'faith' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Psalm 103:8-13..“As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.” vs. 13 Scripture regularly uses the metaphor “father” to describe the relationship of God to humanity. And because most people have extensive experience with fathers, the metaphor is useful. Here the psalm describes God’s compassion as being like that of a father for his children, and, because we may have experienced a father’s compassion, we have a general sense of what…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 18:18-20..“Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” vs. 19 Because some passages in the bible are obscure, they have been subject to a variety of interpretations. This verse, for example, has led to the belief that if two people agree completely on any prayer request, it’s going to happen! God will do it for them, no questions asked! It…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 18:15-17..“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” vs. 15 Matthew is likely thinking of his own community of believers as he recalls these words of Jesus about reconciliation. Because life is communal it’s been natural for humans to find their identity as families, clans, tribes, and nations. So when the Spirit called the…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 16:24-28…“For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose theirlife for my sake will find it.” vs. 25 While these challenging words of Jesus have sparked countless debates among his followers, they also touch on the essential teachings of all the major religions. Humans know intuitively that the divine spark is the essence of life and that it resides in the heart of every person. Through the centuries authentic spiritual leaders from many…
Daily Devotions
Romans 12:9-13…“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” vss. 12-13 After giving the Roman faithful a healthy dose of doctrine and complex legal arguments Paul moves on to what seems to be the core of his message. He wants them to know what is really important for their community of faith, and it isn’t having proper theology! What counts is the cohesiveness of their little congregation…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 26:1-8…“Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and mind.” vss. 1-2 This psalmist has the utmost confidence in his own righteousness. If there were any entrance requirements for temple worship, he has no doubts about passing the test. He is a man of integrity and has nothing to hide from the Lord. There is no question…
Daily Devotions
Jeremiah 15:15-18..““Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.” vs. 16 Jeremiah was called to be a prophet about 627 B. C., during the reign of King Josiah. At first he had resisted the call and claimed to be too young, but ultimately as this verse indicates, the Lord’s words became to him a…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 16:17-20..“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” vs. 18 The disciples had likely seen the temple of Pan at Caesarea Philippi, and had marveled at the water gushing out of the grotto on which it stood. According to one of the legends attached to this wonder of nature, because the ancients didn’t have a clue where all the water was…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 15:27-28…“Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” vs. 28 Periodically in the course of Jesus’ ministry he encountered faith in the most surprising people, and it always impressed him. This pagan woman had irritated his disciples with her loud cries for assistance, and she’d even gotten under his skin a bit, but when she followed up his put- down with a clever…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 15:21-24…“Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all.” vss. 22-23a It’s not clear why Jesus entered into Gentile territory with his disciples. It could be that he simply wanted time away from the crowds that were following him everywhere that he went. He doesn’t seem to have been interested in ministry…
Daily Devotions
Romans 11:30-32…“For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” vs. 32 While Paul is to be cherished and admired for his remarkable apostolic ministry, we can’t help but wish that his writings were easier to understand. Sometimes we have particular difficulty as he explains his insights on God’s relationship to the Jews. He obviously cared deeply about his people, and wanted to clarify their place in salvation history. The problem is that the…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 14:28-33…“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’” vs. 31 Whatever else might be said of Peter, Matthew wants us to know that he didn’t shy away from a challenge. When Jesus told him to get out of the boat and walk on the water, he actually did it. And what we often forget is that he was successful! He was able to imitate Jesus, and did…