Devotionals
The Covenant Service was written by John Wesley in 1755 to encourage people to regularly re-state their commitment to the Lord. It has been very important to us over the years.
While in America, soon after our marriage in Russia, we wanted to obtain an American marriage certificate in addition to a Russian one. Kent Reynolds, the pastor of St. James UMC in Athens, signed our marriage license. Talking with him and his wife, Sandy, was one the highlights of that trip for me. We talked [...]
Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him. For those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines. (Hebrews 12:5,6) A theme for me over the past few years has been Discipline. The word has always had a negative connotation for me; to be disciplined was a bad [...]
“The Lord is near the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This Psalm begins with a statement of praise to the Lord. In verse 4 we see why David will continuously praise God: “I sought the Lord, and He answered me.” This is a primary theme of this Psalm: seeking God, [...]
Continue reading about “Come Children, listen to me.” Psalm 34
There is so much that can be said (and has been said) about Luke 14:28ff, but there have been new insights for me as I’ve meditated on the text over several days’ time. Jesus is speaking of the cost of discipleship. Here is found the well-known teaching that one must hate his own life and [...]
In my daily life with the Lord I find that the part I enjoy most is worship. I am the kind of person who enjoys peaceful and simple songs that speak directly to God and not just about Him. In my prayer time I like to have a tape with a couple of songs that [...]
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. ~ James 1:27 I’ve recently been thinking about this scripture. As I work in Russia, I am called to minister the love of God especially [...]
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. ~Proverbs 4:23 We all are vulnerable to influences and actions that turn our hearts from goodness and purity. Some come from inside ourselves, and others from outside: keeping bad company, reading newspapers or magazines, a favorite TV show, daydreaming, certain [...]
As we go through every day working and doing things need to be done, it is very easy to loose our focus on God. It is very easy to just think about our daily routine. And the sad thing is that this daily routine is often very depressing. There is a spirit of death over [...]
The Love of the Lord
But then God looks us right into the eyes and says: Please, could you just love Me the way you did it first? Could you again do the things you did first? I love you.
Continue reading about The Love of the Lord