“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place” – Ephesians 6:14

During spring break of his senior year in seminary, Fred Rogers watched television for the first time and what he saw repulsed him. “I got into television,” he recounted, “because I saw people throwing pies at each other's faces, and that to me was such demeaning behavior. And if there's anything that bothers me, it's one person demeaning another. That really makes me mad!”

So Mister Rogers' Neighborhood began airing in 1968 and ran for 895 episodes; the last set of new episodes was taped in December 2000. He blessed an entire generation of young viewers on how to live honoring God.

But fake news followed Rogers death trying to dishonor his name. False rumors began to spread saying Rogers was an ex-Navy Seal sniper with over 25 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War. People also believed that he was a Marine sharpshooter whose kindly public image covered up a violent past. Many also speculated that behind his signature red cardigan were lots of tattoos indicating his kills. None of these rumors were true, of course.

Stand firm in the Truth in all that you do. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that when we stand in the Truth that we are at peace with Him.

“We are either in the process of resisting God's truth or in the process of being shaped and molded by his truth.” - Charles Stanley

God’s Word: “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” – Psalm 25:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." - Ephesians 6:10

Francis Collins was a young, confident, atheist physician when he visited a dying Christian woman. He noticed with every passing day, his patient’s faith seemed to grow stronger even as her body weakened.

“Doctor, I have been telling you what I believe, but what do you believe?”

Francis mumbled something about the universe being deeply satisfying, but the truth was he was shaken by the question.

Over the next two years, the young physician reads voraciously about Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, examining the data about their roots and their claims, seeking to find one that would help him satisfactorily answer the dying woman’s question.

Ultimately, while hiking in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, he came to the conclusion that the claims of Christianity best explain what he sees around him. He begins to embrace the faith of his former patient, who had begun a kind of “cascade” within him with her one honest question.

His faith decision became a significant turning point, one that not only shaped his life but—by virtue of his leadership roles in the decades since—the lives of many others.

In all that we do, we need to be strong faith in the Lord. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for His love toward you, give your fears to Him, and look to Jesus to strengthen your faith.

"The way to grow strong in Christ is to become weak in yourself." - C.S. Lewis

God's Word: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men" - Ephesians 6:7

In his book “Jesus the King”, Timothy Keller writes: “You’re glorifying something when you find it beautiful for what it is in itself. Its beauty compels you to adore it, to have your imagination captured by it. This happened to me with Mozart. I listened to Mozart to get an A in music appreciation in college. I had to get good grades to get a good job, so in other words, I listened to Mozart to make money. But today I am quite willing to spend money just to listen to Mozart, not because it’s useful to me anymore but because it’s beautiful in itself. It’s no longer a means to an end. And when it’s a person you find beautiful in that way, you want to serve them unconditionally.

When you say, “I’ll serve, as long as I’m getting benefits from it,” that’s not actually serving people; it’s serving yourself through them. That’s not circling them, orbiting around them; it’s using them, getting them to orbit around you…To glorify others means to unconditionally serve them, not because we’re getting anything out of it, just because of our love and appreciation for who they truly are.”

We are to wholeheartedly serve the Lord. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He has called you to serve Him and serve Him with all of your heart.

"Do not be ashamed to serve others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem poor in this world." - Thomas a Kempis

God's Word: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" - Colossians 3:23

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4

The British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge was once engaged in a conversation with a man who believed children should never receive any kind of religious education or instruction, not until they were old enough to decide for themselves what they wanted to believe. This would allow them the freedom to choose whatever religion they wanted to believe in, rather than have one foisted upon them by their families. Instead of disagreeing out loud, Coleridge invited the man to his home to visit his garden. When the man entered, he was shocked to find an overrun, neglected plot of land.

“Do you call this a garden?” the man shouted. “There are nothing but weeds here!” “Well, you see,” Coleridge said, “I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the garden in any way. I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself and to choose its own production.”

Fathers, love your children and bring them up to know the Lord by following Jesus in all that you do. Today in prayer, praise Christ for all of the fathers who are teaching their children to love and follow Jesus.

"What a father says to his children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity." - Jean Paul Richter

God's Word: "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged." - Colossians 3:21

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" - Ephesians 5:25

“In his celebrated book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman tells a story about a husband and wife struggling to relate. When the husband asked his wife, “On a scale of zero to ten, how’s your love tank tonight?” She said, “About seven.” When he asked her how he could help “fill it,” she replied, “The greatest thing you could do for me tonight is to do the laundry.” He told Gary, “Love and laundry? I don’t get it.”

Gary replied, “Perhaps you don’t understand your wife’s love language. What’s your primary love language?”

The husband replied, “Touch, and especially the sexual part of the marriage.”

“Listen to me carefully,” said Gary, “the love you feel when your wife expresses love by physical touch is the same love your wife feels when you do the laundry.”

“Bring on the laundry!” he shouted. “I’ll wash the clothes every night if it makes her feel that good.”

Husbands love your wives as Christ loves you. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for your spouse. Then tell your spouse how much you love her or him.

"A man and a woman should choose each other for life for the simple reason that a long life is barely enough time for a man and woman to understand each other-and to understand is to love." - George Truett

God's Word: "In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." - Ephesians 5:28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." - Ephesians 5:21

Barry L. Rowan, in his book “The Spiritual Art of Business” writes: “The word radical comes from the same root as the word radish and literally means “root.” It’s truly a root word! But apart from the painful pun, it has something to teach us. So often, when we think of something radical, it conjures up images of something “way out there.” In spiritual matters, radical is more often rootlike, something “deep in here.” The most radical way of living is in complete submission to God. But where does this posture come from? It grows out of the twin virtues of humility and belief. I think of these as the two roots from which we draw sustenance to live the life of surrender.”

Submitting to one another in humility is a sign of Christian maturity. Today in prayer, consider how can you submit to someone out of reverence for Christ. 

"A Christian is the most free lord of all and subject to no one; a Christian.is the most dutiful servant to all and subject to everyone." – Martin Luther

God's Word: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." - Galatians 5:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:15-16

Pastor Andy Cook writes: “A life-threatening crisis came to my home when I was only 25. My wife suffered a near-fatal stroke and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors scrambled to keep her alive. Within hours, we were making decisions that face families countless times, every day. Our options included surgery, medical treatment and prayer. To make matters worse, two doctors adamantly called for two radically different courses of action. One proposed immediate surgery, while the other warned that immediate surgery would be the worst of all options.

Both said my wife might die if their course of advice wasn’t taken. A third doctor solved our dilemma by arranging a course of treatment acceptable to both of our first two doctors, and within a few months, that course of action proved to be the right one. Looking back on that time, the comparison is almost too much to comprehend. On Wednesday, my most difficult decision was what to choose for lunch. On Thursday, I needed to make a life-saving decision for my wife! Needless to say, crisis intensified our search for wisdom.”

Godly wisdom starts with God and His Word. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that we can obtain wisdom as we look to Him and to the Bible to guide us in all situations.

"The truly wise are those whose souls are in Christ." - Ambrose of Milan

God's Word: "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'" - 1 Corinthians 3:18-19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." - Ephesians 5:11

During the Revolutionary War, ten American officers gathered below the deck of the USS Warren on February 19, 1777 to sign a petition to the Continental Congress documenting abuses by their commander, Commodore Esek Hopkins. Lacking any legal protections for speaking out, these whistleblowers understood that they could be branded as traitors for denouncing the highest-ranking American naval officer in the midst of war.

The brother of Stephen Hopkins, a former Rhode Island governor and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Esek Hopkins had been appointed as the first commander in chief of the Continental Navy in December 1775. Although his brother was a member of the Continental Congress, Hopkins held the body in low regard and repeatedly defied its orders and blamed others for his failings.

“He has been guilty of such crimes as render him quite unfit for the public department he now occupies,” wrote the 10 petitioners, who worried that sailors would quit in service of their country if Hopkins remained in power. In addition to the petition, sailors detailed the commodore’s quick temper, misconduct and poor character in signed personal affidavits.

Chaplain John Reed echoed the complaints of “inhuman” treatment of prisoners and added that Hopkins was “remarkably addicted to profane swearing” and set “a most irreligious and impious example.”

Hopkins was immediately suspended and on January 2, 1778, relieved of his command.

We must expose sin any time we discover it. Today in prayer, ask Jesus to show you where sin may be in your own life, confess it and turn away from it, and have the courage to walk in the light of our Savior.

"Sin is not a monster to be mused on, but rather an impotence to be got rid of." - Martin Luther

God's Word: "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." - Romans 13:12

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32

Henri J.M. Nouwen, in his book “Home Tonight”, writes: “Rembrandt painted the picture of the prodigal son between 1665 and 1667, at the end of his life. As a young painter, he was popular in Amsterdam and successful with commissions to do portraits of all the important people of his day. He was known as arrogant and argumentative, but he participated in the circles of the very rich in society. Gradually, however, his life began to deteriorate: First he lost a son, then he lost his first daughter, then he lost his second daughter, then he lost his wife.

Then the woman he lived with ended up in a mental hospital, then he married a second woman who died.

It was a man who experienced immense loneliness in his life that painted this picture. As he lived his overwhelming losses and died many personal deaths, Rembrandt could have become a most bitter, angry, resentful person. Instead, he became the one who was finally able to paint one of the most intimate paintings of all time—The Return of the Prodigal Son. This is not the painting he was able to paint when he was young and successful.

No, he was only able to paint the mercy of a blind father when he had lost everything; all of his children but one, two of his wives, all his money, and his good name and popularity. Only after that was he able to paint the mercy of a blind father when he had lost everything: all of his children but one, two of his wives, all his money, and his good name and popularity.

Only after that was he able to paint this picture, and he painted it from a place in himself that knew what God’s mercy was. Somehow his loss and suffering emptied him out to receive fully and deeply the mercy of God. When Vincent van Gogh saw this painting he said, “You can only paint this painting when you have died many deaths.” Rembrandt could do it only because he had died so many deaths that he finally knew what the return to God’s mercy really meant.”

Jesus is merciful and compassionate. Today in prayer, thank Christ for His compassion toward you and seek to show His love to others.

“Let all find compassion in you.” – John of the Cross

God's Word: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." - Colossians 3:12

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

""In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" - Ephesians 4:26

In 2016, a Princeton University research study examined data from millions of plane flights to determine possible indicators for incidents of air rage—when passengers become unruly or violent in some way. The study found that flights that have a first class or business class cabin and a separate economy class section are more likely to report incidents of air rage than flights with only one class of seats.

The study also showed that when flights board from the rear of the aircraft, rather than inviting first class passengers aboard first, there were fewer incidences of unruly behavior. When people walk past passengers in the first class or business class cabin and see them swilling champagne and eating caviar, they feel as if they have been treated unequally and unjustly.

The envy and jealousy make passengers more prone to feel justified losing control and acting rudely or violently.

We can only control our anger when we give our hurt and anger to Jesus. Today in prayer, confess any sin of anger to the Lord and receive His peace.

"It is he who is in the wrong who first gets angry." – William Penn

God's Word: "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." - James 1:19-20

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." - Ephesians 4:11-13

In his book “The Word and Power Church”, Doug Banister writes:

“The spring of 1940 found Hitler’s panzer divisions mopping up French troops and preparing for a siege of Great Britain. The Dutch had already surrendered, as had the Belgians. The British army foundered on the coast of France in the channel port of Dunkirk. Nearly a quarter million young British soldiers and over 100,000 allied troops faced capture or death.

The Fuhrer’s troops, only a few miles away in the hills of France, closed in on an easy kill. The Royal Navy had enough ships to save barely 17,000 men, and the House of Commons was told to brace itself for “hard and heavy tidings.”

Then while a despairing world watched with fading hope, a bizarre fleet of ships appeared on the horizon of the English Channel. Trawlers, tugs, fishing sloops, lifeboats, sailboats, pleasure craft, an island ferry named Gracie Fields, and even the America’s Cup challenger Endeavor, all manned by civilian sailors, sped to the rescue. The ragtag armada eventually rescued 338,682 men and returned them home to the shores of England, as pilots of the Royal Air Force jockeyed with the German Luftwaffe in the skies above the channel. It was one of the most remarkable naval operations in history.

The church, likewise, is God’s ragtag armada. The church is a mix of flawed individuals on a rescue operation commissioned by God.”

The church is the body of Christ and every believer needs to belong to a local church and follow Christ’s leadership. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for your church. If you do not belong to a church, ask Jesus for wisdom to bring you to a church where you can grow in Him.

"In spite of all its flaws and shortcomings, I still believe that the church is filled, for the most part, with decent and caring people who will be there when you need them." – Tony Campolo

God's Word: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." - 1 Corinthians 12:27-28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." - Ephesians 4:2

In his book “Knowing God”, J.I. Packer writes about the Six Common Pitfalls of Christians. At number six, he writes about our unwillingness to wait. He wrote: “‘Wait on the Lord’ is a constant refrain in the Psalms, and it is a necessary word, for God often keeps us waiting. He is not in such a hurry as we are, and it is not his way to give more light on the future than we need for action in the present, or to guide us more than one step at a time. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, light will come.”

Be in the moment and be patient. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His patience towards you and seek to be humble and patient in all that you do.

"True patience grows with the growth of love. – Gregory the Great

God's Word: "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." - James 5:7-8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" - Ephesians 3:20

Robert Arthington lived in a single room, cooked his own meals, and shared his friendship with students who were in need. Yet he gave tremendous amounts of money during his lifetime to Christian missions. When he died, his estate was worth about five million dollars which he willed to missions.

After his death a letter he had received from a missionary was found in his belongings. It said, “Were I in England again, I would glad­ly live in one room, make the floor my bed, a box my chair, another my table, rather than the heathen should perish for the lack of knowledge of Jesus Christ.” Robert Arthington was determined to make that kind of self-denial the pattern for his life.

Arthington’s story, and his gift to missions, made news around the world and was even written up in the New York Times. Eventually, the funds built mission stations across central Africa. Researchers estimate that Arthington played a crucial role in bringing tens of millions of Africans into Christendom. Christian schools, hospitals, colleges and countless missionaries in remote locales around the world were funded over the next 25 years.

Our Lord is a God of miracles and He provides for us in countless ways beyond what we can imagine. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He does immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

"He can give only according to His might; therefore He always gives more than we ask for." - Martin Luther

God's Word: "The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice." -Psalms 97:1  

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory." - Ephesians 3:13

John W. Yates II tells the story of the Devil’s Tools: “It was advertised that the Devil was putting up for sale all of his tools. On that date the tools were laid out. They had prices marked on them for public inspection, and there were a lot of treacherous instruments: hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, pride, lying, and so on. Laid apart from the rest of the Devil’s tools was a tool, but it was worn more than any of the others and was priced very high. “What’s the name of this tool?” asked one of the customers.

“That,” the Devil replied, “is discouragement.”

“Why have you priced it so high?”

“Because discouragement is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside a man’s heart with that when I cannot get near him with any other tools. It’s badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since so few people know it belongs to me.”

Do not become discouraged during difficult times; the Lord is with you. Today in prayer, do not let anything discourage in your faith in Jesus.

“Too often, discouragement, depression, and disappointment grabs a hold of us with what seems like a death grip. This seems to happen even more after we commit to a consistent and deeper walk with the Lord.” - Troy Dewey

God's Word: "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." - Romans 8:17-18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." - Ephesians 3:12

Deep in the high desert of west Texas, Marfa has a population of 1,750. It's home to an odd work of art: a storefront that resembles a Prada shop. Marfa has also been the filming site of many movies, including "There Will Be Blood" and "No Country For Old Men." Despite this, Marfa is incredibly isolated. There isn't another town west of Marfa for another 500 miles.

The nearest commercial airports are both three-hour drives away in El Paso and Midland. It is a seven-hour drive from Austin.

It has spotty cell phone service and a slow-blinking stoplight that welcomes you to Marfa, coaxing you to choose a direction, none of which spans more than a handful of blocks before nothingness begins again.

It is one of America’s most isolated and distant towns.

The Lord is omnipresent and approachable, desiring all to come into a relationship with Him. Today in prayer, give thanks Jesus that He we can approach Him in confidence knowing that He hears our prayers.

"On the ground of our own goodness we cannot expect to have our prayers answered. But Jesus is worthy, and for His sake we may have our prayers answered. But if we trust in Christ, if we hide in Him, if we put Him forward and ourselves in the background, depend on Him and plead His name, we may expect to have our prayers answered." - George Muller

God's Word: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." - Ephesians 2:19-20

If Kurdistan were its own country, it would extend across 193,000 square miles currently within the borders of southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northern Syria and northwestern Iran. But even though the Kurdish people have laid claim to this contiguous territory for centuries, they have no recognized nation of their own. After World War I, the Western allies drew up plans to create a "Kurdistan," but those were quashed when the Treaty of Lausanne drew up the borders without establishing “Kurdistan”.

In the 1970s, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein stripped citizenship from thousands of Kurds. Saddam argued that members of the ethnic minority group were Iranians, not Iraqis. The move left thousands of Kurds stateless, with only a small fraction able to obtain Iranian citizenship. Some Kurds are Christians and even though they are stateless in this world, they have “citizenship in heaven”.

As Christians, we are citizens in God’s family. He paid the price for our citizenship and there is no cap on how many people He accepts. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He has adopted you into His family and given you a new home in Heaven.

"Socrates, being asked what countryman he was, answered 'I am a citizen of the whole world.' But ask a Christian what countryman he is, and he will answer, 'A citizen of heaven.'" - William Secker

God's Word: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" - Philippians 3:20

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" - Ephesians 2:14

Amy Carmichael was a Northern Irish missionary to Japan and southern India. She endured hardship such as Dengue fever and she was on the field for more than 55 years. She is remembered for building a Christian orphanage in Dohnavur, India which housed more than 500 young girls who were rescued from the streets.

Her lengthy ministry was sustained through her strong reliance upon scripture and prayer.

She wrote, “Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace…If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His will is.”

Only Jesus can bring peace. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He is our peace.

“Christ alone can bring lasting peace - peace with God - peace among men and nations - and peace within our hearts.” - Billy Graham

God's Word: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give 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

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

Dr. Jeff Volkmer writes on grace: “My wife and I did a portion of our honeymoon in Central Oregon, and as an English major in college, I desperately wanted to attend a performance at Ashland’s renowned Shakespeare Festival. As newlyweds, my wife was a great sport as we drove from Bend to Ashland to try to get tickets to see one of Shakespeare’s plays. However, this was at a time when the internet was in its infancy and so the only way to purchase tickets was to physically travel to the box office and pick them up.

You can imagine how bummed we were when, after a long drive, we were informed by the attendant at the booth that all of the shows were already completely sold out. The despair and disappointment were evident on our faces when an older man walked up to inform us that he had two tickets for the evening’s next play, but he was not able to attend and wondered if we’d like his tickets. I immediately said “yes!” and asked how much he would like for them, to which he responded, “they’re free, enjoy!”

This was tremendous news and we entered the theater and tried to find the seats and row written on the ticket, but were having no luck. So we went to one of the ushers, showed her our ticket, and she said that she would walk us to our seats.

We were not prepared for the fact that we were to be led all the way to the front of the theater and seated in the middle two seats in the very front row — the best seats in the entire theater! We could not believe how blessed we were by this ticket owner’s generosity!

Our invitation into the theater was indeed free, but those prime seats were nevertheless contingent upon tickets that demonstrated the legitimacy of our claim to those seats. That legitimacy, in turn, was purchased by someone else and accorded to us. Just like the unexpected guest at the wedding, our invitation into the kingdom is free, but it is nevertheless contingent upon the sacrificial gift of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Our God loves us and it is by His abundant grace we are saved. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for His grace.

"Saving grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts as a slave is willing to leave his galley, or a prisoner his dungeon, or a thief his bolts, or a beggar his rags." - Thomas Brooks

God's Word: "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:4-5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." - Ephesians 1:22-23

There have been many famous deaths in world history; we might think of John F. Kennedy, or Marie Antoinette, or Cleopatra, but we do not refer to "the assassination," "the guillotining," or "the poisoning." Such references would be incomprehensible. The use of the term "the crucifixion" for the execution of Jesus shows that it still retains a privileged status. When we speak of "the crucifixion," even in this secular age, many people will know what is meant. There is something in the strange death of the man identified as Son of God that continues to command special attention. This death, this execution, above and beyond all others, continues to have universal reverberations. Of no other death in human history can this be said. The cross of Jesus stands alone in this regard. … There were many thousands of crucifixions in Roman times, but only the crucifixion of Jesus is remembered as having any significance at all, let alone world-transforming significance.

Jesus stands alone; no one is like Him. Today in prayer, give thanks to Christ that He is Lord of all.

"If ever man was God or God man, Jesus Christ was both." - Lord Byron

God's Word: "And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him" - Colossians 1:18-19

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS   †

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." - Ephesians 1:15

Robert Morgan, in his book “On This Day”, writes: “In 1722, Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, troubled by the suffering of Christian exiles from Bohemia and Moravia, allowed them to establish a community on his estate in Germany. The center became known as Herrnhut, meaning “Under the Lord’s Watch.” It grew quickly, and so did its appreciation for the power of prayer.

On August 27, 1727, twenty-four men and twenty-four women covenanted to spend an hour each day in scheduled prayer, praying in sequence around the clock. Soon others joined the prayer chain. More signed on, then others still. Days passed, then months. Unceasing prayer rose to God twenty-four-hours a day as someone—at least one—was engaged in intercessory prayer each hour of every day. The intercessors met weekly for encouragement and to read letters and messages from their brothers in different places, giving them specific needs to pray about. A decade passed, the prayer chain continuing nonstop. Then another decade. It was a prayer meeting that lasted over one hundred years.

Undoubtedly this prayer chain helped birth Protestant missions. Six months into it, Zinzendorf, twenty-seven, suggested the possibility of attempting to reach others for Christ in the West Indies, Greenland, Turkey, and Lapland. Twenty-six Moravians stepped forward the next day to volunteer. The first missionaries, Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann, were commissioned during an unforgettable service on August 18, 1732, during which one hundred hymns were sung. The two men reached the West Indies in December of that year, beginning the “Golden Decade” of Moravian Missions, 1732–1742. During the first two years, twenty-two missionaries perished and two more were imprisoned, but others took their places. In all, seventy Moravian missionaries flowed from the six hundred inhabitants of Herrnhut, a feat unparalleled in missionary history.

By the time William Carey became the “Father of Modern Missions” over three hundred Moravian missionaries had already gone to the ends of the earth. And that’s not all. The Moravian fervor sparked the conversions of John and Charles Wesley and indirectly ignited the Great Awakening that swept through Europe and America, sweeping thousands into the kingdom. The prayer meeting lasted one hundred years. The results will last for eternity.”

Prayer makes a difference because our Heavenly Father answers prayer. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for the privilege of prayer and pray for the needs of others.

“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons; but they are helpless against our prayers.” – J. Sidlow Baxter

God's Word: "After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before." - Job 42:10

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" - Ephesians 1:7

Lewis Smedes, in his book “The Art of Forgiving” tells the following:

“In November of 1990, as the long struggle for freedom in South Africa was reaching its climax, a group of black and white spiritual leaders from almost all the churches in that land met at a hotel outside of a little town called Rustenburg.

Some of the leaders represented people who had wounded and wronged blacks. Others represented the people who had been so horribly wounded and wronged, these men and women came together to answer two questions: Could the blacks ever forgive? And could blacks and whites ever be truly united as brothers and sisters?

Desmond Tutu, spiritual leader for many in South Africa, answered for the wounded and the wronged of his beloved country. He gave his answer in a straightforward speech that bears the title “We Forgive You”…Forgive, yes, said Tutu: “The victims of injustice and oppression must be ever ready to forgive.” But could there ever be a coming together?

Ah, that is another question. “Those who have wronged [us] must be ready to make what amends they can…if I have stolen your pen, I can’t really be contrite. When I say, ‘Please forgive me’ if at the same time I still keep your pen. If I am truly repentant, then I will demonstrate this genuine repentance by returning your pen. Then [reunion], which is always costly, will happen…it can’t happen just by saying ‘Let bygones be bygones”

We can forgive him if he keeps the pen. We should not be his friend unless he gives it back.”

God has forgiven us for the death of His Son and we have received reunion to all who place their faith in Him. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for His forgiveness of your sins and seek to forgive others for the wrongs they have done to you.

"The man who is truly forgiven and knows it, is a man who forgives." – Martyn Lloyd-Jones

God's Word: "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you." - Matthew 6:14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS †

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" - Ephesians 1:4-5

Luke Bacon was adopted by Welsh missionaries as a baby. Now an Anglican minister in Chatham, Kent, his experience inspired him and his wife, Becci, to extend their own family through adoption.

He said: “I was an unexpected, unplanned baby. My biological mother had the firm conviction that she didn’t want me to be raised in a single parent family, so put me up for adoption with a Christian agency while she was pregnant.

My heritage is a mix of West African and British and one of the stipulations was that I be placed with a family who had some understanding of the African part of my identity. This coincided with a couple from South Wales, who had recently returned from two years teaching in Ghana, exploring the possibility of adoption. They picked me up from hospital when I was one week old.

As someone who has benefited so greatly from adoption, it is something that has always been on my radar, and when Becci and I got married we shared the opinion that we would love to extend our family through adoption.”

God has opened His heart to adopt us into His family. Today in prayer, praise your Heavenly Father for His love and making you a son or daughter through Jesus Christ.

"The moment we were born again, we were placed in an adoptive state as heirs, as sons of God." - Jon Courson

God's Word: "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." - Romans 8:23

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN EPHESIANS   †