Posts by Rev. Steve Holm (Page 78)
Daily Devotions
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.” vs. 15 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Paul wasn’t a half-way sort of guy. By his own estimation he was a brilliant scholar, far more zealous for the law than any of his peers, blameless in all of his words and actions. But after his encounter with the Risen Christ, he came to see that he was also…
Daily Devotions
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence.” vss. 12-13 1 Timothy 1:11-14 Our faith history is replete with stories of changed lives, and there is none more compelling than that of Paul, right back at the very beginning. At first an opponent of the Church, he became its greatest missionary…
Daily Devotions
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” vss. 9-10 Psalm 51:1-10 Even though most people are acutely aware of their shortcomings, they have different ways of referring to them. Some are comfortable with calling them sins, while others might call them personality defects, addictions, or mistakes. They are those words or actions that haunt us from the past…
Daily Devotions
And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.” vs. 14 Exodus 32:11-14 The Israelites believed that their survival as a people had been dependent on great leaders like Moses who were able to even change the mind of the Lord. Their forefathers had deserved punishment for their disobedience, but the Lord listened to Moses and spared them. It may seem strange for us to think of God as a being whose…
Daily Devotions
The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them…” vss. 7-8 Exodus 32:7-10 Stories of rebellion and disobedience were deeply rooted in Israel’s traditions, and the scribes carefully included them as a part of the historical record. They told how quickly their ancestors had turned away from the way of the…
Daily Devotions
So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” vs. 33 Luke 14:31-33 When we take these words of Jesus literally, we are likely to dismiss them without much thought. We’re very aware of sectarian leaders who asked their followers to sign over all their property and then live together in community. Often, they claimed that such a practice was a part of the call to discipleship and pointed to these…
Daily Devotions
Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” vs. 26 Luke 14:25-30 There’s no doubt about it, sometimes the teachings of Jesus are baffling and we wonder what he could possibly have in mind. Here he tells the crowds that becoming his disciple is more important than the most intimate family relationships–it could even mean the loss of life. And he says…
Daily Devotions
If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.” vss. 18-19 Philemon 1:10-21 Paul is doing everything he can to ensure that Philemon will receive Onesimus with love when he returns. He knows that when Onesimus ran away he may have left some debts behind or even stolen…
Daily Devotions
For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love…” vs. 8 Philemon 1:8-9 Paul has a favor to ask of his friend Philemon, a leader of the congregation at Colossae. Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, a new Christian, has become a companion to Paul in prison. Paul would like Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and to…
Daily Devotions
They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” vs. 1 Psalm 1 The very first psalm clearly states the conviction of Jewish religious leaders that there are two ways to live in this world. We can either walk in the way of the Lord or follow the path of sinners. It’s a distinction that is sometimes lost among people…
Daily Devotions
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live…” vs. 19 Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Those who have drunk deeply from the gospel of grace sometimes don’t quite know what to do with the emphasis on choice that is found in Deuteronomy. We imagine that since salvation is in Christ and not dependent on our works it really doesn’t…
Daily Devotions
If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord … then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.” vs. 16 Deuteronomy 30:15-18 Our faith ancestors cherished the book of Deuteronomy, and rightly so! It was carefully crafted to describe how Israel should behave as a nation–it was like their constitution. In this section…