The End of Christ's Ministry

Text

"Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." —1 Corinthians 15:24-25

Bible Reading

1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-28

Devotional

This month we have been reading and thinking about the heavenly ministry of Jesus. Finally we want to observe that this heavenly ministry has a goal. When that goal has been reached, Jesus' ministry will cease.

The goal of Christ's work is the kingdom of God. For that purpose he came to earth, and for that goal he works from heaven. When that kingship of God is fully established, God the Father will receive all honor. He will be "all in all" or everything to everyone. Then Christ himself will cease his royal work like a general who retires after the campaign is over.

When Jesus Christ transfers the kingdom to the Father, he will have destroyed every dominion and every authority and every power; that is to say, he will have destroyed all the forces that are still resisting the sovereignty of God. One of those evil powers is mentioned by name—death. Christ will take care of this enemy as the last item on his agenda.

The Bible does not explain how the different powers in this world ever got into evil hands. But we know that they are in the wrong hands, and we also know how we will get rid of evil. Jesus has done it by his earthly ministry, and he is doing it by his heavenly ministry. Christ is reestablishing God's power throughout the cosmos. The end will be upon us when he says to his Father: "Now all things are yours. The whole cosmos is subject to you."

Then there will be rest—eternal rest. A Sabbath without end. An enjoyment of the goodness of God without boundaries or limitations. No sin, no pain, no battle. At last we will be free, and finally we will have rest.

Christ is in command until the battle is over. Let's be loyal to him. It can't last long anymore.

REFLECTIONS

Reflect on what "an enjoyment of the goodness of God without boundaries or limitations" might be like. Then read 1 Corinthians 2:9 and give thanks.

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Not really much I can say can top this devo. It rocks my mind when I think about being able to worship and enjoy the goodness and splendor of our King. To be in heaven and have no boundaries set before us, knowing that all the trials and worldly challenges will cease to exist! Having a full understanding that once Jesus is done His work there will then be almost like a change in commands! How amazing it will be. I cannot comprehend that day when this journey has ended and we begin the never ending worship and enjoyment of our Father. To be completely enveloped by Him without limitations and boundaries. Awesome! Grace&Peace.

He Has the Keys

Text

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.' " — Revelation 1:17-18

Bible Reading

REVELATION 1:9-18

Devotional

We are all going to die. Unless Christ returns within the next hundred years, all the readers of this page will have died. Perhaps you find this thought appalling. Maybe it is an unnecessary reminder. But nobody can deny that it is realistic.

Death is our constant companion, although we never get used to him. When people speak of death as their friend, they are not quite healthy anymore. Death is our enemy (1 Cor. 15:26), whatever else we Christians have to say about him. Thank God, we can say more.

Death is a dark curtain, and nobody can see through it. It is a high wall, and nobody can look over it. The older we get, the greater the number of people we used to know who have vanished behind that curtain. Nobody has returned.

Only one man went that way and returned. His name is Jesus. He now crosses our paths because he is in the land of the living. He comes to us while we are still on our way. And he laid his hand on John's head, an infinitely gentle gesture. "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. You have to die, but I was dead and I live. When you have to go through the gate, do not be afraid. I have been there. And I have the keys."

Jesus speaks as the One who has conquered death in death's own realm. And he has every right to speak that way. He is forever beyond the dominion of death, but death is not outside Christ's dominion. That's what he means when he says: "I hold the keys." His authority extends behind the dark curtain.

As far as we can see, the righteous and the unrighteous leave this life through the same gate. They disappear behind the same wall. But we have heard the Word and received the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Therefore we walk our way with confidence. Even when we have to take that last step, we hear his voice: "Do not be afraid. I hold the keys."

REFLECTIONS

Reflect on your own attitude toward death. What are you afraid of? What comforts you?

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Death. What a topic to speak about, especially during Memorial weekend while we remember those who have served our country in the armed forces. Some have lived to tell the tale and others are fallen soldiers who died, brave, defending their country. But to echo what was already said - death is in all of our futures. All doctors can agree that 10 out of 10 patients will die at some point. It may be randomly, it may be expected, it may be 40 years from now, but the day will come where we will come face to face with our maker. There is no escaping it.

I know this probably seems a bit morbid and maybe to some of you, its hard to think about death because it may seem scary or sad. Death is incredibly sad to me and its even worse when you know that person was not a believer. But its a reality that I think we should all discuss openly and honestly. I know you all have heard the saying "live life as if it were your last" - so even the secular world subtly reminds us that we are not immortal beings. The encouraging part about this is, as Christ's child, we don't have to look at death as something permanent. As part of Christ's universal church, our physical bodies may die, but our soul will then go on to be with Jesus in Glory. How amazing is that? Just as Christ died and resurrected and ascended into heaven, when we are His child, we have hope that death may sting, but we can rest that it is only for a moment, followed by eternal joy and peace.

"He is forever beyond the dominion of death, but death is not outside Christ's dominion. That's what he means when he says: "I hold the keys." His authority extends behind the dark curtain." Christ conquered death and by doing that He "holds the key" of dominion over that looming reality we call death. The remarkable thing is to see what Christ ruling over death means to His children. It means that God no longer sees us for what we truly are, He sees us through Christ, and sees us as covered by the blood of the Lamb! It means that death will seem like seconds as we are then united with our Heavenly Father for all eternity! Its a new life, a new beginning that will never end! Heaven - Amazing. If you can, I recommend reading the book, Heaven by Randy Alcorn. It is a beautiful book about the glories of Heaven and the life waiting for us with our Father!!

Don't get me wrong, there are things about death that I am not comfortable with, that make me uneasy. I selfishly do not want to die in pain and I also do not want to leave loved ones behind to have deal with grief and suffering. Unfortunately, my life has not been shy of death and the loss of loved ones. Actually, a friend of mine just passed away a month ago from Cystic Fibrosis. He was only 24. It just goes to show we never know when our time on earth is up and when we will go to meet our maker.

The comforting thing for me is that I know that I am sealed in the hand of the one who holds the key of dominion over death. He has me and will not let go. The hope of heaven allows me to rest assured that no matter if my death is scary, sad, expected, unexpected, painful or painless - once I'm in heaven with my Father, He will wipe away any tears from eyes, there will be no more pain and I can worship at His feet and love Him perfectly for eternity! Its so exciting!! What do you all think? Agape.

Total Warfare

Text

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." —2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Bible Reading

2 CORINTHIANS 10:1-6

Devotional

Here is a description of the nature and power of preaching. The word of the gospel is in the first place a call to repentance and an announcement of salvation in Christ. That word has the power to bring about conversion and salvation because it is the Word of God.

But the gospel is more than the call for repentance and faith. It is also the power to prick the balloons of human reasoning and the artillery that wrecks the forts of human pride. In fact, the gospel will not only expose the folly of human-centered thought, it will take these thoughts captive to obey Christ.

Christians have not always paid attention to the wider implications of the gospel. Too often they have regarded the gospel as a message through which peace was restored between the soul and God. They have not always sensed its power to affect the thought patterns that rule the university and the ideas that shape the struggle in the field of labor relations. We must be aware that our attitudes towards sex and money, science and warfare, have everything to do with our faith in Jesus Christ as the beginning of a new order of things. And this reordering of thoughts and attitudes is brought about by our listening to the gospel.

When Christian warriors enter these different fields and areas, they must not switch weapons. In academic life they will be tempted to rely on logic; to lean on oratory when they turn to politics; to think in terms of worldly power when in business. But "the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world." The reordering of thoughts and attitudes is brought about by the Word of God.

Just as the original creation was made by God's speech, so the new order is called into being by the Word of Christ. This gospel must be proclaimed by God's people—not just extensively, that is, over the whole earth, but also intensively, to every part of life.

REFLECTIONS

Pick an area of your life such as working or parenting or studying or using your leisure time. How could the transforming power of the gospel be more evident in that part of your life?

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I love it when God orchestrates things perfectly. It seems the past two devotionals not only aligned together nicely, but my thoughts on both seem to fit as well. When asked to think upon Jesus and reflect upon WHO He is, I was brought to the beauty, the simplicity and deep truth of the Gospel. Now we will be talking about the Gospel some more! If this isn't an obvious implication that we are to take the Gospel everywhere we go and every day of our lives, I'm not sure what is.

When we are fighting a daily spiritual battle against the ruler of this world, we need to be guarded by the Gospel of God. The Gospel is transforming and it is also your main weapon in the fight against evil. I'm sure that sounded a bit medieval but its true. When talking to unbelievers about God, a lot of times, conversation can become a bit heady. That is, it turns into more of a debate, a bate and switch, a let me tell you all these facts and prove to you that your god is not real. Many people like to say that these people are searching and maybe in some instances that is true, maybe they want to know what all of this is about. But I've seen many times its people who want to argue, who want to prove God wrong, who have no true idea or real desire to understand the things of God.

This is where the Gospel comes in as our true weapon on this battle field of life. The Gospel is truth, it is love, it is conviction, it is transforming - for all those whom God has called to Himself. We have no idea who those people are, but it is our job to tell them the Gospel. The Gospel disarms people, it breaks barriers, it binds Satan and it is the truth of Salvation by Grace through Faith. Many times when put in a bind or confronted by someone who demands answers, we are quick to want to answer them exactly what they asked rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to do a work of regeneration on someones heart, by simply preaching the Gospel to them. We forget really quickly how powerful the Gospel is, we forget how powerful God is. If He wants someone saved, they will be saved. It will not be by anything any of us did. We may be used as a conduit to help further Christ's kingdom, but in the grand scheme of things, God is in control of it all!

How can the transforming power of the Gospel be more evident in my life? I know that I need to be more open about it at work. I'm open about it in every other area of my life. My employers know that I go to church, that I've done missionary work to China and France. They know that I sing church songs to the girls. But I need to be more open with what God has done for me, what He has saved me from (He saved me from myself!), how He works in my life and how its all because of The Gospel. I need to show them more of Christ. I'm convicted even now that I don't pray for them enough, to cover the entire family in prayer - that God would save them and if He chooses to use me to do it, Praise God. If He uses someone else, Praise God. Now I know what I need to commit to doing everyday. What about you? Where can The Gospel be more evident in your life? Grace&Peace.

The Stature of Christ

Text

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the first born from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." —Colossians 1:17-18

Bible Reading

COLOSSIANS 1:15-20

Devotional

It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of Jesus of Nazareth. In our process of getting to know him, we usually begin with his earthly ministry. Then we must learn to make the connection between his earthly ministry and his heavenly ministry. The same Jesus who was robbed of his clothes and executed on a cross is the One who broke the dictatorship of the prince of this world. We must learn to know him as the One who is now in charge of God's armories. We must believe and experience that he can supply every need of ours, far above what we can pray or desire.

But when we have said this, we have not yet said enough. We must learn to make a connection between Jesus and the world as it existed long before he entered it as a baby. He was "before all things." He existed with God long before his earthly ministry. When the almighty speech of God created the universe, Christ was the heart and harmony of that order. Apart from Christ, the harmony of the created order disintegrates, loses coherence, is void of meaning. For "in him all things hold together." The implications are far-reaching: Jesus, who is the heart of the cosmos, is also the head of the church.

Christ, this divine person, entered into creation when it was falling apart. From the side of the Creator he came to the side of the creature. In his earthly ministry, he allowed the disintegrating forces of sin and death to spend themselves on him. By his death he turned the tide. And he emerged as the new "beginning." He gave the whole world a new direction. Leaving the tomb and entering glory, he represented a new creation, a whole reordering of life in which Christ has supremacy.

Please don't say this is too difficult. It is so tremendously profound that it's worth an hour's meditation, a life of devotion, an eternity of praise.

REFLECTIONS

Perhaps this Scripture and reading opened some new windows for you on who Jesus is and what he did. Meditate on it for a while—you don't have to put in a whole hour, but let its far-reaching truths sink in. Then praise God.

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I apologize again for not updating yesterday. I will update again later this evening - but I'm very glad I didn't try to comment on this devotional entry. Its taken me 20 minutes just to read the entire thing and be able to formulate some thoughts.

The truth of Jesus is more than I can comprehend. As I was at the gym today, I was watching a movie where people stopped to pray over their meal. It struck a chord in me because sometimes I wonder if people are able to comprehend the depth and meaning of "Who Christ is?" The scriptures above do very well at explaining. He was, is and forever will be, Lord of lords and King of kings! When you read in the scriptures about the remarkable life that Jesus lived - it can paint a picture in our minds at how beautiful His earthly ministry was. You can also try to think about what He was doing before He even entered the scene that day when He was born the virgin birth and laid to rest in a manger. He has been watching, intervening and providing over/for His elect this whole time and will continue to so until we, His children are called up to sing praises to Him in the Heavens.

Christ humbled Himself and became man and laid His life on the Cross. Can you imagine? A Holy God who humbled Himself to come and provide a way for us lowly sinners to have a hope of Glory. This is the Gospel and while it is simple, it is also quite weighty when looking and digging deep into the whole situation. Another thought I was thinking while at the gym was I wonder how many Christians have really ventured to look past just the physical aspects of Christ's crucifixion. Its actually quite funny how these thoughts came to my mind. A movie came on that starred the man who played Jesus in the well known movie "Passion of the Christ" and while I was staring at him, my mind played back to the gruesome yet still not wholly accurate scenes of the beatings Christ took.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it is important to understand the physical pain that Christ endured on His children's behalf. We are, by culture, a very visual and physical society and when we see things like that, it gives a bit of shock value and gives a certain level of perspective. BUT - I think it would be well worth every believer and any other person who is wondering about this Jesus guy - to try and comprehend the pain that Christ felt, within His Spirit. Can you even imagine - Christ, holy and pure - not only being physically beaten, but bearing the full, unadulterated wrath of God! The first time I actually looked past the physical beatings and took a look at that truth, it rocked my world.

But lets look at the definition of the word

Wrath: 1 : strong vengeful anger or indignation 2 : retributory punishment for an offense or a crime : divine chastisement.

Now we have all been yelled at or punished for something in our lifetime. But what weight did that hold? Yes we may have done something horrible: did drugs, drank and drove, spit on someone, got in a fight, lied, cheated - but the punishment that we get here on this earthly planet - is NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. What if God, who is Holy and can not partake of anything that is sin, placed his "divine chastisement" on you, for all the wrong that you had done? What if God had made me carry my own sins and die with His back turned and His wrath on me? Now what if He made me carry my own sins and the sins of all His elect... Knowing the person I am is enough to know that I could not take on that task. I could not carry that cup.

But Christ. Christ not only lived a human yes sinless life, was 100% man and 100% God, but He drank the cup of wrath and died in my place. What's even more remarkable is that He not only drank the cup and died the sinner's death. He rose again, conquered death and sin and provided a way for us to come to the Father! He ascended into Heaven where He continues to watch over His children and provide for them. He sent us the Holy Spirit as our companion, our friend, our guidance while we are still on this earth. And He is preparing a place for us in Heaven where we can stay with Him forever and ever and sing praises to God who is worthy of our praise.

Wow. The Stature of Christ. May we praise Him all of our days and remember what the Gospel is and what it isn't. It is not simply "God made you for a purpose". Lets dive in and learn about the life of Christ, on earth and in heaven. Lets learn and walk in His footsteps. We have the Holy Spirit, we can do it through Him. Wow... Praise God. Amen! Grace&Peace.

real quick.

hey ladies. i worked 13 hours today and i'm so exhausted i don't have the brain capacity to write up the blog this evening. i apologize. i will update with 2 tomorrow like i did the other day. much love to you all. keep in the word and lets get some conversation going, so i don't feel like i'm doing this and no one is reading it. we're learning some great stuff! agape.

Abiding Gifts

Text

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." —1 Corinthians 13:13

Bible Reading

1 CORINTHIANS 13

Devotional

The Lord Jesus gives many special gifts to his people. These gifts are richly varied and sovereignly bestowed. Yesterday we read about them.

However, next to these special gifts of the Holy Spirit there are also certain abiding gifts the Spirit gives to every Christian. These are faith and hope and love, sometimes called the three gifts that "abide" ("So faith, hope, love abide," RSV). Abiding gifts are gifts that endure, that remain.

The special gifts may never be used as a criterion for being Christian. Nobody may say, "Since you do not speak as I speak or teach as I teach, you are not a Christian." But of the abiding gifts it may be said, "If you don't have these, you aren't a Christian." A Christian has faith and hope and love—these three.

Faith is the means through which we receive Christ and all his benefits. Although it is a human activity, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. That's what makes us so grateful and so humble about having faith in Christ.

Hope is the same thing as faith—but with a view to the future. It is the expectation of things to come—the kingdom, the great change, the completion, Christ himself. A church that does not live in expectation is no church.

"But the greatest of these is love." By faith we receive him, and by hope we stretch ourselves out to him, but in love Christ himself is present among us. Wherever there is Christian love, the presence of God has become a reality.

The value of all gifts must be measured by their usefulness for church-building. No wonder, then, that love is the greatest. Love is the cement that unites the members. Love is the Spirit of Christ putting us in his service for the glory of God and the benefit of others.

Next to these three gifts, a church and a person may possess other gifts. That is not only common but necessary. But faith, hope, and love— these three abide; and the greatest of these is love.

REFLECTIONS

Pick one of the three abiding gifts and reflect on its meaning for your life as a Christian.

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Let me start off by saying a big AMEN to this devotional. Understanding the three ESSENTIAL gifts is something every Christian must do. We have been given faith, given hope and the love of Christ is how we know He is with us. The reflection note says to pick one of the three abiding gifts and reflect on its meaning in your life as a Christian. I think I will choose Love. We'll see - you know me, I have a tendency to not pick one, I like to discuss the whole thing. But we'll see what happens!

Love. Without love, I am but a broken vessel unable to be filled. Without love, I am bruised and beaten without any hope of going on. Without love, I cannot serve God. Without love, I am not pleasing God. BUT - with love, I am a cup that runs over, I may be bruised and beaten but I have a hope of Glory, I am able to serve and please God. I think its imperative to understand what this love is. Have you ever noticed that I sometimes end my entries with the word, Agape. Its a greek word that means unconditional love. Its the love of Christ. Its not the hearts and flowers, romantic love that we tend to think of first. Its a love that sees all our wrongs and pardons us. Its a love that breaks bounds and provides us with joy and peace. "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 That's real love.

I used to ask myself, if a person is not a Christian, is it possible for them to love someone else? I know that may sound like a strange question and you may even think - why in the world would you think something like that. But when you come to an understanding of the depth of love that Christ showed His beloved children, its enough to make you think something like that. The answer is yes. They can - but its a different love. Its a love that can only go so deep. I'm not trying to sound harsh, but you can only love so much and so deep without the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. It only goes so far.

I guess I will stop here, hoping that you all will start some conversation. Sorry this is a bit short. Let me know what you think and lets talk about one of the abiding gifts and its meaning in YOUR life! I love you, all. Grace&Peace.

Variety of Gifts

Text

"For 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, though many, form one body...." — Romans 12:4-5

Bible Reading

ROMANS 12:3-8

Devotional

The exalted Lord Jesus has given many gifts to his church. In a few Bible passages we find lists of these gifts: prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing, serving, teaching, and so on. These lists are not identical, and they are not exhaustive. They are not intended to be a complete inventory of the spiritual possessions of the early Christians.

The gifts differ considerably. To our mind they also differ in nature: "speaking in tongues" makes us think of a sudden overpowering by the Spirit, but when the gift of administration is mentioned, we tend to think of a natural ability. And when Paul includes even church officers in the list (Eph. 4), we are more apt to think of human appointment than of heavenly equipment. But the Scriptures want us to know that all these gifts are endowments of Christ. They come from heaven because they come from the Lord. They are heavenly graces or charismata that the Lord, or the Spirit, freely gives.

All these gifts, as varied as the functions of a human body, have but one purpose—building the body of Christ. They have no value in themselves. They become valuable when they are used. And the most valuable gifts are the ones that are most suitable for building the church of God.

We may not be proud of our gift or jealous of the grace given to another (v. 3). Certainly we may never make our special gift a standard for being a Christian. Nobody may say: "Since I speak in tongues and you don't, you are not a Christian." Or, "Since I am a teacher and you are not, you do not belong to the body." These special gifts of the Holy Spirit are given by the Lord according to the need of the hour, according to the prayers of Christians, and according to his sovereign pleasure. A measure of discussion is required so that we may know how to ask. Yet Christ's gifts must not be discussed too much. They must be used.

REFLECTIONS

What special gifts has Christ given you? How are you using his gifts to build up the body of Christ?

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This is a tricky subject. One that I am not very well versed in and need to learn more about. I do remember in high school, a few of us were given a test to look into what our Spiritual Gifts were and I do remember that my gifts were in areas of music, compassion & exhortation. Now these tests are not at all 100% correct, obviously because they were made by humans and God is the only One who can truly show us what are gifts are.

I can say for sure, I've been given a gift in worship and song. Singing is one of the most wonderful things that I am able to do, enjoy and use to bring glory to the Lord. God has allowed me to use my voice on more than one occasion to encourage the body of Christ. Its one of my most favorite things to do. Also, I believe that with the area of compassion and encouragement, I've been given a weird ability to feel where people are at and almost feel what they feel. I guess thats called empathy. When a friend is hurting, when a stranger is hurting, my heart goes out to them on a strangely high level and that can only be attributed to God, so that I can meet people where they are and be used by God, to HELP usher them into an understanding of God or what He is doing or why He's allowing things to happen. As far as exhortation, I always try to keep an optimistic mindset and encourage those around me to do the same. I am always trying to lift spirits and bring joy to people's lives because I've been given great joy from our Father in Heaven.

What gifts do you think that God has given you? What areas in your life do you see God using to bring Him glory and to encourage the body of Christ. Lets get some discussion going on this. If you are able, please provide scripture for what you believe, so we can dive deep into the word of God together on these things! Agape.

Christ and The Spirit

Text

"And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness." —Romans 8:9-10

Bible Reading

ROMANS 8:9-11

Devotional

The New Testament teaches that anyone who is in Christ has the Holy Spirit. Those Christians err who think that they first have to believe in Christ and later will receive the Holy Spirit as a higher rung on the ladder.

It's true that some Christians are closer to Christ than others, and some are more yielded to the Spirit than others. "Having the Spirit" is not the same as "being filled with the Spirit." If we are made alive by the Spirit we haven't necessarily learned to walk by the Spirit.

But nobody can be in Christ unless he or she has the Holy Spirit. In fact, the only sure way of finding out whether people have the Spirit is to ask them what they think of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 4:2).

Sometimes the Bible uses the names of Christ and the Holy Spirit interchangeably. That happens in the part of Romans 8 we just read. "The Spirit of God in you" or "Christ in you" stands for the same reality. It means that we have gone over from a state of death to a state of life. To be sure, our "bodies" are still subject to death. Our present form of existence is not yet beyond the reach of sin and misery. At the same time we are alive. That new life comes to us from Christ, who died and rose again. The new life is in us through the Holy Spirit.

It is this daily living and daily dying that makes the Christian life so intense and sometimes so difficult. We must never be satisfied with what we have, spiritually, for as long as we are in this body we have not yet arrived. There is always more to unlearn and to learn. We must lose more of the old self so that we may gain more from God.

However, let's not confuse each other by separating the work of Christ from the work of the Spirit. Growing up in Christ and living by the Spirit is the same thing. And it's worth everything.

REFLECTIONS

"We must never be satisfied with what we have, spiritually." What does this mean for you personally?

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First let me apologize for not posting yesterday. I had an amazing evening with some new friends from our church and got home and had to go pretty much straight to bed. Now onto the good stuff!

"Having the Spirit" is not the same as "being filled with the Spirit." I think this is a good statement to remember as we go to church and meet Christians during our lives. Its essential when doing as Paul encouraged us to do, to live as peaceably as possible with our church family, to remember that every person is at a different area in their life. We cannot put every Christian in the same boat as another. That is not to say we cannot hold them to the same level of righteousness - but it will help us in how we go about discussing such things as personal holiness and daily disciplines. It will help us to show love and discernment. We were shown grace when Christ stood in our place and bore the full unadulterated wrath of God. We too should bestow grace to those brothers and sisters around us. "If we are made alive by the Spirit we haven't necessarily learned to walk by the Spirit."

Let me make sure to explain this a little bit further as best I can. I don't want you to misunderstand when I say each is at their own place in life and their walk with Christ. If a fellow Christian is doing something that is detrimental to their walk with Christ, is in complete contradiction with the word of God or is even bordering sinful behavior - it is our job as a family to point these things out. Not necessarily in a "jam this down your throat" sort of way - but by showing love and discernment, and by the work of the Holy Spirit, I believe God will show you how to handle each situation. I know that I've screwed up talking to people about holiness and such, but I hope to learn from my mistakes and when presented with situations of that nature in the future, that I will remember this devotional!!

What we're talking about is Regeneration and Sanctification. Regeneration is when our heart has been taken from its former state of stone and made into a heart of flesh. Its when God gave us saving faith and by His power, we believed in Christ and the sacrifice He made. Sanctification is the process that we go through from that day forward. We are to grow in Christ, grow in our faith and knowledge of the Lord and by the help of the Spirit, we are able to do that.

We cannot be made alive by the Spirit without first having the saving faith in Christ, which is a gift, nothing we can conjure up on our own. Unfortunately, some churches lead people to believe that once you're a Christian, life will be all full of gumdrops and rainbows the rest of your life. The truth of the matter is - we are still human, we still will have to deal with the blows of life and those things which want us to become weary. But - we are blessed with a hope. There's that word hope again that we've been discussing the past few days. With hope of Glory and with the Staying power of the Holy Spirit, we can have peace in all these drab situations. Peace is contentment, its joy in the hope of Glory at the end of this earthly life, its joy in the Lord that we have been given new life and are able to bring Glory to God while still here. Its a peace that passes all understanding!

"We must never be satisfied with what we have, spiritually." Personally this means that I cannot settle for where I'm at. I need to persevere and walk in the Spirit, to grasp for more knowledge of God, to desire the things that God desires for me and to grieve over the things that grieve God. I need to decrease and let Christ increase in His role in my life. I don't want people to see me - I want them to see Christ. Thats what it means to never be satisfied with what we have, spiritually. There is always more of God that we can learn and grow in. Sanctification never stops, its an ongoing process. Lets press forward and not settle with where we're at now. Grace&Peace.

Between Two Comings

Text

"For the grace of God has appeared . . . training us ... to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope...." —Titus 2:11-13, RSV

Bible Reading

TITUS 2

Devotional

We live between Christ's coming in grace and his coming in glory. These two great events, one past and the other future, determine the way in which we live "in this world."

The grace of God in Christ has appeared already. God's grace did not "appear" only to "disappear" again; it continues to instruct or train us in living. And the glory, although it has not yet appeared, is already attracting us. That's why it is called "our blessed hope."

The grace of God teaches us how to live in the present. It is "training us ... to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world." The words sober, upright, and godly describe three aspects of our Christian behavior. Sober is a description of our personal ethics. Upright says how we behave in relation to our neighbors. And godly is a form of life that results from fellowship with God. None of these virtues is acquired by self-development. It is the "grace of God" that "trains" us to live in a sober, righteous, and godly manner in this present world.

Let's pay special attention to the word sober. The word recurs in this chapter (vv. 2, 4, 6, 12) and throughout the New Testament. Sober is the opposite of drunk or intoxicated. In this present world, everyone is in danger of becoming intoxicated by the things of this world. When we are sixteen, we are under the influence of different things and powers than when we are sixty. But the effect of the powers is equally intoxicating. Love, popularity, and possessions can make a person drunk.

We are trained, by the grace of God, to remain sober, that is, to retain a sense of direction in the midst of all the attractions, diversities, and adversities of the present world. The Spirit of Christ won't let us forget that we live our lives between the coming of grace and the coming of glory.

REFLECTIONS

What does "sober" (in the sense used in this reading) look like in your life?

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The words of this devotional echoed in my mind like a clanging cymbal. When the Scriptures read to live lives Sober, Upright and Godly - I never looked at it this specifically. I glanced over it and just assuming that I truly understood what those words meant. I guess in the long run I did, but I didn't purposefully read into this part of scripture. Let me tell you what I've learned from this devotional and the sermon our pastor preached this Sunday at my church, here in Maryland.

Sober. In the past, when I'd read this part of scripture - the first thing I assumed it was speaking of was staying away from getting drunk on strong drinks. After reading this devotional and reading it in the true context of the scriptures, I see its so much more than that. Yes, we are obviously to be sober and staying away from drunkenness. But we are also to refrain from becoming "intoxicated by the things of this world." The things in this world are looking to steal away from our personal journey with the Lord, looking to distract and fill us up with things that are meaningless drivel. For example: a few years back I was so overly obsessed with Football. I'd miss church, go to the bar at 10am and not leave until way past 6 or 7pm - just because I wanted to watch football and get rowdy with the other football fans. Now, don't get me wrong. There is nothing inherently evil with watching and enjoying football. In fact thats true for many of the extra-curricular activities one can participate in. But its when it becomes a distraction, a deterrent from your walk with the Lord, when it hinders your growth and desire to see things as Christ see's them, then its a problem. So whilst we're remaining sober from hard drink, we need to remain sober with the things that we become involved with in this world.

Upright. How we behave with our neighbors is so important. Our neighbors are not just fellow believers but also the unbelieving world as well. As Christians, we are to stand firm in the Lord and allow His way be the driving point in our lives and this should definitely spill over into how we interact with the world around us, with our neighbors. Our lives need to reflect Christ, our words should be seasoned with salt and prepared to speak the Gospel in and out of season. When working with the unbelieving neighbor, we should show the same kindness and love that Christ has shown us. We, who have the hope of Glory, should remember that although we have been given new life, we did nothing to deserve such hope. We should extend grace to our neighbors. Grace leaves no room for pride and arrogance. "Grace humbles pride" as our pastor said so eloquently this past Sunday. So while we show grace, the same grace that was bestowed upon us, we are living uprightly. When living uprightly with our believing neighbors, sometimes it can be even more trying to do so with them. But we are called to have brotherly love with one another as Paul called us to have in Philippians 4:1-4. That brotherly love should drive us to agree in the Lord - on the essentials of our faith. There is far greater reasons for Joy in Him then there will ever be for discord with one another.

Godly. Fellowship with our Lord is sweeter than the sweetest of honey and is the ONLY way we can live godly lives. In Philippians 4, Paul calls us to stand firm in the Lord. This is to live Godly and the only way to do that is by having true fellowship with the Lord! We need to meet the Lord in His word, specifically in the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We can learn so much from the life of Christ. Also, when reading through the book of Acts, we can learn more about the Holy Spirit and its role in our lives as well, enlightening us and helping us to live Godly lives. We've been talking about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How we need its staying power in our life. We need that every day so that we can live godly lives, a life pleasing to the Lord. To do that we must spend time with God and to have fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the faith. Paul urges us, the Church, to edify one another in the faith. Living a godly life is a long distance marathon that we are running - with the hope of Glory at the end. When we do this, it pleases the Lord.

What does Sober mean to me, in the sense used in this reading? I guess I already touched on that. To live a sober life for me is to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. To live a life as peaceably as I can with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. To live a life that brings glory to God in the presence of unbeliever's and mine enemies. To live each day longing to sing praises to His name and spend time with Him each day. This should be the focus of my time each day. These things I need to be more diligent in. The extra stuff is okay, as we do have Christian Liberty, but having the proper balance is so important. Let us not put things in the place that Christ should be. I'm not trying to be legalistic, but take a good look at your life and see where we spend most of our time. I know my time is not spent as it should be. Lord, help me to live a life of sobriety in your eyes. Not only from physical drunkenness from strong drink, but to be diligent in following You and not allowing "things" in life to take your place. Amen.

The Spirit As Guarantee

Text

"Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." — 2 Corinthians 5:5

Bible Reading

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-5

Devotional

The Spirit here is called a "deposit." In everyday language we would call it a down payment. By making a down payment, we mean to say that we are going to complete the transaction. So when we put money down on, say, a house, we are telling the seller that we are a serious buyer. The down payment is a kind of guarantee that we'll live up to all future obligations.

The Holy Spirit is God's initial fulfillment of all his promises. God is going to give us a new and better life in a new and better body on a new and better earth. That's the extent of his promise. Most of it is still in the future. But one installment has already been paid: the Holy Spirit has come. This down payment is God's guarantee that all the rest is coming.

The Holy Spirit is the connection between this life and the life to come. It is the one gift in the present world that has come from the future world. That's why the Spirit cannot possibly feel at home in the present world. He is "otherworldly." He is constantly at war with the present lords and the present powers. Restlessly the Spirit strives to bring all thoughts and words and actions under the dominion of the Lord of lords, the King of kings.

By the Spirit we have the beginning of the future, and through the Spirit God prepares us for the future. When we finally come to God's new world, it will be a new kind of existence, an existence quite different from what we have now. But whatever we have already received from the Spirit of God goes with us.

For the present we have the treasure of the Spirit in an earthen vessel. That is to say, our whole environment and our whole persons have not yet adopted the tone and color of the kingdom. In fact, sometimes we almost despair of seeing the kingdom become real. But the Spirit himself is the guarantee. God does not stop with the first installment.

REFLECTIONS

How is the Spirit preparing you for the future, when you finally come to God's new world?

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Knowing that the Spirit is my guarantee is amazing. I know that life can become intense at times, I know that it can feel sometimes when it rains it pours, with regards to trials in our lives. But we have a hope that the unbelieving world does not. The hope of Jesus Christ's triumphant return and the hope that He will bring us home to Heaven where we can eternally live glorifying the Lord of lords and King of kings. Have you ever found yourself longing for a quick return of the Lord, desiring that He come because life is just so difficult that you'd rather just be in Heaven with Him? I know I have been there. I know that I've prayed that God would just take me home as I feel at times that my burdens are heavy, that my trial is to hard - but I need to remember what the scriptures say. "He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. " - 2 Corinthians 5:5.

We have the Holy Spirit to get us through the rest of our life as we long and press forward to our eternal goal. The Spirit is our comfort, our guide and our friend. To have that is to be apart of Christ's body, to be apart of the Church, to have communion with the saints, both alive and already departed. Wow! We have been given a down payment! Economically - down payments are kind of a scary thing. It holds so much stock with what you're purchasing and is a physical promise that you will continue to make payments until paid in full. Christ's blood on the cross was shed and our souls are already paid in full. But the down payment of the Holy Spirit is the promise of Heaven. The Holy Spirit will help us to live life as we wait for that promised day!

How is the Spirit preparing me? Well - I can see in my day to day life that the things I'm doing now will eventually lead me on to life of ministry in another country. I'm seeing that the more I study His word and lean on the guidance of the Spirit, the struggles of every day will come and go but I have the hope that its not the end of the road. I am in Christ and my future is with Him. I pray the Holy Spirit will help me to live life in brotherly love with my fellow church family and that when the day comes where I'm called to be with Him in heaven for eternity, I can see my life as a life poured out like a drink offering, a life that brought glory and honor to His name.

The Sealing of the Spirit

Text

"He ... set his seal of ownership on us.... —2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Bible Reading

2 CORINTHIANS 1:18-22

Devotional

We must not grieve the Holy Spirit, for in him we are "sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30). God has sealed us by giving us the Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22). We have received the Spirit as God's seal.

A seal is a mark of ownership. Today people are still finding ancient jars and vessels with the seal of an owner who lived long ago. In a similar way we place our name or stamp in a book to mark it as our property. Not only the sealing of things but also the sealing of persons is common in the Bible. The best example is the sealing of the 144,000 in Revelation 7. It means that God puts his mark of ownership on them. He writes his name on them. They are his. Therefore they may not be hurt in the last judgment.

Also, baptism "in the name of" the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a kind of marking of a person as the property of God.

When God redeems a person, that is, when he buys that person back, he pays with the price of his Son. We were redeemed not with gold or silver "but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19). After paying so dearly, God does not want that person to get lost again. He seals that child not by a visible mark but by giving the Holy Spirit as a constant companion. In that way we are "sealed for the day of redemption."

Maybe it takes more power to keep a person with Christ than to bring him to Christ. At least, that's the way it often looks to us. At first there are so many good intentions, but we fail to fulfill them. There are so many brand-new feelings, but they evaporate.

Where is the staying power, the strength to hold on and stick it out? The Holy Spirit is that power. The Spirit makes the lordship of Christ real in our lives and establishes us in an everlasting relationship to our heavenly Father. He cannot and will not disown us. He marks us as God's own—now and in the last day.

REFLECTIONS

Where in your life, right now, do you especially need the staying power of the Holy Spirit, the "strength to hold on and stick it out"?

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As a child of God, as an heir to His kingdom, as a chosen people, we are sealed in His hand. When we have been bought at the price of Christ's death, there is none that can remove us from His grip. What a great God we serve. We need to remember who we belong to each day. We may not have a physical stamp on our foreheads or visible name tags that say "chosen by Christ" but we should also be living like we do. We have a precious gift now that we've been bought by the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit, our Companion, our insight into the ways of the Lord. We need not feel lost when times get tough, we need only remain in the Lord, press on in His word and in the Holy Sacraments. Remember that we are eternally His child and that we can find joy in every circumstance, no matter what it is. Because as we are His children, as we live a life that is pleasing in His sight, as we grow more into the person He has called us to be - as we hang on tight to the enlightening of the Holy Spirit - we will be reminded to whom we belong. We can stand firm. And know that we have Perseverance of the Saints.

The reflection question asked: "Where in your life, right now, do you especially need the staying power of the Holy Spirit, the "strength to hold on and stick it out"?" Let me get a bit personal with you. For me, I have a bit of temper lately. I'm incredibly frustrated with certain areas of my life and instead of truly handing it over to the Lord and doing what I know I should do, I just let things build up inside of me and then eventually I have a meltdown and explode. Sadly - my husband is usually the bearer of my explosion. I need the "staying power of the Holy Spirit" in these areas of my life that I'm frustrated with. I also need to "stick it out" with situations that I am not in control of. If you don't already know, Bud and I are hoping to have a baby. We're trying is what everyone calls it. I have a certain condition that adds difficulty to that and this past month - I got 1 positive test and about 4 negative. Eventually it became obvious that I was indeed NOT pregnant and I think I've been rather depressed without actually talking about it to many people. I need to remember that God is in control. I need the staying power of the Holy Spirit to comfort me when no words have truly brought about real comfort. Not that my friends and husbands words aren't helpful. But in the end, I need to let go, give up my expectations and trust that God knows what He is doing.

Lord, help me to remember who I belong to. Let my life be a reflection of You and please let me to persevere in this race laid before me. Please, Holy Spirit, encompass me and let me find my peace in You. We love you, Lord. Let us all be comforted and lead by your Spirit, God. Let us press on. Amen.