Small Group Devotionals

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the…

When Paul, our oldest, was a little boy he was concerned that his younger sister Julia was taller than he was. There was no use explaining to him that the normal growth pattern for kids their age was that girls grow taller more quickly but eventually boys…

When I was a boy growing up in the Catholic church, the nuns and priests used to teach us the 7 cardinal sins. The word cardinal means fundamental or of primary importance. The 7 cardinal sins were: Pride Greed Impurity Envy Gluttony Anger Laziness They taught…

One of the most popular devotional songs is the one that asks God to "Make me a servant." Make me a Servant Lord, make me like You For You are a servant, make me one too. The melody is beautiful and the words pierce through to the very core of the character…

Recently, as I reviewed my day in prayer, the Lord revealed a sinful condition in my soul. At first I was ashamed to admit it, but as I accepted the truth, I realized that God's admonition is a wonderful thing because it yields so many benefits. For example…

In Matthew 5:44, Jesus tells His disciples that they should "pray for those who persecute you." This is timely instruction for our nation especially during these turbulent times, but, have you ever wondered what praying for your enemies does? After all they…

In the book of Ezekiel, the Lord rebukes Jewish leaders for abandoning their role as spiritual shepherds over the nation. He says: I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not…

Mike Cope, in his book Holy Hunger , describes two barriers that Christians face in satisfying their holy hunger for God and results in their spiritual death: 1. Confusion Not understanding what it is we need. People without Christ obviously need to know…

Ever notice that surrendering to the Lord is a slow process? It usually begins with an admission that He is God, and you are not, something fairly obvious to the casual observer but many times there is a long winding road of denial and resistance before this…

It seems that we often overlook the true rewards of what the Bible refers to as repentance. The scriptures extol the virtues of faith, perseverance and the doing of good, but upon careful reading we find that repentance can be the most valuable of all the…

I watched him sit on the bench for most of the game. His eyes looked pleadingly at the coach every time he came near. Just a chance to play coach, his eyes said, just one time at least. He was the weak link on a team that was pretty full on talent. He wasn…

In I Peter 5:8, the Apostle Peter warns his readers concerning the devil. He says that the devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour and he seeks and knows where to find us in order to devour us. For example, the devil found Samson in the arms of…

14 But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. - Acts 3:14-15 Peter and the Apostles were not only…

Back in the seventies the heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali used to provoke his opponents by proclaiming "I am the greatest." It seems that Ali knew that deep down inside many of us thought this about ourselves but few would have the gall or the skills…

Human Resources people tell us that the first step in motivating employees to better service is by showing them how their job fits in to the company's overall objectives. The idea is that if they understand the "big picture" and what part they play, they…

Christians never quit God in a single day. Oh, some give up the faith suddenly at times because of a great tragedy in their lives but these are the exceptions. No, the way that most Christians lose their faith is through "drifting". Drifting is a slow removal…

One of the most difficult things to do at times is "nothing". We are people of action and if things do not happen, we make them happen. Jacob, the son of Isaac, was like that. He had been promised a blessing by the Lord when he was born but got impatient…

One of the most difficult things to experience in life is rejection. And one of the most painful rejections is when your family rejects you because of your faith. Jesus knew this kind of pain because both His family and community rejected Him and His teachings…

In my life, I've lived through several economic recessions, personal upheavals and family challenges in the last 35 years of marriage and ministry. These experiences have taught me several key lessons about living through hard times. Lesson #1 – Always…

Concerning fathers Solomon says, Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of sons is their fathers. - Proverbs 17:6 There was a special celebration of belonging to and coming forth from a man you could call your father in Solomon's day. Fathers…

In Proverbs 13:24 Solomon says: He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently. In just a few verses, God's word lays out four very important principles to guide parents in the difficult task of disciplining their children…

KA-BOOM... KA-BOOM...KA-BOOM went the deafening sound in the garage as Paul, my oldest son, zinged shot after shot off of the dent covered wall serving as his target. Hockey players need to practice shooting and I couldn't blame him, even if my garage wall…

Have you ever wondered why God required the Jews to give 10% of their wealth as an offering or "tithe" in the Old Testament (Leviticus 27:30-32)? First of all the number "10" in Jewish numerology indicated wholeness or maturity but as far as proportion was…

A while back an artist named Allan Bridge died. He was what they called a "concept artist." People whose art is not necessarily paintings or sculpture. They refer to their work as "living art." Live people used in a store window as mannequins is an example…