Month: March 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Wide-Angle View

Pikes Peak, Colorado

 God sees all humanity from the perspective of Jesus’ cross.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”
Genesis 1:31a English Standard Version

 I have different lenses for my camera and each lens serves a different purpose. I use some of my lenses up close and personal, with others I step back and see the big picture. Both of these types of lenses are important.

The wide-angle lens gives me the ability to step back and put creation into perspective, especially when you stitch three of those pictures together in a panorama like this picture of Pikes Peak.

Pikes Peak, Colorado
Pikes Peak, Colorado

God stepped back from creation and with a wide-angle lens looked at everything he had called into existence.  And from that vantage point, God declared everything he made as very good.

God steps back and declares the universe with its unnumbered galaxies good.

God steps back and declares our solar system good,

God steps back and declares his creatures good.

This wide-angle is also God’s perspective from the cross.  Through the cross God steps back and declares forgiveness for all people. There is no person who stands outside of God’s view of grace, and that includes you and me.

And once again, through the mercy of God in Christ, we hear God say, “it is very good.”

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

Stronger Than Fear

Golden, Colorado

In Christ, fear cannot rub us of peace.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

My grandfather was a major league baseball scout. My dad was a respected pitcher in the Cascade League in the Pacific Northwest. Needless to say, baseball is in my blood, but I was a terrible baseball player.

Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado

I couldn’t get out of the way of a baseball fast enough when it was either thrown or hit at me. The ball was way to hard and I was way to soft (emotionally speaking) that I didn’t want to play the game.

Fear of the ball kept me from enjoying baseball.

Fear has a way of keeping us from enjoying God’s peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27 English Standard Version

Jesus had a great deal to be afraid of the night that he spoke these words to his disciples. In a few short hours he would be handed over to people who hated him, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Even with this impending storm, Jesus encourages his disciples to not be afraid.

Through his violent death, Jesus has given us the gift of peace. We are at peace with God. We are at peace with each other. This peace in Christ is stronger than our fears which rob us of joy.

We’ll struggle with fear on this journey of life, but the gift of peace is stronger than our fears.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

All Means All

Lepaterique, Honduras

God’s grace reaches all people.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:22b-24 English Standard Version

Not all is well in Honduras. These glass shards and barbed wire are evidence that Lepaterique has its struggles.

Lepaterique, Honduras
Lepaterique, Honduras

When I took this picture I was standing in a beautiful city park. Every time I passed this park it seemed that someone was watering the grass and taking care of the plants. It was like many parks in Colorado Springs, though a bit smaller.

This brick wall separated the park from a school. Believe me, the barbed wire was deterrent enough for me, but the broken glass removed any thought of trying to cross to the other side.

This barbed wire and broken glass were a common sight in Honduras, as were armed security personnel and soldiers, a reminder that Honduras is as broken as any country including the good ol’ USA.

Everyone has fallen short of God’s glory no matter where they live. It doesn’t matter whether they live in rural Wisconsin or rural Honduras for all have fallen short. People in Chicago and people in Tegucigalpa have fallen short of God’s glory. You and I have fallen short.

Jesus did not fall short.

Through Jesus, all of us have been declared right with God no matter how far we have fallen. His grace is meant for every human creature. God’s grace is meant for you. God’s grace defines you. God’s grace embraces you because it is meant for you. It’s meant for all.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner