Devotional Archives - Page 27 of 47

Daily Devotional-November 27th

November 27, 2020

The title of the book in the Old Testament we refer to as Ecclesiastes comes from the Septuagint (LXX) which uses the Greek word ekklesiastes. The word means “preacher” and refers to the one who gathers an assembly of people and speaks to them. Solomon is accepted as the author of Ecclesiastes by most scholars. In the first verse he refers to himself as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Additionally, he says he is, “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (1:12), and “besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge.” (12:9). Solomon was known as the son of King David (1 Kings 3), the third king over the united kingdom of Israel, and for unmatched wisdom in the land (1:16). The book can be dated around 930 B.C. because it was most likely composed in Solomon’s latter years.

Even though Solomon did not initially ask for long life, wealth, or the death of his enemies, but for wisdom to govern the people of Israel, God granted both. However, even though he knew better, he acted foolishly by taking many wives and worshipping other gods. He became selfish and apathetic towards God. Ecclesiastes is autobiographical as the old king reflects on his many foolish decisions and empty pursuits. He concludes that life without God and the pursuit of pleasure is all “vanity.” He warns subsequent generations to avoid the same mistakes he made and that a life lived without God is futile and meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

²a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

⁹What gain has the worker from his toil? ¹⁰I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹¹He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹²I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; ¹³also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

¹⁴I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.

From Dust to Dust

¹⁶Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. ¹⁷I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. ¹⁸I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. ¹⁹For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. ²⁰All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. ²¹Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? ²²So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Reflection:

God is in charge of time and life for every person. There are times in everyone’s life when priorities and blessings come and go. However, any pursuits apart from God are ultimately in vain. Can you think of times in your life when priorities, hopes, and dreams changed?
Everything God has created is beautiful and fully appreciated in the proper time. God has put “eternity in” the hearts of people. Can you recall the time before you placed your trust in Christ? Can you remember that sense of need for God (v. 11)?
According to Solomon, what is a gift from God (v. 13)?
Solomon acknowledges God’s greatness and that he is in control of everything and his will is perfect. Does God’s greatness cause you to have a sense of awe and worship of him?
God will judge righteousness and wickedness and will evaluate the purpose of every work (v. 17)? What thoughts come to your mind about the day God will judge every person?
Even though the bodies of every living creature will come to the same end—dust to dust (v. 20). But mankind has a unique relationship with God because we are created in his image (v. 21).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know that you hold this world and the times and seasons in your hands. You have put eternity within the hearts of every human, but not all seek you. We were made to worship but many worship something other than you. I thank you for revealing yourself to me so that I could be saved. Help me to share your truth and love so that others will seek you. I know that without faith it is impossible to please you, but that you reward those who seek you with their whole heart (Hebrews 11:6). In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 26th

November 26, 2020

Ecclesiastes 2

The Vanity of Self-Indulgence

1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. ²I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” ³I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. ⁴I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. ⁵I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ⁶I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. ⁷I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. ⁸I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.

⁹So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. ¹¹Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

The Vanity of Living Wisely

¹²So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. ¹³Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. ¹⁴The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. ¹⁵Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. ¹⁶For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! ¹⁷So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

The Vanity of Toil

¹⁸I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, ¹⁹and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, ²¹because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²²What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? ²³For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.

²⁴There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, ²⁵for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Reflection:

In this chapter, Solomon gives the account of his venture in self-indulgence. Pay special attention to all he listed that he made, indulged in, and acquired. It seems he did not deny himself of any pleasure found in life (v. 10). What was his conclusion (v. 11)? Have you ever pursued something with all your heart only to find it left you empty inside?
What did Solomon turn to next (v. 12)? What do you believe Solomon meant by the same thing that happens to a fool would also happen to him (v. 15)?
What was Solomon’s conclusion of pursuing wisdom without God (v. 17)?
Who ultimately brings enjoyment in life (vv. 24-26)?
Do you find your true joy and contentment in the Lord?
On this day of Thanksgiving, take time to thank the Lord not only for the many blessings he has given you but for the greatest gift of all—the gift of salvation.
“It [salvation] is unimpressive to the material mind, but in the end it will be seen by all for what it is—priceless beauty and awesome privilege. Everyone—believer and unbeliever—will gaze at the gift of salvation and say, ‘That’s what my heart really desired all along.’” – Chris Tiegreen

Prayer: Lord, help me to pursue you with my whole heart today. Help me to seek you and your kingdom first and foremost in my life, knowing that all of the other things I need, or desire will come in the proper time (Matthew 6:33). I thank you for every blessing you have given me! Help me to walk with you by the Sprit today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 25th

November 25, 2020

Ecclesiastes 1

All Is Vanity

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

²Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
    vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
³What does man gain by all the toil
    at which he toils under the sun?
⁴A generation goes, and a generation comes,
    but the earth remains forever.
⁵The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
    and hastens to the place where it rises.
⁶The wind blows to the south
    and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
    and on its circuits the wind returns.
⁷All streams run to the sea,
    but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
    there they flow again.
⁸All things are full of weariness;
    a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
    nor the ear filled with hearing.
⁹What has been is what will be,
    and what has been done is what will be done,
    and there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰Is there a thing of which it is said,
    “See, this is new”?
It has been already
    in the ages before us.
¹¹There is no remembrance of former things,
    nor will there be any remembrance
of later things yet to be
    among those who come after.

The Vanity of Wisdom

¹²I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. ¹⁴I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁵What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.

¹⁶I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

¹⁸For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Reflection:

Solomon seems to begin from a very negative viewpoint by essentially asking, “What good is all of a man’s efforts?” When he considers the vastness of God’s creation and how it carries on from generation to generation, it seems that any one man’s contribution is ultimately brief and pointless. Do you view your life as pointless and without meaning? Recall the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:28-30 which says, ““So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
What did Solomon mean by “there is nothing new under the sun.” (v. 9)?
Despite his great wealth and influence, Solomon betrays a restlessness in life by saying that he applied his heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. Would you say that you are more content or restless in life?
Take a moment to meditate on the words of Proverb 19:23, “The fear of the Lord leads to life and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I learn much from the life of Solomon and heed the warnings of your word. Don’t let me pursue anything in life without you. You give meaning and purpose to life and you created me to pursue you. I seek your wisdom Lord, that is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 24th

November 24, 2020

The epistle to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul to the church in the capital city of Rome. The date of the letter was most likely around 56 A.D., near the end of Paul’s third missionary journey, while he was in Corinth. Paul had wanted to visit the believers in Rome for some time, however, he had not yet had the chance to do so. The letter afforded Paul the opportunity to introduce himself to the church, and to instruct them in essential truths of the gospel.

The church in Rome was probably founded by those who had come to faith in Christ on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. Unlike many of the other churches that Paul wrote to, his aim was not primarily to correct wrong theology or sinful living on the part of the Roman Christians, but to further instruct the church in doctrinal truths and practical living in light of those truths.

The principal theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans is that God justifies guilty, helpless sinners by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. He dispels any notion that heaven and a relationship with God can be achieved through good works. Generally, the first eleven chapters of Romans are primarily theological while chapters 12-16 are more about practical Christian living and life in the church.

While the letter does contain some challenging passages that believers have debated, Paul addresses issues such as man’s sin and God’s wrath, justification by faith alone, the security of the believer’s salvation, sanctification, God’s sovereignty, God’s plan for Israel, the purpose of governing authorities, Christian living, and the proper use of one’s liberty in Christ.

It was while studying and teaching the book of Romans that a German Catholic priest, in the early 1500’s, came to understand Romans 1:17 in a brand new light. The words, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” led him to understand justification was by faith alone and not by works. God would so impact Martin Luther with these words that he became a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.

Romans 16

Personal Greetings

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, ²that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

³Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. ⁵Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. ⁶Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. ⁷Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. ⁸Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. ¹⁰Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. ¹¹Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. ¹²Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. ¹³Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. ¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. ¹⁵Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. ¹⁶Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Final Instructions and Greetings

¹⁷I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. ¹⁹For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. ²⁰The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²¹Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

²²I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

²³Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

Doxology

²⁵Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Reflection:

As Paul brings his letter to the Romans to a close, he mentions several people who are servants to Christ and commends them to the church. He encourages them to greet and welcome one another so that there would be harmony and unity within the body of Christ. In what ways do you bring unity and harmony to the body of Christ?
Are you one who reaches out to others and welcomes people, or are you distant and wait for people to reach out to you? Pray for God to give you a heart to welcome others and find ways to encourage other believers in Christ.
What kind of people are we to avoid (v. 17)? What are their true motives?
Are you known for your obedience to Christ?
What are Christians to be wise to and innocent of (v. 19)? What is the difference between being innocent and naïve?
According to Paul, who has the final victory (v. 20)?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for making me a part of the body of Christ! Help me to be an active part of the body, and to never cause division through selfish motives. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to use the spiritual gifts and talents you have given me to serve your church. Use me to minister to others and build them up in their faith in you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 23rd

November 23, 2020

Romans 15

The Example of Christ

1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ²Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ⁴For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

⁸For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, ⁹and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”

¹⁰And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

¹¹And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him.”

¹²And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

¹⁴I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. ¹⁸For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; ²⁰and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, ²¹but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.”

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

²²This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. ²³But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, ²⁴I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. ²⁵At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. ²⁶For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. ²⁷For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. ²⁸When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. ²⁹I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, ³¹that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ³²so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. ³³May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Reflection:

How are Christians to model Christ in their behavior towards others?
Do you think Paul is asking Christians to condone sin?
Why did Jesus come as a servant (vv. 8-9)?
What does Paul want to be abundant in believers’ lives (v. 13)?
What was the only thing Paul took pride in (vv. 17-18)? What is your source of pride in regard to the work of God?
What did Paul say about spiritual and material blessings (v. 27)? Do you value spiritual blessings in your life as much as material blessings? Is there a place for both?

Prayer: Lord, help me to be mindful of others and have genuine concern for their spiritual well-being. Don’t allow me to be self-centered and only thinking of myself. Help me to embrace being a servant to others like you were a servant. Give me insight to know how to pray for people. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 22nd

November 22, 2020

Romans 14

Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. ²One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. ³Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. ⁴Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. ⁸For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

¹⁰Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; ¹¹for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”

¹²So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

¹³Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. ¹⁴I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. ¹⁵For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. ¹⁹So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

²⁰Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. ²¹It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. ²²The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. ²³But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Reflection:

Paul warns believers against being legalistic and judging others who may not be as mature in their faith in Christ. Do you ever struggle with being judgmental of others?
How do you leave room for grace with others?
What would be a real-life example where you could make someone stumble in their spiritual walk?
What is your understanding of Paul saying to not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil (v. 16)?
What does Paul mean by not destroying the work of God (v. 20)?

Prayer: Lord, my desire is to always bring you joy with my life. Help me to never grieve the Holy Spirit, or to be a stumbling block to someone else in their faith. Empower me to live my life with conviction seasoned with grace. Use me to bring encouragement to others in their walk with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 21st

November 21, 2020

Romans 13

Submission to the Authorities

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ²Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ⁶For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

⁸Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

¹¹Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Reflection:

Paul’s words about civil authorities and governments are to be taken generally, because God has allowed them to exist for the good and order of society. However, there are many totalitarian governments and rulers who are oppressive and cruel to their citizens. There are also times when believers are encouraged by God to disobey the rulers if they propose and enforce policies that are diametrically opposed to God. We can think of examples in the bible such at Daniel and his friends who refused to bow down and worship a golden image of the king (Daniel 3), and Peter and the apostles refused to obey when they were told to stop teaching and preaching about Jesus (Acts 5:29). Those of us who are blessed to live in a democratic form of government should be grateful and responsible to participate in the process of electing officials and supporting laws that benefit the society as a whole and do not oppose God. We must seek God’s wisdom to be responsible citizens.
What does Paul say believers should do to avoid fear of authority?
What service to God do the civil authorities carry out (v. 4)?
What are your thoughts about a Christian’s responsibility to pay the taxes they owe (vv. 6-7)?
In what ways do you fulfill the law through love (vv. 9-10)?

Prayer: Lord, help me to obey the authorities in honor of you, and I pray that you guide them to fulfill your will. Give me wisdom to be subject to the governing authorities without ever compromising my devotion to you. Help me to always walk in truth and integrity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 20th

November 20, 2020

Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Gifts of Grace

³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian

⁹Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Reflection:

In chapter 12, Paul begins to emphasize living out faith in practical ways.
Whatever you do, on any day of the week, presenting yourself to God for his glory, is an act of worship. How does this differ from how we often define “worship?”
What does Paul mean when he says Christians should not think more highly of themselves?
Do you ever struggle with the sin of pride?
What do verses 4-8 have to say about spiritual gifts and your part in the body of Christ?
List the characteristics of Christian living in verses 9-12.
Do you ever struggle with forgiving those who have hurt you (v. 14)? What course of action does Paul urge in verses 17-19?
How are we to combat evil (vv. 20-21)?

Prayer: Lord, help me to give myself to you every day as an act of worship. Let my attitudes, wants, and actions glorify you. Help me to forgive when someone has offended me. Help me to be active in returning good and kindness for evil. Continue the work you have begun in me for your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 19th

November 19, 2020

Romans 11

The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ²God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ³“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” ⁴But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ⁶But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

⁷What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, ⁸as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

⁹And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
¹⁰let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

¹¹So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. ¹²Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

¹³Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. ¹⁵For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? ¹⁶If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, ¹⁸do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. ¹⁹Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. ²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ²²Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. ²³And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation

²⁵Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
²⁷“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

²⁸As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³²For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

³³Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

³⁴“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
³⁵“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Reflection:

Has God rejected his people Israel (vv. 1-2)? Paul tells us that God has not rejected Israel at first, but then he says that their reconciliation was a means of reconciling the world (v. 15). What does Paul mean by “rejection?”
Reflect on the various ways God has worked through the Jewish people down through the ages to open the blessings of the promise to the Gentiles.
If Gentiles are the branches grafted into the nourishing root, what attitude should Gentiles never have towards the Jewish people (v. 18)?
God has not rejected the Jewish people by forbidding them from participating in the promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ the Messiah. However, it means that they must place their faith in Jesus the same way everyone else in the world must do. There will be a special move of God some day in the future when the Jewish people will turn to faith in Jesus in great numbers (vv. 26).

Prayer: I praise you Lord for your wonderful plans and how you bring about your will in this world. Thank you for your beautiful plan of redemption to bring the Messiah from the Jewish people as the savior of the world. Thank you for making yourself known to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Devotional

Daily Devotional-November 18th

November 18, 2020

Romans 10

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. ²For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

The Message of Salvation to All

⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? ¹⁵And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” ¹⁷So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

¹⁸But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁹But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

²⁰Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

²¹But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Reflection:

Paul longs for them (Israel) to be saved (v. 1). His heart breaks that they are so zealous for God, and yet their zeal comes of nothing because it is not based on the knowledge of the righteousness of God. In our context, many people in our world can be very committed and sincere in their religion. However, if their religion is not based on faith alone in Jesus Christ, but a righteousness based on works, then they too are zealous for not. They are in the same situation as Israel was (and is) when Paul longed for them to be saved. If you are no longer ignorant of the “righteousness of God” (v. 3), thank the Lord right now for bringing you to faith in him.
Is Jesus Christ the answer for both Jews and Gentiles (v. 4)?
If someone endeavors to acquire a righteousness by keeping the commandments, then they must keep them perfectly in order to achieve some measure of righteousness and life (v. 5). But is anyone able to perfectly keep the law? Consider what Paul said earlier in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
There is no separate path of salvation for Jews. Jews and Gentiles alike must believe and place their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation (vv. 11-13).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that you will cause an awakening to righteous faith among the Jewish people. I pray that they may understand that saving faith is found only in Jesus. I pray for non-Jewish people to have that same awakening and understanding. Use me to announce the good news of the gospel to those who are without faith in Jesus. Give me courage and the will to do so. I confess that faith comes from hearing the gospel and hearing the gospel through the word of Jesus Christ (v. 17). In Jesus’ name, amen.