Category: love

Love Like Jesus Day

Old Testament: Isaiah 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 65

New Testament: Hebrews 10

     “You showed sympathy to the prisoners” (Hebrews 10:34). I don’t know what that phrase brings to your mind. Maybe you see something from a television program or a movie, someone behind a sheet of glass holding a telephone receiver. Perhaps you have visited a prisoner at some point, for a prison ministry, or a relative or friend. You may think of sending letters, or helping prisoners readjust after their release. The issues under discussion in Hebrews were rather different. With the Roman empire it was expected that the relatives and friends of a prisoner would provide their food and other physical needs, though there might be some small rations. Christians became known for taking care of fellow believers who had been arrested for their faith, as well as other prisoners in need. But that meant people helping Christians ran the risk of getting accused of being Christians themselves. That’s probably where the next part of the verse came in, that they “accepted joyfully the seizure” of their property – they continued with their behavior even though it risked them being identified and targeted. They didn’t shy away from risk to guard themselves. It isn’t mentioned here but Christians during the Roman empire also became known for caring for plague victims when others would not, taking in orphans, collecting clothes to give to the poor, and generally being good to others.

     In the fourth century the Emperor Julian would become very frustrated about the contrast between the Christians and the pagans. In a letter he wrote: “Why then do we think that this is sufficient and do not observe how the kindness of Christians to strangers, their care for the burial of their dead, and the sobriety of their lifestyle has done the most to advance their cause? Each of these things, I think, ought really to be practiced by us.”

     In Hebrews 10 we find that Herb (my choice of a simple name for the book’s author) returned to issues he addressed in chapter six about a person surrendering their faith in Jesus (6:4-8; 10:26-31). These comments are directly paired in both chapters with the statement that Herb’s audience is not like that, which is shown by the fact that they have been ministering to believers (6:9‑12; 10:32-39). For Herb to defend his audience this way should be an obvious route to take. What are Christians told to do? “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34‑35). Yes, that isn’t the only thing for Christians to do, but it is a huge example: “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:23-24). And the call to love isn’t necessarily simple or easy, either. The very fact that Jesus said “just as I have loved you” should put this at a high level, for Jesus loves at a high level.

     Hebrews 10 began by comparing the priests who stood in the tabernacle day after day offering sacrifices to Jesus and the single sacrifice he offered before he sat at God’s right hand. Herb wants us to understand that what Jesus did is much more powerful than all those earlier sacrifices. And because it is so much more powerful it calls more powerfully for our response. Herb says: “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (v. 22-24). Those verses give a complicated image. The idea of being “sprinkled clean” plays off the sprinkling of the blood by the high priest once a year over everything that needed to be cleansed in the Holy of Holies – but Herb says that our hearts are part of what Jesus cleansed. There are no more evil consciences for us, we can have pure consciences and serve wholeheartedly, having been washed with pure water, referring to our baptisms. This is very similar to 1 Peter 3:21-22, “baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God”. We are to hold to the confession of our hope that came with that baptism – because the fact of being baptized, to Herb, doesn’t mean what is so often called baptism today (the sprinkling of a baby, with no knowledge of what it means) but the choice made by a believer to state their understanding in front of at least one other person, confessing hope in the promises of God involving Jesus and the future. He who promised is faithful, so we should not waver in our commitment. By having made that choice each one of us becomes part of the body of Christ, which is a collective group. Recognizing that we are part of that group should remind us that we have support with each other, and also that we have responsibility and commitment for each other, so we need to think about how we can stimulate each other to love and good deeds.

     One of my seminary teachers noted that there are two possible interpretations of Hebrews 10:25. It is often used to advocate for attendance at worship services using the phrase “assembling together” to refer to ‘not meeting on a regular basis,’ as a matter of habit. But the Greek word for the assembling or gathering here is the one used in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, and it has been suggested that it could be saying not to forsake our being gathered together with Jesus at his return – so not, by your choices, giving up on being a part of the resurrection with him. More like “Don’t forsake being part of the resurrection gathering, as some are in the manner of, but encourage each other to be there at that day, all the more as you see it drawing near.” Either meaning could work. (The term translated as “habit” also gets translated “manner.”)

     Hebrews 10:31, which says “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” should be read along with verse 27 that refers to “a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” We are still speaking of the adversaries of God being consumed, not simply tortured in some ongoing way (as some versions of theology would have it). I see no conflict in this. Notably Hebrews 10:26 references Numbers 15:30, showing that Herb had that part of the book in his mind when he was writing this section about fire and judgment. And Numbers 16 may well be the section he was pointing his readers to for a consideration of how terrifying God could be when passing judgment. God doesn’t need to be a demented torturer to be scary. I don’t think that Korah was complacent when he faced the results of his revolt. Endless suffering is not required for God’s wrath to be respected. If all we were concerned about was what came after this life we would have no concerns about anything in this one. But we have proven ourselves well capable of being concerned about what happens now.

     In the last part of the chapter Herb wants his audience to proclaim that they are not giving up on Jesus. He doesn’t want any doubt on that point. He says “do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (v. 35). He quotes God saying:

“My righteous one shall live by faith;

And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

But Herb tells his audience “we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” (v. 39).

Lord, it really is a terrible thing to think of anyone giving up on their confidence in your son. I read the book of Hebrews and I think I understand the concern it expresses, the passion which Herb felt about his readers. He didn’t want to say that any of them might turn away, but he didn’t want to stop urging them to remain vigilant. He just really wanted them all to be safe in the end. He wanted to tell them about how dangerous it would be to turn away from the sacrifice that Jesus made, because there is only one sacrifice in the new covenant, but he also wanted to say that it is up to you to judge – because if they thought they might have stepped too far then they might despair and not turn back to Jesus. Everything was a balancing act and the focus was always on getting as many as possible to devote themselves to the Lord. I am glad for your mercy, Lord, because I know so many people who I know need it, including me. Please help us to serve you better. Please help us to grow. Help us to love. Thank you again. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  Do you value being at church services with other believers? Do you feel that you are a part of the worship? Are you growing? Are you open to others? If not, how could that change?

2.  Herb wants his audience to be revived in their faith, to be passionate about Jesus against the risk of persecution. What if they weren’t warned about the risk of persecution when they first became Christians, and meeting opposition took them off guard, how might that affect their attitudes?

3.  Are you open to challenging yourself to a Love Like Jesus Day? Of course we are always supposed to do that. But how about consciously checking your actions for one day, all your thoughts, words, deeds, measuring yourself against Jesus and trying to amp your love to Jesus-levels? What do you think it will look like?

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How Deep is Your Love Jesus?

Theme Week: Review of Paul – Ephesians 3

Old Testament: Ecclesiastes 1-3

Poetry: Psalm 50

            As I was driving home today listening to my favorite oldies station (All the best rock music was in the 60’s through 80’s, everyone knows that) I heard “How Deep is Your Love?”  by the Bee Gees. (Disco, but still better than today’s stuff).  “How deep is your love how deep is your love, I really need to learn?”

            Isn’t that THE question we all ask constantly throughout our lives?  “Do you love me?  How much do you love me?  What are the limits of your love for me?”  We all want and need to know that we are loved. 

            One of the foundational needs of every human being from the moment of birth is to know that they are loved and securely attached to a loving caregiver.  “If I’m cute, do you love me?  If I cry do you love me enough to pick me up and comfort me?  If I make a stinky mess do you love me enough to clean me up and put a fresh diaper and clothes on me?  If I take a pair of scissors and cut holes in your suit jacket will you still love me Daddy?  (Extra points if you figure out which Fletcher kid actually did than when they were 4).”  The answer is, “Yes, I still love you.”  And I love you when a tree somehow jumps in front of the car as you’re driving (A different Fletcher kid, at age 16).  “Will you still love me when I disobey you or when I reject your values and beliefs?”  “Yes, even when you break my heart, I will still love you.”

            In Ephesians 3 Paul shares something for which he is earnestly praying for his readers.  Paul is praying that they might ask Jesus “how deep is your love” and that God might give them the power to comprehend just how much Jesus loves them.   He writes in vs. 17-19 “that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…”(ESV).  Essentially, Paul is saying that he wants them to know the unknowable, the unlimited love of Christ for them in all of its dimensions.  How high, how wide, how long, how deep is the love of Jesus Christ for us?  As you read through the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life you can see his love in action.  Jesus touches the untouchable leper, love in action.  Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery, love in action.  Jesus feeds 5,000, love in action. Jesus turns water into wine to save the wedding celebration and spare the father shame, love in action.  Jesus undergoes betrayal, rejection, and false accusations, and is spit upon, mocked, beaten, scourged, and crucified, all love in action.

            How do we begin to understand this love according to Paul?  By Faith.  We have to trust Jesus enough to allow him into our hearts so that we may begin to experience that love and be transformed inside out.  Paul says that like a tree we have to sink down our roots into that love (vs. 17).  Jesus referred to himself as the vine and his disciples as the branches. (John 15:4-6)  In order to bear the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control- Galatians 5:22-23) we need to maintain a continuous connection to Jesus.

            “Do you love me?”

Jesus answers a resounding “yes!” 

“How much do you love me? “

Jesus answers, “I love you so much I died on the cross for you.” 

“What are the limits of your love for me?”

Jesus answers- “Put your complete trust in me and ask God to show you the full dimensions of my love, it’s a love beyond human comprehension.”

            To summarize Paul, we need the faith to believe in the reality of Jesus’ love and be willing to trust and sink our roots down into that love to draw on the love of Christ and maintain an ongoing connection.

            My prayer for you today echoes the prayers of Paul.  May you have the power to know the breadth and length and height and depth of his love so that  God can fill you to overflowing.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

  1.  How important is it for you to know that you are loved?
  2. Reflect on your life, can you name some ways that Jesus has demonstrated his love for you?
  3. How does God, as our Father, ultimately reveal his love for us through the love of Jesus?  If you are not sure, take some time to pray and ask God to show you today.
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Alliances with Unbelievers

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 17-19

Poetry: Psalm 6

New Testament: 1 Timothy 2

“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?”  This is a pretty challenging question that comes straight from today’s reading from 2 Chronicles 19:2 NIV.  One of the questions that comes to mind for me is “help the wicked do what?”  The second question is, “Why shouldn’t I love those who hate the LORD?”  After all,  Didn’t Jesus tell us that we are supposed to love everyone, including our enemies? (Matthew 5:44) Shouldn’t godly people treat others with love, even unbelievers, even those who have rejected God? 

One of my ministry settings is as a hospital chaplain.  Recently I visited a patient who informed me as soon as I walked into their room that they were an atheist, but that they still wanted to talk to me, they were going through an emotional crisis and they needed help.  This was a person that didn’t simply hate the LORD but actually denies the existence of God.  As a Chaplain, as a pastor, and as a Christian should I have NOT helped the patient?  Should I have NOT loved the patient since they do not love God?  I’ll tell you the rest of the story at the end. Let’s look at the context of this quote in today’s reading and see what God reveals to us about himself.

The story is about Jehoshaphat (isn’t that a great name).  It literally means YHWH has judged.  At the time of today’s reading in 2 Chronicles 17-19 Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah.  Judah and Israel were at one time one nation comprised of 12 tribes that descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Israel was a strong and united nation during the reigns of kings David and Solomon, but after Solomon died the nation of Israel was divided by a civil war.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah separated with Judah’s capital in Jerusalem where the temple of God was.  Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah and ruled from Jerusalem.  He was an heir of King David and was generally a good and faithful ruler who avoided the worship of idols.  Ahab was the King of Israel and he did not remain faithful to YHWH, the God of Israel, and led his people into the worship of idols which was strictly forbidden by God.

A common practice at the time for smaller nations was to enter into alliances with other nations against their enemies.  God had made it clear to his people that he did not want them entering into political alliances with nations that practiced idol worship.  In today’s reading, it says that Jehoshaphat entered into an alliance by marriage with Ahab and Israel.  This was a violation of God’s commands and led to all kinds of trouble for Jehoshaphat and the Kingdom of Judah.  Now that they were in an alliance Ahab wanted Jehoshaphat to go to war with him against their enemies.  The problem was that God was not in favor of this because of Ahab’s unfaithfulness.  Jehoshaphat was wise enough to ask one of the prophets to seek God on the question.  Of course, Jehoshaphat should have known the answer- God did not want him to enter into an alliance with Ahab to begin with, he certainly wouldn’t want Jehoshaphat to fight in battle alongside Ahab, a battle which Ahab was destined to lose and where he would be killed.

After Ahab was indeed killed in battle as the prophet warned, Jehoshaphat returned to his palace where another prophet of God, Jehu, came to him and asked our opening question-“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?”  The answer here was clearly “no, you should not enter into a political alliance with a king and a nation that have rejected God and his teaching.  No, you should not give your son to be married to the idolatrous king’s daughter as the law clearly taught that God’s covenant people should not marry with idolatrous people who do not believe in God.

The prophet was not saying that God’s people should never help a non-believer or should never act in loving ways to people outside of the faith community.  The law taught that we should love our neighbor (Leviticus 19:18).  What the prophet was saying is you should never enter into a formal alliance with one who has rejected God and the teachings of God.  The Apostle Paul would express this to followers of Jesus in 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?”  One obvious example of this would be marriage.  If you are a Christian you should not enter into a committed relationship with one who has denied or rejected Jesus Christ as savior or God as our Father.  Believers should not marry unbelievers.  If you’re driving down the road and you see your non-believing neighbor with a flat tire, you can stop and help her change her tire, but you can’t marry her.  You might do a favor or otherwise show kindness and love to unbelievers, but it would be potentially very spiritually dangerous to enter into a business alliance with one who has rejected God and godly values.

Jehoshaphat was basically a good man and a good king, but he got into trouble when he violated the clear teaching of God’s law by entering into a political alliance by having his son marry the idolatrous, god-rejecting king Ahab’s daughter.  It might be the savvy and politically expedient thing to do, but it was spiritually deadly.

If you are committed to following God and God’s values, you can and should show love and kindness to everyone, including believers, but don’t join them or make commitments that will compromise your values and dedication to Jesus Christ.

Now for the rest of the story.  The atheist and I talked for an hour.  When I left they said, “I think I might want you to preach at my funeral.”  A week later they came back to the hospital and asked the nurse to have me come and visit. We talked for another hour.  Before I left they said, “I’m not so convinced that God doesn’t exist, is it okay if I visit your church?”  We can and should show kindness and grace and caring love to everyone, including unbelievers, just don’t enter into committed relationships with them, until they give their lives to Jesus too.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1.  Beyond dating and marriage, what are some other potentially damaging ways a Christian today might bring themself spiritual harm by entering into an alliance with one who has rejected God?  How might this impact educational or career decisions?  Investment decisions? What political candidates we support?
  2. How would Jesus want you to love your non-Christian neighbor without entering into a dangerous commitment to one who does not share your values?
  3. As Christians, we are called to pray for and obey our governments unless they demand that we violate our commitment to God, how is that different from supporting a political candidate who clearly has rejected God’s teaching either by what they profess or how they live?

Bio- This week’s devotions are written by pastor Jeff Fletcher.  Pastor Jeff has been a participant at Fuel for over 40 years.  He is a pastor and hospital chaplain in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and is a doctoral candidate for Integrative Mental Health at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville.   He is married to Karen, father of eleven, and grandpa/papa to 15.  He likes reading, watching baseball, and making delicious pulled pork in the smoker.

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God’s Fellow Worker

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 25-27

Poetry: Psalm 148

* New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 3

Have you even been introduced to someone as God’s fellow worker? It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Paul described Timothy as, “our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you (the Thessalonians) in your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:2). Could you be described as God’s fellow worker?

I am impressed in this chapter (1 Thessalonians 3) with Paul’s obvious heart for his fellow workers (there was a reason they were called brothers even though they had no blood relations) and his heart for the church – some of whom he had not known long and had only spent a short time with. And yet, with the good news Timothy brought of the Thessalonians’ strong faith and love Paul says, “For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord” (1 Thess 3:8). You can hear his heart filled with joy. For now we really live!

Paul had been concerned that when he and his fellow workers moved on to carry the gospel message to other towns the tempter might be successful in tempting the young Thessalonian church away from true faith in God and love for Him and one another. It is a very real and powerful threat that is still active and alive today. It is why the armor of God is so important. Thankfully, the Thessalonians were standing strong.

Another way that Paul shows his heart is through his prayers – night and day – most earnestly – remembering the Thessalonians, praying they might see each other again, and praying that their faith would be strengthened even more. This is an important reminder to keep praying for our brothers and sisters in the church – even if they appear to be doing alright and don’t have any known health problems (often the most common needs on the church prayer list). The tempter is always looking for little cracks in the armor. Prayer is huge. Keep at it. Night and day. Most earnestly. Remember your extended church family in your prayers. Pray for their faith to be strong and growing – with any gaps filled in to present a stronger front against the tempter.

Healthy faith displays action and love. Pray also that love will be increased – love for each other (the church) and also for “everyone else” (vs. 12) including those outside who need to know God and His Son Jesus. Increasing love. Love is a beautiful thing – but increasing love is even so much better. Don’t be content being a loving person – strive and pray to have increasing love. Be a parent, a spouse, a neighbor, a boss, a co-worker, a missionary, one of God’s fellow workers with increasing love. Pray for increasing love for yourself, each other and everyone else.

AND – of course we have to end this devotion as Paul ends every chapter in 1 Thessalonians – REMEMBER – Jesus is coming back!! So live your life preparing for that day! As Paul says so well – “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” This is my prayer for you – my fellow SeekGrowLove reader. Blameless and holy, I hope to see you there. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

-Marcia Railton

Reflection Questions

  1. Wh0 has been God’s fellow workers with you? What have they done for you and for God? Do they know how much you appreciate them?
  2. How is your faith and love doing – if someone were sent to give Paul a report on you and your church’s faith and love what would Paul hear back? Would he rejoice that you are standing firm? Where can your faith grow, filling in the gaps? How can your love increase?
  3. Pray the prayers of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3 (for faith filled in, increasing love and blameless/holy people ready to stand/bow before God when Jesus returns) for yourself, and your church family and extended church family. Use specific names God brings to mind. Repeat night and day – most earnestly.
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When God Celebrates

Old Testament: Judges 17 & 18

Poetry: Psalm 115

*New Testament: Luke 15

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a perennial favorite in Sunday School lessons. As a child, how many of us studied this lesson on God’s forgiveness? I imagine most hands being raised! As adults, how many of us have taught our own children or other youth about redemption through this parable? Again, I can envision many nods of agreement!

Between you and me, I intensely disliked this parable in my youth and early adulthood. Don’t get me wrong; I understood the meaning and value of the parable. Through it, we learn that no mistake can separate us from God’s love and that He will always desire for us to return to the sanctuary of that love. 

However, a part of me always sympathized with the older brother. I understood his indignation, albeit misplaced, over the celebration of his wayward younger brother. Can’t you just hear the anger and self-righteousness dripping from his words in verses 29-30? “Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!”

Minus the part of being given a kid or killing a fatted calf, those words could have been mine. As the youngest of four girls, I understood the older brother’s resistance to the celebration. Throughout my childhood and young adulthood, I strived to be the “good child,” not giving my parents cause for grief, assisting them in old age, and caring for them in sickness. As I devoted my time to my parents’ needs, my sisters’ seeming freedom and my parents’ unconditional love towards them caused my resentment to grow unchecked.

It was during my father’s last months when I had my “Aha” moment. In one of our final conversations, he told me, “We always loved all of you girls. You all just needed our love in different ways.” During our conversation, I realized that my parents’ love for my sisters didn’t diminish their love for me. Love wasn’t meant to be a competition in the way I tried to make it. Love isn’t something to be given to a sole recipient, hoarded and kept from others. In fact, love isn’t something to be earned or gained through works. Love is given freely in spite of ourselves and our works. 

I hope the older son of this parable also had an “Aha” moment. Based on the final verses, I’d like to think he did. Read verse 28 in the parable again. When the older brother had his temper tantrum, his father “came out and entreated him.” His father so desired for him to be part of the celebration that he left the party to go find him. Then in verse 31, the father says, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” In his words, we see that the father’s love is multifaceted. Just because he loves one brother and rejoices in his homecoming, doesn’t mean that he loves the other brother any less. In fact, he acknowledges that he appreciates the older brother’s hard work and is already blessing him for his devotion. But the father confirms that he also loves the younger brother and that this love is freely given, in spite of each brother’s work or personality.  

If our earthly parents can love all siblings with equal love, imagine how much greater it is with God’s love! In those final verses of the parable, we are reassured that God’s love has room for everyone, whether it is a faithful worker or someone returning to Him. Throughout 1 John 4, we are reminded that “God is love.” In this chapter and in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we see that the very nature of God is to love and do all things within the scope of His love for us.

We should not possess envy or resentment towards others in their faith journey because we are reminded in 1 John 4:20-21, “If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.” From now on, as I read the Parable of the Prodigal Son, I’ll be reminded to focus my eyes on the father of the story. Do I rest in the love of God? And, how do I show that love to others?

Throughout your walk this week, how can you share God’s unconditional love with others? Is there someone, like the younger brother, who could use your encouragement as they seek their way to God? Or, is there someone, like the older brother, working hard but needs a gentle reminder that we are saved by faith not works?

~Jen Siderius

Reflection Questions

  1. Focusing on the Father – do you rest in the love of God? And, how do you show that love to others?
  2. Throughout your walk this week, how can you share God’s unconditional love with others? Is there someone, like the younger brother, who could use your encouragement as they seek their way to God? Or, is there someone, like the older brother, working hard but needs a gentle reminder that we are saved by faith not works?
  3. Through Jesus’ parables what do we learn about the heart, motives, purposes, desires, words and actions of his Father?
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Preparing our Attitude

*Theme WEek – Jesus: John 13

Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 31 & 32

Psalms Reading: Psalm 92

I used to read the Gospels and try and compare myself with various characters. And I never wanted to see myself in Peter, and yet here we are. I never wanted to compare myself to the man who seemed to so frequently fly off the handle or get things wrong. I didn’t want to be like the one who sunk in the waves and denied his Christ three times in one night. But I most definitely feel a kinship with him, especially when I read this passage. 

Poor Peter. His Rabbi, who he has been so close to and loved so much, is humbling himself to wash Peter’s feet and he’s clearly mortified. This was something only the lowliest of servants did. And here was Christ, washing his feet, when none of his disciples had thought to do the same for him. And then when Christ says his disciple can’t be clean unless his feet are washed, he insists Christ wash his hands and head as well. He’s so desperate and proud that it’s a little heartbreaking. Because he has it all wrong. 

Jesus is about to die. He’s about to suffer and die for each of them, and for each of us. And they all have to humble themselves enough to accept that sacrifice. They cannot save themselves. They cannot fully cleanse themselves. Only by accepting Christ and his act of servitude for us can we be clean. 

And not only that, but we have to follow Christ’s example and humble ourselves to serve others. We are not too good to be served, and we are not too good to serve either. 

Peter is fighting this internal battle with himself. He wants to serve Christ, but can’t accept with grace the gift of service that has been given to him. He wants to serve Christ, but perhaps not humble himself so low to serve others in this manner as well. 

Jesus loved his followers dearly. In the beginning of the passage it says that he loved them to the end. This means he loved them to the fullest of capacity and without end. And here he has poured out every bit of himself into complete humility and served them in the basest of ways. 

Our savior did that for us when he was tortured and crucified. This is the attitude of love and service we should have for others. 

Take some time today and prepare your attitude with me. Ask yourself: 

Have I truly acknowledged the deep, humbling act of service that Jesus has done for me? 

In what areas of my life am I still too proud? 

Am I focusing too much on the fact that my feet climbed out of the boat and walked on water, rather than the fact that my feet also sank beneath the waves and I had to be pulled out? 

How can I serve someone else in humility as well this week? 

Am I showing others a deep love and a servant’s heart? 

My prayer for each of us today is that we truly and fully recognize the gift that has been given to us and accept it with full humility, acknowledging our great need for it. I also pray that as we acknowledge our need for salvation and cleansing, we turn and offer grace and service to others as well, so that they can see Christ serving in us. 

Jenn Haynes

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Do You Get It?

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 21 & 22

Psalms Reading: Psalm 87

New Testament Reading: Galatians 3

Despite much of the media’s focus, there are many good people in the world.  Our current culture has a strong humanistic viewpoint, with many people claiming to be “spiritual”, but not Christian.  Many spiritual people have strong moral values often aligning with Christian perspectives; they are kindhearted and they do good works.  These people (typically) believe in a “higher power” but not necessarily God, and they may feel like Jesus was a good man but don’t acknowledge the power he held or the magnitude of his sacrifice for everyone.  People with this perspective live what I would call a good life, and yet they are missing something so critical.

Paul writes in Galatians 3:5, “…Does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law?  Of course not!  It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.” (NLT).  The Message translation writes that God lavishly provides his Holy Spirit to his people, not because of their “strenuous moral striving”, but because of their trust in Him.  We, as Christians baptized in the faith, have access to the power of God, His Holy Spirit.  THAT IS A BIG DEAL.  That is something that no other religion or humanistic worldview has.  Christians are unique in this way, and yet just like the Galatians, we all too often get caught up in following the law, or looking good to others, to remember we have access to this incredible power simply by believing in the message of Christ.  Just by recognizing that the man Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised again for our salvation is enough for us to invite the Holy Spirit into our daily lives. 

There are good people in this world, but Christians should be standing out against the crowd of “good” by being AMAZING because of what we have access to!  This makes it all the more important for Christians to maintain their moral good; while we know keeping the law does not make us right with God (v. 11), breaking the law is not a reflection of receiving the Holy Spirit and does not show the world why they should believe the message of Christ.  If a “spiritual” person treats the widows and orphans with more kindness and love than someone who has the Holy Spirit, we have failed.  In the same way, if we think our kindness and love will sustain and save, we are just as foolish as the Galatians were! 

We are no longer confined or imprisoned under the law, but we are justified through our faith in Christ (v.23-24 HCSB).   In our justification, we have been given the Holy Spirit… does your life reflect that amazing power?

-Sarah (Blanchard) Johnson

Questions:

There are some great verses in Galatians 3 that dig even deeper into the law, who we are in Christ, and overall Abrahamic faith.  What stood out to me may be different than what stood out to you!  What did God put on your heart while reading this Scripture?

What characteristics of God did you find from our passage today? And what can you discover about His son Jesus from your reading?

Prayer:

God, thank you for sharing your son with us so that we may have access to your Holy Spirit, and ultimately, eternal life.  Lord I pray that our works bring you honor and glory, that we boldly call on your Spirit each day as a way to show the people in our life just how amazing you are.  God, you are a good God; gracious, loving, powerful, and kind.  We praise you and thank you.  In your son’s name, Amen.

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Loving the One Lord our God

Theme Week: 1 God, 1 Messiah – Deuteronomy 6

Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 1 & 2

Psalms Reading: Psalm 77

(Our SeekGrowLove 2023 Bible reading plan includes 7 theme weeks spread throughout the year. This week is the first and will focus on 1 God, 1 Messiah. The OT and Psalms readings will continue and the third reading will be a chapter that lends itself to the theme. At the bottom of each devotion is a link to the yearly schedule you may download and print if you would like to keep track of where we are going next. Thanks for reading along! Let’s keep Seeking God in His Word, Growing our Faith and Loving Him More and More!)

     Deuteronomy 6 is seen as a foundational chapter for discussing the “oneness” of God. People sometimes divide the teachings of Christianity into orthodoxy (right teaching) and orthopraxy (right action). On that basis the idea of there being only one God generally gets put under the heading of a teaching. But I think God may see our faith as a more active part of our lives than that description brings to mind.

     When Moses says, at the start of Deuteronomy 6, that he is relaying “the commandments, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you” (NASB) he is continuing a thought from Deuteronomy 5 (see v. 31). Moses had described how it made the Hebrews afraid when they heard God’s voice at Horeb (Sinai) almost 40 years earlier. They had asked God not to speak aloud to them anymore, but to speak to them through Moses. The people gathered at that mountain knew that God was their God. God had already proven His faithfulness (He brought them safely from Egypt, after all), but God had also shown His judgment. They believed that to keep hearing that voice would mean their deaths. And God didn’t object to what they said. Maybe God even agreed that they risked death from being exposed so closely to God’s holiness, if only because they wouldn’t always respond to it properly. “Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all my commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!” (5:29).

     Moses says he is going to tell us “the commandments, the statutes and the judgments,” and what he starts with is that the Lord is God and is singular, which feels close to the core of the matter. This chapter opposed the nations in the land the Hebrews were about to enter. But the message is deeper than a warning against the idols that would all too often distract coming generations of Hebrews. This is about commitment and devotion in living for God. To love with your whole heart, your whole soul/life, and all your might – that is not something you can just fall into, it is something you choose, and which you need to keep on choosing.

     Moses was about to die, this speech was his farewell address, and he offered a plan that could steer the course of the history ahead of him. The generation that was being told these things was able to remember the miracles of the desert; many of them still could recall the Exodus and crossing the Red Sea. The idea was for that knowledge, that certainty about God, to be presented to each generation so it could take hold of faith for itself. But things did not go that way.

     Lord, please allow me to love you with my whole heart, soul and might. I know this is not the first time I have pledged this, and that I have not maintained that focus. But you, Lord, are a great God. You are worth turning back to, I will not give up on you because I am imperfect. And you are a merciful Lord who is willing to receive those who turn back. You will not give up on me because I am imperfect. Please help me to be renewed in what is appropriate for your glory, and to do service for your name and the name of your son, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Amen

-Daniel Smead

Daniel Smead is a father of two, former pastor of the Eden Valley Church of God, former editor of the Church of God Adult Quarterly and sometime teacher at Atlanta Bible College. He lives in Minnesota with his family and attends the Pine Grove Bible Church. In his free time he is working on creating a board game centered around early Christian heresies.

reflection Questions:

  1.  The text says to bind these words on your hands and your foreheads. Some see this as a metaphor, saying to let the scripture affect what you do with your hands, and how you think. What are some ways you could do that?
  2. Verse 24 says that we are to “fear the Lord our God for our good always”. Is it difficult to remember that God does not want anything for us that is bad for us? How do you remind yourself of that?
  3. It sometimes seems impossible that the Hebrews were denying God’s existence, rather they failed to worship their God by choosing to describe God to themselves as something other than what God is. At Sinai they pictured God as a golden calf, wanting to see the unseeable God, making God more understandable for themselves. Perhaps at Jericho Achan – who had been present for Moses’ speech – managed to mistake God for someone who cared about human wealth and advancement more than purity. Perhaps you can think of some other applications of this principle. How clearly do you think you understand what God is like? How does that understanding help you?
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Choices

Old Testament: Deuteronomy Intro below

Psalms Reading: Psalm 76

New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 13

Today we have three readings before us that seem very different from one another. They are different in many ways; approach, style, etc. but contain a similar message throughout.

The book of Deuteronomy details many hardships and troubles that God’s people faced. It also contains promises and hope. It reminds us that we have an active role in our faith. Our Heavenly Father did not create us with a certainty that we would listen and obey, that we would automatically choose Him. He created us with free will and allows us, each and every one of us, to make these life and death decisions on our own. He gives us all of the information we need and places the choice in our hands. To have life is to be with God. This book is about having an ongoing relationship with our loving God.

Psalm 76 is a song of victory of Israel over the enemies of God. Often times we see the rejoicing of the people and focus only upon the battle God won that led them to this point. He had delivered victory – that is evident to Israelite and Gentile both. There is more to it though, more here than a casual glance will reveal. The psalmist sings of weapons of war at rest. The Lexham English Bible says, the stouthearted sleep, both rider and horse slumber. Death is implied here but, in that death, God has brought peace. The slain, the peace of death, and for those who yet live peace through knowing Him, revering Him, “From heaven you pronounced judgement, and the land feared and was quiet.” Like with our overview of Deuteronomy, we see our need for a relationship with God, that life comes from Him.

And then we get to our final section of reading for today, as we finish 2 Corinthians with chapter 13 – which brings to mind 1 Corinthians 13 – the chapter all about love. From verse four through the beginning of verse eight, it details what real love is and what it is not. The first three verses are quite plain to say that what we do or say in this life matters little if it does not come from the type of love that God, and Jesus displayed for us.

We are merely messengers of the Gospel, the Good News. We are to ensure that others know of salvation through Jesus by our words and actions. It is not for us to judge one another or force a change. We are to faithfully bring the truth of God’s word to our family, friends, and acquaintances. It is that truth that will reveal both sin and the need for salvation, but it is still up to the individual to make that choice. If that choice is not to come to God through Jesus, then we are to still love them. We are limited to our knowledge of now, this moment, and even that is severely lacking. We do not know their future choices, so we love them. They are created in God’s image, so we love them.

Each of these sections of Scripture present the hardships that come with the choice we each face, to know and love God or deny Him. It is not just our choices though, but also those of everyone around us. We have this amazing knowledge of God, Jesus, and salvation. We, who have a relationship with Him through Jesus, have a hope beyond the troubles of this life. Loving God, and knowing His love, can comfort us in our most desperate moments.

We want that for others and sometimes get frustrated, angry, or hurt that they refuse to open themselves to this relationship. That is probably similar to how God felt about you and I before we made that choice. I believe that a huge part of our commission to go into the world to spread the Gospel is to love the sinner as God loves us who still sin. Be patient. Speak and live God’s word. That is what love is!

-Jeff Ransom

Deuteronomy Introduction

I love the book of Deuteronomy.  Even though it retells many of the highlights of Exodus through Numbers, the tone of Deuteronomy is much different.  Instead of just laying out the law as God had given it, and instead of just relaying historical facts, Moses was now encouraging the people to love and follow God- for their own good.  

Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy just before his death.  This was his last opportunity to encourage the Israelites to obey God wholeheartedly.  When he wrote it, almost everyone was dead who had been an adult when the Israelites had left Egypt.  As a result, Moses was trying to remind the new generation of all that God had done for them (and their parents), and was trying to encourage them to follow God – and not just obey Him, but to love Him.

Deuteronomy 10: 12-13 is an example of this, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

The book of Deuteronomy ends with Moses climbing a mountain, and looking out over the Promised Land – which he wasn’t allowed to enter because of one act of disobedience against God.  And then Moses died.  Can you imagine how disappointed Moses must have been, seeing the promised land, but not being able to enter?  He had longed for this his whole life, and was finally denied entry.

This should be a warning to us. It reminds me of Luke 13:28, which says, “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.”

I’ll close with Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.  But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

-Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. What do we learn from Moses and Paul about how to speak and live God’s word? How can you speak and live God’s word better than you have previously?
  2. We all have choices to make. What choices have you made that have brought you closer to a relationship with God and the salvation he extends through His son? What choices have you made that have taken you further from God? What will you choose today?
  3. What do you learn about God and His character in today’s Bible reading? Who needs to hear that and how will you share?
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And in This Corner…

Luke 20

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

            Yesterday we mentioned that there were people that flustered Jesus.  In Luke chapter 20, we get a big dose of people hating on Jesus.  How bad was it?  How did he handle it?

            Don’t you find it strange that a man who never sinned against anyone ticked so many people off?  He never did anything wrong to anybody, but so many people disliked him, especially religious people who believed in the same God we worship today.  Moreover, they didn’t just ignore him; rather, they spent a lot of energy trying to take him down.  In Luke 20 alone, the religious folks confronted Jesus about his authority, tried to lay hands on him (and that wasn’t to pray over him), and sent spies who pretended to be righteous in order to catch him in a statement so they could hand him over to the authority of the governor.  They really didn’t like Jesus at all and wanted him silenced.

            Put yourself in Jesus’ sandals for a moment.  How would you feel if people were constantly attacking you even though you had never done anything bad to them?  I’m a fairly patient person, but I think at some point if someone continually attacked me when I had done them no wrong, I would lose my cool and flip out at them.  If someone continually tried to turn others against me, tried to physically harm me, and tried to get me arrested, my anger would most likely boil over eventually.

            How did Jesus react?  He used the “3 C” approach – Calm, Cool, and Collected.  He didn’t raise his voice.  He didn’t call them names (like the Pharifesces).  He didn’t ignore them or run the other direction.  He didn’t get physical with them.  On the other hand, he did treat them with respect.  He did take the time to speak with them.  He was completely civil with them, but he also didn’t hold back the truth.  He explained to them that what they were doing was wrong and that they would pay for it.

            I must admit that it is entertaining to me to see how Jesus masterfully with his words put them in their place time and time again.  They knew he had gotten the best of them, and they backed off so they could regroup and try again.  I’m sure many of the scribes and priests became even angrier in defeat, but we do get a small glimpse of Jesus’ approach changing some minds about him.  Luke 20:39-40 says, “Some of the scribes answered and said, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’  For they did not have courage to question him any longer about anything.”

            Today, anger rules the day.  When people don’t agree, they tend to blow up at each other, call each other names, ignore each other, and just really dislike each other.  They want so bad to change the minds of the people on the other side of the issue, but their strong words and actions actually entrench the other side further into their beliefs.  If you want to have any chance at persuading someone, don’t attack them; try to stay calm, cool, and collected the same way Jesus dealt with his adversaries.  You don’t need to like the things they say and do, but you do need to love them as your neighbor.

-Rick McClain

Time to ponder:

Is there a person or group of people that you don’t like because of the viewpoints they hold?  If so, their viewpoints may be completely wrong or even evil, but it is time to forgive them and not hold those wrong beliefs against them personally.  You may also need to apologize to them for your words or actions.

There is a time to be angry at people.  The Bible even records Jesus getting very angry and acting out…once.  He took a whip into the temple and flipped over tables…once.  People constantly persecuted him, and he got angry…once.  Anger is not the best way to act…except maybe once.  How quickly do you get angry with others?  Try to separate the issue from the person.  You don’t have to agree with them, but you do need to control your temper and love them.  Is there anyone you need to apologize to that has been on the wrong side of your wrath?

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