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Day 79: 1 Peter 4-5 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 1 Peter 4-5 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

We are certainly living in a day and age where there is plenty of worry. I am grateful for the word we find here near the end of 1 Peter that reminds us to cast all our cares on the LORD (5:7). Sometimes we hold on to our burdens, worries, and anxieties and that is not good for us. Like bread rising in the oven our anxiety multiplies and compounds upon itself and before we know it we are overcome. We need a place to go. What grace that we can take our burdens to the Lord.

We can take our burdens to the Lord because he cares for us. I am amazed that the sovereign LORD, creator God would condescend to care for us. I am well aware of the abundant love and mercy that is available from his pouring our. Caring for us means that he is actively at work in our lives providing the things we need. We can cast our anxieties on the LORD, because he is able to take our anxieties and fears. He meets us at the point of our greatest need!

The only problem is that I like to hold on to my anxieties for too long. Like holding on to a matchstick while it is burning down. We know that we should let go sooner rather than later, but still we wait until we are burnt to let them go. We shouldn’t let our anxieties consume us before we give them to the Lord. We should give them right away. We should “cast” them on the LORD. That is we fling them and let go, letting them fly into the LORD’s hands. He’s got them, he can be trusted. We just have to humble ourselves and let go of our pride and trust him.

FATHER, We thank you for your grace. We are grateful that you care for us. We rejoice to know that we can cast all our cares on you. We pray that you would give us humility to do just that. I pray that we would trust you in every moment of life. When anxiety rises in our hearts, remind us of this promise that we might be quick to remember and quick to cast our cares on you. Thank you for the immeasurable grace of leading your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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Day 72: Hebrews 1-2 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from Hebrews 1-2 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

The first recipients of the book of Hebrews were likely members of a house church made up of Jewish converts to Christianity (hence the name Hebrews). They were facing persecution (I have another article about that here) and were now being tempted to leave behind their faith in Christ to re-embrace Judaism, where the persecution wouldn’t be so severe.

The theme of Hebrews could easily be understood as “Jesus is better.” The Author relates how God has spoken throughout history but ultimately and fully revealed himself in Jesus (1:1-3). He is even superior to things like angels (1:4), which would have been highly revered in Jewish culture and tradition.

The first several chapters start out with a strong and compelling charge to keep the faith and remind the readers that there is nothing to go back too, in Judaism. In chapter two the author challenges the readers to pay close attention to what they have heard about Jesus so they don’t drift.

Drifting away from the truth is easy. It doesn’t require diligence, effort, or work. It just happens by neglect. If something is valuable we don’t neglect it. We pay attention to it. We are therefore, to pay attention to our faith.

The lack of attention to the scriptures can soften the effect of the gospel upon your life. You will generalize, moralize, and rationalize your thoughts on scripture until you pull the punches that are present in the gospel.  The writer here is challenging us to examine the truth. To go back to the genuine article and make sure that we do not drift from the truth.

FATHER, thank you for Jesus. We are grateful that he is far better than anything we could think or imagine. We rejoice in the power of the gospel to transform our lives and give us hope in you. We pray that we wouldn’t drift, but that we would be anchored to your truth. Hold us fast as we hold fast you you. Thank you for the calling if leading your people to faith in you. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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Day 66: 2 Thessalonians (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Paul generally begins his letters with prayer as he does here in 2 Thessalonians. What seems to be different here is that he says, “we are ‘bound’ to thank God for you” (1:3, 2:13). The word bound would mean obligated. Paul felt a debt to the Thessalonians for how well they had received the gospel and endured under persecution (1:4).

Paul jumps right in to draw the line about the coming of God’s final judgement and glory. It seems as though that after Paul had left, someone had come in the church and was sewing seeds of discord about the return of Christ, claiming that he had already come back and they had missed it (2:1-3).  Paul sets the record straight and reminds them to go back to the sound doctrine (traditions) they had received from him in person or via his other letter written to them (2:15).

Paul wraps up this short epistle with a request for prayer and warning against idleness.  If Paul needed the prayer of the churches, we all need prayer.  There were some who were content to eat the bread from other’s labor, but Paul admonished them that each one is to work and eat their own bread (3:12). He reminds his readers that they are to not grow weary of doing good (3:13).

I imagine that growing weary in doing good is all in your perspective. If you see the good that God has called you too as an obligation, I see how it could become wearisome. However, if we see the opportunity to do good to others as a  gift, we will look for it more often and with zeal.

FATHER, We give thanks to you for your church. We are bound to give thanks for all the ways you have worked in the church and used the church in our own lives. We thank you for each and every gift. We rejoice in the encouragement we have drawn from one another. We pray that we would not be lead astray by false doctrine, but that we would cling to your word. Strengthen our hand that we would not be weary in doing good. Let our love for you be evident to all and may it abound. We pray for our church leaders that you would strengthen their hand and that they would glorify you. Thank you for the grace to shepherd your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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Day 55: 2 Corinthians 7-9 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 2 Corinthians 7-9 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

Sometimes sorrow is necessary. Paul had written a stern letter to the Corinthians that had caused them grief. His desire wasn’t to hurt their feelings, but to bring them to a place of repentance. We live in a culture that is increasingly afraid to hurt feelings, but sometimes hurting feelings is necessary for someone to experience genuine, godly sorrow.

There is a difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow (7:10). Worldly sorrow is being sorry you got caught. Maybe you would be glad to do it again if you could guarantee that no one would find out. Godly sorrow is being sorry that you ever did such a thing to begin with. Sorry that your heart would be so opposed to God that you would even have acted that way. Godly sorrow agrees with God about the seriousness of sin and truly grieves over your condition. Godly sorrow is what leads to repentance. You’ll never  find real repentance apart from Godly sorrow.

In Chapters eight and nine, Paul turns his attention to giving and generosity. He shares about the generosity of other churches in the midst of affliction (8:2-3) as well as the model of Christ (8:9). He reminds the Corinthians of two facts concerning our giving to the work of the LORD. He encourages them that, “God loves a cheerful giver” and that our gifts aren’t to be given under grudging circumstances (9:5,7).  We are to give with a joyful attitude. He also reminds the Corinthians that we reap what we sow (9:6,10). Not to say that we get more money because we give more money.

SIDE NOTE: We Reap what we sow is true with all the spiritual disciplines. We gain joyfulness when we give joyfully. We gain knowledge when we study God’s word. We have a deeper understanding of God the more we talk to God in prayer. We get the blessing by being with God’s people that we can’t get when we don’t gather with God’s people. There is always a fruit to doing the right thing spiritually.

FATHER, thank you for godly sorrow that brings about genuine repentance. I pray that we would never shy from speaking your truth in love so that others might experience eternal life in Christ. Thank you for the basic instructions in giving generously that we received from your word today. I pray that we would all be joyful and generous givers because of how Jesus gave to us. Show us how to be diligent in our sowing so that we might be bountiful in our reaping. Thank you for the grace to lead your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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