'faith' Tagged Posts (Page 5)
Daily Devotions
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” vs. 34 John 13:33-35 As it began to be obvious to the disciples that Jesus was going to be leaving them, there was undoubtedly anxiety in their hearts. How could they possibly get along without him? He was their glue. It was because of him that they had come together. Without him wouldn’t they separate and…
Daily Devotions
When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified;’” vs. 31 John 13:31-33 As John wrote his gospel, he treated the departure of Judas from the Passover meal as a sign that the end of Jesus’ brief ministry was near. Death was just around the corner. Jesus knows this but there is no sign of panic and no admission of failure. On the contrary Jesus speaks of this ending…
Daily Devotions
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” vss. 27-28 John 10:25-30 Some of us know the hymn “Blessed Assurance” well. It was a favorite at camps and revivals and was regularly sung in many congregations. The tune is familiar and easy to sing, and many can recall its opening lyrics: “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, Oh what…
Daily Devotions
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’” vs. 24 John 10:22-24 Jesus had gotten the attention of large numbers of people in the course of his ministry, and some believed him to be the messiah. But others, even those who had heard and seen the same things, wanted more proof. They had no patience with mystery and wanted a definitive word…
Daily Devotions
And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” vs. 5 Revelation 22:1-5 Occasionally people will fall into an illness which brings them to the brink of death. Doctors will advise family and friends that there is nothing more that can be done, that their loved one is in a coma from which there is likely no return. And…
Daily Devotions
But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” vs. 31 John 20:24-31 Those who read the gospel of John are regularly puzzled by his account of Jesus’ ministry and life. Often the details seem exaggerated and many of his stories aren’t even included in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. No wonder some end up identifying with Thomas –…
Daily Devotions
The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.” vs. 14 Psalm 118:14-16 It’s fitting that a psalm of praise and triumph be assigned to this week following Easter, our great festival of life and resurrection. The psalmist, writing in celebration, loudly proclaims his trust in the Lord. Because of that strong faith he has come to see the Lord as his strength and his might, the source of his salvation. Typically we become conscious of that confidence…
Daily Devotions
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…” vs. 1 Hebrews 12:1-3 The writer to the Hebrews couldn’t help but admire the faithfulness of the great company of saints who had come before him. In his book they were nothing less than remarkable and he found their courage inspiring.…
Daily Devotions
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.” vs. 9 Psalm 71:1-14 We should not be surprised to see a psalm written by an old person who is not feeling particularly good about having moved into the “golden” years. After all, old people have been around for a long time and pretty much all of them have the same laments about their declining strength and loss of status.…
Daily Devotions
But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.” vss. 14-15 Psalm 31:9-16 The psalmist doesn’t specify which terrors were plaguing him at this period of his life. It could have been almost anything: illness, persecution, depression, aging. The list of those things which bring us to our knees in the course of a lifetime is endless. But we do know that he…
Daily Devotions
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea … Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them…” vss. 1, 5 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Paul certainly was no Pollyanna. He knew from Hebrew history that most of the people of Israel, rescued from slavery in Egypt, had fallen away from the faith by the time they left the wilderness. Therefore he does not…
Daily Devotions
Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 63 In recent years the writers of praise songs have discovered the richness of the psalms and have used their lyrics in hundreds of their hymns. These two verses from Psalm 63 make up the entirety of the praise song, Thy Loving Kindness, and…