'Future' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” vs. 1 Isaiah 51:1-3 It’s sad when people seem to have no interest in those who have gone before them. History is often ranked as one of the least popular courses of study in school. Youth will say, “What’s the point of learning about people who lived hundreds of years…
Daily Devotions
For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” vs. 32 Romans 11:29-32 Paul knew that the Jews and Gentiles had nothing in common on the basis of their heritage or religious background. But what they did have in common was disobedience. All people are created good and are in the image of God, and all people are broken. To put it bluntly, all people are sinners! That’s what we have in common with…
Daily Devotions
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” vss. 24-25 Romans 8:19-25 Paul’s letter to the Romans is not easily understood. He pours out his heart and his convictions about the new life in Christ, and many times his arguments seem forced and repetitive. He knows that the Spirit of God…
Daily Devotions
…and the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles.’” vs. 6 Jeremiah 28:5-6 Jeremiah wasn’t the only prophet in Jerusalem in those years before its destruction. Hananiah also had a vision for the future, and his optimistic words were like candy to the ears of the people. Jeremiah…
Daily Devotions
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” vs. 9 1 Peter 2:6-10 As the age of denominationalism slowly grinds to an end, it’s easy to become discouraged. It’s not easy to accept that what we found so helpful and precious means virtually nothing to our children and grandchildren. But the extinction…
Daily Devotions
And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.’” vs. 8 Luke 21:5-9 The gospel of Luke was likely written in the midst of what might be called apocalyptic times. Horrendous things were happening! Roman armies had been summoned to put down a Jewish rebellion and had devastated the country from one end to the other. Jerusalem…
Daily Devotions
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea.” vss. 1-2 Psalm 46:1-6 There are some in these latter days who do believe that climate is changing, but that humans have little if anything to do with it. They point to earth’s history and insist that the changes we see now are just a part of the…
Daily Devotions
If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord … then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess.” vs. 16 Deuteronomy 30:15-18 Our faith ancestors cherished the book of Deuteronomy, and rightly so! It was carefully crafted to describe how Israel should behave as a nation–it was like their constitution. In this section…
Daily Devotions
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” vs. 1 Revelation 21:1-4 Events of the past months have reawakened the fear of atomic war in the hearts of people. It seems that even in these “enlightened” times there are those who would willingly wreak havoc and destruction on their fellow human beings. Some believe that as weapons become more deadly, life…
Daily Devotions
And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” vs. 2 Revelation 21:1-3 Apocalyptic writings emerge in times of fear and dread, those moments when nations are on the move and catastrophes loom. It should be no surprise then, that our age teems with apocalyptic thinking. A glance at the trailers of current movies shows a huge interest in science fiction (the new apocalyptic) and…
Daily Devotions
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?” vs. 24 Romans 8:22-25 We regularly hear people of faith speak of the future with great confidence. It appears that they have no doubt that one day love will conquer and that evil will be defeated. They speak of peace on earth with great conviction, as though it’s going to be happening in just a few more years. And…
Daily Devotions
Mark 13:32-37 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” vss. 32-33 There’s just so much that we don’t know about the future. Oh, we can be pretty confident that the earth will continue to spin at least for the next day or so, and we’ll get to see at least a few more…