Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
TO PONDER
At the risk of repeating myself from every other devotion this week: do you see how often the New Testament tells us that the gifts we receive from God are not for ourselves.
Here again Peter reminds us that the gifts God gives us, gifts like forgiveness, eternal life, spiritual gifts, and of course his enduring and steadfast love, he gives to us so that we can be empowered to serve others and use those gifts to build the Kingdom of God ere on earth, not our own little earthly kingdoms.
This is where an authentic Christian life looks most counter cultural, because our culture encourages us to think of the world as being here to serve us and grant us everything we need or want. We get easily upset when things don't go our way and we become frustrated with others when they do not immediately see things our way or they make themselves barriers to us achieving our goals or getting what we want. We believe that they should be serving us, not the other way around.
The crazy thing is, if even just all of God's people, all the Christians in the world, took seriously this directive to serve others with the gifts God has given us, whether they be physical or spiritual gifts, then statistically speaking with about 1/3 of the world's population identifying as Christian, one in every 3 people would be looking out for you and thinking about how they might serve you with the love of God.
It doesn't feel like that is the reality does it. Before we go getting to critical of others, maybe we need to make sure we are not part of the problem.
PRAYER: Gracious Heavenly Father, I thank you for all the gifts and blessing you have given me and for all the ways you provide for my daily needs. Please help me to remember that you give these gifts, not only for my own benefit, but so I can generously and humbly serve others in your name and for your glory. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
TO PONDER
I wonder if you are picking up the theme for the devotions this week. See how often the writers of the New Testament implore the followers of Jesus in the early church not to take their newfound hope for granted or to use their freedom in Christ for selfish gain or to indulge their own sinful desires, but rather to use their freedom for the sake of others and for the building up of the community of faith (the church).
That hasn't changed. I've said this before in devotions and also in sermons, but have you ever wondered why, if a personal saving faith in Jesus is the only point to Christian faith, why all the Christians don't just immediately get taken up to heaven the moment they first believe?
It's because the ultimate purpose of our faith in Jesus is not just about our own personal eternal salvation, although it certainly assures that. It's second purpose is to make us able to demonstrate and communicate God's love and salvation plan to others so that they too may come to faith in Jesus and have eternal life.
As long as you have breath in your lungs, God has a purpose for you - to serve and love others the way Jesus has served and loved you.
PRAYER: Jesus, Thank you for the way you have served me through your life, death and resurrection and offered me eternal life in your name. Please help me to live a life that humbly serves you and others so that they may also know your saving grace. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
TO PONDER
One of the biggest objections you often hear today form people about the God of Christianity is that he seems to require his people to endure hardship. The argument usually goes something like this, 'If God is all loving and all powerful, why does he allow bad things to happen to good people? The fact that bad things happen to good people proves that God either doesn't care, or is incapable of intervening."
We have seen in Joseph's story over the last few weeks, that God did indeed let terrible things happen to Joseph, and yet, God brought about great good from those circumstances. Even Joseph, the one who endured all those terrible things recognised that in the end. The prophet Isaiah also saw in advance that God's Messiah, would also endure suffering but that through this suffering, he himself would be fulfilled and satisfied.
This only happens if we can see the bigger picture. Today we are so often completely focussed on our own story and situation that we fail to see how God can be doing any good in our bad circumstances. However, that argument we heard earlier overlooks one important fact, it assumes that there can be no good reason for us to experience hardship or pain. If our focus is only on ourselves, this seems like a fair enough argument. However, when we see the bigger picture, like Jesus and Joseph did, our suffering for the sake of others can become a meaningful and fulfilling experience. After all, in Christ, our future is sealed, what do we have to fear? Surely some temporary pain or suffering that brings us or someone else further into the grace and love of God and His eternal life, is ultimately a good thing compared to the trials of this life?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that in your suffering and crucifixion you fulfilled the Father's plan of salvation for me and for all who would place their hope and trust in you. Just as you gladly laid down your life for me, please help me to be prepared to live my life for others, even when it hurts, so that they may also know your amazing love and grace. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
TO PONDER
Did you ever pretend it was "Opposite Day" when you were a kid? I remember my brother and I thinking it was the funniest thing ever to say the opposite of what we meant especially when we got a reaction from our parents.
One of the things we often fail to realise is that in this world we often do the opposite of what we were created to do. God created us in His image so that we could live in fulness of life in relationship with himself. However, it seems that at almost the first opportunity, humanity chose to do things their own way. And now some number of thousands of years later we have convinced ourselves that we know best and that doing things 'our way' is how it has to be.
This is why God's way often seems backwards to us.
He's not impressed with demonstrations of power, after all he has all power and authority. God says in His Word that he prefers to see justice and mercy, qualities that our world tends not to value in others. Likewise, God did not come into this world in the person of Jesus as a powerful political leader or a military genius, he came as a servant and planned to save and redeem all creation by his own death at the hands of the Roman authorities, the very ones who most of Israel hoped he would overthrow.
Next time things in your life don't seem to be going the way you hoped or things seem a little backwards, perhaps take a minute to try and see things from God's perspective. Maybe then you might see how God is turning things right way up in your life?!
PRAYER
Gracious Heavenly Father, I thank you that your ways are not my ways. Please help me to see when it is my way that is backwards and to have the courage to walk in your way even if it puts me in the opposite direction to those around me so that others might see you at work in my life. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
TO PONDER
This is a very challenging mindset to hold in the world today. I guess it has never really been a popular mindset, come to think of it. In fact, I think it is one of the kind of unique characteristics of Christianity, the directive to use you life in service to others.
Don't get me wrong, there are people who do it regularly. Many have even made careers or professions out of it. Teachers, Nurses, Emergency service workers, Defence force personnel, I mean there are a lot of jobs in which the main priority is to serve others to nurture or protect them, but how often do you see people going out of their way to just help someone they don't even know when they are not paid to do it?
Our world keeps promoting the idea that the world exists to serve us and our every whim and fancy. That any obstacle to your own happiness should be dealt with in whatever means necessary. It's how we get to the situation we have seen unfold in the USA with the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Whether you agree with everything, some of the things, or disagreed with everything he said, he was someone made in the image of God, just like you and me. He was someone who Christ was willing to die on the cross for, just like you and me. Unfortunately though, when our own comfort and security demand that we take the life of another human being so that our needs can be met, or our own ideas, beliefs and choices can go uncriticised then we have failed to have the mindset of Christ.
Our first thought, in every situation, should always be 'how can I serve the person or people in front of me with the love of Jesus?' Anything less than that, simply isn't the mindset of Christ.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, there are times when it is hard to follow in your footsteps. I want to have the same mindset as you and to serve others and to love like you do, but sometimes it is so hard. Please soften my heart towards those who are difficult to love and serve and give me the courage and boldness to live a life of service to you and to others. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. (The Message)
TO PONDER
In today’s verse we are shown that God is reconciling broken relationships, between himself and humanity, also extending this to relationships between people, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross being God's way of making amends for our sins and bridging the gap between Himself and humanity.
Reconciliation always involves forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act, while reconciliation is a process of restoring and working on a relationship. It’s a journey to restore a relationship to its original state of peace and harmony, from enmity to unity and fellowship. This has to be a mutual effort in restoring harmony and fellowship.
Forgiveness is an act, it’s the process of forgiving or being forgiven, its an intentional decision to let go of resentment and anger. What ever has offended or hurt you might always be with you, but working on forgiveness can lessen the grip that it holds on you. Don’t let bitterness and hatred rule your life because you feel you can’t forgive. Let go and let God.
I’m still working on my friend that I mentioned yesterday. I’ve learnt to just shrug it off when she cancels an arrangement and to say, "God she is in your hands!" It took a while to get to this point, I might not like how she thinks it’s ok to cancel all the time, but I can forgive her.
As I was writing todays devotion, a song 'Holy Forever' came into my thoughts, just a couple of lines from it says: “If you’ve been forgiven and if you’ve been redeemed, sing a song forever to the Lamb.” I encourage you to think about these words today as you go about your daily life. Have you been forgiven? Have you been redeemed? Maybe, its time to share, some of that grace given to you, with someone else!
PRAYER:Heavenly Father once again I want to thank you that you first forgave me so that I could learn how to forgive others. Help others to see this also and Lord, I pray that those words, “if you’ve been forgiven, and if you’ve been redeemed, sing a song of forever to the Lamb” would touch others and be an encouragement to let go and let God. AMEN
Today's devotions written by Noeline Brock, Danny's mum.
So, if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
TO PONDER
I grew up with the Lord’s prayer and these words stand out when we are talking of forgiveness
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.”
In yesterday’s devotional I mentioned a friend who continually cancels out on a commitment or arrangement she had made, and in the earlier part of our friendship, I had often been hurt and put out by the continual promises and cancellations.
The journey is not easy when you feel continually let down and hurt, but I have learnt over the years that it is not worth the frustration of fretting over what has happened. There is no doubt God has forgiven me on many occasions, and this was shown to all humanity when He hung on the cross for our sins.
We are told in these verses that when we find ourselves faced with troubles or conflict with our friends or enemies; it is part of the privilege to do our best to make things right. Peace and harmony with others may not always be achievable, yet as followers of Jesus we should not be the ones responsible for the break down of a relationship or peace. We are told to try to bring peace, love, and forgiveness into all relationships, despite our differences. This is part of dying to self. It is not about us. It reminds us that forgiveness is for both the forgiven and the forgiver. It breathes life into our souls.
I was reading the other day and this statement by Hannah More jumped out “Forgiveness saves us the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.”
PRAYER: Jesus thank you for taking that giant step of standing in for us all, by hanging on the cross for our sins. We take most things for granted in our daily life and think we are a privileged people, but Lord my prayer today is that we all learn the gift of forgiveness in this troubled world. Show me Lord how we are all equal in value, the rich, the poor, the hungry, the persecuted. Send your Holy Spirit to work in our lives, to remind us daily to hand it all over to you and to forgive and not hold grudges.
Today's devotion written by Noeline Brock, Danny's mum.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (NLT)
TO PONDER
In these verses, Paul encourages us to put on new spiritual clothes in the light of the new identity we have in Jesus Christ. These new “clothes” consist of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another and forgiveness.
I have this friend who will make arrangements to do this or that, meet up for coffee, etc, but at the very last minute she will cancel out with some lame excuse saying, "I will ring later" – which very rarely happens. This has now gone on for a few years and sometimes it gets a bit ‘old hat’ and hard to deal with … which I guess is normal in this non-normal world of today. I would be so frustrated in the earlier days of our friendship as sometimes I had cancelled other arrangements to fit in with her.
These verses have been a God send making it easier to hand it over to God, and asking the Holy Spirit to do this journey with me, helping me to walk in those new ‘clothes’ being able to show her continual forgiveness, no matter how many times she cancels, and still letting her know that I am still there if needed.
All these ‘new clothes’ are things we desperately need in life to be able to work and grow together with the help of the Holy Spirit. Lean on the Lord.
PRAYER: Lord God thank you that you are always there for me to lean on. Thank you, Lord, that you first forgave us so that we could learn to forgive others. I pray Lord for the patience to always seek you first in every situation. AMEN
Today's devotion written by Noeline Brock, Danny's mum.
Do not pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. (NLT)
TO PONDER
A few things that stand out in these verses for me, that we all need to take to heart: We need to learn to overcome evil with good. And not curse our enemies. We should not put ourselves in the place of God, its not up to us to fix wrongs or pay people back for how they have treated us. We need to work on staying humble. When we judge others, we establish a standard by which God will judge us {Matt 7:1-2}
We can only control what we do, not what others do. We have been given the choice/freewill, to not retaliate. So, we need to search for a new way of thinking, change our attitudes. Let God be God!
This is not a simple or easy thing to do, because of our human nature we tend to think of retaliation as the first and only way to right the wrongs done to us. I encourage you to try to respond to evil, not with retaliation, but with humbleness and acts of kindness and by seeking peace.
PRAYER: Precious Father, I praise you that you have continually walked beside me over the years, and are still even now, guiding me with that still small voice to do the right thing. Thank you Lord that, even though you give us a choice, we can learn to change our attitude to do the right thing, with humbleness, kindness and love, and let You be God. AMEN
Today's devotion written by Noeline Brock, Danny's mum.