Daily Devotion, July 31, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 2 Corinthians 4:16 - 5:9.

It is important to note that we are jumping into the middle of a letter with these verses, so there is much that has come before this part. In the NIV, this section begins with the word “Therefore…” meaning that a foundation for what will be shared here has already been offered. (This is the third one since the middle of the previous chapter.)

For Paul to write “Therefore we do not lose heart” tells us that he is writing to people who had reason to do that very thing. For anyone, there come times and situations in life that can cause us to want to give up or to at least not try as hard. We lose our motivation; we lose our drive; we lose our passion. In this section, he is letting them (and us) know why the people of Christ do not lose heart when faced with the difficulties of life. He reminds us of the “big picture,” the view of life that goes beyond this life. Here is how The Message translates from the middle of 4:16: “Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.” Because of what God provides for us in this life, even when we face times of struggle, we can still be joyful. Why? Because we know what is still to come!

Personal Worship Option:

Do you know someone who has lost their passion for the mission of Christ? Pray for them and ask God to help you know how to encourage them and help them find that joy again.

Daily Devotion, July 30, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Daniel 3:14-18.

Three young Hebrew men are able to stand up to a foreign ruler’s demands because they have a close relationship with their God, whether they are in this world or go on to be with God in the next world. They knew what they were doing. They had counted the cost. They had measured the risk. They were well aware what the outcome of their actions would be unless God miraculously intervened, which He did. They were convinced that their stand was right and that loyalty to God required them to take it. They were determined to honor God regardless of what anyone else was doing because they knew that God was with them. He was with them in the present and would be with them in life or death. Because of their stand, God also proved to Nebuchadnezzar that He was above any god and was the one true God. Everyone present during this event had the opportunity to experience the miraculous power of God because three men decided to stand for truth.

Personal Worship Option:

Is God calling you to stand for Him? Ask him for boldness and courage. He will be with you - you can trust God, no matter what!!

Daily Devotion, July 29, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Acts 7:54-60.

Stephen was one of the first believer leaders chosen in the early church to help with providing food and various needs for others. He was known “as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” as it says in Acts 6:5. Described as a man full of God’s grace and power, the established religious leaders who opposed the early church could not stand up against the wisdom the Holy Spirit gave him. These religious leaders despised and feared Stephen so much that they had him ­arrested and put on trial. When Stephen was asked about the charges against him, he told about God’s faithful work in history through His prophets, even though the people of Israel had often been unfaithful. He went on to remind that God even sent his Son, Jesus, to be the Righteous One, the Messiah, but that these very leaders had murdered him.

After that statement, the religious leaders became furious, and they dragged him out to stone him to death. But Stephen looked up and saw Jesus in heaven, and asked him to receive his spirit and to not hold this sin against the leaders. Wow, how strong he was in his faith! Stephen suffered and died for his faith in Jesus. His example has inspired many others to speak out and live for Christ. By the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, God has built His church to reach out and serve people so that the same message of God’s love prevails in the world today.

Personal Worship Option:

God, give us your wisdom to speak the truth and live by it. Help us to live in joy knowing that we are your children and followers. When we live in comfort, blinded to the needs of others, guide us and show us the way to best serve you. Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 28, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 139:1-10.

“Ohhh, you better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you're awake…” are words written in good humor to motivate the children to behave, especially prior to Christmas!

It might be easy to read this Psalm similarly as the Psalmist speaks of God’s presence with us always, but this is totally different. The Psalmist is speaking of the complete knowledge that our Maker has for us and that the One who made us is always with us, not to “check up on us”, but to be with us wherever we are and wherever we go. God’s presence is with us in the depths of our souls.

The Psalmist employs the words, “this is too glorious, too wonderful to believe!” Even in eternal life, we belong to God. Whether we are in this world or the next, God is with us! Yes! This is glorious!

The words, “compassion and grace” are not in this Psalm, but to me this gives a beautiful word picture of God’s compassion and grace in that God our Maker knows us so well, and yet still loves us and will never leave us!

In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul echoes these words, as he writes, “nothing in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Because the Psalmist is sure of God’s presence, the Psalmist can trust completely in God’s care for the present time and for all of the future. The Psalmist asked for God to “lead along the path of everlasting life.”

Personal Worship Option:

Live with this assurance: God knows me, is with me and loves me. And the Psalmist’s concluding prayer (vs. 23-24) can be ours, too. “Search me, O God and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 27, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.

What comes to mind when you hear a trumpet? A song by Louis Armstrong? Taps played at a funeral? People alive when Paul wrote to the Corinthians knew that a trumpet was always blown to signal the start of great festivals and other extraordinary events. Paul writes of a trumpet sound that will bring really good news for Christians! On the day Christ returns, a trumpet will sound and in the blink of an eye those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. Immediately our bodies will be transformed. Paul describes how much more wonderful the Christian's resurrection body will be compared to the bodies we've had in this life. As we get older, our bodies begin to fail. We become frail and have limitations on what we could once easily do, but when Christ returns, our transformed bodies will not have disabilities, will never die, and won’t become sick. We praise God for victory over sin and death he gives us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s be thankful for the promise that we, as Christians, in both this life and the next, belong to God.

Personal Worship Option:

As you look forward to new life in Christ, commit to living this life following Paul’s words in verse 58: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Daily Devotion, July 26, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 16:19-33.

There is a really good technique for coping with stress that has us ask ourselves, “What is the worst thing that could happen in this situation? Struggling with stress after having made a critical mistake on our job, for example, we might respond that the worst thing that could happen would be getting fired. And then what would happen? We would look for another job. We have knowledge and skills, and we would certainly find a new job. It might even be a better job or one with less stress. The idea is not to minimize the issue causing the stress, but rather to see that we could deal with even the worst possible consequences, so we move on and do not let the stress overcome us.

Jesus is teaching his apostles and us that life will have difficulties, problems, and grief; but there is peace and joy in our relationship with the Father. In a beautiful analogy, Jesus says our present grief is like a woman enduring the pain of childbirth but forgetting the pain as she experiences the joy of her newborn baby. Jesus is not minimizing our present struggles, in fact, he emphasizes them but promises us peace in him. It is faith in this promise that lets a terminally ill believer say, “I will be just fine,” knowing a peace and joy in Christ that will continue in heaven.

Personal Worship:

Almighty God, your Son teaches us not to worry about clothes or food or material things. And in today’s passage, he promises us the peace and joy we can know in you alone. Forgive me when I worry and fret over things in life. Help me to lean on you and to feel the peace and joy you offer. Thank you for loving me. Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 25, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Philippians 1:3-11.

One of the greatest things about serving the mission of our Lord is that we do not do it alone. We get to serve alongside a lot of other people whom God has also called into this ministry. Paul begins his letter to the Christians at Philippi giving thanks for them: “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now….all of you share in God’s grace with me.” It gives him a sense of joy when he thinks about these partners in ministry.

Today, I invite you to think about the people you have served alongside in ministry over the years. Other members and leaders of the churches where you have been a member. People in your Sunday School classes or other small groups you have been a part of. Participants on mission teams or other service groups you have served alongside. Other choir or music team members. Receive the joy that comes from the memories of them and what you shared together in ministry for our Lord Jesus Christ! And don’t forget those with whom you are getting to serve right now! Thanks be to God for all of them, past and present!

Personal Worship Option:

Consider contacting a few of those people you thought of. Give thanks to God for them.

Daily Devotion, July 24, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Philippians 4:15-23.

Before we start into Paul’s letter to the Philippians tomorrow, today we look at how it ends. He gives thanks to them for how they have shared with him in his ministry. There was a time when he was in need and they came through with some assistance for him. You tend to remember things like that and he certainly did.

Who are those people in your life who came through for you in a time of need? Reflect on them and what they did for you. I remember being in college at Carson-Newman in Jefferson City and serving a church in Morristown as their youth and music director. My car needed a new set of tires and I did not have the money for it at the time. My uncle paid for that new set of tires and had them put on my car. I don’t know that he ever considered himself to be in ministry, but in that act, he was. That meant so much to me at that time and it still does.

As you are thinking about and giving thanks for those people who have assisted you, make a commitment to watch and listen for opportunities that may come your way to assist someone else as they serve our Lord. You never know what a difference you will make for them as they continue their journey. May it be a source of joy for you, both in what you have received and what you will have opportunities to give.

Personal Worship Option:

Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for both what you have received and opportunities you have had (and will have) to give to assist others.

Daily Devotion, July 23, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 2 Timothy 1:1-4.

Paul knew he would be filled with joy when he got to see Timothy, who he had mentored in ministry. It brings us joy when we can stay in touch with people we have served alongside in ministry.

One of the things I most enjoy about what we call “Annual Conference” in the United Methodist Church is I get to see many of my clergy friends and other colleagues in ministry. Many of those people have mentored me in ministry. Others I have had the opportunity to mentor and serve alongside.

  

It also gives me joy to keep up with people in other churches I have served through social media. I see the pictures of their children growing up and getting married and having children of their own. I hear about the churches continuing to serve our Lord and help other people come to know and serve him. 

I invite you to look for opportunities to stay in touch with people who have guided you on your journey with Christ, as well as those who you got to mentor. This day, may you know the joy that comes with this reminder of shared ministry!

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer: “Gracious God, thank you for the joy of shared ministry in your name. Thank you for the many people I have had the privilege to serve alongside in the past and those I serve with now. Help us stay connected to you and each other so that we can help others come to know you. Through Christ, Amen.”

Daily Devotion, July 22, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Romans 16:1-16.

As we read the Bible, most of us tend to skip over scripture passages like the one we have for today. Paul's list of personal greetings to people here in the last chapter of Romans ranks in popularity with all of the genealogies and lists of ancient tribe members recorded in the book of Numbers and other places in the Bible. But let's not miss the importance of passages like these. The inclusion of these names at the end of Romans has a lot to say about the importance of community and the promises we make to each other. Paul's admiration for the people he mentions shines through in these verses. These dedicated early Christians worked hard with Paul in ministry, and he wants them to know how much they mean to him. Most of the people he mentions here are unknown to us, only what little Paul tells us. However, one thing is obvious: each of these men and women demonstrated their faith in God by committing themselves to the early ministry. That's the way it is in the kingdom of God. The promises we make to God tend to get lived out in the commitments we make to other people. Sometimes the best way to be faithful to God is to be faithful to the people he has called us to serve. What a joy it is to serve others in the name of God. That is how we grow our faith.  How are you doing when it comes to keeping your promises to God?

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, you give us so many people who help our faith grow. Thank you for also using us to bless the lives of others. By serving others, help us remember we are serving you. Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 21, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 17:6-13.

John 17 has been called the “high-priestly prayer” and farewell prayer of Jesus. It is one of my favorite scripture passages! The theme for this week’s devotionals focuses on the joy we have because of the people we serve alongside in ministry, both past and present. Jesus understood this completely! Jesus prayed for this gift to be given to the disciples, even as he realized the difficult days ahead for them all.

 

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13

What had Jesus said already within this prayer which will give the disciples the full measure of Jesus’ joy? Jesus is acknowledging the gift of eternal life which has come from God through him and has been given to these disciples. This is a source of joy!

Jesus is acknowledging his relationship with God, his heavenly Father, and his disciples know he came from God. They have heard his words and believe in him. This is a source of joy!

Jesus has been glorified in them. This is a source of joy! Jesus is praying for their protection and that they would be one, as he and the heavenly Father are one! This is a source of joy!

Jesus knows the gravity of the hour. And he knows his disciples will also be facing persecution and suffering. Yet through it all, he realizes there is a deep abiding joy in being one with God and with one another to complete God’s mission to go forth into the world.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Often we perceive “joy” and “happiness” to be synonymous, but throughout scripture, we find that “strength” is synonymous with “joy”! Strength comes from God especially in difficult times. Strength is a gift which is multiplied when we all work together on the God-sized missions to which God calls us! Within that strength is an overflowing joy we remember as we look back over what God has given us grace to accomplish!

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, we give you thanks for the gift of joy and the joy we have because of the people we serve alongside in ministry, in the past, present and future. Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 20, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7.

Have you ever received a letter of praise for your faith in Christ? Over the years I’ve participated in retreats where we write notes of affirmation to others and put them in their personalized decorated bag. It always turns out to be a highlight for both the writer and the recipient as the participants read the special words of praise. Our passage today is Paul’s letter of praise to the Thessalonians. He mentions three attributes that make them a model for all the believers in Greece. He thanks God for their faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope. We read later on in this chapter the Thessalonian church “turned… from idols to serve the living and true God.” Their conversion to faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives gave them a deep conviction to change their pagan ways. Paul says they became imitators of mature Christians and of Christ. The Thessalonian church serves as a model for us today. It is good for us to seek out mature Christians who will show us through their daily living how to be a Christ follower. As a modern day church we can support each other in our journey of faith, and follow Paul’s example of encouraging each other through thanksgiving and praise. Through this pattern of modeling and praising we too can live a life where faith produces love, love produces good works, and hope produces endurance.

Personal Worship Option:

Today, while this devotion is fresh on your mind, handwrite a note, send a text, or compose an email to someone who models the Christian life for you or to someone you would like to encourage in their faith. Commit to God to model for others a life of faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope.

Daily Devotion, July 19, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Hebrews 11:32 - 12:1.

The verses in Chapter 11 remind us of a long line of Bible characters -- judges, prophets, kings, and martyrs -- who kept their faith in difficult struggles. Their allegiance to God did not bring them popularity or gain them worldly fame. Some of them overcame their weaknesses with the strength God poured into them. Many of them faced torture and even death rather than turn away from God. After this long list of heroes of faith, the writer says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” My cloud of witnesses includes all of these characters plus many others that I have known personally. My parents, a brother and a sister, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and mentors who loved me, lived faithful lives before me, and are no longer living.

My cloud of witnesses inspires me to lean more heavily on Christ and to run my race the very best I can. My race is so much easier than the race many of my witnesses ran. When I think of some of them and their race, I am encouraged to keep running. Besides, I know there are some who are watching me now, toiling away in my race, and some of them are even running alongside me. We never run alone or unnoticed!

Personal Worship Option:

“Almighty God, thank you for those who have gone before me, living lives of faith. Thank you for their stories in Scripture and in my personal life. Help me to be inspired by the races they ran so that I might run the race before me in faith and in your strength. Amen.” 

Daily Devotion, July 18, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Genesis 3:6-10.

This point of one of the Creation stories from Genesis emphasizes a Biblical truth: since the beginning of Creation, God has been seeking a personal relationship with every person. When we sin, whether by hurting ourselves or another person or some other part of God’s world, we cut ourselves off from God because we tend to want to hide. And God comes looking for us. God seeks after us. God wants to restore the relationship with us. That’s true on an individual level as well as being the story for all of humanity. God sought Abram to enter a covenant relationship through which he could reach and bless everyone. God came to his people through Moses to bring them out of their bondage and free them to live as his people. Ultimately, God sent his only Son to forgive us and provide a path by which our relationship with God could be fully and completely restored.

Yes, it is a “big picture, for all time, for all people” truth. But don’t ever forget that it also applies to you personally. It is true for you too. God always wants to be in a good relationship with you. Whenever you feel estranged or distant from God, be assured that God is waiting and ready for you to return.

One other piece of this truth is important to remember. As the people of God, we are to seek to have this same kind of desire for good relationships with other people. We are to find a way to communicate God’s desire to be in relationship with others by how we relate to them. It will help them to know God loves them if we do.

Personal Worship Option:

Who do you need to go looking for on behalf of God? Start with prayer and God will guide you.

Daily Devotion, July 17, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 22:34-40.

For me, this is one of those core, foundational passages of the whole Bible and of Jesus’ teaching. For those who are asking the question, the Law was the height of God’s revelation to humanity. It held the keys to us being able to be in a good relationship with God. It was our guide for life as God’s people. Yes, it was a test question for Jesus, but probably a question they had asked among themselves many times. What is the most important part of this revelation from God? “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus quotes two parts of the Law and both of them focus on relationships: our relationship with God and our relationship with people. Both of them are grounded in love. When we truly love God with everything we are and when we truly want the best for another person as much as we want it for ourselves, we will be in a good and right relationship with God. We will be what God has created us to be.

Rules and relationships are both part of the teaching of the Bible. What I hear Jesus saying is that if you ever have to choose between the two, relationships are more important. The rules are simply there to guide us toward good relationships. If someone asks you for a quick summary of the whole Bible, here’s a good answer: Love God and love people!

Personal Worship Option:

What might you do today to let God know of your love? What might you do for another person to let them know of your love?

Daily Devotion, July 16, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 5:23-24.

In part of his teaching in what we often call “The Sermon On The Mount,” Jesus lets us know the importance of caring for our human relationships as we seek to worship and relate to God. If our relationships with our brothers and sisters are broken, our relationship with God is also broken. This is how “the Message” says it:

23-24 “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God."

There aren’t any qualifications about who said what or who started it - it’s about each of our relationships being in good standing with one another. We are to be proactive in living in peace with one another as much as we can. It may mean forgiving many times, approaching the relationship in meaningful ways and loving that person as God loves them. Only then, is our relationship with God restored as well. There are times when the other person is not inclined to receive the invitation of a restored relationship. If you have done everything possible, leave it in God’s hands and wait on God to bring restoration.

Personal Worship Option:

Reflect on your relationships. Anyone you need to talk with today? 

Daily Devotion, July 15, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Luke 15:25-32.

Have you ever gotten irritated when someone is great at looking like a good person, while others seem to beam their badness from their forehead and automatically get the label of “sinner”.  My grandma used to say some types of beauty are only skin deep. That could also be said of goodness, certain kinds of it are only skin deep. The older son in this story is the good one from the start. He plays by the rules and looks a lot different than the younger and rebellious brother. When the younger son turns his life around and repents, we find out just how begrudging the good older brother was and how mad he became when the repentant sinner came home. He was the son who had obeyed and stayed home working. The father seeks him out, but he refuses to come join the party. It seems ironic that the son who stayed home ends up more distant from the father than the son who ran away and squandered the family money. The parable for us is when we are angry with God, and He pursues us, are we going to remain distant or are we going to rejoice and happily go back toward Him?

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, help us be grateful when you seek each and every one of us as your valued child. Thank you for your endless love for us, even when we mess up. Amen.

Daily Devotion, July 14, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Isaiah 49:5-6.

If you had to read these verses more than once, you are not alone. These two verses are a part of Isaiah 49:1-7 which is known as the second Servant Song in Isaiah. The first Servant’s Song is Isaiah 42:1-9, and the third and fourth Servant’s songs are Isaiah 40:4-9, and Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

If you are still confused, you are not alone. I was confused, too. God is calling and commissioning this servant with a mission and a message. This message is to be proclaimed not only to the remnants of the Hebrew people who had been in exile, but also to the Gentile people. God not only looks for the remnant people, but for the Gentiles, for God seeks everyone.

God’s message is, “that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Perhaps this servant of the Lord might have said, “Wait, pause, rewind, Lord! I know you are bringing your message of salvation to the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel, but are you really including the Gentiles in your gift of salvation?”  We pause too, when God sends us beyond our comfort zones.

This commissioning from God sends this one to the ends of the earth with this message of “salvation, as a light for all nations.” If we simply take this as a call to offer to the world a form of “cheap grace”---we will miss the depths of all of these Servant’s Songs. These songs come from the voice of the Suffering Servant of God. The suffering comes from taking upon one’s own shoulders, the hurts, heartaches, sufferings and sins of the world. This is God’s gift and message through his servant Isaiah, and through Jesus, his only begotten Son. And we are called by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of this tremendous costly grace.

Jesus echoed Isaiah’s words throughout his ministry and particularly in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” God’s circle is far greater than we could ever imagine!

Personal Worship Option:

Isaac Watts' words from the hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” remind us that pride causes us to keep the circle too small and that God’s costly grace of “love so amazing and so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” God seeks everyone.

Daily Devotion, July 13, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Luke 15:3-7.

The parable begins with a straying sheep. A sheep that leaves its shepherd is defenseless and in danger. In this parable Jesus is teaching that any person apart from him is lost. His sins keep him from God and leaves him groping aimlessly in darkness. The shepherd in the story, however, didn’t despise his straying sheep. Jesus, with great compassion, also values each sinner. The parable gives no indication of the shepherd ever scolding the sheep. Instead, he hoists the sheep upon his shoulders and takes it home. An adult sheep may weigh anywhere from 110 to 125 pounds, so it would have created a physical burden for him to carry it. Jesus bore the weight of our sins upon the cross. Then the shepherd calls his friends and neighbors and invites them to rejoice with him. Similarly, heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and is restored to fellowship with God. God does not want even one person to be left out or lost. God seeks a relationship with every person. Let’s remember: Jesus is the Good Shepherd who tenderly searches for sinners and then joyfully forgives them.

Personal Worship Option:

Thank God for seeking you when you stray into the darkness. Thank him for his great compassion he shows by forgiving you and loving you.

Daily Devotion, July 12, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Genesis 12:1-3.

Like most Scripture, this passage requires us to see it in the context of what has happened before it. In just eleven chapters in Genesis, we have seen the fall of Adam and Eve, God wiping out sinful humanity except Noah and his family, and God scattering the descendants of Noah and confusing their language after they arrogantly decided to build a tower to heaven to make a name for themselves. It is as if God decided that, to reach and bless all people of the earth, God would need to single out a family on which to focus. God chose Abram and asked him to leave his extended family and the good land and water of Haran and go to a new place God would show him. Amazingly, Abram obeyed God and was therefore seen as righteous. This short passage is rich in teachings on faith, righteousness, and simple obedience. But our lesson in it for today is that God would bless Abram for a huge purpose. As God’s covenant people, God will raise up the descendants of Abram as the Children of Israel. God will give them the law for moral guidance, set them apart as a nation, and send God’s word to them through the prophets. And it was to them that God would send God’s Son, the promised Messiah, to save the world. Indeed it is through Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abram, that all people on earth will be blessed IF we the church carry on the work of Christ.

Personal Worship Option:

Give thanks today that God desires a personal relationship with you. Think of that! God desires to know you, to show God’s love to you, and to bless you. But it does not end there. God desires a relationship with all people. Pray for the opportunity to do the work of Christ and share the Good News with another person today.

Daily Devotion, July 11, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Ephesians 2:4-10.

My wife worked summers and every school break to pay as much of her college expenses as she could. Her parents worked hard to support their family and paid the balance of her college expenses. As we made our plans to get married, my wife told me she had kept up with the amount her parents had paid, and she wanted to pay them back in full. After all, her younger brother would be going to college in a few years too. I admired her for this, and we began to save some each month. When we had the amount needed, we wrote a check to her parents and went to see them. They looked at each other, smiled, and handed the check back to us. They would not budge, and it was the greatest financial gift we would ever receive. That meant we had to do something meaningful and special and lasting with the money. It turned out to be just the right amount for the down payment on our first home.

Human analogies and comparisons always fall short when we use them to illustrate God’s love, which is beyond comparison. We are given salvation by grace, God’s love that we can do nothing to earn or deserve. And that gift, as precious as it is, should make us want to do something very meaningful with our lives. We become disciples of Christ and do good works, not to be saved, but because we are saved and we know that this grace is free but not cheap.

Personal Worship Option:

Gracious God, your love amazes me. We sing of your grace, and we hear of it often in our worship. Thank you for loving me so personally and for the gift of grace. Help me to accept that gift every day, to embrace it, and to share it with others who may not know yet how much you love them. Amen

Daily Devotion, July 10, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Romans 3:21-24.

Throughout this week, we have examined Scriptures that point out the costs of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and that call us to take being disciples very seriously. In today’s passage, we read just how it is that we are seen as righteous by God. We are treated as if righteous because of our faith in Christ. In other words, we are not righteous because we are good enough. In fact, verse 23 underscores that all of us sin and fall short. We simply cannot save ourselves. This passage, along with a number of others, makes it clear that we cannot do enough good works to earn our salvation, and we do not need to do that. God gives us our righteousness because of our faith in Christ. Sometimes, because our righteousness is given and not earned, it is referred to as “imputed” righteousness.

Verse 24 says we are justified or treated as if innocent freely because of the redemption that came by Christ. Redemption in Paul’s day was often used in the context of paying for the freedom of a slave, thereby redeeming the enslaved person and setting them free. Jesus Christ did that when he died on the cross for our sins, paying the awesome price of his life in order that we might be free. Now THAT is love, that is grace...amazing grace!

Personal Worship Option:

Give thanks today for God’s love, love so incredible that God sent His one and only Son into the world that we might be free. Think just how precious we must be in God’s eyes for God to do that for us. This is love we will never fully comprehend, but we can believe, trust, and accept it with grateful hearts.

Daily Devotion, July 9, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 13:12-17.

With this symbolic action, Jesus calls us to humble service, never seeking honor and prestige. The cost of discipleship includes serving cheerfully in ways that we might even think of as “beneath” us. This may be an uncomfortable concept to consider but it is the way of grace. How does that look in your life? 

When I first moved to Chattanooga, my house needed a complete inside paint job. I knew no one but was given the name of a gentleman in the church. I called him and he said he would come and help the next day. To my amazement, 3 couples arrived with paintbrushes, rollers, drop cloths, ladders, etc. and jumped into the job. Throughout the next few days others joined and the house was soon complete. One afternoon as we shared lunch, one of the ladies offered the prayer and I’ll never forget what she said: “Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to paint this house.” That was a servant’s heart! That was grace! Grace has been extended to you as a follower of Christ, and to accept His grace means to extend grace to others.

Personal Worship Option:

Are you willing to follow Christ's example of serving? Whom can you serve today?

Daily Devotion, July 8, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Luke 9:57-62.

This scripture is about Jesus addressing potential followers. When I was a child, I loved to play a game called “follow the leader”. In the game you did whatever the leader did so it was always a guess as to where and what you would be doing. No matter whether the leader went through a puddle or over a fence, I would follow. What about following Jesus? Following Jesus is a big commitment. To the first man Jesus said that following him meant doing without the comforts of home. To the second man Jesus implied that the spiritually dead should bury the physically dead, while those spiritually alive should spread the news of God's kingdom. The third person said, "I will follow you Lord, but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Doesn't this seem logical? But Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." By this, Jesus meant that discipleship is focusing on things that promote God's kingdom, without distractions. Jesus practiced what he preached, giving his all for the kingdom of God. He wants his followers to be totally committed and not live half-heartedly for him. May we follow where he leads us today, without looking back.

Personal Worship Option:

Lord, forgive us when we offer you our second-best. Guide us to follow you and serve you with our whole lives. Help us to be your loyal disciples and to trust you as our leader. Amen.