Loving Jesus Style

Scripture: Romans 5:1-5 (ESV) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  3  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  4  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  5  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Devotion:             Today, let us look at the Christian virtue called hope. Now there are many varieties of hope running loose in the world today. Around Christmas time all the little boys and girls are full of hope that Santa Clause will bring them what they have their little hearts set on. Adults engage in this type of wishful thinking as well. Adults hope for a promotion at their job, a return to the good health of their

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  2  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  4  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Devotion:             Our scripture from Philippians encourages us to have fellowship with our fellow believers. This fellowship is essential to our Christian walk. All of us get tired and worn out in our walk with the Lord. We need each other for encouragement and strength along the way. When one believer is experiencing trials and tribulations there is another that can raise his or her spirits up with an encouraging word or thoughtful deed. Paul teaches here that we are to be full

  Scripture: Romans 13:8 (NIV) 8  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Devotion:             Today’s world is awash in debt. From the trillions owed by our federal government to millions owed by consumers on credit cards and student loans, we have become a nation of debtors. It seems that to be in debt is the new thing to do. If you go too far into debt one can, always seek out bankruptcy protection and wipe it all away.             Jesus does not forbid lending and borrowing. In Matthew 5:42 we read “ 42  give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Jesus only instruction for regarding what to do if one fell into debt was to pay it off as soon as possible. Worldly debt is a tool to be used wisely and skillfully to make life more enjoyable. As Paul warns in this scripture never let debt be your master, only your servant.             There is one debt, h

  Scripture: Psalm 84:10, 12 (NIV) 10  Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked . . .        12  Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.   Devotion:               Where do you dwell? Either physically or mentally where do you spend most of your time? The psalmist is convinced that the house of the Lord is the place we ought to dwell. In today’s world dwelling in the courts of the Lord physically is probably not what the psalmist had in mind. However, even in today’s modern world with all its mobility and change most of us spend our time somewhere. For most of us that means attending to our employment duties. Work takes up eight hours or more each day. How can we maintain what the psalmist is urging us to do?               I believe the answer is to bring the courts of the Lord with us to our work. This would involve making God’s kingdom visible in our actions. It

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10 (NLT) 4  But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5  that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you cannot take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Devotion:             Many Christians have memorized at least part of thes

Scripture: Hebrews 12: 18-25 (NIV)   18  You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm  19  to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,  20  because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”  21  The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22  But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,  23  to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,  24  to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25  See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks If they did not esca

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29 (NIV) 26  So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  27  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  28  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  29  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Devotion:             Today’s scripture proclaims one of the unrealized promises of the Christian faith. Paul is declaring a radical unity that should exist within the body of Christ. Unity seems to be the most elusive goal that the church in any age has sought to embody. The problem of disunity, in fact, seems to be getting worse not better as time passes. It seems that sometimes there are as many different beliefs as there are individual believers. My friends this simply should not be the case. Paul has set a high bar and there is no doubt we are failing to meet that standard.  

Scripture: Matthew 6.31-33 (NLT) 31  “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’  32  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  33  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Devotion:             This scripture gives us a prescription for how to live the victorious Christian life. In the verses preceding this selection Jesus is listing the basics of life. Food, clothing and the like. Jesus would not have us worry about such things because he wants us to focus on the kingdom that he is ushering in. Our heavenly Father already knows our need for these things and delights in supplying them for us. Indeed, even if we suffer a lack of basic necessities of life if we keep our eyes focused on the prize of the coming kingdom, we will have all we truly need.             How should we seek out God’s kingdom in ou

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (ESV) 3  For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,  6  being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Devotion:             There is war raging in your mind. Not a physical war with guns and artillery, but a mental war. One that will determine which thoughts you allow to control your mind. Paul here describes not a war that we fight with our fleshly weapons. If fleshly weapons were all we have to fight with the battle would be lost before it began. Our weapons are of a spiritual kind that are effective in battle for the mind.             We may say that there is no battle raging in my mind. That, however, is a lie that the enemy is all too ready to believe. If

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) 4  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Devotion:             Here we see an often-quoted passage of scripture. I am afraid that through its (over)use it may have lost some of its meaning to us in the contemporary church. We are inclined to quickly scan these words and take these wonderful words of scripture without meditating on what they might mean if we spent time meditating on them. Let us move more slowly and deliberately to examine this rich passage of scripture and apply its meaning in our lives. This passage is truly a call to enjoy the rich salvation we have found through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:16-18 (NLT) 16  Always be joyful.  17  Never stop praying.  18  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Devotion:             Our brief scripture passage today comes from the end of the letter to the Ephesians. It is contained in a section that has many commands such as these. These commands, while certainly can be taken as instructions to individuals, are clearly meant for the church as a whole as well. We tend to see in today’s church a distinct lack of joy, prayerlessness has become common, and complaining about our circumstances has replaced thankfulness. Our churches seem to be on a course that will lead them to extinction. This extinction may not mean that they necessarily close their doors, but they may go on as nothing more than another social club.             How can we, as a church, and individual members of it get back on the right track? The first thing to realize is that we need a visit from the H

Scripture: Galatians 2:19-21 (NIV) 19  “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Devotion:             Paul, in today’s scripture, has written words that are such good news for us. He is explaining here what has happened to him since he believed on Jesus. The wonderful freedom of a life given over entirely to the savior. Paul is declaring that Jesus’ death was not in vain but instead has purchased eternal salvation for all who will humbly come in faith to Jesus. Paul’s words here are emphatic that the law never made anyone right with God. Righteousness is only found in the power of Jesus death on the cross.             In verse 19 Paul explains

  Scripture: Psalm 3 (ESV)             1            O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;             2            many are saying of my soul,  “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah               3            But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.             4            I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah               5            I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.             6            I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.               7            Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!                         For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.               8            Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah   Devotion:                         The psalm we are meditat

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  2  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  3  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  4  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Devotion:             Climate change is a very common expression in these days. It generally refers to changes in our weather patterns. However, I want to use it to describe a phenomenon that is happening in a different area. Our culture. During the course of my lifetime (1960-present) the culture has changed drastically. We have gone from a culture where the church was a respected institution, and the family was revered to culture where the church is marginalized, and the family is under attack. Th

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) 16  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, 17  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Devotion:             Today, the place of the Holy Bible in our culture is being seriously challenged by some. These challenges come from those who wish to see all religion particularly the Christian religion simply disappear. They claim that the scriptures are archaic stories from another age and are not relevant to our modern world. The opponents of the Bible claim that it is largely false and cannot be trusted as a guide to living in a world that has “grown” beyond needing such stories. These criticisms of the Bible are not really new but have become louder and louder in our materialistic culture.             How do we as Christian counter these attacks on the Bible? First of all, we need to know our Bibles better than the critics. When our detract