Robbie McDonough James 1:9-11 (The Voice)  9 If you are a brother of humble means, celebrate the fact that God has raised you up. 10 If you are rich and seemingly invincible, savor the humble reality that you are a mere mortal who will vanish like a flower that withers in the field. 11 The sun rises with a blazing heat that dries the earth and causes the flower to wither and fall to the ground and its beauty to fade and die. In the same way, the rich will fall and die in the midst of their busy [...]

Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist James 1:2-8 (NRSV) 2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the [...]

Your Content Goes Here Rev. David Horton  James 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.   Reflection: Today’s devotional is brought to you by Adele. James, too. But mostly Adele. The singer and songwriter Adele released “Hello” in 2015. It’s a song about a lover who keeps calling her partner and leaving voicemails long after the two have broken up. They’re not together anymore but that doesn’t stop one of them, the singer, from reminiscing about what they used to have. The singer keeps calling the [...]

When I was in elementary school, I had a pen pal named Pauline. She lived in Juneau, Alaska, and we kept in touch for a couple of years. I loved having a pen pal for many reasons, but I think my favorite reason was it was just so exciting to receive a letter in the mailbox just for me and that I was invited to write back. This new edition of the Daily Habit, we will be looking at the letter from James. This letter is filled to the brim with moral instruction. Reading it, we could keep this [...]

Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist Mark 4:1-8 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, [...]

Louise McEvoy   Luke 12:13-21 (The Voice) 13 A person in the crowd got Jesus’ attention. Person in the Crowd: Teacher, intervene and tell my brother to share the family inheritance with me. Jesus: 14 Since when am I your judge or arbitrator? 15 Then He used that opportunity to speak to the crowd. Jesus: You’d better be on your guard against any type of greed, for a person’s life is not about having a lot of possessions. 16 (then, beginning another parable) A wealthy man owned some land that produced a huge harvest. 17 He often thought to [...]

Matthew 13:33-34 33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” 34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.   What does this parable teach me about God? What does this parable teach me about Humans? How can I carry the message of this parable into my day? Considering this parable, how can I live and love like Jesus today?   Closing Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for [...]

Buddy Fisher, St. Luke’s Member Mark 13:28-33 NIV 28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the [...]

Richard Ethun proud husband of Karen, father of Elizabeth, Angela and Cecilia, member of St Lukes for 30 plus years, GoodWill Sunday School Class teacher, Sinner and Saved by Grace Matthew 24:45-51 45 ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other servants their allowance of food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 48But if that wicked servant says [...]

Martha Hill Jamison, co-chair (with Bruce) of Transformed (stlukestransformed.org), occasional wanderer, and frequent stumbler.  Matthew 18:12-14 (NRSV) - The Lost Sheep  12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little [...]