'grace' Tagged Posts (Page 11)
Daily Devotions: March 5, 2020
March 5, 2020 Romans 4:13-17 … For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us)…vs. 16 Paul was writing to a community in Rome that included both Gentile and Jewish followers of Jesus Christ, and he was thrilled to…
Daily Devotions: February 29, 2020
February 29, 2020 Romans 5:12-19 … “Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.” vs. 18 In Paul’s estimation, the Gospel can be understood logically. Just as Adam’s sin led to condemnation for all, so Jesus’ righteous act leads to life for all! In his mind, it’s as simple as that! Now we might find good reasons to argue with Paul’s syllogism, but there’s a…
Daily Devotions: December 23, 2019
December 23, 2019 For full passage click: Titus 2:11-14 … “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly…” vss. 11-12 There are some who don’t like the idea of universal salvation. They prefer a theological system that distinguishes between the lost and the saved, and that promises a fiery end for those who are unbelievers.…
Daily Devotions: December 20, 2019
December 20, 2019 For full passage click: Romans 1:5-7 … “To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 7 Pastors love Paul’s greeting to the Romans and many begin their sermons echoing his words, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” What more could we possibly want for one another than grace and peace!…
Daily Devotions: December 13, 2019
December 13, 2019 For full passage click: James 5:9-10 … “Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!” vs. 9 James was fed up with the grumbling among the local followers of Jesus and he wasn’t above using scare tactics to straighten them out. He mentions that the Judge is near at hand and if they don’t want to be judged, they should stop the squabbling.…
Daily Devotions: October 4, 2019
October 4, 2019 For full passage click: 2 Timothy 1:8-14 … “This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” vss. 9b-10 The message proclaimed by Paul was centered–not on the works of our hands–but on the grace and the power of God. What’s amazing is the conviction of…
Daily Devotions: September 12, 2019
September 12, 2019 For full passage click: 1 Timothy 1:12-14 … “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” vss. 13b-14 While some question whether Paul actually wrote the letters to Timothy that are attributed to him, there’s little doubt that they give us valuable information about his background and call. Because of his strong religious convictions, he…
Daily Devotions: September 11, 2019
September 11, 2019 For full passage click: Psalm 51:6-10 … “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.” vs. 8 Because we have been created in the image of God for goodness sake, we cannot help but feel terrible when we miss the mark and become conscious of sin’s ugly presence. The experience of sinning leaves us with a heavy weight on our hearts and sometimes the guilt comes close to crushing our spirits.…
Daily Devotions: September 9, 2019
September 9, 2019 For full passage click: Exodus 32:7-14 … “And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.” vs. 14 In this little story from Exodus, it appears that the Lord has flipped a gasket over the idolatrous behavior of the Israelites in the wilderness, and is ready to wipe them all out. Moses, aware of the Lord’s anger, has to use his best debating skills to avert disaster. What stands…
Daily Devotions: July 17, 2019
July 17, 2019 Psalm 15:1-2 … “O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart…” vss. 1,2 For better or for worse, people have high expectations of those who claim to be in a loving relationship with God and who take time each week for worship. Even non-churchgoers sense that such folks should be living exemplary lives and…
Daily Devotions: May 31, 2019
May 31, 2019 For full passage click: Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 …“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.” vs. 17 At the heart of the book of Revelation, mysterious and obscure as it may be, there is a strong and consistent emphasis on grace. Christ Jesus freely offers the water of life to everyone…
Daily Devotions: February 8, 2019
February 8, 2019 To read full passage click: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 …“For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” vs. 9 Paul occasionally drops autobiographical material into his writings, and what he says about himself usually corresponds to what we read about him in Acts. Initially, he had no love for the church and actively participated in the persecution of its members. All that changed with his…