Devotionals

If today was your last day on earth, what kind of legacy will you leave behind?

The word “legacy” takes on a different meaning for people. Some believe they need to build something grand to leave behind, while others believe they need to preserve something that has been passed down by family. Matthew reminds us that our legacy is a true treasure; “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (6:20-21) In other words, our heart will either want our legacy to be of this world and it will ultimately be destroyed; or it will want our legacy to be eternal which will mean that it will be forever connected to Christ.

In today’s passage, Solomon challenges us to consider wisely the legacy we will choose to leave behind for our children and for future generations.

Solomon points us to remember that God is the builder of all things, He watches over all things, and He is the One who gives all things. So, when we take over the building, the watching, and/or the giving, we are doing it all for nothing. “For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.” (v.2) If God allows each of our physical systems to operate even while we are sleeping, providing all that is needed to sustain our physical life during rest, why do we not trust Him to provide all that is needed to sustain our physical lives when we are awake? Rather, we often attempt to take the control of our lives in our own hands. God seeks for us to give full control of our lives into His hands.

As you read Psalm 127, remember that these words were written for the community of Israel as they made their way up to Jerusalem and to the temple, it was a reminder to them (and remains a reminder to us today) of God’s covenant promise to His people and His many blessings. We know from history that we must have faith and trust in God to build, watch, and give us each our future plan, because apart from His eternal and perfect plan for each of our lives, our own great worldly achievements are fleeting.

Psalm 127 NLT
God Is Good to His People

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work for nothing. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the men who watch over it stay awake for nothing. 2 You rise up early, and go to bed late, and work hard for your food, all for nothing. For the Lord gives to His loved ones even while they sleep.

3 See, children are a gift from the Lord. The children born to us are our special reward. 4 The children of a young man are like arrows in the hand of a soldier. 5 Happy is the man who has many of them. They will not be put to shame when they speak in the gate with those who hate them.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the plan that You have for my life. Help me, Lord, to submit my own will in order to allow Your will to be done in and through my life. I want to walk out the plan that You have designed especially for me, because I know that it is the best plan. Please forgive me for not always trusting in Your plan for my life. Help to bring me closer to walking out Your desired plan for my life. I want to glorify You, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: We serve the God of the impossible who is the Creator and Ruler of all things in heaven and on earth. Everything in God’s plan for salvation will one day be fulfilled in the world. From the beginning of time, God has never stopped working to redeem this fallen creation and offer salvation to those willing to respond to Him in faith. This means the Lord continues to bring saving faith to both Jews and Gentiles—we must remember we are all in our redeeming God’s mission together. In fact, the prophet Isaiah shares about the future glory for Jerusalem when the Lord God becomes our everlasting light and glory (Isaiah 60). That being said, the sooner Jews and Gentiles come to the Lord—connect to Christ—the better off we will all be.

Believers know our God is sovereign and transcendent—he is both knowable and unknowable, yet He continues to reveal Himself in new and glorious ways to His children. We cannot process God by an act of our own will or as a sense of reasoning; we must seek him through a relationship with Jesus because this is how God desires to be known. The only way to grow in our knowledge of God is by absolute trust and dependence upon the work of the Savior on the cross (John 3:16). Through Christ, God draws near to humanity; he comes into the hearts and minds of believers through the Holy Spirit in order to reveal Truth—God exists and He is a Rewarder of those who seek him (Heb 11:6). Remember, every way God brings revelation should be consistent with the Testimony of His Word. What a miracle!

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul shares a doxology—prayer of praise—unto the Lord. Although we cannot always comprehend the ways of God, we can rest assure he will always interact in the lives of his children and govern heaven and earth with mercy, justice, and love. We exist to bring God glory, so may we do so, today!
Romans 11:33-36 (NLT)

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 
And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Prayer: Lord, you are the Source of all things, so we place ourselves in your loving hands to be used for your glory, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Expectations can be tough to balance in this uncertain world. Where is it safe to place our highest hopes? Sometimes when we have expectations for people, we find it necessary to lower our hopes a bit. Otherwise, we are constantly disappointed. We can certainly have high expectations for God, because He is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present, and totally trustworthy. God will never fail us. However, we must remember God’s thoughts about righteousness are not our thoughts and God’s righteous ways may or may not be our choice of acting righteous. Yet, it is always right to rest our faith in God’s work of salvation in Christ and live obediently to his Word. God is “able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Eph. 4:20). We may have to adjust our expectations of people, but faith in Christ is essential to please God—our Rewarder (Heb 11:6).

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul responds to Israel’s expectations. Many Jews rejected Jesus, because he did not meet their expectation of who and what the Messiah might be and do. Because God had given them the law, it was the Jew’s expectation that trying to obey the law in their human strength was the way to be right with God. Whereas, the Gentiles came to God believing the righteousness of Jesus alone made them right with God. This act of faith may not make sense to our natural minds, but Scripture reveals believing in Christ and asking for his righteousness to be manifest through our lives is the Truth.

It appears Jesus has not met the expectations of many in our present culture, either. Christ’s standard for righteous living is very different from the world’s standard of living. In fact, many people seem to be offended by the standard Jesus uses for his children. He calls his sons and daughters to a posture of humility and obedience to the Word while the world demands its own way. Christ fulfills the goal and purpose of the law—to show us our sinful natures, as well as bring us the power to follow his Word and example. This is the believer’s responsibility. The Holy Spirit is our Helper.

Romans 9:30-10:4 (NLT) Israel’s Unbelief
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,    a rock that makes them fall.But anyone who trusts in him    will never be disgraced.”

10 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

Prayer: Father, I pray for the people of Israel to be saved; to grow in their understanding of the truth and salvation that you make available in Messiah. As well, I pray for this sinful world to believe in Christ and be made righteous before it is too late. I place my trust in you and your plans for righteousness in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Two weeks ago, we started a new series in our LIFE Lessons Bible Study: Discernment vs. Reckless Faith. Discernment makes all the difference in how we perceive the storms of life. Discernment is the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong, and to know and choose God’s will set before us. Here is a way to look at discernment: the ability to distinguish the majors from the minors, the excellent things from the mediocre, and the eternal from the temporal. We can understand the true weight and nature of all things with discernment.

When we ask God for discernment, faith becomes a means of protection against the storms of spiritual deception. Freedom to live in the truth becomes our greatest reality; to live the gospel by faith which pleases our Father. Finally, we grow and develop in our faith and trust in the God whom we openly say we love and serve because during the storms our lives witness the Truth.

In our passage today from Luke 8, Jesus is teaching the disciples about discerning the storms of life. Keep in mind, it is the heart of God to always prepare us and extend to us the grace we need each day. However, every day requires faith—living like we believe the Word of God is true! Jesus gives the Word, the disciples get into the boat as their starting point (A), and then Jesus says, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake” (v. 22). The end point (B) is the other side of the lake. Jesus’ plan is to take them from A to B. But, in the middle of the lake [a symbol of reflection and transition] they face a storm. Jesus allows the disciples to reflect on what he has said while living in the midst of the storm that arrives to test them. Do the disciples discern that Jesus gave them the Truth about making it to the other side? Do they believe he is the living Peace sent by the Father to guide them through life? The answer is they struggle to believe when they face the “storm” in the middle.

We all struggle with a variety of storms we face each day, but if we have asked for discernment, we have the ability to reflect on what God’s Word tells us about life as His children in a fallen world. We need great faith that prompts us to leave the safe shore knowing grace will carry us through the middle of the challenges and will deliver us victoriously to the other side. The enemy always seeks to stop us from faith in the Word, because Satan knows the Truth of God’s Word. Satan uses waves of fear to intimidate God’s children. The safest place in any storm you will face is dwelling with Jesus, because he is the Peace that guards our hearts and leads us forward in faith. If we will stay in Peace, we will always discern things more clearly. Have a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you in worship Sunday!

Luke 8:22-25 (NLT) Jesus Calms the Storm
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”

The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

Prayer: Lord, as your children, we ask you for a spirit of wisdom and discernment to fill us. We want to know and focus on the things that are true, major, and eternal so we can live for your glory. We exalt you as Lord of heaven and earth and confess your authority and power over all creation. Help us to hold on to you, Jesus, because you are the supernatural Peace we so desperately need to deny fear any access to our souls. Use every storm as a way to build our faith and trust in you, because you have promised to take us safely to the other side of the lake of transition. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

July 21, 2022
Intro: I truly enjoy a ministry planning or Board meeting that welcomes the Spirit; one that is centered on discerning and obeying God’s plans. God imparts wisdom and insight through the gifts he places in His people; the gospel is the focus as we plan. Peter has always provided this kind of environment for our planning or Board meetings at Connect2Christ Church. We are so blessed with his leadership.

In Acts 1, Jesus, sets his disciples up for ministry success. In verses 4-5, Jesus essentially calls a “planning meeting” with his disciples. His instructions for moving forward begin with waiting! What? That’s right, Jesus tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit. In other words, the disciples are not to start doing things according to their own ideas, but they are to wait for the Spirit to impart God’s plans to them and provide the power to fulfill them (v.8). The Spirit was always Jesus’ source and power for ministry. As soon as Jesus finishes sharing this part of the planning meeting, he ascends to heaven.

In our passage today, the disciples obey Jesus’ Word; the eleven disciples, Jesus’ brother and mother Mary, as well as several other women, return to Jerusalem and go to an upper room to wait (v.13-14). Soon, the group grows to about 120 people—many new believers in Christ. Peter takes charge and calls a planning meeting. What is on the agenda? It is time to ask God to replace Judas the betrayer who killed himself near the Potter’s Field. The disciples want God’s choice for a replacement, so they begin to devote themselves to prayer and they wait. Waiting is not passive activity, it is dependance and obedience to God’s Word and timing.

Waiting before the Lord is essential whether we are seeking God’s plans for ministry or we are seeking God’s plans for our lives. God will bring us direction; he will reveal His plans, so we can follow. God wants our victory. I always have to remind myself of this Truth, so my Life Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Acts 1:15-25 (NLT)
15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. 16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”

18 (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines.
19 The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)
20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’

21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— 22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”

Prayer: Lord, help us as your children to wait patiently for the response of your Spirit to guide us into righteous living and leading. May you be exalted and praised. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I have a great respect for the overall brilliance of the mind that our God designed and imparted to human beings. God has provided us with the ability to gain intellectual knowledge, reason, and wisdom. We have a computer in our heads and God is the necessary Host if we are going to connect to Truth. Remember, even believers need to continually consume the eternal Word of God to know how to think properly; we need the divine perspective. The devil is the father of lies who hates the Truth (John 8:44). He tries to speak lies into our thoughts in order to bring deception. The Word has the power to renew our minds and lift us out of worldly thinking into righteous thinking, so we can know the will of God for our lives (Romans 12:2).

Human beings are uniquely designed by the hand of God. Our minds, wills, and personalities are all known to our Creator. When we connect to God through the work of Jesus Christ, everything begins to make sense. Being born again from above is to connect to the divine. No one can believe Jesus is the Son of God unless God helps, because our human minds will dismiss Truth. In Christ, we know and have fellowship with God and can begin to learn who we are according to the Creator’s design. Unfortunately, many people try to decide who they are and what life is about by using their carnal (un-renewed) minds, wills, and emotions without the help of Jesus and his righteous perspective. What a mess we can make of our lives when we make our own human thoughts and feelings our gods (paganism).

In our passage today, the Jewish leaders cannot wrap their heads around how Jesus could be the divine Son of God, as well as the human son of Joseph and Mary. They have no ability to think about how God could send Christ’s Spirit to earth in order to inhabit a human body. These leaders could not believe even though Jesus said the same things Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1). Jesus is the Truth; he brings salvation and we must allow the Word to help us spiritually see, know, and live in eternal life.

John 6:41-51
41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping your children know the Truth; it is a battle each day to fight the lies the devil sends our way. As we believe and place our trust in you, we will grow and mature. We will become more like Jesus; flesh filled with your divine Spirit. Through the Word, put a guard over our thoughts. Please protect us and help our unbelief. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Do you ever feel powerless against some sinful habit operating in your life? Habits are things we practice. We can have both righteous habits and sinful ones. God celebrates our righteous habits, but what about those sinful ones? How do we rid ourselves of them? Good News: God has a plan.

Every believer has an Advocate—Someone who pleads our case to the Father. Jesus is the One who puts his mantle of grace over our lives and causes us to be successful against the control of sinful habits. He alone is the righteous One who atones for the sins we have committed or will ever commit. However, we must repent of sinful habits, by turning away from sin and toward the Word. If we keep on living with sinful habits against God’s Word, we really have a wrong concept of Christ’s love and the purpose of salvation. Living with a sinful habit reveals we don’t really know God; sin is the opposite of obedience.

If our greatest desire is to remain obedient to the commands of God, our thoughts and actions will push sin away. To know God is to live in the Truth. Jesus teaches the commandment is love; we imitate the love of our Master and Lord. This is how we fight sin. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind; Love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:37-39).

This world is full of temptations to love self more than God or our neighbor [everyone else]. The love of self is consistently exalted in our secular world. Fulfill every desire, live for your pleasure, take what you want, etc. So, we must learn how to be delivered from the evil temptation to demand our own way. Submit yourself to God and resist the devil who wants to rob you. If you do not give the devil power, he will leave and you will be able to live the Truth in God’s strength. Scripture teaches, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Cor 10:13).

1 John 2:1-6 (NLT)
1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me live in the Truth of your divine love. I cast upon you every selfish or sinful thought or habit that tries to attach itself to me knowing you will help me escape into righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Apostle Paul began his letter to the church in Colossae by giving thanks in prayer for these faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul had not met these Christians, but he still wanted to be an encouragement to them. He believed it was important for them to know that the same Good News that came to them through their salvation in Christ was going out all over the world and changing lives, just as it had changed their lives. (1:6) He wanted them to know that he and Timothy were continuously praying for their knowledge of God’s will for their lives and for God’s spiritual wisdom and understanding to grow within them. (1:9) He shared in detail about Christ’ supremacy (1:15-20) and reminded them that although they were once far away from God, they now know the Truth and so they must stand firmly on it and allow their roots to grow deeper and deeper to ensure that they never drift away from their relationship and faith in Christ Jesus. (1:21-23)

Today we pick up from that point within Paul’s letter and we see more of his shepherd heart, and how he is suffering for their sake and for the sake of all Christians to come (including you and me). Paul also shines a light on the “mystery of God”: how God has always wanted everyone for His Kingdom (1:26-27) because Christ Himself is God’s mysterious plan, for “In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:3). Friends, that means that you and I embody the treasures of God’s wisdom and His knowledge because we embody the Spirit of Christ! So, we must hold firm to this Truth and grow each day to deepen our understanding of it so that no one can deceive us, because our hearts are One with Christ! (2:5)

When you and I are born into this world our human-self innately hates to suffer. However, when we are born again in Christ, we have a new life in Him, and we must begin to grow-up in that life. Our Biblical understanding of Christ and His True Gospel message for our lives is crucial, and that is why we need to be in His Word every day. As our faith grows strong in the Truth (2:7), we begin to spiritually understand that all suffering is used by the Lord, He doesn’t want it for us, but we must trust Him to use it for the good of His Kingdom. (Rom 8:28)

Colossians 1:24-2:7 (NLT)
Paul’s Work for the Church

24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect[a] in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

2:1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ

6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Prayer: Jesus, You are supreme over all of creation. Help me to trust You to reign over all aspects of my being and of my life. I want to continue to grow in my relationship with You so that I can trust You more when times of suffering occur. I want to grow in my spiritual wisdom and knowledge so that I am more firmly rooted in You. I stand against the enemy and anyone or circumstance that he attempts to use to deceive me. May My faith is in You, and You alone, Jesus. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: The family of God involves a whole bunch of folks: those who believed God in the past, everyone who believes God in the present, and all those who will come to believe God in the future. Every genuine believer is a family member, because we all have the same Father who is the Creator, as well as Owner of everything in the heavens and on earth (Heb 2:11). We all have the same Savior, who is Jesus the Living Word of God (2 Peter 1:1). Finally, we all have the same Spirit who leads our lives into Truth (John 16:13).

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul speaks about the identity of the Father’s children and the limitless resources that belong to each one. We have been made spiritually alive in Christ Jesus and the supernatural unlimited resources that belong to the Son also belong to us as the Father’s sons and daughters. We are the sons and daughters when our lives are led into righteous ways by the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:14). We may start out as spiritual toddlers, but eventually we must grow up in our understanding of what it means to be alive and powerful in Christ; to belong in the Father’s family.

When I think about being alive in Christ, I am filled with such gratitude, passion, and awe. We are so blessed by our Father! Jesus instructs us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Mat 7:7-8). This is a place of righteous power in the Spirit and it belongs to the family of God. Remember the Truth and allow Christ to be at home as Lord in your heart. Have a wonderful weekend…

Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Prayer (based on Verses 20-21): All glory to You, God, for You are able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Glory to You in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Intro: When was the last time you had another person lie about something that involved you? Recently, a friend of mine was in a car accident; another driver ran a red light and totaled my friend’s vehicle. The only witness left the scene; obviously afraid to get involved. The driver and passengers in the other car lied to the police about what happened. The dispute is still being investigated. I was saddened when I heard about the situation, but I pray for the God of Justice to rule by bringing forth the Truth in spite of the lack of moral character demonstrated by the guilty party. “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (Pro 10:9).

I love this psalm of David and needed to be reminded of it, today. The whole psalm is set up as a question and answer session about the things that David has learn are important to God regarding moral character. As believers, we are to demonstrate righteousness, so we cannot get our character guidelines for living from an earthly society.

The Word of God reveals the way God expects his sons and daughters to live among our friends and neighbors if we want to abide or dwell in His presence. In fact, this psalm of David gives ten standards for us to consider when we are examining our lives. They alternate highlighting positive and negative character traits. We must adhere to the things of God and do to others as we would have them do to us (Luke 6:31).

As I read through the list, I know without Christ and the work of grace none of this is possible to perform perfectly; our flesh is weak. So praise God for the New Covenant of Grace we so desperately need. We need the Holy Spirit to help us become more like Jesus (Truth) in our moral character; because we cannot have fellowship with God if we are not living the Truth (1 John 1:6).

Psalm 15 A psalm of David (NLT)
1 
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?    Who may enter your presence on your holy hill [your dwelling place]?
2 
Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,    speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 
Those who refuse to gossip    or harm their neighbors    or speak evil of their friends.
4 
Those who despise flagrant sinners,    and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,    and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 
Those who lend money without charging interest,    and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.Such people will stand firm forever.

Prayer: Father, in a world that seems to be moving in the wrong direction of moral responsibility and integrity, please help us as your children to live according to your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.