Devotion.al

  • For the Opposition

    Psalm 11, Deuteronomy 32:35, Ezekiel 18:30–32, Matthew 5:43–48

    If you’ve been on social media any amount of time, you might notice that the longer you’re on it, the less you see from those who think differently. Another way to think of it is that the more you interact (click, “like”, just stare at) with a post that makes you angry or feel persecuted, the more posts of exactly that kind you will see. This is the reality of social media that was visibly part of the 2016 presidential campaign and was part of both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns, but we were all just ignorant.

    This is incredibly important to understand and needs to be used to intellectually and emotionally filter any social media or traditional media interaction you have. Why? Because are also experiencing their own confirmation bias, and it might be in tension with yours. The most disturbing part of social media is how it is reinforcing some of the basest tendency…finding an .

    There is no question that we are in a divided nation and an increasingly divided world. The lines are coming more rigid, and the walls between seem to be growing larger. It would be nice to be able to blame social media and the internet. Except that we are the problem.

    In both Psalm 11 and Deuteronomy 32:35, God makes it clear that it is God’s place to punish “the enemy,” yet we often try to take the place of God. God leaves people to their own demise, but we seem to want to hurry them along, often in an attempt to make ourselves feel/look better.
    Ezekiel tells us that God wants repentance and reconciliation. When God leaves us to our own devices (or the result of our actions) it’s not that God wants that result for us. God never desires our or spiritual . Yet, we often are not the first to aid others, retaining our “us versus them” .

    calls us to pray for our enemies. Enemies, though, is a very emotionally laden . A better understanding would be those who are in opposition to us. The opposition could be political, differing faiths, differing denominations, differing ideas of whose grass is greener or has more weeds and crabgrass. Persecution definitely is in regards to beliefs, but, still, we are called to pray for them.

    1) changes people. Have you ever had the experience of praying for a person who “opposed” or “persecuted” you and had your heart changed rather than theirs? Do you think that is , or abnormal? Why?

    2) In the context of Jesus’ words and the first question, why does Jesus direct us to pray for opposers and persecutors?

    3) Which opposer or persecutor will you commit to pray for?

  • The Right Signs

    Deuteronomy 10:12–22, Romans 2:25–29, 1 Corinthians 7:17–24

    Circumcision has long been a of being Jewish. For many years, it was used to identify Jewish males and hold it against them. In Deuteronomy (Moses’ farewell address), Moses speaks of the circumcision of the . Moses defined circumcision as being fully devoted to God. There is a warning here that could easily be ignored, don’t rely on actions being evidence of your with God.

    Paul’s struggle with the Jewish converts is that they often brought “the Law” with them. As Christianity had come through Judaism, there would be many well-meaning believing (non-Jews) who would look to the Jews for wisdom regarding the right steps to take. The Jews would default to the way they were raised, the Law. Adult Gentile converts were looking to be circumcised so that they would be in the right. Paul wanted them to realized that physical circumcision was never the point.

    The same thing that Moses was trying to get through the Israelites heads (and hearts) was the same thing that Paul was still fighting, and trying to prevent the Gentiles from following the same path. He was pretty desperate on behalf of his spiritual children and grandchildren.

    Whether it was Rome or Corinth, the “battle” raged on. Minus slavery, we were called to remain as we were (e.g., if Jewish be Jewish, if Gentile remain Gentile) as when God called us. It was not our blood, our skin, our nationality, our wealth that saved us but God.

    1) The often falls into the same pattern of circumcision. The world does, too. Have you judged ‘ or your based upon tattoos, smoking, drinking, or the lack of them, or something else? How about the nation they came from, or the language they ?

    2) Why do we have to always be on guard against actions rather than ?

    3) Why do we often trust actions rather than faith?

  • Three Essentials

    John 16:12–15, 1 Peter 1:1–12

    The Trinity has long been a struggle. As the began to mature, there were many struggles, discussions, and arguments over what exactly they believed. Out of those many discussions, creeds were formed seeking to unify the church in understanding. Many have tried (and continue to try) to dismiss creeds as “The Victor’s spoils,” meaning that because the creeds were what “won”, they are invalid. The argument being that there wasn’t a consensus, and those that did not agree were tossed out of the church, that the creeds were then just a source of power, control, and bullying. The reality is that the creeds defining the Trinity are essential to understanding who is.

    Jesus himself makes clear that there is definite between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus conveys unified ownership (What is the Father’s is mine; what is mine is the Holy Spirit’s.). There is also the often ignored, but almost essential statement, “…you can’t bear them now.” The Greek implies an inability (i.e., immaturity) to be able to understand what Jesus means.

    Peter’s triune greeting shows us that while there is not an explicit understanding of the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, there is an understanding that the relationship is essential to the church and the faith. Why is this important? Why does it matter? As we in the world, an incomplete understanding can be an issue, and can often lead to doubt or attack. While the Trinity is beyond the scope of a devotional, knowing what you believe, and why you believe it, gives you the firm foundation to walk as a .

    1) When we read Jesus’ words in the light of our , there is a strong mutuality of ownership. How do you see mutuality in your relationships with ? Do you see it in your church relationship?

    2) When it comes to hard-to-understand things in and faith, how do you approach things?

    3) Peter’s words with service. How are you serving others in the faith, whether younger or older?

  • Isle Crossing

    2 Corinthians 5:14–21

    There are many things that are worshipped. Most have supplanted God with something man-made or of origin: science, , , work, . Even the fundamental nature of God——has been corrupted by humanity.

    We are all familiar with 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new ; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” It is often used as an encouraging verse for the new and struggling believer. We are made new in Christ. However, the verse is placed within the context of a larger picture…a larger mission.

    We are to be messengers of and ambassadors for . If we are honest with ourselves, we have been doing the best we can, but it still hasn’t been very good. We—as the church—have put family first in an unhealthy way. It is not that family is unimportant, but that the church family is our family, too, and we often neglect it.

    The church allowed itself to be drawn into politics, and we need to stop. Politics are human, but they are often of greater priority to “Christians” than Jesus. We need to be the ones on the forefront reconciling differences and parties, rather than being on side of the aisle or the other.

    Our world is in desperate need of something different, let us be something different. Let us be new in Christ Jesus.

    1) Have you questioned someone’s or spiritual maturity based upon their political disagreement with you?

    2) Have you done the same if they raise(d) their children differently?

    3) What have you done to help people be to one another as an ambassador of Christ?

  • Treasured

    Psalm 119:161–168, Matthew 13:44–46, 2 Corinthians 4:7–

    Treasure. We all have treasure. For some it is jewels. For it’s art. It could be so many things. For the right treasure, people will up many things, dreams, and even people (which puts into question the “right” treasure).

    Imagine being the person who found the treasure in the field…and left it. That person took a risk that it would still be there. Often the greatest treasure is one that others have walked on by.
    God is like that. God gave up everything, even himself, for his treasure…us.

    When talks about treasure in clay pots (i.e., breakable and fragile), he’s talking about us. Somehow, in spite of our flaws, we are a treasure to God. We all have times in our lives that we question our value. God has no such question.

    1) What does it feel like to be a treasure of God?

    2) Do you think of yourself as a treasure, why or why not?

    3) What does it mean that others are treasures, too, in the eyes of God?

  • Finger-Pointing

    Deuteronomy 1:9–18, John 5:19–30, Romans 1:28–2:9

    We’ve all heard, “if you have one finger pointing out, you have three fingers pointing back.” There is great wisdom in that seeming childish saying. It might be better to say it is child-like. the child-like understanding recognizes the 3-to-1 ratio is important. The adult-like , on the other hand, is more like self-justifying 3 fingers, while still pointing with the 1.

    How do we balance the right judgment as called out in Deuteronomy, yet keep ‘ words in mind? Are we called to judge, or not?

    Deuteronomy was about the outward act, with the intent of , unity, and the community. The was toward a holy relationship with God.

    Have you ever committed, aided, or abetted the following: unrighteousness, , greed, wickedness, envy, murder (remember, Jesus puts calling someone a “fool” in the same category), quarrelling, deceit, malice, gossip, slanderer, God-hater, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventor of evil, disobedience to parents, senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, or unmerciful?

    Now how often have we pointed fingers at for their violation of these, but failed to recognize and for ours?

    Jesus wasn’t calling on us to disregard failures and sins, quite the contrary. He was calling us to to them, to walk beside them, to aid them, to lift them up.

    1) Have you ever publically or privately shamed a person for committing the same or similar act you have done?

    2) When seeing someone do something you know violates God’s (not man’s) ways, how do you approach it? Accusative, encouraging, helping?

    3) There is a tendency to look at others when reading the list of ‘s. However, we find our actions often on this list. How do you look at verse 1:28?

  • Pain and Blessing

    Psalm 86, Ecclesiastes 7:2–5, Matthew 5:3-10

    The world is often full of . In fact, were you to watch the news, it would seem that pain far outweighs anything else in the world. One of the biggest reasons for this is our desire to avoid it. Sounds contradictory. If we look around us, though, often what people pursue is to avoid pain. This could be any kind of pain: hunger, loss, shame, health, pride, .

    This often leads to problems as we try to hide our pain from ourselves and . We also strive to avoid others’ pain, so that we don’t feel a touch of it ourselves.

    Why is it that the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us to go to the house of mourning? Wouldn’t it be better to be in a fun place? In pain, there is often far more honesty (even if it is pain lashing out in anger) than there is where everybody seems to be having a good time, or at least certainly trying to have a good time.

    takes it even to another level and says those in pain are blessed. Blessed? For most people in pain, blessed is often not the first word that comes to mind. However, in pain is often the time a is more open to . This can be the time the is presented with an open door.

    1) Think of many of the major decisions in your life. Were they based partially on pain or pain avoidance?

    2) We often focus on pain. Why is that, when that’s not what we want?

    3) While Jesus isn’t telling us to deliberately and purposefully live a life of pain, what do his blessings tell us is the ?

  • Significance Over Wealth

    Psalm 49, 1 Chronicles 29:16–22, Acts 3:1–16

    Wealth and prosperity have long been a source of strife, envy, pointless striving, overwork, and abandonment of others. In an achievement-driven culture, it became an even greater issue as an “achievement” of wealth is measured against those whose wealth is an astronomical amount (i.e., a person valuated higher than many countries). With the 2007/2008 bust, wealth was replaced by influence and likes (wealth was still significantly important). Then Generation Z comes along, and wealth and likes are important, but significance and satisfaction have started to override the others. Many are saying this is a sign of a “spoiled” and too wealthy generation, and a generation doomed to self-inflicted misery. What if, however, it is instead the greatest of the in the States?

    Without question, each succeeding generation has had a “higher” starting line than the previous generation. Yet, the likelihood that the next generation will “upward” financially is far less likely. This is not as bad a thing as many think it is. Due to this, the next generation is looking at what they can do to make a difference, and feel as if they are leading a of significance, and the difference and significance can be as small as their neighborhood or their job. This generation is also more aware of the impact their lifestyle has on the world around them. Being aware of your impact (both positive and negative) is very healthy.

    Solomon was a wealthy king. His had set a very good solid base financially and militarily. In the beginning, at least, Solomon had a very good understanding of the wealth and success…God had given it, and in and thanks, Israel returned in . Stuff is always God’s, and God gave us the freedom to choose what to do with it.

    Sometimes it isn’t just money and power, it is our bodies. Just like the coming generation, there wasn’t much upward mobility in most of the Jewish context. You were at the place your parents were, and that was the way it was. If your body was broken, you “earned” a living for your family by begging. The man who was healed was one of those.

    It is more than the that the man got (though it was great) or the financial and material state of the United States (though it is significant), it is the words of Peter, “…why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk…,” or Solomon’s “…all this wealth…comes from your hand…your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to you…”

    1) What area of your life do you struggle “giving” to God versus “earning” it?

    2) How do achievement and influence affect your with God? How do you see it affect others’ relationship with God?

Devotion.al

For the Opposition

Psalm 11, Deuteronomy 32:35, Ezekiel 18:30–32, Matthew 5:43–48

If you’ve been on social media any amount of time, you might notice that the longer you’re on it, the less you see from those who think differently. Another way to think of it is that the more you interact (click, “like”, just stare at) with a post that makes you angry or feel persecuted, the more posts of exactly that kind you will see. This is the reality of social media that was visibly part of the 2016 presidential campaign and was part of both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns, but we were all just ignorant.

This is incredibly important to understand and needs to be used to intellectually and emotionally filter any social media or traditional media interaction you have. Why? Because are also experiencing their own confirmation bias, and it might be in tension with yours. The most disturbing part of social media is how it is reinforcing some of the basest tendency…finding an .

There is no question that we are in a divided and an increasingly divided world. The lines are coming more rigid, and the walls between seem to be growing larger. It would be nice to be able to blame social media and the internet. Except that we are the problem.

In both Psalm 11 and Deuteronomy 32:35, God makes it clear that it is God’s place to punish “the enemy,” yet we often try to take the place of God. God leaves people to their own demise, but we seem to want to hurry them along, often in an attempt to make ourselves feel/look better.
Ezekiel tells us that God wants repentance and . When God leaves us to our own devices (or the result of our actions) it’s not that God wants that result for us. God never desires our or spiritual . Yet, we often are not the first to aid others, retaining our “us versus them” .

calls us to pray for our enemies. Enemies, though, is a very emotionally laden word. A better understanding would be those who are in opposition to us. The opposition could be political, differing faiths, differing denominations, differing ideas of whose grass is greener or has more weeds and crabgrass. Persecution definitely is in regards to beliefs, but, still, we are called to pray for them.

1) changes people. Have you ever had the experience of praying for a person who “opposed” or “persecuted” you and had your heart changed rather than theirs? Do you think that is normal, or abnormal? Why?

2) In the context of Jesus’ words and the first question, why does Jesus direct us to pray for opposers and persecutors?

3) Which opposer or persecutor will you commit to pray for?