“Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” – Luke 12:22

Max Lucado in his book “Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear”, writes: “At 8:17 on the evening of March 3, 1943, bomb-raid sirens bansheed through the air above London, England. Workers and shoppers stopped on sidewalks and boulevards and searched the skies. Buses came to a halt and emptied their passengers. Drivers screeched their brakes and stepped out of their cars. Gunfire could be heard in the distance. Nearby antiaircraft artillery forces launched a salvo of rockets. Throngs on the streets began to scream. Some people threw themselves on the ground. Others covered their heads and shouted, “They are starting to drop them!” Everyone looked above for enemy planes. The fact that they saw none did nothing to dampen their hysteria. People raced toward the Bethnal Green Underground Station, where more than five hundred citizens had already taken refuge. In the next ten minutes fifteen hundred more would join them. Trouble began when a rush of safety seekers reached the stairwell entrance at the same time. A woman carrying a baby lost her footing on one of the nineteen uneven steps leading down from the street. Her stumble interrupted the oncoming flow, causing a domino of others to tumble on top of her. Within seconds, hundreds of horrified people were thrown together, piling up like laundry in a basket. Matters worsened when the late arrivers thought they were being deliberately blocked from entering (they weren’t). So they began to push. The chaos lasted for less than a quarter of an hour. The disentangling of bodies took until midnight. In the end 173 men, women, and children died. No bombs had been dropped. Fusillades didn’t kill the people. Fear did.”

The Lord is in control of everything; there is no need to be anxious. Today in prayer, give your hopes and fears to Him and relax in Christ’s peace.

“O little town of Bethlehem,

how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

the silent stars go by;

yet in thy dark streets shineth

the everlasting light.

The hopes and fears of all the years

are met in thee tonight.” – Phillips Brooks

God’s Word: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” – Luke 11:4

Pete Peterson served in the Vietnam War, where his F-4 Phantom II fighter was shot down on September 10, 1966. He spent six years in prison, a period he described as "hours and hours of boredom, spliced with moments of stark terror."

Peterson won and served three terms in the U.S. Congress from 1991 to 1996.

In the late 1990s, Peterson was appointed U.S. ambassador to Vietnam. Returning to Vietnam may have caused dread for others. But when asked how he could return to the land where he’d endured years of starvation, brutality and torture, he replied, “I’m not angry. I left that at the gates of the prison when I walked out in 1972. I just left it behind me and decided to move forward with my life.”

All of us need forgiveness and all of us need to forgive others. Today in prayer, seek to forgive all that have wronged you.

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” –Alexander Pope

God’s Word: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

“He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” – Luke 10:27

In their book “The Art of Neighboring”, authors Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon write: “In 2009 I (Dave) gathered a group of twenty lead pastors in the Denver area so we could think, dream, and pray about how our churches might join forces to serve our community. We invited our local mayor, Bob Frie, to join us, and we asked him a simple question: How can we as churches best work together to serve our city?

The ensuing discussion revealed a laundry list of social problems similar to what many cities face: at-risk kids, areas with dilapidated housing, child hunger, drug and alcohol abuse, loneliness, elderly shut-ins with no one to look in on them. The list went on and on. Then the mayor said something that inspired our joint-church movement: “The majority of the issues that our community is facing would be eliminated or drastically reduced if we could just figure out a way to become a community of great neighbors.

…After the mayor left the meeting that day, our group of pastors was left to reflect on what he had shared. I (Jay) can remember sitting there, and before I could think, I just blurted out, “Am I the only one here who is a little bit embarrassed? I mean, here we were asking the mayor how we can best serve the city, and he basically tells us that it would be great if we could just get our people to obey the second half of the Great Commandment.” In a word, the mayor invited a roomful of pastors to get their people to actually obey Jesus.”

We need to love our neighbors just as Jesus does. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you eyes to see those in need and wisdom on how to help them.

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” – GK Chesterton

God’s Word: “And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” - Matthew 22:39

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

“‘O unbelieving and perverse generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.’” – Luke 9:41

After hearing about telescopes in 1609, Galileo constructed his own instrument. He subsequently demonstrated the telescope in Venice. But when Galileo introduced the telescope as a tool to peer into the galaxies, his contemporaries did not believe him. Scoffing, they refused to even look through the device. Galileo sat alone with his telescope. He was the sole observer of the vastness of the cosmos. A single witness of galaxies beyond anything anyone had seen or imagined. Galileo had the stars to himself.

Undermining Aristotle’s previous explanations of the universe, Galileo published his own findings based on what he’d seen through the telescope. He painted a picture for the entire world through words, a display of the heavens scratched across bound pages. He wrote about mountains and craters on the moon, spots upon the sun, satellites orbiting Jupiter, and multitudes of stars never known to exist.

These were monumental discoveries that would shape future space explorations, but they fell on ears refusing to hear and eyes refusing to see. Galileo’s peers mocked him and his toy. Strictly adhering to Aristotle’s descriptions of the universe, they refused to believe anything contrary to what they had held to for so long.

When doubts arise in your faith, look to the overwhelming evidence pointing to our Lord. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He is our Rock and in Him we can place our entire faith.

“None but the Lord himself can afford us any help from the awful workings of unbelief, doubtings, carnal fears, murmurings. Thank God one day we will be done forever with ‘unbelief’” – Arthur W. Pink

God’s Word: “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Timothy 1:13-14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE  †

“The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."” – Luke 8:24-25

During the 2004 Olympics, Matt Emmons represented the United States in the three-position, fifty-meter rifle event, and he was dominating the competition as he advanced to the final shot of his signature event.

Sportswriter Rick Reilly said it like this: With one shot to go in Athens, Emmons was on his way to a laugher of a win. . .. In fact, all he had to do was hit the target. It’d be like telling Picasso all he had to do was hit the canvas. In preparation for the shot, Emmons pressed his cheek against the rifle’s stock and sighted down the barrel through the scope. He took a breath, let it out, and squeezed the trigger. The sound of the gun firing was unmistakable.

What happened next was shocking. When you watch the sport of rifle shooting, a monitor focused on the target is always on one of the corners of the TV screen. When a competitor takes a shot, that monitor almost immediately signals which part of the target was hit, and then a score is generated based on the quality of the shot.

When Emmons lowered his weapon, he immediately looked to see where his bullet had struck the target. But there was no mark. And there was no score. Confused, he began talking with the judges, indicating he believed he’d hit the target. Why was there no score? Eventually, the lead judge picked up a microphone to explain. He announced that Emmons’s score was zero because of a “cross shot.”

The crowd gasped! Emmons lowered his head, obviously unable to believe what had happened. A cross shot is when a shooter hits a target that’s not the one he’s supposed to be shooting at. At some point while going through his pre-shot routine, Matt had zeroed in on the target next to his. His zero score not only lost him the gold medal; he fell out of medal contention completely.

Matt Emmons’s story provides a great lesson: always be sure you’re aiming at Jesus.

No matter what the circumstance, keep your faith in Christ. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that in Him you can place your faith.

“Faith is to believe what we cannot see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.” - Augustine

God’s Word: “"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."” – Mark 9:23

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE  †

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” – Luke 7:47

Paul Chappell, in his book “Abiding in Christ”, tells the following story: “In the old western days, a man was walking down the road carrying a bag of grain on his shoulder. Another man was riding along the road in a buckboard pulled by a horse. He came up beside the man carrying the grain and said, ‘Jump up here on the buckboard with me. It’s too hot to be walking today.’

The man said, ‘Thank you,’ and got up onto the seat with his grain still on his shoulder.

After a while, the driver said, ‘Why don’t you put that grain down and relax?’ The passenger said, ‘Oh, no. It’s enough that you would allow me to ride—I would never ask you to carry my load, too!’ This is what many Christians do.

They say, ‘Lord, I know You can save me, forgive my sins, and give me a home in Heaven, but I wouldn’t ask You to carry my load too!’ Friend, He said, ‘I want to abide with you. I want to carry your load and be your life.’”

God’s love is forgiveness and the loosening of any burden of sin. Today in prayer, forgive those who have wronged you, just as Christ as forgiven you.

“We have a free, full, final, forever forgiveness in the atoning work of Christ.” – J. Sidlow Baxter

God’s Word: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” – Matthew 6:14-15

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

"Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." - Luke 6:20

James Barnett knows what it’s like to live with a lot and to live with a little. Though he grew up attending church and serving on mission trips during his high school and college years, James’s lifestyle didn’t match Jesus’s call to act differently from the world. Following his graduation from college, James started working at a commercial banking institute, earning almost a six-figure salary. Yet, James was unhappy in his career and went on a mission trip to Nicaragua. There a woman prayed over him and, over time, he developed a conviction to sell what he had and live with the poor on the streets. After running out of money, he designed and started selling “Clothe Your Neighbor as Yourself” shirts that funded his ongoing service to the poor and would later become a nonprofit organization that supports the Kenyan Knitting Project and the Brigade Project James used his gifts, skills, and passion to serve those often forgotten by society.

During this holiday season, remember the poor. Today in prayer, thank Christ that the poor in spirit are blessed by Him, and ask the Lord how you can help the poor in your community.

"Poverty is no sin." - George Herbert

God's Word: "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" - James 2:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE  †

"After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him and Levi got up, left everything and followed him." - Luke 5:27-28

David Livingstone was a Scottish physician and pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society. He was the first European to travel to the interior of Africa in search of the sources of the Nile River.

Once, he wrote home to England requesting more workers. In reply, he received this message: “We would like to send more workers to you, but they first want to know if there is a good road into your outpost.” To which Dr. Livingstone is said to have replied: “If you are offering to send workers who will come only if the road is easy, I can’t use them. I need workers who are ready to pick up their crosses and follow Christ. The road to Calvary was far from easy.”

Jesus is calling many people from all over the world to follow Him. Today in prayer, pray for those who do not know Christ that they may know that He is Lord and follow Him.

"Following Christ has nothing to do with success as the world sees it. It has to do with love." - Madeleine L'Engle

God's Word: "'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him." - Matthew 4:19-20

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

"When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." - Luke 4:13

Dr. David Jeremiah tells the following: "I read a story this week about the war that took place in Bosnia in the late 1990s that was made famous by the escape of Scott O'Grady. The downed American flyer evaded capture for days in enemy territory until rescue helicopters found him. And when the helicopters landed in the clearing near where O'Grady was hiding, he did not relax in the brush and wait for the pilot to come and get him. He shook off his fatigue, fought through the bushes, drew his weapon out, and with every ounce of energy he had, he ran to the escape that had been provided for him. His actions parallel the engagement God requires of us in spiritual warfare. We should not assume that, because God promises to provide a way out of temptation, that we have no role in our own rescue. God provides the way, but we have to take the way."

Temptation can come at anytime. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to make you aware of any temptations and have Him lead you away from all temptation.

"When evil desire finds you armed with the fear of God and the determined to resist, it will flee far away from you.” – Hermas, the Shepherd

God's Word: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”- Matthew 6:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †

“‘I am the Lord's servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.” – Luke 1:38

Pastor Rick Warren said: “If we are not serving we are just existing, because life is meant for ministry. God wants you to learn to love and serve others unselfishly. The old comparison between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea is a good one. Galilee is a lake full of life because it takes in water but also gives it out. In contrast, nothing lives in the Dead Sea because, with no outflow, the lake has stagnated. What many believers need today is to be involved in serving experiences where they can exercise their spiritual muscles…

Serving is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we’re more interested in ‘serve us’ than service. We say, ‘I’m looking for a church that meets my needs and blesses me,’ not ‘I’m looking for a place to serve and be a blessing.’ We expect others to serve us, not vice versa. But as we mature in Christ, the focus of our lives should increasingly shift to living a life of service. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, ‘Who’s going to meet my needs?’ and starts asking, ‘Whose needs can I meet?’”

The Lord has called us to serve others. Today in prayer, ask Jesus how you can better serve others for Him.

“As long as I see any thing to be done for God, life is worth living; but O how vain and unworthy it is to live for any lower end!” – David Brainerd

God’s Word: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:26-28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2024, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN LUKE †