Blog (Page 180)

Blog (Page 180)

Daily Devotions: May 9, 2018

May 9, 2018 Psalm 1:4-6…“for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vs. 6 The psalmist’s world was a bit more black and white than we’re sometimes comfortable with. We tend to see people as more of a gray, a mixture between good and bad, and when our scripture paints a more decisive picture we want to protest. Some solve the issue by ignoring the passages in question and focusing…

Daily Devotions: May 8, 2018

May 8, 2018 Psalm 1:1-3…“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” vs. 3 So who are these folks who prosper in all that they do? According to this psalmist, they are those who love the law of the Lord and who meditate on it both day and night. Jesus said nearly the same thing at the close of…

Daily Devotions: May 7, 2018

May 7, 2018 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26…“And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” vs. 26 It seems like there should have been a better way for the disciples to find a replacement for Judas. They had the sense that the number 12 was important, mostly for its symbolic value. They had all been called so it wasn’t a job for a volunteer. Finally, after weighing the obvious credentials,…

Daily Devotions: May 6, 2018

May 6, 2018 John 15:16-17…“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” vs. 16 Sometimes we’ll hear folks offering up prayers that end with the phrase, “in Jesus’ name, Amen.” It’s a reminder of their attachment to Jesus, a recognition that he is the vine and they are the branches–and that’s a…

Daily Devotions: May 5, 2018

May 5, 2018 John 15:12-15…“I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” vs. 15 The song, “What a Friend We Have In Jesus,” isn’t sung much anymore–probably because it doesn’t have a catchy tune. But many Jesus-people still regard it as a favorite, primarily because of verses like…

Daily Devotions: May 4, 2018

May 4, 2018 John 15:9-11…“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” vs. 9 Living as a follower of Jesus is remarkably uncomplicated! Jesus had known from the day of his baptism that God loved him, and throughout his ministry he had passed that love on to the hurting people that he encountered. Later, he told those who had become his disciples to abide in that love–they are to revel in it, bask…

Valuing Religious and Ethnic Diversity

When Carla Skladany met with Richard Andersen, Executive Director of Spirit in the Desert in 2017, she told him she was interested in being a volunteer at the retreat center. Volunteering has always been an important part of Carla’s life during the years she and her husband, Jan, lived in Downers Grove, Illinois and since they permanently moved to Carefree in 2007. As Richard and Carla’s conversation continued, Richard surprised her when he asked her to be the Coordinator of…

Daily Devotions: May 3, 2018

May 3, 2018 1 John 5:1-6…“Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” vs. 5 To believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, was a huge step for those early Christians. And then, once they had come to faith, they went on to make the audacious claim that they were going to conquer the world. Think of it! They had nothing going for them. At most…

Daily Devotions: May 2, 2018

May 2, 2018 Psalm 98:4-9…“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.” vs. 4 For many believers, congregational singing is a highlight of worship. They love to come together and lift up their voices with songs of praise and thanksgiving! It’s their one opportunity to actually sing out loud in public, and, since they don’t have to worry about hitting a wrong note, they can let loose! After all, as…

Daily Devotions: May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018 Psalm 98:1-4…”O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.” vs. 1  Periodically, in the context of sharing news about the latest happenings in their lives, people will say “God is good.” By that, they generally mean that life is going well, that there has been healing or reconciliation. Maybe they’ve gotten a good job or gotten an unexpected financial windfall.…

Daily Devotions: April 30, 2018

April 30, 2018 Acts 10:44-48…“The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,” vs. 45 From the beginning, followers of Jesus have been plagued by spiritual myopia. We imagine that what we believe and experience is all that matters and that God couldn’t possibly have a larger plan. Initially, believers thought the Spirit could only work through the circumcised and were astounded when Gentiles…

Daily Devotions: April 29, 2018

April 29, 2018 John 15:6-8…“Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” vs. 6 Some verses of our scripture bring amazing comfort and peace. Others are wielded like clubs to manipulate and exclude. Jesus’ words about the vine can be used in both ways. Today’s verse has been used for centuries as a warning. People are told that if they don’t abide in Jesus…