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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Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave(1 Kings 8:56). Connect Devotionals are written roughly two weeks in advance of the correlating message being given. Each week we receive Pastors Jaime's and Alex's notes on the coming sermon, and Editor Brian includes his notes and writing prompts on it as well. In Brian's notes this week were some questions that I'...
Keep ReadingAs for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your namefor they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched armwhen they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know yo...
Keep Reading"When they sin against youfor there is no one who does not sinand you become angry with them if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul and pray to youthen f...
Keep Reading"There was nothing in the ark except ... (1 Kings 8:9) The Old Testament is a challenging read, to say the least! One of the ways we can enter into it is to slow down as we read, to notice what the passage centers our attention on. For example, what word is repeated over and over throughout this passage (1 Kings 8:1-21)? That's right: the ark. Eight times in the first ni...
Keep Reading"Hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israeland bring them back to the land You gave their fathers" (1 Kings 8:34). As we continue our walk through the Old Testament, focusing on the Big Story of God's Faithfulness, we come to King Solomon's dedication of the temple (this week's passage is 1 Kings 8). By now, Solomon is in the eleventh year of his forty-yea...
Keep ReadingWhen the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." (Exodus 20:18-19). Who are your most memorable teachers? Maybe there was someone who made the subject so exciting ...
Keep Reading"I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20: 5) In an old Mel Brooks movie, the comedian offers his take on history. In one scene, Brooks is playing Moses. The scene en...
Keep ReadingThen God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;you shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:1-3). "Look both ways before you cross the street!" "Wash your hands before dinner (and after you use the bathroom)!" "Wear your helmet!" When our boys were little, my husband and I felt like we ...
Keep Reading"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.You shall have no other gods before me"The people remained at a distance,while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:2-3, 21). During my college days, I was a camp counselor at Grace Bible Camp. One of my privileges was to do cabin devotions and talk to teens about Jes...
Keep ReadingExodus 20:1-17 - The Ten Commandments - "And God spoke all these words." Reading the Old Testament can feel like riding a see-saw: one minute you're up; the next, you're down. We excitedly (and repeatedly) read about Israel's mountain-top experiences, only to watch the people drop into the valleys. Before we focus on the Ten Commandments this week, let's recall some of t...
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