'Leaders' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.” 4-5a Micah 5:4-5a After Jesus’ death and resurrection his followers searched the scriptures for clues that he was indeed the messiah they’d been waiting for. When they read these verses…
Daily Devotions
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” vs. 2 Micah 5:2-3 Micah lived near Jerusalem during the time Judah was being threatened by the massive Assyrian Empire. Their armies had already ravaged the northern kingdom of Israel and thousands of refugees had fled south. As a prophet Micah not…
Daily Devotions
We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.” vss. 11-13 2 Corinthians 6:7-13 Just because Paul had lived in Corinth and had faithfully proclaimed the gospel to the congregation doesn’t mean there were no difficulties between him and the people. We don’t know precisely what the issue was, but we do know that…
Daily Devotions
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” vs. 19 Matthew 16:17-20 While actual historical evidence is lacking, there is no doubt that Peter was associated with the community of Christians in Rome and probably died there as a martyr. As centuries passed and the bishop of Rome gained greater authority, Peter was widely believed…
Daily Devotions
Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided.” vs. 16 John 9:8-16 The blind man must have cleaned up pretty well. When he returned from washing in the pool of Siloam many of his neighbors didn’t recognize him. His newfound sight had made him a different person, and the whole neighborhood was…
Daily Devotions
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 146:1-4 We don’t know exactly when this psalm was written, but the writer had obviously been around the track a few times. He’d lived long enough to know that princes were not to be trusted–and in our day we could probably add politicians to that list.…
Daily Devotions
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” vss. 1-2 1 Timothy 2:1-2 First century Christians lived in a different world from ours. There weren’t many of them, and they continually lived in fear of the despotic Roman rulers and the military legions scattered throughout the Empire.…
Daily Devotions
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” vs. 7 Hebrews 13:6-8, 15-16 We like to imagine that we make our own decisions about life without any outside influences, but the truth is that all of us are strongly influenced by leaders, both inside and outside of the church. The writer of Hebrews has in mind faith leaders, those who have been our guides…
Daily Devotions
The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save. Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death…” vss. 17-19a Psalm 33:9-22 For millennia the nations of the world have been engaged in an enormous and deadly contest for power and control. Great empires have arisen, each one dependent on the latest advances in weapons…
Daily Devotions
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4 Psalm 146 The psalmist had been around the block a time or two and he knew better than to get caught up in the promises of religious or political leaders of any kind. He’d likely heard and seen it all, and understood the ebb and flow of…
Daily Devotions
‘Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!’ says the Lord.” vs. 1 Jeremiah 23:1-3 The Hebrew scriptures abound with references to shepherds and their flocks. Whenever a writer was looking for an analogy to describe the relationship between a sovereign and the nation, this was the go-to metaphor. Jeremiah uses it here to blame the kings of Judah and Israel for the sorry condition of God’s chosen people. They were the ones in charge…
Daily Devotions
Amos 5:21-24 “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” vs. 24 Amos had been sent to proclaim the word of the Lord to Israel and he was not happy with what he saw. While people continued to practice the externals of religion, gathering on festival days for the singing of hymns and the offering of sacrifices, it was all a facade. While the rich were growing ever richer, and had multiple homes with ornate…
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