'Kingdom' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Psalm 145:14-21…“The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” vss. 17-18 Humans have had a dickens of a time describing God, something that is more easily understood when we take the testimony of scripture seriously. Writers there consistently describe God as being beyond understanding. That’s because there are no words in any language that can capture…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 13:44-52…“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” vs. 44 Jesus in this little parable appears to sanction what seems to be a shady real estate transaction. The treasure belonged to the owner of the field. For someone to stumble across it, hide it again, and then go buy the property doesn’t seem ethical. If…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 13:24-30…“But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest;’” vss. 29-30a Those who believe that God is going to deal with the problem of wickedness in the world by gathering the wicked on the last day and casting them into the flames of hell, love this parable. Since they presumably assume that they are the good seed, it must give them some…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 11:16-19…“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’” vss. 16-17 People love to criticize! They always have and likely always will. Jesus marveled at the folks he encountered in the course of his ministry. He and John the Baptist had a similar message, namely, “Repent, for the Kingdom…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 145:11-14…“The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” vs. 14 According to the scriptures, our world is both good and broken at the same time. That’s a truth we experience every day of our lives, And the psalmist tells us here that the One who brought this world into existence and who continues to sustain it, has a particular love for lifting up all who are falling and raising up all who…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 10:1-8…“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” vss. 5 6a Sometimes as we read the teachings of Jesus in the gospels, seeking to learn his will for our lives, we’re surprised to discover how deeply rooted he was in his Jewish heritage. Here for instance we read that when he sent his disciples…
Daily Devotions
But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.” vs. 18 Daniel 7:15-18 Daniel reported that his spirit had been troubled and that his dreams had terrified him. In other words, he had tossed and turned in bed much like we do after an evening of watching the events of the day recounted in all their gory detail. And if you have the nerve to take a deep…
Daily Devotions
Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’” vss. 3a, 4 Luke 16:1-9 Money talks! We all know it. Jesus knew it too. In this parable he shows how the dishonest steward used the power of money to secure his uncertain future. Even if he got…
Daily Devotions
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” vs. 56 Luke 12:54-56 The people in the crowds who gathered to hear Jesus teach were adept at making weather forecasts. Years of agricultural living had made them experts on interpreting the skies and the winds. They were much more capable than we are when it comes to reading the book of nature. But Jesus…
Daily Devotions
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us…” vs. 1 Hebrews 12:1-2 The stories of the ancestors were a great inspiration to the Hebrew Christians. These were the witnesses who had gone before them, sometimes making unbelievable sacrifices for the sake of those who would walk in their footsteps.…
Daily Devotions
He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom comes. Give us each day our daily bread.’” vss. 3-4 Luke 11:1-4 The disciples had observed that prayer was an important part of each day for Jesus. Most of the time he did it in private early in the morning, but sometimes they could see what he was doing–and they were curious. John had taught his disciples to pray but so far Jesus hadn’t given…
Daily Devotions
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” vss. 24-25 Mark 3:20-30 Abraham Lincoln quoted this verse when he launched his campaign in 1858 as the Republican candidate for the United States Senate from Illinois. These words opened his speech and were a direct reference to the impending division of the United States that had been triggered by a massive controversy…
- 1
- 2