Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 151)
Daily Devotions: May 5, 2020
May 5, 2020 Psalm 31:1-5 … “Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.” vs. 2 Many of us have been fervent in our prayers over the last months, offering up petitions for ourselves and our families, praying both for protection and for healing. It’s a natural response to the rapid spread of disease and aligns with what the Psalmist was feeling. But there’s been an added…
Daily Devotions: May 4, 2020
May 4, 2020 Acts 7:55-60 … “But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him…” vss. 57-58a The crowd didn’t care what Stephen had to say, they only wanted to kill him–and so they did; and made Stephen famous as our faith’s first martyr. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the last! There is within certain segments of humanity a deep aversion to kindness…
Daily Devotions: May 3, 2020
May 3, 2020 John 10:6-10 … “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” vs. 9 For the people of Israel, the Shema prayer “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” was the core of their faith and was to be recited every morning and evening. Many put a parchment containing this verse from Deuteronomy 6:1 in a little cylinder called a mezuzah…
Daily Devotions: May 2, 2020
May 2, 2020 John 10:1-5 … “When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” vs. 4 We don’t particularly like to think of ourselves as sheep. We would prefer to believe that we are well-informed, intelligent individuals, who are perfectly capable of making up our own minds about matters of consequence. But in truth, we’re really sheep, and mostly dependent on the leadership of others…
Daily Devotions: May 1, 2020
May 1, 2020 1 Peter 2:22-25 … “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” vs. 24 In recent years there are many who have become uncomfortable with the traditional atonement theories. In particular, they don’t like the notion that Jesus took our punishment upon himself by dying on the cross, that somehow his death was the payment required for…
Daily Devotions: April 30, 2020
April 30, 2020 1 Peter 2:19-21 … “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.” vs. 21 The people to whom Peter was writing had a few big faith questions, and the big one is obvious: “Since they were living lives pleasing to God, why in the world were they suffering?” It’s a question we’re still living with some 2000 years later. When…
Daily Devotions: April 29, 2020
April 29, 2020 Psalm 23 … “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” vs. 5 If nothing else, our experiences over the last couple of months have taught us that we live in a dangerous world and, no matter how good our intentions, we can’t always control outcomes. Life is hard, and problems can come from most any direction at any time—some would even say…
Daily Devotions: April 28, 2020
April 28, 2020 Acts 2:46-47 … “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.” vss. 46-47a Initially, the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem did not imagine that they would be considered the founders of a new religion. They were very content within Judaism and made temple worship a part of their daily…
Daily Devotions: April 27, 2020
April 27, 2020 Acts 2:42-45 … “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” vs. 42 As places of worship have closed their doors through the course of this pandemic, leaders have regularly reminded believers that the Church has not been closed, and they’re one hundred percent correct. The Church has never been about steeples, sanctuaries, or classrooms, and Luke’s description in Acts remains accurate to this day. The Church…
Daily Devotions: April 26, 2020
April 26, 2020 Luke 24:24-35 … “Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” vs. 35 Some believers have reported that what they’re missing most in the physical distancing related to the current reaction to the spread of the corona virus is participation in Holy Communion. There are no shortages of worship services on YouTube and being live-streamed, but while it’s nice to check…
Daily Devotions: April 25, 2020
April 25, 2020 Luke 24:13-27 … “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” vs. 27 Luke makes it clear to his readers that the good news about Jesus was not self-evident even to his disciples after that fateful weekend in Jerusalem. Some women had spread the news of his continuing presence but their reports were not considered authoritative. What the early believers needed was some evidence that…
Daily Devotions: April 24, 2020
April 24, 2020 1 Peter 1:21-23 … “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.” vs. 23 Peter’s words to those early followers of Jesus were intended to give them encouragement and hope. They were a holy people, set aside by God to make a difference in the world. Their strength came not from their own merit or worthiness but as a gift from God through the Holy…