Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 221)
Daily Devotions: January 5, 2018
Mark 1:4-8 “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” vs. 8 Not much was going on in Nazareth, a sleepy hamlet just west of the Sea of Galilee, during the years that Jesus made it his home. Most of the action was happening in Judea and particularly in the area around the Dead Sea. A group called the Essenes had gathered in the wilderness at a place we call Qumran and had…
Daily Devotions: January 4, 2018
Acts 19:1-7 “Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’” vs. 3 When we read the little vignettes from the life of Jesus that we find in the gospels we tend to think we’re getting the whole story, and really we’re not! Those were traumatic and confusing years and tensions were rising in the Holy Land. There was a lot of movement as Jews begun to search for safety and stability…soon there were pockets…
Daily Devotions: January 3, 2018
Psalm 29:6-11 “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” vs. 3 During the last couple of days we’ve probably heard the traditional New Year greeting dozens of times. After all when a new calendar year rolls around it’s customary to express best wishes for the weeks and months ahead…and many times our words sound like those of the psalmist. We say “Happy New Year” and pray that God will give strength…
Daily Devotions: January 2, 2018
Psalm 29: 1-5 “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” vs. 4 When we consider the attributes of God our choice of descriptive words is all over the map. So much depends upon our God definitions and God experiences. Many in our age don’t see things in the course of their daily experiences that bring God to mind…God for them is more of an idea or a concept and not a…
Daily Devotions: January 1, 2018
Genesis 1:1-5 “God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” vs. 5 Well, it’s here! A new year stretches out in front of us with 365 brand new days for our use and enjoyment. It’s a time for resolutions and planning…maybe a diet or exercise regime. Or perhaps there’s an adventure awaiting! We could even have a plan for improving relationships or making a change in…
Daily Devotions: December 31, 2017
Luke 2:36-40 “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” vs. 40 When we consider all that has been written about Jesus, it’s sometimes startling to realize that we know very little about him. We have accounts of his ministry from his baptism until his death, at most a year or so, but, aside from a brief paragraph in Luke, there’s nothing at all about his life before then. We know…
Daily Devotions: December 30, 2017
Luke 2:22-35 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation…” vss. 29-30 According to witnesses, as Martin Luther lay dying in Eisleben, the town of his birth, he repeated these words from Simeon’s song over and over. After a long (for those days) and tumultuous life he yearned for the peace that he knew death would bring. In Luke’s story Simeon sings because after a lifetime of waiting…
Daily Devotions: December 29, 2017
Galatians 4:4-7 “And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” vs. 5 As we continue our Christmas celebration of Jesus’ birth these words from Paul remind us of what that birth actually means for our daily existence. He’s writing to Jews living in the Roman province of Galatia and wants them to know that what happened in Jesus has given them adoption as children of God. They are no…
Daily Devotions: December 28, 2017
Psalm 148:7-14 “Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!” vss. 7-8 Because everything was connected the psalmist couldn’t imagine any part of the creation that couldn’t praise the Lord…even snow and frost! What a blessing it is to have such an expansive view of the universe! Even those of us who are hunkered down in blankets and warm clothes in protection against sub-zero weather…
Daily Devotions: December 27, 2017
Psalm 148:1-6 “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!” vss. 3-4 The psalmist was full of joy and was searching for ways to offer thanks and praise to God. His words reveal a connection that many have last as populations abandon the soil in favor of concrete jungles and high-rise buildings. As we continue to lose ourselves in our Google searches and smart-phone connections we move…
Daily Devotions: December 26, 2017
Isaiah 61:10-62:3 “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.” vs. 1 In recent weeks we’ve been reading about the city of Jerusalem and the controversy that has erupted over whether it should be recognized as the capital of Israel, given that it is also the most important city in the Palestinian territories. Of course this isn’t…