Promises Made…Promises Kept!
Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “STRANGERS in the World”
Week 4 of 7: “Use the Right Currency!”
Full Sunday message, CLICK HERE
(1 Peter 1:21) Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
We don’t want slogans. We want reality.
We are in the middle of a presidential campaign. It’s easy to put slogans on signs and stickers on a bumper. It’s harder to actually turn a slogan into reality. Phrases become cliché. Slogans overused. Promises are empty when nothing happens.
However, when the slogan becomes reality and the promises which are made are the promises that are kept, it can and does bring hope to a people.
We all want to believe in someone. We want to have hope in something. We don’t like to be let down. We don’t want to be disappointed.
We’ve all heard the phrases, “You just have to believe!” or “Don’t lose hope!” Believe in who? Hope in what?
Like with our politicians, we look at their record. What have they done? What is their vision for tomorrow? However, even the best of leaders, the best of presidents are still imperfect people. Not all the promises they make will be kept. Not all the hope for the future will be realized.
So we need one with a perfect track record. We need one who gives a certain hope. Who is that?
God, our heavenly Father.
His track record is impeccable. EVERY promise…kept. Every hope given…based in reality. How do we know? Through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
God promised a Savior from sin…he sent his Son Jesus. Our sin led him to be punished for us…God raised him from the dead. Jesus’ work on earth completed…God welcomed him back in heaven with all glory.
Our faith isn’t in a campaign and its promises. Our faith is in the one who created the world, promised a Savior from sin, sent his Son, paid for our sin on the cross, raised him to life again, and welcomed him back into heaven. Our faith isn’t in fantasy…it’s in the objective facts of Jesus Christ and the promises God has attached to them.
Our hope isn’t in a utopia we wish for…it is in the one who is in heaven and provided THE way for us to be with him. Heaven isn’t a vague dream, it is a future reality.
Which comes back to a key thought of the week. The most important STATUS you can have is “Child of God.” As a child of God, “…you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
The world looks for faith and hope in people…Strangers find faith and hope in God, their heavenly Father.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being a God in whom I can trust and a God who gives a hope that will not disappoint me. While I pray for leaders who will be trustworthy and cast a vision of hope, I know none will ever do it as consistently and as well as you do. AMEN.
Lightbulb Moment!
Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “STRANGERS in the World”
Week 4 of 7: “Use the Right Currency!”
Full Sunday message, CLICK HERE
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. (1 Peter 1:20)
Lightbulb moments…you know those moments when a new idea comes into your mind…a moment you realized something for the first time…a moment that changed the course of your life.
Usually these moments come when some new information or insight is given to you. Someone or something changes your perspective, your way of thinking, your way of being and you never are the same.
Perhaps there are times you ask yourself, “Why did it take me so long to realize that?”
The world around us operates in a perspective that it can figure things out…everything out. “If science says it…I’ll believe it.” Science is a wonderful discipline and has and will provide many lightbulb moments to understand facets and intricacies of the world God created. But it won’t reveal everything. But if we think it will, we will miss the greatest “Light” bulb moment ever.
Unfortunately the world has pitted science against faith. It perpetuates that science is based on facts and faith is based on fantasy.
I beg to differ.
Peter packs a lot into this one verse further describing Jesus (remember the one who gives meaning and purpose to life…read yesterday’s devotion).
- He wasn’t a product of religious evolution, but existed and was chosen before the creation of the world. This is nice, but here’s more…
- He was REVEALED in these last times. He was made visible. He actually existed. People saw him. People interacted with him. He is a historical figure and lived in history.
Peter said in Acts 4:20: For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
- For YOUR sake. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus didn’t happen because God was bored and wanted to personally experience his creation…the good, the bad and the ugly. Rather God came for YOU. He revealed himself to YOU for your benefit and blessing. What was that? To redeem you “from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers” (1 Peter 1:18).
The moment God’s Spirit opens your heart and mind to receive Jesus as YOUR Savior is the most life changing “Light” bulb moments one could experience. It changes our perspective, our purpose and our eternity.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for revealing to me your son Jesus. May I never forget you did this for my blessing and benefit…to enjoy life with you now and forever. Use me to reveal Jesus to someone I know so your Spirit can give them a Lightbulb moment that will change their life. AMEN.
Given a Life of Meaning!
Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “STRANGERS in the World”
Week 4 of 7: “Use the Right Currency!”
Full Sunday message, CLICK HERE
1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Everyone is looking for life that has meaning and purpose. People want to know that they matter…that their life matters.
So where does the world teach us to look for meaning and purpose?
On Sunday, I offered three areas:
- My Skills – If I have a talent in some area that others recognize and I use it to find success, this can bring a level of meaning and purpose.
- My Stuff – Often our self-worth can be determined by our net-worth. My income level can determine my significance level.
- My Status – Do I hold a position of power and prestige? Do people look up to me? Reaching a certain status can be the trigger that gives life meaning and purpose.
But what happens when you can’t do something as well as you used to? What happens if a turn in the economy or your job changes your income level? What if for some reason you are demoted and your status lessened?
We realize building meaning and purpose on these three areas is futile. That’s what Peter says. You can’t buy significance, meaning and purpose. Skills, Stuff and Status can’t redeem you from a futile/empty way of life. Only one thing can…
“the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
The fact that Jesus was willing to give up his position in heaven, come to this earth and give his blood for you communicates you have utmost value and significance in his book. His blood is the one that gives you the most important status you could ever carry: “Child of God!”
So how does Jesus blood give life meaning and purpose?
- I recognize the skills I have, even if they change, are given to first and foremost glorify God. My success isn’t based on how great I am, it’s on how focused I am at glorifying God!
- I recognize the stuff I have is really God’s Stuff. He has entrusted it to me and says, “Manage it for my glory.” Stuff doesn’t give me significance; Jesus gives significance to my stuff.
- I recognize that whatever status I have in this life, pales in comparison to having the status as a child of God. Then as a child of God, I ask, “How can I use my status, position to serve the Lord and love the people he has called me to serve?”
What’s great about this focus, is that when skill, stuff and status change, my life’s meaning and significance never change because it’s grounded in the blood of Jesus!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for redeeming me from an empty way of thinking and living and covering me in the perfect blood of Jesus. As your child, now let me use my skills, stuff and status to glorify you! AMEN!
Live in Reverent Fear!
Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “STRANGERS in the World”
Week 4 of 7: “Use the Right Currency!”
To listen to the full Sunday message, CLICK HERE
A restaurant feels it when the health inspector comes by. A child feels it when mom comes to inspect the room they were asked to clean. A new recruit feels it when their commanding officer is inspecting their uniform. A defendant feels it when he sits before the judge.
Reverent fear.
This bit of nervousness comes when I know that someone has a higher ranking than I do and has the authority to affirm or dismiss me or my work. A health inspector can shut a restaurant down. A mom can take away a privilege. A commanding officer can order more calisthenics. A judge can issue a sentence of punishment
The relief comes when the one of a higher status affirms that things are OK. Your restaurant is clean. Your room is perfect. Your uniform properly worn. Your charge is dismissed.
No matter what our status or ranking in life, we all live under the ranking of our holy, heavenly Father. He is the one that sets the standard of holiness for all people. He alone has the power to “destroy body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28). When we grasp this relationship, you can understand why Peter encourages, “live your life in reverent fear.”
We are not terrified of God or afraid of him, yet hold a healthy respect for him.
Recognize our status before God. He outranks us in every way!
Yet he chooses to use his status as a holy, righteous, Father to also show love and forgiveness. He has every right to condemn each of us to an eternity in hell. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) Yet, he chose to send his Son to receive the punishment our sins deserve. “The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
Consider these two things for your day:
- Live your days in reverent fear AND in humble gratitude!
- Remember that whatever status or position you have, you live under the ranking of God. So use the status and position you are in to “judge impartially” (1 Peter 1:17) as you are called to do and also “love lavishly” (1 John 3:1) as God has done for you!
Prayer: Father, help us to always remember that you outrank us and live each day in reverent fear, yet also in humble gratitude that you while you could use your rank to punish, you instead chose to give us your love and grace. Lead us to do the same in whatever position you place us today. AMEN.
Where Is Justice?
Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “STRANGERS in the World”
Week 4 of 7: “Use the Right Currency!”
To listen to the full Sunday message, CLICK HERE
We live in a time where many are crying for justice.
Here’s a few observations I’ve noticed about justice. To have justice, one needs to agree on the standards and the consequence for breaking them. To have standards, someone has to set them. To have justice, one also needs to agree on how those standards should be applied and then how the consequences should be meted out.
Justice has been around for centuries, existing in some form in every society on earth. People cry against injustice and demand justice. Injustice comes when we perceive the standard was unfairly applied or the standard itself is perceived as unjust.
Our country is not exempt from desiring justice. We want those who do wrong to be brought to justice. We want laws that are fair to everyone. We see people in powerful positions “get off the hook” while an average citizen “gets the book thrown at them.”
So, where is justice?
God is the great equalizer. Peter puts it this way, “Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially…” (1 Peter 1:17) Literally this passage says, “Since you call on a Father who judges impartially (without favoritism) each one’s work…” (1 Peter 1:17)
God doesn’t look at culture, color, or country of origin. He simply looks at what a person does measured against the standard HE has set. That standard? Peter mentions it in verse 15-16: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
This takes care of the three things you need for justice: 1) A clear standard. 2) An impartial evaluation of one’s activities and 3) a judge who perfectly applies the law.
The world’s justice will always be flawed because it is formed and carried out by imperfect human beings. However, as a “Stranger” in the world, we can realize a perfect justice (although God’s justice is hard for some to accept as well.) Here’s what it looks like. The standard is clear. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)
This standard doesn’t make exceptions because of color, creed or country of origin, we simply call on and follow the standard our heavenly Father has given.
When we break it? Justice would say, “For the wages of sin is death,…“The injustice of God is that he punished Jesus instead of us and gave us forgiveness as a gift. “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 6:23)”
With this injustice of grace from a just God, enjoy loving God and others today!
Prayer: Father, thank you for providing a clear standard for us to follow. We know you will judge us impartially based on our works of faith. In your mercy forgive us when we fail. Show grace where you have every right to punish. Amen.