'Preparation' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.” vss. 11-12 Romans 13:11-14 Paul felt that the Romans needed a wake-up call! He was expecting that the end would be coming soon, that Jesus would return to complete the work that he’d gotten started. So he encourages the…
Daily Devotions
But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” vs. 36 Matthew 24:36-39 When Matthew wrote his gospel, many believed that the end times were near. The armies of Rome had destroyed the temple, and many believers were sure that Jesus would surely soon return. But as Matthew recounts Jesus’ words about the end, he makes it clear that all we can know for sure is that God…
Daily Devotions
If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” vss. 9b-10 Isaiah 58:1-12 For centuries the church has prepared for the season of Lent by indulging in one last festival of excess. Believers have reasoned that it’s the last chance for them…
2020_Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis
Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis Grief, pain, isolation, fear, worry, and loss can upend our normal spiritual rhythms of life and our faith life as a whole. As Christians, what do we do? Do we grit our teeth, fake it ‘til we make it, and carry on regardless? Aren’t we supposed to be “thankful in all circumstances” and happy all the time? Should we just turn away from God until we feel better? These are all valid questions and…
The Spiritual Practice of Fasting-Part 2
Fasting is just about giving up chocolate or alcohol for Lent, isn’t it?” Actually, there are other ways of fasting, and, in the Christian tradition, other times of the Church year apart from Lent, when we are encouraged to fast. We discussed in “Fasting – Part 1,” that fasting from meals can help us make room for God, help us focus on our spiritual needs rather than our physical needs, and help us prepare for Church seasons such as Easter…
The Spiritual Practice of Fasting-Part 1
What do Mardi Gras, Friday Fish Fry, and locusts and wild honey have in common? That’s right – fasting. Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday) is now a carnival celebration, which culminates on the day before Ash Wednesday. In Great Britain, Mardi Gras is referred to as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. The idea of Fat Tuesday originated in medieval times when monks would use up their rich food and fats, often in the form of pancakes, the night before Ash…
Daily Devotions: August 11, 2019
August 11, 2019 For full passage click: Luke 12:15-40 … “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” vs. 39 Preparedness has been a part of the Christian life from the beginning. Jesus talked about it with his disciples, and later believers took up the theme as they looked for the coming Christ. Later on, even as the expected imminent…
Daily Devotions: December 9, 2018
December 9, 2018 To read full passage click: Luke 3:4-6 …“as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” vs. 4 As the people of Israel prepared to return to Jerusalem from the years of captivity in Babylon, the prophet Isaiah believed they would be led by the Lord in triumph. Every obstacle would be eliminated,…
Daily Devotions: December 3, 2018
December 3, 2018 To read full passage click: Malachi 3:1-4 …“he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.” vs. 3 When the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after their time of captivity in Babylon, they began the hard work of rebuilding the temple. It wasn’t easy and took some time. When the construction…