Ask, Seek and Knock

Have you ever been at a point that you found yourself asking God for something that may have seemed silly?  That was me last Friday.  My husband had went to run an errand to drop off a check for something while I was working.  He came back and I could tell something was wrong.  He said that as he was driving there, the check blew out the window.  This was along a busy road and he was pretty upset, figuring it was completely gone.  This was just as I was about to take a lunch break so I told him that I would go back out with him and look. 

I walked up one side of the road, praying hard.  Asking God for a miracle to find this check.  At one point, while I’m praying, I thought to myself, this is silly, it’s just a check that can be cancelled.  Still, I knew it was upsetting to my husband so I prayed more. 

Matthew 7:7

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

I continued down the other side of the street, and just as I was about to give up as I was at the end of where it should have been, I saw it.  It was in a ditch, stuck between a couple of blades of grass.  God had answered my prayer. 

No request is too small or too silly for God.  With that in mind, the answer we receive may not always be the answer we are looking for.  Sometimes you will get a response that makes you think that the prayer was not answered, that is not really the truth as sometimes God uses these opportunities to get us to trust him.

My prayer for you this week is that you will ask, seek and knock.  The Lord is listening.

Thursday Devotional - Let the Almighty Avenge

When James won’t stop bothering Sarah, even after Sarah asks him to stop, she has sometimes resorted to pushing him away, biting, or pinching. Her revenge is often worse than the original “harm.” She is the one who then gets in trouble! I keep reminding her how she can handle those situations – she can nicely ask him to please stop, she can move away or she can go to another room. If none of that works, then she can tell an adult (usually Joe or me 😊) so the adult can address the situation. The adult could then administer the appropriate discipline for James.  

On a grander scale, Paul challenges us to overcome evil with good and not take vengeance into our own hands for personal offenses. We’re to let God avenge. 

Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:17-21

Paul isn’t saying we are to let evil continue and let people get away with evil. Two weeks ago we read in Romans 12:9 that we are to hate evil. Also, in the next chapter (ch. 13), Paul talks about governing authorities and their role (with laws/punishment/consequences, etc.). Paul says above not to repay evil for evil. We’re not to engage in evil to get back at someone doing evil. Screaming at someone who is screaming at me, doesn’t usually solve the problem. Cutting someone off in traffic because they cut me off doesn’t help (and puts us all in more danger).

Where do you and I have a desire to repay evil for evil?  How does it help you and me to know we’re to leave it to God to avenge? He’s the most just and can handle it!

Alice

Like vs Share

Mark 16:15

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

We started a new series at Church this week and I found it very relevant to life and something I thought all could relate to.  We live in a social media world.  Be it Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or whatever other platform you might be on.  We often will like something we see posted if we think it is cute.  If we really like it, we might even share it.  It is the sharing of things that make them go viral, not the liking of them. 

We also live in a world where Christianity is losing ground.  Many churches are struggling to grow.  The Gospel simply is not going viral.  Why? It’s rather simple.  As Christians, we often “like” the Gospel, yet we don’t often share it.  If we are simply liking it, we are keeping that to ourselves.  This is not what we have been instructed to do however.

While it is good that we live the Gospel in our own lives, if we do not share it, we are neglecting the instruction to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Today I want to challenge you to share the Gospel!  Maybe you like a devotion that you read here.  Did you know that you can share it with others that are not within our workplace?  Now you do!  You can share this link with anyone to allow them the chance to also read our daily devotions:  https://trdailydevotional.blogspot.com/

I would love to hear the various whys each of you share the Gospel this week.  Let’s not just like it, let’s make it go viral.

Thursday Devotional - Harmony without Humility?

Can there be true harmony without humility? I don’t think so.

In the United States, we are very individualistic and self-centered. We also teach children from a young age to take pride in who they are, where they came from, what they can do, etc. Instilling appropriate confidence is one thing, but we tend toward conceit more than just confidence. Then, we wonder why we as adults struggle to be inclusive, collaborate, and resolve conflicts. We can’t be prideful or conceited AND live in harmony. Harmony comes from humility, as Paul points out in the following passage.

Romans 12:14-16  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

What relationship in your and my life lacks harmony right now (especially with fellow believers)? We can’t control the other people, but we can examine ourselves and ask God to help us recognize where we can be more loving and humble versus prideful and arrogant.

Paul gives us some practical ways to be humble and harmonious by sharing in the joys of and sympathizing with the hurts of others.

So, we can begin our harmonious and humble living by looking for ways to genuinely rejoice or mourn with someone else this week!

Alice

Not Guilty

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.  They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.  Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”  John 8:4-11

This week, I served on a jury.  I had the unique perspective of being foreman for the group.  Thus, my job was to not only come up with a reasonable decision on my part but also help facilitate the others in the coming up with the verdict.  Thus, our job was to look at evidence, which in this case was almost entirely circumstantial, and decide guilt or innocence.  As I thought about the various testimonies brought into the discussion and angles of exhibits, it made me think of my life and all the wrongs I have done.  It was not that I was dwelling on them and carry them like luggage.  Instead, it was thinking where I would be if I hadn’t had Jesus Christ as an advocate for me.  Unlike in a jury case, there is only one prosecutor, judge, and jury in my life.  God knows all I have done, and has presented a flawless case where one can only find me guilty as charged.  I confessed to being guilty as charged.  However, we have Jesus Christ as our defendant, and through Him, I am somehow found blameless.  The crimes that I am guilty of are left without punishment as Jesus Himself paid the price for it.  I am grateful that I have been given another chance to prove myself worthy of His gift of grace even though I can in no way do enough to either repay or earn it.  What an incredibly humbling thought!

Jesus frees us from the burden of our past to allow us to see a future.  We all have had moments where we regretted an action or done things we were not proud of.  If you were once like me, you lingered with thoughts of your past transgressions never being free and feeling less worthy than others.  Some of you despite dedicating your life to Jesus may have that one incident or thought that continually hovers over your head.  Others have people much like followers of Christ who want to hang your sins over your head like a crown of thorns or like jurors who have made the decision of your guilt.  This is not the life God intended for you.  This is why the story of this woman put before Christ is so important.  The Pharisees, having already in their minds found the woman guilty, put her before Jesus to either justify their beliefs or discredit Jesus entirely.  Note there is not even a denial from the woman in the story.  Jesus’ answer has a two-fold purpose for us.  First, it is to remind us that all fall short of God’s glory, and we must not be judgmental of other sinners (i.e. like the Pharisees).  Second, it is to lift the burden of our past to allow for us a brighter future.  This is Jesus’ purpose in our lives.  We are given a new life, where we are to follow Him given a higher purpose to ‘sin no more.’

God’s gift of grace through Jesus Christ is one of the greatest blessings in our walk of faith.  We are no longer burden by the guilt and shame of our past and our given a new life.  While we as mature Christians should know this, we are always susceptible to falling into old habits and believing we are beyond redemption.  But even when we fail the Lord promises to be with us saying, “”But with everlasting love, I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:8b)  So whether it is past transgressions before accepting Christ or overwhelming guilt that has hindered you after, be joyful in knowing your debt is paid, and God wants for you an amazing relationship with Him on your journey to eternal life.  What burdens do you need to cast on God today?  How can you move beyond your past toward His future for your life?  My prayer is that we understand that while we are guilty of sin, we are given new life as Jesus Christ finds us ‘Not Guilty.’  Amen.

Tues Devo: Not us, through us

Luke 9:12-14 “Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, ‘Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place’. But He said to them ‘You give them something to eat!’ And they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people’. For there were about five thousand men. And He said to His disciples, ‘Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.’” (NASB)

Hello,

Feeding of the 5,000 – not a new story! One you have likely read or heard so many times, that it is tempting to breeze through it when reading. But this time, something caught my eye that has not before. We tend to focus on the miracle of the feeding, the person who gave what they could to Jesus and His ability to do more with it etc. But this is the first time where I noticed some uniqueness about the front of the story. The disciples noticed and stated the need for the people to eat on their own. As they see the need, Jesus told His disciples to feed the people. In the end, they did feed the people….they passed out the food and made sure everyone got fed – but it wouldn’t have happened without the power of Jesus at work.

Here is what I see that I relate to in my life: I see the need around me – then I have a rough idea for how it could be met, but my plan is limited in impact. You see, we often look to filling needs in our own strength and ability – and miss the chance to invite Jesus in and let His power and ability work through us.

If the disciples handle the feeding in their own strength the story is strange! The people rush the markets of nearby cities, sending them into chaos without planning for such an amount of people and then they become scattered from the presence of Jesus.

Instead, we see the power of God and then (read the rest of Luke 9) Jesus uses the crowds presence as a reason to go to the other side of the lake and pray – which leads right into Him walking on the water, where Peter also walks (for a minute) on the water.

When we see the need – don’t go in your own strength, but let the power of God work through you.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Be a light

Matthew 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

At church we just completed a series that talked about how we often share our lives but most of what we share is a lie.  Not that things aren’t true but that we are only sharing the positive so we make our life look so much better than it is.  We don’t share the struggles and the ugly as much.  This got me thinking about witnessing to others.  If someone cannot relate to you, why would they listen to you? 

Sometimes in life, sometimes daily, we are going to struggle with different things.  We were forwarded that in this would we would have troubles.  Sometimes we are going to mess up.  Should we hide all of that?  I don’t believe we should.  If we allow others to see that our lives are not perfect, they will be able to relate during their struggles as well. 

The key, as Christians, is how do we deal with those struggles.  Do we turn to Christ and trust in him?  Do we let our light shine and show that even through the struggles, Christ is there to get us through those times? 

I am certainly not saying that everything should be put on social media or blasted to the entire world.  If you have a fight with your significant other, you don’t bash them for all the world to see.  Yet maybe you’re having a rough day with your child, you could post a simple post that says you could use a prayer for patience or whatever it is. 

My challenge to you today and this week is to look for the opportunities to be real.  Don’t live your best lie, live your best life.

Be Humble

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.  Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.  James 4:7-10

Humble.  It’s the title of one of my favorite rap songs.  It’s also a state of mind.  Being humble can be confusing.  Most people mistaken being humble for weakness.  In fact, one definition for the word ‘humble’ means having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.  However, its primary definition is not proud or arrogant; modest.  The former definition used to be what I believed.  “You have to make yourself smaller or meek,” I thought.  However, we know Jesus himself was humble, and there is no one who would ever consider Him either small or meek.  So what is it that I was confusing?  The answer came through one of my favorite authors.  He wrote that humility is a person being willing and able to put others interests above his or her own.  Note, it neither means to be a doormat to others nor to fall back to someone else simply to appease them.  It does means that you are willing to put your own interest aside for the good of the whole.  Jesus had plenty of opportunities to give Himself up to Pharisees.  But after His work was done, He then sacrificed Himself in humble obedience to God for all humanity.  This is why we follow Him as an example.

If we submit ourselves before God, He will lift us up above our circumstances.  Today’s verses speak of building a close relationship through God.  It speaks about humbling ourselves on two occasions.  Why is this so important?  The answer is fairly simple.  Numerous times, we have this debate between God and ourselves about who is ultimately in control of our lives.  We play tug of war knowing that if we truly follow Christ, we understand that it is not a winnable war.  Thus, we can either control our lives at the cost of being fully disconnected with God or choose to surrender all that we want for what He wants.  While I openly must admit that I often pull toward that side of wanting to be in control, I have learned to let go more to God, and the only way that occurs is to acknowledge He is bigger than me.  We must be willing to go to Him and say, “I cannot make it without you!”  Thus, today’s verses give us a clear picture of what humility is all about.  It’s having strength to surrender all to Him but not the world.

Humility is about knowing who you are in relationship with God.  I started this devotion noting two different definitions for humble.  We must understand that when it is in respect to God, we are the subservient follower, but when dealing with the world, God expects us to be modest servant of Christ willing to do His will above others for His glory.  Furthermore, we are to welcome those who come to us just as God was when He first found us.  Jesus illustrated this saying:

I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. (Matthew 18:3b-5)

Jesus said this understanding that being like a little child illustrates dependency; as in our dependence on God.  Let us commit to serving God both as His servant and serving others.  What do you need to humbly submit to God today?  Who can you humbly serve in Jesus’ name?  My prayer is that in the truest sense, we can as the rap song says, “Be humble!”  Amen.

Thursday Devotional - Hate, Honor and Hospitality

Yes, we’re to do all three! As Paul says, they’re part of having sincere love serving the Lord and sharing with His people.

Romans 12:9-13     Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

I certainly don’t do all of this all of the time. I can’t even say I hate, honor and show hospitality each week, but I did this past week. I hated a lie I overheard, we honored my Dad for his 65^th birthday, and we hosted people in our home three different times. James even asked to have another family over for dinner on Tuesday, but I was fixing a new vegan recipe and wasn’t sure how it would taste or if it would be ready in time.  

When have you and I not hated what was evil, including our own sin?

Who will you and I honor, faithfully pray for or show hospitality to this week in service to the Lord?

Paul sets out some high expectations.

Which one jumps out at you to focus on this week?

Alice

Tues Devo: Storm

Luke 8:22-25 “Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”” (NASB)

Having grown up in church, this story is one I was quite familiar with. However, as I have been reading through Luke something stuck out at me that I hadn’t noticed before. We think about the storm – and the imminent danger it brings. We think about how Jesus remained asleep through this terrible commotion. We think about Jesus and His power over the seas. We think about the amazement of the disciples and wonder why they asked Jesus to help, but then are in amazement when He actually does help – especially after all the miracles they have already seen.

But what I have missed is the question of Jesus. He asked them “where is your faith?”. Admittedly, I don’t know His precise intent of this question. Is it because those on the boat told Him they were perishing and didn’t ask for help? Or did Jesus ask because those on the boat shouldn’t have even needed to ask for help – trusting that Jesus’ presence would bring about protection because His work was not done?

Either way – it makes me think about how we view the storms in our lives. Are we looking for them to all just end? Or are we willing to trust that no matter how crazy the storm gets, it is about trusting God through the storm and not just wanting to be out of the storm??

The presence and love of God is not about the absence of difficulty, it is about the peace that trusting in Him brings while we walk through those difficulties.

You have the most powerful advocate possible, trust Him!

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill