Devotions: From Suffering to Salvation
Day 1: The Depths of Despair
Scripture Reading: Psalm 22:1-5
Reflection: David’s cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” echoes the anguish we sometimes feel in our darkest moments. Yet, even in his despair, David remembers God’s past faithfulness. When we feel abandoned, we too can look back on God’s faithfulness in our lives and trust that He is near.
Prayer: Lord, when I feel forsaken, help me to remember Your faithfulness and trust in Your presence.
September 1 Sermon: From Suffering to Salvation
Have you ever imagined the surroundings of the people who wrote different books of the Bible? The letters of Paul, I think, invite us to do this because we have a knowledge of Paul's history from knowing his ministry journeys in the book of Acts and the fact that in some of his letters, he tells us that he is imprisoned. In fact, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon are commonly known as the prison epistles. The setting in which a writer is penning a letter helps us to understand context. And actually think about the different situations that the authors may have been in as I read through the Psalms. Because there are so many different emotions in the Psalter.
Devotions: Praising Through the Storm
Day 1: Trusting God in Trials
Scripture Reading: James 1:2-4
Reflection: James encourages believers to find joy in trials because of the endurance they produce. Consider how this aligns with the assurance of God's sovereignty in Psalm 21.
Prayer: Lord, help me to see trials as opportunities to deepen my trust in You, knowing that You are refining my faith for Your glory.
Devotions: Beyond Chariots and Horses
Day 1: Trusting God in Times of Need
Scripture Reading: Psalm 20:1-5
Reflection: In the face of overwhelming odds, King Jehoshaphat turned to prayer, declaring his dependence on God. Psalm 20 echoes this trust, inviting us to seek divine help in our times of trouble. Where do you need to place your trust in God today instead of relying on your strength or resources?
Prayer: Lord, help me turn to You in every situation, trusting in Your power and guidance rather than my strength.
Devotions: From the Heavens to the Heart
Day 1: Recognizing God in Creation
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:19-20
Reflection: Paul speaks of God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—being clearly seen through what has been made, so that people are without excuse. As we reflect on creation's testimony, consider how nature points you toward the intricacies of God’s design and character.
Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see the evidence of Your power and divinity in the world around me, that I may be drawn closer to You in awe and worship.
August 11 Sermon: From the Heavens to the Heart
As you and I take in the world around us, we're blessed to have so many tools at our disposal. We are able to explore the depths of God's created order. And we are not only able to have the gift of being able to look around us without too much effort, we could know the deeper details of what we are observing in the world. We can get a telescope and we can have a closer look at the heavenly bodies that adorn the night sky. And we can look into a microscope and see even deeper intricacies in these objects that we see that are close at hand to us. And both of these tools, they allow us to get beyond what is visible with the naked eye.
Devotions: Strength for the Battle
Day 1: God as Our Guardian
Scripture Reading: Psalm 18:1-3; Psalm 91:1-2
Reflection: Reflect on God being our refuge and fortress. In times of trouble, we can trust Him as our ultimate protector. Just as a fortress provides safety, God offers security and peace in His presence.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for being my refuge and strength. Help me to trust in Your protection and to seek shelter under Your mighty wings. Amen.
July 28 Sermon: Strength for the Battle
Join us as we explore Psalm 18 and discover how God guards, rewards, and strengthens His people. Through life's challenges, God shapes us into instruments for His purpose, just as a blacksmith forges a sword. Dive into the powerful imagery of refuge and deliverance, and find strength in the Almighty's faithful promises.
Devotions: Awaken to Righteousness
Day 1: Integrity Tested
Scripture Reading: Job 1:8-12
Reflection: Like David's, Job’s integrity was tested through extreme hardships. Reflect on how integrity shapes your responses to challenges in your life.
Prayer: Lord, help me to hold fast to righteousness when trials come, trusting that You see and value my faithfulness even when others do not.
July 21 Sermon: Awaken to Righteousness
So I've mentioned in the past that I don't really remember dreams. That's not something that I do, where I have a dream and I can come to you and give you every detail about what the color of the bird was flying through the air and which street I was on, but it really wasn't that street. You know how dreams go. I don't have that happen when I dream. What happens to me is that often I wake up from what must have been a very vivid dream, and I can't separate what I experienced while sleeping from the reality of life.
2024 Dutch Festival Sermon: Better Than Gold
I always credit my third and fourth grade teacher, Laura Schmidt, as being one of the reasons that I love to read. Every day after lunch break and recess, Laura would read to us from one of the Little House on the Prairie books. Now, not being content, not knowing how the stories were going to end up going in this book series, I decided to get the books myself and read ahead. I was not content with Laura's pace. I obtained those books for myself, and I read through them all multiple times.
Devotions: In His Presence
Day 1: The Nature of God as Our Refuge
Scripture Reading: Psalm 46:1-3
Reflection: Consider how God being our refuge and strength offers immediate help in times of trouble, reflecting on the serene confidence this should instill in us, regardless of life’s upheavals.
Prayer: Lord, help me to feel the security of Your presence today. Teach me to rely on You as my refuge, especially when I feel overwhelmed by the challenges around me.
July 14 Sermon: In His Presence
Maybe my memory isn't very good. I would freely admit such things. But I think this is the greenest that the grass has been at this point in the summer in quite a few years. And I'm really enjoying all the different colors of summer this year because, first off, we haven't really had them in this way for what seems like quite a long time. And also because while the weather was unseasonably warm this spring, it never really got warm enough for the trees to pop early and give us those colors that we love very early. It took a while for us to get that view of the world. Well, a few nights ago, I was at a baseball game and I happened to notice that the infield grass was basically perfect, luscious and green and manicured, like you would expect to be with all the rain that we have had so far this year.
Dwell in the Word: Psalm 22
Dive into Psalm 22 as we explore the powerful words of lament that Jesus spoke from the cross. Discover the depth of David's anguish and the unwavering faith that shines through his words. Let's reflect on how we can find comfort and hope in God's promises, even in our darkest moments.
Devotions: Immovable
Day 1: Reflecting on Righteousness
Scripture Reading: James 1:22-25
Reflection: True righteousness isn't just about external adherence to the law; it's about being a doer of the Word. How does the mirror of the Word reflect your true character?
Prayer: Lord, help me to not only hear Your word but to act upon it, reflecting true righteousness in my daily life.
July 7 Sermon: Immovable
As you can imagine, I often receive a wide range of questions as a pastor. From practical concerns about ethics or the Christian life to deep theological inquiries. I get these types of questions on a somewhat regular basis. Among these, the most pivotal questions I receive often revolve around salvation. And more importantly, probably the better way to describe it would be assurance. How can I know that I'm saved? And, such questions echo a profound biblical inquiry, such as we find in Psalm 15 this morning, where David asks, who can sojourn in the Lord's tent, and who shall dwell on his holy hill?
Dwell in the Word: Psalm 21
We land in Psalm 21 today and we see an opening statement of praise. And it's important that we stop for a moment and we remember back to Psalm 20. That Psalm was a call for salvation. It started with, may the Lord answer you in the day of trouble and then ends with the prayer for Yahweh to save the King. And the final words are, may he answer us when we call. Psalm 21 then is a companion to that previous chapter of the Psalter. And the idea is that this is a song of praise in Thanksgiving that God has provided victory for the King.
Devotions: Folly’s Echo, Wisdom’s Call
Day 1: Understanding Our Depravity
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:9-12
Reflection: Romans reiterates the theme of universal sinfulness, a concept explored in Psalm 14. Reflect on how acknowledging our sinfulness without despairing is possible only through understanding Christ's work on the cross.
Prayer: Lord, help me see my sin clearly but through the lens of Your mercy and grace. Grant me the humility to confess and the courage to change.
June 30 Sermon: Folly’s Echo, Wisdom’s Call
Explore Psalm 14 as we navigate through themes of human depravity, the distinct lives of the righteous, and the profound promise of God's deliverance. Discover how these ancient truths can guide us in today's complex world. Tune in to find wisdom and encouragement for your spiritual journey.
Consider these questions as you listen:
1. How does recognizing our own depravity help us appreciate God's grace more deeply?
2. In what ways can you see the difference between the lives of the righteous and the ungodly in your own community?
3. What practical steps can you take this week to live out the truth that God is your refuge and deliverance in times of trouble?