Jennifer A

Intro: For our Advent season this year, Pastor Mary has chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today is day eleven of our journey and our symbol is The Ten Commandments.

As a kid I used to think that some of my parent’s “house rules” were just ridiculous. Then I became a parent and our “house rules” seemed to almost mirror image the rules that I once followed as a kid in my parent’s house.

Now, when I think about God giving Moses the Ten Commandments, it is almost as if God was passing on the “House rules” for His Family, Israel, through Moses. The Commandments were a conditional covenant, like a set of God’s “House rules” for humanity’s relationship with Him and with others. When Moses takes the instructions and regulations of the Ten Commandments down to the foot of Mount Sinai and gives them to the people, they all at once responded, “we will do everything the Lord has commanded” (Exodus 24:3). We know that wasn’t always the case, and if we are being completely honest, you and I are no different than the Israelites because we fall short of following God’s “House rules” from time to time.

We know that the law, the Ten Commandments, was similar to a guardian until Jesus came, it protected God’s people until they could be made right with God through individual salvation and faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:24). Remember, when a teacher of the religious law asked Jesus which of the commandments was the most important, Jesus said that we are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength; and equally as important, love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34, & Luke 10:25-28). Jesus wasn’t telling us to ignore the Ten Commandments, rather since He was the fulfillment of the Law of Moses meaning He lived out the Ten Commandments perfectly, He was simply encapsulating all ten of God’s “House rules” and putting them into two clear commandments known as the Greatest Commandment.

Friends, when it seems difficult to follow God’s “House rules”, pause, and connect with Him in prayer with an open heart. When we seek to love Him the way we are called as His children to love Him, with our whole heart, it makes our relationship with Him closer and deeper and as a result it makes loving our neighbor a little easier because we get a chance to love them like Jesus loves them, perfectly and whole.

Exodus 20:1-17 (NLT)

Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community

1 Then God gave the people all these instructions:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

3 “You must not have any other god but me.

4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You must not murder.

14 “You must not commit adultery.

15 “You must not steal.

16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

Exodus 24:12 (NLT)

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.”

Matthew 5:17 (NLT)

Teaching about the Law

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

Hebrews 4:15 (NLT)

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Galatians 3:21-24 (NLT)

21 Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

God’s Children through Faith

23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for coming and being the perfect example of love and for outlining the way I am called to love with clear instructions. Help me to follow those instructions more closely so that I may grow closer in my relationship with You, as I walk further away from sin, and deeper into a place of pure love with You. I want to love my neighbor more selflessly, like You love them, and to do that I need Your guidance, Holy Spirit, and a heart like Yours, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: For our Advent season this year, Pastor Mary has chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.

Today is day three of our journey and our symbol is The Starry Sky.

The starry sky is a reminder of the promise that God made with Abraham (who was once known as Abram) and with all of his descendants who place their faith in Jesus. God used the stars in the sky as an example to show Abraham how big his family would be because of his faith.

Do you realize that you and I, as believers, are a part of Abraham’s family? When God revealed this promise to Abraham, He was including us! Isn’t that amazing, you and I are grafted into God’s Family, first through the promise that God made with Abraham because of his unwavering faith and hope, and next through the birth of Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice to save us from our sins and bring us into eternal glory with Him.

We need to remember that it took 25 years for Abraham and Sarah to have Isaac, in other words, it took 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram (who would be Abraham). Would you be hopeful for 25 years and cling to God’s promise through unwavering faith, like Abraham? The Apostle Paul tells us that “even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become a father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!’” as He was referring to the stars in the sky.

As we repent, reflect, and seek restoration for our hope in Christ this advent week of hope let’s step outside tonight or one night this week and look up at God’s creation in the sky. As you look up, remember God’s promise to Abraham that was fulfilled through the birth of Isaac and later through the death of Jesus, and allow Him to renew your hope and give Him great praise for being a part of His Family, because you, my brother or sister, are one of those stars that God was referring to as He made His promise to Abraham.

Genesis 15:5-6 (NLT)
5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Genesis 22:17-18 (NLT)
17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”

Romans 4:18-25
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

Galatians 3:6-9 (NLT)
6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for coming and laying down Your life so that my life could be saved. Help to strengthen my hope in You and faith in You to be like Abraham, so that You can use me as a bright shining light for Your Kingdom. I place my trust, hope, and faith in You, Jesus, and I bow myself down before You so that You can work in, through, and all around me so that others may see, hear, and know You. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

In today’s passage, Paul was imprisoned for a second time in Rome, and he was writing to Timothy, his spiritual mentee, who was thousands of miles away sharing the Gospel message about Christ in Ephesus. Paul knew his death was coming soon, and he wanted to speak encouragement to Timothy who he considered his “true son in faith” (1 Tim 1:2). Think about Paul’s situation for a moment, he was imprisoned for sharing the Gospel message about Christ alongside of murderers, yet all he could think about was making sure that Timothy continued to share the Good News about Jesus long after he was gone. The best part is that the Romans believed that by putting Paul’s physical body in prison they could stop the spread of Jesus’s Message. But here we are, about 1,958 years later, learning from Paul and hopefully listening to his guidance about being “A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus” because every single one of us will one day physically die, but the Word of God can never be imprisoned, and it lives on (as our spiritual presences do) for all eternity with Christ.

Paul begins today’s letter with, “Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus (v.1).”

Read that again but this time insert your name and either son or daughter:” __________, my dear (son/daughter), be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus (v.1).”

Paul knew what it meant to “suffer” for his faith in Christ as he was chained like a criminal for it, but his message seeks for us to know that although we will suffer for our faith in Christ, we must never lay our faith in Christ down. We are to remain confident in our faith and hopeful in our trust that the Word can never be chained or imprisoned as He lives for all eternity.

How do we endure? Paul tells us in the beginning of his letter that we are to be loyal like a soldier (to Jesus), disciplined like an athlete (to His Word), and work hard like a farmer (for His Kingdom) (v.3-6). He goes on to remind us about Jesus’s path as a descendant of King David up until His resurrection. His path was paved for Him, and He was called to walk it out. The same is true for you and me, we are not called to carve our own path, God has our path carved out for us, and all we have to do is follow Jesus and walk it out because through our faith and salvation in Christ brings eternal life and glory with Him.

2 Timothy 2:8-13 (NLT)

8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

11 This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.

12 If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.

13 If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.

Prayer: Jesus, I want to be a good soldier for You so You can use me to help further spread Your Gospel message and to keep growing Your Kingdom. Help me to endure suffering for You, to not be afraid, to not be embarrassed, but to stand tall and firmly rooted in You. I long to spend eternity with You, Jesus, and I want all of humanity to choose You. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

This week I unexpectedly connected with a fellow believer whom I’ve known for years but I didn’t have the pleasure of truly knowing and loving this “sibling” like Jesus does. So, we shared pieces of our testimonies with one another and towards the end of our time together we both agreed that Jesus allowed us to see one another as He sees each of us, not as others see us, thus growing us closer as “siblings” within His Family.

If I am being fully transparent, each of us had heard things in the past about one another that made it, so we didn’t have a great desire to grow closer to one another, rather we were simply civil to each other. But being “simply civil” and loving some people more than other people is actually a sin. Jesus loves us all the same and He calls us to love like He loves. A few weeks ago, I wrote a devotion where James reminded us that we are to obey the royal law as found in Scripture, to “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but if we favor some people over others, then we are committing a sin (2:8-9).

Today, Paul helps us dig even deeper to reveal the Truth that we are not to judge others, or we will be judged, and how we treat others is how we will be treated (Matt 7:1). Paul begins his letter to the Romans, in chapter one, by thanking them for their faith. He wants them to know that “God’s Good News” about Christ is being revealed through them and talked about all over the world (1:8). He goes on within chapter one and into chapter two to talk about “God’s Anger at Sin”. He wants these faithful Christians to keep growing in their faith, and in order to do that they (and we) need to stay connected to Jesus and move further and further away from sin. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” (2:4)

Paul wants everyone to know that even if we can cross off every sin, he listed at the end of chapter one, we are all still guilty of sin, because we are all born with a sinful nature, and far too often every single one of us judges our fellow brothers and sisters. The only sinless One is Jesus, Who is also the only Judge. No one can avoid God’s judgment. All religious leaders, all non-religious leaders, all religious people, all non-religious people, all relational people, and all non-relational people will one day face Jesus for judgment, and as Paul reminds us that “day is coming when God, through Christ, will judge everyone’s secret life” (2:16) because only Jesus knows the true motives of our hearts.

Friends, we must stop doing what is evil, and we can start by stopping our judgement of one another in our minds, in our hearts, with our words, with our actions, and with our inactions. We need to be walking out our salvation every second of every day and asking Jesus to strengthen our roots in Him so our faith and relationship with Him can grow deeper and more intimate. We know there will be trouble for those who keep on doing what is evil, but we also know there will be glory, honor, and peace from God for all of those who do good (v.9-10). Good does not mean good works, Paul tells us that good is seeking after the glory, honor, and immortality that God offers (v. 7). This offer is to spend eternity with Jesus, and if we truly want it, we must allow Him to have His way in and through us, so we see others how He sees them, and they see Jesus in us and are drawn to His unending love and eternal kingdom.

Romans 2:1-11 (NLT)
God’s Judgment of Sin

1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, reveal to me the areas of sin that I need to work with You to correct my life. I want to grow in my faith, and in my relationship with You, Jesus, and I know that sin will hold me back. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Help me to put a watch over my words, I want to speak more like You. Help my actions to be in alignment with Your actions. I want my heart to be in oneness with Your heart, and for people to see You in and through me. Please use me to grow Your Kingdom. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Three weeks ago, I wrote about Psalm 63, and as I was preparing for today’s devotion, I noticed that Psalm 63 was a part of the “Complementary” passages within the Lectionary for today. I hope that you are all good with me choosing to write some more about this psalm because it has truly ministered to my heart this week, and it is not common for the same passage to be used within weeks in the Lectionary. So, I saw this as a divine gift to comfort my soul as my heart rests in the One Who is my Comforter and your Comforter, Jesus.

If you remember, it is believed that King David is the psalmist and when he wrote this psalm it was mostly likely during a time when he was fleeing from his third son, Absalom, who was seeking to kill him in an effort to overtake his position. We looked at the clear differences between these two men. Absalom sought earthly riches and power here in the temporal realm, thus his life was filled with hatred and fear which consumed his soul and aligned his heart with Satan. While David sought heavenly riches and power in the eternal realm, thus his life was filled with praise and joy which consumed his soul and aligned his heart with God.

Friends, you and I can find ourselves in places like David, maybe we haven’t had a family member seek to kill us, but each one of us has had moments of feeling utterly helpless and completely lost in what is going on in our lives, in the lives of our loved ones, in our communities, and in our world. Within these times and/or places are you searching for Jesus? We absolutely should because “Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Psalm 63:1-11 (NLT)
A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.

2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.

3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.

7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
They will go down into the depths of the earth.

10 They will die by the sword
and become the food of jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God.
All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,
while liars will be silenced.

Note: Many of you have joined me this past week in praying for the Ludwig family whose 18-year-old daughter, Jillian, was killed by a stray bullet while walking at the park near her college. My daughter attends the same college and although they never met this loss has impacted our family and every heart within and around the Belmont University family. David reminds us that God’s love is unfailing, even in the midst of such tremendous loss and pain. We need to cling to Him, because this world leaves us parched and weary, and only the Living Water can fill and sustain us, He is Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, please continue to be with the Ludwig family. Be their comfort, hope, and peace in such a great time of need. Please be with the Belmont students, faculty, and church. Help the ministers and faculty, who profess Your Name, to shine Your light in this darkness, and may they lovingly guide hurting hearts to You, our Great Healer. Be with each of us today. Help us to shine Your light in this dark world. May we guide hearts to You, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Every human wants to be happy and to see their life and the lives of their loved ones prosper. The world sees happiness much different than God outlines it for us within His Word. The world would like us to believe that our happiness is directly connected to our physical and financial wholeness. At first that doesn’t seem like a bad thing, but without being directly and fully connected to Jesus, the One Who provided each of us with our physical form to begin with and Who sustains our prosperity in all facets of our lives we are left longing for more, feeling empty more than full, and much of the time extremely unhappy. In other words, happiness is not determined by external worldly circumstances as those are fleeting, rather it is determined by our internal contentment through our faith and spiritual connection with the One Living God Who is our only source of eternal joy and everlasting happiness.

During yesterday sermon, Pastor Mary reminded us of God’s standard for our lives and it being the highest and best for us; and today, Psalm 128 guides us with how we can successfully live out His standard. When you and I revere and honor God, we stand in a place of fear of the Lord and that is a place where we are granted His wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 9:10). Our God does not want us to be fearful of Him, rather He seeks for us to place Him in His proper position within our lives, and that is above all else, that is what it means to have the fear of the Lord. With God’s wisdom we are filled the spiritual understanding of “happiness” which is being filled with His joy. When we are filled with the joy of the Lord our lives are fruitful and we are called to share His joy and bear fruit into the lives of others. Pastor Mary said it yesterday, we are called to be servants and serve others for God’s Kingdom. Psalm 128 is a pathway for our souls to be assured that we will receive blessings because we fear the Lord, we serve others, and we seek to be peacekeepers as we serve the One Who is the Prince of Peace.

Psalm 128

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!

2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.

4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.

5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.

6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for setting the example of how I am to walk in fear of the Lord, in joy of Lord, in service to others, and in peace. Help me to remain in oneness with You so that I may continue to receive Your blessings and in return be a blessing to others. Please continue to bring my family closer to You. I want them to know and love You. I pray for peace within our world, for war to cease, and for Satan to flee. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

If you were able to worship with us yesterday, then you know that the message was all about God’s love. How Jesus instructs us to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind; and then to equally love our neighbor as ourself (Matt 22:34-40). Today’s passage, from James, goes hand-in-hand with Jesus’s teaching about “The Most Important Commandment” which is LOVE.

The Book of James might only have five chapters, but this shorter Book is packed with knowledge and great wisdom in a very practical way. Within the first chapter, James reminds us of how we are called to treat one another and to speak to one another. As James moves into the second chapter, he provides us with “A Warning Against Prejudice”, because Jesus does not want us to favor some people over others. Remember, Jesus calls us to love Him first and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus didn’t say, just love the neighbor to your right, or to you left, or the one that you like the best; rather Jesus says, we are to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us, and those individuals are considered our “neighbors” just as much as our “neighbors” who are easy to love (Matt 5:43-48).

Friends, I understand this might seem like an extremely difficult ask from Jesus. Listen, I myself, had to ask a fellow believer to pray for me this past week as I was struggling to love someone the way Jesus loves them. I had to be reminded, that when Jesus washed the disciples feet (in John 13) He knew which one would betray Him, which one would deny Him, which one would doubt Him, which one would be broken hearted, which one would appear to be strong on the outside but scared inside, and so on…and it didn’t matter to Him, because Jesus loved them all the same and it’s just as much as He loves you and me. You might be thinking, “Well, He’s Jesus, and I just can’t love everyone the same”, and James addresses how when we fail to love the way that Jesus loves, and commands us to love, then we are sinning. I realize James compares a lack of love for our neighbor to adultery and murder, and that is to remind us that the same One Who commands us to not partake in adultery and murder, is the same One Who commands us to LOVE.

James 2:8-13 (NLT)

8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for setting the example of pure love for me. Help me, Lord, to have a heart like Your heart and to be more equally loving to all of Your creation. Forgive me when I fall short, and quicken my spirit, Holy Spirit, to see each person how You see them. I want to be more and more like You, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

In Psalm 63 it is believed that King David was fleeing from his third born son, Absalom, who was seeking to kill him. We learn of Absalom’s birth in the beginning of 2 Samuel 3, and his name means “father of peace” or “peaceful”. But we also learn about his “not so peaceful” adult life in later chapters of 2 Samuel. “Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot;” (2 Sam 14:25) but even though he looked perfect and beautiful on the exterior, the Word of God never points to his interior, his heart, being for the Lord. His father, King David, on the other hand was sought out by God Himself because he was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14).

There is a clear difference with these two men, Absalom’s life is marked with chaos, hatred, and fear. You might be thinking, this “apple didn’t fall far from the tree” because we know that David had his run in with sin through adultery, murder, etc. but the Word of God clearly points to the difference within their hearts. Absalom dies choosing to live a chaotic and hateful life, which was motivated by his heart that was aligned with this world that is ruled by Satan. While it is clear even in today’s passage, that David’s heart was aligned, by his choice of being with the Lord. He repented of his sins, and he was seeking, thirsting, longing, waiting, praising, and clinging to the Lord. His life reflected his eternal loving relationship with the Lord. Even when David was faced with his own son wanting to kill him, he was not paralyzed by fear, rather he searched for the Lord with his entire soul and being, because he knew that the Lord was the only One Who could offer him true peaceful rest and comfort in all the areas of his life.

Friends, God is after the allegiance of our hearts. You and I can do everything to make ourselves look good on the outside and to the earth, but God knows the truth. He knows if our hearts are in alignment with Him or with Satan. You might be thinking I would never align with Satan. But, each time we sin, we are choosing him over Jesus. David knew he was helpless without the Lord. You and I can find ourselves in places like David. Ok…so, maybe we currently don’t have a family member seeking to kill us, but we need Jesus in all areas of our lives. Friends, we need to “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt 7:7-8) Remember, when you feel like life is too much, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” (Matt 11:28-30)

Psalm 63:1-8 (NLT)

A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.

1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for always answering my knock. Holy Spirit, help me to keep seeking more and more of a relationship with You. I need Your strength in all areas of my life because my walk with You is everything, and I know I need You even in difficult times. I want others to see You, to hear You, and to grow to know You through me. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

In the verses that precede today’s passage, Jude has been explaining why it is so important that we, as Christ’s Church, do not accept false teachings. Friends, we should not be surprised that there are false teachers. Jesus warned us time and time again, through His Word, that in the last days hearts will grow cold and there will be many false teachers. Luke recorded Jesus saying, “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:29) Peter reminded us that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the Truth, and following their own desires. (2 Peter 3:3) Finally, Matthew told us that in the last days “sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) Friends, you and I need to remember that we do not want to get caught up with the “many”, and so our love for Jesus must remain on fire in the Spirit, because we do not want our love for Him to grow cold. We also must be prepared, because false teachers are not a maybe thing, they are a definite thing, they are here and more will come. So, instead of being unprepared and surprised because we were living too comfortably within this world, we must be fully prepared and armed with the Word of God within our hearts so that we can allow the Spirit to discern what is Truth and what is false.

Jude, who is Jesus’ half-brother, tells us exactly what we are to do as the Church for one another: 1. build each other up 2. pray by the power of the Holy Spirit for one another 3. have mercy for each other 4. hate sin and then we will be keeping ourselves safe in God’s love. Friends, you and I rest within God’s Truth, it is the only place to find the shalom of God, His peace and wholeness. No devil working through any false teacher can steer us wrong when our relationship with Jesus is real, solid, not fake, and growing. Our relationship with Jesus is ours and it can NOT be taken.

Jude 1:17-25 (NLT)

A Call to Remain Faithful

17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

A Prayer of Praise

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for today’s reminder through Jude about how our hearts need to be in oneness with You, because You are calling each one of us to not only remain in faith, but to grow more deep within our love for You and within our faith. I ask all of this in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

Our passage today is from the Apostle Peter, and it directly connects to the message from the Apostle Matthew that Pastor Mary preached on yesterday about the “Parable of the Evil Farmers” (Matt 21:33-46). If you recall, within the parable Jesus recites Psalm 118:22, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Peter also recites that same verse within today’s passage, as well as some verses from the prophet Isaiah, which also referred to Jesus being our cornerstone.

Peter wants you and I to understand that as “Living Stones for God’s House” we must use our seed of faith, and stand confidently on Jesus, Who is our cornerstone. Jesus has commissioned us as His follower to each be His royal priests because we are His chosen people. That means that we must use our seed of living to clearly be set apart from this world, because we belong to Jesus, Who is holy, and this world is far from holy. So, Jesus wants us to use our seed of purpose to concentrate on bearing righteous fruit, because He is the One Who is righteous. He calls us to live lives that reflect His character and goodness to others, because it is by His goodness that you and I were once called out of darkness and into His wonderful Light, and He wants that for ALL of His creation. So, friends, we need to be in oneness with Jesus so He can use us at any given moment for His glory and to further grow His Kingdom.

Pastor Mary shared the following seeds with us yesterday, and they clearly have a direct connection to today’s passage. I intend to hold firmly onto each one of these seeds this week and I am asking Jesus to grow them within my own life, and I hope you will join me in doing the same for your life:

1. Seed of Faith = Confidence (Be the good soil, because God is the good source of everything)
2. Seed of Living = Commissioned (Be set apart by God, Who is the Ruler of everything)
3. Seed of Purpose = Concentration (Be focused on bearing righteous fruit, God is the One Who is righteousness over everything)

1 Peter 2:4-10 (NLT)

Living Stones for God’s House

4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 6 As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”

7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”

8 And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our cornerstone. Please help to grow our seed of faith so that we can grow in our confident hope in You. Thank You for setting us apart from the world. Please grow our seed of living so that we are living more and more for You and less for this world. We want to bear more of Your righteous fruit, so keep growing our seed of purpose. Help us to concentrate on You so we are quick to move on Your behalf and for the good of Your Kingdom. Please be with Israel. May eyes see You even in the midst of this worldly evil and may hearts cling to Your promise for eternal life in Christ Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.