Devotionals

A local NFL coach was fired recently.  According to the team’s owner, the coach did not lack a strong work ethic or knowledge of the game.  He did not have an attitude problem and he was not involved in any kind of scandal.  The owner seemed sincere when he said he liked the coach and had a meaningful relationship with him.  However, a chief [...]

For a number of years I coached junior high and high school boys’ basketball.  I had the privilege of coaching the same boys as they transitioned into young men, during which I made an interesting observation.  In their junior high years they would respond to coaching with an eager willingness.  The players had an explicit trust in their coach.  I said it and they [...]

Some Christian have taken to saying to others, “I have a word for you from the Lord.”  The implication is that the speaker has information (or an inclination) from God that applies directly to the life of the hearer.  I trust that, in most cases, the speaker is not claiming to have infallible prophetic knowledge to share with the hearer.  Nor do I believe [...]

Consider this about our Christmas hope. John 1:14 reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The glorious, grace-and-truth filled John 1:14 child that was born a human child, was the John 1:1 person that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with [...]

The Jews divided the Hebrew canon (the Old Testament) into three parts, the Law, the Prophets and the Writings.  This highlights the fact that a significant portion of the Old Testament is made up of prophecy.  How does that fat slice of Scripture help us today?  Does Old Testament prophecy do more than make for interesting reading about a distant culture to egg-headed theologians?  [...]

Actor and singer Bob McGrath died this week.  The name may not ring a bell but if you pull up a picture you’re sure to recognize him.  He was a founding cast member of “Sesame Street” and played the part of neighbor Bob Johnson for 52 years.  I didn’t watch it daily but, like millions of other kids, Sesame Street was still a part [...]