Blog (Page 179)
Daily Devotions: June 26, 2019
June 26, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 16:7-11 …“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11 The Lord was not a stranger to the psalmist! They had a connection that had begun with the breath of the Spirit in creation, and that had continued throughout his life. Not a day passed without a prayer of thanksgiving and songs of praise. Many of us…
Daily Devotions: June 25, 2019
PLEASE EXCUSE LATE ARRIVAL – SERVER ISSUES IN EARLY A.M.!!! June 25, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 16:1-6 …“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” vs. 6 Many followers of Jesus end up with more possessions than they ever dreamed that they would have. They live in large comfortable homes and drive luxurious vehicles. They go on cruises to exotic places and take vacations trips to distant parts of the world.…
Daily Devotions: June 24, 2019
June 24, 2019 For full passage click: 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 …“He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.” vs. 21 Elijah needed a successor, someone to follow him for a time and then take over his position as prophet in Israel. Guided by the…
Daily Devotions: June 23, 2019
June 23, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 8:35-39 …“Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.” vs. 35 Luke makes an interesting observation in recounting the story of the Gerasene demoniac. He says that when the demons departed, the man was left in his “right mind.”…
Daily Devotions: June 22, 2019
June 22, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 8:26-34 …“When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’–” vs. 28 According to our sources, whenever Jesus encountered people possessed by demons, the evil spirits recognized him instantly and saw in him a power that was greater than their own. Sometimes they…
Daily Devotions: June 21, 2019
June 21, 2019 For full passage click: Galatians 3:27-29 …“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Paul is ecstatic at the good news he has for the Galatians. They’d long been bound by restrictions and limitations. From birth they had learned to categorize people and make distinctions. There was a rigid hierarchy and not much wiggle room.…
Daily Devotions: June 20, 2019
June 20, 2019 For full passage click: Galatians 3:23-26 …“Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.” vs. 24 The coming of the Christ into the lives of the disciples marked a massive transition. No longer would they be controlled by the external demands of the law. Instead, the Spirit of Christ dwelling in their hearts would guide them on a journey marked by love and compassion. Many of us know…
Daily Devotions: June 19, 2019
June 19, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 22:24-29 …“The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!” vs. 26 When all was said and done, the psalmist had a deep and profound hope for the future. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, despite his feelings of despair and alienation, he believed that the Lord would satisfy the deepest longings of all hurting people. Even the poor,…
Daily Devotions: June 18, 2019
June 18, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 22:19-23 …“I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:” vs. 22 Many of us are reluctant to do much faith sharing with our friends, and we wouldn’t think of doing it with strangers. It could be our introverted personalities, or maybe we’ve been turned off by encounters with rabid evangelicals of one stripe or another. Whatever the reason, we…
Daily Devotions: June 17, 2019
June 17, 2019 For full passage click: Isaiah 65:1-9 …“I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name.” vs. 1 Long after the nobility of Judah had been hauled off into exile, the prophet recounts their complete rejection of the Lord. They had completely turned their backs on…
Daily Devotions: June 16, 2019
June 16, 2019 John 16:15 …“All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” vs. 15 According to John’s gospel, Jesus told his disciples that he and the Father were one and that after Jesus left the earth, the Father would send the Spirit of Truth to be with the disciples. There is no doctrine spelled out in his words, but, within the next couple…