Tag: promise
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Have and Need
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”– Isaiah 9:6 (NRSV) Okay. Be honest. Did you have your Christmas tree up at the beginning ofNovember? Anyonehave it up before Halloween this year?…
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A Promise
Isaiah 44:21–28; Ezekiel 34:25–31; Mark 14:22–26 Remember. We are called on to remember things every day. Some have become so ingrained (putting undergarments, I hope) that we don’t actually remember them; we just do them. Like many things that are ingrained, relationships aren’t. We might take them for granted, but that doesn’t make them ingrained.…
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One Hundred and Twenty
Genesis 6:1–13; Judges 2:8–23 “The younger generation just doesn’t…” “The older generation just doesn’t…” The generational splits have grown. Much of that has to do with the acceleration of technology and the cultural changes that have gone along with it. Many times, the older generations say that they wouldn’t have behaved as the younger generation…
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Good Gone Bad
Mark 12:1–17; Matthew 10:5–7; Matthew 17:24–27 Within the context of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the primacy of the remnants of the Israelites cannot be denied. Jesus calls them the “lost sheep”. Their place is significant to God, for they are even called by God’s name (2 Chronicles 7:14). The tragedy of it all is that while…
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Criminal Christian
Luke 23:32–43; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 A criminal is saved on the cross. Talk about a “bedside” or “execution” salvation! He was on the cross when he was saved. Look at the words the criminal stated. Look at the words that Jesus spoke. We often have longer phrases and understandings (even from Jesus’ own words) of…
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…Who’s There?
Matthew 7:7–12; Luke 13:22–30; Revelation 3:14–22 “Knock, Knock” jokes rank up there with “dad” jokes. Most of the time they are a play on words, and almost all the time they’re only cute (or funny) when a kid says them. These passages with knocking in them are probably quite familiar to you. If not, hang…
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Waiting in Trust
John 16:5–15; Acts 1:1–8 (read online ⧉) Wait for the promise to be fulfilled. Jesus directed his disciples to wait. They couldn’t even wait when Jesus was with them after the Resurrection. “Hey, Jesus, are we going to take over the world, now?” Of course, they really didn’t say that. Not even close. However, restoring…
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Oath Busting
Genesis 13:1–18; Numbers 13:30–14:4; Numbers 14:36–45 (read online ⧉) God had made a promise to Abraham. As God is the make of the promise, following yesterday’s devotion, it was an oath. Abraham’s descendants would flourish in the land that Abraham would walk. At the time of Lot’s and Abraham’s separation, the land that Lot had…