Blog (Page 145)
Daily Devotions: July 22, 2019
July 22, 2019 For full passage click: Genesis 18:20-32 …“Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” vs. 25 Out of love for his nephew, Lot, Abraham bargains with the Lord about the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. It’s an old story, a part of Scripture…
Daily Devotions: July 21, 2019
July 21, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 10:41-42 …“But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’” vss. 41-42 It’s not unusual to be overwhelmed by distractions in our fast-paced world. Tasks and responsibilities related to work and leisure come at us from every direction every day. And always, there’s that cultural…
Daily Devotions: July 20, 2019
July 20, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 10:38-40 …“But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’” vs. 40 We all know the feeling! Martha had a million things to do in providing hospitality for her guests, and her sister wasn’t doing a thing to help. While Martha hustled…
Daily Devotions: July 19, 2019
July 19, 2019 For full passage click: Colossians 1:21-23 …And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—” vss. 21-22 The Church has done a good job of proclaiming the death of Jesus as the means of our reconciliation to God. We’ve heard that story year after year in our worship. It’s the core…
Daily Devotions: July 18, 2019
July 18, 2019 For full passage click: Colossians 1:15-20 …“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created…all things have been created through him and for him.” vss. 15-16a, c These words from Colossians remind us of the prologue to the gospel of John. They paint a picture of the Christ that challenges our imagination in its breadth and mystery. Here we are reminded…
Daily Devotions: July 17, 2019
July 17, 2019 Psalm 15:1-2 … “O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart…” vss. 1,2 For better or for worse, people have high expectations of those who claim to be in a loving relationship with God and who take time each week for worship. Even non-churchgoers sense that such folks should be living exemplary lives and…
Daily Devotions: July 16, 2019
July 16, 2019 For full passage click: Genesis 18:6-10a … “Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.” vs. 8 The stories of Abraham that were retained in Israel’s family history, were passed through many generations before they began to be written down and preserved. Our faith ancestors were particularly interested in showing the special connection that Abraham had with…
Daily Devotions: July 15, 2019
July 15, 2019 Genesis 18:1-5 … “The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him.” vss. 1-2a When Andrei Rublev, a Russian monk, painted the Holy Trinity in the early 15th century, he probably had no idea that it would become the most prized example of Russian iconography. His intention likely had been to preserve…
Daily Devotions: July 14, 2019
July 14, 2019 Luke 10:29-37 … “But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.” vs. 33 There are a lot of reasons for not getting involved when we encounter people in need, and none of them are acceptable when we claim to be followers of Jesus. His parable about the Samaritan who went the second mile in tending for the victim of violence, needs virtually no explanation. It’s obvious who…
Daily Devotions: July 13, 2019
July 13, 2019 Luke 10:25-28 … “And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’” vs. 28 One day, Luke writes, a man came to Jesus asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. It’s the kind of question that we continue to hear from time to time in our religious circles—maybe we’ve even asked it ourselves. And often, someone will offer a quick answer, “Believe in Jesus Christ…
Daily Devotions: July 12, 2019
July 12, 2019 Colossians 1:9-14 … “so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.” vs. 10 Paul’s deepest desire for the Colossians was that they would lead lives worthy of the Lord. That remains the highest aspiration for any who claim to walk in the way of Jesus. We do this out of love and not obligation. God’s…
Daily Devotions: July 11, 2019
July 11, 2019 Colossians 1:1-8 …“Just as (the word) is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.” vs. 6b The number of believers grew quickly in those early Spirit-filled years. Paul hadn’t gone to Colossae but Epaphras had, and the results were stunning. We don’t know much about this Epaphras fellow, but he evidently had a good grasp…