Devos 365

Psalm 119:81-88 81 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. 82 My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” 83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. 84 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? 85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. 86 All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! 87 They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. 88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. I’ve seen quite a few memes on Facebook declaring that 2017 has been a terrible year and people are happy to see it drawing to a close. Many across the world feel battered and broken, disappointed and fearful. I suspect for many these are political comments and I refuse to become a part of that dis...

1 Corinthians 11:17-22 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. Paul now addresses a serious problem that had cropped up in the Corinthian church. There was a sharp division between the rich and the poor and it was being played out during Holy Communion. The licentious lifestyle of Corinth was wre...

1 Corinthians 11:2-16 2  Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3  But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4  Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5  but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6  For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7  For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8  For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9  Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10  That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of...

After a four-week hiatus from our regular study due to the Advent/Christmas season, we are back in the book of 1 Corinthians. It seems a long time ago that we were discussing Paul’s advice about how to live in a culture that does not necessarily embrace Christian principles and lifestyle. We pick up his conversation about eating meat sacrificed to idols found in 1 Corinthians 10. 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 23  “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24  Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25  Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26  For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27  If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28  But if someone says to you, “This ha...

Luke 2:1-20 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3  And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10  And the ...