Daily Worship Devotional

DAILY READING Isaiah 29:13-16 REFLECTION   What is True Worship? By Dave Mann If you are a regular reader of these devotional meditations, you no doubt have already noticed that we read this same text recently in November.  However, this is not needless repetition.  There are many aspects to God’s Word that cannot be fully understood in a single reading.   Isaiah points out to us that simply going through the motions of the rite of worship is not the full measure of true wors

DAILY READING I Corinthians 1:20-25 REFLECTION   True Wisdom By Elaine Pierce This past Christmas season, I listened to Handel's Messiah....a lot. The music is beautiful and soaring and uplifting, and the words - oh my, the words - all drawn from scripture - paint an incredible picture of our God and King. Today's scripture contrasts the 'wisdom' of the world with God's wisdom. I was reminded of this verse that Handel included in his Oratorio: "Worthy is the Lamb that was sla

DAILY READING James 1:17-18 REFLECTION   Being First Fruits By Todd Marti “ Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures .” James 1:17-18 (NASB, other translations here ) This week’s readings have shown how God extends his grace to us throu

DAILY READING Malachi 3:1-4 REFLECTION   God's Justice By Terry Gustafson “It’s not fair!” It seems like that is one of the first sentences that a child learns and continues to use from then on! We all have a natural tendency to want justice. But if I am really honest with myself, I want justice for others, but mercy for me. Are we really prepared for God to exact His justice? In the verse preceding today’s passage ( 2:17 ), the prophet accuses the people of wearying the

DAILY READING Matthew 2:1-12 REFLECTION Follow that Star...Even Today  By Judy Webb "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." ( Matthew 2:1-2 NIV) I really enjoy reading verse 2 from the VOICE version… “Where is this newborn who is King of the Jews? When we were far away in the East

DAILY READING Luke 11:27-28 REFLECTION   Luke the Physician By Diane Ward Of the four gospels Luke the physician records the most accounts of Jesus healing the sick and rebuking death. (Luke 11:27-28) We are entering the middle of Luke’s gospel now and already Jesus is engaging battle with the Jewish leaders. This is an ongoing battle that will lead to Jesus’ crucifixion, and he knows it well but does not show any signs of shrinking back. Jesus’ very presence should command r

DAILY READING Luke 1:26-33 REFLECTION   Favor? By Julie Ogg “Would you do me a favor?”  The ease with which you respond to this question probably says a lot about the strength of your relationship with the person who asked.  I’m much more likely to respond without qualification if I know the person who asked will not take advantage of me.  This is favor as a noun.   Favor as a verb implies that you will benefit from preferential treatment.  Life will be easier and more comfor

DAILY READING John 1:1-4, 14 REFLECTION   Is Jesus Divine? By Dave Mann The first 18 verses of John’s gospel, called the Prologue, are truly beautiful, both literarily and theologically.  Read aloud the entirety of this prologue to the gospel.  You will have the joy of speaking and hearing a well-crafted paragraph.  You will also be introduced to numerous theological themes to be developed in the 21 chapters of John – the divinity of Jesus, life, light, darkness, witness/test

DAILY READING Matthew 1:18-25 REFLECTION   Joseph's Dream By Elaine Pierce Matthew tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. As a Jew living in Roman-occupied Israel, he was certainly not living as a free man. Yes, the Jews had a puppet governor, Herod, but he did the bidding of the Romans. Joseph was part of an oppressed minority, and he and his fellow Jews had little power or authority. And yet, he was a righteous man. When the angel appeared to him in a dream and explained

DAILY READING Isaiah 66: 18-23 REFLECTION Gathered to Witness His Glory By Michael Guastella I saiah ends his book on quite the crescendo of promises from God. The first part of the chapter is God exposing hollow religion, promising vindication for the humble, and announcing judgment on the rebellious. But then, where we pick up in verse 18 is a beautiful promise: everyone from all walks of life, in every nation, from every dialect of every language, will be gathered to wi

Daily Reading Luke 2:1-20 Reflection Joy for All Nations By Gene Pierce Luke beautifully tells the story of Jesus’ birth in a crescendo of facts, climaxing with the angels announcing this Child would “bring good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”  As someone who is a blend of German, Irish and English DNA, I am very, very, very happy to be part of “all the people.”  (No doubt you are very happy, too.) This global blessing was fulfilled in humble ways. God als

DAILY READING LUKE 2:25-35 REFLECTION   Wisdom of the Aged By Judy Webb Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout...It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26)   This is a story we read every year around this time and it is told through the eyes of a man named Simeon, one of the godly remnants of Jews who was waiting for the coming of the Messiah. There is another

DAILY READING Zechariah 8:20-23 REFLECTION   Many Peoples By Beth Voltmann It is coming full circle, this promise from the Lord!   In sinful foolishness, mankind tried to reach God by building a tower to Heaven. God, in his perfect wisdom, halted their attempt by confusing their languages at the tower of Babel. The nations were formed and began to spread over all the earth. Then, in his mercy, God created a people for himself by choosing Abraham from whose lineage would come

DAILY READING Isaiah 19:16-25 REFLECTION   In That Day By Pam Mann “In that day.” Isaiah hits us with this phrase six times in this passage. Each time he tells us what Egypt can expect and, in verses 23-25, what Assyria can expect. So, we ask: what day is “that day”? Then we ask what’s up with Egypt and Assyria at the time when Isaiah prophesies? The phrase, “in that day,” occurs hundreds of times in the Old Testament. In the prophetic books, like Isaiah, “that day” is the Da

DAILY READING Isaiah 52:1-10 REFLECTION   Our God Reigns even in Captivity By Dave Mann The people of the Lord are still held captive, but the Lord rouses them from slumber so that they can dress in their finest clothing (v. 1) and celebrate the victory of the Lord.  Even though they have chains on their necks, they can shake them off (v. 2).  Though they may have spent time in the enemy territory of Egypt to the southwest to escape the threat of Assyria coming from the north

Advent Candles Devotionals ENGAGING IN THE ADVENT SEASON: WEEK 4 Welcome to the final week of the Advent season. In these final days of anticipation of the birth of Jesus, consider spending time together as a family connecting with God in this way:  1)    Light a candle and together say “We begin this time in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.” If you have an advent wreath, you’ll light an additional candle with each new week leading up to Christmas. A new wee

DAILY READING Luke 1:46-55 REFLECTION   What Mary and Jesus show us about true blessing By Todd Marti Two things jumped out at me from this reading. First,   both   Mary and Jesus identify humility as a precondition to true blessing.  The blessings Mary describes come to those who are “ humble ,” those who “ fear ” God, who regard themselves as His “ servant ,” and who are “ hungry ” apart from God. Luke 1:48, 50, 52 . They are not available to those who are proud, who seek t

DAILY READING Luke 1:26-38 REFLECTION   The Birth of Jesus Foretold By Jennifer Jerrome God knows the whole story – beginning, middle and end. Much of the Bible is Him trying to tell people, “Here’s what’s going to happen.” The word foretold  is used sixteen times in the NIV – eleven in the Old Testament because that’s where most of the “foretelling” takes place, the bulk coming from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 45:21 Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant

DAILY READING Matthew 12:14-21 REFLECTION   TITLE By Judy Webb But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place.   (Matthew 12:14-15 a ) We notice a trend here. Often when Jesus is on the outs with the Pharisees, it is on the Sabbath and Jesus has just cured or healed someone. This action is considered work in the closed-minded eyes of the religious leaders of this time. They are just looking for a reason to point

DAILY READING Isaiah 53:1-12 REFLECTION Glory Ever After  By Jen Raber Every time I read Isaiah 53, I sit in stillness and let it all soak in. The significance of this prophetic chapter is not lost on me. I’m flooded with humility, awe, and gratitude, mixed with sadness for the suffering endured and for my own going astray. But the Word of God spoken in Isaiah, prophesying our coming Messiah, brings me directly  back into the fold and toward the only  One who is worthy enough