You have been hand-selected to be a highly-valued and cherished child of the Most High and living God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
Do you believe that? I mean, do you truly and wholeheartedly accept that this is true?
So many people long to have confirmed that they belong and that they have purpose.
You, my friend in faith, have been confirmed for both!
As if the verses from today’s reading don’t state it plainly, let’s look elsewhere in the New Testament. According to Ephesians 2:19, You are a member of God’s household.
And in the same chapter, just 9 verses before, it declares that you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to accomplish!
If you accept your position and your purpose, then you need to start acting like it.
Honor God by worshipping Him alone; avoid and get rid of anything, or anyone, that could lead you astray. (Deuteronomy 13)
Honor God by taking care of your body. (Deuteronomy 14:1-21). While this section of the chapter is referring to clean and unclean foods, something that the Israelites had to pay close attention to, we can extend the meaning to modern times and consider what we put into our bodies.
Honor God with your stuff and by being generous to those in need. (Deuteronomy 14:22-29)
Friend, God loves you more than you can possibly imagine. Love Him back, with all that you are.
-Bethany Ligon
You can read or listen to today’s Bible passages at BibleGateway here – Deuteronomy 13-14 and Luke 15
I’ve already confessed to you that I like to hang on to things (see Sunday’s devotional thought for reference), so I might as well let you know that something else I’ve kept from my past is a set of mixed tapes I created when I was in high school.
Cassette tapes predate CDs for those of you who aren’t familiar with the old school technology. And before iTunes, if we wanted recordings of our favorite songs, without actually buying the music artist’s tape, we had to have a tape player with a recording feature and sit and listen to the radio and wait for the song to eventually come on. The worst was when the DJ would continue talking as the song started – this just meant that we cut off part of the song, deal with the DJ talking, or wait until the song played later in the day.
But eventually, we ended up with customized playlists of all of our favorite songs. And why I’ve kept them up until this point seems silly…I no longer have a tape player to listen to them with.
You might be wondering why I am sharing all this with you…
As I read through Deuteronomy 11 and 12 today, verses 2 and 7 caught my attention. Moses is continuing to let the Israelites know what is expected of them as they prepare to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land.
He wants them to realize that it was them, his audience, not their children, who experienced first hand “the discipline of the LORD your God; his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm…” (Ch11 v2)
Multiple times through scripture the recounting of God’s greatest acts of saving the Israelites from the Egyptians is recorded, much like listening to my mixed tape over and over again.
I suppose I have kept my tapes as a way to share with the generations who will follow me about the awesome music of the 1990s.
In the same way, I have stories of my own that I can share with today’s youth about the amazing acts that God has performed in my life.
And it’s not just a way to pass the time, but sharing our testimonies is actually a responsibility that we have. It’s a way that we teach one another about God’s provision and goodness. It’s a way that we can encourage one another through difficult circumstances. It’s a way that we can pave a path of hope for what’s to come.
Sharing how God has impacted YOUR life can dramatically influence the lives of others. So do not hesitate to pull out the oldies and goodies of God’s greatest hits in your life. Tell others your testimony, for “it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the LORD has done”.
-Bethany Ligon
You can read or listen to today’s Bible reading passages at BibleGateway here – Deuteronomy 11-12 and Luke 14
The year was 1990-something and it was a Friday night. High school football playoffs were intense that year. We were headed into an away game against one of our biggest in-district rivals for a spot in the next round of playoffs.
While I wasn’t a member of the football team, I was a member of the marching band. Our high school administration had gotten wind that we might be greeted with some hostility by the hosting team’s fans. Any MHS student who was riding a bus to the game got the same warning and encouragement:
It doesn’t matter who our opponent is tonight.
Remember who you are…
Remember what is expected of you…
Make good choices so we can be proud of you!
As I read through Deuteronomy chapters 9 and 10, I can see similar reminders to the Israelites.
They are about to enter into the Promised Land and they would be facing the biggest, most intimidating opponents on that side of the Jordan.
Remember who you are…
You are God’s chosen people, not chosen because of your righteousness, but because of God’s great love for you.
Remember where you came from…
You were held in captivity for 400 years and by God’s great hand, you were released to enter a land that has been hand-picked just for you.
Remember what has been done for you…
Even though you are a rebellious people, deserving of God’s wrath because of your disobedience, you have been saved.
Remember what is asked of you…
Love God with all of your heart. Show the same generosity towards others that has been shown to you.
Remember the promise that has been given to you…
Even though there is a mighty opponent currently occupying the land – it is yours; I am giving it to you.
Believe what will be done for you…
I (God) took you from seventy people and grew you into a nation as numerous as the stars. Believe what I am telling you.
Since the time of Abraham, God had laid out a vision for the Israelites and now the time had come for this particular generation to take action.
I hope that you have realized that God has also given you a vision for the life that He longs to give to you. Does it scare you just a little bit, because you aren’t really sure how it’s all going to come together?
Richard Bach, the author of “Jonathon Livingston Seagull”, once said, “You are never given a dream without the power to make it come true.”
It doesn’t matter what kind of opposition you are facing.
It doesn’t matter what kind of past you have lived.
It doesn’t matter that your resources are inadequate.
As a child of God, you possess the power to make it come true.
So remember who you are…
Remember who loves you…
Remember what has already been done on your behalf…
Remember the promises set out for you…
Believe and go do great things!
-Bethany Ligon
You can read or listen to today’s Bible reading passages at BibleGateway here – Deuteronomy 9-10 and Luke 13
Deuteronomy 7:5 – This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire.
I’m a keeper. Not exactly a pack rat. Definitely not a hoarder. But I do like to keep stuff from the past.
For example, I have movie theater ticket stubs that date back to the 1980s! Yeah! I know. I even scrapbooked them at one point! Can you believe it?
Here’s another example. Several years ago I went through a grand purge of my closet and found a tshirt that a boyfriend from my early college years had given me. Why had I kept that? It had zero relevance to my current, happily married life and yet I still had the silly shirt.
It didn’t take long for me to decide to toss that shirt in the trash.
As we continue our reading through Deuteronomy this week, we read about all the stuff that God is directing the Israelites to get rid of once they enter the Promised Land.
Specifically in Deuteronomy 7:5, God is referring to idols that all the “ites” nations worshipped. God tells them that if His people do not break down, smash, and burn the idols that those practices will separate them from the love of God.
When we enter into a relationship with God, our lives begin to transform from the inside out. And for those of us who have been on the journey for some time, we realize that God is always refining our character and letting us experience a life that will draw us closer to Him.
And sometimes that means we need to get rid of the stuff that is keeping us from having a closer relationship with our Father. That “stuff” might be actual physical materials. It might be habits or relationships. But it is also mindsets, the ideas that casually roam freely through our minds that do us more harm than good.
“I’m not good enough.”
“No one understands me.”
“It’s too hard to accomplish.”
“Who would want to take a chance on me?”
LIES! LIES! LIES!
Listen to me.
You are a child of the Most High God!
You are precious.
You are valuable!
You have a grand purpose in God’s eyes and that purpose will be fulfilled!
When God tells us to get rid of the old stuff in order to experience the new creation He has intended for us to be…THIS is what He is talking about!
Dear Friend, Do not let old mindsets and ways of thinking separate you from the love of God.
Believe His Word.
Do what it says.
Experience the life He has designed for you to live!
Have you ever been sucked into watching an infomercial? Have you ever purchased something from an infomercial? I have a few times. I believe that my purchases have involved some sort of exercise workout or nutritional program. All guaranteed me phenomenal results. The truth is I have not experienced all the effects that these infomercials promised me. Does that shock you?
Whatever it is, we humans like guarantees. We crave guarantees because we know that we’re likely to mess it up and we want something that can still be true even with a faulty operator.
Thank GOD that His faithfulness to me is not dependent on my ability to do right. Even on my best days I still fall short.
One of God’s promises to us is that we have the mind of Christ.
Not: We will have the mind of Christ – something that is promised for the future.
Not: We can have the mind of Christ – something that is contingent upon something else.
Not: We might have the mind of Christ – something that is uncertain or not yet determined to be true.
We have the mind of Christ…NOW! It’s guaranteed! Isn’t that amazing?!?!
What are the implications of this truth for you – YOU HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. It’s a done deal. How will this reality change the thoughts that you think, the words that you speak, the actions that you take?
Take a bit of time today and prayerfully consider the kind of response God might be asking of you.
-Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at Bible GateWay here – 1 Corinthians 1-4
Because the book of Acts spends a great deal of time tracking the apostle Paul’s missionary journeys, it’s easy to overlook others who only have a few verses written about them, but they played a significant part in the spread of the Gospel. One of these is a man named Apollos.
We meet up with Apollos in Ephesus and immediately we are informed of his cultural background, his hometown, and his status in regards to his knowledge of the Scriptures. We know that he was enthusiastic about continuing his own understanding as evidenced by his time spent with Priscilla and Aquila. We read that Apollos is very enthusiastic and bold about sharing the Gospel to other Jews. And if we take a sneak peak in 1 Corinthians 3: 4-5, we see that his influence of converting believers is compared to Paul! Wow!
So what can we apply to our own lives just off of these verses at the end of Acts 18?
1 – We each need to be reading and studying Scripture regularly. If you’re reading this blog post, chances are…you do this already! Great! If digging into Scripture isn’t a consistent habit you have in place – ask yourself how you can restructure just a portion of your day to include an infusion of the Word. I know a couple of people who have found that listening to the Bible while on their way to or from work or school has made a difference. Try it out! You might like it!
2- Be willing to continually learn more about the Word of God from others who have been around a while. And if you’re one who has experience living a Christian lifestyle, make sure that you are connecting and investing in others’ spiritual walks. When Apollos met up with Priscilla and Aquila, he only knew about the baptism of John. After spending time with the couple, Apollos’ ministry became even more influential. This could be you!
3 – Acts 18:28 states that “Apollos vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate”. If you’re on any kind of social media platform, I’m sure that you’ve witnessed hotly contested debates in the last few months over a variety of issues and I am certainly not advocating for that in regards to faith-based ideas. Instead, think about it this way: Apollos was ready to give a logical response to those who asked questions. AND he was prepared to thoughtfully challenge (I’m sure in a calm and respectful manner) others’ thinking. We must also be prepared to do the same. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” If the situation ever presented itself, could you share your testimony of how and why you became a child of the Most High God? If not, spend some time thinking about what you would say…you never know when you might be asked to share your story.
Apollos, while not as prolific as the apostle Paul, had incredible influence over the spread of the Gospel of Christ. You and I can also lead consequential lives in which our love for God and His love for us is shared with others. To be effective, we must continue to study Scripture, learn from others, and be prepared to speak boldly. This is what makes us modern day disciples of Christ.
-Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible reading passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Acts 18:19-19:41.
Tomorrow we will finish the week with the beginning of 1st Corinthians (chapters 1-4).
1 Thessalonians 1:3 – We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Work Produced by Faith
Faith is defined as having a firm belief, complete trust and confidence in something. As a Believer, our faith is determined by the extent of which we believe that God is who He says He is and that His son, Jesus the Messiah, was born of a woman, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for the redemption of your sins, was raised to life, is currently sitting on a throne next to his Father, waiting to return again to reign in the Kingdom. IF you and I believe all of that – then our day to day life will be a compilation of evidence of acts done in faith and by faith.
James makes the claim in the third chapter of his letter “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (James 1:1) that “in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (3:17). And in verse 26 of the same chapter, James writes, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead”.
The Thessalonians didn’t just accept the gospel message, they acted on it. Jesus was both their Savior and their Lord, meaning that they were obedient to the call on their lives. They were doing the work that God had prepared in advance for them to do (Ephesians 2:10). Likewise, when we accept the gospel message for ourselves, we have to respond. Jesus tells us in the book of Luke that we must take up our cross (do the work) and follow him (9:23).
Labor Prompted by Love
Mark 12:30 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”. Have you ever wondered why these four domains are identified? Have you ever loved someone so much that there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do for them? You sacrifice all that you have in order to serve them, sacrifice for them, and labor for them. In the following verse, we’re told to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sacrificing ourselves for family members and close friends is one thing…serving and laboring for others beyond our closest relationships is quite another.
This is why we’re told to love with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength – because it’s not easy. Sometimes loving another is labor. It’s hard work. It’s humbling ourselves by putting our own desires off to the side in order to honor others. But it’s what we are called to do. And it is possible if we lean into the strength that is provided through our faith in Christ.
Endurance Inspired by Hope
One of my favorite types of exercise is a 20 minutes HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. I like it because I don’t have to do it everyday, it’s quick, and efficient. And I get to rest for almost half of the time during the “down” intervals. If I were ever called upon to do something that took longer than 20 minutes, I would be gassed! I do not have the endurance for it. And I have no enthusiasm to train for it!
Walking out your faith knee deep in “works produced by faith” and “labor promoted by love” is not for the faint of heart! It’s not a one time deal. And unlike my HIIT workouts, it’s an all-day, everyday kind of commitment – for a lifetime! This requires an endurance that cannot be faked nor manufactured. The only source for the necessary fuel to keep this faith-centered life going is HOPE. A hope that has a foundation on the love God has for us. When we stay zeroed in to that – we are able to dig deep and and go the distance. As Paul says in his second letter to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. We can have a FULL life that gives us the endurance needed to do the good works.
The Christian life is not for the wimpy. In this single verse out of 1 Thessalonians, we are told that we must work, labor, and endure. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t seem very comfy. It’s not a life of luxury and indulgence. The ONLY way that we will be able to sustain this day to day living is doing so out of Faith, Love, and Hope. May these virtues fill your heart today.
Acts 18:9-10 – One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
Paul’s missionary journey has led him to Thessalonica where he spent a few weeks teaching in the synagogue but was eventually run out of town, but not before some were persuaded to believe and be saved. His escape took him to the next town of Berea, where again, the Thessalonicans caught up to Paul and he had to make a sneaky escape. He landed in Athens, a place known for philosophy. And while a few people accepted the gospel that Paul preached, others sneered at his message and so he continued his journey to Corinth. Corinth had a reputation. All kinds of sexually immoral practices existed in this place and yet, this is where Paul received a vision and was told “I have many people in this city”. Isn’t it just like God to take what many would consider the least likely of people and bring them into a relationship with himself.
Let’s remember something – we are all the least likely of people. There is nothing that I have done that makes me worthy of God’s love, mercy, and grace. It’s not my cultural heritage. It’s not my level of intelligence or my financial standing. It’s not who I know or what I do. It’s only by the gift of Jesus’ atoning death on a cross that I can even be in a relationship with God.
Too many people today believe that they have to “get right with God” before they can attend church or pray or be of use for service. Too many believers avoid interacting with non-believers because they fear the Gospel message (or more likely they themselves) will be mocked, rejected or persecuted.
Sometimes God gives us opportunities to associate and fellowship with other believers so that we can build one another up. Other times, God invites us into the messy lives of non-believers so that we can show them that God loves all of us exactly where we are. And then there are other times, when God provides opportunities for us to invest in others’ messy lives long term to really show them what a life serving God is all about.
As we read about Paul’s journey, we can appreciate that Paul made himself available to God’s leading, even staying for a year and a half in a city that was full of immoral practices because it was ripe for a spiritual harvest. Wherever God has you today, “Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent” and look for the spiritual harvest.
-Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible reading passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Acts 17:1-18:17.
Galatians 5:1 – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Growing up in the great Southwest, I have had the luxury of enjoying authentic Mexican food. I could eat chips and salsa every day, all day. When I’ve got a craving, I will even eat chips and salsa from New York City. (Click here for reference to an old TV commercial.)
Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos are all very, very good. But one main entree dish tops them all, the chimichanga. If you’re not familiar with the chimichanga, you can think of it as a deep fried burrito topped with sour cream and guacamole. Or if you’re feeling extra decadent, queso fundido sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about it…
When I was in college, I spent a semester at Kansas State University. For the most part, I enjoyed going to school there. One of the only drawbacks was that back in 1993, there weren’t any Mexican restaurants in the area. And while I could get chips and salsa from the grocery store, and tacos from Taco Bell, there wasn’t any authentic Mexican cuisine to be found.
Then one day, I was dining at an Applebee’s. And low and behold, there on the menu was a chicken chimichanga. I almost cried. I was so excited! With great anticipation, I waited for the plate to be brought out to the table. And when the dish finally arrived, it was everything I could do to hold back the tears. Not because I was so thrilled, but because the chimichanga was covered in chili! Not Mexican red or green chili, but chili beans! I was dumbfounded. How could anyone mess up my chimichanga?!?! When I spoke with my parents later that evening (they were still living in Arizona), I let the tears fall. I was so homesick.
I tell you all of this because when I read the book of Galatians, something stands out to me. The church in Galatia had enthusiastically accepted the Gospel that the apostle Paul had preached to them. But after he had left, interlopers had begun to convince Believers that there were certain rituals that they had to practice, including circumcision, to be considered righteous. When Paul heard of this, he was so frustrated!
Here’s Bethany’s interpretation of Galatians 5:1 – Why, why, why would you go back to living under the burden of all these rules and regulations? Don’t you know that Christ died so that you wouldn’t have to be a slave to all that? Your faith has set you FREE! Now start living like it!
The same message applies to you and me. Once you realize what life can be like living under the grace of God through faith in what His son did on the cross on your behalf, why, why, why would you ever think about going back to a previous lifestyle? And yet, that’s what we encounter every single day. We’re faced with decisions on how to treat others, how we spend our time, how we invest our finances. It might be tempting to make concessions in stressful circumstances, but we must stay strong, to persevere and be firm in our faith.
When you get in the habit of living in freedom, going back to a former way of living becomes just as inconceivable as eating a chimichanga with chili beans dumped all over it. When you experience the REAL DEAL – you never want to go back.
Grace from God gives us a glimpse of His goodness.
Mercy from the Most High motivates us to move mountains.
Forgiveness from the Father fills in the fissures of the heart.
Rest within the shadow of the Rock renews our responsiveness.
Acceptance by the Almighty alters our attitudes.
Joy from Jehovah jolts our joints!
It is for Freedom that Christ has set you Free. Now start living like it!
Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Galatians 4-6
Social conversations today sometimes revolve around issues and individuals with whom we can relate or identify. For example, I am a fan of the Arizona Cardinals and when there is an exciting play on the field, I tend to get loud. And when the team wins a game, I feel like there is some part of me that also wins, even though I watch the game from home while ironing clothes for the week ahead. If the team loses a game, I feel bad for the team knowing how hard they fought to bring home a victory for all those who choose to cheer them on! I might not ever get the chance to score a touchdown or take a ready position on the offensive line trying to protect a quarterback, but I still feel like I am part of the team.
When I read the words written by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians, I claim his declaration in chapter 2 verse 20 as my own. “I have been crucified with Christ” is a phrase that I believe I might have written myself if I were the one penning this epistle. When Jesus offered his life on the cross, he wasn’t doing it just for himself. He wasn’t doing it for all of the believers who were alive at the time. He allowed nails to be driven into his wrists and feet and his blood to pour out for all of us. This is something that I identify with. Jesus was willing to die for me. It’s a gift that I am willing to accept so that I do not have to pay that debt myself. I claim that Jesus is my Savior.
But Jesus is not just my Savior, he is also my Lord. “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Because of what Jesus has done for me, the only response that I can have is to dedicate my life in service to him. The thoughts that I think, the words that I speak, the actions that I take, are all a reflection of what it means to “live by faith in the Son of God”. Make no mistake, I mess up often. But thankfully, because the grace of God is never ending, I can be made right again upon confession and repentance.
And so I ask you, with whom do you identify? Is it your family? Is it your school or workplace? Is it with a professional sports team? Is it your church? While all of those people and organizations are most likely good people and places to associate yourself, remember that the ultimate person with whom you can identify is Jesus the Messiah. He died so that you wouldn’t have to.
So what will your response to this sacrifice be? Will you align yourself with Christ? Will you choose to be on his team and play every play on the field with all of your heart? Will your thoughts, words, and actions reveal your true allegiance?
I challenge you that if you haven’t already accepted Jesus as your Savior, to do that today! And if you have already done that, remember that he is Lord of your life too. Now is the time to start living like it!
-Bethany Ligon
Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Galatians 1-3
Tomorrow we will read the rest of Galatians, chapters 4-6.
Seek Grow Love 