Posts from 2018 (Page 7)
Daily Devotions: October 20, 2018
October 20, 2018 Mark 10:35-40 …“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’” vs. 35 When James and John decided to follow Jesus, leaving their father sitting in the boat, they weren’t nearly so altruistic as we sometimes think. Judging by this text, they had given up the family business for the sake of personal gain–they were hoping to get…
Daily Devotions: October 19, 2018
October 19, 2018 Hebrews 5:1-10 …“Every high priest…is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness;” vss. 1a-2 High priests were mediators between the people and God. They had responsibility for making sure offerings and sacrifices were made in an orderly way that was pleasing to God. The writer of this letter had observed that the best of the priests dealt gently with the ignorant and the wayward because they themselves were…
Daily Devotions: October 18, 2018
October 18, 2018 Psalm 91:13-16 …“When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.” vs. 15 The psalmist is convinced that those who love the Lord will be rewarded in a big way. Their prayers will be answered and they will be rescued and honored in the time of trouble. This isn’t a matter of believing in God, that’s not what the writer is talking about…
Daily Devotions: October 17, 2018
October 17, 2018 Psalm 91:9-12 …“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” vs. 11 Ever since ancient times, people of many cultures and belief systems have testified to the existence of angels who have been assigned by God to particular people or even countries. Even when not convinced by evidence, many Christians hold that each of us have guardian angels. Some even believe that they are alive today because their angel stepped…
Daily Devotions: October 16, 2018
October 16, 2018 Isaiah 53:10-12 …“Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” vs. 11 The primary salvation stories of the Old and New Testament have suffering at their core. In each of them, the hero faces unparalleled pain and anguish. And in each of them there is ultimate light and forgiveness. That pattern has continued for the…
Daily Devotions: October 15, 2018
October 15, 2018 Isaiah 53:4-9 …“But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” vs. 5 The prophet was speaking in the context of the greatest disaster that the people of Israel had ever experienced. The temple had been destroyed and large numbers of them were now living in exile. Trying to make sense of what had happened the prophet paints an…
Daily Devotions: October 14, 2018
October 14, 2018 Mark 10:28-31 …“Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’” vs. 28 It seems that sometimes the disciples were confused by Jesus’ words and wondered if they’d made the right decision to follow him. In this instance, his comments about the impossibility of salvation had made Peter think that their commitments and sacrifices had been pointless. That’s a common reaction to the gospel of grace. If it’s all God, then what’s…
Daily Devotions: October 13, 2018
October 13, 2018 Mark 10:23-27 …“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” vs. 25 It’s funny how upset folks get when their pastors talk about money. They might tolerate a few words on giving come Consecration Sunday, but at other times of the year pastors are expected to talk about spiritual stuff. Unfortunately, no one ever got the word to Jesus!…
Daily Devotions: October 12, 2018
October 12, 2018 Mark 10:17-22 …“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’” vs. 21 The man in our text was craving more from life than he had been getting and he interrupts Jesus with his plea, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer he got shocked him and he…
Daily Devotions: October 11, 2018
October 11, 2018 Hebrews 4:12-16 …“Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” vs. 16 Occasionally we run into folks who carry a heaven burden of sin. They’ve done or said things, mostly known only to themselves, that have left them with a giant dose of guilt. They know about forgiveness, but have the sense that it doesn’t apply for them; that somehow…
Daily Devotions: October 10, 2018
October 10, 2018 Psalm 90:12-17 …“Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.” vs. 15 The psalmist isn’t asking for the moon here, his request is simple, “O Lord, may we at least have as many good days as bad days in life.” We can understand his thinking because sometimes it seems as though things have gotten out of balance. So, if we’ve had a string of years…
Daily Devotions: October 9, 2018
October 9, 2018 Amos 5:12-15 …“Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time.” vs. 13 These words from Amos seem a bit strange in their context. He’s been railing against injustice and taking shots at the excesses of the wealthy. We’d expect that he would encourage his listeners to speak up and join the crusade. But he doesn’t do that. Instead, he says that the prudent will keep silent in such a…