Loving Jesus Style

  Scripture: Psalm 51:12 (NIV) Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Devotion:             This psalm is a cry that rises from deep within David ’s heart. It is a prayer of someone who has walked closely with God, but has drifted, stumbled, and fallen to the temptations of the flesh, the world, or the devil. They are not, however, words of despair. They are words of profound hope because they are spoken to a God who delights in restoring what sin tries to steal.             This request for joy is not a request for some shallow, transient happiness or good feeling, but comes from a longing to return to close fellowship with God , who is love. David, you see, remembers what it was like to walk as a man after God’s own heart. He remembers what it was like to awaken each day with a heart firmly anchored in God’s mercy and to w...

  Paul writes this letter to the church at Colossae, a city in the Lycus Valley of Asia Minor, almost certainly during his imprisonment, likely in Rome around A.D. 60–62. Though Paul had not personally founded this congregation — that work belonged to Epaphras, his fellow servant — he writes with apostolic authority to address a serious theological threat that had begun to take root among the believers there. The letter is at once a warning against error and a magnificent celebration of the person and work of Jesus Christ. The occasion for the letter is what scholars have long called "the Colossian heresy ," though Paul never names it as such. From his responses, we can piece together its contours: it appears to have been a syncretistic mixture of Jewish ceremonial observance, speculative philosophy, and a reverence for angelic powers that together formed a system of supposed spiritual advancement. Its teachers evidently argued that faith in Christ alone was insufficient — t...

  This psalm requires that the soul remain engaged. It starts with David addressing his own heart, encouraging it to rise, remember, and praise the Lord with every fiber of his being. He seems aware of how easily the human spirit forgets, how gratitude can fade quickly, and how burdens quietly pile up. Speaking to his heart as a caring friend, he says, “Don’t forget what God has done. Don’t forget who He is. Don’t forget the mercy that has brought you this far.” In these opening words, David highlights an important lesson for us—sometimes, the first act of worship is simply awakening our own hearts. As the psalm unfolds, David begins to name the goodness of God, and each line feels like a breath of fresh air. God forgives every sin we bring to Him. He heals wounds we cannot fix. He lifts us out of pits we dug ourselves into. He crowns us — not with shame or regret — but with steadfast love and mercy. He fills our lives with good things, even in seasons when it's hard to se...

  Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ( NIV ) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one . Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Devotion: Deuteronomy 6:4–5 is central to Israel’s faith and identity. “ Hear, O Israel : The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” These words were spoken to a people on the verge of entering the Promised Land , preparing to live out their covenant in a new place filled with competing voices and tempting options. Moses understood that what would sustain them was not military power or cultural influence, but a strong, unwavering love for the God who had rescued them. The opening command, “Hear, O Israel,” is more than a call to listen. It is a call to pay attention with the whole self. In Scripture, hearing means obedience, trust, and alignment. God is not just providing information; He is sh...

  Scripture: John 16:33 ( NIV ) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace . In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Devotion: Jesus speaks the words of John 16:33 at the end of a long, intimate conversation with His disciples on the night before His crucifixion . He has just told them that sorrow is coming, that they will be scattered, and that the world will press hard against them. Yet He also promises the Helper, the Spirit of truth , and assures them that their grief will turn to joy. Into this mixture of warning and comfort, He offers a final, steadying word: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” The context is important. Jesus isn't speaking to those who are strong and confident. He's addressing disciples who are confused, anxious, and on the verge of being overwhelmed by fear. He doesn't ...

  Scripture: John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Devotion: Jesus speaks the words of John 16:33 at the end of a long, intimate conversation with His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. He has just told them that sorrow is coming, that they will be scattered, and that the world will press hard against them. Yet He also promises the Helper, the Spirit of truth, and assures them that their grief will turn to joy. Into this mixture of warning and comfort, He offers a final, steadying word: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble; but take heart, I have overcome the world.” The context is important. Jesus isn't speaking to those who are strong and confident. He's addressing disciples who are confused, anxious, and on the verge of being overwhelmed by fear. He doesn't promis...