Devotionals

Intro: In 2013, Peter, our Board of Directors, and myself created a five year business plan and set a goal that accompanied our bank loan to purchase our present building. This business plan was built on mature faith in Christ’s provision; we decided we would ask the Lord to help us pay the building off in five years. God miraculously honored that goal through some amazing and generous people…because they kept their focus on the work of the Kingdom as we served the King.

Establishing and setting financial goals is always an essential part of wise living, because it keeps the important things in focus. Maintaining a budget these days is a must! If all we do, today, is blindly focus on our wants as we spend money, we will find ourselves unprepared tomorrow. Believers do not worry about tomorrow like God will in some way neglect to care for us, but we certainly should not live foolishly or beyond our means, because every decision we make, today, in some way affects tomorrow.

Another part of wise living is setting spiritual goals. For the believer, our first goal should be to die to sin and diligently live new life in Christ’s power. Our new life will be filled with new desires that bring new actions as we seek to reflect the character of Christ.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul shares his spiritual goal with the church in Philippi and believers from every generation to follow. Do you have difficulty forgiving and forgetting the pain from your past? Paul understands. For Paul, he had to trust God to help him forget his spiritually ignorant and murderous actions against Christ’s followers. As we each press toward the goal of becoming more like Christ, let’s help and encourage one another to move beyond the past, as well. Let achieving your spiritual goal consume your energy, instead.

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT Pressing toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for teaching us how to live wisely by setting goals. Our spiritual goal, like the Apostle Paul, is to radiate your amazing character and trust in your provision to see us through. In Jesus’ name. 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.

Intro: Merriam-Webster defines divided loyalty as ‘a feeling of strong support for opposing groups.’ It’s like a person staggering; struggling to get balanced. At times, we can find ourselves questioning where to place our loyalty, because we may desire to love and serve God, but we also want to make ourselves and everyone else around us happy, too. I hope we can all agree that finding oneness with God while at the same time trying to find oneness with this worldly culture will never happen and we must be all right with it. “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions” (Gal 5:17). We cannot serve two masters (Mat 6:24).

In our passage today, the Apostle James [brother of Jesus] reminds 1st Century Jewish Christians that divided loyalty is like ‘adultery’ and ‘idolatry.’ Very simply, God commands our loyalty: We must not have any other god but the Lord (Ex 20:2-3). We cannot be divided in our loyalty to the Lord, because to do so is to be unfaithful to him and his rule over our lives. We cannot love our desires, others, or this world more than God. To love the Lord is to love him with our whole being regardless of what Satan serves up on the silver platter of this world. We need the Lord to deliver us from evil. To remain faithful or undivided to God is to humble ourselves and exalt the Lord as our Rescuer.

James 4:4-10 NLT
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Intro: God has the authority or freedom to decide or act without explanation or hindrance [e.g. He answers to no one]. God has the authority or power and ability to complete an action [e.g. only Jesus can forgive sin]. God can delegate authority to his ambassadors to perform ministry which builds up the Body of Christ [e.g. the apostles]. Lastly, God has established spheres of authority in the world [e.g. civil government, home, and church] and has instructed believers to honor those holding authority. Yet, God has created EVERY human being to live by conviction under His rule and authority.

In our passage for today, Peter writes to elders [spiritual leaders who serve as examples], young people [who are learning to emulate Christ], and the Church Body [believers who are committed to serving Christ]. He encourages each group to accept the responsibility to care for one another—to stop seeking positions of power—because authority and leadership is granted to those who emulate Christ’s humble servant heart.

Spiritual authority is something Christ took back from Satan. Believers—new creations—have authority because Christ lives in us and flows through the spiritual gifts we have been given. We simply need to stay or abide in Christ and honor His humble way of ministering to lost, hurting, and broken people. Be an example of Christ for someone, today.

1 Peter 5:1-5 NLT
1 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Prayer: Creator Lord, as your children, sons, and daughters, we honor Your authority and the spheres of authority you have put into place. As well, we welcome the conviction of the Holy Spirit to shape us for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Breaking news travels rapidly these days through live news feeds. The Pew Research Center reports eight-in-ten Americans get their news from digital devices. Staying informed with news is important, because we need to base our point of view and understanding of the world around us on the truth. The Spirit bears witness with our spirits when we hear the truth, so believers can discern the truth from lies. Our ability to stay informed is almost instantaneous, but that was certainly not always the case.

In the first century, a healthy person could travel three to four miles an hour over flat terrain to deliver news. So a person might be able to walk twenty-five to thirty miles a day unless motivated to run part of the way. Augustus Caesar developed a horse mail system for conveying military or political instruction; however, private letters were carried by servants or by travelers. Water travel was based on rowing or sail power, so depending on the weather a boat could travel six to seven miles per hour. Certainly, it would take a while to get news from one town to another.

In our passage today, the news about the resurrection of Lazarus, for its culture and time, traveled rapidly through Bethany and to the city of Jerusalem [two miles away]. The truth was apparent; Jesus performed a miracle to bring this man who was dead [four days] back to life. But, even though the information about the miracle was the truth, the religious leaders were frightened the work of Jesus would escalate the long standing conflict between the Jews and the Romans. They failed to see the salvation the Jews and the world needed had very little to do with Rome.

Caiaphas—ruler of the high council who worked with Pontius Pilate—was unaware of his mouth passing along news from heaven. God used what Caiaphas said to get His plan for salvation moving forward in the appointed time. What Caiaphas meant with his words was that it was better for one “revolutionary” to die than for the whole nation of Israel to live through a crushing assault from Rome. So, in response to this fear, the high council set a trap for Jesus when he returned to Jerusalem for Passover.

John 11:45-57 NLT The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Many of the people who were with Mary [sister of Lazarus] believed in Jesus when they saw this [resurrection of Lazarus] happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

49 Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

51 He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving your life, so believers do not have to face the crushing effects of sin and death. By faith, we can know and be assured of enteral life just by trusting in your work on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you for orchestrating our salvation by using the words of Caiaphas to set things into motion. Thank you for using the words and actions of your sons and daughters worldwide to reveal the work of grace. May how we live for your glory be the news that travels rapidly. You truly are the Great Director of all and your plan for salvation is perfect. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Human relationships are always going to need spiritual help and reconciliation; if not today then perhaps tomorrow or next week. Relationships are precious, but they require hard work and sacrifice. We can be so very different in our individual personhood and beliefs; therefore, even small clashes and conflicts are inevitable. When groups of people violently demand their own way and expect everyone else to bow down to them, it quickly escalates the conflict and war ensues. Wars are being fought all the time [look at the immediate situation with Israel/Hamas]; because without a desire for peace with God and neighbor based on a love and respect for the laws that govern, there can be no lasting agreement, so defending and protecting land and people becomes the urgent focus. Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps 122:6). The Hamas catalyst appears to be hatred living in the heart; the pursuit and quest for greater land, power, and autonomy through horrific lawless means.

Hatred is not isolated to other nations. Look at our country and the daily demonstration of lack of respect for the laws established by our U.S. Constitution; as well as, the lack of governing leadership to empower peacemakers who enforce justice: 1) against law-breakers, 2) protection for law-abiding citizens, and 3) help for immigrating neighbors built upon our legal foundation for entry to this country. Human to human relationships have hope for reconciliation when Christ is the Lord of the heart, because without him we live in darkness with deceitful, self-serving, and lawless inclinations.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds us it is Christ who makes human beings right with Father God and in so doing we become new people living with a purpose. Our purpose is to help others meet Jesus, so they can also be reconciled to God and receive changed hearts. Not only does Christ instigate a reconciled relationship with the Father, he sends us to be ministers of reconciliation in our other relationships, as well. Christ rebuilds and repairs broken relationships all the time; he is all about addressing sin and healing human brokenness.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NLT
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making every willing heart a new person in Christ. We need you to forgive our sin and heal our human brokenness. Today, we continue to pray for our hearts, as well as the hearts of our loved ones, friends and neighbors; may every heart be reconciled to you. We pray for our communities to be made whole and healthy in your reconciling love; make us examples who shine your love. We pray for our nation’s leaders to wake up to what is happening each day and take a stand against lawlessness. We pray for the nations of the world to see you are the only One who governs justly. Holy Spirit, please bring revival and reconciliation. In Jesus’ 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.

Intro: Joy (Heb. שִׂמְחָה pronounced see-m/KHA) is an eternal emotion, because it comes from making a choice to allow Christ to rule in our hearts knowing he will fulfill every promise he has made to us. Joy is an action word that can be experienced in good times, as well as bad times. However, we must make the choice to receive the joy of the Lord.

When we struggle, we need שִׂמְחָה in our lives and we gain it by focusing on the faithfulness and greatness of our Lord. If we do not choose joy and step into the well-being of Christ, we will be tempted to focus on our stressful earthly circumstances which most of the time leave us drained, arguing with others, or complaining. We were created to praise not complain; complaining is harmful behavior because we have been commissioned to reveal Christ in us to the world. Joy keeps us focused on Christ and moving along with the Spirit to develop humble and godly character within us.

In our passage, today, the Apostle Paul urges the early church to be humble, obedient, and filled with the joy of the Lord. It is a tough request, because these Christians in Philippi are experiencing persecution; they are being targeted and they see negative circumstances all around them. Paul knows God’s people need to become more resilient by abiding in the dynamic presence of God’s Spirit. We, too, need to become spiritually strong, so we can withstand the pressures of a sin-filled world. Difficult times abound across the globe, but God is greater and imitating Christ is the race set before each one of us. So, let’s press on and share in the joy of our salvation. Praise the Lord!

Philippians 2:14-18 NLT Imitating Christ’s Humility 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making a way for us as your children to live in your joy. The world’s way is dark, but in Christ you have made us lights for others. Continue to keep us strong and moving forward in the race to reveal Christ the Savior. May your word living in us be a torch helping others to see your love in action. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Years ago, when our sons were in elementary school, I volunteered to be a part of the Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA). During the boy’s last year, I served as the PTA president. As I was getting ready for the new school year of leading the PTA, my father said, “Mary, you need to learn Robert’s Rules of Order if you are going to lead your team in discussion and decision-making.” Robert published his adaption of Rules from the practice of the United States Congress (but for the needs of non-legislative groups). The rules to govern meetings—adopted as parliamentary authority—were intended to help any assembly accomplish the work for which it was designed.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul takes issue with the rules of conduct that have been demanded of Christians by false teachers. These teachers are focused on outward observances more than remaining focused on the power Christ; the followers of these leaders are not growing and getting the real work of the Kingdom done.

Hallelujah, the Old Testament law is fulfilled in Christ; he is the only one who can bring us the power to conquer our evil desires for sin and control. When we give Christ rule over our lives, he has promised to make us complete or whole in spiritual growth; he will empower us to accomplish everything he has planned for us. We must allow Christ to lead us so we accomplish the work for which ‘we’ are designed.

Colossians 2:16-23 NLT 16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

Prayer: Lord, thank you there is no condemnation for all who have accepted the work of Christ for the forgiveness of sin. You have called us out of legalism and into faith. Thank you for connecting us to Christ and bringing us liberty and life, so we can pursue spiritual growth. Please continue to rule and bring divine order into our lives for the work of your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro:

Only Jesus can heal spiritual sickness; it is what the Father sent him to do. Because of sin, we all start out spiritually unhealthy and disconnected from the truth of God. Spiritual health is found in the redeemed spirit that accepts and honors the work of Christ for the forgiveness of sin, as well as turns away from further sin by connecting and communing with God. Did you know you are first and foremost a spirit being?

Your body is not alive without your spirit—it’s only a shell. You are a spirit, you have a unique soul—mind, will, emotions—and you live in a body. Every part of you has been created to serve your spirit while you serve and honor God. When our spirits are unhealthy, it most certainly effects our emotional and physical health, as well.

In our passage today, Jesus encounters the hopeless paralytic man and heals him; he tells the man, “Your sins are forgiven.” In other words Jesus is saying, “Based on the authority the Father has given me, I am healing your spiritual sickness.” But what else happened at the same time? This man experiences a miraculous emotional and physical healing; he is filled with joy and walks home! You see, only God can make us whole, again.

Matthew 9:2-8 NLT

2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”
3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

7 And the man jumped up and went home! 8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wholeness you alone bring our lives. We praise you for the spiritual health made available in Christ. Perhaps some of us today need your touch in other areas. Therefore, we ask for you to bring health to our weary emotions and strength and restoration to our infirm bodies. Make us ambassadors of your gospel for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.