Bible and Coffee Time

Glorious and Majestic Love " They speak of the  glorious  splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works." (Psalm 145:5 NIV) Even though slowly but surely many states are going to attempt to open their economies back up starting tomorrow, in many ways things remain the same. Where I live, gatherings of more than ten people are still prohibited, so going back to in-person worship is going to be cancelled for at least another couple of weeks. We are still encouraged to practice social distancing out in public, and wear masks when shopping. A growing number of people have filed for unemployment in the past month. Schools will continue to meet online for the rest of the school year. We continue to pray for an end to the pandemic and everything it has caused, because we believe that God is all-powerful, mighty, and majestic. As a result, He has the power to stop the pandemic, and we  believe that, even now, He is working to bring a s...

In Small Ways " Praise him for his acts of  power ; praise him for his surpassing greatness." (Psalm 150:2 NIV) We have heard numerous times before, and it has often been repeated in these devotionals, that God is all-powerful. God is great, and He expresses His greatness and power. We see and hear of God's mighty power in the more great and obvious ways, ways that we consider grand. But we forget, we often take for granted, that God's power often comes through and shows itself to us in small, gentle, tender ways. God's most significant character trait is love. This means that He extends His love to all of us, regardless of who we are, where we are, or what may be going on in our lives this moment. God created the world, and He created us, precisely so He could have someone to show His love to and share His life with. He is kind to every one of us, and shows His kindness by providing us with everything we need, reminding us that we are loved, and sending peo...

Always Been There, Always Come Through "May the  Lord  our  God  be  with   us  as he  was   with  our ancestors; may he never leave  us  nor forsake  us ." (1 Kings 8:57 NIV) Apparently, this is not the first time in fairly recent history an epidemic such as this has plagued the world. Much has been made on the news of the Spanish Flu of 1918, which caused much of the same sort of panic, and caused the same sort of effects, as the current pandemic. Just a few years ago, the Zika virus caused trouble worldwide. And just a couple years before then, Ebola and MERS caused a lot of alarm. And then, before then, in the last part of the last decade, the H1N1, so called "Swine Flu" disease caused a lot of trouble. There have been outbreaks of various diseases in other parts of the world, many of which have, unfortunately, not received as much attention in the global media. However, in the memory of this current age, ther...

Risen and Always With Us " Mary Magdalene  went to the disciples  with the news: 'I have seen the Lord!' And she told them that he had said these things to her." (John 20:18 NIV) C. Austin Miles was a pharmacist, turned Gospel songwriter, turned editor and manager of a music publishing company, turned part-time photographer. It was one day while waiting for some film to develop of pictures he had taken that he picked up his Bible, which had fallen to the floor. The passage it happened to be open to when it had fallen was John 20, which told about Mary Magdalene's visit to the garden at the tomb where Jesus had been buried, and her encountering Him fully alive. As C. Austin Miles read that passage, words started flowing easily to him: "I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on mine ear, the Son of God discloses And He walks with me, and He talks with me And He tells me I am His own; And the joy w...

Continuing On and Forward as Normal "He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth  food  from the earth." (Psalm 104:14 NIV) Even though the pandemic has certainly disrupted life as normal around where I live, there are still certain signs of normalcy and regularity. Specifically, the farmers are working in the fields. Many of the fields around here are already being readied for planting, by being fertilized, tilled, and plowed, and some have already been planted. Certain crops which were planted over the winter are growing and will soon be harvested. Many of my neighbors have planted their flowers and gardens. In other ways, although life has been disrupted, it also continues as normal. As the pandemic continues on, and, hopefully comes to an end eventually, we thank God that, despite our lives being disrupted by the pandemic, He has kept us going. He has continued to provide us with sustenance and everything else necessary for...

The Essentials "He  provide s food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever." (Psalm 111:5 NIV) A bit of a personal note: I greatly enjoy outdoor activities. As mentioned in a previous devotional, I am especially blessed to live somewhere where there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities within a half an hour of where I live. I especially enjoy hiking, and, lately, whenever the weather has been favorable, and my schedule allows it, I take the opportunity to go for long hikes. And, one thing that happened yesterday when I went hiking was that I got some sun on my skin. For me, this is a good thing: I have noticed, as I have gotten older, that I definitely need certain nutrients, especially Vitamin D. Vitamin D comes from the sun, and I have noticed that when I am unable to get essential nutrients from the sun, it affects my mood. Therefore, I thank God for days, and seasons, when the sun shines even brighter, I am able to be...

Praise All Day "It is good to praise the  Lord  and make music  to your name,  O Most High,  proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night." (Psalm 92:1-2) Today, we wake up, we face another morning, we face another day. We work to get through our jobs, our working from home, our housework, our schoolwork, our yardwork, our family life, whatever else we have to face. Sometimes it may seem tedious, especially as we both go through the same routine, and face new challenges. It can be hard to get through the day. And yet, we are also reminded that God is with us. The reason we can face another day, and get through another day, is because He gives us the strength to keep going. We have access to His power all day, and every day. He gives us the ability to keep going. We also can give the worries and anxieties of the day over to Him, which makes it even easier to get through the day. When we give our worries and anxieties to God, we k...

Here With Us Now "I will not leave you as orphans;  I will come to you." (John 14:18 NIV) A bit of a personal note: despite the fact that I have been writing these devotionals, as well as record the twice-daily devotions, to provide encouragement in the midst of this pandemic, I certainly have not been immune from the effects of the quarantine. I too have felt much of the loneliness and frustration that has come from having to practice social distancing and adhering to the state's Stay-At-Home order. I have also struggled with adjusting to the "new normal," especially since much of my calling involves face-to-face interactions, and in-person worship. I miss being able to be at the church several times a week for worship services, children's nights, and meetings. I miss seeing the people I serve face-to-face on a regular basis. I have also been saddened by not being able to patronize my favorite eating establishments and attend regular community events an...

Prayer and Praise " Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.  Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." (James 5:13 NIV) Several of these devotionals have been about asking God for help, and emphasizing the need to pray in this kind of crisis. As well we certainly ought to. However, there is more to a relationship with God than simply asking for His help all the time: there is also remembering how good He is and how kind He is to us. In the midst of this crisis, how often have we paused to praise? How often have we stopped, in the midst of the "new normal" caused by the pandemic simply to thank God for what He has done for us, and what He has given us. How often have we taken time to remember how God has brought us through the last few weeks, and what He has given us in the meanwhile? What are you thankful to God for today? What has He done for you that you especially want to thank Him for? How has He blessed you in an unexpected way in the mids...

We Are His Sanctuary " And  in  him  you  too are being built together to become a dwelling  in  which God  lives  by his Spirit." (Ephesians 2:22 NIV) Every week, as the children of the church I serve gather together for devotions, activity, and singing, one of their favorite songs they request frequently is "Sanctuary," which goes: Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary Pure and holy, tried and true With thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for you The words for the song are never more true than now. Even though we cannot worship together in the sanctuaries of our church buildings, God is still with us. He is not limited or confined to one building, or one particular time of day: He is everywhere, present at any time. He loves us and always wants to be with us. This means that whenever and wherever we gather together for worship, whether in our homes, outdoors, or anywhere else, He is with us. Jesus also promises that wherever ...

Sanctuary " Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his  sanctuary ." (Psalm 96:6 NIV) For the past few weeks, many churches have had to cancel in-person worship services, and switch entirely to online worship, as the congregation I serve has done. Some have held parking lot services, where people are still able to maintain appropriate distance. However, it is still not the same, because we are not able to enter the sanctuaries of our church buildings. While we have been able to worship at home, it is still something unfamiliar, because we have not been able to worship together in our sanctuaries. In certain places, because of recently-extended Stay-At-Home directives, it seems as though this situation will continue for a longer period. And yet, we are also reminded of a powerful truth: God is everywhere. He is not confined to one building. We worship in churches to have one focal point where we can gather together to have a safe and consistent pl...

A Special Hiding Place " The  Lord  is my rock,  my fortress  and my deliverer;  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,  my shield and the horn of my salvation,  my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2) A bit of a personal note: one of the things I enjoy about living where I live is the proliferation of parks. There is one in particular within walking distance of my house, which also has a large fishing pond and a wooded picnic area. Occasionally, when I have time and the weather is nice, I will stroll down to that wooded area and spend some quiet time. There are also several Metroparks around the area, with hiking trails, where I have also spent time alone in prayer and to collect my thoughts. There is a Catholic retreat center less than half an hour from where I live which has a nature preserve and a hiking trail, where I have gone to explore. And then, there is the local art museum, as well as the Native American village museum, where I can go ...

Brought into the Kingdom "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the  kingdom  of the Son he loves." (Colossians 1:13 NIV) As the news of the economies of certain states possibly being able to open up again soon begins to make itself manifest, we are seeing, more and more, the "light at the end of the tunnel." However, in some ways, we are admittedly still in darkness: although it is not yet official, many schools will continue to be closed for the rest of the school year. While some businesses are slowly opening up, others remain closed. Major local events, especially festivals, sporting events, and events held at local venues and arenas, have all been cancelled. Many churches still wait for safe conditions for being able to meet together in person. Certain families remain without a source of income. Conditions in certain homes remain uncertain, even a bit perilous. There is still quite a bit of uncertainty all around, and sti...

Again and Again "He has  deliver ed us from such a deadly peril, and he will  deliver  us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to  deliver  us." (2 Corinthians 1:10 NIV) A bit of a personal note: I was born too late to remember either the Spanish Flu or the Great Depression. And yet, since the pandemic and its effects began in earnest, many news outlets starting comparing - and still continue to compare - the pandemic and its effects to both of those events. I have also had the privilege of meeting people who lived through the Great Depression, or those who were raised by people who lived through the Great Depression, and who learned valuable life lessons and skills from doing so. And one thing that seems to be proved throughout history, time and time again, is that God delivers us each time. After the Great Depression came the Second World War. Which ended. After the Second World War came the Cold War. Which ended. We are still dealing...

Special Delivery, Always On Time " From the  Lord  comes deliverance. May your  blessing  be on your people." (Psalm 3:1 NIV) During this pandemic, a common sight has been even more UPS and Amazon Prime drivers out on the road and going to people's homes than before - at least, apart from certain times of the year, like Christmas. With the Stay-At-Home Order continuing to remain in place, more people have been ordering items online, and having them delivered. Of course, what this has also meant is that so many people have been ordering items to be delivered that now certain companies are on at least a month's backorder and expected delivery date. This has made it a bit more of a challenge to order items online, and expect a timely delivery. There is, however, one timely delivery - or, rather, deliverance - we can always depend on. Through His prophets, God had promised to send a Savior to save the world from sin and death. Then, he delivered on that promise by ...

Something Positive "For great is his  love  toward us, and the faithfulness of the  Lord  endures forever. Praise the  Lord ." (Psalm 117:2 NIV) There is still good news in the midst of all the bad news we seem to be constantly hearing. People are recovering from the coronavirus, even as others keep getting infected. In fact, at least a few of the people who have recovered are older, at least a couple even over a century old. Others, while being at home, have been able to try out new hobbies, or revive old ones long put aside; others have been able to try new recipes; others have been able to catch up on reading; and still others have taken the opportunity to be able to do deeper Spring cleaning than in the past. We have been able to find new and creative ways to keep in communication with each other. There has always been as much positive coming out of the negative in this situation - if we are able to acknowledge it. What all this shows is that, even tho...

Recognizing Jesus "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it  and began to give it to them.   Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.   They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us  while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures  to us?'” (Luke 24:30-32 NIV) Even though Jesus had promised to rise again from the dead, His disciples still had trouble believing it. They were still overcome with grief and sadness, and were afraid they would never see their friend again. They were also afraid that Jesus' enemies would come after them, since they had seemingly gotten rid of Jesus. In fact, their fear and sadness was probably keeping them from remembering that Jesus had promised to rise from the dead, and that He was going to keep His promise, just like He had kept all His other promises. But in order to show He was keeping His promise, Jesus appeared ...

Still Here "For what I received  I passed on to you  as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins  according to the Scriptures,   that he was buried,  that he was raised  on the third day  according to the Scriptures,  and that he appeared to Cephas,  and then to the Twelve.   After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6 NIV) Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! After Jesus rose from the dead, He did not ascend into Heaven right away. Instead, to show to everyone He was alive again, and in order to provide comfort and relief for His disciples, He appeared to them multiple times, not as a spirit or an apparition, but as an actual flesh-and-blood human being. He did this to prove what He had already promised: that He was going to die, as had already been prophesied, but He was going to r...

Our Champion " Give us aid against the enemy,  for human help is worthless.  With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies." (Psalm 60:11-12 NIV) Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Happy Easter to you! One of the worst feelings is feeling alone. The other is feeling helpless. As in, completely and utterly having to face a problem, a task, or any kind of hard situation entirely on one's own, without the knowledge or resources to be able to do so with any kind of confidence. We feel defeated whenever we face such a problem, and want to give up and give in, especially give in to hopelessness. It is a scary feeling, because we have to fight on our own, and feel fearful because no one else seems to want to fight for us, help us, or come to our aid in any way. This can also cause us to be angry and bitter, as we believe no one cares enough to want to see us succeed, or be able to overcome whatever it is we have to f...