Devotionals

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died in service to the United States of America. The sacrifices that have been made for our national freedoms are priceless; with sincere gratitude may we remember the men and women who paid the cost for these freedoms with their very lives. On Monday, may we cooperate in a National Moment of Remembrance and at 3 PM pause to honor these precious lives.  “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Scripture brings a great spotlight to freedom, because it is dear to God’s heart. The biblical definition of freedom is the capacity to obey God—the ability to freely choose to walk in the Spirit every day. Jesus, our Liberating King, served to bring the world this freedom; he laid down his life for those who would love, serve, and follow him (John 15:13). In Christ, we can know true freedom from sin and death, because the grace we gain through faith in Christ, leads us toward victory. Although many people may not understand or even really appreciate the unfathomable gifts we enjoy in this country of both national and spiritual freedoms, for many of us, we know these two provisions of God’s ordained work orchestrates the ability for human lives to enjoy peace and security. With Jesus we can have love, liberty and a life of purpose!

Without Jesus, human beings are spiritually dead and will work to destroy one another for power; we are shackled to our flesh with no hope to connect in the holy life of God—we remain enslaved to our self-centered and ungodly ways. Because of sin, this selfish and ungodly condition disrupted God’s holy plan for his world. But, God so loved the world he gave his Son and we can enjoy the Christ-life—a life of freedom and love—in exchange for dead and ungodly living. Oh, that the world would choose Jesus! “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17). Remember, whether we are talking about national freedom or spiritual freedom, we need to treasure and protect our liberty; otherwise, it will either be stolen or simply one day gone.

Romans 8:9-11 NLT
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for our spiritual freedom in Christ. May we remember the cost of his sacrifice and choose to live in the liberty and love he died to provide humanity. May the world wake up to Jesus and call upon the name of the Liberating King. This weekend, may we remember the sacrifices made by our military who chose to serve this country to ensure our freedoms, but never made it home to be celebrated and appreciated. You know who they are, Lord, and we thank you for their lives and their sacrifice. Help us to treasure and protect their gift to us. Holy Spirit, help us to have the right attitude and respect for these heroes as we head into our weekend. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Humanity needs a Savior, because every human being has sinned against God. Therefore, we must either pay the penalty for sin—which is death—or we must ask Jesus to share his redeeming blood and cover us with his righteousness. A blood sacrifice must be made: Christ’s or ours. Then, we need the indwelling Spirit to be our Helper. Seriously, our flesh is way to weak for us to live right before God without the work of the Spirit. His work is to liberate us and break the chains and power of our flesh that hold us back from Christlikeness.

God has promised to complete his work in our lives. In fact, Christ died and became the sacrifice for our sin, so we could be empowered by the Spirit to live for God. If we listen and follow the Spirit toward a holy life, we please God. This is the Christian life. However, if we listen to our flesh and follow its demands, we are not control by the Spirit and our lives are not centered on the Lordship of Christ to rule in our hearts.

If we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, then we can know the empowerment of the Spirit who has the strength we need in every circumstance. We are the equipped, my friends. The world without Christ is not equipped to pay for the wages of its sin against God; it is not willing to give up the pleasures of this world to find salvation in Christ. There is a consequence for that choice and the pleasures of the flesh are not worth the eternal cost. Choosing to obediently follow the Spirit is how we express our sacrificial love for Christ and our appreciation for the mercy and grace we have been given.

Romans 8:1-8 NLT Life in the Spirit
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature [flesh]. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for our life-giving Spirit who brings us the power to overcome our flesh. We desire to please you, Lord, so continue to liberate us from the temptations of evil; help us to resist evil and choose to walk with you. We know to belong to you is to hunger for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A nation insensitive to sin is destined to lose vision and hope, but Almighty God still offers a fresh start! We learn throughout Scripture God uses humanity’s fallen condition—the inability to glorify and enjoy God—to reveal a new way to live. Because sin makes us insensitive, we must identify sin, face our sin, and repent of sin. When we do, God is faithful to forgive us.

If we honestly examine our lives and desire to make things right with God, we are offered a new life, a new heart, and the indwelling life of the Spirit to navigate through this sin-polluted world. Sin, not the burning of fossil fuel, is the biggest issue changing the world, impacting human health, and bringing instability to society. We need God!

In our passage today, God calls attention to sin and the ramifications of it from his perspective. Although Israel had a covenant with God, his people became intrenched in the world making them insensitive to their sin—their hearts had grown hard and dry. So God provided a vision for Ezekiel and sent him with a message for Israel. Ezekiel was to prophesy and speak life back into dry bones. How can life come from death? By telling the bones to listen to the word of the Lord and by receiving the breath of God. In the vision, Ezekiel started with a valley of dry bones, but through God’s supernatural word and Spirit, in time Ezekiel formed a spiritual army of vibrant worshipers of the Most High.

This message was for Israel, but it is also for us, today. May God bring this nation and the nations of his world back to himself. The world has become insensitive due to sin and needs the life of Christ. We know when we are alive in Christ, because we are sensitive and responsive to the truth—God’s Spirit brings life to the word (John 16:13).

Ezekiel 37:1-14 A Valley of Dry Bones
1The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”
4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’

12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience in drawing people to yourself. We pray for us to have a right perspective of sin and our hearts. As believers stay in your word, Lord, please breathe the breath of life into us through the Spirit and cause us to rise up as a mighty army filled with the life of God! May the world desire what we have with you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I treasure the call of the Lord on my life and the privilege of loving and guiding people into an ever-deepening and transforming relationship with God. My heart is filled with joy when people connect with the Lord and gain greater understanding of his love and will for them to receive and live the abundant life by grace through faith. I am so blessed, because I know God has positioned me to help people understand the difference between a religious life and the Christian life. Trust me, there is a difference in the mindset.

A religious life is about: A) Rules—God is honored when we ALL APPEAR HOLY on Sunday); B) Regulations—God is OK WITH SOME SINS and the religious hierarchy will let you know which ones; and C) Reputation—what we alone can do for God because he DESPERATELY NEEDS our help. Religious goals are based on human cognition and consumption: 1) How many members can we gain for funding a big building? 2) How many programs for all ages can we offer to make everyone happy so they keep coming? 3) How big can we grow the campus, because size makes a statement others in the community respect and more people will come which brings more funding? My comments may sound critical or even judgmental and I don’t mean them to be so, but religion is always focused on inward desires and gratification for our human achievements that we think will please God and, therefore, take us upward in holiness. It doesn’t work that way! It is possible to hold a worship gathering of thousands of religious people who are going nowhere with Christ.

A Christian is a person who places faith in Christ alone to make one holy and seek a growing relationship with him—the one who died and paid the penalty for the sins of the world as the Living Lord and Judge of all creation. The Christian life is about what God has already done for us and how we can spread out in the community to share and model his message of love (agape) with others. Christianity is focused outward as we each connect by grace through faith while Christ himself lifts us upward. Then, Christ is exalted in our lives. The Christian life is about being led by the supernatural Spirit of God into revealing the Truth of God with us!

In our passage today, we see an example of the religious life, because Satan and human flesh tends to try and highjack God’s real purpose for his children which should be to bring glory to God. The people built a tower to draw attention to human achievement, but it was not a monument to glorify God. Instead, the efforts of the people actually displaced God’s vision and replaced his glorious power. So, God divided them up by confusing their languages.

On Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost—the Feast of Weeks—when the Father sent the Holy Spirit to indwell his children. The Spirit would now provide a way for God’s children to be connected in his will, purpose and power; to live the Truth that actually honors and glorifies the Lord. “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted” (Ps 127:1). The Christian life is about Christ building a spiritual family—the Church!

Genesis 11:1-9 NLT The Tower of Babel
1 At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. 2 As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.

3 They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”

5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

8 In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why the city was called Babel,[confusion] because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.

Prayer: Lord, there is a temptation to blur the lines between the Christian life and a religious life, but they can be so very different in focus and purpose. Please help us to stay focused on Christ and the work of the Spirit to grow us in Christlikeness. We are called to live in a way that glorifies you and only you can provide a lasting change in us. We do not need to pretend to follow religious rules, because you regulate grace as we need it to produce godly and eternal spiritual fruit. May we live by faith in an obedient way that honors and glorifies your amazing and holy reputation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

With yesterday being Pentecost, it only seems appropriate that the lectionary would point us to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians about “Spiritual Gifts”. In our passage today we pick up at verse four, but when Paul addresses the Church in the first three verses of chapter twelve, it is clear that he wants the Church to not misunderstand the special abilities made possible to every believer by the Holy Spirit. Paul makes it clear that every follower of Christ contains the Holy Spirit, and no person, or the gift(s) that the Spirit gives to them, are greater than another.

Friends, through our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit has graciously given us spiritual gifts. Paul lists those gifts for us in our passage, and the purpose is for us to come together, as Christ’s Church, and allow our gifts to work in divine unity to further grow His Family (the Church) for His Eternal Kingdom. So, no believer should ever feel that the Holy Spirit is not working within them, just as no believer should ever feel that the Holy Spirit is stronger within them, because as a Family, under the authority of Christ Jesus, we are all gifted and we all need one another’s gifts.

Paul goes on within chapter twelve to use the example of how a physical body needs each part to work properly and to be whole, and this is true for the Body of Christ (for all believers). We all need one another, and we especially need one another when we feel like we don’t need each other, because that feeling is from Satan, and we seek as the Church of Christ to stand firmly against Satan and his divisive work. You and I stand together, as brothers and sisters of Christ, in divine harmony and we honor Jesus, and we honor the Holy Spirit within one another, and we value and treasure our own and one another’s gifts that were given by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NLT)

4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the Holy Spirit. Please forgive us when we are not allowing the Spirit the proper room to move and have His way within our lives. Holy Spirit, thank You for our gifts. Help us to allow You to utilize the gift(s) that You have placed within us. Connect us, through You, to one another so our gifts can be used in divine harmony to further grow God’s Kingdom. We ask all of this in Jesus’s Name. Amen.

I view very little of what this world offers me as something dependable; supply may be here today and gone tomorrow, so I place my hope and trust in God. I love and pray for this country, but I don’t place my trust in it. This country’s stability and economy is only as stable as the people governing are righteous…and that is a scary thought as we face inflation, rising interest rates, record high cost for groceries for less product, crime and theft tolerated and dismissed, and let us not forget we are sinking deeper and deeper into federal debt. I pray for those who are just barely getting by and seek to help those in my care who are financially struggling. How is this going to end well when, as a nation, we keep dismissing, dishonoring, and deposing God and his wise guidance for living?

I am sure grateful God’s economy—his distribution of grace to the faithful and obedient—is a sure thing. God alone is trustworthy; he is Truth. In our passage today, the psalmist reminds Israel, the fear of the Lord—adoration and obedient respect to his Word—is what brings good things to a nation. Think about it, God’s Word still sustains creation and people who honor the Lord dwell in his presence as he watches over all who live by his counsel (Ps 32:8). Trust is easy when you have Someone who truly loves and cares for you.

Today, we continue our 10 Days of Prayer; to pray for salvation and peace to come to Israel and the Middle East (Homs, Syria). Syria has struggled with great civil war and children have paid a terrible price. As well, we pray for our country to find itself “under” God.

Psalm 33:12-22 NLT
12
What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
    whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.
13 
The Lord looks down from heaven
    and sees the whole human race.
14 
From his throne he observes
    all who live on the earth.
15 
He made their hearts,
    so he understands everything they do.
16 
The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
17 
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you.
18 
But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
    those who rely on his unfailing love.
19 
He rescues them from death
    and keeps them alive in times of famine.
20 
We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
21 
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
22 
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
    for our hope is in you alone.

Prayer: Lord, we adore and worship you; there is no one like you in all the earth. You extend love and mercy to every human being and you call for us to love you wholeheartedly and love our neighbors like we love ourselves. This is such a selfish world. Please forgive us as a nation and help us, Holy Spirit, turn to your righteous guidance. We pray for Israel and Homs, Syria, as they deal with the remnants of civil war. Send your Spirit to wake us all up in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I love fresh fruit and/or vegetable salads of all kinds. When I was a child, we either had a small garden, a family member had a big garden, or we would stop at roadside stands where people sold their crops; we were always able to get fresh produce. Although they are very convenient, I have noticed bagged or prepackaged salads perish very quickly. In fact, the ones I have purchased from the grocery store rarely make it to their “best used by” date without signs of spoilage.

We may try to forget this little fact, but these physical bodies of ours are also prone to decay or “spoilage.” It is part of being human with natural bodies that are subject to sin and death (1 Cor 15:53). But, Jesus came to bring us eternal life not just natural life (Jo 3:16). In fact, these decaying bodies are not the believer’s end result; our hope in Christ is not limited to this life.

Jesus came to bring us spiritual life; he preceded us in death and resurrection. Christ is the first of a great harvest of all who have died (1 Cor 15:20). Unless Christ returns before we die, our earthly bodies will return to the ground, but one day will be resurrected into transformed immortal spiritual bodies (1 Cor 15:44). Our natural bodies will be sown into the ground, but will be raised in glory! Do you ever wonder what our spiritual bodies will be like?

According to Scripture, our spiritual and glorious bodies will never be susceptible to sickness, disease, or death. In fact, our new bodies will be perfect for serving and worshiping God; no longer hindered by natural law. Our resurrected bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, so we need a body that is basically suited for heaven.

Think about Jesus after his resurrection and how he appeared to the disciples; his wounds were still visible, and his disciples could touch his physical form, yet He was able to travel effortlessly and appear and disappear at will. He could go through walls and doors yet could also eat and drink and sit and talk. Our spiritual bodies will be the perfect host—fully alive—with the Spirit of God. No more hindering or grieving, just honor and yielding.

1 Corinthians 15:42-49 NLT 42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”[ But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for not only these physical bodies you have designed for us, but thank you for the promise of a future perfectly transformed body. No more weakness, just glorious strength and power in the Spirit to live righteously for eternity. What a glorious hope for your children! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are you surprised by the division we are experiencing in the world? Although it makes me sad, I know division is the result of human sin. Therefore, division is purposeful to further the gospel. If human beings want peace in the world, we must first make peace with God. Then, we will all have the power of God to live in a greater measure of unity under God’s authority. After all, we have the Spirit who leads us to unity in Christ!

In our passage today, Jesus is looking at his imminent death; it is time for him to lay down his life for the sins of the world. He knows there will be a resurrection, but the disciples cannot comprehend how death or a resurrection could result in something good. So, because they do not understand God’s plan, Jesus tells his disciples the Father will send the Holy Spirit who will prepare them for what is yet to come. Jesus goes on to describe a huge dichotomy or division in perspective between the believing disciples vs. the unbelieving world regarding his death.

Earlier, Jesus announced his purpose for coming to earth was to bring division; those who received the love and mercy of God found in Christ would be spiritually divided from those who did not (Luke 12:51). Because of God’s Word, we know this sinful world rejoiced at the death of Jesus, because Satan, the ruler of the world, thought he had won the battle for humanity’s allegiance. But, truth keeps marching on! May we join in one voice to declare the world’s need for Oneness with the Lord!

Today, we continue our 10 Days of Prayer; to pray for salvation and peace to come to Israel and the Middle East (Mosul, Iraq). May believers in Israel and Iraq be filled with courage and power as they witness to the world’s need for salvation and unity in Christ. Every nation shows the wounds of hatred and division; only God can bring healing and wholeness.

John 16:16-24 NLT Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”

17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for your spiritual family to remain in your joy as we take a stand and pray for the world’s redemption. May the Spirit lead a movement that multiplies your followers. Help us to remember your purpose for coming, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A great temptation for humanity is to try and make God in our human image; rather, than God’s actual purpose to redeem and restore us in his image. This perspective is not unusual for non-believers who may use human reasoning, cultural standards, or selfish desires to evaluate a supernatural and holy God. Fortunately, God does not see things the way we do; although, I believe he loves and understands us.

Salvation is God’s priority and purpose; it is always about the goodness of God responding to our faith. Faith is about trusting when we cannot see or understand; we walk by faith not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). In fact, by faith, we must believe God exists and he rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6). The Spirit leads the way in God’s redemptive purposes and he is a perfect Guide!

Today, as we step into Day 5 of 10 Days of Prayer, we continue praying salvation for the Middle East (Baghdad, Iraq) and Israel. May God bring them an awareness of his presence and may the Spirit, who helps us trust the Lord, lead them toward the Kingdom of Righteousness, Peace and Joy (Ro 14:17). God will bless those who have a proper attitude about him; those who fear the Lord (come by faith in adoration and devotion) and call upon the name of the Lord. Jesus proclaimed to Israel, “For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

In our passage today, the psalmist reminds Israel to trust in the Lord and believe God’s desire to draw them into a protected place of provision and blessing. Israel will need to accept the Messiah who came to heal and redeem them. When Israel and other unbelievers receive salvation by grace through faith, they will gain a whole new perspective of the God they have claimed to serve. God will open their eyes to his beautiful majestic glory.

Psalm 115:9-16 NLT
9 
O Israel, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
10 
O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
11 
All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!
    He is your helper and your shield.
12 
The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
    He will bless the people of Israel
    and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
13 
He will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both great and lowly.
14 
May the Lord richly bless
    both you and your children.
15 
May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
16 
The heavens belong to the Lord,
    but he has given the earth to all humanity.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the indwelling Spirit who brings us a righteous perspective of you. May we grow in our adoration and trust in you. We ask for a mighty redeeming work to be done in Israel and Iraq. Overshadow them with your grace and goodness; help them see through the eyes of faith the truth of your deep love for them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome around the year 62, and it was from there that he wrote to the church in Philippi. As the founder of the church in Philippi, the Holy Spirit was stirring within Paul to write to his brothers and sisters of faith whom he had partnered with in sharing the Gospel message of Christ Jesus. Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to work through him in this letter as he sought to be an encourager of their faith.

Friends, as brothers and sisters of faith, you and I must call on the Holy Spirit for wisdom as we read Paul’s letter. Just as our brothers and sisters from the church in Philippi whom Paul initially wrote to, you and I are a part of the same Church (Christ’s Body) and we too can receive holy guidance from the Holy Spirit; we just simply need to ask for growing knowledge and understanding (or for God’s wisdom).

Paul’s message aligns with Pastor Mary’s message from yesterday’s sermon: we are one united Body or Church through our salvation in Christ Jesus, we are called to share the Gospel message of Jesus’s love, and we must love one another by the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) no matter what. Please don’t miss that we need to be prepared for Christ Jesus’s return. Paul mentions Jesus’s return twice within today’s passage, and we need to be ready.

Philippians 1:3-11 (NLT)

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Paul’s letter. Holy Spirit, we need Your guiding wisdom to operate in and through us. Help us to be carriers of the Gospel message and to share and spread the love of Jesus. Grow in us Your: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let us see people how You see them, Jesus. Allow our hearts to soften so that we can experience loving others as You love them. We want to be ready for Your return, and we want to bring more hearts to know You. Use us today to grow Your Kingdom, Lord Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.