“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).  Peace on earth—we have all prayed for it. We all wonder how different the world would be without violence or hatred and how different people would be without jealousy or strife.            We all dream about an ideal world where there is ...  Read More

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-9). The Lord works in mysterious ways. We’re told that God’s ways are higher than our own, so we don’t always understand what His plan is, but there’s m...  Read More

“But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told” (Luke 2:19-20). God brings the story full circle. How many times do we go through seasons that seem never-ending? How many times do we find ourselves walking a road that we never intended to take? Perhaps...  Read More

“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming” (1 Peter 1:13) In our previous devotion, we discussed how the Lord works through tragedy. While we don’t want to walk through pain, the experience produces perseverance, and this perseverance paves the way to hope.            We’ve touched on the subje...  Read More

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.’” (Lamentations 3:55-7). We know that tragedy comes to everyone. It’s an inevitable truth that we will all face tragedy in life. It might come in the form of death, sickness, depression, betrayal—there are numerous...  Read More

“You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life” (John 5:39-40). When King Herod inquires where the prophecies say the Messiah will be born, he asks his scribes. These men are highly intelligent, very skilled in the law, and most likely have most, if not all, o...  Read More