'Environment' Tagged Posts

'Environment' Tagged Posts

Daily Devotions

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 Jeremiah 28:7-9 Jeremiah was suspicious of the prophet Hananiah. It might well be true that Hananiah’s placating message was from the Lord–if so, they’d soon find out. But in Jeremiah’s experience the true prophets always called for repentance and change, and if our scriptures can be trusted, he was right!…

Daily Devotions

…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 Jeremiah 28:5-6 Jeremiah wasn’t the only prophet in Jerusalem in those years before its destruction. Hananiah also had a vision for the future, and his optimistic words were like candy to the ears of the people. Jeremiah…

Daily Devotions

For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’ For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.” vs. 8 Jeremiah 20:7-13 For the most part it’s wonderful to be a follower of Jesus, walk in the Way of Love, and share the good news with sad and lonely people. It does our heart good to see folks respond with thanksgiving to our message of mercy and…

Daily Devotions

Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet…” vss. 5-6 Psalm 8:5-9 As the psalmist meditated on the wonders of the universe and considered what place humans had in the whole scheme of things, he concluded that we are almost like gods on our planet. Crowned with glory and honor, humans have…

Daily Devotions

But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.” vs. 2a Malachi 4:1-2a Malachi, like other prophets in Judah, spoke of the coming Day of the Lord, a time in which God would rain down fire and destruction on evil-doers, while also preserving the righteous from any harm. We see that same prophetic discourse in these latter days as we look forward to a future that many believe is fraught with…

Daily Devotions

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” vss. 3-4 Psalm 8 The psalmist had never seen a picture from the Hubble Telescope; he didn’t have a clue about how old or immense the universe actually is. His conclusions were drawn completely from observations of the dark skies and years of contemplation.…

Daily Devotions

Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! … Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! … Young men and women alike, old and young together!” vss. 7-8, 10, 12 Psalm 148 The psalmist understood that all things have their origin in the Great Mystery, Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe, and that humans are a part of the web of…

Daily Devotions

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.” vs. 4 Psalm 98:1-4 We’re not sure what triggered the psalmist’s extravagant hymn of praise to the Lord–it was likely some celebration of God’s special relationship to the house of Israel. But what catches our attention is his sense of the close connection between the Lord and the creation. We get that same feeling every year as we continue our celebration of…

Daily Devotions

When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” vs. 16 Genesis 9:8-17 Humans have a hard time wrapping their heads around the notion that all living creatures have a divine connection. Generally we understand ourselves as being the center of the universe and give little thought to the thousands of other species that also inhabit this beautiful blue…

Daily Devotions: December 9, 2019

December 9, 2019 For full passage click: Isaiah 35:1-4  … “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.” vss. 1-2a As Isaiah looked for the restoration of Israel, he knew that heaven and nature would sing for joy, and that blossoming flowers would abound. What he says is the absolute truth! Humanity is inextricably linked to the land, and what…

Daily Devotions: November 13, 2019

November 13, 2019    For full passage click: Psalm 98:6-9 … “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord…” vss. 7-9a The Psalmist understood that all creation had been called into being by a word from God. So when he talks about making a joyful noise to the Lord he naturally assumes that…

Daily Devotions: June 13, 2019

June 13, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 8:5-9 …“Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet…” vss. 5-6 The ancient Hebrews believed that, in spite of their universal insignificance, God had given humans dominion over all things that lived on the earth. We can certainly understand the logic of their reasoning—at…
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