Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Apprehensive Servant (2/9/23)

Was Jesus the first person recorded in the Bible to miraculously feed a large crown from a tiny bit of food? Surprisingly, no! Elisha was also used by God to miraculously multiply food.

II Kings 4:42-44 ⁴² A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

⁴³ “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” ⁴⁴ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

Last week we saw this large company of the prophets, that were staying with Elisha, fed by a mysterious pot of stew. This week they are generously and miraculously provided food! God faithfully and compassionately provided for the needs of His followers.

I was apprehensive about how to handle numerous activities this week with sick kids. However, God faithfully and timely answered my prayers for discernment and direction!

How about for you? How has God faithfully provided for your needs this week?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God of Grace – To Servants 8/18/2022

Do you and I earn grace by serving?  

We don’t earn grace, but God gives it to us freely. Our perseverance in service helps us be more confident in the grace God has already given to us.

In Paul’s day, deacons were the “servants” in the church. They did some of the menial jobs caring for physical needs of church members. They weren’t the preachers, yet they had similar requirements to the spiritual leaders in the church.  

I Timothy 3:8-13       In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. ⁹ They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

¹¹ In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

¹² A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. ¹³ Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

That last sentence could be confusing. Faithful servants don’t gain faith, but gain assurance of the faith they already have. From experience, the more I’m in God’s word, praying and serving, the greater my confidence in God. It doesn’t change who He is or what He has already accomplished for me. It affects my perspective and assurance of who He is and what He’s done. 

How’s your assurance in God’s Grace to you? 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us When We’re Last 3/3/22

 Most of us don’t like to be last, whether it’s waiting in line, a grade on a test, or competing in a race or game. Edmund (5) especially doesn’t like to be last, whether it’s getting out of the car, taking his shower, getting his teeth brushed, playing a game, or picking a book. In fact, yesterday afternoon we went for a run and he led the pack for the entire first mile. Then, he started crying on the second mile, because he wasn’t in front!

Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Servanthood doesn’t come naturally. God can help us grow in humility and a willing attitude of sacrifice for others.

Where are you and I wanting to be first? What might it look like if we asked God to help us be “last” or a true servant to others in that situation?

Alice

Do As I Have Done To You

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?  You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.  And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.  I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”  John 13:12-15

Happy New Year to you and your families! I wanted to give you some insight on my resolution for the New Year.  In thinking about my past year and goals that I have set, I plan to spend a lot of time focusing on preparedness.  Another theme that resonates with me is that I should focus more on those things that are strengths of mine. In that vein, words that come to mind are ‘love for others,’ ‘honor,’ and ‘servitude.’  In saying those things, I realize there is no greater driver for me than love, and as I look toward my devotion writing, I plan to spend more time writing in this area.  It is my love for others that tends to motivate me to be better than I would be motivated on my own.  It is that which I start the year focusing on; love for others.

We are truly followers of Christ when we understand that the relationship with Him is one where we give without attention toward receiving. I have read these verses on many occasions, and focused rightfully on the idea of Jesus as Lord serving His disciples.  However, we tend to lose sight of what Jesus wants here.  He does not want anything!  He invited them to do as He has done.  He did not say, “You must wash each other’s feet, or else.”  This lesson He gave them is emphasized by His saying, “I have given you an example to follow.”  Other versions (“should do” – NIV & KJV, “should be done” – NLV) mirror those words.  While He does say, “Do as I have done to you,” this is not a commandment.  It is a gift of spiritual knowledge!  It is meant to inspire understanding of the expectation of being a follower of Christ.  Becoming more knowledgeable of God does not elevate us above others.  It should instill us with a heart to serve them.  It has the Master as the servant.  It pushes us to ask not what price those who would do us harm must pay.  Instead, it asks how I can better aide in their troubles.  That is the spirit of Jesus’s teaching in these verses.

Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all in sacrificing His life for our sins. It covers past, present, and future sins.  Because of this, we should feel a weight lifted from our shoulders that allows us to live without guilt or suffering.  However, we know that Jesus does not command anything from us in exchange.  Yet life as taught us that those who love us the most command ask nothing in return.  Perhaps if we truly love Jesus as we say, we ought to give our lives toward serving Him without any expectations.  That’s what a loving relationship with Christ resembles.  Is your walk of faith like the examples of Jesus?  Do you act either because God says so or willingly and freely out of love for Him?  My prayer is that we start the New Year doing what Jesus taught His disciples; Do as I have done to you.  Amen.

Thursday Devotional - True Persevering Servant

Paul was specifically called by Jesus to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. If you’ve read the book of Acts you know that his job didn’t come easy, but he persevered. He continually focused on Jesus and what Jesus had asked him to do. This is evident by the way he started each of his letters.

Romans 1:1-7         Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ³ regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, ⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁵ Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. ⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Would you call yourself a servant of Christ Jesus? Would He call you that?

I don’t know that Jesus would call me a true servant of His. I know several specific jobs where He’s called me to serve. However, I often get distracted by what I’m doing instead of why I’m doing it. I need to focus on WHO I actually want to serve - Jesus!  Then, I’ll truly be a servant of Jesus! I won’t burn out, get overwhelmed or give up.

Where has God called you to serve?

As God’s gospel saturates our minds and hearts, we can truly allow Him to set us apart for the task, just like Paul, persevering as a true servant to the end!

Alice

Our Journey to Adoption, Part XIII - Name Change

Sarah’s birth name was Serenity. When we first met James and “Serenity,” James couldn’t say Serenity so he called her Sissy. We used that name for her, too, especially after they moved in permanently with us. As we met with our adoption worker, she talked to us about possibly changing Serenity’s name. I was concerned about the affect it would have on the kids, but our worker reassured us and encouraged us to change it to something that would fit with the rest of our family names. Plus, since the kids were young enough, they would adjust quickly. The short amount of adjustment “pains” now would save years of questions she might get down the road.

After using the name Sissy all summer, we finally got word we could start talking to the kids about their upcoming name changes and what that would mean. I was nervous to have the first conversation, but James didn’t blink an eye! In fact, that night at bedtime he asked “so what’s my new name going to be again?” (He got a new middle and last name and “Sissy” got a new first and last name. We called her “Sissy Sarah” for the Fall and we gradually/naturally dropped the “Sissy” over time.)

Jesus gave the disciples a new name, too, to represent their change in status.

John 15:12-17 ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Has Jesus given you a new name to better represent how you fit into His family? What does Jesus call you and me? Are we His seekers, His followers, His servants, or His friends? His friends know his business, know His expectations, know where He is working and readily join in His cause. We can call Jesus our friend, but can He call us His friend? Do you and I know His Word and His commands and His character well enough to be able to be called His friend? If so, like the disciples, you and I will bear fruit that will last!

Alice

It's Not About You

Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.  Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  John 15:13

“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  Mark 14:36

(This is Pt 4 of 8 – Turning the Tide – Representing God to a World that Misrepresents Him)

It is hard to believe that I have written devotions for over a decade now.  The one thing that I have realized is it never mattered whether I felt like it was a good devotion or not because writing them is never about me.  Sure, they are inspired by things I have seen and my own life experiences.  However, my writing is not to advance my cause.  It’s to show what God has taught me and its relevance to society today, and more importantly, that God uses me through my words to inspire others toward serving Him better.  One of the greatest accusations against us as Christians is that while we talk about a God we serve, we do not give of ourselves to either Him or others.  We focus on frankly other Christians or worse, ourselves.  In a world that is driven by self (you deserve this, ‘selfies,’ It’s all about me), how can we show a better life focused on serving God above all other things?

As Christians we should be selfless examples by removing ourselves from the equation and placing God before us.  Whether it is about the greater love of laying down your life for your friend or the Lord’s Prayer focusing on God’s Kingdom, Jesus is a shining example of selflessness.  However, nothing exemplifies more and drives how selfless Jesus was than Him dying on the cross for our sins.  Prior to it, He went to God as listed in today’s last verse (also in Matthew 26:39 and Luke 22:42), and note that He chose not to ask for His wishes or wants prior to His crucifixion.  Instead, He focused on God’s first.  My pastor this past Sunday noted a quote from Howard Hendricks saying, “Lord, here I am.  I want to be Your suit of clothes today.  I want you to take me and use me.  Lord, just walk around in me today.”  We should always start any action with a simple question, “Is this what God would want?”  When speaking, we should ask God to use us so that our words become His words.  These represent what selflessness sounds like.

God wants to use us in extraordinary ways.  Football coach Glenn ‘Bo’ Schembechler in one of his most famous speeches outlined how fulfilling a life focused on something greater than yourself (i.e. the team) is.  He said, “No man is more important than the team.  No coach is more important than the team.  The team.  The team.  The team!”  As Christians, we too are at our best when we first realize that nothing we say and no action we do is about us.  How can you remove your motives and replace them with God’s?  How can you best prepare yourself to be used by God?  My prayer is that we embraces selflessness remembering in the words of Rick Warren, “It’s not about you.”  Amen.

Thurs Devo - Questioning God's Choice (Part II)

Growing up, did you ever call your brother or sister a bad name? If your parents heard it, what did they do?

As we read last week, Miriam and Aaron did far worse than just calling Moses a bad name. They spoke against him as God's chosen leader. Of course, the Lord heard it and rightly burned with anger.

Numbers 12:4-9

⁴ At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out.⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward,⁶ he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams.
⁷ But this is not true of my servant Moses;
    he is faithful in all my house.
⁸ With him I speak face to face,
    clearly and not in riddles;
    he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
    to speak against my servant Moses?”

⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

Moses had a special relationship with God. Moses was also obedient to follow God's commands and God Himself called Moses faithful! I don't know that God would have called Miriam and Aaron faithful. They certainly didn't lead the people in following God's commands for the 40 days Moses was on Mt. Sinai. Aaron even aided in creating the golden calf (see Exodus 32).

Who of God's chosen leaders have you and I spoken against, whether verbally or just to ourselves?

Have you and I thought we could do their job just as good or better? I know sometimes I have.

From verses 1-2, it appears Miriam and Aaron did not take their concerns to Moses or God. They just pridefully spoke against Moses to others and tried to elevate their own status themselves.

Instead of speaking against our own leaders or pridefully thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, lets take our concerns to God. If we are willing to listen to the answer, He will show us how best to move forward and handle our frustrations in a humble and godly way. God may have us sit down with the other person and respectfully discuss some of our frustrations. Or, He may show us that we need to humbly submit to their authority. Or He may have us offer our assistance.

God's servants are God's servants. So, God knows best how we are to work together to accomplish His purposes.

Alice