Bible Verse:  “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the last so that he could adopt us as his very own children.  And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”  Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.  And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.”  Galatians 4:4-7 {NLT} The Big Cheese, that is my dad.  Growing up we would eat at a local…

 Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  Be sober-minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  1 Peter 5:7-9 ESV   “Take time to do what makes you happy.” “Self-Care is how you take your power back.” “Put yourself at the top of your To-Do list.” “You owe yourself.”  What do all these sayings have in common?  They are not accurate.  They are ways for the prowler to divert your attention from the truths that…

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  Luke 24:30-31 I am all about cloak and dagger mystery stories.  If I am going to read fiction, it is going to be a mystery. Some people refer to Luke’s story about the two disciples and the road to Emmaus as the greatest mystery revealed. Let me set the scene for you:  These two disciples, friends of Jesus, start on their journey home.  They have just witnessed the horrible and painful death, no,…

Bible Verse: He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  Revelation 21:4-5a  Song:  Big House By clicking the above song title, you will be directed to a video of our worship song for today.  Hope you enjoy this song selected specifically to go along with our devotion! The wait is the really hard part.  The missing and the waiting. Ten years ago, my sister lost her only son.  I know that Mother’s Day is a really,…

Bible Verse: “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  Also, if two lies down together they will keep warm.  But how can you keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Eat your vegetables, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. Our need for connection is as fundamental as our need for food, water, and sleep. Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater poverty than the person…

“No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good'” (Luke 5:36-39) Wineskins were made of goatskins.  Because new wine expands as it ages, it has to be put into something…

 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath   and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight   and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way  and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,  then you will find your joy in the Lord,  and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 (NIV)   The Sabbath does not have to be something we wait for Sunday to observe. …

Truly my soul finds rest in God; My salvation comes from Him. Psalm 62:1 For years I have struggled with the concept of having a set quiet time with God.  Honestly, I think that I simply did not “get it”.  I would do it when I had time, when I felt like it or when I was desperate.  It was more like an item on my To Do list or a chore.  Don’t get me wrong, I often had a quiet time with God, it was just not consistent, and I struggled with the “heart” of my quiet time. Well, last year I finally figured it out.  So, what changed?  My…