Month: December 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Strongest Love

A love that knows no barriers.

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

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 New Living Translation

 thorn-fencefx

The Maasai tribe in Africa live among the wild animals of the region, tending to their cattle and crops. Lions and hyenas often approach their homes at night to scavenge for any food they can find—cattle, chickens, goats—and human life is threatened daily. To keep the animals out of their compound, they build hedges out of thick brush and spikes from local Acacia trees and make the hedge as thick and tightly compressed as possible. Nothing will get in through these hedges.

When sin came into the world, separation even greater than any hedge kept us from standing in the presence of God. But God never stops loving us. Having trouble believing that?

Look at the love that sent Jesus to earth to live a life of love and pay the price for all of our sins. It’s all about love. This isn’t a love of fancy words and empty promises. This is a love that says, “I am willing to love you no matter what.” Nothing can separate us from that amazing love—not death or fear or lions!

 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 New Living Translation

This is His promise of love to you this Advent season!

Text and photo copyright Desiree Bustamante

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Podcasts

PWTE Podcast Episode 038: The Certainty of Grace

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Cimarron, New Mexico
Cimarron, New Mexico

In this episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast, Pastor Doug Brauner and Richelle Hecker wrestle with the question, can Christians can lose their faith? Many people have strong opinions about this topic. To address this question, they talk about doubt and sin. They also examine the topic of saving faith.

PWTE Blog: Number 0300

Other Blogs:

Scripture: (Each Scripture is linked to biblegateway.com)

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

A Long Journey on a Short Donkey

A Story of Hope.

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

“Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”
Luke 2:4 New International Version

God does not stay put.  He never has.  He created the universe, placed Adam and Eve in the garden and traveled there daily to meet with them.  When they sinned and hid, God still traveled to them.  To where they were, physically and spiritually.  He sought them out in their guilt and shame.  God’s journey to us is our Hope.

december-01I am Mary, but I speak for Joseph as well.  Traveling on Caesar’s orders.  Traveling with God—I with God in my belly; Joseph with God on his mind and mingled with fear.   Trusting.  That’s the way it is with a journey—one is not always certain what will happen.  We Hope.  We trust.  We go on.

When the people of Israel traveled in the desert on a 40-year journey, God did not stay put.  God went on the trip with them.  A pillar of cloud by day; one of fire by night.  God insists on being where his people are. God’s journey to us is our Hope.

I traveled on a donkey and on foot.  A donkey is short, and not equipped with shock absorbers.  One feels every footfall.  Jarring, exhausting was my journey.  Lord, I know what I proclaimed that day.  “Let it happen to me as you have said.  But I didn’t know this journey was part of the deal.  When will it end?  Still, I Hope in you.”

When his people were exiled, God traveled there to be with them to give them Hope.  The cloud of God’s presence journeyed east.  If you are lonely, in a desert of heart, mind or soul, I speak the truth to you today.  It is a holy truth; it is God’s absolute promise.  He journeys to be with you where you are, he comes to the holy space you inhabit.  Behold the Divine Traveler who stands at the door of your heart.  God’s journey to us is our Hope.

Text and Picture, copyright Don Schatz