Loving Jesus Style

Scripture: Psalm 86:11-13 (NIV) 11  Teach me your way, Lord , that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12  I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13  For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead. Devotion:             Today’s scripture comes from the pen of King David, and it is entitled “A Prayer of David.” This psalm begins in verse 11 with a petition. David seeks instruction from the Lord. He asks to be taught God’s ways to increase David’s reliance on God and His faithfulness. Then David asks for an “undivided heart.” This petition asks God to help David be loyal to God and His commands so that David may have an increased respect for the Lord. This leads directly to verse 12.                         In verse 12, David declares his intention to praise God. David declares his wholehearted devotion to the Lor

Scripture: Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV) 8  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Devotion:             What do you think about when you have some downtime? These days, our thoughts are easily hijacked by social media or other entertainment sources. We are complicit in letting our thoughts wander in ways that, while maybe not wicked or evil, are, at best, unproductive. In this passage, Paul has given us some direction on what we should think about. It is attempting to follow this advice that we find very difficult.             These days, trying to determine what is true and false to think about can be a full-time job. Election years like the one we are currently in will feature

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV) 7  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Devotion:             Today’s scripture encourages us to desire the things of Christ so that we may obtain resurrection from the dead. Paul here may be relying on the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 6:26 and Mark 8:36 for inspiration. In Mark 8:36, Jesus asks,  “For what does it profit a man to

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV) 5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Devotion:             In today’s scripture passage, Paul tells us that we are to have the same mind that Christ Jesus had toward us. This sounds like an impossible task for any mere mortal. How should a flesh and blood mortal think and love like God? In this section of scripture, Paul describes what that mind and love look like. So, today, we look at what the Son of God endured to save us from the mess that sin has made of our lives.             The apostle begins by telling us that the mind of Jesus is already ours if we follow Jesus. He then goes on to describe what tha

  What Christ-like Love Looks Like Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4 (NKJV) 2  Therefore, if  there is  any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  2  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love,  being  of one accord, of one mind.  3  Let  nothing  be done  through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  4  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Devotion:             In today's scripture passage, Paul looks at the ideal standard of behavior for Christian Churches. Because of Christ's love for His church, we are always to love and serve one another. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, such mutual love is impossible. We all have differing opinions about how things should be done. However, in Christ, we can find a way to love our neighbor who does not think like us and live at peace in

  Scripture: Philippians 1:3-6 (NKJV) 3  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4  always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5  for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Devotion:             God, unlike humans, never leaves a task incomplete. I confess I was (and still am to some extent) very guilty of this fault. I try to look like I have all my ducks in a row, but I always seem to leave at least one duck out of the row altogether. I have this problem counterbalanced to some extent by my bent toward perfectionism. I am a walking psychiatric patient. I praise God that He has given me the gifts and talents He has because, without God’s support, my life would be a mess.             In this letter to the church at Philippi, Paul thanks this congregation for not being a mess. God has given them man

Scripture: Luke 10:17-20 (ESV) 17  The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18  And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Devotion:             The words we read above are the conclusion to the story that began in verse 1 of this chapter in Luke. Jesus chose and sent seventy-two of his followers out two by two into the land to proclaim the gospel, heal the sick, and free those oppressed by the devil and his demons. The followers come back with a glowing report. Their mission was a success. The sources of oppression that plagued the people had been defeated. The experience overjoyed them.             What was Jesus’ response? He,

Scripture: Romans 8:35-39 (ESV) 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  36  As it is written,                         For your sake, we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37  No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  38  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  39  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Devotion:             Paul began this chapter with the good news that “there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Paul ends the chapter with even better news. In these few short verses, Paul assures the reader that not only is there no condemnation coming their way, but there is also absolutely nothing that can tear them away f

Scripture: Romans 8:31-34 (ESV) 31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33  Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Devotion:             Today’s passage revolves around God, through Jesus, forgiving all our sins. First, it appeals to God’s unequaled mercy and love for His children. This world, like its ruler Satan (which means accuser), tries to keep Christians beaten down by reminding us constantly of our sins and failures so that we never experience the total freedom and joy that comes from being part of Christ’s family of faith. Nothing is so harmful to the cause of the devil than a joy-filled, Spirit-led believer proclaim

  Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1 (ESV) 20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 6  Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Devotion:             The church today has an image problem. We are being marginalized and even hated because we hold values that the culture finds offensive. It seems that the golden age of the church in the West (if there ever really was one) is over. We must begin to build anew on our solid foundation in Jesus Christ. We should not waste one-minute placing blame or lamenting and yearning nostalgically for the days gone by.             What, then, must the church do? The short answer is found in today’s scripture reading. We must be ambassadors for Christ. The city of Corinth in the 1 st cent

  Scripture: Romans 8:28-30 (ESV) 28  And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Devotion:             The passage we consider today is familiar to many Bible-reading Christians. We take it as a beautiful promise that God has given His people. And so, it is. However, it is deeper and more meaningful than we even suspect when giving it the glance that we give familiar Bible passages. I propose that this tiny passage stuck away in a far corner of an obscure letter in the Bible may be a radical proclamation of the freedom we inherit when we begin our faith journey.             First, we must overcome the com

  This is a copy of my letter to my senators, representative, and President Biden. January 15, 2024 Dear President Biden, Senators T. Duckworth, R. Durbin, and Representative D. LaHood             I am writing to you because I am concerned about the situation affecting our children and grandchildren, namely transitioning them from one gender to another. This nation must adjust course concerning these “interventions” because they are dangerous, irreversible, and life-changing. Our country should not be permitting these procedures on minor children under any circumstances. We must also make sure that adults who seek this care are given informed consent as to the risks versus benefits of sex reassignment treatments.             There are many drawbacks to gender-affirming care for minors. Besides the loss of any ability to give or receive sexual pleasure and sterility these treatments cause, there are social and psychological effects that we have no way of identifying because these

  Scripture: Romans 8;22-27 (ESV) 22  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24  For in this hope we were saved. Now, hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26  Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27, And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Devotion:             Today’s scripture passage may seem out of place in this book of Romans, especially in this chapter that appears to have an uplifting theme. These words are w

  Scripture: Acts 4:18-22 (NIV) 18  Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19  But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20  As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21  After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22  For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. Devotion:             In today’s scripture, the disciples have just healed a man who could not stand on his feet since birth. He was reduced to begging for alms. Today, he was at the temple as people entered for a time of prayer. Peter and John were coming for prayer and noticed the man and felt the Spirit’s urging to heal the man. All the crowds saw what had happened. Peter and John began preaching to the crowd about the power of Jesus, who h

  Scripture: Romans 8:18-21 (ESV) 18  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Devotion:             Paul is writing here to encourage the Roman believers and give them hope. We need this same hope in our lives today. The good news is that the hope Paul offers the original hearers of this word and the hope we need in the present is fulfilled in these words. The present sufferings we suffer, and the glory Jesus came to bring are for God’s people today. The Son of God has been revealed through the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ.             The know

  Scripture: Romans 8:12-17 (ESV) 12  So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Devotion:             What do you think of when you hear the word heir? All of us are heirs of something. While we may not inherit millions from a parent or relative, we have received something. It may be your blue eyes, your curly hair (or, in my case, the lack of hair on most of

  Scripture: John 1:9-14 (ESV) 9  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Devotion:             The babe lying in the manger on Christmas day came to bless us with all kinds of blessings. However, as indicated in today’s scripture reading, the world was not ready or willing to receive the gifts He came to offer. This world system has blinded our eyes and stopped our ears lest we see and hear the glad tidings from the angelic hosts. We leave the b

  Scripture: Romans 8:3-4 (ESV) 3  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit Devotion:             We often think of the laws of God as having tremendous strength, and they do! However, human fleshly desires keep the law from accomplishing what God gave us the law for. Hence, there is a need for God to send His Son Jesus Christ into the world. Because the flesh was weak, it was necessary for Jesus to come to remedy what was lacking in the law.             Jesus' appearance on earth put to death the ill effects of the weakness of the flesh but gave us a new life we live in the Spirit. Jesus is a perfectly sinless life lived in the weakness of the flesh, put to death in us the power of sin in our lives. God is