Blog (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” vs. 9 Psalm 146:5-9 After his baptism, when Jesus was in the wilderness hammering out the terms of his call in the distracting presence of the devil, he didn’t get a new playbook from the Spirit. When he emerged from the desert, all his preaching and teaching came directly from the words of the prophets and the…
Daily Devotions
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 146:1-4 This psalmist obviously spoke from experience. He’d lived long enough to realize that princes, no matter how appealing their promises, had a limited life. They wouldn’t be around forever. Because of this reality the psalmist recommended that people put their trust in the Lord, the…
Daily Devotions
Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall;” vs. 4 Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Amos wasn’t on a tour when he ventured north into Israel, so he was unimpressed by the stone fortresses of the capital Samaria and the trappings of wealth and prosperity. Like the rich of every time and place they spared no expense in furnishing their homes and they feasted on…
Daily Devotions
Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” vs. 10 Luke 16:10-13 Occasionally a person will excuse the telling of a mistruth by saying, “It was only a white lie!” Such an attitude, unfortunately common among believers, is sadly misguided. It’s the little things that count in the journey of faith, and whenever we tell a lie, however inconsequential it may seem, we’re…
Daily Devotions
Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’” vss. 3a, 4 Luke 16:1-9 Money talks! We all know it. Jesus knew it too. In this parable he shows how the dishonest steward used the power of money to secure his uncertain future. Even if he got…
Daily Devotions
This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” vss. 3-4 1 Timothy 2:3-7 The early Christians had no problem praying for the leaders of the Empire because they believed that God desired everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. There were no exceptions! Sometimes in our efforts to combat the brokenness of this world we…
Daily Devotions
Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall;” vs. 4 Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Amos wasn’t on a tour when he ventured north into Israel, so he was unimpressed by the stone fortresses of the capital Samaria and the trappings of wealth and prosperity. Like the rich of every time and place they spared no expense in furnishing their homes and they feasted on…
Daily Devotions
First of all I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings should be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” vss. 1-2 1 Timothy 2:1-4 The Church was birthed in the Roman Empire, an autocratic and authoritarian regime, with appointed governors and provincial leaders at every level. Periodically for a variety of reasons, including the whims of the emperor, Christians…
Daily Devotions
Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap…” vss. 5-6 Psalm 113:5-9 While we may not share the psalmist’s belief that God is seated at a distance from the earth, we can certainly agree that God is intimately connected to the poor and the needy. God is, and there is no…
Daily Devotions
Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.” vs. 1 Psalm 113:1-4 Occasionally believers who are members of what are known as liturgical churches will find themselves at a “praise” service in a non-denominational congregation. While some will enjoy the experience, there are others who are quite dismayed by the non-traditional setting. They don’t like standing up and singing multiple praise songs and chorus to begin the worship. Often there is a band…
Daily Devotions
Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances,” vss. 4, 5a, c Amos 8:3-7 While little is said in the book of Second Kings about the reign of Israel’s king, Jeroboam II, it is noted that he reigned for 41 years…
Daily Devotions
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’” vs. 6 Luke 15:3-10 Because the parable of the lost sheep is so familiar we sometimes don’t even question the lunacy of the shepherd. Even in those pastoral times it’s doubtful that any shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness and then go searching for one who had gone missing. It doesn’t…