Posts from May 2021 (Page 3)
Daily Devotions
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” vs. 13 1 John 5:11-13 John presumes that his readers believe that Jesus was the Son of God, and he also wants them to know that they have eternal life. It’s almost as though there is a difference between believing and knowing, and he’s saying to believers, “Wait a minute, there’s more!” In saying…
Daily Devotions
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.” vs. 9 1 John 5:9-10 It is clear from the gospels that the ministry of Jesus was set in motion by his experience of baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. As he came out of the water he heard the testimony of God regarding himself, “You are my Son, the Beloved. With you…
Daily Devotions
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vss. 5-6 Psalm 1:4-6 The psalmist reflected the common sense, black and white perspective of his religious peers, and his words resonate well with folks in our time too. He tells us that there are basically two kinds of people in the world, the righteous…
Daily Devotions
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.” vss. 1-2 Psalm 1:1-3 The ancient editors of the scriptures we know as the Psalms chose these verses as an introduction to the whole of the book. It describes in a few words what an…
Daily Devotions
Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen…’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” vss. 24, 26 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 When the disciples wanted to add a person to their ranks to replace Judas, they had two candidates, each with the necessary credentials, so they cast lots, the first century equivalent of flipping a…
Daily Devotions
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” vs. 15 John 15:14-17 Some of us were weaned on the old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and have its verses emblazoned on our hearts, if not on our minds. It was a kind of precursor to…
Daily Devotions
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” vs.9 John 15:9-13 To put it simply, our life in Christ is a massive love connection, with God, Jesus, and one another. God’s love began with creation, and was amplified in Jesus as a deep and potent sacrificial love, one that extends to all people. Our invitation as those drawn to Jesus is to abide in that love, to bask in it, and remain there…
Thank You, ALC!
Our heartfelt thanks extends today to the good people of American Lutheran Church, Sun City for their generous support of Spirit in the Desert. We are so grateful for our congregational partners in ministry ~ the team at your favorite retreat center looks forward to serving you someday soon! @AmericanLutheranChurchofSunCity
Daily Devotions
Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” vs. 5 1 John 5:4b-6 The phrase “conquers the world” conjures up in our minds great Christian armies flying the flag of Christ traveling by land and sea to win victory over pagan peoples in order to bring them into the family of Christ. And indeed there have been times when such armies did range through Europe, Asia, Africa, and the…
Daily Devotions
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.” vs. 1 1 John 5:1-4a Anyone who has been a part of an authentic Christian community will be able to testify to the awesome mutual love that has marked their life together. Of course there are the usual spats and disputes as the group deals with practices and rituals, but when the rubber hits the road, love blossoms…
Daily Devotions
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.” vss. 5-6 Psalm 98:5-9 The psalmist gives us a glimpse of temple worship and makes us wish we could have been there. While arrangements likely varied from season to season there were plenty of opportunities for musicians to pull out all the stops. They spared nothing in…
Daily Devotions
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.” vs. 4 Psalm 98:1-4 We’re not sure what triggered the psalmist’s extravagant hymn of praise to the Lord–it was likely some celebration of God’s special relationship to the house of Israel. But what catches our attention is his sense of the close connection between the Lord and the creation. We get that same feeling every year as we continue our celebration of…