Good Morning Friends, In Greek mythology the pomegranate symbolizes death and the underworld, but in Scripture it is a sign of God’s abundance—one of the seven fruits of the Promised Land. Its hundreds of seeds make it a natural symbol of fruitfulness, blessing, and the visible life of God’s people. Botticelli’s Madonna of the Pomegranate shows Christ … Continue reading How Are We To Feel Spiritually About Eating The Fruit Of Another’s Labors? →

Good Morning Friends, Saul enters today’s story still bearing his Hebrew name, not yet the apostle Paul. We meet him in the before picture—zealous, violent, convinced he is serving God—standing as a consenting witness to Stephen’s death. Yet even here, a seed is planted. The persecution that scatters the church becomes the very fire that … Continue reading Will We Recognize and Apply the Character of Christ in Our Daily Living? →

Good Morning Friends, I have included a copy of the painting of the stoning of Stephen in the devotional today as a Visio Divina as well as Caravaggio’s painting of Paul being knocked off his horse as part of his conversion on the road to Damascus. I do this in the hope that they might … Continue reading Are We Choosing the Spirit’s Work? →

Good Morning Friends, In our Presbyterian life together, elders often carry the authority, but deacons carry the growth. Their ministry of service, mercy, and practical care becomes a living witness to Christ. Today in scripture we meet Stephen—the first deacon—whose signs and wisdom revealed the Spirit’s power. And we meet Jesus, who exposes the crowd’s … Continue reading How Can We Best Be A Witness To the Work Of God In Us? →

Good Morning Friends, Gamaliel was a giant among the legal minds of his day—cultured, educated, respected. Yet in Acts he appears only briefly, a fading ember beside the blazing torches Peter and Paul would become. Still, he plays the role we desperately lack today: the wise elder. He reminds us that sometimes restraint is wisdom, … Continue reading Are You Following Jesus For The Best Of Reasons? →

Good Morning Friends, We all want to be noticed for the right reasons, but that desire can quietly shift our focus from Jesus to ourselves. The early church shows us a better way. Under pressure—from both the Sanhedrin and Rome—believers lived with such courage, humility, and love that onlookers were astonished. Their motivation wasn’t fear … Continue reading Are We Willing To Put The Attention On Jesus? →

Good Morning Friends, The early church in Acts 4 is breathtaking. A community marked by one heart and one soul, where generosity flows so freely that “there was not a needy person among them.” It’s tempting to read this as a call to try harder—share more, give more, be more selfless. But Luke is not describing … Continue reading Are You Living In A Community Only The New Birth Can Create? →

Good Morning Friends, A forest fire is spreading near our home. Its smoke hangs in the air, unsettling and sobering. Fire destroys—but it also reveals. It exposes what is dry, what is fragile, what cannot last. And strangely, in God’s creation, fire also prepares the ground for new life. Some seeds only open in heat. … Continue reading Are We Allowing The Spirit’s Fire To Spread Through The Forests Of Our Lives, Clearing What Must Go And Awakening What God Longs To Grow? →