Tag: act

Devotionals tagged with act.

  • Wisdom Bulk Up

    Wisdom Bulk Up

    ‌‌📖 Read

    Psalm 147:12–20; Proverbs 1:1–7; James 3:13–18

    ‌🔎 Focus

    ‌The reverence of the LORD is the beginning of ; but fools despise knowledge and instruction.

    Proverbs 1:7 Lamsa Version

    the from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

    James 3:17 NRSVue

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌George Lamsa’s “reverence of the LORD” is unique among translations, as it seems every other English translation uses fear. Yet, the underlying understanding of fear in Proverbs 1:7 is fear based upon reverence of God, rather than other types of fear.

    ‌Why one pursues knowledge seems to becoming more critical as time goes on. People are pursuing knowledge for and . Yes, there many pursuing their dreams, but how much of that dream is about money and power, rather than a fulfillment of oneself?

    ‌In ancient times, wisdom and knowledge were often intertwined. In our modern days, we have started to understand (wisdom) that all the facts and data points do not mean that we make wise (or God honoring) decisions.

    ‌James notes that Godly wisdom has characteristics that modern knowledge does not. It is not that knowledge is bad, by no means. It is that we are seeing the consequences of what happens when knowledge is separated from Godly wisdom.

    ‌How do we bulk up our wisdom? Reading the is a big one. We are blessed to have access to the Scriptures with nearly 900 English translations (not to mention all the targeted versions of each).

    ‌What reading the Scriptures often don’t us are prescriptions for how to do what, and that is okay. James 3:17 (see Focus) gives us descriptions for what Godly wisdom looks like. How that is lived out is up to us as we wrestle with reading the Scriptures and among people who believe differently than we do.

    ‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌Do you see differences between wisdom of the world and Godly wisdom? How do you navigate the differences?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌Find a Bible reading plan (if you don’t have one), even one that just covers a book (like James or Proverbs) and start it.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Gracious God, we thank you that you have provided the Scriptures so that we might understand you better, and be better reflection of God-honoring lives. As John called the Word, may we recall that the Word presented in the Scriptures is not to be left on a shelf, or isolated from the world outside of the pages. Help us to improve our wisdom in navigating the world in of your Word. Amen.

  • Of Flesh and Heart

    ‌📖 Read

    Genesis 17:1-14; Leviticus 12:2-8; Jeremiah 4:3-4; Jeremiah 9:25-26; Luke 2:22-38;

    ‌🔎 Focus

    “Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your , and do not be stubborn any longer.”—Deuteronomy 10:16 (NRSVue)

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    Circumcision is a core Jewish ritual. As such, we must that even was circumcised.

    It might seem a minor thing to us, but it is far beyond a mere manifestation of the between the Jews (formerly the Tribes of Israel) and God (though, that’s pretty significant).

    ‌There are Jews who believe that Abraham was “circumcised in the heart” prior to his actual physical circumcision. The Focus Scripture was Moses’ words to the Jewish people who were circumcised. Jeremiah’s words struck the same chord.

    Circumcision is certainly more than a physical . As an act, is a separation of skin, and a symbol that is a usually hidden, but is very obvious when revealed. It is a symbol carried upon a man, that he can never just .‌‌

    In Jesus’ day (and even today), non-Jews viewed circumcision as barbaric, disgraceful, unnecessary, or any mix of these and more.

    ‌Circumcision, though (as Moses, Jeremiah, and even modern Rabbis with their take on Abraham’s circumcision of the heart note), is so much more than that.

    ‌Circumcision of the heart is a symbolic way of saying that one has separated the cares, concerns, and ways of the world from oneself. In other words, cutting off the world to be dedicated to God. It sounds severe. It is.

    ‌In truth, it is seems and feels more aspirational than fully achievable.

    , Entire , Christian Perfection, are three words/phrases that try to convey Circumcision of the Heart. They may actually be inadequate.

    ‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌The New Year is here. What do you need to from? What do you need to leave behind?

  • Serving Your Judas

    Serving Your Judas

    📖 Read

    ‌John 13:1—9; Romans 5:1–11

    ‌🔎 Focus

    ‌“For he knew who was to betray them…”

    John 13:11 (NRSVue)

    ‌“After he washed their feet…”

    John 13:12 (NRSVue)

    “…Christ died for the ungodly.”

    Romans 5:6 (NRSVue)

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌Jesus washed feet. The task normally left to a servant or the lowest person (in hierarchy) in the household was performed by the disciples’ teacher, and the person we now understand to be part of the Trinitarian God. Or to put it differently, God took the lowest place and washed feet.

    ‌How often are we about us? Probably too much. For most people, our self is our greatest . Whether it be pride, pleasure, finances, power…we often operate from an, “I am first perspective.”

    ‌Jesus washed feet.

    ‌Let’s note who was in the room. There were Jesus’ 12 disciples. There was this one, named Judas Iscariot, who would betray Jesus to the authorities. John tells us that Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray him.

    ‌Jesus washed his feet.

    ‌Before Judas Iscariot betrayed him, and while Jesus knew he would, Jesus washed his feet.

    ‌Most of us could complete understand regret if Jesus were to have known only afterward. If you knew someone would betray you, would you actually them? Jesus did.

    ‌Our world far too often operates from a perspective of, “what have you done for me lately.” There are those that make promises for the future and we hope they might (or won’t) fulfill them, knowing far too well that all such promises fall short. We accept (or hope for) the reality that all will not be accomplished as promised.

    ‌Jesus knew what Judas would do, but he washed his feet.

    ‌Why keep focusing on this? Why keep repeating, “…but he washed his feed?” There is a general feeling of fear, even of betrayal, going on. Families are ripping themselves apart over and policies. Families and friends are allowing those who are not in a personal with them to define their relationships with others.

    ‌There is truth and wisdom about not being in relationship with toxic or harmful people, but are we really correctly defining who are toxic and harmful?‌

    Judas Iscariot chose to betray Jesus. Judas could have repented (and some that he indirectly did). Would Jesus still forgive him despite his betrayal? Jesus washed his feet.

    🤔 Reflection

    ‌Who are the “Judas Iscariots” in your ? How do Jesus’ actions inform how you could (or should) interact with them? What kind of “wash their feet” might you being called to perform?

    ‌‌⏏️

    ‌Acts of service (i.e., washing feet) can take many forms. Purposefully and prayerfully look for acts of service for a “Judas Iscariot” in your life and do them.

    ‌🙏

    ‌Gracious God, help us put the example of Jesus forefront in our thoughts and actions, especially in regard to those by whom we feel betrayed. Help us to be gracious with them, as you have been gracious to us, loving us and for us while we were still alienated from you. Guide us into ways of thinking and doing the show loving service so that we might draw them to you. Amen.

  • Hallowed and Halos

    Hallowed and Halos

    ‌📖 Read

    Matthew 10:32–39; Matthew 28:16–20; Hebrews 11:33–12:2

    ‌🔎 Focus

    “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

    ‌Matthew 10:32–33 NRSVue

    “I believe in…the of

    The Apostle’s Creed

    “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the that is set before us,”

    Hebrews 12:1

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌In my tradition, we may speak the Apostle’s Creed every so often, but we don’t really process the communion of saints. Part of that (if not almost all of that) is an ignorance and disregard for traditions because too much is tied (in our minds) to the Roman Catholic .

    ‌Another significant part is the way that life after death is considered. Many traditions and thinking have a clear divide between life on earth and life beyond this one.

    ‌Both of these lead us to conclude a more philosophical understanding of the communion of saints than the writers of the Apostle’s Creed understood. Many (if not most) don’t really see, understand, or even believe that the saints are among us. There is no question that some traditions invoke the saints as if they are gods, but the general disregard of the saints is throwing away everything because of a flaw.

    ‌Some traditions hold that when we (especially as a church body) worship in the of the Spirit that we are indeed worshiping with the saints who have died before, because they are with and in Christ. There are some traditions that believe that we are worshiping with the saints to come, as well, for the same reason.

    ‌This is not some call to fully transform or your thinking in regard to saints, but to understand how often saints are not part of our thinking. I’m sure there are one or two churches in my tradition that have a name such as Matthew’s, but generally that is left to the Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and the Anglicans.

    ‌Rather than think of a church (for example) named after a saint as something weird, perhaps think of it as a statue of a person. We all know that the statue is not the actual person, but that the statue represents a particular life of impact. So, too, are the saints. Lives of impact.

    ‌We often do not see the impact our lives have, from the smile at a stranger, to a laugh with a friend. Yet, there is no person on earth who does not have impact upon the life of another.

    ‌When we read some of the stories of saints, we can become overwhelmed by their story, thinking we could never be that way. Yet, saints never called themselves saints and were also overwhelmed by the lives of the saints before them.

    ‌Some of the stories seem mystical or magical or even miraculous. Yet, none of these people saw themselves as great, they saw themselves living in the grace of Christ.

    ‌‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌Do you believe that you are living in the grace of Jesus Christ? Why or why not? If so, how? If not, how might your thinking change?

    ‌What makes a person a saint to you? How might you develop one or more of those traits in your life?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌Take some time and search for info on the life of a saint. As many saints have “feast days”, look up the saint for your birthday, or the day you gave your heart to Jesus.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Jesus, through your example and life, you inspired saints to follow you. , thank you for emboldening the saints of the past, today, and the future. Father God, thank you for your loving embrace of all who are broken in this world, including ourselves. Amen.

  • Separating Ourselves

    Separating Ourselves

    Romans 8:31–39, 1 John 4:7-12

    📖 Read

    ‌Romans 8:31–39 , 1 John 4:7–12

    ‌🔎 Focus

    ‌”…nothing…can us from the love of God…”
    Romans 8:39

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌There is a fundamental truth, here, that no Christian should ever deny. Yet, if you read the list of “separators” that Paul notes, what do you see as missing? Anything?

    ‌There are many who quote these words from Romans 8:39 that reasonably apply these to non-Christians because, “…God is love.” (1 John 4:8) This is where potential issues may arise. It isn’t only about whatever accommodation is being made, but how we understand salvation and the road to life with God.

    ‌Nothing seems so all encompassing. How could anything, then keep us from the love of God?

    ‌There are a number of things that could be reasonably argued would seem to invoke exclusion: unbelief, hatred of God, a different understanding of God, ongoing and deliberate disobedience of God’s ways.

    ‌The potential issue isn’t that God doesn’t love the unbeliever, hater, different understander, rebellious. God does. It is not false, then, to say that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

    ‌Separation from God’s love has never been the problem, at least from God’s of things. It is our separation from God that is the issue.

    ‌Who is against us? Well, the general ways of the world are. It is our following of the ways of the world that are our separator.

    ‌Are we not given everything? Yes, insofar as we have given ourselves to God through accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, and doing our best to embody the way of Jesus through our living.

    ‌Who will bring charges against us? The world. The . These cannot separate us. Our inner /critic can, but only if we allow it to draw us away from God. The Spirit can, but the Holy Spirit brings “charges” against us, not to condemn us, but to free us.

    ‌Can affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, rulers, things (events/situations) of today or tomorrow, angels or powers separate us? No, but our to those things can.

    ‌It is here that we can agree with the Reformed (Calvinist, etc.) , that nothing outside of ourselves can separate us from the love of God. Even if we separate ourselves from God, God’s love does not fade away.

    ‌God’s unfailing love, however, does not guarantee of eternal life, and that is the rub for so many, including many Christians. It isn’t about earning God’s love, but the place that God has in your life and being.

    ‌🤔 Reflection

    • ‌Do you ever feel separated from God or God’s love? How?‌
    • Do Paul’s words comfort you or concern you? Why?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌Make a list of ways (including some Scripture) that you can reassure yourself of God’s unceasing love for you. Share them with another person, and see what ways they come up with.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Every loving God, thank you for this reminder from your Apostle Paul that things outside of ourselves can never separate us from your love. Help us to restore our well-being to sense, feel, believe, and in your unceasing love. Amen.

  • Hearts and Ashes

    Hearts and Ashes

    📖 Read

    ‌Psalm 32; Isaiah 58:1-12; Hebrews 12:1-14

    ‌‌🔎 Focus

    ‌Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

    Psalm 32:1

    ‌The LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.

    Isaiah 58:11

    In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.‌

    Hebrews 12:4

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    Valentine’s trust was in Christ. He is reported to have said that Jesus Christ brought the only true and promise of a better world. That didn’t earn him any friends with the Roman rulers. It seems that converting to Christianity led to his death. Saint Valentine was martyred on 14 February.‌

    Today is also Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This is a season of repentance and reflection. It would seem to not mesh with the dominant view of Valentine’s Day with its romantic (almost saccharine and vapid) view of love. Love, especially as lived out by Jesus, often doesn’t match the secular view of it, but our measure is Jesus, not the world.‌

    While you might not be called to be a martyr, the author of Hebrews points out that we often up in our fight against sin, even though we have not gotten to the point that our blood was shed. And, yet there is a dominant trend in post-Christendom to throw our hands up, because Christendom has fallen.‌

    In many respects, it seems that we are more inclined to anger and defensiveness, rather than resting in the fact that our transgressions are forgiven, our sins covered; as a result of such, we ought to be happy. Can you imagine how we could change the world not just with love, but with the happiness of that love.‌

    We are talking about the love of Jesus Christ for us, and ours of him. We are not talking about the love of the world, its stuff, its powers, its parties, and so on.‌

    When we remember this and also remember that God’s water of love and never fail, you would think that the world would not shake us. We are human, so it does.‌

    There is a lot for us to reflect on: historical issues, our politics, our lifestyles, the wars, the sicknesses. There is so much in the world that causes us not to reflect, but to react. We react out of our humanness.‌

    We are called to reflect upon ourselves and the world through the lens of Christ’s love, then we are better equipped to react in Christ’s love toward a world that desperately needs it.

    ‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌What are current areas discussed in life (politics, lifestyles, war, immigration, and the like) that you have strong feelings about? Do you default to the comfortable and/or your ? When was the last time you measured your reactions to Christ? Do you ever ask yourself, what would Jesus do?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌As you reflected, what came to mind? All of us have earthly perspectives that are not Jesus-like, and likely need work and repentance. Think about the issues that you respond the most strongly about (good or bad). Look in the Bible for some possible perspectives that will bring you more in mind like Jesus.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Jesus, help me understand how you view the world and me. , please guide my transformation from a person of this world to a person of the . Amen.

  • Devoted?

    Devoted?

    🔎 Focus

    ‌“The one who is in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own? No can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

    Luke 16:10–13 NET

    ‌You cannot serve God and money. Money is the translation for the Aramaic mammon. Mammon can be defined as an abundance of material possessions and resources. Mammon can also be defined as wealth and riches.

    ‌✟ Devotion

    ‌When we read this passage (or its parallel in Matthew 6:24), we tend to get hung up on money. A lot of that has to do with the hard decisions translation teams have to go through balancing equivalency, adequacy, and length. When we expand our understanding to that which is beyond money, we can see a bigger picture.

    ‌For decades, the US (and other so-called first world nations) have sent their cast-offs to other nations.

    You Can Have It

    ‌An example is the standard tongue depressors in a doctor’s office (i.e., those big flat pieces of wood that look like large popsicle sticks). In the US, per government regulations, they have an expiration date, as do beds and other equipment. Depending on the item, and shipping costs, the expired items (perfectly functional) are sent to other nations, where they receive a second life.

    ‌This is wasteful. Yet, we often demand the latest and best, so such waste is a result of our demands. If such waste is reused, it can be considered okay in our culture, but such waste is also a love of stuff…the latest and greatest.

    We Want More

    ‌We are deluged with advertisements for the latest smartphone that the mobile operator will give us for free (but we’re really paying for it in 24 monthly installments). Such ads and promos work because we love our stuff.

    ‌However, what if it really isn’t about stuff or even our love of it? What if we tweaked it a bit to recognize that while is talking about material goods and worldly wealth, it is all about our hearts?

    Not Yours?

    ‌“…if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own?”

    ‌The often used parallel is that it is all God’s, and as God gave it to us, we are using God’s property. It’s not just about an employer or shareholder or spouse or , it’s about God.

    Your True Mammon

    Tomorrow (Ash Wednesday) is the beginning of . It is a time set aside to deliberatively think about where our lives are not in line with God’s and to self-reflect on it. What, you may , does this have to do with mammon? The first resource that God gave you is…you. Your life on this earth is not only what you make of it, but what you give of it to God, and how you serve God with it.

    🤔 Reflection

    ‌Have you ever given something to someone and watched them mistreat it or destroy it? How did that make you feel? How did you ?

    ‌If indeed God gifted you yourself and your stuff, how do you think God feels about the mistreatment and destruction that God’s witnesses?

    ‌⏏️ Act

    ‌It has been said by many that your checkbook (or bank transactions) shows where your heart is. Yet, if you give all your worldly wealth to evangelism, compassionate care, building funds, to a local church, but you don’t give yourself, then are you where God has called you? Where do you shortcut yourself to God, and what small step will you take to fix it?

    ‌As Lent begins, you may or may not be giving up something. Regardless, think through what God gave up and how that applies to your life.

    🙏 Prayer

    ‌‌Gracious God, you have given us so much, and we live in such a blessed state that we are now condemned to only see what we want to keep and what have that we don’t. Help us to see your gifts as you want us to see them. Help us use your gifts as want us to use them. Guide us to see that these gifts are the extension of ourselves and the state of heart and the state of our relationship with you. Amen.

  • Narrowed Ways

    Narrowed Ways

    Read: Matthew 7

    ‌‌🔎 Focus

    ‌“Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” —Matthew 7:13-14 (NRSVue)

    ‌‌✟ Devotion

    ‌Depending on the publisher (including online ones), much of Matthew 7 is broken into sections. This is instead of the long speech that it is (including the chapters themselves). Our focus verse (similar to Luke 13:23-30) is often popped out all on its own, leading us to conclude that it stands alone.

    ‌This chapter is part of ‘ Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount remains challenging to this day. As such, there are not sections that one can tear out separately from the rest.

    ‌All too often, the focus verses become solely about doing the right thing and living the right life. I’ve heard sermons preached, and I’ve preached them. However, when we put the focus passage in its context (within the Sermon on the Mount), it gets a bit harder (even arguably impossible) to think that way.

    ‌If we look at just the verse before:

    “In everything do to as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

    Matthew 7:12 (NRSVue)

    ‌…and the verse after:

    “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in ‘s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

    Matthew 7:15 (NRSVue)

    …perhaps our perspective would .

    ‌What if, instead of being a standalone set of verses about narrow gates and hard roads, they were the transition verses between treating others as you’d have them treat you and looking out for false prophets?

    ‌Many of us have inherited a high view of the (which we, I believe, should have). However, a high view of the Scriptures is, in many circles, a rigid view of the Scriptures, which does not allow for setting aside of traditions, such as looking at the narrow gate and hard road verses in isolation from the rest of Jesus’ words that Matthew has happening during a single event.

    ‌🤔 Reflection

    ‌In our expanded context of Matthew 7:12-15, we are presented with the Law, the prophets, and the false prophets. How might verse 12 impact your understanding of verse 15, when taken ? How does this affect your thinking about verses 13–14?

    ‌‌⏏️ Act

    ‌As you read the Scriptures, remember that while the Books are valid separations, chapters (except for the Psalms and Proverbs) and verses are not the original way the Scriptures were presented. Instead of defaulting to chapter, verse, and heading, read the words, and see what that does to change how you read and what you read.

    ‌🙏 Prayer

    ‌Jesus, you have the of life. Let us remember with and dignity that through you all of Creation was made, that words do mean much, especially yours. Holy , guide our reading of the Scriptures that we are transformed from the inside out. God, forgive us when the tools that we deem to help us, interfere with what you have to say to us today. Amen.