Today we’re going to randomly dive into the middle of a long series of blog posts from 1 Peter. How long? Here’s what the author says: …I love to spend time digging deep into God’s Word. I have learned more in these last years than I have ever learned before. I spent a year writing about Paul’s letter to Ephesus, and now a year on 1 Peter. I plan on doing 2 Peter, then 1 and 2 Timothy… Did you catch that? One year on each! Today we’re introducing you to a new blog, Abundant Joy written by Kimberly Minick. Click the title which follows to read today’s devotional at source. Then you’ll be in a ..read more

Revelation 4: 1-11 (NLT) Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on ..read more

There are many reading here who have memorized the Blessed are… (Beatitude) portions of the Sermon on the Mount, but two chapters later, there’s still a lot going on in the last half of the last chapter, Matthew 7: 13-27. 13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell[*] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You ..read more

Today we have a new author to introduce to C201 readers. The author is, I think, Alex Oram; the site is James1Seventeen. (I had to see what that verse was! It’s, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” NLT). Click the title below to read this at source. Reeds into Rocks I heard it on the radio one morning. I wish I could have gotten the name of the host giving the sermon / encouragement. He said, “Jesus can turn a reed into a rock.” I don’t think the point was that Je ..read more

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…  – Galatians 5:22a CEB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance… – same vs. NIV But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently. – Romans 8:25 NCV Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.– Colossians 3:12 NLT A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.- Proverbs 15:18 NIV Love is patient… 1 Corinthians 13:4 various This i ..read more

A longtime contributor to our daily devotionals, Jack Wellman writes at the site Rhetorical Jesus. His daily thoughts include a graphic element that you may use on social media with a link to the article for that day. Click the title below to read this one where it appeared first, and then take some time to look around. Who do people say that I am? Who do you say I am? Mark 8:27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? Who Is Jesus to You? This might seem obvious to you. Jesus is God and ..read more

“The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.” ― Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46 NASB) The mechanism by which the hammers strikes the strings in an acoustic piano was, in its day, a revolutionary invention. To that point, no matter how softly or heavily one engaged the keys, the ..read more

This article by Ruth was in our archives. She returns to her regular place on Fridays next week. Jonah and the Psalm A while ago, I posed this question as an informal Facebook poll: “Did the story of Jonah happen literally as it appears in the Bible?” The majority said yes. No surprise. The Church has been defending the story’s miraculous nature since the early Church Fathers. For many, it’s even a test of faith in God’s sovereignty; can you believe God didn’t do it, without believing God couldn’t do it? People often say that it “must have happened—Jesus says it did.” Fair statement, but one t ..read more

…”I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee…” – Paul in Philippians 3:4-6 NIV “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in ou ..read more

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. – Hebrews 10:1 NIV During the pandemic lockdown, Ruth was busy uploading fresh content each week for the YouTube channel of the church where she was working. They aimed to have four new elements each week; she did a short devotional video and a song video; and the pastor did a short sermon and one of his pre-lockdown messages which had never been uploaded before was added ..read more