'grace' Tagged Posts (Page 14)
Daily Devotions
The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.” vs. 3 Psalm 122:1-3 Everyone who lived in Jerusalem was aware of the seemingly endless cycle of disasters that had been experienced by Israel. And the psalmist was no exception! Yet he chose to focus instead on the wonderful things that had been done for the people, and he was exuberant in his praise and expressions of joy. It’s wonderful when we can come to the point in our…
Daily Devotions
Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” vs. 12 Hebrews 4:12-16 There are times in our reading of scripture or in listening to a sermon, that some word or phrase absolutely nails the truth of who we are. We are pierced to the core and feel the righteous judgment of God…
Daily Devotions
But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” vss. 6-8 Mark 10:2-12 Through the millennia, as humans figured out how men and women should interact, polygamy was a logical option, one that became the standard for much of the world, including the patriarchs…
Daily Devotions
As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” vss. 8b-9 Hebrews 2:5-12 Psalm 8 had said that humans were created a little lower than angels and had been crowned with glory and honor. The…
Daily Devotions
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes…But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.” vss. 8, 12 Psalm 19:7-14 The psalmist loved the law–he found comfort and direction from its precepts and commandments. As he lived with it and learned obedience he experienced daily joy and enlightenment. But he also knew that he could do better! He knew in his heart that he wasn’t…
Daily Devotions
If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” vss. 15-16 James 2:14-17 Many followers of Jesus are familiar with the slogans, “grace alone, faith alone, and scripture alone.” But they’ve probably never ever heard anyone say, “works alone!” It seems a contradictory phrase, one that doesn’t…
Daily Devotions
I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” vs. 12 Exodus 16:9-15 As the Hebrews looked back on their time in the wilderness, their story centered on the ultimate graciousness of God. Even when they had complained to Moses and Aaron and wished they’d never been brought out of…
Daily Devotions
Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” vss. 8-9 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” might have been, though there’s certainly been plenty of speculation. Obviously it was…
Daily Devotions
But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,” vs. 6 2 Corinthians 12:2-7a It was not uncommon for people in Paul’s day to experience heavenly journeys. Often such persons claimed to have had great mysteries explained, which they then passed on to their followers. Paul…
Daily Devotions
She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’” vss.27-28 Mark 5:21-34 The woman’s condition made her ritually impure so she had a dual purpose in seeking out Jesus. She hoped that if she touched his clothes she would be both healed and cleansed. In our world we think of healing primarily in physical terms. We seek out…
Daily Devotions
For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.” vs. 10 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 We find great comfort in the persistent theme of grace in our scriptures. Because we don’t live as we ought, we love hearing that we have forgiveness in Christ, and that our guilt has been taken from us. We’re less excited in hearing about the…
Daily Devotions
And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’” vs. 5 Isaiah 6:5-8 Isaiah had caught a glimpse of God’s holiness, and became deeply aware of his own sin and inadequacy. And not only that, his eyes were opened to the fallen condition of his own people. Whatever he’d been trying to…