'faith' Tagged Posts (Page 19)
Daily Devotions
Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.” vs. 2 1 John 3:2-3 John leaves room for mystery in our future. We don’t yet know what we one day will be, but what we do know is that right now, today, we are God’s beloved children. For most that will…
Daily Devotions
O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.” vss. 8-9 Psalm 34:1-10, 22 Today is All Saints Day, the festival set aside for remembering those who have moved from this life to the next, the ones who are said to rest from their labors. We all have memories of such persons, and sometimes our thoughts…
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 From the beginning many more people have been attracted to Jesus than have actually remained with him. It was true during his Galilean ministry, and it remains true today. The most typical example can be found in the hundreds of crusades…
Daily Devotions
For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” vs. 28 Romans 3:25-28 Paul is clear that all are made righteous by grace, the free gift of God in Christ Jesus, but he also wrote that each person is made righteous by faith, and sometimes this confuses us. We’re forever trying to remember if justification is by grace through faith or by faith through grace. It’s hard to keep it straight, and…
Daily Devotions
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24 Romans 3:19-24 For Paul it was obvious. Since we’re all sinners no person could ever be made righteous by obedience to the law. At its best all the law can do is make us aware of our sin–so if we truly want to…
Daily Devotions
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” vss. 6-7 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 It’s easy for congregations to begin to think of the church in narrow and parochial terms. A pastor gathers a community of believers who begin to worship and who then organize themselves in councils…
Daily Devotions
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” vs, 7 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 Prayer is one of those great mysteries that are a part of our life in Christ. Most people, even those with minimal faith, use it at one time or another to make their requests known to God, particularly if it’s a matter of life or death. Many have it as a part of their daily routine and use it…
Daily Devotions
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” vs, 7 Psalm 96:1-9 To his credit, the psalmist did not consider the Lord to be Israel’s national God. Even though there was a temple in Jerusalem, there was no statue of the Lord to be found there. The God of Israel was also the God of the nations, and the psalmist dreamed of a day when all the families of the peoples would…
Daily Devotions
But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.” vss. 11-12 Matthew 21:11-14 Matthew really didn’t need to add this little addendum to Jesus’ parable. Up to this point the story was straightforward and blunt, and it had a happy ending–the banquet hall was filled. But now…
Daily Devotions
…while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.” vss. 6-7 Matthew 22:1-10 In this parable Jesus tells about a king who issued invitations to the wedding banquet of his son, and how some who received the invitation actually responded by mistreating and killing the messengers. In his story the king was enraged, sent troops, and destroyed the murderers and their city. As…
Daily Devotions
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” vs. 8 Philippians 4:6-9 Paul’s final admonition to the Philippians is worthy of our attention, and many would reply to it with an “Amen.” It is important to focus our thoughts on those things which are uplifting and edifying–it’s a good way to…
Daily Devotions
For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.” vs. 4 Isaiah 25:1-5 As a prophet Isaiah regularly took the people of Israel to task for behaviors unbefitting the people of God. He pointed out their sin and called them to repentance, but those words of judgment should not imply that he believed God to be angry and vengeful. Indeed, Isaiah…