Daily Devotions by Steve Holm (Page 242)

1 Peter 1:17-20 “You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.” vss. 18-19 As the early followers of Jesus moved from place to place with the good news of forgiveness and life, those with a Jewish background used the language of sacrifice to describe what had happened on the cross.…

Psalm 116:12-19 “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” vss. 12-14 The psalmist knew that he owed the Lord big time for all the goodness that had come his way. He proposes to offer what sounds like a toast. He will lift the…

Psalm 116:1-4 “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” vss. 1-2 We’re out of Lent now, surrounded by Easter, and some of us are missing the psalms of lament. Misery loves company and it was strangely consoling to hear the psalmist complain about God and give voice to feelings of depression and forsakenness. But it’s Easter…

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” vs. 39 Peter and the other apostles knew one thing: the incredible promise of forgiveness that had been given them in Christ Jesus was meant to be shared! There would be no holding back. Those early followers used every means they could to pass on the good news, first for those within…

John 20:27-31 “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’” vs. 29 Thomas saw and believed, not through his own understanding or effort, but because the Risen Jesus came to him, and he was immediately convinced. It was like being hit over the head with a two by four…there wasn’t any consideration given to a continuance of doubt. From that point on he…

John 20:24-26 “So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’” vs. 25 There is an intensely personal dimension to faith. Just because someone has seen Jesus and come to believe, does not insure that those who hear the story will also…

John 20:19-23 “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” vs. 23                 According to John, after the resurrection, Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples and told them that they were the extension of his mission. Moreover it is clearly implied that forgiving sins would be their central activity, that nothing was more important. Through the years the church has taken this imperative seriously and…

1 Peter 1:3-9 “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” vss. 8-9 We believers are a curious lot. Although we never saw Jesus during his earthly sojourn, and even though we don’t now see him in the flesh, guided by the Spirit we…

Psalm 16:7-11 “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11 Sometimes we forget that we can get a powerful dose of gospel from the Old Testament, and today’s passage is a perfect example. What the psalmist describes here is nothing less than the resurrected life that we have in Christ Jesus. During the Easter season, we are regularly reminded that Jesus is alive and…

Psalm 16:1-6 “Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” vss. 1-2 Lent is over and Easter has begun. Through these next weeks, we’ll be reflecting on the shape of the resurrected life we have in Christ Jesus. Last Sunday it was good to come together for our annual Easter morning pep rally and sing the old familiar songs of triumph and…

Acts 2:14a, 22-33 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.” vs. 32 There are a lot of explanations for the rapid expansion of Christianity in the first century. Some credit Paul with developing a message that offered freedom and hope to God-seekers, and that appealed to both Jews and Gentiles. Without him, they say, no one would even remember that crucified rabbi from Nazareth. It’s interesting to consider such arguments but the true explanation…

Matthew 28:1-10 “Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” vs 7 Recent news has focused on the attempts of genetic researchers, funded by Silicon Valley billionaire entrepreneurs, to unlock the secrets of aging and make it possible for human beings to achieve immortality. At the very least they hope to extend our…