Devotionals
Why I Follow Jesus
I follow Jesus. I don’t follow Him perfectly, but I follow Him sincerely. I do not follow Christianity. I do not follow Christians. I follow Christ. Those are important distinctions. There are some who assume that believers follow Christianity itself- that is, the systems, structures, beliefs, traditions, and teachings of the church throughout history. Although we should learn from and appreciate those things, there are recognizable and regretful imperfections and failures within “Christianity” – things that were done in the name of Christ but did/do not accurately reflect His character or His… Read More
Jesus Makes the Difference
For 38 years he was unable to walk. As a last resort, desperate for a miracle, he arranged to be taken to the Pool of Bethesda, where it was believed that angels occasionally stirred the waters, bring healing to the infirmed. But it never happened for him. Waiting can be wearisome. Our high hopes can be eroded by daily disappointments. But then the man came face to face with Jesus, who looked at the man with compassion and said, “Get up.” Inherent in the command was the capacity. His miracle had come,… Read More
I Threw My Bat and Learned a Lesson
I was a 20-year-old college student playing in a city-league softball tournament. I was having a bad game and was becoming more frustrated with myself as each inning passed. In my final at-bat I got out…again. I was so mad that I threw the bat down and yelled in frustration. Then I remembered that my friends were there, along with their two young sons. I was very close with this family, and the boys were young and impressionable. They were cheering me on and witnessed every bit of my outburst. Our words… Read More
When the Mirror of Reality Becomes a Window of Hope
The tri-unity of God is a fundamental truth of Christianity. There is one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three in One. Unity amid diversity in the community of the Trinity. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “For God is one, and there is one Mediator between God and the sons of men—the true man, Jesus, the Anointed One.” 1 Timothy 2:5 TPT It is a mind-boggling concept – one that defies the limited logic of our human understanding. We shouldn’t be surprised that there are things about God that… Read More
Prayer is a Light that Pierces the Darkness
Persecution has always been the reality for the people of God. The early church faced intense persecution, including the death of James the brother of John. It was in this context that Peter was also arrested and awaited his own death sentence. But the people of God we’re praying and interceding! “Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased… Read More
Pastor Dale Jenkins 