Monday, July 22 – “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) Being a follower of Jesus isn’t like being a fan of a sports team. Fans are fickle. They love the team when they’re winning and they ignore the team when they’re losing. Because being a fan of a team is merely something that you do. Yet, being a follower of Jesus is someone that you are. It’s your identity. You can’t simply root for Jesus on Christmas and Easter. You root for Jesus, you wear the swag, you shout it from the mountain tops, every single second of your life. You’re not a fan. You’re a follower.
Tuesday, July 23 – “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12) We’ve lost this perspective. We meet hate with hate. We meet violence with violence. We meet rhetoric with rhetoric. Yet, todays verse teaches us that regardless of what hand we’ve been dealt we, as followers of Jesus, are to live “good lives”. We are to let our “good deeds” be seen. Not so that we can be glorified, but so that God will be glorified. How is anyone ever going to be open to the good news of Jesus, if they never experience the good news of Jesus through who you are?
Wednesday, July 24 – “They will say, ‘Where is this coming that he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’” (2 Peter 3:4) This verse was written some 1,957 years ago. But I bet you heard your grandparents say something like it. Your parents also said something similar. And you’ve probably wondered the exact same thing in your own life. The point isn’t: When is Jesus returning? The point is: Who will I be, while I wait for Jesus’ return? The only thing you can control in this life is yourself. You can’t control the second coming. You can’t control other people. You can’t control the weather. You can’t control the economy. So, be the best you that you can be, right here, right now.
Thursday, July 25 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) Don’t believe what I say or what anyone says, for that matter. Check it out for yourself. Put in the time. Put in the sweat equity required for your faith to become your faith. The worst thing that anyone can do is simply take everything that is shared, in the name of Jesus, as truth. That’s not building your faith. That’s simply paying rent in someone else’s faith.
Friday, July 26 – “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25) The New testament writers truly believed that Jesus' return was imminent. In fact, the early church had to deal with people losing their faith, because Jesus hadn’t returned. We have an advantage over the author of Hebrews. For we have had close to 2,000 years to process the idea of Jesus’ return. Yet, we’ve come to the same conclusion. We’re called to continue to meet together and encourage one another. As opposed to splitting up and judging each other. So, how about we get back to it?
Saturday, July 27 – “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or a sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20) When it all comes down to it, all we have is today. And all we have is each other. Do you want everyone in the world to be just like you? Do you want everyone in the world to believe just like you? Think just like you? And act just like you? No, I’m serious. Think about it for a second. What would this world be like if everyone was just like you? Is that truly the world you want to live in? Or have you never been wrong? Never been mistaken? Never misunderstood something? Have you never made a bad decision out of anger or jealousy or fear? Do you really want everyone in the world to be just like you? Or do you want to simply love your neighbor, as you love yourself? You get to decide.
Tuesday, July 23 – “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12) We’ve lost this perspective. We meet hate with hate. We meet violence with violence. We meet rhetoric with rhetoric. Yet, todays verse teaches us that regardless of what hand we’ve been dealt we, as followers of Jesus, are to live “good lives”. We are to let our “good deeds” be seen. Not so that we can be glorified, but so that God will be glorified. How is anyone ever going to be open to the good news of Jesus, if they never experience the good news of Jesus through who you are?
Wednesday, July 24 – “They will say, ‘Where is this coming that he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’” (2 Peter 3:4) This verse was written some 1,957 years ago. But I bet you heard your grandparents say something like it. Your parents also said something similar. And you’ve probably wondered the exact same thing in your own life. The point isn’t: When is Jesus returning? The point is: Who will I be, while I wait for Jesus’ return? The only thing you can control in this life is yourself. You can’t control the second coming. You can’t control other people. You can’t control the weather. You can’t control the economy. So, be the best you that you can be, right here, right now.
Thursday, July 25 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) Don’t believe what I say or what anyone says, for that matter. Check it out for yourself. Put in the time. Put in the sweat equity required for your faith to become your faith. The worst thing that anyone can do is simply take everything that is shared, in the name of Jesus, as truth. That’s not building your faith. That’s simply paying rent in someone else’s faith.
Friday, July 26 – “Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25) The New testament writers truly believed that Jesus' return was imminent. In fact, the early church had to deal with people losing their faith, because Jesus hadn’t returned. We have an advantage over the author of Hebrews. For we have had close to 2,000 years to process the idea of Jesus’ return. Yet, we’ve come to the same conclusion. We’re called to continue to meet together and encourage one another. As opposed to splitting up and judging each other. So, how about we get back to it?
Saturday, July 27 – “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or a sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20) When it all comes down to it, all we have is today. And all we have is each other. Do you want everyone in the world to be just like you? Do you want everyone in the world to believe just like you? Think just like you? And act just like you? No, I’m serious. Think about it for a second. What would this world be like if everyone was just like you? Is that truly the world you want to live in? Or have you never been wrong? Never been mistaken? Never misunderstood something? Have you never made a bad decision out of anger or jealousy or fear? Do you really want everyone in the world to be just like you? Or do you want to simply love your neighbor, as you love yourself? You get to decide.
You try to eat right. You drink plenty of water. you exercise. don't forget your spirit - feed it!
daily devotions
