Posts by Rev. Steve Holm (Page 134)
Daily Devotions: October 26, 2019
October 26, 2019 For full passage click: John 8:31-32 … “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32 John tells us that the Word was present with God in the beginning and that through the Word all things came into existence. He further tells us that this Word became flesh and…
Daily Devotions: October 25, 2019
October 25, 2019 For full passage click: Romans 3:22b-28 … “For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24 Through the centuries, as believers have read Paul’s letter to the Romans, they’ve taken verse 23 of chapter 3 to heart, and have used it as the great leveler. Yes, indeed, all of…
Daily Devotions: October 24, 2019
October 24, 2019 For full passage click: Romans 3:19-22a … “But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” vss. 21-22a Paul was attempting to give the congregation in Rome a more theological perspective of what had happened through Jesus. As part of his argument, he takes pain to explain that the righteousness of God is in…
Daily Devotions: October 23, 2019
October 23, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 46:6-11 … “The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vss. 6-7 In recent months, given the state of affairs in our world, i.e. the tensions among nations and the threat of global warming, we’ve begun to hear talk of the “last days” among some Christians. They’re convinced that these…
Daily Devotions: October 22, 2019
October 22, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 46:1-5… “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1 Sometimes we forget that Martin Luther was not only a great biblical scholar and theologian, he loved music and wrote dozens of hymns for congregational singing. His most famous, “A Mighty Fortress,” took its inspiration from Psalm 46. Luther lived in turbulent times among constantly warring nations and regularly expected to be arrested and put to death.…
Daily Devotions: October 21, 2019
October 21, 2019 For full passage click: Jeremiah 31:31-34 … “No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” vs. 34 Jeremiah prophesied during one of the most dismal periods of Israel’s history and watched as Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the ruling…
Daily Devotions: October 20, 2019
October 20, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 18:5-8 … “And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?” vss. 6-7a Jesus was not above using examples from the world to give encouragement to his followers. His parable reflects one of the realities of our justice and political systems. Sometimes leaders who care nothing for God and have no respect for…
Daily Devotions: October 19, 2019
October 19, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 18:1-5 … “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” vs. 1 Far too often we run into intractable situations where we have little idea about what to say or do. Solutions are elusive and we can’t even give or get good advice or direction. These are prime moments for prayer, and Jesus would have agreed! In fact, he told a parable to…
Daily Devotions: October 18, 2019
October 18, 2019 For full passage click: 2 Timothy 4:1-5 … “For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires…” vs. 3 Timothy, the young pastor, is advised in this letter to proclaim the Gospel with conviction in every season and to have patience in his teaching. He’s warned that there will be a time when his little flock would…
Daily Devotions: October 17, 2019
October 17, 2019 For full passage click: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 … “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” vs. 16 Those who hold that the Bible is the literal and infallible word of God, often point to this little verse as their proof-text. Sometimes they miss the obvious point that this text refers only to the Hebrew Scriptures–what we call the New Testament didn’t even exist when…
Daily Devotions: October 16, 2019
October 16, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 12 … “Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.” vss. 1-2 It’s hard to overestimate the gifts that the various Psalmists have given us. They write from a variety of experiences and their words are a treasure trove for our reflection and meditation. Sometimes their laments…