Good morning! Continuing with our topic from Psalm 17, God as our ultimate protector and source of peace. How can we know that what we are asking for is right? How do I know that He will listen? David answers these questions all through Psalm 17. Yesterday, I gave you 5 things David says to do to find refuge in God. Each from the first five verses. The next 4 are from varying verses from the chapter.
6. Experience God’s Unfailing Love
David is looking and seeking God’s love and protection: “Show the wonders of Your loving devotion, You who save by Your right hand”-Psalm 17:7. This is a reminder of how much God loves us. A love that is steadfast and unwavering. Experiencing His love transforms our lives and empowers us to love others. Not only that but you feel safe when you are loved. When the God of the universe loves you, you know you can rest.
7. Find Security in God’s Protection
David finds security in God’s protection, describing it as being hidden “in the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 17:8). This picture reassures us of God’s protection and care, offering us a safe and secure haven when life’s storms hit us. We can rest in the knowledge that God is our shield and defender. You have found refuge.
8. Recognize the Futility of Worldly Pursuits
The psalm compares and contrasts the nature of worldly pursuits with the eternal satisfaction found in God: “They are satisfied with children and leave their abundance to their infants” (Psalm 17:14). This lesson encourages us to focus on eternal treasures rather than temporary gains, finding true fulfillment in our relationship with God. Paul does the same thing that David is doing here in Ephesians 1:3 when he says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. This verse also contrasts temporary earthly prosperity to spiritual blessings.
9. Anticipating the Joy of God’s Presence and our Resurrection
David concludes with a hopeful anticipation of being resurrected at Christ’s return: “When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15). When he says “when I awake” he is expecting to die and be raised to new life. That is his hope. This final lesson inspires us to look forward to the ultimate joy of being with God, and his son Jesus where we will experience complete satisfaction and joy in His presence for eternity.
Reflection Questions
Is God your refuge? How much peace do you have?
Are you doing these things?
What are some ways you can apply these principles today?
Prayer
Father God my prayer this morning is that we know how to take refuge in you. That we apply these principles to our lives and live with the joy, acceptance and peace that you give us each day. May we be active in seeking out your will. In Jesus’ name.
This morning’s devotion will be taken from Psalms 15 verses 1-5. Psalm 15:4 says, speaking of a blameless man, that ‘in their eyes a vile person is despised.’ How can we both despise the vile, and yet also love our enemies?” David says in Psalm 15:1–2, 4, ‘O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right . . . in whose eyes a vile person is despised.’ But Jesus says in Matthew 5:44, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ These categories of vile people and enemies and persecutors are not entirely overlapping, but I think it’s safe to say that there’s at least some overlap between them. I imagine David had his enemies in mind in Psalm 15 when he was talking about vile people. How are we to “despise and love the sinfully vile?”
The short answer is that it is possible to love someone you despise. It is not just possible but necessary, because the psalm says that one of the principles of the person who dwells with God, who enjoys God’s fellowship, is that “in [his] eyes a vile person is despised.” That’s a mark of being welcomed into God favor. In fact, we don’t even need to jump from the psalm to Jesus in order to see what love requires toward a vile person.
Grab your Bible and read Psalm 15:1–5. I’ll just pause and share the key parts as we go along. “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?” That’s the question. Who gets to enjoy fellowship with God? “Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1). In other words, what are the marks of a person who can enjoy the presence and the fellowship of God? And here comes the answer: “He who walks blamelessly and does what is right” (Psalm 15:2). So he’s not free. This person who qualifies to be with God is not free to call just anything right. He does what is right — namely, what God calls right.
Keep going, “And speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor” (Psalm 15:2–3). Now that’s very important, because it comes just before the word about despising. Paul said in Romans 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” So, when the psalmist says, “does no evil to his neighbor,” he is saying, “I must love my neighbor. I may not wrong him.”
And then it continues, “nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Psalm 15:3–4). That means he keeps his promises even when it hurts him. “Who does not put out his money at interest” which means he doesn’t take advantage of anyone financially “and does not take a bribe against the innocent” (Psalm 15:5). So he won’t let himself be lured by money to treat anyone unjustly. And then, “He who does these things shall never be moved.” End of psalm. Set your Bible down for a second. What do we make of this? Here’s David (a psalm of David), the man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). And he says that the person who can dwell with God and enjoy God’s fellowship 1. does what is right, 2. does not slander anyone, 3. does no evil to his neighbor, 4. doesn’t charge interest to gouge anyone, and 5. doesn’t let bribery pervert justice in his hands. This is not a careless moment for David, in which he’s on some kind of hate tirade against evildoers. This is a careful listing of traits of the person God delights to have near him. And right after saying, “does no evil to his neighbor,” one phrase later, he says that in this godly man’s eyes a vile person is despised and one who fears the Lord is honored (Psalm 15:3–4).
So, we take Paul’s definition of love from Romans 13:10 (“Love does no wrong to a neighbor”), and then David who is saying, “The man whom God welcomes loves his neighbor and despises him if he’s vile.” Notice the two halves of Psalm 15:4. The two halves express opposites. Here’s what he says in verse 4: “In whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors (which is the opposite of despised) those who fear the Lord (which is the opposite of vile).” What David says in the godly person’s heart is not how they act, not how they treat people. That’s not the point of verse 4. That’s the point of verse 3: you do no wrong to a neighbor. But the point of verse 4 is what they feel about the character of a person. What they admire in their hearts or don’t admire, what they praise, glorify, honor. The godly person does not glorify the vile person. He glorifies the one who fears the Lord. The godly person does not admire, or venerate, or want to be like the vile person. He admires; he wants to be near and be like the person who fears the Lord. In other words, to despise in Psalm 15 does not mean you desire to destroy a person, or to see a person come to ruin. To despise means you regard the person’s character as ugly, dishonorable, shameful, disgraceful, unworthy of praise. There are people like that, and it would be ungodly not to despise them. David is saying, “If you have the kind of heart that enjoys being around vile people who don’t fear God, if you admire and esteem vile people, you’re not fit for the presence of God.” That’s what he’s saying. Sit with those words and act on them.
Reflection Questions
What would make a person a vile person? What makes a person one who fears God?
Why would a God of love want “the one who is blameless” to despise a vile person?
Have you ever experienced loving someone you despised? If not, do you at least see how it is possible? What might it look like in your own life? Why might God be asking you to do this?
Prayer
Dear Lord God, help me be righteous before You. Show me how you want me to honor those who fear You, and despise the vile. Give me Your eyes, mind and heart to see clearly, think correctly, and love completely.
Two days ago we posted a devotion titled “Not Me, But God” as we were discussing Joseph’s humble and truthful reply to Pharaoh who was seeking someone to interpret his dreams (Genesis 41:16). God did indeed give the answer through Joseph – the dreams meant there would be 7 years of abundant crops followed by 7 years of famine. After giving the interpretation, Joseph – the man who had spent the last 13 years of his life as a servant or a prisoner in a foreign land – stood before Pharaoh suggesting he choose a discerning and wise man to help lead the country through the next 14 years. Pharaoh wisely chose the one man who had been able to interpret his dreams, because in Joseph he saw the Spirit of God, and that is what to look for in a leader. How’s that for being at the right place, at the right time, for the right purpose, with the right spirit. It wasn’t coincidence. It was God. God had sent the dreams, the servant/prisoner from Canaan, the memory of the cupbearer, and the interpretation, at just the right time – and Joseph was saved from prison and also, Egypt would be prepared for the coming famine.
Today’s reading in Genesis 45 takes place about 9 years later, after 7 years of abundant crops in Egypt during which time Joseph had collected lots and lots of grain, and then, came the famine. It hit hard and not just in Egypt. But Egypt was prepared because of God’s guidance and providence and Joseph’s leadership. Meanwhile, back in Canaan Joseph’s father Jacob (also called Israel) had sent his sons to Egypt to get grain. Remember these are the jealous, hateful, conniving brothers of Joseph who had nearly killed him but instead threw him in the pit and sold him as a slave all those years ago, and had deceived their father into thinking that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.
It is in chapter 45 that Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers after they have come twice to Egypt to get grain. It would be so easy to harbor anger and resentment toward the brothers who did such evil against you. And now Joseph was in a position to really get back at them and make them pay. He had the power and authority to have them killed, imprisoned for life, or whatever he wanted. So what did Joseph want?
Joseph said to his brothers: “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a [a]posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:5-8 NKJV)
He wasn’t looking for revenge. He wanted reconciliation.
He didn’t even want them to feel guilty! He wanted them to see God!
What an example Joseph sets for us. We all find ourselves in positions we don’t want to be in. It is easy to become bitter and hard hearted. We see injustice and we are wronged, sometimes in petty ways, sometimes in major ways. It is all too easy to blame and to hold grudges. We want to see them pay.
But Joseph shows us a better way. A way that Jesus will teach us about – loving your enemy, even when they are your brother as well. A way that Paul will write about in 1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
But Joseph wasn’t JUST loving – he was also seeing God at work. He saw how God was putting the pieces in place.
He was giving all glory and honor to God – not taking credit for the good that was done. Not me, but God.
He didn’t see evil done against him by man. He saw a saving God arranging pieces of deliverance and salvation. Not them, but God.
He didn’t see wasted years. He saw growth in hard places. He saw God preparing a man with His Spirit. As a brother in a pit he was learning to rely on God not on people. As a servant he was learning how to run a household. As a prisoner he was learning how to run a government entity. He was learning to see God at work. He saw he was never alone. God was with him and God was at work. God was at work saving not only a person who had been mistreated, not just a dysfunctional family, but God was saving nations and creating a people for Himself.
And when people looked at Joseph – they saw the Spirit of God.
Reflection Questions:
If Joseph were to write an autobiography what might he title it? What might Joseph want us to learn from his experience?
In what hard places have you found yourself? Have you allowed yourself to become bitter or better through the experiences? How might God have been (or is currently) preparing you for what comes next?
Are you currently holding grudges or wanting revenge for anything man has done against you? What would be a better way? How would you go about this change?
Do you see God at work? How can you be God’s instrument in His business of saving people?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I am in awe of You. You are the Creator of life and of saving plans and of turning what man meant for evil into something good. You do not abandon Your people in hard places, but You work with them, filling them with Your Spirit and preparing them for the saving job You have for them to do. Forgive me of the times I wanted revenge or felt ill will towards those who have hurt me. Help me instead to focus on loving others and seeing You at work. Help me, Lord God, to be faithful and effective to do whatever saving jobs you have prepared me to do today and every day to come. I want to be Yours. I want Your Spirit in me.
Yesterday we reposted a devotion on 2 Timothy about Guarding the Faith and Fanning it into Flame by Jeff Fletcher. One way Pastor Jeff did this (and his wife Karen continues to), is with their 11 children. Today we will be reposting not one, but two devotions from not one, but two of Jeff and Karen’s sons who are both ministering in Minnesota. Thank you, Fletchers, for sharing lessons from God’s Word with us through SeekGrowLove!
Devotion on 2 Peter 1
by JJ Fletcher – originally posted on October 12, 2022 for SGL
We have great and precious promises that have been made that will enable us to become partakers of the divine nature! As Jesus put on a new nature in his resurrection from the dead, so shall we when through faith, we endure through life’s many challenges and inherit the promise of the coming Kingdom of God.
Hebrews 11:1 says that “…faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” As we have faith that God will restore all things (Acts 3:21), upon our faith we must add virtue: meaning good quality of life or uprightness – not simply believing but living out our lives as something that reflects the nature of God’s goodness, justness, and righteousness. After believing and living a changed life, we are to add knowledge to that; we should always be striving to learn from God’s inspired word and learn from his spirit as it is active in us… And more than that, seek after his spirit that we might become more in line with his will and come to a greater understanding of its importance and how beneficial it is to us to walk in his ways.
Following the call to add knowledge, we encounter again the call to be self-controlled! It really does seem that much of what we read in scripture hinges on self-control and that circles back to our need to not stifle the spirit in our lives. If one of the elements that the fruit of the spirit brings forth in our lives is self-control, then we ought to do whatever it takes to drive away any behaviors that might cause God’s spirit to depart from us (Judges 16, 1 Samuel 16). Self-control allows us to endure – to stay on the course – as Paul might say, “to run the race”. We have to endure through all of the challenges and temptations that life throws at us, and we must allow the motivation of our hope, our uprightness, and the self-control that we are enabled to have through God’s spirit carry us through.
As we endure, we ought to have a reverential feeling or devotion to God, that’s what the Greek work translated godliness indicates. As we experience God’s goodness and see how His spirit works in us, we should feel more and more awe and reverence to our creator… After all, He put the plan into place that leads us into a life that transcends the brokenness that sin imparts on our lives – even though we sin and are affected by sin, God’s directives lead us onto a path that (through Jesus) casts that sin aside and draws us into community with him.
And as all these things are ingrained into our life, the part that affects others the most is the cherry on top… We are to have brotherly affection (love) as a defining characteristic in our lives! Love and care for one another as believers will lead us to speak into one another’s lives and help us when we hit rough patches. Even the most spiritually minded people hit dark periods in their lives (google the dark night of the soul). If we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we will take the time to come alongside them, to care for them, to call them out, to admonish and encourage – brotherly affection means being intimately involved in the lives of our faith family – not being apathetic or half-hearted. We need to invest in each other as Christ has invested in us through his sacrifice (sometimes we must be self-sacrificial).
These qualities keep us from being ineffective witnesses and fruitless workers. We must be bearing the fruit of the word implanted in us (James 1) and strive to be effective ministers to the lives of those who are hurting and struggling. Peter says that whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind! Yikes… lacking these qualities as I read this means that we cannot see beyond ourselves, and that it a tremendous problem when one of our chief goals is to preach the gospel to all creation.
If we take these qualities to head and practice them diligently it says we confirm our election (or being chosen out) into beneficiaries of the grace of God. Also, it says if we practice these things we will never fall. So, practice these things so that you may have entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (v11).
J.J. Fletcher lives in Minnesota with his wife and four children. He is the pastor at Pine Grove Bible Church.
Reflection:
1. Think about how Jesus exemplified all these characteristics listed in verses 5-7. If he had not exemplified all these things, would he have had the wherewithal to endure through his father’s plan of salvation through him? How can we expect to live exemplary lives if we do not take these characteristics to heart.
2. Think about the first 6 items listed (faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, and godliness) and the final one: brotherly affection/love. What do the first 6 produce without the 7th? We’re designed (as individuals and as a church body) to be in community, how might we be rendered fruitless and ineffective if we excel at the 6, but lack the 7th?
AND – A Devotion on 2 Peter 2
by Joel Fletcher – originally posted Oct 15, 2023 for SGL.
“For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.” 2 Peter 2:21 (ESV)
An idea stitched through today’s readings is that the God of Heaven prefers human behavior that is good and has an aversion to human behavior that is bad (to put it mildly). The Maker of mankind pays attention to both the wicked and the righteous (Proverbs 15:3). God sees all that happens on earth and, although all bad is wrong from His perspective, there seems to be a certain kind of action that uniquely draws His ire: people, who “speak on behalf of God”, using their influence to persuade others to evil–such people are called false prophets and false teachers (Jeremiah 23:16-17, 2 Peter 2:1). How do we avoid becoming like these people and live in a way that pleases our Maker?
Looking through the whole of scripture, one will discover that nearly all the people God employed for His purposes displayed humility (or were first humbled), while those whom God rejected or stopped using were dragged down by pride. When Jesus ministered in Judea and the surrounding regions, he embraced people who were stereotypically seen as bad (or, unrighteous) and opposed those who were known (and self-described) as good (or, righteous). While it is true that those whom Jesus befriended did bad things and those whom Jesus antagonized did good things, the defining distinction between the two was humility (in the former) and pride (in the latter).
The religious leaders of first-century Jerusalem saw themselves as righteous men who had things figured out–they needed no one to save them. The outcasts, meanwhile, longed for salvation–both from the Roman overlords and their own sinfulness. In other words, the people who embraced Jesus saw him as a doctor and themselves as the sick, while those who rejected him, saw Jesus as an instigator and themselves as the people preserving the peace. If one denies they have a problem, one cannot get the help needed.
There is a conundrum for the Christian: we are called to do good works (Ephesians 2:10) and to represent Christ on God’s behalf (2 Corinthians 5:10), but we are also warned that one who has claimed to be a Christian (maybe even one who has been an effective evangelist) can come to a place where, because of their pride, it would have been better if they had “never known the way of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:21). How do we avoid this state, while being faithful to our calling?
From what I see from scripture, the best antidote to getting on God’s bad side is to live in, with, and by humility. First, by fearing, above all (with reverence, awe, and worship) Yahweh. Second, by recognizing Jesus as the only way to the Father, to life eternal, and to the good life. Third, by recognizing that, while this knowledge radically changes lives, it doesn’t make one superior to anyone else.
You can, with great fervor, study your Bible for countless hours every day, and do all the spiritual practices prescribed or implied by the text, but it won’t make you any better off…unless you are aware and live as though you need a doctor and view Jesus as that doctor. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day didn’t recognize the great physician because they didn’t acknowledge their sickness. If we want to make sure we don’t go down that same dead-end road, if we don’t want to get scolded or labeled as a false teacher, we must take our humble medicine every day.
Joel Fletcher lives in Minnesota with his wife and two small children. He is involved with youth group and worship music at Pine Grove Bible Church.
Reflection Questions
Do you realize your need for a doctor and Savior? How does Jesus provide what you need?
What happens to those who once knew they needed Jesus, but then are puffed up with pride and go their own way?
What steps can you take to stay humble (or first become humble)? In what areas of your life do you most frequently run into the problem of pride? How can knowing this help you in the future?
Relationships are tricky things. They are a blessing to us, and yet they don’t come without thorns. God decided in the very beginning that we weren’t to be alone. We were created to be with others. The final three chapters of Ephesians center around how to be in relationships. From the bond found in church bodies and friendships,to slave/servant and master, to children and parents, to husband and wife, we see a wide array of relationships. And they all start in the same place: unity in Christ.
What a tricky thing to do, being one in spirit and purpose when we aren’t always one in mind. For example, you could look at the political atmosphere in our country. I know Christians who are Democrat, and Christians who are Republican, and a vast array in between or beyond. They are definitely not of one mind, though I like to believe that most are of one spirit: they want our country to be a good, safe place to live. We just all have a different ideas of how that should happen, and we prioritize different ideals, right?
The same goes in every relationship. In churches, I rarely see a lack of peace because someone desperately WANTS to go against Christ and destroy his church. Usually I just see different groups of people with different priorities and different ideas of how things should be done. One in spirit, but not one in mind. This holds true in every relationship. No matter how united we are in our goal, we will find differences that lead to conflict.
So how do we handle relationships when we differ in mind? Paul gives us a lot of advice here, so I’ll list some highlights:
1. Be humble, gentle, and patient in love. Show humility by admitting that maybe your way doesn’t have to be THE way. And of course be gentle and patient when you are disagreeing.
2. Seek God in determining your place in the body of Christ, as well as in your relationships. Many times our conflicts occur because we have stepped away from where God wants us.
3. Deal with your anger in a Godly way. Don’t let it take root and stew in your bitterness. Evaluate what you’re actually angry about. Is it righteous anger? Is this anger God would have in the same situation, or is this YOUR anger – anger that things aren’t going the way YOU want them to. If it’s Godly anger, then you need to speak up in truth. If it’s your anger, then you need to stop letting it get in the way of the work God wants to do in you and through you.
4. No unwholesome talk. This means you DON’T put others down. You don’t gossip, and you don’t say hurtful things about those who are one with you in the body of Christ. You don’t put down your children, you don’t put down your spouse, you don’t put down your friends, and you don’t put down your church body. You can’t be unified in mind and purpose if your speech is keeping you apart.
5. Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. That verse is so important to good relationships that I put it to song and had my children memorize it when they were small. God forgave you for all your stupid, stupid mistakes, sins and words. So forgive others for theirs.
6. Do not wait for others to follow Paul’s advice here. It starts with you. Paul didn’t say this, but we see it in every example of a good disciple. You can’t control others’ actions and emotions. But you can control yours. And good disciples take the first steps and live as an example to others.
Paul goes on in the rest of Ephesians with more good advice, specifically pertaining to certain relationships. But these foundations he lays out in chapter four pave the way. You are called to be united in Christ. So it’s time for a relationship inventory.
Reflection Questions:
First, are you united in spirit in this relationship? (As in, do you have the same goal, and is that goal Godly?) If you aren’t, then maybe it’s time to place some safety distance in that relationship so that it doesn’t affect the work God would like to do in your life. If you ARE united in spirit, you can move on to further analysis.
If you’re united in Spirit, are you currently not united in mind about an issue?
Are there negative feelings attached to that issue? Are you angry, bitter, hurt, jealous, anxious, or something similar? You need to find out the root cause. Do those feelings stem from something that is ungodly, or do they come from a more personal place? If you look at it hard enough, is this really just a difference of opinion, or is this an issue of righteousness? Most of the time, it’s a difference of opinion. If that’s the case, it’s time to start looking at Paul’s suggestions there in chapter 4. Most of all, show love. Rather than saying, “I’m angry at this person because of….” start actively saying, “I love this person because…” and you will see a radical shift in your relationships with others. Even if you have to start small with, “I love this person because God told me to.” Doing what God asks is a wonderful place to start.
Prayer Thoughts:
My prayer for you today is that you read through these passages and really try to apply them to your relationships. I pray that you are able to recognize a difference of opinion for what it is – a difference in how your beautiful brains think, not a reason to be angry and distrustful. I pray that you find unity in spirit and unity in mind in your relationships. I pray that when you don’t find that unity, you step up and be a good disciple by making the first move toward togetherness. I pray that you love and forgive others as Christ forgave you.
I’m amazed at how the book of Philemon came to be included in the Bible. I mean, this is a personal letter from one man to another. It wasn’t addressed to a group. And it was giving a simple, short message. It was just a note, really. But sometimes short and to the point is what we need, especially when the message is as radical as what Paul says to Philemon.
In this short letter, we see people in three positions in which every one of us has probably found ourselves.
We have Paul, who shows us how to encourage others towards love and forgiveness. He encourages Philemon not only to forgive Onesimus, but to accept him as a brother. And Paul does this with such love and gentleness. Paul reminds Philemon of their bond and implores him to show love to Onesimus and treat him as he would treat Paul. And he says that whatever debt that Philemon still feels Onesimus owes, should be considered Paul’s debt instead. Paul is showing us how to be Jesus to others.
Then we have Philemon, the wronged party. We’ve all been hurt by someone before and we see here how we should handle it – with love, grace, and forgiveness, just as Christ showed us. And Paul knows that’s hard. When you’ve been wronged and hurt, it’s hard to let that go. But here Paul asks us to not only forgive, but to also love the one who hurt us, just as Christ loves us.
Finally we have the one I think we can relate to the most: Onesimus. Onesimus has run from the one he wronged, and Paul knows that it isn’t enough to ask for forgiveness from afar. He sends Onesimus back to Philemon to do the hard thing. He sends him back to reconcile. Making things right is uncomfortable and even painful. But Paul knows that it must be done for true healing. We have all been Onesimus. We have all needed forgiveness.
And what these three thankfully have in common is that they are all saved by Christ and they are no longer what they once were. Their relationship is new. They aren’t slave and master or teacher and student. They are equal brothers in Christ.
Reflection questions:
When have you been Philemon lately? Is there anyone you’re struggling to forgive?
When have you been Onesimus? With whom should you be reconciling?
How can you remind others of Christ through your speech and your example, just as Paul does here?
Prayer:
I pray that you don’t let awkwardness or hurt or unforgiveness stand in the way of your relationships with other believers. I pray we are united in an effort to spread the gospel message to the world by showing others the power of love and forgiveness.
Romans 14:10-13 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” 12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
The ministry of strengthening individuals and the church is based on two main elements. We are instructed to encourage one another, and to build up one another. Note the importance of “the one anothers” in the instructions God gives us in His Word.
To love one another.
John 13:34-35(NLT) So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
To welcome one another.
1 Corinthians 16:19-20(NLT) The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings to you. Greet each other with a sacred kiss.
To have great affection and honor for one another.
Romans 12:10(NLT) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
To pray earnestly for one another.
James 5:16(NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
To care for one another.
1 Corinthians 12:25(NLT) This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.
To accept one another
Romans 15:1b-9(NLT) We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. 8 Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.
Have you also noticed the“one another’s” that God does not instruct us to do? For example, to chastise one another, humble one another, tear down one another, gossip about one another, or pressure one another.
This is hardly an exhaustive list, but do you see the theme of all these verses? Together we are the body of Christ, and those things that we do to strengthen the body are a group effort. Everyone has a responsibility for one another to do the things that only you can do. There is only one “you” in the church today, and God is counting on you. Love, care, welcome, prayer, and encouragement are all ministry to others. Don’t make the Christian walk of trust and faith too complicated for people. We need to become like the little child in Jesus’ teaching, where we hear the truth with simple hearts of believing. In the small and personal ministries of people to others in the church the true love of God in Christ becomes alive and evident.
Romans 16:25-27 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. 26 But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. 27 All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
Thanks to God for revealing the sacred secret so that we as Gentiles can share in the promises made and kept by God.
Love in Christ – Tom Siderius
Reflection Questions
When have you fallen into the trap of condemning or looking down upon another believer? What is the problem with this? What would have been a better response and attitude on your part?
Make a list of “one anothers” that we are NOT to do if we are living according to God’s way. Which ones come too easy for you? How can you work towards stopping these “one anothers”?
What responsibility towards one another does God want to see YOU take part in today? How many different positive “one anothers” can you do today to build up the body of Christ and please God? Who benefits and how? Pray for God’s help in eliminating negative “one anothers” and focusing instead on seeing, doing, speaking, positive ones instead.
Read these chapters carefully with discernment from the spirit of Christ in you. They contain great and precious promises that we can claim as Christians. These chapters give us instruction in who is the church, who is Israel and how to live in true fellowship with God and our fellow believers. A whole book could be written on this section and not fulfill all that God intends for us to do and think.
Romans chapter 11 continues Paul’s appeal to his fellow Israelites to accept Christ. He sets in order the relationship of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament to the current relationship the church has with the Father. God meant for Israel to be a national witness of Him to demonstrate grace and love to all the world. If they had done the purpose they were called for the kingdom of God could have come when Messiah Jesus appeared in the world.
Romans 11:11-12(NLT) Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
Their rejection of the law and then of Christ himself causes their national purpose to be postponed to a future time. God still has a special heart for those in Israel that loved God’s plan and were anticipating the coming of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth. God has never changed in His devoted relationship with all people. Those that truly seek Him with their hearts are rewarded for faith in every age and time. Those that trust in the one true God have a pathway to the future kingdom.
Romans 1:16-17(NLT) For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
In chapter 11 God shows us the true position and attitude we should have with the Old Testament saints and the New Testament church. Paul writes by inspiration that we are part of the mighty tree of God built on the trunk that is Christ. It grows from the root of promises made to Abraham, but then the nation of Israel is cut down to a stump. Jesus is the new tree which grows from the root of promise to Abraham and patriarchs that continues until today.
Isaiah 11:1-5(NLT) Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
Romans 11:17-18(NLT) But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. 18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.
When Jesus is the new tree that grows from the stump of the nation of Israel, we the Gentiles are grafted onto the tree by God as it pleases Him. We are an unnatural branch and even come from a tree which is not really an olive tree. Look up “oleaster” on the internet to see what a poor branch we were before being grafted. We weren’t even good olive branches. God breaks us off the oleaster tree (a tree with no good fruit) and grafts us into the richness of the olive tree nation of Israel with Godly fruit. Then the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become available to us also. This is a wonderful picture of the love that God has for us today joining us into His family.
Isaiah 11:10(NKJV) “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”
Does this section change your thoughts about Israel and the church?
Are you more thankful for all God has done for you and me?
In Romans chapters 12 and 13 Paul gives us great encouragement to walk in this new life that we have. Paul writes to instruct us how to please God and live with others.
Romans 12:1-2(NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
God wills us to present our lives as a sacrifice of praise to Him. We are not to be “stamped” into conformity with the world but to be “metamorphosed” into the Christ in us by changing our minds to hear the Word of God. When we put the Word into our minds and hearts and act on it, we will be changed from the death and destruction of this world into people that are children of God with power to do good.
Romans 13:8-10 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
How does Jesus fulfill all the requirements of the Mosaic Law?
He did not do all the regulations of the Pharisees and scribes. Rather Jesus points us to the righteous life-giving purposes of God. When he loves God and is obedient to all God asked him to do Jesus is fulfilling God’s purpose for him. That is acting in God’s true love. When we are obedient to God and act in true love to Him and others, we also walk in the true purpose God has called us to live by.
Do we have to do the law of Moses today?
What happens when we do not love others like Christ did?
The struggle of the Corinthian church continues in today’s reading: 1 Corinthians 9-11. In these chapters Paul addresses issues the church was having regarding worship and communion, while continuing to argue his point about permissible food. What I love most about this section is we really get to see Paul’s heart.
Paul had a love for people. Having experienced the amazing transformative love of Christ himself, he eagerly sought to share this with others. All people. Jew, Greek, male or female. Paul was willing to eat, drink, and share the Gospel with anyone.
Paul had a love for his mission. He considered it an “opportunity” to preach the Gospel (9:18 NLT). He was strong in his convictions and took it seriously. He was purposeful (9:26).
Today, we live very different lives from Paul. We live in a very different world than the one Paul lived. Yet the things that mattered most to Paul need to be what matters most to us. Paul’s work is not yet finished. We, as the church, need to continue what he and the other Apostles started. Love each other. Love others. Most importantly, love God. In our busy world today, may we never lose sight of this. May we see each day as an opportunity to be a light in the darkness.
Reflection Questions
What opportunities to share the Gospel has God given to you? What have you done with those opportunities?
How do you show your love for God? How do you show your love for people? Is there a group of people that you have not tried loving yet? How could you love more and more?
Rather than just complaining about the darkness, or fearing the darkness, or condemning the darkness, how can we be a light in the darkness?
I really enjoyed today’s reading. Paul had some zingers that actually got me laughing – my favorite being 8:2. In our reading today, we learn this letter is a response to one from the Corinthians (7:1). After a lengthy introduction in chapters 1-4, Paul gets right to addressing some specific concerns regarding the Corinthian church. There is a lot that can be discussed here, but the key seemed to be Paul encouraging the Corinthian church to remove distractions and get back to the business of spreading the Gospel.
Earlier this week I wrote about how the early church was moving in the days of the Apostles. In today’s reading, we see a church that has come to a standstill. It seems the Cornintian church lost focus on spreading the Gospel and what it meant to be the body of Christ. Paul mentions when he told the church to stay away from people “who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols” he was referring specifically to believers who partake in these actions (5:10 NLT). Paul plainly puts that to stay away from all such people, you’d have to leave this earth – that was another one of those zingers I found humorous. The problem Paul has with the Corinthians is they are allowing a man living in sexual sin with this step mother to be an active member of their church. It’s a distraction. It’s giving the church a bad name, as Paul writes even pagans don’t tolerate such behavior. Paul is NOT telling the church to avoid sinners, but he is telling us to get the sin out of the church. There is a difference. Allowing one who is actively participating in sin with no signs of repentance within the church causes a distraction. Discord can break out amongst the people in the church over the issue. I believe Paul is also concerned with the Corinthians giving the church a bad name, in turn hindering the spread of “sincerity and truth” (5:8 NLT). He continues this idea in chapter 6, regarding the Corinthians use of the public courts to settle disputes. He doesn’t like that this is being done in front of non-believers. Why? Because, it is distracting from the Gospel message. It’s the same way with the issues of marriage and food discussed in chapters 7 and 8.
We have to remember the church was on a mission. Our New Testament stories and scripture come from what the early church did. Paul understood the importance of the movement and the urgency to share the Gospel. It seemed this specific Corinthian church had forgotten. Paul is urging the Corinthians to remove distractions and get back to the business of the church. I believe that is the biggest take away from today’s scripture. It’s not about whether we should be married or not, whether we eat this or that. It’s not even about what people we should avoid or allow in the church. It’s about refocusing the efforts of the church to do the work of Christ. Jesus tells us the two most important commandments are to love God and secondly love others. That is the movement to which Paul wants the Corinthians to return. It must be our focus as well. Paul sums it up pretty nicely in his opening statement in chapter 8, “But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church” (verse 1 NLT).
Reflection Questions
What distractions have gotten in the way of you intentionally spreading the Gospel? How can you minimize them (or eliminate them or use them to your advantage – depending on what your distractions are) so that you focus more on how to best love God and love others which must include spreading the good news?
What should our response be to sin in the church? What should our response be to sin outside of the church? Why the difference? What happens when we get it mixed up and treat outside sin as we are supposed to treat inside sin? What happens when we get it mixed up and treat inside sin as we are supposed to treat outside sin?
After reading the whole Bible passage today, re-read 1 Corinthians 8:2. What is Paul saying in this verse? Why is he saying it? What can you learn from it? And how could you put it into practice?
What do you think God wants you personally to learn and put into practice today from this letter from Paul to the church in Corinth?
Seek Grow Love 