'hope' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days’ rise again.” vs. 31 Mark 8:27-33 Mark reports in his gospel that when the disciples tell Jesus that they believed he was the messiah; he gave them a glimpse of what was to come. There would be a period of great suffering and rejection and finally…
Daily Devotions
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.” vss. 9-10 James 3:6-12 As James continues his discussion of the tongue, he indicates that our use of it for both blessing God and cursing our neighbor is a travesty. And he’s right! And we would be hard-pressed to find…
Daily Devotions
Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’” vss. 63-69 John 6:63-69 In the end, when we’ve considered all the options and checked out all the alternatives, there are many who come to the same conclusion as Simon Peter. There just isn’t anything out there that can come close to offering anything better than the gospel…
Daily Devotions
Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.” vs. 14 Psalm 34:9-14 Most people have a curiosity about their ancestors. Some spend years in genealogical research to figure out their family tree. Others send in saliva samples to testing companies like 23andme or Ancestry to find out what an analysis of their DNA can tell them about…
Daily Devotions
To those without sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight.’” vss. 4-6 Proverbs 9:4-6 Every generation professes concern for succeeding generations, frequently castigating the young for their senseless and immature behaviors, even though we all know that foolishness is not the exclusive domain of that sector of the population. Folks of every age are susceptible to outrageous and childish…
Daily Devotions
Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table.” vss. 1-2 Proverbs 9:1-3 Many are familiar with the ode to the capable wife that is found in Proverbs 31 but some don’t like it very much. They claim that it perpetuates a patriarchal attitude toward women. That may be true, but it’s also true that Proverbs also implies that the source of…
Daily Devotions
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” vs. 29 Ephesians 4:25-29 During the election cycle it’s interesting to see how many politicians clamber to paint themselves with a Christian veneer. They make campaign speeches from the pulpits of churches, talk about their love for the bible, and claim that by their policies they will return…
Daily Devotions
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.” vs. 4 Psalm 23:4-6 There is a lot to be troubled about in our good but broken world. Even if we don’t believe in climate change, global warming cannot be denied, and we’re feeling its effects in a myriad of ways. The war in Gaza continues with little prospect of even a ceasefire agreement to…
Daily Devotions
Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” vs. 7 2 Corinthians 8:7-13 This psalmist wrote that the Lord had given him great prosperity, and that his wealth was a source of great stability. It’s a situation that many of us can identify with. Simply by virtue of where we live and an economy that multiplies portfolios even…
Daily Devotions
And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” vs. 41 Mark 4:39-41 Mark concludes this little story of the stormy sea with a question and his intention in using it is clear. Centuries before in Psalm 107 the psalmist had written, “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; he made the storm be…
Daily Devotions
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” vss. 28-29 Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 The seas have always held a fascination for those who lived along their shores. Thousands of years ago we discovered that the oceans held a great storehouse of food, fish of every kind, and we built boats and used nets to harvest their riches.…
Daily Devotions
So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight.” vss. 6-7 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 Paul told the people in the Corinth house church that when he died he would be at home with the Lord. He’s not alone in expressing that sentiment. In fact, there are many among us who believe the same thing. Like Paul they have…