Devotional Blog

Palm Sunday

3/25/2021

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday is a celebration of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where people shouted praise and children laid palm branches along the path. Jesus entered the city willingly even though he knew trouble and adversity and suffering awaited. Jesus did it willingly to show his love for each of us. Easter week reminds us more than anything else of the depth of God’s love –a love so great that Christ was willing to give his own life that we would know forgiveness and new life. This is more than a religious truth; it is the promise of a personal relationship with a risen Lord.    In Christ we have the promise of love beyond measure, of forgiveness and new life, and the promise of a future filled with the hope that God has a plan and purpose for our lives.   Open your heart anew to the power of God’s life-changing love.

(Verse of the week)
“The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
            “Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
            Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:6-11)

(Prayer of the week)
Almighty and Loving God, thank you for the privilege of opening my heart and life to your love and power. Help me to discover anew your love and learn to trust you for strength. Fill me with your hope and peace and joy, and may I touch others with your love. Amen.

Blessings in Christ—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
Do small things with great love—Mother Teresa

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Persevere

3/18/2021

A good runner knows that she has to focus not on her feet but on a point in the distance. Focusing on her feet shortens the stride, and precious distance is lost over time. As Christians, we too, sometimes focus on our troubles and difficulties instead of focusing on Christ. Like a runner looking at their feet, we lose stride. But when we focus on Christ instead of our difficulties, our vision is changed and our stride is transformed. Where there was a grim hopelessness there is now faith in the power of Christ and hope of eternal life. And where we felt alone and surrounded by adversity, we are now comforted by the strength and loving presence of Christ. Life your eyes, focus on Christ, and take hope. For we do not run the race alone.

(verse of the week)
“let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12.1-2)

(Prayer of the week)
Lord, help me to lay aside the things that distract and entangle and focus on you. Help me to trust in your love, and your plan and purpose for my life. Renew my faith in you, and rekindle the joy of life. May others see you in all I do, and give you thanks. Amen.

Open your heart to God's amazing love!--Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
A little faith and God is enough –Alf Stanway

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

You Are Not Alone

3/11/2021

You are not alone! If there is one message that comes to us over and over in the Bible, it is that one message ringing clear-- you are not alone! We were not created to be alone, but to have fellowship with God (Genesis 1,2). And when we blew it and failed, God came looking for us (Genesis 3). Even when friends forsake us, God is there (Job). God's Word lights even the darkest path (Psalm 119). Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we may have peace because God is with us --God's hand holds ours (Psalm 23). Jesus came that we might know forgiveness and reconciliation with God (John 3.16). And Jesus very words give us this blessed promise of the Spirit's presence:

(Verse of the week)
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever --the Spirit of truth . . . You know Him, for that Spirit lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you alone . . .Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. (John 14.16,17)

(Prayer of the week)
Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you that you love me and your presence is always with me. Help me to open my heart to you and your great love. May your love touch and change my life and may I be a blessing to others, through your power and to your glory, Amen.

Have a great week!—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
Giving is the highest level of living --John Maxwell

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com

Waiting

3/4/2021

How good are you at waiting? I must confess that I am not all that good at waiting. The truth is waiting is a hard thing for most of us. We are a fast food, high speed internet, overnight delivery kind of people. We think of waiting time as wasted time. But so often our rush just runs us in circles; we run without true purpose or direction and we soon find that our strength alone is not enough. God has a different view of waiting. Waiting is a time we tune our spirit into God’s Spirit. Waiting time is a time we reflect on Christ’s love and listen to His still small voice in our hearts. Waiting time is a time that God molds and makes us. Like a tree growing steadily from sunlight and soil as its roots dig deeper and its trunk grows stronger, waiting on God is one of the true secrets of life and a source of true strength. Discover the true source of life!

(verse of the week)
“They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40.31)

(Prayer of the week)
Almighty and Loving God, thank you for your great love that reaches out to us and forgives us and gives us new life and hope for tomorrow. Help me to learn to wait on you as a source of strength and love. Open my heart and mind to trust in your plan and purpose for my life. Open my life to your power that touches and transforms life. May your gifts of love, hope, peace, and joy grow within me as I draw my strength from you. And let your love burn within me that others may see you in all I do. Amen.

Wishing you a great week! –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
There is no greater power in the universe than prayer. Prayer can change the world, because prayer puts us in touch with the One who made the world. . .

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Drawn in Loving-Kindness

2/25/2021

You have been designed with love. You are engineered with compassion by the Great Designer. The word for drawn in this week’s verse also implies “stretched out” or “to grow.” We are not simply designed in love, we are also nurtured in love as God stretches us and challenges us to grow in faith and life. Some of the challenges of life are designed by God to stretch us and draw us out to a greater level of faith and strength. God has a plan for our lives, and God continues His work in us even in adversity. We are God’s artistry “created anew” in Christ Jesus, a painting with the story of grace painted on the canvass of our lives with the artist’s brushstrokes of love for all to see. Won’t you help God paint your life with the colors of love and faith that all may see and be touched by the work of beauty? Trust God for His plan and purpose in your life. Let the great Artist continue His work of love in your life as you touch the lives of those around you.

(Verse of the week)
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31.3)

(Prayer of the week)
Gracious and loving God, thank you for the challenges of life that shape and strengthen us. Give me faith to trust in your plan and your strength. Mold me and make me that others may see your true reflection in me. Most of all may I experience your amazing love anew every day. May I be joyful in all things, and may I be loving to all people, that others may see the light of your love in me. Amen.

Open your heart to God's awesome love!
--Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
― Corrie ten Boom

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Ashes

2/18/2021

This week marks the beginning of Lent. Most of our culture knows more about Mardi Gras than Lent, just as most of us would prefer celebration over repentance. But both have their place in the seasons of life. Lent reminds us of the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tested by temptation and purified and empowered by prayer. Lent comes right before Holy Week and Easter as a time for people to focus on faith and remember all that Christ endured on the cross that we might know true forgiveness and love. It also reminds us of the good news of the hope of the resurrection and new life. Ashes have long been a symbol of repentance and humility. From early times, many Christians have used the ashes of burned palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday, to mark the sign of the cross on their foreheads as a symbol of repentance and prayer and as a witness of their faith. Even more important than the roots of these wonderful traditions, is the power of prayer. It is easy to look around our world and see great needs that touch our hearts. But let us discover anew the power of prayer. There is no power equal to the power of believers gathering together to seek God and pray. Challenge yourself to a special time of prayer for yourself and the needs around the world. Discover a fresh renewal as we pray for our world and for our lives that we may be filled with God's love and empowered by God's Spirit to reach out with a whole new passion to others in need. Open your heart anew to God's love and power. Discover the power of prayer!

(Verse of the week)
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. (Jeremiah 29.11)

(Prayer of the week)
Almighty and Loving God, thank you for the privilege and power of prayer. Help me to discover in prayer your great love and help me to let your power touch my life that I may face the challenges and adversities of life with hope and peace, and be a light in your world. Amen.
Have a great week!—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
A little faith and a great God is enough-- Alf Stanway

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Valentine’s Day

2/11/2021

Valentine’s Day is coming up and many people give gifts as expressions of love and dedication. Love is a wonderful thing, and blesses our lives in so many ways. Human love is sometimes fleeting and fickle, but God's love is always deep and dependable. Jeremiah's words echo God’s words to each of us with a clarion call: “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (31.3). God gave us a great gift of love. God made an ultimate expression of love for us in Christ, who came to share our life and show us the way to life; and then in love beyond words, Christ laid down his life that we might know true forgiveness and new life. God’s love is deep and true! God loves you and cares for you more than you could ever imagine. Open your heart to the greatest love ever --God’s love. Let God's love bring you new hope and fresh joy. Listen to these words of Jesus:

(Verse of the week)
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15.9-13

(Prayer of the week)
Almighty and Loving God, help me to know a new depth of your love that is so strong that hope and joy burn bright within my heart. Bless me that the hope and joy in my heart may not only bless my life but also be a candle of hope touching others’ lives. Amen.
Have a great week!—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
Do small things with great love --Mother Teresa

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Super Bowl Sunday-Get Your Game On!

2/4/2021

Super Bowl Sunday is coming...This Sunday . . . The Game . . the Competition . . . the intensity...the big matchup . . .the crowd cheering . . . most of us will watch with anticipation, decked in our team colors, singing and cheering enthusiastically—but of course this year few will watch in person. But we will cheer for our favorite payers and team. We love the game and all the hoopla surrounding it. Count me in! But what if we came with that same enthusiasm, dedication, and camaraderie to worship God! We have so much for which we can be thankful, and far more is on the line than even a championship. Listen to these challenging words from the Bible and challenge yourself to take your worship to a new level:

(verse of the week)
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm . . . But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven . . . Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12.18-28 selections)

(Prayer of the week)
Loving Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of another new day. Help me to grow deep roots that will help my life stand the storms of time and bear fruit that will last for eternity. Renew and strengthen my faith that I have a firm hope and confidence in your love and power. Help me to find strength in your Word and your Spirit. Help me to work for things that last for eternity. May I show your love to someone today. Amen!
Open your heart to God's amazing love!-Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulty. Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within-Helen Keller

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

Faith

1/28/2021

It has been said that faith is the bird that sings for the dawn while it is still dark. How true. Faith is the light that breaks through darkness. Faith is the expectation of promise in the future. Faith is the seed that grows a tree. Faith is the power of love that breaks through hatred. Faith is a firm trust that come what may God has a plan for our life, and God will see us through. Wherever you are on your journey of faith, reach out and take hold of the loving hand of our Lord, and know He will see you through come mountain high or valley low.

(verse of the week)
Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and certainty of what we do not see--Hebrews 11.1

(Prayer of the week)
Loving Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of another new day. Open my heart and life to your plan and purpose for my life. Renew and strengthen my faith that I have a firm hope and confidence in your love and power to see me through all of life. Rekindle my love for you, and let your love burn in my heart that I may touch others with the light of your love. Amen!

Open your heart to God’s amazing love—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
God's grace, unsought and unearned, blows through my life,
and all I need to do is raise my sails
to catch the full wind- Catharine of Siena

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us/

Stand

1/21/2021

Monday we gave pause to remember in a special way Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an extraordinary minister with a passion for justice and equality for all people. His passion for peace and justice was fueled by his faith in Christ and commitment to Christ's work. He was guided by a biblical vision for equality and justice. He took a stand for what was right, even though he knew the cost could be very great. In one of his famous speeches he declared, "All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for ordinary people to do nothing." How true. What are you doing to work for peace and justice in your world? As Christ-followers, we are not just here in this world to spread the word of salvation and wait for eternity, we are also here to work for eternal things in the present like peace and justice in a needy and hurting world. True love stands up for justice. True love speaks against oppression and inequality. True love speaks a word of love, gives a hug to the lonely, or reaches out with an act of kindness. We are the hands of Christ reaching out to a world in need. Take a moment and share your love and faith in a tangible way with someone in need. And be willing to take a stand.

(verse of the week)
What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6.8)

(Prayer of the week)
Loving Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of another new day. Open my heart and life to your plan and purpose for my life. Renew and strengthen my faith that I have a firm hope and confidence in your love and power. Help me to work for things that last for eternity. May I stand strong for justice. May I live with integrity. May I stand alongside the hurting or lonely or oppressed or marginalized. May I show your love to someone today. Amen!
Open your heart to God's amazing love!-Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us