Category: humility

Motivation

Job 25-27

Psalm 99

James 4

-Devotion by Makenna Landry (MN)

What’s your motivation?

In life, why do you do what you do? Is it to get that A on the Spanish quiz to make your parents proud? Is it to get that promotion at work? Is it to be wealthy to buy whatever you want?

James confronts his readers with a list of things they are doing. They want what they don’t have, they hurt others, they fight, they forget to ask, and they ask with the wrong motivation. James reminds us to consider when our priority isn’t on God and our motivation isn’t to do God’s will. When we draw humbly to God that is when we see His will and motivation come into picture. 

James questions the readers “what is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you” (James 4:1a NASB95). He points out that it’s someone’s human desires, motivations, and pride. This reminds me of the movie Emperor’s New Groove. 

Kuzco only wants what he wants. He throws a guy out a window because the gentleman threw off his groove. He plans to demolish someone’s home because he thinks it would be a good vacation spot, and he refuses help when he finds himself as a llama. In his attempts to return home, he faces difficulties and ends up alone because he is too focused on his own needs and desires that he rejects Pacha’s kindness. 

This can happen between you and your siblings, friends, spouse, neighbors, or fellow church members. Conflict is sparked quickly when our motivation is simply self satisfaction instead of focused on bringing glory to God and following His will. 

In Job today, we read that Job struggled to admit that his friends could even be remotely right and he refused to humble himself. In Psalm 99, it displayed many examples of individuals who saw success because their focus was on God. Psalm 99:6 mentions three individuals: Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. Each of these three did the will of God. Moses, however, is seen struggling to follow God’s will. He is scared and focused on himself when God speaks to him through a burning bush. He strikes a rock for water without the permission of God to satisfy the people. And yet, he was remembered as a great man of faith following God’s will instead of his own. 

God has set up many reminders to us to help fix our motivation. We have account after account of individuals who find success when their motivation was to do God’s will. Like when Moses finally listened and helped the people escape Egypt. And there are examples of people who face failure when their motivation is self surviving like Jonah when he ran from God. 

Do you have a time in your life when your motivation was on yourself? Do you remember how that went? I know I have plenty of examples when my motivation wasn’t focused on glorifying God. 

I used to quiz when I went to FUEL and I never won first place. I skipped a year or two but a lot of the material I memorized stays with me to this day. The year I did the worst was the year my motivation was to win a trophy. The Michigan team had been doing well for a few years and the year before they got second place in overtime: it was some of the best quizzing I’ve ever watched. With the hopes to be like them, I tried my best to live up to the Michigan winning name but failed spectacularly. I don’t even remember the material that was quizzed on that year. From then on, my motivation shifted. Instead of wanting to quiz to win, I focused on bringing glory to God by writing His words on my heart. I also focused on building relationships with my fellow quizzers. My fellow quizzers and I would laugh during practice pausing for dance breaks and singing our way through the memory verses. Instead of being motivated by the desire to gain fame or win a trophy, I focused on memorizing God’s word. Those years, I remember the material, the joy, and the friendships that I made. 

When we have the wrong motives, our life will become clouded and we won’t reach our dreams. Instead, James reminds us that we must humble ourselves and follow God’s will. With God as the center focus, we are much more likely to succeed. Hopefully you won’t have to experience being miserable and mourning in order to humble yourself to God. 

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

Think of a time when you were in a fight with someone. Would that quarrel be resolved quicker if your motivation was focused on forgiveness, restoration, and selflessness?

How does your motivation impact the results of what you do?

What is one way you can improve your motivation, being focused on God instead of self?

PRAY:

Dear God, thank you for the many individuals who have gone before us and thank you for providing and guiding them. You have answered the prayers of thousands before me and you have forgiven those who have fallen short. Please forgive me of my sins and shortcoming. Reveal to me how I can walk in Your path and not follow the desires of my own heart. May honor, glory, and praise be Yours. Amen

Makenna Landry, née Cisler, is an ABC graduate and licensed pastor of the Church of God General Conference working to service God by teaching His word and supporting His people through all aspects of life. She has two children, a passion for helping people, and loves Disney. She spends her time writing and enjoys playing board games with friends and family. 

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Greater than Moses

Esther 5-6

Psalms 92

*Hebrews 3

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            It should be pointed out that to the Jewish folks, Moses (Moshe) was a Really Big Deal.  Moses is a big deal to any of the “Children of the Book”, and Christians and Muslims alike regard Moses as a man who spoke God’s words to the people, a prophet who God performed miracles through.  All of the prophets were highly revered but to the Jewish people though, the people who Moses led out of slavery, the people who witnessed miracles performed by God through the man, the people who witnessed him going in to speak with God until his face actually glowed, he was a really, really, big deal.  Like, 5 out of 5 stars in all the reviews, just top notch.  Best Guy Ever.

            Let’s review quickly: Moses, old guy with a beard.  Not really a big talker.  Happily tending his flock out in the middle of nowhere when God* starts to have a conversation with the guy from a burning bush and then tells him that he’s going to be the agent by which God frees His chosen people, the Israelites.  A little bit of whining, God loops in his brother Aaron to assist, then off they go back to the land of Egypt.  “Give me my people”, “No”, plague plague plague plague (x10), then “ok, you and your people get out”.  Run away, “wait, now who’s going to do all the manual  labor?”, pursuit, miraculous escape through the sea, followed by immediate miraculous destruction of pursuing army by same sea. Wandering, whining, miracles, manna, more whining, there’s the promised land go get it,  “we’re a’scared”, wander wander wander (x40yrs), there’s the promised land go get it, “ok, but can we stop wandering?” and right about then Moses dies.  That very brief, highly summarized review of Moses took place in the latter third of his life, covering the time when he was 80-120 years old, the 40 years directly prior to his passing.

            Moses was an incredibly Big Deal, he gave the people The Law, and lots of good advice on how to act (which went largely ignored until they were forcibly reminded), and God performed miraculous signs through him.  God used Moses to do all of these things, and had a unique and special relationship with Moses unlike any man before or after (until Jesus came).  Moses gave the definitive books of the Torah to the Israelites, faithfully recording what God spoke and was a faithful servant who was “more humble than any man was on the face of the earth” (Num 12:3) even despite all of the great deeds listed above.  The level of respect and reverence that later generations of Israelites had and have for Moses can not be overstated.      

            That’s why it is such a big deal in Hebrews 3 when the author says “Moses, yea, super guy, but Jesus?  He’s better.” (Heb 3:3, painfully paraphrased).  This is being written specifically to convince the Jewish folks that Yeshua the Nazarene (you know, Jesus of Nazareth) was The Christ, the Messiah prophesied long ago by the prophets (including Moses, see Dt 18:18).  This guy, he’s really important because with no disrespect to brother Moses (again, 5 out of 5 stars, super guy); Moses was as a servant, but this Jesus guy is as a son.  Both came and were servants of God, both came and spoke the words God told them to, both saved a whole bunch of people; but Moses came to save and restore the Israelites, but Jesus came to save and restore the entire earth, and all of it’s people**.

            In Heb 3:1-2 it clearly states that we have a High Priest (Jesus) who is faithful to Him who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful.  God appointed Jesus as High Priest.  Where do we get the High Priest from though?  Heb 5:1 says “from men”, and and Psalms 89:19 says “from among the people”.  In Heb 1:2, it states “His son, whom He appointed heir of all things…”.  Over and over we see very clearly that God has appointed Jesus, as His son, as our High Priest, as The Messiah.  To clarify the pecking order, our corporate flow chart, “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”(Heb 3:4) and it then goes on to clarify “but Christ was faithful as a son over his house-whose house we are…” in Heb 3:6.  God built everything, and appointed Christ heir  to inherit it, as a reward for his obedience.  Listen: if you already own something (Ps 24:1), you don’t need to appoint yourself as the heir to it.  If you already have full supreme power, you don’t need to anoint yourself as king.  You’re already in charge of everything.  We all agree that “Christ” means “the anointed one”.  Anointed by who? Well, the “builder of all things is God”.  The heir that God anointed and appointed is Christ.  It’s pretty straightforward, if you base your doctrine exclusively on scripture, and not tradition.

            This is a pretty basic and undeniable understanding of scripture.  We miss out on a lot of opportunities to talk to Jewish folks (God’s chosen people, see above) about the Messiah as Christians because of a lot of the theories and convoluted explanations that are so exasperatingly confusing and contradictory are now held to be doctrine by a huge number of our brothers and sisters.  Even worse, we miss out on a lot of opportunities to be obedient to our King and to our (and his) God, when we harden our hearts and don’t listen when we hear his voice. (Heb 3:15).  One last thought I’d like to put forth today: both Moses and Jesus were exceptionally humble men, who not only obeyed God’s word and performed miracles, but did so obediently and sometimes in opposition to what they wanted to do personally.  These are the true “church fathers”, the one’s that we should listen to,  our role models, and our examples of how to please our God.

*-Moses talked to God.  Weeeell actually, Moses talked to God’s agent, the angel God sent.  See Ex 3:2-4 and contrast v2 with v4, it’s the first unquestionable documented example that God uses agents to interact with His creation, and that when these agents (shaliah) speak God’s words, they speak with the full authority of God (and so are often called God, because as His agent they’re representing His authority).  This is well understood in Jewish culture and literature and is common throughout scripture.  See also Ex 20:21-22 for another specific example, and note as well the approximately 40 times or so that Jesus says that “God sent me” in the book of John alone, which the Jewish  people understood to mean “he speaks with the authority of God because God sent him”, not anything else super confusing that may have been suggested later.  Lots of people “saw God” (or His agent) particularly in the OT, but 1 John 4:12 states clearly that “No one has ever seen God”, and this is confirmed in 1 Tim 6:15-16, ergo, anytime that happened it was most likely either in a dream, vision, or an agent that God sent.

**Jesus came to restore the entire earth.  Weeeeell actually, initially he came specifically (and exclusively) to “restore the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 15:24).  Gentiles were given the favor and opportunity for salvation specifically because some of the chosen people of God (the Israelites) rejected him, and also because God had planned to do it this way: to the Jew first, then to all of the nations of the earth.  Acts 10 starts the beginning of gentiles receiving salvation, well after Jesus had ascended and finished his earthly ministry, so if you’re a “dog of a gentile” try not to get too arrogant about it.  If we do make it into the kingdom, we’ll probably end up being the janitor or “fetchers of wood”, if we’re lucky.  Let’s be humble.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Why do we, as gentile dogs who are grafted on to the root while other (and arguably better) branches are pruned, ever become arrogant about our salvation when considering the humbleness of both Moses and Jesus (who were much more important than we’ll ever be)? (Yes, I know it’s a leading question, consider it though)
  2. Have you ever considered how highly favored you are, if you are a member of the body of Christ, a child of God?  Just reflect on that for a moment, don’t take it for granted!
  3. Isn’t God amazing? He told us in the beginning the plan (Gen 3:15), we just didn’t understand it.

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for providing a way for the rest of us, I am humbled and awed that you did.  Please lead us, forgive us when we fall short, and teach us the way to salvation.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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An Obedient Servant

*Esther 3-4

*Psalm 91

*Hebrews 2

-devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

                        I love the story of Esther, because without her obedience and willingness to sacrifice herself if needed, a pretty horrible pre-Holocaust destruction of the Jews would have taken place.  While it’s hard for me to imagine it being on the same scale of intentional diabolical evil that occurred in World War II, I suppose if you are one of the ones that’s being murdered you’re far less concerned with intent than action. 

            In Esther 3 today, we see that the King (Ahasuerus) “magnified Haman” and advanced him, “above all the princes who were with him” (v1), to the point that the king had commanded folks to bow to him (v2).  It’s not really clear in scripture why Haman was advanced, but Haman was promoted to (presumably) the second highest level of authority in the kingdom, and was enraged when Mordecai the Jew wouldn’t offer him obeisance.  Read Esther 3:5-6 and see how Haman’s pride caused him to feel/act: then take a moment to flip back to 2 Sam 16:5-14 to see how David (the king) responded to an even greater insult.  Ponder them both in your hearts for a moment: their level of pride, their reactions, and then their fates.  It’s good food for thought.

            Something that I had kind of read past when I was younger jumped out at me when I was reading this morning, in 3:7 we see that Haman, after becoming enraged at Mordeai, had lots cast (cleromancy)  for almost a full year before acting on his rage with his plans to commit genocide on the Jews.  Haman is a man who acts on his impulses, but absolutely does not act impulsively: he festered on his rage for almost a year before approaching the king to begin his attempt against the Jews, and sought supernatural guidance to find the best time to begin.  Haman offers the king 10000 talents (a talent was @75 lbs!) of silver, but the king said “the silver is given to you” and handed Haman his signet ring (effectively giving him full authority and funding) to sign his petition in to law.  Decrees were issued, messengers were sent out, and the king and Haman settled in to drink, but the “city of Susa was in confusion”.  The regular citizens, in other words, had no idea why this was happening.  (This is all detailed in Esther 3:7-15).           

            When Mordecai hears of this, he informs Esther  that she must act.  Initially she is hesitant to do so since there is a distinct possibility that she’ll be killed (Esther 4:1-12).  Mordecai’s response to this in 4:13 gives us a critical understanding: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish.  And who knows whether you have not reached royalty for such a time as this?“(LSB).  So here’s the thing: God has a plan.  We see throughout scripture that God interacts with his creation through his agents (shaliach) to further His plans and purposes, and many times He has placed a person in just the right place at just the right time to fulfill His purpose.  What do you think happens to those agents who allow fear to prevent them from doing Gods purpose? (Hint: see bold text above). Think about it for a moment: God will ensure His purposes, whether or not you choose to participate obediently determines whether you are rewarded richly or die unknown in disgrace.

            Keep this understanding in mind, while we move forward in time to when God sent Jesus as His obedient agent of salvation for the world.  In the book of Matthew, directly after being baptized, Jesus is led (by the holy spirit) into the wilderness and fasts for 40 days and nights,  after which The Adversary approaches him and tempts him: first with food (pretty obvious), then with a confirmation of authority (subtle and insidious), and then with a blatant offer of power (a last desperate attempt).  So what if Jesus had responded differently or disobediently, with arrogance instead of firm humility? Think about it.  If Jesus had not been obedient, it might be someone else’s name we all recognized today.

            A couple very important things to be noted: God cannot be tempted (James 1:13).  Even if you have a confused understanding about your Christology this should be a giant waving red flag to a “traditional  orthodox” understanding, regardless of “nature”,  because God cannot be tempted irregardless of how you try to rationalize or justify that.  Secondly, we know firsthand that our adversary is insidious and clever, hitting us at our weakest points.  In Matt 3:17, God says “This is my beloved son…” after Jesus obediently gets baptized.  In Matt 4:3, the tempter said “IF you are the son of God…” turn these stones into bread, and Jesus responds with scripture (Dt 8:3).  Then he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and said “IF you are the son of God…” throw yourself down, and quotes today’s reading of Psalms 91 (v11-12).  Jesus responds by quoting scripture back (Dt 6:16).  You know the story, probably so well that you’ve not dug into it too deeply.

            Here’s the thing, and why this is so insidious: in each of these instances above, the tempter is trying to plant a seed of doubt:  “IF you are the son of God…IF you are…” (“Are you really?  Are you sure?  We haven’t seen any miracles yet…how do you know?  Maybe this could show me and the world that you really are, prove yourself, let people see, won’t that be awesome?  Are you the messiah, do you really think so?  Are you really?  SHOW US…prove it to us and to yourself…”).  This is downright diabolical.  This is why it’s just so humbling and beautiful that Jesus remained faithful, because he overcame all of these diabolical temptations, these targeted attacks on him.

            “Weeell, he wasn’t really tempted…” I’ve heard some folks say, but YES, HE WAS!  In each of the points of potential weakness that the shrewdest adversary that exists thought he could penetrate.  Have you ever not eaten for a couple days?  Try it.  You start fantasizing about what foods you will eat when you eat again.  This is a pretty obvious first stab.  The second attempt (“throw yourself down…IF you are the son of God you’ll be fine…”) is the most insidious one, in my opinion, because as humans we are always just filled with doubt.  “Are you really the son of God?  Really? Prove it…” Imagine as a man that you believe that you have a God-given destiny, that you are to be the one to redeem not only Israel but all of the earth: but you’ve been out by yourself for over a month and haven’t eaten, you’re starving and beginning to wonder, and here is the opportunity to prove not only to your enemy but to yourself that you really are the chosen one, the Christ, the Anointed One.  You can prove it.  Are you tempted?  Of course you are.

            Thank God that Jesus overcame.  In our reading today of Hebrews 2:16-18 it confirms that Jesus was the seed of Abraham (A Jew, fulfilling the prophecy in Dt 18:18), that he was our brother (A human being, fulfilling the prophecy of Gen 3:15 and Ps 89:19), and that he himself was tempted (which God Himself can’t be, see James 1:13 again for clarification) so that he is able to come to help those who are tempted (ie, us, the other humans).  As our brother, Jesus is our role model of obedience and humble submission to God’s will. We can do it, because Jesus did.  We are called to be obedient and to submit just like Jesus did, just like Esther did, because if we don’t God will just raise up someone else in our place: His purpose will be fulfilled, whether you participate or not.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. Do you think you’d have ever heard about Esther, if she’d chosen to be safe instead of obedient?
  2. Same question, but with Jesus?
  3. Can you think of a time in your past where you had a choice but were scared?  What happened?  Do you feel as if you passed or failed that test, and why?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you for life, and breath, and all things.  Help me to be humble and obedient, even as the Christ was, and even to the point of death.  Allow me the honor of fulfilling the purpose that You have determined for me in this life, even unto death, and allow me to see Your kingdom.  May the lips of all creation offer You the praise deserved.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Battles and God’s Will

2 Chronicles 13-14

Psalm 79

Colossians 4

-Devotion by Juliet Taylor (TN)

In the Old Testament passages we read today, I pondered a lot. I wondered if Abijah actually sought God’s wisdom about starting the civil war against his brethren or if he took his own initiative. He slighted his father for not being aggressive and starting the battle during his reign. We know through scripture that his father refrained on account of God’s will.

What is evident in the passage is that when Abijah called upon the name of the LORD in times of war, he and his kingdom were saved in miraculous ways during each battle. Because they called out to God in their distress, God acted on their behalf. God acts as they humble themselves before him.

Another thought I pondered was God’s heart when it came to hearing his children brag about him, and how they kept his commandments and served him. This bragging seemed to be a part of Abijah’s decision to begin a civil war because it made the people proud. Though it ended victoriously, it led to the slaughter of thousands of Abijah’s own bloodline. 

This is where Jesus and the New Covenant direct my thoughts. We should absolutely strive to keep God’s commandments and serve him through Jesus, and we should be proud if we are able to do that, but we should brag about how we were able to do it with the help of Jesus. We should not brag about our works on account of ourselves, lest it puffs us up and leads us into battle against our brother or sister (whatever “battle” that may be). 

Though God led Abijah to victory, I don’t think it was God’s will for him to start a war in the first place. But since he acted, got himself into trouble, then humbled himself, God acted on his behalf. I don’t think it was the boasting that led God to work on his behalf, it was his/his people’s humility in their distress.

If we are going to boast, we should boast in Jesus. Boast that you died and were buried with him, then raised to life, so that you can live like him, loving as he loved, to help another conquer like he conquered. If we let love drive us, maybe there won’t be a need for victories to be won—at least not victories conquering our opponents.

Our victories will be measured by the way we loved our “opponents.” Colossians gives us a few examples of how to love our “opponents” in our everyday lives with the relationships we have.

Most of us will never be a master of slaves. But we do have relationships that need cultivating, like that of an employee to an employer, husband to wife, child to parent, apostle to church goer, etc., that we can respect and behave in with wisdom, working for the good of both parties like Jesus would, with the same endgame; save others. And if we mess up, we have a God we can seek in the name of Jesus, who will look on the humble who cry out to him for help.  

How do we cultivate good in these relationships, rather than going to war in them? Colossians 4 gives us some wisdom about this. Devote yourselves to prayer and thanksgiving, especially for those who have the opportunity to meet others, for a door to be opened to share the gospel. We should conduct ourselves with wisdom towards outsiders (by asking for it), so that our speech towards them will be seasoned with salt, so that we’ll gain more wisdom about how to speak life to them. 

It is good for those doing the Lord’s work to talk about it with the churches, so that we can be encouraged and join in the fight for lives, and provide for those in the trenches. We must remember their labor, especially when we’re comfortable in our more stationary position in the body of Christ, without much hardship. Remember those imprisoned for Christ’s sake. 

QUESTIONS:

1.      How many times do you think God answers your distress call after you’ve messed up?

2.      Kings who do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD often receive such a title by doing what?

3.      What wisdom do you get from reading Colossians 4 that can help you in your “battle” with one of your relationships?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father – I need Your wisdom to walk in Your will. Help me come before You seeking direction to do only what is pleasing to You. Give me a humble spirit and strength to do what You want me to do – in the way You want me to do it. Help me be a wise witness of You and Your son in all of my interactions with outsiders, “opponents”, brothers and sister. In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen

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Examining Your Work and Way

2 Chronicles 11-12

Psalm 79

Colossians 3

-Devotion by Juliet Taylor (TN)

In the previous chapters, I concluded that Rehoboam was wrong in dividing the kingdom of Israel in two, because he followed the advice of his young friends over the elders, whom I assume advised him to listen to God’s will in the matter, as they are often more inclined to adhere to the word of God than youth, having gained wisdom in their years. But now we read that God says that the dividing of the kingdom of God was from him, and that Rehoboam should not fight against his relatives to restore the one kingdom.

This is what I think is going on:  God allows us to make our own decisions. If we make a bad choice about what’s good for us without his wisdom about it, he decides the next move, not necessarily that he planned everything out the way it goes. And accordingly, we have the chance again to seek his will and choose to follow it or not. He moves as we move, though we should strive to move as he moves. We’ll see more of this happening in today’s readings. 

This time, Rehoboam listens to God’s words (his wisdom about what to do). His choice to listen to God yields to the creating of many notable fortified cities and prosperity in gaining his kingdom food, oil, and wine. Perhaps most importantly, the priests and the levities who were in all of Israel came to serve God with Rehoboam – at least for 3 years.

There is so much going on in Rehoboam’s reign that I think relates to this present age. It is after being established and strong that Rehoboam (and likewise most) forsook the law of the LORD again. Think about that. When we’re weak and in need, we tend to call upon the LORD. But when we’re healthy, strong, established, wealthy, etc., we forsake the Lord and his laws by going our own way (seeking our own will/wisdom about what we should do).

Why? The bible talks about this often. When we rely on our own wealth/power/established state, we forget God and all that he’s done for us.

In response, the LORD brings word that since Rehoboam forsook God, he’ll forsake him (and his kingdom which God gave him). This time, their response was good, though their repentance wasn’t without punishment. God sent an army against them. But because they humbled themselves, instead of allowing them to perish, he allows them to become slaves, “so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” (2 Chron. 12:8).

Though it may sound harsh, it is good to realize how good we’ve got it when we are in service to the LORD, rather than in service, or a slave, to another. God’s wisdom about this is also all throughout scripture. We must learn to understand that punishment is good for us, when it is ordained by God. It can humble us.

Now read Psalm 79 and ponder upon the humility displayed from those who are God’s who have been downcast. Now read Colossians chapter 3.

This life in Christ is supposed to be one wherein we live as Christ lived, not how those whom we read about in the past lived. They should have continuously looked to God’s laws and been thankful for them, so that they could do them and live well.

We have more wisdom than they I think, to be able to do God’s will, because we are in Christ. The “how to” though often finds a way to baffle us.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul talks as if the things we need to do come naturally to those of us in Christ – at least that’s how it has been perceived by me when preached.

I find myself more inclined to think that the things Paul writes about affect me much in the same way they affected Rehoboam and Jeroboam, though in Christ, I received the spirit of Christ, urging me to follow him. Every act I make is a decision to let God be the judge of what’s right and to do accordingly, or to let myself, my flesh, be the judge and act foolishly.

But by remembering Christ, what he did, God’s plan of salvation through him, and who I am in him, I can be prudent to humble myself in good times and in bad and walk as he walked. This takes prayer. It takes the reading of God’s word. It takes much action from me.

My actions may be to make my days routine full of what it says we should be doing in Colossians 3 by reading God’s word, by discussing it with my brothers and sisters in Christ, by allowing myself to be taught and admonished by them and vice versa; to sing with them and gush with thankfulness to God in unity.

I can be a wife subject to my husband as unto the Lord (and he thus to me, both with love for each other). I can raise my children to be obedient but without causing them to lose heart, teaching them the love of Christ and why it is so good to desire that he rules over us, admonishing them when they miss the mark. It is all a part of God’s plan of salvation, which is so good for us.

I can think of the things I decide to do in word or in deed as actions I take for the Lord Jesus, thanking God our father through him. I can decide to work heartily for the Lord, and not merely for men when in my job, as an employee to my boss, doing my best to please my Lord (I liken this to a slave working for her master in Paul’s time). And I can do it all with a mindset that I want all whom I come across to be affected by my behavior, acting in such a manner to win others to Christ because it is so good for them.

QUESTIONS:

1.      Do you think that under the New Covenant we’ve entered into that God will forsake us if we forsake him? What does that even mean?

2.      Do you think that under the New Covenant we’ve entered into that God allows us to be slaves to sin when we follow the urging of the flesh instead of the urging of the spirit to do what is right so that we may learn the difference between his service in Christ and the service to sin again?

3.      Paul gives the Colossians a lot of instruction regarding what they should do in Christ. However, it doesn’t read as if he’s giving them laws to follow under the New Covenant like that of the Old Covenant. To me it sounds like he gives them a lot of great wisdom relating to their lives that they can adhere to or not. What do you think?

PRAYER:

Dear God of wisdom and might – I want to follow You well all of my days. May I abide by your will with a heart of humility, eagerly doing the work You have for me to do. Help me to show the world that You are a good God and that there is great joy in serving Your Son Jesus Christ. In his name I pray, Amen.

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I Am NOT More Significant

2 Chronicles 1-2

Psalm 76

Philippians 2

-Devotion by JJ Fletcher (MN)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

(Philippians 2:3 ESV)

Be humble. Paul says to count others as more important than yourselves. Selfish ambition and conceit have no place in a life of faith. Jesus doesn’t try to bypass God’s will and establish the Kingdom in his own timing; rather, he understands God’s redemption plan and the need for his sacrifice. He puts the lives of his friends and the future of the church ahead of his desire to escape pain. Succinctly put, he counted others as more important than himself. Contemplate what putting this into practice looks like day by day.

Don’t grumble. This may be hard to grasp, but grumbling and complaining are not spiritual gifts. I jest (kind of…), but if you have been around people for any length of time, even in the church, you have heard someone complain. Some people seemingly enjoy complaining or feel like it is their duty to point out everything that is “wrong” (maybe they were never taught how to channel those thoughts in a constructive way).

Sometimes we grumble and complain when things are tough and unpleasant, but other times we complain because we don’t like the way something is done. Maybe it’s due to our preferences, or maybe it’s because we think we could have done better (i.e., pride). Whatever the case may be, we should not be going through life with our default being set to complain about everything that does not go our way.  

There are tons of things that I don’t like. I don’t like Mondays; I don’t like it to be over 72 degrees outside, and I am not enamored by the chorus “As the Deer”. Whether it is the weather, the way we feel about starting our work week (also, what is a weekend?), or our worship preferences, we are responsible for how we conduct ourselves: our attitudes, our actions, our responses to all stimuli. I can choose to roll my eyes or be grumpy, or I can choose to have a good attitude. 

One mind. Paul’s desire is for the body to be of one mind. Being of one mind, Paul wants us to have the same mindset as Jesus. As we strive to work, worship, and live in unity, we should be following his examples of humility and conduct.

Fear and trembling. Paul says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. All parts of our lives should be evaluated under this primary question: “Does this honor and glorify God?” This should impact our theology, our church structure, and our conduct toward others. There are lots of ways to live out our faith; some ways are correct, and some are not, but some are just flat out different than others and are equally useful for bringing God glory. 

Reflection Questions:

How does my behavior reflect my faith?

What message does grumbling and complaining send?

How can we effectively navigate disagreements in churches and in other areas of our lives?

What does having one mind look like in practical terms?

Prayer

Dear God – You have so much You could complain about me. Forgive me for the times I am proud, selfish and complaining. I want to have the mind of Christ. Help me see myself and others as You want me to. Help me catch when I am going in the wrong direction and make the changes necessary to be pleasing to You in my attitude, words and actions.

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Godly Sorrow Works Repentance

2 Kings 11-12  
Psalm 66            
2 Corinthians 7

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Join us together today reading tough history lessons from 2 Kings and the letter to the 2 Corinthians that is a corrective epistle.  The book of Romans is mostly doctrinal and is telling us how to believe correctly in Christ.  The epistle of 1 Corinthians is correction and in it Paul does many corrections of the wrong believing that the church there had, which caused the wrong actions that they had done.  The second epistle of Corinthians is a follow up to the first one, and Paul gives them additional correction that they are ready to hear now.  He continues to give them guidance on how to apply what they have learned from him and other teachers that have instructed their church.  

2 Corinthians 7:8-13(NLT) I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. 12 My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. 13 We have been greatly encouraged by this.

This section from 2 Corinthians 7 is very instructional for all of us.  Paul shows us how to relate to each other when sin is involved.  Then he gives us insight into how to change to become more like Christ.  I know for sure that I have had several instances in my walk with God where this section of scripture has applied (like 5000, maybe more).  When we are corrected by the Word of God and the ministers of it, it at first will not be comfortable or palatable.  Our first human reaction is to reject the correction because I am sure that it is wrong and certainly does not apply to me.  

Then as we contemplate and meditate on what is written our minds will become convicted by the truth.  Repentance is the motivation to change our ways and comes from learning what is correct believing and correct behavior.  It will lead us away from our wrong thoughts and behavior giving us a new perspective and new thinking.  Maybe a renewing of our minds (any idea where that came from?) to the truth.  

We need to learn how to believe in Christ correctly, but life is filled with opportunities to do it God’s way or our own way.  Making Christ lord in our lives must include the humility to let the truth change our thinking into the thoughts of God.

Get rid of stinking thinking!!  Crude but effective comment.  

If there is no brother or sister in Christ willing and able to show us the wrong direction of our ways, then we will continue to be living without fellowship with God and His Son.  We all have strengths in different areas of our lives, and together we replace the absent Christ as the church of his body.  You may be able to help me to see the correct path in a given situation for what I need to do.  But if you are not willing to correct me, I am the loser.  In the same way I need to see the actions and behavior of others through the lens of scripture.  If correction is needed, then we should do it with gentleness and care for others.  It is not a hammer to be wielded on others but a pointing to the truth with firmness and strength of truth.   

2 Timothy 2:25-26(NLT) Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Reflection Questions

Does this section of 2 Corinthians help you to see the path of righteous living?

Are you willing to be the leader in Christ that this is calling us to be?

How should we handle these situations with others in the church?

Prayer

Father God, we have failed you so many times. Thank you for bringing us back to You through godly teaching and leadership. Help us to be the child You desire us to be and to repent of our shortcomings and failure. Thank you Father for the forgiveness of our sin in every part of our lives. All praise to You on high, You are our Father and we love You so much. In the name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.

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What Can I Do to Help You?

2 Kings 3-4         

Psalm  64          

2 Corinthians 3

-devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Today we start a week with so many inspiring scriptures to read and meditate on.  The first section today is from 2 Kings 4 where the familiar  story of Elisha and the olive oil is recorded.  Elisha is speaking for God and asks the widow “What can I do to help you?”  The theme of the week of readings is our God who is always asking us that question.  The Good News is that God is also willing and powerful to help us in every way if we put our trust and faith in Him.  What He has done for us is to redeem us, sanctify us, reconcile us, and give meaning and purpose to our walk with Him in our lives.  Reading from our section of Kings today:

2 Kings 4:2-7(NLT) “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked.

 “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
3 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. 4 Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
5 So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. 6 Soon every container was full to the brim!
“Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.
“There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
7 When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”

If you combine Basil, Parmesan, Pinenuts and Olive Oil you get Pesto. What do you get when you mix Olive Oil, Spinach and Sweet Peas?  You get the cartoon classic Popeye.

Oh well it was a good try.  But you know why Our God is so strong?  He is strong to the finish!! (famous quote).

The story of Elisha and his walk with twice the spiritual power of Elijah is such an important record for us to read and appreciate.  All through these chapters of Kings we see God giving people the things that are needed, continually rewarding faithful followers with what is important in their lives. Elisha walks and talks with God daily and has the voice of God in his spiritual ear all the time.  

Can we hear words of knowledge and wisdom from God today like Elisha did?

If we believe that this is true, why do we doubt God’s presence so often? 

2 Kings 4:13-17(NLT) Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you have shown us. What can we do for you? Can we put in a good word for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’”“No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me.”14 Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can we do for her?”Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a son, and her husband is an old man.”15 “Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, 16 “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!”“No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.”17 But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.

Once again, the question “what can God do for her?”  And then we read how Elisha raises the child from the dead in a most thrilling story of deliverance.  Wow!

How do we change our perspective to “what can we do for others?” in our walks?

How do you think that would affect our lives and ministries?

Now let’s look at what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians where he is working to help their church to become united, strong, and productive.  They were divided in their church body, and were accepting and promoting wrong teaching in many areas of Christian living and worship.  The books of 1-2 Corinthians are reproof and correction to help them (and us) to get back to the correct path of righteous living, believing and actions.

2 Corinthians 3:1-6(NLT)  Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles who should be the most exalted and powerful leader of the early church, especially amongst the Gentiles.  Instead, he comes to the Corinthians showing them that the attitude of leadership and service in the church body is one of true humility and deliverance.  All leadership is based on trust in God and Jesus Christ.  He is the example of what true humility is, for Christian living and leadership for them and for us.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18(NLT) Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The more that we read, study and meditate on the Word, and follow the examples of Christ and all the leaders that are recorded in the Bible, the more we will become like Christ.  The walk of fellowship with the Father and His Son will be reflected in our faces and from our lives.  I am sure that you have seen this from believers that you fellowship with.  

REflection Questions:

Why is the veil of uncertainty done away with when we follow Christ?

What can we do daily to improve our walks of believing in spiritual power?

PRAYER:

Father God, we look to You today and are thankful for all that you do in every way in our lives.  You have saved us, built us up and sustained us through the challenges of life.  Father, we look to you to talk to us and give us the confidence to do what You ask us to do.  We are weak in ourselves but strong with Christ in us.  Thank you for being part of all we do.  Give us your help today.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

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Wisdom is More than Intelligence

1 Kings 3–4

Psalm 59

1 Corinthians 8

-Devotion by Brian Froehlich (IL)

When Solomon became king, God gave him an incredible opportunity.

He could ask for anything.

Power.
Riches.
Military victory.
Long life.

Instead, Solomon asked for wisdom.

That request pleased God because Solomon recognized something many people never do: leadership without wisdom is dangerous.

1 Kings chapter 3 shows a young king who understood his own limitations. Solomon did not pretend to know everything. He admitted that he needed God’s help to govern rightly.

And that humility mattered.

One of the most famous moments in Solomon’s life came shortly afterward when two women came before him, both claiming the same baby as their own. Solomon’s shocking proposal revealed the true mother because real love was willing to sacrifice personal rights to preserve life.

True wisdom does more than impress people.
It reveals the heart.

That is still true today.

Our world often confuses wisdom with education, confidence, or internet knowledge. But biblical wisdom is deeper than information. Wisdom is the ability to see situations through God’s perspective and respond in ways that reflect His character.

A person can be highly educated and still make foolish decisions.
A person can speak confidently and still be spiritually blind.

Wisdom begins with recognizing our dependence upon God.

But there is also a warning quietly woven into these chapters.

Even while Solomon loved God, cracks were already forming beneath the surface. The text mentions that he married Pharaoh’s daughter and that the people were still sacrificing at the high places.

At first glance, those details may seem minor. But small compromises often become major disasters later.

Very few people wake up one morning and decide to destroy their lives. Usually, hearts drift slowly.

One tolerated compromise at a time.
One rationalization at a time.
One neglected prayer at a time.

That is why wisdom is not merely knowing what is right. Wisdom is continually choosing what is right.

Solomon’s kingdom experienced peace, prosperity, and influence unlike almost anything Israel had ever seen. Yet even the greatest earthly kingdom could not fully satisfy the human heart or permanently solve the problem of sin and death.

Like David before him, Solomon’s story ultimately points beyond himself.

The Bible’s hope is not merely that humanity would someday produce a wise king. The hope is that God would provide the perfect King — one greater than Solomon — who would rule with complete righteousness forever.

And that future kingdom still lies ahead.

Three Things to Remember

  1. Wisdom begins with humility.

Solomon became wise when he admitted he needed God’s help.

  1. Small compromises matter.

The seeds of future failure are often planted long before anyone notices them.

  1. Earthly success is never the final answer.

Even Solomon’s glorious kingdom could not replace humanity’s need for resurrection, restoration, and God’s coming Kingdom.

We live in a world overflowing with information but starving for wisdom.

So before asking God for more influence, more money, or more success, perhaps we should begin where Solomon did:

“Lord, give me wisdom.”

Reflection Questions

  1. Are you humble enough to seek and ask for wisdom?
  2. Consider this definition – “Wisdom is the ability to see situations through God’s perspective and respond in ways that reflect His character.” Choose a situation you have been in recently. What might wisdom see? How might wisdom respond?
  3. How can we learn more about God’s perspective and His character so we can more often follow in God’s wise way rather than our own often foolish way?
  4. What should we do, where should we be, who should we be with, while asking God for wisdom?
  5. What do you think is a wise judgment/decision/action you made? What is a foolish one ? What made it foolish? Were there any small compromises that led up to this foolishness?

Prayer

Dear God – I pray for wisdom. You are the wise and all-knowing, always righteous God and I need You. Help me see Your perspective and reflect Your character in both big and small decisions, judgments and actions in my life. Show me what is right and what is wrong and give me perseverance to do, think, say, choose what is right. Show me where small compromises are leading me astray.

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Forgiven and Grieving, but Still Moving

2 Samuel 19–20

Psalm 57

1 Corinthians 4

-Devotion by Melissa New (AR)

Absalom is dead, but David is not celebrating.

The rebellion has been stopped. The army has won. David’s throne has been preserved. But the king is weeping over the son who tried to take his kingdom from him.

“O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 19:4)

To Joab and the army, Absalom was a traitor. He had stolen the hearts of the people, taken Jerusalem, and forced David to flee for his life. He was dangerous and his rebellion had to be stopped. But David did not see Absalom only as a rebel. He saw him as his son.

We cannot say exactly what was in David’s mind, but we do know what was in David’s past. In 2 Samuel 12, Nathan had told David that his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah would bring consequences into his house. The sword would not depart from his house, calamity would come out of his own household, his wives would be given to someone close to him in broad daylight, and the child born to Bathsheba would die.

David repented and was forgiven. Nathan told him plainly, “The LORD has taken away your sin.” But forgiveness didn’t mean that every consequence disappeared.

By 2 Samuel 19, David is mourning the death of another son. The child born to Bathsheba had died. Amnon had been murdered by his brother, Absalom. Now Absalom has been killed by Joab. (Later, Adonijah would also die during the struggle surrounding Solomon’s throne.) The calamity in David’s household was no longer a warning. It had become a painful reality.

David had replied to the prophet Nathan’s parable that the guilty man should pay “four times over.” Whether we count the consequences by Nathan’s words or by the sons David lost, the shadow over David’s house is hard to miss. This is what makes David’s grief so complicated. He was not just grieving a son. He was grieving as a father, as a king, and as a man who knew that his own sin helped bring sorrow into his house.

David had already shown a humbled spirit when he fled Jerusalem. When Zadok brought the ark of God, David sent it back. He would not presume that God would go with him. Then Shimei came out cursing him and throwing stones. Abishai wanted to kill him, but David stopped him. David wondered if perhaps the Lord had allowed even that humiliation.

This is not the attitude of a man who thinks he has done nothing wrong. David knows he has been forgiven, but he also knows he is living in the wreckage of his own failure. Can we relate to this struggle?

We believe God forgives sin. We believe the blood of Christ is enough. We believe God removes guilt from the repentant heart. But what happens when the consequences remain?

What happens when the relationship is still damaged?
What happens when the trust is still broken?
What happens when the family still feels the effects?
What happens when we are forgiven before God, but still have to walk through the results of what we did?

Sometimes guilt and grief can make us passive. We do not know when to speak, when to act, when to defend ourselves, or when to accept the humiliation. David seems almost frozen at times. He wants Absalom spared. He mourns so deeply that the men who saved him feel ashamed. He forgives Shimei. He appoints Amasa, the commander of Absalom’s army, over his own army. He is trying to heal the kingdom, but everything is still unstable and such a mess.

There is humility and mercy in David, but there is also hesitation.

Joab saw the danger in David sitting too long in his grief and hesitation. He was a man of action who saw a threat and dealt with it quickly. He killed Absalom even though David didn’t want this to happen. He murdered his cousin Amasa after Amasa delayed in gathering the army against Sheba’s rebellion. Then he took charge of David’s army and pursued Sheba until the rebellion was crushed. Joab may have helped preserve David’s kingdom, but he did it with blood on his hands. And because he was David’s nephew, Joab’s violence was another painful reminder that this trouble, too, was coming from close to home.

David and Joab show two different dangers. David’s guilt and grief made it hard for him to act decisively.
Joab had no such hesitation, but his boldness was not always righteous. One man hesitated under the weight of sorrow. The other pushed forward without enough fear of God.

Forgiveness does not mean we will always know exactly how to act when consequences stand in front of us. Sometimes we will feel humbled. Sometimes ashamed. Sometimes unsure whether to speak or stay silent. Sometimes we will want to fix everything quickly, but the damage will take longer than we hoped.

When the consequences of sin remain, we still have to do the next right thing. We humble ourselves. We accept what God allows. We make peace where peace can be made. We lead where we are called to lead. We refuse revenge. We refuse despair. We refuse to believe that because the storm is still blowing, God is no longer with us. And even while we are grieving, we keep moving.

David had once prayed in Psalm 57:1, “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” That psalm came from another season of trouble, but the words fit David’s life here too. He needed mercy while the storm was still raging. He needed God while the consequences were still unfolding.

And so do we.

Reflection Questions

Do shame and guilt sometimes grip your heart and make it hard for you to know what to do?

Do you feel lost to the consequences of sin and like an outsider watching your life with no power to control it?

Does grief keep you frozen and feeling unable to act as a faithful follower of God?

If so, these are all feelings that David probably experienced too. Most likely, many Christians feel this way at times. David is a great example for us because no matter how bad things got for him, he always put his trust in God. He shows us how to turn our focus from ourselves back to the God who loves us. David said, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Psalm 57:11

Prayer

Dear Great & Mighty God of Mercy and Justice – help me to fear You, and love and adore You to keep me from evil and serve You well. When I fail You, thank You for Your forgiveness. In humility, help me seek to do the next right thing and trust You more and more.

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