Posts from 2020 (Page 5)
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 5:6-11 “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” vs. 11 Paul loved the people of Thessalonica and encouraged them to stand firm in faith and not be discouraged by Christ’s failure to return as they had hoped. They weren’t going to miss out on salvation no matter what happened. That assurance was theirs by grace and couldn’t be taken away. Having said that, he goes on to recommend encouragement as a…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 “But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.” vss. 4-5 These are not easy days for any of us. We’re still dealing with the fall-out from the elections, and while some are satisfied with the results, others are not. Certainly nothing has been done to address the deep…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 90:5-8, 12 “For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.” vss. 7-8 In the wake of the election we’ve seen waves of anger sweeping our country. There have been charges and countercharges, lawsuits filed, along with demonstrations and occasional violent protests. All these are a result of deep-seated resentments and all-consuming wrath. Some are wondering if our elected…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 90:1-4 “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” vss. 1-2 The psalmist’s sense of God was deep and profound, far beyond the silly notions we hear bandied about in our time. There is no hint that he pictured the Divine as anything other than the “ground of all being.” Even before there was…
Daily Devotions
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 “Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.” vs. 18 Prophets like Zephaniah had harsh words for the people of Israel and Judah. They were careful observers and it was obvious to them that the nation had strayed…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 25:8-13 “And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.” vs. 10 While the parable of the wise and the foolish bridesmaids is uncomplicated, it arouses a variety of questions for contemporary followers of Jesus. In its original context it seems designed to encourage believers to remain faithful and not be discouraged as they waited for the expected return of Jesus.…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 25:1-7 “Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.” vss. 2-4 At the beginning of his ministry Jesus concluded his Sermon on the Mount with a story about a wise man who built his house on a rock, and a foolish man who built his house on sand. The winds blew and the floods rose; one…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.” vs. 17 When taken literally these words of Paul paint a spectacular picture of Christ’s Second Coming. Those who have died will burst from their graves and shoot into the air with all living believers, and together all the saints will meet their…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” vs. 13 Early followers of Jesus expected him to come again to usher in the promised eternal reign of God, and when that much anticipated return was delayed, some began to worry about those who were dying. Were they out of luck? Would they miss out on…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 70 “But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” vs. 5 Many have been waiting for this day for months. The election is over, and even if we don’t yet know the results, at least we won’t have to watch the endless campaign commercials or get annoying text messages and emails from eager well-meaning advocates. From all evidence this has been one of the…
Daily Devotions
Amos 5:21-24 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” vs. 24 Amos had been sent to proclaim the word of the Lord to Israel and he was not happy with what he saw. While people continued to practice the externals of religion, gathering on festival days for the singing of hymns and the offering of sacrifices, it was all a facade. While the rich were growing ever richer, and had multiple homes with ornate…
Daily Devotions
Amos 5:18-20 “Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear…” vss. 18-19a When Amos spoke of the “day of the Lord” he was thinking of that time when God would break into our human existence with power and might, something like the apocalypse mentioned in other parts of scripture. He’s telling…