'faith' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight.” vss. 6-7 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Paul told the people in the Corinth house church that when he died he would be at home with the Lord. He’s not alone in expressing that sentiment. In fact, there are many among us who believe the same thing. Like Paul they have…
Daily Devotions
Thus says the Lord God: I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.” vs. 22 Ezekiel 17:22-24 Ezekiel knew the sorry saga of Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem. He was familiar with the king’s futile attempt to make a treaty with Egypt. He’d likely been part…
Daily Devotions
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” vs. 16 2 Corinthians 4:13-16 Even as the apostle Paul grew older and became more aware of his physical limitations he never once told the Corinthians that he was staying away from carbs, counting his steps, or going to the gym for strength training. But he does tell them that his inner nature was being renewed day by…
Daily Devotions
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 130 If, by the grace of God, we have reached a point in life where we have given up on the folly of blaming others and are able to humbly confess our own sinfulness we are still left with the burden of our iniquities. We can even find ourselves so close to the bottom…
Daily Devotions
They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” vs. 8 Genesis 3;8-10 The second creation story in Genesis 2 paints a picture of an idyllic world in which humans lived in harmony with God and nature. Of course those who told this story knew that this wasn’t the…
Daily Devotions
One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’” vss. 23-24 Mark 2:23-28 There was a time when faith communities encouraged believers to observe the Sabbath by refraining from work on Sundays. Obviously there were some things that needed to be done, e.g. taking care of livestock and preparing…
Daily Devotions
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” vss. 8-9 2 Corinthians 4: 8-13 Paul and his friends did not have an easy time of it as they brought the good news of Jesus to the cities of Greece and Asia Minor. Their message seemed to always stir controversy and they endured beatings and arrests wherever they went. But they never lost heart. They were…
Daily Devotions
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” vs. 7 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 Blind auditions have become standard in symphony orchestras as they seek replacements for vacant chairs. Candidates play their instruments from behind a curtain and are hidden from those making the decisions. Presumably this eliminates bias in the selection process. Some might wonder if a similar method could…
Daily Devotions
Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.” vss. 8-9 Psalm 81:6-10 When the people of Israel gathered for worship they were regularly admonished by their leaders to avoid worshiping foreign gods. This was a particular problem for the Hebrews because the Lord, their god, was invisible! There was no statue that could be…
Daily Devotions
Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day. For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 81:1-5 Each year the Israelites celebrated a number of festivals to mark the passing of the seasons and their special relationship to God. This psalm was likely used at Rosh Hashanah, a new year lunar holiday that included temple worship and that was marked by the blowing of…
Daily Devotions
Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” vss. 12-13 Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Of all the commandments that made the Top Ten in Israel’s scripture, the one establishing the Sabbath day as holy has arguably received the most attention and caused the most controversy. The commandment itself is direct, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work,” but the problems arose as…
Daily Devotions
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” vs. 16 John 3:13-17 Most people have at least a passing familiarity with this most famous verse from John’s gospel. Even those who don’t know the words can recall having seen the chapter and verse. With that kind of notoriety, it’s unlikely that we’re going to discover anything new in its words. This…