CALLED BY NAME
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Posted:Jun 30, 2016 4:04 am
Last Updated:Jul 1, 2016 4:44 am 14968 Views
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Read: John 10:1–11
Bible in a Year: Job 17–19; Acts 10:1–23
Read: John 10:1–11
Bible in a Year: Job 17–19; Acts 10:1–23
He calls his own sheep by name. John 10:3
When I first meet a new group of students in the college composition class I teach, I already know their names. I take the time to familiarize myself with their names and photos on my student roster, so when they walk into my classroom I can say, “Hello, Jessica,” or “Welcome, Trevor.” I do this because I know how meaningful it is when someone knows and calls us by name.
Yet to truly know someone, we need to know more than that person’s name. In John 10, we can sense the warmth and care Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has for us when we read that He “calls his own sheep by name” (v. 3). He knows even more than our name. He knows our thoughts, longings, fears, wrongs, and deepest needs. Because He knows our deepest needs, He has given us our very life—our eternal life—at the cost of His own. As He says in verse 11, He “lays down his life for the sheep.”
Give thanks to Jesus! He knows your name and your needs.
You see, our sin separated us from God. So Jesus, the Good Shepherd, became the Lamb and sacrificed Himself, taking our sin on Himself. When He gave His life for us and then was resurrected, He redeemed us. As a result, when we accept His gift of salvation through faith, we are no longer separated from God.
Give thanks to Jesus! He knows your name and your needs!
Dear Lord, thank You for knowing my name and for knowing exactly what I need. Thank You for dying for my sin and for rising from the grave to defeat death and give me eternal life with You.
God’s knowledge of us knows no bounds.
He calls his own sheep by name. John 10:3
When I first meet a new group of students in the college composition class I teach, I already know their names. I take the time to familiarize myself with their names and photos on my student roster, so when they walk into my classroom I can say, “Hello, Jessica,” or “Welcome, Trevor.” I do this because I know how meaningful it is when someone knows and calls us by name.
Yet to truly know someone, we need to know more than that person’s name. In John 10, we can sense the warmth and care Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has for us when we read that He “calls his own sheep by name” (v. 3). He knows even more than our name. He knows our thoughts, longings, fears, wrongs, and deepest needs. Because He knows our deepest needs, He has given us our very life—our eternal life—at the cost of His own. As He says in verse 11, He “lays down his life for the sheep.”
Give thanks to Jesus! He knows your name and your needs.
You see, our sin separated us from God. So Jesus, the Good Shepherd, became the Lamb and sacrificed Himself, taking our sin on Himself. When He gave His life for us and then was resurrected, He redeemed us. As a result, when we accept His gift of salvation through faith, we are no longer separated from God.
Give thanks to Jesus! He knows your name and your needs!
Dear Lord, thank You for knowing my name and for knowing exactly what I need. Thank You for dying for my sin and for rising from the grave to defeat death and give me eternal life with You.
God’s knowledge of us knows no bounds.
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OUR WAY OF LIFE
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Posted:Jun 29, 2016 2:47 am
Last Updated:Jun 30, 2016 4:04 am 14982 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:1–10
Bible in a Year: Job 14–16; Acts 9:22–43
We are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Ephesians 2:10
I was struck by a phrase I heard quoted from a contemporary Bible translation. When I Googled the phrase “our way of life” to locate the passage, many of the results focused on things people felt were threatening their expected way of living. Prominent among the perceived threats were climate change, terrorism, and government policies.
What really is our way of life as followers of Jesus? I wondered. Is it what makes us comfortable, secure, and happy, or is it something more?
God has called us to pursue a life that reaches out to others and honors Him.
Paul reminded the Christians in Ephesus of the remarkable way God had transformed their lives. “God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5 ). The result is that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (v. 10
Doing good works, helping others, giving, loving, and serving in Jesus’s name—these are to be our way of life. They are not optional activities for believers, but the very reason God has given us life in Christ.
In a changing world, God has called and empowered us to pursue a life that reaches out to others and honors Him.
Father, thank You for the incredible riches of Your love and mercy. You rescued us from our dead way of living and made us alive with Christ.
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
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LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND
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Posted:Jun 28, 2016 5:50 am
Last Updated:Jun 28, 2016 5:51 am 14796 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:12–21
Bible in a Year: Job 11–13; Acts 9:1–21
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Chris Baker is a tattoo artist who transforms symbols of pain and enslavement into works of art. Many of his are former gang members and victims of human trafficking who have been marked with identifying names, symbols, or codes. Chris transforms these into beautiful art by tattooing over them with new images.
Jesus does for the soul what Chris Baker does for the skin—He takes us as we are and transforms us. The Bible says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:17 nlt). Before knowing Christ, we follow our desires wherever they lead us, and our lifestyles reflect this. When we repent and begin to walk with Christ, the passions and pitfalls that once dominated our lives are the “old life” (1 Cor. 6:9–11) that fades away as we are transformed. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:18.
To enjoy the future, accept God’s forgiveness for the past.
Still, life as a “new person” isn’t always easy. It can take time to disconnect from old habits. We may struggle with ideas that were foundational to our old way of life. Yet over time, God’s Holy Spirit works in us, giving us inner strength and an understanding of Christ’s love. As God’s beautiful new creations, we’re free to leave the past behind.
Jesus, thank You for the power of Your death and resurrection. Your victory over sin means that I can be forgiven and can enjoy a new life in You.
To enjoy the future, accept God’s forgiveness for the past.
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NO DRIFTING
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Posted:Jun 27, 2016 2:42 am
Last Updated:Jun 28, 2016 5:50 am 15072 Views
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Read: Hebrews 2:1–4
Bible in a Year: Job 8–10; Acts 8:26–40
We must pay the most careful attention . . . so that we do not drift away.
Hebrews 2:1
At the end of one school semester, my wife and I picked up our from her school 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. On our way back home we detoured to a nearby beach resort for snacks. While enjoying our time there, we watched the boats at the seashore. Usually they are anchored to prevent them from drifting away, but I noticed one boat drifting unhindered among the others—slowly and steadily making its way out to sea.
As we drove home, I reflected on the timely caution given to believers in the book of Hebrews: "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away" (Heb. 2:1). We have good reason to stay close. The author of Hebrews says that while the Mosaic law was reliable and needed to be obeyed, the message of the of God is far superior. Our salvation is “so great” in Jesus that He shouldn’t be ignored (v. 3).
To avoid drifting away from God, stay anchored to the Rock.
Drifting in our relationship with God is hardly noticeable at first; it happens gradually. However, spending time talking with Him in prayer and reading His Word, confessing our wrongs to Him, and interacting with other followers of Jesus can help us stay anchored in Him. As we connect with the Lord regularly, He will be faithful to sustain us, and we can avoid drifting away.
What do you know about Jesus that keeps you wanting to be near Him?
To avoid drifting away from God, stay anchored to the Rock.
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NO DRIFTING
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Posted:Jun 27, 2016 2:41 am
Last Updated:Jun 27, 2016 2:42 am 14805 Views
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Read: Hebrews 2:1–4
Bible in a Year: Job 8–10; Acts 8:26–40
We must pay the most careful attention . . . so that we do not drift away.
Hebrews 2:1
At the end of one school semester, my wife and I picked up our from her school 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. On our way back home we detoured to a nearby beach resort for snacks. While enjoying our time there, we watched the boats at the seashore. Usually they are anchored to prevent them from drifting away, but I noticed one boat drifting unhindered among the others—slowly and steadily making its way out to sea.
As we drove home, I reflected on the timely caution given to believers in the book of Hebrews: "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away" (Heb. 2:1). We have good reason to stay close. The author of Hebrews says that while the Mosaic law was reliable and needed to be obeyed, the message of the of God is far superior. Our salvation is “so great” in Jesus that He shouldn’t be ignored (v. 3).
To avoid drifting away from God, stay anchored to the Rock.
Drifting in our relationship with God is hardly noticeable at first; it happens gradually. However, spending time talking with Him in prayer and reading His Word, confessing our wrongs to Him, and interacting with other followers of Jesus can help us stay anchored in Him. As we connect with the Lord regularly, He will be faithful to sustain us, and we can avoid drifting away.
What do you know about Jesus that keeps you wanting to be near Him?
To avoid drifting away from God, stay anchored to the Rock.
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HIS LOVING PRESENCE
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Posted:Jun 24, 2016 3:09 am
Last Updated:Jun 27, 2016 2:42 am 15007 Views
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Read: Hebrews 13:1–6
Bible in a Year: Job 1–2; Acts 7:22–43
Never will I leave you. Hebrews 13:5
Our hearts sank when we learned that our good friend Cindy had been diagnosed with cancer. Cindy was a vibrant person whose life blessed all who crossed her path. My wife and I rejoiced when she went into remission, but a few months later her cancer returned with a vengeance. In our minds she was too young to die. Her husband told me about her last hours. When she was weak and hardly able to talk, Cindy whispered to him, “Just be with me.” What she wanted more than anything in those dark moments was his loving presence.
The writer to the Hebrews comforted his readers by quoting Deuteronomy 31:6, where God told His people: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). In the darkest moments of life, the assurance of His loving presence gives us confidence that we are not alone. He gives us the grace to endure, the wisdom to know He is working, and the assurance that Christ can “empathize with our weaknesses” (4:15).
There is peace in the presence of God.
Together let’s embrace the blessing of His loving presence so we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (13:6).
Lord, thank You for the promise that You will never leave me. May the reality of Your constant supporting presence fill my heart with comfort, confidence, and courage.
There is peace in the presence of God.
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HIS LOVING PRESENCE
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Posted:Jun 24, 2016 3:09 am
Last Updated:Jun 24, 2016 3:09 am 14752 Views
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Read: Hebrews 13:1–6
Bible in a Year: Job 1–2; Acts 7:22–43
Never will I leave you. Hebrews 13:5
Our hearts sank when we learned that our good friend Cindy had been diagnosed with cancer. Cindy was a vibrant person whose life blessed all who crossed her path. My wife and I rejoiced when she went into remission, but a few months later her cancer returned with a vengeance. In our minds she was too young to die. Her husband told me about her last hours. When she was weak and hardly able to talk, Cindy whispered to him, “Just be with me.” What she wanted more than anything in those dark moments was his loving presence.
The writer to the Hebrews comforted his readers by quoting Deuteronomy 31:6, where God told His people: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). In the darkest moments of life, the assurance of His loving presence gives us confidence that we are not alone. He gives us the grace to endure, the wisdom to know He is working, and the assurance that Christ can “empathize with our weaknesses” (4:15).
There is peace in the presence of God.
Together let’s embrace the blessing of His loving presence so we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (13:6).
Lord, thank You for the promise that You will never leave me. May the reality of Your constant supporting presence fill my heart with comfort, confidence, and courage.
There is peace in the presence of God.
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SERVING CHRIST
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Posted:Jun 23, 2016 6:33 am
Last Updated:Jun 24, 2016 3:09 am 14972 Views
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Read: Ephesians 6:5–9
Bible in a Year: Esther 9–10; Acts 7:1–21
Obey [your earthly masters] . . . as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Ephesians 6:6
“I’m a secretary,” a friend told me. “When I tell people this, they sometimes look at me with a certain pity. But when they find out who I am secretary for, they open their eyes with admiration!” In other words, society often defines some jobs as less important than others, unless those jobs happen to relate in some way to rich or famous people.
For the of God, however, any occupation, regardless of the earthly boss, can be held proudly because we serve the Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, I want to serve you in everything I do.
In Ephesians 6, Paul talks to servants and masters. He reminds both groups that we serve one Master who is in heaven. So we need to do everything with sincerity of heart, integrity, and respect because we are serving and working for Christ Himself. As the apostle Paul reminds us, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people” (Eph. 6.7).
What a privilege to serve God in everything we do, whether answering a phone or driving a car or doing housework or running a business. Let us work with a smile today, remembering that no matter what we are doing, we are serving God.
Lord Jesus, I want to serve You in everything I do. Help me, as I begin each day, to remember this.
Serving shows our love for God.
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A REMOTE LOCATION
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Posted:Jun 22, 2016 3:38 am
Last Updated:Jun 23, 2016 6:33 am 14802 Views
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Read: Mark 8:1–13
Bible in a Year: Esther 6–8; Acts 6
My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Tristan da Cunha Island is famous for its isolation. It is the most remote inhabited island in the world, thanks to the 288 people who call it home. The island is located in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,750 miles from South Africa—the nearest mainland. Anyone who might want to drop by for a visit has to travel by boat for seven days because the island has no airstrip.
Jesus and His followers were in a somewhat remote area when He produced a miraculous meal for thousands of hungry people. Before His miracle, Jesus said to His disciples, “[These people] have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way” (Mark 8:2-3). Because they were in the countryside where food was not readily available, they had to depend fully on Jesus. They had nowhere else to turn.
God can certainly meet our needs, whatever our circumstances.
Sometimes God allows us to end up in desolate places where He is our only source of help. His ability to provide for us is not necessarily linked with our circumstances. If He created the entire world out of nothing, God can certainly meet our needs—whatever our circumstances—out of the riches of His glory, in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).
Dear God, thank You for all that You have provided through Your , Jesus Christ. You know what my needs are. Please reassure me of Your care and power.
We can trust God to do what we cannot do.
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A REMOTE LOCATION
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Posted:Jun 22, 2016 3:38 am
Last Updated:Jun 22, 2016 3:39 am 14719 Views
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Read: Mark 8:1–13
Bible in a Year: Esther 6–8; Acts 6
My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Tristan da Cunha Island is famous for its isolation. It is the most remote inhabited island in the world, thanks to the 288 people who call it home. The island is located in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,750 miles from South Africa—the nearest mainland. Anyone who might want to drop by for a visit has to travel by boat for seven days because the island has no airstrip.
Jesus and His followers were in a somewhat remote area when He produced a miraculous meal for thousands of hungry people. Before His miracle, Jesus said to His disciples, “[These people] have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way” (Mark 8:2-3). Because they were in the countryside where food was not readily available, they had to depend fully on Jesus. They had nowhere else to turn.
God can certainly meet our needs, whatever our circumstances.
Sometimes God allows us to end up in desolate places where He is our only source of help. His ability to provide for us is not necessarily linked with our circumstances. If He created the entire world out of nothing, God can certainly meet our needs—whatever our circumstances—out of the riches of His glory, in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).
Dear God, thank You for all that You have provided through Your , Jesus Christ. You know what my needs are. Please reassure me of Your care and power.
We can trust God to do what we cannot do.
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