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Post by Redeemed on Jun 8, 2023 4:16:40 GMT -8
June 8 - The Equation of Love
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…. Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37, 39
Infinity. Ten. Two. One.
That’s the biblical equation for love. It begins with the limitless, boundless, bottomless, depthless love of an eternal God (1 John 4:8). He loves with infinite love. Then in seeking to show us how we should love, He gave us ten great commandments. The first four show us how to love Him, and the last six show us how to love each other (Exodus 20:1–17).
Jesus boiled it down to two great commands—to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength—and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–37).
And when we combine the two, we come up with one word—love.
But it’s not just any kind of love. Not the love of the pop songs or the romance novels. Not the love of the world. God’s love is agape—self-sacrificing, self-giving, others-centered, and God-honoring. When we discover this, we learn something.
The overwhelming priority of our life is love.
Is there someone who needs the encouragement of your love today? Take a moment to make a phone call or write an email—love makes a difference!
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 9, 2023 4:17:57 GMT -8
June 9 - No Limit on Limitations
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
John 3:34
There appears to be no end to the number of limitations that can disrupt our lives. Our dreams, desires, and usefulness can be frustrated by physical frailties or unexpected disabilities; by unending financial problems; by geographical barriers; by legal restrictions; by family considerations; and more.
But you can do whatever God calls you to do despite your limitations, for He gave His Spirit to Jesus without limitations, and we are the extension of Jesus in this world.
In practical terms, that means we should stop worrying about what we can’t do and start doing what we can do. We should do our tasks with enthusiasm, as working for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3:23). We should wave off discouragement, and trust God to finish what He has begun in us.
Don’t focus on your limitations. Acknowledge them, but focus on the unlimited grace, power, mercy, and plan of your Savior.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 10, 2023 4:19:29 GMT -8
June 10 - Sharpening the Focus
Immediately there fell from [Saul’s] eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. Acts 9:18
A funnel has a wide end and a narrow end. Those two ends can represent how differing people find their life’s purpose. Some enter early in life at the narrow end, knowing exactly what they want to be or do. Others enter at the wide end and narrow their focus and activity over time. With our unique gifts and talents, we each follow our own path through life.
The apostle Paul took a mixed path. He was a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:3), but that trade was only to support his true passion: understanding and teaching the laws of God. He was on a literal road—the road from Jerusalem to Damascus—in pursuit of that passion when God changed his focus, and thus his life. Instead of living as a teacher of law, he became a preacher of grace. He went from an accuser of the brethren (Acts 9:1), to an apostle of Jesus Christ. It was a miraculous transition.
Don’t despair about your life’s focus or purpose. Walk in the light God gives you today, trusting that further light will be revealed as needed.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 11, 2023 4:43:49 GMT -8
April 11 - A Friend of God
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15
Research says, on average, we have 12 social interactions per day. Another source estimates that a city dweller will interact with around 80,000 people throughout the course of their life. Additional inquiry found that we make 29 true friends throughout our lifetime yet only 6 of them actually last.5
One study suggests that most people can have up to 5 intimate bonds, 15 close friends, and 150 casual friends at a time. All those numbers tell us one thing—we are constantly connecting and disconnecting from one another in our society.
There are continually people coming in and out of our life. Some are constant, and some are temporary. We never know who will stick by our side through life’s twists and turns. But we do know one thing—Christ is our constant Friend. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). If we are ever feeling alone, we can rejoice in the fact that the Creator of the universe, Yahweh, the Almighty God calls us His friend.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 12, 2023 4:25:21 GMT -8
June 12 - Sustainable Energy
To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Colossians 1:29
It takes a lot of energy to keep our world powered up, lit up, and filled up. Scientists tell us that humans daily consume about 63,300,000 megawatt-hours of electricity. Approximately half our energy comes from oil and natural gas, and another quarter comes from coal and nuclear reactors. The remaining 25 percent comes from renewable energy sources.
Put all that together and multiply it by a billion, and it still wouldn’t equal a split-second of the energy God makes available to His children for living the Christ-life in this world. Think of the phrase Paul used—all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Is that true for you?
Jesus sends strength into our souls by the Holy Spirit, and that’s why we’re constantly told to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), to pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18), to love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:8), and to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10).
The Spirit of God keeps moving us forward into His will for our lives.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 13, 2023 4:41:55 GMT -8
June 13 - Be Bold
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:2
An ancient Greek herald was an important, official member of the civic court. They had strong, authoritative voices, allowing them to be heard by crowds as they made official proclamations. They also had a peacekeeping role, settling civic disputes. As government representatives, the herald also had a religious role since gods and governors were so intertwined.
The verb form of Greek herald made its way into the New Testament as “proclaim” or “preach.” But the connotation of “preach the word” was different from “announce the Gospel.” When Paul told Timothy to “preach the word” in his role as pastor in Ephesus, he had the authority of the Word of God in mind. There were some in the church who were teaching incorrectly and causing trouble (1 Timothy 1:3–7), and Timothy needed to “convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” Just as a Greek herald spoke with civic authority, so the herald of God’s Word must speak with divine authority.
Like the apostle Paul, we should make known that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ—it is the power of God unto salvation and the life transforming hope for the world (Romans 1:16).
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 14, 2023 5:29:11 GMT -8
June 14 - A Tall Yarn
He saved others. Matthew 27:42
Would you believe giant balls of twine are scattered here and there around the world? The largest is said to be in Kansas, where a man named Frank Stoeber spent his life winding 1.6 million feet of twine into a massive ball, which is now a tourist attraction. Another man, Francis A. Johnson, spent years working on his ball of twine in Darwin, Minnesota. We could give other examples, but the lesson is as sharp as a needle. Many people spend their lives spinning their possessions into larger and larger bundles, which they’ll only leave behind.
How much better to live as Jesus did—for others. Even His enemies said, “He saved others.” Jesus lived for us, and He wants us to live for Him and to live for one another.
Look around you today. Perhaps you’ll see a child needing a smile, a disabled person needing a boost, a weary worker needing a kind word, or a lonely person needing a call or note. Think of a way to encourage your pastor. Caring for others is the tie that binds. So look to Jesus and follow His pattern.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 15, 2023 4:50:15 GMT -8
June 15 - Daily Faith, Daily Bread
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
It is hard to imagine a shorter verse of Scripture that contains a larger history and summary of the dependence of God’s people upon Him: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Those are the words of instruction Jesus taught His disciples to pray in the Lord’s Prayer. The attentive disciple, upon hearing those words, would have immediately remembered the account of God’s provision in the wilderness for the redeemed Hebrew slaves.
For almost forty years, God provided manna for the Israelites to eat—a seed or grain-like substance on which they subsisted (Exodus 16). But that provision was a test of their faith in God’s promise to provide (verse 4). They were to gather daily what they needed for only that day. In the same way, Jesus taught His disciples not to worry about tomorrow, but to trust God every day for our daily bread (Matthew 6:25–34). He reminded them that worrying brings nothing; but faith in God brings provision.
If you have a need, don’t allow anxiety to replace your faith. Let your requests be made known to God and He will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 16, 2023 4:12:20 GMT -8
June 16 - The Joy of Salvation
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Psalm 51:12
We all know this well-known proverb: “You never miss the water until the well runs dry”—and some of us have experienced it. We never realized what a great friend a person was until they moved away. We never realized the blessings of our church home until a relocation took us to a new city. And, it’s possible, we never realized the joy of our salvation until we found ourselves without that joy.
That’s what happened to David, the king of Israel. We know of his sins: adultery with Bathsheba and complicity in the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11–12). It was not until Bathsheba bore David a son that he repented of his sins. For almost a year, he lived without the joy of his salvation—possibly described in Psalm 32. In Psalm 51, we have David’s heartfelt prayer of confession to God. And in verse 12 we have his request for what he had lost: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.”
It’s easy to take salvation for granted. But when sins, attitudes, and behaviors lead us into darkness, we realize what we have lost: joy. Thankfully, joy is only a prayer away.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 17, 2023 3:59:41 GMT -8
June 17 - Greater Is He
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
Perhaps Satan’s greatest trick concerns his own identity. He has enabled the world to think of him as an impish demon, dressed in red, with a pitchfork and a pointy tail. He is pictured as sitting on one’s shoulder, whispering suggestions into the ear—a cartoon character worthy of a laugh. But nothing could be more wrong.
Instead of a red-dressed imp, Satan is a powerful being, portrayed in Scripture like a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He can destroy, divide, and discourage using that which reveals his character: lies, counterfeits, and deception. He was given the name “devil” (diabolos—accuser, slanderer) in Scripture because of his tactic of slandering us before God and slandering God before us. But for all his schemes and power, we do not need to fear him. For the God who is in us is greater than the devil who is in the world.
Be ready for spiritual battle by submitting to God and resisting the devil—and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 18, 2023 4:55:54 GMT -8
June 18 - Risk and Reward
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Mark 8:35
The phrase, “No pain, no gain” has come to mean that success requires a willingness to reach for a goal. We can either desire safety—live a no-risk, no-faith life—or we can stretch ourselves beyond our natural abilities and achieve a more fulfilling life.
That was Jesus’ message for those following Him. The safe life is a life protected from loss and disappointment, a passionless life that is afraid to love and live. But if we embrace the Kingdom of God in the face of a world that wants to reject it, we will discover a life of passion. As Jesus Himself said, “I have come that [you] may have life, and that [you] may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Yes, following Jesus involves risk and therefore trust. But without risk, there is no reward.
If you are tempted to hold back, to not take the risk and follow Jesus…it is time to step out in faith and love. Only then will you find (and save) your life.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 19, 2023 5:09:47 GMT -8
June 19 - Three in One
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John1:18
Bible teachers have tried to find an illustration that helps explain the Trinity—the three forms of water, the sun, a three-leaf clover, or an egg. But all of the illustrations proposed fall short of explaining the Trinity. All three persons in the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are coeternal and coequal. Each member is fully God, not a part of God.
The Trinity is a mystery beyond our human understanding; however, it is so clearly taught in Scripture that we can accept it by faith.
One of the places where we see the Trinity is at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:16–17. Jesus, the Son, is being baptized. The Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and God, the Father, speaks from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” All three members of the Trinity are distinct and active at the same time. The Father and the Holy Spirit are invisible, but in the divine scheme of things, God the Son manifests and reveals God in a personal, tangible way. Through our study of Jesus in Scripture, Jesus shows us who God is and what God is like.
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 20, 2023 5:14:13 GMT -8
June 20 - Discovering Jesus Throughout Scripture
Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Luke 24:44
In the last few years people started sharing on social media facts and tips about life that they recently learned. They coined these posts “I was years old when I learned .” The posts range from a more efficient way to clean an electric stove to what a frog’s tongue is like. While the content varies greatly, the posts communicate a sense of wonder at the fact the person did not know the piece of information.
When we open our Bibles and study Jesus in the Old Testament, we also develop a sense of wonder and excitement. As we read from Genesis 1 to Malachi 4, we see Jesus in new and profound ways. We find Him in Genesis and Judges as the Angel of the Lord. We read of His future sufferings in Isaiah. And we discover promise after promise about Jesus’ first coming, each of which God kept. Jesus in the Old Testament strengthens our faith, encourages our heart, and increases our hope. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 21, 2023 5:06:07 GMT -8
June 21 - Sharing the Good News
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8
In 2020, 95-year-old Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke stopped in front of a California nonprofit and reached out to people who were unemployed and seeking assistance. The non-profit organization was helping job seekers who were struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The actor walked up to individuals who were unknown to him personally and handed them a financial gift in cash as they stood in line. His presence there that day was a great encouragement to them in their time of difficulty. He gave out of his abundance to those in need.
When we are overwhelmed with the grace of God, we also want to share it with everyone we know—even people standing in line on the street! When we receive a tremendous gift, we want to share it with others as well. And we have received the greatest gift in existence—the gift of grace and salvation from our Heavenly Father. When we experience the Good News in our life, we overflow with joy, and it makes us want to share it—it is a gift worth sharing!
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Post by Redeemed on Jun 22, 2023 5:07:55 GMT -8
June 22 - Limitless God
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Philippians 3:12
Seven-year-old Michael Martinez from Texas was the only one who woke up when the carbon monoxide alarm in their house went off. Michael has cerebral palsy, a disorder that doesn’t allow him to walk. In the middle of the night, Michael crawled through the house to warn his family so they could get to safety. He saved all their lives—they call him their little miracle and thank God that He saved them. On the family’s GoFundMe page, they give “all the honor and glory to the Lord.”
No matter what limitations this world may tell you that you have, God can use you. He used Moses, with a speech impediment to lead a nation. Samson was ultimately used by God after he had been blinded. After Jacob wrestled the angel of the Lord, he had a permanent limp, yet God still had plans for him. God is not fazed by our human limitations. He can use anyone to fulfill His purposes. He does not judge our ability by the world’s standards but by His own abilities— which are limitless!
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