For the past two years, I have been on a bit of a bluegrass kick in my music-listening tastes. What I think makes this genre well worth listening to is the blending of instruments. In bluegrass music, there is typically a guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo (or additional instruments, such as an upright bass) all … Continue reading Bluegrass, Orchestras, and the Body of Christ
Category: Devotions
He is Worthy
Andrew Peterson’s song Is He Worthy? is one of my all-time favorite Christian songs. The song comes from Revelation 5, and if you haven’t heard this song, I would strongly encourage you to stop reading this and listen to it right now. Once you’ve done that, we can pick back up here! There’s a lot … Continue reading He is Worthy
King Edmund the Just
In C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s novel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, there is a small, often overlooked detail that speaks to the transformative power of the gospel. The royal title given to one of the main characters, Edmund Pevensie, shows us that no one is too far gone to … Continue reading King Edmund the Just
The Help and Hope of the Tempted
Hebrews 2:18 says, “For because [Jesus] himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” What a comfort to know that Jesus is able to help us when we are being tempted. I once went through a challenging season where I had a difficult time finding a job. During … Continue reading The Help and Hope of the Tempted
Free from Legalism
Note: The following devotional is slightly longer than usual, as it has been adapted from a recent sermon. How would you define freedom? We typically think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want, as not being bound to a set of rules. However, rules are important. From an early age, we are … Continue reading Free from Legalism
Looking for the Kingdom
In the Bible, there are some lesser-known heroes we can learn a lot from. One such person is Joseph of Arimathea. We know from all four gospels that a man named Joseph from the town of Arimathea buried Jesus. From these accounts, we can gather a good deal of information about Joseph. We know that … Continue reading Looking for the Kingdom
To All Who Doubt or Don’t Believe
“I believe Christianity is an evil that needs to be destroyed.” This is not something I believe or would ever say. It was said to me one time on a mission trip. I struck up a conversation with a young man—for the purposes of this devotional, we’ll call him Kevin—who knew I was a Christian. … Continue reading To All Who Doubt or Don’t Believe
Rest in the Cross
In my hometown, the First Baptist Church sits at the center of the city. I have noticed on numerous recent occasions that a bird (or birds) likes to sit on the cross of this church’s steeple. This bird takes a break from its flight by sitting perched atop the cross. Although this bird does not … Continue reading Rest in the Cross
The Simple Beauty of the Gospel
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Acts 16:31 I love the simple beauty of the gospel. God has made salvation available to all and told us how we can be saved. Though we were sinners, He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. Now, if we believe and trust … Continue reading The Simple Beauty of the Gospel
My Feelings Are Not Truth; Christ Is
These past couple of months, there’s a phrase that I have had to remind myself of quite frequently. I don’t know where it came from or where I heard it, but it is not original to me. The saying goes, “My feelings are not truth; Christ is.”1 In the midst of trials I have been … Continue reading My Feelings Are Not Truth; Christ Is
Set Your Mind Above 