No Fear
(NRSV) 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Personalized scripture card
*For God has not given you a spirit of fear, Carol, but a spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
Fear-Distressing emotion caused by feelings of impending danger
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If I have any fear, it came from my mother who, because she lost her hearing at age 14, lived her life in fear. Ironically, my mother was also the greatest influencer of my Faith. There were many nights I heard Mama cry out to God, asking Him to watch over her children. But, like Job whose prayers for his children were based on the fear they would offend God, fear was a great motivator for my mother.
Timothy was a young man who Paul met while serving in Ephesus. There were many outside influences on the young church and Paul was instructing his protégé about the beliefs and behaviors to which Timothy should adhere. When we can go through our day filled with hope rather than dread, our outlook not only affects the way we approach our challenges, but also influences others around us.
May we face each day with the assurance that God is more powerful than our problems and His love is greater than any fear.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What Must I Do to be Saved?
Acts 16:26-32 (NIV) 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
Believe and you will be saved. Was there ever a sweeter promise? In the midst of physical pain, Paul and Silas found a way to have a prayer meeting and share the pathway to salvation with nonbelievers. And the jailer, just seconds before taking his own life, found instead eternal life.
We know that we are each under the bondage of original sin until we accept the redemption paid for by Jesus. At first glance, it might appear that Paul is promising the jailer that his personal salvation would be extended to everyone living under his roof. But read further. Verse 32 says, “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.” The gospel was shared with the jailer AND everyone in his house.
Just as we are not responsible for anyone’s sin but our own, we can not effectuate another’s salvation. When we hear the revelation of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, when we know, believe and understand that Jesus was the lamb for sinners slain, then we are reconciled to God the Father. Will a person’s salvation spread through their household? Certainly a life changed by Jesus will be noticed by others, but it is incumbent upon each of us to stand before the judgment.
May the lives we live be a testament to the faith we have in Christ, and may our willingness to love and forgive be an example to all.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Finishing the Work in Me
Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV) 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians, known as the Epistle of Joy, encourages believers to have a joyous optimism, if not in their current circumstances at least in our final outcome.
There are two stories I have shared before but would like to mention again. First, when a grade school friend brought a book of the meaning of names to class, I discovered the name “Carol” means “Song of Joy.” Well, my 10 year old self marched home and announced Mama should never reprimand me for singing at the dinner table again since she is the one who gave me a name that means I should and could sing with joy. Mama replied, “I don’t care what your name means, you’re not going to sing at the table.”
The second story occurred in my late teens when I first read about the fruit of the spirit in Galatians. When I saw the fruits Christians should bear I was dismayed, thinking there was no way I could be a Christ follower because these fruits were not evident in my life. But then I saw the word “joy” and I knew that if I could not exhibit any other fruit I had joy!
Did you realize Paul wrote this letter while he was imprisoned? Paul not only preached that Christians should have joy in good times and bad, but he also modeled that very behavior. My scripture card reads, “being confident of this, Carol, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
May we take joy in knowing that we are not yet fully molded into the people God has designed us to be, but we have the blessed assurance that He will not leave us an unfinished mess.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Honoring God
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
In this scripture, Paul addresses sexual immorality within the church. The Greco/Roman practice saw no harm in sleeping with prostitutes, but Paul warns against sexual sins because they destroy the body, which is the temple of God.
My Scripture card reads, “you are not your own, Carol; you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.” The reminder that God paid the ultimate price for us reflects the seriousness with which God regards any sin within the church. There should be a sanctity within the church of those things that can bring God glory versus those things that shame God.
May we seek after and find the life affirming power found in bringing honor to God through all we do and all we are.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God’s Protection
Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV) Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
I am continuing to go through my personalized Scripture cards, and I am beginning today’s devotional by looking at the NIV translation of Isaiah 43:1-2.
This is, again, one of my favorite scriptures. Isaiah reminds the Hebrews that God redeemed them, bought them back from slavery, and He will be there in the fire, and in the flood; whatever the danger, they are not alone.
When I look at my personalized scripture, it reads, “When you pass through the waters, Carol, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, Carol, you will not be burned. The flames will not set you ablaze.”
We will not always escape life’s difficulties, but we can know, understand, and believe that God is with us whatever the circumstance. How can we be assured that God is always with us? We have His Word that is absolutely filled with His promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us. And, we have the experience of God working in our lives.
May we live with His Word as a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path as we navigate the pitfalls of life. And, may we remember with thankfulness the occasions when we were struck with illness, or perhaps lack of finances, or some other personal tragedy, but God was there.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 