'relationships' Tagged Posts

'relationships' Tagged Posts

Daily Devotions

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” vs. 15 Matthew 18:15-17 Because life in our world is both good and broken, humans have had to deal with the matter of forgiveness from the beginning. Certainly it was at the center of Jesus’ ministry and he regularly offered unconditional forgiveness to the sinners that crowded…

Daily Devotions

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” vs. 1 Isaiah 55:1-5 No kitchen is complete without one or more plaques or posters that claim to capture the essence of life in just a few words or phrases. One saying that’s particularly memorable is this, “The best things in life…aren’t things.” It’s cleverly put, easily remembered, and captures the essence…

Daily Devotions

He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’” vs. 25 John 9:17-27 The man who had been born blind had a simple testimony for the religious leaders who were questioning him. He didn’t know about the intricacies of their polemic against Jesus. All he did know was that once he had been blind but now he could see, and that was enough for him.…

Daily Devotions

You have heard that it was said…, ‘You shall not murder’; … But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement…” vss. 21a-22a Matthew 5:21-26 Imagine how the religious leaders of Judaism felt as word of Jesus’ teaching ministry traveled through the country. They had spent their lives defending the Law of Moses as God’s blueprint for living, and Jesus in his very first public pronouncements made a…

Daily Devotions

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” vss. 2-3 Matthew 11:2-5 John had been waiting all of his life. Religion had let him down. The massive corruption of the temple leaders had driven him into the wilderness where he waited in stillness until he perceived signs that God had acted, and that…

Daily Devotions

Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” vs. 10 Psalm 46:7-11 It doesn’t take much to get really agitated on the eve of elections. We’re told by politicians of every stripe that disaster will surely come if their opponents win. We get emails and text messages every day saying that our contributions are sorely needed to stave off the last-minute attack ads that are proliferating in the…

Daily Devotions

Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.” vs. 4 Habakkuk 2:1-4 For a variety of reasons there are millions of people in our country who no longer trust in the election process, and some are wondering if this will ultimately lead to widespread chaos. Obviously, many are concerned about this trend because once trust is gone, whether we’re talking about elections or relationships, it cannot easily be restored. And…

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

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.” vss. 11-12 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 Even though Paul mounts a spirited defense of his ministry to the Corinthians he does not expect that their relationship will be destroyed, and there is no hint that he holds any animosity. He loves them very much and even though they’ve expressed some negativity about his teachings, it has…

Daily Devotions

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.” vss. 2-3 Exodus 20:1-11 Most people are familiar with the Ten Commandments, though only a few would be able to name more than a few of them. They’re a staple of education in our churches, and it is commonly felt that they’re important for directing our daily living. In our scriptures…

Daily Devotions: February 15, 2020

Our server did not deliver these devotions due to Cox outages. Please accept our apologies. February 15, 2020 For full passage click:  Matthew 5:21-26 … “But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.” vs. 22 Six times…

Daily Devotions: August 12, 2019

August 12, 2019 For full passage click: Isaiah 5:1-3 … “Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.” vs. 1 As Isaiah began his work in Jerusalem, he took pains to remind the people of the special love relationship that existed between them and the Lord. It wasn’t just an accident that things had worked so well for them in their long history as a nation. They…