Blog (Page 94)
Daily Devotions
And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” vs. 11 John 17:11-16 As children of God and members of the peaceable kingdom we are daily reminded that we also live in the world and are subject to all its pressures and temptations. Like everyone else…
Virtual Silent Auction Starts Tomorrow!
At the auction, you can bid on more than 75 items or, if you don’t care much for the dining or golf or gifts or home goods or accessories or vacations or the brand new Apple watch, there are other ways you can donate to this good cause.
Daily Devotions
I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” vs. 6 John 17:6-10 We live in two realms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. They occupy the same physical space, but have vastly different values and operating systems. The world focuses on external and material desires and seeks our allegiance with promises of beauty, wealth…
Daily Devotions
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” vs. 13 1 John 5:11-13 John presumes that his readers believe that Jesus was the Son of God, and he also wants them to know that they have eternal life. It’s almost as though there is a difference between believing and knowing, and he’s saying to believers, “Wait a minute, there’s more!” In saying…
Daily Devotions
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.” vs. 9 1 John 5:9-10 It is clear from the gospels that the ministry of Jesus was set in motion by his experience of baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. As he came out of the water he heard the testimony of God regarding himself, “You are my Son, the Beloved. With you…
Daily Devotions
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vss. 5-6 Psalm 1:4-6 The psalmist reflected the common sense, black and white perspective of his religious peers, and his words resonate well with folks in our time too. He tells us that there are basically two kinds of people in the world, the righteous…
Daily Devotions
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.” vss. 1-2 Psalm 1:1-3 The ancient editors of the scriptures we know as the Psalms chose these verses as an introduction to the whole of the book. It describes in a few words what an…
Daily Devotions
Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen…’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” vss. 24, 26 Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 When the disciples wanted to add a person to their ranks to replace Judas, they had two candidates, each with the necessary credentials, so they cast lots, the first century equivalent of flipping a…
Daily Devotions
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 John 15:14-17 Some of us were weaned on the old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and have its verses emblazoned on our hearts, if not on our minds. It was a kind of precursor to…
Daily Devotions
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” vs.9 John 15:9-13 To put it simply, our life in Christ is a massive love connection, with God, Jesus, and one another. God’s love began with creation, and was amplified in Jesus as a deep and potent sacrificial love, one that extends to all people. Our invitation as those drawn to Jesus is to abide in that love, to bask in it, and remain there…
Thank You, ALC!
Our heartfelt thanks extends today to the good people of American Lutheran Church, Sun City for their generous support of Spirit in the Desert. We are so grateful for our congregational partners in ministry ~ the team at your favorite retreat center looks forward to serving you someday soon! @AmericanLutheranChurchofSunCity
Daily Devotions
Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” vs. 5 1 John 5:4b-6 The phrase “conquers the world” conjures up in our minds great Christian armies flying the flag of Christ traveling by land and sea to win victory over pagan peoples in order to bring them into the family of Christ. And indeed there have been times when such armies did range through Europe, Asia, Africa, and the…