Devotional Blog

On every trip, decisions are made. Along the road of life, we inevitably face intersections and decisions about which way to go. It is at those moments that we must live by faith, asking God for wisdom and believing that He will never lead in the wrong direction. It is our hope that each article on the blog will encourage you to keep enjoying the journey…and look for Jesus along the way.

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When we consider the universe -- the sun, moon, and planets in our solar system -- we see evidence of God as the Creator.

The Creation of the Universe

April 21, 2026

We take so many of the aspects of our existence for granted. The sun rises every morning. The rain and snow fall in their seasons. Plants, animals, and humans are born, mature, and die. The moon revolves around Earth, and Earth revolves around the Sun. We rarely take time to consider how everything got here,…

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Today, we begin a brand new ETJ study on the only man in the Bible called “the evangelist.” Philip was not the only evangelist in the early church, but he was the Holy Spirit’s model for what an evangelist would do. His example is not just for preachers; it is for every believer to become more effective in preaching the gospel wherever they are!

Don’t Listen to this ETJ Series!

By Scott Pauley | April 20, 2026
We are blessed each week to hear from listeners about their favorite studies and what God is doing in their lives. But our next series...
Moses Seat found in an ancient synagogue in Chorazin, in Galilee. The seat was located just inside the door of the synagogue and bears an Aramaic inscription with the name of the donor Yudan, the son of Yishmael who paid for building of the seat and its platform. (The seat pictured here is a replica placed where the original was found. The original is now in the Israel Museum.) Photo by John Buckner. Among other finds, the researchers found a synagogue built from the local volcanic basalt stones. Inside the synagogue, beside the ark where the biblical scrolls were stored, was a seat. It has been identified by many scholars as Moses’ Seat. Although it dates to after the time of Christ, this find is a remarkable fusion of biblical text and archeology. It illuminates the words of Matthew and shows us the custom He referenced.  

Moses’ Seat in Chorazin 

By John Buckner | April 15, 2026
“Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid...
staying-and-leaving

Staying and Leaving

By Scott Pauley | April 13, 2026
Staying and Leaving: Following God's Leading in Hard Times A friend and I were enjoying a time of fellowship together some time ago. During the...
2-Timothy-Slide

Journey Through 2 Timothy

By Scott Pauley | April 10, 2026
Journey Through 2 Timothy God is so very good to give us faithful ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a minister, but...
How Spurgeon’s Early Years Prepared the "Prince of Preachers" and How You Can Make a Difference Now. Lessons from the Early Years of Charles Spurgeon. Images of Charles Spurgeon in early life and ministry. Young Spurgeon. Spurgeon's recorded sermons are more voluminous than any preacher in history. Numerous biographies journey through his life and ministry. Here we explore the Early Years of Charles Spurgeon

Lessons from the Early Years of Charles Spurgeon

By Micah Hendry | April 9, 2026
How Spurgeon’s Early Years Prepared "The Prince of Preachers" | Lessons On How You Can Make A Difference "And that from a child thou hast...
Harvest

Obedience Precedes Joy

By David Pack | April 7, 2026
Obedience Precedes Joy Many people are searching for joy in their lives. Self-help books line the shelves of bookstores, and our social media feeds are...
A Journey through 1 Timothy teaches us how to build a strong church by being a strong church member and supporting our pastors.

Journey Through 1 Timothy

By Scott Pauley | April 6, 2026
Journey Through 1 Timothy I had the privilege of growing up in a pastor's home. Not only that, but I also served under the same...
Thoughts for a Dynamic Devotional Life, Spending daily quiet time with God is necessary to give us the strength we need to serve Him. Here is guidance for a dynamic devotional life.

Thoughts for a Dynamic Devotional Life

By Scott Pauley | April 3, 2026
Thoughts for a Dynamic Devotional Life Every generation requires true men of God who carry on the work of the Lord in the power of...
A journey through Philippians reveals our duty to rejoice in the Lord, the good news of the gospel, and Jesus as our source of true joy.

Journey through Philippians

By Scott Pauley | April 2, 2026
Journey Through Philippians Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? On our journey, we come to my favorite today. The Enjoying the Journey...
Hierapolis is located on top of this travertine limestone mountain. The limestone was deposited by flow from the mineral-rich hot springs in the city. For this reason it is known in modern Turkish as Pamukkale, or Cotton Mountain. Photo by John Buckner

Hierapolis in the Bible

By John Buckner | March 25, 2026
Hierapolis in the Bible “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye...
Obadiah-Slide

Journey through Obadiah

By Scott Pauley | March 24, 2026
Journey Through Obadiah Many years ago, I was traveling in Jordan, and we were training preachers of the Word of God. It was an amazing...
Having a successful youth program takes faith and dedication. Here are 10 recommendations for a successful local church youth ministry.

10 Recommendations for Local Church Youth Ministries

By Scott Pauley | March 23, 2026
10 Recommendations for Local Church Youth Ministries In many seasons of my life, I have had the joy of being involved in youth ministry in...
A journey through Galatians reveals the importance of liberty, the difference between law and grace, and the necessity of the Gospel.

Journey Through Galatians

By Scott Pauley | March 19, 2026
Journey Through Galatians 2 Timothy 3:16 says that God's Word is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” We are looking...
A journey through Hosea shows us a picture of redemption that reflects Christ's redemptive act of love on the cross.

Journey through Hosea

By Scott Pauley | March 17, 2026
Journey Through Hosea There is no trouble like family trouble. When families have problems, it is one of the hardest earthly things to deal with....
Every person gifted by God, by God's grace and for God's glory, must learn how to connect their gifts to the work of spreading the gospel.

Connecting Your Gifts to the Gospel

By Scott Pauley | March 14, 2026
Editor's Note: This article is a modified transcript of a recent message by Scott Pauley. Connecting Your Gifts to the Gospel The most important thing...
The theme of the book of Zephaniah is this: judgment brings bitterness: the extent of judgment, and blessing: the intent of judgment.

Journey Through Zephaniah

By Guest Author | March 13, 2026
Journey Through Zephaniah One of my favorite verses in the Old Testament is found in the little Book of Zephaniah. At the conclusion of our...
In Israel, the almond tree is a herald of spring, since it is the first tree to blossom. What is the Significance of Almonds in the Bible? Almond blossoms with the ruins of ancient Shiloh in the background. Almonds were among the gifts that Jacob sent with his sons to give to the ruler of Egypt, whom he later learned was his lost son Joseph. Bethel, the house of God, was previously called Luz, another word for almond. The word luz is still used by Arabs and Kurdish Jews for almonds. Photo by John Buckner

What is the Significance of Almonds in the Bible?

By John Buckner | March 12, 2026
“Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said...
I have the greatest respect for ministry staff members who come alongside the pastor for one purpose: to help the pastor as he leads the church under God.

My Advice for Ministry Staff Members

By Scott Pauley | March 11, 2026
Over the last few years, I have had the privilege of spending time with a number of church staff members in the places where I...
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