Communion with the Father
1 John 1:1-3 (MSG) 1-2 From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.
3-4 We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!
Because we are so far removed from the resurrection side of the Cross, we sometimes forget that Christianity was under attack almost from its inception. We can be thankful that people like John were there to speak out against error and to illuminate our understanding.
I sometimes use The Message paraphrase because it can clarify the Scripture, but in this instance I can see where it could be misunderstood. Doesn’t the following verse sound somewhat magical? “The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen!”
But the incarnation of Jesus was in no way magical. Instead, it was supernatural! And John, an eyewitness to these incredible events, relates them to us. Why? So that we, too, can take part in the wonderful gift of salvation and all of its benefits.
What are the benefits of salvation? Forgiveness, redemption and restoration, of course, along with a closeness with our Heavenly Father that we would miss otherwise.
May we spend at least a portion of each day soaking up His Word and listening for His voice.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Trust in the Lord
Psalms 37:3-9 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
so you will live in the land and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
What does it take for you to trust in God? Trust is the choice to be vulnerable with someone while believing they have good intentions and will not harm you. According to The Cambridge Dictionary, it bridges the gap between what we know and what we hope for in relationships.
What does it take for you to trust in people? That is a different dynamic, isn’t it? Particularly if trust has been broken and has to be restored.
As a child, we had different circuses come to town and they were each exciting in their own way. But the Barnham and Bailey Circus was the best. It was a three-ring circus with excitement in every direction. There were the tight rope walkers, the trapeze artists, the lion tamers, the elephant trainers and of course the clown cars. A tiny car would roll loudly into the ring and clown after clown would tumble out of the car. If only our worries and anxieties would tumble out of our hearts that easily.
May we seek first the kingdom of God, then receive the peace that accompanies all He is and all He does.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We need your mercy
Psalms 116:1-5 1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard
my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me,
therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3 The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the pains of hell got hold upon me:
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD;
O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
yea, our God is merciful.
In our last devotional we talked about grace. Today we move into its twin, mercy. While grace is defined as unmerited favor, mercy is compassion shown to someone whom we have the power to punish. Or, another definition is being spared from something that we deserve.
For years I sought out justice, yet I finally realized that what the world really needs, what I really need, is mercy. And if I need mercy, I need to be ready to give mercy.
But regardless of the grace and mercy we receive, we remain unyielding in our desire to receive but not give. When we seek out God, putting our will aside and humbling ourselves under Him, then we will be able to both receive and give grace and mercy, and that is truly a gift of God.
May we seek out the goodness of God, asking also for the ability to give grace and mercy even if we don’t receive them ourselves.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.
- Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.
Give Thanks and Trust
Psalms 118:1 1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
because his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalms 118:8 8 It is better to trust in the LORD
than to put confidence in man.
Psalms 118:14 14 The LORD is my strength and song,
and is become my salvation.
Psalms 118:24 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
I am not sure how many times I have begun a service with Ps 118:24, but it occurred to me I have not begun nearly as many days with the same scripture. Am I not always grateful enough that whatever my circumstance, I should rejoice? Or do I get so caught up in daily living that I mumble a quick “thank you for keeping me through another night” and then get on with my day?
Both I and several of my friends are experiencing some extreme health issues. For those who have not gone through chronic pain, or neverending doctors’ appointments, there is a sort of helplessness that accompanies such maladies. The inability to live independently or to resume a once full schedule can be devastating, not to mention the impact on our prayer lives.
Yet, God has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.
May we give thanks and trust, and as one of my prayer partners has said, we can either accept the doctor’s facts, or God’s truth.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God’s Plan
Colossians 3:18-25 18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
Good Sunday afternoon everyone. We have reached a section of the Scriptures that I have lived by for a good part of my life. But first let’s look at what Paul tells the Colossians about the right behavior of Christian households.
For any man who has used these or other Scriptures as a means to control his wife, wrongly believing he can treat her any way he likes because she has an obligation to submit, he has not only misunderstood the Scriptures, but he has completely taken God’s Word out of context .
In studying Theology we were often warned against proof texting. In other words, it is our responsibility to read the Bible in such a way that informs our beliefs rather than picking verses that prove what we already regard as true. We can be sure of two things: the Bible is the best source to prove the Bible, and if Scripture goes against the character of God, then we have incorrectly interpreted the meaning.
There is a hierarchy in Heaven and on earth, and for there to be any harmony we must act according to God’s plans. Submission does not mean that God regards women as less than men. Instead, we are to give one another a sacrificial love.
Children, be obedient to your parents because God says obedience is better than sacrifice. Fathers, treat your wives and your children with love and with care because that is the will of God
And finally, verses 23 and 24 instructs us to work in whatever we do as unto the Lord. That means whether I am a worker at McDonalds or an executive at an Insurance Company (or a Pastor), it is our privilege and our duty to work for God.
May we follow God’s Holy Word in all we say and do for this is God’s plan.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Seeking Holiness 