'Spirit' Tagged Posts (Page 2)
Daily Devotions
Good Friday When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” vs. 19:30 John 18:1-19:42 The writer of the Gospel of John represents the death of Jesus, not as a sacrifice for sin, but as the moment of his glorification. This was the point toward which his entire ministry had been heading, and now that he had arrived, he simply says, “It is finished,” bows his head and…
Daily Devotions
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” vs. 10 Romans 8:10-11 In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells them that they are both sinful and redeemed at the same time, and this side of the grave, that’s the way it’s always going to be. It’s not easy for us to get our heads around this paradox–essentially it means believing opposite things at the same time.…
Daily Devotions
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God…” vss. 6-7a Romans 8:6-9 There is a huge variety of television and movie programming available to us in these days of Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube. Everyday we have dozens of new options for our viewing pleasure–it’s virtually impossible to keep up! And it doesn’t…
Daily Devotions
The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” vs. 8 John 3:5-9 The conversation with Jesus wasn’t going well. Nicodemus had been nurtured by a tradition that left nothing for granted. There was an ordinance or commandment for every situation–everything was black and white. So when Jesus said that it was…
Daily Devotions
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” vs. 3 Matthew 5:1-6 When Jesus looked over the motley crew he’d gathered as disciples during his first weeks of ministry, he knew he didn’t have the cream of the crop. He begins his teaching by describing them as poor in spirit. Not only had they been gathered from the lower classes of their society, they likely weren’t known for their spiritual riches either. They may have…
Daily Devotions
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it….” vs. 5 Isaiah 42:1-9 The prophets of Israel understood that the Creator God who had brought all things into existence had given the breath of life to all people. This breath, which could also be called “spirit,” is what animates humans…
Daily Devotions
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly…” vss. 11-12 Titus 2:11-14 The book of Titus reflects the conviction of early believers that God’s saving grace had been showered upon all humanity in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That’s a truth worth holding close to our hearts, especially in these times of religious…
Daily Devotions
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” vs. 1 Isaiah 11:1-4 In some homes, a Jesse tree has appeared in the family room right alongside the Christmas trees. Usually Jesse trees are not impressive in themselves; they’re just large dead branches stuck in some sort of non-descript container. They’re not at all like Christmas trees, but they are meant to be decorated. Each day during Advent some sort…
Daily Devotions
As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me.” vs. 15 Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 Much of the book of Daniel is apocalyptic and similar to what we read in the book of Revelation. It’s not to be understood as history, nor does it have much in common with the books of the prophets. Rather it presents graphic images of an unsettled future, one in which evil forces threaten all that is…
Daily Devotions
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” vs. 36 John 8:34-36 In his treatise, “The Freedom of the Christian,” Martin Luther famously wrote, “A Christian is the most free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to everyone.” Those words sum up the paradoxical nature of our life as followers of Jesus, and provide a corrective to those who believe that being free in Christ means…
Daily Devotions
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” vs. 51 Luke 12:49-53 Not everything that we read in the gospels brings joy to our hearts. Oh, there is much that is beautiful and inspiring, but Luke wasn’t in the business of censoring Jesus. Even when his words were disquieting and disturbing, Luke included them because they were a true reflection of what life in Christ is like. Jesus…
Daily devotions
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” vss. 9-10 Colossians 3:8-11 Once we have begun to imitate Christ in all that we say and do, it will of course have an effect on our behavior. We’ll put aside anger, malice, and slander and adopt truthfulness as our new…