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A Living Sacrifice
Volume 1 Issue 8
Scripture
Romans 12:1-8
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
Spend several minutes meditating on Romans 12.
Who is talking?
To whom?
When and under what circumstances?
Where?
What was the purpose (teach, rebuke, entertain, emote)?
Now, consider the passage phrase-by-phrase. Write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
What is sacrifice?
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines it as “an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar.”
When Christ gave his life for us on the cross, He provided the ultimate sacrifice. The cross became His altar as He offered Himself. The Father accepted His sacrifice that should have been ours. In exchange, He requires our lives.
Here is what we get:
- The power of Jesus Christ’s indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16) for our pain and sickness. (Isaiah 53:5)
- His glory for our shame. (Isaiah 61:7)
- His richness for our poverty (physical and spiritual). (2 Corinthians 8:9)
- His forgiveness for our sin. (Isaiah 53:12)
For this, we must present ourselves as living sacrifices – lives totally dedicated to His work, living each day, in faith, expecting His direction and provision because He loved us first and presented the first, perfect sacrifice.
How are you at “laying it all down”? Are their areas you are not, yet, willing to sacrifice for Him?
Pray: Jesus, thank you for becoming a sacrifice for me. Help me to, in turn, give myself totally to you.
Tuesday
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary says worship is “reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also : an act of expressing such reverence.”
According to Romans 12, then, when we offer our bodies as living sacrifices – when we give Jesus total obedience in every area of our lives – we are giving reverence to Jesus Christ. Every act, whether it be brushing your teeth, raising children, or punching the time clock, becomes an act of worship. How much greater worship are the “spiritual disciplines” such as Bible study and tithing?
Worship brings us directly into the presence of God. So, when we give our lives in obedience to Christ, we dwell in the presence of the Almighty. And there, sin has no power over us.
Are you walking in total, immediate obedience to Jesus Christ? If yes, what benefits do you see? If no, what areas do you need to present to Him as a sacrifice?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your ultimate sacrifice. Help me to walk, daily, in the victory You purchased for me.
Wednesday
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. Romans 5:15-16
Romans 12:1, when taken by itself, can lead to a legalistic lifestyle. “I have to obey God to prove I love Him.” Anytime you find yourself saying “have to” about any aspect of your relationship with God, it’s time for a spiritual health check-up.
Jesus left us with two rules: Love God and love people (Luke 10:27). Love is delightful. It is never a burden and never a “have to.” Love can’t wait to give. Love is eager to serve. Love is anxious to believe. (1 Corinthians 13)
Romans 12:2 sheds further light on the first verse of the chapter. “Don’t be conformed, . . . but be transformed.”
Notice, it does not say, “transform your mind,” but “be transformed.” I can no more renew my mind than I can change into a horse. I am sinful. You are sinful. By nature, thanks to Adam’s sin. But Jesus Christ brings us the transformation, He started it and has finished it. (Hebrews 12:2) He will do the renewing and transforming so we can know the will of God and walk in obedience.
In what areas does your mind need to be transformed so your thoughts and actions can line up with the Word of God?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for transforming my mind so I can see Your will. Remind me to walk in the new life You already purchased for me.
Thursday
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. . . . The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:10, 15-16
What is God’s will in this situation? If I had a dime for every time I’ve asked that question, I’d be rich. I have spent untold hours begging God to show me what He wanted me to do. But, now I’m learning, I was asking for the wrong thing.
When I am begging God to reveal His way to me, I am not trusting Him to guide me. I am demonstrating my need to be in charge of my life. I am showing my untransformed spirit and unrenewed mind.
When Christ has transformed my mind, I can have peace that, in God’s time, he will lead me in the way I should go. If my mind is renewed, I will know God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. He may not reveal it to me in my timetable, but, again, when I am walking in new life, I understand that God operates outside of the box we call time. So, if I am following Him, it is never too late.
Reflect on the times you struggle/have struggled with knowing the will of God.
Pray: Jesus, thank you that, through You, I can know all things. Help me to remember to walk in Your renewed life, peace, and strength.
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me (fill in the blank):
Show me how You want me to grow.
Record His answer in your journal.
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on Christ’s faithful, eternal mercy and love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for giving Yourself so I can, in turn, give myself in obedience to you with a renewed mind and a transformed my Spirit. I am no longer who I was, but a new creation in You. Cause Your peace and love to overflow into these areas of my life:
We will look at the remaining verses in this passage next week.
We pray you are abundantly blessed as you learn from God’s Word this week. Block out a portion of each day to meditate on His Word and allow it to take root in your life. If you take time to write out your answers, you will enjoy deeper insight and create a journal of your spiritual journey.
If you would like to download this post to journal and save or to share with a friend, click here: A Good and Faithful Servant
If you prefer to read on-line, read on.
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This week’s passage focuses on A Good and Faithful Servant. What does God require of His servants and what does that look like?
Scripture
Luke 17:7-10
“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ “
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
Spend several minutes meditating on Luke 17:7-10. Consider it phrase-by-phrase. Write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. . . .
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:3-5, 12-17
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
No one said the Christian life would be easy. Jesus, Himself, promised troubles. But we can rest knowing that whatever problems we face, they are for our growth.
Often, Christ requires difficult things of us – impossible things, outside of His power. But, when we learn to trust Him and follow Him, we grow and learn and better reflect His glory.
What does Jesus require of His servants? How faithful are you in that service?
Pray: Lord, help me to serve as you served. Give me power to love as you love.
Tuesday
As a family, in anticipation of the theater release of Prince Caspian, we are reading the book by the same title. At one point, Aslan sends Peter and Edmund into the How where they overhear a disturbing conversation that ends in a battle.
When the dust has settled, High King Peter greets each of the survivors, thanking them for their faithfulness. His last greeting is to Trufflehunter, the badger. I’ll quote from the book:
“Best of badgers,” [Peter] said. “You never doubted us all through.”
“No credit to me, Majesty,” said Trufflehunter. “I am a beast and we don’t change. I’m a badger, what’s more, and we hold on.”(1)
Trufflehunter had never doubted help would come and seemed to know that it would be in the help of the Kings and Queens from the past. Even when all seemed hopeless and everyone mocked her for her faithfulness, the badger never quit believing. But when thanked, she had one response: I only did what I needed to do.
That is how we should be. We serve because we are commanded to and because we love our Master. When it is time to be in His presence, we first serve Him through our worship, then we may, ourselves be fed.
If we are faithful, in the end, He will say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:21,23
Our response will be, “I only did what You required of me. Thank You for allowing me to serve.”
What does the Lord require of you today? How faithful are you in responding with thankful obedience?
Pray: Lord, soften my heart to Your ways. Cause me always to respond, always with “Yes, Lord,” and immediate obedience.
(1) Prince Caspian C.S.Lewis © 1951, 1979 Harper Trophy
Wednesday
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40
I admit it: I am a 21st century American capitalist. I like having the ability to choose my own job, establish my own business, and run it how I want (within legal and ethical bounds, of course). I also like keeping (most of) the money I make.
The thought of working all day, then turning around and waiting on someone else while I’m tired and hungry, flies in the face of the me-first generation I grew up in. But then I became a Mom.
Babies don’t care if you’ve just worked all day. When they’re hungry, they want fed. They don’t care if you’ve already washed four loads of laundry. If they are wet, they want changed – and into dry clothes, thank-you-very-much. If you are tired and they are not, guess who wins the sleep-depravation battle. But we do it, lovingly, because we love the child.
The master in Luke 17 probably had done some work during the day – but more than likely, not nearly the level of physical labor required of the servant. Yet, when the servant arrived at the house in the evening, he had to prepare supper and serve the master before he, himself, could eat.
It would be good for us to learn to love and serve each other in the same way. What if, when you got home, you saw the floor needed vacuuming – and pulled out the vacuum instead of waiting for your spouse to do so. What would happen if, when the local body of believers needed someone to help in the nursery (or youth), there were several volunteers eager to serve their Lord? What would happen if we put the needs of our family and the Kingdom of Christ above our own feelings and desires? What would our world look like?
In what areas is God stretching you for better service?
Pray: Lord, give me an overwhelming love for those around me, so it is a pleasure to serve them. Help me see my service to them as a reflection of my love for You.
Thursday
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
It’s not always easy to show love. But God requires it.
Some days, when I’m feeling selfish, I don’t want to serve. I don’t want to forgive. I don’t want to trust or believe. I want to give up. But God requires it.
In another section of Prince Caspian, Aslan has just shown himself to Lucy and told her to follow him. She, also, must tell the others to follow her. Since they cannot see her, and she is the youngest, they were rather rude and reluctant to follow. But she must do as the Lion has commanded.
“Lucy went first, biting her lip and trying not to say all the thins she thought of saying to Susan. But she forgot them when she fixed her eyes on Aslan. He turned and walked a slow pace about thirty yards ahead of them. . . .
He led them to the right of the dancing trees – whether they were dancing nobody knew, for Lucy had her eyes on the lion and the rest had their eyes on Lucy.” (1)
Aslan required her to follow. She did, and as she focused on Him, the pains and distractions fell away. And, in the end, it worked out best.
Where is your focus? What things do you need to forget as you fix your eyes on the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
Pray: Lord Jesus, help me to stay focused on You and the task you have required. Not for fame, fortune, or reward, but for the joy of serving You and doing what You require.
(1) Prince Caspian C.S.Lewis © 1951, 1979 Harper Trophy
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me _________________________________________ (You fill in the blank.) Show me how You want me to grow.
Record His answer in your journal.
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on the requirements of a Servant of Christ.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for choosing me before the creation of the world and calling me to be your servant. Keep me faithful, not out of duty or guilt, but out of love for you.
We pray you are abundantly blessed as you learn from God’s Word this week. Block out a portion of your day, each day, to meditate on His Word and allow it to take root in your life. If you take time to write out your answers, you will enjoy deeper insight and create a journal of your spiritual journey.
If you would like to download this post to journal and save or to share with a friend, click here: See the Glory of God
If you prefer to read on-line, read on.
Did you know you can receive new posts via email? Just click the link on the left. And we promise we will never share your info with anyone.
This week’s passage focuses on Seeing the Glory of God. God puts us in difficult places sometimes, because, in the dark, His Love shines brightest.
Volume 1 Issue 6
Scripture
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
Spend several minutes meditating on John 11:38-44. Consider it phrase-by-phrase. Write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
Jesus was near the Jordan River, two days’ journey from Bethany, though the journey probably took longer for Jesus, given that he had to push through crowds to go anywhere.
After he received the message that Lazarus was sick, he waited two days before leaving. When he arrived, Lazarus had been buried four days.
What must Mary and Martha have thought when Lazarus died then their messenger returned without Jesus? I’m sure they had doubts: Did Jesus really love them? Did He love Lazarus? Is He really the Son of God? Why didn’t He know to come even without the messenger?
Both sisters sum up their feelings in their shared greeting, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
Verses 4 and 40 tell us Jesus’ motive for delaying: “Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
God is an “on time” God. He does not work in our timetable, but always answers at just the right time to increase our faith and show His Glory.
For what miracle are you waiting? Or have you been waiting and just received?
Pray: Jesus, help me to trust You when my life doesn’t go the way I think it should and when You don’t respond in my timetable. Even when all hope seems gone, cause me to continue to trust in You.
Tuesday
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Mary knew Jesus could heal Lazarus. She even knew Jesus could raise him from the dead. But she was stuck in the visible. She desperately needed to see the Glory, but her faith could not break through the fog of grief and confusion.
What is blocking you from seeing the glory of God in your life?
Pray: Lord, I want to see your Glory, but all I can see right now are my circumstances. I know you can heal and deliver, but my heart is weary. Help me in my unbelief.
Wednesday
Martha knew God the Father would give Jesus whatever He asked (John 11:22) She knew He would bring Lazarus back to life.
She also knew he wouldn’t smell so good. (v. 39)
Jesus reminded her she was focusing on the wrong thing.
When we focus on the “smell of the dead,” we miss the point.
Do you want to see the glory of God? Can you put up with a little inconvenience to see His glory? Or are we going to let a bad smell keep us from it?
What things in your life have a “bad odor”? Are you focusing on them, or allowing your praises to rise like a fragrant offering to our Lord?
Pray:
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.Take my will, and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.By: Frances R. Havergal, Take My Life and Let It Be
Thursday
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:9
We often talk about the glory of God? But what does that mean?
As in Luke 2, God’s glory is often signified by a great light. But is that His glory?
Not to the full extent. You might say dynamite is a big noise. And, to some degree, you would be speaking the truth. But there’s more to it than that. Just as there’s more to God’s glory than appears when He shows up.
The NASB Topical Index says, “The terms for glory in both the OT and NT (Heb. kabod and Gr. doxa) are used of the honor and praise due a person of worthy reputation because of position, power, and riches. Such glory ultimately belongs only to God since He alone is worthy.” (1)
So, if I’m reading that right, God’s glory is a display of his power, position, and riches. He certainly displayed that at Lazarus’ tomb. Where might He display it in your life?
Pray: Jesus Christ, display Your unconquerable power, position as King of All, and unending riches in my life. Let me be a reflection of Your glory.
(1)
The NASB Topical Index. 1998 (electronic ed.). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me Your glory. Show me how I can be a better reflection of You.
Record His answer here:
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on Christ’s faithful, eternal mercy and love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for loving me before the creation of the world. Thank you for showering me with Your mercy. Cause Your love to overflow into these areas of my life:
We pray you are abundantly blessed as you learn from God’s Word this week. Block out a portion of your day, each day, to meditate on His Word and allow it to take root in your life. If you take time to write out your answers, you will enjoy deeper insight and create a journal of your spiritual journey.
Here is the download you can print and journal or share: Vol 1 Issue 5: His Love Endures Forever
Or, if you’d rather view it online, read on.
Did you know you can receive new posts via email? Just click the link on the left. And we promise we will never share your info with anyone.
This week’s passage focuses on God’s eternal faithfulness. As you let the assurance of God’s love become real to you, allow it to flow abundantly to those God places in your path this week.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.
25 and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
Spend several minutes meditating on Psalm 136:1-3 and 23-26. Consider it phrase-by-phrase. Write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
Read all of Psalm 136. What character qualities does the author attribute to God? What works of God does the author remind his readers? What does God continue to do?
Which of His character qualities has God demonstrated to you? How? What has God done in the past for you? For your ancestors? What is God presently doing for your family?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness to me. You have shown your abundant love in many ways. Help me, Lord, to continually honor You for what You have done and for who You are.
Tuesday
Psalm 136 is a reader-response song. The cantor would sing a line, the congregation would respond with the phrase “His love endures forever.” Throughout the Psalm, the congregation praised God for His character, His sovereignty, what He has made and done, and what He continues to do.
The Hebrew word translated “love” in the NIV is chesed (pronounced hess-id). It is one of those words that cannot easily be translated from one language to another. It encompasses a variety of meanings including loving-kindness, mercy, faithfulness, and loyalty-kindness. In some places where this word is used throughout the Hebrew scriptures, there is an idea of covenant relationship (unbreakable bond) implied.
When and in what ways has God shown His chesed to you?
Pray: Precious Lord, thank you for your unfailing, eternal love. Thank you for placing Your love deep in my life through Christ Jesus. Cause that love to shine through to everyone around me.
Wednesday
Legacy. Webster defines legacy as: “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past .”
Psalm 136 trasmits a legacy of trust in an ever-loving God. The author recalls the mighty way the Lord created the world, chose Israel, then delivered them from their enemies and guided them to their inheritance. Throughout the entire recollection, we are constantly reminded that “His love endures forever.”
Do your children know of their Godly heritage? Do they know who in their family has served God, and in what ways? Do they know the ways God has miraculously provided for your family? Are you building in them a trust in a God whose love is victorious today, and will continue forever?
Write a refrain of your own, recalling God’s faithfulness to you and your family. When you are finished, share it with your children.
Pray: Lord, I pray you will guide me in building for my children a legacy of faith and trust in your eternal, unfailing love.
Thursday
We should be convinced by now that God’s love lasts forever. I find this knowledge very assuring. I know, whatever I do, God will love me. He loved me so much He sent His Son to die so He could be in relationship with me. He placed the fullness of His Son in me so I have all His power (Colossians 2:9). My responsibility then, as a bearer of that fullness is to allow it to shine through me to everyone God puts in my life.
Read Ephesians 5:21-33. Does your love for your spouse follow these Godly mandates and demonstrate an everlasting covenant?
Read Matthew 15:1-9. Do you honor your parents as Christ commanded? Does your love for your parents? (Yes, adult children must continue to honor their parents, too.)
Read Colossians 3:21. Do you love your children with a patient, understanding, everlasting love? Do you, in your relationship with them, accurately portray the Father-heart of God?
Read Luke 6:32-36. Do you love your enemies as Christ has loved you? Maybe you think you don’t have enemies. Think about these people: the lady down the street who yells at your children, the person at church who constantly complains, the young man next door who blasts his car stereo at 1:00 A.M., the people who are making war and slanderous remarks against your God and your country?
Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for Your unfailing love that You have given to me. Cause it to grow and shine bright, blotting out any bitterness, anger, or hate I have for the people I’ve listed above. Let me be a true representation of your everlasting love.
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts? How has God shown you His faithful love? In what ways do you represent His mercy to others? In what areas do you need to grow in love?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me just how faithful You are. Forgive me, Lord, for the times I have been selfish and kept that love inside me, instead of letting it shine. Show me how You want me to change.
Record His answer in your journal.
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on Christ’s faithful, eternal mercy and love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for loving me before the creation of the world. Thank you for showering me with Your mercy. Cause Your love to overflow into these areas of my life:
Happy Resurection Day!
We pray you are abundantly blessed as you learn from God’s Word this week. Block out a portion of your day, each day, to meditate on His Word and allow it to take root in your life. If you take time to write out your answers, you will enjoy deeper insight and create a journal of your spiritual journey.
Here is the download you can print and journal or share: Vol 1 Issue 4: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
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Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (and Kept)
Volume 1 Issue 4
Psalm 139:1-18 (NIV)
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in-behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
As the battle-cry for the pro-life movement, Psalm 139 is familiar to most Christians. But sometimes, we forget to think about those things most familiar to us. So, let’s examine these verses this week and really understand what David was telling us.
Spend several minutes meditating on Psalm 139. I know it’s a big chunk, but don’t rush through. Consider it phrase-by-phrase. Write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
What creative tasks have you practiced? Knitting, scrap booking? Woodwork, models? Think of the care you put into each project.
Now, think of Almighty God, creator of the universe reaching down to lovingly form you. And numbering your days. Outlining your life – the hardships and the blessings. Crafting each day for your growth and your glory. And, ultimately, for His glory.
His all-encompassing presence surrounds us to protect and guide us.
Think back over your life.
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List a few blessings and wonderful moments you’ve had with God.
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List a few instances when you questioned if God knew what He was doing, but later you saw His plan.
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List a few instances when you questioned God, and you still don’t know why He allowed you to walk that path.
Pray: Thank You, Father, for creating me special, for carefully forming each cell in my body and numbering each day of my life. Help me to trust You through the good times and the bad, when I can see Your hand directing me and when I am confused. Keep my focus and faith founded in You.
Tuesday
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
It’s easy for us to spout out verses like Psalm 139 when the worst dilemma we face is a vision problem or a food allergy.
But what about children born with severe handicaps, who will never function as “normal” people? What about people who are completely paralyzed in accidents? Did God miss them?
No, they are precious to God, too.
I recently ran across an article about a man named Nick Vujicic. For no apparent medical reason, Nick was born without arms or legs. He spent the first several years of his life questioning and hating God.
But as a young teen, he realized, in spite of his disabilities, he could do an amazing number of things. He turned his focus from selfish complaining to worshipful surrender to God’s plan – a decision that has led to speaking engagements around the globe. (Check out his website: Life Without Limbs. He will be appearing on ABC’s 20/20, February, March 28 at 10:00 p.m.)
We can learn a lot from people like Nick Vujicic. Many times, our victory in a situation is dependant on our focus. If we concentrate on ourselves and the problem, we are already defeated. But, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2), we can live as more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37), as the head – not the tail, victorious – not defeated, as sons and daughters – not servants, having all things pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), and we the power of the indestructible life dwelling in us (Heb. 7:16). We will overcome.
What are you going through now? Where is your focus?
Pray: Jesus, thank You for giving Your life on the cross, so I can live. Thank you for defeating death so I can walk in victory.
Wednesday
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Whenever I read this verse, I think of Jonah, who tried to run from God. He hid himself in the belly of a ship and God chased him into the belly of a huge fish. He found he could not escape.
Have you ever been somewhere you knew God didn’t want you to be? Has God ever told you to go somewhere you didn’t want to go? There is a constant battle between our flesh and the Word of God. We, daily, must die to ourselves – our wishes, our dreams, our desires – and live walk according to the will of God.
Think about a time God chased you down because he loved you. How did it feel to finally surrender?
Pray: Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so much that you never let me go, but pursue me until I am ready to surrender. Soften my heart and bend my will so with each direction from you, my immediate answer is, “Yes, Lord.”
Thursday
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
There is not a move you make that God does not see. So, when the doctor pronounces a life sentence, He is there. He knows the end. When the boss issues an accusation, He stands with you as your defender. When the bills are piling up, He is your provider. You are not alone, and there is not one problem that you face that did not, first, sift through His hands. And He is allowing it for your growth and training.
Better still, He knows the answer. We don’t need to struggle. We have, through Jesus Christ’s divine power, all things pertaining to life (food, shelter, job, relationships) and godliness (salvation, righteousness, victorious living) (2 Peter 1:3). All we have to do, is remember to ask for His wisdom (James 1:5).
What are you facing now, that you need God’s wisdom and knowledge?
Pray: God, as James 1:5 commands, I am asking You for wisdom, knowing you will give it. I do not doubt, but take time, now, to listen to Your voice and wait for You direction.
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me your unfailing love. Thank you for forming me perfect for Your glory for perfecting me to be like You. Show me how You want me to grow more in my comprehension of Your plan.
Record His answer here:
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on Christ’s faithful, eternal mercy and love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for loving me before the creation of the world. Thank you for showering me with Your mercy. Cause Your love to overflow into these areas of my life:
I finally figured out what I was doing wrong with the uploads. Here are Issues 1 and 2 for you to download, print, and use as a journal or share with your friends.
Blessings!
Volume 1 Issue 2: The Love of God
We pray you are abundantly blessed as you learn from God’s Word this week. Block out a portion of your day, each day to meditate on His Word and allow it to take root in your life. If you take time to write out your answers, you will enjoy deeper insight and create a journal of your spiritual journey.
This week’s passage focuses on the love of God.
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Scripture
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Sunday
Pray: Lord, as I meditate on Your Word today, help me see You in a way I never have before. Help me see this portion of Your Word in a new light. Drive it deep into my soul so it becomes an integral part of my life.
Spend several minutes meditating on 1 John 4:7-12. Consider it phrase-by-phrase. In your journal, write down key words or phrases that seem to “jump out” at you and any insights you receive from God.
Monday
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Last week we discussed the Mind of Christ. This week we are discussing the love of God. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, keeping in mind your thoughts from 1 John 4 and Phillipians 2.
How does Jesus show His love? How do you show His love to your family? Friends? Co-workers? Jot down in your journal areas you succeed in showing God’s love and areas you need to grow.
Pray: Lord Jesus, cause me to be faithful to Your love. Open my heart to forgive, trust, and serve.
Tuesday
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10
Many have likened the love of God to a man rushing into the street to toss a toddler out of the way of an oncoming car – only to be hit himself.
I don’t believe this is an accurate analogy. God not only gave himself, he sacrificed his own son. I see it more like this:
Jason sat back in the boat, dangling his line in the water. He watched the two young boys, his son, Andrew and his friend Timothy, jostle around on the other end of the boat. No way fish are going to bite with all that ruckus. But he didn’t care. They were all enjoying themselves.
Timothy jabbed Andrew in the ribs. The shock sent Andrew to his feet and the sudden movement capsized the boat.
As soon as Jason’s head broke the surface of the water, he began looking for the boys. Neither could swim and both had shed their life jackets. “It’s just not, cool, Dad.”
They bobbed to the surface at the same time, a good three yards from the boat. They flailed their arms, trying to keep their heads above water.
Andrew had accepted Christ as his savior the previous summer. As far as Jason knew, Timmy was unsaved. With only a moment’s hesitation, he dove toward Timmy and wrestled him back onto the boat.
By the time he went back for Andrew, it was too late. Rescuers pulled his body from the water later that evening.
Reflect for a moment on all Christ has given you. His love is so vast, His blessing innumerable. I challenge you to, in your journal, make a list of 100 things God has blessed you with.
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your abundant blessings that you richly pour out on me, Your precious child. Thank You, especially, for the gift of salvation, without which all your other blessings would be meaningless.
Wednesday
A short Greek study
There are four words in the Greek language for “love.”
Stergein is a love that has its basis in one’s own nature. It is the love of parents for children and children for parents, of husband for wife and wife for husband, of close relations one for another. It is found in the animal world in the love which the animal has for its offspring.
Eran is a love that has its basis in passion, and its expression takes the form of a blind impulse produced by passion. It is not found in the New Testament.
Philein is a love that has its basis in pleasurableness. This is an unimpassioned love, a friendly love. The one loving finds a reflection of his own nature in the person or thing loved. The Greeks made much of friendship, and this word was used by them to designate this form of mutual attraction.
Agapan, the word used throughout our passage this week, is a love that has its basis in preciousness, a love called out of one’s heart by an awakened sense of value in the object loved that causes one to prize it. It is a love that recognizes the worthiness of the object loved.
In contrasting philein and agapan, we might say that the former is a love of pleasure, the latter a love of preciousness; the former a love of delight, the latter a love of esteem. In the New Testament, agapan is used 320 times, where philein is used 45 times. The emphasis is clearly on the love God has for us because of the value He places on His creation.
Adapted from: Wuest, Kenneth S.: Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 1997, c1984, S. Bypaths in the Greek New Testament: p.109-124
Spend some time with your journal, praying and answering the following: When do you demonstrate each of these different kinds of love? Which of these is easier for you to show?
Pray: Father, show me the true value of those around me, so I can be a vessel of your agape love.
Thursday
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12
Why is it so easy to love strangers, but terribly hard to consistently extend that love to my own family?
For example: I was at the grocery store. A lady pulled an orange from the display and created an avalanche. I sympathized with her and helped her collect the fruit.
Back home, however, one of the children dropped a box of beads. I rolled my eyes, sucked my teeth, and sighed. “Why can’t you be more careful!”
I wouldn’t dream of reacting that way to the stranger – who was old enough to notice the precarious position of the oranges. But when it’s my child – who is still figuring out physics and cause-and-effect – where is my grace and patience?
Am I alone? Or do you struggle with the same issues? If you’re with me, write a prayer of repentance and a petition for God’s help.
Pray: Father help me show the same love to my family that I do to my friends and strangers. Cause me to walk in grace and mercy, to lovingly train my children to follow Your footsteps.
Friday
Review your journaling for this past week. What themes run throughout your thoughts?
Pray: Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me Your Great Love. Show me how You would have me to Love more like You.
Record His answer in your journal.
Saturday
Spend some time in focused prayer today, reflecting on Christ’s faithful, eternal mercy and love.
Pray: Thank you, Lord Jesus for loving me before the creation of the world. Thank you for showering me with Your mercy. Cause Your love to overflow into these areas of my life: (record in your journal)
