Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 173)
Daily Devotions: August 9, 2018
August 9, 2018 Ephesians 4:25-28…“Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.” vs. 28 There’s something delightfully naive about this verse from Ephesians. Usually the writers of scripture come down hard on sinners; thieves are given warnings to change behavior or face harsh consequences. But here there are no threats or condemnation, just a heartfelt admonition for thieves to stop stealing and…
Daily Devotions: August 8, 2018
August 8, 2018 Psalm 34:4-8…“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” vs. 8 There are a multitude of grocery stores and restaurants that advertise organic and natural foods. They’re seeking to profit on the recent surge of interest in what is called “clean eating,” the desire to avoid processed foods and eat only what is whole or natural. Such eaters assiduously read labels and try to find products that have…
Daily Devotions: August 7, 2018
August 7, 2018 Psalm 34:1-3…“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” vs. 1 Occasionally we will meet people who regularly include words of praise and thanksgiving in their conversation. They’ll say, “Praise God,” or “Thank you, Jesus,” without any hesitation or sense of irony. They really mean what they say and aren’t at all reluctant to give public testimony of their faith. Like the psalmist, they want to keep the praise…
Daily Devotions: August 6, 2018
August 6, 2018 1 Kings 19:4-8…“He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.” vs. 8 Elijah was on a pilgrimage of sorts. He’d gotten involved in a fierce struggle with Ahab, the king of Israel, and his pagan queen, Jezebel. Just when it seemed things were going well the tides shifted, and Jezebel focused her attention on revenge–she wanted Elijah dead.…
Daily Devotions: August 5, 2018
August 5, 2018 John 6:30-35…“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” vs. 35 As followers of Jesus, we are rightly involved in programs to address the massive hunger problems that our world faces. The food supply, even on our fertile and productive planet, is often in jeopardy, and no one quite knows what the effects of global warming will be…
Daily Devotions: August 4, 2018
August 4, 2018 John 6: 24-29…“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” vs. 27 Jesus was no fool. He knew that the crowds gathered at every stop because the people wanted something from him; mostly they were looking for healing but now they were also expecting to be fed.…
Daily Devotions: August 3, 2018
August 3, 2018 Ephesians 4:11-16…“The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” vss. 11-12 Sometimes when a congregation is involved in the call process and candidates are being considered for the position of pastor, there’s some confusion about what pastors should be expected to do. Suggestions are received from members and the resulting job…
Daily Devotions: August 2, 2018
August 2, 2018 Ephesians 4:1-10…“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” vss. 1-2 As holy and called followers of Jesus, we are to lead lives that reflect our calling. Of course we are saved by grace, but that can never be an excuse for careless and shameful living. There are standards…
Daily Devotions: August 1, 2018
August 1, 2018 Psalm 78:23-29“And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.” vs. 29 There were regular prayers of thanksgiving among the Israelites for the gracious provision of the Lord during their time in the wilderness. Those psalms and songs insured that they would never forget that they had been kept from starvation by the hand of God. And because that was true God would surely continue to keep them safe and provide for…
Daily Devotions: July 31 , 2018
July 31, 2018 Exodus 16:9-15…“When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.’” vs. 15 When the Israelites saw the flaky substance on the ground, they said, “Man hu,” which in Hebrew means, “What is it?” Their question sounds like “manna,” the word used to describe the life-sustaining bread provided by God…
Daily Devotions: July 30 , 2018
July 30, 2018 Exodus 16:2-4…“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.’” vs. 4 The story of the Exodus, Israel’s defining historical narrative, was passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Every child knew that their ancestors had been released from…