Devotionals for July 28, 2023
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READ
Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Matt. 19:16-22
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
I John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Matt. 19:16-22
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
I John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
REFLECT
Who is the Gospel for? Is it for you? Is it for me?
This week we have seen many types of people for whom the Gospel had a dramatic effect on their lives. All experienced freedom.
For some who hear the Gospel, there is fear that they have too much to lose. Some feel they have to change too much to be a Christian. They are consumed by fear.
Did the criminal on the cross who professed faith in Christ have to change? Did he even have time? No. Christ recognized the genuineness of his faith. This criminal bore witness to the crucial act that makes the Gospel so powerful.
The rich young man let fear of losing everything keep him from Christ. But would he have really lost anything that was truly important? Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” A relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit is so ridiculously glorious that everything else pales by comparison. Contemplate John 3:16 slowly and deliberately in the context of what God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit actually did for you out of love. Like all the people we have read about this week who embraced the Gospel and let it wholly affect them, gratefulness will follow. A relationship of gratitude turns into a relationship of love. Letting God love you as you are, like Lydia, the Jailor, and the criminal, refreshes your spirit and brings comfort. This relationship of loving God and Him loving you is one of kinship. Accepting the Gospel of Truth brings us adoption into God's family. He is our King but also our Father. We are His sons and daughters. The more you love God, the more you crave being close to Him and the less you want to be the person you were before meeting Him. These changes, big and small, are given willingly because of Who you love. You choose to be a new person out of love, not fear.
The joy of a loving relationship makes changing ourselves to be with the one we truly love and who truly loves us our first nature. We choose who to love and God chose us.
The Gospel is definitely for you and me.
This week we have seen many types of people for whom the Gospel had a dramatic effect on their lives. All experienced freedom.
For some who hear the Gospel, there is fear that they have too much to lose. Some feel they have to change too much to be a Christian. They are consumed by fear.
Did the criminal on the cross who professed faith in Christ have to change? Did he even have time? No. Christ recognized the genuineness of his faith. This criminal bore witness to the crucial act that makes the Gospel so powerful.
The rich young man let fear of losing everything keep him from Christ. But would he have really lost anything that was truly important? Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” A relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit is so ridiculously glorious that everything else pales by comparison. Contemplate John 3:16 slowly and deliberately in the context of what God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit actually did for you out of love. Like all the people we have read about this week who embraced the Gospel and let it wholly affect them, gratefulness will follow. A relationship of gratitude turns into a relationship of love. Letting God love you as you are, like Lydia, the Jailor, and the criminal, refreshes your spirit and brings comfort. This relationship of loving God and Him loving you is one of kinship. Accepting the Gospel of Truth brings us adoption into God's family. He is our King but also our Father. We are His sons and daughters. The more you love God, the more you crave being close to Him and the less you want to be the person you were before meeting Him. These changes, big and small, are given willingly because of Who you love. You choose to be a new person out of love, not fear.
The joy of a loving relationship makes changing ourselves to be with the one we truly love and who truly loves us our first nature. We choose who to love and God chose us.
The Gospel is definitely for you and me.
APPLY
Q: What did the young rich man really lose?
Q: What did God save you from or out of? Think about this, it may not be what God saved you from but HOW God saved you that is important in a relationship with Him.
Q: Do you know God? Have you embraced the Good News of the Gospel of Christ? If yes, who do you feel God leading you to share it with? If not and you want to know more, visit us on Sunday and talk to someone about it.
Q: What did God save you from or out of? Think about this, it may not be what God saved you from but HOW God saved you that is important in a relationship with Him.
Q: Do you know God? Have you embraced the Good News of the Gospel of Christ? If yes, who do you feel God leading you to share it with? If not and you want to know more, visit us on Sunday and talk to someone about it.
SING
PRAY
"And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one."
God, help us not to dwell on our past or who we were before You came into our lives. Help us to see ourselves as You see us, as beloved sons and daughters of the King. Bring us comfort and joy in the knowledge of Your love for us and the price that was paid to redeem us to You. Keep Satan away when he tries to distract us from Your Love so we may love You even more.
God, help us not to dwell on our past or who we were before You came into our lives. Help us to see ourselves as You see us, as beloved sons and daughters of the King. Bring us comfort and joy in the knowledge of Your love for us and the price that was paid to redeem us to You. Keep Satan away when he tries to distract us from Your Love so we may love You even more.