Loving Jesus Style

  Scripture: John 15:18-25 (NIV) 18  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20  Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21  They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23  Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24  If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25  But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason. Devotion:           

  Scripture: Colossians 1:25-27 (NIV) I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26  the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Devotion:             Here Paul introduces himself to the Colossians as one who has become a servant to them by God’s commission. Today, many Christian leaders no longer seek to be servants of God’s people but lords  over them. We have seen repeated failures of high-profile  Christians because of this very issue. Those who seek leadership roles must be servant leaders. Ready to lay down their very lives if necessary to protect the flock God has given them to watch over.             Paul goes on to say that he has been instructed to proclaim to all the churches, but especially this one at

Scripture: Titus 3:4-7 (NLT) 4  But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5  he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6  He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7  Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. Devotion:             Here are the words of Paul to his co-worker Titus. These words confirm the promises made throughout the New Testament. God loves us, so much that he gave his only to die for us that we might experience eternal life through him. Paul seems to make it a point to drive home the gospel wherever he preaches and to whomever he preaches to.             This promise of the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting we Christians in the 21 st century need to hear this promise repeated over and over again. In the worl

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14 (NIV) 11  For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, 13  while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Devotion             Today’s scripture is from the book of Titus. Titus is a tiny letter tucked in at the end of the letters of Paul. It barely gets any attention at all from the church. When was the last time you heard a sermon or sat through a Sunday school lesson on Titus? Yet, we find in Titus encouragement to live Christ based lives. It is worth spending a few days of our meditation to consider the hidden treasure that Paul has left us here in this letter to one of his co-workers.

  Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT) You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2  For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3  They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4  They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5  They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! Devotion:             Giving a grade to an entire culture is a difficult and perhaps a dangerous thing, but I will attempt it regardless. The main problem with attempting to give a culture such as ours a grade is that we are so diverse. There are some places in our culture that are doing extremely well, while others

  Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:3-5 (NLT) 3  For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4  They will reject the truth and chase after myths. 5  But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. Devotion             What Paul claims as a future event “for a time is coming.” I declare to you is a present situation. Our world is going after false teachers and false ideas at an ever-increasing rate. Examples abound all around us. What I am saying here is not a complaint against the world in which we live. For we should expect them to go into deeper and deeper delusions as time goes by because they have no standard of truth to guide them in the right way.             No, I am unfortunate

  Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) [M]ake it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12  so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. Devotion:             This scripture goes against the grain of what the world teaches us these days. Today people are expected to make themselves as big a deal as possible. If you are not the center of attention, the life of the party, and the latest viral internet sensation your life may be deemed a failure by the world. The world is a cruel and fickle judge of character. One minute you are on top of the world then the next minute you are cancelled and thrown out of popular culture.             The Holy Spirit through Paul in these verses urges we that strive for the opposite of the glamorous life. We are urged to lead a quiet life away from all the glamour and glitz. We are to cultivate a peaceful

  Suffering for Doing the Right Thing Scripture: 1 Peter 4:19 (ESV) 19  Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Devotion:             This scripture is meant to be a source of hope to those Christians around the world who undergo mistreatment for the sake of the gospel. The preceding verses speak of “a fiery trial” that is to come upon Christians for the sake of the good news. This trial is coming because the teachings of Christ are not always seen as good news for those in the world. It calls people to repentance from their sins. It suggests that there is a higher court of justice. One in which their actions will be judged and condemned. The Christian who suffers for the Gospel, however, can rest assured of their ultimate vindication in front of this higher court. If we will but trust our souls to faithful judge of the world, we know that we have nothing to fear from any human. It is difficult in th

Scripture: 1 John 4:2-4 (ESV) 2  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  3  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.  4  Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Devotion:             The Apostle John here is writing to shore up the faith of some Christians who apparently had gone through some tough times. The advice John gives on testing the spirits is as true today as the day John first wrote these words. This world seems to be filled with more devilish and demonic forces than ever. Discerning the truth from the lies gets harder each day. Some lying spirits might even attempt to pass themselves off as truth-tellers but do not be deceived, they will show their true colors soon enough.             But we must ask Go

  Scripture: Galatians 3:27-28 (NRSV) 27  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28  There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Devotion:             We who have been baptized in the church hold a special status according to Paul in these verses. The act of baptism ushers you into a new world. A world of freedom from labels and categories that bind you into a certain identity. In the earliest days of the church adults were only baptized. Infant baptism came in later. Either way the baptized person was declared to be with Christ. Your sin debts have all been paid for and you start with a clean slate.             Ethnic and racial divisions are done away with in baptism. All people are equal in God’s sight with regard to the color of their skin or the language they speak. Baptism undoes the confusion the worlds races fell into after the t

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV) I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4  There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 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:             Paul, in today’s scripture is calling for the church at Ephesus to remain united in the cause of Christ. In Revelation 2:1-7 we read the Apostle John’s description of what it’s victories and challenges were. As Paul addressed them here it was clear that the greatest enemy of the church did not come from outside its walls. Both apostles called for the church members to love one another more fervently and to bond together against the forces outsid

Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-16 (ESV) 13  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  14  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility  15  by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,  16  and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. Devotion:             Today we celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. Dr. King strove during his life to bring the races together. He sought to heal the wounds and hostility brought about by slavery and Jim Crow laws. As he famously said from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial “I have a dream!” His dream was an end to racism and a healing of the racial wounds that were tearing the country apart. But, of course, Dr. King never lived to see that dream take hold in A

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV) 19  I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live,  20  loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days. . . Devotion:             Here in his final address to the nation of Israel, Moses communicates God’s desire for them to choose God and therefore life so that all might go well with them in the land they are about to enter. What relevance could this speech have on the Lord’s people today? Plenty is the short answer. Even though God has sent someone infinitely greater than Moses to be our messiah the basic message still applies.             Each and everyday we are given a choice to live for Jesus or to live according to the world, our flesh, and the devil’s deceits. The Israelites had but a glimpse of the glory that has been revealed to us through the pers

Scripture: Hebrews 9:24 (ESV) 24  For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf Devotion:             We have been pondering the wonders of prayer over the last few blog posts and we continue to reflect on prayer today. Prayer is an inexhaustible topic. So much of the scripture is about prayer it is hard to avoid. If you are an average Christian like me, you probably do not spend too much effort into understanding the intricacies of prayer. It is something we often approach as a rote exercise. We do it because we were trained since we were children to say our prayers. Yet behind the scenes, just hidden from our view there is activity. Warfare really going on between Jesus and the forces of the heavenly army and Satan and his demons.             Today’s scripture pulls back that curtain ever so slightly to give us a glimpse of what Jesus does with our

Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV) 14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16  Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Devotion:             How can we believe that our prayers will be answered? This scripture from Hebrews answers that question. The author of Hebrews gives us several reasons to trust that no matter what we pray, or how we pray it, God is always listening to our requests.             First, we have Jesus the very Son of God who has ascended to the very throne of God. Jesus there acts as our high priest bringing all our requests to God the Father. We know that Jesus will intercede for us because we

  What Joy Awaits Those That Love You Scripture: Psalm 65:1-4 (NLT) 1  What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, 2  for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. 3  Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. 4  What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.   Devotion:             David, the author of this psalm praises God for His steadfast love and care. David urges all God’s people to praise God loudly and with great urgency. If David thought God was worthy of all praise a thousand years before Jesus, how much more should we be praising God two thousand years after Jesus’ earthly life. We have received the promised salvation that the Hebrews of David’s day could only dream about. If the Hebrews were urged to fulfil their vows to God, then how much more should we fulfil our vows to God today.        

Scripture: Hebrews 10:5-7 (ESV) 5  Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,         “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 6      in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7      Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”   Devotion:             In this scripture the author of Hebrews puts the words of David is Psalm 40:6-8 on Jesus’ tongue. The setting of the psalm and of this quotation are similar. These words were clearly not fulfilled in David’s time, so Jesus is the true fulfillment of this poetic prophesy. The author of Hebrews here clearly states that although the sacrifices of the old covenant were required by law, they could never fully accomplish what they were intended to accomplish. Something better was required.             Jesus knew that his life would end with a terrible death on a cross. Jesus, in being a willing sacrifi

Scripture: Hebrews 12:14-15 (NRSV) 14  Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15  See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled. Devotion:             Our world today is filled not with peace but with crime and unrest. The writer of Hebrews urges us to seek peace in this scripture. However, in order to even be motivated to seek real peace we must first know the peace giver, Jesus. All of our attempts to bring peace outside of Jesus are doomed to end in failure. Worldly attempts at peacemaking never end well. There is always the constant threat that strife will break out again at the slightest provocation.             The situation in Korea is a great example of a man engineered “peace”. It has been more than fifty years since the open conflict ceased on that peninsula. Yet the tension is as high on that boarder as it was fifty ye

Scripture: Luke 12:1-3 (The Message) By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip, and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town. Devotion:             Hypocrisy is the one sin that Christians get called out on more than any other. It seems we are forever saying we believe one thing and then doing the opposite. In the scripture passage above Jesus declares that it was no different in Israel during his lifetime. Jesus points to the supposed religious people as the guilty parties. In t