Sabbath Rest And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 Sabbath is an interesting concept. For many it is a day for worship, reflection, and ritual. There are rules to follow, and work to […]

IMMUTABLE Every day in my email, I receive a word of the day from Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Recently, that word was IMMUTABLE. Here is the definition: “Immutable is a formal adjective used to describe something that is unable to be changed.” For years, I have challenged the people I serve that change, like it or not, is inevitable. But I […]

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. Romans 8:14 Our tendency is toward self-centeredness; to live for OUR wants and OUR needs. Sure, we may include those closest to us in […]

Are You Ready?! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of nine categories of people who will be “blessed.” These categories have become known as the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes break into three triplets explaining those who will be part of the Kingdom of Heaven: 1) the unlikeliest or overlooked in society’s eyes 2) those […]

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4 When I read today’s verse from biblegateway.com, the word “humble” stands out. It speaks to the condition or type of the people God seeks, yet it is tricky because it can be translated several ways. The Hebrew word is […]

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 1:16 Jesse brought seven of his sons before […]

Our own Meribah & Massah I was reminded in my devotional time a couple of weeks back about the way the people of Israel questioned Moses about God’s presence (a repetitive theme), and Moses’ frustration with them expressed to YaHWeH. The scripture was Exodus 17:1-7, and they are demanding satisfaction and whining that God is […]