'hope' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.” vss. 4-5 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 Like other followers of Jesus in the mid-first century Paul was looking for the Day of the Lord, which he understood as the imminent return of Jesus. But as he wrote to his friends in Thessalonica, he described…
Daily Devotions
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” vss. 1-2 Psalm 90: 1-6 From the beginning star-gazers have pondered the origins of the universe and have wondered how all things have come into being. Probably every ethnicity and ancient culture had their own perspectives on creation and early religious groups adopted these stories as a…
Daily Devotions
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” vs. 13 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 Paul seems to have believed in the imminent return of Jesus, (it’s a common theme of his early letters), and that he would not die before that happened. But as the years passed, people in the congregations he had started began to die, and their…
Daily Devotions
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” vs. 5 Psalm 70 Sometimes we get tired of waiting for the Lord! It’s nice to say to ourselves and to others, “Oh, I have plenty of time, and God has given me the gift of patience, so it doesn’t matter when my deliverer shows up.” That’s a good attitude to have, since it seems we spend…
Daily Devotions
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” vs. 10 Matthew 5:7-12 Jesus has already mentioned that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness sake will be blessed, but sometimes we forget just who those folks are. It’s the word righteousness that throws us off. We generally think of that in moralistic terms, but really these are the people who yearn for justice. They want the poor to be lifted up, they…
Daily Devotions
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.” vs. 32 Ezekiel 18:25-32 Bad things had been happening to the people of Israel and many of them had concluded that all of this was the Lord’s fault and that the Lord could not be trusted. Ezekiel reminded them that all the bad stuff that had happened in the life of the Israelites was their own fault. If they wanted a better…
Daily Devotions
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.” vs. 1 Romans 14:1-6 Some of the early followers of Jesus had become vegetarians because the meat available in the markets came from animal sacrifices at pagan temples. So as a matter of conscience they abstained from eating meat, and felt that others should do the same. Paul, who liked his steak medium rare, disagreed, but he was appalled that such a thing had…
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
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…
Daily Devotions
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.” vs. 3 Romans 9:1-5 Midway through his letter to the Romans, after having described justification by faith in excruciating detail, Paul offers a section on Israel’s election as the chosen people of God. He tells the church in Rome that it breaks his heart that so many of his kindred, according to the…
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
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth…” vss. 10-11a Isaiah 55:10-11 The prophet had made some bold promises to the exiles in Babylon. Speaking for the Lord, he tells them that they will return to their native land…