Devotionals

The Rolling Stones famously sang “You can’t always get what you want,” but the Bible says otherwise. You can get exactly what you want. No, the Bible does not support the so-called “prosperity gospel” that asserts that God wants all His children to be healthy and wealthy. It does not say that every wish will be granted if you earn enough obedience credits. But [...]

You’ve probably heard the phrase “Win one for the Gipper.” It’s from the 1940 movie All American. It memorializes an actual halftime speech that took place in the Notre Dame locker room in 1928 when they were being beaten handily by the Army football team. Following the speech, Notre Dame went on to mount an unlikely comeback victory. Between the historical event and the [...]

My wife runs colder than me so it’s not uncommon for her to make use of my jacket. She’ll throw it over her shoulders or on her lap. I imagine you’ve done something similar, but it might put a lump in your throat if you read Deuteronomy 22:5. “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s [...]

Loyalty is a quality we value greatly. It’s sometimes applied to unexceptional situations such as “brand loyalty,” a “loyalty card” or as a descriptor of a dog. Loyalty can also be used in a manipulative way. Perhaps a boss “demands loyalty” (which, ironically, implies that the so-called loyal subordinate is expected to potentially compromise his standards for the benefit of the boss). While the [...]

While there is such a thing as “righteous anger,” most of the anger in our lives is of the sinful variety. It isn’t an issue with a lot of grey area. We know anger is wrong and Scripture explicitly tells us not to be. “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” (Ps. 37:8) “But I say to [...]

One of the benefits of being a member of a local church is its community. Men and women of all ages and ethnicities and with dramatically diverse backgrounds meet in unity. They don’t just agree to meet at the same place on the same day of the week, they are involved meaningfully in each other’s lives. They love and care for one another. In [...]