Pastor’s Blog

Daily Devotion Nov 3, 2023

Note: Today’s devotion is based November 3 rd ’s prayer focus: A memory I am thankful for.

“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints” (Philemon 1:7, ESV).

     I recently received a letter of appreciation from a person I don’t know well. Apparently, this person witnessed an act of kindness I had performed for a stranger. The acquaintance took note of my actions and subsequently followed suit.

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Daily Devotion Nov. 2, 2023

“Sing to the LORD a new song,  for he has done marvelous things…”  (Psalm 98:1, NIV).

     November has been designated as a month of gratitude for the church I serve. Each day will focus on a particular theme of gratitude. (Please see the calendar below for a complete listing.)

     Today’s theme centers on a song for which we are most grateful. Recently, I have had J. J. Heller’s song, Things I’m Grateful For on my mind. In part, the lyrics rejoice in the lesser recognized blessings God gives us each day:


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Daily Devotion November 1, 2023

Note:
For the next month, each daily devotion will focus on the theme of thanksgiving, and will conclude with a brief prayer.
 

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).

     The wrong preposition can lead to the wrong interpretation. In the brief passage above Paul states, “Give thanks IN all circumstances” (NIV). Note that Paul doesn’t tell the church to give thanks FOR all circumstances.


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Daily Devotion October 31, 2023

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8, NIV).

     I am a planner. I write out in detail the lessons I will teach to a class. I map out the route to a destination with which I am unfamiliar on MapQuest. I prepare an itinerary of my activities
every day.


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Daily Devotion October 27, 2023

Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, GNT).

     They say that necessity makes strange bed fellows. Who would conceive that a tarantula and a frog would become faithful friends? It’s true. Microhylids, or narrow-mouth frogs, live with tarantulas and feed on the tiny insects that burrow into the ground and eat the spiders’ eggs.


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Daily Devotion October 26, 2023

The next day Jesus wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, Joseph’s son, from Nazareth.” Nathanael responded, “Can anything from Nazareth be good?” Philip said, “Come and see”                   (John 1:43-46, MSG).

     Phillip intrigues me. On one hand, Phillip becomes one of Jesus’ disciples without hesitation. Phillip possesses enough confidence in Jesus to introduce his friend, Nathaniel, to Jesus.


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