Loving Jesus Style

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NLT) 12  If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.  13  The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. Devotion:             Temptations are common to the human race. No one escapes this life without being tempted by something. Even Jesus had to endure temptation brought about by no less than the devil himself. Though tempted, Jesus did not give in to temptation, but showed us an example of how to escape temptation. The devil and his demons are intelligent creatures. They know precisely the kinds of things that will prove the most irresistible to us. They do not waste their time tempting you with things that hold no attraction to you.        ...

Scripture: 7:21-22 (NIV) 21  Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you— 22  for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others Devotion:             Today we read a bit of wisdom from Ecclesiastes. I find this book overall to be full of wisdom and useful instructions. All most people know of Ecclesiastes is the poem in the third chapter. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…” There is much treasure in this book waiting to be mined by the patient and wise mind.             Enough for my commercial message on the book. Today’s scripture is so true. Not to listen to gossip is exceptionally good advice. It is, however, so difficult to practice. Satan, the flesh, and the world have conspired to make hearing and repeating gossip seem like a wonderful thing to do. We ...

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:17-19 (NIV) 17  For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18  And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19  So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Devotion:             In Jesus, God did not come to judge the world, but he came to save it. However, when Christ returns again, he will judge each of us. Beginning with those who call themselves Christians he will sift the actions and attitudes of each of our hearts. Even those who consider themselves saved will be judged by the just judge. We should consider ourselves warned and repent of our sinful actions and attitudes. While those who have truly received Jesus as their Savior and L...

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NIV) 22  Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25  For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Devotion:             We look at today’s scripture passage and are confused as to how anyone could find God weak and foolish. Yet, to the original hearers of this letter in Corinth there would be no mystery at all. The vast majority of both Greeks and Jews who first heard the message of the gospel of Jesus preached dismissed it out of hand because it did not fit their preconceived notions of what a savior ought to be.             Times have changed since...

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,  2  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  3  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.  4  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  5  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Devotion:             In this passage. Paul takes us on a spiritual journey from the depths of sin to a marvelous new life in Christ. Paul writes a difficult passage to translate here. It is main verb does not occur until verse 5 and its subject until verse 4 in the Greek. In additio...

Scripture: Mark 4.26-29 (NIV) 26  He [Jesus] also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like, A man scatters seed on the ground.  27  Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.  28  All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  29  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Devotion:             It is harvest time here in the Midwest where I live. Farmers are busy harvesting their crops. The parable I have selected today tells us how we got to harvest time. This story shows us how little the basics of farming have remained over time. The basic rhythms of the farmers' life have changed with modern technology, but the essential actions remain the same. Indicating that farmers have been scattering seed and waiting for the harvest for mill...

Scripture: Matthew 12: 43-45 (NRSV) 43  “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. 44  Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45  Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.” Devotion:             Jesus tells this brief parable after casting out an evil spirit from a person. Then he has an argument with the Religious Establishment who claim Jesus is casting out spirits by Beelzebub. Jesus quells that argument and gives a couple of parables to make his point. The point of this parable is that removing an evil spirit from a person is not the end of the story.    ...

Scripture: Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) 23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,  24  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Devotion:             Today’s scripture was originally written as a word for slaves who were members of the church. However, it can easily be applied to any one of us. It comes to us then as a general instruction on our attitude towards the work that we do.             The instructions are clear for us. We are to put everything we have into the work that we do. Not trying to please men but trying to please God. We are not to be slackers and work only when somebody is watching over us. We know that God is always watching over us and he will reward the faithful worker.        ...

Scripture: Psalm 64:10 (NIV) 10  The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!   Devotion:                         Today we take a break from our deep study of scripture to simply rejoice in the Lord. We want to bless his holy name and praise him with all of our hearts. Verse 10 of Psalm 64 written by David really has no context that we can determine. This verse coming as the last verse of a Psalm of lament expressing deep joy and contentment with the God as a place of refuge for those who trust in him.                         What blessings has God given us in the last 24 hours? Chances are we in America had plenty to eat. Praise God for farmers and all the people God uses to get our food to us....

  Scripture: Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV) 3  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. 4      Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.   Devotion:               Isaiah here is speaking of a future time when the Lord will establish a new city for the people of God to dwell in. Today’s verses speak of Isaiah’s vision that in the future a person can know and experience perfect peace. Literally, the Hebrew reads peace, peace here. Repetition in the Hebrew language is used to increase intensity of what is being said.                         So, we are to take these words to mean that God himself will keep a person in peace if that person’s mind is fixed on the Lord. A person’s mind can only be fixed on...

  Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  2  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  3  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  4  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  6  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Devotion:             To the naked eye it may appear that the church of Christ is very divided and individualistic. Paul in today’s scripture tells us that this is not to be the case. Jesus in the upper room just prior to his arrest and trial pleaded with the Father that those who believed in him would be one. So, has the prayer of Jesus failed to be effective? I argue that the c...

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV) 12  For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Devotion:             Today’s scripture is a word of caution to us. In our culture we have become accustomed to living only for ourselves and only for today. Here the writer of Hebrews is telling us to think differently. We must consider our actions in light of God’s ultimate judgement. One day God will apply his word to our lives to see how well they are aligned.             It would be a bad thing for us to be found out of alignment with God’s word. We who have trusted in Christ for ...

Scripture: Philippians 3:20 (ESV) 20  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Devotion:             I believe in America. However, as a Christian I am called to believe in Jesus above my country. My true and final citizenship, the place where I owe my last ounce of devotion is heaven. The people to whom this letter of Paul is addressed, the church at Philippi, were proud of their citizenship as well. They were full citizens of Rome with all the benefits that it had to offer. This portion of the letter would have been hard for them to hear. Perhaps even harder to obey.             As we in the United States of America are proud of our citizenship. With all the rights and benefits that citizenship entails. We as Christians must seek to be true citizens of Heaven. Laying claim to all the benefits and rights that entails...

Scripture Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Devotion:             Today, we consider a scripture passage that is familiar to us. In it Paul urges a change be made in the lives of believers. The kind of change Paul is advocating for is difficult and demands sacrifice be made to attain it. Not a bloody sacrifice like the people of his day were accustomed to but an unbloody sacrifice that requires the gift of one’s living self to God.             The reasons Paul wants us to give ourselves to God as a living sacrifice are specific. The ...

  Scripture: John 15:18-19 (ESV) 18 “ If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Devotion:             It is happening. Even in areas where the gospel was loved and cherished only a few decades ago. The world is beginning to look with hatred upon those of Christian faith. This should not surprise us really. Jesus promised this would happen. The world’s admiration or at least tolerance of people of faith is slowly but perceptively ending. Those who hold Biblical views of marriage, gender issues, and the right to life are increasingly under attack. Just expressing our views aloud is considered to be an offence against the world.             We know that the world hat...

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NIV) 32  from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. Devotion:             Times were changing in ancient Israel. Saul the first king of Israel and his son Johnathan had perished in battle. David had been anointed King of the land. As David went through the countryside, he gathered troops who would be loyal to him and assure his place as the king of Israel. He stopped at Hebron and gathered men from every tribe. All the nation would install David as their rightful ruler. The author of Chronicles comments about the men from every tribe. When he comes to Issachar, he gives the comment above.             I wish it could be said that we had leaders in any field of endeavor today who would be like these men from the tribe of Issachar. Our leaders clearly have failed us as a nation when it comes to being aware of what...

Scripture: Psalm 19:9b-10 (NLT) The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10  They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.   Devotion:                         Let us now consider the laws of the Lord. In Psalm 19 the psalmist, David, does an extended meditation on the law of the Lord. The Torah of the Jewish faith. He uses terms we Christians do not relate well to. Yet his words are true or else they would not be recorded and preserved in scripture for us to use today. Perhaps it is us who need to examine the eyes of our hearts in reference to the law to make sure we are seeing accurately what the Lord has preserved for us in the Bible regarding his law.               David begins by telling us that th...