Building Up Goodwill
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Posted:Dec 2, 2023 5:56 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6866 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Ephesians 4:15–16, 22–32
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 42–44; 1 John 1
From [Christ] the whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16
When we think of best business practices, what first comes to mind probably aren’t qualities like kindness and generosity. But according to entrepreneur James Rhee, they should. In Rhee’s experience as CEO at a company on the brink of financial ruin, prioritizing what he calls “goodwill”—a “culture of kindness” and a spirit of giving—saved the company and led to its flourishing. Putting these qualities central gave people the hope and motivation they needed to unify, innovate, and problem-solve. Rhee explains that “goodwill . . . is a real asset that can compound and be amplified.”
In daily life too, it’s easy to think of qualities like kindness as vague and intangible, afterthoughts to our other priorities. But, as the apostle Paul taught, such qualities matter most of all.
Writing to new believers, Paul emphasized that the purpose of believers’ lives is transformation through the Spirit into mature members of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:15). To that end, every word and every action has value only if it builds up and benefits others (v. 29). Transformation in Jesus can only happen through daily prioritizing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness (v. 32).
When the Holy Spirit draws us to other believers in Christ, we grow and mature as we learn from one another.
Why do you think we often fail to see the tangible impact of “goodwill”? How can you grow in prioritizing kindness?
Dear God, teach me daily what truly matters—the love poured out through Your .
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God’s Heart for All
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Posted:Dec 1, 2023 5:45 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6916 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Matthew 11:27–30
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 40–41; 2 Peter 3
Come to me, all you who are weary. Matthew 11:28
Nine-year-old Dan Gill arrived with his best friend Archie at their classmate’s birthday party. When the mother of the birthday boy saw Archie, however, she refused him entry. “There aren’t enough chairs,” she insisted. Dan offered to sit on the floor to make room for his friend, who was Black, but the mother said no. Dejected, Dan left their presents with her and returned home with Archie, the sting of his friend’s rejection searing his heart.
Now, decades later, Dan is a schoolteacher who keeps one empty chair in his classroom. When students ask why, he explains it’s his reminder to “always have room in the classroom for anyone.”
A heart for all people can be seen in Jesus’ welcoming life: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 This invitation may seem to contradict the “first to the Jew” scope of Jesus’ ministry (Romans 1:16). But the gift of salvation is for all people who place their faith in Jesus. “This is true for everyone who believes,” Paul wrote, “no matter who we are” (3:22 ).
We rejoice then at Christ’s invitation to all: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). For all seeking His rest, His open heart awaits.
What was your situation when you accepted God’s gift of salvation? Who do you know whose heart Jesus is calling?
Dear Jesus, You called me when others didn’t. Thank You for offering me salvation and love.
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Trusting God
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Posted:Nov 30, 2023 2:55 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6861 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 20
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 37–39; 2 Peter 2
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20.7
I needed two medications urgently. One was for my mom’s allergies and the other for my niece’s eczema. Their discomfort was worsening, but the medicines were no longer available in pharmacies. Desperate and helpless, I prayed repeatedly, Lord, please help them.
Weeks later, their conditions became manageable. God seemed to be saying: “There are times when I use medicines to heal. But medicines don’t have the final say; I do. Don’t place your trust in them, but in Me.”
In Psalm 20, King David took comfort in God’s trustworthiness. The Israelites had a powerful army, but they knew that their biggest strength came from “the name of the Lord” (v. 7). They placed their trust in God’s name—in who He is, His unchanging character, and unfailing promises. They held on to the truth that He who is sovereign and powerful over all situations would hear their prayers and deliver them from their enemies (v. 6).
While God may use the resources of this world to help us, ultimately, victory over our problems comes from Him. Whether He gives us a resolution or the grace to endure, we can trust that He’ll be to us all that He says He is. We don’t have to be overwhelmed by our troubles, but we can face them with His hope and peace.
In your personal battles, where or in what do you place your trust? How might trusting in God’s name change the way you cope with these challenges?
Heavenly Father, give me the courage to trust in You. Help me to believe that You’re all that You promise to be.
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Just a Whisper
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Posted:Nov 29, 2023 5:19 am
Last Updated:Nov 29, 2023 5:21 am 6617 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Job 26.7–14
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 35–36; 2 Peter 1
How faint the whisper we hear of Him! Job 26:14
The whispering wall in New York City’s Grand Central Station is an acoustic oasis from the clamor of the area. This unique spot allows people to communicate quiet messages from a distance of thirty feet. When one person stands at the base of a granite archway and speaks softly into the wall, soundwaves travel up and over the curved stone to the listener on the other side.
Job heard the whisper of a message when his life was filled with noise and the tragedy of losing nearly everything (Job 1:13–19; 2.7). His friends blabbered their opinions, his own thoughts tumbled endlessly, and trouble had invaded every aspect of his existence. Still, the majesty of nature spoke softly to him about God’s divine power.
The splendor of the skies, the mystery of the earth suspended in space, and the stability of the horizon reminded Job that the world was in the palm of God’s hand (26.7–11). Even a churning sea and a rumbling atmosphere led him to say, “these are but the outer fringe of [God’s] works; how faint the whisper we hear of him!”
(v. 14).
If the world’s wonders represent just a fragment of God’s capabilities, it’s clear that His power exceeds our ability to understand it. In times of brokenness, this gives us hope. God can do anything, including what He did for Job as He sustained him during suffering.
How does God’s great power comfort you? Which parts of nature inspire you to stand in awe of Him?
Dear God, when my problems seem big, help me to remember that You’re bigger, and nothing is impossible for You.
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The Skill Of Compassion
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Posted:Nov 28, 2023 5:34 am
Last Updated:Nov 28, 2023 5:37 am 6535 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Romans 12:9–21
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 33–34; 1 Peter 5
Be devoted to one another in love . . . joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:10–12
“A thorn has entered your foot—that is why you weep at times at night,” wrote Catherine of Sienna in the fourteenth century. She continued, “There are some in this world who can pull it out. The skill that takes they have learned from [God].” Catherine devoted her life to cultivating that “skill,” and is still remembered today for her remarkable capacity for empathy and compassion for others in their pain.
That image of pain as a deeply embedded thorn that requires tenderness and skill to remove lingers with me. It’s a vivid reminder of how complex and wounded we are, and of our need to dig deeper to develop true compassion for others and ourselves.
Or, as the apostle Paul describes it, it’s an image that reminds us that loving others like Jesus does requires more than good intentions and well-wishes—it requires being “devoted to one another” (Romans 12:10), “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (v. 12). It requires being willing to not only “rejoice with those who rejoice” but to “mourn with those who mourn” (v. 15). It requires all of us.
In a broken world, none of us escape unwounded—hurt and scars are deeply embedded in each of us. But deeper still is the love we find in Christ; love tender enough to draw out those thorns with the balm of compassion, willing to embrace both friend and enemy (v. 14) to find healing together.
When have you experienced the healing power of compassion? How can you cultivate a community of healing?
Loving God, thank You for Your compassion. Help me to love others like that.
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Serving for God’s Sake
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Posted:Nov 27, 2023 6:46 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6527 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Numbers 3:5–9
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 30–32; 1 Peter 4
They are to . . . [fulfill] the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. Numbers 3:8
When England’s Queen Elizabeth passed away in September 2022, thousands of soldiers were deployed to march in the funeral procession. Their individual roles must have been almost unnoticeable in the large crowd, but many saw it as the greatest honor. One soldier said it was “an opportunity to do our last duty for Her Majesty.” For him, it was not what he did, but whom he was doing it for that made it an important job.
The Levites assigned to take care of the tabernacle furnishings had a similar aim. Unlike the priests, the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites were assigned seemingly mundane tasks: cleaning the furniture, lampstands, curtains, posts, tent pegs, and ropes (Numbers 3:25–26, 28, 31, 36–37). Yet their jobs were specifically assigned by God, constituted “doing the work of the tabernacle” (v. 8, and are recorded in the Bible for posterity.
What an encouraging thought! Today, what many of us do at work, at home, or in church may seem insignificant to a world that values titles and salaries. But God sees it differently. If we work and serve for His sake—seeking excellence and doing so for His honor, even in the smallest task—then our work is important because we’re serving our great God.
How might knowing that you’re ultimately serving God change the way you work? How can you do it with pride and excellence for His sake?
Father, thank You for giving me this opportunity to serve You. Help me to be faithful with the talents and strength You’ve given me to work for You.
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Who Am I?
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Posted:Nov 26, 2023 8:09 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6475 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: 1 Chronicles 29:14–20
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 27–29; 1 Peter 3
But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? 1 Chronicles 29:14
As a member of the leadership team for a local ministry, part of my job was to invite others to join us as group discussion leaders. My invitations described the time commitment required and outlined the ways leaders would need to engage with their small group participants, both in meetings and during regular phone calls. I was often reluctant to impose on other people, being aware of the sacrifice they’d be making to become a leader. And yet sometimes their reply would completely overwhelm me: “I’d be honored.” Instead of citing legitimate reasons to decline, they described their gratitude to God for all He’d done in their lives as their reason for being eager to give back.
When the time came to give resources toward building a temple for God, David had a similar response: “Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?” (1 Chronicles 29:14). David’s generosity was driven by gratitude for God’s involvement in his life and that of the people of Israel. His response speaks of his humility and his acknowledgment of His goodness toward “foreigners and strangers” (v. 15).
Our giving to God’s work—whether in time, talent, or treasure—reflects our gratitude to the One who gave to us to begin with. All that we have comes from His hand (v. 14); in response, we can give gratefully to Him.
How has God been involved in your life? How can you give in response?
Dear Father, please help me to respond to Your love and care with a generous heart.
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Worthy of All Praise
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Posted:Nov 24, 2023 6:40 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6561 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Psalm 18:1–6
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 22–23; 1 Peter 1
I love you, Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1
Many consider Ferrante and Teicher to be the greatest piano duet team of all time. Their collaborative presentations were so precise that their style was described as four hands but only one mind. Hearing their music, one can begin to grasp the amount of effort required to perfect their craft.
But there’s more. They loved what they did. In fact, even after they had retired in 1989, Ferrante and Teicher would occasionally show up at a local piano store just to play an impromptu concert. They simply loved making music.
David also loved making music—but he teamed up with God to give his song a higher purpose. His psalms affirm his struggle-filled life and his desire to live in deep dependence upon God. Yet, in the midst of his personal failures and imperfections, his praise expressed a kind of spiritual “perfect pitch,” acknowledging the greatness and goodness of God even in the darkest of times. The heart behind David’s praise is simply stated in Psalm 18:1, which reads, “I love you, Lord, my strength.”
David continued, “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise” (v. 3) and turned to Him “in my distress” (v. 6). Regardless of our situation, may we likewise lift our hearts to praise and worship our God. He’s worthy of all praise!
In what ways do you share your love for God with Him and with others? What might be standing in the way of your worship?
Heavenly Father, You’ve put a new song in my mouth. Please help my worship to express Your true goodness and greatness.
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A Thanksgiving Blessing
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Posted:Nov 23, 2023 3:56 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6552 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Luke 14:12–14
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 20–21; James 5
When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Luke 14:13–14
In 2016, Wanda Dench sent a text inviting her grandson to Thanksgiving dinner, not knowing he’d recently changed his phone number. The text instead went to a stranger, Jamal. Jamal didn’t have plans, and so, after clarifying who he was, asked if he could still come to dinner. Wanda said, “Of course you can.” Jamal joined the family dinner in what has since become a yearly tradition for him. A mistaken invitation became an annual blessing.
Wanda’s kindness in inviting a stranger to dinner reminds me of Jesus’ encouragement in Luke’s gospel. During a dinner party at a “prominent” Pharisee’s house (Luke 14:1), Jesus noticed who was invited and how the guests jostled for the best seats (v. 7). Jesus told His host that inviting people based on what they could do for him in return (v. 12) meant the blessing would be limited. Instead, Jesus told the host that extending hospitality to people without the resources to repay him would bring even greater blessing (v. 14).
For Wanda, inviting Jamal to join her family for Thanksgiving dinner resulted in the unexpected blessing of a lasting friendship that was a great encouragement to her after her husband’s death. When we reach out to others, not because of what we might receive, but because of God’s love flowing through us, we receive far greater blessing and encouragement.
When has an unexpected invitation encouraged you? What blessings did you experience?
Heavenly Father, may my invitations reflect a heart that wants to bless others as You lead me.
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Shining Stars
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Posted:Nov 22, 2023 5:22 am
Last Updated:May 19, 2024 8:25 am 6657 Views
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Today's Devotional
Read: Philippians 2:12–16
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 18–19; James 4
You will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Philippians 2:15–16
The first thing I noticed about the city was its gambling outlets. Next, its cannabis shops, “adult” stores, and giant billboards for opportunistic lawyers making money off others’ mishaps. While I had visited many shady cities before, this one seemed to reach a new low.
My mood brightened, however, when I spoke to a taxi driver the next morning. “I ask God every day to send me the people He wants me to help,” he said. “Gambling addicts, prostitutes, people from broken homes tell me their problems in tears. I stop the car. I listen. I pray for them. This is my ministry.”
After describing Jesus’ descent into our fallen world (Philippians 2:5–8 the apostle Paul gives believers in Christ a calling. As we pursue God’s will (v. 13) and hold to the “word of life”—the gospel (v. 16)—we’ll be “ of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” who “shine . . . like stars in the sky” (v. 15). Like that taxi driver, we’re to bring Jesus’ light into the darkness.
A believer in Christ has only to live faithfully in order to change the world, historian Christopher Dawson said, because in that very act of living “there is contained all the mystery of divine life.” Let’s ask God’s Spirit to empower us to live faithfully as Jesus’ people, shining His light in the world’s darkest places.
How can you focus on Christ today, rather than the world’s evil? How can you shine His light today in your neighborhood?
Dear Jesus, thank You for being the Light of the World who brings me out of darkness.
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