Devotionals

August 9, 2018

Romans 15:1-6 The Message (MSG)

To embrace the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives means to connect to what he values and the direction he wants us to go in life.  The Lord has a plan for our lives; he has positioned the people we will meet and the influence we will be in bringing them to the knowledge of the Savior.  Christians are people of influence set up by God.  True influence is much more than what we say to people.  It is how we make them feel when we are around.  Crowds followed Jesus because he made them feel valued when he spoke Truth into their lives.   Do people sense Jesus in you?

I imagine many of you reading this devotion can testify to an experience of being with someone who professed Christ, but actually made you feel inadequate by criticizing or condemning your personhood, faith practice, or lifestyle.  These are the finger pointers in life; they hold themselves as the standard of true Christianity and judge everyone else around.  It’s a pride issue in their lives, because Jesus never did that to people.  In fact, when the religious leaders brought to Jesus the woman who was caught in adultery and asked him to judge her, he first turned to these leaders and asked which one of them was without sin.  They did not care how they made this woman feel; they extended her zero worth. They were bent on framing Jesus as an unholy man. Jesus did not condone her adulterous lifestyle, but he loved her into a change by helping her see a bigger picture of her life than she was able to see before meeting him.  He revealed to her the weakness of others (all humanity has a sin nature) so she did not feel alone and inadequate before a holy God.  Jesus covered her shame, extended her personal worth, and influenced her to turn in a new direction; he challenged her to live for God in the strength of God.

The Apostle Paul was not telling the Roman church (or us) to ignore the sin that robs people; we are not to be people pleasers. We are God pleasers.  Paul simply was challenging the Christ followers to be “faith influencers for the weak.”  We are to be ready in a moment’s notice by being loving influences in the world guiding people to a loving God who alone can bring change.  Who will God bring into your realm of influence today?  Be ready to love not judge; guide them to Jesus.

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August 8,2018

Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-9 New Life Version (NLV)

When I was younger, I had an image in my mind of what would constitute a full life.  Although, I have enjoy many wonderful experiences, some things I once thought were vitally important proved not to be fulfilling.  Now that I am older, I can tell you my perspective on what makes a full life has changed “greatly.”  I value joy and fellowship with Jesus brings great joy.   In his Word, God has promised to provide a spiritually rich and satisfying life—a great full life—for all of his children.  Money can’t by it; only feeding on God’s love, listening, and living God’s way can provide it.  

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August 6, 2018

Ephesians 4:17-24 New Living Translation (NLT)

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul teaches the early Christians that Christ has called them to be different in character and behavior.  In fact, the world should notice a difference in how Christ’s followers live and treat people.  Christ calls us to be humble, gentle, patient, extending love to others while remaining united in the bond of peace.  We accepted salvation based on Christ’s terms that we would give him our old life (put it on the cross) and follow him to newness of life.  Let’s allow him to do the work in our hearts and minds that make us more like the One we are supposed to be following; connect to Christ and live.

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August 3, 2018

Psalm 51:1-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

In our Wednesday LIFE Lessons Bible Study, we spent more time on the Beatitudes found in the gospel of Matthew; the attitude of being in Christ which should be every Christian’s goal.  Blessings abound in God’s Kingdom.  We abide in that spiritual realm of blessing when we understand: 1) our spiritual poverty (emptiness apart from Christ); 2) as we mourn for his world who is lost to him; 3) the need for a spirit of meekness (quiet strength); 4) the value of being hungry and thirsty for righteousness (right living before a holy God); 5) the power of extending mercy to others; 6) the necessity of being pure in heart (undivided in devotion to God); and 7) the work of remaining in peace (shalom) with God and others.

David recognized his spiritual poverty, God’s call to meekness or humility, the hunger for God’s presence that had departed, and his sin that had caused him to be unclean before a holy God. David cried for mercy based on God’s kindness.  He saw clearly his sin and the need for spiritual cleansing and restoration.  We’ve all sinned against the love of God and we must bear the responsibility of knowing that truth.  In Christ we have a righteous sin offering.  May we allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, may we hunger for more of God each day, and may we be willing to live with the attitude of Christ. Enjoy a blessed weekend.

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August 2, 2018

Psalm 78:23-29 New Living Translation (NLT)

As I write this devotion, the wind is blowing past the window and the sound of gentle thunder is echoing in the distance.  It’s peaceful and almost reassuring to my soul as I read our passage today about how the heavens and earth are God’s domain to command.  Our psalm today tells the story of the Israelites and how God took care of them.  He fed them manna and quail to sustain them.  At God’s Word heavenly food rained down and at God’s command the wind changed in direction and actually brought quail to the camp of the Israelites. However, the people who were taken out of slavery so they could experience the abundance in the land of promise, all too quickly forgot the wonders of God and his faithfulness to them. We must guard our hearts so we do not repeat history.

We always have a choice in our relationship with God, because his salvation offer is the same today.  By a declaration of our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, the Lord takes us out of slavery to sin and selfish living.  He calls us to join him on a new journey toward a land of promise where he will become our Provider.  We can rejoice in God’s provision or grumble when he turns in a direction we do not really want to go.  The Christian journey is all about trust and, if we are faithful to follow him, eventually we will look back and see the wisdom of God that has been acting in our behalf.  Stay the course.

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August 1, 2018

Mark 6:35-44  New Living Translation (NLT)

This past Sunday we studied the passage of Jesus feeding the 5,000+ based on the gospel of John.  Our focus was on reaching for God’s love; faith works through love. We may be able to tap into an ever increasing knowledge of God’s Word, but his love can never be measured; it is beyond human comprehension.  We need to use faith.  Jesus leads the disciples to go beyond an awareness of God in order to be a part of a love miracle. The true knowledge of the mysteries of God is found in Christ himself; so, we must connect to Christ.

Today we will be reading the same lesson of Jesus feeding the 5,000+, but the passage is read from the gospel of Mark.  We see some similarities as the disciples struggle with their rational minds when listening to Christ’s challenge to feed the people.  He listens to their rationale, but then he instructs the disciples to find out what resources they actually have among the people; he wants them to find the seed of faith.  Faith is the substance of things we hope for and the evidence of things not yet seen (Heb. 11:1). God always provides seed to multiply, but we must identify it, bring it to him, and expect results (faith).  In this case, the disciples bring five loaves and two fish as food seed.  The Lord then multiples it and feeds the crowds until they are satisfied.  When it comes to your life, pay attention to the provision of spiritual seed you have been given from God.   As long as the earth remains there will be seed time and harvest time.  When planted by faith in the fertile ground of God’s love, your seed will bring abundance. 

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July 31, 2018

Genesis 18:1-4, 6-13 New Living Translation (NLT)

Our passage for today is special to my heart; I have internalized a promise from God for years.  Sometimes it feels like our imparted dreams from God teeter between hope and the impossible.  If you have felt that way, you are in good company with the biblical heroes of the faith.  When God gives a promise, he never tells us how long it will be before it comes to pass.  We have to stand by faith and believe that if the Lord says something is going to take place in our lives, it will.  

In our passage today, Sarah struggles with hearing the Word of the Lord—she is promised a son—because it defies human logic and physical possibilities.  Yet, like Sarah we must wrestle down those mindsets that demand God fit into human knowledge or experience. Love surpasses or goes beyond human knowledge. God is in charge of all things; He is the Creator of Life.  So, if the Lord speaks to your heart, never abort the promise.  Hang onto it and watch for him to bring it to pass in his time. Just as the Lord promised, Sarah had a son, Isaac, a year later.

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July 30,2018

Philippians 4:10-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

God calls all of his children to abide (dwell) in a state of contentment. Contentment is a state of the soul (mind/will/emotions) as human confidence and trust are placed in God’s love.  So, in the midst of life whether we find ourselves in a place of lack or a place of plenty, we are to be content knowing God is our provider and our Source.  In times of lack, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength to endure and await his blessing.  In times of plenty, we can do all things through Christ who gives us more than enough to live so we can be a blessing to others.  Make contentment your goal today.

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July 27,2018

Colossians 3:12-17 The Message (MSG)

On Wednesday, we started a new Bible Study series from the gospel of Matthew.  In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told those listening that God designed human beings to be receivers of the abundance of the Spirit; the inheritance and blessing of the kingdom of heaven.  We must first confess we are poor in spirit in need of God’s Spirit to be satisfied or filled.  Just think about it, we have the privilege of holding within our bodies everything heaven offers with the purpose that we would treasure it on the inside and wear it like clothing on the outside.  We can wear the essence of God’s righteous presence; garments of compassion, kindness, meekness, and love.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse aligns with this same teaching from Jesus Christ.  When we live in the blessing through fellowship with the Lord, we can dress in the wardrobe God picks out for us each day. That challenges my thinking and leads to the question, “Why do you suppose we draw from the closet of our flesh and what we can produce in ourselves, rather than pull out the perfect Tailor made garments?”  Honestly, it is our inclination to dress ourselves based on what we think, how we feel, and what we want.   How will you dress, today?

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