Posts by Rev. Steve Holm (Page 200)
Daily Devotions: September 16, 2017
Matthew 18:21-30 “Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.’” vss. 21-22 When Peter suggested that he might be willing to forgive a brother or sister as many as seven times, he likely thought that he was being generous, perhaps even going beyond what the law demanded. But…
Daily Devotions: September 15, 2017
Romans 14:7-12 “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” vs. 8 Living together in harmony with our brothers and sisters in the community of faith is harder than we might expect…and Paul knew this from experience. Wherever he went he was embroiled in controversy for one reason or another. But he couldn’t simply say “that’s just the…
Daily Devotions: September 14, 2017
Romans 14:1-6 “Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.” vs. 2 While it may appear that Paul is weighing in on the side of carnivores against vegetarians with these words, he’s actually not speaking about proper diet at all. Instead, he has in mind those for whom eating and drinking has a spiritual significance…and he’s reminding the Romans that quarreling about such things can be bad for the community. Many of us have seen the effects…
Daily Devotions: September 13, 2017
Psalm 103:8-13 “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” vs. 10 Israel’s justice system could be quite precise in laying out prescribed punishments for particular crimes…”an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” comes to mind. But the psalmist finds little consolation in that retributive prescription and says instead, that God operates by another standard. He says that God is merciful and gracious and does not repay…
Daily Devotions: September 12, 2017
Genesis 50:19-21 “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20 It’s doubtful that God caused Joseph’s brothers to abuse him and sell him into slavery…God is not the agent of sin. But is true that because of God’s goodness, that whole sorry event turned out to be a blessing for the entire family of Jacob. Sometimes, not all the time,…
Daily Devotions: September 11, 2017
Genesis 50:15-18 “Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’” vs. 15 Quite against all odds, the brothers of Joseph, the ones who had sold him into slavery, found themselves living in Egypt under his dominion. While their father, Jacob, was alive, Joseph had treated them kindly and had made gracious provision for their families.…
Daily Devotions: September 10, 2017
Matthew 18:18-20 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” vs. 18 From the beginning, followers of Jesus formed faith communities and began to understand themselves as the visible presence of Christ in the world. It was almost immediately apparent that they would have to establish a means for discipline within the Body. These verses from Matthew became for them the “power of…
Daily Devotions: September 9, 2017
Matthew 18:15-17 “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” vs. 15 From the beginning of the church, broken relationships have been a part of life in community. Harsh words are spoken, feelings are hurt, and before long members are at odds with one another…and sometimes it can get pretty ugly. It’s not surprising then,…
Daily Devotions: September 8, 2017
Romans 13:11-14 “the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;” vs. 12 Paul had the strong sense that the Lord was going to return in a very short time, probably within the next few years. He wasn’t alone in thinking this; many Christians of that early period shared his hope. Because he believed the time was short, he advised his readers to get…
Daily Devotions: September 7, 2017
Romans 13:8-10 “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” vs. 8 Paul echoes the words of Jesus as he recommends that the Roman community fulfill the law by loving one another. It’s obvious from the context, that he is speaking of the way members of the church should treat each other within the largely pagan culture, and some have questioned whether that same injunction can be applied to…
Daily Devotions: September 6, 2017
Psalm 119:33-40 “Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.” vss. 36-37 There is a way to live that is pleasing to God and that gives life to the community of faith. The contour of that way is no mystery and has been made plain to believers for thousands of years. It was summarized in the Ten Commandments and clarified in the teachings of…
Daily Devotions: September 5, 2017
Ezekiel 33:10-11 “Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” vs. 11 Ezekiel had a word from the Lord for the house of Israel, a declaration of tough love that would require turning away from their evil ways. Modern self-styled prophets…