The connect devotional is a great way to stay connected spiritually to what our community is learning about God right now. It is in step with the current sermon series, studying the scripture through the lens of life application.
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The king renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD to keep His commands, regulations, and decrees with all his heart and soul (2 King 23:3). Sure, I can read by candlelight. But contrasted with reading by a floodlight, could I even call candlelight light? Exposed to that brighter light, how do I react? Anger at those who didn't tell me about brighter lights? Ratio...
Keep Reading2 Kings 22 How many English words start with the small prefix re-! And the same holds true for our Biblical vocabularies: reform, restore, redeem, reconcile, renew repent. Re- means "again." Life is filled with things that need doing, and doing again, and again. This week's Let's Go! text, 2 Kings 22, is a re- story. God's people have fallen into idolatry again. The T...
Keep ReadingThen the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet,summoning the Abiezrites to follow him (Judges 6: 34-35). When we look at all the amazing heroes God has inspired in the Bible, it's easy to stop with admiration. I challenge you to look deeper. God isn't just inspiring heroes, he's inspiring movements. And in all those movements, everyone plays a role. Whe...
Keep ReadingJudges 6:11-35 Early in his young life, our oldest child nearly killed me using only his words. Every minute in between "Good mornin,' Mama! It's a sunny day!" and "Still sunny. NOT time for bed!" was filled with comments about everything he heard, saw, or thought about, and questions about anything and everything you can imagine. He didn't always like the answers I gave...
Keep ReadingThis is what the LORD says: I brought you out of Egypt But you have not listened to me" (Judges 6:7, 10). The key to understanding why the Book of Judges is so depressing is found in these words from God: "You have not listened to me." Our fast-paced, high-intensity, can-do lives aren't very congenial to listening. Our culture privileges those who can tell us things, who...
Keep Reading"How can I save Israel? I'm the least in my family." (Judges 6:15) When Brian asked me to consider joining the Connect Devotional team, I quickly said no. Pressed to take a walk to discuss it, I reluctantly agreed. When he said he saw writing potential in me, I demurred: I'm not a writer. Yes, I taught writing, but a writer? Not me. When the angel of the Lord approaches ...
Keep ReadingJudges 6:11-35 This week's Let's Go! passage finds us in the Book of Judges. That is not generally a happy place to find oneself, but if we are going to take our Let's Go! theme seriously, we'll find ourselves needing to go into some unhappy places. And find the Lord already there, already at work, as we do in Judges! As the book opens, Israel has entered the Promised La...
Keep Reading"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another placewho knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 Recently, I was talking to a friend about all the great things we would do if we won the lottery. With all that money and influence, what blessings we could bring to the commu...
Keep ReadingEsther 4 I've always been tall. I reached what turned out to be my adult height of 6' by age 13, and all through middle and high school, I was encouraged to play sports. All the sports! At my height, everyone assumed I'd be an asset to any team; even my performance in regular gym classes wasn't a deterrent. (Trust me, it wasn't pretty!) Many voices tried to influence me, ...
Keep Reading"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14b) When parents go on vacation or do projects around the house, they include their children. When friends meet for lunch or to help others, they include their friends. When God planned a mass rescue of His people, He included His children and friends, the Jews Esther and Mordecai...
Keep Reading"Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) Even if you don't play chess, you understand the basics. To win, you move pieces strategically, in a specific way, and for a specific purpose: capture others; surround the king. If you keep moving pieces around but never capture others, your pieces fail at their designated purpos...
Keep Reading"...And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa,and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king..." (Esther 4:14-16) Heading into fall, we ar...
Keep Reading"If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lameand are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel:It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." (Acts 4: 8-10) On any given weekend, I do things connected to our Church. My family joins others for a small group Bible study on Friday. I might ...
Keep Reading"To stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, the rulers,elders, and teachers commanded Peter and John not to speak or teachat all in the name of Jesus. [They had already] seized them and put them in jail." (Acts 4: 17-19, 3) Recall a time you tried to effect some positive change. Did that go smoothly? Maybe you suggested a clothing or hair style chan...
Keep Reading"By what power or what name did you do this?" (Acts 4:7b) In Acts 3, some days after the Pentecost crowd had dramatically encountered God, Peter and John healed a man crippled from birth. Acts 4 opens with the local powers-that-be "greatly disturbed" (Acts 4:3) by this. They wanted to know "By what power or what name did you do this?" (4:7). After all, they were the ones...
Keep ReadingActs 4:1-31 Toward the end of the last school year, I hatched a master plan to teach our children how to cook entire meals from start to finish. They started by planning their respective meals together so we weren't eating pancakes three days in a row. Then they made a list of ingredients and helped shop their lists, followed by cooking, serving, and cleaning up. Voila! L...
Keep ReadingPeter and John replied, "Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him?... As for us, we cannot help speakingabout what we have seen and heard[The believers] raised their voices together in prayer to GodNow, Lord,consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." (Acts 4:19-20, 29-30) After a month-long break for our fant...
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