Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 119)
Daily Devotions
And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’” vs. 3 Isaiah 6: 1-4 Next Sunday is Trinity Sunday in many congregations, and if in-person worship now includes singing, there’s a good chance one of the hymns will be some variation of “Holy, Holy, Holy.” It’s an old standard for many and includes lyrics from the seraph, one of the six-winged creatures from Isaiah’s temple vision.…
Daily Devotions
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” vs. 7 John 16:4b-15 The disciples likely didn’t think it would be to their advantage to have Jesus go away–that’s not in our human nature. When we love someone dearly and have been fed by their presence, we like to keep…
Daily Devotions
When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.” vs. 26 John 15:26-27 According to John, one of the prime tasks of the Holy Spirit was advocacy. Because Jesus had not defended himself at his hearing before Pilate, all sorts of malicious and defamatory things were being said about him by his enemies, the religious leaders. After his death and resurrection…
Daily Devotions
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” vs. 26 Romans 8:26-27 Praying isn’t always an easy thing, even for believers. Oh, we can do a pretty good job of moving through our daily prayer lists. We know what we would like for the people we love; peace, healing, joy, wisdom–and it’s not hard to just pass our…
Daily Devotions
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?” vs. 24 Romans 8:22-25 We regularly hear people of faith speak of the future with great confidence. It appears that they have no doubt that one day love will conquer and that evil will be defeated. They speak of peace on earth with great conviction, as though it’s going to be happening in just a few more years. And…
Daily Devotions
Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!” vs. 35 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Psalm 104 is a beautiful song of praise to the creation. Verse 24 describes its intent well, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” The psalmist knows that God has created all things and that the spirit of…
Daily Devotions
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.” vss. 2-3 Acts 2:1-13 Luke’s picture of the Pentecost has caught the attention of artists in every age and we’ve all seen their renditions of men and women caught up in Spirit-filled ecstacy, each with a tongue of fire…
Daily Devotions
No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.’” vss. 16-17 Acts 2:14-21 When the Spirit blew into the lives of the disciples with firepower beyond their imagining, no one was quite sure what was happening, and they…
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…
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…