'Bible' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” vs. 22 John 2:19-22 As he concludes the story of how an angry Jesus cleansed the temple precincts by chasing off the merchants and the moneychangers, the gospel writer John gives some clues about how the gospels were written. First he reminds us that it was after the resurrection that the disciples remembered…
Daily Devotions
And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear.” vss. 25-26 Matthew 14:22-26 This story of Jesus walking on the sea is both well-known and mystifying to believers. Thomas Jefferson found it unhelpful for the rational mind and did not include it in his cut-and-paste version of the New Testament. That inclination…
Daily Devotions
“The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” vs. 20 Psalm 145:14-21 When we read our scriptures we are tempted to take to heart the verses that we agree with and totally discount those with which we have issues. And we’re not alone. Nearly all people are adept at cherry picking as they study the bible, loving the parts that support positions they already hold, and ignoring those that don’t. The psalmist who…
Daily Devotions
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” vss. 1-2 Genesis 1:1-24 Many of those who take the words of the bible literally believe that the earth is only about 6,000 years old, and that it was created in six days in exactly the way described in Genesis 1. They hang…
Daily Devotions
First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” vss. 20-21 2 Peter 1:19-21 When we engage with our scriptures, it’s not unusual to struggle as we try to figure out what the various passages mean. Since we often speak of the bible as God’s Word, some believe that it…
Daily Devotions
Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.” vs. 14 2 Timothy 2:14-15 Religious folks love to wrangle over words, especially if they have been educated beyond their intelligence. We see it regularly in our congregations as people engage in ferocious debates over the different nuances of meaning in biblical verses. It would just be silliness if the results weren’t…
Daily Devotions: February 21, 2020
February 21, 2020 For full passage click: 2 Peter 1:19-21 … “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” vss. 20-21 Interpretation of Scripture is a notoriously difficult enterprise. Some say it can only be done reliably by trained and skilled biblical scholars, men and women who understand fully…
Daily Devotions: October 17, 2019
October 17, 2019 For full passage click: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 … “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” vs. 16 Those who hold that the Bible is the literal and infallible word of God, often point to this little verse as their proof-text. Sometimes they miss the obvious point that this text refers only to the Hebrew Scriptures–what we call the New Testament didn’t even exist when…
Daily Devotions: January 22, 2019
January 22, 2019 To read full passage click: Nehemiah 8:8-10 …“So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” vs. 8 The Bible isn’t an easy read. Written by scribes in different languages, reflecting the culture and family systems of ancient times, it provides a real challenge to all who struggle to figure it out. In fact, with 66 different books, each the product of…
Daily Devotions: January 21, 2019
January 21, 2019 To read full passage click: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6 …“all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.” vs. 1 It was a big day for Israel. The exiles had brought with them from Babylon, scrolls containing what was likely portions of the book of Deuteronomy, and Ezra the scribe arranged to have it…
Daily Devotions: December 29, 2018
December 29, 2018 To read full passage click: Luke 2:41-47 …“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” vs. 46 Among his sources, Luke found a story about the 12 year-old Jesus that has become one of the best known passages in his gospel. It describes the aftermath of a family trip to Jerusalem for the Passover. Mary and Joseph somehow lost track of him on the…
Daily Devotions: August 28, 2018
August 28, 2018 Deuteronomy 4:7-9…“But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—” vs. 9 It’s not unusual for the faith convictions of our early years to be eroded away by the passage of time. Some of us grew up in homes with parents who were…