'faith' Tagged Posts (Page 16)
Daily Devotions
He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’” vs. 5 Acts 9:4-6 Saul was a proud practicing Jew. He had studied the precepts and the commandments of the Law since his youth and believed that it gave the Jews an advantage over the other religions of the time. It was a moral code that covered every part of life; nothing was left unregulated. Worship in the temple was at the core of…
Daily Devotions
For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.” vs. 10 Psalm 31:9-16 We don’t know what was going on with the psalmist, he doesn’t give any details about whatever it was that had been tormenting him. We can only imagine–and make some guesses based on our own periods of dismal existence as we’ve made our way from spring to winter in the course of…
Daily Devotions
Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.” vs. 5 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Paul was anxious to remind the Corinthians that just because they were baptized and gathered regularly for Holy Communion they didn’t need to worry about leading lives pleasing to God. He points out that their Hebrew ancestors had all passed through the sea and had eaten manna in the wilderness and had still managed to screw up…
Daily Devotions
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” vss. 13-14 Psalm 27:9-14 Sometimes as we read the psalms it seems as though the writer of a particular psalm was living under the proverbial black cloud. There were enemies on every side and even family members could not be trusted. Everywhere the psalmist turned it seemed…
Daily Devotions
And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” vs. Genesis 15:1-6 Abram is a significant figure for both Jews and Muslims. Both religions point to him as a mighty Semetic patriarch, some would say the first quasi-historical figure to appear in the ancient stories of scripture. He was born in the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia but began a nomadic search for a new homeland, traveling through most of the Middle East in…
Daily Devotions
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’’ vs. 12 Luke 4:9-14 Jesus had already received affirmation of God’s love following his baptism. It was an experience that he could never forget–and now a voice was telling him to ask for more, just in case he’d misunderstood the first time. We know what that’s like. As humans it’s never enough to be told something once, and if our lover has said “You’re…
Daily Devotions
Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” vss. 15-16 2 Corinthians 3:12-16 As a well-educated Jewish scholar Paul knew the scriptures well and had committed many sections to memory. In his letter to the Corinthians he refers to a mysterious passage from Exodus and, like any good preacher, interprets it in a way that gives insight to what they have experienced.…
Daily Devotions
Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” vs. 11 John 2:6-11 As we move through the season of Epiphany we are being treated to a passages from our scriptures that show a number of “eureka” moments in the lives of Jesus and his disciples. These are the times when, out of the blue, new and life-changing insights and revelations flash into our consciousness. Even though…
Daily Devotions
You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11 Psalm 16:6-11 Even though God is always at hand and the divine marker is in our DNA, many are blind to those indicators and live in what seems a totally random religious pattern. They follow one god for a season and then another, and often end up worshiping at the altar of materialism–always a good…
Daily Devotions
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32 John 8:31-33 There are countless people in our world who have, at one time or another in their lives, made some sort of commitment to Jesus. Perhaps they went through the rite of baptism or confirmation, or maybe at a revival they made…
Daily Devotions
For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’” vs. 7 Jeremiah 31:7-9 It’s hard to determine the context of these verses, but it seems likely that they are part of an oracle that was proclaimed shortly after the leading families of Judah were taken to Babylon to live in exile. Not everyone was taken,…
Daily Devotions
Simon Peter answered him, ’Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’” vss. 68-69 John 6:62-69 From time to time members wander off and cease to be a part of a worshipping community. It could be that they’re burned out and want a break from heavy involvement–or maybe they’ve gotten upset, something that seems to happen with some frequency, especially…