Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a fourth and final portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
This week, we will focus our attention on the final portion of our focal passage “Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.” In our Ladies’ Sunday school class, we have been walking through the book of 1 Samuel. As I prayerfully considered 1 Corinthians 13:4, I was reminded of the character of David when he was being pursued by Saul. Saul was the anointed king of Israel; however, God has rejected Saul as king because he continually rebelled against Him (see 1 Samuel 15). The Lord directed Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel.
You see, God has chosen David to be the one in which HE would establish the line of Christ. Through David, God would usher in Messiah and HE would be the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice…” (Isaiah 9:6b-7a). Saul understood that God had rejected him but Saul refused to bow to God’s authority. Saul hated David and he sought to kill him continually. Saul’s rebellion against the Lord had a great impact on David. David was forced to flee from his homeland, his wife, and his people. For years, David’s life was in danger but David trusted God and Scripture records a precious picture of David’s spiritual maturity in both 1 & 2 Samuel as well in the Psalms that David wrote. Scripture also records for us two separate times that David had the opportunity to kill Saul. First in the cave in the Wilderness of En Gedi (see 1 Samuel 24) and then again in the hill of Hachilah (see 1 Samuel 26). Even when David was advised by his closest friends/followers to kill Saul, David refused. Why? David refused because he understood that Saul was the anointed of God and that God was the one who judges man. “Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear…But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?” David said furthermore, “As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish” (1 Samuel 26:8-10).
David could have reacted to Saul in a prideful and arrogant way. David could have killed Saul and taken over the kingdom by force but David did not parade his rights nor did he demand justice. Instead, David hid himself in the Lord God and waited for God to bring forth His plan at His appointed time. David’s love for the Lord enabled David to trust God and to love Saul in a way that reflects the love of Christ. Although Christ had not come in human form at the time of David, the power of God enabled David to reflect the very truth we are studying today! WOW! “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
My Friend, we have all experienced times when we have felt wronged. Perhaps we have even experienced great persecution at the hands of those who claim to love us. No matter what our circumstance may be, God’s Word calls His children to love others as Christ loves us. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). It is not our responsibility to judge others or to repay them for evil. We are responsible to love others in a way that points them to the cross where they can find healing, forgiveness, and salvation.
This is certainly not an easy task but it is God’s command. Reread our focal passage once more. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4. Before we allow our pride to convince us that we do have the right to “defend ourselves” lets read 2 Corinthians 5:21. “For HE made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Christ Jesus is absolutely perfect! HE is unable to sin yet HE chose to become sin for us! Why? Christ willingly sacrificed Himself so that we can be reconciled to God. If Christ would have held to His rights and refused to leave glory to come to earth to be born of a woman, walk this earth in human flesh among sinful men, die on a cross for sins HE never committed, and then rise again conquering sin and death in order to save us from an eternity of separation from the Lord God, why do we, who are sinful, believe we have the right to withhold the love of Christ from others, no matter what they have done to us?!?!
My Friend, Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked…I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” God sees every motive and intent of the heart, HE also sees every action and attitude of our hearts. When we trust the Lord God to right all the wrongs in our lives, then we are free to love others the way Christ loves us. Loving others the way Christ loves us requires that we “die to self.” Dying to self is only accomplished through the power of Christ but God’s Word promises us that we “…can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). When we love others as Christ loves us, we are free to enjoy the blessings of God and to see Him work in the lives of those around us. God’s ways are perfect and trustworthy. May we each love Christ enough to willingly reflect that love to others in our daily lives so they may see Christ and be drawn to Him.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #293
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a third portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
This week, we will focus our attention on the third portion of our focal passage “Love does not envy…” What is envy? Basically, when we are envious or jealous, our flesh desires what someone else has. Over the past couple of months, I have been working on my personal testimony to share with our small group. The Lord has been revealing to me a number of sins that have been hidden in my heart. Envy is one of those sins. God has been revealing to me that I have been jealous of other people’s testimonies. I know this sounds strange, but allow me to explain.
As I have shared before, my past is full of abuse, my own sinful choices, and the painful consequences of both. In an attempt to “free” myself from all of that, I blocked many of those memories and refused to deal with them in the light of God’s Truth. I found comfort, security, and safety (or so I thought) in hiding behind walls that I constructed in my heart and mind. Walls that do not allow people to get close enough to me to hurt me. I thought that these invisible walls shielded me from the pain of rejection, abandonment, fear, abuse, and being vulnerable. I have held tightly to these “defenses” for years and even refused to allow my husband to get past them.
Recently, God has been tearing down these walls. God has been bringing back the past by allowing the memories to return and HE has not permitted me to block them or stop them from resurfacing. I have had no choice but to face the past and deal with it. (“I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies” Psalm 18:1-3). Several times, I have made the comment, “I wish I had someone else’s testimony!” I really never gave that comment much thought and I certainly did not think that my comment revealed any sinful attitude or sinful desire hidden in my heart, but I was wrong!! “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
God has been teaching me that when I try to separate myself from my past, I am actually attempting to separate myself from the work that God has done through that past. By trying to hide my past and by comparing my testimony to other people’s testimony, I was being prideful, arrogant, and hiding the work that God has done, is doing, and continues to do in my life. God’s work is worthy of praise! “You are worthy, O Lord, TO receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11). For many years, I could not understand how God was “glorified through my sin” but now I realized that God IS NOT glorified through my sin but HE is glorified through His power to transform my sinful, wicked life into a life that reflects His faithfulness, mercy, unconditional love, sovereignty and saving grace!! WOW!!
Reread our focal passage once more, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4. My Friend, when we envy any person for any reason, we are not reflecting the love of Christ. Our envy makes us bitter and unable to rejoice in what God is doing in the lives of other people. When we are refusing to rejoice with other people, we are saying, in our hearts, that God’s work is not praiseworthy, honorable, perfect, right, and/or sovereign. Envy can manifest itself in many ways in our lives and at times we may not even realize that is a sin that we are dealing with. God’s Word promises us that God sees all things (see Hebrews 4:12), that He alone bring all sin to light (see Hebrews 4:13), and that HE can and will transform our wicked, sinful hearts into a heart that loves Him, desires Him, and honors Him (see Romans 12:2).
May we each bow before the Lord God Almighty and ask Him to search our hearts and to reveal any sinful thought, attitude, and/or behavior that we have hidden deep within our hearts. May we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to mold us, shape us, and transform us into the person HE has created us to be. May our lives reflect the glory of God so that His love flows through us. My Friend, this is the only way we can truly love others as Christ loves us. God desires to use every part of our lives to display His amazing grace, love, mercy, and power. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a third portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
This week, we will focus our attention on the third portion of our focal passage “Love does not envy…” What is envy? Basically, when we are envious or jealous, our flesh desires what someone else has. Over the past couple of months, I have been working on my personal testimony to share with our small group. The Lord has been revealing to me a number of sins that have been hidden in my heart. Envy is one of those sins. God has been revealing to me that I have been jealous of other people’s testimonies. I know this sounds strange, but allow me to explain.
As I have shared before, my past is full of abuse, my own sinful choices, and the painful consequences of both. In an attempt to “free” myself from all of that, I blocked many of those memories and refused to deal with them in the light of God’s Truth. I found comfort, security, and safety (or so I thought) in hiding behind walls that I constructed in my heart and mind. Walls that do not allow people to get close enough to me to hurt me. I thought that these invisible walls shielded me from the pain of rejection, abandonment, fear, abuse, and being vulnerable. I have held tightly to these “defenses” for years and even refused to allow my husband to get past them.
Recently, God has been tearing down these walls. God has been bringing back the past by allowing the memories to return and HE has not permitted me to block them or stop them from resurfacing. I have had no choice but to face the past and deal with it. (“I will love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies” Psalm 18:1-3). Several times, I have made the comment, “I wish I had someone else’s testimony!” I really never gave that comment much thought and I certainly did not think that my comment revealed any sinful attitude or sinful desire hidden in my heart, but I was wrong!! “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
God has been teaching me that when I try to separate myself from my past, I am actually attempting to separate myself from the work that God has done through that past. By trying to hide my past and by comparing my testimony to other people’s testimony, I was being prideful, arrogant, and hiding the work that God has done, is doing, and continues to do in my life. God’s work is worthy of praise! “You are worthy, O Lord, TO receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11). For many years, I could not understand how God was “glorified through my sin” but now I realized that God IS NOT glorified through my sin but HE is glorified through His power to transform my sinful, wicked life into a life that reflects His faithfulness, mercy, unconditional love, sovereignty and saving grace!! WOW!!
Reread our focal passage once more, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4. My Friend, when we envy any person for any reason, we are not reflecting the love of Christ. Our envy makes us bitter and unable to rejoice in what God is doing in the lives of other people. When we are refusing to rejoice with other people, we are saying, in our hearts, that God’s work is not praiseworthy, honorable, perfect, right, and/or sovereign. Envy can manifest itself in many ways in our lives and at times we may not even realize that is a sin that we are dealing with. God’s Word promises us that God sees all things (see Hebrews 4:12), that He alone bring all sin to light (see Hebrews 4:13), and that HE can and will transform our wicked, sinful hearts into a heart that loves Him, desires Him, and honors Him (see Romans 12:2).
May we each bow before the Lord God Almighty and ask Him to search our hearts and to reveal any sinful thought, attitude, and/or behavior that we have hidden deep within our hearts. May we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to mold us, shape us, and transform us into the person HE has created us to be. May our lives reflect the glory of God so that His love flows through us. My Friend, this is the only way we can truly love others as Christ loves us. God desires to use every part of our lives to display His amazing grace, love, mercy, and power. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #292
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a second portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
In our last devotion, we dove deep into the first portion of our focal passage to learn the meaning of “Love suffers long…” In this portion of Scripture, “…Paul chose a relatively rare Greek word for his definitive passage on love. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). I LOVE this portion of Scripture because when we look closely we see the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!! Jesus Christ is our Example!! HE is the perfect Model of Biblical love!! We discussed that “long suffering” is actually patience. We answered the question, “How can we exhibit patience in our relationships with others in a way that honors the Lord, exemplifies Christ and points others to the cross?” The answer is really learning to DIE TO SELF!!! In order for us to love others the way Christ loves us, we must learn to put aside our “rights” and serve others in a way that benefits them. What benefits mankind most?? The greatest blessing we can offer another person is the truth of the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is vital but we cannot neglect to put the Gospel in action as well through acts of love.
This week, we are going to move a little further into our focal passage, “Love…is kind…” What is “kindness”? Kindness is an expression of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, we are setting aside ourselves and treating another person in a way that says, “I value you/I love you” while exhibiting our submission and obedience to the Lord God. Turn to Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians chapter 4 begins by calling us to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (verses 1-2). Again, we see a picture of Christ unfold before our very eyes!!!
God’s breathed Word centers on Christ!! Every word in Scripture is pointing us to the One who came to save sinners and set the captive souls free!! Nothing that God commands in Scripture is optional!!! Yes, men/women do rebel against the Lord God but their rebellion does not void, diminish, lessen, or eliminate the truth, power, and absoluteness of Scripture!!! We are called to glorify the Lord God in all we do, think, and say. Nothing is hidden from His sight and we will ALL stand accountable for the choices we make. Everything we do, think, and say should be for the purpose of pointing others to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, putting others above ourselves, and dying to self, we are exhibiting something that the world cannot offer!!!
You see, our world system is established on sin and self. Our culture screams the message “LIVE FOR YOURSELF!!! SATISFY YOURSELF!!! DO NOT THINK ABOUT ANY ONE ELSE!!! When a child of God steps up and selflessly loves another person the way Christ loves, the world takes notice. The world may not applaud or even acknowledge the expression of Christ but the power of God is revealed and the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of those who were once blind!! What we do and how we live does matter!!! God in His infinite wisdom created us to be His representatives to a lost and dying world. This world is not our home and we must not live as if it is!! When we release our “rights” to the Lord and live in a way that is worthy of His calling we gain so much more than we ever gave up!!!
Kindness can be expressed in a number of ways:
• Speaking in ways that edify, encourage, and point others to the truth of God’s Word
• Letting go of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and malice
• Forgiving others as Christ forgave us
Do people see Christ Jesus being lived out in your life?
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a second portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
In our last devotion, we dove deep into the first portion of our focal passage to learn the meaning of “Love suffers long…” In this portion of Scripture, “…Paul chose a relatively rare Greek word for his definitive passage on love. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). I LOVE this portion of Scripture because when we look closely we see the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!! Jesus Christ is our Example!! HE is the perfect Model of Biblical love!! We discussed that “long suffering” is actually patience. We answered the question, “How can we exhibit patience in our relationships with others in a way that honors the Lord, exemplifies Christ and points others to the cross?” The answer is really learning to DIE TO SELF!!! In order for us to love others the way Christ loves us, we must learn to put aside our “rights” and serve others in a way that benefits them. What benefits mankind most?? The greatest blessing we can offer another person is the truth of the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is vital but we cannot neglect to put the Gospel in action as well through acts of love.
This week, we are going to move a little further into our focal passage, “Love…is kind…” What is “kindness”? Kindness is an expression of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, we are setting aside ourselves and treating another person in a way that says, “I value you/I love you” while exhibiting our submission and obedience to the Lord God. Turn to Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians chapter 4 begins by calling us to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (verses 1-2). Again, we see a picture of Christ unfold before our very eyes!!!
God’s breathed Word centers on Christ!! Every word in Scripture is pointing us to the One who came to save sinners and set the captive souls free!! Nothing that God commands in Scripture is optional!!! Yes, men/women do rebel against the Lord God but their rebellion does not void, diminish, lessen, or eliminate the truth, power, and absoluteness of Scripture!!! We are called to glorify the Lord God in all we do, think, and say. Nothing is hidden from His sight and we will ALL stand accountable for the choices we make. Everything we do, think, and say should be for the purpose of pointing others to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are kind to one another, putting others above ourselves, and dying to self, we are exhibiting something that the world cannot offer!!!
You see, our world system is established on sin and self. Our culture screams the message “LIVE FOR YOURSELF!!! SATISFY YOURSELF!!! DO NOT THINK ABOUT ANY ONE ELSE!!! When a child of God steps up and selflessly loves another person the way Christ loves, the world takes notice. The world may not applaud or even acknowledge the expression of Christ but the power of God is revealed and the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of those who were once blind!! What we do and how we live does matter!!! God in His infinite wisdom created us to be His representatives to a lost and dying world. This world is not our home and we must not live as if it is!! When we release our “rights” to the Lord and live in a way that is worthy of His calling we gain so much more than we ever gave up!!!
Kindness can be expressed in a number of ways:
• Speaking in ways that edify, encourage, and point others to the truth of God’s Word
• Letting go of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and malice
• Forgiving others as Christ forgave us
Do people see Christ Jesus being lived out in your life?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #291
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
A few weeks ago, we began cleaning out our entire house. We went through every box, every portion of storage, every drawer, every cabinet, and every closet. We left no “stone unturned.” Our goal was to rid our home of things that were cluttering up the area(s) we needed to be clear in order to function appropriately. I don’t know about you, but for me, if my home is out of order, I do not function well. I begin to feel overwhelmed and chaos seems to settle into a once peaceful environment. After a long couple of weeks of cleaning, our home is now clutter-free and it feels so refreshing!! Why did I share this with you this morning!?!? Because this is exactly what the Lord God is doing in my spiritual life as well!!! As I was talking with a dear friend and mentor, I began to laugh and say, “You know, God is so funny!!! HE has given me such a wonderful visual of His work in my life!!!”
My Friend, God desires to clean out every portion of your heart, life, and soul as well. HE knows exactly what you have “stored” away and what sinful attitudes, thoughts, desires, ambitions, and motives you have tucked neatly (and sometimes not so neatly) in the recesses of your heart. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Part of God’s cleansing is the renewing of our minds with the truth of His Word. (“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2) The world system has its own definition of love. The world’s love is selfish, earthbound, and conditional. In order for us to love in a way that honors the Lord God and edifies those around us, we must dive deep into God’s Word to learn exactly how God established for His children to love. So what does Biblical love look like??
Turn to 1 John 4:7-11 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that HE loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Reread our focal passage…“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4. We have reached the portion of Scripture that really houses the “meat” of what Biblical love is. Over the next few weeks, we will study each portion of this passage in order to gain the most life application.
“Love suffers long and is kind…” “…Paul chose a relatively rare Greek word for his definitive passage on love. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). I LOVE this portion of Scripture because when we look closely we see the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!! Jesus Christ is our Example!! HE is our Model!! In Christ, we lack nothing. In and of ourselves, we are unable to love as Christ loves us but in Philippians 4:13, God’s Word promises that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” WOW!!! That is a precious, powerful, and absolutely unchanging promise from the Lord God!!!!!
What does it mean to be “long suffering?” Long suffering is actually patience. How can we exhibit patience in our relationships with others in a way that honors the Lord, exemplifies Christ and points others to the cross? The answer is really learning to DIE TO SELF!!! When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are no longer our own. We have been bought with a price. We are to live and love in a way that mirrors Christ. How did Christ live and love? Christ came to Earth to accomplish the Father’s will. That will included sacrificing glory for humanness and obedience even to death. Christ loves us with a selfless, unconditional, and purposeful love. This was best illustrated on the cross!!! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). When Christ hung on the tree, HE exhibited the ultimate selfless love!! HE willingly gave up what was rightfully His in order to pay our sin debt and enable us to come before a Holy God as a holy, blameless, spotless, pure, and whole vessel. We are no longer under God’s wrath but wrapped in His love and forgiveness!!! Praise You, Jesus!!!
In order for us to love others the way Christ loves us, we must learn to put aside our “rights” and serve others in a way that benefits them. What benefits mankind most?? The greatest blessing we can offer another person is the truth of the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is vital but we cannot neglect to put the Gospel in action as well. What are some practical ways we can put the Gospel into action?
• Loving others unconditionally…Even when they are hard to love
• Not holding onto hurts but forgiving those who hurt us, even if they do not ask, want, or deserve our forgiveness
• Not keeping a record of wrongs
• Speaking truth in love, even if/when that person(s) rejects us
• Holding one another accountable to God’s Word
• Not being easily offended
My Friend, how do you exhibit the patience of Christ in your life?
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4
As we continue our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we will focus our time this week on a portion of 1 Corinthians 13:4. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
A few weeks ago, we began cleaning out our entire house. We went through every box, every portion of storage, every drawer, every cabinet, and every closet. We left no “stone unturned.” Our goal was to rid our home of things that were cluttering up the area(s) we needed to be clear in order to function appropriately. I don’t know about you, but for me, if my home is out of order, I do not function well. I begin to feel overwhelmed and chaos seems to settle into a once peaceful environment. After a long couple of weeks of cleaning, our home is now clutter-free and it feels so refreshing!! Why did I share this with you this morning!?!? Because this is exactly what the Lord God is doing in my spiritual life as well!!! As I was talking with a dear friend and mentor, I began to laugh and say, “You know, God is so funny!!! HE has given me such a wonderful visual of His work in my life!!!”
My Friend, God desires to clean out every portion of your heart, life, and soul as well. HE knows exactly what you have “stored” away and what sinful attitudes, thoughts, desires, ambitions, and motives you have tucked neatly (and sometimes not so neatly) in the recesses of your heart. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Part of God’s cleansing is the renewing of our minds with the truth of His Word. (“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2) The world system has its own definition of love. The world’s love is selfish, earthbound, and conditional. In order for us to love in a way that honors the Lord God and edifies those around us, we must dive deep into God’s Word to learn exactly how God established for His children to love. So what does Biblical love look like??
Turn to 1 John 4:7-11 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that HE loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Reread our focal passage…“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up” 1 Corinthians 13:4. We have reached the portion of Scripture that really houses the “meat” of what Biblical love is. Over the next few weeks, we will study each portion of this passage in order to gain the most life application.
“Love suffers long and is kind…” “…Paul chose a relatively rare Greek word for his definitive passage on love. The word, agape, describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved. This kind of love goes against natural human inclination. It is a giving, selfless, expect-nothing-in-return kind of love” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). I LOVE this portion of Scripture because when we look closely we see the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!! Jesus Christ is our Example!! HE is our Model!! In Christ, we lack nothing. In and of ourselves, we are unable to love as Christ loves us but in Philippians 4:13, God’s Word promises that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” WOW!!! That is a precious, powerful, and absolutely unchanging promise from the Lord God!!!!!
What does it mean to be “long suffering?” Long suffering is actually patience. How can we exhibit patience in our relationships with others in a way that honors the Lord, exemplifies Christ and points others to the cross? The answer is really learning to DIE TO SELF!!! When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are no longer our own. We have been bought with a price. We are to live and love in a way that mirrors Christ. How did Christ live and love? Christ came to Earth to accomplish the Father’s will. That will included sacrificing glory for humanness and obedience even to death. Christ loves us with a selfless, unconditional, and purposeful love. This was best illustrated on the cross!!! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). When Christ hung on the tree, HE exhibited the ultimate selfless love!! HE willingly gave up what was rightfully His in order to pay our sin debt and enable us to come before a Holy God as a holy, blameless, spotless, pure, and whole vessel. We are no longer under God’s wrath but wrapped in His love and forgiveness!!! Praise You, Jesus!!!
In order for us to love others the way Christ loves us, we must learn to put aside our “rights” and serve others in a way that benefits them. What benefits mankind most?? The greatest blessing we can offer another person is the truth of the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is vital but we cannot neglect to put the Gospel in action as well. What are some practical ways we can put the Gospel into action?
• Loving others unconditionally…Even when they are hard to love
• Not holding onto hurts but forgiving those who hurt us, even if they do not ask, want, or deserve our forgiveness
• Not keeping a record of wrongs
• Speaking truth in love, even if/when that person(s) rejects us
• Holding one another accountable to God’s Word
• Not being easily offended
My Friend, how do you exhibit the patience of Christ in your life?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #290
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3
In the previous two devotions, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. This week, we will continue to dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” This verse begins with an ultimate sacrifice – sacrificing everything that one has, even his/her very life, for the benefit of others. WOW!! Now, self-sacrifice must equal love!! Right?!!? WRONG!! God says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). My Friend, we must understand that God does not operate according to man’s wisdom and/or rationale. Just because we may define love a certain way does not mean we truly “love others as Christ loves us.” Certainly, Christ Jesus gave His very life for us but His sacrifice was a result of His pure, intimate relationship with the Lord God and His complete obedience to God’s will for Him and for all mankind. Christ Jesus did not just “come up with a good idea” and run with it!! NO!! Christ Jesus submitted to the very will of the Father and did only as HE commanded. Christ died on that cross TO GLORIFY HIS FATHER!!! The salvation of sinners came as a result of the Father’s will and Christ Jesus’ obedience (Luke 2:49; John 9:4; John 4:34; Psalm 40:7-8; John 6:38; John 5:19).
As I studied this portion of Scripture, I was struck by how this truth contradicts the belief that our salvation is obtained through our good works. God’s Word is the absolute authority so we must live our lives in accordance to God’s established design. God’s Word is His very breath given to us to teach us, guide us, and save us!! (“All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the a man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV). If our “works” do not save us, then what does?? Let’s jump into Scripture to find the answer to that question.
God’s Word tells us that “…we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our focal passage tells us that when we try to “love” outside of God’s established design “it profits us nothing.” What does this mean for us today? My Friend, God’s Word clearly identifies what Biblical love is. We will continue studying that next week as we journey through 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. God is so gracious to teach us exactly what we need to know to glorify Him. When we love others the way HE has designed, then HE is revealed to that person(s) and they begin to see glimpses of Christ through our service. If we step outside of God’s established design, then our works of service glorify us and all our deeds are in vain. Nothing we do will matter in eternity if they were done for any other reason than to glorify the Lord God. Those acts, as self-sacrificing or loving as they may appear, will not be counted as righteousness. When we love others as Christ loves us, then we will mirror the very obedience that Christ modeled for us. Christ gave His life for sinners because that was the will of God and that alone brought glory to God. Who do you glorify when you love others?
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3
In the previous two devotions, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. This week, we will continue to dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” This verse begins with an ultimate sacrifice – sacrificing everything that one has, even his/her very life, for the benefit of others. WOW!! Now, self-sacrifice must equal love!! Right?!!? WRONG!! God says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). My Friend, we must understand that God does not operate according to man’s wisdom and/or rationale. Just because we may define love a certain way does not mean we truly “love others as Christ loves us.” Certainly, Christ Jesus gave His very life for us but His sacrifice was a result of His pure, intimate relationship with the Lord God and His complete obedience to God’s will for Him and for all mankind. Christ Jesus did not just “come up with a good idea” and run with it!! NO!! Christ Jesus submitted to the very will of the Father and did only as HE commanded. Christ died on that cross TO GLORIFY HIS FATHER!!! The salvation of sinners came as a result of the Father’s will and Christ Jesus’ obedience (Luke 2:49; John 9:4; John 4:34; Psalm 40:7-8; John 6:38; John 5:19).
As I studied this portion of Scripture, I was struck by how this truth contradicts the belief that our salvation is obtained through our good works. God’s Word is the absolute authority so we must live our lives in accordance to God’s established design. God’s Word is His very breath given to us to teach us, guide us, and save us!! (“All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the a man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV). If our “works” do not save us, then what does?? Let’s jump into Scripture to find the answer to that question.
God’s Word tells us that “…we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Our focal passage tells us that when we try to “love” outside of God’s established design “it profits us nothing.” What does this mean for us today? My Friend, God’s Word clearly identifies what Biblical love is. We will continue studying that next week as we journey through 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. God is so gracious to teach us exactly what we need to know to glorify Him. When we love others the way HE has designed, then HE is revealed to that person(s) and they begin to see glimpses of Christ through our service. If we step outside of God’s established design, then our works of service glorify us and all our deeds are in vain. Nothing we do will matter in eternity if they were done for any other reason than to glorify the Lord God. Those acts, as self-sacrificing or loving as they may appear, will not be counted as righteousness. When we love others as Christ loves us, then we will mirror the very obedience that Christ modeled for us. Christ gave His life for sinners because that was the will of God and that alone brought glory to God. Who do you glorify when you love others?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #289
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2
In the previous devotion, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Over the next several weeks, we will dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” I love this verse because it really draws our attention to the importance of not elevating ourselves above others. At first glance, I did not see this but as I began to study more in depth, the Lord really convicted me. Sometimes as Christians, we may be tempted to focus more on the spiritual gifts that the Lord has given us rather than on the people HE has called us to serve through those gifts. The Nelson Study Bible explains that “the Scriptures list five speaking gifts: prophesy, teaching, encouragement, the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge. In addition, seven serving gifts are named: helps, mercy, faith, discernment of spirit, leadership, managing, and giving” (p. 1902).
No matter what our gifts may be, we must remember that God has blessed us with those abilities so that we can bless others in a way that will direct them to the Lord. A beautiful example of this is found within the covenant between God and the nation of Israel. Israel is the chosen nation of God. HE called them as His own and created them to be the nation in which HE revealed Himself to all the other nations of the world. The Old Testament records time and time again of God’s overflowing provision, protection, and blessings upon His people. That calling was not because they were better than the other nations. That calling was rooted and established in God’s desire to use them in a mighty way for His glory. The nation of Israel did not earn or deserve those gifts but God gave them freely so that others might come to know Him.
My Friend, so often, I fall short in this area. I get so focused on the act of serving that I forget why I am serving (to honor the Lord God and point others to Christ). I can sometimes focus so much on myself, my abilities, my schedule, my purpose, my responsibilities that I forget that main objective. The spiritual gifts that God has given me are NOT ABOUT ME!!! They are completely and totally about Him and Him alone. No matter what HE allows me to do, His purpose is always for His glory NOT MINE!!! If we truly want to honor the Lord and lead others to Christ, we MUST love them MORE than we love ourselves. We must understand how Christ loves us and then strive to love others in that exact way. We cannot allow the blessings of God (spiritual gifts) to corrupt our heart and become more important to us than our pure, intimate walk with the Lord.
The truth is, no matter what ability we may have, if we are not using it in a way that honors the Lord, it is useless for eternity!! Just as our focal passage says, “if we do not have love, we are nothing.” The main ingredient in reaching others for Christ is to truly love them as Christ loves us. There is no greater gift than that!!! The love of Christ lead Him to the cross so that you and I might be free from sin and death and have eternal life through Him forever!!! That is our calling and that has to be our focus ALL THE TIME!! My Friend, how do you serve?
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2
In the previous devotion, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Over the next several weeks, we will dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” I love this verse because it really draws our attention to the importance of not elevating ourselves above others. At first glance, I did not see this but as I began to study more in depth, the Lord really convicted me. Sometimes as Christians, we may be tempted to focus more on the spiritual gifts that the Lord has given us rather than on the people HE has called us to serve through those gifts. The Nelson Study Bible explains that “the Scriptures list five speaking gifts: prophesy, teaching, encouragement, the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge. In addition, seven serving gifts are named: helps, mercy, faith, discernment of spirit, leadership, managing, and giving” (p. 1902).
No matter what our gifts may be, we must remember that God has blessed us with those abilities so that we can bless others in a way that will direct them to the Lord. A beautiful example of this is found within the covenant between God and the nation of Israel. Israel is the chosen nation of God. HE called them as His own and created them to be the nation in which HE revealed Himself to all the other nations of the world. The Old Testament records time and time again of God’s overflowing provision, protection, and blessings upon His people. That calling was not because they were better than the other nations. That calling was rooted and established in God’s desire to use them in a mighty way for His glory. The nation of Israel did not earn or deserve those gifts but God gave them freely so that others might come to know Him.
My Friend, so often, I fall short in this area. I get so focused on the act of serving that I forget why I am serving (to honor the Lord God and point others to Christ). I can sometimes focus so much on myself, my abilities, my schedule, my purpose, my responsibilities that I forget that main objective. The spiritual gifts that God has given me are NOT ABOUT ME!!! They are completely and totally about Him and Him alone. No matter what HE allows me to do, His purpose is always for His glory NOT MINE!!! If we truly want to honor the Lord and lead others to Christ, we MUST love them MORE than we love ourselves. We must understand how Christ loves us and then strive to love others in that exact way. We cannot allow the blessings of God (spiritual gifts) to corrupt our heart and become more important to us than our pure, intimate walk with the Lord.
The truth is, no matter what ability we may have, if we are not using it in a way that honors the Lord, it is useless for eternity!! Just as our focal passage says, “if we do not have love, we are nothing.” The main ingredient in reaching others for Christ is to truly love them as Christ loves us. There is no greater gift than that!!! The love of Christ lead Him to the cross so that you and I might be free from sin and death and have eternal life through Him forever!!! That is our calling and that has to be our focus ALL THE TIME!! My Friend, how do you serve?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #288
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1
In the previous devotion, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Over the next several weeks, we will dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Love is the very nature of God (1 John 4:8), love is the foundation of our relationship with the Lord God (Romans 5:8) and love must be our heart’s motive in our relationship with others. Our words as well as the tone in which we speak those words are very important. My Friend, we can say all the right things and give Biblical examples and truths but if the person hearing those words does not see Christ’s love displayed in and through us, those words will be a “sounding brass and clanging symbols.”
So how do we achieve a Christ-like love in our words? We must start with our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not have a Biblical relationship with Him, it is impossible to love others as Christ loves us. Why? “…The light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:19b-21). If we do not truly have an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, then we do not have the Holy Spirit living within us. Without the Holy Spirit, we are unable to live a life that honors the Lord God. Yes, we may say nice things or do good deeds but our heart’s motive is not to serve, honor, and glorify the Lord God…Our heart’s motive is to serve, honor, and glorify ourselves.
God’s Word tells us, “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6). “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). Beloved, Scripture is very clear. We either serve God or we serve ourself!! If we have not given our lives to the Lord Jesus and surrendered ourselves to Him, we are not His and we are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Yes, we may know all the right words, all the Biblical answers, all the Christian phrases, and we may even have every one of our Christian friends fooled into thinking we are saved, but we must understand that God alone sees the very core of our hearts. HE alone knows the truth about our relationship with Him (1 Samuel 16:7b; Hebrews 4:12-13) and we will stand before Him when we come to the end of our lives. HE will either say, “Well done, My Good and Faithful Servant” or HE will say, “Depart from ME for I never knew you.” “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:28-29).
My Friend, sometimes we will speak truth in love and that truth will be rejected. Sometimes, we will be rejected as well. Those are painful times and our hearts break but we must keep our eyes focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. HE is our goal. HE is our reward. HE is our purpose. HE alone is the reason that we step out and speak truth in love with the hope that those who hear His Word will come to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior. That their lives will be surrendered to Him so that they will live a life that serves, honors, and glorifies the Lord God!! And that they will receive the blessings that only God can give to them. This is not our home, Believers!! This is just a short stay while we are preparing to meet our Lord and Savior face to face!!! But while we are here, God’s command for us is to walk in the light of His word so that others will be directed to the cross.
Jesus is the perfect picture of God and the supreme example for us as we strive to live a life that glorifies the Lord God. As we continue to mine our way through 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, may our heart’s prayer be that God will use His Word to sharpen us, transform us, change us more into His image so that the words that we say and the truth that we share will be pleasing to Him. My Friend, how do you speak? What do others see in the reflection of your words?
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1
In the previous devotion, we began our journey into 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Over the next several weeks, we will dive deep into this passage and seek to discern Biblical love. Our focus this year has been, and continues to be, learning to love others as Christ loves us. As I have shared before, my definition of love differs from God’s definition of love. God is teaching me that HE is the authority on all things. In light of that truth, if my definition is different than His, my definition is wrong!! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).
Reread our focal passage once more. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Love is the very nature of God (1 John 4:8), love is the foundation of our relationship with the Lord God (Romans 5:8) and love must be our heart’s motive in our relationship with others. Our words as well as the tone in which we speak those words are very important. My Friend, we can say all the right things and give Biblical examples and truths but if the person hearing those words does not see Christ’s love displayed in and through us, those words will be a “sounding brass and clanging symbols.”
So how do we achieve a Christ-like love in our words? We must start with our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not have a Biblical relationship with Him, it is impossible to love others as Christ loves us. Why? “…The light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:19b-21). If we do not truly have an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, then we do not have the Holy Spirit living within us. Without the Holy Spirit, we are unable to live a life that honors the Lord God. Yes, we may say nice things or do good deeds but our heart’s motive is not to serve, honor, and glorify the Lord God…Our heart’s motive is to serve, honor, and glorify ourselves.
God’s Word tells us, “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6). “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). Beloved, Scripture is very clear. We either serve God or we serve ourself!! If we have not given our lives to the Lord Jesus and surrendered ourselves to Him, we are not His and we are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Yes, we may know all the right words, all the Biblical answers, all the Christian phrases, and we may even have every one of our Christian friends fooled into thinking we are saved, but we must understand that God alone sees the very core of our hearts. HE alone knows the truth about our relationship with Him (1 Samuel 16:7b; Hebrews 4:12-13) and we will stand before Him when we come to the end of our lives. HE will either say, “Well done, My Good and Faithful Servant” or HE will say, “Depart from ME for I never knew you.” “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:28-29).
My Friend, sometimes we will speak truth in love and that truth will be rejected. Sometimes, we will be rejected as well. Those are painful times and our hearts break but we must keep our eyes focused on the Lord Jesus Christ. HE is our goal. HE is our reward. HE is our purpose. HE alone is the reason that we step out and speak truth in love with the hope that those who hear His Word will come to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior. That their lives will be surrendered to Him so that they will live a life that serves, honors, and glorifies the Lord God!! And that they will receive the blessings that only God can give to them. This is not our home, Believers!! This is just a short stay while we are preparing to meet our Lord and Savior face to face!!! But while we are here, God’s command for us is to walk in the light of His word so that others will be directed to the cross.
Jesus is the perfect picture of God and the supreme example for us as we strive to live a life that glorifies the Lord God. As we continue to mine our way through 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, may our heart’s prayer be that God will use His Word to sharpen us, transform us, change us more into His image so that the words that we say and the truth that we share will be pleasing to Him. My Friend, how do you speak? What do others see in the reflection of your words?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #287
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
1 Corinthians 12:31
I am amazed at the love of God! It is challenging for me to record how God has been working in my heart, mind, soul, and life. In January, I sensed the Lord directing me to focus on learning to love others as Christ loves me. Through this process, I am learning the difference between having a world view of God (trying to define God based on my rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires) and a Biblical view of God (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word). This journey has taken me down many unexpected paths. The paths have not been easy, in fact some of them are quite painful, but the depth of His love continues to sustain me. God has, and is continuing, to pour His grace out upon me. “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Through His grace, God demonstrates His love for me by not allowing me to remain blind to my sin. You see, my entire life I have acted, reacted, responded, and made decisions based on a wrong view of God. What I believed was “Biblical love” was in fact a selfish and sinful love. God is lovingly allowing me to understand how this sin has affected my marriage, my children, my friendships, my relationships with family, and my relationship with Him.
You may be asking the same question I asked the Lord, “What is Biblical love?” Please understand that I am journeying through this with you. I do not pretend to know the answers and I encourage each of you to dive deep into God’s Word and allow Him to reveal truth to you. What a blessing it is for us to study God’s Word together and to learn from one another through the power of the Holy Spirit!! 1 John 4:8 says “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” The Greek word for love in this verse is agape. “Agape describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). Agape love is the basis of our relationship with the Lord God. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
In our Ladies’ Sunday school class as well as in the Deaf Ladies Bible study, we are learning to seek God through the pages of Scripture and to see God’s love revealed throughout His Word. We have been amazed time and again at how the focal point of every Word in Scripture is Christ Jesus Himself. Jesus is the perfect picture of God and the supreme example for us as we strive to live a life that honors and glorifies the Lord God. Paul uses our focal passage to introduce 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Within this portion of Scripture, God describes for us Biblical love. Look closely as we read the definition of Biblical love and see if you can see a picture a Christ unfold. Biblical love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, is not self-serving, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails.
The very nature of God is love. God’s love is what spoke creation in to existence. God’s love breathed life into Adam’s nostrils and initiated a relationship with him. God’s love prepared a way for sinful men to be reconciled to a holy God. God’s love is what confronted Satan in the Garden of Eden and promised a Savior. God’s love chose an imperfect man to father the nation of Israel for the purpose of revealing Himself through them to all the nations of the world. God’s love sent Christ Jesus into this world to live among sinful men, proclaim truth, and then die to pay the penalty of sin. God’s love manifests itself in the person of Jesus Christ and transcends throughout all of history through His Word. God’s love covers sin and enables you and I to approach a holy God as His children – forgiven, blameless, adopted, joint-heirs with Christ!!!!
My Friend, how do you love? What do others see in the reflection of your love for them? When we begin to seek to know who God is, was, and always will be through the truth of His Word, we will develop a Biblical view of God and that proper understanding of who God is will transform us more into His image. As we are transformed into His image, our lives will mirror Christ Jesus. As we become more like Christ, we will love as Christ loves. We will be able to minster to the deepest needs of those around us because all of our deepest needs are the same – WE NEED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!! “For God so loved the world that HE gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
1 Corinthians 12:31
I am amazed at the love of God! It is challenging for me to record how God has been working in my heart, mind, soul, and life. In January, I sensed the Lord directing me to focus on learning to love others as Christ loves me. Through this process, I am learning the difference between having a world view of God (trying to define God based on my rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires) and a Biblical view of God (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word). This journey has taken me down many unexpected paths. The paths have not been easy, in fact some of them are quite painful, but the depth of His love continues to sustain me. God has, and is continuing, to pour His grace out upon me. “…My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Through His grace, God demonstrates His love for me by not allowing me to remain blind to my sin. You see, my entire life I have acted, reacted, responded, and made decisions based on a wrong view of God. What I believed was “Biblical love” was in fact a selfish and sinful love. God is lovingly allowing me to understand how this sin has affected my marriage, my children, my friendships, my relationships with family, and my relationship with Him.
You may be asking the same question I asked the Lord, “What is Biblical love?” Please understand that I am journeying through this with you. I do not pretend to know the answers and I encourage each of you to dive deep into God’s Word and allow Him to reveal truth to you. What a blessing it is for us to study God’s Word together and to learn from one another through the power of the Holy Spirit!! 1 John 4:8 says “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” The Greek word for love in this verse is agape. “Agape describes a love that is based on the deliberate choice of the one who loves rather than the worthiness of the one who is loved” (Nelson Study Bible, p. 1933). Agape love is the basis of our relationship with the Lord God. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
In our Ladies’ Sunday school class as well as in the Deaf Ladies Bible study, we are learning to seek God through the pages of Scripture and to see God’s love revealed throughout His Word. We have been amazed time and again at how the focal point of every Word in Scripture is Christ Jesus Himself. Jesus is the perfect picture of God and the supreme example for us as we strive to live a life that honors and glorifies the Lord God. Paul uses our focal passage to introduce 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. Within this portion of Scripture, God describes for us Biblical love. Look closely as we read the definition of Biblical love and see if you can see a picture a Christ unfold. Biblical love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, is not self-serving, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails.
The very nature of God is love. God’s love is what spoke creation in to existence. God’s love breathed life into Adam’s nostrils and initiated a relationship with him. God’s love prepared a way for sinful men to be reconciled to a holy God. God’s love is what confronted Satan in the Garden of Eden and promised a Savior. God’s love chose an imperfect man to father the nation of Israel for the purpose of revealing Himself through them to all the nations of the world. God’s love sent Christ Jesus into this world to live among sinful men, proclaim truth, and then die to pay the penalty of sin. God’s love manifests itself in the person of Jesus Christ and transcends throughout all of history through His Word. God’s love covers sin and enables you and I to approach a holy God as His children – forgiven, blameless, adopted, joint-heirs with Christ!!!!
My Friend, how do you love? What do others see in the reflection of your love for them? When we begin to seek to know who God is, was, and always will be through the truth of His Word, we will develop a Biblical view of God and that proper understanding of who God is will transform us more into His image. As we are transformed into His image, our lives will mirror Christ Jesus. As we become more like Christ, we will love as Christ loves. We will be able to minster to the deepest needs of those around us because all of our deepest needs are the same – WE NEED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!! “For God so loved the world that HE gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #286
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“…the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” 1 Samuel 18:1
For the past several months, our Ladies’ Sunday school class has been studying through the book of 1 Samuel. What an amazing piece of God’s Word!!! Every aspect of God’s Word holds such powerful truths and life changing applications and 1 Samuel has certainly changed the way that I view the Lord God. God reveals more and more of who HE is, was, and always will be over and over in Scripture and we blessed to be able to seek Him through the pages of truth and learn from Him.
This year, in the Monday Morning Devotions, we have been focusing on learning to love as Christ loves. This morning, we are going to be focusing on developing Biblical Friendships. I love the picture God gives us of the friendship between Jonathan and David. Many years ago, I did a study on David and in one section the author focused on Jonathan and I remember thinking, “Boy, I want to be a “Jonathan.” Jonathan loved with a deep, passionate, and selfless love. Scripture tells us that “Jonathan’s soul was knit to the soul of David.” Who knitted their souls together?!!? The LORD God Himself planned, prepared, and formed their friendship.
Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne. He was the son of King Saul and he was a mighty warrior. All his life, Jonathan had been trained and groomed to take over his father’s throne. The problem was that God had rejected Saul as king because Saul continued to rebel against the Lord God. All throughout the book of 1 Samuel, God reveals the heart of Saul. God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely yet Saul chose to “do things his way.” When Samuel confronted Saul, he refused to heed wise counsel and he insisted that he had obeyed the Lord. In chapter 15, God speaks through Samuel and declared that HE had chosen another man to take Saul’s place. David was the one God had chosen to replace Saul.
When I first began studying this relationship between Jonathan and David, I was impressed at the depth of Jonathan’s love for David, but the closer I examined Jonathan’s character through Scripture, I began to realize that Jonathan loved the Lord God and his love for Him is what allowed Jonathan to selflessly love David and minister to him in many ways. Even when it cost him the throne!!! My Friend, would we be willing to give up our “throne” to our friend if the Lord God asked us too?
Jonathan’s love for David mirrors Christ’s love for us.
Jonathan:
• Jonathan loved David with a selfless love
• Jonathan protected David
• Jonathan defended David
• Jonathan encouraged David
• Jonathan spent time with David
Christ Jesus:
• Christ loves us with a selfless love: Romans 5:6-8
• The LORD God is our Protection: Romans 5:9-11
• God is our Defense: Psalm 5:11-12 (A Psalm written by David)
• Christ came to Encourage us through the Truth: Isaiah 61:1-4
• Christ is the foundation that allows us to have a Relationship with the Lord God: Galatians 4:3-6
My Friend, what is the basis of our friendships? Do our relationships and the way we love others mirror Christ? Do we love others as Christ loves us? God’s Word says, “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Christ Jesus is our Best Friend. HE alone is the example of pure, selfless love. When we strive to love as Christ loves, we are tools in the Master’s hand to minister to the deepest needs of man. God created us to bring glory to Himself and HE alone will use us to magnify His name and to bless those around us. What a privilege we have to join the God of all the universe in His work!!! May the Lord God created in each of us a heart that truly loves Him above all else so that we can love others as Christ loves us!!! Earlier, I stated that I “want to be a Jonathan” but after further study, my prayer has changed…”Boy, I want to be the image of Christ” to all those I God brings into my life!!!!
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“…the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” 1 Samuel 18:1
For the past several months, our Ladies’ Sunday school class has been studying through the book of 1 Samuel. What an amazing piece of God’s Word!!! Every aspect of God’s Word holds such powerful truths and life changing applications and 1 Samuel has certainly changed the way that I view the Lord God. God reveals more and more of who HE is, was, and always will be over and over in Scripture and we blessed to be able to seek Him through the pages of truth and learn from Him.
This year, in the Monday Morning Devotions, we have been focusing on learning to love as Christ loves. This morning, we are going to be focusing on developing Biblical Friendships. I love the picture God gives us of the friendship between Jonathan and David. Many years ago, I did a study on David and in one section the author focused on Jonathan and I remember thinking, “Boy, I want to be a “Jonathan.” Jonathan loved with a deep, passionate, and selfless love. Scripture tells us that “Jonathan’s soul was knit to the soul of David.” Who knitted their souls together?!!? The LORD God Himself planned, prepared, and formed their friendship.
Jonathan was the rightful heir to the throne. He was the son of King Saul and he was a mighty warrior. All his life, Jonathan had been trained and groomed to take over his father’s throne. The problem was that God had rejected Saul as king because Saul continued to rebel against the Lord God. All throughout the book of 1 Samuel, God reveals the heart of Saul. God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely yet Saul chose to “do things his way.” When Samuel confronted Saul, he refused to heed wise counsel and he insisted that he had obeyed the Lord. In chapter 15, God speaks through Samuel and declared that HE had chosen another man to take Saul’s place. David was the one God had chosen to replace Saul.
When I first began studying this relationship between Jonathan and David, I was impressed at the depth of Jonathan’s love for David, but the closer I examined Jonathan’s character through Scripture, I began to realize that Jonathan loved the Lord God and his love for Him is what allowed Jonathan to selflessly love David and minister to him in many ways. Even when it cost him the throne!!! My Friend, would we be willing to give up our “throne” to our friend if the Lord God asked us too?
Jonathan’s love for David mirrors Christ’s love for us.
Jonathan:
• Jonathan loved David with a selfless love
• Jonathan protected David
• Jonathan defended David
• Jonathan encouraged David
• Jonathan spent time with David
Christ Jesus:
• Christ loves us with a selfless love: Romans 5:6-8
• The LORD God is our Protection: Romans 5:9-11
• God is our Defense: Psalm 5:11-12 (A Psalm written by David)
• Christ came to Encourage us through the Truth: Isaiah 61:1-4
• Christ is the foundation that allows us to have a Relationship with the Lord God: Galatians 4:3-6
My Friend, what is the basis of our friendships? Do our relationships and the way we love others mirror Christ? Do we love others as Christ loves us? God’s Word says, “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Christ Jesus is our Best Friend. HE alone is the example of pure, selfless love. When we strive to love as Christ loves, we are tools in the Master’s hand to minister to the deepest needs of man. God created us to bring glory to Himself and HE alone will use us to magnify His name and to bless those around us. What a privilege we have to join the God of all the universe in His work!!! May the Lord God created in each of us a heart that truly loves Him above all else so that we can love others as Christ loves us!!! Earlier, I stated that I “want to be a Jonathan” but after further study, my prayer has changed…”Boy, I want to be the image of Christ” to all those I God brings into my life!!!!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #285
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him…Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will HE brought forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creation” (James 1:1-5, 16-17).
Over the past several months, God has revealed to me that I have not had a Biblical view of who HE is. HE has been so gracious to me and has taught me and continues to teach me to search His Word thoroughly and to trust in His sovereignty. In the past, I have tried to define God based on my rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires (world view); however, God is faithfully changing my world view into a Biblical view (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word).
Satan is the Master Manipulator. Scripture tells us that Satan is cunning (Gen. 3:1), a murderer (John 8:44), the father of lies (John 8:44), a roaring lion walking around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), a thief (John 10:10), our adversary (1 Peter 5:8), and our accuser (Revelation 12:10). Satan’s tactics are designed to distract us from pure worship of the One True Living God. Satan will manifest his lies to fit our personality, circumstance, and vulnerabilities. That is why God’s Word warns us to “be sober, be viligant” (1 Peter 5:8) and to arm ourselves daily (moment by moment) with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must guard ourselves with truth and stand firm on that truth no matter what our circumstances are, what our flesh desires, and/or what the world offers us.
Satan uses lies to distract us from God’s Truth:
THE LIE: “God is NOT who HE claims to be.”
THE TRUTH: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer; the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
THE LIE: “You are NOT who God says you are.”
THE TRUTH: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”…heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15 & 16b)
THE LIE: “You are not sinning, you are just doing things a little differently than other people. You are an independent person.”
THE TRUTH: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:22-23a)
God reveals who HE is through His Word and HE faithfully uses every circumstance in our lives to draw us to Him. Our focal passage tells us that even the trials in our lives are “good and perfect gifts” from God. How can this be true? Trials can be hard, frightening, disappointing, painful, and sometimes fatal. Our flesh cannot comprehend how something that we find so difficult can be a good and perfect gift from the Lord God. My Friend, the answer lies within our view of God. If we view God through the truth of His Word, we will begin to understand how a perfect and loving God can and does use trials in our lives to produce spiritual fruit in us and a more intimate relationship with Him. When we view trials through the eyes of Scripture, we will see God’s hand at work, know that HE is working all things for our good and His glory, and we HE will cultivate in us a solid faith in Him!!!
A beautiful example of this is found in the book of Job. In Job 1:6-12 & 2:1-10, God’s Word records the conversations between the LORD God and Satan. Each time, Satan asks permission to afflict Job and the LORD God allows this. If we fast-forward to chapters 38 and 39, we learn that Job has asked God for a reason that HE allowed him to suffer, and these two chapters record God’s response to Job. How does God answer Job? God’s Word says that:
• God laid the foundations of the earth
• God determined the earth’s measurements
• God alone fastened the earth to its foundations and laid its cornerstone
• God set the boundaries to the sea and determined where they would flow
• God made the clouds and gave them their purpose
• God gives the dawn its time and darkness its place
• God alone has power over life and death and has appointed each person’s days
• God created light
• God created the seasons and each element with a specific and unique purpose
• God has given a thunderbolt its path
• And causes the rain to fall
• God has power over all the elements of the universe and each obeys His voice
• God gives wisdom and allows man to have intellectual thought and reasoning
• God provides for each and every animal and knows when a new creature is born
• God guides the birds of the air and the beast of the fields
In Job 40:3-5, we see Job’s response to the LORD God. “Then Job answered the LORD and said: “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth, Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” God’s grace allowed Job to understand who God is, was, and always will be. God did not answer Job’s question about “why” HE allowed him to suffer but instead God answered the real question that Job needed answered. You see, it was better that Job understood “who” allowed his suffering. Why is this important for us today?
My Friend, God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). God desires to draw us to Himself, reveal to us who HE is through the truth of His Word, and establish in us a pure relationship with Him. EVERYTHING God does, EVERTHING God allows, and EVERYTHING God withholds from us is for our good and His glory!!! Some of us today may be facing a trial and we may be questioning why God is allowing such a thing in our lives. May each of us be encouraged through the power and truth of God’s Word! God loves us and His purposes are perfect. I love what one of our pastors said in a message a few weeks ago, “Trials are God’s blessings in disguise.”
My Friend, do you have a Biblical view of the Lord God? Can you trust that whatever God is allowing in your life is for a divine purpose? Are you willing to allow God to use that trail to shape you more into His image? Trials are truly tools in the Master’s hands that HE uses to shave away the parts of us that are not glorifying to Him and prunes us so that we will produce the fruit of the spirit so that others may see Christ in us and be drawn to Christ through us!!!! We love as Christ loves when we surrender ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to use us however HE chooses to minster to a dark and dying world. We may not even realize how our trials may touch the lives of other people as they watch us praise the Lord in the midst of difficult times.
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him…Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will HE brought forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creation” (James 1:1-5, 16-17).
Over the past several months, God has revealed to me that I have not had a Biblical view of who HE is. HE has been so gracious to me and has taught me and continues to teach me to search His Word thoroughly and to trust in His sovereignty. In the past, I have tried to define God based on my rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires (world view); however, God is faithfully changing my world view into a Biblical view (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word).
Satan is the Master Manipulator. Scripture tells us that Satan is cunning (Gen. 3:1), a murderer (John 8:44), the father of lies (John 8:44), a roaring lion walking around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), a thief (John 10:10), our adversary (1 Peter 5:8), and our accuser (Revelation 12:10). Satan’s tactics are designed to distract us from pure worship of the One True Living God. Satan will manifest his lies to fit our personality, circumstance, and vulnerabilities. That is why God’s Word warns us to “be sober, be viligant” (1 Peter 5:8) and to arm ourselves daily (moment by moment) with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must guard ourselves with truth and stand firm on that truth no matter what our circumstances are, what our flesh desires, and/or what the world offers us.
Satan uses lies to distract us from God’s Truth:
THE LIE: “God is NOT who HE claims to be.”
THE TRUTH: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer; the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
THE LIE: “You are NOT who God says you are.”
THE TRUTH: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”…heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15 & 16b)
THE LIE: “You are not sinning, you are just doing things a little differently than other people. You are an independent person.”
THE TRUTH: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:22-23a)
God reveals who HE is through His Word and HE faithfully uses every circumstance in our lives to draw us to Him. Our focal passage tells us that even the trials in our lives are “good and perfect gifts” from God. How can this be true? Trials can be hard, frightening, disappointing, painful, and sometimes fatal. Our flesh cannot comprehend how something that we find so difficult can be a good and perfect gift from the Lord God. My Friend, the answer lies within our view of God. If we view God through the truth of His Word, we will begin to understand how a perfect and loving God can and does use trials in our lives to produce spiritual fruit in us and a more intimate relationship with Him. When we view trials through the eyes of Scripture, we will see God’s hand at work, know that HE is working all things for our good and His glory, and we HE will cultivate in us a solid faith in Him!!!
A beautiful example of this is found in the book of Job. In Job 1:6-12 & 2:1-10, God’s Word records the conversations between the LORD God and Satan. Each time, Satan asks permission to afflict Job and the LORD God allows this. If we fast-forward to chapters 38 and 39, we learn that Job has asked God for a reason that HE allowed him to suffer, and these two chapters record God’s response to Job. How does God answer Job? God’s Word says that:
• God laid the foundations of the earth
• God determined the earth’s measurements
• God alone fastened the earth to its foundations and laid its cornerstone
• God set the boundaries to the sea and determined where they would flow
• God made the clouds and gave them their purpose
• God gives the dawn its time and darkness its place
• God alone has power over life and death and has appointed each person’s days
• God created light
• God created the seasons and each element with a specific and unique purpose
• God has given a thunderbolt its path
• And causes the rain to fall
• God has power over all the elements of the universe and each obeys His voice
• God gives wisdom and allows man to have intellectual thought and reasoning
• God provides for each and every animal and knows when a new creature is born
• God guides the birds of the air and the beast of the fields
In Job 40:3-5, we see Job’s response to the LORD God. “Then Job answered the LORD and said: “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth, Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” God’s grace allowed Job to understand who God is, was, and always will be. God did not answer Job’s question about “why” HE allowed him to suffer but instead God answered the real question that Job needed answered. You see, it was better that Job understood “who” allowed his suffering. Why is this important for us today?
My Friend, God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). God desires to draw us to Himself, reveal to us who HE is through the truth of His Word, and establish in us a pure relationship with Him. EVERYTHING God does, EVERTHING God allows, and EVERYTHING God withholds from us is for our good and His glory!!! Some of us today may be facing a trial and we may be questioning why God is allowing such a thing in our lives. May each of us be encouraged through the power and truth of God’s Word! God loves us and His purposes are perfect. I love what one of our pastors said in a message a few weeks ago, “Trials are God’s blessings in disguise.”
My Friend, do you have a Biblical view of the Lord God? Can you trust that whatever God is allowing in your life is for a divine purpose? Are you willing to allow God to use that trail to shape you more into His image? Trials are truly tools in the Master’s hands that HE uses to shave away the parts of us that are not glorifying to Him and prunes us so that we will produce the fruit of the spirit so that others may see Christ in us and be drawn to Christ through us!!!! We love as Christ loves when we surrender ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to use us however HE chooses to minster to a dark and dying world. We may not even realize how our trials may touch the lives of other people as they watch us praise the Lord in the midst of difficult times.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Mnoday Morning Devotion #284
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We have spent several weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to “forgive one another.” We realized that God desires for us to forgive others REGARDLESS if they apologize to us!!! WOW!!! When we begin loving as Christ loves, then forgiveness is something that we will freely offer anyone who hurts us, harms us, betrays us, abuses us, rejects us, judges us, and/or refuses to forgive us. Forgiving others does not mean that we condone their sin. Forgiving others demonstrates God’s glory by freeing us from the bondage of sin and reveals Christ to that person. When we love others in a way that allows us to freely forgive them, then we are also ministering to their deepest spiritual need.
This week, we will conclude our study of Ephesians 4:32 by focusing on “forgiving even as Christ forgave you.” In order to forgive as Christ forgives, we must search Scripture to learn how Christ forgives. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:5-7). “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4-5). So, how does God’s Word promise us that Christ forgives? COMPLETLEY!!!
How can God forgive us completely? We are vile and sinful creatures and HE is a Holy God!!! Because “God is love” (1 John 4:8b), HE prepared a way for us to stand before Him holy, pure, righteous, sinless, and blameless. In the garden of Eden, we see the first sin (Genesis 3:6) and in Genesis 3:15, we witness the grace and mercy of the One True Living God being revealed as HE promises the coming Messiah!!! “So the LORD God said to the Serpent…I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; HE shall crush your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” God forgave us completely through the blood of Christ Jesus!!!
As Christ Jesus hung on the cross, HE cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Praise the Lord, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). “For God so loved the world that HE gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). God’s love for us set us free. When Christ hung on the cross, His blood bought our freedom from sin and death!!! We can “boldly approach the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) and confess our sins to the Lord God and repent of those sins!! When we do that, we are totally and completely free. God’s Word promises us that “As far as the east is from the west, So far has HE removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
My Friend, we can stand before the Lord God completely forgiven through the blood of Christ and we CAN FORGIVE OTHERS COMPLETELY through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to forgive those who hurt us but as a believer, we do have the same power living within us that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20)!!!! If we desire to love others as Christ loves us then we MUST learn to forgive others as Christ forgives us!!! In doing so, we are again ministering to the deepest need of those people without Christ Jesus. When we love the way Christ loves, the Lord God is reflected in us and through us and others will be drawn to Him!!! We were created to bring honor and glory to the Lord God. When we forgive others as Christ forgave us, we are a testimony to the One True Living God!!!
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We have spent several weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to “forgive one another.” We realized that God desires for us to forgive others REGARDLESS if they apologize to us!!! WOW!!! When we begin loving as Christ loves, then forgiveness is something that we will freely offer anyone who hurts us, harms us, betrays us, abuses us, rejects us, judges us, and/or refuses to forgive us. Forgiving others does not mean that we condone their sin. Forgiving others demonstrates God’s glory by freeing us from the bondage of sin and reveals Christ to that person. When we love others in a way that allows us to freely forgive them, then we are also ministering to their deepest spiritual need.
This week, we will conclude our study of Ephesians 4:32 by focusing on “forgiving even as Christ forgave you.” In order to forgive as Christ forgives, we must search Scripture to learn how Christ forgives. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:5-7). “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4-5). So, how does God’s Word promise us that Christ forgives? COMPLETLEY!!!
How can God forgive us completely? We are vile and sinful creatures and HE is a Holy God!!! Because “God is love” (1 John 4:8b), HE prepared a way for us to stand before Him holy, pure, righteous, sinless, and blameless. In the garden of Eden, we see the first sin (Genesis 3:6) and in Genesis 3:15, we witness the grace and mercy of the One True Living God being revealed as HE promises the coming Messiah!!! “So the LORD God said to the Serpent…I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; HE shall crush your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” God forgave us completely through the blood of Christ Jesus!!!
As Christ Jesus hung on the cross, HE cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Praise the Lord, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). “For God so loved the world that HE gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). God’s love for us set us free. When Christ hung on the cross, His blood bought our freedom from sin and death!!! We can “boldly approach the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) and confess our sins to the Lord God and repent of those sins!! When we do that, we are totally and completely free. God’s Word promises us that “As far as the east is from the west, So far has HE removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
My Friend, we can stand before the Lord God completely forgiven through the blood of Christ and we CAN FORGIVE OTHERS COMPLETELY through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to forgive those who hurt us but as a believer, we do have the same power living within us that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20)!!!! If we desire to love others as Christ loves us then we MUST learn to forgive others as Christ forgives us!!! In doing so, we are again ministering to the deepest need of those people without Christ Jesus. When we love the way Christ loves, the Lord God is reflected in us and through us and others will be drawn to Him!!! We were created to bring honor and glory to the Lord God. When we forgive others as Christ forgave us, we are a testimony to the One True Living God!!!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #283
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We have spent several weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to be “tender-hearted.” “Tender-hearted” in this verse means compassionate. If we are to be tender-hearted to those around us, we need to understand how God is tender-hearted to us!!! God ministers to our very core issue –our need for Him!! Then what are we to do??? We are to minister to the very core issue of those people God brings into our lives. We must love the Lord God with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength, and all our souls so that HE is glorified through us. When others see Christ in us, they are drawn to the cross!!! We must be willing to love others enough to boldly share the Gospel of Christ, serve them as Christ serves us, and encourage them through truth so that they may come to know the Lord God as their personal Lord and Savior!!! There is no more perfect gift than the gift of Christ!! God reveals Himself to us through His Word and when we dive deep into His Word, HE will equip us with a Biblical view of Himself. HE will give us wisdom, discernment, understanding, and boldness to proclaim Him to a lost and dying world!!! Are you willing to be a vessel of the Most High???
This week, we will focus our study on “forgiving one another.” Forgiving in this verse means to “freely give.” This definition really got my attention. I began to think about how I forgive. I am ashamed to admit this but I do not forgive freely. Now, certainly, if someone apologizes to me, I accept their apology and forgive them but what the Lord has been revealing to me is that HE desires for me to forgive them REGARDLESS if they apologize to me!!! WOW!!! Don’t you love how God continues to reveal our sinful hearts?!?!?! At times, we may be tempted to become overwhelmed by the areas in our lives that God desires to change but God’s Word addresses this very issue and gives us hope!! “Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have domination over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes” (Psalm 133-135). “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
God is so good to us!!! His desire in revealing our sin is to free us from the bondage of that sin!! When God commands us to forgive others it is because unforgiveness is a sin and refusing to forgive actually produces bitterness in our hearts. “Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up causing trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:14-15). Forgiving others frees us from the bondage of bitterness and it reveals Christ to those who have wronged us. Learning to forgive others requires that we first learn how Christ forgave us. Next week, we will be diving deep into Scripture to learn exactly how Christ forgives us!!
Reread this year’s focal passage once more. “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). When we forgive others, we are loving them as Christ loves them. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, HE humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:3-11).
When we begin loving as Christ loves, then forgiveness is something that we will freely offer anyone who hurts us, harms us, betrays us, abuses us, rejects us, judges us, and/or refuses to forgive us. Forgiving others does not mean that we condone their sin. Forgiving others demonstrates God’s glory by freeing us from the bondage of sin and reveals Christ to that person. Last week, we learned that God is compassionate and HE demonstrates that compassion through ministering to our deepest need – our need for Christ Jesus. When we love others in a way that allows us to freely forgive them, then we are also ministering to their deepest spiritual need. God is so faithful to continually work all things for His glory and our good. Are you willing to let go of bitterness and to forgive freely? May the Lord continue to reveal our true heart condition to each of us so that we can confess and repent those things to the One who ALWAYS FORGIVES and ALWAYS LOVES!!!! Make us more like you, Lord Jesus!!!
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We have spent several weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to be “tender-hearted.” “Tender-hearted” in this verse means compassionate. If we are to be tender-hearted to those around us, we need to understand how God is tender-hearted to us!!! God ministers to our very core issue –our need for Him!! Then what are we to do??? We are to minister to the very core issue of those people God brings into our lives. We must love the Lord God with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength, and all our souls so that HE is glorified through us. When others see Christ in us, they are drawn to the cross!!! We must be willing to love others enough to boldly share the Gospel of Christ, serve them as Christ serves us, and encourage them through truth so that they may come to know the Lord God as their personal Lord and Savior!!! There is no more perfect gift than the gift of Christ!! God reveals Himself to us through His Word and when we dive deep into His Word, HE will equip us with a Biblical view of Himself. HE will give us wisdom, discernment, understanding, and boldness to proclaim Him to a lost and dying world!!! Are you willing to be a vessel of the Most High???
This week, we will focus our study on “forgiving one another.” Forgiving in this verse means to “freely give.” This definition really got my attention. I began to think about how I forgive. I am ashamed to admit this but I do not forgive freely. Now, certainly, if someone apologizes to me, I accept their apology and forgive them but what the Lord has been revealing to me is that HE desires for me to forgive them REGARDLESS if they apologize to me!!! WOW!!! Don’t you love how God continues to reveal our sinful hearts?!?!?! At times, we may be tempted to become overwhelmed by the areas in our lives that God desires to change but God’s Word addresses this very issue and gives us hope!! “Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have domination over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes” (Psalm 133-135). “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
God is so good to us!!! His desire in revealing our sin is to free us from the bondage of that sin!! When God commands us to forgive others it is because unforgiveness is a sin and refusing to forgive actually produces bitterness in our hearts. “Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up causing trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:14-15). Forgiving others frees us from the bondage of bitterness and it reveals Christ to those who have wronged us. Learning to forgive others requires that we first learn how Christ forgave us. Next week, we will be diving deep into Scripture to learn exactly how Christ forgives us!!
Reread this year’s focal passage once more. “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). When we forgive others, we are loving them as Christ loves them. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, HE humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:3-11).
When we begin loving as Christ loves, then forgiveness is something that we will freely offer anyone who hurts us, harms us, betrays us, abuses us, rejects us, judges us, and/or refuses to forgive us. Forgiving others does not mean that we condone their sin. Forgiving others demonstrates God’s glory by freeing us from the bondage of sin and reveals Christ to that person. Last week, we learned that God is compassionate and HE demonstrates that compassion through ministering to our deepest need – our need for Christ Jesus. When we love others in a way that allows us to freely forgive them, then we are also ministering to their deepest spiritual need. God is so faithful to continually work all things for His glory and our good. Are you willing to let go of bitterness and to forgive freely? May the Lord continue to reveal our true heart condition to each of us so that we can confess and repent those things to the One who ALWAYS FORGIVES and ALWAYS LOVES!!!! Make us more like you, Lord Jesus!!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #282
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We will be spending the next couple of weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to be “kind”. This week, we will focus on “being tender-hearted.” “Tender-hearted” in this verse means compassionate. What does Scripture tells us about being compassionate? Turn to James 5:11 “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
Now, this may seem like a strange verse to use to demonstrate compassion. This verse talks about perseverance and recounts the suffering of Job as an example of God’s compassion and mercy. Yet, the deeper we look into the truth of God’s Word, the more we begin to understand that the world’s definition of compassion and God’s definition of compassion are completely different! The world’s system teaches us to be independent thinkers. The world system supports the philosophy that man can be his/her own god and determine his/her destiny. But God’s Word is very clear that God alone established the foundations of this universe and HE alone is sovereign. No matter what we think, believe, hope, or expect, God is on the throne and EVERYTHING works according to His perfect will. In order for us to appropriately demonstrate compassion in a way that honors and glorifies the Lord, we must seek the Lord God and allow Him to teach us through His Word what HE expects from a compassionate heart!!
The Scholastic Pocket Dictionary defines compassion as “a desire to help someone who is suffering” (p.98). Yet, in James 5:11, God’s Word implies that the Lord’s allowance of Job’s suffering was a sign of God’s compassion. How can this be? Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” How was God compassionate and merciful in His allowance of Job’s suffering?
In Job 1, we see the conversation between Satan and the Lord God. Before Satan can do anything to Job, he must first get permission from the Lord. In His allowance of suffering in Job’s life, the Lord God reveals more of Himself to us!! God is compassionate because HE alone sees our deepest need and HE alone fills that need. If we fast-forward to chapters 37-40 in the book of Job, we will see this compassion revealed. In chapter 37, Job questions the Lord as to why HE had allowed him to suffer. In chapter 38-39, the Lord gives Job an answer. Now, it is not the answer Job was looking for BUT it was the answer that Job NEEDED!!!
What did God reveal to Job?
•God laid the foundations of the earth
•God determined the earth’s measurements
•God alone fastened the earth to its foundations and laid its cornerstone
•God set the boundaries to the sea and determined where they would flow
•God made the clouds and gave them their purpose
•God gives the dawn its time and darkness its place
•God alone has power over life and death and has appointed each person’s days
•God created light
•God created the seasons and made each element with a specific and unique purpose
•God has given a thunderbolt its path
•And causes the rain to fall
•God has power over all the elements of the universe and each one obeys His voice
•God gives wisdom and allows man to have intellectual thought and reasoning
•God provides for each and every animal and knows when a new creature is born
•God guides the birds of the air and the beast of the fields
How did Job respond to God’s revelation?
•“Then Job answered the LORD and said, “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” Job 40:4-5
Job thought he needed to know WHY God had allowed his suffering but what Job really need to know was WHO God is, was, and always will be. God’s compassion is revealed in His utmost concern for our spiritual well-being. Giving an outline of “why” Job suffered would not bring Job into a more intimate relationship with the Lord God but allowing Job to experience the Lord God in His glory would bring Job to repentance and to a point of pure worship of the Lord God!!! My Friend, that is what ALL of us need!!!
If we are to be tender-hearted to those around us, we need to understand how God is tender-hearted to us!!! God ministers to our very core issue – our need for Him!! Then what are we to do??? We are to minister to the very core issue of those people God brings into our lives. We must love the Lord God with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength, and all our souls so that HE is glorified through us. When others see Christ in us, they are drawn to the cross!!! We must be willing to love others enough to boldly share the Gospel of Christ, serve them as Christ serves us, and encourage them through truth so that they may come to know the Lord God as their personal Lord and Savior!!! There is no more perfect gift than the gift of Christ!! God reveals Himself to us through His Word and when we dive deep into His Word, HE will equip us with a Biblical view of Himself. HE will give us wisdom, discernment, understanding, and boldness to proclaim Him to a lost and dying world!!! Are you willing to be a vessel of the Most High???
When we become a vessel for the Most High, it is for His glory ALONE!!! No fame, fortune, recognition, or glory should be our goal. All that God does is for His glory and we are to offer that to Him as an act of worship. God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Almighty God, the Great I AM!!!! Who are we to try to take any of His glory, honor, or praise for ourselves?!?! May our hearts be as John the Baptist’s!! “Then the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is HE of whom I have said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for HE was before me”…”It is HE who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose…HE must increase, but I must decrease” (John 1:27; 29-30; 3:30).
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We will be spending the next couple of weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. Last week, we explored Scripture to learn what it means to be “kind”. This week, we will focus on “being tender-hearted.” “Tender-hearted” in this verse means compassionate. What does Scripture tells us about being compassionate? Turn to James 5:11 “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
Now, this may seem like a strange verse to use to demonstrate compassion. This verse talks about perseverance and recounts the suffering of Job as an example of God’s compassion and mercy. Yet, the deeper we look into the truth of God’s Word, the more we begin to understand that the world’s definition of compassion and God’s definition of compassion are completely different! The world’s system teaches us to be independent thinkers. The world system supports the philosophy that man can be his/her own god and determine his/her destiny. But God’s Word is very clear that God alone established the foundations of this universe and HE alone is sovereign. No matter what we think, believe, hope, or expect, God is on the throne and EVERYTHING works according to His perfect will. In order for us to appropriately demonstrate compassion in a way that honors and glorifies the Lord, we must seek the Lord God and allow Him to teach us through His Word what HE expects from a compassionate heart!!
The Scholastic Pocket Dictionary defines compassion as “a desire to help someone who is suffering” (p.98). Yet, in James 5:11, God’s Word implies that the Lord’s allowance of Job’s suffering was a sign of God’s compassion. How can this be? Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” How was God compassionate and merciful in His allowance of Job’s suffering?
In Job 1, we see the conversation between Satan and the Lord God. Before Satan can do anything to Job, he must first get permission from the Lord. In His allowance of suffering in Job’s life, the Lord God reveals more of Himself to us!! God is compassionate because HE alone sees our deepest need and HE alone fills that need. If we fast-forward to chapters 37-40 in the book of Job, we will see this compassion revealed. In chapter 37, Job questions the Lord as to why HE had allowed him to suffer. In chapter 38-39, the Lord gives Job an answer. Now, it is not the answer Job was looking for BUT it was the answer that Job NEEDED!!!
What did God reveal to Job?
•God laid the foundations of the earth
•God determined the earth’s measurements
•God alone fastened the earth to its foundations and laid its cornerstone
•God set the boundaries to the sea and determined where they would flow
•God made the clouds and gave them their purpose
•God gives the dawn its time and darkness its place
•God alone has power over life and death and has appointed each person’s days
•God created light
•God created the seasons and made each element with a specific and unique purpose
•God has given a thunderbolt its path
•And causes the rain to fall
•God has power over all the elements of the universe and each one obeys His voice
•God gives wisdom and allows man to have intellectual thought and reasoning
•God provides for each and every animal and knows when a new creature is born
•God guides the birds of the air and the beast of the fields
How did Job respond to God’s revelation?
•“Then Job answered the LORD and said, “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” Job 40:4-5
Job thought he needed to know WHY God had allowed his suffering but what Job really need to know was WHO God is, was, and always will be. God’s compassion is revealed in His utmost concern for our spiritual well-being. Giving an outline of “why” Job suffered would not bring Job into a more intimate relationship with the Lord God but allowing Job to experience the Lord God in His glory would bring Job to repentance and to a point of pure worship of the Lord God!!! My Friend, that is what ALL of us need!!!
If we are to be tender-hearted to those around us, we need to understand how God is tender-hearted to us!!! God ministers to our very core issue – our need for Him!! Then what are we to do??? We are to minister to the very core issue of those people God brings into our lives. We must love the Lord God with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength, and all our souls so that HE is glorified through us. When others see Christ in us, they are drawn to the cross!!! We must be willing to love others enough to boldly share the Gospel of Christ, serve them as Christ serves us, and encourage them through truth so that they may come to know the Lord God as their personal Lord and Savior!!! There is no more perfect gift than the gift of Christ!! God reveals Himself to us through His Word and when we dive deep into His Word, HE will equip us with a Biblical view of Himself. HE will give us wisdom, discernment, understanding, and boldness to proclaim Him to a lost and dying world!!! Are you willing to be a vessel of the Most High???
When we become a vessel for the Most High, it is for His glory ALONE!!! No fame, fortune, recognition, or glory should be our goal. All that God does is for His glory and we are to offer that to Him as an act of worship. God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Almighty God, the Great I AM!!!! Who are we to try to take any of His glory, honor, or praise for ourselves?!?! May our hearts be as John the Baptist’s!! “Then the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is HE of whom I have said, “After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for HE was before me”…”It is HE who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose…HE must increase, but I must decrease” (John 1:27; 29-30; 3:30).
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #281
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. Last week, we focused on how our view of God shapes our approach to His commands. When we have a wrong view of God, we will try to define God according to our thoughts, expectations, and experiences. However, having a Biblical view of God will allow us to see God as HE defines Himself through the pages of Scripture and free us to worship Him, obey Him, and serve Him the way that HE desires. When we are living according to God’s sovereign design, God is glorified and we are blessed from the overflow of His glory.
This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We will be spending the next couple of weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. This week, we will focus on “being kind to one another” according to God’s definition of “kind.” The word “kind” in this verse means “gracious.” What does it mean to be gracious? As I studied this word, I found that the first time the word gracious is used in Scripture is in Genesis 43:29. This verse appears in the story of Joseph and his reunion with his brothers. Most of us are aware of this story, but for those who are not, allow me a moment to give some background information.
Joseph was the son of Jacob (also named Israel). Jacob had two wives who bore him several sons. Scripture tells us that “…Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:3-4). Joseph had dreams of greatness and he shared dreams with them. They were furious. In one dream, Joseph said that their “sheaves bowed down to his sheaves” (verse 7) and then in another dream “the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him” (verse 9). His brothers decided to kill him but when they saw some Ishmaelite coming, they decided to sell Joseph to them. This is how Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt.
Let’s picture this situation for a moment. Joseph was seventeen years old when this happened. He was betrayed by his brothers, stripped of his family, never got to say good-bye to his father, placed in prison in a foreign country, treated as a criminal, and never allowed to return to his homeland. That is a tragic event for anyone but especially for a young boy. Scripture does not record Joseph’s thoughts or all the events that happened to him but we can assume it was a very scary and painful time in his life. Yet, Scripture records in Genesis 43:29 that Joseph sees his younger brother, Benjamin, and says, “…God be gracious to you, my son.”
Joseph’s heart was not filled with anger, bitterness, and malice when his brothers approached him. Joseph’s love was demonstrated through his forgiveness. Joseph was not saying that what his brothers had done was right or that it was “no big deal.” Their sin was great and he suffered much because of it but Joseph chose to keep his focus on the Lord and not on the sin of his brothers. This allowed Joseph to be free to serve his family in a way that blessed them and brought glory to the Lord God. God’s Word even allows us to witness the very conversation that Joseph has with this brothers when he reveals to them he is the one they are facing. “Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life…So now it was not you who sent me here, but God…But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 45:4b-5, 8a, 50:20).
How was Joseph able to be gracious/kind to his brothers? First, Joseph chose to love the way God loves, sacrificially and selflessly. Second, Joseph allowed himself to be used as a vessel to display the very image of God’s kindness and graciousness. Thirdly, Joseph kept his eyes, heart, and mind focused on God. God was protecting His people and HE had chosen Joseph to be the one in whom HE worked these things. God was creating a great nation out of this “troubled family.” In the midst of this, God’s grace was displayed through His allowance of restoration among these brothers and their father. God was proving Himself faithful to His promise to Abraham. God’s ways are not always clear to us. Sometimes, HE allows us to see what HE is doing and other times HE does not. But we can know through the truth of His Word that even in the midst of difficult and painful situations, God is at work. His glory will be revealed and we have the privilege of being used by Him to do just that.
So, how does this apply to our lives today? Let’s read our focal passage once more. “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). How do you love? Does your love mirror the love of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you approach ALL people with a kind and gracious heart? Do you eagerly love them in sacrificial ways and put their needs above your own? Do you love those who are “unlovable”. Remember, even the wicked love those who love them. But Christ came and gave Himself for those who DID NOT love Him. I was one of those who did not love the Lord yet HE died for me!! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Will you live a life that displays the Biblical description of the Lord God? Will you commit your life to Him and allow Him to use you in great and mighty ways for the advancement of His kingdom? Will you follow Him even if His glory and other’s benefit cost you much??
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
This year, we are on a journey to learn to love as Christ loves. Last week, we focused on how our view of God shapes our approach to His commands. When we have a wrong view of God, we will try to define God according to our thoughts, expectations, and experiences. However, having a Biblical view of God will allow us to see God as HE defines Himself through the pages of Scripture and free us to worship Him, obey Him, and serve Him the way that HE desires. When we are living according to God’s sovereign design, God is glorified and we are blessed from the overflow of His glory.
This week’s focal passage is Ephesians 4:32. We will be spending the next couple of weeks taking this verse apart and studying each portion of God’s command. This week, we will focus on “being kind to one another” according to God’s definition of “kind.” The word “kind” in this verse means “gracious.” What does it mean to be gracious? As I studied this word, I found that the first time the word gracious is used in Scripture is in Genesis 43:29. This verse appears in the story of Joseph and his reunion with his brothers. Most of us are aware of this story, but for those who are not, allow me a moment to give some background information.
Joseph was the son of Jacob (also named Israel). Jacob had two wives who bore him several sons. Scripture tells us that “…Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:3-4). Joseph had dreams of greatness and he shared dreams with them. They were furious. In one dream, Joseph said that their “sheaves bowed down to his sheaves” (verse 7) and then in another dream “the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him” (verse 9). His brothers decided to kill him but when they saw some Ishmaelite coming, they decided to sell Joseph to them. This is how Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up in Egypt.
Let’s picture this situation for a moment. Joseph was seventeen years old when this happened. He was betrayed by his brothers, stripped of his family, never got to say good-bye to his father, placed in prison in a foreign country, treated as a criminal, and never allowed to return to his homeland. That is a tragic event for anyone but especially for a young boy. Scripture does not record Joseph’s thoughts or all the events that happened to him but we can assume it was a very scary and painful time in his life. Yet, Scripture records in Genesis 43:29 that Joseph sees his younger brother, Benjamin, and says, “…God be gracious to you, my son.”
Joseph’s heart was not filled with anger, bitterness, and malice when his brothers approached him. Joseph’s love was demonstrated through his forgiveness. Joseph was not saying that what his brothers had done was right or that it was “no big deal.” Their sin was great and he suffered much because of it but Joseph chose to keep his focus on the Lord and not on the sin of his brothers. This allowed Joseph to be free to serve his family in a way that blessed them and brought glory to the Lord God. God’s Word even allows us to witness the very conversation that Joseph has with this brothers when he reveals to them he is the one they are facing. “Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life…So now it was not you who sent me here, but God…But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 45:4b-5, 8a, 50:20).
How was Joseph able to be gracious/kind to his brothers? First, Joseph chose to love the way God loves, sacrificially and selflessly. Second, Joseph allowed himself to be used as a vessel to display the very image of God’s kindness and graciousness. Thirdly, Joseph kept his eyes, heart, and mind focused on God. God was protecting His people and HE had chosen Joseph to be the one in whom HE worked these things. God was creating a great nation out of this “troubled family.” In the midst of this, God’s grace was displayed through His allowance of restoration among these brothers and their father. God was proving Himself faithful to His promise to Abraham. God’s ways are not always clear to us. Sometimes, HE allows us to see what HE is doing and other times HE does not. But we can know through the truth of His Word that even in the midst of difficult and painful situations, God is at work. His glory will be revealed and we have the privilege of being used by Him to do just that.
So, how does this apply to our lives today? Let’s read our focal passage once more. “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). How do you love? Does your love mirror the love of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you approach ALL people with a kind and gracious heart? Do you eagerly love them in sacrificial ways and put their needs above your own? Do you love those who are “unlovable”. Remember, even the wicked love those who love them. But Christ came and gave Himself for those who DID NOT love Him. I was one of those who did not love the Lord yet HE died for me!! “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Will you live a life that displays the Biblical description of the Lord God? Will you commit your life to Him and allow Him to use you in great and mighty ways for the advancement of His kingdom? Will you follow Him even if His glory and other’s benefit cost you much??
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #280
Focal Passage for 2010:
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9
Our focus this year is learning to love the way that Christ loves. Each week, our time together will be spent on learning practical applications of living a life that accurately portrays Christ. Now, at first glance, it may not be clear how Genesis 3:9 applies to loving the way that Christ loves but as we move deeper into our study of this passage the connection will become more clear.
Over that past few months, the Lord has been using this verse to really challenge me in my walk with Him. This verse follows the sin of Adam and Eve (The Fall). Adam and Eve had been commanded by the Lord God not to eat the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). The Serpent (Satan) tempted Eve to eat of the tree saying, “Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1b) “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). Satan posed a question that tempted Eve to believe a lie about God, herself and sin. Eve’s view of God was changed from a Biblical view (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word) to a world view (defining God based on our human rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires).
In our focal passage, God was not asking Adam where he was physically in the garden. God knew exactly where Adam was and God knew that Adam had sinned against Him. The question God asked Adam was intended to bring Adam to the realization of where he now stood before the Lord spiritually.
Satan is the Master Manipulator. Scripture tells us that Satan is cunning (Gen. 3:1), a murderer (John 8:44), the father of lies (John 8:44), a roaring lion walking around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), a thief (John 10:10), our adversary (1 Peter 5:8), and our accuser (Revelation 12:10). Satan’s tactics are designed to distract us from pure worship of the One True Living God. Satan will manifest his lies to fit our personality, circumstance, and vulnerabilities. That is why God’s Word warns us to “be sober, be viligant” (1 Peter 5:8) and to arm ourselves daily (moment by moment) with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must guard ourselves with truth and stand firm on that truth no matter what our circumstances are, what our flesh desires, and/or what the world offers us.
Eve believed a lie about God, herself and sin. God’s desire for Adam and Eve was to live a pure life before Him. God’s plan was that man would display His image throughout all time. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the Lord God, sin entered the world. And because of that we live in the presence of sin each and every day; however, God’s Word promises us “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Ladies, we are tempted to believe those same lies today. Satan’s desire for us is the same desire he had when he tempted Eve to rebel against God. God’s Word promises us that God is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and that means that His desire for us is to live a pure life before Him today.
How do we live a pure life before the Lord God? The answer lies within the pages of Scripture. God’s Word is truth and HE alone equips us with the ability to stand firm when we are tempted to believe the lies of the Enemy. In order to stand firm in truth we must understand and believe truth “…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
THE LIE ABOUT GOD: “God is NOT who HE claims to be.”
THE TRUTH: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer; the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
Satan will tempt us to believe that God is NOT who HE says HE is. Why? Satan’s objective is to keep us from worshiping the Lord God. Satan desires our worship but he will settle for keeping us from worshipping the One True Living God. Satan knows that we were made in God’s image and our purpose is to glorify Him. If Satan can convince us that God is not who HE claims to be, then we are more likely to live a life that is independent of the Lord God thus bringing shame, guilt, and death upon us.
Life Application Question:
Who do you believe that God is? Does your belief of God match God’s description of Himself in His Word? If not, are you willing to really get to know the Lord God?
THE LIE ABOUT SELF: “You are NOT who God says you are.”
THE TRUTH: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”…heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15 & 16b)
Satan will tempt us to believe that we are bound to our sin and that there is no hope for us to live a pure life. When this lie infiltrates our thoughts, then our actions soon follow. We may begin to step outside of God’s protective boundaries thus leaving us vulnerable. Often times, self-destructive sins begin to develop.
Life Application Question:
Who do you believe that you are? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then you are more than a conqueror and you have been freed from the bondage of sin!! You do not have to live a life that is impure!! You can live victoriously through Christ Jesus!!
THE LIE ABOUT SIN: “You are not sinning, you are just doing things a little differently than other people. You are an independent person.”
THE TRUTH: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:22-23a)
Satan will tempt us to believe that sin is not really sin. Why? If Satan can convince us to define sin on our own terms or to reject the truth of God’s Word, we become desensitized to the true affects of sin. We no longer view sin the way God views sin and it makes it easier and easier to follow our flesh and the enticements of the world system. We begin to rename sin so that our actions, behaviors, and attitudes do not seem so bad. In fact, they become “socially acceptable”.
Life Application Question:
How do you view/define sin? Does your view/definition match God’s truth about sin in His Word? Are their sins in your life that you have not dealt with because you are “renaming” in order to excuse them? We are wise to remember that “the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b) and “no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). What does this mean to us today? It means that we see things the way we want to see them but God sees EVERYTHING EXACTLY AS IT TRULY IS!!!!
My Friend, if we do not have a Biblical view of God we will not be able to love others they way Christ loves us. Before we can share Christ with others, we must understand who HE is through His Word. Scripture is filled with the love of Christ but if we do not understand this love through the light of God’s Word we will not be equipped to live out this love in our daily lives. Having a Biblical view of God is the foundation of our walk of faith. “Where are you, My Friend?” Father God, may you reveal to each of us the condition of our hearts. May You allow us to see clearly any and all lies that we are believing. May You, Lord, create in us a Biblical view of who You truly are so we can live purely before you and be an instrument that displays Your image accurately so that others may see Truth!!!
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)
Weekly Passage:
“Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9
Our focus this year is learning to love the way that Christ loves. Each week, our time together will be spent on learning practical applications of living a life that accurately portrays Christ. Now, at first glance, it may not be clear how Genesis 3:9 applies to loving the way that Christ loves but as we move deeper into our study of this passage the connection will become more clear.
Over that past few months, the Lord has been using this verse to really challenge me in my walk with Him. This verse follows the sin of Adam and Eve (The Fall). Adam and Eve had been commanded by the Lord God not to eat the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). The Serpent (Satan) tempted Eve to eat of the tree saying, “Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1b) “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). Satan posed a question that tempted Eve to believe a lie about God, herself and sin. Eve’s view of God was changed from a Biblical view (understanding who God is through the truth of His Word) to a world view (defining God based on our human rationale, understanding, wisdom, and fleshly desires).
In our focal passage, God was not asking Adam where he was physically in the garden. God knew exactly where Adam was and God knew that Adam had sinned against Him. The question God asked Adam was intended to bring Adam to the realization of where he now stood before the Lord spiritually.
Satan is the Master Manipulator. Scripture tells us that Satan is cunning (Gen. 3:1), a murderer (John 8:44), the father of lies (John 8:44), a roaring lion walking around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), a thief (John 10:10), our adversary (1 Peter 5:8), and our accuser (Revelation 12:10). Satan’s tactics are designed to distract us from pure worship of the One True Living God. Satan will manifest his lies to fit our personality, circumstance, and vulnerabilities. That is why God’s Word warns us to “be sober, be viligant” (1 Peter 5:8) and to arm ourselves daily (moment by moment) with the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We must guard ourselves with truth and stand firm on that truth no matter what our circumstances are, what our flesh desires, and/or what the world offers us.
Eve believed a lie about God, herself and sin. God’s desire for Adam and Eve was to live a pure life before Him. God’s plan was that man would display His image throughout all time. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the Lord God, sin entered the world. And because of that we live in the presence of sin each and every day; however, God’s Word promises us “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Ladies, we are tempted to believe those same lies today. Satan’s desire for us is the same desire he had when he tempted Eve to rebel against God. God’s Word promises us that God is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and that means that His desire for us is to live a pure life before Him today.
How do we live a pure life before the Lord God? The answer lies within the pages of Scripture. God’s Word is truth and HE alone equips us with the ability to stand firm when we are tempted to believe the lies of the Enemy. In order to stand firm in truth we must understand and believe truth “…If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
THE LIE ABOUT GOD: “God is NOT who HE claims to be.”
THE TRUTH: “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer; the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
Satan will tempt us to believe that God is NOT who HE says HE is. Why? Satan’s objective is to keep us from worshiping the Lord God. Satan desires our worship but he will settle for keeping us from worshipping the One True Living God. Satan knows that we were made in God’s image and our purpose is to glorify Him. If Satan can convince us that God is not who HE claims to be, then we are more likely to live a life that is independent of the Lord God thus bringing shame, guilt, and death upon us.
Life Application Question:
Who do you believe that God is? Does your belief of God match God’s description of Himself in His Word? If not, are you willing to really get to know the Lord God?
THE LIE ABOUT SELF: “You are NOT who God says you are.”
THE TRUTH: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father”…heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15 & 16b)
Satan will tempt us to believe that we are bound to our sin and that there is no hope for us to live a pure life. When this lie infiltrates our thoughts, then our actions soon follow. We may begin to step outside of God’s protective boundaries thus leaving us vulnerable. Often times, self-destructive sins begin to develop.
Life Application Question:
Who do you believe that you are? If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then you are more than a conqueror and you have been freed from the bondage of sin!! You do not have to live a life that is impure!! You can live victoriously through Christ Jesus!!
THE LIE ABOUT SIN: “You are not sinning, you are just doing things a little differently than other people. You are an independent person.”
THE TRUTH: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…” (1 Samuel 15:22-23a)
Satan will tempt us to believe that sin is not really sin. Why? If Satan can convince us to define sin on our own terms or to reject the truth of God’s Word, we become desensitized to the true affects of sin. We no longer view sin the way God views sin and it makes it easier and easier to follow our flesh and the enticements of the world system. We begin to rename sin so that our actions, behaviors, and attitudes do not seem so bad. In fact, they become “socially acceptable”.
Life Application Question:
How do you view/define sin? Does your view/definition match God’s truth about sin in His Word? Are their sins in your life that you have not dealt with because you are “renaming” in order to excuse them? We are wise to remember that “the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b) and “no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). What does this mean to us today? It means that we see things the way we want to see them but God sees EVERYTHING EXACTLY AS IT TRULY IS!!!!
My Friend, if we do not have a Biblical view of God we will not be able to love others they way Christ loves us. Before we can share Christ with others, we must understand who HE is through His Word. Scripture is filled with the love of Christ but if we do not understand this love through the light of God’s Word we will not be equipped to live out this love in our daily lives. Having a Biblical view of God is the foundation of our walk of faith. “Where are you, My Friend?” Father God, may you reveal to each of us the condition of our hearts. May You allow us to see clearly any and all lies that we are believing. May You, Lord, create in us a Biblical view of who You truly are so we can live purely before you and be an instrument that displays Your image accurately so that others may see Truth!!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Monday Morning Devotion #279
“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)
As we usher in a new year, we are ushering in another challenge in our walk of faith. Each year, we have a focal passage that we study and each week our devotion helps to apply that focal passage to our lives. This year, our focus will be on loving others the way Christ loves us. This may sound like a very simple task but as we dive deep into God’s Word, God will reveal areas in our hearts that do not reflect His love. Are you willing to allow the Lord to do whatever is necessary to mold and shape your heart into a heart that “loves the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)? Jesus Himself tells us that “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:23-23).
Strongs:
Fervent # 1618 ektenes = without ceasing
Love (KJV the word for love in this verse is “charity”) #26 agape = affection, dear love
What does it mean to love someone with a fervent love? Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Isaiah 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” The perfect example of loving with a fervent love comes from Christ Jesus Himself. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah from Genesis 3. The moment sin entered the world, Christ was the solution. Christ came to reverse the curse and allow us to live in freedom through His shed blood. Christ did not base His decision on our behavior but on His perfect love alone.
What is love? Love is a decision to put others before ourselves. Love is an attitude of the heart that accepts people as they are. Love is a shelter for others to turn when they are hurting or in need of encouragement. Love is the voice of truth holds us accountable to God’s Word. Love manifests itself in forgiveness, in truly rejoicing with others when they rejoice, mourning with those who mourn, praying for those in our lives, and giving thanks for the people in our lives. Love is genuine, gentle, does not boast or seek to serve self. Love is the very nature of our Lord and Savior. Love characterizes a true follower of Jesus Christ. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
What does it mean when Scripture says, “…for love will cover a multitude of sins”? Is this passage talking about love having the power to forgive/pardon sin? Absolutely not! Our focal passage is referencing Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” This verse is describing interpersonal relationships, not salvation. Basically, this means that when we respond in love to those who have hurt us or offended us, we are able to forgive those sins that might otherwise come between us. This is not an easy task but it is possible through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I have shared several times last year, my heart’s desire is to be a godly wife and mother. This is a huge challenge for me because my sinful nature does not naturally respond with love and forgiveness. I have to guard my tongue and practice thinking before speaking every day!! God is revealing to me that my tongue responds out of the overflow of my heart. Needless to say, I have many heart issues that the Lord is graciously and faithfully confronting with the truth of His Word.
My Friend, what is the condition of your heart today? Do others know that you are a Christian by your love for others? Is God revealing to you today heart issues that need to be corrected through His Word? My prayer for each of us this year is to love the Lord God with all our hearts, minds, and strength and that we will live a life that reflects Christ to a lost and dying world. In order to accomplish this, we MUST put aside ourselves and love the way Christ loves. God’s Word tells us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). “…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
As we usher in a new year, we are ushering in another challenge in our walk of faith. Each year, we have a focal passage that we study and each week our devotion helps to apply that focal passage to our lives. This year, our focus will be on loving others the way Christ loves us. This may sound like a very simple task but as we dive deep into God’s Word, God will reveal areas in our hearts that do not reflect His love. Are you willing to allow the Lord to do whatever is necessary to mold and shape your heart into a heart that “loves the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5)? Jesus Himself tells us that “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:23-23).
Strongs:
Fervent # 1618 ektenes = without ceasing
Love (KJV the word for love in this verse is “charity”) #26 agape = affection, dear love
What does it mean to love someone with a fervent love? Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Isaiah 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” The perfect example of loving with a fervent love comes from Christ Jesus Himself. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah from Genesis 3. The moment sin entered the world, Christ was the solution. Christ came to reverse the curse and allow us to live in freedom through His shed blood. Christ did not base His decision on our behavior but on His perfect love alone.
What is love? Love is a decision to put others before ourselves. Love is an attitude of the heart that accepts people as they are. Love is a shelter for others to turn when they are hurting or in need of encouragement. Love is the voice of truth holds us accountable to God’s Word. Love manifests itself in forgiveness, in truly rejoicing with others when they rejoice, mourning with those who mourn, praying for those in our lives, and giving thanks for the people in our lives. Love is genuine, gentle, does not boast or seek to serve self. Love is the very nature of our Lord and Savior. Love characterizes a true follower of Jesus Christ. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
What does it mean when Scripture says, “…for love will cover a multitude of sins”? Is this passage talking about love having the power to forgive/pardon sin? Absolutely not! Our focal passage is referencing Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” This verse is describing interpersonal relationships, not salvation. Basically, this means that when we respond in love to those who have hurt us or offended us, we are able to forgive those sins that might otherwise come between us. This is not an easy task but it is possible through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I have shared several times last year, my heart’s desire is to be a godly wife and mother. This is a huge challenge for me because my sinful nature does not naturally respond with love and forgiveness. I have to guard my tongue and practice thinking before speaking every day!! God is revealing to me that my tongue responds out of the overflow of my heart. Needless to say, I have many heart issues that the Lord is graciously and faithfully confronting with the truth of His Word.
My Friend, what is the condition of your heart today? Do others know that you are a Christian by your love for others? Is God revealing to you today heart issues that need to be corrected through His Word? My prayer for each of us this year is to love the Lord God with all our hearts, minds, and strength and that we will live a life that reflects Christ to a lost and dying world. In order to accomplish this, we MUST put aside ourselves and love the way Christ loves. God’s Word tells us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). “…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
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