Blog (Page 114)
Daily Devotions
Matthew 21:28-32 … “Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” Jesus’ question was so easy that even his opponents got the right answer. We don’t need to be rocket scientists to know that actions speak louder than words. It’s a truth that we learn in kindergarten. And yet for…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 21:23-27 … “When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’” vs. 23 The question of authority was important for the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Authority was what legitimized a person’s words and actions, it was what ordered the hierarchy and established a chain of command. In their eyes if…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 2:4-13 … “Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” vs. 12 These words from Paul to the Philippians have been much debated through the centuries. If salvation is by grace and a gift from God, what might it mean for them to “work out (their) own salvation with fear and trembling?” Obviously reactions to…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 2:1-4 … “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” vss. 3-4 As Paul bares his soul to his friends in the Philippian community, we see clearly what he desires for them in their life together. Living in Christ will be different from life in the world. No longer will they be dominated by desires…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 25:1-9 … “Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.” vss. 2-3 There are some who say that this psalm reflects a quite primitive view of God, a throwback to a Thor-like god who throws his hammer to produce the lightning and thunder of a summer storm. And it’s true that our ancestors,…
Daily Devotions
Ezekiel 18:25-32 … “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” 31a The legal system of Israel was uncomplicated and relatively easy to understand. If people lived according to the law and did what was required by God they would be blessed. If they broke the law and lived according to the ways of wickedness they would be punished. The prophet believed their life choice…
Daily Devotions
Ezekiel 18:1-4 … “Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.” vs. 4 There was a proverb popular among the Israelites, “The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth have been set on edge.” The point was clear: sometimes children end up paying for the sins of their parents. We would probably agree. We’ve all…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 20:10-16 … “And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’” vss. 11-12 Folks weren’t much different in Jesus’ day than they are now. No one liked it when hard-workers didn’t get credit for their labor, particularly when those perceived to be slackers received equal compensation. Everyone could relate to the…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 20:1-9 … “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.” vss. 8-9 Where God is in charge surprises abound. Jesus says that it’s like someone laboring in a vineyard for an hour, and then receiving a full day’s wages. Imagine what that…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 1:27-30 … “Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit…” vs. 27 Paul was consistent in his proclamation of the pure Gospel, and insisted that salvation came by grace, and not through obedience to the law. But he also believed with all of his heart that it makes…
Daily Devotions
Philippians 1:21-26 … “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” vs. 21 Paul had visited Philippi on his first missionary journey somewhere around 50 AD and managed to stay in touch with periodic letters, including this one written about 58 AD during one of his frequent imprisonments. He loved this little congregation and bares his soul as he openly shares with them deep feelings about living and dying. Many in our time have difficulty talking about the…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 145:1-8 …“On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” vs. 5 With the world living on the edge of crisis and battling a pandemic, while nations rise against nations, it’s easy to be distracted from the wonder of life in this universe. Every day we awaken to new possibilities and fresh evidence of the Lord’s goodness and mercy. The sun and the moon travel in their appointed courses bringing light and dark…