Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 136)
Daily Devotions
Romans 3:24-28 … “For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vs. 28 Martin Luther spent decades trying to gain assurance of salvation by bringing his stubborn, subversive flesh into line with the works of the law. Since he couldn’t do it he was forever wracked with guilt, and greatly damaged his health in the process. But when in the course of studying the book of Romans he realized that justification…
Daily Devotions
Romans 3:19-23 … “For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” vss. 22b-23 Most of us have been raised with an individualistic notion of sin. So when Paul says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God we tend to agree. Yes, there have been many times in our lives when we have done the wrong thing–and our consolation is that everyone else has too. We’re all…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 46:6-11 … “The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” vss. 6-7 We don’t know exactly when the psalmist composed this hymn, but we can guess from what is said that it must have been a time of considerable unrest, perhaps in its way not too different from what we’re experiencing. We can certainly resonate with his…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 46:1-5 … “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” vs. 1 In the 1520’s as Martin Luther was facing increased resistance to his reformation writings and the forces of the Empire were poised to eliminate the fledgling Lutheran movement, he found great comfort in the words of Psalm 46. In fact it became the inspiration for his greatest song, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” a tune sometimes called “The Battle Hymn of the…
Daily Devotions
Jeremiah 31:31-34 … “It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord.” vs. 32 Jeremiah compares the covenant between the Lord and the House of Israel to a marriage, one established by the Lord when their ancestors came out of Egypt. This covenant, sealed by the promises made…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 22:18-22 … “They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” vs. 21 Initially it must have looked to the Pharisees and Herodians as though Jesus had wiggled out of their trap with an inoffensive and innocuous response. And we’re inclined to agree. But it’s the kind of answer that starts gnawing at us if we think long enough–and soon…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 22:15-22 … “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” vs. 17 The question the Pharisees asked Jesus is exactly like those heard frequently in presidential debates. It was straight forward, pointed, and called for either a “yes” or a “no” answer–and it was a trap! For Jesus to have answered it would have been folly, so like a skillful politician he evades the question. Most of the issues that…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 … “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit…” vs. 6 Paul hadn’t stayed long in Thessalonica. His preaching had been favorably received by some Gentile searchers but the Jews of the city had forced him to leave. He was worried that the word he had preached would be lost by those who had received it, and was overjoyed…
Daily Devotions
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 … “We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” vss. 2-3 This letter of Paul to the Thessalonians is the oldest section of the New Testament and gives a glimpse into the inner life and concerns of the earliest Greek followers of Jesus. As such,…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 96:1-9 … “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” vss. 4-5 Religious folks and American politicians regularly speak of God, but we can’t always figure out what they’re talking about. Sometimes the word seems to be thrown into conversations or speeches haphazardly, and is used in a way designed to make the speaker…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 45:5-7 … “I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.” vs. 7 We don’t know if Cyrus, the king of Persia, ever received the message that the Lord sent him through the prophet. If he did, there’s little chance he took note of it–the gods of Persia were likely sufficient for his purposes. But since the time of Cyrus millions of people have taken note of these words–and…
Daily Devotions:
Isaiah 45:1-4 …“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates shall not be closed:” vs. 1 Jerusalem was conquered in about 587 BCE and the leading families were taken into exile in Babylon across the Euphrates River. In 539 BCE the Babylonian Empire was conquered by Cyrus, the leader of the Persians, one of…