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Built by What You Hear: Romans 10:17–18 17  Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18  But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:  “Their voice has gone out into all the earth,  their words to the ends of the world.”  v     The New International Version  (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 10:17–18. Every athlete is shaped by repetition. The voices you hear—coaches, teammates, critics, even your o

Excel in the Grace of Giving Scripture:  2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV) "But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving." Reflection for Men As men, we are often wired to excel . We push ourselves in our work, in the gym, in our skills, in leadership, and in providing for our families. The Apostle Paul acknowledges that the Corinthian believers were al

Micah 6:3–5 In the courtroom of heaven, the prophet Micah presents one of the most poignant scenes in all Scripture: Yahweh Himself, the covenant King, stands accused by His own people. Yet rather than hurling thunderbolts of judgment, the Holy One of Israel opens the defense with tender, heartbreaking questions. Micah 6:3–5 forms the heart of the rib  (רִיב)—the prophetic covenant lawsuit (cf. Isaiah 1:2–3; Hosea 4:1–3; Jeremiah 2:4–13). The mountains and foundations of the

Crucified with Christ: The Real Man's Identity Scripture  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20 (NIV) Devotional Thought Men, real strength isn’t found in how much you can bench, how far you can climb, or how many battles you win in the world’s eyes. True manhood begins at the cross. Paul’s words cut straight to

1. Divine Removal of False Security (vv. 10–11) “I will destroy your horses… demolish your chariots… destroy the cities… tear down all your strongholds.” In the ancient Near Eastern context, horses and chariots symbolized military strength and national security (cf. Psalm 20:7). Israel was tempted to trust in visible power structures rather than in Yahweh. The destruction of cities and strongholds indicates the dismantling of human-reliant infrastructure. This reflects a cons

Dew and Lion: The Dual Calling of God’s Remnant Micah 5:7-9 (ESV) Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man, nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and

He Shall Be Our Peace   Devotional on Micah 5:5b-6 (ESV) Scripture   “And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border.” In the shadow of looming invasion, the prophe

The Adventures of Libby, Gigi, and Jesus: New Wine, New Hearts Scriptures: Luke 5:33-39 Libby skipped along the sunny path with her blond ponytail bouncing. Her hazel eyes sparkled with excitement as she held a bright red ball. “Come on, Gigi! Let’s play fetch!” Gigi, the chubby 3-year-old Old English Bulldog with her wrinkly face and waddling walk, barked happily and chased the ball. But when she tried to stop quickly, she tumbled in a silly heap, her short legs kicking in t

“Blessed Beyond Limitation” Text: Genesis 17:15–16 Scripture Focus 15  And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16  I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”   Devotional Insight In Genesis 17, God does something unexpected—He shifts the focus of the covenant promise directly onto Sarah. Up to this

Understanding Maundy Thursday: The Commandment of Love and Service Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday or the Thursday of the Lord’s Supper, stands as one of the most profound observances in the Christian calendar. It falls on the Thursday before Easter Sunday and marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum—the sacred three days that encompass Jesus Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. This day commemorates the events of the Upper Room, where Jesus shared His fi

The Adventures of Libby, Gigi, and Jesus Jesus Touches the Untouchable Scriptures: Luke 5:12-16 Libby and Gigi were having another wonderful adventure with Jesus. The sun was shining warmly on the grassy meadow near their favorite spot by the stream. Libby, with her golden blond hair tied back in a ponytail and her hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity, sat cross-legged on the soft ground. Gigi, her playful three-year-old English bulldog, was curled up beside her, her wrinkled

In the sacred rhythms of Israel's history, few observances carry the weight and wonder of the Passover Seder. Rooted in the dramatic deliverance of the Hebrew people from four hundred years of Egyptian slavery, Passover is more than a meal—it is a living drama, a retelling of God's mighty acts of redemption. The original event, recorded in Exodus 12, unfolds against the backdrop of ten plagues, the final one striking the firstborn of Egypt while sparing the Israelites whose d

God’s Faithful Protection in Our Failures Scripture: Genesis 12:17-20 (NIV) “But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. ‘What have you done to me?’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, “She is my sister,” so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!’ Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way

The King Rides into Jerusalem There would be an appointed day and hour when Jesus would ride into Jerusalem It would happen a week before He would endure the suffering of Calvary On this day many would cry Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord But a week later many would cry crucify May we fully understand who Jesus Christ is and the awesome privilege and opportunity we have to worship Him I.            Preparation for the King (Luke 19:28-35)   a.  Luke 19

A Vision of Lasting Peace – Walking in the Name of the Lord   Micah 4:1-5 (ESV) It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” Fo

When Leaders Lean on God but Live in Injustice Scripture: Micah 3:9-12 (ESV) Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon

Genesis 8:1-5 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2  The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3  and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4  and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on

1. The Text (English Standard Version) 17 For forty days the flood continued on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And a

Empowered by the Spirit to Speak Truth Scripture Reading   Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths. Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be black over them; the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they sh