Daily Worship Devotional

DAILY READING Revelation 3:7-13 REFLECTION   Hold On By Jennifer Jerrome Oh ye of little strength, hold on – hold on to your crown. You are a child of the Most High King. If you listen to what the Spirit says, you will keep your crown in this life and into the next. Right now, I’m feeling a little like the Church in Philadelphia, lacking strength yet trying to keep His command to endure patiently. As trials surround me I pray, “Lord give me ears to hear.” Now is the time of t

DAILY READING Revelation 3:1-6 REFLECTION The Church that fell asleep By Judy Webb   If it is said that Sardis fell asleep, that must mean at one time it was very much awake. It once was a place where the people went to learn about and to walk with Jesus. So, what changed? How does a vital thriving church die?  Reading the history of Sardis, one can get a clue. This ancient city was once a powerful and wealthy place to live. It is known as the birthplace of coinage, the capit

DAILY READING Revelation 2: 18-29 REFLECTION Dyed in the Wool  By Jenny Raber I enjoy a small daily indulgence: the NYT Word Games. When solving the Strands puzzle recently, I discovered an old phrase: dyed in the wool. Having no clue of its meaning, Google informed: “someone who has very strong, uncompromising beliefs or habits that they are unwilling to change.”  When wool is dyed in its natural state, before it is woven, the color penetrates every fiber deeply and permanen

DAILY READING Revelation 2:12-17 REFLECTION   Hold Fast By Kim Starr   Pergamum was an ancient city located 15 miles from the Aegean Sea in what we now call Turkey. It was a major cultural arts center and intellectual hub that rivaled Alexandria in being a focus of learning and art. The Library of Pergamon was known for holding the second-largest collection of scrolls in the ancient world. The Pergamon Altar, which is now housed in a museum in Berlin, was a masterpiece of Hel

DAILY READING Revelation 2:1-11 REFLECTION   Appreciation and Faithfulness By Dave Mann   This week, we are reading short letters to churches in Asia Minor.  Please note that these messages are directed primarily to communities of believers.  Secondarily, they can be interpreted as messages to individuals.   In verses 1-7, the Spirit directs his message to the church in Ephesus, a group of believers who are well grounded in faith.  The first word of the Lord to Ephesus is Gos

DAILY READING Revelation 1:1-6 REFLECTION Yes, Jesus Loves Me   By Elaine Pierce When the apostle John wrote the book of the Revelation, the young church was growing despite persecution by the Romans. Caesar worship became a major component of Roman civil religion. John and other Christians refused to worship Caesar, and some had their property seized; others were tortured, imprisoned, or exiled. John wrote Revelation from exile on the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. So

DAILY READING Acts 2:1-4, 14-41 Spirit Enabled   By Carmel Elmer Imagine yourself in the crowd at Pentecost. When I try to visualize the "tongues of fire" resting on the heads of the apostles I imagine I would have been terrified. I might have even been in the camp of those believing they were drunk on wine when they began speaking in tongues! It reminds me of a time when I was a little girl and I woke to find my older brother, John with his hand on my head, chanting what

DAILY READING Acts 1:3-11 REFLECTION   I Can Only Imagine By David Thompson I can only imagine, no not the song by "MercyMe." No, but it is very relevant to me for this devotional. Acts 1:3-11 brings to my mind a time I wish I could have been with the disciples and friends of Jesus in that place. As I read the following jumped out at me, " After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of

DAILY READING John 21:15-25 REFLECTION There is More Where This Came From By Judy Webb   There is More Where This Came From By Judy Webb Following Jesus and His disciples through the Gospel of John has been enlightening, heartbreaking, convicting, and heart-warming. From the first verse,  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”  (John 1:1) to the culmination of the story, we are captivated by the scope and enormity of the account. Perha

DAILY READING John 21:1-14 REFLECTION   Déjà Vu By Beth Voltmann As we read today’s passage, we glimpse an event that took place shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The atmosphere is almost palpable - seven of the original disciples seemed to be feeling discouraged and their hopes dashed. What they had been living for during the past three years had come to naught. They had resigned themselves to failure. So, they did what most of us do when our plans don’t work out

DAILY READING John 20:30-31 REFLECTION   Life in His Name By Pam Mann John writes about only seven signs. Clearly, he’s carefully chosen which of Jesus’ many miracles to describe. Highlighting of the ones that happened on a Sabbath helps us understand why the religious leaders get so agitated against the long-awaited Messiah. John focuses on the principal players in each event but think of all the others whose lives were transformed by encountering Jesus. For every sign that

DAILY READING John 20:24-29 REFLECTION   A Disciple Like Us By Dave Mann   Thomas is best known for doubting the reports of Jesus’ resurrection.  However, two prior accounts of Thomas in the fourth gospel show him to be a devout follower of Jesus.    When Jesus and the disciples hear of Lazarus’ death in Bethany, a small town in Judea, some of the disciples caution Jesus against travelling there.  They remind him that the last time he was there, some of the people tried to st

DAILY READING John 20:1-20 REFLECTION   Are You the Gardener? By Elaine Pierce Have you ever mistaken someone for someone else? In Luke 24:13-35, two followers of Jesus are discouraged and defeated because Jesus has been crucified, and they think that their rabbi is dead and all their dreams of redeeming Israel and defeating the hated Romans have died with him. They don't recognize him as he walks with them on the road to Emmaus. Only when he breaks bread with them at dinner

DAILY READING John 19 REFLECTION What we can learn about responding to evil from Jesus’ passion By Todd Marti The dynamics underlying John 19 are distressingly familiar. Leaders lying to maintain their power. Officials who have the power to set things right lacking the courage to do so.  Innocent people being grievously hurt. How are we to respond? Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us to look at how Jesus responded to similar circumstances. Read together, the four gospels give us a lot of

DAILY READING John 18:15-40 REFLECTION   Denial By Terry Gustafson It’s early Friday morning. The Passover is about to begin. Jesus has been arrested and brought to the high priests, Annas and Caiaphas. The disciples have scattered. All four Gospels record the events in these verses ( Matthew 26:69 - 27:31 ; Mark 14:66 - 15:20 , Luke 22:54 - 23:25 ). What we see in these verses is a cast of characters who are dealing with various forms of denial with regard to Jesus. Ann

DAILY READING John 18:1-14 REFLECTION Jesus Is the Answer By Judy Webb   ” When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. ”  (John 18:1) Imagine for a moment, you were in this garden spending a few quiet moments before going home. The fragrant flowers seem to call you to sit, take a breath, enjoy a quiet time and prepare for the evening ahead. The peace fo

DAILY READING John 13 REFLECTION   THE END By Katie Borden “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (v.1) …to the end. This sentence might be one of my favorites in all of the Gospel of John. This phrase sets up a chapter of scripture in which we are given a front-row seat into the events of the evening before Jesus’ death, and how his love for his beloved children is expressed in all of it, all the way to “the end.” From washing the disciples’

DAILY READING John 12:1-19 REFLECTION   How Do You Smell? By Julie Ogg When John recounts Jesus’ anointing at Bethany, he encourages us to remember what recently happened in that same family and town: Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead  (12:1). As Mary (sister of Lazarus) anoints Jesus’ feet I imagine she is remembering her recent anointing of Lazarus' body for burial.  Mary was known to sit at the feet of Jesus listening.  She wa

DAILY READING John 11:45-57 REFLECTION   Signs of Life; Signs of Resistance By Dave Mann Jesus wants to bring Signs of Life, but others wish to be Signs of Resistance.   In yesterday’s passage, we read of much movement toward and with life in Jesus. Thomas made a strong statement that he was willing to die with Jesus if Jesus went to Judea again.  Martha made a bold confession of faith.  Jesus proclaimed, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  Then, Jesus raised Lazarus from

DAILY READING John 11:1-44 REFLECTION   Believe Him! By Elaine Pierce John doesn't tell us the name of the bride and groom who ran out of wine at their wedding feast (John 2). He doesn't tell us the name of the royal official whose son is sick and dying (John 4). We don't know the name of the man who was lame for 38 years (John 5). And the name of the man born blind is not revealed to us (John 9). But in John 11, we learn about Jesus' dear friends, sisters Mary and Martha and