Loving Jesus Style

    Let's delve into the words of Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV), a scripture that speaks of unwavering faith in the face of adversity.   17           Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,                         the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,                         the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,             18           yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Devotion:             These words from ...

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)   For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Devotion:             The purpose behind Paul’s writing here in 2 nd Corinthians was to encourage the believers in Corinth to give generously to help their brothers and sisters in Macedonia. Paul does this by pointing back to Jesus’ self-giving in the incarnation, death, and resurrection. It is amazing to consider that the God who created the entire universe cared so much for His creation that He would die for us. It makes no earthly sense. However, the wisdom of God who came to us is not based on human reason.             Indeed, we must be grateful for God’s grace. While we were still stuck in our sinful ways we were made right with God through the impossible gift of His So...

Scripture: James 2:1-4 (ESV) 2  My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2  For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3  and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4  have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Devotion:             Do we show favoritism? In today’s scripture we see an obvious example of partiality at work. Are we so sure that in the church today such games are not being played? While we may not be discriminating against the poor necessarily, we still have not been able to consistently integrate the races in our churches. And we may be less obvious in our favori...

  Scripture: Matthew 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Devotion:             Bob Dylan had a hit single along the lines of today’s scripture. No matter who you are or how exalted a state you are in you are going to serve somebody. Even if you have many people serving you, you will in your turn serve someone else. President Joe Biden, Elon Musk, any world, political, businessperson you can name they are all are serving someone. Perhaps it’s not a person but a thing. Like money in this scripture verse.             It is essential to note that the Greek word translated servant here. Is translated slave in many other places. We are not just servants to the things/people that control us. We are absolute slaves to those th...