Your Past Vs. God's Future
Day 1
Read Ephesians 2:1-10
No one likes reading about themselves in a poor light from someone else’s perspective, but that is what Paul is driving home here. This is the view of you and me, when we allow God to be honest and straightforward with us. Maybe you have been in a relationship with someone before and experienced this sort of discomfort. Before, you could do what you wanted to and when you wanted to, without considering what the other person was doing, thinking, or even better yet, feeling. All of the sudden a relationship gives you a second perspective of what you do and then also why you do it, and you don’t like the view that you find of yourself. As that relationship moves toward marriage, you have to decide if you will just double down and stubbornly stay the way that you are, or consider this other view of what’s actually going on and change that.
A relationship with God should produce that situation as well. God loves you and that doesn’t change based on what you have done. It is regardless of who you are. But that does not mean that God’s love makes it to where you don’t have to change. God’s love is far greater than just accepting you for who you are. God’s love is for the purpose of bringing you into the wisdom of how you can be the best person you were created to be. That is why Paul makes sure that he talks about you in the past tense when he lays out all of the negatives in this passage. You don’t have to be who you were, because God….
What are some of the passions of the flesh that you have stopped living in?
What are some of the desires of the body that you have repented from?
What are some desires of the mind that you have left behind?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
No one likes reading about themselves in a poor light from someone else’s perspective, but that is what Paul is driving home here. This is the view of you and me, when we allow God to be honest and straightforward with us. Maybe you have been in a relationship with someone before and experienced this sort of discomfort. Before, you could do what you wanted to and when you wanted to, without considering what the other person was doing, thinking, or even better yet, feeling. All of the sudden a relationship gives you a second perspective of what you do and then also why you do it, and you don’t like the view that you find of yourself. As that relationship moves toward marriage, you have to decide if you will just double down and stubbornly stay the way that you are, or consider this other view of what’s actually going on and change that.
A relationship with God should produce that situation as well. God loves you and that doesn’t change based on what you have done. It is regardless of who you are. But that does not mean that God’s love makes it to where you don’t have to change. God’s love is far greater than just accepting you for who you are. God’s love is for the purpose of bringing you into the wisdom of how you can be the best person you were created to be. That is why Paul makes sure that he talks about you in the past tense when he lays out all of the negatives in this passage. You don’t have to be who you were, because God….
What are some of the passions of the flesh that you have stopped living in?
What are some of the desires of the body that you have repented from?
What are some desires of the mind that you have left behind?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 2
Read Ephesians 2:11-22
The first half of this chapter, Paul was telling us about who we are and what God has done about that. In the second half, he continues that thought, but presents it a bit differently. This section seems to be about looking at salvation through Jesus as moving to a new “country” or getting a new family. The idea, either way is the same, we have been changed in a very important way. We were changed by the message that was preached to us, the message of peace from God offered to us. He tells us of our peace with His story and our peace with God Himself. He uses the language of no longer being strangers or outsiders, who have been given a new citizenship, but then brings it even closer to home by declaring us part of the family of God.
Notice the progression of life there! We were outsiders that were missing out and didn’t belong, so Jesus brought us in and made us no longer strangers or outsiders that didn’t belong. We were given citizenship so we can now participate in the life He brought us into and then to boot it all, he even brought us into His house and made us a part of the family. Since we are now a part of the family of God, we are also given the family of the local church with all of the benefits and good that comes in that as well. This is a pretty incredible deal that we have happened upon!
Have you ever been somewhere that you clearly did not belong and should not have been at? What was that like and how does that help you understand this idea?
What do you think it means to be a part of the family of God?
In verse 22, who is it that “you” are being built together with and what does this verse mean?
How does today’s devotion inform your prayers?
The first half of this chapter, Paul was telling us about who we are and what God has done about that. In the second half, he continues that thought, but presents it a bit differently. This section seems to be about looking at salvation through Jesus as moving to a new “country” or getting a new family. The idea, either way is the same, we have been changed in a very important way. We were changed by the message that was preached to us, the message of peace from God offered to us. He tells us of our peace with His story and our peace with God Himself. He uses the language of no longer being strangers or outsiders, who have been given a new citizenship, but then brings it even closer to home by declaring us part of the family of God.
Notice the progression of life there! We were outsiders that were missing out and didn’t belong, so Jesus brought us in and made us no longer strangers or outsiders that didn’t belong. We were given citizenship so we can now participate in the life He brought us into and then to boot it all, he even brought us into His house and made us a part of the family. Since we are now a part of the family of God, we are also given the family of the local church with all of the benefits and good that comes in that as well. This is a pretty incredible deal that we have happened upon!
Have you ever been somewhere that you clearly did not belong and should not have been at? What was that like and how does that help you understand this idea?
What do you think it means to be a part of the family of God?
In verse 22, who is it that “you” are being built together with and what does this verse mean?
How does today’s devotion inform your prayers?
Day 3
Read Romans 5:1-11
I love the idea of peace. World peace is great and all, but that is not what I am focused on right now. I am just talking about peace in life…my life. When I think about the idea of peace in life, I think about the clarity of mind that comes in those moments when I slow down and just allow my thoughts to run. I think about the deep sigh that comes in the lack of worry and concern when I lie down at night and get ready to sleep. Most people drown out the lack of peace with their phones or social media or even they turn up the music to keep the thoughts at bay. They will turn something on at night because they fear where their thoughts may go if they are not reigned in. Have you thought about the incredible place of peace that you get with following Jesus?
Having peace with God is a pretty incredible benefit in life. I don’t have to worry about what God thinks of me and if I am right with Him, because I have made the decision to be in Christ. I am not fighting against His plan and His way, but rather have surrendered to His way. Therefore I am at peace, because I don’t have to worry about those things! God is on my side, for me, and after my good. That is the promise of the Bible and that is what I have decided to believe in above all other things!
How have you noticed or experienced the peace that you have in God today?
Where is it that you need to apply the peace of God in your thoughts?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
I love the idea of peace. World peace is great and all, but that is not what I am focused on right now. I am just talking about peace in life…my life. When I think about the idea of peace in life, I think about the clarity of mind that comes in those moments when I slow down and just allow my thoughts to run. I think about the deep sigh that comes in the lack of worry and concern when I lie down at night and get ready to sleep. Most people drown out the lack of peace with their phones or social media or even they turn up the music to keep the thoughts at bay. They will turn something on at night because they fear where their thoughts may go if they are not reigned in. Have you thought about the incredible place of peace that you get with following Jesus?
Having peace with God is a pretty incredible benefit in life. I don’t have to worry about what God thinks of me and if I am right with Him, because I have made the decision to be in Christ. I am not fighting against His plan and His way, but rather have surrendered to His way. Therefore I am at peace, because I don’t have to worry about those things! God is on my side, for me, and after my good. That is the promise of the Bible and that is what I have decided to believe in above all other things!
How have you noticed or experienced the peace that you have in God today?
Where is it that you need to apply the peace of God in your thoughts?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 4
Read Romans 1:18-32
There is an important truth to understand. Extremes can’t exist without the equal and opposite. Love can’t exist without the equal and opposite idea of hate. Good can’t exist unless there is an equal and opposite bad. As good as it can get, there has to be an “as bad as it can get” that equals the other degree, otherwise, the good loses its context and doesn’t make sense. This is why the doctrine and understanding of wrath is so important. God’s love can not be fully realized unless we understand the degree and extremity of His wrath. This leaves us with the ability to run quite wild with what we assume that wrath looks like and is, but that is why we have Romans 1.
This chapter is the help in understanding what wrath is and how it plays out. God is good and desires good for us, but we get to choose. We are not forced into anything, but rather invited into everything. Wrath from God is fully realized when His hand of creation and life is taken away and we are given over to what it is that we have desired. This is not good. This is the fullest definition of what is not good. It is the same story that is played out outside the Garden of Eden in the Genesis story. Man apart from God is not good and descends into uncreation and death.
How have you experienced this version of God’s wrath, where you were allowed to have what you wanted and it was harmful or not good to you?
How do you see these ideas playing out in the world around you?
How do you counter these ideas with the gospel of Jesus?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
There is an important truth to understand. Extremes can’t exist without the equal and opposite. Love can’t exist without the equal and opposite idea of hate. Good can’t exist unless there is an equal and opposite bad. As good as it can get, there has to be an “as bad as it can get” that equals the other degree, otherwise, the good loses its context and doesn’t make sense. This is why the doctrine and understanding of wrath is so important. God’s love can not be fully realized unless we understand the degree and extremity of His wrath. This leaves us with the ability to run quite wild with what we assume that wrath looks like and is, but that is why we have Romans 1.
This chapter is the help in understanding what wrath is and how it plays out. God is good and desires good for us, but we get to choose. We are not forced into anything, but rather invited into everything. Wrath from God is fully realized when His hand of creation and life is taken away and we are given over to what it is that we have desired. This is not good. This is the fullest definition of what is not good. It is the same story that is played out outside the Garden of Eden in the Genesis story. Man apart from God is not good and descends into uncreation and death.
How have you experienced this version of God’s wrath, where you were allowed to have what you wanted and it was harmful or not good to you?
How do you see these ideas playing out in the world around you?
How do you counter these ideas with the gospel of Jesus?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 5
Read Nahum 1
If there are guilty people that deserve punishment, how unloving and unjust would it be that their sin goes without penalty? It is not a loving judge that hears the case of the murderer and then decides to just forget about the murder and pretend like it never happened, accepting only a promise that it will not happen again. This leaves the family and friends of the murdered person with no justice. But the very idea that you can find in your heart a compassion that hopes and calls out for the chance of redemption and forgiveness for even the murderer, screams the created hand of God on you!
The weird chapter in this obscure book that maybe you have never heard of, ends with the idea of the beauty in the feet of those that share the good news. This is not a weird biblical endorsement for feet, but rather the picture is of the good news coming down from a mountain, and from a human form with feet! The humans have always been the ones chosen to share the good news from the highest mountain. Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of this idea as the God/Man that brought salvation to us. We are the continuation of this idea as we are to bear the good news, using our feet to go to the places we are called, and preach and teach about what it is that Jesus has done for us!
Who needs to hear the good news of Jesus in your life today?
How can you be one of these “beautiful feet” people that takes the good news where it is needed?
It was Missions Sunday at Keystone Church. That is where we are reminded of the missions we are a part of supporting. We support a church plant in Florida, Buffalo, the pastors that are here in Greensburg, and are getting ready for a trip to Jamaica. How can you pray for each of these?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
If there are guilty people that deserve punishment, how unloving and unjust would it be that their sin goes without penalty? It is not a loving judge that hears the case of the murderer and then decides to just forget about the murder and pretend like it never happened, accepting only a promise that it will not happen again. This leaves the family and friends of the murdered person with no justice. But the very idea that you can find in your heart a compassion that hopes and calls out for the chance of redemption and forgiveness for even the murderer, screams the created hand of God on you!
The weird chapter in this obscure book that maybe you have never heard of, ends with the idea of the beauty in the feet of those that share the good news. This is not a weird biblical endorsement for feet, but rather the picture is of the good news coming down from a mountain, and from a human form with feet! The humans have always been the ones chosen to share the good news from the highest mountain. Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of this idea as the God/Man that brought salvation to us. We are the continuation of this idea as we are to bear the good news, using our feet to go to the places we are called, and preach and teach about what it is that Jesus has done for us!
Who needs to hear the good news of Jesus in your life today?
How can you be one of these “beautiful feet” people that takes the good news where it is needed?
It was Missions Sunday at Keystone Church. That is where we are reminded of the missions we are a part of supporting. We support a church plant in Florida, Buffalo, the pastors that are here in Greensburg, and are getting ready for a trip to Jamaica. How can you pray for each of these?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
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