1/28/19-2/1/19 Devo Two - Adam Wells

This is the second devotional for the week of January 28-February 1. This video is a devotion by Adam Wells given on a Wednesday morning HS devotional time in the theater on January 30, 2019. Watch this video and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post.

You can click on the video above or click on this link: https://youtu.be/e_x6zpQweTU

1/28/19-2/1/19 Devo One - Sabrina Lin

This is the first devotional for the week of January 28-February 1. This video is a devotion by Sabrina Lin given on a Monday morning HS devotional time in the theater on January 28, 2019. Watch this video and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post.

You can click on the video above or click on this link: https://youtu.be/fggatuJ8Dwg

1/22/19-1/25/19 Devo Two - The Wide Shot

This is the second devotional for the week of January 22 through 25. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

The Wide Shot

"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation . . . that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" 1 Peter 2:9

During the television coverage of the inauguration of the first African-American president of the US, the camera showed a panoramic view of the enormous crowd of the nearly two million people who had gathered to witness the historic event. CBS News correspondent Bob Schieffer remarked, “The star of this show is the wide shot.” Nothing else could capture the multitude stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol.

Scripture gives us a glimpse of an even larger throng, united by their faith in Jesus Christ: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation . . . that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

This is not an image of the privileged few, but of the ransomed many from “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Today we are scattered across the globe, where many feel isolated and suffer for their allegiance to Jesus. But through the lens of God’s Word we see the wide shot of our brothers and sisters in faith standing together to honor the One who redeemed us and made us His own.

Let’s join together in praise to the One who brought us out of the darkness and into the light!

By David C. McCasland

Today's Reflection

We are in agreement, Lord, that You are worthy of all praise! We, Your people, are in awe of You.

1/22/19-1/25/19 Devo One - Trying to Impress

This is the first devotional for the week of January 22 through 25. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Trying to Impress

When a college class went on a cultural field trip, the instructor almost didn’t recognize one of his star pupils. In the classroom she had concealed six-inch heels beneath her pant legs. But in her walking boots she was less than five feet tall. “My heels are how I want to be,” she laughed. “But my boots are how I really am.”

Our physical appearance doesn’t define who we are; it’s our heart that matters. Jesus had strong words for those masters of appearances—the super-religious “Pharisees and teachers of the law.” They asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t wash their hands before eating, as their religious traditions dictated (Matthew 15:1–2). Jesus asked, “Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?” (v. 3). Then He pointed out how they had invented a legal loophole to keep their wealth instead of caring for their parents (vv. 4–6), thus dishonoring them and violating the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12).

If we obsess over appearances while looking for loopholes in God’s clear commands, we’re violating the spirit of His law. Jesus said that “out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality,” and the like (Matthew 15:19). Only God, through the righteousness of His Son Jesus, can give us a clean heart.

By Tim Gustafson

Today's Reflection

Lord, we are so prone to rely on our own efforts to impress You and others. Help us to be authentic in all our relationships, and to enjoy the restored heart we can have through Your forgiveness.

1/14/19-1/18/19 Devo Two - Worshiping with Questions

This is the second devotional for the week of January 14 through 18. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Worshiping with Questions

I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5

It’s not uncommon during a long (or short!) trip for someone in a group of travelers to ask, “Are we there yet?” or “How much longer?” Who hasn’t heard these universal queries coming from the lips of children and adults eager to arrive at their destination? But people of all ages are also prone to ask similar questions when wearied because of life challenges that never seem to cease.

Such was the case with David in Psalm 13. Four times in two verses (vv. 1–2), David—who felt forgotten, forsaken, and defeated—lamented “How long?” In verse two, he asks, “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts?” Psalms that include lament, like this one, implicitly give us permission to worshipfully come to the Lord with questions of our own. After all, what better person to talk to during prolonged times of stress and strain than God? We can bring our struggles with illness, grief, the waywardness of a loved one, and relational difficulties to Him.

Worship need not stop when we have questions. The sovereign God of heaven welcomes us to bring our worry-filled questions to Him. And perhaps, like David, in due time our questions will be transformed into petitions and expressions of trust and praise to the Lord (vv. 3–6).

By Arthur Jackson

1/14/19-1/18/19 Devo One - Sharing More Than Stuff

This is the first devotional for the week of January 14 through 18. This is a devotional from the Our Daily Bread website. Read this devotional and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post. Your comments give you devotion credit.

Sharing More Than Stuff

Your people will be my people and your God my God. Ruth 1:16

“But I don’t want to share!” wailed my youngest child, brokenhearted that he would have to part with even one of his many LEGO pieces. I rolled my eyes at his immaturity, but truthfully, this attitude is not limited to children. How much of my own life, and really all of human experience, is marked by a stubborn resistance to freely and generously give to others?

As believers in Jesus, we’re called to share our very lives with one another. Ruth did just that with her mother-in-law, Naomi. As a destitute widow, Naomi had little to offer Ruth. And yet Ruth connected her own life to her mother-in-law’s, vowing that they would press on together and that not even death would separate them. She said to Naomi, “Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). She freely and generously gave to the older woman—showing love and compassion.

While sharing our lives in this way can be difficult, we should remember the fruit of such generosity. Ruth shared her life with Naomi, but later she bore a son, the grandfather of King David. Jesus shared His very life with us, but was then exalted and now reigns at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

As we generously share with one another, we can be confident that we will experience greater life still!

By Peter Chin

1/8/19-1/11/19 Devo - Jennifer Griffin

This is the only devotional for the week of January 8-11. This video is a devotion by Jennifer Griffin given on a Wednesday morning HS devotional time in the theater on January 9, 2019. Watch this video and let us know what you think by leaving a comment below the post.

You can click on the video above or click on this link: https://youtu.be/PL5YYup0at8