Blog (Page 171)
Daily Devotions: September 21, 2018
September 21, 2018 James 4:1-3, 7-8a …“Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?” vs. 1 James saw so clearly how life ought to be lived and he wished that all believers could live in gentleness and peace, with no partiality or hypocrisy. He was irritated that many didn’t live that way and blamed internal cravings or covetousness for the discrepancy. We don’t talk much…
Daily Devotions: September 20, 2018
September 20, 2018 James 3:13-18 …“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” vs. 17 The early Christian community embraced this definition of divine wisdom and made it the cornerstone of their life together. It remains for us a perfect description of our highest aspirations as followers of Jesus. Some might consider its sentiments as an ideal, a way of life…
Daily Devotions: September 19, 2018
September 19, 2018 Psalm 34:11-22 …“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.” vs. 18 Occasionally we will hear reports of horrendous things that have happened in the lives of friends and acquaintances. Bad things have piled up. There has not just been one death, but multiple loved ones have died in a very short time. Cancers and heart attacks strike without warning and we wonder that these suffering folks can possibly find the resources…
Daily Devotions: September 18, 2018
September 18, 2018 Psalm 34:1-10 …“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” vs. 8 It’s not unexpected when children balk at the sight of some new food that has been placed on their plate. They’re reluctant to even try something whose color and texture is not familiar. Parents often respond with encouragement that could have been paraphrased from this psalm, “Just taste it, and you’ll see how good it is!”…
Daily Devotions: September 17, 2018
September 17, 2018 Jeremiah 11:18-20 …“It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew; then you showed me their evil deeds.” vs. 18 Jeremiah lived in turbulent times. The Jerusalem of his day was beset by powerful enemies on every side. Factions within the city fought for influence and position. Jeremiah had been called as a prophet to speak a word from the Lord in those difficult circumstances, but no one seemed to listen to him.…
Daily Devotions: September 16, 2018
September 16, 2018 Mark 8:31-38 …“He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” Being a follower of Jesus in the first century often meant enormous sacrifice and risk. Believers were quite literally putting their lives on the line. At the very least, their commitment would mean estrangement from family and community. We live in a country where following…
Daily Devotions: September 15, 2018
September 15, 2018 Mark 8:27-30 …“He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’” vs. 29 Followers of Jesus in the first century had one basic answer to questions about his identity. Like Peter in Mark’s story, they made the bold claim that he was the Messiah or as we more commonly say, he was the Christ. The words, one Hebrew and the other Greek, mean the same thing. Jesus was…
Daily Devotions: September 14, 2018
September 14, 2018 James 3:6-12 …“but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.” vss. 8-9 James does not have a high regard for the tongue. He calls it a restless evil and believes that it is the cause of the deep divisions that are found in the home and in the community. He…
Daily Devotions: September 13, 2018
September 13, 2018 James 3:1-5 …“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!” vs. 5 Most all of us at one time or another have been sabotaged by our tongues. We’re forever saying things that should have been left unsaid and then wishing that we’d kept our mouths shut or at least chosen other words. The problem is that once thoughts have been…
Daily Devotions: September 12, 2018
September 12, 2018 Psalm 116:6-9 …“The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.” vs. 6 There’s an old Shaker hymn called Simple Gifts that has stood the test of time and is popular even today. The first line is “‘Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free,” and it pretty well sums up the peace that comes in our life with Christ. Sometimes when we glimpse people’s amazing intellect and ingenuity,…
Daily Devotions: September 11, 2018
September 11, 2018 Psalm 116:1-5 …“The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.” vs. 3 9/11 is one of those dates that will live in infamy. Most of us can remember what we were doing when the Twin Towers were struck. As we gathered around our TV sets, the skies emptied and our whole country went on alert. This was a tragedy beyond our experience and it shattered our…
Daily Devotions: September 10, 2018
September 10, 2018 Isaiah 50:4-9a …“The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.” vs. 5 The prophet was grateful that God had called him to teach and he gladly used his gift to bring comfort to the weary. But he had also been gifted with humility. He knew that his wisdom was limited and if he was going to be a good teacher he had to learn to listen. Every day…