All posts by John (HFJ Director)

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Heaven and Hell, Prophecy, Seeking God, Through Prophets

In My Favor I Have Compassion on You

There are a few key points I want to highlight about Isaiah 60.

  • For the glory of the LORD to rise upon you, embrace Him with all your life and not just words. Through believers, He will draw many others to Him. We must live out a life set apart from the world which honors God.
  • Ultimately those who serve Him will receive abundance and grace. Those who reject Him will be utterly ruined.
  • Starting in verse 15, we see a view of the future. Christ returns and is our redeemer. There is no violence. The LORD is our everlasting light. All are righteous. What a glorious hope to look forward to.

Isaiah 60

A Glorified Zion

1“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

      2“For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.

      3“Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

      4“Lift up your eyes round about and see;
They all gather together, they come to you.
Your sons will come from afar,
And your daughters will be carried in the arms.

      5“Then you will see and be radiant,
And your heart will thrill and rejoice;
Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you,
The wealth of the nations will come to you.

      6“A multitude of camels will cover you,
The young camels of Midian and Ephah;
All those from Sheba will come;
They will bring gold and frankincense,
And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.

      7“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you,
The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you;
They will go up with acceptance on My altar,
And I shall glorify My glorious house.

      8“Who are these who fly like a cloud
And like the doves to their lattices?

      9“Surely the coastlands will wait for Me;
And the ships of Tarshish will come first,
To bring your sons from afar,
Their silver and their gold with them,
For the name of the LORD your God,
And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.

      10“Foreigners will build up your walls,
And their kings will minister to you;
For in My wrath I struck you,
And in My favor I have had compassion on you.

      11“Your gates will be open continually;
They will not be closed day or night,
So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
With their kings led in procession.

      12“For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish,
And the nations will be utterly ruined.

      13“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
The juniper, the box tree and the cypress together,
To beautify the place of My sanctuary;
And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.

      14“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will call you the city of the LORD,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

      15“Whereas you have been forsaken and hated
With no one passing through,
I will make you an everlasting pride,
A joy from generation to generation.

      16“You will also suck the milk of nations
And suck the breast of kings;
Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

      17“Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
And instead of iron I will bring silver,
And instead of wood, bronze,
And instead of stones, iron.
And I will make peace your administrators
And righteousness your overseers.

      18“Violence will not be heard again in your land,
Nor devastation or destruction within your borders;
But you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.

      19“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory.

      20“Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over.

      21“Then all your people will be righteous;
They will possess the land forever,
The branch of My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.

      22“The smallest one will become a clan,
And the least one a mighty nation.
I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.”

Turn wholeheartedly to the LORD even today. His doors of mercy and grace are always ready to receive you.

Take a few minutes in prayer and reflect on the key themes in today’s scripture. Ask God to show you how you should apply it to your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Lying / Deceiving, Wickedness / Evil

Sin Separates Us from God; We Are Reconciled through Jesus

When we feel separated from God, it is not because He can not hear us or because He can not reach us. It is because we have allowed our sins to create separation between us and God. Be thankful that Yeshua came as our Redeemer so we could be reconciled with God and receive justice and righteousness.

Isaiah 59

Separation from God

1Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.

      2But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

      3For your hands are defiled with blood
And your fingers with iniquity;
Your lips have spoken falsehood,
Your tongue mutters wickedness.

      4No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly.
They trust in confusion and speak lies;
They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

      5They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;
He who eats of their eggs dies,
And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.

      6Their webs will not become clothing,
Nor will they cover themselves with their works;
Their works are works of iniquity,
And an act of violence is in their hands.

      7Their feet run to evil,
And they hasten to shed innocent blood;
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,
Devastation and destruction are in their highways.

      8They do not know the way of peace,
And there is no justice in their tracks;
They have made their paths crooked,
Whoever treads on them does not know peace.

A Confession of Wickedness

9Therefore justice is far from us,
And righteousness does not overtake us;
We hope for light, but behold, darkness,
For brightness, but we walk in gloom.

      10We grope along the wall like blind men,
We grope like those who have no eyes;
We stumble at midday as in the twilight,
Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men.

      11All of us growl like bears,
And moan sadly like doves;
We hope for justice, but there is none,
For salvation, but it is far from us.

      12For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
And our sins testify against us;
For our transgressions are with us,
And we know our iniquities:

      13Transgressing and denying the LORD,
And turning away from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving in and uttering from the heart lying words.

      14Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands far away;
For truth has stumbled in the street,
And uprightness cannot enter.

      15Yes, truth is lacking;
And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the LORD saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.

      16And He saw that there was no man,
And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.

      17He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.

      18According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.

      19So they will fear the name of the LORD from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the LORD drives.

      20“A Redeemer will come to Zion,
And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” declares the LORD.

      21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever.”

We are all sinners. If you have not given your life to Yeshua (Hebrew name of Jesus), do so now. Admit you are a sinner in need of salvation. Believe Yeshua is your redeemer,  God Himself, who died for your sins. Confess Yeshua is LORD and follow Him. Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Compassionate, Faithful, Grace / Forgiveness, Humility, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God

He Is Ready to Show Grace, if You Are Ready to Repent

Grace is giving someone what they do not deserve. God tells us repeatedly in the Bible that He wants to show us grace, but will wait on us to turn toward Him in genuine repentance.

Isaiah 30 is an impactful scripture about God’s grace following the sin of His people.  I encourage you to click the link and read all of it for full context. The first seven verses reveal how the people of Judah turned away from God and made a treaty with Egypt for protection instead of trusting God. Verses 8-11 reveal how the people have rejected God’s messengers who bring His instruction.  Verses 12-17 tell how futile and worthless is the path the people chose instead of following God’s instructions. It will not serve them well.  And in the center of this outright rebellion toward God, God still offers grace when the people repent starting in verse 18. But they must turn to Him.

Isaiah 30:18-26

18 So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. 20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. 22 Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags,
saying to them, “Good riddance!”

23 Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. 24 The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. 25 In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. 26 The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds he gave them.

Anyone who expects God to be gracious while still openly rejecting and rebelling against Him will be disappointed. God is willing to extend grace, but we must turn toward Him with genuine repentance.  God is waiting for us to come to Him and His grace is truly wonderful.

Take time in prayer right now and accept and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. Come humbly toward Him with repentance and receive His love and compassion.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News

Release the Lion; Preach the Gospel

The world attacks the word of God and those who share it. It is easy to get on the defensive when discussing the gospel. We are called to preach the truth of the gospel without shame or doubt. We do not need to apologize for any of it or edit any of it. We are called to share all of it, not just the parts that people accept.

God is capable of defending the gospel on His own behalf.

Charles Spurgeon, a 19th century Baptist preacher said it well in one of his sermons titled “The Lover of God’s Law Filled with Peace”:

“The Word of God can take care of itself, and will do so if we preach it, and cease defending it. See you that lion. They have caged him for his preservation; shut him up behind iron bars to secure him from his foes! See how a band of armed men have gathered together to protect the lion. What a clatter they make with their swords and spears! These mighty men are intent upon defending a lion. O fools, and slow of heart! Open that door! Let the lord of the forest come forth free. Who will dare to encounter him? What does he want with your guardian care? Let the pure gospel go forth in all its lion-like majesty, and it will soon clear its own way and ease itself of its adversaries.”

This is a good reminder for each of us that the word of God is powerful, when preached boldly and completely.  We should never make excuses for it.

Take a few minutes to pray. Ask God to show you any areas in your life where you are compromising in obedience to God and His word. Where are you defensive or do you feel like you have to make excuses for the choices you make to honor God. Stand with confidence on God’s word. Ask God to give you courage and give Him thanks in faith that He will.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Diligent / Hard Worker, Help / Serve Others, Money / Finances / Wealth, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

How Should Christians Treat Their Employers?

Though the Bible does not specifically call out how we should behave as employees, all of our Christian values apply to how you should behave and treat others wherever we are, including at work. This includes our employer, even if they do not treat us that way. This is how we serve Jesus by living as a light to show others the way to Him.

By looking at what the Bible says about the relationship between slave and master we can get some additional perspective by applying those principles to employees and employers.  Both Colossians 3: 22-25 and Galatians 3:28 speak about how a slave in the ancient near east was called to serve his/her master.

Keep in mind here that the context of slavery in Old Testament Israel was very different than what we think about today. Is God a Moral Monster? by Dr. Paul Copan is a great resource to study this topic further.

Colossians 3:22-25

22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.[e] 25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Galatians 3:28

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile,[o] slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

God makes no distinction between owner and slave, employer and employee. We are one in Christ Jesus. Another way to think about it captured in Matthew 7:12.

Matthew 7:12

12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

This entire message must still be taken in context of the remainder of scripture. We can not submit so much to your employer that we  neglect what else God calls us to do… especially the role God calls us to play in our family or the church.

Take some time in prayer right now. Ask God to show you areas where you need to change in regard to your employer or business partners. Listen and don’t rationalize your behavior. Allow God to reveal to you His high standards which you should follow.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Father / Yahweh, Parenting

Honor Your Father and Mother and Things Will Go Well for You

People generally accept that children should obey their parents as an expectation of a healthy family dynamic. There are easy-to-recognize reasons for this such as children not being able to take care of themselves in even basic ways. They do not recognize hazards like running in the street, etc.

The Bible supports this instruction for children but also adds more depth to it and direction for us fathers as well in Ephesians 6:1-4.

6 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”[b]

4 Fathers,[c] do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

These instructions are repeated again in Colossians 3.

20 Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

It is critical for us to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. To challenge them without aggravating them to the point of being discouraged and feeling inadequate. This scripture is a good reminder for us that we need to pay attention to the cues from our children on how they react to our instruction. Each child is different and needs a different style of parenting. We need to adjust our parenting approach to fit each child, not force each child to adjust to our parenting approach.

Give thanks to God that He provides such a great example to us of what it means to be a father and show that kind of love to us so we can in turn show it to our children.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Mercy, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Self Control, Teachable

Clothe Yourselves with Mercy, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, and Patience.

As Christians we are called to be a light to the world. To show others the path to Jesus Christ. All too often non Christians cannot tell the difference between Christians and the world by looking at how we live. Paul provides a meaningful call to action on how we should be living.

Colossians 3:1-17.

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

It is difficult to add anything to such a well written passage. This is a scripture to dwell on and not to skim. I hope and pray you reflect on it and challenge yourself to answer the call that Paul (and Jesus) have extended to us in this scripture.

Am I on the path?, Marriage

Husband and Wife… Different Positions on the Same Team

Sports teams require a coach and multiple players each skilled and focused on playing their own position. Coaches are responsible for understanding the overall strategy and giving direction to their players on how to work together effectively as a team. Each player is chosen for their position based on their individual skills, which need to match the position they play. Even if some have the ability to play both positions well, they can only play one well at a time. When players work against the coach’s strategy or try to play someone else’s position, the team dynamics break down and teams fail to perform at their peak.

God is like our coach. A husband and wife each have a role to play to fulfill God’s strategy. It is best to understand what direction God is giving us rather than trying to do it our own way.

Ephesians 5:21-33

21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”[c] 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Many stumble on God’s instructions for wives to submit to their husbands. Some think that this means the husband is accountable to no one and can demand anything. Others think it means that the wife is inferior to the husband. Far from it. Both husband and wife are equally important. The husband is accountable to God.

A husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the church. There is no greater love than this. To lay down his life for her. God’s strategy works phenomenally well when both husband and wife obey God’s instruction. It works poorly  when husband and wife fail to work together as  a team or fail to follow God’s instructions.

Spend a few minutes in prayer to give God thanks for your spouse and for His design for marriage. Ask Him to grant you wisdom and understanding of His design marriage and how to apply it in your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Money / Finances / Wealth, Parables, Submitted / Servant

Using Wisely What God Gives Us

God gives to each of us different talents and resources in different amounts. We are all called to be faithful and good stewards of what He provides no matter how small or how big.  None of us are insignificant to God. He wants us to use what He gives us for His glory. Do not use it solely for your own personal gain.

Jesus illustrates this effectively in Matthew 25:14-30.

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver[a] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![b]’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God wants us to effectively use what He provides for His kingdom, whether it is financial resources or personal talents and gifts He has given us. Do not stuff your money in a mattress or bury it in a hole. Don’t hide your talent or use it only for your own gain. Serve God with all that He has given you!

Take a few minute to pray. Give thanks to God for the gifts He has entrusted to you. If you are not sure what gifts He wants you to use, ask Him. Ask others around you that you trust what they see in you. Pay attention to anything that comes easily to you that causes challenges for others. That is often a tip of a gift or talent you have. Of course, to fully develop a talent, it takes commitment and hard work as well.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Help / Serve Others, Money / Finances / Wealth

Act as One Body of Christ, Regardless of Distance and Familiarity

Paul genuinely loved the people who He was able to reach for Christ. He had a network of churches and communities God had planted through him. He was diligent in trying to support them and God took that effort and integrated Paul’s letters as an important part of the holy scriptures for all of us to benefit from even today, thousands of years later.

Paul acts as a cord that ties and connects the Christian communities together. He writes an introduction for Timothy to help facilitate the effectiveness of his journeys. There is an update regarding Apollos and others who are brothers and sisters in the faith. Where one community struggles, he can collect money to help from another that prospers. It is always given voluntarily, never taken from people against their will. The government is not involved.

He wanted not to just collect money and run, but rather to stay awhile and commune with them. He submits his travel plans to what the holy spirit is revealing to him… where he sees the spirit is moving and he is part of effective service, he remains awhile to take advantage for the glory of the Jehovah.

Paul leads the churches to function as one body of Christ, regardless of distance or familiarity with one another. It is not a individual competition. It is a team event.

Finally, Paul calls the community to stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. He encourages and directs. Paul was not motivated by personal wealth or gain, but rather by the earnest desire to glorify God.

1 Corinthians 16

Instructions and Greetings

     1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.

      5But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 6and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. 7For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 8But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 9for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

      10Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. 11So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

      12But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

      13Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.

      15Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), 16that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

      19The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

      21The greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

As you reflect on today’s scripture and how to apply it… let us remember that the body of Christ is one, thought spread out across many different lands. Let us not focus solely on our local “church” or the people around us. There are many in our body that live far away. Let us support those that bind us together and go to support others. So too, we can help others in need, even if we don’t know them, by sending money when needed through trusted organizations or people.

Let me leave you with in the same encouraging manner in which Paul ended his first letter to the church at Corinth.

Stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. Maranatha… our Lord comes. (What an encouraging reminder!) May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you and may we as the body of Christ grow continually in love for one another, regardless of where we are located.

Take a few minutes now in prayer and ask God to help and bless the body of Christ around the world, around your country, and locally. Pray that we may act as one. Give thanks to Him for those who are doing His work to support the body.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.