Prayers of Faith
Read: Psalm 6 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. (v. 9) The “prayer book of the Bible” is certainly the book of Psalms. Treasured by believers over the centuries, it is the voice of faith raised in both praise and lament. In today’s reading, we are invited to cry out […]
You Belong
Read: Romans 16:1-27 Greet one another . . . (v. 16) Again and again in this passage, Paul invites his readers to “greet” people. Paul’s letters often end with personal greetings, but the list in Romans 16 is stunning for its quantity and diversity. Twenty-seven people are named! Throughout Romans, Paul wrote how God’s grace […]
Our Global Family
Read: Romans 15:22-33 I will leave for Spain by way of you. (v. 28) I often find it challenging to describe the richness I experience in leading the global family we call “Words of Hope.” As we receive God’s Word in our lives personally, we are also part of a global community. In today’s text, […]
Leading Someone to Christ
Read: Romans 15:14-21 I make it my ambition to preach the gospel. (v. 20) Chances are good that God has placed people around you that do not yet believe in Jesus. How might God involve you in sharing the gospel with them? In verses 18 and 19, Paul describes a threefold pattern of his experience […]
Abounding in Hope
Read: Romans 15:1-13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy. (v. 13) Why does Paul want God to fill us with “all joy and peace in believing” (v. 13)? It’s not only to make us happy. Joy and peace lead to a hope that explodes into glorifying praise among all nations. This […]
Getting Along
Read: Romans 14:1-23 So then let us pursue what makes for peace. (v. 19) An older friend reflected on his life with me over lunch. He observed that the closer he came to death, the more accepting he was of people with whom he disagreed. He had found the sweet spot in his soul where […]
‘Tis the Season
Read: Romans 13:8-14 Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. (v. 11) I love the energy of playoff football games in January. The fans pulse with excitement. The teams play as if every down could be critical to their success. There is an urgency in January that barely exists in the […]
Civic Life
Read: Romans 13:1-7 Pay to all what is owed to them. (v. 7) With four children, my wife and I could claim a significant savings on our taxes. When they grew up, my taxes skyrocketed. After I began grousing about it, my wife reminded me to be thankful for all the things taxes paid for: […]
How to Start a Devotional Habit
We want to encourage you to build up the habit of a daily devotional time. Maybe you have had a devotional habit in the past, or maybe it’s something new. Getting started well can make all the difference in continuing past the first day. Here are five of our favorite ways to start (and stick with) a daily devotional time.