Singing the Beatles to My Dying Mom
You might have heard me tell this story before. Every Saturday night, my siblings and I would take a bath and then deliver our shoes to our dad to be polished, all in preparation for the Sunday morning service at the Toledo Gospel Tabernacle…
Sing with the Trees and Seas
God created us to be singing people. All you need to do is just listen for a few minutes to the human beings and human culture around you, and you’ll hear singing all the time. We sing at birthdays, and we sing at funerals. We sing at weddings, and we sing at sporting events…
Helping Seniors Avoid Scams
Scammers have grown increasingly sophisticated, and their schemes can target anyone, whether a ninety-two-year-old widow or someone with a PhD. After a scam, victims are often left confused and unsure of what to do next…
6 Things Forgiveness Requires
We will conclude our January series on forgiveness by considering what forgiveness requires. Remember that forgiveness is a vertical commitment followed by a horizontal transaction, which means forgiveness is an investment in your relationship with God and with one another…
To Ask Or Not To Ask For Forgiveness
Our resolution for the first month of 2026 (although it should be a gospel commitment every day of the year!) is to cancel debts and offer forgiveness. We have established a definition of forgiveness: a vertical commitment (with God) followed by a horizontal transaction…
What Forgiveness Is Not
Last week, we defined forgiveness in a single, simple sentence: Forgiveness is a vertical commitment followed by a horizontal transaction. Of course, forgiveness is more complex; it is rarely an event and almost always a long, difficult process…
Forgiveness Goes Up Then Out
For the month of January, we’ll spend four weeks in Wednesday’s Word committing to canceling debts and offering forgiveness. If you want to experience your healthiest relationships ever in this New Year—whether it’s your marriage, with your…
New Year, New Me: I Forgive You
Luella had just given birth to our second son, and we had no means of paying the medical bill. I was the pastor of a little church, and they were struggling to pay us. On top of that, we had encountered unexpected auto and home expenses. Times were so tough back then…
Isaiah’s Beautiful Job Description
Christmas should be a beautiful, pleasurable time of year, but as we celebrate this season, we should always return to Isaiah 53 with a somber heart. I highly encourage you to read the entire chapter, either now or at the conclusion of this devotional…