Devotionals

Intro: Are you proud to be associated with Jesus and who he values? In our passage today, Jesus meets Levi, a tax collector. Levi leaves a very lucrative but perhaps unappreciated business to follow Jesus. Interestingly, the first thing Levi does after entering into a relationship with Jesus is invite all of his friends and fellow sinners to meet and dine with the Savior. Levi was so excited about his new Friend, he just wanted everyone to know Him. While Levi was sharing his joy, the Pharisees and religious leaders were complaining about the “scum.” What is that about?

The Pharisees and religious teachers demonstrate a religious spirit—just for the record this is not a good thing. A religious spirit is demonic; it comes from eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam and Eve chose to eat from it causing them to become self-focused and accusatory; rather than look to God for salvation and value. A religious spirit is a self-exalting spirit that always diminishes the love of God and the work of grace in His people.

Jesus called this religious spirit the leaven of the Pharisees and addressed it this way, “Hypocrites! Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Mat 23:28). In other words, a religious spirit inflates; it does not add to the life of God it attempts to smother it by feeding a human spirit of pride—which, of course, is what caused the first sin in the Garden of Eden. Believers are to be God-centered. If we are God-centered we will be quick to speak to others about God’s extravagant grace, the mercy and forgiveness found only in Jesus, and the need to grow in spiritual maturity through the Holy Spirit because this is the Truth that will set us all free. Faith works through love, so love must always motivate our thoughts, words, and actions if we are living in genuine faith.

Luke 5:27-32 Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this reminder today about guarding ourselves from feeding a religious spirit. We are all tempted to be self-inflating; pride comes all too natural. Please forgive us for exalting our thoughts and demanding others bow down to them as if they perfectly represented your genuine standard or opinion. May we put on love, extend mercy and understanding to others, and represent you well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, Isaiah has a vision and through this vision God calls him as a messenger to His people. Isaiah has a glimpse of the holiness of God. The clearer this vision of God becomes, the more Isaiah realizes the unholy state of his own heart; he is unclean before God. Instantly, he is aware he can never measure up to God’s standard. God’s people are unclean, too. Recognizing his human sinfulness is what helps Isaiah convey to God’s people the extravagant forgiveness God actually offers to those who will repent and turn from wickedness.

Isaiah endured a cleansing process that was painful yet necessary. It was the only way Isaiah could fulfill the spiritual tasks God had planned for him. Each one of us, as God’s son or daughter, must also go through a painful yet necessary cleansing process in order to fulfill the spiritual tasks God sets before us. We must learn that we represent God who is holy; therefore, we too must be holy. Allowing God to control our lives as we rest in the blood of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit is where we place our hope. God has promised to make us a holy people.

Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call
6 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Prayer: Lord thank you for this perfect reminder from Isaiah about our need to submit to your will and way to make us holy. Even in the painful places, we know cleansing is necessary. You are faithful to love us the way we need in order to represent you well. Continue the work, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

February 7, 2022 Monday

Intro: Back in a December devotion we reviewed that Psalms 113 – 118 are known as the Egyptian Hallel. As a reminder, “Hallel” is a portion of a service for certain Jewish festivals. It’s often a special prayer said/sung on those holidays to give thanks and praise to God. You may recall that these Psalms are typically connected with the Passover meal and other Jewish festivals as a reflection of God’s redemption of His people, the Israelites, as the commemoration of their Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

Many believe that Jesus and His disciples sung these hymns on the night before His crucifixion, so just before He was betrayed and arrested. Isn’t it absolutely amazing to think that you and I get to read, meditate, and pray on Psalm 115 today, and Jesus and his disciples may have sung it? Before the Holy Spirit guides us through this Psalm, let’s break it out into a few sections:

Verses 1-8 – GLORY TO THE LORD – God should be exalted above all else. He is glorious, and He did, does, and will do wonderous things, and so all glory should be given to Him; but the “nations” worshipped and continue to worship many other “gods” and idols.

Verses 9-11 – TRUST IN THE LORD – If “Israel” could just have trusted to God, they would have understood that He was their helper and shield. Friends, we are “Israel” and how often do we neglect to seek Jesus as our helper and shield in circumstances, relationships, trials, decisions, etc.? We must realize that our trust can only be found in the Lord, and not in this world and/or in the things of the world.

Verses 12 -15 – BLESSINGS COME FROM THE LORD – In verses 12 -13 we read that the Lord remembers those of us who make Him our helper and shield, and as a result we are blessed. In verses 14-15 we read how the Lord blesses.

Verses 16-18 – ALL BLESSINGS & PRAISE TO THE LORD – All of heaven and earth need to bless and praise the Lord.

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
2 Why let the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens,
and he does as he wishes.
4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,
shaped by human hands.
5 They have mouths but cannot speak,
and eyes but cannot see.
6 They have ears but cannot hear,
and noses but cannot smell.
7 They have hands but cannot feel,
and feet but cannot walk,
and throats but cannot make a sound.
8 And those who make idols are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust the Lord!
He is your helper and your shield.
10 O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord!
He is your helper and your shield.
11 All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord!
He is your helper and your shield.

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the people of Israel
and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
both great and lowly.

14 May the Lord richly bless
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens belong to the Lord,
but he has given the earth to all humanity.
17 The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord,
for they have gone into the silence of the grave.
18 But we can praise the Lord
both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being my helper in all situations and for being my shield when I need to be protected from the evil one. I trust in You, and in You alone. I thank You for Your blessings. Help me, Lord, to bless You with all that I say and do. I praise Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus, and ask all of this in Your Name. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Intro: To continue on from our reading yesterday, Saul (later known as the Apostle Paul) is struggling to get beyond his reputation with the Christians. He is viewed as a persecution threat to Christ’s followers; certainly, he was guilty of that in the past. These Christians are hesitant to believe Saul is now a changed person. Therefore, to bring peace to his family, the Lord sends a Jewish convert named Barnabas to be Saul’s advocate; to serve the Lord by connecting Saul in positive ways with the apostles. Barnabas is a man of integrity and great character, so the Christians in Jerusalem soon begin to welcome Saul into their homes and ministries.

There are several things we should notice about Saul. First, his personality does not really change, but his purpose and focus definitely do. Instead of seeking to control and hinder the Word of the Lord by harming Christians, Saul remains bold but his message is about getting the life of the Lord to people. Saul boldly preaches about the death, resurrection, and the worship of Jesus Christ to bring eternal life. Second, Saul stirs up controversy everywhere he goes, because of this boldness to proclaim the Good News. He does not back down from a debate; he stays in the ring to proclaim Christ. As we read through much of the New Testament, these two things about Saul never change.

In Christ, like Saul, we do not lose our personalities; Saul became who God had actually intended him to be. God loves who he created us to be; the only things he desires to change are those things in our souls not consistent with his nature. Our new life in Christ is our truest self. When we embrace Christ and his work to sanctify—purify us from sin—we demonstrate our commitment to his lordship. Today, be your truest self knowing God loves you and he enjoys your unique personality. Blessings for your weekend. Hope to see you in church on Sunday as we dig into the Word and share Communion at the Lord’s table.

Acts 9:26-31 NLT
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 30 When the believers [Greek] heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for remaking me in your image through my relationship with Christ and the work of your Holy Spirit. Continue to mature me in the new life that causes me to be my truest self. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Christianity has been advanced by many great men and women faithfully practicing the gospel of Christ with their lives. Truthfully, no one apart from Christ, has been more influential in the spread of the gospel than Saul (later known as the apostle Paul). After the stoning of Stephen, Saul—a religious scholar and Pharisee—went into a frenzied hunt for Christians in order to stop the spread of the gospel; hating and persecuting Christians was his method of practice and control. At that time, he believed the movement of Christ’s gospel would be dangerous to Judaism. But, one day Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his life was forever changed. Spiritual blindness left him and he could see how God loved the world and gave his life in order to save sinful humanity from eternity in hell.

Interestingly, from that moment on God used Saul to minister the gospel to non-Jews. Hatred for Christians once filled Saul, but after meeting Jesus, love and mercy led him to become an apostle to the Gentiles [non-Jews]; Christ brought new life to Saul which prompted a great reversal in how he practiced his faith. The greatest testimony he could release was how Jesus had changed him into a new person with a divine perspective. No manmade religion can change a heart, but a relationship with Jesus can fill a person with love and mercy for others, redirect unrighteous motives, and lead a believer into being a minister of the gospel. Once we meet Jesus, he begins to influence and deliver us from everything within us that is not consistent with his loving nature. He makes our hearts his home; that is when he begins to clean house! Obedience is a must with Jesus. Unrighteous and unloving behaviors or practice have to go…

In our passage today, Saul is that changed man; he preaches powerfully about God’s salvation found in Jesus. Now, the Jewish Pharisees are filled with hatred for Saul; he left their cause to follow Jesus. Therefore, they plot to kill him because he no longer agrees with them or their message; Christ’s gospel message offends them, because they are blinded to their own sin. Therefore, Jesus uses fellow believers to make a way for Saul to safely escape the Pharisee’s plan to murder him. Never forget, we can be so blinded by our own desires, agendas, and need for control that we will justify most any measures and even hate the people we are called to love. If there is any animosity in our souls—mind/will/emotions—against another person today, may we ask Jesus to sanctify our hearts, because holding onto unrighteousness will destroy us from the inside and separate us from the love of Christ.

Acts 9:19b-25 NLT Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul stayed with the believers [disciples] in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers [disciples] lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many ways you bring the gospel message to our hearts. May we choose to obey your Word and live our lives in a way that honors your authority. Thank you for saving your children from deception and spiritual blindness. Continue to guide me each day on your path of righteousness and eternal life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Our passage today follows Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He knew the crowds who shouted “Hosannah” would be many of the same people who would shout “Crucify him” in a few days. Jesus had great mercy for his people, because most assuredly he was their King. Jerusalem was to be his city. Jesus came to bring peace to Jerusalem, but the leaders and many of the people were offended by the Words Jesus shared. How did this spirit of offense and ignorance come upon them? The people were following blind guides or leaders who never prepared their flocks by teaching them the truth (Mat 15:14).

The people were ignorant of what would bring them peace even though the prophets had told them time and time again. Jesus wept, because the people did not embrace his righteousness—his way of being right with God—and he knew an enemy lurked like a lion ready to destroy them. The enemy Jesus spoke of came in 70AD, the Romans conquered Jerusalem, starved and killed many Jews, and destroyed the second temple.

My friends, praise God there is still time for all humanity to embrace the peace Jesus offers. We know his terms for salvation. We must humbly ask the Lord for his mercy and forgiveness, repent of our sinful rebellion against his Word, accept the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross to pay for our sin, and receive the Holy Spirit who brings the Truth to our spirits. Then, the Lord can become our King as we accept his authority over our lives. If we do not have the Prince of Peace living within, there will be no true peace while we are in the world.

Luke 19:41-44 (TPT) Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 When Jesus caught sight of the city, he burst into tears with uncontrollable weeping over Jerusalem, 42 saying, “If only you could recognize that this day peace is within your reach! But you cannot see it. 43 For the day is soon coming when your enemies will surround you, hem you in on every side, and lay siege to you. 44 They will crush you to pieces, and your children too! And they will leave your city totally destroyed. Since you would not recognize God’s day of visitation, you will see your day of devastation!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your mercy and forgiveness. May seeking hearts choose to welcome you as Lord now and allow you to rule and guide their lives. You see what is ahead and this is how you will prepare us for the future. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Everyday the Word of God helps me look at my life with a greater sense of gratitude of who God has been, is currently being, and will always be in my life. Whether or not I waiver between fear and faith, God is there to reassure me of his love and continued care. My soul responds to his unending love. Whether or not I find myself filled with joy or tears, God is there to comfort me and help me to persevere in faith. My soul responds to his perfect peace. Whether or not I understand the need for each spiritual battle, God is there to bring me grace, as well as be my strength. My soul overflows with eternal hope. I have never experienced such enduring faithfulness, so, I praise him with my whole being!

In our passage today, David also understands the power of God’s Word to be his encouragement, to bring understanding, to be the refuge for his faith, and to take care of him in the midst of fear. Our humanity is going to experience the temptation to fear, but we do not have to yield to its destructive power. When we know God is with us, we understand he has the upper hand in all things. Nothing formed against us can prosper; God’s Word has the final say (Isa 54:17). Our responsibility is to remain in him—to remain faithful to his Word. David sets aside the fear that is trying to rob him, by focusing on the Truth that abides within him. May we live each day knowing God is there to help us be victorious in his righteous and mighty hands.

Psalm 56:8-13 (TPT)
8 
You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping.
    You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost.
    For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.
9 
The very moment I call to you for a father’s help
    the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee.
    This one thing I know: God is on my side!
10 
I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!
    I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!
11 
What harm could man do to me?
    With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.
    My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.
    I will always trust in him.
12 
So I’m thanking you with all my heart,
    with gratitude for all you’ve done.
    I will do everything I’ve promised you, Lord.
13 
For you have saved my soul from death
    and my feet from stumbling
    so that I can walk before the Lord
    bathed in his life-giving light.

Prayer: Lord, so many people in our world are struggling with the overwhelming cares of life, the intense challenges of relationships, and the looming fear of danger or death. However, you are there to lovingly lift your children’s heads toward your powerful presence and provision. I praise you, Lord, because you cause me to turn toward you in my weakness in order to move me forward in your strength. How beautiful is your love and help for your children. May all believers be a source of hope, comfort, love, and support to those who are struggling and point them toward life with you. Above all, turning toward you is humanity’s greatest need, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

January 31, 2022

There is so much that we can learn from today’s passage: “The Widow at Zarephath”. Before we read it, let’s recall what led Elijah to this moment and the differences that surround him and the widow. After we read it, let’s find Jesus in both of them.

Our passage is part of the introduction of the prophet, Elijah. At this point, we know that the nation’s economic collapse is a result of a severe drought that devastated crops and destroyed the population. In today’s verses we see how God is feeding Elijah, and we saw that in 17:1-7, and we see it again in 19:5-9. So, despite the worldly hunger, God is physically feeding Elijah because he spiritually belongs to God.

Differences – Elijah is an Israelite and God sends him to a Gentile. He is a refugee, and she is in her home country. He is a man, and she is a female widow. He has a name, and she is nameless. He has been fed (by ravens), and she and her son are preparing to die of starvation. He is called by his God and obeys, and she hears from his God and follows the instruction.

1 Kings 17:8-16 NLT
The Widow at Zarephath

8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

Jesus in Elijah – Elijah exemplifies Jesus in how he obeys the Lord’s commands, without question, and regardless of how crazy the circumstances might seem. He knows that a widow is a vulnerable and unlikely person to ask for food from, and she confirms in verse 12 that she only has one meal left before she and her son will die. But like Jesus, Elijah comforts her and he reassures her too not be afraid. In verse 14, Elijah’s instructions to her on how to prepare the bread come directly from the “God of Israel”, just as Jesus Himself taught us in Matthew 26:26 how we receive Him, the Bread of Life.

Jesus in the Widow – She feeds Elijah, just as Jesus feeds you and me. In the most extreme circumstance, where she and her own son are about to die, she heard the voice of “your God” and she followed the instructions. Elijah is a man, a refugee, and a stranger who is telling her what to do, and she followed the instructions. Would you and I do the same? As a result of her humble and selfless actions (just like Jesus), she and her son are saved (because Jesus saves) and they are blessed beyond measure.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being the Bread of Life. I need Your nourishment each day. Help me, Lord, to be more like the widow. Help me to feed people, and to bring You to the unlikely. Build me to be more like Elijah. I want to constantly be obeying You, and I want to bring Your comfort and reassurance to others. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Intro: Every day I pray with faith for the mountainous challenges to be moved in people’s lives; life can present so many physical, emotional, and spiritual obstacles. Scripture teaches the love motivated prayer of the righteous produces wonderful results, so let’s be diligent to pray for one another (James 5:16). It is also important to pray for every person’s faith to be increased each time God takes him or her through, around, or over a mountainous challenge, because as long as we are on earth we will need to use our faith to keep moving mountains. Spiritual gifts are a great blessing from God, but the greatest gift God has ever provided is himself—to bring his loving presence into our lives in order to save us.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds us that love must be the motivation for our prayers, attitudes, and actions, because faith works through God’s perfect love. Now, many people want to define love by their own standards, but only God who IS love can define himself perfectly. Let God’s love motive your faith as you call upon the name of the Lord to move the mountainous challenges you and your loved ones may face in this dark world. Use your faith in God—LOVE—and never give up!

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (TPT) Love, the Motivation of Our Lives
1 If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love [burning love/eternal energy], my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains [and keep on moving mountains], but have never learned to love, then I am nothing.

3 And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value.

4 Love is large and incredibly patient [because it transforms the spirit]. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. 5 Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated [overly sensitive] or quick to take offense [resentful]. 6 Love joyfully celebrates honesty [the truth] and finds no delight in what is wrong [unrighteous]. 7 Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others [never loses faith]. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of prayer, faith, and love. All my hope is in you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, Nathaniel meets Jesus for the first time. However, Jesus makes it clear he knows all about Nathaniel and his character long before they actually meet face to face. Jesus reveals a bit of mystery to Nathaniel when he relates having seen him sitting under the fig tree. What was Nathaniel doing that Jesus saw or heard? Was he praying and confessing his love for God or a desire to be pure and holy for the Lord? Maybe Nathaniel was reading Scripture and pondering the coming Messiah. A fig tree is often a biblical metaphor for God’s Kingdom coming to earth. Whatever Nathaniel was doing as he sat under the fig tree, his heart was focused on God, because Jesus knew the spiritual integrity of his heart.

Jesus knows all of our hearts and whether we have a hunger for holiness. When we confess our love to God, he hears us. When we invest time in reading the Word of God and finding ways to put it into practice in our lives, we are demonstrating spiritual integrity. The word, shalom, is associated with integrity, because it is a word that reveals wholeness. Jesus knows if we want to be spiritually whole or if we are just wanting a form of godliness.

John 1:43-51
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for knowing the real me and understanding my desire for more of you in my life. I never have to pretend to be anything, but who I am. You bring me acceptance, as well as growth and I am so very grateful. Thank you for helping me experience a bit of heaven on earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.