Devotionals

The Naperville Church of Christ has taught me so much during the past 17 years. Not only did it teach me to be the best person I can be, but it has also taught me that it is okay to make mistakes. NCOC has been not only a great church, but a great family of people as well.
 
As I graduate, I advise the people in the youth group to stay involved....

In a recent article on the Verge website, Tim Chester shared simple ways to live a missional life. What does it mean to live missionally? A simple definition is, “Practically living out God’s Mission in the world today.” Let me encourage you to try to incorporate one or two of Tim’s suggestions into your daily routine:
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Christianity is a faith of tensions being lived out in a world of paradox. The tragedy in Boston makes this reality inescapable. The immediate reaction for many Christians is to declare, “This world is not my home”,  lock the doors, and hug our loved ones.
 
On the one hand, this is true. Our citizenship is in heaven, and as we ...

Jesus made it very clear from the start of his ministry that part of his mission was to “set the captive” free. If setting the captive free was part of his life purpose, shouldn’t it be a part of ours as well? Yes, of course; we are disciples of Jesus who are seeking to imitate his life. So, who are the captives?
 
Captive is a...

We are blessed to live in a community that has numerous organizations whose primary purpose is to bless the lives of those in need. The West Suburban Food Pantry (WSFP), which is located just a few miles from our building, is one of those organizations. Each month, roughly 4,000 people receive food from the pantry to feed their family. For the past...

Joining the Church, the body of believers, is an exciting event! Baptism relates each of us to the death and resurrection of Jesus; in a way it is our own, personal Easter experience. Our sins are washed away, and we become a part of the Body.
 
Below are the thoughts of Yvon Streacker, explaining how his upbringing and camp experiences led him ...

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) Matthew 27:45-46
 
These were some of Jesus’ final words spoken from the cross as recorded ...

For a few months, your commitment to read through the Bible in a year was solid, but then you ran into a brick wall named Leviticus/Numbers. The blow was so traumatic that you have not found the desire to pick up the Bible since.
 
First, let me say I understand. No question, those books can feel mind-numbing, but they do contain some wonderful ...

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:35 NIV)
 
The world defines freedom as a life without any restraint: “I can do anything I want to do and say anything I want to say without anybody telling me what to do.” Everybody else may get burned by you, but you get to do it your own way. The world says you can have ...

Younger folks may not remember this, but there was a time when people sent letters to each other. Paper ones. Written by hand and placed in mailboxes. They would be delivered within a week or so, then you would wait a couple weeks for a response to come.
 
As a young man, I lived in California but attended church camp in central Oregon. Each...

No question God deserves honor, but what is the best way we can honor Him? Is it through living a holy life? Do we honor Him best by offering heartfelt worship? Perhaps, the best way to honor God is by living a sacrificial life that blesses others. Obviously, each of those actions honor God, but consider what the English mystic Julian of Norwich ...

On behalf of the Elders, we give thanks and glory to God for His remarkable demonstration of His goodness as displayed by the many members who are making Final Stretch contributions. It is through God’s grace He has brought us within reach of our Final Stretch goal.
 
It is a wonderful thing when Christians enter into the grace of ...

After winning his third national championship in four years, Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked by reporter Tom Rinaldi, “How long do you plan on enjoying this victory?” Saban responded, “Forty-eight hours, then it is back to work.”
 
Seems a little intense, doesn’t it? But here is the crazy thing – ...

The challenge was simple: write down 1000 blessings that you observe in everyday life over the course of a year. The simple challenge given by a friend transformed the life of Ann Voskamp, who shares her experience in the widely popular book, “One Thousand Gifts.” This book is not for everyone; I have put the book aside numerous times ...

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3)
 
Jesus is the word, as in the Word of God.
 
Verse 14 in John 1 continues; “The Word became flesh and ...