Daily Worship Devotional

DAILY READING Matthew 9:27-31 REFLECTION Some Dynamics of Healing By Todd Marti This week’s readings mostly focused on Jesus’ healings. Today’s reading continues that. Read together, they highlight three important dynamics. First, faith is essential . In today’s reading Jesus asked the men seeking healing if they “believe[d] that I am able to do this,” and said that their healing would “be done . . .  according to [their] faith.”   Matthew 9:28, 29 (NASB) . We saw that compon

DAILY READING Mark 5:21-24 , 35-43 REFLECTION   Just Believe By Terry Gustafson Today’s reading, the story of raising Jairus’ daughter, is also found in the Gospels of Matthew ( 9:18-26 ) and Luke ( 8:40-56 ). The setting of the story is that Jesus has just returned to the west side of the Lake of Galilee, likely near Capernaum. He has a large crowd around Him as He teaches. And then He is interrupted ... Jairus’ Posture . Jairus is identified as “one of the synagogue rul

DAILY READING Romans 5:12-21 REFLECTION   God's Grace, Greater Than Adam's Sin By Judy Webb Romans 5:18 (MSG) Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life!  Too many times we point to Adam and Eve and declare, "It is all their fault!"  Countless times we look at their disobedience, their selfish be

DAILY READING Matthew 8:1-4 REFLECTION   The Reverse of the Curse By Katie Borden I know a third grade teacher who once had his students participate in an experiment to teach them about the spread of germs… using glitter . One morning, my friend dabbed what seemed like an insignificant amount of glitter into one singular student’s hand, and because third graders don’t keep their hands to themselves, by the end of the day there was glitter everywhere . As in, they were still f

DAILY READING Luke 7:11-17 REFLECTION   Be in Awe By Pam Mann There’s nothing to add to an account of the dead being raised by Jesus of Nazareth.  Simply read the passage again and be in awe . Feel the chill that fell over the large crowd that had gathered to support the doubly forlorn widow. With her husband dead and now her son headed to join him in the grave, she has nothing. She has no financial future in that society. Life is hard. Funerals happen all the time. People of

DAILY READING Luke 4:38-44 REFLECTION   An Amazing Kingdom By Dave Mann   In this passage, Jesus shows us what the kingdom of God is like.  He is proclaiming the truth and waving high the banner of the kingdom of God.  He is preaching with authority.  He is showing compassion and power by healing the sick and by casting out demons from the afflicted.  In all this, the people are amazed.  Why?  Because the kingdom of God is different from the status quo.   The work of the chur

DAILY READING John 4:46-54 REFLECTION   Certain Belief By Elaine Pierce The man took Jesus at his word and departed (John 4:50). As I read and re-read this passage, those words stopped me in my tracks. This royal official (John doesn't tell us his name) begs Jesus to heal his son. Jesus says " You may go. Your son will live." So he does what Jesus says, and on the way home his servants meet him with the amazing news that his boy is better. The result? He and all his househol

DAILY READING John 4: 27-45 REFLECTION Leave the Water Jar Behind By Michael Guastella At the start of John 4, we see Jesus crossing boundaries, both geographical and cultural.  He engages the Samaritan woman and has a dialogue with her, and by the time we get to verse 27, Jesus has identified himself as the Messiah to the woman at the well.  And then, the transformation begins. A bit earlier in verse 25, the woman expresses her faith that she knows the Messiah is coming, an

DAILY READING John 4:1-26 REFLECTION   Why Her? By Gene Pierce Today’s passage is John’s record of Jesus’ conversation with a woman of Samaria, the first time in John’s gospel that Jesus claims to be the Messiah. Jesus had been turning water into wine, baptizing many and clearing the Temple, but this conversation crosses a big, big line. Why does John include this particular person as the first to hear this powerful claim?  Her contemporaries might have described her as an ir

DAILY READING John 3:22-36 REFLECTION   The Greatest of All By Judy Webb "He must become greater; I must become less." ( John 3:30 NIV)  One of the first Bible verses to have impact on me was John 3:30. ESV uses the words: "He must increase but I must decrease." Because this verse was short and concise, it was easy to memorize and carry in my heart. The verse may strike us because it addresses two human traits: humility and pride. One we must increase and the other decrease.

DAILY READING John 3:16-21 REFLECTION   Come Into the Light By Beth Voltmann Love – Life – Light   I have circled these three words in my Bible from today’s reading as I contemplate how John often recorded Jesus’ own (red letter) words testifying to the truth of who he was - who he is - who he ever will be.   Love – “ For God so loved  the world that he gave his one and only Son...” (John 3:16) Life – “I am the way and the truth and the life .” (John 14:6) Light – “I am the

DAILY READING John 3:1-15 REFLECTION   The Go-To Guy Meets His Master By Pam Mann Nicodemus visits Jesus at night. Likely, under cover of night, he get less grief from his Pharisee pals, who aren’t big Jesus fans. At night, there are no crowds. Finally, Nicodemus can have a quiet word with Jesus. After all, being a go-to guy himself, Nicodemus knows some of what this young prophet is facing. Being older and wiser, he can give the rookie some direction. Nicodemus is convinced

DAILY READING John 2:13-22 REFLECTION   To Believe! By Dave Mann The word “believe” is used 85 times in the gospel of John, many more times than in any other book in the New Testament – believing in God, trusting in him.  This is a principal theme of John’s writing, as he wrote in the prologue of his gospel, Yet to all who did receive him, to those who  believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God  (John 1:12). This cleansing of the temple and the brief

DAILY READING John 2:1-11 REFLECTION   Do Whatever He Says By Elaine Pierce Our youngest son got married about 8 years ago. My husband and I hosted the rehearsal dinner, and we had an open bar as part of the festivities. After dinner was over, my soon-to-be-daughter-in-law pointed out that some of the guests were perhaps taking advantage of the 'free' drinks, and she encouraged me to close the bar before things got out of hand. I took her advice, and the party concluded on a

DAILY READING Romans 15:1-2  and 4-6 ; James 5:8-9  & 2 Corinthians 13:11   REFLECTION Relationship By Todd Marti Today’s reading continues to address a topic discussed over the past two days: relationships within the church. God wants the church to be a delivery system for His love. But, because it is made up of imperfect people, conflicts and social awkwardness sometimes impede that.  These readings lay out some principles for getting past those impediments. Thursday’s read

DAILY READING James 5:7-11 REFLECTION   We Are Family By Jennifer Jerrome Last month, my assigned scripture was from the Epistle of Jude and this month it’s James – both brothers of Jesus. Which made me wonder, what was life like for these siblings? Can you imagine growing up with the Messiah? John 7:5 tells us, For even his own brothers did not believe in him . And According to Acts 1:14 their faith transformation didn’t occur until after  the Resurrection. They all joined t

DAILY READING Romans 15:1-7 REFLECTION   One Anothering In Action By Judy Webb We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.     Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.   (Romans 15:1-2) In a world that is becoming unloving and even violent, let the words of Romans 15 move us to acknowledge just how meaningful and beautiful are the words found in our texts today. Ask the Holy Spirit to open all hear

DAILY READING 2 Timothy 1: 8-14 REFLECTION Be One Louder  By Jenny Raber Have you ever, when at a restaurant with a friend, leaned in and lowered your voice to share Sunday’s message or the new Bible study you started? When stopped at a red light, windows down on a hot day, have you ever turned down the volume on your worship tunes as another car approaches? When a co-worker receives difficult news, have you ever said “I’ll be thinking about you” rather than “I will pray for

DAILY READING Colossians 1:24-29 REFLECTION   What are you doing for the body? By Kim Starr Not many of us have been called to present the Word of God in its fullness like Paul was. Paul is the church’s servant because of what the Lord asked him to do: spread the Word of God to the Lord’s people, both Jews and Gentiles. Paul did not have an easy time doing this. He was beaten, given 39 lashes, stoned, imprisoned, and shipwrecked. He was in danger in the city, in the wildernes

DAILY READING Matthew 16:24-28 REFLECTION   The Center of It All By Dave Mann   Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:24-28 find their parallel passages in Mark 8:34 ff. and Luke 9:23 ff.  These verses are not an isolated instance in Jesus’ teaching ministry.  They are the main theme of Jesus’ teaching and life.  This cross-bearing challenge is not reserved for the holiest of saints.  It is for everyone who would call himself a follower of Jesus.  When Jesus calls his disciples in the 1