Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 237)

Jeremiah 28:6-7 “As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” vs. 9 It would be nice if we could listen to a prophet and immediately know if that prophet is speaking the truth or only blowing smoke. That would make it a lot easier to make a decision about getting on the bandwagon or not. That was the problem folks…

Jeremiah 28:5-6 “And the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles.’” vs 6 The country of Judah had been invaded by Babylon and had become a vassal state. Jeremiah–who loved his people dearly–was a prophet of peace and had advised against foreign entanglements even before the invasion. But…

Matthew 10:32-39 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” vs. 34         Religious warmongers delight in this little verse from Matthew. “See,” they chortle in the face of those who devote their lives to the peace effort, “even Jesus advises his followers to take up the sword against their enemies.” They then go on to support increased military spending and the development of even more…

Matthew 10: 24-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” vss.29-31 As Jesus sent his disciples out on their mission he offered comfort by assuring them of God’s constant attention. Nothing that happened in their lives would be beyond God’s notice. If…

Romans 6:1b-11 “Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?” vss. 1b-2 Wherever people have heard the good news of God’s steadfast love and abundant grace, some have reacted by assuming that they were now free to do whatever they please, that there are no limitations for behavior. That attitude drove Paul to distraction and he took pains to remind his readers…

Psalm 69:16-18 “Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.” vs. 16 The psalmist didn’t know everything about God. His knowledge–like ours–was certainly limited, but he did believe that when things got tough God would deliver him from his adversaries. For faithful Israelites that was a given. From their perspective, they simply would not have survived as a people if God had not acted as their rescuer and redeemer. But…

Psalm 69:7-10 “It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” vs. 9 We can’t possibly know the particular reasons for the psalmist’s lament, but it seems evident that a controversy has arisen and he is being persecuted for standing with the Lord. He believes that he’s being insulted as the Lord’s surrogate, and it’s almost more than he can endure. That kind of treatment can come as…

Jeremiah 20:10-13 “O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.” vs. 12 There is much to admire in the prophet Jeremiah. He was a man of conviction and courage, and dared to speak the truth to power–even when it made enemies of his friends. Many of us can even resonate with his desire to see the Lord’s retribution…

Jeremiah 20:7-9 “O Lord, you have enticed me, and I was enticed; you have overpowered me, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.” vs. 7 Jeremiah was unhappy…and he blames the Lord. Somehow he had gotten talked into being a prophet and it wasn’t turning out well. Maybe he had thought his call would bring him enhanced status, that like a much-loved pastor he could bask in the love of his people.…

Matthew 10:1-8 “Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.” vs. 1 It didn’t take long for Jesus to figure out that he was going to need some help. The response to his ministry of healing was overwhelming and large crowds gathered in every village. His solution was obvious: he gave the twelve disciples authority to cast out demons and cure diseases…though he…

 Matthew 9:35-38 “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” vs. 36 As Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, proclaiming good news, and curing every disease and sickness, he was overwhelmed by the profound needs of the people. They came by the hundreds, almost more than he could deal with, and they reminded him of sheep without a shepherd. They were easy prey…

Romans 5:6-8 “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” vs. 8 It’s hard for us to truly believe that we are loved…even by those who are closest to us. Though they tell us again and again that we are precious and dear to them, there’s a little voice within that says, “Really? I don’t think so.” And if we have stuff on our conscience, things that we’ve done a…