Tag: faithful

Making Choices

Daniel 1-3

Devotion by John Tullis (Ohio)

Part of walking with God involves making choices.  Sometimes, these choices are very hard when you must decide between what you know is right and what is comfortable or easy.  Often, through the power of His Holy Spirit, we often know what we need to do to please God (John 16:13).  However, we live in a world that is against everything that God desires for His people (1 John 2:15-16).  How do we continue to please God in compromising situations that challenge our devotion to our Father in heaven? 

Often the land of the Bible found itself in conflict.  When Daniel was a young man, Judah, the southern kingdom of the Hebrew people, was struggling under the leadership of King Jehoiakim.  Judah had denied God and allowed foreign nations to pollute their devotion to God.   Judah began to welcome idol worship (false gods) and began to lose faith and obedience to God.  As punishment, God allowed the kingdom of Babylon to destroy Judah and enslave the people.  The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar believed in integrating conquered nations into the Babylonian empire.  He ordered that some of the more cultured Judean youths be captured and moved to his own palace in the city of Babylon.  There they would be assimilated into Babylonian culture.  Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, all of the tribe of Judah (Daniel 1:6). 

Daniel and his friends were boys who dared to worship and follow God despite the culture they lived in.  Even before they were captured by the Babylonians, Daniel and his friends resisted the cultural changes and influence of the Judean culture.  Instead of bowing to foreign gods and worshipping idols, they chose to submit and follow the one true God.  When their kingdom was punished and destroyed and they found themselves being hauled off to Babylon, they relied on the God who had always sustained them (Psalm 55:22). 

In order to begin assimilating the captured youths into Babylonian society, Daniel and his friends were ordered to eat the king’s food and drink his wine (Daniel 1:5).  Many times in the ancient world, the food that a king ate was food that had been offered to pagan gods.  These foods would violate God’s law (Lev 1:1).  Daniel resolved (“purposed in his heart” – Proverbs 4:23) that he would not compromise his devotion to God.  As a result, God ensured that Daniel would receive favorable treatment among the heathen leaders of Babylon.   

Daniel and his friends grew in influence, knowledge, and even physical fitness.  They had clearly become the favorites of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 1:20).  God had recognized their faithfulness and their obedience to His word.  He blessed them with learning and skill in literature and wisdom (1:17).  Instead of bending their beliefs to impress their new masters, Daniel and his friends continued to remain devoted and obedient to God. 

Daniel’s friends (now renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago) would once again be thrown into a situation in which they were forced to choose to obey God or Nebuchadnezzar.  Challenged to bow down and worship a golden image of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel’s friends choose to obey God (Daniel 3:17-18).  They understand that this choice could result in their deaths, but they had resolved long before to honor God – no matter what the cost.    As they were thrown into the fiery furnace, God demonstrated his faithfulness as no one was consumed by the flame.  In fact, in the midst of the struggle, God sent His angel to walk with them – inside the flames (Daniel 3:25-27).  We are never truly alone.  Amid our own “fiery furnace”, God faithfully cares for us. 

As Daniel teaches us, obeying God and being devoted to Him is much easier when we decide in advance to obey Him.  As Daniel resolved to follow God, we too should resolve to follow God whenever compromising situations come along.  It is not easy to remain faithful to God in every situation.  Jesus promised to give us a “Helper” to help us live lives of devotion to God (John 15:26; 16:7).  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is given to each of us who believe, God will help us to overcome sticky situations.  It may not “feel” good at the time, but ultimately God will walk with us because of our obedience.  Just as he walked with and helped Daniel, God will walk with and strengthen you.  Resolve in your own heart to follow God today! 

Questions for Discussion: 

  1. Have you “resolved” in your own heart to follow God in every situation? 
  1. Who is the Helper promised by Jesus?  Do you rely on God’s power to sustain you during sticky situations? 
  1. Besides rewarding Daniel for his faithfulness, what other motives would God have to reward those who are faithful? 
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Spiritual Adultery

Ezekiel 13-15

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 22, 2017, for Ezekiel 14-16.

Chapter 14 gives us a picture of the heart of God.  Elsewhere in the Bible it says that God is a jealous God.  God loves His people Israel as a husband loves his bride.  Israel turned away from God’s love, their hearts were no longer given to God.  God wants more than anything else to recapture the hearts of His people who deserted him to pursue idols.  God wants them to repent and turn back to Him.

God wants to have His people love Him exclusively.  He will not let them worship idols, yet still come to him for prophecy.  This would be similar to a woman who both goes to her lover but then comes to her husband as well.  God will have none of this, no two timing wife.  Israel must have a change of heart and that will only happen through judgment.  The prophets were not permitted to prophesy for people who were also consulting idols.  If the prophets did prophesy to those seeking idols, they too would be punished.

God tells Ezekiel that His judgment is certain and that no human being, no matter how righteous or faithful can stop that judgment.  He warns that even if such great men of faith as Noah, Daniel or Job sought to keep Israel from judgment that their righteousness would not be able to save Israel.

In Chapter 15 God promises to make Jerusalem as desolate and useless as a dried up vine that has been thrown into a fire.  Just as the vine will be totally consumed by the fire, so too, will Jerusalem be consumed by the fire of God’s judgment.

Chapter 16 is one of the most graphic passages in all of the Bible.  If the Song of Solomon was rated PG-13, Ezekiel 16 would probably be rated R or NC-17.  It is extremely disturbing to read.  God compares Israel to an unwanted, discarded child whom God rescued from its disgrace.  God later came along when Israel was old enough to be married, but she was naked and dirty.  God cleaned her up, covered over her nakedness, dressed her up like a princess and made her his bride.  Israel was blessed beyond imagination by God her husband.  But then, tragically, Israel turned to prostitution.  Here Idolatry is likened to a form of spiritual adultery.  Israel had brought great shame upon her husband.  In fact, she was worse than a prostitute in that she paid others her gold and silver to sleep with her.  It’s such a disturbing picture.  And it’s designed to give us a visceral reaction.  It’s a gut punch.

The fact that God must punish Israel for her spiritual adultery is not surprising.  Israel is only getting what they deserve.  What is surprising is that God is going to restore Israel.  Not because Israel deserves it now any more than it deserved it when God first cleaned her up and made her His bride.  God is doing it because God is faithful to His Covenant promises.  God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, Israel.  God does not forget His covenant or break his promises.  God is filled with steadfast love for His people.

After punishing Israel, God will then make atonement for them.  He will cover over their sin and guilt and forgive them and take them back.  Then they will remember their vows and be ashamed of their guilt and will become a faithful wife and turn away from idols.

As Christians, we have been grafted into God’s family and we are now included as God’s bride.  Through Jesus Christ God has found us in our sin, cleaned us up and made us His own.  Are we sometimes guilty of idolatry?  Do we ever act unfaithfully toward God and give our hearts to someone or something else instead of God?  Remember, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to Love God with all your heart.  God wants All your heart.  God is jealous when we give our hearts to another.  May Israel’s spiritual adultery remind us that we must give our hearts fully only to God and no one else.  Otherwise, God may have to win our hearts back the way he did Israel, and we can see how unpleasant that process was for them.  Let’s always keep our hearts faithful to God alone.

Reflection Questions

  1. What promises had God already made to the Israelite people?
  2. What must the people do to keep their side of the covenant promises with God?
  3. What can you do to give all your heart to God and avoid spiritual adultery?
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It’s Personal

1 Kings 17-19

I have appreciated the opportunity to read and share my thoughts with you across these seven days. We’ve traced the unfolding drama of the divided kings and kingdoms of Israel. We’ve watched the culture shift, the crowd move to and fro, and the pressure rise and fall, but through their stories, one truth rings clear: the faithful know that wisdom comes from God alone.

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)

Looking momentarily at my own nation, America is a nation with deep Judeo-Christian roots, as many of our founding documents demonstrate a commitment to God as the architect of the law that governs us. Our motto makes mention of our trust in God, we proclaim His work in our patriotic songs, open government functions with prayer, and swear in our presidents with their hand on His Word. I am one of many who believe the blessings we enjoy as a nation—even in today’s troubling times—can be attributed to the enduring declaration that the God of Israel and the Father of Jesus Christ reigns here.  Sadly, more and more are living on borrowed blessings as the altars of moral revision, self-importance, and political convenience are being fashioned and raised.

Today, we look to the prophet Elijah, who lived as a lone voice for the Lord in a nation God had once richly blessed. Elijah wasn’t trendy or tribal. His conversations with God were authentic and intimate, and he took action as one who was swiftly obedient. His faith was so personal that he was often fully dependent on the Lord even for his next meal—fed by ravens and sustained by a jar of oil and flour that never ran dry. How ready would we be to fight off the enemies of God, to recite and rely on His promises, and even to expect miracles in His name, if we lived with this kind of faithfulness?

Each of us is called to that kind of personal, committed, lived-out faith. It may seem like faith is inherited—passed down through our nation’s heritage or through family and friends—but true faith is never proximal. Hanging with a spiritual crowd, attending high-energy worship services, or serving on a ministry team are not guarantors of a relationship with the Lord.  Personal faith is born in the discomfort of repentance, in the surrendering of fear, and in the offering up of our possessions. These are the intimate things God desires from us. In the abandonment of self, we begin to hear God’s call clearly—and are emboldened because we know our Creator personally.

“At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” – 1 Kings 18:36–37

In this week’s reading, we’ve seen that change in a nation is inevitable. I pray that “In God We Trust” will continue to stand as a reminder of our nation’s steadfastness for the Lord. But however long it endures, let it always point us to something greater—our personal relationship with God, built through surrender, obedience, and faith. If the Lord is God, stand for Him—even if you stand alone. Because at the end of the day, it’s personal.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What character traits do you find in Elijah? Is there one you would like to have more of in your life? How would you go about adding more?
  2. What choices are before you today?
  3. Which one will you choose? Why?
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Too Much Experience

1 Kings 15:1-24
2 Chronicles 13-16

I will be celebrating my 40th birthday in just a few short weeks. To be candid, I’m not exactly thrilled about this milestone—but one thing I am looking forward to is being able to say, “That was half a lifetime ago.” There’s something satisfying in acknowledging that with age has come experience.

One of the longest experiences I’ve had is playing guitar. For the last 1,352 weeks, I have averaged a few hours of play and have become masterful at my style. That’s not a gloat or a flex—just an illustration that I’m familiar with my craft. Much of what I do now is second nature, developed through repetition and refined over time. The same could be said of anyone who’s practiced a craft or trade for a significant portion of their life.

But experience is a double-edged sword. It gives us the ability to say things like, “I’ve seen this before,” or “We’ve already tried that,” or “We’ve made it through worse.” That can build confidence as we develop our approach. But when we rely solely on experience or live under the illusion there is nothing to learn, we may fail to consult the Word of the Lord. We make ourselves the master of our own fate, and in time, we are doomed to fail.

King Asa was a dependable leader. After the division of the kingdom, his reign represented a season of peace and prosperity.  These blessings came upon the whole of Judah because he “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” Asa tore down idols, repaired the temple, and called the people to return to God. He didn’t trust in his half-million soldiers alone.  He petitioned the Lord for help:

“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.” – 2 Chronicles 14:11

As a result God delivered Asa and the people of Judah.  In gratitude and commitment, Asa responded in worship.  His people offered a tremendous sacrifice as a wholehearted oath to their Deliverer. Again, the Lord gave them a season of rest.

But in Asa’s 36th year—after decades of faithfulness—something changed. Faced with conflict, he no longer sought the Lord. Instead, he relied on his own strategy, forming a treaty with a foreign power. The prophet Hanani rebuked him:

“Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” – 2 Chronicles 16:8–9

The temptation to take matters into our own hands often comes not in times of scarcity, but in times of prosperity.  Our experience, knowledge, notoriety, or wealth can make us feel capable, but no matter our breadth or depth, we each have  blind spots and limitations that fall far short of the omniscience of our Heavenly Father.  This is the great irony: the more experienced we become in serving the Lord, the more we should rely on His voice. If anything, maturity should deepen our dependence, not diminish it.

God is ready to win battles for those who are whole-hearted committed to Him. May we be found among them—not only in our youth or our desperation, but even more in our decades of experience. Let us not confuse our  familiarity with faithfulness. And when we hear His voice—whether in instruction, correction, or comfort—may we respond with the same dependence that brought us to Him in the first place.

-Aaron Winner

Reflection Questions

  1. What did Asa do right? What did Asa do wrong? What might his thought process or motives been when he was doing right? And when he did wrong?
  2. Consider your own life – when did you seek the Lord and He blessed you for it? When did you NOT seek the Lord, but relied on your own strength, decision making skills, and human knowledge? What was the outcome?
  3. What does it look like to seek the Lord and rely on Him?
  4. In what areas are you currently relying on the Lord? Where are you in danger of falling into the “too experienced”, can-do-this-on-my-own trap?
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So Be Strong

1 Kings 1-2 & Psalm 37, 71, 94

As David gets ready to die in 1 Kings 2, the beginning verses as he speaks to Solomon stuck out to me.

2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’”

“So be strong, act like a man” – what does that look like?  I think this statement connects with the next one.  To be strong and act like a man is to observe what the Lord your God requires which is to walk in obedience to him and keep his decrees.  Doing those things takes strength because it opposes the way of the world.

I am not a man, but I am raising a young one, and this is what I desire for him.  I want him to be strong, that is, to stand firm in faith and not give in to pressures from this world, but to instead walk in obedience to God.  I want him to be strong as in to stand up for those who can’t, to defend and protect the weak. 

Our culture puts definitions on what it wants men to be like, and that changes throughout time (for example, I read recently that pink used to be a very masculine color in the past), but those things don’t really matter.  How they follow God matters.  How they care for others matters.

As you continue reading in 1 Kings 2, you see poor examples of men in Adonijah, in Abiathar, in Joab, in Shimei as they tried to usurp the leader God put in place or followed the wrong people or refused to listen.  These aren’t poor examples of men in a cultural sense, they are poor examples of men in the sense that they were not walking in obedience to God.  They were not being strong/faithful to what they were told, but instead were led astray, or were trying to lead others astray.  If we can raise up men who follow God and care for others, we raise up men who are like Jesus and that is the strength that I hope to see.

~Stephanie Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. How is God’s definition of what it takes to be a man different from what the world currently says men should be?
  2. While it is not discussed in this text specifically, what do you think God would say to women about how they should act?
  3. Man or woman, how have you showed strength in opposing the way of the world? Is there an area where God would like to see more strength in you – more doing what God requires?
  4. What good examples have you had of men or women who were strong in the Lord?
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Promises

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 10-11

POETRY: Psalm 148

NEW TESTAMENT: John 20:10-18

Promises. 

I started learning about our cultural acceptance of the flexibility of “promises” when I was young: the revocability of a promise made with little crossed fingers, the lack of sincere meaning behind most promise rings given between teens, the recurring empty assurance that I could be Mario instead of Luigi the next time my friend and I would duel on her original Nintendo. 

Promises matter, from a pledge on the playground, to a contract with a company, to sacred words at a wedding. Unfortunately, we live in a shattered world laden with insincere, neglected, and forgotten promises. 

In Nehemiah, the Israelites came together to commit once again to following God. “The rest of the people…now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.” (Neh 10:28-29) As we discussed yesterday, throughout history, the Jewish race had been in a wild, cyclical, on-again, off-again relationship with God. That which began with Jacob/Israel as a beautiful tapestry of covenant between Almighty God and his chosen people became interwoven with heartache, death, defeat, and slavery. But they vowed that, this time, they would follow God! (Spoiler alert: they would disobey yet again before this book even ends.)

God’s love to his people was a covenant, not a contract. A contract is a promise that one party will uphold their end of the agreement as long as the other side fulfills their responsibilities, while a covenant is a promise no matter what. God remained faithful even when his people were unfaithful, but they still had to face the consequences of their behavior. This covenant, originally for the Hebrews, has been renewed through Jesus to include the Gentiles as well. I am so grateful that we can all share in the hope God offers through Jesus! 

Our family strives to emphasize the importance of keeping promises. My husband Dan can often be heard reciting, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no” (Matthew 5:37). My 7 year old, when feeling slighted by an unmet expectation from his older brother, will object, “But your word is your promise!” Even children can understand the potential detriment of dishonored vows. 

As my son Gideon and I read from the Jesus Storybook Bible every night, he echoes the beautiful phrase that describes God’s covenant love in many of the stories: God’s “never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love.”

Today, may you rest in the promise of God’s covenant love while you continue to seek Him in all you do. 

Similarities in today’s other readings: 

Psalm 148:6b: “God made a law that will not be broken.” God is a faithful God! 

John 20: Mary met the resurrected Jesus for the first time! His death and resurrection are amazing fulfillments of God’s prophecies and promise! 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections: 

* Create your own phrase to describe God’s covenant love, like the one I included from a children’s Bible above. Praise God for his covenant love! 

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Just Discipline and Then Restoration

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 46-48

POETRY: Psalm 119:81-88

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 4

Today we remember that God is not just the God of the Jews – but the God of the world – all the nations.  And as God has watched the sins of these nations – so will He exact discipline on these nations.  Jeremiah writes what God tells him to write regarding the coming destruction that God will oversee and orchestrate against Israel’s neighbors.

Jeremiah uses vivid imagery to describe these events:

“The sword will devour till it is satisfied, till it has quenched its thirst with blood.”  (Jeremiah 46:10 NIV)

“Moab is disgraced for she is shattered.” (Jeremiah 48:20 NIV)

His descriptions show not only how scary and total the destruction will be – but also what a sad state of affairs these societies had become.  The most powerful passage that got my attention was in the message against the Philistines, “Terrified fathers run madly, without a backward glance at their helpless children.” (Jeremiah 47:3b NLT).  Where have the strong, brave protectors and defenders of their families gone?

We would do well to pay special attention to the passages that point to the reasons for this judgment.  All of these neighbors are being punished for their mistreatment of God’s chosen people, as well as for their own sins. “Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive…We have heard of Moab’s pride – her overweening pride and conceit, her pride and arrogance and the haughtiness of her heart…In Moab I will put an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods…Moab will be destroyed as a nation because she defied the LORD” (Jeremiah 48:7, 29, 35, 42 NIV).   How many similarities do you have to Moab, which was just one of the countries that would feel the burn of God’s discipline?  How do you treat God and His people?  Is your pride in check?  Where do you put your trust – in your job, your finances, your teachers, your doctors, yourself – or in God?  When have you defied the Lord God? Do you offer your best and first time, talents and resources to God or to selfish pursuits and false gods?

After 46 verses of judgment against Moab, the final verse of chapter 48 says, “Yet, I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come.”   Hope and restoration is coming – at least for those judged worthy.  Amongst all the condemnation of these chapters, Jeremiah includes a beautiful word from God for Israel as well,

“But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant;
    do not be dismayed, Israel.
For I will bring you home again from distant lands,
    and your children will return from their exile.
Israel[f] will return to a life of peace and quiet,
    and no one will terrorize them.
28 Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,
    for I am with you,” says the Lord.
“I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you,
    but I will not completely destroy you.
I will discipline you, but with justice;
    I cannot let you go unpunished.” (Jeremiah 46: 27-28 NLT)

God sees and will not let the guilty go unpunished.  But His deepest desire is to find and reward faithfulness in His children so He can live with them in peace.  God still judges in His love today – as a wise and caring parent.  There will yet be a time of unequaled punishment for those who appeared to get away with evil with a proud heart, relying on themselves and turning their backs on God.  This is discipline with justice.  And, then, there will be restoration and peace for those faithful to God.  Which camp will you be in? Come Lord Jesus Come – may he find us faithful.

Marcia Railton

(Originally posted Aug 21, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. Just as last week we asked if you could see yourself in any of the 7 churches in Revelation, today we ask, can you see any little bit of yourself in the descriptions of the sins of Israel and her neighbors during the time of Jeremiah?
  2. As asked above, how do you treat God and His people?  Is your pride in check?  Where do you put your trust – in your job, your finances, your teachers, your doctors, yourself – or in God?  When have you defied the Lord God? Do you offer your best and first time, talents and resources to God or to selfish pursuits and false gods? What other similar questions can you create from the sins and offenses given in today’s reading?
  3. What might God’s just discipline look like? Why is it just?
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Purpose

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 1

Poetry: Job 25

New Testament: Mark 10

This morning I am sitting here preparing for a message at church on the Triumphal Entry. It worked out perfectly that the verses we are using for today’s devotion is from Mark chapter 10:32-34. This set of scriptures focus on Jesus telling his disciples a third time he will die and be resurrected. The disciples are becoming fearful. Because it’s clear that many in the crowd want him dead. And Jesus is moving closer and closer to more dangerous areas.

Based on information given in Matthew, Luke, and John, we know quite a bit happened between Mark chapters 9 and 10. Included in that time frame are an attempt by the Pharisees, chief priests, and temple guards to arrest Jesus (John 7:32–52), an attempt by the Jewish leadership to stone Him (John 8:58–59), yet another attempt to either stone or arrest Him (John 10:22–39), and the decision of the Sanhedrin to figure out a way to kill Him (John 11:45–54). Even Herod Antipas wants to kill Jesus, although vaguely and without much effort. (Luke 13:31). In addition, Jesus tells the Jewish leadership their father is Satan (John 8:44) and some of them counter by claiming Jesus is possessed (John 10:21).

So, it’s no surprise that Jesus’ followers would be afraid as they walk toward Jerusalem. The wording, however, leaves us confused as to who “they”—the fearful followers—are. They may be the Twelve, trailing behind Jesus as is appropriate for disciples. But they may be other disciples following the Twelve. While Jesus had warned the disciples before that He would be killed (Mark 8:31–33; 9:30–32), this is the first time he gives the location. Combining this with the threats that have been building against Jesus, all of Jesus’ followers have reason to be afraid. Jesus, however, continues his movement toward his purpose.

Jesus shows determination, not fear. The night before the crucifixion, resolve will combine with anguish (Mark 14:34–38). Many people wonder why Jesus agonizes over the crucifixion if he knows He will come through it alive and glorified. Certainly, with the knowledge that his sacrifice will be accepted by God and cover the sins of millions – that should give him the courage to walk to Jerusalem. But he knows what is coming (Mark 10:33–34). No sane person would face mocking, spitting, flogging, and death by crucifixion without dread. Even worse than the physical pain, the betrayal by his friend Judas, his friends leaving him. Jesus must watch His Father turn away, abandoning him to the sins of the world (Mark 15:33–39). Jesus knew and understood his purpose. He knew what the father needed from him. And he did not waver from that point.

Do you know your purpose? Do you know the things that God has called you to do? Has God-given you a significant calling? I’m certain he has. Does that make you scared? Are you taking the steps that God has measured out for you? Knowing that it’ll be hard. Knowing people might not understand. But being faithful to a God who loves you and wants to use you for his good purposes. Yes it’s scary but God has called you. God has given you a purpose. You can answer it one of two ways. You can be like the disciples who tried to avoid it, ignore it. Or you can be like Jesus and be obedient, even to death. God is giving you a great purpose, a great meaning and he loves you. You can be sure the God “who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it”. Whatever your purpose is, whatever your job, whatever goal you might have. May you move towards it with the renewed sense of dedication to your heavenly father. I know it’s hard sometimes, but the reward of accomplishing God’s purpose in you is greater than anything you can imagine. “Well done good and faithful servant” are the words we want to hear on that day of Christ’s return. Jesus returns victorious because he was faithful when it was hard. May we be faithful as well.

-Andy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What was Jesus’ purpose?
  2. Do you know your purpose? Do you know the things that God has called you to do?
  3. Does that make you scared? What can relieve your fear? How can you replace fear with determination?
  4. Are you taking the steps that God has measured out for you?
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Where Does Your Allegiance Lie?

Revelation 13

Monday, November 28, 2022

Multiple times throughout the book of Revelation Jesus is referred to as faithful and trustworthy. In chapter 12 we are introduced to a deceptive dragon and in 13 his beast minions that also deceive. 

We are all given a choice. To follow what is faithful and true or what is deceptive and false. 

When painted so clearly it seems silly that some would actually choose the latter. Unfortunately, if you look around, we see Christians dabble in the ways of the world. They straddle the fence of what is right and wrong. 

Those who straddle will be deceived. Right and wrong becomes muddied. Black and white becomes gray. They will slowly drift further from what is faithful and true and more in line with the way of the world. 

Vs. 8 describes those who fall into that trap:

“And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭

A few verses later is the mark of the beast. A time when a clear choice will have to be made. Will you be branded and continue to live a worldly life that takes your name out of the book of life? Or will you maintain your allegiance to Christ even if it means severe persecution, being cut off from buying goods and even possible death? 

That day may come in our lifetime; it may not. You do not have to wait until then to make your choice. 

Like Joshua (Joshua 24) – choose for today whom you will serve – as for me, I will serve the Lord. 

Where does your allegiance lie? 

Choose today! Choose to follow what is faithful and true and stay vigilant to not be deceived. 

-John Wincapaw

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you think of a time when you were deceived by Satan or by “the world”? What could you do differently to not be deceived next time?
  2. Because of the evil, deception and difficult times John writes that God’s people will need what 3 characteristics (see Revelation 13:10 and 18). What grade would you give yourself in each of these areas? What can you do to strengthen yourself in each area?
  3. How has Jesus shown himself to be faithful and true?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload

Excelling

Facing Lions for God’s Glory

Daniel 6

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Daniel continues to walk faithfully with God and to serve kings. His abilities are obvious to the new king, King Darius. Daniel excelled above the other leaders. In fact, he was noticed because “he possessed an extraordinary spirit”. The king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Unfortunately, Daniel’s extraordinary abilities gave rise to jealousy from other leaders. They went about investigating Daniel’s character or work, but he was flawless. So then they devised a malicious plan to turn Daniel’s faithfulness to God along with his routine prayer life against him. They appealed to the king’s pride while ensnaring him with his own law. The continued prayer of Daniel was the offense that they used to throw him into the den of Lions.

It is easy to see the jealousy boiling over in this situation. You know that it will not go well for Daniel’s accusers. It reminds us of the leaders who accused Jesus and later the leaders that went after Paul the apostle. Jealousy was present there, too. In fact, the scripture states that where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. As followers of Jesus, when we see other Christians excelling, we should be happy for them. Encourage and rejoice in their success. We should never let jealousy begin in our own lives. And we should also imitate, the actions of Daniel. He stood strong and remained faithful for God’s glory – not for his own. Not only did his devotion to God save him from the Lions, but it also turned the heart of a king. Then Darius made a decree about God to everyone in his kingdom, “He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6:26, 27)

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. Has jealousy ever caused a problem for you? What is the best way to combat your own feelings of jealousy?
  2. How would you describe Daniel’s prayer life and his relationship with God? How would you describe your own? Where do you see opportunities for improvement?
  3. Re-reading Daniel 6, what can we learn from Daniel in regards to his relationship with God and with men?

2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload