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The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 3

March 25, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

March 25, 2023

Christ,church,Clothed,Community,Faith,Family,Fellowship

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, this week of study together has been a wonderful reminder that You are love and You have made us from love. Our calling in this lifetime is to spread Your light to others in the face of a broken and hate-filled world. (Matthew 5:14-16) I cannot imagine a better way to spend my life.

Of course, it is easier said than done some days, so I ask that on those days, You put Your words on my tongue and fill me with Your strength. (1 Peter 4:11) When I feel consumed by the brokenness of this world, remind me what authentic love looks like (1 Corinthians 13) and the deadly consequence of sin You have already rescued me from (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

I ask for a heart that seeks only to use my God-given gifts to glorify Your name, Lord, and reflect Your love onto others. (Romans 12:6-13, 1 Peter 4:10-11) In Your Son’s name, Jesus, I ask these things, Lord, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

On Monday, Meribeth asked us many thought provoking questions about what it looks like to “lovingly devote our lives to worshiping Jesus and serving His people.” She reminded us that serving others can be as simple as offering our presence after a hard day of work or giving someone the space to gush about a topic they love. Ultimately, devoting ourselves to serving God’s people simply means showing up.

When we are present, we must remember to move forward with the same love Jesus illustrated, which means seeing others as God’s children, not the traitorous tax collector or the grumpy neighbor. (Luke 19:1-10)

His love prods us to be the first one to say hello, the first one to offer a helping hand, and the first one to seek reconciliation when conflict arises. Who can you show intentional devotion to this week? Stop now and ask the Lord!

We must also remember as we serve God’s people, to take time to authentically worship Him. There is nowhere He cannot go and nowhere He cannot hear us, so why not use that drive through rush hour traffic to praise the Lord for a paycheck or sing a hymn while we get ready in the morning. There is no wrong time to turn our faces upward and express our love and gratitude to our Father.

JOURNAL TWO

As broken people, we are inherently self-centered and severely limited in our perspective of the world around us, whereas God is omniscient. This means He knows the fight each of us walk through, which is why the Lord emphasizes to His people the important command to love everyone, especially those who hurt us.

When we love like Him, we show the world what His heart looks like! He calls us to stoop low and carry another’s burdens, that we might reflect His heart more clearly to those around us.

When I consider the powerful effect of kindness in my life, I am reminded of many instances where a person’s kind word freed me from a negative mindset or, in some cases, led to life-changing action.

Rebecca reminded us we cannot authentically love what we do not deeply know. As we seek to follow Christ, we must remember to first seek to deeply know Him that we might authentically love Him and His people.

Are you struggling to love someone? Seek the Lord and ask to know Him better so you can love more fully!

JOURNAL THREE

Have you ever looked at someone’s life and thought, “They’re such a good person!”. Have you ever considered whether their kindness was enough for God give them a check mark of approval, or perhaps it’s just been assumed that of course He would. Have you ever wondered if good works could balance out bad ones?

Marietta called out two realities from Scripture yesterday. One, all believers who claim to follow Jesus are not only compelled by Christ’s love to serve one another with gentle humility, but they’re also wondrously empowered to accomplish this. Believers sin when they choose not to serve others with love.

Two, we cannot masquerade ourselves into being God’s child when we haven’t been changed from the inside out by Christ. We can’t fool God by stacking up good deeds, and we can’t escape God’s call on our life to love like Jesus.

The secret? When we admit we can’t be good enough on our own and confess the ugliness of our sins, God forgives us and makes us His own. Then, He fill us with His Spirit to equip us for loving others by serving them.

Have you set aside the masquerade? Or are you already His, but tired of serving others because you’re doing it on your own strength? Whatever it is, give it up to the Lord Jesus and walk free to serve others with HIS power!
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family,Gentle,hope,kind,lowly,serve
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Posted in: Christ, church, Clothed, Community, Faith, Family, Fellowship Tagged: family, Gentle, hope, kind, lowly, serve

Another Day 12 Loving Devotion: Digging Deeper

March 21, 2023 by Rachel Jones Leave a Comment

Another Day 12 Loving Devotion: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

March 21, 2023

Affectionate,Captivating,Character,Christ,church,Clothed,Community

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Loving Devotion"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Thessalonians 5:12-28

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will do it. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How are we instructed to recognize and regard our Christian leaders? (verses 12-13)

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul urges them to “give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and to regard them very highly in love because of their work.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) God desires the church to regard their leaders very highly in love because of the work they do to teach, nurture, and lead His people.

Nearly all churches in America recognize their pastors during October for Pastor Appreciation month. Pastors receive gift cards, baked treats, cash, flowers, and other tangible rewards as appreciation for their service. Pastors love being valued in this way, but the church should honor their leaders through encouragement and prayer on a consistent basis. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

The work our leaders do on the daily is what keeps our churches growing and thriving. Pastors teach us the Scriptures and instruct us how to live out Christ’s teaching in our daily lives. They pray for our health and well-being, they counsel us in family matters and relationship struggles, and they challenge us when we need to hear God’s truth applied to our lives. Author and pastor’s wife, Kristen Wetherell, suggests “Your encouragement will both deepen [your pastor’s] confidence in the power of God’s Word and also increase his desire to faithfully read, enjoy, study, communicate, and apply it. You will help him press on in ministry when the going gets tough, whether personally, culturally, or within the church.”

Let’s commit to encouraging and praying for our pastors with regularity (1 Timothy 5:17) for in doing so we minister to the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).

The Everyday Application

1) How are we instructed to recognize and regard our Christian leaders? (verses 12-13)

Somewhere in my box of “treasures” languishing in the basement is a note I received during my junior year of high school. I was assisting in a first grade class where one little boy needed some extra help with reading. A few days into our work together he slipped me a note that melted my heart. In clumsy, backwards letters he let me know how much he appreciated my help and the time and attention I gave him. I have worked with kids most days since then, in some capacity or another, and those letters, cards, pictures and gifts of encouragement have never lost their power to recharge my batteries or refocus my vision.

Knowing I’m making a difference for my students gives me the strength to face the hard days that seem like swimming through peanut butter. Under the Spirit’s leading, Paul instructed the Church to recognize and highly regard our leaders. Charles Ellicott explains, “The bond which binds the Christian community to their directors is not to be one of ‘recognition’ and obedience only but of holy affection above all.”

Paul knew the dedication of leaders to the care and nurturing of their churches was labor intensive and sacrificial, patterned after the example of Jesus. (Mark 10:45) He exhorted the church to do more than acknowledge and say thanks, though they should do that as well. He wanted them to act in love, sharing their blessings with church leaders as a way to honor the work of God done through them. (Galatians 6:6)

Follow Paul’s suggestion and reach out to your church leaders with love and encouragement, let them know the work they do is impacting your life.

The Original Intent

2) Why is it important for Christ-followers to be at peace among themselves? (verse 13)

Paul charged the believers in Thessalonica to “be at peace among yourselves” as he taught the church how to engage with one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:13) A.S. Patterson asserts, “Social peace among true Christians is highly important, both for their own mutual improvement and personal comfort, and for the recommendation of religion to the world; and it is to be maintained by the cultivation both of unanimity of sentiment and of kindliness of feeling”.

When there is disharmony among Christians, it sends a negative message about the church to the world. Feuding between Christians makes it seem the truths they share about Jesus are ineffective. Christians are meant to be identified by their love (John 13:35); discord detracts from the winsome beauty of Jesus’ love. Disunity makes it difficult to see Christ in our lives when we are not living at peace with one another. (1 Corinthians 3:3)

Since living in peace is so important to the Lord, Christians ought to focus on the things they have in common and let God guide them through their differences with a heart committed to loving devotion toward each other. (2 Timothy 3:17)

Jeremy Ham explains, “Since there is one faith, there will be unity in this faith, so we should be like-minded. Whenever Christians have conflicts, we should remember that we all are pressing and working toward the same goal.” We must walk out what we preach, living in peace under the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

The Everyday Application

2) Why is it important for Christ-followers to be at peace among themselves? (verse 13)

When my son was in 2nd grade our state allowed homeschoolers to attend online school for free, so we took advantage of the program. He was in virtual class with kids of different races and religions. One student was Rastafarian, others Muslim, some were Jewish, others Christian and Catholic. From all over our state, these kids and their backgrounds were as different as they could be, but our families were unified by the common goal of learning at home and curating the learning environment we found most beneficial for our children.

The Body of Christ could benefit by remembering the common goals we all have, to glorify God (Isaiah 43:7) and make Him known in the world (Acts 20:24). Paul admonished readers to “be at peace among yourselves” in 1 Thessalonians 5:13. He knew divisive issues would arise, pitting believers against one another and dimming the light of our testimony as we point others to Jesus. (Matthew 5:16)

Christ desires us to live in peace together, despite our differences and contentions, so we will draw others to know Him as He truly is. (Mark 16:15) John Piper notes, “The gospel creates peace with God. And the gospel creates lovers of humble peace and workers for peace.” When Christians pursue peace among themselves, they bring glory to God and cause others to want the peace they have found.

The Original Intent

3) What does it look like to always pursue what is good for one another and for all? (verse 15)

In 1 Thessalonians 5:15, Paul exhorted readers to “See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.“ Instead of retaliating or looking for payback when bad things happen, the Lord teaches believers to actively pursue things that are good for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

To pursue what is good for each other means we are not looking out for our own best interests ahead of others (Philippians 2:3-4) while working for the good of our fellow believers. (Galatians 6:10) Pursuing what is good for all involves treating other people the way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12) with a willingness to be last instead of first (Matthew 20:16).

Loving devotion to one another means surrendering our presumed “right” to have the last word about everything. It means speaking the truth in love instead of turning a blind eye to keep the peace. (Ephesians 4:15) Pursuing what is good for each other doesn’t mean we always agree, but it means we can disagree with respect and love. (Romans 14)

The Everyday Application

3) What does it look like to always pursue what is good for one another and for all? (verse 15)

I admire moms and dads who are purposeful in their parenting. They plan ahead and budget time for teachable moments. This means they allow their kids to actively help cook a meal or fold the laundry even if it takes 3 times longer than if they shooed the kids out of the room and finished the tasks themselves. These parents know it is best for the child and, eventually, the whole family for their children to learn life skills like cooking and cleaning at an early age. Purposeful parents consider what is best for their children in the long run and value those goals over immediate convenience.

The Apostle Paul championed purposefully pursuing good towards others when he wrote verse 15, “See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.“ Paul desired to mimic Christ’s heart-desire for His people to always be about the business of doing what is good for all, even when it’s tempting to be retributive for personal injustices.

The way to live peaceably is to put others first and treat them honorably, even when they don’t deserve it. (Romans 12:10-14) When we give a gentle answer rather than quarreling, we squelch anger and promote peace. (Proverbs 15:1) It can be difficult to put others’ needs above our own (1 Corinthian 10:24), but we can ask the Lord to help us pursue good for each other so we can live together peacefully and show the world God’s love in action. (John 15:12)

Tags :
care,family,humility,kindness,preference
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Another Day 15 Service With Love: Digging Deeper
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Another Day 15 Service With Love
March 24, 2023

Another Day 11
Journey Study

Have you ever been in the shoes of Zacchaeus? On the receiving end of extravagant love despite who you are and what you’ve done?

Perhaps you’ve heard the voice of someone who loves you and looks your way and says, “I want to spend some time with you today!” This is the Jesus kind of love. This is “One-Another” kind of love. This is the lifestyle love we are called to exhibit in our everyday lives as believers.

I know for a fact Zacchaeus’ life changed that day by the words in Luke…”hurrying down and receiving Him joyfully.”
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Posted in: Affectionate, Captivating, Character, Christ, church, Clothed, Community Tagged: care, family, humility, kindness, preference

Another Day 11 Loving Devotion

March 20, 2023 by Meribeth Schierbeek Leave a Comment

Another Day 11 Loving Devotion

Meribeth Schierbeek

March 20, 2023

Accepted,Adoration,Character,Christ,church

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:9-21
Psalm 139:1-7
Luke 19:1-10
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

What a beautiful title!
Loving devotion!

Where might your mind go as you ponder these two words?

I love when my husband devotes time to me. Last night, as we were winding down from the day and he was scrolling the TV channels, he stopped, looked across the room at me, and asked what I was looking at. I shared quickly, thinking it was just a simple query. 

But he put the remote down, and asked me to say more, drawing out what I enjoyed about the topic I was researching. It was a sweet gift to feel the devotion, be seen in that moment and feel his love in a meaningful way through the gift of conversation.

Does this happen every night? Not a chance… sometimes we are just tired by the end of the day, and all we have is our presence.

What are some ways you feel known and loved? 
Who turns towards you with devotion? 
How can we express our gratitude and devotion in return?

Beyond our human relationships, what does it look like to lovingly devote our lives to worshiping Jesus and loving and serving His people? How do we live as Romans 12:10 instructs, “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another”?

I don’t know about you, but I like the real-life narrative of Zacchaeus. Take a minute to reread his story in Luke 19:1-10.

What did you notice about Jesus?
What did you notice about Zacchaeus?

If you’re new to the Bible, let me share the significance of Zacchaeus’ job as a tax collector. Men in this role were generally dishonest, self-gratifying collectors who lined their own pockets by cheating their fellow Jews! They were installed by Roman occupiers who cared nothing about integrity as long as Rome got its due, plus more. As such, tax collectors were often considered traitors and among the worst in Jewish society. 

Yet, the Holy Spirit draws Zacchaeus’ interest onto Christ, and Jesus calls the much-despised Zacchaeus by name and pursues a relationship with him! (Luke 19:5) Jesus demonstrates how to love people on the path with us, and we get to leave their response to the Lord.

I loved Jesus’ words in the ESV (English Standard Version) translation I’m reading, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for I MUST stay at your house today” and Zacchaeus responds by… hurrying down and receiving him joyfully!

Have you ever been in the shoes of Zacchaeus? On the receiving end of extravagant love despite who you are and what you’ve done? Perhaps you’ve heard the voice of someone who loves you and looks your way and says, “I want to spend some time with you today!” This is the Jesus kind of love. This is “One-Another” kind of love. This is the lifestyle love we are called to exhibit in our everyday lives as believers. 

I know for a fact Zacchaeus’s life changed that day by the words in Luke…”hurrying down and receiving Him joyfully.” 

Our life with Jesus is one of fellowship with Jesus, and it begins with the same simple act Zacchaeus demonstrated in genuine, joyful humility: receiving Jesus with joy. Jesus Christ, as God the Son, left His place in heaven and came as a baby to live and sacrifice Himself as an atonement (an offering on behalf of someone else) for us. Our wretchedness caused by our sin nature leaves us and Zacchaeus looking like twins, and still, Jesus calls each of us by name to humble ourselves at the cross where His death covers every sin with His own blood. Have you received His offered embrace by confessing your sin and receiving His righteousness? Here, in this beautiful place of welcome, we get to share Christ’s invitation first for ourselves and then with anyone at any time.

Sometimes, like Jesus on the path to somewhere else, our opportunity to share comes at inconvenient times, while other times it might feel like it fits perfectly in our timing. Either way, the embrace of Jesus is meant to be shared and we are meant to readily hold it out.

Are we actively receiving the loving devotion of our Father?
Are we bringing it into our everyday world?

If you haven’t read #HisWordsBeforeOurs in Psalm 139:1-7, go back and do it! In order to love others as God loves us it helps to know more about God and how He loves us.

What goes through your mind as you read those seven verses?
How is the Lord lovingly devoted to you?
How might this reality shape your everyday life as you serve and love those God puts in your path?

Just as Zacchaeus was, so have we been seen and loved by Jesus!
What will we do with this extravagant, embracing, invitational love?
I pray it will fuel us to exhibit genuine, authentic loving devotion to our Savior as His Spirit enables us to bring truth and love to a hurting world!

Tags :
Christ,church,family,love,One Another
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The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 3
March 25, 2023
Another Day 15 Service With Love: Digging Deeper
March 24, 2023
Another Day 15 Service With Love
March 24, 2023

Another Day 12
Digging Deeper

What intimacy awaits those who feel lonely, fearful, and depressed.

What sweet connection awaits us if only we would pour ourselves over His Scripture and meditate on His character day and night.
Dig Deeper!

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Posted in: Accepted, Adoration, Character, Christ, church Tagged: Christ, church, family, love, One Another

The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 2

March 18, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

March 18, 2023

Affectionate,Character,Christ,church,Clothed,Community

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Philippians 2:5-11

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And…he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death - even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name…
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

My Lord, Yahweh, You have convicted my spirit heavily as I studied the concepts of humility and submission. Thank You for offering the perfect example in Christ to model my life after. Thank You also for the encouragement of Your loving chastisement each time I fall victim to my pride and stubbornness.

Over the next week, please open my eyes to the areas of my life where humility and submission are scarce and offer me the wisdom to strengthen those areas. (Psalm 139:23) I am not yet a finished work of Your hands, but I know one day You will complete the good works you have started in me. (Philippians 1:6)

Until then, I will strive to serve those You have placed in my life with a humble heart and lean into all opportunities of growth with an eager spirit, using Your Son as my example. I wish for Your heart to guide my own; teach me to rest in Your promises, Lord.
In Jesus’ name that I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

The image of an ax and the act of its sharpening is used throughout the Bible in both the Old and the New Testaments. It is a powerful image and quite pertinent to living out our faith as we follow Jesus.

An ax dulls after just a few uses and a dull ax is both inefficient and requires more strength. In keeping with His wisdom, God highlighted this very fact in Ecclesiastes 10:10. One way God sharpens us is through other people. (Proverbs 27:17)

Just as it is important to grind into the edge of the ax when sharpening it, we must lean into the grind of being honed with a humble heart. It can be uncomfortable, painful even, but with each stroke of the file we become more like Jesus and we reflect God’s light to those around us.

Who is God using to sharpen you? Have you leaned into the process or fought it? When the Spirit convicts us of fighting against spiritual growth, we can accept His reprimand with gratitude because it means we are hearing the Spirit!

We can be encouraged to draw near to Him as He aligns our hearts with God’s will in the future.

JOURNAL TWO

Jesus taught us by practical example how to live a righteous life pleasing to the Lord, but the most important thing He taught us is how to love.

Just before His death, Jesus left His disciples with this, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” (John 13:34) In Paul’s letters to the church of Corinth, he clearly expounds upon what loving one another looks like in real, everyday life. He details the attributes of love, as well as what love does not look like. (1 Corinthians 13)

Take time this week to study 1 Corinthians 13, read a few studies from GT’s Journey Into Kaleidoscope, and consider where you see evidence of love in your life and where it could use some cultivating.

I struggle with putting my desire to be right over my duty to love others. Somewhere along the way, I started associating being right with my self-worth, which led to me selfishly and sinfully putting myself over Jesus’ command in John 13. Love begins with a thought, just like its counterpart hate.

This is why we must spend time wrapped up in God’s loving Word, so we are ensuring our thoughts, and consequently our actions, are stemming from truth and love!

JOURNAL THREE

Plato said art imitates life. Biblically, this idea is fleshed out with the imagery of  Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and us as His work of art. (Ephesians 2:10, Isaiah 64:8) We are instructed to live as Jesus lived (1 John 2:6), starting with humility and submission.

Through Jesus’ many examples of submission to His Father, we find encouragement in our own pursuit of submission to His will. We may find ourselves asking God why He favors the humble and submissive spirit. We need only look as far as Isaiah 66:1-2, which reminds us we have nothing to offer God that isn’t already His.

However, He gives us the choice to follow Him, which means our submission is the greatest gift we can offer the Creator of Everything.

What is the result of submission? There are many blessings found in submission, but a few notable benefits are the grace lavished on those with a submissive spirit (1 Peter 5:5), protection from the enemy (James 4:7), and the ability to spread the gospel in perhaps the most powerful way…by humble example! (Philippians 1:27-28) When we live a life worthy of the Gospel, others take note and His good news of forgiveness and restoration spreads!
Tags :
care,family,genuine,humility,love,Submission
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The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 3
March 25, 2023
Another Day 15 Service With Love: Digging Deeper
March 24, 2023
Another Day 15 Service With Love
March 24, 2023

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on the daily?
Registration gives you free, every day access to encouragement, weekly worship prompts, and daily Bible study that applies to real life.
Journey On!

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Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

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March 6 - March 24, 2023 - Journey Theme #115
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Posted in: Affectionate, Character, Christ, church, Clothed, Community Tagged: care, family, genuine, humility, love, Submission

Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

March 17, 2023 by Rachel Jones Leave a Comment

Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

March 17, 2023

Christ,church,Discipleship,Faith,Song,Submission

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Holy Submission"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:15-20

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul cautioned believers to “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—- making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul wanted believers to seize the day and make the most of the opportunities God had given them, using their time for God’s glory.

More than just spending time wisely, Paul spoke of “a definite season of opportunity that Christians must redeem” according to David Guzik. Paul knew God desires us to be purposeful with our lives by paying special attention to how we spend each day.

The Lord desires all parts of our life to be lived out in surrender to Him, which means making wise choices according to His Word that honor Him. (Proverbs 2:1-5) Our culture and the world we live in are ruled by evil (1 John 5:19) and there are snares everywhere! If the Christ-follower is not diligent in prayer, they will quickly become trapped in the pull of sin. (1 Peter 5:8)

We need to understand God’s will by regularly reading His Word and then walk out His plans (James 1:23-24). His Word safeguards us from becoming distracted or derailed by sinful pleasures that will drag our lives into chaos and sidetrack us from fulfilling our destiny in God. (John 8:34) John Piper suggests “the Christian life is a vigilant life, defensively guarding itself from the subtleties of the evil days and offensively redeeming the time to strike for love and righteousness again and again.”

We can make the most of our time by pursuing God’s will, which is found through careful study of God’s Word, then walking it out in our lives.

The Everyday Application

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

One of my kids does not like to have too much free time on her hands. She is fine to lounge around for a few days of summer vacation, but then she needs a plan of action or she feels like she is wasting her life. Making a checklist of things to do, even if those things include watching tv or playing video games, it provides structure and purpose to her time and she can better enjoy her vacation. Her strategy is much like the one Paul promoted when he told the Ephesians to make “the most of the time, because the days are evil.” (verse 16).

Time is one of the most valuable gifts we possess, and most of us frequently squander it on unworthy endeavors. We scroll through social media pages, only to realize later we’ve spent an hour viewing dance trends, pranks, and clever pet videos.

Sometimes the things that drain our time are not so benign and are actually evil pursuits that bring us harm and separate us from God. (Galatians 5:19-21) We must realize that the time we are given is a gift, and God wants us to do everything for His glory with all the resources He has given. (1 Corinthians 10:31) He created us to do good works, which He carefully laid out for us with love! (Ephesians 2:10)

This doesn’t mean we can’t pursue interests we enjoy or take time out to rest; these are important too! (Mark 6:31) But we are commanded to be mindful of how we spend our time, making sure we use what the Lord has given for His glory, not our own, so we can do well in the work laid out for us by God. (Colossians 1:10)

The Original Intent

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

Paul admonished the Ephesians to “be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19). The Greek word for speaking, laleo, means “speaking with yourselves, which refers to believers as a community . . . it simply means to use the voice to make a sound and in this context the sound is a song.” (Preceptaustin.org).

When we are filled with the Spirit, as Paul advocated, the joy of His presence bubbles out of us in singing. (Psalm 16:11) Of course, to sing His word to another requires us to first know it deeply for ourselves. (Colossians 3:16) As author R. Kent Hughes explains, “Spirit-filled people overflow in song!” John Eadie notes that the people of Paul’s day would have sung Psalms from the Bible and other songs of praise to God, and spiritual songs, or odes, similar to those of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), Mary (Luke 1:46-56) and Zachariah (Luke 1:67-79).

Paul knew that when Holy Spirit-filled believers in Jesus gathered together, worship would burst forth from their mouths and their hearts. He understood that Christians need the unity and boost of faith that comes from rejoicing together.

Corporate worship not only glorifies the Lord, but it also encourages and edifies His people as they lift their voices together to sing His praises. As we bless God, we are in turn blessed by His presence and the encouragement of being with God’s people.

Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16 we can use songs, hymns, and spiritual songs to admonish, or advise, one another. Paul taught that corporate worship was an integral part of the Christian life, providing a way for believers to thank and praise God while exhorting and encouraging one another.

The Everyday Application

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

I love to watch old movies, particularly musicals, but my husband doesn’t share my appreciation of the genre. He finds it irksome that every plot point requires choreography and a catchy song. Musicals require some suspension of disbelief, which annoys him as much as it delights me. I can’t help thinking of Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 5:19 in terms of a movie musical when Paul tells Christians to speak to one another in “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.”

Paul did not mean their dialogue between one another needed to be sung, but that their collective thanks and praise to God should pour out in corporate singing to the Lord and the way they encouraged one another should flow from Scripture’s words. John Piper explains “There are reasons for this corporate dimension to worship. Being together and singing to each other, and not just alone, intensifies our emotions for God, communicates our witness to God, and unifies our corporate life around God.” (Romans 15:6)

When believers are together, their love for God and thankfulness for His love and goodness should well up inside and pour out onto each other. (Psalm 149:1) Their shared praise and adoration of God encourages and edifies each worshipper, strengthening their faith and producing hope and joy in their hearts. As author David Mathis explains, “Our own awe is accentuated, our own adoration increased, our own joy doubled when we worship Jesus together.”

Make it a point to worship together with other saints, magnifying the Lord with your lifted voices and encouraging each other with your corporate devotion to God.

The Original Intent

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

In Ephesians 5:21, Paul exhorted Christ’s followers to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. Paul encouraged Christians to develop and display an attitude of humility, “a willingness to be responsive and to yield to one another out of love.” (Lawrence Richards) We can submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ by not insisting on our way or by having the last word.

We should prefer others over ourselves (Philippians 2:3) and make their well-being a priority (Philippians 2:4), even over our own. We should treat others the way we want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12), especially those who have also surrendered to Christ as their Lord. (Galatians 6:10)

We can follow Jesus’ example of humility and service by giving up what we think we deserve in order to benefit others. We humbly submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the fear, or respect, of Jesus as our Ruling Lord. Because we love Jesus, we follow His example of service and obedience. His submission to God included His obedience unto death on the cross for the sins of the world, a punishment He didn’t deserve. (Philippians 2:8)

Not only did Jesus make a way for us to come to the Father through His humbling sacrifice, He also showed us how to submit our own will and way to the authority of God our Father. If Jesus, being God, did not give Him reason to stop choosing humility, there is nothing preventing us from humbling ourselves by submitting ourselves to other Christ-followers.

The Everyday Application

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

I have a brother in Christ who exemplifies what it means to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) He served as a pastor at one time in his life, but now he works in maintenance and janitorial services at his church. He labors diligently on his own list of tasks to be done, but he never fails to ask the staff at his church if they need anything or if he can do something additional for them.

Even if he is done with his shift or just about to clock out, he offers his assistance and makes sure he is not needed before leaving the building. He also volunteers at his church, leading Bible studies and volunteering in the hospitality ministry. Time and again he prefers others above himself out of His love and respect for Christ. (Galatians 5:13) My friend is not in it to win a spotlight, but to point to his Savior.

John Piper explains, “That kind of humility and readiness to serve rather than be served, to honor rather than be honored, is a fruit of the Spirit. And when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be submissive to each other in this way.”

In a world that is increasingly self-centered and self-promoting, my friend’s submission to his Christian brothers and sisters is as refreshing as it is counter-cultural. He doesn’t set up a camera to film his good deeds and then post them online with a request to like or subscribe. He just lets the love of God fill him up and then pours out that love onto others. (John 4:14) He is a good example for each of us to follow if we want to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. How can you start today?!

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Submission is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Through faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness as our own and keep His commandments through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Submission denies us the power and privilege we want, instead choosing to stand under the Lord’s authority, wisdom, and power.
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Posted in: Christ, church, Discipleship, Faith, Song, Submission Tagged: family, humility, Jesus, Submission, worship

Another Day 10 Holy Submission

March 17, 2023 by Michelle Brown Leave a Comment

Another Day 10 Holy Submission

Michelle Brown

March 17, 2023

Christ,Humility,Jesus,Reflection,Relationship,Submission

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:15-21
Luke 2:41-52
John 6:36-40
Philippians 2:1-11
Isaiah 66:1-2

Submission is often a touchy and misunderstood topic, yet it is a vital aspect of our Christian walk. 

“[B]e filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-21, emphasis mine)

If we are to submit to one another, we must consider why God places such an emphasis on its role in the church.

Submission is defined as an “act of referring to a third party for judgment or decision”; a study of the word’s Latin roots adds, “a lowering, letting down; sinking,” and “to reduce, yield.”  As a verb, submission means “to place (oneself) under the control of another, to yield oneself.” Already, we see common themes! Keep these in mind as we explore submission in honoring God and others.

We find the perfect model of submission in Jesus Christ’s submission to the will of the Father. Submission to the Father characterized Jesus’ life from a young age. Following a Passover celebration in Jerusalem, Luke 2:41-49 describes how Jesus remained in the city unbeknownst to His parents. They found Him three days later, sitting among the religious leaders and asking questions. 

When they expressed their anxiety at losing Him, Jesus responded, “Why were you searching for me? [. . .] Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49) Jesus was willing to submit Himself to the Father, even at the cost of causing conflict with His earthly parents. 

Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus’ continued submission to the Father’s will. In Matthew 4:1-11, Satan tempted Jesus to worship him and rebel against the Father,
but Christ,
the Son of God, 
used the Word of God 
to dispel Satan’s attempt to turn Him from God’s ordained plan of salvation. 

In the final hours before His arrest, despite the intense suffering He knew awaited Him, Jesus’ prayers revealed His submission to God’s plan for redemption.

“My Father, if this [cup of suffering] cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)

John 6:38 reiterates, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” 

1 Peter 2:24 succinctly reveals the fruit of Jesus’ submission. “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness.” 

Philippians 2:1-11 sums up Jesus’ submission by explaining He was born as a human being and humbled Himself in obedience to God, dying a criminal’s death. “For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross,” doing the will of the Father.
“See, I have come to do your will [. . .] By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” (Hebrews 10:10)

Similarly, we are called to follow Jesus’ example in submitting to God. This holy submission stands in sharp contrast to how the world and some Christians view submission, such as oppressive, sexist, or justification for husbands to abuse wives.

Submission is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Through faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness as our own and keep His commandments through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Submission denies us the power and privilege we want,
instead choosing to stand under the Lord’s authority, wisdom, and power. 

Philippians 2:1-11 helps us understand submission practically by noting its key attributes like humility, loving one another, working together, being humble and considering others as better than ourselves. This is the same attitude Jesus Christ displayed when He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died on the cross in our place. Submission to God’s rule and reign begins with humility and is displayed through genuine love, generosity, and service to all people.

We can submit to one another in real-life and bring honor to the God who humbled Himself for us!

Prayer & Scripture Study
Consistent Bible reading and fellowship with God allows us to know Him and teaches us how to practically love and minster to others. Just as Jesus prioritized time alone with God, so should we. (Matthew 14:23)

Consider Others First
In holding our own desires loosely and actively asking God to use us to love well, opens the door for authentic submission. We can trust that even if submission doesn’t feel fun, God will lead us to that which is “good, pleasing, and perfect[.]” (Romans 12:2)

Servant Heart, Hands, & Feet
Practice choosing to serve others in real-life scenarios as the Holy Spirit leads you to build others up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Known & Listened To
Take time to honor others with active listening. Without intentional listening to know the other person, we make our submitted service or generous outreach more about our own good feelings than loving others or honoring God. (James 1:19)

Submission is bigger than our preferences and bigger than ourselves. It allows our ego to die so we can enter a joy-filled life with Christ, living in God’s pleasure as He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)

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Time is one of the most valuable things we have, and most of us frequently squander it on unworthy endeavors. We scroll through our social media pages, looking up to find we have spent an hour viewing dance trends, pranks and clever pet videos.

Sometimes the things that drain our time are not so benign, and are actually evil pursuits that bring us harm and separate us from God.
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Posted in: Christ, Humility, Jesus, Reflection, Relationship, Submission Tagged: Christ, generous, humility, love, Submission

Another Day 9 Wrapped Up In Love: Digging Deeper

March 16, 2023 by Dr. Leslie Umstattd Leave a Comment

Another Day 9 Wrapped Up In Love: Digging Deeper

Dr. Leslie Umstattd

March 16, 2023

Affectionate,Christ,church,Clothed,Lord,Love

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Wrapped Up In Love"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 6:27-36

27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and from someone who takes your things, don’t ask for them back.

31 Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is the speaker and the listener in this passage? (verse 27)

Throughout this passage we see the pronoun “he”, which signals the necessity of going back earlier in the chapter to find the initial reference to “he” and properly identify him.

We need to search backwards to Luke 6:9 where Jesus’ name is used. Luke, as the writer of this book, is providing a written record of Jesus’ teaching. The audience’s identity can be found a few verses later in Luke 6:17, where Luke records, “After coming down with them, He (Jesus) stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all of Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.” (emphasis mine)

The crowds traveled the countryside from city and farmland and all walks of life to hear Jesus teach, see His miracles, and be healed by Him. (Luke 6:18-19) 

The Everyday Application

1) Who is the speaker and the listener in this passage? (verse 27)

Luke records for us this interaction between Jesus and a large group of followers that included His disciples. This group had gathered specifically to hear Jesus’ teaching but also to receive healing. Luke 6:19 tells us “power was coming out from Him and healing them all.”

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, which is recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament, Jesus leads, teaches, loves, heals, disciples, and rebukes. People flocked to hear Him because His message of love and freedom was radically different from the self-righteous burden the Pharisees placed on them. (Matthew 23:1-5)

Over two thousand years later, people still flock to know the identity of this Jesus. Why are you drawn to Him? Are you seeking something from Him like many in the crowd, or are you seeking Him?  

The Original Intent

2) What six commands are given by Jesus in this passage? (verses 27-29)

The first two commands are given by Jesus in verse 27, “love your enemies” and “do what is good to those who hate you”. Jesus continues teaching with two more commands in verse 28, “bless those who curse you” and “pray for those who mistreat you”. The last two commands come in verse 29, “if anyone hits you, offer the other cheek” and “if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt.”

In these particular teachings, Jesus focuses on what it looks like in real life for His followers to show true love to the people who are hard to love. Jesus pointedly calls out the ones in our lives who are ungrateful, the easily offended, those who have taken advantage of offered kindness, and even more blunt, those who hate us and could be categorized as enemies.

Jesus’ command to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves has no fine print exclusions (Matthew 22:37-39), rather He provides clarity on how to obey such a command.

The Everyday Application

2) What six commands are given by Jesus in this passage? (verses 27-29)
On a deeper level, Jesus commands those listening to go beyond just doing the checklist of right and wrong. He pushes His hearers deeper, further into self-evaluation of not simply the action but the heart behind the action.

It’s one thing to be kind to a stranger, but an entire heart shift and empowerment by the Holy Spirit within you is required to love your enemy and do kind acts to those who hate you.

In Matthew 5:43-45, we see a similar teaching moment by Jesus where He instructs His audience to go beyond loving their neighbor to loving their enemy. He calls His followers to take radical action by praying for those who harm and persecute them. Jesus desires us as His children to follow in His footsteps and extend love and prayer to those who are different from us and walk a different life path.

The Original Intent

3) Why does Jesus use the comparative analogy phrase, “even sinners do that” three times in this passage? (verses 32-34)

In this context Jesus’ teaching moves beyond the simple outward appearance of righteousness, cutting to the heart of our motives and laying all “pseudo love” appearances out in the open. 

The religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, had taken the Law of God and added many man-made laws for the people to follow. They taught that following their law was the only way to God. Following the law as a checklist of do’s and don’ts, simply the doing of right and wrong, became their center of worship rather than adoring the one true God with hearts and lives of true worship. (Matthew 23)

Jesus wants His listeners to realize that following God is an issue of the heart as much as it is the actions flowing from a heart of love. Actions can give the appearance of righteousness, but when there is no heart transformation by the Holy Spirit, these actions are empty, and the person is missing the mark and far from God. (Matthew 15:8-20) Jesus wants His listeners to understand that following Him requires going beyond just loving the loveable; following Him means loving the unlovable, giving without desire for return, and doing good even to those who are not necessarily good. 

The Everyday Application

3) Why does Jesus use the comparative analogy phrase, “even sinners do that” three times in this passage? (verses 32-34)

Being a good person who does good things does not mean you have a relationship with Jesus. There are a lot of people who give to charity, provide resources to help others, and will even loan out money without interest, but they do not know Jesus. Actions can give an appearance of a heart transformation, but Jesus is asking for more.

He calls us to live as those under the law of freedom and show mercy because mercy was shown to you. (James 2:8-12) We have freedom in Christ to love well and He has equipped us to be able to love well by placing the Holy Spirit inside of all persons who choose to trust Christ as their Savior and repent of their sins.

Although our old sin-nature may desire to only love those who are loveable, Christ transforms us into a new people who bear the fruit of His Spirit through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to all of God’s creation. (Galatians 5:22-26)

The Original Intent

4) What model does Jesus give us to follow and what is its reward? (verses 35-36)

The model Jesus provided His audience was evidenced in His own presence as God incarnate. The holy, righteous God came to earth and humbly put on flesh in order to show us what kind of God He is. In this, He demonstrated lavish mercy and graciousness, even to those who are ungrateful and spiteful in return.

In the same way, Christ calls us to follow His example by being gracious and merciful in the midst of the ungrateful and evil persons in our lives. In verse 35, Jesus says to love and do good without expecting anything in return. In verse 36, Jesus tells His listeners to be merciful just as your Father is merciful.

The reward is being children of the Most High and honoring God with everything you do. We confidently know we belong to Him as His daughters when we regularly love others genuinely and authentically through the power of His Spirit working inside of us. There is no greater reward than being called His own!

The Everyday Application

4) What model does Jesus give us to follow and what is its reward? (verses 35-36)

Jesus is our model of how to love those who are hard to love, even those who hate us, and as His followers, we are to be imitators of Him in everything we do. (Philippians 2:5-11) Jesus gives us very specific examples throughout His ministry of how we should love.

In Mark 2:13-17, He called a tax collector to follow Him and then He ate at his house with other tax collectors and sinners. (Mark 2:15) This doesn’t seem odd for us, but in Jesus’ day tax collectors were hated by the Jewish people because they worked for Rome and charged more than required in order to pad their own pockets. Jesus, being a Jewish man, culturally speaking should have hated tax collectors, yet He shared a meal and fellowshipped with not just one tax collector but a host of tax collectors and other “sinners”. The Pharisees of the day thought themselves too religious and questioned Jesus’ and His actions. (Mark 2:16) Why would Jesus do this? Jesus answered the Pharisees in verse 17, “I didn’t come to call the righteous but the sinner.”

Have dinner with your atheist neighbor. Invite your friend to coffee who has been vocal on Facebook about her political beliefs that are different from yours. Have a conversation with that family member who is hard to love. Pray diligently for that one who frustrates or hurts you. Our model was Christ laying down His life for all people, and our reward when following Him is the power to love as He loved, and an eternity spent with Him. (John 3:14-20)

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We must not underestimate the importance of this love in our testimony of faith. Jesus said, “By this [love] everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Love distinguishes us from others. Love marks us as Jesus’ followers. Love is our uniform and Christ-followers.

Just like the church in Corinth in the first century, we struggle to love one another the way Jesus commanded and modeled, because let’s be honest, some people are difficult to love. (Not you, of course.) And, often our culture (and even our churches) seem to value being right above being loving.
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Posted in: Affectionate, Christ, church, Clothed, Lord, Love Tagged: action, choose, love, real life

Another Day 6 Helping Hands

March 13, 2023 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Another Day 6 Helping Hands

Sara Cissell

March 13, 2023

Character,Christ,church,Faith,gentle

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 10:1-18
Matthew 20:20-28
John 13:2-20
Proverbs 27:17
Proverbs 3:34

Have you ever seen a grindstone wheel used to sharpen axes? Picture a circular stone, mounted on a frame and axle. The edge of the ax would be placed against the turning stone; the pressure of the ax on the stone and the texture of the stone itself would sharpen the ax blade. 

This process enabled the ax to function to its highest potential and saved its owner much time and energy when using it. Sharpening was imperative to the lifespan of the ax. 

Sharpening is imperative to our lifespans as well. 
“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
That’s right, our interactions with others sharpen us. 

Serving others with humility is one of the most significant ways we can leverage a situation to sharpen us into becoming more like Christ. In fact, Jesus demonstrated this reality time and time again in His ministry. 

Jesus had every right to expect others to serve Him. Not only was He perfectly sinless during His years on earth, He carried with Him all authority as Lord. (Matthew 28:18) He literally could command angels, and how did this God Man treat His disciples?           

He washed their feet. (John 13:2-20)
Jesus filled one of the lowliest cultural roles as He willingly, humbly served His very human disciples. 

Jesus, being fully God (John 10:30), had no need to be sharpened by humbling Himself. However, He modeled humble service because this is His character and He desires to see His heart flourishing in us. 

“Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God, 
did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient,
to the point of death–
even to death on a cross.”
(Philippians 2:5-8)

Serving with humility creates a softness of heart that allows us to be shaped into the likeness of Jesus, and the Lord gives many opportunities to practice humility in everyday life.

Patience with personalities, going the extra mile, serving others regardless of social standing, gender, race, active listening, and the list is endless. Basically, in all real-life scenarios choose “humility, consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

For clarity, let’s also consider what an attitude of humility does not look like. 

Serving with the assumption of an expected response, especially one benefitting ourselves. This is a business exchange, and potentially even manipulation, while covering up the gross sin of self-serving. 

Serving someone with the mindset he or she is less than or “lower” than us, unworthy of our presence, or any other thought in which we are exalted as higher than the other. This is the sin of arrogance. (1 Peter 5:5-6)

Serving with impatience and a communicated sense that another person is an inconvenience. This demonstrates a lack of value for the other person, revealing the sin of pride. Remember, we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” by the God who crafted each of us in His image. (Psalm 139:13-16)

These non-examples make me cringe because I can easily pinpoint times when I have done all of them. The sweet, and usually pointed, conviction of the Holy Spirit has helped me recognize those moments. When I ask for forgiveness and allow my heart and thoughts to reflect the love of the Lord, I am sharpened and become more like Christ. 

Serving others with humility is not for the faint of heart, nor is it to be confused with abandoning healthy boundaries. We interact with others imperfectly, and healthy boundaries are needed in relationships. If you’re a believer in Jesus, having repented from your sins and trusted Christ for your eternal rescue, asking Him to be Lord of your life, the key to discernment here is listening. Listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit who lives within you to guide you as you seek to love others with humble service. If you’ve never surrendered your whole life to Jesus, it’s just impossible to truly serve with Christ’s humility in real life. Come to Jesus now, with the humble awareness that you need a Rescuer from your sin. Ask Him to make you new, forgive your sin, and put His Spirit inside you to begin cultivating your heart to love like Him!

Jesus set the example for serving others during His years on the earth. We have been given our time here to become more like Him and invite others to experience His goodness in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13) May we humble ourselves to experience the fullness of the sharpening process, for His glory. 

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The pastor, despite his leadership role and busy demands, stooped low to save face for the man temporarily until the heart of the matter could be discussed. The pastor stooped down to clean the nursery bathrooms and vacuum the sanctuary for several weeks allowing the hired man received the check. An act of grace and humility for the gift of spiritual growth before coming to a resolution. Are we willing to take on the difficult and dirty for the spiritual benefit of one another?
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Posted in: Character, Christ, church, Faith, gentle Tagged: church, humility, Jesus, kindness, love, serving

The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 1

March 11, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Another, Week 1

Katelyn Palmer

March 11, 2023

Blessed,Character,Christ,church,Family,Fellowship

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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Colossians 3:12-15

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.”
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Prayer Journal Entry

Dear Yahweh, this week has been full of rich reminders that You are the embodiment of love and, as we are created in Your image, we too are meant to embody Your love. Please soften our hearts and tame our tongues so that we may “keep [them] from evil and [our] lips from deceitful speech”. (Psalm 34:13)

Help us humbly slow down and “give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes”. (Romans 12:17) Let Your holy peace rule our hearts, Lord, and give us the strength and wisdom to heed Your call in Colossians 3:12-15.

Above all, You instruct us to “put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity,” (Colossians 3:14) and the perfect representation of our Creator, the God of Peace. (Romans 16:20) With Your instruction on our hearts this week, please guide our steps and our thoughts, Lord, as we seek love and peace in this broken world. By Your grace and in Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

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Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Love. Our Creator, the Lord of the Heavens, the God of Peace, He is love.

He created us in love and then appointed us to lovingly care for the rest of His Creation. His commandment to love and care for one another, especially those within the Body of Christ, perfectly aligns with the commandment to care for all of creation. Understanding what that looks like practically can be difficult, but like the faithful king He is, Jesus provides the answers we seek.

In Matthew 5, Jesus commands us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and extend a gentle hand to our friends and enemies alike. (Matthew 5:43-48) A peacemaker seeks resolution with those she has grievances with, armed with a forgiving heart like Jesus. (Colossians 3:13)

As we move into a new week, we must ask ourselves if we have any idling grievances, and if so, how can we initiate conflict resolution with those with whom unity is broken. Christ urges us to seek harmony (Psalm 133, Romans 12:18–20) and use our gifts to promote the unity of the Church. (Romans 12:4-8)

When our differences begin to cloud our duty to serve Christ, we must see the Lord standing behind them and remember He is the One to whom we are truly submitting.

JOURNAL TWO

God gives us the choice to follow Him and He is clear what that entails, full surrender to His good Father heart of kind love. His ways may not make sense to us as He calls us to place others before ourselves and choose humble love over self-assertion and getting ahead. But these are the ways of a gentle Father who loves to love and commands us to do the same.

Therefore, just as we must willingly accept His invitation to salvation, we must willingly accept the responsibility that comes with carrying out a life of humble, committed love to one another. This truth should act as the foundation for all our actions.

Pause to prayerfully consider when you are most likely to fall into the temptation of elevating self over tender care for others. Bring these to the Lord and allow Him to shift your heart as you read His Word. While we live in a broken world full of things trying to undermine us, Paul’s phrasing in Romans 12:18 leaves no room for misinterpretation, “as far as it depends on you.” We are in control of our choices and we hold accountability and responsibility for every action we choose. 

Let’s choose unity for the sake of Christ’s Beloved Bride, the Church!

JOURNAL THREE

We live in a world readily promoting “me first”, “my rights”, “my truth”, and “my feelings and desires” above all else.

In contrast, those who have been redeemed by Christ, are indwelt by God’s Spirit, and are being transformed by the renewing of our minds have a stirring within us as we consider the world’s perspective. The world’s attitude runs completely counter to the Spirit of God within those who have trusted Christ as Savior.

Believers in Jesus have been blessed with the Spirit of Truth, by which the Lord God shapes us to reflect Him! (1 Corinthians 2:12-15, John 6:44). The entire New Testament tells us it’s not about me. It’s about God and in our pursuit of God, our life is meant to love them. (Matthew 22:37-39) Them refers to everyone else.

If we use Christ’s life on earth to be our example for our thoughts, actions, and attitudes then we understand we are designed to use our lives to serve others. Submission, then, is focused on the Lord and obedience to His will follows with joyful delight!

Selfless obedience can look like forgoing your desires or airing your opinion in order to promote unity among those around you, especially when with those who are weaker in faith. (Romans 14) Obedience to the Lord doesn’t always result in immediate happiness, but it will result in ultimate joy for His glory!
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