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Mission Day 10 The Light Of Mission

May 19, 2023 by Lesley Crawford 2 Comments

Mission Day 10 The Light Of Mission

  • Lesley Crawford
  • May 19, 2023
  • 2 Comments
Reflection, Rescue, Restored, Together, Truth

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 28:16-20
Psalm 1
John 15:1-5
1 Peter 4:8-11
2 Corinthians 5:14-15

I wonder, what comes to mind when you think about mission? 

Maybe your thoughts turn to events and activities. These are certainly a part of a mission. Over the years, I’ve been involved in many missional activities like work in schools, youth camps, community meals and outreach events with my church, which have often been effective.

However, these activities are only one aspect of Christ’s mission. At its heart, the mission is fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples, baptise them, and teach them to obey His commands. (Matthew 28:16-20)

I’ve learned how important it is to keep a correct focus as we attempt to reach others with the Hope of Christ. It can be easy to get caught up in practicalities, planning, and programmes, or become overly-concerned with how much of a success our activities seem to be. The danger is becoming so focused on the activities, we forget the heart of the mission, or our experience makes us so competent in ourselves we end up relying on our own strength and wisdom instead of looking to God.

To correct course, we must remember this is not our mission, but God’s. As Tommy MacNeil expresses it in his book Sleeping Giant, “The mission of the Church is God’s mission, and we are His partners in that cause. Mission flows from the heart of God, through the people of God, to the world. This means that mission must shift in our thinking from being an activity the Church engages in (or not) to being the core of who we are as God’s people.” (pg 58)

When we recognise it is God’s work which we have the privilege of participating in, we realize we cannot accomplish it in our own strength. 

We must do it His way, in His strength, motivated by His love, and there are a few practical steps we can take to do that.

One is to look to Jesus.
When we consider His example of mission, it is striking that He genuinely cared about others. He was never motivated by a desire to prove Himself. He had real compassion for those who were struggling and lost. (Matthew 9:36) As we look to Him, we can embrace His compassion for us, which allows His compassion for others to flow through us, reaching the point where, as early preacher and teacher Paul puts it, “the love of Christ compels us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14)

Motivation matters.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes that whatever good deeds we may do for God, and no matter how gifted we may be, if we fail to love, our work counts for nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) Paul’s fellow apostle, Peter, writes we should seek to maintain constant love “above all.” (1 Peter 4:8)

One must spend time in God’s Word.
Meditating on Scripture allows His light to shine on our hearts and our motivations before we attempt to share Him with others. The writer of Hebrews points out that God’s Word penetrates to the depth of our souls; “It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)

A desire to see God glorified.
Psalm 1 describes those who delight in the Lord and meditate on His Word as being like “a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” (Psalm 1:3) 
Jesus used similar imagery when describing Himself as the vine and His disciples as the branches. Just as the branches can only bear fruit if they remain joined to the vine, we can only be fruitful if we remain in Him. (John 15:4-5)

Prayerful Participation
A key component of Christ’s mission involves the essential step of prayer. 
We must pray for ourselves and our heart motivations, for God to be glorified,
for His Spirit to make our work effective for His mission, and for those to whom we hope to witness, that their eyes would be opened to God that they might call on Him, know Him, and walk in His light.

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Christ,family,gospel,mission,Truth
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Digging Deeper

Most of us would probably say that we want to love Christ (Matthew 22:36-40), but how many of us would say that we are compelled by love like Paul?

If we are really honest with ourselves, our answer might be that we want to love Christ like that, but… there is a lot going on.
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Posted in: Reflection, Rescue, Restored, Together, Truth Tagged: Christ, family, gospel, mission, Truth

Mission Day 4 Heart Of Mission: Digging Deeper

May 11, 2023 by Rachel Jones 1 Comment

Mission Day 4 Heart Of Mission: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

May 11, 2023

Accepted,Adoption,Called,Fruitfulness,Glory,Healing,Heart

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 "Heart Of Mission"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:9-13

Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What does it look like to love without hypocrisy? (verse 9)

When Paul tells Christians to “Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good” (verse 9), he is exhorting them to let their love be true and genuine. According to Preceptaustin.org, “in classical Greek drama, the “hypokrites” was the play actor who projected an image but hid his true identity behind a mask.”

To love without hypocrisy is to love in truth with authenticity, with no pretense or artifice. Ann Voskamp suggests, “Those in the church often wear masks like we have it all together, and in wearing masks what really gets masked is Christ. When Christ gets masked, there is no communion and we experience life of starvation, emaciation. We look like hypocrites because we are.”

Genuine love does not pretend to be something it is not to look better or be impressive. This inauthentic, selfish love leads to hurt and disappointment. Hypocrisy creates a false security and an expectation in the recipient only ends in sorrow. John Piper asserts, “The command to love without hypocrisy is really a command to know Christ and love Christ and find your satisfaction in Christ so that you do not crave the praise of men anymore.”

Authentic love mirrors God back to those we love. More than just words, authentic love, follows through on commitments and takes action. (1 John 3:18) Paul teaches us to pour out this genuine love, which is unselfish and puts others first. (1 Corinthians 13:5)

Christians can love one another without hypocrisy by keeping their word and honoring their promises. (1 John 2:5) When Christians demonstrate love in this way, they build trust (1 Corinthians 13:6) and lead others to follow the One who is love. (1 John 4:16)

The Everyday Application

1) What does it look like to love without hypocrisy? (verse 9)

One of the joys of working with young children is witnessing their unfiltered and startlingly forthright emotional expressions. They don’t try to hide their excitement like older kids. They squeal with delight when a soap bubble lands on their finger, or they shriek in despair when their balloon floats out of reach.

They also don’t sugar coat the truth like adults. Little kids call it like they see it. Their frankness can be brash, “Why did you cut your hair to look like that, Miss Rachel?!?”. But when they show you love, you know it’s genuine. They love without hypocrisy as Christ urges His Bride, the Church, to live out because this is how He loves us.

Christ-followers cannot make disciples unless they follow Christ in how He loves. (John 13:34) This means they can’t be fake or misleading, even when the truth is difficult. Like Christ, His followers are to embrace genuine love and reflect the Truth of God. (2 Corinthians 3:18) John Piper notes, “Hypocrisy is all about falsehood, concealment, deceit, cloaking, misleading, hiding. Hypocrisy is the opposite of loving the truth. So it is the opposite of love.”

To love without hypocrisy, we must hate lies and deception. (2 Thessalonians 2:10) We may need to confront uncomfortable issues we would rather gloss over or ignore. We might want to pretend like we don’t have any problems, but loving others in truth requires transparency about the heart-changing work Jesus is doing in our own lives. (Philippians 1:6)

When we love without pretense, choosing to love without hypocrisy, we are imitating Christ’s love for us!

The Original Intent

2) How can Christians take the lead in honoring one another? (verse 10)

Romans 12:10 admonishes Christians to “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.” This particular Greek word for honor only appears this single time in the Scriptures and means “to go before as a guide. Honor is the honor due from each to all . . . leading the way in showing the honor that is due.” (Precept Austin)

Not only are we to love deeply, but we are to go beyond this by taking the initiative to outdo each other in showing love and honor due to all who are adopted children of God. We accomplish this when we seek out good deeds to perform for others. (Galatians 6:10) We honor our brothers and sisters in Christ when we celebrate their victories, support their endeavors, and acknowledge their attributes and contributions. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

This humble honoring of one another is the opposite of the culture’s mindset, which seeks accolades for ourselves. Paul encourages us to prioritize the needs of others above our own because it does not come naturally. (Philippians 2:3-4) In a “me-first” world, having an “others-first” attitude stands out. In fact, it’s this love for one another that tells the world we are Christ-followers. (John 13:35)

It requires practice in leaning into the Spirit’s work in us, but we can aim to outdo one another in showing honor to our brothers and sisters in Christ through our kind words and selfless deeds through the power of the Holy Spirit as we submit to His rule and reign!

The Everyday Application

2) How can Christians take the lead in honoring one another? (verse 10)

There are heartwarming stories circulating the internet about special students joining school sports teams as the team manager so they can experience team camaraderie even though they may not have the athletic skills needed to play. The whole team works together on one special night of the year, maybe homecoming or senior night or the last game of the season, to help that special student take part in a portion of the game. They coordinate events so the student can make a basket, score a goal, or run the ball. They go to great lengths, even coordinating with the opponent, so the special student gets to experience glory on the playing field at least once in the season.

These players and coaches go above and beyond to honor kids who contribute support and encouragement to the team off the field. I think of these stirring anecdotes of purposeful kindness when I hear Paul’s admonition to the church to “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.” (Romans 12:10)

Paul wants Christians to set each other up for success in much the same way these teams seek out opportunities to give victory to their team members living with special needs. They go out of their way to demonstrate care, value, and celebration. (Hebrews 10:24) This may involve giving up the limelight ourselves to shine the focus on our brothers and sisters. It will likely include putting the needs and concerns of others ahead of our own. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

It means being intentional, planning ahead, and sacrificing as needed to assure that others feel honored and loved, even at our own expense. Lord, show us what steps we can take today to honor our brothers and sisters in the faith so we can build team unity!

The Original Intent

3) How can we be patient in affliction? (verse 12)

The Apostle Paul instructs his readers to “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) Paul wants the Church to realize they will need hope, patience, and prayer to live as Christ-followers. Being patient can be difficult enough in good circumstances, but Paul wants Christians to be patient even when times are hard.

How can we remain patient when everything around us is going wrong? Rob Morgan asserts, “Rejoicing in hope enables us to be patient in affliction. Patience is hope in different clothing. It’s the ability to wait calmly as the Lord works everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.” We can be patient because we confidently know God is in control of all things (Deuteronomy 31:8) and He is working everything out for our ultimate good and His glory. (Romans 8:28-29)

We can be patient no matter what is going on around us because we know God is always good (Psalm 34:8) and we can trust His Word and His Ways (Psalm 33:4).

Instead of panicking and letting our worry turn into ranting and wailing, we can recall God’s love and faithfulness and wait patiently for the Lord to perform His will in our lives. Liz Curtis Hjggs suggests, “We can be patient in affliction by not complaining and by giving thanks for the good things we do have. We don’t grumble or murmur but look for ways to honor God in our circumstances.”

When we focus on God’s ability to provide the strength we need, we recognize the grace He gives to help us patiently endure and overcome the afflictions that arise in this world. (John 16:33)

The Everyday Application

3) How can we be patient in affliction? (verse 12)

When my first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, I spent the entire 9 months that I would have been pregnant to grieve my loss, learn more about pregnancy, and get physically healthier. During that time God healed my heart (Psalm 147:3) through dreams, journaling, worship, His Word, and the hugs and wisdom of other miscarriage sufferers.

It was an uncomfortable process, but it was one I needed to journey through patiently as the Lord healed my heart and prepared me to experience a new pregnancy. While everyone’s healing journey looks different, for me, this time of waiting was an example of what Paul exhorted his readers to do in Romans 12:12; be “patient in affliction.” Instead of rushing through the process, choosing patience allowed me to discover impactful lessons God had for me in that difficult time.

My biggest take away was that God was present with me in the pain, holding me and sustaining me. (Isaiah 40:11) Ann Voskamp notes, “We may not understand the purpose or the point in our suffering, but whatever it is, it must be so important, and so profound, that Jesus Himself is willing to go through that suffering with us.”

Being patient in the turmoil helped me learn that even if I never understood the “why” of my painful circumstances, I understood that God was always with me and that I could always depend on Him. (Philippians 4:19)

Hurrying through the pain to get to the promise would have caused me to miss His revelation, and it is this deeper knowing of Him that demonstrated that nothing can separate me from God’s love and care. (Romans 8:35-39) He has faithfully sustained me in every crisis large and small since then.

Tags :
care,family,honor,love,others,selfless
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Done Day 11 Reconciled Redemption
August 7, 2023
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Mission Day 3
Journey Study

The Lord is faithful and sovereign. (2 Thessalonians 3:3, Jeremiah 32:17) He loves people and His plans will come to pass.

I truly believe if I miss the prompts of the Lord and/or refuse to participate in His mission field, the Lord is big enough to bring about His purposes another way. The timing and method may be different, but it will come to pass.

However, I will miss out on being a part of it.
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Posted in: Accepted, Adoption, Called, Fruitfulness, Glory, Healing, Heart Tagged: care, family, honor, love, others, selfless

Confidence Day 15 Confidence In Identity: Digging Deeper

May 5, 2023 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Confidence Day 15 Confidence In Identity: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

May 5, 2023

Believe,Beloved,Confession,Faith,Family,Fellowship,Forgiven,Freedom

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 "Confidence In Identity"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 5:18-21

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Does verse 18 teach that believers no longer sin nor are tempted?

Using the current vernacular within religious circles, a ‘believer’ is someone who has become convinced of Jesus’ testimony and deity. 1) They have believed what Jesus said about Himself and 2) they have received forgiveness for their sins through His death and resurrection. (John 1:11-13) “Everyone who has been born of God“ refers to believers.

The previous verses give us context that John is writing this letter for believers. [Sidenote: The sentence structure of verse 18 is debated. Some translators believe “the one” in the middle of the verse refers to Jesus; see verse 20. The ambiguous wording in the original Greek doesn’t change John’s point.]

John is writing to remind and assure the believer about the eternal salvation that comes with personally knowing Jesus. (1 John 4:13-17) In identifying with Christ, a person becomes motivated to submit to the Father just as He did. (Philippians 2:5-13)

John is not saying that a believer becomes sinless or perfect, and he is aware that questions may arise about sin in the life of a believer. He addresses these by stating that sin will be part of our lives until we are completely remade. (1 John 1:8-2:6 1 John 5:16-17)  Although sin remains part of the human condition, even for true believers, there will be an aversion to sin when Christ comes into our lives. At the moment of reconciliation to God, God’s Spirit moves in and begins to fill places that were previously occupied with sinful motives.

We could say it this way: Our salvation is currently in the works. (Philippians 1:6) John’s emphasis was not on the sins we are sure to commit, but on the Christ whose power helps us say ‘no’ to sin. (1 John 4:4,  Colossians 3:1-3) The gift of eternal life is not dependent on our perfection. (John 10:28)

The Everyday Application

1) Does verse 18 teach that believers no longer sin nor are tempted?

The apostle Paul has a testimony for us: “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature [flesh].

I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it … I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power [law] within me that is at war with my mind.

This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me?!”
(Romans 7:14-24, NLT)

Oh Sister, do I know this struggle! Don’t you? But thanks be to God, we are NOT left in this condition! (Romans 7:25) The process of sanctification (less sin rule, more Spirit reign) occurs as we walk with Jesus through the knowledge of His word and through prayer.

Submission to the Father’s will begins to feel more like home than sin does. The habitual practice of sin will noticeably diminish as we identify ourselves with Christ. It is in this process we find comfort and assurance. (1 John 3:24, Galatians 5:16-26)

The Original Intent

2) Do all believers live always and only for God while the whole world lives always and only for the evil one [Satan]? (verse 19)

The answer to this question is a complicated Yes. Since humans should be slow to use terms with a high degree of certitude, words such as ‘always and only’ are largely reserved for God. The reality, though, is nothing can keep a true believer away from spending eternity with God. We are sealed in Him forever. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

A believer’s new identity is established through Christ’s righteousness, not our own goodness. We are finally and ultimately covered by His blood which secures our destiny. (1 John 1:7) Yet with this being our sure future, we will struggle in our humanity until our earthly life is finished. Paul knew this struggle with sin all too well. (Romans 7:14-25)

So even though we are “for God” it’s a complicated yes. The world, on the other hand, is ruled by Satan. In the New Testament, “world” most often refers to the humans who inhabit the earth and live apart from God’s purposes. (Greek kósmos; preceptaustin.org) Knowing the world refers to a world system ruled by Satan, believers recognize we are not obligated to live the world’s way.

As we are being transformed into Christlikeness (taking on His identity), our worldly affections lessen. After someone is saved, sin shifts from affecting their eternity with God to bringing awareness of their humanity and dependence on Him for spiritual growth. God deals with our sin differently once we have repented and trusted in Christ’s finished work. (John 17:1-4)

Though holiness is the aim of the believer, we will still sin. Falling short of God’s standard turns our gaze to the mercy of God. Though none deserve to be identified with Christ, we are “of God” because He is gracious and good. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

The Everyday Application

2) Do all believers live always and only for God while the whole world lives always and only for the evil one [Satan]? (verse 19)

It’s hard to deny the reality of John’s teaching in this letter. (1 John) Whether we want to think about it or not, the people we pass everyday are either of God or of the evil one. (verse 19) The great news is that it is not up to us to be good enough to receive the grace of God and enter into His forever kingdom. God has given us eternal life through Jesus, His Son. (1 John 5:1)

It is HIS goodness that brings us into a forever relationship with our Father God. John wasn’t attempting to confuse the readers. He wanted to assure them! Dear Sister, are you experiencing doubt because you struggle with God’s plan for your life? Do you read and study His word only to be more confused and discouraged?

I want you to hear this word from John: You can know you are of God and in Christ Jesus as you depend on the Spirit of God to provide peace. The new nature we have compels us to live in righteousness. We may stumble into sin at times, but we won’t stay there because we can’t survive there. The enemy of our souls, the evil one, wants nothing more than to keep you weighed down with guilt and shame over your sin. He does not want us to regularly practice what John says in 1 John 1:9. I encourage you to do it anyway! The sooner we come to God with our sin, the sooner we gain relief.

His mercy drenches us with peace. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit access to every area of our lives. When we see evidences of Jesus, we are reminded that we live in a different world now.

The Original Intent

3) If we know “we are in the true One”, what is the basis for such confidence? (verse 20)

If someone were to read the five chapters in 1 John in segments rather than as a whole, the topic of obedience would possibly stand out. The subject is woven throughout the paragraphs of the letter. However, reading the entire book at one time (as if you were reading a letter) reveals something about John’s purpose.

Obedience is evidence of salvation, but the motivation for obedience is even more important to consider. John wanted the reader to have assurance of their relationship with God based on their continual practice of abiding in Him. So much so, he uses a form of the word “know” approximately 40 times. There was something going on behind the scenes in the lives of these believers that caused John to write to them and urge them to remain confident. (1 John 2:24-26, 1 John 3:5-7)

If anyone can inspire confidence about Jesus, it’s John. He had seen and heard and touched Him! (1 John 1:1-4) His joy would be complete if they too recognized Jesus and were walking in fellowship with Him. The basis for his confidence was everything he had witnessed up-close and personal with Jesus. Consider Luke 5:1-11, Luke 8:40-56, Luke 9:28-36, John 20:1-9 and last but definitely not least Luke 24:36-40.

John had come to know something: Jesus was the “True One” and His real life was the reason John wrote with certainty. A forever truth is that eternal life is promised to everyone who believes in the Son of God. Remaining in the love of God results in genuine obedience and even more so, deep assurance.

The Everyday Application

3) If we know “we are in the true One”, what is the basis for such confidence? (verse 20)

Satan knows enough to know that when we confess our sin, God will forgive us. The lie of the evil one has never changed, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1) I want you to KNOW, Friend, He will forgive those who come to Him.

Tim Keller said God has obligated Himself to forgive us if we ask. He would be acting unjustly if He didn’t. “We do not have to make ourselves suffer in order to merit forgiveness. We simply receive the forgiveness earned by Christ. 1 John 1:9 says God forgives us because He is ‘just.’ This is a remarkable statement! It would be unjust of God to ever deny us forgiveness, because Jesus earned our acceptance! In religion we earn forgiveness with our repentance, but in the gospel we just receive it.” (All Life is Repentance, Tim Keller)

When we are in “the True One” we have confidence that God will not hold our sin against us. We are confident because our identity is now in Christ. Author Paul David Tripp encourages believers to “stop looking at yourself in carnival mirrors.” A carnival mirror distorts who we really are. It can be funny except when it isn’t!

Our image is misleading when we see only our sin, or ourselves from a worldly view, or if the devil is whispering other lies in our ears. Sister, beloved in Christ, we are not “beloved” because of who we are or what we do. Even our obedience falls short of His glory. (Titus 3:4-7)

We are “beloved” because we are in Christ. That’s it. That is why, with all confidence, we can declare to our doubt and fear, “You are Lies!” We know the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so we may know the True One.

Tags :
assurance,believer,Belong,family,forgiven,hope,salvation
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Done Day 11 Reconciled Redemption
August 7, 2023
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July 29, 2023
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Confidence Day 15
Journey Study

Are you sure? I admit I’ve asked this question more times than is necessary.

There’s something about someone’s certainty that elicits doubt in me. (And I realize where that comes from! Hint: Genesis 3:1) But the apostle John had come to confidently know what he knew about Jesus, and he wrote a message of assurance to his friends.

Due to my skeptical lens, I missed the beauty of his epistle when I first read it years ago. The word “if” – appearing more than 20 times in the CSB translation – led me to a misunderstanding of John’s intent. Maybe it’s just me, but that’s not usually a word of certainty in my conversations. It’s a conditional word. Oh friend, I’m so thankful John had something else in mind!
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Posted in: Believe, Beloved, Confession, Faith, Family, Fellowship, Forgiven, Freedom Tagged: assurance, believer, Belong, family, forgiven, hope, salvation

The GT Weekend! ~ Confidence Week 2

April 29, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Confidence Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

April 29, 2023

Alive,church,Comfort,Confession,Faith,Future

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

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Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Romans 5:1-5

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You have not left me with a weak spirit. You have left me with the Holy Spirit, a bold Spirit defined by Your mighty love and strength. (2 Timothy 1:7) Lord, everyday temptation to sin entices me. Resisting sin is impossible on my own strength; in those tough and decisive moments, I ask for Your help in clinging to the Holy Spirit and reminding me I am Your child. (1 John 3:1)

You have sent Your Son to pay a debt I could never afford and You have gifted me endless grace. You love me, Lord, and You have not forgotten or forsaken me. (Isaiah 49:14-16, Deuteronomy 31:8) I am Yours and at Your feet I will worship, because You alone are worthy. (Psalm 145)

No enemy of mine could overthrow You, no power of this world could consume You. (Matthew 19:26, John 16:33) You cared for me before You even knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16) and You have rescued me from death. When these truths seem far away, I beg You, Lord my God, to remind me who I follow and renew my confidence in Your power and faithfulness.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Many generations have come before us. It is likely many will follow. Our hardships may look different; our false teachers may go by different names; our persecution may lay heaviest on the shoulders of different nations; but we all share the brokenness of this world…and we are each offered the eternal hope & joy of Christ’s resurrection power!

We can be confident in our rescue from the deadly effects of sin because of the testimony of the Christ-followers who have gone before us.

We can be confident in our rescue from eternal separation from God because of the preserved print in our Bibles, which is God’s Word to us. Scripture is the primary channel of communication God uses to speak to His people, and it’s filled with truths that provide us confidence in God.

Thus, it is important for us to prioritize regular, daily intake of Scripture study. God’s whispers of loving rebuke, encouragement, and unchanging truth enable us to avoid falling victim to Satan’s tricks. His Word equips us with quiet, stalwart confidence that the Lord is who He says is.

God’s words to humanity haven’t changed through the ages, and neither has His gift of salvation. He has not failed us yet and He never will. 

JOURNAL TWO

Regarding the Lord’s forgiveness, here is what we know to be true from His Word: God sent His Son to die on the cross and be resurrected on the third day in order to forgive our sins in whole. (1 John 2:2) I’m not sure there is anything more convincing than the brutal sacrifice of God’s own Son to fulfill the debt of our sin.

The Bible records many specific examples of forgiveness across Old and New Testaments; every narrative points to the forgiving heart of God. Stories of forgiveness always detail the sin, not shying away from it or sugar coating, but naming the sin and then demonstrating God’s forgiveness, even through broken, sinful people. Take time this weekend to pick a forgiveness narrative and read it to see God’s heart more clearly!

Warring brothers (Genesis 33), sexual sin of God’s chosen king (2 Samuel 11-12), an adulteress caught in the act (John 8:1-11), Christ’s closest friend denying knowing Him (John 21:15-17), and, of course, the forgiveness offered for all people from the Only Holy God (Romans 5:8-9)!

Forgiveness is available to every person for every single sin without condemnation or punishment; it’s simply ours to embrace through complete faith in the Forgiving God!

JOURNAL THREE

As we’ve discussed this week, God is faithful. He has been true to His Word since the beginning of time and that will never change. But sometimes we still have doubts, right?

We’re humans living in a broken world, which means doubts easily arise when we aren’t grounded in truth. The Lord knows this and has provided ways to renew our confidence in Him, a confidence that tells us His work in us is not finished and He will return to finish what He has started. (Philippians 1:6)

First, we must engage Scripture with humility. The Bible allows us to know God’s heart more fully, which will build our confidence in His character. His Word illustrates His faithfulness throughout time and reminds us He is not restricted by the world we know. When we restrict God to our own concept of time, we can feel forgotten or like He no longer cares about us; we must remember God operates in eternity, outside of linear time.

Second, we must engage biblical community. God uses our current time in life to prepare us for Jesus’ return. This preparation involves spreading the gospel, reflecting God’s light to the lost ones around us, and steadily being shaped into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lastly, we are to worship God with the whole of our lives in order to continually shift our perspective from our circumstances to our Lord and Savior. As we do, our love for Him grows and our trust in His goodness increases!
Tags :
courage,eternity,faith,family,hope,trust
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Posted in: Alive, church, Comfort, Confession, Faith, Future Tagged: courage, eternity, faith, family, hope, trust

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!
Tags :
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 15 Service With Love

March 24, 2023 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Another Day 15 Service With Love

Marietta Taylor

March 24, 2023

Excuses,Faith,Genuine,Giving,Glory

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 5:14-16
Matthew 25:31-46
1 Peter 4:10-11
Acts 5:1-11
Proverbs 4:23-27

I said I would never serve in middle school. It just wasn’t “my thing”. So how do I explain I now arrive early to church to set up the TV, queue the lesson, put out games, and choose a worship song in preparation for middle schoolers? Did I mention I raised two daughters, but I teach mostly boys in “Mid City” as we call our church’s middle school ministry?

Why am I here?
Because middle schoolers need love and care too, especially from their church family. Also, God told me to serve them. Want to know a secret? I was wrong before. It is “my thing”.

My thing is serving the Lord who created me and prepared good works for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10) Those good works serve God’s kingdom and others. God designed it to work this way because His heart is for others, for us. And our hearts should be too.

Jesus taught about this in Matthew 25:31-46 when He told the story of sheep and goats at the Final Judgment. Sheep represented people who trusted Christ to pay the penalty they deserved for their own sin; then they lived out their faith by loving others. Goats, while fooling themselves and others by making themselves look like sheep, actually never trusted Christ and therefore couldn’t love people with His divine power living inside them.

To the sheep Jesus said, “You fed me, you gave me something to drink, you took me in, you clothed me, you took care of me and you visited me.” (Matthew 25:35-36, my paraphrase)
To the goats he said, “You never fed me or gave me drink, never took me in, clothed me or took care of me.” (Matthew 25:42-43, my paraphrase) Both groups asked when they did or did not do these things. He responded that their actions, or lack thereof, evidenced their willingness to love Him. Jesus rewarded the sheep and eternally punished the goats. 

This girl wants to be a sheep.
Since you’re reading this, I think you do too.
What about being a shiny sheep?

Jesus taught, “You [true believer in Jesus!) are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) Because “light carrying” is so important, He instructed, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Be a shiny sheep,
serving others,
showing them Jesus and
giving Him glory?
Yes, please!

Remember the goats? We can fool ourselves and others, but we cannot fool God. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold some land and donated part of the money to the apostles. (Acts 5:1-11) Seems good, right?

After Jesus’ resurrection and return to heaven, the believers all lived together, sharing everything, not because anyone was forcing them, but out of love. “Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common” (Acts 4:32)

Ananias and Sapphira lied, claiming their donation was the total profit from the sale. Through the Spirit of God, Peter confronted them, “You have not lied to people but to God.” (Acts 5:4) God desires us to serve from holy hearts. (1 Peter 1:15) If we aren’t intent on loving Jesus, we will be tempted to be unscrupulous. How does this rightly reflect God? It doesn’t bring Him glory or benefit others. 

Consider Eli’s sons. (1 Samuel 2:12-36) They were priests yet committed many sinful acts. They ate sacrifices meant for the Lord and sometimes forcibly took sacrifices before they could be offered. They were serving, but with evil intent. Eventually, God took their lives because of it; they were goats.

Compare that to Samuel, who “served in the Lord’s presence—this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod.” (1 Samuel 2:18) Samuel served Eli faithfully and later became a great prophet for the Lord. 1 Samuel 3:19 tells us, “Samuel grew. The Lord was with him, and he fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied.” May we follow Samuel’s example of being a sheep.

Christ loves us perfectly. (1 John 3:16) While we can’t love perfectly, we can reflect His love because His Spirit lives inside believers, divinely empowering us.
How do we love like Him? Before we serve, let’s consider four key questions.

  1. If there was no visible payoff like money, recognition, gratitude, or influence, am I still willing? (Philippians 3:8-10)
  2. If suffering is involved in serving, am I still willing? (2 Corinthians 12:6-10)
  3. Is my goal to feel good about myself or receive praise from others? (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
  4. Is loving God and others my motivation? (Matthew 22:37-39)

Answer with sincerity.
If your motives and intentions are true, pure and oriented toward the Lord, then serve.
If not, ask the Lord to change your heart.

Remember, Jesus knows the difference between sheep and goats. His true sheep are meant to serve with each of these qualities, but if we haven’t asked Him to make us new and remove our sin, we just can’t be sheep.

Opportunities to serve, to love like Jesus, are abundant!
Maybe you’ll wind up doing something you thought wasn’t “your thing”,
but is most definitely God’s thing for you!

Tags :
family,grace,humility,love,service
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Another Day 15
Digging Deeper

The Lord has given every single believer gifts through the Holy Spirit for that Christian to actively live out in everyday life. Perhaps it’s singing, leading others to worship, easily understanding difficult biblical truths, being a good friend, making people feel welcome, cooking delicious meals, folding laundry, running a well-maintained home, or making flowers flourish. Whatever your specific set of gifts, we are all called to live hospitably (read: openly generous) without complaint.
Dig Deeper!

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Posted in: Excuses, Faith, Genuine, Giving, Glory Tagged: family, grace, humility, love, service

Another Day 13 Gentle & Lowly Lifestyle

March 22, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Another Day 13 Gentle & Lowly Lifestyle

Rebecca Adams

March 22, 2023

gentle,Grace,Humility,Love,Relationship

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Isaiah 46:1-5
Psalm 139:1-7
Revelation 3:19-21
Matthew 11:25-30

We cannot authentically love what we do not deeply know.

I was enamored with my husband from Day 1.
But it wasn’t until over two decades had passed and we walked dark pathways that I had an inkling of what love meant.

I was head over heels in love with my firstborn the moment I saw those 2 pink lines on the pregnancy test.
But my love for her multiplied with every day I spent with her, knowing her, arguing with her, and learning from her.

Love grew strong, fierce, and authentic in the days, years, and decades of learning to know.

Intimate familiarity changes everything.
Misconceptions flee, doubts dissolve, and the brilliance of authentic love shoots through like daybreak when we commit to deeply know another.

Who is this God who has called us to live together in the humble fabric of gentle love, seeking the other’s good, and partnering with them for peace and unity? (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28)

He is precisely who He has called us to be as we love One Another as brothers and sisters in the family He calls His Bride, the Church.

He is constantly humble toward us. (Philippians 2:7)
Perpetually extending us peace. (Colossians 3:15)
Continuously
seeing the unseen. (Matthew 9:36)
Ceaselessly
helping the helpless. (Psalm 116:6)
Patiently
hemming us within His love on all sides. (Psalm 139:5)
Modeling
submission to the law of Love. (John 13:34)
Steadfastly
convicting us with kindness. (Romans 2:4)
Endlessly lowering Himself to bear our burdens.
(Psalm 68:19)

He desires us.
He wants us.
Not just to be “His”, another “child” in His family to do His purpose,
but to both know Him and be lovingly known.

Is there anything as precious as being deeply known and authentically loved?

When the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of His own heart posture toward us,
He chose the words “gentle” and “lowly”.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30, ESV)

He spoke these words while describing what it means to know the Almighty God,
whom Christ perfectly represented.
To know Christ, is to know God Himself.
(Hebrews 1:3)

Hundreds of years before Jesus spoke these words, King David penned his understanding of the great I AM as the God who “day after day… bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)

Daily.
Bears.
OUR.
Burdens.

Can we just say that again?

On the DAILY, sisters.
Love Himself,
who reigns in the heavenlies,
holds all power,
possesses all wisdom,
and is present in all places
stoops low to DAILY lift our burdens.

Forever the gentle and lowly of heart lowers Himself to shoulder-level with us only to rise and carry the weight upon Himself.

The weight of our hard things, our broken things, our wounded things, and infinitely greater, this is the God who stooped to the cross, naked and shamed, to bear the weight of the sin of the world. (1 John 2:2)

Do you see those precious words that next cross Jesus’ lips following His nondescript characterization of His heart?
“My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

Not only does He carry our burden for us, and our sin for eternity if we will entrust our wretchedness to Him, but He gives life in return! In His humility, He teaches us to shoulder up next to Him, the wholly divine God, that we might learn His easy rhythms of life.

As several of our authors have noted in this Journey theme, it’s impossible for us to live out these One Another commands if we have not first submitted to the Spirit of God living inside of us. This is holy work; it’s His work, and we cannot muster or manufacture it ourselves.
But neither…
Can we live out these richly beautiful, life-giving commands if we do not intimately know the heart of the God in whom they perfectly abide.

We cannot authentically love what we do not deeply know.

Consider the Lord’s own words through His prophet Isaiah to His beloved people.
Come, know Him!

“Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. (false gods)
[…] The images [they] carry are loaded,
as a burden for the weary animal.
The gods cower; they crouch together;
they (false gods) are not able to rescue the burden,[…] “Listen to Me (true God),
[…You] who have been sustained from the womb,
carried along since birth.
I will be the same until your old age,
and I will bear you up when you turn gray.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will bear and rescue you.”
(Isaiah 46:1-4)

If you do not know the Lord as a gentle and lowly, burden-bearing God, then come on into His heart. Feast with Him, see His smile, hear His laughter, and confidently grow in authentically loving this God for being precisely who He claims to be in the pages of His Word.

To know Him, is to love Him!
And the proof of our love is made manifest when we stoop low with humble gentleness to lovingly carry another’s burdens just as Christ has done, and is doing right now, for us!

Tags :
burden,church,family,humble,kind,service,tender
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August 7, 2023
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July 29, 2023
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Digging Deeper

May we grow in deeply knowing the One who knows us so well! For the Lord is near to those who draw close to Him through repentance of our sins. (James 4:8-10)

What intimacy awaits those who feel lonely, fearful, and depressed when they come to the Lord to confess their sin and enjoy the pleasure of relationship with Him because of His forgiveness and mercy!

What sweet connection awaits if only we would pour ourselves over His Scripture and meditate on His character day and night that we might deeply know Him! (Joshua 1:8)
Dig Deeper!

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March 6 - March 24, 2023 - Journey Theme #115

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Posted in: gentle, Grace, Humility, Love, Relationship Tagged: burden, church, family, humble, kind, service, tender

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)

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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!

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