Christian – Seek Grow Love

“Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, ‘You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?’ Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. So the spring was called En Hakkore, and it is still there in Lehi.” (Judges 15:18-19, NIV)

This passage demonstrates to me how very temperamental our faith can be at times. Samson honestly seems dramatic and ridiculous. He trusted God to give him victory, yet didn’t trust Him to meet his basic needs. I think we can all be this way. We easily lose sight of the character of God and his son Jesus.

An image comes to mind of Peter boldly stepping out of the boat in faith, quickly followed by Peter’s sheer panic as his faith wavers and he starts to sink. Peter is known as being the impulsive disciple, but I love that he doesn’t get in his head at first in this situation and steps out in faith. He first checks that it’s Jesus who is walking on water in Matthew 14:28: “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water” (NIV). Jesus simply replies with “come” and that was enough for Peter to step out in faith because Peter remembered who Jesus was. Verse 30 paints the very human side of Peter we can all relate to when the cares of the world creep in, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (NIV).

When we lose sight of the character of God and Jesus, that is when our faith wavers. Samson’s faith clearly wavers as noted in the above passage. He gives credit to God for his victory, yet doesn’t trust Him with a tiny thing like helping him find water to drink. It brings to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:31-32: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (NIV) If we find ourselves worrying about our basic needs, it might be time to remind ourselves that we are promised that God knows what we need.

Another thing that stood out to me about the above passage is Samson’s lack of gratitude. He glossed over this monumental thing God did for him and complained he didn’t have any water to drink. As a parent, I have been exasperated by my children when they behaved this way. You work your fingers to the bone to pull off a great event for them and then they manage to complain about a tiny detail. I have been guilty of doing that myself a time or two as well (wink wink). Instead of complaining about a circumstance, maybe we can look for ways to be grateful. No matter the circumstance, you can ALWAYS find something to thank God for. Remember when the apostle Paul was nearly stoned to death in Monday’s reading yet he and Barnabas got up the next day and continued their mission, encouraged others and praised God. We are challenged in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to maintain a posture of gratitude in any circumstance we encounter, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Will we choose to rise to this challenge?

REflection Questions

What do you think of the statement: “When we lose sight of the character of God and Jesus, that is when our faith wavers”?
How does complaining or worry affect your faithfulness?
Do you trust God for the Big Things in your life, but neglect to trust Him with the small things?
Think of one of the hardest times in your life. What did you still have to be grateful for during that time? What are the benefits (to yourself, to those around you, and in your relationship with God) when you are grateful? What can you be grateful for today? Remind yourself throughout the day.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for all You are and all You do, including giving the gift of Your Son. I want to know You both more and more. Forgive me for my worry and complaining when I am not properly focused on You, who You are, Your Son Jesus, what he taught, what he did for me, and the Coming Kingdom You are preparing. Help me see what You want me to see and be grateful. Help my faith to grow.

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Persevering and Praising

Judges 9-10

Psalm 40

Acts 14

-Devotion by Kristy Cisneros (SC)

In today’s reading, I can’t help but see some parallels between the faith of David expressed in the 40th Psalm and the faith of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14. In Acts 14:2 we read about the Jews putting up roadblocks to the Gentiles receiving the gospel message, “But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers” (NIV). Not only did they stand in the way of the gospel message being shared, they also plotted to harm Paul and Barnabas. Verse 5 reads, “There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them” (NIV). Sure enough they acted on this plot and stoned Paul and left him for dead. Thankfully, the ever resilient Paul got right back up and continued on his mission the very next day. In the next city they went to they found great success and won many people over to Christ. Paul and Barnabas were clearly going through it, but even Paul being stoned nearly to death was not enough to deter them from their God-given mission. They used their pain and suffering to encourage others who were encountering their own trials. In Acts 14:22 we read, “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said” (NIV). Even through their hardships, verse 27 demonstrates how their lips were filled with praise for their mighty God, “On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (NIV).

David also endured many struggles. He speaks in Ps. 40 about waiting patiently for the Lord to hear his cry and how the Lord lifted him out of “the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire” and put him on solid ground. After enduring all of these hardships, David’s mouth was full of praise just like Paul and Barnabas:

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

I do not seal my lips, Lord,

as you know.

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

from the great assembly. (NIV)

We will all go through it at one point or another. Do we remain faithful and patient? Do we proclaim God’s goodness no matter the circumstances and also look for ways to encourage our brothers and sisters like Paul and Barnabas did? These men of faith are great examples of what it looks like to celebrate God’s goodness in spite of anything we encounter. Remembering God’s amazing character and His immeasurable love for us will help anchor our faith during any turbulent storm we face.

Reflection Questions

Imagine for a moment, what do you think Paul and Barnabas were thinking and feeling throughout the events of Acts 14? What do you think might have been the hardest part for you if you had been in Paul’s shoes, or in Barnabas’s?
What are some tribulations you have already faced on your way to entering the Kingdom of God? How has God shown His faithfulness to you? What hardships might still be coming on your path? Who do you admire for how they faithfully persevered and praised?
What do you know about God’s amazing character and immeasurable love? Consider writing down your thoughts so you can return to this and be encouraged and strengthened on difficult days. Who else do you know who could use some encouragement? How will you share?

Prayer

Dear God, I praise You for Your faithfulness. Thank you for the many ways You have seen me through hardships, including _____. Thank you for the examples of Paul, Barnabas, David, Jesus, others throughout history, and in my life who encourage and strengthen me with their praise of who You are and what You have done. Help me to not hide your righteousness in my heart, but boldly proclaim your love and faithfulness again and again and again.

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Bought at a Price

Judges 3-5

Psalm 39

*Acts 12

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

Today we’re going to talk about some deep things. We mostly like to kind of brush past some of the harder bits of truth, but sometimes we need to acknowledge that they exist in order to appreciate the overwhelmingly high favor that we have been given without cause, and through no merit of our own.

**As a side note, I would also like to strongly encourage you to check it out every time scripture is quoted. Look up every bible verse anyone ever quotes (including me!) just to make sure they’re not mistaken, quoting partial truths, or being misleading: be a good Berean and check. Examine context, make sure it’s quoted correctly, and that it’s used properly.

I sometimes wonder at how much I should share, but this might be important to someone. This is the extremely edited version of a true story. An old friend of mine, back in the bad old days (see 2/5 devotional) and I were having an inebriated conversation. During this conversation talk turned to God, and he started saying the actual name of God, and I got scared (because we weren’t behaving properly), which amused him. He continued to do it a few times, then I bowed up and let him know that the next time he drew attention to us in our current state that he and I were going to have a full on brawl (I was a little scrappy in my youth). He laughed and moved on to other topics. A few months later, I had escaped from that life and was safe in a different state, no longer a criminal but attending a Bible college (talk about a culture shock!). A month or two after that I received word that he was dead. Let him who has ears, hear.

The name of God (YHVH, Yahweh, Yehovah) is a sacred name, and not to be used frivolously. It absolutely should be used in reverent prayer and meditation, but never frivolously. God will be treated as holy, and honored before all people (Lev 10:3). I believe part of the reason I’m alive today (aside from my parents’ constant intervention through prayer) is detailed in Malachi 3:16, and I remember Joel 2:32 as well, but I wonder at times at the cost of my freedom from that life that I was in. It is very sobering and very humbling. The price of soul is costly and beyond your ability to buy (Ps 49:8).

In our reading of Acts 12 today, we see this concept written painfully in blood, but most people miss it because it’s just a little blurb in the neat and somewhat funny (at points) story about Peter being freed from jail by an angel. We start out the chapter very seriously indeed with Herod beginning the first (but certainly not the last) persecution of the believers, the “ecclesia”, or what some would call “the church”. This would be Herod Agrippa I, the last “client king” of Judea, the grandson of Herod “the Great” (who was in actuality not so great). Herod (Agrippa I) was a skilled diplomat who gained favor in Rome by backing Claudius’ imperial succession, who leveraged his friendships with emporers Caligula and Claudius to reunify the territories of Samaria, Judea, and Galilee under a single rule (his).

Being a skilled politician who had just reunited rule on the territories around Judea, he sought to solidify his power by any means necessary. So while he maintained his Roman alliances and friends, he zealously sought and enforced orthodox Jewish policies in order to secure the loyalty of his Jewish subjects of that territory. So with that historical knowledge in the back of your head, now read in Acts 12:1-2 that after persecuting the early believers and killing James “and when he saw that it pleased the Jews” (Acts 12:3 LSB), he arrested Peter.

Remember that this is an ambitious politician, ruling over a territory of Jews, attempting to solidify his political strength in the land; so when he has Peter arrested, we can only assume it was to have him publicly killed later (since that is what pleased the Jews with James). What was the cost of one man’s life to him, in order to gain power? Just some fisherman, not anybody politically important, not even wealthy; a small price to pay to solidify your power over the territory, right?

So when Peter is arrested, he takes extra steps to secure his prisoner, because this is political gold for him. This is one of the leaders of that new upstart group causing dissension among the Jews, his subjects now. In Acts 12:4 it says, “When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to 4 squads of soldiers, to guard him…” (LSB). The actual word here translated as “squad” is “quaternion”, and a quaternion was composed of 4 soldiers each, so: 4 quaternions (of 4 soldiers each) equal 16 soldiers, trained and hardened professional Roman soldiers. When sleeping, Peter was chained with 2 chains between 2 soldiers, and there were other soldiers in front of the doors. Stop and think about the level of force here for a moment, Herod is not taking any chances. You don’t secure a prisoner that securely if you’re planning on giving public high fives when you bring him out, Peter was going to die here. It says at the end of 12:4 that he was “intending to bring him out before the people”, to kill him publicly in other words.

There follows an inspiring and miraculous tale of victory when an angel comes to free Peter, releasing him from prison, leading him through multiple obstacles safely and then departing. The story then becomes slightly amusing as Peter is left standing outside the gate of his friend’s house while the amazed servant forgets to let him in and rushes to tell the other believers that Peter is there, and after some disbelief, all of the believers rejoice. This is detailed very well in Acts 12:6-17.

In Acts 12:19, though, there’s a tiny little blurb that states: “And when Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution...”. Let me clarify that for you. A Roman examination was, simply put, torture. It consisted less of a close examination of facts, and more of horrific slow and painful torture until you confessed; less fingerprinting and more of a painful removal of the fingers, followed by death. 16 men were tortured and died in order that 1 man might go free. This is what I want you to consider today, because the cost of a soul is high.

That is why it is so important as slaves of The Christ, as servants of The Messiah, to know that when our lives were bought, we were bought at a price (1 Cor 6:20, 1 Cor 7:23); an overwhelming price higher than we could afford or deserved, the blood of God’s innocent servant (1 Pet 1:18-19), His Anointed One, whose blood was given for you. I remember my dead friend, I remember even more God’s chosen Messiah, the son of God, who willingly shed his blood for me. How much was my sorry life worth? The price of a soul is high, but my King, my innocent and humble King, paid it willingly for us. It makes me cry. Father God have mercy.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Do you think that Peter ever humbly meditated on the fact that 16 men died in his place when he escaped?

If you had the same experience, how would it make you feel (even if you knew that if they hadn’t died, you would have)?

Are we daily living in a manner that honors and respects the (too high) price that was paid for us?

PRAYER

Oh my Father God, have mercy on me. I am completely unworthy of the price that You paid for me. Please forgive me, help me to honor You in every word, in every action, in every thought. Thank You for redeeming me; without cause, and at too high a cost, but thank You. Please help me to live every moment from this point forward reflecting that overwhelming love and generosity towards You and Your creation. In the name of Yeshua, Jesus the Christ whom You sent, Amen.

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Reprove me not in Your wrath

*Joshua 23-24

*Psalms 38

*Acts 10

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

Today’s readings have such important, landmark verses and concepts in them that we’ll be bouncing around in all of them. First, let’s talk about discipline. I grew up (many years ago) in an age that believed in physical discipline; in a time that folks believed that if you lacked proper direction then a firm impetus on the posterior would propel you properly towards the direction of righteousness. I was personally propelled towards righteousness on a number of occasions, but I have to confess that it was always deserved and always administered fairly. Even so, when I was younger I did my absolute best to avoid being punished: I shoved books down the back of my pants once, I remember hiding my father’s belts on at least one occasion, and I took long extended walks to the river hoping that the extra time would cause my offenses to be forgotten. It was rather silly, really, the foolishness of a selfish child. Thinking back to some of those instances really made the Psalms reading today resonate within me.

In our Psalms reading, it says in 38:1: “…O Yahweh, reprove me not in Your wrath, And discipline me not in Your burning anger. ” (LSB). This is David asking for a “cool off” time, for correction with justice rather than wrath which could destroy him; not an avoidance of punishment but temperance in it’s administration. In v3-8 he freely confesses his sin, and is asking God to correct him, but in a manner which allows growth. This sentiment is echoed beautifully in Jeremiah 10:24, when the prophet says “Discipline me, O Yahweh, but with justice; Not with Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing. ” (LSB). The purpose of discipline is to correct behavior, but know also that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10) is not an idle statement. If you believe that your heavenly Father loves you, you will understand that the expression of that love is to correct your behavior at times before you continue in a course that will lead you to destruction.

Hebrews 12:6 says “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE FLOGS EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” (LSB). It is the expectation that our heavenly Father will correct His children, in love, to prevent us from engaging in activities that will lead to our destruction. That’s just what a good dad does. The discipline of God can come in many forms; a painful conscience, an unrest in our soul when we know that we’ve done wrong, or even a more tangible and physical discipline. Is it going to always be comfortable, and in a manner that we prefer? Usually not. If we are NOT receiving that corrective discipline though, we should be very concerned and ask ourself “why?”. I’ve heard it said that God usually gently guides his children, but I can tell you truly that sometimes he picks them up by the throat and the short hairs (as in my case) until they listen. Do not run from, or dread, the life saving corrective discipline from our Father in heaven who loves you. Embrace it, and take to heart the lesson He is trying to teach.

When the Israelites, in our last chapters of Joshua reading this morning, are getting their last instructions and guidance from their leader Joshua before he dies they are reminded of all of the blessings that God has given them, and then warned of this very thing in Joshua 23 “…15 And it will be that just as all the good words which Yahweh your God spoke to you have come upon you, so Yahweh will bring upon you all the calamitous words, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which Yahweh your God has given you. 16 When you trespass against the covenant of Yahweh your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of Yahweh will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you.” (LSB).

Then, Joshua tells the children of Israel that they have a choice, but clarifies his choice in one of the most beautiful (and most quoted) verses in the Bible, located in Joshua 24:15: “If it is evil in your sight to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.” (LSB).

In our reading of Acts 10 today, there is a landmark moment, a fulfillment of prophecy so huge that to give it proper scale of importance this entire chapter should be in huge bold font with giant exclamation points at the beginning and the end of the chapter. Every time you turn to this section in the Bible, you should hear the trumpets of angels sounding in your head, it’s that important. For the first time in recorded history, in this chapter, salvation is offered to the gentiles! That’s the majority of us, unless you’ve got some remote biological link to Abraham. This is in a direct fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 49:6 where it is written: “He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to cause the preserved ones of Israel to return; I will also give You as a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.‘” (LSB).

I will point out something that most folks conveniently overlook. This guy Cornelius, in addition to being a gentile (a Roman centurion, specifically), was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the people and prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:2, LSB). He was a devout man, he practiced tzedakah (look it up, please!) and enacted God’s justice to the people, and prayed constantly. This is what got God’s attention, because God sees the heart of a man. This was not a random choice. In Acts 10:4 the angel of God says “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” This is a guy who put his money where his mouth was, and his wallet where his heart was. We should emulate his actions to the best of our abilities, if we desire to please our God.

After the events detailed earlier in the chapter, Peter goes on to say at the beginning of what could be considered his 4^th recorded sermon in Acts 10:34 “I most truly comprehend now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears him and does righteousness is welcome to Him.” (LSB). He then finishes this sermon, as the holy spirit falls upon all those listening to his words, as the Jewish believers who came with him were astounded that gentiles had received the gift of the holy spirit, by asking “Can anyone refuse water for these to be baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we did?”

Today, with the overwhelming number of gentiles who profess to be Christians, we kind of take it for granted, but before THIS SPECIFIC MOMENT in history: salvation was for the Jewish people alone, the chosen people of God. This was the exact moment in time when God clarified for all humanity: it’s not who your father was (genealogically), but who your Father is (in your heart) that matters. This is what God has been saying from the beginning, in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, but now the gift of salvation is being offered up to all the nations, to all those who fear God and do righteousness (again, please go look up tzedakah for a clarification on this), to those who seek and accept the discipline of our Father.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Did you ever try to avoid being disciplined (by God or men), and what were the results?

Think of a time when you received divine discipline. What was the result?

Have your alms ascended as a memorial to God, or are they stacked up in your bank as a memorial to your own greed?

PRAYER

Father God, please discipline me gently and allow me to receive the instruction that is offered through it. Correct me when my course goes astray, and forgive me of my many shortcomings. Help me to reflect your love and character to all of Your creation. Thank you for all of the blessings, and especially for sending us Jesus and his words of instruction. In his name, Amen.

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Focus

Joshua 17-18

Psalm 36

*Acts 7

-Devotion by Stephanie Fletcher (MN)

One thing that surprised me recently when our church was going through a study of Acts, was thinking about the timeline. I don’t know that I ever realized (or maybe I just forgot), that Stephen’s story doesn’t take place just right after Jesus ascends into heaven and the Holy Spirit is poured out. Depending on different sources I looked at, it was 5-7 years later that Stephen’s story here in Acts 6-7 takes place.

Why that sticks out to me here is that when Stephen gets into a debate with some men, and they are essentially embarrassed and then get people to lie about him in order that he can be arrested, it isn’t happening right in time after Jesus’ ministry. It is years later, but groups of people are still seeming to be freshly bothered by the impact of his ministry. This isn’t something that died down – it only got stronger through the faithfulness of those in the early church.

So Stephen is falsely accused, and does he go into a heated defense of himself? Nope. He launches into a history lesson of the people who accuse him, reminding them of God’s relationship and covenant with the Jews over time, and of the failures too of these people. And then he says to them

51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” (Acts 7:51-53)

Never in his defense is Stephen trying to argue for himself. Through all of it, he is focused on God’s righteousness and as this group stones him, he is rewarded by getting to see the glory of God and Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

And despite this stoning, Stephen’s final words are “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” which is so reminiscent of Jesus’ words of “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

This is such a great example and reminder of forgiveness and loving others that are treating you wrong/hold different beliefs. Advice that I have heard before when dealing with difficult people is to ignore them or not focus on what they are doing and God will “make it right” or enact justice in the end. But Stephen didn’t try to ignore the fact that they were stoning him. Instead, he chose to ask for them to not have his death on their hands which is just so much more loving than the concept of not taking things into your own hands but still looking forward to people receiving “justice” for wrongdoing. As he was literally murdered, he asked for them to be forgiven. Can we offer this much love to people in our lives that probably aren’t trying to murder us, but are doing things that we don’t like?

Reflection Questions

What impresses you about Stephen?
What do you do when you feel you are being falsely accused? What happens when we are quick to defend ourself?
What can we learn from what God allowed Stephen to see and share right before his death?
Why do you think Stephen chose to forgive them? What do you think is the hardest part of forgiving someone who has/is hurting you? Pray about who God wants to see you forgive.

Prayer

Dear Lord God, I thank You for Your Son Jesus, and his follower Stephen. Forgive me of the times I have not shown the faithfulness, wisdom, courage, love and forgiveness Stephen displayed. Help me forgive, Father, so I can be forgiven. I pray for Your Spirit and wisdom to guide my decisions and words. May I be focused on You and not myself. Show me how You want me to be a faithful witness of You and Your Son today and in the future, and help me do it whatever the cost.

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Addition and Subtraction

Deuteronomy 3-4

Psalm 24

Mark 9

–Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

Many people know I love to write. I hope that is apparent as you read through my devotions when I have the opportunity to share with Seek Grow Love. Additionally, I love science and history. Having taught both of these subjects, I love the story that each tells about creation and humanity. A fact that fewer know is that I’m pretty good at math and love Excel with extensive formulas—in fact, that was my job at one point: building elaborate spreadsheets to compute cubic feet, pricing, man hours, and profitability. Consequently, I know that a single piece of punctuation or an added numeral can set off a chain of poor computations that completely miss the mark.

“You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God.” — Deuteronomy 4:2

Moses reminds the people of Israel of this principle long before spreadsheets. Do not add anything to the commands of God. Do not take anything away from them. Keep them. Jesus gives us a similar warning in the Revelation to John—addition and subtraction have a direct impact on judgment (Revelation 22:18–19). Let me say this clearly: God’s Word is not a suggestion. To knowingly misinterpret it or treat it without the greatest care—molding it to fit our preferences, our culture, or our experience—is to lose sight of God.

More often than not, we fall into the temptation not to change the Word itself, but to reshape its practice. We ignore what is divisive or costly and choose to emphasize what is comfortable and easier to manage. In the age of preference, our faith is on the line. Instead of forming our lives around God’s discernible commands, we cling to standards set by ourselves or the world. These can become idols—hedged assurances of our ego, stature, time, wealth, or sacrifice.

Who is the one who ascends the hill of the Lord? Whether it is David as he brings the Ark of the Covenant to Zion or the disciples witnessing the transfiguration of Jesus, the question remains (Psalm 24:3–4; Mark 9:2–7). The call is not based on effort alone. You cannot add to or subtract from your efforts to receive lesser or fuller reward as an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. Because of this, purity is a whole, never a part. It is not achieved through addition or protected through subtraction, but through alignment with what God has already spoken.

Apart from the warning of Jesus—that judgment follows when we distort His Word—we will naturally drift. When we add, we place burdens, red tape, and elevation onto a grace that was freely given, though it still calls for obedience. When we subtract, we remove what is essential, lowering the standard and risking a faith that cannot hold. In trying to soften truth, avoid conflict, or live without conviction, we find ourselves living in tension—or worse, in the comfort of denial and ignorance.

The truth is this: God does not ask more than we can bear, but He also does not ask any less. The formula is not complicated, but the math is not easy. An errant doctrine is not the solution to humanity’s problem of sin. We may come to God through wandering, in our watching, or as a witness—but we are never called to customize the truth.

Reflection Questions

Consider these questions as you read today and place your obedience before the Lord:

Where have I added expectations for myself or others that God has never given?

Where have I subtracted or omitted truths that feel too difficult to hold?

Where is God inviting me to search His Word more deeply—and to truly listen?

Prayer

Dear God,

I praise you for being a righteous and holy God. There is none other. All your words are true and right. Thank you for the gift of the Bible where You reveal yourself and all truth, goodness, and the way to salvation. Help me see any errors I have committed in adding to or subtracting from Your perfect Word. May I stand alone on Your words which give life, never seeking to conform Your Word to my way, but always, always, always, changing and molding myself to reflect You and Your Son. May Your Spirit guide me in all things!

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

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Standing or Falling

Genesis 13-14, Proverbs 8, Matthew 4

Devotion by Marcia Railton (IN)

Smooth, delicious chocolate, sometimes with crunchy nuts or gooey caramel (instead of the nutritious salad fixings abandoned in my fridge). Or really sugar in just about any form.

A “well-deserved” social media break, just for a few minutes, that turns into much longer.

On-line shopping to find just the right pair of shoes for a trip, or maybe I need pants, or what about that sweater, would that color look good on me?

Those were three temptations I caved in to just last night when I was supposed to be writing this devotion! Yikes! When my sleepy husband asked why I was so late in getting to bed, I said something like I had been busy falling into temptation. No, I hadn’t spent the late night hours murdering my neighbor, stealing from the bank on the corner, or bowing down to carved idols. But, I had said ‘Yes’ to my own selfish, meaningless, unhealthy pursuits instead of being and doing what God most desired for me – what was best for me.

Perhaps, I should not be the one writing the devotion today. I am obviously not a specialist in standing up to temptation. I need an example to follow, I need to learn from a master – Ah, yes, thank God, He DID indeed provide the perfect example who longs to be my master. He gave us His human Son Jesus. And right after the baptism of Jesus, and right before Jesus begins his years of ministry, God’s Holy Spirit led Jesus, God’s own beloved, pleasing Son, into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.

As we are looking for clues on how Jesus faced temptation so successfully, there’s a couple great ones right there. Jesus was already open to and actively being led by the Spirit. What did God’s spirit want for him? That’s what He wanted too, even when it meant willingly going into a difficult, sometimes even dangerous space.

Compare Jesus’ location and circumstance with Adam and Eve’s when they were also confronted with choices to make. The first son of God was surrounded with God’s bounty and beauty and provision in the spectacular garden. Good, healthy, God-honoring fruit literally surrounded them when they instead listened to the deception of the serpent and chose to eat of the tree that God had already clearly said “No” to. Jesus didn’t use his harsh surroundings or difficult circumstances as an excuse to be weak. Instead, he found strength in using that time to fast and pray and draw closer to God which indeed made him even stronger and better prepared to face his adversary. Don’t get so comfortable in your pleasant surroundings that you become weak and don’t recognize temptation for what it is. Don’t fear the time spent in the harsh wilderness, but use the opportunity to cling closer and closer to what really matters – the God who is always there.

After the 40 days of fasting Jesus gives us the next big answer of how he faced each one of Satan’s three temptations in the wilderness – with the very words of God His Father, each and every time. In fact, the first Scripture Jesus quotes to Satan are strong words about the sustaining power from the words of God, and our need for God’s word, from the book of Deuteronomy: “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) If we try to face temptation without the power of God’s word we will be weak. Matthew 4:4 is a great verse for me to remember today when I sit down to work on tomorrow’s devotion! Here’s a few more:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:14-17

God’s word: read it, learn it, use it – and live (better and stronger today and also for eternity).

God’s word: neglect it, forget it, try to do life your own way – and die (but first, you will likely waste a lot of time, have a lot of self-made sorrow, and miss out on doing God’s will).

His Words are not just for gaining knowledge, they are for fighting temptation, finding truth, for making strong and giving life. Don’t miss out!

Let’s review what we have seen from Jesus about successfully facing temptation: Jesus was willing to be led by the Spirit. He used his time in the wilderness well. He fasted and drew closer to God. He recognized Satan for who he was. He discerned the lies and empty promises of the deceiver and actively chose what God said and promised instead. He wanted God’s will, not his own. He knew God’s Word. He used God’s Word as a sword to do battle against untruth, temptations and the tempter. He said, “Away with you Satan!” And he was victorious!

What about you? Do you know what temptations you face regularly? What do you crave? What do you covet? What are you jealous of? What leads you astray? What do you feel guilty about? Where do you lose self-control? What good do you neglect and why? How do you waste time? What do you say ‘Yes’ to that God wanted you to say ‘No” to? And, what do you say ‘No’ to that God wanted you to say ‘Yes’ to? What is Satan whispering in your ear or in your heart? What do you worship (with your time, money, devotion, or decisions)?

Realize you have choices, decisions to make. Big ones and little ones. It’s not just about not murdering your neighbor and not bowing down to carved idols. It’s also about how you treat the gift of the miraculous body God gave you. It’s about how you choose to spend the gift of the time God gives you. It’s about how you treat the people God surrounds you with. It’s about if you choose what you want, or what God wants.

And Satan (as well as the world and marketers today) can make the bad choice, or the selfish one, or the unhealthy one, look pretty good, that’s what makes it tempting. If it looked like the garbage it is, we would gladly turn from it. Don’t be fooled by the stone that looks like bread, the impressive view, and Satan’s promises.

God gives the perfect example of His Son. Follow that example – not mine.

God gives His Word, the Scriptures – the sword to do battle with the tempter. It worked for Jesus. I need to use it better!

God gives knowledge, wisdom and discernment – ask for it and use it.

God gives the spirit of self-control – that’s the one I want.

God gives forgiveness and new beginnings.

Prayer

Dear God – I am sorry. Please forgive me of the many times I fall to temptation. Help me do better, Lord God. Help me follow the example of your Son when I am in the wilderness and also when I am in the garden. Help me go where Your Spirit is leading. Help me forsake what I want and choose instead what You want, which is indeed the best for me. Help me see garbage for what it is, and turn from it to you and your gifts, again and again. I ask for wisdom and discernment to see what is from You and what are deceptions from the deceiver. Help me use your Word well to be strong against temptation. Thank you for your Word, your forgiveness, love and mercy and a new day to work at doing Your will better. Help me use all that you give me to stand strong against temptation. Thank you for the example and sacrifice of your Son Jesus. In his name we pray to You the Almighty. Amen.

Reflection Questions

Compare and contrast when Satan came to the garden and when he came to the wilderness? What similarities do you see? What differences? Is Satan still making visits? What does it look like?
Consider the paragraph of questions regarding what are temptations for you. What do you see about your own temptations? What temptations do you sometimes fall to?
Eating chocolate isn’t always a sin or temptation is it? But is it sometimes? When? Why? What makes the difference?
What scriptures can you find (and put in your home and in your heart) to help you face your temptations better armed with the Sword of the Spirit?
Have you ever tried fasting when facing a particularly difficult time of temptation?

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Fruit in the Wilderness

Genesis 9-11, Proverbs 6, Matthew 3

Devotion by Marcia Railton (IN)

You might not expect a man who works in the wilderness and eats locusts and wild honey to talk much about fruit. But here in Matthew 3 we hear from just such a man, one who is often referred to as John the Baptist, speaking twice of fruit.

Perhaps his most famous line is, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” (Matthew 3:2 NASB). It is such an effective charge and accurate description of the ministry given by God, that Jesus will also say the exact same thing when he begins his preaching in the next chapter (Matthew 4:17). The kingdom of heaven is a term used only by Matthew, and he, a Jew who was very careful about his use of “God”, spoke often of the kingdom of heaven. The other gospel and New Testament writers did not use the term kingdom of heaven but rather called it the kingdom of God. In the Old Testament neither phrase was used, but the people of God were definitely looking for the promised Messiah, the Chosen and Anointed One of God who would save them, and they too were looking forward to a kingdom set up by the God of heaven, an everlasting kingdom (such as Daniel 2:44). As the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was now ready to begin his preaching ministry on earth the kingdom was closer than it had ever been before! The time to repent had certainly come!

As John addresses some of his audience, the Pharisees and Sadducees (who in their pride and self-righteousness will reject the Messiah), John calls them a “brood of vipers” (or offspring of vipers), referring to being poisonous, spiritually speaking. Perhaps this sounds familiar to us because on more than one occasion Jesus will use the same term for them as well (Matthew 12:34 and again in 23:33).

So with the “pleasantries” aside, John gets right to the meat, or perhaps in this case, the fruit of his preaching saying: “Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; ⁹and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:8-10 NASB). Having told his listeners to repent he now tells them to bear fruit consistent with repentance. In other words, don’t tell me that you repent – show me that you repent. To repent is much more than recognizing or even saying that you have been and done wrong. To truly repent requires a change, a movement, an actual TURN from sin. A visible, tangible, positive, nourishing, healthy “fruit” that is evidence of the inner heart change.

The Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees were relying on their genealogy, their fancy titles, their turned up noses, their faithful fathers, their long lists of human made rules, their strict checkmarks. God wasn’t impressed. John was sent to prepare the people for Jesus. He said, repent, it’s time to change. Jesus would also repeat John’s words: “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19). It is important. Eternal life and death important. Are you bearing good fruit consistent with repentance?

Reflection Questions

What have you repented of? What do you need to repent of? Beyond saying you are sorry, what will it look like to change and turn from sin? What will the fruit in keeping with repentance look like in your life?
John the Baptizer was known for his message of repentance and the act of baptizing, and in fact Jesus’ baptism by John also happens in this chapter, when the voice from heaven (that would be God) acknowledges that Jesus is His beloved and pleasing Son (I love that part!). How does John’s message of repentance and the act of baptism go hand and hand? Why do you think the perfect Son of God was baptized?
Jesus continues the fruit theme a few chapters later saying, “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:19). What fruit are you known by: good fruit or bad? Give an example of each (good and bad) that you have grown in the past? What type of good fruit do you want to grow today and in the future? What is required to grow this good fruit?

Prayer

Dear God, we thank you for your beloved and pleasing Son, your chosen Messiah, and the example and teaching he brought and the kingdom that is closer today than it was yesterday. Thank you for John who prepared the way for Jesus. Help us also prepare others to meet Jesus. Thank you for the opportunity you give us to repent and turn from sin towards You and Your better way. Help me not be like a Pharisee who proudly thought they had it all together. Show me, Lord, where I need to change, what I need to repent of, and what good fruit you want me to bear. Help be honestly see and get rid of bad fruit in my life so I am prepared for Your Son’s return. In his name we pray, Amen.

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Hide and Seek

Genesis 3, Proverbs 3, Matthew 2

Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

Our two-year-old’s favorite game is probably hide and seek. She is actually pretty remarkable at staying still and quieting her breaths so she will not be found. The only problem with her strategy is that she always chooses the same hiding spot—the curtains in our master bedroom. For her, the game is not about actually remaining hidden. It would lose its appeal quickly if she stayed concealed too long. Her joy is ultimately to be found and to be reunited with family, “Daddy, you found me!”

In today’s reading, we see God playing the seeker as He looks for His favored creation in the garden. No matter how still Adam and Eve remain, God knows the hiding place. When He asks, “Where are you?”, it is a loaded question from the one who knows us most intimately, both our physical location and hearts. God is not met by the joyful giggles of a toddler, but by the shameful chagrin of sin (Prov. 3:7). Even though God knew where He would find them and did not withhold discipline (Prov. 3:12), by His infinite grace, He still searched for them.

That same grace carries forward into the arrival of the Son of Man. God hung a star in the east to announce the birth of Jesus Christ. He is the hope first spoken in Genesis, the One who would crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15). Though the distance was far, men who were seeking found a child, guided by both the heavens and the Word of God (Matt. 2:6). God makes His mercies known.

And so, when we are searching, we are always led to the same place. If we are looking for rest, we look to Jesus. If we are looking for meaning, we look to Jesus. If we are looking for hope, we look to Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament, again and again, God “hides” His promise of His Son in plain sight some 300 times, all pointing toward the life, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus Christ, who conquers sin once and for all.

So who are we fooling if we think we can remain hidden among the foliage and unseen by God? If we feel distant from him, the heavens and His word are still declaring we need only turn to the same place where our faith begins, Jesus Christ. Unchanged is the place where grace and hope begin.

Let us pray this together:

Abba Father, I have been desperately hoping you would find me. I will trust in You with all of my heart. I won’t lean on my understanding but Yours. Give me correction along with your grace that is greater still. In all Your ways, let me submit to You, for I know You will make my path straight. Lead me to the advent of Christ, to be found among the faithful who seek You. In your name of your Son, whose resurrection gives us hope. Amen

Reflection Questions

It is good for us to remember we do not have the mind of God – but what tone of voice do you imagine God used when asking, “Where are you?” Why might He have started with a question, and this specific question? What tone of voice might He have used when giving correction and consequences?
How are you like Adam? How are you like Eve? How did God show grace and correction with consequences to Adam and Eve? How have you experienced both grace and correction with consequences from God? What is the purpose of each?
Adam and Eve obviously didn’t have Proverbs 3:5-7 on their refrigerator. How might it have helped them to know these verses of wisdom? How can you better live out Proverbs 3:5-7? When do you most need to hear these verses? How can you memorize them and/or plaster them in your life so they will be part of your first line of defense against temptation so you can spend less time hiding from God.
From today’s readings, what are some beautiful things about God’s plan of salvation through His Son Jesus?

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Without Shame

Genesis 2, Proverbs 2, Matthew 1

Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

Visit any home with young children after bath time, and you’ll quickly understand that it is not uncommon to see a child streaking through the living room with nothing but a grin. Our children still live in a stage of innocence, and while their word “nakey” simply defines a lack of clothing, it carries none of the weight or connotations that often accompany the word naked. While comfort levels with wearing one’s birthday suit vary widely, physical exposure is usually reserved for environments of trust and intimacy.

Adam and Eve stood before one another in the Garden of Eden in such a state. Without shame, they walked fig-leafless as they tended to their calling as caretakers of creation. Their nakedness reinforced intimacy within marriage, but it also revealed something deeper. They stood before their heavenly Father “nakey” as well. As with childhood innocence, the absence of sin allowed exposure without fear. This openness demonstrated not only their relationship with one another, but also their unguarded connection with their Creator.

So, to have meaningful relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, should we band together to form a nudist colony? Please, no. But in a far more important spiritual sense, we are invited into this level of intimacy. God forms relationship with us through His presence as He moves alongside us while we tend His world—speaking truth, laboring together, and allowing Him to shape us through shared faith and testimony.

Narrowing our focus further to our nuclear families and closest friends, we are called to be even more personal and exposed, not performative or guarded in appearance. Whether we look at the forming of the first family, the father-to-son instruction in Proverbs, or the genealogy in Matthew, each offers examples (and warnings) of how trust, proximity, and intentional teaching shape the spiritual life of a household. Today is as good a day as any to check in on someone within this circle, or to seek them out, so that we might better know one another and, together, better know our Heavenly Father.

“For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it.” Proverbs 2:21

With the propitiation of sin through Jesus Christ, we can now be presented before God without shame. The promise remains the same: the blameless will remain in the land – A perfect, promised one to come, which makes me scratch my head and wonder, “Will our resurrected bodies be ‘nakey’?” I know we will be wearing smiles—and we will have to see about the rest. But even now, we are invited to live and walk with one another in a spiritual closeness that reflects what was once lost and is now being restored. And in that place, we may once again find ourselves standing without shame.

Reflection Questions

What do you imagine life was like for Adam and Eve before sin entered? What do you imagine it was like for God? What changes took place with the first sin?
What do you feel shame about? Why? What does God want for us when we feel shame? How can shame be overcome?
What are your thoughts when you read Proverbs 2:21?

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