On November 16, 1532, in what would later become the country of Peru, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro and 168 Spanish soldiers defeated eight thousand armed Inca Indians and captured the Incan Emperor Atahualpa. In one day, the entire empire empire was brought down. Let that sink in… Just One battle… and 168 Spanish soldiers defeatedContinue reading “Devotion #7”
Category Archives: The Gospel of Matthew
Devotion #6
Maybe it was the late hour of the night when I was reading and writing, but Matthew’s description of Jesus’ baptism made me think of a YouTube video I watched years ago. It was a clip from a TV show called “Britain’s Got Talent.” (I’ve included a video link at the bottom of this post.)Continue reading “Devotion #6”
Devotion #5
John was a strange guy. He ate locusts and wild honey, dressed in camel’s hair, and lived out in the wilderness. He stuck out like sore thumb, uncomfortable and strange. John was a constant reminder to sinners that something’s gotta change. But John seems strange for other reasons, also. His preaching is strange. He says,Continue reading “Devotion #5”
Devotion #4
As I sit down to read and write this morning, I see this headline in the news: “Teen mom tosses newborn baby in the dumpster.” My heart cries for that little one tossed away like garbage. What is the thought process that would lead any person to bag up a little boy, throw him inContinue reading “Devotion #4”
Devotion #3
The year was probably 5 or 6 BC and Jesus wouldn’t be born for another year or so. That means Christ was born no later than 4 BC, four years “Before Christ. That doesn’t sound right, but it’s true. Thanks to modern scholarship, we now know with a fair amount of confidence, that King HerodContinue reading “Devotion #3”
Devotion #2
It is simply incredible the way faith changes one’s life and one’s motivations. That certainly was the case with Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, and for this reason, it’s a shame that Joseph doesn’t get more notice in the Gospel accounts. In fact, Joseph is truly a silent character. The Scriptures record not one utterance fromContinue reading “Devotion #2”
Devotion #1
Browsing through the headlines… This is what we do every morning: Wake up. Grab your smartphone. Grab your coffee. Fox News. CNN. Maybe a quick perusal of the big media outlets, too—ABC, NBC, CBS. Facebook. Email. That’s the usual order. Most of it seems biased in one way or another. Many of the articles areContinue reading “Devotion #1”
O Lord, open my lips... 