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Our Daily Devotional - “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35Our world constantly bombards us with messages that happiness and fulfillment are found in accumulating more—more possessions, achievements, and status. Yet, in contrast to the world's fleeting promises, Jesus invites us to a deeper, richer kind of joy—the joy that springs from a life of generosity. His words challenge us to shift our focus from getting to giving, from self to others, from scarcity to abundance of spirit.Reflect for a moment: When have you felt the deepest, most lasting satisfaction in your heart? Was it not when you saw someone’s eyes light up because of your kindness, or when you gave a gift that touched another’s soul? True joy is discovered not in what we gather, but in what we graciously give away. When you use your time, talents, or resources to lift someone else, you become part of something sacred—this is the blessedness Jesus means. In these moments, we taste the joy of aligning our hearts with His.Giving is not measured by the abundance of our resources, but by the willingness of our hearts to share what we have—no matter how small. A simple word of encouragement, a helping hand, or a genuine smile can become powerful acts of hope. In these acts, we mirror the generous heart of God, who gave us His very best. Such generosity unlocks a joy and freedom that the world cannot offer or take away.Today, let us embrace the challenge to be generous in spirit. Seek out opportunities—big or small—to share kindness, love, and a piece of yourself with someone in need. Ask God to open your eyes to those around you who could use a touch of His love through you. As you pour yourself out for others, you’ll find your own heart filled in unexpected ways. In giving, we receive blessings far greater than what we give away.

Our Daily Devotional - Acts 20:35

<h3>&nbsp; Why So Many Fall Away: Recovering the Depth of the Apostolic Faith</h3>The more I study Scripture, the early Church, and the writings of the earliest Christian teachers, the more I recognize how thin and fragmented modern Christianity has become. We often wonder why so many fall away from the faith in adulthood, but the reason becomes clear when we look honestly at how Christianity is taught today: many believers were never given the depth, the formation, or the roots needed to endure.From the beginning, the faith entrusted by Christ to His apostles was not shallow, individualized, or disconnected from its Old Testament foundations. It was cohesive, historical, sacrificial, and lived within a community that understood what it had received.The apostles did not preach a half-formed message. They did not risk their lives for vague spirituality or minimal doctrine. They lived—and died—for the fullness of the gospel. ⸻ &nbsp; The Apostles Died for What They Knew to Be TrueAncient Christian tradition preserves accounts of their martyrdoms—sobering reminders of the gravity and conviction behind their witness: • Peter – crucified upside down in Rome. • Paul – beheaded under Nero. • Andrew – bound to an X-shaped cross, preaching until his death. • James the Greater – executed by the sword. • James the Just – thrown from the Temple and beaten to death. • Thomas – speared while evangelizing in India. • Matthew – martyred while preaching. • Bartholomew – flayed and beheaded. • Philip – killed after converting influential families. • Simon the Zealot – martyred in Persia. • Jude Thaddeus – killed in Persia alongside Simon. • Matthias – stoned and beheaded. • John – survived martyrdom attempts, ultimately exiled and persecuted.These men did not die for a watered-down or incomplete gospel. They died for the truth Christ entrusted to them—truth they expected would be preserved, taught, and lived in its fullness. ⸻ &nbsp; Why So Many Fall Away TodayMany Christians grow up hearing only the most introductory elements of faith: • Pray the sinner’s prayer. • Believe you are saved forever from that moment on. • Trust that this settles your spiritual destiny.These ideas form a beginning, but not a foundation. They were never meant to replace lifelong discipleship, formation, understanding, or obedience.Scripture itself warns about remaining in spiritual infancy: “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready.” — 1 Corinthians 3:2 “You need milk, not solid food… solid food is for the mature.” — Hebrews 5:12–14A faith that never moves beyond its earliest stages cannot endure real testing.Enthusiasm without understanding collapses. Emotion without formation fades. Conviction without roots cannot stand. ⸻ &nbsp; A Faith Without Roots Cannot StandJesus described this in His parable: “They have no root in themselves… when trouble arises, they fall away.” — Matthew 13:21This is the experience of countless Christians today—not because they are unwilling, but because they were never taught the fullness of the faith. Their roots were never anchored in: • the unity between the Old and New Testaments, • the larger story of salvation history, • the apostolic interpretation of Scripture, • the practices and beliefs of the earliest Christians, • the theological continuity preserved through generations. Without these, faith becomes shallow—and easily uprooted. ⸻ &nbsp; Many Christians Don’t Know the Origins of Their Own FaithPart of the problem is simple but devastating: many Christians do not know where the Bible came from, how it was canonized, or why certain books were included.They don’t know: • the difference between the Torah/Pentateuch, the Septuagint, and the Masoretic Text, • why early Christians primarily used the Septuagint, • how the earliest manuscripts differ from modern ones, • how the early Church recognized the authoritative books of Scripture, • when the canon was formally affirmed, • or how their own denomination came into existence.Many believers have never heard of—or misunderstand—central figures in early Christianity: • Augustine, the great theologian of grace and human nature, • Justin Martyr, one of the earliest defenders of the faith, • Tertullian, an early apologist who shaped Western theology, • Polycarp, who learned directly from the apostle John, • Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote about church structure and unity on his way to martyrdom.These names are foundational to Christian history—yet unknown to most Christians today.Even more tragically, many believers dismiss the faith of other Christians simply because they belong to a different tradition. They do not know the origins of their own denomination, much less the history of others. They do not know what the earliest Christians believed or how doctrinal developments unfolded.Disconnection from history breeds division, confusion, and arrogance. ⸻ &nbsp; The Path Forward Is Depth, Not DepartureThe solution is not abandoning faith—it is rediscovering its fullness. This requires: • reading all of Scripture, not only the familiar passages, • learning how the Old Testament prepares the way for Christ, • studying how the earliest Christians understood and lived the gospel, • understanding how the Scriptures were recognized and preserved, • forming a mature faith rooted in truth rather than emotion, • embracing discipleship as a lifelong journey, • grounding belief in the teaching handed down since the apostles.This is the “solid food” Paul describes—the kind of mature, resilient faith that can withstand temptation, suffering, cultural pressure, and intellectual challenge.When believers root themselves in the whole of God’s revelation and the witness preserved throughout Christian history, they discover something far deeper than what many modern expressions of Christianity offer.They discover the same faith the apostles lived, taught, guarded, and died to pass on.

Why So Many Fall Away: Recovering the Depth of the Apostolic Faith

Jesus Christ with open arms reaching out in the sky, hand gestures of Jesus dying on the cross and resurrected, heaven and salvation, faith and love, easter concept

Ray's Daily Devotion Reflection - "A Reflection on Mercy and Memory"&nbsp; It’s not hard to spot sin in others—especially when it looks nothing like our own. What’s harder is remembering the grace that met us before we ever thought to ask for it.Most judgment doesn’t come from righteousness; it comes from forgetfulness. We forget where we were when God found us. We forget the patience He showed, the mercy He extended, and the long road He walked with us while we learned how to walk with Him.When that memory fades, mercy runs dry. Conviction turns sharp. Discernment becomes disdain. And before we realize it, we’re holding stones we were never meant to carry, let alone throw.Scripture doesn’t deny the reality of sin—but it refuses to let us rank it. All have sinned. (Romans 3:23). That truth isn’t meant to shame us; it’s meant to steady us. It reminds us that we stand before God by grace alone, not by comparison.If God showed restraint with us, we can show restraint with others. If He extended mercy freely, we can do the same—without compromising truth or surrendering conviction.Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is pause, remember, and choose mercy again, because grace grows best in a heart that remembers where it came from.

"A Reflection on Mercy and Memory"

Close up of Holy Bible page, shallow depth of field with focus on book chapter, heading. Romans

Our Daily Devotion - "All Means All" “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” - Romans 3:23 (ESV)There’s a quiet honesty in Scripture that doesn’t leave room for comparison. Romans 3:23 doesn’t sort people into categories. It doesn’t rank sins or hand out moral scorecards. It uses one word that levels the ground completely:All.That word has a way of humbling us if we let it. Because most of us are tempted to measure sin horizontally—mine against yours. We notice what’s loud, public, or unfamiliar. We excuse what’s private, familiar, or wrapped in good intentions.That’s why I said earlier today in my quote of the day—and I stand by it: “I choose not to hate others because their sin doesn’t look like mine.” Romans 3:23 reminds us that the difference between us isn’t innocence—it’s honesty. Some sins shout. Some sins whisper. Some hide behind respectability, tradition, or silence. But they all fall short of the same glory.This verse doesn’t excuse sin. It exposes pride.It reminds us that no one stands before God because they behaved better, believed earlier, or failed quieter. We stand because grace reached us where we were—and didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up first.When we remember that, hatred loses its footing. Judgment softens into discernment and mercy becomes less of a struggle, because we realize how much of it we’ve already received.If God dealt with us based on comparison, none of us would last long. But He deals with us based on grace.Romans 3:23 leaves no room for superiority, only surrender. When we remember that all of us fall short, hatred loses its voice and humility takes its place. The ground at the foot of the Cross has always been level, and grace has never been handed out based on how well we compare ourselves to others. I choose mercy—not because sin doesn’t matter, but because grace mattered first. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Our Daily Devotion - "All means All"

A Reflection Before Prayer on the death of Rob and Michele Reiner - I wasn’t going to speak out, but now I must. I am deeply disappointed in what I’m seeing today. Moments like this expose something uncomfortable about all of us.When tragedy strikes, it reveals what’s been living just under the surface — our anger, our loyalties, our grudges, and sometimes our lack of restraint. It’s troubling to watch grief turn into commentary, and loss become a talking point. Especially when the voices we expect to lead with dignity don’t.But as followers of Jesus, we’re called to something steadier.We don’t measure human life by ideology.We don’t cheer death because we disagreed with the living. And we don’t let outrage — from any side — have the final word.This doesn’t mean we abandon truth or conviction. It means we remember that every life lost leaves a ripple of pain, and every tragedy is a reminder that the world is more broken than any one debate can explain.So before opinions, before conclusions, before commentary — we pray, I pray.Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the middle of shock and sorrow, when the world feels upside down. You alone are our Rock when tragedy strikes and confusion reigns. I lift up the family and friends of Rob and Michele Reiner, and those who grieve, those who are hurting, and all who are shaken by this senseless loss.Father, in a world where anger and division speak so loudly, remind us that no tragedy escapes Your gaze and no soul is beyond Your mercy. You did not come to condemn the world, but to redeem it. You see broken hearts and wounded souls everywhere—even in places marked by bitterness or deep disagreement.Grant peace to those who mourn. Grant clarity to those seeking truth. Grant Your steady presence to all who feel unsettled today.Teach us to pray for truth, justice, and healing—not for deeper division. Help us trust You even when understanding feels out of reach. Hold close every soul caught in the wake of this heartbreak.In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Reflection & Prayer about Rob & Michele Reiner

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”Mark 15:34 “And at the nineth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, says, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”, which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” &nbsp;Mark speaking primarily to Gentiles, tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion, quotes Jesus in Aramaic, the common language of both Jews and Gentiles.Matthew 27:46 “And at the nineth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, says, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” &nbsp;Matthew, tells the same story, but to a different audience. &nbsp;He spoke to &nbsp;Jews, who were familiar with Hebrew language used during Jewish religious settings.In both Mathew and Mark, Jesus is quoted first in His native language and then translated in modern English.Have you ever wondered why? &nbsp;All four gospels follow the life of Jesus, All four authors quote Jesus prolifically, but no other words spoken by Jesus are documented in this way. So why these and no others? Why are these so important?Because these words are so important.To understand the full meaning of Jesus’ words, let’s go back to the days of His ministry and explore what the culture was like.For Jews and Gentile alike, the Roman empire regulated the economy. Under the supervision of Governor Pontius Pilate, soldiers the enforced criminal justice systemsBut the Jews lived under the rule of a second government as well. The Sanhedrin council, made up of the high priest, Ciaphas, and his priests, elders, and scribes, controlled the religious laws.Before printing presses were invented, and before the Bible was divided into chapters and verse, scribes copied the books of each author on seperate scrolls. &nbsp;These scrolls were opened during temple service and read aloud to the congregation.Now-a-days, to find a particular scripture, we search for the highlighted numbers. For example, Psalm 22:1-20. &nbsp;But back then, the sections were highlighted by the first sentence of a particular section. That sentence referred to the rest of the selected section.Luke 4:16-21 tells us that Jesus’ first act of His earthly ministry was to read the first sentence of Isaih 61 in the synagogue.16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,&nbsp;Because He has anointed Me, To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Isaiah 61:120 Then He rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” NKJVThat day, he spoke to the priests and the scribes, and to the congregation in general.In reading the first sentence, Jesus referred to the rest of Isaiah’s prophesy about the coming Messiah. With those words, He publicly announced He was the Messiah. They didn’t believe Him.After three years in an earthly body, Jesus stood before the priests again. Both Matthew and Mark tell the story. Hours of torture and interrogations. Judged by the high priest and sentenced by the governor. &nbsp;Jesus hung on a cross and spoke the first sentence again. &nbsp;This time from Psalm 22. &nbsp;Uttering His final words, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” He referred all those listening to the rest of David’s prophetic words, written14 generations prior.22:1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?22:2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;&nbsp;And in the night season, and am not silent.22:3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 22:4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 22:5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 22:7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 22:8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. 22:10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. 22:11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 22:13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.&nbsp; 22:14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 22:17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 22:18 They divide My garments among them,And for My clothing they cast lots.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 22:21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen!...The general congregation may not have understood Jesus’ partial message, but the priests and scribes, would have known the rest of the scriptures, would have known the words of David’s prophesy, and should have recognized what they had just done, should have admitted that Jesus was the Messiah. They didn’t.At first read, the first sentence of Chapter 22,“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” &nbsp;seems like a forsaken, defeated Son crying in despair to His Father. &nbsp;But the chapter doesn’t end with verse 21. Continuing ‘til verse 31, we understand that this question links us to the proclamation made by the victorious Messiah who could not be destroyed.The important part of the message in chapter 22 is not about Jesus’ question. The important part is about God’s answer.22:21 You have answered Me.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:22 I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you [b]descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 22:24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:25 My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 22:26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You. 22:28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:29 All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22:30 A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 22:31 They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.”What sounded like despair to the crowd was actually a declaration of fulfillment. This is the message of hope, spoken for all those who fear the Lord. It is a promise for the future, proclaimed from our now invisible, but ever-present Savior. &nbsp;Anne Mileur

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Our Daily Devotional - Acts 20:35

Why So Many Fall Away: Recovering the Depth of the Aposto...

"A Reflection on Mercy and Memory"

Our Daily Devotion - "All means All"

A Reflection & Prayer about Rob & Michele Reiner

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”