Sometime during their stay in Bethany, Jesus and his disciples are guests in the home of "Simon the Leper" - a follower of Jesus who had felt His healing touch firsthand. While Jesus and the other guests are reclining at the table to eat, a woman approaches Jesus and her extraordinary act of devotion stirs controversy. Read the story, then follow the guide.

Crowds are gathered around Jesus as He begins to teach inside the temple courts. Knowing His time is at hand, Jesus delivers a pointed message, captured in Matthew 21-25. Read slowly this small portion of His teaching below, re-read it if you need to, then follow the guide to reflect, respond, and pray!

As we begin our journey of Holy Week together, we encounter Jesus inside the temple courts the Monday after Palm Sunday as chaos unfolds. Slowly read the account below, re-read it if you want, then follow the guide to reflect, respond, and pray!

Being a wee little man myself, I identify with my proportionally incorrect buddy Zacchaeus. I've come to grips with being short, even when I have to use a stool to get something off the top shelf. You'll also never see me lose my temper in a bagel shop due to being teased about my height (google if you don't get the reference)…

Scripture doesn't tell us what happened to the woman caught in adultery. We don't know if this encounter with Jesus changed her infidelity to devotion, lust to true love, and her sin to a sincere desire to know the one who said, "I do not judge you." You have to believe this encounter shook her to her core…

If you've ever wondered what resides at the bottom of a cruise ship, I can, unfortunately, tell you: an infirmary. On the final day of a vacation with friends, I wasn't feeling well, so I decided to go back to my cabin and rest. Unfortunately, I didn't make it that far and passed out in an elevator (or so I have been told, as I don't recall much of that day)….

The story of Zacchaeus is familiar to many of us who grew up in the Church. Some of you are humming that Vacation Bible School song as we speak. But, before we dive in, take a moment to ask God to open your eyes to something new in this account. No matter how many times we’ve read a piece of Scripture, God can reveal more of His heart to us as we come back and reread it….

I apologize if I seem distracted during this devotional; my cell phone sitting next to me won't stop dinging. Notifications of text messages from my daughter asking if we can go to Island's for dollar tacos are going off in the background…

It boggles my mind that there have been 30 seasons of Dancing with the Stars. But, then again, I'm one of the reasons for the rating success of a show. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I must confess I tune into this show from time to time…

Just in case anyone is wondering, it is indeed possible to be a proud father while at the same time experiencing feelings of guilt. Let me take a moment to explain. My oldest daughter, Madison, is 17, and, at times, she has a better grasp of the Gospel than her old man…

Matthew witnessed some incredible moments throughout his account of Jesus, but the first couple of chapters take readers on such a journey. We get an eyewitness account of the moments before Jesus officially stepped into his ministry on earth…

The smartphone, electronic device, or laptop many of you are utilizing to read this post came from humble beginnings. Believe it or not, there was a day when technology wasn't at our fingertips or small enough to fit inside our pockets….

7th grade picture day had finally arrived. I picked out my outfit the night before and even showered, which like most teenage boys, was a rare occurrence. I was ready to stun the ladies with my rugged handsomeness or, at the very least, my peach fuzz mustache…

In the book of Acts, we get a snapshot of the beautiful community found within the early church. This community of believers lived as a family ought to: they ate together, had deep conversations, and shared their possessions. They held nothing back—they willingly and generously gave their time and resources with the love of Christ in their hearts.

If you were to assemble a group of people who could change the world and provide your message with credibility, whom would you choose? If you had to entrust a handful of individuals with starting a movement and carrying it on long after you were gone, where would you look to fill your roster?

I wasn’t brave enough to try out for the cheerleading team in high school. But I did muster the courage to try out for the drill team. Even though the drill team felt more achievable, when I actually made the team, I was shocked…

Anyone who has had a toddler, babysat a toddler, or watched a toddler in action has probably heard the phrase, "I can do it myself!" All of a sudden, these little people who have been, up to this point, entirely dependent for every little thing realize, "Hey, I am a whole separate person! Will you look at me!"…

A simple carpenter wouldn't be the person you'd expect to change the course of human history. Yet, no one has had a more significant impact on shaping this world and culture than Jesus Christ…

Do you remember some of the growing pains you went through when you started your walk with Jesus? I know that is not a fun question to think through…

Our house is beginning to show its age and "character." One thing after another is breaking, needing repair, or demanding our attention. As soon as we fix an issue, something else pops up…