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Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seatedas much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish (John 6: 11). A couple years ago, when we got enough snow in North Carolina to build a snowman, I really impressed my kids. They were busy trying to pack and stack snow as I started rolling a small snowball in my hands. Then I started roll...
Keep Reading"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,but how far will they go among so many?"(John 6:9) Food is life, and our lives revolve around it. Practically the first thing that happens to us upon birth is our mothers nurse us. We like to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We serve food at major life milestones: birthday parties, wedding receptions, baby s...
Keep Reading"Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward Him." (John 6:5) Newly transplanted to Houston in 1989, Scott and I somehow managed to get volunteered to lead the preschool choir in our large Baptist church. "You can do it," we were told. "You sing in the adult choir, you have a preschooler of your own, and, Debbie, you were a teacher" (well, college "kids").And then...
Keep ReadingJohn 6:1-15 New week, new month just ahead, and a new series begins! Let's go! During October, we're going to take a deep dive into just one chapter, John 6. Which means a deep dive into Jesus. John 6 contains the only one of Jesus' miracles reported in all four Gospels, the Feeding of the 5000. This is immediately followed by Jesus walking on the water. Next comes the ...
Keep ReadingMatthew 28:16-20The Great Commission Once upon a time in the Ozarks of MissouriI was coming home from work, and I drove through what appeared to be a "blizzard" of butterflies. As I made my way down the four-lane, there were hundreds of monarch butterflies crossing the highway. My mind had been otherwise preoccupied, so it took me a second to realize what I was seeing: a ...
Keep ReadingWhen the eleven disciples saw Jesus, they worshiped; but some doubted (Matthew 28:17). Wait, what? The eleven disciples Peter, James, John, Andrew, Thomas and the rest met with the resurrected Jesus and some doubted? Some of these eleven, all of whom had been following Jesus for several years, who had seen him, heard him, watched him heal the sick, raise the dead, walk...
Keep Reading"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28: 20). We've spent the last few weeks talking about some of the great heroes of the Bible. Esther, Josiah, Gideon, and many others all had their "Let's Go!" moment when God calls them to take great actions to help God's people. They did great things, lived great lives, and their stories came to aweso...
Keep Reading"Go and make disciples of all nations." Matthew 28:19 We've been listening to God's let's go: we're serving where we are, recognizing He's put us in a certain spot "for such a time as this." It's rewarding, we're being obedient, and our eyes are more open to opportunities right where we are. Now let's read Jesus' last words to His disciples:Go and make disciples of all ...
Keep Reading"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples baptize them teach them I am with you always" (Matthew 28:16-20). A new Monday, a new Scripture, and a last look at our current Let's Go! theme. We're on a mountaintop in Galilee. The entire "Jesus movement" consists of just eleven disciples. Their risen Lord has gathered them th...
Keep ReadingThe midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypthad told them to do; they let the boys live (Exodus 1: 17). It seems that so much of our culture is fear-based these days. Bad news is all around us. If you read the headlines on your phone or newspaper, you'll find that we're just steps away from catastrophe: Another existential threat is looming! And...
Keep ReadingThe midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own (Exodus 1:17, 20-21). The fear of the LORD gets us into trouble, and out of trouble, too. To "fear the LORD" means to keep the LORD always at the cent...
Keep Reading"The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt told them to do."(Exodus 2:17) During our current sermon series, has God said, let's go, to you in your quiet time or through a friend's nudging? We've heard Esther say, "but wait; I could be killed." Gideon's "are you sure, Lord?" pointed to his family's pitiful standing. Peter doubted the fishing w...
Keep ReadingExodus 1:15-21 The churches I attended as a child frequently hosted missionaries who were back in the States on furlough. Sunday nights were usually reserved for the missionaries to speak about the countries they were serving in, and they were always some of my favorite services. As a kid from a small town right smack dab in the middle of the country, those missionaries w...
Keep ReadingExodus 1:15-21 Happy Monday, everyone! If I asked you to name your favorite Biblical heroines, I'd bet you'd come up with Esther, Mary, Ruth and others but probably not Shiphrah and Puah. We're continuing our Let's Go! series, which isn't primarily about changing our location or jobs, but on changing the attitude and perspective with which we go into the tumble and spin...
Keep Reading"From now on you will catch men" They left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:11) Peter's business was catching fish. No problem with that; catching fish in a small town on the Sea of Galilee was a good way to provide for Peter and his family. Jesus was about his Father's business, catching Peters. What business are you in? This is not a call to quit your job, or to...
Keep ReadingHe saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. (Luke 5: 2-3) "It was luck. I was just the right person in the right place at the right time!" I'm sure we've all heard people say that when asked about a success in their li...
Keep Reading"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.But because You say so, I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5) You've been up all night working on your Connect Devotional. Major writer's block. Not even any scribblings on the laptop screen. You snap shut the laptop and head for bed when your close friend pops by. You explain your frustration but instead of...
Keep ReadingSimon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.But because you say so, I will let down the nets"(Luke 5:5). I know a little something about fishing. I grew up in the Ozarks of Missouri where clear streams and rivers abound, and on the farm there were always ponds kept stocked with fish. We caught sunfish, blue gills, bass, and catfish ou...
Keep ReadingOne day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets (Luke 5:1-2). My usual role is to write the Monday Connect Devotional. Each Monday, I'll try to give a bit of a bird's-eye overview of the passage, and ...
Keep ReadingWhen the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes He said, "Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us" (2 Kings 22:11, 13). King Josiah was one of Israel's few good kings. During his reign, he repaired the ...
Keep Reading"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spokenI will gather you to your ancestors and you will be buried in peace" (2 Kings 22:19, 20). A few years ago, going to church was a challenge for me. I told myself it wasn't a faith thing. I had lots of excuses. It was a long drive. I had to get up too early. I was ti...
Keep ReadingThe king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lordto follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 2 Kings 23:3 When I hear the word repent I picture someone wagging their...
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