'God' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry.” vss.10-4:1 Jonah 3:10-4:1 Jonah was called the reluctant prophet for good reason. He had no love for Assyria, the fierce enemy of Israel, and when God told him to go to Nineveh, the capital,…
Daily Devotions
Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” vs. 15 Romans 14:7-12 Most folks don’t seem to fear standing before the judgment seat of God. They either don’t care or they’ve come to understand the transition from life to death in a different way. Perhaps they now believe that in death they’ll be welcomed home by a…
Daily Devotions
As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.” vs. 13 Psalm 103:11-13 Even though God is beyond description and it’s really impossible for our puny minds to understand or comprehend the Divine Presence, we still have a need to use words in our conversation about God. As a result, humans have always used metaphors to try to communicate that which we sense is true about God. We lift them from…
Daily Devotions
He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” vs. 10 Psalm 103:8-10 Women’s gymnastics has become one of the favorite Olympic events and the semis and finals always show up on primetime television. We enjoy the grace and incredible athleticism of the gymnasts, and anxiously watch the performance of our favorites. There are always missteps and falls, sometimes there is paralyzing anxiety, and in the end only a few end up…
Daily Devotions
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20 Genesis 50:15-20 The date September 11, or more familiarly, 9/11, has an iconic quality to it, and,like December 7, 1941 for a prior generation, quickly brings back a whole flood of memories. Many can easily recount what they were doing on that Tuesday morning and can remember what it was like to…
Daily Devotions
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” vss. 9, 12-13 Romans 12:9-15 Life in community is not complicated, and after showering the Romans with theological background, Paul outlines some basic principles for dealing with brothers and sisters in Christ and offers his readers guidance that has stood the test of time. Any…
Daily Devotions
And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord.” vs. 20 Jeremiah 15:19-21 Jeremiah did more than his share of lamenting in his short but storied career as a prophet in Jerusalem. The royals had paid no attention to his warnings and oracles and he was lucky to have avoided…
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
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’” vs. 13 Matthew 16:13-17 There was a lot of speculation about Jesus during his ministry. There was a heightened sense of expectation among the people, and many were wondering if God had at long last sent his messiah. John the Baptist had garnered a good bit of attention, but now that he’d been arrested and killed,…
Daily Devotions
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” vs. 6 Isaiah 51:3-6 At first glance the prophet’s vision for his people seems horribly depressing, but as we think about what he means, a deep and comforting truth…
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
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.” vss. 6-7 Psalm 67:4-7 The psalmist is right! God has indeed blessed humanity with this incredible planet. Even though it had been around for billions of years before we arrived, it has been a garden of delights for humans and we have been blessed as our species has spread throughout the globe. We’ve…