devotions – Page 81 – Seek Grow Love

Merry Christmas

1st John

On Christmas, it’s appropriate that we read 1 John. It may seem better that we read Matthew or Luke, but 1 John distills the life and teaching of Jesus from the perspective of an old man. If we want to hear an old, inspired teacher dispensing his wisdom, John (and the books attributed to that name) are books to which to turn.

John is old and he is concerned with the most important things in life. He testifies about Jesus, the light who comes into the world, to fulfill the joy of himself and his readers. Joy is a chief concern of the old man. Jesus doesn’t turn us into a curmudgeon. That’s because Jesus brings us to a God who is greater.
A God who is light. A God who is love. That’s a God of Joy.

If we want to be in Christ, to have this God who fulfills joy, to be counted among the children of light and love, we must keep the commands of Christ. We must walk as Jesus walked. But what is the command. When John says the old command they have heard from the beginning, he is not referring to the law. He is referring to the command from the beginning of the teaching of Jesus. The message which we have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.(3:11) Just as Christ laid down his life for us, we should be willing to lay down our life for our brothers and sisters in love (3:16). We believe in the name of Jesus and love one another, just as Christ commanded us (3:23). More verses that tell us to love one another because of the love of God : 4:7-8, 4:10-12, 4:19-21.

The command is to love our brothers and sisters.

But we are also commanded to NOT love the world. Of course, this doesn’t mean to not love people. The “world” according to John, are all the things that are not of God: sin, power, money, control, hate. We so easily love sin, which gives us momentary pleasure, usually at another’s pain. We love power and money and control, so that we can continue to sin without consequence in this world. And hate allows us to have superiority to others even as we hurt them, because we think we are better.

AVOID THAT. Avoid those idols!

Know that if you keep the command to love, if you believe in the name of Jesus, and allow him to guide you in light and love, the God of joy is going to give you a joy that lasts forever. We are promised eternal life.

May you, my brothers and sisters, experience the JOY that God gives.

May you LOVE one another, as is the command of Christ.

May you avoid sin and the love of the world, and have PEACE in yourself.

May you experience eternal life, both now and forevermore, and have HOPE.

And with that HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE, may you have a very, very…

Merry Christmas!

-Jake Ballard

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 1 John.

Tomorrow we read 2nd & 3rd John.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

Twice Written, Twice Shy(ing away from sin)**

Jude & 2 Peter

Today, I would encourage you to read the material (Jude, 2 Peter) BEFORE the devotion, if you don’t already do that. Go do that. This can wait.
You may be saying to yourself, did I just read the same thing twice? They are very similar.*

I’ve written this before, but in scripture, when something is repeated, IT IS IMPORTANT. In Ancient Cultures, reading wasn’t the norm. The people in the time of Jesus and before were oral cultures, and repeating oneself in written form was a way to emphasize important points. What’s happening in Jude and 2 Peter is God “repeating himself” for our benefit.

Jude and 2 Peter are both focused on false teachers bringing in destructive teachings among the people of God. Jude tells us that these people “creep” in “secretly”. They are teaching two general ideas : they are denying Jesus as Messiah and Master and they are turning grace into immorality and sensuality. These are twin ideas. These people were declaring that Jesus was not the only one who could save us from our sins (Messiah) and had no place in telling us what was right and wrong (Master). The false teachers seemed to have held the view that sin was not “real”; there was not one thing that was right and another that was wrong, but all were saved by the grace of God, and all would be permitted to spend eternity with him. All action was permitted.

We are still talking about the ancient world, though I know how similar it sounds to our own. Jude and Peter are warning us to not be seduced by these ideas. Instead, FIGHT for the faith. Don’t let those who would water down the gospel win. In love, speak truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. You contend because those who are teaching these false things are bound for destruction. THEY should have known better, but YOU DO know better. Don’t let others go down this same path, but watch out for yourself. Peter says to live with all godliness and righteousness. Jude says to build yourself up in faith and keep yourselves in the love of God.

My brothers and sisters, may you see in Jude and 2 Peter faithful authors speaking to the same truth : there will always be someone trying to convince you that Jesus is not the Messiah, and their way to live is the best (either by adding commandments or removing standards). May you turn away from these false teachers. May you see two testimonies about the dangers of these heresies and sins, and may you make sure to be doubly cautious before following an unknown teacher.

-Jake Ballard
—————————————————————————————————*If you would like to see a pretty decent analysis of why they are similar, you can read this article here : http://exegeticaltools.com/2020/05/15/the-literary-relationship-between-2-peter-and-jude/ The author of this devotion does not necessarily endorse everything said on the site (of course) or even the implicit conclusion of the article. (I think Jude wrote first, and Peter copied and riffed on his writing.)
** To the Tune of Last Christmas by WHAM! (Merry Christmas Eve)

Today’s Bible passages can be read on BibleGateway here – 2 Peter & Jude

Tomorrow we will read 1st John.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

Times will be Tough; Keep the Faith!

2 Timothy 1-4

I wish I could tell you that after you are faithful, after you have lived a life dedicated to loving God and loving people, that everything is smooth sailing. I wish I could make and keep a promise that you will never get sick, never be poor, never be mocked, never be persecuted, for the faith that you have. But, the truth is that we live in a world full of sinful people, a world full of broken people. We may even be the cause of some of our pain. When the world gets tough, when life is hard, what are we supposed to do?

Paul addresses these questions in his second letter to Timothy that we have in scripture. We need to recognize that, when Paul is writing this letter, he is currently under arrest for his faith. He had spoken the name of Jesus and the Jews arrested him. Because he was a Roman citizen, he appealed to Caesar for his trial. Instead of walking free, he was bound, shipped around the Mediterranean, shipwrecked, and transported to Rome, where he was kept under house arrest. (Before, I thought house arrest didn’t sound bad, but 2020 lockdowns have drastically changed my mind.) In the midst of all this, everything that Paul is going through, his message to Timothy, a young pastor, is “Keep being faithful to the Gospel message.” Even though that message is the very thing that has Paul in chains, as he follows God’s will to be in Rome, Paul knows that the Gospel is the only source of life. The Gospel message of Jesus tells us about God’s Kingdom, both later over the whole world and in our hearts now, how to live as a citizen of that kingdom today, and how to be given eternal life in the future. No amount of suffering now can compare to the hope, peace, love and joy that come through the Kingdom Message.

Paul notes to Timothy that this doesn’t make life easier. In 2 Timothy, we can almost hear the sadness in Paul’s words as he notes that his friends have left him. He’s not angrily ranting, but sadly noting that his entourage has turned into only the smallest, die-hard band. Moreover, Paul seems to know that his death is near (4:6-8). He is getting his affairs in order, even in case he dies before Timothy’s coming (4:9-15). He knows things are at the end. This is his farewell note before going to sleep.

So what does he say?

Teach others, Timothy! (2:2, 4:1-2) Paul wants the things that Timothy heard to be passed on to others, who will know the faith so well that they can pass it on to others. For the pastors reading this, this is CLEARLY meant for you (and me). If we are not teaching in order to create teachers, we are not doing the job he has called us to do. if you are not a pastor, there is still a calling for you in this. For our more mature readers, this is calling you to share your faith with others in such a way that it sinks down deep and molds people so that they will share their faith. And for those who are new to the faith, share your faith, but also seek out mature and faithful believers to see what they have to teach and offer you. Paul spoke to Timothy, AND TIMOTHY LISTENED TO, TRUSTED AND OBEYED PAUL.

This is not giving everyone you meet a complex theological treatise. There is nothing wrong with complex theology; I’m a big fan myself. But Paul tells Timothy to keep the message simple to not wrangle over words or about things that don’t matter. (2:14, 16) Be FOCUSED on the things that matter because the days will get worse. You, Timothy, and you, reader, must be strong, because all those who desire to live holy lives, the best lives we can live, will be persecuted by those who don’t want to live that way. (3:12)

Finally, Paul lets Timothy know that there should not be despair at his “departure” (death). Paul knows who he is … and more importantly whose he is. Paul knows what awaits him at the coming of Christ.
A Kingdom

A Heavenly Kingdom

A Kingdom that will come down from God on high and will last forever.

Paul’s farewell letter is an ode to this Kingdom. He wants his Son in the Faith Timothy there. He wants those who have not yet heard the message there. His singular focus is glory to God through Jesus Christ.

May you my brothers and sisters, be strong in the midst of difficult times.

May you proclaim the faith boldly.

May you trust God, obey him, and serve him in his kingdom, now and forevermore.

-Jake Ballard

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 2 Timothy 1-4.

Tomorrow we will read 2 Peter and Jude.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

Jesus is Greater: Live it Out!

Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews 11 is one of the greater chapters of the Bible. If you want to learn about love, you can read 1 Corinthians 12. Resurrection is the theme of 1 Corinthians 15. Hebrews 11 is all about Faith. We are told what faith achieves for us, examples of who the faithful were in the Old Testament, but most importantly, we are given a call to be the faithful ones now. I’d encourage you to memorize Hebrews 11:1-2, 13-16, and 39-40. These verses show us what faith does for us, where faith will lead us, and what God has prepared for his faithful.

Hebrews 12 and 13 then are exhortations, encouragements, of how to live. In light of the greatness of Christ, in light of the faith he gives us and his life of faith, follow these commands.

Hebrews is hard to read. It is well-written but it feels different than the straightforward, sometimes blunt writings of Paul, and different from the simple writings of John. In Hebrews, our author gives us her (yes, her) greatest effort to not only argue but to prove one singular point:

Jesus is GREATER.

May we become the faithful who acknowledge the greatness of Christ.

-Jacob Ballard

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Hebrews 11-13.

Tomorrow we will read 2 Timothy 1-4.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

Jesus is Greater : Priesthood, Covenant, Warnings

Hebrews 7-10

What is the theme of Hebrews?

JESUS IS GREATER!

Today, we learn about two things that Jesus introduces that are greater than what came before. In Hebrews 7, we are told that a greater priesthood is needed. It is impossible for people to be perfected through the Levitical Priesthood, the priesthood of the Old Testament. Something greater, a new priesthood, had to come to make all people perfect. Because Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice, his blood covers all those who come to God through him. Because Jesus lives forever, we need no other priest. Because Jesus has been raised and magnified, he is able to help us in our weakness. The priesthood of Jesus allows us to be made sinless.

We can overcome sin through the power of Jesus.
Because of this new priesthood, we can have a better covenant. This covenant is the way God interacts with his people. First, he gave commands to Noah, then to Abraham, then to Moses. He would say “I will bless you, watch over you, and save you, and you will do this for me” and give them rules for the best possible life. The covenant God gives to people in Jesus is the new and final covenant, the best way of any way to follow him, worship him, serve him, find salvation in him, and love others in him. We do not keep the Mosaic Law because the author of Hebrews tells us it has been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus, a greater sacrifice. Jesus is the mediator of this new covenant. The sanctuary, the temple, the sacrifices are all perfected in Jesus, as he fulfills them through his death and resurrection to life.

Because of all this, because Jesus is greater than Angels, Moses, and Joshua, because he institutes a better priesthood and covenant, in Hebrews 10:19-25, the author says “Let us, let us, let us”. The author is encouraging the readers to live out faith in response to the great message of Christ.

This gets us into the last point I want to make today. Right after this encouragement, we read a warning in Hebrews 10:26-31 about willful sin. This isn’t the first warning. In Hebrews 2:1-4, 3:7-19, and 5:11-6:12(20), 10:19-39 and 12:14-29 are all warnings. (You can go read them.) As you go back and focus on these, they may stand out as strange. But again, the main theme of Hebrews is JESUS IS GREATER. The warnings in Hebrews say “Don’t turn away from the one who is greater, from the one who perfects, from the plan of God for the ages. There will be a day when the world will be made right, and you know the one who will hold you close and allow you to be made perfect! DON’T TURN AWAY FROM JESUS!”

My brothers and sisters, along with the author of Hebrews, don’t turn away from Jesus. Remain faithful to the one who is greater!

-Jacob Ballard

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Hebrews 7-10.

Tomorrow we finish the book of Hebrews (chapters 11-13).

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

Jesus is Greater : Angels, Moses, Priesthood

Hebrews 1-6

If you are anything like me, you like to have all the answers. When we read a book like Hebrews, one of the difficult realities is that it doesn’t offer a lot of answers on first glance. We don’t quickly see the author, and even upon careful inspection the answer isn’t apparent. We don’t know to whom it was written or when it was written (an author would make these questions a lot easier to answer). It brings up a few stories and images that are strange; not the first stories we are drawn to in the Old Testament. Without this book, the story of Melchizedek, King-Priest of Salem, would be a strange incident in the story of Abraham. It still IS a strange story, but it would be one we wouldn’t look at as much. Hebrews frustrates me because it makes me ask more and more questions without giving me all the answers.

But, there are very few books that have a stronger theme than Hebrews. The theme of Hebrews is simply this : Jesus is GREATER than ANYTHING ELSE in ALL CREATION! Read Hebrews 1:1-4. What does this tell us about Jesus? Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Jesus Christ is the heir of all things.

Jesus Christ is the one through whom the universe is made. (Made with Jesus in mind and for him.)

Jesus Christ is the radiance of God’s glory.

Jesus Christ is the exact representation of God’s character.

Jesus Christ purifies the world and then sits down at God’s right hand.

I reiterate those words and want you to pay attention to them because JESUS IS GREATER.

Hebrews 1-2 is all about how Jesus is greater than the angels. While we understand this intuitively, in the time of Jesus, angels were the ones through whom God gave the Law. This meant that they were not only the beings who continually stand in the presence of God, but who are essential for the salvation of God’s people. Then, we are shown how Christ is greater than Moses, the Law-giver and prime prophet, in Hebrews 3-4. Moses is not a small figure. He is the central human figure of the Exodus story, which is the central narrative of the Jewish people. In Hebrews 5-6 we get the beginning of truth that Christ brings about a New and Greater Priesthood, based off his own sacrifice. The priesthood interceded to God on behalf of his people, offering sacrifices to show their love and devotion to God. Jesus is greater than any who gave the Law, because the new Law he gives, he also fulfills. Jesus is greater because he is worthy of more honor because he obeyed God in everything as a Son should. JESUS IS GREATER!

If we want to focus on one last set of passages, look to Hebrews 4:15-16. This book is difficult to work through. It will take work for you to read over the next few days. But you do not have a high priest who doesn’t understand hard work. This year has been extremely difficult. But you don’t have an advocate who doesn’t understand your sufferings. Christ knows EVERYTHING you went through. He knows the temptations, the failures, the pains, the struggles of human frailty. And yet he was able to overcome. In our weakness, Christ can make us stronger. We can see God’s throne as a throne of grace rather than judgment. We receive mercy from God who sits on the throne, and we receive grace from Christ at his right hand. That is the beauty of the truth that because Jesus has been raised, JESUS IS GREATER!

-Jake Ballard

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Hebrews 1-6

Tomorrow we continue with chapters 7-10.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

“That’ll do, Pig.”

Daily reading: 1 Peter 1-5

When Jesus told Peter to ‘Feed my sheep,’ he was commissioning him as a shepherd. And in the book of First Peter, we see a part of the fulfillment of that commission.

There are believers (the Lord’s sheep) scattered throughout Roman provinces in Asia Minor, and Peter is writing a letter to be routed amongst them.

There was a movie out in the 90’s about a pig that herded sheep. When the sheep dogs on the farm did their job, they demeaned and scared the sheep into submission. But sweet little Babe the piglet just asked them nicely and off they marched in lines for him.

Sheep of a different flock, however, didn’t know this sweet pig, and saw no reason to listen to him. That is, until, Babe received word from his pasture back home of the secret words to tell these new sheep that he was on their side. ‘Baa, Ram, Ewe’

We are an individualistic bunch of sheep, I think.

Maybe it’s just me. Reading the book of First Peter with the eyes of a flock, a group, instead of reading it just for me, I see it somewhat differently. There’s a definite theme coming through it all that it seems Peter wanted these sheep in his scattered pasture to remember:

There’s more than this.

Seek the holiness of sincere love for each other, because you’re like perishing blades of grass and God’s ways endure. There’s more than this way of loving.
You might feel rejected, but you are chosen. There’s more than this world’s acceptance.
Live to please God not the society you live in. There’s more than this wisdom.
God cares about how you treat your family. There’s more than your own perspective.
Compassion and humility never go out of style. There’s more to be gained through suffering than we can often see.
Wake up, pay attention, Jesus is coming back and you need to be ready. There’s literally more than this world coming one day.

Peter may not have needed to say ‘Baa, Ram, Ewe’ to unite the scattered sheep of his day, but perhaps we need a reminder that we, too, are a scattered flock.

Friends, there’s more than this.

Do you feel the sincere love of the body of Christ? No? Don’t wait for someone else to ‘do something’ about it. Everyone else is a perishing blade of grass just like you. Authentic love doesn’t start with a social media campaign; and it doesn’t start with the whole church, it starts with a few individuals. Be those few.

There’s more than this way of loving.

Have you felt rejected? Alone? Broken? Empty? Peter’s response to the scattered flock on this issue was to remind them about Jesus, and of this: “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

It seems that acceptance begins with mercy. Mercy comes after repentance. Repentance comes after we own up to our sin. This world tells us to own our sin. Big difference.

There’s more than this world’s acceptance.

Along those lines, if the wisdom of this world affirms all of your choices, you might want to question if God would. Living to please God rarely aligns with the wisdom of this world.

There’s more than this wisdom.

Perspective is a powerful influencer, and seeing our family solely from the lens of our own perspective is not only selfish, but dangerous. We can fall into the trap of living for ourselves even while fooling ourself into thinking we are part of a team. How lonely. How unfulfilling. And definitely not God’s best for us.

There’s more than your own perspective.

Suffering is difficult and hard and it stinks. Anyone who says to say ‘Praise God!’ for suffering is a liar or a robot (or a lying robot, perhaps?). Jesus didn’t even want to suffer, he asked his Father if he could avoid it if possible.

Finding peace in the midst of suffering, finding joy in God’s provision during times of suffering, and praising God during suffering are all very different than praising him FOR the suffering.

There’s more to be gained through suffering than we can often see.

Peter quotes a Psalm and tells these scattered sheep that “they must seek peace and pursue it.” Compassion, humility, gentleness, sympathy, blessing… these are all active. A person who is actively pursuing peace, especially when suffering abounds, will stand out. Maybe that’s why Peter suggests it?

People loving differently, repenting of sin, showing mercy, treating their families differently, being the most kind, compassionate, gentle, humble, easy to get along with group of people anyone ever met…yet not compromising God’s standards, not backing down, standing strong against the roar of evil around them, refusing to be devoured — Those people would garner attention.

There’s literally more than this world coming one day.

Wake up, pay attention, Jesus is coming back and we need to be ready.

-Susan Landry

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – 1 Peter

Tomorrow we begin the book of Hebrews (chapters 1-6)

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

“This time the mission is a man.”

Daily reading: Titus 1-3

In the movie Saving Private Ryan, Tom Hanks’ character spends the bulk of the film working to save the life of one man, Private James Francis Ryan, who is slated to be sent home after his three brothers have all been killed in combat. Near the close of the film, Hanks leans in to Matt Damon, who plays Private Ryan and whispers his last words, “Earn this.”

The final scene of the movie is both touching and convicting. Ryan, now an old man, stands at the grave of the man who gave his life to save him and he weeps. He looks to his wife, “Tell me I’ve lived a good life,” he says, “Tell me I’m a good man.”

(Here’s the scene, if you want to give it a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZgoufN99n8)

For him, the reality of living a good life in response to the sacrifice that was made on his behalf was tangible because he had looked in the eyes of the man who died in his place. I think, perhaps, we miss something because we can’t do that, don’t you?

Paul wanted us to think about doing good with our lives. It seemed to be important to him.

His letter to Titus is not long. It’s only 46 verses. But almost 1/5 of them talk about doing what is good (17.5% for you math heads out there).

“I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.”

Our lives as believers preach louder than any Bible verses we post to our Facebook pages or how pious we consider ourselves to be. Perhaps that’s why Paul concludes his letter to Titus with the reminder that,

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.”

We all know that we can’t earn salvation, but we can earn (or lose) other people’s trust.

— The way that we speak to, and about, our parents or our spouse could make someone want to know more about the God we serve…or less.

— The integrity we exhibit at work might make them want to pick up a Bible…or never set foot in a church.

— Our gentleness, kindness, and considerate behavior may be the thing that draws someone to experience the love of God for the first time…or they might come to believe that God is rude and harsh and uncaring.

To put it another way… why would your unbelieving boss want to consider Christianity if you are the laziest employee they have? Or… Do you think anyone cares how many Bible verses you know if you make everyone around you feel like garbage?

We can all fall into the self-focused trap far too easily. So here’s your reminder that (and you might need to sit down for this): It’s not about you.

I had kind of an ‘a-ha’ moment in Sunday morning worship not too long ago when we were singing the song, Awakening. Some of the lyrics say,

For the world You love
Your will be done
Let Your will be done in me

Praying for God’s will to be done in your life is a good thing no matter what. But it hit me over the head that Sunday morning that the purpose of Him wanting to do his will in my life wasn’t just for me. “For the world you love…”

While we can’t ever “Earn this” we can embrace the passionate and intentional living that Private Ryan embraced and regularly examine ourselves with questions like he asked…Am I living a good life?

Or more specifically… Is how I’m living drawing people towards God or repelling them from Him? Am I reflecting Him accurately?

Am I devoting myself to doing what is good?

-Susan Landry

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Titus 1-3

Tomorrow we will read 1st Peter 1-5.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear”

Daily reading: 1 Timothy 1-6

In the movie Elf, Buddy the Elf is taught the Code of the Elves, which the elves all recite and know by heart. Number three on the list is about spreading Christmas cheer, and by the end of the movie, Buddy has spread that message to lots of people.

In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul explicitly tells us his purpose when he says, “I am writing you these instructions so that…you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church.”

So, in essence, Paul’s giving us the Code of the Church. And what are some of the things in that code?

Remember you’re a big fat sinner (ie: Grace)

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1:15)

Before we say a word to anyone else, our perspective on ourself needs to be right.

Unfortunately, there seem to be an awful lot of believers out there who don’t seem to see themselves as Paul did. They might rephrase this verse to say, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—praise the Lord I’m not like them” or if we’re really honest, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—thankfully I’m not as bad as the worst of them.”

And although I don’t really believe most Christians would actually rephrase Paul’s writing in those ways, our attitudes do it for us. Brennan Manning, one of my favorite authors said, “Jesus came not only for those who skip morning mediations, but also for real sinners–thieves, adulterers and terrorists, for those caught up in squalid choices and failed dreams.”

The lyrics to the song, “Come to the Table” are a lovely picture of recognizing that we are all sinners redeemed, and that our unworthiness does not exempt us from a seat at the table of mercy.

Must sin be called out? Of course. With a heaping side of grace.

Grace first. Grace always.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it…”

Daily reading: Philippians 1-4

What’s that series of movies called? Mission difficult? Mission easy-peasy?

Ahhh…Mission Impossible.

Not possible. Can’t be done.

But somehow Tom Cruise always manages to complete the mission, doesn’t he? Somehow, with his resume of spy skills and his team to support him, he always gets the win.

Philippians gives us a few ‘Missions Impossible’… are you ready? Here they are:

-Consider others above yourself.

-Consider loss what you used to consider gain.

-Rejoice always.

-Don’t be anxious.

Before you turn the missions down because they are clearly impossible to accomplish, take a look at what’s in our arsenal:

“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”

All of these missions, at their core, are a matter of perspective. And isn’t the best part of every spy movie the part where you go, “Ahhh! That’s what’s really been going on the whole time!”

That is what Paul is offering us here with this credo.

[Consider others above yourself.] Seeing ourselves through the lens of the one who gives us strength changes the way we see others and therefore can change the way we treat them.

[Consider loss what you used to consider gain.] Considering the value of what success really is from Christ’s perspective will likely equal a shift in our priorities.

[Rejoice always.] Viewing our everyday with the eyes of him who conquered the cross and is coming to reign can give us strength to find joy in the mundane and even a glimmer of hope in our pain.

[Don’t be anxious.] Looking in the eyes of the Prince of Peace as he takes our burdens and walks with us through our trials reminds us that we are not alone.

That is how we complete our mission. That is how we, like Paul, are able to do all things through him who gives us strength.

Tom Cruise may do all his own stunts, but Jesus can do all of everything…so, yeah…go ahead and take that mission. You’ve got a good team.

-Susan Landry

Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at BibleGateway here – Philippians 1-4

Tomorrow we will read 1 Timothy.

2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan Download

1st John

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Jude & 2 Peter

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2 Timothy 1-4

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Hebrews 11-13

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Hebrews 7-10

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Hebrews 1-6

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Daily reading: 1 Peter 1-5

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Daily reading: Titus 1-3

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Daily reading: 1 Timothy 1-6

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Daily reading: Philippians 1-4

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