance, they s...

  Psalm 139:1-6 Click here to listen to today’s devotional This week, I have taken intentional time to journal about my inner life. It has been both challenging and necessary. I’m sharing these reflections with you so you can also ask God to search what temptations, worries, or burdens might be pulling you this week. As someone who spends much of my time thinking about God-related things, talking about God, and preparing others to encounter God, this week has been a reminder that there is a difference between working for God and being present with God. A question I have wrestled with is, What is happening in my soul while I am doing all the things expected of me as a pastor? I am entering a new season of ministry. New church. New community. New relationships. New expectations. There is excitement, but there is also uncertainty. I have been reflecting on the verse I preached on in my first sermon: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11...