'worship' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.” vs. 1 Psalm 113:1-4 Occasionally believers who are members of what are known as liturgical churches will find themselves at a “praise” service in a non-denominational congregation. While some will enjoy the experience, there are others who are quite dismayed by the non-traditional setting. They don’t like standing up and singing multiple praise songs and chorus to begin the worship. Often there is a band…
Daily Devotions
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” vs. 16 Hebrews 13:15-16 For generations the faith life of the Jewish people had revolved around the sacrificial system, and when some of them had become Christian there was a question about whether those sacrifices were still appropriate. Of course, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans this became a moot point. But there was still within the people a…
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
Daily Devotions
…singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!’” vs. 12 Revelation 5:11-14 When the door of heaven is opened and the Seer is taken up in the Spirit to view its wonders, we are quickly introduced to the slaughtered Lamb of God, a metaphor for the Christ that is used 28 times in the book of Revelation. Obviously the early Christians were…
Daily Devotions
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.” vs. 17 Psalm 118:17-19 The psalmist had feared that his end was near. We don’t know what kind of crisis he had been caught up in. The context points to a military victory over a longtime enemy, but it could also have been some dread illness, or just one of the many challenges that are faced in the process of aging. At any rate, the prospect…
Daily Devotions
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” vss. 9-10 Philippians 2:9-11 Paul tells the Philippians that the Jesus who humbled himself unto death has been highly exalted and is worthy of worship. While Paul doesn’t specify the form of that worship, believers have certainly taken his words to heart. Their faith…
Daily Devotions
One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?’” vss. 23-24 Mark 2:23-28 There was a time when faith communities encouraged believers to observe the Sabbath by refraining from work on Sundays. Obviously there were some things that needed to be done, e.g. taking care of livestock and preparing…
Daily Devotions
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” vs. 13 1 John 5:9-13 The gospel of John was written so that readers might come to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, so that through believing they might have eternal life. It seems that many people did become believers, and it is to these persons that this epistle is…
Daily Devotions
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” vss. 11-12 Psalm 51:6-11 For a couple of generations these verses were regularly sung as a part of liturgical worship in many congregations. We probably didn’t intentionally memorize them, but they became embedded in our brains nonetheless. For many they were a reminder that one of the main…
Daily Devotions
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.” Galatians 4:4-5 Galatians 4:4-5 It has been widely reported that the leaders of the Christian churches in Bethlehem, in order to demonstrate their solidarity with the suffering Palestinians of Gaza, have canceled Christmas. There will be no marching bands, or holiday decorations,…
Daily Devotions
Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear…” vss. 18-19a Amos 5:18-20 When Amos came out of the south and into the prosperous north with a word from the Lord, he wasn’t going to a people who were unfamiliar with the traditions of Israel. There were religious leaders and active worship…
Daily Devotions
Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” vs. 19 Matthew 18: 18-20 There are some folks who believe that when they pray in agreeance with another person for anything that is in accord with God’s will, their prayer will be answered. Whatever they have prayed for will be done for them! Accordingly, whenever they have a need, they will find…