Thursday Devotional - Visual and Verbal Variety

Are you more of a visual or verbal learner? For the most part, I’m a verbal (or auditory-sequential) learner and Joe is a visual/spatial learner. We will experience, see, hear or read the same thing and remember different aspects of it.

What kind of learners were the disciples or the women who went to the empty tomb? I’m guessing there were some of both. God took care to cover both types! Not only did God send an angel to sit on the stone to visibly confirm that the empty tomb and violent earthquake were God’s doing (as we saw last week), but God had the angel also verbally confirm this truth.
Matthew 28:5-7          ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

God reminded the women and the disciples (and us today) that all this happened just as planned and just as Jesus said! God offered the proof visually and verbally.

God teaches us today both visually and verbally. We can visually read His Word and verbally hear it taught. We can visually see His hand in creation around us and verbally interact with Him in prayer. Through His Word He gives us the big picture (spatial) of His redemptive plan for the whole world and He also gives us specific practical details (sequential) for everyday life.

God does not have just one way of teaching.
He is the ultimate creative teacher with unlimited variety!
How has God used various ways to teach you His truths?

Alice

Speaking to the Enemy

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”  Matthew 5:38-42

I had someone in my life that one might call an 'enemy.'  As in most cases, this person is someone who you befriend and do all you can to help them.  Then at some point, they do something that is not at all like a friend.  Being honest, there are times it still bothers me. To  give so much only to have them tear you down behind your back is disheartening.  There has never been an opportunity for me to say anything to them since finding out this was happening, but if it does, what would I say?  More importantly, what should I say?

God’s gift of grace is a shining example of how we are to give grace to others.  When I read these verses as a young child, I took it to mean to avoid fighting when possible.  Today, I realize that was a narrow view of them.  Jesus’ point here is for us to be bigger than the transgressions against us.  It is about showing the face of God to one who may have never seen what true grace is. Thus when the pain seems unbearable or anger is greater than we can handle, Jesus encourages us through His teachings that we can indeed be above all of it.

Jesus always speaks the truth!  When the moment of conflict comes and every fiber in us says to react with either anger or vengeance, focus on Jesus for guidance.  Not only will He give you peace but He will also give you the victory in the end for as He teaches us in prayer:

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12)

What emotional scar can you give to God today?  Who can you show grace toward as God has to you?  My prayer is that we can trust Jesus to take away pain and replace it with His love when speaking to the enemy.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Night and Day

Hello,

Think of the common sayings which try to communicate things that are opposite. Two of the most common are “night and day” and “black and white”. The starkness of these leaves no room for moving one to the other or having belonging to both – they are opposite from one another. John uses this comparative when talking about Jesus.

John 1:3-5 “All things came into being by Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that come into being. In His was life, and the life was the light of men. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NASB)

It struck me talking about this with some other folks this last week how this opposite of light and darkness is not just reflective of our need for Christ, but that as believers when we sin it is direct/full/polar opposite to His nature and all that is Him. We need to remember this in the middle of decision making, but also as we seek Him to restore the fellowship when we sin. It should motivate us to do it faster and make sure that our seeking of forgiveness is not ritual/mechanical but true and sincere because of His nature.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Man, Woman, the Fall & the Church (Part 1 of 4)

Hello Friends!

Welcome to a new 4-part Daily Devotions series devoted to my sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ titled “Man, Woman, the Fall & the Church”

 

This series will consider the following 4 points of reference from the Scriptures:

The Creation Account: Man & Woman

The Fall from Grace: Sin & Consequences

The Great Women of the Bible

The Role of Women in the New Testament Church

Note to My Brothers: This will be an excellent series for us Christian men too!

The Bible is and has always been a revolutionary book. It stands like a coastal rock cliff to resist the surging, crashing waves of cultural change. There may be no clearer demonstration of the Bible's immutable word than what it teaches about genuine godly femininity.

With that said, let’s begin our series…

The Creation Account: Man & Woman

From the very first book of the Bible, we are taught that women, like men, bear the stamp of God's own image:

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them – Genesis 1:27

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh – Genesis 2:24

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created – Genesis 5:1-2

Far from denigrating women, the Bible promotes feminine freedom, dignity and honor. Scripture paints for every culture the portrait of a truly beautiful woman. True feminine beauty, however, is not about external adornment:

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God – 1 Peter 3:3-4

Men and women were created equal. Women play prominent roles in many key biblical narratives. Wives are seen as partners and cherished companions to their husbands – not merely slaves or pieces of household furniture!

Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord – Proverbs 19:14

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun – Ecclesiastes 9:9

In closing:

To continue your own personal journey through God’s Word pertaining to The Creation Account: Man & Woman, please consider these few foundational Scriptures as well as the Genesis chapter 2 account of “Origins” – Creation Mandate – God’s original plan for man and woman.

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate the Genesis chapter 3 account of “The Fall from Grace” – Original Sin – to remind us of why there is so much animosity between the sexes today and why we must seek the Lord’s perspective concerning His original intent for humanity… Man and Woman.

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

Pray for Yourself

27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.” Exodus 9

Pharaoh was so close!  He recognized that he had sinned and that God was in control.  He even agreed to let the Israelites go with Moses, without conditions.  Granted, he then retracts those statements when the hail stops, but he still missed the mark with his earlier statements.

Pharaoh didn't pray to God for forgiveness.  He tells Moses to do so.  It's unclear as to his motivations for asking Moses to pray to God for him.  The point is, we are called on to have personal relationships with God.  He wants to know us, his children, and he wants us to know him, our Father.

Now, I'm not saying we should never ask our family, friends, and brothers and sisters through Christ to not pray for us.  There is absolutely power in prayer, and it should be encouraged that we are praying for one another.  However, we should not rely solely on the prayers of others to be our only communication with God.  So any time you ask others for prayer, whether it be in person, through an email request, or on your attendance sheet at your church, make sure that you too are praying for your needs. 

More Proof Through Earthquakes

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when 9/11 happened? What about when some of us experienced the Northeast blackout of 2003? I remember where I was, what I was doing, who was around, etc. Well, have you ever felt an earthquake? I haven’t, but I would assume those who have, probably remember that day well, too.

Did you know there was an earthquake both at Jesus’ death and his resurrection?
Matthew 27:50-54            ⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. ⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
 
Matthew 28:1-4          After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. ² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
 
Not only were there numerous people who witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection, but I’m guessing thousands more experienced and remembered the earthquakes! God offered evidence to people who weren’t even looking for proof! I’m sure the guards never forgot either day. Plus, I love how God sent an angel to sit on the stone so that no one could think the empty tomb and earthquake were just coincidence. God was behind it all!   
 
Have you ever had doubts about Jesus’ death and resurrection?
Have you heard other people question it?
How do some of these details increase your confidence?
I pray these details increase our assurance and motivate all of us to praise and exalt God!
  Psalm 46:10    He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

Alice

Simply Out of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.  1 Corinthians 13:1-3 

There is a project that I took on at work this year.  It focuses on helping others see their potential, and the reason I chose to take it on will not result in my getting praise or a promotion, and my passion for pursuing it is not for an expected reward at its completion.   Rather, it is the sincere hope that it makes a difference in the lives of others, and my drive comes from the love I have for my team and organization.  For that reason, the project deserves my best effort and dedication toward its success.

Our love for Christ must be the driving factor for our actions.  Many people believe in faith by works.  They believe that by doing things as written in scripture, they will receive an upper hand in Heaven.  Others take the approach of being saved by confessing of Jesus Christ as Lord by mouth, and then continue their life as if nothing has changed.  Both beliefs are flawed.  While there is some truth in both statements, neither indicates a true relationship with Christ.  I think of my wife and how wonderful she has been to me for all of these years.  My love for her grows continually, and as such, it motivates me to be a better husband to her.  In a similar way, a true love for Christ motivates us to act.  Thus, works are not a driving force toward salvation.  Instead, it is the byproduct of our growing relationship.  Furthermore, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is something that cannot be an idle moment that just passes us by.  It is a transformative event that like any growing relationship motivates us to change making the relationship better.

To love Jesus is to commit to Him fully and unconditionally.  Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)  This is at times challenging, but all growth, spiritual and otherwise, is.  We strive toward having a wonderfully unyielding relationship with Him.  That is what love for Christ is all about.  How do you measure your love for Christ?  What more can you do to reflect His love?  My prayer is that we grow for Christ simply out of love.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Motive check

John 3:25-30 “Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (NASB)

Hello,

Most of the time when we start something new, we start with the right reasons/motives/goals/frame of mind. But, we run into a danger called success. You see, when we have success we are faced with a critical choice. We can keep our focus to where it started – or we can begin to look around and get caught up in the success and begin to carry forward with different motivation than when we started. John the Baptist was having great success – but he didn’t let it change his motivation. He knew his goals and why he was doing what he was doing and stuck to it.

Have you checked your motives lately? Did you start well intentioned, but get derailed with success?

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Make a Meaningful Difference!

Hello Friends!

When your life is over, will your existence on earth have meant anything?

Deep down inside each of us, there is a desire to make a difference – to believe that our existence means something more than fun, comfort, self-indulgence, personal pleasure or financial wealth. So how do we live in such a way that our lives will make a meaningful difference in our world and to the people around us? 

Here are some thoughts on this very important subject…

Make a Meaningful Difference!

Undoubtedly, the greatest of all role models was Jesus Christ – God incarnate. Therefore to glean insight into this topic, we should consider how Jesus Christ – a humble Jewish carpenter – made a meaningful difference that continues to impact the world today:

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do – John 17:4

Then I [Jesus] said, “Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God" – Hebrews 10:7

These verses summarizes Jesus’ focus in life - to do God the Father’s will. God’s will can be understood to mean both the specific actions and choices that God desires as well as the ways that God wants those actions and choices to be executed. There are many aspects of Jesus' life that reveal the will and ways of God. 

For example, consider the topics of authority, circumstances, work, money, and priorities.

Authority: It appears to be common among humans to view authority with some disdain. If we are honest, we don't always want to submit to authority and often only do so begrudgingly. Jesus Christ, however, was fully submitted to the will and ways of the Father.

Circumstances: Our control over life’s events is limited; many circumstances are largely beyond our control. When bad circumstances occur, we naturally seek to escape them. But this was not how Jesus Christ lived. He recognized that God is sovereign over all and therefore the Author of circumstances. Jesus Christ did not seek escape from circumstances but sought God's will in all circumstances.

Work: For most of us, work is something we have to do – not something we are privileged to do. For Jesus Christ, work was part of His ministry. He recognized God’s sovereign hand in all His workplace assignments and activities.

Money: The ubiquitous measure of success and significance seems to be money. But to Jesus Christ, money was simply a tool used to obey God – to do God’s will.

Priorities: For most people, the choices of life today reflect personal pleasure and comfort – hedonism. Sacrifice and suffering are not esteemed virtues in our culture. But for Jesus Christ, His personal pleasure and comfort were always subordinated to the will and ways of His Heavenly Father – no matter what it cost Him.

Jesus Christ made a meaningful difference during His life because He viewed everything from God's perspective and lived to do one thing – the will of God according to the ways of God. This is how to live a meaningful life!

Closing Thoughts:

As Christians, we must seek to make a meaningful difference in our world for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only way to do this Biblically is to live as Jesus Christ did with the singular focus of doing the will of God according to the ways of God.

For Christians to make a meaningful difference in their lives requires dedication to God. To do this well, we must be Christians who wish to live as Jesus Christ did. Some of the key ingredients to living meaningful lives are:

• Submission to authority
• Viewing the perfect sovereignty of God in all circumstances
• Recognizing that work is ministry
• Using money as a tool to obey the will and ways of God
• Making the will and ways of God the priority in all situations 

May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect love, mercy and grace!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

Blessings!

Shane <><

From Bad to Worse

18 But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.  Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, 19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.  Exodus 8

We're in the midst of the plagues, and while I could go into each one individually, I think picking a piece out of the chapter can be more beneficial.

So, there are gnats everywhere.  My study bible says that these were probably closer to modern-day mosquitoes.  Eeewww... I took my son out to play yesterday and just as it started to get dark out, I had two mosquitoes buzz right by my ear.  I was done!  I scooped up my son and we headed indoors at that point.  Now, think about what just happened in Egypt.  It's described that "all the dust became gnats."  Everything was covered, all people and all animals.  There was no escaping them by running indoors.

So Pharaoh called to his magicians to fix it (he does this a few times and they're never able to do so).  What I find really interesting is that the passage doesn't say that the magicians tried to remove the gnats, rather, they tried to produce more gnats.  They wanted to create so that they could see what trick Moses and Aaron had performed to create the gnats, and then they would know how to undo the problem.

The section on gnats is really short in comparison to the other plagues.  However, we aren't given any timeframes, and I doubt it was as fast as it took me to read those two paragraphs.  This took a while.  Those magicians were working for a while on creating gnats, and getting no where.  I'm sure they were frustrated, tired, itchy and uncomfortable.  It took a lot, but eventually, they realized that this was something more than they could do.  This had to be the direct work of God.  They saw that and accepted it, but we don't know if they turned their hearts over to God.  

So I read ahead.  I wanted to know if anything comes about with the magicians again.  During the remaining plagues, they're only mentioned once more.  They're mentioned during the plague of boils to state that their boils were so painful, that they could not stand before Moses.  The study bible I have explains that the meaning there isn't that they didn't want to be seen by Moses, but that these were so painful, and probably located on their legs and around their knees in particular, that they were physically unable to stand.  That's it.  That's the end of the mentions of the Egyptian magicians (at least for this section of the bible).  Pharaoh remains with a hard heart as the plagues continue, but there is no mention of the magicians trying to fix things or recreate the miracles Moses was performing.  

Sometimes, we are presented with situations that we try to rationalize.  We try to fix them or explain them away.  However, sometimes there are things so extraordinary, so far outside of our normal lives, that we have to realize that it's something direct from God.  Does that mean the situations will improve?  They didn't for the magicians.  They went from gnats to flies to dead livestock to the boils.  Their situation went from bad to worse.  Jesus is our rock.  He's our foundation.  When things are going from bad to worse, he is always there for us to lean on.  I don't know if the magicians did this (obviously they didn't know about Jesus yet, but they could have leaned on God), but I do know that we can do this.  We can put our faith in Jesus to know that even though the situation is uncomfortable and seemingly impossible for us, he will never leave us.