Blog (Page 160)
Daily Devotions: January 20, 2019
January 20, 2019 To read full passage click: John 2:5-11 …“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” vs. 11 Oenophiles have long rejoiced in John’s assertion that God’s glory was first revealed in Jesus through the turning of water into wine. In their estimation, it marks wine as the world’s most divine beverage and destroys whatever similar claims brew-masters might make for their products. Of…
Daily Devotions: January 19, 2019
January 19, 2019 To read full passage click: John 2: 1-4 …“And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’” vs. 4 The gospel writer John choose seven signs to show how the glory of God was made known to observers in the life and ministry of Jesus. In his record, the first of these divine epiphanies took place at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana,…
Daily Devotions: January 18, 2019
January 18, 2019 To read full passage click: 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 …“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” vs. 7 Paul believed that, in Christ, every congregation would thrive as individuals were given opportunity to use their spiritual gifts. He had experienced the differences that exist among disciples and knew that no one person is exactly like another. Each had been gifted in a particular way. He even mentions some of those gifts in his…
Daily Devotions: January 17, 2019
January 17, 2019 To read full passage click: 1 Corinthians 12:1-6 …“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” vss. 4-6 Paul had been touched by the Spirit in a big way in his encounter with the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus. From that point on, his…
Daily Devotions: January 16, 2019
January 16, 2019 To read full passage click: Psalm 36:8-9 …“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” vs. 9 For the material-minded, life in this world can be pretty dismal. Pleasure is connected to accumulation and success is measured by financial portfolios. There’s a game to be played and massive energies are exerted to be on the winning side. Little attention is paid to compassion or service–everything depends on power and domination.…
Daily Devotions: January 15, 2019
January 15, 2019 To read full passage click: Psalm 36:5-8 …“Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.” vs. 6 It’s not unusual for one of our pets or animal companions to die. In fact, for many children, this is their first experience with the pain, tears, and sorrow that death can bring. Sometimes in their grief they’ll ask if their beloved cat or dog has…
Daily Devotions: January 14, 2019
January 14, 2019 To read full passage click: Isaiah 62:1-5 …“You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” vs. 3 The prophet is ecstatic about the possibilities ahead for the people of Israel. He was preaching to a people living in exile, a defeated nation, and he plants in their imagination a vision of a royal future. This was more than a politician’s campaign…
Daily Devotions: January 13, 2019
January 13, 2019 To read full passage click: Luke 3:21-22 …“And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” vs. 22b It didn’t take long for early Christians to search out the presumed baptismal place of Jesus and erect churches as close to the Jordan as they could. Early pilgrims could come to this site and remember their own baptisms with prayers and a dip in the water. Presumably it would…
Daily Devotions: January 12, 2019
January 12, 2019 To read full passage click: Luke 3:15-17 …“As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah…” vs. 15 The people who encountered John in the wilderness had strong expectations and were wondering who he was. They shared a conviction that one day God would answer their prayers and send the Messiah. Many thought that John just might be the one. But it’s hard to…
Daily Devotions: January 11, 2019
January 11, 2019 To read full passage click: Acts 8:14-17 …“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…” vss. 14-15 These were exciting, heady days for the community of believers in Jerusalem. There was opposition and opportunity, and the movement lacked a play book and written instructions. Before long, they were…
Daily Devotions: January 10, 2019
January 10, 2019 To read full passage click: Psalm 29:5-9 …“The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.” vss. 7-8 Those who have experienced powerful summer storms know exactly what the psalmist was referencing in his song of praise to the Lord. The jagged flashes of lightning from dark foreboding clouds accompanied by the rolling crashes of thunder fill us with awe and…
Daily Devotions: January 9, 2019
January 9, 2019 To read full passage click: Psalm 29:1-4 …“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” vs. 1 Humans have always wondered about God. In the beginning they saw God connections everywhere, particularly in the unexplained mysteries of the universe. In those times, God was the standard cause for everything humans didn’t understand. As knowledge grew and scientific investigation revealed the natural forces at work in the world around us, some began…