Monday, April 29 – “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:25) Faith and hope have a very intimate relationship. Faith feeds your hope. And hope strengthens your faith. For why would you hope for anything, if you didn’t have the faith that you would ever experience or receive that for which you hope? And why would you have faith in anything, if you didn’t have the hope that you would ever experience or receive that for which you have faith? Faith and hope is the language of God. For faith and hope is the language of choice. God is calling you to live a life of faith; to hope for what you do not yet have. For, influenced by this hope, you will act. You’ll be faith-full.
Tuesday, April 30 – “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hebrews 3:14) The audience for the letter to the Hebrews was a Messianic Jewish community who was suffering persecution. The temptation was great to renounce Jesus and go back to living as law-abiding Jews. For being Jewish, in that day, was recognized by the Roman Empire and thus protected. Being a follower of Jesus was not. The author is calling them to remember their original conviction about the truth of Jesus. What happens around you and to you doesn’t change the truth of who Jesus is. Faith is so much more than believing in something. Faith is being someone.
Wednesday, May 1 – “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:39) Have you ever thought about to whom you belong? Belonging can’t happen in secret. You’re either all in or all out. You can’t belong with one foot in and one foot out. You can’t simply root for the team that’s winning, at any given point in time. You can’t simply pretend to belong, until a better option comes along. For the very act of pretending to belong, negates the validity of your belonging. Today, you’re invited to belong to “those who have faith and are saved”. No fair-weather fans. No let me keep my options open. Just you standing firm on your faith in the good news of Jesus.
Thursday, May 2 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Here’s the deal: Every human being is born condemned, separated from God. All fall short and need salvation. In need of peace with God. The solution? Justification through faith in Jesus. Jesus paid our sin-debt on the cross. Now all you need to do, all anyone needs to do, is to open up this gift of salvation. The gift of a justified relationship with God, through faith in Jesus. You’re saved from the condemnation that you were born into, by the grace of God. This salvation is experienced, as a faithful follower of Jesus.
Friday, May 3 – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) This verse is a statement of faith. Can anyone prove it, beyond a shadow of a doubt? Of course not. One can only believe it. Yet, how could this statement of faith influence how you experience the world? How could this statement of faith influence how you see your life? How could this statement of faith influence how you handle trials, struggles, heart-break and disappointment? Now, and this is the harder question: If this statement of faith isn’t your statement of faith, how do you experience the world? How do you see your life? How do you handle trials, struggles, heart-break and disappointment?
Saturday, May 4 – “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” (John 6:47) First, we notice that this is Jesus speaking. For he says, “Very truly I tell you”. Jesus wasn’t a prophet, sharing God’s word with us. Jesus was God, walking and talking with us. Second, what’s needed to have eternal life? Faith – “the one who believes has eternal life”. Faith isn’t something that you do. Faith is who you are. Into what do you place your faith? Whatever it is – Jesus, money, power, knowledge – will dictate who you are. The decisions that you make. The steps that you take. Along with the relationships that you form and sustain. All of us are people of faith. For all of us have been created in the image of God. Your question for this weekend is this: Into what or who do I place my faith? Hint: If you’re unsure, simply pay attention to what you do.
Tuesday, April 30 – “We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” (Hebrews 3:14) The audience for the letter to the Hebrews was a Messianic Jewish community who was suffering persecution. The temptation was great to renounce Jesus and go back to living as law-abiding Jews. For being Jewish, in that day, was recognized by the Roman Empire and thus protected. Being a follower of Jesus was not. The author is calling them to remember their original conviction about the truth of Jesus. What happens around you and to you doesn’t change the truth of who Jesus is. Faith is so much more than believing in something. Faith is being someone.
Wednesday, May 1 – “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:39) Have you ever thought about to whom you belong? Belonging can’t happen in secret. You’re either all in or all out. You can’t belong with one foot in and one foot out. You can’t simply root for the team that’s winning, at any given point in time. You can’t simply pretend to belong, until a better option comes along. For the very act of pretending to belong, negates the validity of your belonging. Today, you’re invited to belong to “those who have faith and are saved”. No fair-weather fans. No let me keep my options open. Just you standing firm on your faith in the good news of Jesus.
Thursday, May 2 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Here’s the deal: Every human being is born condemned, separated from God. All fall short and need salvation. In need of peace with God. The solution? Justification through faith in Jesus. Jesus paid our sin-debt on the cross. Now all you need to do, all anyone needs to do, is to open up this gift of salvation. The gift of a justified relationship with God, through faith in Jesus. You’re saved from the condemnation that you were born into, by the grace of God. This salvation is experienced, as a faithful follower of Jesus.
Friday, May 3 – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) This verse is a statement of faith. Can anyone prove it, beyond a shadow of a doubt? Of course not. One can only believe it. Yet, how could this statement of faith influence how you experience the world? How could this statement of faith influence how you see your life? How could this statement of faith influence how you handle trials, struggles, heart-break and disappointment? Now, and this is the harder question: If this statement of faith isn’t your statement of faith, how do you experience the world? How do you see your life? How do you handle trials, struggles, heart-break and disappointment?
Saturday, May 4 – “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” (John 6:47) First, we notice that this is Jesus speaking. For he says, “Very truly I tell you”. Jesus wasn’t a prophet, sharing God’s word with us. Jesus was God, walking and talking with us. Second, what’s needed to have eternal life? Faith – “the one who believes has eternal life”. Faith isn’t something that you do. Faith is who you are. Into what do you place your faith? Whatever it is – Jesus, money, power, knowledge – will dictate who you are. The decisions that you make. The steps that you take. Along with the relationships that you form and sustain. All of us are people of faith. For all of us have been created in the image of God. Your question for this weekend is this: Into what or who do I place my faith? Hint: If you’re unsure, simply pay attention to what you do.
You try to eat right. You drink plenty of water. you exercise. don't forget your spirit - feed it!
daily devotions
