'Faithful' Tagged Posts

'Faithful' Tagged Posts

Daily Devotions

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 23 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 This is a tough time of year for us to be worrying about being pure and blameless in the eyes of God. Temptations abound, and we are faced with an endless stretch of eating, drinking, and buying that is unparalleled at other times of the…

Daily Devotions

Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” vs. 33 Mark 13:32-37 The emphasis on keeping alert in the apocalyptic teaching of Jesus is puzzling to some. They wonder why it’s so important to keep awake, and why the sleeping would be excluded when the faithful are gathered into the kingdom. We’d expect that if the Lord returns in clouds with multitudes of accompanying angels there’d be such a stir that even the dead would…

Daily Devotions

Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.” vs. 18 Jeremiah 15:15-18 Jeremiah had been called to be a prophet of God and he had accepted the call. He would call the people of Jerusalem to repentance and to turn from their idolatrous ways. He devoured the words the Spirit laid on his heart and then discovered that no one paid the least bit…

Daily Devotions

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” vs. 28 Romans 8:26-30 Those who pray and meditate regularly know that there are times when the problems of this broken world pile up for us, and prayer becomes difficult. We don’t particularly know what to pray for, and the words we do choose seem repetitive and trite. Paul knew those feelings from his own life, and knowing that…

Daily Devotions

And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” vs. 3     John 17:1-5 It’s not unusual for believers to think of eternal life as the new life that awaits them after death. And sometimes they then wonder what they’ll be doing with all that time on their hands. After all, singing in a great heavenly chorus could be fun for a while, but imagine doing it for all…

Daily Devotions

The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame…” vs. 7 Isaiah 50:4-9a The prophet had been called by God to offer words of encouragement and comfort to the weary exiles in Babylon, and he had been a faithful servant. He had taught the people and listened to their laments and complaints day after day, and they did not…

Daily Devotions

He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” vss. 2-3 Isaiah 49:1-4 In spite of external appearances like the destruction of Jerusalem and the ensuing captivity in Babylon, the prophet continued to believe that Israel would one day bring glory to God.…

Daily Devotions

The saying is sure: ‘If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.’” vss. 11-13 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Being a Christian in the first century was a dicey experience. To be a believer was often dangerous. Persecutions and imprisonments were common. Leaders like Paul and others faced an…

Daily Devotions

So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’” vs. 10  Luke 17:7-10 Most people love affirmation and appreciate thanksgiving for the work that they have done, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Many times, followers of Jesus discover that there’s not much reward in their labors of love. They give themselves heart and soul to a good cause and no…

Daily Devotions

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’” vss. 2-3 Acts 11:1-10 Oh how hard it is for the community of faith to actually practice inclusion! In Peter’s day the circumcised believers found it impossible to believe that the uncircumcised could be included among the faithful. When word came to them that Peter had been seen having table fellowship with Gentiles, they were appalled…

Daily Devotions: October 10, 2019

October 10, 2019 For full passage click: 2 Timothy 2:8-13 … “…if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” vs. 13 People in the early church firmly believed that those who die with Christ will also live with him. That phrase shows up in early hymn fragments and was probably recited at baptismal rituals. But they also believed and taught that if they were faithless, Christ would remain faithful. This simple teaching was at the core…

Daily Devotions: August 21, 2018

August 21, 2018 Joshua 24:16-18…“Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods…therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’” vss. 16, 18b As they entered the land of Canaan the people of Israel were positive and optimistic. In their enthusiasm, they quickly endorsed Joshua’s challenge and said that they, too, would serve the Lord. Of course that’s not how it worked out. They didn’t realize…