Blog (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
Matthew 13:18-23…“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” vs. 23 We don’t know if Jesus was thinking of himself as he told the parable of the sower, but it is likely that the story reflected his experience in the course of his teaching ministry. And his point in telling…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 13:1-9…“And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up…’” vss. 3-4 Jesus didn’t lack for crowds in the course of his Galilean ministry. Wherever he went people gathered, and he taught them many things, often in the form of parables. The one about the sower is familiar and shows how he felt about those…
Daily Devotions
Romans 8:9-11…“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” vs. 10 Just because we are believers doesn’t mean that life is going to be a bed of roses for us. In fact some of the most faithful people are also subject to regular battles with depression. They do their best to cope and paste smiles on their faces to show others that they are just fine, but…
Daily Devotions
Romans 8:1-7…“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” vss. 1-2 Paul had nothing but good news for the Romans. He had figured out the answer to the dilemma of sin and death. He’d been caught up in that game of perfection for years and now he had been set free, and…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 65:9-13…“the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.” vs.13 For this psalmist creation was a visible manifestation of God’s presence. It wasn’t just eye candy for Sunday drives through the countryside. All that could be seen was not only connected to God, it had a vital relationship to God. As all of us learned from “Sound of Music” the hills weren’t just there to look at, they were…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 55:12-13…“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” vs. 13 The myrtle is an evergreen broadleaf plant common to the Middle East and is known for its medicinal properties. Its white blossoms are large and showy and it has come to be a symbol of love and peace. Isaiah…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 55:10-11…“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven…making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;” vss. 10 11a For the prophet Isaiah there was a kind of inevitability to the goodness and generosity of the Lord. At least that was the pattern that he saw in the creation. The natural forces that sustain life have been built…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 11:25-30…“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” vss 28-29 Again and again Jesus revealed his compassion to the harassed and helpless folks who scrambled to hear his words and feel his healing touch. He wasn’t like any religious or political leader of…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 11:16-19…“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’” vss. 16-17 People love to criticize! They always have and likely always will. Jesus marveled at the folks he encountered in the course of his ministry. He and John the Baptist had a similar message, namely, “Repent, for the Kingdom…
Daily Devotions
Romans 7:21-25a…“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” vss. 24-25a Paul had concluded that there was absolutely nothing that he could do to help himself. No matter how hard he tried, no matter what kind of self-talk he used, no matter how many self-help books he read, there was no way he could escape his addiction to sin. It was impossible! And after a…
Daily Devotions
Romans 7:15-20…“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” vs. 15 It’s not likely that the Apostle Paul played golf, yet his description of his own actions sounds very much like the lament of an addicted golfer. It’s probably one of the most frustrating sports ever invented, precisely because it mirrors the human experience. Even though we know exactly how life should be lived, we…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 145:11-14…“The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” vs. 14 According to the scriptures, our world is both good and broken at the same time. That’s a truth we experience every day of our lives, And the psalmist tells us here that the One who brought this world into existence and who continues to sustain it, has a particular love for lifting up all who are falling and raising up all who…