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Daily Devotions
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” vs. 19 Matthew 14:18-21 The miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude with a few loaves of bread was a favorite of the gospel writers, appearing six times in all, twice in Matthew and Mark. And while…
Daily Devotions
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” vs. 17 1 Timothy 6:13-19 We should not imagine that all of the followers of Jesus were poor people. Just as in our time, people from all walks of life were attracted to him and to his message, and he loved…
Daily Devotions
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.” vss. 6-7 Psalm 67:3-7 There is no doubt that as inhabitants of the earth we have been blessed by God in unbelievable ways. There are now more than 7.7 billion people in the world and every day all those persons have to be fed, clothed, and housed–and all the resources come from our…
Daily Devotions
Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.” vs. 28 Ephesians 4:25-28 There’s something delightfully naive about this verse from Ephesians. Usually the writers of scripture come down hard on sinners–thieves are given warnings to change behavior or face harsh consequences. But here there are no threats or condemnation, just a heartfelt admonition for thieves to stop stealing and begin to work…
Daily Devotions
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.” vs. 11 John 6:10-21 When we read the feeding stories in the gospels we can’t miss the connections that writers are making with Holy Communion. In each account Jesus takes the loaves in his hands, offers a prayer of blessing, and then distributes them to the people. And they were satisfied! It’s…
Daily Devotions
I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need…” vss. 13-14a 2 Corinthians 8:11-15 It seems that some people in the Corinthian congregation were reluctant to share their hard-earned money with the needy folks in Jerusalem. Such feelings are quite common, even in the family of faith. And the more material goods we’ve managed to accumulate the more…
Daily Devotions
For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” vs. 36-37 Mark 8:34-38 Over the last dozen years or so many people in our country have taken advantage of the rising stock market to accumulate more money than they ever dreamed possible. And as tax rates have gone down they’ve found ever new ways to protect and increase their fortunes. And now they’re scared…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 23 …“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” vs. 5 The psalmist was familiar with the banqueting table image that is so dear to our hearts as we consider our future life in Christ. In this familiar psalm he expands that vision in an unexpected way, and assures us that one day we will be at table in the presence of our enemies. Some have…
Daily Devotions: April 3, 2020
April 3, 2020 Matthew 27:11-25 … “Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’” vs. 22 According to Matthew the mood of the crowds reversed in the course of a week. They went from cheering Jesus’ arrival as the Son of David to demanding his death as a common criminal. Some explain this by saying that there were two different crowds, one made up…
Daily Devotions: April 2, 2020
April 2, 2020 Matthew 21:1-11 … “When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’” vss. 10-11 According to Matthew, Jesus didn’t exactly sneak into Jerusalem when he arrived for the Passover. In fact, he did the opposite and staged an eye-catching entry with a palm-festooned procession and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters. As a result, the whole city exploded with curiosity.…
Daily Devotions: April 1, 2020
April 1, 2020 Philippians 2:4-11 … “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” vs. 4 In his poem, The Present Crisis, the anti-slavery poet, James Russell Lowell wrote, “New occasions teach new duties,” a perfect commentary on our current “present crisis.” All citizens of the world, believers and non-believers alike, are being urged to put into practice one of the basic principles of life in Christ. In the interest of saving…
Daily Devotions: January 27, 2020
January 27, 2020 For full passage click: Micah 6:1-8 … “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 The people of Israel believed that God had brought them out of Egypt and established them in the land of Canaan. Micah reminds them of that special call and their failure to live according to God’s…