Devotionals

During yesterday’s sermon Pastor Mary mentioned that she trembles with fear each time she allows the Holy Spirit to move through her to deliver God’s Word. This doesn’t mean that Pastor Mary is afraid of the Lord, it means that she serves the Lord with reverent fear, and that she rejoices with trembling. (Psalm 2:11)

Friends, there will always be people (the weeds as Pastor Mary described in great detail yesterday) who will feel uncomfortable with the sovereignty of God. These people wish to rule their own lives and so they attempt to hide their sinful deeds, thoughts, and hearts from God within the darkness of this world. The Word of God reveals that there is no hiding from God, it is impossible for believers and unbelievers alike because God is all-knowing or omniscient. God has the perfect knowledge of all things, He does not have to learn anything, because He is the Creator of everything. He is also present everywhere at the same time, or omnipresent; and He has unlimited power or is omnipotent.

As believers, we should be filled with the highest level of confident hope that we serve a God Who is all knowing, Who is everywhere and in everything, and Who has infinite power. This Truth is revealed in today’s passage. Our God knows exactly what we need and what we do not need within our lives because He knew us before we were born. Think about it, God, the Creator of everything, knitted each one of us together before we physically entered this world. I don’t know about you, but today’s passage gives me great hope and allows me to see that I need to cry out for more of God’s power to manifest within my life because He clearly has it for me. God laid out every moment before I was born, and so I need to keep aligning my heart with that very special plan that He has for me and to keep moving forward with Him. Friends, He has a very special plan for each one of you, so cry out to Him today for more of His power and for His guidance.

Psalm 139:13-18 (NLT)

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!

18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for including me in Your creation. Please forgive me, Lord, when I try to make plans apart from the great plan that You have for me. Holy Spirit, please continue to guide my steps, and quicken my spirit to know when I am straying from God’s plan. Lord, please cover me with Your grace, fill me with Your power, and guide me by Your wisdom. Help me to see what You need me to see, to hear what You need me to hear, and may my heart be moved by only what You need it to be moved by. Protect me from the evil one, as I live out my days for You, Jesus. I ask this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: I’m a veggie and fruit eater. I love salads filled with all kinds of goodies (no cheese, please) and delicious fresh fruit is like dessert for me because I really do not crave refined sugar sweets. Scripture teaches us a lot about fruit, but just like when we go grocery shopping, not all fruit is good to eat. Sometimes fruit looks really good on the outside, but is rotten on the inside. Let’s remember there was righteous seed-bearing fruit, as well as good-looking unrighteous fruit in the Garden of Eden.

Today, as Christ’s followers, we are to hunger for God’s goodness and produce the righteous fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Producing the fruit of God’s love— is a commandment in the life of Christ’s followers (John 13:34). Love for God leads us to obey his commands (1 John 5:3). Authentic love for our neighbor leads us to push aside our selfishness to come along side others and share the gospel of peace that is available with God through Christ (Mat 22:35). Fruit production is about character and actions and we lead others to God with the good fruit of the Spirit of Truth. Actions speak louder than words.

In the Old Testament, prophets brought messages to the king and the people. The king was responsible for seeing to it that God’s will was done among the people. So God provided prophets to help guide the people. Some prophets—called anointed prophets—genuinely shared a message from God for the king, so he could lead the people toward righteousness. This was not always a popular message, because it shined a light on the people’s sin and many times these prophets were killed in order to silence them. Some other prophets—called false prophets—were deceptive; they came saying they had a message from God, but in reality they arrived to share a message that everyone wanted to hear and would make the prophet popular. Their message never addressed sin in the light of the truth.

In our passage today, Jesus is concluding his Sermon on the Mount where he has been guiding people in recognizing righteous actions that please God, as well as warning them about unrighteousness that is being taught by false prophets. Therefore, Jesus wants the people to know how to tell the difference in their teachers. Jesus instructs his people to continue to move forward in the truth—walking the narrow way into God’s presence and Kingdom living (Mat 7:13). Live the truth, today!

Matthew 7:15-20 NLT The Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us a hunger for spiritual fruit. Please continue to help us produce the fruit of righteous living. May our actions identify the fruit of the Spirit living within us. Fill us with your love, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone is an idiom that always resonates value within me. I hold onto it, because it reminds me to live each day enjoying my relationship with God, the reality and power of the truth, the blessings I have been given in my loved ones, my calling and work, the people around me, and my freedom; all imparted to me because of the love of Jesus. In this selfish and self-aggrandizing world, it is all too easy to become spiritually distracted from the truth and take these blessings for granted until they are no longer available.

The work of sin is to distract and divide humanity from the truth of God’s love. In the beginning, when Eve saw the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge—the fruit God said was off limits—it outwardly appeared extremely desirable to the senses and distracted her from the truth. Yet, inwardly that fruit, when eaten, quickly divided the heart and brought both physical and spiritual death.

In our passage today, David asks God to deliver him from evil, as well as heal and reconnect his divided heart. David wants help being loyal to God; he knows he cannot live in a way that honors and glorifies him without divine intervention. He needs a Savior. He needs the Lord.

So, our faithful and loving Lord created a way for humanity to regain what the enemy robbed in the garden. For this reason, salvation in Christ begins in the heart of human beings. There is grace for today; tomorrow is not promised. While there is time, please tell others about the need for Christ. Like David, may we crave an undivided heart. Love is the Way…

Psalm 86:11-13 VOICE
11
O Eternal One, guide me along Your path
    so that I will live in Your truth.
Unite my divided heart so that I will fear Your great name.
12 
O Lord, my God! I praise You with all that I am.
    I will rightly honor Your great name forever.
13 
For Your loyal love for me is so great it is beyond comparison.
    You have rescued my soul from the depths of the grave.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for guiding our understanding of the Truth. Continue to teach us to walk in wisdom, by staying connected to Christ. Holy Spirit, grow the fruit of love within us, so we can live as victorious sons and daughters. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The other day I was trying to describe something complex in structure and layout to my husband, but I was struggling to find the right words; so, I quickly grab a piece of paper and drew a picture. There is an old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” It simply means a picture can bring together complex or perhaps multiple ideas and convey them with a single image. Truthfully, the picture I drew as I spoke was a lot more effective than just my words.

The Old Testament is filled with words and images which form pictures that convey truth about God—the Creator of heaven and earth. The New Testament Gospels contain many lessons that explain truth by drawing visual word pictures. For example, Jesus told parables that brought together complex spiritual things and ideas so his listeners could understand the mystery of God who brings blessings, as well as judgment. Jesus wants people to know the love of God for humanity, as well as the anger of God against the sin living within. Human beings were created to bear the glory of God not the sin of the world.

In our passage today, Jesus is focused on getting clarity to his disciples—those who have committed themselves to his message and way to be in right standing with Father God [Gospel of Grace]. Jesus has spent a great deal of time speaking with the crowds and dealing with the Pharisees, but now he is specifically focusing on those who are listening to him and taking his Word into their hearts. When humanity seeks God’s will, spiritual understanding is released.

Jesus knows the hearts of those who are sincerely seeking him to bring righteous salvation from sin; their hearts return to God (which means a reversal in direction and living). Therefore, Jesus allows the disciples to receive the spiritual truth and understanding from his illustrations and parables. The parable of the four soils found in Matthew 13:1-9 speaks of sown seed in soil and reveals a separation of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [filled with living water] from those who are simply full of themselves [dry as dirt] (Mat 5:6). “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7). Thank you, Jesus!

Matthew 13:10-17 NLT
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets [mystery] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.    They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,    you will not understand.When you see what I do,    you will not comprehend.
15 
For the hearts of these people are hardened,    and their ears cannot hear,and they have closed their eyes—    so their eyes cannot see,and their ears cannot hear,    and their hearts cannot understand,and they cannot turn to me    and let me heal them.’

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

Prayer: Lord, with all our knowledge of your Word, please give us understanding. As we seek you, we know you will provide the Truth for our hearts. Thank you for abundant life and our freedom in the Spirit. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Intro: The biblical definition of confuse is: to mix or blend things so that they cannot be distinguished. Therefore, confusion is associated with a lack of clarity, misunderstanding of the truth, and a state of disorder. According to Scripture, God is not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Cor 14:33). So, confusion is the work of evil; it is sent by the enemy to divide, separate, and destroy the Truth. Because of sin, the world is confused about God and his authority to set the standard for his human creation.

Even though the world is confused by sin, believers can live in the clarity of the Truth. The Holy Spirit lives in believers and convicts us of sin—gives us a new way to think—so we do not make a practice of what we know is unrighteous. True, we all sin, but because of the light of Christ and his Word, we know what grieves God and we quickly repent and seek to live separated from those things the enemy uses to bring confusion. Remember, obedience to God thwarts the work of evil.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul asks the believers in Ephesus to stop sinning: any thought, word, or action that does not conform to God’s will. Now, you might think no believer would be all right with lying, stealing, or acting out their rage or lust; however, Paul has to correct the believers because they are, in fact, acting just like unbelievers.

This can happen when we grieve the Holy Spirit by not honoring his conviction in our hearts. When we choose to grieve the Spirit, we open a spiritual door and confusion enters to harden our hearts and darken our minds. Things that were once clear are now distorted. So, Paul releases the following challenge to the early believers as a warning: Get rid of your evil behavior…and imitate God in everything you do (Eph 4:31, 5:1). Such a great reminder for us, as well.

Ephesians 4:17-5:2 NLT Living as Children of Light
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles [unbelievers] do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,[put his seal/mark on you] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Living in the Light
5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Prayer: Lord, please help us to listen and obey the convicting work of the Spirit. We want the Holy Spirit to guide us, so we do not fall into a state of confusion over things you make clear in your Word. We want our lives to glorify you as we choose to live in the truth. So, please help us live in the Light. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sanctification is a Biblical term that means: to make holy, to set apart, or to live according to God’s design and purpose. As believers, you and I choose to follow Jesus, so God graciously sanctifies our new lives by freeing us from sin. Thus, God calls us to shift our free will towards living out our new lives according to His design and purpose rather than for our own worldly desires and pleasures. Please note that sanctification is an ongoing process. It is impossible for anyone to sanctify themselves or anyone else, as only God can make us holy; and we must choose to keep Jesus at the center of our lives, so we can actively call on the Holy Spirit to help guide our every step as we walk out God’s intended plan for our future.

As you may recall from yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Mary held up three words: Hopeful, Helpless, & Ability. Without Jesus we are Helpless, with Jesus, He offers us the Ability to choose to be Hopeful. Remember, to sanctify is to set apart, which means that you and I, as believers, are priceless in the eyes of our Father. I don’t know about you, but that gives me the greatest hope! It also means, that I have a great responsibility because in this place of being highly valued by the Father, which is far greater than any high level this world can offer me, God gives me the ability to live in a way that honors His Name for His Kingdom and for my life. God knows that I now live for Him, that He is at the center of my life, and that I place Him above everything and everyone else within my life. It is within this growing relationship and right standing with Jesus, that I can be the best version of me, because I get to be who God created me to be as a daughter of the Most High, which makes me a better earthly daughter, wife, mother, family member, and friend. I know that worldly desires and pleasures are fleeting, and nothing is worth taking the place of the everlasting relationship that I have with Jesus, absolutely nothing.

“When God lives and breathes in you (and He does, as surely as He did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With His Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!” (Romans 8) Friends, we have to choose Jesus over worldly desires and pleasures for our soul and our bodies. The devil will never stop tempting us. Remember, the King of all of Creation, created you and me, and His plan for us is the highest and best, more than any fleeting worldly plan that the devil can ever offer us. That means we have the ability, through Christ Jesus, to remain hopeful and to cast down helplessness at the foot of His cross.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NASB)

Sanctification and Love

1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel even more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no one violate the rights and take advantage of his brother or sister in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you previously and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore, the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the highest example of how we are to walk out a holy life. Holy Spirit, we need You, all of the time, to help guide our steps. Please keep us moving on the plan that God has for our lives. May we be guided by Your wisdom to know when the devil seeks to tempt us with worldly desires and pleasures; and may we be quick to turn from those places and turn to You, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Last week, we looked at Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1876) who played a big role within evangelism.  As we continue to navigate and examine different people who played a part in growing the Kingdom of God, it is important to understand that times were different when it came to spreading the good news of Jesus.  Some people were open to receive His gospel message and wanting to grow in their faith, while some were the exact opposite and wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever.  There was a movement known as the Jesus Movement which took place from the 1960s through the 1970s.  During this time, lots of people made their name within evangelizing as well as worship music.  This week, we will look at several different people first through the Jesus Movement.  This movement originated in San Francisco during the Baby Boomer Revival era between 1965 through 1985, and the movement specifically went between the 1960s and 1970s.  One man who began or initiated the Jesus Movement was Jack Sparks.  He started as a statistics professor and then he established the Christian World Liberation Front (CWLF).  Since then, there have been other people who have contributed to this specific movement.  One of those people was Chuck Smith.  He was a preacher at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California and one of the things that he started to do was baptizing people in the Pacific Ocean and more than 200 young people confessed Jesus as the Savior and Lord.  

Challenge 

I want to challenge you to think about what it means to step out in faith.  I remember watching an episode of the TV series “The Chosen” and there was a scene where Matthew and Philip are having a dialogue about what it means to be on the outside of the circle.  This stuck out to me because so often we want to be included and inside the circle, but sometimes it is good for us to be on the outside of the circle.  Here’s what I’m saying: you can step out in faith without stepping into the circle.  In other words, we cannot be conformed to the patterns of this world, but instead we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).  I want to challenge you to step out in faith but don’t step in the circle.  When we start doing this, we will begin to see what God is trying to reveal to us and what we need to do to stay in tuned or in lined with Him.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray for Your continuous strength and wisdom as we continue to do the things that You have called us to.  As we grow Your Kingdom, let us not be ashamed of it.  Instead, let us embrace it and let Your word shine before others so that the darkness will flee and Your light will shine through.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.  

Intro: On July 1st, John and I celebrated forty-five years of marriage. Yikes! Where did the time go? Over a lovely dinner, we reminisced about the many challenging experiences we had shared, as well as the joy of things we accomplished together. People who know us well will testify to how different John and I are in our natural inclinations, likes, and dislikes, but we are deeply connected by our commitment to God and to one another. Only with God could two young self-focused people like us come together and learn to become one in Christ’s love. (Please don’t ask me or John about the pain-scale involved in that process! lol!)

In Scripture, the word commitment communicates “giving over” something of value to another person. As well, commitment brings with it the responsibility to “practice” a certain pursuit. For example, when we marry, we are “giving over” [surrendering] our singleness [focused only on what is good for self] and now joining into a relational bond that considers what is best for two people.

In our passage today, David speaks about his commitment to becoming one with God’s Word. David knows only God can give him the right perspective and guidance for life in this dark world. It is through his Word that God initiates a relationship with us. God brings wisdom to our lives, so we can navigate the challenges effectively and learn to love one another the way God loves us. For the believer, Christ is our Bridegroom; through the Holy Spirit, we become one with him in flesh. We are the recipients of Christ’s affection and we are invited to focus our affections wholly on him. Let’s follow the Light of the World, today.

Psalm 119:105-106 VOICE
105
Your word is a lamp for my steps;
    it lights the path before me.
106 
I have taken an oath and confirmed it:
    I pledge to do what You say is right and just.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for initiating a relationship with your children. Help us to keep our focus on you and to remain committed to following your Word. Holy Spirit, we want to become One with Christ in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I love sitting around a campfire or fire pit. There is something so mesmerizing for me about a “controlled fire.” As a child growing up in Michigan, I would sit and sometimes sleep near the fire place, because the glow and warmth of it was comforting to me. Now that I live in Florida with 90 degree temperatures, I have a fireplace that puts off zero heat and I can still enjoy the glow before me! lol! When scripture portrays God as a pillar of fire, a bush of fire, a fiery furnace, fire on the mountain at Sinai, tongues of fire, or even a consuming fire it is a comfort, because fire reminds me of the glorious and holy presence of God revealed to humanity. Sin may not be safe in the fire of God, but as his daughter in Christ I am.

In our passage today, while shepherding near Sinai, Moses is drawn to a blazing fire nestled inside a bush which remarkably is not destroyed. This ground around the fire is holy and this will be the first of several times Moses encounters the revealed Word of the Lord at Sinai. With his sandals off, Moses speaks with the Angel of the Lord around the fire—I love this picture. The Lord knows Moses’ name and has a plan for his life as they chat there. Through this experience, Moses has no doubt that God is holy and powerful, requires respect, and is not of this world. God pursues Moses and makes a commitment to deliver his people from oppression and evil.

God is love and he pursue us with a passion to enjoy fellowship. Because of the redeeming work of Christ, we can boldly approach the throne of our gracious God (Heb 4:16). Today, may we turn to our Pursuer, take off the sandals that carries the residue of the world, bow in complete respect to our Creator, enter the holy presence of our loving Father, and find there is no one like the Lord!

Exodus 3:1-6 NLT Moses and the Burning Bush
1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for our fireside lesson from Moses. Please continue to pursue us, heal us, sanctify us, and reveal yourself to us as your sons and daughters. We need and want you, Lord. Be our Comforter and warm us in your glorious presence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Last Sunday, I shared about the dangers of pride to our relationship with Christ and how destructive a lack of empathy is to our relationship with others. Certainly, the struggle to fight against this sin is real and we must seek the power of the Spirit to help us maintain a humble attitude, so we can produce righteous actions. Living our lives in a spirit of humility is a struggle even though Jesus made it look easy.

In our passage today, Jesus is getting ready to share a Passover meal with his disciples. It is not an ordinary Passover; it is a set up for salvation and every aspect of the evening reveals the love of God to redeem the world. The events of the evening are permeated with profound spiritual lessons that touch the lives of the disciples, as well as the lives of believers throughout time.

Judas chooses to be led by evil; no surprise, because a betrayal is necessary and Jesus came to destroy the work of Satan (Gen 3:15; Zech 11:12-13). Our scripture teaches Jesus knew the timing for his return to heaven had arrived; no surprise, because it was prophesied (Dan 7:13-14). Jesus knew the Father had given him the power he needed to bring salvation to earth; no surprise, because Jesus is the Passover Lamb to be slain and this is the time (Ex 12:21-27). What is a surprise is how difficult humility is for human beings even when we are told serving brings joy to our souls.

John 13:1-17 GNT Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1 It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end.

2 Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?”

7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”

8 Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!”
“If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus answered, “you will no longer be my disciple.”

9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!”

10 Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean—all except one.” (11 Jesus already knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”)

12 After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your perfect example of humility. You humbled yourself and left the glory of heaven in order to save us. You humbled yourself by washing the sin off from us through your cleansing Word of Truth. You humbled yourself to die for our sin on the cross even though you were innocent and pure. Thank you for your love! So, Lord, please help us assume a humble posture and put on a servant’s heart to minister to others, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.