Love & Fellowship

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”

1 John 3:18-20

Recently, I felt like something was missing in my life, and found that I had not been connecting with my spiritual friends.  So, I was able to unbury myself from my day to day work rituals, and make time to reconnect with one of them.  We had lunch, and it was such a wonderful reminder of how God works in all of us.  You see, I believe we are at our best when we are connected with others.  Additionally, the bond between our friends are made stronger with God as the intermediary for Jesus said, ““For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”” Matthew 18:20 NLT. A part of me wonders why this is so true?  The answer lies in today’s verses; love.

It is that genuine love that we have for God that makes our spiritual connections with others authentic.  We think of love as this intangible thing that we cannot ever fully understand.  However, if we truly are a child of God we have a full understanding of what love is.  It is that which God gives freely and unconditionally.  We feel it when we walk down the street.  We feel His assurance in each step we take and protection when danger may embark upon us.  It at times overwhelms us, and other times emboldens us.  It is His love that goes well beyond words.  In fact, the mere mention of it from someone who truly represents it is the most encouraging word.  This is where 1 John is trying to emphasize its authenticity.  Therefore, it is crucial that we connect with others who share that same kind of understanding.  I am not saying it is just the love between husband and wife nor that between parent and child.  Those are bonds are indeed special on their own.  However, when two or more bond in fellowship with Christ there is an energy that cannot be either explained or described.  It can only be experienced, and once experienced, it simply becomes not only part our common language but also and more importantly the driver of our actions. One feels it in prayer or is motivated to make a difference in the lives of others.  This is something we must seek continually because without it, we are lost in the wilderness.

We are made to fellowship with others through Christ.  Many will argue they can have it without anyone else, and others may claim that people are flawed and thus corrupt the goodness of that relationship.  However, as today’s verses point out actions always speak louder than words.  Those who we have found true fellowship through Jesus Christ will always connect us closer to God.  Let us be tireless in our pursuit of both God and those who similarly seek Him.  What are your key indicators of your connection with God?  How can you build authentic relationships through Christ?  My prayer is that we focus on building relationships that lead toward greater love and fellowship in Christ.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Faith step

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your descendants shall be called.’ He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type. ” (NASB)

Hello,

I have been thinking about acting in faith quite a bit lately. What is our response if (when) God puts something in front of us where we feel uncomfortable, or don’t for sure see the end result? We have 2 things we have to deal with:

1. The action – making the choice to do it
2. The attitude – how we go about the choice/choice process

I think that the writer of Hebrews in talking about Abraham gives us some insight into the mental model of faith Abraham used. The good thing, it is very simple….Abraham simply compared his scenario against the strength and ability of His God. Here with his son Isaac, he figured that ‘hey – God can always just raise him to life again, so I’ll just be obedient’.

What a challenge for us! Tough to be disciplined to do, but simple to execute. We need to stop comparing our choices against our control, but rather the unlimited power of God. As we stay in His word and in touch with prayer – we can boldly take those steps of faith, trusting Him – not ourselves.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Faith and Works

James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We have been studying James lately and I really like this section in James that makes really makes it very clear for us to see that we are not going to make it to Heaven by faith or works alone.  The two must go hand in hand.  You can do all kinds of good deeds however if you do not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, you are not going to Heaven.  James tells us that at the same time, if you say you believe yet you do not live it, your faith is dead.

So I challenge you today brothers and sisters to evaluate your heart and life.  Do you proclaim your faith and then live it out as well?  I want to encourage you today to proclaim your faith then live it out with your actions.

Thursday Devotional - Unpredictable and Unique

After Israel celebrated the Passover in the Promised Land and began enjoying produce from the land, it was time to get to work. Their first stop was the secure walled city of Jericho. I’m not sure if they had some sort of human plan as to how to proceed, attack and conquer, but God had a unique and detailed plan!

Joshua 6:1-7 &11 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. ⁵ When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” ⁷ And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”…

¹¹ So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

God is unpredictable. We can see that over and over again in the Bible. His unique plans surprised people in the Bible and surprise us today. He doesn’t fit into any of our boxes of expectations. God sometimes asks us to do strange things to accomplish His purposes. No matter how strange it is, following His lead always results in a blessing (whether tangible or intangible).

I mentioned a few weeks ago how God prompted me to go for a jog on a night I don’t normally run and on a route I’ve never jogged in order to reveal our lost license plate!

Whether big or small, where is God asking you and me to do something that seems impossible or strange? Let’s patiently follow His lead one step at a time (without jumping ahead) and expectantly look for His blessings! God’s plans are unpredictable and unique!  

Alice

Tues Devo: Wall work

Hello,

Today on the plane I started reading a book on leadership, with the focus on Nehemiah. While I am still early in this book, I was struck by a concept the author laid out – that the crumbling walls in our lives (like the fallen walls in Jerusalem which Nehemiah would go on to rebuild) get that way through neglect over time – not usually a big one time event. The writer refers to the Holy Spirit as the leader who is bringing up to rebuild the walls in our lives. It is the Holy Spirit who shows us where the work needs to be given attention. Even though neglect may be slow, the decay in our walls can set us up for attacks from the enemy that we are not ready for or able to defend against. We must keep our walls in tact. We must continually tend to the walls and defenses and guard against selfishness, ignoring our time with God, compromise or other areas of rebellion.

In the book of Isaiah Gods’ commitment to us is shown – should we not be as focused on maintaining our walls?

Isaiah 49:15-17 ““Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. “Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators will depart from you.” (NASB)

Book – “Hand Me Another Brick”, Charles R Swindoll

Will Hill

Danger ahead

James 5:19-20

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Imagine knowing that there is something dangerous on a path that your friend is on.  Would you warn them of the danger ahead or leave them to figure it out themselves?  Of course, you would warn them.

So why is it then that we do not warn them of dangers in their spiritual life?

We often hear that we are not to judge others.  While this is true to a point, we are also called to help one another when one wanders from the truth.  There are areas in the Bible that are a bit on the gray side and other things that are very black and white.  Those areas that are black and white are the areas that we are to guide a person back to the truth if they wander. 

The Right Choice

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Ephesians 6:13-17

I have so many people in my life where I have deep and close connections with.  No matter when I see or speak to them, it is as if we have never lost a beat even if we haven’t connected in months.  There is higher love I have for them that is a bond that never leaves.  That being said, they are not God.  It is that which I find myself challenged.  Sometimes, I do what I want to appease them and not what God wants.  It is indeed something I have prayed about often.  One should not have to choose between them and God.  To a degree, if they are as good a friend as I claim them to be they would never put me between them and God in the first place.  But what if it happens?  It’s far easier with someone you do not know, but when I know them and my heart strings are tugging, will I remain faithful?  Will I make the right choice?

Building ourselves up in Christ requires that we focus on each aspect of our faith to ensure we are prepared to choose God above all else.  When I was young, I was once told, “Practice makes perfect.”  This was the analogy of doing something continuously making you really good at it.  As I got older, I found a different version of it that said, “Practice makes permanence.”  This implied that you need to be careful because if you are practicing bad habits, you don’t want that to become permanent.  This brings me to today’s verses.  Paul was talking about spiritual warfare and preparing for battle.  This of course is a mental battle, and the things he asked the Ephesians to do was focus on those things that are good for them.

Focusing on truth, God’s righteousness, knowledge of being saved by Christ, and faith to walk on water serves us well in the battle.  These are things we should wake up and use every day.  Some days will seem like they are not used at all, but if we are focused on these things daily giving glory to God for them, we will be ready at the time those skills are most needed.  They will make the choice easier.  To be clear, it is not to say at times it will be an easy choice because as my wife was telling me earlier last night, the heart wants what the heart wants.  This is where God’s word is essential in our preparedness.  God tells us to “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (Proverbs 4:23)  If we instill it with God inspired things, it will drive us in the right direction.  If we fill it with our own wants, we may struggle in the end.

Following Christ while rewarding is not easy.  There is a reason Jesus said, “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:14)  We must focus on preparedness even when not being tested.  Every moment is an opportunity to choose what God wants.  Sometimes it will align with our wants, but each time it does not, it is a moment to gain clarity and vision for what God truly wants for your life.  Let us willingly challenge ourselves to continually grow in the light of Jesus Christ.  What lessons can you learn from past choices where your and God’s wants conflicted?  How can you have intent daily to make decisions for God?  My prayer is we focus on filling our hearts with Christ, so we can make the right choice.  Amen.

Thursday Devotional - Timely Encouragement

Once Israel crossed the Jordan River they were in the promised land, but still had a big job ahead of them to conquer all the people that lived there. Unless they swam back across the river, they were stuck! Maybe that’s another reason God miraculously stopped up the Jordan – it would force them to rely on Him and move forward in faith.

As added encouragement, the timing of when they crossed the Jordan was sovereignly planned by God. He had it that they crossed over just in time to celebrate the Passover! According to Exodus 12-13, it was to be celebrated once they were in the promised land on the 14^th day of the first month of the year (year after year) to remember God mightily bringing them out of Egypt.

   

Joshua 5:9-12           Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.

¹⁰ On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.¹¹ The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. ¹² The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

Not only did God bring the Israelites into the promised land exactly 40 years after bringing them out of Egypt, right in time to celebrate the Passover, but He had them experience the wonderful food of the land before removing His miraculous provision of manna. God continued to prepare, encourage and stretch the Israelites in order for them to accomplish His purposes and receive His blessings.

In the midst of overwhelming changes, we can also look for God’s timely encouragement. We can choose to recognize all His help, preparation and encouragement or wallow in the seemingly daunting tasks ahead. Which will you choose?   

Alice

Tues Devo: Focus or obsession?

Hello,

I have been thinking a good amount about focus lately. It is generally accepted that with Focus you can achieve a greater amount of output (efficiency, productivity, quality – whichever is the aim). We talk about distractions and finding ways to minimize them. We talk about rewards, and incenting behaviors that encourage focus. We sometimes even talk about having the right long term perspective to stay motivated in sustaining our focus.

Now, these are all good things and when combined well can lead to great focus and great results. But what is it that keeps focus from becoming an unhealthy obsession? I believe there are 2 things we must do as it relates to focus. The first was already mentioned above – we have to have the right long term perspective. But not just to stay motivated – and this is where the second key is, we must measure our focus against the real goals and be willing to pivot for the sake of the ultimate purpose.

I believe we start with right intentions – perhaps we have even done as it says in Proverbs about putting  our plans before the Lord and letting Him check our motivation

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established.” (NASB)

Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (NASB)

But then we tend to get distracted with the How instead of just the Why or What – that is where we can easily move to an unhealthy obsession.

I pray that all of us keep the real long term in mind with our focuses – and continually have that before God to help us stay where we should in our focuses and efforts.

Have  a blessed day,

Will Hill

Do not merely listen

James 1:19-27

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

My five year old is not the greatest listener in the world.  We often remind him that he needs to listen and he quickly says that he heard us.  We then have to remind him that listening is not just about hearing us, it’s about responding and doing as we’ve said.  This weekend I was guilty of not being very slow to become angry when he just would not obey. 

At church on Sunday, the message used part of James 1 and how we are to be slow to become angry.  One thing that was said was how thankful we should be that God does not yell at us every time we fail to listen.  This really struck me as I thought about how I can get upset and yell when my son fails to listen over and over again. 

God does not want us to merely hear what is said, he wants us to act on it as well.  How often do we hear the word but we then go away and immediately forget? 

My prayer today is that we will really look deep at ourselves and make sure that we are not merely listening to the words but that we are also acting on them.