'kindness' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’” vss. 7-8 Psalm 2 Many of the psalms in the Hebrew scriptures were “Royal Psalms” and were composed for special occasions like the coronation of a king. This psalmist imagines a dialogue in which the Lord promises that the…
Daily Devotions
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” vss. 14, 16 Matthew 5:12-16 There is a power in these words from Jesus that goes beyond human understanding, and we can only begin to grasp their significance as we realize that Jesus is talking about the light…
Daily Devotions
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” vs. 8 Micah 6:6-8 Sometimes folks act as though they’re confused about how they ought to live out their lives on this blue orb. On one hand this is understandable. There are a bunch of options out there, and it’s not always easy to choose among them. But…
Daily Devotions
For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love…” vs. 8 Philemon 1:8-9 Paul has a favor to ask of his friend Philemon, a leader of the congregation at Colossae. Philemon’s runaway slave, Onesimus, a new Christian, has become a companion to Paul in prison. Paul would like Philemon to welcome Onesimus back as a brother in Christ and to…
Daily Devotions
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.” vs. 4 Psalm 112:1-4 Even though the world seems to be overrun with greedy and deceptive liars and rascals, the psalmist insisted that there was another side to the picture. He observed that there was a vast cadre of folks who lived according to the precepts of the law and who brought light to dark places. On our better days, when our eyes…
Daily Devotions
As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs.” vs. 27 Luke 8:26-31 Many of the homeless who can be seen in the streets of our cities suffer with various forms of mental illness. Some find refuge in shelters but many simply wander, looking for food and begging, and often being a…
Daily Devotions
Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” vs. 12 John 14:12-17 As John recounts Jesus’ words to his disciples during his last evening with them, he makes his wishes and intentions crystal clear. Jesus wants them to continue the works that he began, i.e., to announce good news to the poor, release…
Daily Devotions
I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” vs. 26 John 17:24-26 John 3:16 is familiar to Americans, and some even know what it says! It provides the premise behind the entire gospel of John, “For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son….” The gospel then continues with a series of signs designed…
Daily Devotions
On either side of the river [of life] is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” vs. 2 Revelation 22:1-5 As he describes the river of life that flows through the holy city of his vision, John puts his finger on a truth that many will find compelling. Along its banks grows the tree of life, which not only…
Daily Devotions
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’” vs. 9 Acts 16:9-12 When Paul began his missionary journeys he didn’t have an outreach plan or an executive assistant. Guided by the Holy Spirit he flew by the seat of his pants, moving from one city to the next, totally dependent on the hospitality of strangers. Most often he would seek out the synagogues…
Daily Devotions
Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’” vs. 35 John 18:33-35 There are some differences in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and crucifixion, but they are in general agreement that the Romans were the ones responsible. John implies that Pilate had some sympathy for Jesus and wonders why charges had been brought. Since Pilate had a reputation for cruelty and…
Daily Devotions
He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.’” vss. 26-27 Mark 4:26-29 Even though we know that all people are in Christ, equipped with the Spirit of God, and designed to be the light of the world, most of the time we don’t quite know what is going on. And Jesus…
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