Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:55:48 -0400WeeblyThu, 09 Jul 2026 15:37:39 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/roots6043225No matter where we find our self in life, we often face new adventures and challenges.  The challenges we face are opportunities to grow.  Paul encourages us to grow spiritually as well as personally.  As trees reach their branches toward the sky and bear fruit, it is important that their roots sink deep in the ground and stay connected to the source of life.  We also need to stay rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, as we continue to learn and grow.  Stay rooted and grounded and Christ, and discover new dimensions of God’s love and plan for your life.  Only then will you bear fruit that will last.
 
(verse of the week)
And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ--Ephesians 3.17-18
 
(prayer of the week)
Gracious Lord, help me to stay grounded in you.  Help me to have deep roots that draw on your love and strength that I may bear fruit that will last, in the name of the Lord of Love, Christ Jesus, amen.
 
Blessings in Christ—Pastor TJ
 
(quote of the week)
O God, my Father, don’t let me die without having really lived and really loved.  John Powell
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com
]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:54:47 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/happy-250th-anniversaryTwo hundred and fifty years ago, a new nation was born.  Today we stand on the shoulders of countless men and women who sacrificed, worked, prayed, and hoped for a better future. Yet the most important legacy we leave is not found in monuments, institutions, or accomplishments. Rather, it is found in hearts devoted to God, and lives marked by loving and serving God and neighbor. As we celebrate the blessings of our nation, may we also renew our commitment to love God, serve our neighbors, and live faithfully in our generation. The future is not built merely by laws and leaders, but by ordinary people who walk humbly with God every day.  As we commemorate 250 years of our nation’s journey, may we recommit ourselves to the highest ideals we cherish, and purposes that outlive us. Let future generations know not only the story of America, but the story of a faithful God who guides, sustains, and redeems.
 
(verse of the week)
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
 
Prayer
Eternal God, we give thanks for your faithfulness throughout the history of our nation. We acknowledge that every good gift comes from your hand. We give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, the opportunities we have received, and the countless blessings poured out over generations.  Forgive us when we have forgotten your ways or trusted in our own strength. And may we be willing to remember the hard lessons learned from our shortcomings.  Grant us humble hearts that seek your wisdom and follow your ways. Bless our leaders with wisdom and discernment, our communities with peace, and our churches with renewed spiritual vitality. Help us to be salt and light in a world that needs your truth and love. Amen.
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com]]>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:22:17 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/faithful-with-what-weve-been-given  In Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25, a master entrusts resources to his servants before leaving on a journey. Two servants invest what they were given and see it grow. The other, driven by fear, hides what was entrusted to him and returns it unchanged.
 
  This parable is not simply about money—it is about stewardship-using our time, treasure, and talents. God has placed gifts, opportunities, relationships, influence, time, faith, and purpose into our hands. The question is not whether we have been given much or little; the question is what we do with what we have been given.  Fear whispers, “Play it safe! Don’t risk failure!” But faith says, “Use what God has given and trust God for the results.”  The faithful servants were not praised because they produced identical outcomes—they were commended because they were faithful with their gifts and opportunity.
 
Today, consider: what time, treasure, and talents have been given to me by God?  Then ask yourself where have I been holding back? What step of faith might I take? What life might I bless? What kindness could I share? God doesn’t ask for perfection. God asks for faithfulness.
 
Memorable Quote
God does not measure faithfulness by how much we have, but by how we use what gifts God has placed in our hands.
 
Prayer
Lord, thank you for entrusting me with gifts, opportunities, and purpose. You have blessed me with time, treasure, and talent.  Forgive me for the times fear has kept me from acting in faith or sharing with others. Help me to use faithfully what you have given with generosity, courage, and wisdom. May my life bring blessing to others and glory to you. Amen.
 
Wishing you a great week!—Pastor TJ
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com]]>Thu, 21 May 2026 14:43:25 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/the-invitation To Matthew, the despised tax collector, colluder, and compromised, Jesus walked into his place of business and said simply, “Follow me!”  Matthew left the past behind and got up and followed Jesus. He was never the same.
   Matthew began the day at a tax table and ended the day at the dinner table with Jesus.  One encounter with Christ changed the direction of his life forever. Eventually, this despised tax collector became a disciple, a gospel writer, and a witness to the world.
  Matthew Jesus still says: “Follow Me.” Not only to pastors, missionaries, or saints—but to ordinary people—workers, parents, students, retirees, doubters, wounded souls, outsiders, the last, lonely, lost, and marginalized.
  The call is personal. The grace is real--true transformation is possible.
  Jesus still changes lives that dramatically. We often assume God works through the polished, the accomplished, and the spiritually impressive. Yet Jesus walked directly to a tax collector’s table and invited Matthew into a new life. Grace does not begin when we become worthy; grace begins when Christ calls us. The question is not whether Jesus is still calling people. The question is whether we are willing to rise and follow.
 
PrayerLord Jesus, thank You for calling ordinary people into extraordinary grace. Thank you that our past does not define our future in you. Help us leave behind whatever keeps us from fully following you. Fill our hearts with new grace, compassion, and renewed faith. Make us people who welcome others with the same love you have shown us. Teach us to walk faithfully in the new life you offer. In your holy name we pray, Amen.
 
Wishing you a great week!—Pastor TJ
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com
]]>Thu, 14 May 2026 16:28:56 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/peace-be-stillWhen the storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples panicked even though Jesus was in the boat with them. The waves were turbulent, the winds were fierce, and fear overwhelmed their faith. Yet with a simple command, Jesus calmed the sea: “Peace, be still!” In that moment, the disciples discovered that the presence of Christ is greater than the power of any storm.
 
Life often feels the same way for each of us. We face uncertainty, loss, conflict, and fear that threaten to overwhelm us. Sometimes we wonder if God notices our struggle at all. But Matthew 8:23–27 reminds us that even when Jesus seems silent, He is still present. The storm may toss the boat, the winds may howl, but it cannot overturn the Savior who holds us securely in His care.
 
The true miracle was not only that the wind and waves obeyed Jesus—it was that frightened hearts learned to trust Him more deeply. Faith does not always remove storms immediately, but it reminds us who is with us in the middle of them.
 
Memorable Quote:
“Peace is not found in the absence of storms, but in the presence of Christ”
 
Prayer:
Lord, when fear rises like wind and waves buffet our lives, remind us that You are near. Calm our anxious hearts, strengthen our faith, and help us trust you.  Even in life’s storms, speak your peace into our lives and guide us safely through every trial. Amen.

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
]]>Thu, 07 May 2026 14:52:18 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/mothers-day2235610This Sunday is Mother’s Day and we honor and thank our mothers who have had such a positive and profound impact on our lives.  My own mother is a source of wisdom and strength and faith, most importantly, love.  I know I am not alone.  Proverbs 31 is recorded by King Lemuel, but were words from his mother encouraging him on the importance of finding the right woman as wife and mother for a partner in life.  I hope you will take time to appreciate and honor your mother this Sunday.  Wishing my mother, and all of our mothers, a very Happy Mother’s Day!
 
Proverbs 31:25-31 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
                        she can laugh at the days to come.
26         She speaks with wisdom,
                        and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27         She watches over the affairs of her household
                        and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28         Her children arise and call her blessed;
                        her husband also, and he praises her:
29         “Many women do noble things,
                        but you surpass them all.”
30         Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
                        but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31         Honor her for all that her hands have done,
                        and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
 
Lord, thank you for our mothers; they are a gift and a treasure, a source of wisdom and strength and faith, most importantly, love.  Bless our mothers as we give them honor and appreciation.  Amen.
 
(quote of the week)
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother—Abraham Lincoln
 
Wishing you a great week!—Pastor TJ
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com
]]>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:58:56 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/the-road-less-traveled1979876At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus does not offer applause—He offers a choice. Two gates leading to two paths. Two trees. Two claims. Two foundations.
The difference between a life that stands and a life that falls is not hearing His words—but living them.  The storm will come. The question is: What are you building your life on?
 
Verse of the week
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12)
 
Quote of the week
“A life built on Christ is not stormproof—but it is storm-secure.”
 
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you have spoken with truth and authority into our lives. Help us not to be hearers only, but doers of your Word. Give us courage to choose the narrow gate, the path less traveled, wisdom to bear good fruit, and faith to build our lives on the solid rock of Your truth. When the storms come, anchor us in You so that we may stand firm. We surrender our lives to You—our foundation, our guide, and our Savior. Amen.]]>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:23:12 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/boomerang-effectHave you ever seen someone skilled with a boomerang?  Due to one side being curved and longer than the other side like an airplane wing, the difference creates lift and causes the boomerang to come back.  Judging others with different standards than our own has a boomerang effect.  What you throw out comes back.
 
Jesus declared, “Judge not that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1).  Jesus invites us to trade a critical spirit for a trusting heart. It is far easier to evaluate others than to examine ourselves, far easier to point out flaws than to pursue God. Yet the life Jesus describes is one marked not by judgment, but by humility; not by suspicion, but by trust. When we truly believe that our Heavenly Father is good, we no longer need to control others—we can release judgment and rest in His grace. And as we do, we become people who reflect God’s generosity to a world that desperately needs it.  We also find our will more aligned with God’s will, and our heart more in tune with Christ.
 
Prayer
Gracious Lord, search our hearts and remove any spirit of critical spirit within us. Teach us to walk in humility, to speak with wisdom, and to trust fully in Your goodness. Help us to ask, seek, and knock with confidence, knowing You are a loving Father who gives what is best. Shape us into people who reflect Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
Memorable Quote
“Those who trust the goodness of God have no need to play the judge of others.”
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com]]>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:39:09 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/where-your-treasure-is“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).  Jesus speaks with striking clarity: what we treasure reveals what truly has our heart. Earthly treasures—wealth, possessions, status—are temporary. They rust, fade, and can be taken. But heavenly treasures—faith, generosity, love, obedience—endure forever.
 
He goes deeper: “The eye is the lamp of the body.” What we focus on shapes our entire life. If our vision is fixed on God’s kingdom, our lives are filled with light and love. But if our gaze is consumed by material things, our perspective darkens, and we lose sight of what truly matters.
 
Then comes the hard truth: we cannot serve two masters. Jesus names it plainly—God or money. Not because money itself is evil, but because it competes for ultimate loyalty. One will always take first place.
 
For us, this is not just a warning, but an invitation. It is a call to realign our hearts. To loosen our grip on what is temporary and invest deeply in what is eternal. To let God—not possessions—be the center of our trust, security, and joy.
 
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).
 
Quote:
“Your treasure doesn’t just show where your heart is—it decides where your heart will go . . .”
 
Prayer:
Lord, help me to see clearly what truly matters. Guard my heart from being captured by things that fade and draw me toward what is eternal. Teach me to trust You fully and to live with a heart that treasures Your kingdom above all else. Amen.
 
Wishing you a great week!—Pastor TJ
 
Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:35:51 GMThttp://www.ucc-immanuel.org/devotional-blog-by-pastor-tj/living-the-new-life-of-easterThe week after Easter can feel like a return to normal life—routines resume, the excitement fades, and the extraordinary moment of resurrection risks becoming just a memory. But in Matthew 28, the resurrection is not an ending—it is a beginning.
The women leave the tomb with fear and great joy. The disciples move from doubt to worship. And Jesus meets them not with rebuke, but with purpose: “Go and make disciples… and surely I am with you always.” The risen Christ doesn’t simply prove He is alive—He sends His followers into the world forever changed with His presence.
This is where we now live—not at the empty tomb, but in the calling that follows it. Easter is not just something we celebrate; it is something we live and carry into our world. The same power that raised Jesus now fuels our life, our mission, our hope, and our daily walk.
So the question for this week is simple: What does resurrection look like in your life today?  It may look like courage in uncertainty, kindness in a divided world, or faithfulness in ordinary moments. Wherever you go, He goes with you.
He is not here!  He is Risen! Matthew 28:6

Quote: “Easter is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of our calling.”

Prayer Starter: Risen Lord, thank You that the tomb is empty and Your presence is real. Help me not to leave Easter behind, but to live it out each day. Give me courage to go where you send me, faith to trust Your promises, and a heart to share Your love. Remind me always that You are with me. Amen.

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney YouTube & YouTube
Podcast on Spotify: Inspire Messages
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com
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