Easter Thursday

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

We sang a song in our Good Friday Service, part of which said,

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again, I bless your name
(From: You Are My All In All - © 1991, Shepherd's Heart Music

Jesus did that! Just as Peter said, “[Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” [1 Peter 2:24]. A Hosanna, Amen, Hallelujah, or any Holy Grunt would be appropriate right here. 

Jesus was perfect, obedient to the Father in every way. And because He died, and rose again, God credits each of us with the Lord’s perfection - righteousness - when we put our full confidence in Him. That’s what Paul meant when he wrote, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” [Romans 3:22].

Redemption is a finished work. Jesus accomplished everything the Father sent Him to do. He paid the debt for sins that none of us could afford. The price was His own blood, sufficient for the sins of the entire world. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished,” the enormous price for sin was paid in full.

Whenever you are troubled by sin, listen to Jesus, “It is finished.”

When “Satan tempts me to despair,” the Savior cries out, “It is finished.”

When you “walk through the valley of death,” hear to His tender voice, “It is finished.”

I know it’s not Easter Sunday, but Easter continues because “Jesus died and rose again!”

He is risen. Indeed! 

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Easter Wednesday

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

After reading the Easter story for the umpteenth time, I was struck by the fact that Peter ran to the tomb when he was told that Jesus was alive. Why did he run? Other disciples heard the same report, yet besides Peter, John was the only other disciple to run and, as far as we know, enter the tomb [John 20:3].

Why did Peter run? Was it his personality? He was the first to react to a lot of things when he and the Lord were together. Like the time he jumped ship to get to Jesus on the water. Or when he saw Jesus transfigured, he said, “Let’s build a shrine!” Was he merely reacting? Or was there something gnawing at his heart?

Could it be his reaction to a servant girl who accused him of being one of the Christ followers, “I don’t know Him,” and with a curse to boot [Luke 22:57]? Maybe he desperately longed for forgiveness, peace to his tortured soul [Matthew 11:28-30].

How do you deal with sin in your life? The right answer is, follow Peter’s example and run to the empty tomb! Never downplay sin in your life. Don’t pretend like you don’t have any. Don’t brush it off or blame it on someone else.

The empty tomb reveals what alone truly removes our guilt and sin. Our Savior has risen. The resurrection is God’s verdict that the wages of sin have been paid in full. Your sins? Yes! My sins? Yes? All of them? Yes, a thousand times, YES! “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” [Romans 4:25]. That is the Good News that truly drives out guilt.

Run to the empty tomb. Believe. He is risen, indeed. Forgiveness is not just an Easter Sunday thing. That’s an Easter is an everyday thing!

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Luke 24:12

Easter Tuesday

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

What is of first importance in your life? Pastor Rick Warren has said that you can tell what is most important to a person by looking at their checkbook and their calendar. In other words, you can tell what takes first place in your your life by what do and where you spend your money.

God showed what was most important to Him. He sent Jesus to die in our place. Paul said it beautifully, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” [Romans 5:8]. Furthermore, in raising Jesus from the dead, God demonstrated once and for all that our salvation was His top priority. 

Dear Christ follower, there is nothing greater than the saving work of Jesus. And Easter gives us the grand opportunity to refocus and to thank God for what is most important. That’s why Easter should be more than just a once-a-year event. 

Because we are moved and motivated by what Christ accomplished on Calvary’s cross, let’s give Him the best of our time, talents, and treasures. There’s a bridge in the Hillsong United song, Mighty to Save, that says:

Shine your light and let the whole world see, 

We’re singing for the glory of the risen King!

© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing

Let Easter continue. Let Christ’s saving work in you be a light for the entire world to see!

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, the He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Easter Monday

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Don’t be fooled by the title of today’s eDevotion. I’m not suggesting that Christians have celebrated Easter on the wrong day for centuries. I’m merely pointing out that Easter isn’t over because it isn’t “Easter Sunday!”

On one of my trips to Israel, I remember standing outside Gordon’s Calvary and the Garden Tomb. Many people think it is the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. As I moved toward the door of the cave that morning, I read the words on a wooden sign at the entrance: “He is not here, He is risen.” The wonder of that statement brought me to my knees as it has millions of people since the original Easter morning. The wonder of the resurrection seemed to flood over my soul. 

“He is not here; for He has risen, just as He said,” the angels told the women that morning [Matthew 28:6]. That marked an event unparalleled in history. Let it sink in for just a moment. Nothing that happened to Jesus came as a surprise, especially His death and resurrection - they happened “just as He said.” Yet His followers didn’t remember or understand what He said. 

Death came so suddenly, so violently, so real. But in the space of three days, everything changed! The women, the disciples, and others were awe struck as they encountered the resurrected Jesus face to face. As you can imagine, it didn’t take long for word to get around. From the get-go, they started telling everyone about it. It’s as though they went around shouting the Good News; He is Risen. Indeed!

Can we do any less? 

He is risen… the sacrifice accepted.

He is risen… the price of sin has been paid in full.

He is risen… righteousness has replaced wrath.

He is risen… new life begins.

So it’s Easter Monday, then Easter Tuesday… the day doesn’t matter. We are Easter people! As Christ followers, we live with the on-going power of the resurrection. Let the wonder of Easter cause you to worship Him, and compel you to tell others!

Then go quickly and tell His disciples, “He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there. Listen, I have told you.” … Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.” … Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 20:7, 10, 19-20

Maundy Thursday

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Today is Thursday of the Passion Week of Christ. It’s the day that Christ followers remember the Last Supper, the Lord’s final meal with His disciples. On the liturgical calendar, it’s known as Maundy Thursday. If you’re not familiar with the word Maundy, it is from the Latin mandatum or mendicare meaning, Washing of the Feet. 

When we read the account in the Gospel record, we are seeing a parable of sorts. It a living parable of service; Jesus removed His outer garment, got a bowl of water and a towel, then washed the disciples’ feet. He washed every foot at the table, including those of Judas, who would shortly betray Him. 

He then explained the “parable.” It was to demonstrate how they should treat one another. By the way, there was a promise of blessing for obedience to His command [see John 13:17]. By washing the disciples’ feet, especially those of Judas, Jesus displayed His humility.

Later that evening, Jesus took the bread and the cup and, again, served His disciples. They were celebrating the Passover, but now it was being transformed. We call it an ordinance — an authoritative order or decree; a prescribed religious rite. This ordinance looked forward to His impending death, “…do this in remembrance of Me,”He told them [Luke 22:19]. Washing their feet, and giving His body and blood is a grand picture of His sacrificial love.

Let’s do something today. Let’s remember the sacrifice the Lord made for us. He died for our sins and rose again, giving us hope. Not only that, but He left us a living parable to show us how to live sacrificially in service to others.

So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. …  give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.  John 13:14-15,  34-35 

The Snitch

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Nobody likes a snitch, a turncoat, a traitor. But if you are reading about the Passion of Christ, that’s exactly what we run into, most likely on Wednesday of that week. Judas Iscariot is his name. He was a companion of Christ from the beginning of His ministry—a witness to the miraculous. He was one of the Twelve. A close friend. A trusted companion. And for what would have been a few month’s wages, he was the perfect traitor.

For centuries, Christ followers have pondered what some call “Spy Wednesday,” the day Judas stabbed Jesus in the back. And many have tried to rewrite Judas’ reputation, from turncoat to a victim of political manipulation. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? I mean, who would intentionally hand the King of Kings over to the sadistic Romans!

One reason for thinking that way is that the alternative is unthinkable. If a disciple, handpicked by Jesus Himself, could turn his back on The Way, The Truth, and The Life—God incarnate—then we could do the same. Judas’ betrayal exemplifies what we don’t want to think about ourselves—the reality of human depravity. If someone that close to Christ could do what he did, then what keeps us from doing the same?

Well, have I got good news for you! Judas’ tragic fall leads us to a glorious truth: Our security in Christ doesn’t depend on our own strength, but in the almighty power of the Holy Spirit who seals us [Ephesians 1:13-14]. That’s why we cling to the unshakable truth that our Lord keeps us from stumbling [Jude 24], and that NOTHING can separate us from the the love of God [Romans 8:38-39].

A great hymn explodes with this truth…

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it;

Seal it for Thy courts above.

Robert Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” 1757.

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him over.  Matthew 26:14-16

Three Important Words

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

How would you live your life if you knew it would come to a torturous end? Jesus lived with that knowledge. The cross, one of the cruelest deaths imaginable, was the goal of Jesus from the beginning. Born to die — incarnation to atone. Born to die so that we might live. As the Apostle John said, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him [1 John 4:9]. So, I find it interesting that when He fulfilled the purpose of His coming, Jesus summed it up with just three words, “It is finished.”

Those three words are a translation of one common Greek word to describe a finished project. Mission accomplished, so to speak. So what was finished?

Certainly the suffering ended. No more pain and the hand of wicked men. No more sin bearing. No more of being God forsaken. All of that was finished.

So, too, was Satan’s stronghold. It’s over for the wicked one. He’s done. Finished. Toast, we might say today. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage [2:14].

And let’s not forget that our salvation is complete. The price was “Paid in Full.” Finished. All of our sins were transferred to Jesus, and His righteousness was transferred to our account. 

Listen to the Apostle Peter, “He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for righteousness” [1 Peter 2:24].

And listen to the Apostle Paul, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” [2 Corinthians 5:21].

Three important words, It is finished. God’s deliberate, well-thought-out plan of salvation was complete, finished — so rejoice!

When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:30

Glorify His Name (Worship)

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Glorifying (worshipping) the Lord is not an event limited to a Sunday church service. In fact, glory and praise should permeate the believer’s life.

One way we can do that is with our voice. Worship flows from the mouths of Christ followers who focus on God’s attributes. Yes, we glorify, honor, and praise Him for who He is and what He can do. The blessing from that is that the Lord fills our heart and mind with His presence. Why? Because the Lord inhabits the praise of His people [Psalm 22:3].

Another way we worship the Lord, one which is often overlooked, is in serving others. Do you know that’s part of God’s saving grace to you? Paul told the Ephesian Christ followers that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith, for good works:

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them [Ephesians 2:8-10].

Knowing that you are saved, brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, should be all the motivation you need to worship God with your life by voice and by action—in word and deed. 

God is worthy of our worship, isn’t He? So let it rip! As the Psalmist said, let’s praise the Lord at all times. Let’s fill out work places, our schools, our homes, our churches, our recreational activities with glorious praise to God. By the way, when we do that, we also fill  God’s throne room with worship!

I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim the LORD’s greatness with me; let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3

Lean on Me

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Julius Caesar may have been a military genius, a great statesman, and author, but his zoology left a lot to be desired. Here is a description of some animals he saw in a German forest… 

“There are also those which are called elk, the shape of which resembles a goat and whose coat varies in color. Their size somewhat surpasses [the animals mentioned earlier on in the passage], their horns are chopped off, and they have legs without joints–so neither can they lie down for the sake of a rest, and if, by unfortunate happenstance, they are caused to fall over, the poor jointless elk are unable to stand up. The trees are their beds, onto which they lean themselves, and in this reclining position they seek quiescence. When a hunter comes upon the trail of these creatures, he makes it a practice to take all of the trees in the area and either uproot them or cut them just enough so that they are left standing. When the elk lean, out of habit, against the unstable trees, the weight of the elk knocks over the tree which, in due course, kills the elk.” —Excerpt from Julius Caesar’s Commentary on The Gallic Wars, translated by Jacob Glover

Israel’s King Solomon, on the other hand, was a very wise man. He was granted wisdom like no one else. Scripture records, “God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore” [1 Kings 4:29]. The list of his knowledge and understanding is impressive. He was an architect, arbitrator, administration, botanist, composer, herpetologist, ichthyologist, ornithologist, poet, philosopher, preacher, and zoologist according to 1 Kings 4:32-33. It seems there is very little that Solomon was unable to understand or explain. 

That’s why we are stunned when he said we can’t lean solely on our understanding, expecting it to hold us up. When we do that, we’re similar to Caesar’s understanding of elk leaning on a weak tree. In other words, human understanding will inevitably give way. 

We need something stronger to lean on. One songwriter had it right. He said,

What have I to dread

What have I to fear

Leaning on the everlasting arms

Solomon essentially said the same thing. He wrote that we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding, but in all things acknowledge God [Proverbs 3:5-6]. God has infallible answers to life’s most important issues. No matter what situation we may face in life, we can always be confident that we’re on the right path when we’re leaning on the Lord.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

A Lesson about Self-Reliance

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

How do you accurately measure someone? Some have said that you can measure a person by how they treat someone who is inferior to them in position or status. Others postulate you measure a person by how they respond to adversity. Both of these are good, as far as they go, but they, and others like them, are incomplete. That’s because they fail to measure a man to the LORD, the ultimate measure of a person’s character.

There is a common lesson we learn from the Psalms. It has to do with statements about God’s greatness, and how man pales in comparison. Psalm 144 is an example. It begins with a statement about God's steadfast love; that He is a fortress, stronghold, and shield: His readiness to deliver His people; a secure Rock to stand on [1-2]. After reading that, you are led to cry out, “How great is our God!” But we can’t merely say that and move on. When pondering the greatness of God, we must see who we are in comparison. That is what follows. He is great, we are an exhaled breath, here and gone in a moment [3-4]. Now we have a better picture; He is great, we are not, so let go of all arrogance and pride. 

From that we learn what David had already learned: the hope of our salvation does not lie within us, but in God. That’s why he continued by calling on God to be his deliverer, to come in His glory like He did at Sinai [5-8].

Concerning these verses, John Calvin wrote, “We cannot properly estimate the divine goodness, unless we take into consideration what we are as to our condition, as we can only ascribe to God what is due unto him, by acknowledging that his goodness is bestowed upon undeserving creatures.” 

When we remember how great God is and how small we are, self-reliance will be put to death.

LORD, what is man, that You care for him, the son of man, that You think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 144:3-4

Friendship - Iron Sharpener

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

There are friends, and there are friends. That isn’t double talk. We have friends that never offer a critical word about anything we are doing or thinking. Then there are friends who will be honest enough to offer needed criticism to improve our walk with Christ. And we need them. 

The wise Solomon likened the interaction between friends to the sharpening of a tool — iron sharpening iron = friend sharpening friend [Proverbs 27:17]. In Hebrew, the idea is even more expressive: one man sharpens the face of another.  

With today’s gadgetry, sharpening an object is easy-peasy. But in Bible days it was a long process. It took persistent, careful striking of a tool against the sharpener; a process that could take hours. And just as tools in those days were not sharpened by a stroke or two, a friend doesn’t sharpen a friend by a word or two. Instead, we sharpen one another over time with years of friendship and all the ups and downs that come in long-lasting relationships. We need those kind of friends to sharpen our face and encourage us in the work of ministry. 

Do you have a sharpener? Are you sharpening someone? If so, you are truly blessed! If not, be on the lookout. Ask the Lord to bring someone into your life. A “sharp” friend will help you to persist in love toward one another.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17 

God Revealed His Name

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

YHWH — “I AM WHO I AM.” That is God’s self-revelation—His name. 

“I AM WHO I AM” describes a personal being. God is not a force, or magical power, or a genie, He is a person. He is a living God. He stands in stark contrast to lifeless idols. Isaiah said of Him, “I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols” [Isaiah 42:8]. 

Both Old and New Testament writers spoke about the “living God.” 

Psalm 42:2 - My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

Hebrews 10:31 - It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

“I AM WHO I AM” is a declaration about God’s timeless, constant, unchangeable nature. Moses wrote, “Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” [Psalm 90:2].

God is dependable. He doesn’t change. James wrote, “Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning” [1:17].

“I AM WHO I AM” are the same letters in Hebrew from which the word LORD is translated in Scripture. This LORD announced the promise of a Savior to Adam and Eve, and there is an interesting connection with it in the life of Jesus.

One day, Jesus claimed that He was the living God saying that Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing His day. The Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old and You have seen Abraham!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” [John 8:57-58]. 

“I AM WHO I AM” stepped into time to fulfill the promise of a Savior. He suffered and died, yes, and rose from the dead, not only to deliver us from slavery to sin, but also from the evil one—just as He promised.

“I AM WHO I AM” is the living God who is faithful in His saving love for you!

Then Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:13-14

Stay Connected

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

A church body has many spiritual responsibilities. One of the most important of those is to help each other stay on track. Since no one is immune to temptation, we need each other for encouragement and exhortation. There is no “Mind your own business” in God’s family. 

In fact, James explicitly told his readers to go after people who have strayed from the truth. Here is how The MESSAGE paraphrased his words: “If you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back” [James 5:19].

Furthermore, the church body provides godly leaders. Their function is to watch over and care for the saints. Church leaders are often called “shepherds” in Scripture. They are responsible to guard, defend, and care for the spiritual welfare of the “flock” [Acts 20:28-29]. The author of Hebrews put it this way, “Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God” [Hebrews 13:17b NLT, SE].

Stay connected to the body. Satan loves detached believers—isolated from God’s family, and unaccountable to spiritual leaders. Why? Because he knows they are defenseless and powerless against his tactics.

If you give Satan an inch, he’ll take a mile, as the old saying goes. So, don’t let him get a foothold. Stay connected to the church family.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Walk Worthy: Walk in Humility

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

You’ll not see humility on most reality shows. In fact, they seem to gear themselves for the proud, the boastful, the I’m-looking-out-for-number-one participants. Humility isn’t a character trait very much sought after in our culture. That’s why, as Christ followers, we must pursue it at all costs. But be careful, as one saying goes, the minute you think you have it, you’ve lost it.

The Apostle Paul characterized humility as part of our “worthy walk.” Our English word comes from the compound Greek word, tapeinofrosunē. The first part of the word means, low. It was used metaphorically to mean, poor or unimportant. The second part of the word means, to think critically or to judge critically. Put together, it means, to think lowly of yourself.

By the way, this is a particularly “Christian” word. A renowned Greek scholar said, “No Greek writer employed it before the Christian era, and apart from the influence of Christian writers, it was not used later.”  (Richard Trent - Synonyms of the New Testament)

There is nothing new under the sun. Just as in our day, the Greeks and Romans despised the attitude of humility. Then came God in flesh with the greatest demonstration of humility the world has ever known. King, yet born in an animal stall. Master, yet He washed feet, the work of a slave. Sovereign, yet He had no place to lay His head, and when He died, His body lay in a borrowed tomb.

One great example of humility comes from the 1700’s and the Moravian Church (Latin: UNITAS FRATRUM = Unity of the Brethren). The Moravians saw their distinct calling as bringing the Good News of God’s love to the poorest and most despised people of the world. So, in order to reach slaves in the West Indies with the Gospel of Christ, two Moravians became slaves and toiled side by side with others on the plantations. When these two spoke about Christ, the slaves listened and hundreds came to know Christ as Savior and Lord.

What a great illustration of what Christ has done for us. Paul wrote, “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross” [Philippians 2:5-8 HCSB].

Christ demonstrated humility by becoming a man and living as a servant.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5b

Guidance and Power; Take a Walk with the Holy Spirit

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I love the biblical expression “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” He is one of the most precious gifts given to the children of God. He lives in us at the moment we put our full confidence in Jesus, and empowers us to overcome sin and live for God’s purposes. Unfortunately, He is often ignored by Christ followers. Only those who choose to walk with Him have unhindered access to His strength and guidance. 

“To walk” in the Spirit denotes a lifestyle of reliance on Him. He leads, we follow. He speaks, we listen. He warns, we obey. Consistently walking that way may be difficult, but it leads to fullness of life. 

Not only does the Holy Spirit guide us, but He also empowers us. In Him we find all we need for godly living as He produces His amazing fruit in us [the “Fruit of the Spirit” - Galatians 5:22-23].

Take a walk with the Holy Spirit today. Get to know Him and His voice. Spend time with Him in prayer and the Word. When your mind is not occupied with your duties at work or school, think of Him. Instead of spending your usual amount of time on gadgetry or entertainment, ask Him to guide you and then look, expectantly, for His leading. And when He gives you direction, obey immediately—not relying on your strength, but His power!

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25 - New Living Translation

Bought with a Price

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s Instagram read, “My new car. Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita Supercar.” He of course included a picture and mentioned that his new car was for the “super rich.” Only three of these cars are available worldwide. Are you ready for the price tag? $4.8 million dollars! Could you imagine how you would treat a car worth nearly $5 million dollars?

On my trips to Israel, I never fail to go to the Temple Mount and remember the remodeled Temple of Herod the Great. He used enormous amounts of gold and silver for the project and made what ancient Rabbis called, the most magnificent structure ever built. It’s impossible to know how much it cost to build it, but some have estimated it to be in the tens of millions of dollars. That’s a ton of money two thousand years ago! 

Have you ever thought that you live in something more valuable than a Trevita or Temple? That’s right, your body is worth more than Mayweather’s car or Herod’s Temple. You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, which has been poured out in you. What’s more, Jesus shed His precious blood at Calvary, willingly giving His body over to death, so that we might be cleansed from our sins and made His very own children. 

At such a price, how should we use our bodies? Certainly not to serve ourselves, but to honor the Lord. You were bought with a price - a very high price, I might add - therefore, honor God with your body. Use your body, which the Lord has purchased and forgiven, to serve Him each and every day, and in every way!

Don’t up realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:10-20

Boast in the Cross

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Nobody likes a bragger, a boaster. Boasting is self-centered. My computer’s dictionary defines boasting as, to talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities. It shows that we think we’re better than others. When we boast, we’re obsessed with ourselves and our accomplishments. But we all do it. Parents boast about their kids. Athletes boast about their awards. Students boast about their grades. And we don’t just boast with our words. Nowadays, we use bumper stickers too! 

The Apostle Paul boasted too. But his was an unusual kind of boasting. He boasted in something completely outside himself—the cross of Christ. In his mind, the cross was his only real reason to boast. Only the cross could give him eternal life.

If you are searching for something to boast about, be like Paul and boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It marked the new beginning for you and God. It’s where your sins were put to death. It’s where your salvation and forgiveness were secured. It marked a new direction for your life; new pleasures, new passions, new pursuits—a life lived for God.

When we boast in the cross and what Jesus accomplished there, we are more prone to stay near the cross. 

The great songwriter, Fanny Crosby, wrote…

Jesus keep me near the cross,

There a precious fountain;

Free to all, a healing stream, 

Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain

But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14