Category Archives: Devotional Thoughts

Seeking the Blessing of God (Aug 9)

Posted on August 9, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

uilding the temple—it brought him to his knees. They needed “some reviving to set up the house of God, to repair its ruins…” (9:10 ESV). God had been faithful to bless, but the continued hand of the Lord was needed. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged Blessing, Ezra, Hand of the Lord, prayer, revival | 1 Comment

The Hand of the Lord (Aug 8)

Posted on August 8, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

This passage repeatedly mentions the “hand of the Lord.” God blessed Ezra in extraordinary ways because “the hand of the Lord” was “on him.” The hand of the Lord being upon you is his blessing. Just as in the Old Testament, where we see fathers placing their hands on their children to bless them, and just as Jesus placed his hands on children to bless them, so the Heavenly Father himself places his hand upon Ezra and extraordinary blessings followed. Continue reading →

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The Eyes of the Lord (Aug 7)

Posted on August 8, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

God has been watching his people. As they have begun to turn to him, he has turned toward them; he is watching out for them. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged eyes of the Lord, God's blessing, God's care, God's protection | Leave a comment

Nursery Duty (Aug 6)

Posted on August 6, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

It’s not terribly surprising that a consumer culture produces so many spoiled spiritual babes, but it is sad. Growing up requires taking up the cross and dying to our selfish immaturity, moving beyond our comfort zone and our need to always have it our way. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged babes in Christ, immaturity, Spiritual growth | Leave a comment

The Foolishness of Brilliance (Aug 5)

Posted on August 5, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Many of the greatest minds of history have found their revolutionary ideas to be rejected initially because they seemed to be foolishness. People just couldn’t understand. Continue reading →

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Plastic Prayers Make Plastic Churchgoers (Aug 4)

Posted on August 4, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Much of what passes for Christianity today does seem “plastic and fake.” But the Bible is not. The pages are filled with very real, human characters. It’s painfully honest about their struggles and failures (and the successes, of course). Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged hypocrisy, inauthentic prayers, plastic christians, plastic prayers | Leave a comment

The Mountaintop (Aug 2)

Posted on August 2, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

The crisp, cool air blows through your hair as you as gaze upon the majestic beauty of other mountain peaks. You are above them all. You are on the mountaintop. It’s an exhilarating place to be, a dangerous place. It was quite an adventure to get there and even more difficult to stay there. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged Hezekiah, mountaintop, pride, success | Leave a comment

Blessing Instead of Bleeping (Aug 1)

Posted on August 1, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Every malicious word, every tasty snippet of gossip, every venomous, sarcastic comment (humor is great, but even some humor wounds), every word that is judgmental, every hasty, angry word: each one, a curse. Continue reading →

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Starting and Finishing Well (July 30)

Posted on July 30, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

ziah was off to a great start. Things were going extremely well, maybe too well. Then he crashed and had a hard time finishing the race. He had good intentions and a great start, but lost his way near the end of the race. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged arrogance, Fear of Man, fear of the LORD, finishing well, starting well | Leave a comment

Medium Rare or Well Done? (July 29)

Posted on July 29, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Regardless of how you like your steak, we all want to hear the words, “well done” when we stand before Jesus some day. I guess that’s the way God likes his living sacrifices well done. But if he were to check on his living sacrifice today, where would you be in the process? Medium-rare? Medium-well? Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged living sacrifice, transformed | Leave a comment