A " NEW MAN"
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Posted:Jul 31, 2017 4:59 am
Last Updated:Jul 31, 2017 4:59 am 4400 Views
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Read: Colossians 1:3–14
Bible in a Year: Psalms 54–56; Romans 3
Continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. Colossians 1:23
As a group of teenagers visited a home for the elderly in Montego Bay, Jamaica, one young woman noticed a lonely looking man at the end of the room. He appeared to have little left in this world but a bed to sleep on—a bed from which he could not move because of his disability.
The began right away to share the story of God’s love for us and read some Bible passages to him. “As I shared with him,” she would say later, “I started to feel his eagerness to hear more.” Responding to his interest, she explained the wonder of Jesus’s sacrificial death for us. “It was hard for this man, who had no hope and no family,” she recalled, “to understand that Someone he’s never met would love him enough to die on the cross for his sins.”
Lord, thank You for the new life we have in Jesus Christ.
She told him more about Jesus—and then about the promise of heaven (including a new body) for all who believe. He asked her, “Will you dance with me up there?” She saw him begin to imagine himself free of his worn-out body and crippling limitations.
When he said he wanted to trust Jesus as his Savior, she helped him pray a prayer of forgiveness and faith. When she asked him if she could get a picture with him, he replied, “If you help me sit up. I’m a new man.”
Praise God for the life-changing, hope-giving, available-to-all gospel of Jesus Christ! It offers new life for all who trust Him (Col. 1:5, 23).
Lord, thank You for the new life we have in Jesus Christ. Help us to share the hope of that new life with others so they can be made new as well.
Jesus offers new life.
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FORGIVEN!!
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Posted:Jul 28, 2017 5:15 am
Last Updated:Jul 28, 2017 5:15 am 5091 Views
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Read: 1 John 1:1-10
Bible in a Year: Psalms 46–48; Acts 28
I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant. Psalm 119:176
My friend Norm Cook sometimes had a surprise for his family when he arrived home from work. He would walk through the front door, and shout, “You’re forgiven!” It wasn’t that family members had wronged him and needed his forgiveness. He was reminding them that though they doubtless had sinned throughout the day, they were by God’s grace fully forgiven.
The apostle John supplies this note about grace: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his , purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin [no inclination to sin], we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1.7–9).
Monitor your heart daily to avoid wandering from God’s wisdom.
To “walk in the light” is a metaphor for following Jesus. Imitating Jesus with the Spirit’s help, John insists, is the sign that we have joined with the apostles in the fellowship of faith. We are authentic Christians. But, he continues, let’s not be deceived: We will make wrong choices at times. Nevertheless, grace is given in full measure: We can take what forgiveness we need.
Not perfect; just forgiven by Jesus! That’s the good word for today.
Lord, I know I’m not even close to being perfect. That’s why I need You and Your cleansing in my life. I’m lost without You.
Monitor your heart daily to avoid wandering from God’s wisdom.
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SWEET COMPANY
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Posted:Jul 27, 2017 5:35 am
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2017 5:35 am 6667 Views
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Read: John 14:15–26
Bible in a Year: Psalms 43–45; Acts 27:27–43
The Spirit of truth . . . lives with you and will be in you. John 14:17
The elderly woman in the nursing home didn’t speak to anyone or request anything. It seemed she merely existed, rocking in her creaky old chair. She didn’t have many visitors, so one young nurse would often go into her room on her breaks. Without asking the woman questions to try to get her to talk, she simply pulled up another chair and rocked with her. After several months, the elderly woman said to her, “Thank you for rocking with me.” She was grateful for the companionship.
Before He went back to heaven, Jesus promised to send a constant companion to His disciples. He told them He would not leave them alone but would send the Holy Spirit to be in them (John 14:17 That promise is still true for believers in Jesus today. Jesus said that the triune God makes His “home” in us (v. 23).
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us Your Spirit as our constant companion.
The Lord is our close and faithful companion throughout our entire life. He will guide us in our deepest struggles, forgive our sin, hear each silent prayer, and shoulder the burdens we cannot bear.
We can enjoy His sweet company today.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us Your Spirit as our constant companion.
The Christian’s heart is the Holy Spirit’s home.
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WHAT WE BRING BACK
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Posted:Jul 25, 2017 4:22 am
Last Updated:Jul 25, 2017 4:23 am 10645 Views
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Read: Psalm 37:1–6, 23–27
Bible in a Year: Psalms 37–39; Acts 26
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their begging bread. Psalm 37.25
John F. Burns spent forty years covering world events for The New York Times. In an article written after his retirement in 2015, Burns recalled the words of a close friend and fellow journalist who was dying of cancer. “Never forget,” his colleague said, “It’s not how far you’ve traveled; it’s what you’ve brought back.”
Psalm 37 could be considered David’s list of what he “brought back” from his journey of life, from shepherd to soldier and king. The psalm is a series of couplets contrasting the wicked with the righteous, and affirming those who trust the Lord.
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” Psalm 37.23
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither” (vv. 1–2).
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (vv. 23–24).
“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their begging bread” (v. 25).
From our experiences in life, what has God taught us? How have we experienced His faithfulness and love? In what ways has the Lord’s love shaped our lives?
It’s not how far we’ve traveled in life, but what we’ve brought back that counts.
Dear Lord, thank You for walking with me throughout my life. Help me to remember Your faithfulness.
As the years add up, God’s faithfulness keeps multiplying
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BUILDING A COMMUNITY
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Posted:Jul 24, 2017 4:54 am
Last Updated:Jul 24, 2017 4:55 am 13116 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:19–3:11
Bible in a Year: Psalms 35–36; Acts 25
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6
“Community” is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives, says Henri Nouwen. Often we surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, which forms a club or a clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.
The Christian church was the first institution in history to bring together on equal footing Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free. The apostle Paul waxed eloquent on this “mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God.” By forming a community out of diverse members, Paul said, we have the opportunity to capture the attention of the world and even the supernatural world beyond (Eph. 3:9–10).
"'Community' is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives." —Henri Nouwen
In some ways the church has sadly failed in this assignment. Still, church is the one place I visit that brings together generations: infants still held in their mothers’ arms, who squirm and giggle at all the wrong times, responsible adults who know how to act appropriately at all times, and those who may drift asleep if the preacher drones on too long.
If we want the community experience God is offering to us, we have reason to seek a congregation of people “not like us.”
Lord, remind us that the church is Your work, and You have brought us together for Your good purposes. Help us extend grace to others.
The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world.
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DRESSED UP
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Posted:Jul 21, 2017 4:42 am
Last Updated:Jul 21, 2017 4:42 am 13886 Views
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Read: Romans 13:11–14
Bible in a Year: Psalms 29–30; Acts 23:1–15
Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 13:14
In her book Wearing God, author Lauren Winner says our clothes can silently communicate to others who we are. What we wear may indicate career, community or identity, moods, or social status. Think of a T-shirt with a slogan, a business suit, a uniform, or greasy jeans and what they might reveal. She writes, “The idea that, as with a garment, Christians might wordlessly speak something of Jesus—is appealing.”
According to Paul, we can similarly wordlessly represent Christ. Romans 13:14 tells us to “clothe [ourselves] with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” What does this mean? When we become Christians, we take on Christ’s identity. We’re “ of God through faith” (Gal. 3:26–27). That’s our status. Yet each day we need to clothe ourselves in His character. We do this by striving to live for and to be more like Jesus, growing in godliness, love, and obedience and turning our back on the sins that once enslaved us.
Dear Lord, grow us in godliness, love, joy, and patience.
This growth in Christ is a result of the Holy Spirit working in us and our desire to be closer to Him through study of the Word, prayer, and time spent in fellowship with other Christians (John 14:26). When others look at our words and attitudes, what statement are we making about Christ?
Dear Lord, we want to be a reflection of You. Help us to look more like You each day. Grow us in godliness, love, joy, and patience.
When others see us, may what they see speak well of the Savior.
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A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
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Posted:Jul 20, 2017 3:42 am
Last Updated:Jul 20, 2017 3:43 am 14375 Views
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Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1–14
Bible in a Year: Psalms 26–28; Acts 22
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1
While flying recently, I watched a mother and her a few rows ahead of me. While the played contentedly, the mother gazed into the eyes of her newborn, smiling at him and stroking his cheek. He stared back with a wide-eyed wonderment. I enjoyed the moment with a touch of wistfulness, thinking of my own at that age and the season that has passed me by.
I reflected, however, about King Solomon’s words in the book of Ecclesiastes about “every activity under the heavens” (v. 1). He addresses through a series of opposites how there is a “time for everything” (v. 1): “a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot” (v. 2). Perhaps King Solomon in these verses despairs at what he sees as a meaningless cycle of life. But he also acknowledges the role of God in each season, that our work is a “gift of God” (v. 13) and that “everything God does will endure forever” (v. 14).
The Lord promises to be with us in every season of our life.
We may remember times in our lives with longing, like me thinking of my as babies. We know, however, that the Lord promises to be with us in every season of our life (Isa. 41:10). We can count on His presence and find that our purpose is in walking with Him.
Lord God, You lead me through the seasons, and whether I’m laughing or crying I know You are with me. May I reach out to someone with Your love today.
God gives us the seasons of our lives.
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MIGHTIER THAN ALL
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Posted:Jul 19, 2017 4:10 am
Last Updated:Jul 19, 2017 4:11 am 14791 Views
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Read: Psalm 93
Bible in a Year: Psalms 23–25; Acts 21:18–40
The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength. Psalm 93:1
Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is a spectacular waterfall system of 275 falls along 2.7 km (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. Etched on a wall on the Brazilian side of the Falls are the words of Psalm 93:4, “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!” . Below it are these words, “God is always greater than all of our troubles.”
The writer of Psalm 93, who penned its words during the time that kings reigned, knew that God is the ultimate King over all. “The Lord reigns,” he wrote. “Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity” (vv. 1–2). No matter how high the floods or waves, the Lord remains greater than them all.
Lord, I know that You are powerful and greater than any trouble that might come my way.
The roar of a waterfall is truly majestic, but it is quite a different matter to be in the water hurtling toward the falls. That may be the situation you are in today. Physical, financial, or relational problems loom ever larger and you feel like you are about to go over the falls. In such situations, the Christian has Someone to turn to. He is the Lord, “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20) for He is greater than all our troubles.
Lord, I know that You are powerful and greater than any trouble that might come my way. I trust You to carry me through.
Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations
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BEYOND LEBELS
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Posted:Jul 18, 2017 4:17 am
Last Updated:Jul 18, 2017 4:18 am 14967 Views
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Read: Romans 5:1–11
Bible in a Year: Psalms 20–22; Acts 21:1–17
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5.8
A church in my city has a unique welcome card that captures the love and grace of God for everyone. It says, “If You Are A . . . saint, sinner, loser, winner”—followed by many other terms used to describe struggling people—“alcoholic, hypocrite, cheater, fearful, misfit . . . . You are welcome here.” One of the pastors told me, “We read the card aloud together in our worship services every Sunday.”
How often we accept labels and allow them to define who we are. And how easily we assign them to others. But God’s grace defies labels because it is rooted in His love, not in our self-perception. Whether we see ourselves as wonderful or terrible, capable or helpless, we can receive eternal life as a gift from Him. The apostle Paul reminded the followers of Jesus in Rome that “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing love in Jesus.
The Lord does not require us to change by our own power. Instead He invites us to come as we are to find hope, healing, and freedom in Him. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8. The Lord is ready and willing to receive us just as we are.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing love in Jesus.
God’s forgiveness defies our labels of failure or pride.
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JUST LIKE DAD
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Posted:Jul 17, 2017 4:51 am
Last Updated:Jul 17, 2017 4:51 am 15042 Views
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Read: John 5:17–20
Bible in a Year: Psalms 18–19; Acts 20:17–38
The can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the also does. John 5:19
Isn’t it endearing to see a mimicking his parents? How often we’ve seen the young boy in a car seat, gripping his imaginary steering wheel intently while keeping a close eye on the driver to see what Daddy does next.
I remember doing the same thing when I was young. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than doing exactly what my dad did—and I’m sure he got an even bigger kick watching me copy his actions.
Jesus, thank You for showing us the way to the Father.
I would like to think God felt the same way when He saw His dearest doing exactly what the Father did—reaching out to the lost, helping the needy, and healing the sick. Jesus said, "the can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the also does" (John 5:19).
We too are called to do the same—to “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved and walk in the way of love” (Eph. 5:1–2). As we continue growing to be more like Jesus, may we seek to love like the Father loves, forgive like He forgives, care like He cares, and live in ways that please Him. It is a delight to copy His actions, in the power of the Spirit, knowing that our reward is the affectionate, tender smile of a loving Father.
Jesus, thank You for showing us the way to the Father. Help us to be more and more like You and the Father each day.
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The Father gave us the Spirit to make us like the .
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