Tag: God

Jesus, the Servant of God

*Joshua 9-10

*Psalm 34

*Acts 3                              

 -Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)    

   Without belaboring the point too much beyond yesterday’s devotion on Acts 2, we see again in Acts 3 the clear doctrinal understanding of the earliest church in Peter’s 2nd sermon after Pentecost.  “11 And as he held Peter and John, all the people, being greatly amazed, ran together to them in Solomon’s portico. 12 And when Peter saw this, he answered the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed by this? Why do you stare at us, as if we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? 13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus …15…whom God raised from among the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And by trusting in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the trust that is through his name has given him this perfect health, as you all can see.” (REV). 

            Miracles are being performed through Peter and John, the servants of Jesus the Christ, who is himself the servant of God, whom God has glorified.  There is one God (Mark 12:29-31, Deut 6: 4-5) and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5) and “3… the head of every man is Christ, … and the head of Christ is God. ” (1 Cor 11:3, REV).  So according to scriptures, our “corporate flowchart” looks exactly like this:

God >Jesus >The Church. 

There is never once an implied equality in this flowchart throughout scripture: we are the servants of Jesus the Christ, who is himself the servant of God.  To state anything else is to change the scriptures, which cannot be broken (John 10:35). 

            The Jews understood very well that all blessings come from God.  Keep in mind that once they leave the fiercely monotheistic folks in Israel and the message begins to get spread to the gentiles the immediate reaction from the gentiles when they see miracles is to say “the gods have become like men and come down to us!” (Acts 14:11), because that is a theme that is repeated constantly in their mythology (see the greek mythological stories of: Philemon and Baucis, Zeus and Semele, Hermes and Phanes, to name just a very few).  As more and more of these gentile converts are brought into the church, they brought their mythologies with them and began to change the narrative from “The God who gives blessings to men” to “the God who becomes man and performs blessings” starting especially in the 4th century when the gentiles became dominant numerically in the church. Please note the reaction and horror of the servants of the Christ when this occurs in Acts 14.

            Moving on to our reading in Joshua 9-10, there are a couple key things to take away today.  Firstly, whether or not you agree with how the Gibeonites acted (craftily), because they did so enabled them to survive.  Granted, they became indentured servants, but they lived.  Had they not acted craftily their only other survivable option was relocation (see Josh 9:24 for their rationale on their actions).  Secondly, because the Jews had sworn by Yahweh to them, they acted in good faith and protected them when their neighboring kingdoms decided to attack them.  It should be noted that during this defense of the Gibeonites,  God himself took part in the battle; causing the sun to stand still for a time (Josh 9:13), and destroying the majority of the opposing armies with large hailstones (Josh 9:11).  It should also be noted that the book of Jashar is mentioned in Josh 9:13 (and also in 2 Sam 1:18), a lost non-canonical book of the old testament.

            Psalms 34 has an interesting header beneath the chapter number in my bible.  It says “Of David.  When he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him away and he departed“.  This is in itself one of those just really weird stories you come across occasionally in old testament, and takes place in 1 Sam 21:10-15.  When you look, it is actually talking about Ahimelech (with an h) in 1-9, tells the story of how David grabs Goliath’s sword, and then feigned madness before Achish.  It’s just one of those really weird one-off stories that seems as if it may be incomplete.

            Psalms 34:1-3 (REV) states: “1 I will bless Yahweh at all times. His song of praise will always be in my mouth. 2 My soul will boast in Yahweh. May the afflicted hear it and may they rejoice! 3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me! Let’s exalt his name together!”  The words of David, the man of God.  We are often afflicted by the trials of life, and tend to forget that we are to give thanks at all times, and that the trials that we are going through are probably God’s way of developing us and purifying us so that we can be better servants (James 1:2-4).

Psalms 34: 4-9 (REV) states: “4 I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, yes, he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Look to him and be radiant. Then their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This afflicted person cried out and Yahweh heard him, and delivered him out of all his distress. 7 The angel of Yahweh encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the person who seeks refuge in him. 9 Fear Yahweh, O you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no lack.”.  Like David, God delivered me as well.  I would venture to say that at some point He delivered you, too.  I love the poetry of v5, it reminds me of the times when Moses was in the presence of God and when he returned his face was glowing.  The hedge of protection we pray over people at times is clearly illustrated in v7.  I can say truly that I have tasted and seen that Yahweh is good, I am alive because of it.

Psalms 34: 10-15 (REV): “11 Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh. 12 Who is the person who desires life, loving many days to see good?13 Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it. 15 Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. Yes, his ears listen to their cry for help. “.  This is a blueprint set of verses on how to live a long life.  Do you want to live?  Well:  Fear Yahweh, turn away from evil, do good.  Seek peace and pursue it.  When you do these things, God’s eyes are towards you and He will hear you when you cry out.

Psalms 34:16-22 “16 Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil, to destroy the memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their distresses. 18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart and he delivers those who have a crushed spirit. 19 Many evils happen to a righteous person, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps watch over all of his bones. Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil will kill a wicked person. Yes, those who hate a righteous person will suffer punishment. 22 Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. Indeed, none of those who seek refuge in him will suffer punishment.”  This set of passages warns clearly that God is against those who do evil, and will destroy them so thoroughly that even their memory will be gone from the earth.  The one who does evil and hates the righteous will suffer punishment, but Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants.  As proof, consider Jesus the Christ, the servant of Yahweh, whom God has glorified and redeemed from the dead. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. The book of Acts is filled with miracles that God performed through His servants.  Can you recall any miracles that have happened in your lifetime?
  2. When miracles occurred in your lifetime, did you notice if you were trying to seek God with your whole heart at the time?  Consider this.
  3. Can you think of a time when God saved you from an impossible situation, and did you consider why at the time?

PRAYER

Father God, my creator and my sustainer, thank you for my life.  Please guide me and protect me, keep me from looking upon evil and keep my lips from speaking deceit.  Help me to be a servant that pleases you.  Please work miracles through me, may all of your creation offer you praise and glory.  Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.

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A Man Attested by God

*Joshua 7-8

Psalm 34

*Acts 2                            

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            There’s one very critical point that we often (and intentionally at times) overlook that’s clearly highlighted in our Joshua 7-8 reading this morning: if you don’t listen to and obey God, you should have no reasonable expectation that God will bless you (quite the opposite, in fact).  Romans 8:31 states “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (ESV), but keep in mind that the converse is also quite true as well: “If God is against you, who can save?”.  Just think about it; it’s illogical to assume God’s favor if you are not living according to God’s expectations, so “…consider your ways.” (Hag 1:7).

            Now let’s move on to 1st century Jerusalem, where we find the apostles and believers gathered, about 120 people,  praying constantly (Acts 1:13-15).   I’ve recently heard a theory by Dr Roy Blizzard (who actually took part in the archaeological excavation of this site in 1968) that states that they were probably meeting on the Temple stairs near one of the cleansing pools (called Mikveh or Mikvah), and based on the size of the assembly (and comparing it to the average dwelling size in Jerusalem at this time), I believe that may be correct.  Dr Blizzard postulates that “house” in this instance referred to “The House” (as in “of God”, ie, the Temple).  The Southern Steps, specifically, were a significant meeting and teaching place.  These steps were about 200 feet wide and featured a raised platform on the side, known as the “Rabbi Steps” or Teaching Steps, where Jesus and other rabbis are believed to have taught and given announcements to crowds, so it doesn’t seem unreasonable to me. 

            Furthermore, The Royal Stoa, a massive public meeting building located just above the Southern Stairs, functioned as the primary gathering area for large assemblies, such as the estimated 30,000 to 100,000 people who may have gathered for the event of Pentecost, so this may be the “upper room” referred to. The stairs themselves were designed with uneven widths to prevent running and maintain decorum, while the broad landing and adjacent Mikvehs (ritual baths filled with “living water” brought in via aquaduct from the pools near Bethlehem) facilitated large-scale gatherings, teaching sessions, and baptisms for pilgrims entering the Temple Mount.  So, if this is correct, there’s a very good chance that when Peter in his 1st sermon said “Repent and be baptized…”, he was actually pointing at one of these Mikveh.

            Acts 2:1-4 is one of the most impressive and amazing demonstrations of the holy spirit ever displayed.  When they then began to speak the word of God, the people (who were from all over) heard the words in their own language, and they were all amazed.  This is the promise fulfilled from John 15:26-27: “But when the helper comes that I will send to you from the Father, the spirit of truth that comes from the Father, it will testify about me, and you also must testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (REV translation).

            So we can see a couple key points that need to be reiterated: 1-Jesus will send the helper from the father, 2-it is a “spirit of truth” that comes from the father and it will testify about Jesus, and 3-you also must testify.  So when Peter, filled with this spirit of truth, stands up to do just that (testify) in his first recorded sermon, we should really pay close attention as this constitutes the  earliest (and most accurate) “doctrines” of the church here in Acts 2:22-24.  

            Peter, filled with the spirit of truth, the holy spirit, preaches to his fellow Jews: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man…”.   Peter  explains that this man Jesus was “pointed out to you by God by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did through him…”.  God performed those miracles, through Jesus, and then God raised him up.  According to Peter, Jesus was not the “God-man” as men began to theorize in the late 4th century, but was in fact “God’s man” as explained and prophesied in scriptures from the beginning of creation.   The Christ, or anointed one.

              Now pay attention because this is important:  Looking through the scriptures we see that from the beginning God has told us of Messiah: that the seed of the woman shall crush the serpent (Gen 3:15), that God will raise up a prophet like Moses from among your brothers (Duet 18:18), who will be a descendant of David (2 Sam 7:12).  This does show a progressive revelation through scriptures: human, Israelite human, Israelite human descended from David (in that order, note that each additional revelation shows clarification without changing the base information).  The Jews understood this completely, because the Shema (Deut 6:4,5) was given to them early on, and it was quoted by Jesus later in Mark 12:29 as the “Most Important Commandment”.  The only problem comes when we go beyond what is written, and add theories to the scriptures that aren’t there to start.

            To become a member of the original church, in the book of Acts, here are the requirements (in their totality): “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit.’ ” (Acts 2:38 REV).  Let me break that down for you: 1- Repent, 2- be baptized (in the name of Jesus the Christ), and 3- receive the gift of the holy spirit (the spirit of truth).  That is it, full stop.

            Recently it was just a “membership sunday” at one of the churches I attend here locally.  To join as a member, you had to agree with all of their articles of faith.  Here are the first 2 on the list (of 14): WE BELIEVE 1: In the verbal inspiration of the bible (ok, check, strongly agree, no problem). 2-In one God eternally existing as 3 persons namely the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Um..where does it say that?).  Here’s the thing; I love these guys, but I just don’t see that second one written explicitly (or even conceptually) in scripture.  In my own personal interpretation of the scriptures, agreeing with item 1 precludes agreement with item 2.  I think that these folks are truly my brothers and sisters, because they seek to serve God to the best of their ability and strive to live a holy life, but I disagree (in love) with some of their interpretation of scripture.  I also feel as if I am already a member of the church, based on what Acts says, but I can’t be a member of their church (and that’s a little bit hurtful).

            Another church I attend on the Sabbath has told me something similar.  WHY? The bible clearly lays out what we need to do in Acts 2 to become members of the church (3 steps). We need to restore our faith to that of the original church, the faith “once for all delivered” (Jude 1:3), and take the traditions that we’ve added away (Mark 7:7).  PLEASE note that if you disagree with anything I’ve pointed out: I am just a man, your brother in Christ.  What you believe is between you and God.  I tell you with love that you will however at some point answer to our God, and He is seeking people who will worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), so it behooves each of us to study scriptures, divide them wisely, and live in a manner which glorifies God.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. To repent is to not only regret actions, but to change course.  If we keep committing the same sins, we have not changed our course.  To repent is the first requirement of being a part of the church, so ask yourself: have you fully repented?
  2. Have you received the gift of the holy spirit?  If so, in what manner did it manifest? (this could be a whole series of study sessions on it’s own)
  3. Has reading scriptures ever changed the way you believed about something? 

PRAYER

Father God, Thank you.  Please cleanse my heart of wrongdoing, please help me to circumcise my heart before You, and grant me the spirit of truth to teach me.  Father, please grant me wisdom, and humility, and allow me to be a servant who pleases his master.  In Jesus’ name, amen.  

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Acts

Joshua 5-6

Psalm 33

Acts 1

-Devotion by John Railton (IN)

Both the US and Israel have fought some amazingly strategic and successful battles in recent times, but none have been so strategic and successful as Israel’s victory over the city of Jericho! Who would have thought marching around the city every day, and then seven times on day seven would have brought the walls tumbling down? Some believe the city was built upon a fault, and that the marching disrupted the stability of the earth. Could be! Of course, it was God’s strategy, God’s instructions, God’s victory! It’s one of the most amazing and most loved battle stories in the Bible. We also see here the fulfillment of the promise two spies had made to Rahab, to save her and all her people that were safely within her home. They had offered her salvation, upon adherence to the terms. She followed it exactly, and they were saved.

Read again Psalm 33. Notice again we’re commanded to worship the LORD in numerous ways. Consider again the reasons he’s worthy! His word is right! He is always faithful! He loves righteousness! The earth is full of his love! He created merely by speaking his word! His plans stand firm! He watches over those who fear him! I suppose we’re all impatient at times, but we can always trust God will absolutely do as he says. It doesn’t matter how long it may take; He will always do as he says. Here are the last three verses, “We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you!” (Psalm 33:20-22)

Acts 1 is a beautiful introduction to a new era. It was written by Dr. Luke, who had also written the gospel of Luke. In the gospel he had reported all that Jesus began to do and to teach. He now reports much of the history of the very early church, especially featuring two great apostles – Peter and Paul. We’ll here note just a few highlights from chapter 1.

Verse 3 tells us what Jesus did with his followers for the 40 days he remained on earth after his resurrection. He spoke about the Kingdom of God. That should come as no surprise. The good news of the Kingdom of God (sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven – same thing) was his absolute favorite topic. He began his ministry preaching the KOG, continued his ministry preaching the KOG, and wrapped up his ministry focusing on the KOG! We ought to follow his lead in our ministry today. In fact, I would suggest that any gospel message that does not focus on the KOG is inadequate, incomplete, and insufficient.

Verses 4-8 include a lot. He told his men to stay in Jerusalem until they were baptized (filled, immersed) with the holy spirit. In a sense that is the power of God, and it would enable them to be witnesses for Jesus. Numerous other purposes for the holy spirit are given, especially in the book of John. Verse 6 is interesting. It’s no surprise his disciples asked if he would immediately restore the kingdom to Israel, because it must have seemed that’s all he talked about. Again, this would suggest the meat of our ministry and message must focus on the KOG! Verse 8 is for all intents and purposes, an outline of the book of Acts.

Verses 9-11 report the ascension of Jesus into heaven, and the promise that this same Jesus would return in the same manner. That is as sure a promise as any. Every New Testament writer at least mentions the return of Jesus. Verses 12-14 then make note that his men returned to Jerusalem (as instructed) and that they joined together constantly in prayer. This would suggest their dedication to the Lord and the task at hand. They must have been at a loss, with Jesus disappearing on them, and needed direction. The rest of the chapter talks about the foolish reaction of Judas when he realized what he’d done, as well as Pater’s recommendation they they replace Judas with another.

Reflection Questions

  1. Have you ever fought a battle, enjoyed a victory, and felt the Lord was behind it all?
  2. Following the lead of Psalm 33, name some of your own observations as to why God is worthy of our worship. What are some specific ways you worship?
  3. If the book of Acts is about the acts of the Apostles, or perhaps the acts of Jesus through his apostles, what acts for the Lord are you doing? If someone wrote about your ministry, what would be included?      

Prayer    

“Heavenly Father, thank you for the victories we can have when we trust and obey you. Help me to worship you in numerous ways, in new ways. Thank you for the hope of the Kingdom of God! Thank you for those who shared that good news with me and those who’ve taught me about it. Use me to do that for others. Help me to be an agent for your coming kingdom. Help me to be a witness for Jesus, for the message of the kingdom. Help me to bring it into conversations. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!”  

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Courage & Fear

Joshua 3 & 4

Psalm 33

Mark 16

-Devotion by John Railton (IN)

“Be strong and courageous!” Those were the words of God himself to Joshua in the first chapter which we read yesterday. In fact, God there challenged him three times with those exact words. At the end of the chapter, when the whole nation committed themselves to Joshua and his leadership, they too encouraged him with those same words, “Be strong and courageous!”

Joshua’s courage, and that of all the Israelites was tested in chapters 3 and 4. God was about to lead them into the promised land, but it meant getting to the other side of the Jordan River. There was no bridge and  the river was at flood stage. A most amazing miracle was about to happen! The priests were to carry the ark of the covenant into the river. As soon as their toes got wet, the flow of the river was disrupted. The current, flowing from the north to the south, completely stopped, and the water heaped up to their right. It was an invisible dam, accomplished by the almighty power of God. There’s no way to know how high that wall of water heaped, but it must have been quite a sight! No water flowed to the left. People downstream must have wondered what happened to the river? Not only did God stop the flow, but the whole nation then walked across the riverbed into the promised land. Not only did they walk across the riverbed, but it says they walked on dry ground! You can imagine the mud and muck at the bottom of the Jordan. How long would that have taken to dry up naturally? A few years ago, I baptized a young lady in a pond. After immersing her, we attempted to return to shore, but my feet were quickly sinking into the mud, so much so that I began to sink. We both needed help getting out of the water. God not only stopped the flow of the Jordan, but he instantaneously dried up the riverbed. A miracle indeed!

One more thought before we move on. Joshua 4:24 says, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful, and so that you might always fear the LORD your God!” To fear God is to have a holy revere for him, that is, a deep respect and admiration.

Psalm 33 is a Psalm of praise and acknowledgment of who the LORD is, what he has done, his obvious worthiness of worship. Notice especially the teaching in V. 8, “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him!” See also V. 18, “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love . . .” This reveals the call, and good reason for all people to respect and worship the LORD!

As you read Mark 16, you’ll probably see a note that verses 9-20 are not included in the most reliable early manuscripts. That’s not to suggest that those events never happened, nor that those words were never said. They may, or may not have happened or been said, but there’s doubt that they were originally part of Mark’s gospel. Most of these references are verified in other scriptural accounts. I will mention that some suggest a diminished importance for water baptism since Jesus’ words in verses 15 & 16 may or may not have ever been put quite like it’s worded here. One should never propagate a teaching or position based solely on one questionable passage. However, this questionable passage does not negate the numerous other scriptures that teach water baptism and its significance as a step in the process of salvation.        

Reflection Questions

  1. Joshua was clearly called and equipped to serve the LORD. In what ways do you feel called and equipped to serve?
  2. Have you ever needed the encouragement to be strong and courageous when you knew you needed to do the right thing?
  3. Have you yourself submitted to the waters of baptism as taught and practiced in the book of Acts, as symbolically explained in Romans 6, and with the promise of Galatians 3?

Prayer    

“Heavenly Father, thank you for the historical record of men and events such as we read in the book of Joshua. Thank you for the teaching and challenge we find in Psalm 33, that we should fear, revere you, that we should put our hope in you, and that your eyes are upon those who do. Thank you again for your son Jesus, and for the hope we can have in the kingdom because of him! In his name. Amen!”  

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He is Not Here!

Joshua 1 & 2

Psalm 32

Mark 16

-Devotion by John Railton (IN)

Moses, representing the law, was very much a great man and leader. He led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, and eventually right up to the promised land. He saw it, but was himself denied entrance because of his own failure to perfectly obey God. This illustrates the weakness of the law, which in reality is the weakness of all people who are absolutely incapable of perfect obedience to that law. No one can enter God’s rest, the promised land, the kingdom of God on their own merit.

Joshua, who’s name means “The LORD saves” succeeded Moses and did in fact lead the Israelites into the promised land. Fast forward to Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she was to give birth to a son. He told her his name would be Jesus, which is the Greek version of Joshua. When an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he explained the significance behind Jesus’ name. It was “because he will save his people from their sins!” Joshua was a type, or picture of Jesus, leading the Israelites into the promised land.         

Psalm 32, written by a repentant King David, is a beautiful reminder of the weight of guilt, the necessity of confession, the blessing of forgiveness, and the joy of being right with the LORD! Read here the first two verses, and the last, but be sure to read the entire short Psalm. “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit!” “Rejoice in the LORD and be glad you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”         (Psalm 32:1,2 & 11)

Now we come to Mark 16. We’ve been reading about the last supper, prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ arrest, his trial, Peter’s denial, Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial. Mark’s climax to all this is his short, sweet, and factual report of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead! It was early Sunday morning when three women went to Jesus’ tomb, taking spices to anoint his body. The Jewish community neither then nor now practice embalming. The women evidently had no idea Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had already treated Jesus’ body with 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes. Nor did they even hope or suspect that he might be resurrected from the dead! Who would have thought? 

“He has risen! He is not here!” Those were the words of the angel who was seated in the tomb. What a shock! What an announcement! It seemed too good to be true! In fact, Mark’s version tells us they ran away, fearful, and told no one! “He has risen! He is not here!” According to the Apostle Paul, our hope rises and falls on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Paul states clearly that this truth is one of the several things one must believe in order to be saved. “He has risen! He is not here!”

Reflection Questions

  1. Are you solid in your conviction that Jesus was raised from the dead, that he is alive, at the right hand of God? Is your lifestyle a testimony to that conviction?
  2. Is there any sense in which you’ve dozed off when you should have been watching? Betrayed Jesus, as did Judas? That you’ve denied him, as did Peter? That you’ve doubted, as did Thomas?
  3. Are you clear in understanding that you will not enter the kingdom of God on your own merit? That it is only through the resurrected Jesus that you have hope?
  4. Have you experienced the weight of guilt, the necessity of confession, the blessing of forgiveness, and the joy of being right with the LORD?       

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your love, your plan from the very beginning to cover our sin, and for Jesus whom you sacrificed on the cross. You allowed him to become sin, so that we might become righteous. Thank you for raising him to live again, to live forever, the firstfruits of eternal life. Thank you for wanting me in your kingdom, and for making a way for it to happen. Help me to make you proud. Help me to live like Jesus. In his name I pray. 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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Choosing Death

Deuteronomy 29-30

Psalm 31

Mark 15

-Devotion by Aaron Winner (SC)

Other than being selected for jury duty and settling a speeding ticket—both nearly twenty years ago—I have very limited courtroom experience. Most of my perception of trials comes from cinema. Films like To Kill a Mockingbird, Miracle on 34th Street, and A Few Good Men often portray the defense similarly: counsel advises the defendant to remain quiet, not allowing emotion to lead to self-incrimination through testimony or reaction.

In Mark 15, we see Jesus standing trial. Though not advised by earthly counsel, He embodies perfect restraint. Blameless, perfect, and fully justified, He stands before Pontius Pilate, accused for declaring the truth—that He is the Son of the living God. Every defense was at His disposal. He could have commanded, cajoled, or called down divine power. But instead, “Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed” (Mark 15:5). The only One who could offer a true testimony chose silence on behalf of our guilt.

This frames the words of Deuteronomy 30 in a different light. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Yet before us stands Jesus, choosing the path that lead to  crucifixion in order to spare us. He bore our sins, knowing He would be justified by the Father and raised to eternal life. Moses calls God’s people to choose life, but that life is not found in preserving ourselves.

In Psalm 31, we hear the cry that echoes both David and Christ: “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God” (Psalm 31:5). To live in the Spirit of God is to entrust ourselves fully to His care. It means we do not grasp for every opportunity to justify ourselves or defend our image. When pride rises and we feel compelled to prove our righteousness, we may be stepping away from the cross we are called to bear. After all, it was Barabbas—the guilty—who was released, while Jesus, the innocent, accepted his date.

This is the paradox of the Christian life: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Our heart, soul, mind, and strength are not meant to empower self but to surrender fully. Jesus knew that accepting His sentence would yield eternal glory. Likewise, we stand before our Heavenly Father not with arguments, merits, or credentials, but with a desperate plea for mercy—relying on Jesus Christ, our mediator and counselor

Choosing death is not choosing despair. It is the daily decision to lay down our rights, our pride, and our need to justify ourselves—and instead trust fully in the example of Jesus Christ.  We choose conviction.  We choose meekness. We choose death.

Reflection Questions

  1. Can you think of a time when you chose to not defend yourself even though you would have been justified to do so? Can you think of a time you did defend yourself but it might have been better if you had not? Why was Jesus silent?
  2. What could it look like to today live out Psalm 31:5 – “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God”? What do you want God to deliver you from? What does God want to deliver you from? In what ways have you been trying to hold onto your own spirit, your rights, your way of doing things?
  3. How many times do you think you could read Mark 15 today?

Prayer

Dear God, I praise You for Your amazing love for me and the whole human race, a love so deep you gave us the greatest gift, at the cost of the life of Your perfect Son. I thank You for Jesus who teaches us how to life in obedience to You and how to die to self. I thank You for Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Mark 15. Thank you for the written record of Your love and faithfulness and Your plan unfolding. Help me to love You and Your Son Jesus well today. In his precious name I pray.

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Musings on Miscellaneous Regulations

*Deuteronomy 25-26

Psalm 30

Mark 14

-Devotion by Emilee Christian (MO)

Our Scripture from Deuteronomy chapter 25 is part of a larger section subtitled “Miscellaneous Regulations” in Moses’ goodbye speech. It seems these were pithy statements that didn’t quite fit into his main message and so were added here towards the end of his sermon. To the modern day Christian, some of these statements definitely seem odd or extreme. When looking at Old Testament law, it is always important to examine the heart behind the law. I used to not enjoy the books of the law as they seemed extreme, sexist, and outdated. Since writing devotions for Seek Grow Love and being assigned Old Testament law scripture, I’ve come to have an appreciation for these passages. I approach these scriptures by asking: What can I learn about God’s character? What is important to Him? What does He detest? Often, the heart behind what many of these laws say is later reflected in the teachings of the Early Church. Let’s look at today’s reading as an example. 

In Deuteronomy 25:1-3, there is a brief discussion on the rules of flogging. The purpose of these rules is to show that justice should not be cruel or greedy as the punishment is not meant to “publically humiliate” as described in verse 3 (NLT). In 1 Timothy 5:19-21, Paul gives Timothy instructions on how to deal with church conflict. These instructions similarly reflect that justice is not meant to be cruel or greedy, in that accusations are to be confirmed by multiple witnesses to prevent favoritism. 

Deuteronomy 25:4 commands respect and fair treatment towards workers. This scripture is even quoted by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:17 to support the idea church leaders should receive pay or compensation for their service. Fair treatment is also encouraged in Ephesians 6:9 and Colossians 4:11 when Paul is instructing Christian masters how to treat their slaves. 

I’ll admit, Deuteronomy 25:5-10 is a lot and very weird to us in our culture. Yet, the heart behind the matter was to encourage family responsibility. The whole sandal thing is meant to demonstrate how shame is brought upon those who do not care for their family. This idea is reflected in Paul’s teachings to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:3-8: 

3 Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4 But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. 5 Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help. 6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives. 7 Give these instructions to the church so that no one will be open to criticism. 8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

God is not wanting us to marry our dead husband’s brothers. He is wanting us to take responsibility for family members in need. 

Deuteronomy 25:11 & 12 reminded me of something my cat loving grandmother drilled into our heads growing up. There was often more than one cat living in her house and to protect us grandkids she always warned “Never get in between two fighting cats”.  The take away from this law is mind your own business. Stay out of other people’s quarrels. The call to avoid disputes and quarrels is mentioned in many of Paul’s writings to the early church. Paul urges Timothy to avoid “foolish ignorant arguments that only start fights” (2 Timothy 2:23 NLT).  Paul tells Titus believers should avoid quarrels and “be gentle and show true humility to everyone” (Titus 3:2 NLT). Later in verses 9-11 Pauls explains how quarrels cause division amongst the body and calls them a useless waste of time. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Paul instructs Christians to mind your own business. Sometimes we need to let people work things out on their own. Us getting involved may only make things worse. Obviously, this is not the case in all situations. Christians are certainly called to defend the weak and downtrodden. But let’s say you’re made aware of a feud between two coworkers. It may be best not to pick sides, that by gossiping about it with others you are only adding fuel to the fire. Or maybe you know of two family members on radically different sides of the political spectrum. You getting involved, forcing them to have conversations neither party is ready to have, is not the way to go. Try, as best you can, to live in peace and harmony with everyone, and prayerfully consider when it is time to get involved. 

Deuteronomy 25:13-16 is pretty straight forward. Don’t cheat, don’t be dishonest. All throughout the New Testament Christians are called to live truthful, honest lives. This idea could not be made any clearer than in the story of Ananias and Sapphira and the swift punishment they received for stealing from the church. 

Finally, the last bit of miscellaneous instruction calls for the destruction of the Amalekites. While this may seem like harsh judgment for a loving and merciful God, it’s worth noting why they are being punished. The Amalekites attacked those who were exhausted, weary, straggling behind the group trying to keep up as the Israelites made their exit from Egypt. Think about who these people were. When you see a large family walking together at the zoo, who is often in the back? It’s the small children with tired legs and grandparents with old legs. That’s who the Amalekites most likely attacked. The vulnerable. That’s why God is so angry with them, for God cares greatly for the downtrodden, the helpless, the victims. This same idea, offering care and protection to the weak, is carried throughout church culture. James specifically writes “Pure and genuine religion in the eyes of the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress”  (1:27 NLT). 

Let’s be real, Old Testament law is weird, confusing, and hard to relate to – at times. We are no longer in the business of offering animal sacrifices. However, when you take a further look behind the reasons for such laws, you begin to see how God remains unchanging throughout both Old and New Testaments. His desires and love for us remains the same. 

Questions:

  1. How has conflict within your own church been handled in the past? Was it done in a godly just way? What about within your family? At your place of work? How can you personally ensure justice is served when conflicts do arise?
  2. Do you feel your boss treats you with respect? Are your needs met by your employer? If you are personally in charge of a group of people, do you act fair and just?
  3. Are there members of your family you should be caring for? We love our families, but sometimes things get forgotten in the day to day grind of life. Is there someone in your family who could use your help today, whether that be financially or emotionally?
  4. Why do you think God wants us to avoid petty conflict?

Prayer:

Dear God, 

Every part of Your word is precious. Thank You for giving us a way to know You. Teach us to understand Your ways in all parts of scripture. 

In your son’s name we pray,

Amen

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Thy Will

*Deuteronomy 23-24

Psalm 29

*Mark 14

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Today’s reading has a number of gems in it, that not only teach us about God’s character but also the character of His son.  In our Deuteronomy readings today we see a number of statutes; take a moment to read them all carefully and consider them as a group (note that we could spend a lot of time here, but there is a huge, critical, overwhelmingly important theological revelation in Mark 14 that we will spend a lot of our time on ).  God is holy (Deut 23: 9-14,17-18,21-24), and will be treated as such when in His presence.  God will judge each of us individually (Deut 24:16), we won’t be held responsible for the sins of another.  God wants us to treat each other with mercy and love (Deut 23:15-16, 25, and chapter 24 in it’s entirety).  The equity (or, ultimate fairness) of God is something that always amazes me.  God’s will for His people is that they honor and revere God, and treat each other with love and respect.

            We humans have a will too, but since we are human beings and not God, we have limited perceptions and because of this we tend to make poor decisions at times.  Think of it this way: as human beings walking along the road of time we can see moderately clearly where we are standing, looking backwards we can see a narrow view of where we have been (but even so it grows fainter in the distance), and looking ahead we are essentially just guessing how the path will go based on the path we’ve walked so far.  This doesn’t really highlight how limited our perceptions are, so now let’s imagine that this road is almost completely dark, and as we walk we are holding a candle that faintly illumines a tiny area around us as we walk; but there are vast worlds and other paths aside from the one that we walk that we can’t see which others are walking.  That’s what it’s like to be human. 

            My whole point is this: our perceptions are very, very limited.  Our tiny human brains can only perceive so much, the limitation of the human eyeball only accepts a very specific very tiny range of light frequencies, the human ear only hears a very specific very small range of sound frequencies,  and all of our senses have limitations built into them.  God, on the other hand, our Creator, is not limited in this fashion.  He sees the thousands upon thousands of potential paths that we all walk on, fully illumined, and from the beginning of the trail of our birth to the end of the trail at our demise.   The God who made us does not suffer from our inherent limitations, and as such, has a much clearer macroscopic picture.  It is only logical that His will is superior to ours, since He has a much clearer perception of not only us, but our neighbor, and the world (all of which He created).  The God who made your heart knows it better than you do yourself. 

            This is why the wise person submits himself to the will of God, because God has better information and therefore can make better decisions with better outcomes (Hillary Scott has a great song out called “Thy will” which I recommend).  We tend to be very limited and narrow in our vision, and tend to make poor decisions with poor outcomes when we rely on our own will because of our inherent limitations.  The more you rely upon your own will, the poorer the decisions and the worse the outcomes (and trust me, I’m speaking from painful experience on this one).

            When we come to our reading in Mark 14 today, our savior Yeshua (Jesus), our future king,  is having a crisis of faith.  You see, having been born a man; a nice Jewish boy from the line of David (Matt 1,), even though God both knit (Luke 1:35) and sent Jesus (according to Jesus, 32 times in the book of John), even though he was the prophesied and anointed Messiah (the son of David, the son of God, the king who will rule forever: 2 Sam 7), Jesus still self-identified as a son of man (a human, about 72 times in the gospels).  So even though God had knit and sent this man to be the savior of Israel (and the world), and even though Jesus was given a portion of the holy spirit that allowed him to perform signs and wonders in the name of the Most High God, he was in fact (by his own words, John 8:40) still a man. 

            Every human, when they are faced with their own mortality, has some serious thinking to do, even if you have been given a large portion of the holy spirit.  We know that God had revealed to Jesus that he was about to die because we can see from the passage here in Mark 14:32-42 that he is agonizing over his upcoming gruelling death.  I believe that one of the main reasons that our God revealed this to Jesus is that our God is, overwhelmingly, fair and equitable.  He wanted to allow a choice to His chosen Messiah; a final act of complete trust and obedience (reminiscent of the one he offered Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his only son from Sarah to determine his faith).

            “…Abba! Father!  All things are possible for you; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” ( Mark 14:36 LSB).  Jesus knows that God can do all things, and hopes there is another way and asks God to provide it, but he also completes that request with an obedient submission to the will of the Most High God, YHVH.  If you have accepted some of  the later traditions of men in understanding of the nature of God, this will create some serious questions for you; because we see clearly that Jesus is subordinate to the Father and one of the primary tenets of many groups is to insist on their equality, but that’s just not what the scriptures say.

            Jesus has his own will and it’s to not die, just as Abraham’s will was not to sacrifice his son, but he obediently complies and submits to the will of God, just like his ancestor Abraham.  This is not the act of an equal, but a loyal subordinate.  If you acknowledge this clear scriptural understanding then you are going against a lot of “traditional” requirements in many churches and you might just get kicked out of band camp if you bring it up, because that conflicts with some of the other later ‘developed’ traditions of men that have come to be traditional requirements.  Please remember though: you are the one that will stand before God to account for yourself, not your church group or pastor, but you.  Trust God.

            So what do you do if scripture doesn’t agree with your doctrinal theology?  Change your doctrinal theology, of course; we are under the scriptures and not above them.  Scripture is our guideline, the word of God transmitted in written form, and if we are going to be obedient children of God, like our Messiah, King Jesus, then we must submit to God’s authority.  When God speaks, we listen, period.  Is a servant greater than his master? “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”  (John 13:16 KJV).  In the book of John alone, Jesus explicitly states that the Father has sent him over 30 times, and also states “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21 LSB).  The Christ is under the authority of God, the Father, and we are under the authority of the Christ.  It’s a pretty straightforward corporate organizational chart, if you believe scripture and hold to it as authoritative. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Why do we often follow our own will and not God’s?
  2. Have you ever changed something you believed because scripture indicated something different?
  3. God sent Jesus, Jesus sent us: are you being a good representative and can you improve?

PRAYER

Abba! Father!  Not my will, but Yours be done.  Show me Your will, Father, and grant me the perseverence and humility to submit to it.  Help me to be a servant who pleases you, Father.  All things belong to You, and all of the blessings that I’ve received have come from You, even my life.  Lead me and teach me, please.  Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.

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