Loving Jesus Style

Scripture: Romans 11:28-32 (NLT) 28  Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29  For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30  Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31  Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. 32  For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. Devotion: In this passage, Paul reveals a profound truth about God's plan for Israel and the Gentiles. It's not just a historical account, but a living reality that directly impacts our lives today. He shows us how God's use of their disobedience and His mercy are not a distant concept, but a present-day truth we can experience. He reassures us that...

  Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV) 7  “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, when there is the log in your own eye? 5  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Devotion:             In today’s culture, perhaps the one unforgivable sin is judging another person, especially concerning matters of sin. Yet, we are all human and struggle with our own imperfections. This scripture reminds us to approach others with empathy and understanding rather than judgment. Rather than instructing us to forego all judgment, it is a...

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV) 6  “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;   7      let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;        let him return to the Lord , that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Devotion:             With these words, Isaiah seeks to help us repent of our wicked thoughts and actions and turn to the Lord to seek His compassion and pardon. Isaiah notes that the Lord is near to his original audience. How much closer is God through the Holy Spirit to us? We, as Christians, have the Holy Spirit residing within each of us. While we sometimes ignore or actively resist the promptings of the Spirit, nevertheless, God dwells within us, ready to act on our behalf.             Today's wo...

  Scripture: Micah 6:8 (ESV) 8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you        but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Devotion:             In this short but powerful verse, God himself speaks these words through the mouthpiece of His prophet, Micah. God has just finished telling the people that He does not need their animal and oil sacrifices, no matter how vast the quantity. The people he addressed had mistaken ideas of what God required from them in their worship. God had told and shown them all through their history of walking with Him that He cared more for the state of their souls than all the sacrifices they could offer Him.                   Don’t we make the same mistake today? It seems the church always stresses the form and c...