Tag: Christianity

God’s Children

*Judges 1-2

Psalm 38

*Acts 11

  -Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)   

       Today we enter the time of the Judges, one of the most turbulent times in the history of ancient Israel.  I would like to point out that the preceding books of scripture are exceptionally important and critical, not just to us of the Christian faith but also to the Jews and the Muslims.  If you don’t study these early books often, I would encourage you in the strongest terms to do so. 

            Most folks don’t realize it, but this portion of “The Book” we share in common with our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters.  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy combined are the Jewish “Torah” (“Law”, called in Hebrew Bereishit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim), and called the “Tawrah” in the Islamic faith.  Each of these religions shares this portion of scripture.  All of the Children of the Book believe in them.

            I am going to say something controversial here, but before you pick up a rock to stone me, consider it carefully: before we judge any of our fellow creation because they have theological differences, keep in mind that we are all children of the same God, we have all been given the scriptures as a guide, and that if we are being honest and scriptural that as gentiles we have the least legal claim to God’s mercy.  We should be humble, and exist in a state of awe and wonder that God saw fit to include us at all.  Simply put, the Jews are the chosen people of God according to scripture, but God made some very strong covenants with Abraham.  Muslims are considered to be the spiritual descendants (and some to be the actual descendants) of Abraham through Ishmael as well.  As Christians, we consider ourselves to be the spiritual descendants of Abraham through obedience, but most of us can’t claim a direct lineage. 

            So before we place ourselves in a position higher than we have earned or even have a right to: consider the character of God, who is the judge of all, who is the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious, and who extends His hand to all of His creation and offers salvation to those who will seek it, even the stubborn disobedient folks who have a hard time listenening (and thank God He does).  Remember before we start to judge our fellow creation: we already have a judge, that position has been filled, and your services in that area are neither required or desired.  Be humble.

            Today, however, we have arrived at the time of the Judges in our reading, a constantly shifting political time, hugely turbulent in the Jewish history, and a very good template throughout it for “how not to act”.  Keep in mind that prior to this book, from Exodus to Joshua, the Israelites had very strong leaders, Moses and then Joshua, leaders who God communicated with directly (usually through shaliah, see 1/27 devotional), and who unwaveringly did what God commanded. Then we come to the time of the Judges, and starting almost right away, things go sideways (as detailed here in Judges 1).

            Judah started out pretty good (Judg 1:1-20), but then folks started making exceptions and taking the “easier” path.  The sons of Benjamin didn’t dispossess the Jebusites (Judg 1: 21), the house of Joseph made deals with some of the inhabitants (Judg 1:24-26), and the sons of Israel seem to have decided largely at the time that free labor ( Judg 1: 28, 30, 33, 35)  was pretty handy and forced a lot of the locals into “forced labor” (or, slavery).  This was directly contrary to God’s instructions (see Josh 23: 1-16, among others). 

            Remember, that the covenenants that God made with the Israelites were in large part conditional.  In Judges 2: 1-4, the angel of Yahweh shows up and chastises the people for not obeying, lets them know that since they have broken their promise and have not listened that the nations will become a “thorn in their side”, as promised.  The people wept, made sacrifices, and then went to their own places and by the next generation had forgotten about God again (Judg 2:10).

            Judges 2:11 starts a terrible cycle that is repeated throughout this book, “Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and served the Baals...” and as a consequence (Judg 2:14) “… the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel…” (LSB translation).  Then after a time of punitive distress for the nation, “God raised up judges who saved them…” (Judg 2:16, LSB).  This happens throughout this entire book. 

            This cyclical dysfunction is repeated nationally 7 times at least by my count in this book alone.  Over, and over again: Israel sins (by forsaking God), God allows oppression, Israel cries out, God mercifully raises up a judge to deliver them, there’s peace during the lifetime of that judge, then the judge dies and the people return to idolatry which restarts the cycle.  This is a truly painful book to read, particularly when given the recent miraculous and amazing redemption and direct intercession by God on their behalf.  What about you, though? Do you remember and celebrate all of the times that God delivered you, in loving awe and obedience?  Think about it.

            Moving forward to our awesome NT reading today, we find a landmark that you should never, ever, ever forget: for the first time, salvation is shown to have been given to gentiles (that’s most of us) in Acts 10, and then acknowledged in today’s reading  (in Acts 11:18).   When Jesus came to speak God’s word, he went almost exclusively to the Israelites (See the story in Mark 7:24-30 for clarification, and a good sense of how humble we should be), but we know from scripture that he was to be a light to all the nations (Is 49:6).  THIS is the time when that prophecy is fulfilled, and praise God for it! 

            Before this point in history, as a gentile, things were not looking so great for you.  “But God…” (I love that phrase), being merciful and gracious, and showing overwhelming forgiveness and equity for all of His creation, made a way.  Know in your heart that if you should be favored enough to enter into God’s kingdom, the one Jesus came to tell the world about, then know that it is not because of your righteousness or birthright but because of the overwhelming love and mercy from Yahweh God, our Creator and Father of all.  Nothing you have ever done or ever will do is enough to grant you this privilege, “but God”… He is the most merciful, the most gracious, the one who constantly seeks to bring us back to His fold, who cared enough to send His own son for our redemption.  You are not your own, you were bought at a price (1 Cor 6:20): be humble and fearfully obedient, and know that none of us are worth the price that was paid for our salvation.  “But God…”

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. In Judges, we can clearly see the cyclical dysfunction of the nation of Israel.  Do you have any cyclical dysfunctions in your own life?  Are they national, familial, or personal dysfunctions?  How can you overcome them? (You should write these down).
  2. Why do we tend to forget God, and how can we break this cycle?
  3. Do we tend to judge our fellow human beings?  Why?
  4. Have you ever thought about how lucky you are that God made a plan for YOU, especially if you’re a gentile?

PRAYER

Father God, thank you.  You have been merciful to me without reason, and gracious to me without cause.  Your love overwhelms me.  Please, forgive me my shortcomings, and allow me to overlook the shortcomings of others.  Let me be an example of your love and mercy to my fellow creation.  Please grant me Your spirit, and teach me the way to reflect Your character, and to enter in to Your kingdom.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Delight in the LORD Part II

Joshua 21-22

Psalm 37

Acts 9

-Devotion by Emilee Christian (MO)

Two years ago, I wrote a devotion for Seek Grow Love on one of my favorite Psalms, Psalms 37. I’m going to re-post the devotion today, but this time share some context about what was going on in my life the night I wrote it. 

I was supposed to have dinner with my brother and his wife, who happens to be one of my best friends. She was in the early stages of her first pregnancy after a long fertility struggle. That morning I received a text from my brother saying dinner was going to be pushed until later in the evening. In the afternoon, he sent a text cancelling dinner. When I asked if everything was alright, I didn’t get a response….and I knew. I knew they had lost the baby. I buried myself under 20 pounds of weighted blanket and slept for two hours. It was one of the top five worst nights of my life. I knew they were hurting. I kept flashing back to this memory of when my brother and I were really little, playing dress up, and he got his foot cut from one of the cheap plastic high heels. I remember seeing him bleeding, running over to him and calling out for a parent to come help. I wanted to run to him now, but I couldn’t. I knew they needed space. 

After my nap, I called my dad to see if he’d heard anything from them. He thought I was being overdramatic and convinced me to get something to eat. About an hour later he called, saying he got a text from my brother about them having a miscarriage. 

By this time, I still had a devotion to write. On that sad, desperate night, this is what came out of my heart: 

Almost the entirety of Act 7 is Stephen’s response to the charges brought against him from our previous reading. Stephen gives a beautiful sermon, outlining the history of the Israelite people. His sermon shows how time after time, the Israelites were unfaithful and persecuted the prophets. He asks the leaders of the high council when they will stop resisting the truth. Stephen forms a sound argument with the tools of a great orator utilizing ethos, logos and pathos. However, I want to just focus on one small line today.

Stephen retells the story of when Moses went to Mount Sinai and the Israelites rebelled. He says the Israelites, “made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed and celebrated over this thing they had made.” (Acts 7:41 NLT). Celebrated this thing they had made. That caught my attention.

How often do we get carried away with our own success? How often do we put value in material things? How often do we forget Christ’s words to seek first the Kingdom of God? (Matt 6:33). We live in an age where knowledge, entertainment, and relationships are literally at our fingertips. Not to sound like a broken record, but it is so easy to get wrapped up in our own lives, the things we can make, things we can buy. God needs to be made a priority in our lives. He is someone we need to communicate with daily, thank and praise. Otherwise, we run the risk of celebrating over the things we have made and turning those things into idols.

These things may not be physical. They also may not always be bad or wrong. Sometimes the thing we are trying to make is a dream or notion of something. Maybe a job promotion, an engagement, a family. It’s when these desires become our only focus a problem occurs. The Greek term used in Stephen’s statement is the word euphrainó which literally means to “cheer, make merry.” Our happiness should not be placed solely in these things.

The Israelites made the golden calf when Moses went to talk to God at Mount Sinai. Moses was their leader and connection to God. Suddenly, to the Israelites, God felt distant. It is then they began to see what joy they could offer themselves and celebrate with their own idols. Sometimes, God may feel distant. At times we may face periods of loneliness, sadness, even anger. When this happens, we MUST heed the words in Psalms 37:4 “Take delight in the LORD.”

The rest of that verse in Psalms offers us a promise: “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” I am not saying God always answers prayers for those who put their true delight in following Him. He does not. I know many godly people who have given their lives in faithfulness to Him and still face difficulty and unanswered prayers. However, I do sincerely believe when we start to delight in the LORD, when we celebrate Him, something in our hearts begins to change. We still have dreams and goals, but our heart’s desire becomes wanting a true connection with God, a deep relationship with our creator, the one who gave us those very dreams we have.

Several times in my life I have felt defeated, lost, and alone. I have had to grieve lost dreams, goals, relationships. I’ve had to mourn a life I imagined for myself. The lyrics to Phil Stacey’s song “You’re Not Shaken” describes this feeling of helplessness perfectly: “When every little thing that I have dreamed would be/ Just slips away like water through my hand.” That’s what brokenness can feel like at times. Like reaching out your hand and trying to cling to something that isn’t there. In these moments it’s imperative we take our delight in the LORD. Slowly, He will fix our gaze on something better than what we had lost. Even when that thing we lost was good.

Here’s a link to a playlist of some of my favorite songs when dealing with loss and grief:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3QAs1OUWTnwSbRClTaV51T”

One year, three months, and twenty-four days later I sent the following text message to my dad after meeting my brother’s newborn daughter for the first time.

“She is so cute and soooo snuggly. I heard you might be going over later tonight. Ben and Becca are amazing parents. Ben gave me his phone and I took pictures of all three of them together. Watching them read to her, I had to hold back tears. It was truly a moment that shows joy comes in the morning.”

Reflection Questions: 

  1. What is something in your life that could easily become a distraction from taking delight in the LORD?
  2. How can you ensure your heart is in the right place even when dealing with grief and sadness? 
  3. Is there a time in your life you experienced loss, took refuge and delight in the LORD and experienced joy in the morning? If so, I encourage you to share with someone this week. God’s good deeds deserve to be praised and told over and over again! 

Prayer: 

Dear God, 

You are so so good. Thank You for stories like Ben and Becca’s. Thank You for the life of this promised little baby. Thank You for this reminder of Your faithfulness. May I take refuge and delight in You, and may You guide and guard my path. 

In Christ’s name,

Amen

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Learning from Philip

Joshua 19-20

Psalm 37

*Acts 8

-Devotion by Stephanie Fletcher (MN)


There is a lot going on in this chapter, but I am going to focus on the last section of Philip and the Eunuch. There are 3 main things that stick out to me reading through this story that I want to share some thoughts on.


First is how open Philip is to hearing the voice of God and the movings of the Holy Spirit. That last section starts (Acts 8:26) with an angel of the Lord directing him where to go, followed by the Holy Spirit giving him specific directions on talking to a specific person, and finally at the end, “the Lord snatched Philip away” to move him to the next place he wanted him to minister. All of those instances seem amazing to me. There have been times in my life that I have felt clear direction and would even say that I heard God speaking to me, but these instances with Philip are still awesome to me. Whether this was unusual for him or not, every instance of hearing God’s direction – through an angel or the Spirit – is pretty amazing. And the final instance of being snatched away to a new place is beyond my full comprehension because I just have never seen or experienced that. Maybe this had happened to Philip before, but I like his reaction. After what sounds like to me to be teleportation, he just keeps going on sharing the Good News of Jesus in the town he ended up in and every town on his way to the next place. It definitely seems like he was tuned in to God and following His leading well.


The next thing that stands out to me in this passage is the Eunuch’s response to Philip asking if he understands what he is reading – “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” On one side of things, I see his humility here. Sometimes I think we have been raised in this world to try to be too independent. To feel that we should be able to figure things out for ourselves and to not seek help. But the Eunuch here is just open and honest and completely willing to have someone help explain things to him. I think of my daughter, who once she learns something, believes herself to be an expert on the subject. My husband and I frequently have to remind her that while she is learning a lot, in most instances, the adults in her life still know more than her and she needs to continue to listen to advice and direction. Even when we think we know what passages of Scripture are about, we can still benefit from hearing someone else instruct on them. Maybe giving a different perspective than you are used to, or maybe truly learning something completely new. But we have to be open to being instructed. And then on the flip side, there have to be those willing to instruct! Again here, I appreciate Philip following God’s leading and being a person who is out there instructing people about the Good News of Jesus.


The final piece that stands out to me in this story is how the Eunuch responds to the Good News. He sees water and says “Why can’t I be baptized?” No hesitation, no waiting to have more information, just someone who is ready to go all in after hearing about Christ. I think this resonates with me because as someone raised in the church, I was probably baptized later in life than most in similar situations. I kept waiting, finding reasons to say, “not now.” At the time, the reasons I gave were that I wanted to make sure my decision was my own, that I wasn’t being influenced because someone else I knew was getting baptized, or because someone else had suggested it, but in looking back, I can see that there was pride there and I isolated myself through that. I wanted there to be no doubt that decision I made was because I believed it and not because of anyone else’s actions. In the end, I very clearly made my choice because of what someone else had shared. And I am thankful for that because it broke the pride that I had built up and led me to say it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of this – I want to be baptized. I didn’t and don’t have a perfect understanding of things – I am still learning, I am still struggling with a variety of things, but I am not alone. If you are waiting for the perfect time or to have things all figured out first –there isn’t one, and you don’t need to. If you believe, why shouldn’t you be baptized?

Reflection Questions

  1. How open are you to the Spirit’s leading? Would you be willing to change your plans for today if you felt the Spirit urging you to “Go” – talk to that neighbor, write that text, initiate that conversation, go out into “the desert” to be shown what to do next?
  2. How have you grown by listening to someone else’s explanation of Scripture? Where do you go when you have a question about what you find in the Bible? To whom and how can you share what you are learning from Scripture?
  3. What do Scriptures teach about baptism? Have you been baptized? If not, why not?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Scriptures which have been used for thousands of years to draw people to You and Your plan of salvation. Help me to read, meditate, be instructed in, discuss, share and live them well. Thank You for Jesus, your great Son, servant, and Christ who was prophesied throughout the Old Testament, shared in the gospels and explained by Philip and Peter and John and those who teach me, too. May I be rooted in the truth of Your word and led by Your Spirit to do the work You want me to do. Help me be faithful to You always.

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Claiming Your Inheritance

*Joshua 13-14

Psalm 35

Acts 5

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            In our Joshua reading today, we see once again one of the primary reasons that the Israelites were seemingly obsessed with lineage: all of those “who begat who begat who” passages that we come across in scripture.  The reason is, put simply, that’s where you got your inheritance, if you were a Jew.  That’s how you knew what your inheritance even was.  Your inheritance, to some degree, affected the level of your wealth, your occupation, everything.  Let’s say you wanted to be a fisherman; well, if your inheritance of land doesn’t have a large body of water with fish in it, you might want to consider shepherding as an option.  If you wanted to be a priest, you’d have to prove that Aaron was an ancestor of yours at some point.  Joshua 13 breaks down a number of these very specific physical inheritances for the Israelites, which were non-negotiable and non-transferrable.

            When you have been especially faithful though, and when you have the gumption to ask for it, sometimes you can receive an extra portion; this is what happens in Josh 14:6-15 (and continuing  on some in chapter 15, as far as some of the details go) when Caleb approaches Joshua and says specifically “So now, give me this hill country about which Yahweh spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps Yahweh will be with me, and I will dispossess them as Yahweh has spoken.” (Josh 14:12, LSB).  It then goes on to say: “Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb…because he fully followed Yahweh the God of Israel.” (Josh 14:14, LSB).  Read the whole section carefully, starting when he approaches Joshua.

            If you have not read yesterday’s devotion, you should go back and do it now because we’re going to talk for just a little bit more about giants; also called “the Anakim” or “the sons of Anak” (among other things).  Josh 14:15 gives us a big (no pun intended) clue here, when it says “Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim…”  (that’s from the LSB version, also note that Kiriath means “city”, so “City of Arba”).

            Let’s consider for a moment.  The only giant whose height and size we know fully in scripture is Goliath of Gath, and he stood approximately 9′ 9″ according to the masoretic text (which I tend to agree with, on the basis of their impeccable and zealous exactly accurate transmission of the scriptures).  In contrast to this, the Septuagint, some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the historian Josephus place his height at approximately 6′ 9″ (due to a textual transmission discrepancy between the Hebrew and the Greek).  If you have any historical knowledge of the Masoretes and their almost psychotic zeal for accurately reproducing scripture, you’ll understand why I favor that first number of 9′ 9″.  We also know that Og (one of the Rephaim, another group described as giants) the king of Bashan’s iron bed was 13.5′ long by 6’wide (see Deut 3:11), and that seems logically like it’d be a little too much empty head or foot space if you were just under 7′ tall, but pretty reasonable if you were around 10′-13′ tall.  King Og is mentioned briefly in Josh 13:31.

            So we don’t actually know how big this Arba fellow was, but we DO know that he was “the greatest among the Anakim”.  So, let’s just say “really really big”.  I could speculate that he was most likely well over 10′ tall, probably by a large portion, but that’s just speculation.  The point is, he was really a big guy.  So when Caleb asks for this special inheritance, it’s with the understanding that “Hey, even though I’m 85 years old now, I’m going to go whip the biggest giant there is, and take his land.  Also, any offspring of his who are also giants, I’ll whip them too, and take their land as well.” (that’s clearly paraphrased, but spot on accurate, the bit about the offspring is noted in chapter 15).  So what’s the point of this little digression into speculation and size?

            The point is this: it’s not always easy to claim your inheritance.  Sometimes, it’s going to take a bit of gumption, and maybe a scrap.  You may have to be bold, and brave, and act with what some might call “temerity”.  Sometimes, you have to look at the biggest guy there is and go “Yea, I can take that guy.”, and if you’re Caleb, that’s not always going to be a metaphor.  In our case, it might be (or it might not, who knows?).

            In Matt 25:34 it explains that our inheritance as followers of Ha’Mashiach (The Anointed One, or The Christ)  provided that we obey God’s word, is the Kingdom of God.  Please take a moment and read the words of our King in Matthew 25:31-46.  This plainly explains to us that not our lineage, but our actions, will qualify us for our inheritance, the Kingdom of God.  Jesus tells us that to actively seek our inheritance, the Kingdom of God, should be first in our priorities (Matt 6:33), and that all the other stuff will be taken care of.

            As gentiles, we should be very cognizant of the fact that we will have to qualify for our inheritance, it doesn’t matter what your lineage is.  Note I didn’t say earn, nothing that we could ever do would be enough to enter in to the Kingdom of God, but to even qualify for consideration we need to represent the character of God correctly to our fellow creation, to enact tzedakah (look it up) and love our neighbor as ourself, and to successfully love YHVH God with all our heart, soul, and might.   Sometimes as Christians, we tend to think we should be meek and quiet, but we know that James has written “you have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).

            It may be that at times we have to act with temerity. We know that there are things that can disqualify us from our inheritance (1 Cor 6:9-11), so we must fight tooth and nail against the enemy who tries to present these things to us as desirable. We WILL have to fight giants, whether real or metaphorical.  You are going to have to go through some things, in order to qualify.  It doesn’t matter though, because nothing compares; no suffering which you may have to endure will in any way compare to the glory of the Kingdom of God (Rom 8:18).  Be like Caleb, in other words, and go boldly to claim your inheritance.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What is it that you dread?  If you are afraid of something that is hampering your obedience whether it’s  a situation, a person, a conversation, starting an action, stopping an action, changing a habit, whatever it might be – that is your giant.  Of course it’s scary, now go fight it.  You need to identify it for yourself first though (we tend to be really good at pretending it’s not there).
  2. What things have you allowed into your life that you are seeking first, instead of your inheritance (The Kingdom), and how can you change that?
  3. Think for a moment about what steps you can take that would assist you in qualifying for entry into the Kingdom?  List out 3, and then implement them into your routine.

PRAYER

Father God, thank you.  All of these things I have, they have come from Your hand.  Please help me, lead me and guide me, grant me wisdom and humility, and if it is Your will allow me to enter into Your kingdom.  Grant me my inheritance Lord, and help me to be a servant who pleases.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Rest in Peace

Deuteronomy 33-34

Psalm 32

Mark 15

-Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

I have never had trouble falling asleep. This is not meant as a brag, but as an acknowledgment of a blessing. If I am tired, anytime, anywhere is fair game. I once slept for a week of church camp on a wooden church pew without a pillow or blanket. I slept on the couch in my classroom (after school, of course). I have fallen asleep in conversations, while holding children, and even while writing devotional blogs. I often joke that my conscience is either incredibly clear or non-existent because I so rarely lie awake in bed. This is the sleep of life—the kind that repairs, restores, and brings rest, and I enter it so easily.

Some fifty times, the Bible refers to death as a differing kind of sleep. Moses is described as entering into rest with his fathers. Daniel foretells that multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake (Daniel 12). When Jesus speaks of Lazarus in John 11, He tells His disciples that he is sleeping. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul repeatedly refers to those who have died in Christ as asleep, and that what has fallen asleep is the firstfruits of the dead. Death is an eventuality, but it is not a finality. Though the sleep of death brings decay, it is not this death that brings ultimate destruction.

“With a loud cry, He breathed His last.” — Mark 15:37

Jesus fulfilled the will of the Heavenly Father to the point of death. Where there was once healing, there was now stillness. Where there was once preaching, there was silence. The Savior, once full of life, entered into the sleep of death for three days.

We tell this story over and over again, but have we ever imagined what it would be like to be a disciple of Christ during those three days? If I were ever to lie awake, it would be on those nights—replaying the Gospel, recalling the prophecies, searching every word I had heard for hope, fraught with fear over the fate awaiting me as His follower, and asking:

What does the death of Christ mean for me?

On this side of the resurrection, I can answer. If Jesus Christ is raised, then death is not the end. The sleep of death can, in fact, repair, restore, and bring rest. It does not simply mark the end of excruciating pain—whether from a cross, a battle with cancer, or the unexpected loss of someone we thought was “too young.” Instead, it becomes the completion of this life and the beginning of the next. Christ died for our sins, and we can rest assured of this—not only as we one day enter that sleep, but even now as we live in the fullness of faith.

“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.” — Psalm 32:1–2

In the final hours of His life, the suffering of Jesus became the answer to the problem of sin. We do not overcome this world by striving harder or fighting in our own strength. It is through Christ’s propitiation, the sacrifice of His Heavenly Father, and our willingness to take up our own cross and follow Him. In Jesus, we find that we can rest in peace even now, because the sacrifice has been made. Though our transgressions are many, our slate has been made clean.

What was once feared is no longer final. To fall asleep in Christ is to awaken to the assurance of things not yet seen. Christ has finished the work, so we can fully, faithfully, and freely embrace that finish.

Death, where is your sting? For even in you, we can rest in peace.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where in my life am I resisting rest—striving for control instead of trusting God?
  2. How would my perspective change if I truly believed that even death—and every ending—is held securely in God’s hands?

Prayer

Thank You for the rest that comes through forgiveness. Thank you for the stillness and quieting of my soul that comes in the tomb of Jesus, for even death has been transformed.Help me release what I continue to carry—my guilt, my striving, my need for control—and rest in the finished work of Christ. Teach me to trust You not only with my life, but with every ending, every unknown, and every moment of surrender.Because of your plan, I can rest in peace in life and death.

In the name of Risen Jesus

Amen

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The Noise

Deuteronomy 31-32

Psalm 31

Mark 15

-Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

As a new parent, there is little you are truly prepared for. You are not prepared for the noise—the deafening cry of a child who is wet, hungry, or simply needs to be held in the middle of the night. In those moments, exhaustion sets in, emotions wear thin, and clear thinking feels out of reach. No one expects a sleep-deprived, emotionally fatigued parent to make calm, selfless decisions; yet, this is exactly where trust is formed. In the noise, in the uncertainty, in moments where no clear solution seems apparent, you respond in faith, in commitment to your child.

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.  You have not given me into the hands of the enemy, but have set my feet in a spacious place.” Psalm 31:5-8

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect. and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Deuteronomy 32:3-5

In Mark 15, the noise reaches a deafening level. Jesus stands before Pilate as accusations are hurled and expectations rise. The crowd grows louder, more insistent, crying out for crucifixion. The pressure is relentless. There is no reasonable path forward that leads to life. Yet in the pulling undertow, as the hope of exoneration moves further and further away from the shore, Jesus trusts his Heavenly Father to deliver him. In the piercing, the crushing, the beating, the bruising, and the relentless barrage of physical and emotional punishment, Jesus still quenches the requirement of His offering, trusting God will not only deliver Him, but is acting divinely, doing no wrong, and showing an infinite love.

Reflecting on this model of Jesus, when tensions are high or we watch life unravel around us, are we ready to stand firm, trusting our Heavenly Father’s nature?

This is the God who rescued mankind on the darkest day of human history. The day that each of us condemned Christ, the only innocent life to walk on earth, is the day we call Good.

Reflect on this: God can redeem ANY day and call it good.

The loud, life-altering noise can be victory if we are obedient.

What I realized in our second go around with an infant is that the cry that was disconcerting and dissonant can also confirm that a child is alive and well.  Often we pray that God will take away the noise so we have a moment to catch our breath, to think, to sleep, to figure out a plan.  The Creator of the universe needs no assurances from us other than assured obedience: to act in love for those who despise us and to feed his sheep.  Who we are as parents or followers of Christ is defined in the presence of pressure, not in the absence

Jesus trusted his Father even when none of what was happening made sense, or the outrage and consequences felt unmerited and unjust.  That same faithfulness is cutting through the noise and calling us today.

Reflection Questions

  1. What noise, pressure, fear, or frustration tempts your faithfulness?
  2. What is the Good of Good Friday? How can God redeem ANY day and call it good? What good have you seen come from noise, pressure, fear or frustration in the life of others? What about in your own life?
  3. Aaron wrote Jesus is “trusting God will not only deliver Him, but is acting divinely, doing no wrong, and showing an infinite love.” What do you trust about God and His character, even on the noisiest, hardest day?

Prayer


In the noise of life—when everything feels loud, overwhelming, and uncertain—teach me to trust You. When exhaustion sets in and my thoughts are unclear, help me respond not out of fear or frustration, but out of faith and commitment. Thank You for Jesus, who stood in the noise of accusation and suffering and chose to trust You. When the pressure was relentless and the path forward made no sense, He remained faithful.


Help me to see that even the noise has purpose. Just as a child’s cry is a sign of life, remind me that You are still working in the tension, still present in the uncertainty, still faithful in every moment. Teach me to follow Jesus—to trust You when I do not understand, to stand firm when life feels overwhelming, and to believe that You are redeeming even what feels broken.

In The name of Your Son who poured out Himself as a sacrifice, Amen.

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3 Devotions from Mark 14

Deuteronomy 27-28

Psalm 30

Mark 14

Today we are pulling up three previously shared devotions on Mark 14, and these are just a few of several posted over the last 9 years at SeekGrowLove.com. You may read one, two or three – or even go find some more. Today, may we consider what Jesus did for us, as we also contemplate what we will do for him, this day.

A BEAUTIFUL THING

-Devotion by Andy Cisneros (SC) – (originally posted 3/28/2024 for SGL)

In Mark 14 we see the story of Jesus being anointed with  perfume. Jesus takes this beautiful moment and shows us just how great this event truly was. Mary’s actions may signal more than she knows. But, although she may not fully comprehend the messianic significance of her anointing, she appreciates Christ’s worth more than anyone else at the table. But Jesus receives the woman’s gift as a selfless act of love and devotion—an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. Jesus reveals that He will not be with them much longer, which references His soon death and burial.

Jesus says five things about it that mark it as an extremely beautiful act. First, he says, “she has done a beautiful thing to me”. The beauty of it lay in its extravagance. This woman did not spare any of the costly perfume but broke the flask and poured the whole quantity out on him. Judas, with his practical and corrupt mind, counted it up as worth three hundred denarii. A denarius was the day’s wage for a laborer. Three hundred days’ wages would be a tremendous sum. In the eyes of Judas, this woman wasted an enormous amount of money when she poured out the perfume on Jesus. It was such a lavish over the top act, and there lies the beauty of it. When have you done something extravagant and beautiful for Jesus?

Second, He said that it was a timely thing she had done. It was something that could only be done now. Any time you want to do good to the poor you can, because they are always around. And it is right to help the poor. But there are opportunities that come in our life that must be seized at that moment. Mary had sensed this and seized the moment to offer this gift, for such a time would never occur again. It was out of the sensitivity of her heart that she realized that the timing was right, and Jesus recognized this. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase timing is everything. Mary is preparing Jesus for his death. The timing was now.

Third, she did what she could. She could not fix Him a meal; there was no time for that. She could not make a garment for Him; there was no time for that. There was nothing else she could do to show her love but this. She did what she could. I am sure Jesus has called our attention to that because it is so practical for us. Someone said, “I can’t do everything, but I can do something. And what I can do I ought to do. And what I ought to do, I’m available to do”. Are you doing what you can? Or are you doing what’s easy? Are you doing at least what you are capable of for God and his son?

The fourth element of this act was that it was insightful. Jesus says she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. Many times, Jesus said to these disciples that He was going to die. Not one of them believed or understood him–except maybe Mary of Bethany. She could have understood that he was heading for burial. And since she could not be sure she would ever have the opportunity later to find his body and anoint it for burial, she did it now, as a loving act of service. Of all these friends who were around Him at this time, only this one had the sensitivity of heart to understand what was happening.

Finally, what she did was deserving of being remembered. It was memorable. Jesus said, the story of this beautiful act will be told in memory of her wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world. Here we are today, two thousand years later, fulfilling this very word, telling again of the act of Mary of Bethany when she anointed our Lord’s head and feet.

I hope we can be as understanding and extravagant as Mary was. What can you do today to show your love and appreciation of Jesus? Something extravagant. Something with meaning.

FEAR TAKES OVER

-Devotion by Melissa New (AR) – (originally posted 8/3/2019 for SGL)

Jesus told the disciples that they would all abandon him. It was bad enough that he knew the agony he would endure on the cross, but the emotional sorrow of the betrayal of his closest friends would be gut-wrenching. All of the disciples were saying they would never leave him, no matter what. Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” (14:31) Jesus told Peter that not only would Peter abandon him, but that very night he would also deny him three times.

Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asks the disciples to keep watch and pray. They keep falling asleep. I imagine the impending situation has them exhausted from worry and dread. Jesus acknowledged that “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (14:38)

When Judas comes to betray Jesus the tension is at an all-time high. The disciples want to fight, but Jesus stops them. Apparently, they  immediately realized they were overwhelmed and that’s when fear kicked in. They all ran. One was slow enough that he was seized, but that fear was coursing through his veins so strongly that he left his clothing and ran away naked. That was better than sharing the fate of Jesus. We might see this as utterly shameful. How could they? And how could Peter deny Christ three times especially after Jesus said he would? Did he not remember Jesus’ words after the second denial?

Fear is such a powerful thing. It can be crippling. Fear can shut our mouths, stop us from going and loving others, and keep us from fulfilling God’s will for our lives. More often I see that fear holds God’s people back, but it can also provoke us to act as we shouldn’t just as the disciples did. The naked man and Peter are a clear warning to us. Let’s not let fear have the power to encourage us to expose ourselves shamefully or deny Christ even. In I John 4:18 we are told “perfect love casts out fear.” Let’s pray for perfect love. When we feel fear creeping in, let’s pray for our love to be stronger than the fear.

A DAY TO REMEMBER

-Devotion by Mason Kiel (IN) – (originally posted 8/5/2022 for SGL)

It’s a story we’ve heard a thousand times – Mark chapter 14. Jesus predicts that one of his disciples will betray him, one will deny him, and they feast for one last supper. He’s arrested and, in the face of threat of death, commits to remaining non-violent; even going as far as to heal those who oppose him. The archetype of betrayal, prophecy, and endurance coming together in one of the final chapters of Jesus’s time on earth. So, what more could we take away from these things after hearing it repeated our entire lives? There is always something new to be learned or applied if you’re willing to try to find it.

Starting at the beginning of the passage, a woman approaches Jesus with an exorbitantly expensive container of perfume. She takes this jar of perfume and dumps it all over Jesus, to which she receives backlash. Those in the company ridicule her for not utilizing the perfume for something better, like helping the poor. Admittedly, this would be a very honorable thing to do. But surprisingly, Jesus stands up for her and tells them to not shame her for doing a good thing to him. “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.” Mark 14:7.

This is an interesting thing for Jesus to say, as I would imagine him having the mindset of ‘do everything to help those in need,’ but this circumstance seems to be different. There will always be the poor and needy, there will always be the hurt and the wicked. Jesus is the light in darkness, as darkness is the default state, only interrupted by the presence of light, not vice versa. If we spend all of our energy trying to eliminate the darkness, we will lose sight of the light that sustains us incipiently.

Jesus is well aware of this, as the light that sustains and empowers him is God. He cries out “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:36. Jesus is crying out in the most passionate and sincerely affectionate way imaginable to his father, begging that his death be made unnecessary, that this burden will be taken from him. However, he takes the proper mindset of being able to accept that what he wants may not be what God wants. When you pray to God for an answer, are you able to accept what He responds with in the same faith Jesus could? It’s no mere feat, but then again Jesus is no mere man.

Not only does he accept what needs to happen, but he also stands firm on what he teaches. If you remember from yesterday, Jesus specifically said to not be afraid when we are brought before the court for our faith, but to answer as the Spirit guides you to, as it is the voice of the Spirit that will talk for you. When they had arrested him and grilled him with questions, “… Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.” Mark 14:61. He needed not respond to their trickery but waited until he knew what he was saying to tell them the truth. For this, they killed him. Could you stand for truth until the end? Could you stand with what you believe and know to be true even if every person would hate you for it? If so, you would be stronger than Peter. He lacked this ability, and defied Jesus 3 times—to which end it destroyed him.

“Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.” Mark 14:72. Have you ever gotten to the point in your sin where you don’t even recognize who you are anymore? For Peter, he had been spending the past couple years of his life devoted to following Jesus to the end. And yet, when it mattered most, he denied even knowing him. He had become so distraught by his sin that he had nothing else to do than weep at what he’d done.

Sometimes, when we recognize that we’ve fallen so far from the righteous path laid before us, and become so wrapped up in our sin, all we can do is weep and pray that God can forgive us. In fact, it’s often in these moments that we convince ourselves that there’s no way God could possibly forgive us for what we’ve done… but that would be missing the whole point of the story! Jesus died so that even in the midst of our most egregious pain from sin, we have the opportunity to be forgiven. Even Paul, who was a Christian-slaying murderer found salvation! Do not waste this opportunity that Christ has given to you, but rather repent for your sins and devote your life toward serving his purpose. Amen.

Application Questions

  1. Even if you’ve read Mark 14 many times before – what stands out to you today?
  2. How can you extravagantly love and honor Jesus?
  3. What does it mean to pray, “Not my will but yours be done”? What do you need to surrender and give up to God?
  4. In the past, how have you deserted or denied Jesus? How has fear kept you from doing what God wants you to do?

PRAYER

Dear God,

We thank You for the gift of Your Son. We are not worthy of such a perfect gift. Forgive us of the times we have acted in fear not faith, for the times we have passed up the opportunities to give extravagantly in response to the gift given for us. Help us see Jesus for who he is, and respond with total commitment and devotion today and everyday. I love you, Lord God.

In Your Son’s sweet name, Jesus, I pray.

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Who is Our God?

Deuteronomy 17-18 

Psalm 28 

Mark 12

– Devotion by Pastor Haroon Yacoob Masihi

From Tom Siderius from Church of God Blanchard, Michigan – Pastor Masihi is the chairman of the Unitarian Mission of Pakistan and is very active and vigorous in his teaching of One God truth and Unitarian belief there.  I have been privileged to help with teaching there via zoom as has Jon Welch, Jerry Wierwille,  and others from  COG churches.  I asked him for a sermon that he has given there in Urdu which could be adapted to a Seek Grow Love devotion for us to read.  I have edited it for structure but the content is his.  Please read with him and pray for their mission there and the fellowship that we can have with them.

Hello brothers and sisters,  very important topic of who our God is. For hundreds of years the teaching of the Trinity that God is three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; has been seen as a core belief within Christianity.

Yet this teaching has been assumed to be taught in the scriptures, not directly taught. What does God’s word show about Himself? Is the teaching of the trinity true? Who is the God of the Bible? I hope to answer these questions today.

Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, Yahweh, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,” — Isaiah 44:24

Whoever God is, he is the only God. There are not multiples. There is only one and He has revealed Himself by a name, this name is Yahweh, and He alone is God.

And God furthermore said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name from generation to generation. Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I indeed care about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.— Exodus 3:15-16

When God revealed Himself to Moses, He identified Himself to be the God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob believed in. These men were the ancestors of the Israelites. The God of the Bible is the same as their God.

“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as phylacteries between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”— Deuteronomy 6:4-9

This passage is at the core of the Jewish faith. In a world where many people have said there are many gods, Yahweh God revealed himself to all of Israel as the one true God. This is the one God that they taught their children and who is the creator of us all.

“And when one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, he recognized that He had answered them well and asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’”— Mark 12:28-30

Jesus, who is a Jew, held to the same God as his ancestors. He said this is the most important commandment of all to love this one and only true God. This is the God of Jesus. The Trinity teaches that Jesus is God or a part of God, yet Jesus acknowledges he has a God.

“Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”— John 4:21-23

There have been claims that Jesus came to reveal and teach the God of the Trinity. That Israel did not fully understand God. But is that true? Jesus here acknowledges that the Jews knew God, and that their God was the true God. Israel did not believe in a trinity. They understood who God was because he had revealed Himself to them.

“For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”— 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

Paul confirms his belief in one God, also called the Father. He believes in this one God and in the one Lord, Jesus. If this God of the Trinity was revealed by Jesus then why does Paul not acknowledge that? Paul acknowledges the one true God and the son that God sent, Jesus.

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”— Ephesians 4:4-6 

There is only one faith and this faith is in this one God, the Father. There is no mention of three beings of a trinity God. Only the Father, He alone is God.

Jesus also confirms this is his God and the only true one.

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” — John 17:3

Jesus says our salvation is dependent on knowing the true God, and to also know His Messiah, Jesus. Jesus does not put himself as that true God, but that we have to believe in his God.

“Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” — John 20:17

Our God and Father is Jesus’s God and Father. There was not a revealing of a new God or a new understanding of that God. But the same God that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed in is the same God that our Lord Jesus believes in and serves.

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out from it anymore. And I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” — Revelation 3:12 

Here, Jesus is now in heaven at the right hand of God. And he still speaks of his God. Again, the teaching of the Trinity is not revealed, but only the one God, the same God of Jesus.

This is the God that Jesus pleased when he was a child

And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. — Luke 2:52

This is the God that brought about Jesus through His power upon Mary at the right time according to Gods plan.

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.— Luke 1:35

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. — Galatians 4:4-5

God brought about Jesus and it was the same God that Jesus worshipped. God did not come down or become man, He chose a man with a very special job.

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of lawless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” — Acts 2:22-24

Often it is questioned then, who is Jesus? If he is not God or a part of God, then who is he? Peter shows who he is. He is a man chosen by God. God gave great power to and a very special role to this man, Jesus. It was not God who came down to do this mission, but a man like you and me who was chosen for this mission.

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead.”— Acts 17:30-31

God is using this man and showed everyone by raising him from the dead. This was not God who died, because God cannot die, or God who raised himself, but a man who was raised by God to eternal life. And it is this man who is in heaven with our God and his God.

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the witness for this proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” — 1 Timothy 2:3-7

There is only one true God. Jesus is a man who mediates between us and this one true God. Jesus could not meditate between God and men if he himself was God. He represented God to us, and represents us to God.

So what does God’s word show about Himself? Is the teaching of the trinity true?

God has revealed Himself in His word as the only true God. He has given us His name as Yahweh, the God that Abraham and all Israel believed in. The God from the beginning is the same God Jesus worships.

The god of the trinity is not revealed in scripture. The trinity is a teaching that does not hear the words of our savior Jesus who has shown the only true God. So let us all praise and worship the one true God and Father of us all, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection Questions

  1. Whether you are hearing these thoughts for the first time, or you have spent your whole life believing them, or somewhere in the middle – what makes sense to you today about these verses from Scripture? What do you currently have questions about?
  2. What do you love about Jehovah God? What does He reveal about Himself in Scripture?
  3. What do you love about the Son of God, Jesus Christ the Messiah? What do we learn about him in Scripture?

Prayer:

My heartfelt prayer is that Jehovah God will reveal His truth to all Christians. And that all Christians will know the one God Jehovah the Heavenly Father and the Son of the Father, Jesus Christ. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Blessings, Your brother in Christ, a servant, Pastor Haroon Yaqoob Masihi

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Jesus in Jerusalem

Deuteronomy 11-12

Psalm 26

*Mark 11

–Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

One of the things taught in most of Christianity is that Jesus came into Jerusalem only one time and it was a great celebration of his kingship and carried out by all who were so glad to see him.  It is commonly called “Palm Sunday”.  The people  calling him the “Son of David” is the same as calling him “king” by the people there.  They wanted him to come to the capital there and throw out the Romans and Greeks and then set up his kingdom on earth right then and there.  This record in Mark 11 is about the first day before Passover that Jesus comes into the city.  I took the reading from the Revised English Bible (REV) on the Spirit and Truth’s website.

Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem on this day is one of rejoicing and great celebrations by the people.  “Hosanna” is literally “God save us”.  They are saying “God save us by the one who comes in the name of Yahweh”.  Heady stuff and sure to make both the secular leaders of the Jews (mostly Sadducees) and the Romans soldiers and administrators very unhappy.   The Jews didn’t want to upset the cozy formula they had worked out to go along and get along.  Also to keep the money train going in the Temple and with the tourists coming there.  They had the money-changing tables where whatever money the people had would be exchanged for the official money to be used in the Temple, with a large profit margin going to the changers.  The other commerce area set up was to sell sacrificial animals and was also in the outer court. The outer court was called the court of the Gentiles where all nations could come into the Temple area.  This is why Jesus says to them that the Temple was designed to be a blessing for all nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.

Jesus on this entrance to Jerusalem comes into the Temple and looks around and then leaves and goes back to where he is staying in Bethany (probably at the house of Mary, Martha and Lazurus). 

Mark 11:1-26 THE MINISTRY OF JESUS IN JERUSALEM (REV)
The Triumphal Entry

1And when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
 2and said to them, “Go into the village that is in front of you, and immediately as you enter into it you will find a colt tied there on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.
 3And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will immediately send it back here again.’”
 4And they went away and found a colt outside in the open street tied at a door, and they untied it.
 5And some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
 6And they responded to them just as Jesus had said to, so they let them go.
 7And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their outer garments on it, and he sat on it.
 8And many people spread their outer garments on the road, and others spread branches that they had cut from the fields.
 9And those who went in front of him, and those who followed after, were crying out, “Hosanna!a Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!b
 10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
 11And he entered Jerusalem and went into the Temple. And after he had looked around at everything, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve because the hour already was late.
 

The next day he gets up early in morning and for the second time goes on the road going to Jerusalem.  On the way he sees a fig tree and because he is hungry goes to the tree expecting to find figs.  The record says that when he gets to the tree it has no figs, but Mark also says curiously that the time of figs is not yet.  He then curses the tree, and it dries up from the roots, also not the way that trees normally die.  This is a picture of how Israel has failed in God’s purpose at this time.  See this explanation from the REV commentary attached here.

Mark 11:12-14 Barren Fig Tree Cursed

12And on the next day, as they were leaving Bethany, he was hungry.
 13And seeing a fig tree in the distance that had leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. But when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves (it was not the season for figs).
 14And he answered and said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it.

(REV Commentary )  “seeing a fig tree.” The fig tree was one of the trees in the Bible that symbolized Israel. This particular fig tree was a fitting parable of Israel. It was in full leaf and looked very promising, even ahead of the rest of the trees. It should have been a source of great blessing for those who looked for early sustenance coming out of the winter months. Instead, it was a liar, promising much but delivering little, deceiving weary travelers and giving them false hope. Jesus cursed it, foreshadowing the curse and destruction that would come upon Israel.

“it was not the season for figs.” The question this verse poses to the average reader is, “Why would Jesus curse the fig tree for not having figs if it was not the season for figs?” The answer to that question lies in understanding that, although there were a couple varieties of fig trees in Israel, the common variety produces two crops of figs per year. An early fig grows on the old branch stock that grew the preceding year. This early fig often begins to grow even before there are leaves on the fig tree, although sometimes these early figs and the leaves start to grow at the same time. These early figs usually start developing in March, but may be a little earlier or later depending on the climate, and the circumstances of any given tree (Israel has many different climates, usually somewhat depending on elevation). These early figs mature in June, and the leaves grow and mature along with them. A second crop of figs starts on the new tree growth that sprouts that year, and they generally ripen in August.

Since Mark is recording events around Passover, Jesus would have approached the fig tree in April. Although it was not yet the season for figs, Jesus noticed that this particular tree was in full leaf. If the leaves were fully formed, that meant he could expect the figs of this particular tree to be early too, or at least be far enough along to be somewhat satisfying to eat. This should not surprise us. It often happens in horticulture that a plant is a few weeks earlier than the “regular season.” However, when Jesus got to the tree, the situation was not just that the figs it had were not yet ripe, it did not have any figs at all!

Jesus then cursed this tree and it died overnight. Jesus would ordinarily never curse a tree of any kind for not having fruit or buds. Often, trees go through hardships that keep them from bearing fruit in a given year. Jesus said he did what he heard from his Father, God, and this is an example of that. God gave Jesus the revelation to curse the tree, so Jesus cursed it and it died overnight, which was a miracle. Thus, this tree became a twofold teaching example: it showed that Israel was going to be cursed (which it was for rejecting its Messiah), and it also taught the apostles that when God gave you revelation, no matter how unlikely it seemed, if you trust God and believe and act on what He says, the revelation will come to pass (this is the manifestation of trust, 1 Cor. 12:9). (REV Commentary on Mark 11)

Mark 11:15-19 Jesus Cleanses the Temple(REV)

15And they came into Jerusalem. And he went into the Temple and began to cast out those who were selling and those who were buying in the Temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves,
 16and he would not allow anyone to carry merchandisec through the Temple.
 17And he began to teach them, saying, “Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?d But you have made it a den of robbers.”e
 18And the chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and began looking for a way to destroy him because they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.  19And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.
 

The withering of the fig tree is a symbol of the judgement of Israel and its leadership. The fig tree and olive tree are used in scripture as symbols of the nation of Israel in several places.

Mark 11:20-25 Barren Fig Tree Withered(REV)

20And as they passed by the tree in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up.
 21And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
 22And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have trust in God.
 23Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
 24For this reason, I say to you, all the things you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and they will be done for you.
 25And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you for your transgressions.
 26[[But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.]]

What a lesson in believing and faith for us to learn.  We need to have “faith” which is our believing in accord with the Word and Will of God.  When we confess the Word, believe it and act on it God is able to help us accomplish His purposes in life.  What are the important elements of miraculous deliverance and help?  We see here God’s will for us to operate as His agents here in the world today.  Don’t discount His help and direction that He willingly gives us when we ask by faint heart or disbelief in spiritual help.  Have a great day today in Christ.

QUESTIONS:

  1. What do you learn about Jesus in Mark 11?
  2. What does your faith look like today? What have you seen that has increased your faith? What have you heard that has increased your faith?
  3. Where would you like to have more faith?

Prayer: 

Father, we look to you today to give us understanding and wisdom in Your Word and intentions.  We thank you for being part of the “God Story” you have made each of us.  Give us today the bread we need daily and help us in our times of need.  Heal our minds, hearts, and bodies in accordance with Your will.  We thank you for the sacrifice of Christ that gives us life today and in the future. We pray in the Name above all Names, Jesus Christ.

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The Heart of the Matter

Numbers 33-34

Psalm 23

Mark 7

-Devotion by Emilee Christian (MO)

We’ve all heard the saying, “it’s the thought that counts.” Intentions matter. That’s what Jesus is getting at in today’s scripture reading in Mark 7. 

Jesus tells the Pharisees actions without heart mean nothing. He quotes Isaiah 29:11 saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (NLT). It got me thinking about how easy it can be to practice routine spiritual disciplines without our hearts being fully present. The spiritual disciplines I’m referring to include tithing, regular church attendance, praying before meals, communion, prayer, worship, and reading of scripture. These are the things that easily become mundane for the longtime practicing Christian. It’s important to find ways to mix things up once in a while. We can easily get stuck hamster wheeling through the motions without taking the time to really consider what it is we’re doing. Taking a break from your normal routine can reignite your passion. When we feel like we’re going on autopilot, switching things up, practicing our spiritual disciplines in different ways, helps us refocus on the task and approach it with a renewed attitude. 

I understand not everyone’s mind works like this, so I’ve created a list of suggestions. This week I encourage you to choose one discipline to switch up. See if the task means more to you. If you get more out of the experience. Or, perhaps you’ll learn just how much you enjoyed doing it your way, which will hopefully renew your heartfelt intentions. The goal of this challenge is to bring yourself back to the heart of why we do what we do, by pausing and re-evaluating your intentions. 

Tithing 

  1. Write your check at a different time than normal. If you’re always doing your check right before the plate is passed, try preparing it at home first. If you always come with your check prepared, try writing it during the worship service. I personally really enjoy tithing during services. To me, there’s something intimate about listening to the worship music, getting on my phone and checking my pay stubs, doing quick math on the back of a bulletin, then placing my check in the offering box. 
  2. Include your children in tithing. This may be by encouraging them to put their own money in the plate, or giving them something to put in the offering. I still remember the feeling of importance I got as a little girl whenever I dumped my change into the offering. It felt good to give to God and made me feel part of something bigger than myself, even if all I contributed were pennies. 

Church Attendance 

  1. Go to service at a different time if your church offers multiple services. 
  2. Sit somewhere else during the service. 

Praying Before Meals

  1. If you typically pray silently, pray aloud.
  2. If your family is the fold hands type – try holding hands to pray. 
  3. Put your hands in a different position. 
  4. Start your prayer off with thanking Him for one specific blessing you experienced since your last meal. 
  5. Have your family take turns saying the prayer. 

Communion 

  1. If you know it’s communion Sunday, sit somewhere else during the service so you are taking communion in a new environment. 

Prayer

  1. Pray aloud.
  2. Pray at a different time in the day.
  3. Put your hands in a different position.
  4. Start a prayer journal. Or just simply write down your prayers. 
  5. Create a prayer chart with a white board. 
  6. Pray when you are bored or waiting. This is how we learn to pray without ceasing and be in constant conversation with God. 
  7. Take yourself to a quiet place and pray on your knees.
  8. End your prayer time with a worship song. 
  9. Pray with your children.
  10. Pray with your spouse.
  11. Pray in public. Without being the annoying guy in Luke 18:9-14. For example, you could end your coffee date with your friend by praying for her right there in the shop, quietly in the corner taking a private moment together. 

Worship

  1. If your church is a standing and singing church, sit down during a song, bowing your head in prayer. 
  2. Don’t sing. Listen to the words. 
  3. Do sing! Even if you are no good and you think no one wants to hear your voice – God does. 
  4. Do a mini worship session in the car on the way to work. Turn on the local Christian radio, or play some of your favorite worship music. 
  5. Take a Sunday off from leading worship if you’re part of the worship team. Sometimes it can be nice to simply be a part of  the service instead of leading it. This also may give the opportunity for others in your church to step up and serve. 

Reading of Scripture

  1. Sit someplace else in your house for your quiet time.
  2. Take a break from what you are currently reading. It’s okay to flip to a different part of the Bible, or a different devotional book. Doing it just for the sake of doing it and saying you completed something is exactly what Jesus was accusing the Pharisees of doing. 

Questions: 

  1. Which challenge are you going to choose? 
  2. Give yourself a heart check. Are there areas of your faith that have become mundane? 

Prayer –

based on the lyrics “The Motions” by Mathew West

Dear God,

I don’t want to go through the motions. I don’t want to go one more day without your all consuming passion inside of me. Let your love make me whole. 

In Jesus’ name, 

Amen. 

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