Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 229)
Daily Devotions: October 1, 2017
Matthew 21:28-32 “‘Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” vs. 31 Jesus wants his followers to know that the kingdom of God is full of surprises, and that sometimes outsiders have a better grasp of the gospel than insiders. That same truth is regularly played out in our own…
Daily Devotions: September 30, 2017
Matthew 21:23-27 “When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’” vs. 23 The question of authority was huge for the chief priests and the elders and they had a right to grill Jesus about his credentials. He was speaking boldly about the kingdom of God and they were wondering whether his…
Daily Devotions: September 29, 2017
Philippians 2:9-13 “Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” vs. 12 Much has been made of the phrase, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” and theologians have had a field day trying to figure out just what this means. Is Paul tossing out grace and telling the good folks at Philippi that salvation…
Daily Devotions: September 28, 2017
Philippians 2:1-8 “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,” vs. 5 Paul’s deepest desire is that the faith community in Philippi be of one mind and in full accord…but even more than that, he wants their one mind to be the mind of Christ Jesus. It’s an amazing vision…and one that we struggle to live up to. But just imagine what it would be like if that aspiration became a reality! It would mean that…
Daily Devotions: September 27, 2017
Psalm 25:1-9 “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!” vs. 7 Like the psalmist, most of us can remember youthful escapades that we would just as soon forget. It’s a time when we’re breaking away from parental constraints and perhaps experimenting with alternative lifestyles. As John Ylvisaker’s song, Borning Cry, puts it, “we wander off to see where demons dwell.” Later on, as…
Daily Devotions: September 26, 2017
Ezekiel 18:25-32 “When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die.” vs. 26 There is a compelling logic to Ezekiel’s argument as he debates with the leaders of Judah about the reasons for the destruction of their country. God is not to blame for their captivity…it’s their own fault! When the righteous sin, they will die for it…they don’t wear a cloak of…
Daily Devotions: September 25, 2017
Ezekiel 18:1-4 “Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.” vs. 4 Within the pages of our scripture there is an underlying debate about whether children are punished for the sins of their parents. Verses can be found to support either position: Exodus says that God is jealous and punishes children to the third and fourth generation…
Daily Devotions: September 24, 2017
Matthew 20:11-16 “‘Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” vss. 15-16 The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard seems designed to provoke lifelong believers. The story Jesus tells is, by our standards, profoundly unfair. It undercuts all of our convictions about equal pay for equal work and would be bound to destroy…
Daily Devotions: September 23, 2017
Matthew 20:1-10 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.” vs. 1 The parables of Jesus are a fertile source of information about kingdom living. It’s not that they’re straightforward or easy to understand…many of them have twists that seem designed to obscure…at the very least they are cause for debate and conversation. The one about the laborers in the vineyard is certainly one of those.…
Daily Devotions: September 22, 2017
Philippians 1:27-30 “Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel,” vs. 27 Paul wants the community in Philippi to know that bearing the name of Christ carries with it a certain amount of responsibility. Accordingly, he…
Daily Devotions: September 21, 2017
Philippians 1:21-26 “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” vs. 21 Whatever we might think of Paul’s theological writings, there is no doubt that his personal faith testimony in passages like this one from his letter to the Philippians, continue to bring comfort and hope to millions. Here, in just a few words, he introduces a “can’t lose” attitude that perfectly reflects the serenity of life in Christ. As followers of Jesus we know that the future…
Daily Devotions: September 20, 2017
Psalm 145:1-8 “On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” vs. 5 Some people have an amazing ability to capture the beauty and the majesty of creation with their cameras. They have an eye for lighting and perspective and their photographs, whether of plants, animals, or landscapes, are breathtaking. And it’s more than having skill with a camera or knowing the proper speeds and settings. The artists who produce such pictures will have…