Page 13 - Background Text News Today

Devotional Text: Revelation 21:3-4 In last week’s story of the resurrection, we saw Jesus, the Savior, offering himself as the bread of life. In doing so, he began the sacrament known as Communion. Whether your church holds it once a month or every week, Communion is a reminder of the great sacrifice Jesus made for the forgiveness of our sins — saving us as he died on the cross. We ended last week with the empty tomb on Easter morning, and the resurrection of Jesus. Today, we continue...

Devotional Text: Romans 8:38-39 What does it mean to feel lonely? It’s more than actually being alone. It’s a sadness when we feel that no one is with us. It’s the sense that no one cares; that we are in it alone. We all feel this way at various times of our lives, especially when we lose someone or experience a broken relationship. The loss of a job, a place to live, even moving to a new place where we don’t know anyone — all these circumstances can lead to feelings of...

Devotional Text: Romans 8:38-39 What does it mean to feel lonely? It’s more than actually being alone. It’s a sadness when we feel that no one is with us. It’s the sense that no one cares; that we are in it alone. We all feel this way at various times of our lives, especially when we lose someone or experience a broken relationship. The loss of a job, a place to live, even moving to a new place where we don’t know anyone — all these circumstances can lead to feelings of...

Rev. Kathy Brumbaugh explains why, even when it is most difficult, faith means having the patience to wait and trust in the Lord’s plan.

Devotional Text: Luke 7:11-17 Lately, we’ve been looking at the ways God has the power and authority to change the laws of nature — from the prophets in 1 and 2 Kings found in the Old Testament, to Jesus in the New Testament Gospels turning water into wine and commanding a stormy sea to be still. Today, I am continuing with the Gospels by talking about two instances in the New Testament where Jesus brought someone back to life. This was not resurrection — as in a transformed body...

Devotional Text: James 5:17-18 “I will move heaven and earth” is a common phrase meaning that a person will use all his or her resources in trying their hardest to get a job done. To look at this phrase literally, however, we have to recognize that reversing the laws of nature brings us to the only one who can actually move both the heavens and the earth, and that person is our God. In showing God’s authority over earth and sky, today I’d like to begin with a couple of stori...

Devotional Text: 1 Peter 3:8 It’s a new year, a time to re-think the past year, and a time to focus on making this year a better one. One of the ways we can do that is to read and take to heart the words of Jesus and his disciples as they teach the meaning of unity in Christ. It is about how Christ brings us together in a way that is both uplifting and peaceful. Let’s begin by looking at some of the ways Jesus spoke to us about unity and love in the Gospel of John. “This is my co...

Background Text: Exodus 3:1-15

Devotional Text: Matthew 2:9-11 The birthday of Jesus is celebrated by most churches on Dec. 25 (some Eastern Orthodox celebrate on Jan. 6). Along with that celebration, we find the traditional Nativity scenes that depict Mary and Joseph with Jesus lying in a manger. The shepherds are there. There are some sheep and other farm animals. Angels hover over the crèche, and often a star is attached atop the barn-like structure. In the background we see three Wise Men and their camels. Thus, we ha...

Devotional Text: Luke 2 As the birth of Jesus the Christ is celebrated, one of the most joyous things we can do is sing Christmas carols. These are the birthday songs of Jesus. While many of the carols lay out the story surrounding the birth, some also include the plan of salvation. Today, as we enjoy the season of Christmas, Id like to look at the back stories of two of the most popular carols: "The First Noel" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem." When we look up "The First Noel" in our songbooks...