Learning to Love More People, More
LISA HARPER
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness—we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins—past, present, and future—was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin’s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ’s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son’s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price—the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes—flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that—in the proper context—the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best.
Peace with God
Romans 5:1-2
One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: “If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?†Her answer was immediate. “I want to feel at peace.†She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoil resulted.
Many in our world are like this young woman, in that they desire inner calmness but have no relationship with the Lord. People often seek contentment by trying to improve their appearance, physical fitness, financial situation, or social status—or by abusing substances. But such things can’t bring tranquility of heart or mind. Only a relationship with Jesus leads to true peace.
Prior to salvation, we were slaves to sin and living in opposition to God (Col. 1:21). Our transgressions had formed a barrier of hostility between Him and us, which we were helpless to cross on our own. Without God’s intervention, we could not have found the way of peace. But our heavenly Father provided the perfect solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son to pay for our iniquities and remove the separation that existed between us and Him.
When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, we were reconciled to the Lord (Rom. 5:10) and no longer at odds with Him. In Christ, we have peace with the Father.
Our triune God has provided everything we need for inner tranquility. The Father opened the way for us to be in His family. Jesus continually offers His peace so we can experience serenity of mind and heart (John 14:27). And the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives (Gal. 5:22).
A Marvelous Thing
“The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.†(John 9:30)
A “marvelous thing†in the Bible is something that generates awe or wonder. Sometimes it refers to a miracle, but more often to something very unexpected and remarkable.
But the most marvelous thing of all is that unbelievers still persist in their unbelief. In our text passage the Lord Jesus Christ had just performed one of His most amazing miracles of creation—making perfect eyes for a man with no eyes, blind from birth. As the man testified to the frustrated Pharisees: “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind†(John 9:32). Yet these religious intellectuals, so opinionated in their prejudices, refused to believe what they saw and heard. Similarly, “when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things [i.e., ‘marvelous things’] that he did, . . . they were sore displeased†(Matthew 21:15).
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. One of the saddest verses in the Bible is John 1:10: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.†And, “he came unto his own, and his own received him not†(v. 11). Even when He raised Lazarus from the dead, “the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus†(John 12:10-11).
Modern “intellectuals†are still the same, rejecting the overwhelming testimony of the created complexity in the cosmos to the fact of a personal Creator in favor of an impossible scenario of chance origin. “Herein is a marvelous thing!†Such people “willingly are ignorant†and “without excuse†(2 Peter 3:5; Romans 1:20). HMM
A Resting Place
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.†(Titus 3:5-6)
Certainly one of the most precious doctrines of all Scripture is that reflected in our text. Our salvation depends not on our own “works of righteousness,†but upon His mercy and grace, given us freely through the atoning work of Jesus Christ our Savior.
The grand old hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place†reflects this theme. Let us use its four verses and chorus to focus our study as well as our hearts these next four days.
My faith has found a resting place, Not in device nor creed;
I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
Nothing we could do (i.e., device) or nothing we or our church could believe (i.e., creed) can provide a resting place for our faith. “For we which have believed [i.e., faith, same Greek word] do enter into rest. . . . For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works . . .†(Hebrews 4:3, 10). The only work which counts for anything is that which the ever-living One accomplished when He died on the cross. “Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes [i.e., wounds] ye were healed†(1 Peter 2:24). It is not so much our physical health in view here, but the healing of our sin-sick souls.
Since “Christ died for our sins†(1 Corinthians 15:3), there is no more penalty to be paid. Since He rose from the dead, He conquered both sin and its power, and our faith can rest. JDM
Click here for the sheet music for this hymn.
Enough for Me
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.†(Romans 3:24-25)
Jesus has done all that is necessary to bring us into right standing with a holy God, if we but believe and accept His free gift of salvation. Jesus saves! It is enough! “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace†(Ephesians 1:7). The second verse of the hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place†further explains this.
Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
Jesus, who loved us, said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out†(John 6:37). There is no fear here, for “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear†(1 John 4:18). Nor should there be any doubt in Him or His intentions, “in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him†(Ephesians 3:12). Furthermore, “being confident . . . that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ†(Philippians 1:6).
The chorus of the hymn likewise presents a thrilling truth. It paints a picture of a courtroom and the interrogation of a defendant. When asked why one should be forgiven, granted eternal life and entrance into heaven, the argument or legal defense can be given that Jesus has died, and that is enough. No other legal defense or answer need be given. The plea has already been entered, and the court’s findings are guaranteed, “justified freely by his grace.†JDM
LISA HARPER
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
You’ve probably heard the old adage, "you can’t teach an old dog new tricks." Well, I beg to differ. I’ve learned at least one new thing. Every. Single. Day. Of the last year and a half.
Most of the lessons have come courtesy of a joyful 6-year-old Haitian with a wee rambunctious streak named Missy, who officially became my daughter in April 2014 after a tumultuous two-year adoption process.
My little girl has a brave warrior spirit and a predisposition to wiggle gleefully in the grocery store and greet bemused shoppers with the invitation, "Hello ma’am, do chu wanna dance wid my mama and me?" My little girl also has HIV.
She was unwittingly infected by her biological mom who, like far too many people living in impoverished conditions in third world countries, never got tested and died of AIDS without ever realizing she had it.
As a result of Missy’s disease, one of the first new lessons I learned was about loving more people, more. My tutoring session took place in the private non-chain pharmacy we visit monthly that specializes in meds for people with HIV and AIDS. They don’t sell candy, cards, breakfast cereal, toothpaste or Chia pets, just pricey medicine for pretty sick folks. It’s tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building that used to house a low-budget shopping mall.
Of course, at first some of the other customers glanced at us with curiosity. This was probably because — with Missy dressed in a plaid school uniform and a bow bigger than her head, and me wrapped in my whole harried, disheveled look — they assumed we were lost.
Some even hurdle over benign curiosity and jump straight to barely disguised contempt. This aptly describes the man with an angry expression who rode up the elevator with us one visit. He literally averted his gaze and exhaled in protest when Missy blurted out happily, "Hello Sur! How awe you?"
I put my hand protectively on her shoulder and tried to scoot her a few inches away, but this was one time her ardor was not easily redirected. She tugged on his sleeve and persisted with more animation, "I’m Missy Haar-Purr. I’m FIVE! And this is my MAMA Haar-Purr!"
He threw me a look of frustration and exhaled louder. It was all I could do not to grin at his surprised expression when we walked into the pharmacy behind him and the darling employees swarmed Missy like a bevy of favorite aunts.
He seemed startled when they asked her to sing and she responded by belting out the praise chorus of "Your Great Name" followed by an enthusiastic, hip-swiveling encore of "Shake Your Booty." (Missy’s musical repertoire is surprisingly vast.)
A few minutes later, after she’d proclaimed, "I lub ya’ll!" she handed a big sucker to each one of the staff. Then Missy turned to the man, held up her last remaining lollipop, and asked sweetly, "Wood chu like a sucker, Sur?"
His expression softened as he leaned down and replied gently, "Well, yes, honey. I believe I would." My daughter hugged him before bellowing a rather bossy "Goodbye Sur, it was nice to meed you!" At which point he reached over her head and shook my hand.
When our eyes met, we both smiled. I couldn’t speak, because I was too close to tears. But I don’t think we needed any more words. Enough had already been said.
What Thanksgiving does annually for my waistline, Missy has done for my heart. She’s increased my capacity to "be kind and compassionate to one another," which is exactly the kind of effect the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit has on Christ-followers.
Our Heavenly Father’s forgiveness and acceptance causes our hearts to expand far beyond our previous boundaries. As maturing Christians, we’ll scoot past simply being consumers of grace and become carriers of grace, becoming brave enough to embrace people we never noticed before as we seek to act like Christ.
Lord, remind us today that Your grace is available to everyone and that we are all in need of it. Help us live in a way that reflects Your nature to others. We know we can do it only through the empowering of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"Freely you have received; freely give." Matthew 10:8b (NIV)
The hot water rinsed the shampoo down my head and neck as my mom tenderly washed my blood-soaked hair. I had just returned home from the trauma center after being involved in a serious six-car accident just hours before — grateful to be miraculously alive.
It was difficult to comprehend walking away that evening from the emergency room with no broken bones, no visible cuts. MRI and CAT scans showed no brain injury from my scalp gash and being knocked unconscious from the side airbag. Eleven staples in the back of my head and body bruises were my only (yet barely visible) battle wounds.
The inner wounds lingered, though, as I processed the lessons God was trying to teach me.
Loved ones and friends brought daily meals, sent cards, flowers, texts, emails and left sweet phone messages for me. Mom chauffeured me around for a week to doctor’s appointments and errands before I was issued a rental car.
As grateful as I was, I struggled to accept their help. It has always been easier for me to give, to serve, to try to be in control of my situation, my surroundings. This car accident changed my perspective and humbled my heart.
God wanted me to learn this truth about myself: I’m not good at receiving.
As result of that accident, I learned a hard lesson. I learned to ask for help when I need it. And when I did, God taught me the blessing of receiving.
God’s Kingdom is built on the principle of giving and receiving … receiving and giving. At times we need to do both.
Asking for help is often hard, whatever the reason. At Proverbs 31 Ministries, we love to give. We love serving you, and offering God’s Word to a hungry world.
And at times, we struggle to ask for help. But we know that would deny others the blessing of giving. For some, giving is a spiritual gift, as Romans 12:8 shows us (see below).
Our key verse in Matthew 10:8b teaches us that our hands should be open when it comes to giving and receiving help. Jesus was giving specific instructions to His disciples in that passage. The full verse eight says: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
God wired our hearts to give and receive. He gave the Ultimate Gift. He gave sacrificially. He gave from His heart, just as He wants us to give sacrificially and have the grace and humility to receive. How many times have I rejected God’s offer of help to me, thinking I could do life on my own? It was pride.
This incident taught me the hard lesson that I needed to learn to ask for help. I thank God for my car accident and that He spared my life for His purpose. I pray God continues to show me how to give sacrificially and receive with grace and humility.
Lord Jesus, thank You for saving my life. You are my Jehovah Jirah. Forgive me for my pride in struggling to receive. Help me to continue to lavishly give to You, serve others and receive Your blessings. I pray for Your continued favor on the friend reading this devotional and on Proverbs 31 Ministries. Thank You for providing more than enough, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
"One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan." Luke 17:15-16 (NIV)
So, ’tis the season to be thankful. Everywhere you look, people are talking about being thankful, focusing on expressing thankfulness and even posting the reasons they’re thankful on social media every day.
But you know what? Being "thankful" does not automatically mean we are being thank-full. Being thankful for the good things is really just being glad we are benefiting from those good things and appreciating God’s blessings upon us. But being truly thank-full requires looking beyond our blessings, to the One who blesses. It’s about being full of gratitude for Christ, not just being full of thanks for what He has given us or done.
If someone were to ask me today to spontaneously list the things I am thankful for, my list would probably be very similar to yours — food, a home, clothes, family, jobs, transportation, friends, health, etc. Each of these things are huge blessings, and tremendous reasons to be thankful, all of which I am very grateful for.
But I began to wonder: Is appreciating those blessings which I can physically touch or see really creating a solid attitude of thank-full-ness? Do I still feel thank-full when life is hard?
What about when we feel we don’t have anything to be thankful for from this past year? What about those of us who are out of work, lost homes, had children stray from the Lord, had marriages split up or received a challenging health diagnoses? What about those grieving the loss of someone they loved or struggling with infertility?
Maybe you can relate to one or more of those situations or are experiencing a different hardship in life, and if so, maybe the thought crossed your mind that possibly this is just not the year to feel thankful. But Thanksgiving isn’t just about counting our blessings.
Thanksgiving Day originally started with the Pilgrims, a group of believers who in the midst of extreme hardship, loss of loved ones and minimal food and supplies, still believed they were extremely blessed. They chose to celebrate and thank God for His blessings even though life was difficult and their blessings were few.
As I thought about this topic and the Pilgrims' unwavering thankfulness, I recalled the story found in Luke. In Luke 17:11-19, we read a story about a man whose heart was focused on Jesus, not just focused on his blessings. It’s the story of when Jesus had compassion, mercy and grace for ten lepers on the roadside, and healed each one of them … but only one returned to say thank you. Only one healed leper recognized that not only was his body healed, but also his soul. Only one man was so overwhelmed and full of thankfulness, that he took the time to say thanks.
The leper surely still had lots of problems in his life to face, but due to being thank-full, he heard Jesus give him the greatest blessing of all, when He said in Luke 17:19, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
As I read this story, I had to ask myself some hard questions: Am I thankful for what I do have and what Jesus has done in my life, or feeling unthankful or negative about what I don’t have and what I feel Jesus hasn’t done for me yet? I couldn’t help but wonder if my faith was helping me have an attitude of true gratitude in my heart, like the Pilgrims and the healed leper, even though everything in life wasn’t as I wanted it.
There will always be things we may not feel thankful for, but we can still be thank-full by putting a different focus on what thankfulness really is. Let’s open the door for our hearts to be transformed as we focus not on just thanking God for our blessings, but thanking Him for being the One who blesses.
Lord, forgive me for focusing more on the negatives in my life than the positives. Thank You for Your blessing of love, grace, mercy and eternal life. Fill my heart with Your spirit this Thanksgiving so I can be thank-full. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Jesus the Source of Peace
Colossians 1:15-20Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness—we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins—past, present, and future—was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin’s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ’s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son’s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price—the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Resisting Fleshly Appetites
Ephesians 2:1-7
The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead.
After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatever she might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes—flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealed to Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise.
In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sights so that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance.
Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that—in the proper context—the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead. That's how we get His very best.
Peace with God
Romans 5:1-2
One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: “If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?†Her answer was immediate. “I want to feel at peace.†She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoil resulted.
Many in our world are like this young woman, in that they desire inner calmness but have no relationship with the Lord. People often seek contentment by trying to improve their appearance, physical fitness, financial situation, or social status—or by abusing substances. But such things can’t bring tranquility of heart or mind. Only a relationship with Jesus leads to true peace.
Prior to salvation, we were slaves to sin and living in opposition to God (Col. 1:21). Our transgressions had formed a barrier of hostility between Him and us, which we were helpless to cross on our own. Without God’s intervention, we could not have found the way of peace. But our heavenly Father provided the perfect solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son to pay for our iniquities and remove the separation that existed between us and Him.
When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, we were reconciled to the Lord (Rom. 5:10) and no longer at odds with Him. In Christ, we have peace with the Father.
Our triune God has provided everything we need for inner tranquility. The Father opened the way for us to be in His family. Jesus continually offers His peace so we can experience serenity of mind and heart (John 14:27). And the Holy Spirit cultivates the fruit of peace in our lives (Gal. 5:22).
A Marvelous Thing
“The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.†(John 9:30)
A Resting Place
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.†(Titus 3:5-6)
I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
Enough for Me
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.†(Romans 3:24-25)
A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
Leaning on the Word
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. . . . These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.†(1 John 5:11, 13)
Our salvation does not find its basis in an emotional experience of the heart, although our emotional tendencies are God-given and not to be denied. Indeed, the salvation experience may be sweet and memorable, but all sorts of religions, non-religions, and cults have emotional experiences, like the Mormon’s “burning of the bosom.†But experiences alone are subjective and easily misinterpreted. Our faith should be a faith from the heart, and it should be founded on the written Word of God. The third verse of our hymn, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place,†presents this timeless truth.
My heart is leaning on the Word, the written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name, Salvation thru’ His blood.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
The Bible, God’s holy Word, is a book about Jesus and how God, through Jesus, deals with man. Much more could have been written: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name†(John 20:31). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved†(Acts 4:12). We were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot†(1 Peter 1:19).
And this is sufficient! Nothing else needs to be done or said or paid! Christ’s blood is enough! His Word tells us so. JDM
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. . . . These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.†(1 John 5:11, 13)
Salvation by my Savior’s name, Salvation thru’ His blood.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
I Need No Other Argument
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.†(Colossians 1:13-14)
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.†(Colossians 1:13-14)
Each of the four verses of the majestic hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place†repeats the theme that Christ’s blood was shed on our behalf, and it is enough. Nothing else remains to be done. The final verse adds perspective to the other three.
My great Physician heals the sick, The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed, For me His life He gave.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
For me His precious blood He shed, For me His life He gave.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.
Christ was certainly “the great physician,†for He “went about all Galilee, . . . healing all manner of sickness†(Matthew 4:23). But His ministry was not only to the physically ill, for as He said, God “hast sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives†(Luke 4:18). His mission was a deeper one, that of healing the sin-sickness of the soul. “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance†(Mark 2:17). “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost†(Luke 19:10).
As we read in our text, “we have redemption through His blood,†and through His blood alone. As a result, we have “forgiveness of sins,†we are “delivered from the power of darkness,†and we are given a home in “the kingdom of his dear Son.â€
And there we will join in singing “a new song, saying, Thou art worthy . . . for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation†(Revelation 5:9). He has done it all, and He has done it “for meâ€! JDM
The Pilgrims
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.†(1 Peter 1:1)
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.†(1 Peter 1:1)
These “strangers†to whom Peter wrote his two epistles were actually “pilgrims.†He used the same Greek word (parepidemos) in 1 Peter 2:11: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts.†The word means a resident foreigner, and its only other New Testament usage is in Hebrews 11:13, speaking of the ancient patriarchs who “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.â€
We give honor today to the American “pilgrims,†as they called themselves (thinking of these very verses), who left their homelands in order better to serve God in a foreign land. The “pilgrims†to whom Peter was writing likewise had been “scattered abroad†for their faith (note Acts 8:4).
For that matter, every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is really just a pilgrim here on Earth, ambassadors for Christ in a foreign land. “For our conversation is in heaven†(Philippians 3:20). That is, we are citizens of heaven (the Greek word translated “conversation†in this verse is politeuma, meaning “a community†or “citizenshipâ€), and are here only for a time to serve our Lord until He calls us home.
And while we are here, we may endure many trials and sorrows just as did those Massachusetts pilgrims. But He nevertheless supplies our needs—just as He did for them—and we ought to abound in thanksgiving, as they did.
Thus, Christians all over the world have cause for thanksgiving every day. Since we are “enriched in every thing,†through our Savior, this “causeth through us thanksgiving to God†(2 Corinthians 9:11), and we should be “abounding therein with thanksgiving†(Colossians 2:7). HMM
Be The Gift God Created YOU To Be
MICHELE DUDLEY
We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason�even when we don�t understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Gratitude in Affliction
Psalms 119:65-72
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing�such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God�either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
Adam�s Failure, Christ�s Strength
�By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.� (Romans 5:18)
When Adam rebelled against God, he experienced many new things�things which have haunted mankind ever since. All of these things were experienced by Christ in an intense way as He redeemed fallen mankind and the cursed creation.
Adam had never seen or experienced death (Genesis 2:17) until he sinned (3:19, 22). God had ordained nakedness (2:25), but sin distorts everything (3:7, 21). Before sin, Adam and Eve had known only blessing (1:28), but the universal curse followed (3:14-19). They had known joy and fellowship, but now they knew sorrow (3:17) and separation (3:23). They had lived in a garden (2:8), but now the plants would bring forth thorns (3:18). Prior to sin they had been assigned work to do (2:15), but now they would sweat (3:19) as they toiled. The angel�s weapon kept them from returning to the Garden (3:24) and outside violence reigned (4:8, 23; 6:13). Childbearing originally was created to be easy and frequent, but now was to be accompanied by sorrow (1:28; 3:16).
Likewise, Christ experienced death on the cross (John 19:30), but by His resurrection He conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). He experienced nakedness (John 19:23; Psalm 22:18); the full thrust of the curse (Galatians 3:13); sorrow (Isaiah 53:3); and separation from God (Matthew 27:46). Cruel thorns were placed on His head (John 19:2), and He sweat great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). The soldier�s weapon pierced Him (John 19:34), finally ending a series of violent acts (Luke 22:63; Matthew 27:26, 29-30; Isaiah 52:14; etc.). But through His suffering He overcame the curse and redeemed His fallen creation. As a result, many children have been brought forth (Hebrews 2:9-10), reborn into a glorious state through His suffering. JDM
MICHELE DUDLEY
"A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other" 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)
When I cleaned out my messy closet recently, I found a beautiful gift a friend had given me many months ago.
I remember when she gave me the gift � I was thrilled! It made me feel so special and loved that she purchased it with me in mind.
Yet somehow in the busyness of life, the gift became buried underneath "stuff," hidden and unused. I can�t imagine how disappointed my friend would be if she knew I hadn�t continued to treasure it.
It made me pause and think about the gifts that the Ultimate Gift Giver has given each of us � and whether or not we�re using them.
1 Corinthians 12:7 says, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other" (NLT).
I envision God, with His infinite creativity, pouring over each of us as He formed us, selecting unique abilities and spiritual gifts to prepare us for the work that He has called us to do (Ephesians 2:10). And not for our own good, but for His good and the good of His people.
It�s our job to steward these gifts. We must prayerfully consider what they are and how we can use them to serve a world in desperate need � this is our purpose, our calling.
At Fashion & Compassion, I work with women who are overcoming exploitation, addiction, war/conflict, domestic abuse and incarceration in the U.S. and around the world. Because of their life circumstances, many of these women have never considered God�s purpose for their life.
For example, Carrie came to us three years ago, emotionally beaten down after 30 years in an abusive marriage. She was essentially locked in her home � with her seven children � and constantly told she was "stupid" and "useless" by her husband.
When Carrie came to Fashion & Compassion, she was frightened and scarred, afraid she couldn�t do anything right. Through love, encouragement and prayer, Carrie now sees that God gifted her with a HUGE heart of compassion for suffering women and an incredible artistic gift.
As our jewelry project manager, Carrie loves and ministers to women with a genuine empathy, compassion and peace that can only come from the healing and restoration she has received from Christ. She patiently teaches and encourages other vulnerable women to make jewelry, and she uses her God-given creative abilities to develop many of our beautiful designs.
Once Carrie understood who she was in Christ and allowed Him to heal her past, she became free to use her gifts to minister to women in a way that only she can.
So as you shop for special gifts today, remember our key verse and use those gifts to serve one another.
Just imagine what the world would be like if we began to steward the gifts God has given us to serve each other and bring healing to the broken.
And unlike the gift my friend gave me long ago, let�s not keep our unique gifts from God hidden under a mountain of stuff in the closet of our lives. Let�s use our gifts for His glory NOW!
Dear God, Thank You for the sacrificial gift of Your Son � the BEST gift I can ever receive. Keep me mindful of Jesus during these busy days and don�t let the busyness of life keep me from using the gifts You have given me to serve a world in need. In Jesus� Name, Amen.
Remembering God's Blessings
Psalms 9:1-2We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
- Christ�s gift of salvation. No matter what trial we�re facing, it is microscopic next to the enormity of Jesus� sacrifice on our behalf. The cross was a steep price to pay, but the Savior willingly took our place in order to offer us forgiveness and eternal life.
- Assurance of God�s love. The Lord cares for us unconditionally�that is His very character (1 John 4:16). Unfortunately, the storms of life can cause us to question this, but Romans 8:31�39 unequivocally tells us that nothing can separate us from God�s love.
- Answered prayer. We have the awesome privilege of talking to the Father about anything burdening us�and He never grows tired of listening to His children. Our omnipotent, omniscient God is not only able to help us in any situation; He also knows the best possible way to do so.
- A personalized plan. The Lord has a will, plan, and purpose for our lives that He will accomplish if we obey Him. No one is exempt from adversity, but we can trust God to bring good from everything He permits to come our way.
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason�even when we don�t understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Gratitude in Affliction
Psalms 119:65-72
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing�such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God�either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
| The Faithful Creator �Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.� (1 Peter 4:19) |
�By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.� (Romans 5:18)
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY ALL NEW PROPHECY AND CREATION DESIGN WEBSITES. THERE IS A LOT TO SEE AND DO..........
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