Crushed or Overcoming?

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 16 & 17

POETRY: Psalm 118

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 5

Have you ever felt crushed by the world? I joke sometimes that that’s basically adulthood – being stressed, harassed, crushed, overcome, squeezed by life. Sad way to look at it, really. Some days it just feels like everyone around me is trying to suck out every last bit of patience, gentleness, joy, and peace that I have. They aren’t, of course. But sometimes I just feel so … done. Have you ever felt that way? Then you just have to take a deep breath, request a refill from God, and get back to living, serving, and loving, right? It sounds easier than it is, sometimes, but John here is basically telling us just that. 

1 John 5:2-6 says “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” 

Who overcomes the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. I love that. It reminds me of John 16:33, one of my favorite passages. Jesus is talking to his disciples, describing how the world will hate them, but to remember that it hated him first. And he warns them that they will grieve, but promises that their grief will turn to great joy. And before he prays over them and over all believers, he says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We believe in the savior given by God our perfect father. And he was hated and crushed and persecuted by the world. But he followed God’s commands, and found that in those commands he overcame the world. In 1 John 5:19, John says, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” 

That explains the frequent crushing feeling, then. Of course we sometimes feel overwhelmed and under fire. We are children of God in a world that is under the enemy’s control. But John follows by saying, “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

There is a lot in the world we could easily give in to. When crushed, we could give in. We could turn to sinful comforts. We could allow our frustrations and complaints to turn to bitterness, unkindness, pride, gossip, and the like. We could give our attention to worldly things and idols to distract ourselves from our trials. 

But God’s commands are not burdensome. In fact, they are freeing. It’s very difficult to succumb to sinful nature when I’m in God’s word, or when I’m worshiping, or when I’m serving or loving others. When I’m doing something God commands of me, my heart and my thoughts are protected and the world cannot touch it. I’m no longer in the world’s control.

Reflection Questions:

How is the world controlling you right now? How is it affecting your attitude, your actions, and the way you speak to others? How is it affecting your heart? Are you bitter? Are you angry? Are you envious? 

What are some of God’s commands that you aren’t giving enough attention to that could help you overcome this worldly influence? Could you be spending more time communicating with God, rather than gossiping or complaining to others? Could you spend more time in gratitude rather than in frustration? Are you spending enough time in God’s word or is most of your time devoted to entertainment? Maybe put more worship into your life, rather than secular music? 

What could you be praying over right now, rather than complaining over? Take some time now to ask God to help you overcome the frustrations of the world. 

My beloved friends and fellow children of God, I hope you choose God’s commands every day and that those commands lift you and free you. The world should not be holding that kind of power over you and your heart. God gave you his son, so take heart! He has overcome the world, and so will you! 

– Jenn Haynes

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Perfect Love

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 14 & 15

POETRY: Psalm 117

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 4

There are some pretty confusing messages about love out there in the world. I’m sure you’ve seen some of them. Oftentimes it’s defined as an emotion, a feeling. (How vague and disappointing a definition.) Some say it’s something you cannot help. You fall in and out of it, with little to no control. (Yikes. No accountability there.) Some say it’s something you have to work at, and that love takes effort. (Ok, I have to agree with that one a bit.) The Greeks separated love into 8 categories: eros, ludus, philio, agape, storge, mania, pragma, and philautia. (Talk about complicated.) I very clearly remember listening to a lot of DC Talk as a kid in the 90’s and they told me that love is a verb. (Or maybe that was Luv. It has been a long time since I was “d-d-down with the DC Talk.”) And then there’s the currently popular, on bumper stickers everywhere, “Love is love.” (Not super helpful, thanks.) 

John here tells us God is love. And if that doesn’t tell you how amazingly wonderful and powerful real, actual love is, then I don’t know what will. And fortunately for us, John goes into this a bit more.

 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

We know what love is when we know God. And we know God by listening, and learning, and understanding exactly what kind of sacrifice was made in order that he could have a relationship with us. I think we sometimes miss the gravity of this. When you sit and truly contemplate it, it sits heavy on your chest and chokes you. This love is devastating. 

I have a son. I love him dearly. I would die for him without hesitation. And there’s not a person on this planet that I want a relationship with badly enough to put my son through the torture and death that Christ suffered. I can’t fathom it. My heart breaks with the thought. 

God did not love his son any less than I love my little Oliver. In fact, God, in his perfect love, loves his son more, I’m sure, though that’s hard for me to understand or admit because I feel like I love my boy without end. But God is love, and God is perfection, and God loved his son Jesus. And yet he offered his son as a sacrifice. 

WHY!? Why would he do that!? If he loved his son so much, HOW could he do that!? 

That same perfect love extends to each of us as well. Though we are imperfect, ungrateful, selfish, and sinful, God’s perfect love covers us. He loves us SO MUCH, that he gave us his son. Jesus Christ was the model of all things good and perfect and brought us hope of a kingdom and eternal life with God and then he willingly suffered and died to make that future a possibility for all of us. And God allowed it. God gave us everything. And that is real Love, with a capital L. That is God’s Love. 

And God asks us to show that Love to others. I’ll admit immediately that I’m not capable of that kind of perfect Love. It hurts. It’s difficult. I don’t always understand it. My imperfect self, with my petty thoughts and frustrations and impatience… I’m only capable of love with a lowercase l. I’m not sure I can Love like God Loves.

But even when I’m not able to Love like that myself, I am VERY capable of sharing God’s Love with others. My version of love fails, but my God never does. 

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

We must know and rely on the Love God has for us. We are not capable of this kind of Love on our own, but God grants us his Spirit, and we know what his Love looks like. Share His Love with others. Love your neighbors enough to share God’s true and perfect Love with them. 

Reflection:

Who do you struggle to love? Do you have any relationships in your life where you find it difficult to love your neighbor? 

With whom can you share God’s perfect Love? Who do you know that desperately needs to see that Love in action? Who do you know that needs to hear that they are loved SO MUCH that God wants a personal relationship with them? 

Do those around you see God’s Love in your actions and in your words? Do they recognize God’s Spirit working in you? If not, or if not often enough, how can you do a better job of allowing God to work in you? 

My friends, I hope that this was a message of Love to you today. I pray that God’s perfect Love overcomes you this week. I pray that it overwhelms you so much that you have to share it with others.

– Jenn Haynes

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Can they Recognize you as God’s Child?

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 12 & 13

POETRY: Psalm 116

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 3

I love looking at my children and seeing which traits of theirs are mine and which are my husband’s. My eldest is my miniature, with her blue eyes and wavy brown hair. She also has all my attitude, but also my creative flair. My second has her father’s eyes and coloring and his gentle spirit. And our son…I’m not sure if either of us were ever that mischievous, but I think we can both claim his cleverness. 

What a beautiful thing to be recognized as God’s child, though. 1 John 3 starts out with this proclamation. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” He claims us as his own, and loves when people recognize us as being children of God. And who can recognize us as such? Only those who know the Father as well. 

Those who know me well, can likely look at my children and see that they belong to me. They recognize characteristics. But those that don’t know me? It’s not so obvious. And that is why the world does not understand us. If the world doesn’t know God, it won’t recognize God’s traits in us. 

This chapter speaks a great deal on sin and how we must turn from it. It speaks on love and hate. But my favorite part of this passage is the promise that it offers, right off the bat. Verse 2 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 

One day, we will be without sin. One day, our relationship to God will be obvious. We will look like his son, Jesus Christ our savior. Everyone will see the resemblance. But until that time, we struggle against sin and imperfection. Verse 9 tells us, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 

The world is looking at us, Christians. They are seeing us proclaim to be children of God, followers of Christ, and they are suspicious. If they don’t know God, they won’t recognize our conviction and our faith. But they recognize sin as we all do. And they see when we proclaim to follow God but refuse to turn from our sin. They see when we don’t love. They see when we are spiteful, or petty, or cruel. They see when we say “Love your neighbor” but do not carry out the actions. They see selfishness, pride, and haughtiness. These traits are fully recognizable as worldly traits. 

The world may not always understand true, Godly love, but we are to show it anyway so that others can see glimpses of God’s love for them. It is his great desire that we all be his children, and that one day, at Christ’s return, we are all made pure and fully known as Children of God. 

Reflection Questions: 

What traits do you show that you hope others see as Godly traits? Which areas in your actions and attitude do you feel you need to work on so that others better recognize you as God’s child?

How can you better love those around you? Is there someone in your life right now that frustrates or hurts you that you find difficult to love and be kind towards? Read through verses 21-23 and pray now for some extra strength and grace from God to be more loving toward them, so that they can see God in you.

Praying over you this week, my brothers and sisters. I’m so grateful to be a part of God’s chosen family with you.

– Jenn Haynes

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Loving the Things in the World

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 10-11

POETRY: Psalm 115

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 2

What do you love? Love is such a flexible word. I love God. I love my wife. I love my children. I love my favorite sports teams. I love eating a good fettuccine alfredo. I love ice cream. The way we use the word “love” varies widely on the context.

In 1 John 2, John spends some time contrasting the way that we love the things of the world with our love for God. And while his words may sound harsh, there is a great lesson for us in them:

1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life–is not from the Father but is from the world.

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

John commands us to not love the world or the things in the world. Does this mean that we are not to love people, like Jesus commands us to? Of course not! John is using expansive language to remind us of a key point: we are not to love the evil things we find in the world.

There is evil all around us: in the media, on TV, in movies, and on the Internet. We are bombarded with images all day everyday. While they had evil imagery in the ancient world, our modern world far outstrips the ancient world in how easy it is to see evil things and how often we are assailed with these images.

So what is John asking us to do? He is asking us to love the things of God, which means that we should avoid the evil of the world. We all have innate desires in our flesh that are not godly. If we act on those desires, we are separating ourselves not only from God through our sin, but we are also consciously deciding that our way of living is better than living the way God says that we should.

Friends, that is a dangerous place to be. I know that I have walked in darkness at times, enjoying the desires of the flesh and of the eyes. But what I found is that those dark places lead nowhere good. God does not want us to avoid sin because we are good little trained creatures. It’s not like God is running a circus, and we get to play the part of the circus animals, just jumping through hoops of fire to prove to God that we love Him. That’s not it.

God designed life. God designed us. He loves us. He wants the best for us. Just like I tell my children “no” from time to time, that does not mean that I do not love them. I want what is best for my kids, even when something wrong or dangerous looks attractive to them.

Let’s avoid the evil things that our world is trying to sell to us. Let’s be examples of love and light instead. As we do so, we are examples to others of what life will look like in the coming kingdom of God. The kingdom of God and the things of God will abide forever.

-Will Barlow

REflection Questions

Do you have a love for the things of this world that is unhealthy? What can you do to return to a purer love for God?

    Have you ever noticed that when you feed your mind something, it focuses on that concept more and more? How can you guide your thoughts in a healthier direction?

    When people look at your life, can they recognize the kingdom of God? Can they see the fruit of the spirit, evidence of a changed heart and life?

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    Where are you Walking?

    OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 7-9

    POETRY: Psalm 115

    NEW TESTAMENT: 1 John 1

    Have you ever felt completely at home someplace? Maybe it was your family of origin, maybe it was your first home on your own, maybe it was the first home you shared with someone special, like your spouse or a close friend. I hope that you have experienced that feeling.

    We want to feel at home in our relationship with God and with our Lord Jesus (and of course, with each other!). But sometimes, our brokenness, shame, and guilt get in the way of our feeling “at home” with God and others. Thankfully, the Bible tells us how to remedy this situation.

    In the beginning of 1 John, John talks about this “at home” feeling using the word “fellowship.” The word for “fellowship” basically means to share together or to participate together or to have close friendship with someone. We want to feel close to God, to Christ, and to each other. Those of us in church communities want to feel this closeness especially with those we are in community with on a regular basis. Living this way brings a special sweetness to life that is unlike any other feeling.

    Unfortunately, we don’t really experience this fellowship or “at home” feeling to the fullest extent possible in this life. Why? One reason is because, when we sin, our sin makes us feel distant from God.

    1 John 1:6-10 (ESV)

    6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

    7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

    8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

    9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

    Walking in darkness is having our lives saturated with sin. Christians should not live this way. Christians are called to become more and more like Jesus every single day through the power of the holy spirit. This is called “walking in the light.” Walking in the light does not mean that we will never sin again ever in this life, but rather that we will not practice sin.

    So, how do we restore this fellowship with God when we do sin? Verse 9 tells us to confess our sins. One often overlooked fact about verse 9 is that it says that God does not hesitate to restore us. It says instead that God is “faithful and just.” We can trust God to forgive us and restore us because He has been faithful through the ages. And when He does so, He is acting in a just way, because Jesus has paid the penalty for sin at the cross.

    Forgiveness by God is an act of justice accomplished through Jesus our Lord. 

    We have a lot to be thankful for!

    -Will Barlow

    Reflection Questions

    Have you ever experienced the “at home” feeling? What conditions made you feel safe and at peace?

      Do you have any parts of your life that are “walking in darkness”? What do you need to confess to bring them back into the light?

      What are the benefits to those around you when you are walking in the light?

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      Today’s Idols

      OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 5 & 6

      POETRY: Psalm 115

      NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 3

      Have you ever stopped to think about idolatry? In the ancient world, many groups of people would literally make statues out of wood or metal. They would sacrifice animals to these idols. They would pray to these made up, created things.

      The Psalmist talks at length about the silliness of such behavior, especially in the context of worshipping the actual Creator of the Universe:

      Psalm 115:3-7 (ESV)

      3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

      4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

      5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.

      6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.

      7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.

      The point is clear: idols look like they can speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk, and talk, but they cannot. They offer something that is not real. It’s a mirage. It’s a false comfort. Worshipping that way is meaningless.

      What does this have to do with us, you might ask? I don’t have an idol in my house. I don’t worship to anything made with hands.

      Friends, I wish that was true. We still have idols today. They don’t frequently look like human images made of silver or gold. Perhaps they are other people. Perhaps they are the rectangular boxes we carry around in our pockets. Perhaps it’s our favorite sports team. Maybe it’s our job or our family. There are always things that vie for our allegiance and our attention.

      Unlike the ancient idols, many of these things are not bad in themselves, as long as we walk in a balanced way. The balance begins, however, with total devotion to King Jesus. Full stop. End of story.

      When we live unbalanced lives, we might find ourselves feeling more and more unsettled, anxious, or depressed. Living the way that God wants us to live does not guarantee a life free from those things, for sure, but the point remains: when our life is unbalanced, we get negative results. Just like the ancient people sacrificing to blind and mute forms of their own creation, we sometimes get too caught up in worldly things that take our minds in directions that are unhealthy and unhelpful.

      As the Psalmist reminds us, the Lord is our help and shield. The Lord is the One who blesses us. The Lord is the one who is worthy of worship and honor. We shall praise the Lord!

      -Will Barlow

      Reflection Questions

      Do you have things in your life that are idols or cause you to be unbalanced? What can you do to get back in balance?

        Can you think of a time when you came out of a longer period of darkness and into light? How did that feel?

        Can you think of a friend that has an obvious idol in their life? What can you do to help them find better balance? (Maybe telling the story from your answer in #2 could be a place to start.)

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        A Kingdom Promise

        OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 3 & 4

        POETRY: Psalm 115

        NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 2

        What are you tempted to do when things get bad? Especially in the USA right now, it seems like everyone is divided, the country is full of anger, and Christianity is on the decline. What’s going on? Is there any hope?

        Looking through Scripture, we can find examples of difficult times for the people of God. Jeremiah chapter 3 is one such example. In the beginning of the chapter, God talks again and again about how corrupt and faithless the people of Israel and Judah have been. God uses the language of divorce, sexual immorality, and idolatry to describe the past mistakes of Israel and the current status for Judah. The problems were obvious. The solution also seemed obvious — return to the Lord. And not only did God declare that this was the right answer — He actively called for His people to return to Him.

        But what did the people do?

        Reading the rest of the book of Jeremiah, we know that they did not return to the true worship of Yahweh, at least before the exile.

        Nevertheless, the middle of Jeremiah 3 should catch our attention. The story does not end with the faithlessness, corruption, and sin.

        Jeremiah 3:15-18 (ESV)

        15 “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

        16 And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again.

        17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.

        18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers for a heritage.

        The story ends with the goodness of God. No matter what, God will send good shepherds, most importantly the Good Shepherd, Jesus. All nations will come to worship God in the holy city of Jerusalem. The people of God will be reunited again. This is a kingdom promise, a kingdom promise located in the darkest period of the history of the people of God.

        Friends, that is our lesson for today: no matter how dark the world gets, no matter how hopeless our future seems, the kingdom is coming. The King is returning.

        Instead of focusing on the darkness around us and the turmoil (war, politics, etc.), let’s focus on God and on the hope we have for the future. And let’s share that with others, too.

        -Will Barlow

        Reflection Questions

        Self assessment: how are you feeling with all that is going on in the world today?

          What can you do to be a brighter light in the midst of this darkness?

          How can you stay anchored in the hope of the return of Jesus while also paying appropriate attention to the things of the world?

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          Standing for God

          OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 1 & 2

          POETRY: Psalm 115

          NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 1

          Have you ever thought that it was too hard to stand for God in the middle of this dark world? Have you ever feared ridicule that kept you from sharing your faith with someone? I know that I have thought both of these things at times in my life.

          One example in Scripture that serves to encourage us in this category is Jeremiah. Jeremiah served as a prophet in one of the darkest days for the people of God, beginning his ministry right before the exile into Babylon. Jeremiah 1 chronicles the “call” of Jeremiah to serve God.

          Jeremiah 1:4-5 (ESV)

          4 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

          5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

          God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before he was born! Not only that, God called Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was born. What an incredible calling! And Jeremiah would need this kind of encouragement and consolation, because the people of God at this point in history were not inclined to listen to the Lord’s instruction. In fact, Jeremiah’s whole life would be filled with heartache and sorrow as he fulfilled his role as a prophet to the people of Judah in this time before and during the exile.

          Jeremiah, just like Moses and many throughout the Bible (and perhaps some of us, too!), argued with God’s choice. God responds with the only words that Jeremiah needed to hear (and the only words that we often need to hear):

          “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.”

          They continue talking — God shows Jeremiah some visions. At the end of the chapter, God reiterates this simple word to Jeremiah:

          “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”

          Jeremiah faced many challenges in his life. He was tempted to be discouraged at every turn. And yet, in his darkest moments, he could remember the simple words that God told him the day that he was called:

          “I am with you.”

          Today, you can rest knowing that God is with you, just like He was with Jeremiah. We may face different types of battles than Jeremiah did, but the same God that was with Jeremiah is with us. He will deliver us.

          -Will Barlow

          Reflection Questions

          What do you notice in your mind and body when you face opposition? Do you tense up, get angry, feel intimidated? How can you acknowledge and hold space for these feelings while also living your faith out the way that you desire to?

            What can you do to be more intentional to stand for God bravely as Jeremiah did?

            Have you ever argued with God when He has asked you to do something? What did you do? What can you learn from that experience?

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            Shepherd the Flock & Be Watchful

            OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Chronicles 35 & 36

            POETRY: Psalm 115 (all week)

            NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Peter 5

            What is the best way to lead others in the church? What is the best way to follow church leadership?

            At the end of 1 Peter, Peter gives some exhortations to leaders in the church and then to the general assembly. His exhortation to leadership, while brief, is powerfully meaningful:

            1 Peter 5:2-3 (ESV)

            2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

            3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

            Leaders in the church are commanded to shepherd the flock not by abusing authority but by being examples. Peter is repeating what Jesus taught him years before (see Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus served others in love, showing everyone how to live a godly life. He did not collect taxes, lead an army, start a big corporation, or run for President (or Caesar, not that it was a democracy!), but even if he held a prominent worldly position, he would not have led through fear or domination.

            How many times has this gone wrong in the history of the Christian church? How often are leaders tempted to lead this way? As a pastor, knowing how common this problem is leads me to greater personal reflection and humility. My job is to serve willingly and eagerly and to be a good example to the people in our congregation. That sounds simple and straightforward, but the other way is tempting. Leaders, we must keep the servant’s towel wrapped around our waist at all times!

            Peter goes on to admonish the whole assembly to be humble, to cast anxieties to God, and to be watchful. Each of these dispositions is important. First, humility is a foundational Christian attribute. It’s like the key to the door of growth. Humility says, “I don’t know everything yet. I can still learn more.” Everyone in the church should be humble before God and before the Scriptures. There is always more to learn. There is always more to live.

            Second, we are to cast our anxieties to God. This world is full of trouble and brokenness. All of us experience anxiety from time to time. We must remember that God cares about every aspect of our lives. What a crazy thing to believe, but it is true — the Creator of the Universe wants a relationship with you! God cares for you!

            Finally, we are to be watchful. There are influences of darkness in the world around us (see: anxieties above). The powers of darkness, led by the adversary/devil, have built systems to damage our faith and lead us into temptation. Just as our Lord Jesus taught, we seek God instead. He will deliver us from evil, and the promise is, that as we resist, the devil will flee (see also James 4:7).

            -Will Barlow

            Reflection Questions:

            1. (Leaders) How do you stay humble and focused on serving the people around you?
            • (Non-leaders) What can you do if you are concerned about your leaders and how they are behaving?
            • Are there things in your life that need more watchfulness or resisting the powers of darkness? What can you do to strengthen your resolve in those categories?
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            Using Your Gift

            OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Chronicles 33 & 34

            POETRY: Psalm 115

            NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Peter 4

            Have you ever wondered what gifts you have been given by God? Have you ever doubted that you even HAVE a gift from God? In the middle of 1 Peter 4, Peter gives a simple statement about gifts that should arrest our attention:

            1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)

            10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

            11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies–in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

            We are first comforted (or perhaps surprised!) to hear that we have received a gift. What are we to do with our gift? We are commanded to serve one another in love — that is the way that we can use God’s grace appropriately.

            Peter also gives two large categories for gifts from God: speaking gifts and serving gifts. Unfortunately, in the modern Western church, most Christians think of the “speaking gifts” when they think of gifts. And so, when asked, “what is your gift?” so many are tempted to think that they do not even have one. But Peter does not teach this, nor do the rest of the Scriptures.  For example, giving mercy is listed as a gift in Romans 12, and administration is listed as a gift in 1 Corinthians 12. The gifts of God come in many shapes and sizes.

            If you are unsure what your gift is (or gifts are!), what can you do? I believe that Peter would encourage you to get more involved in a local congregation of Jesus followers. Try volunteering for a food drive, helping to set up for a special event, or working with the children’s ministry. Do you have any musical ability? Perhaps your worship team could use an extra instrument or voice. Has God put a desire for preaching or teaching in your heart? Ask your pastor how you can develop this desire into something more concrete. Do you have a heart for the homeless, those in prison, single parents, or another disadvantaged group of people in your community? The opportunities for exploration and service are virtually endless!

            Many times, I think we overcomplicate the idea of gifts. We are each unique people, valued by our infinite Creator. None of us are alike in every way. God has especially given you abilities that I may not have, and He has given me abilities that you may not have. And even if we have the same gift type, we will express it uniquely! This is the value and the beauty of the Body of Christ — we are both designed to fit in and belong to the church of Jesus Christ, AND we are designed to stand out in unique ways.

            Ask God to show you what desires He would like you to pursue. As you pursue those gifts, remember that it’s all about Him. It’s His ability, His power — even your life belongs to Him! So love Him with your whole heart and love your neighbor as yourself. As you do, you’ll learn more about Him and more about how He has uniquely gifted and enabled you to do good works that point back to Him. 

            -Will Barlow

            Reflection Questions

            1. Do you have any ideas about the gifts that you have? What can you do to learn more about yourself and about God?
            • What gifts of others do you especially appreciate? How does this practice of thankfulness for others’ gifts help us greater appreciate the Body of Christ?
            • What next steps are you going to take to develop an awareness of your gifts and how they can be used to serve others and glorify God?

            Will Barlow is the head pastor at Compass Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He lives near Louisville with his wife of 15 years (Becca) and three children (Liam, Hannah, and Isaac). Besides theology, he enjoys playing sports, watching sports, and spending time with his family.

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