Walking in the Truth

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

We all know the joy of seeing our children walk in the way we taught them and the agony of seeing them stray. The apostle John felt this joy over the progress of His spiritual children in the truth. He also felt the agony of seeing some of them go astray (see verse 9 concerning Diotrephes).

Who are our spiritual children? Who is it that can bring us great joy or deep agony through their faithfulness or lack of it to the truth? May God give us many spiritual children and a commitment to help them progress in the truth.

Also, consider that this verse not only reflects the heart of John for his children but the heart of God for His children. We bring God joy or agony by our walk. May our lives bring Him joy today as we walk in the truth.

Father, keep me in the truth so that my walk may bring You joy today and use me to help others progress in the truth.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

God is our Resource

"David also said to Solomon his son, 'Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.'" 1 Chronicles 29:20

Building a temple for the LORD had been David's dream but God assigned the task to Solomon. So David made the necessary preparations for the building and then charged Solomon to faithfully carry out the work to completion. David reminded his son that his most important resource for completing the task was God himself. God would faithfully be with Solomon enabling him to complete his assigned task.

Our assignment from God may be different than Solomon's but our God is the same. He is the God who is with us and who will not forsake us. He is the God who enables us to complete whatever task He may assign to us. What is your assignment from God? Is it to speak to someone about Christ or to lead your family or to fulfill a ministry role in the church? Whatever God calls you to do He will faithfully enable you to do. Lean hard on Him and He will not fail you.

Father, I thank You that You are my God as You were David's God and Solomon's God. You are unchanging and unfailing--the same yesterday, today, and forever. Help me to clearly understand my assignment from You and to carry it out with complete faith in Your faithfulness.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

A Mighty Savior

. . . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. - 1 John 3:8

In this verse we get a glimpse into the unseen. There is an ongoing spiritual battle being fought between God and Satan, and now our lives are the battlefield. God has an enemy - Satan - who introduced sin into the world. The devil is working vigilantly to corrupt God's creation and lead people into darkness. But Jesus is our Savior. He is the hero of this epic story, and he came into the world to set sinners free - to redeem what Satan has worked so hard to corrupt.

And in tomorrow's reading John proclaims that, "because the one who is in you (Christ) is greater than the one who is in the world."

We don't have to be afraid of our enemy, because Jesus is greater than Satan.

I rejoice in Christ my Savior. Jesus you are mighty and my hope is in you. Thank you for coming into this world to set us free from the darkness.

By His Grace,

Matt

Loving the Father

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15

We can love the Father or the world but not both. These are competing loves and only one of them can ultimately possess our heart. The world is contrary to the Father and His ways. If we would love the Father we must relinquish love for the things of this sinful world. If our heart is filled with the desires of the world and our life is occupied by the pursuit of them, we will not be able to truly love the Father. Two competing loves compel us to choose which one we will give our heart and life.

Father, I choose you. I want to be a lover of you yet You know how very alluring and subtle is the world's pull on my heart. Help me to relinquish every vestige of love for the world so that I may love you exclusively and fully.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

NO ROOM

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25

Jesus certainly did many wonderful things that the gospels do not record. Perhaps we will get to hear these stories some day in heaven. I don't know. Add to these things the work that Christ continues to accomplish in and through believers, and there really is no end to what could be written down.

The gospel story begins in Bethlehem, where there was no room for Mary, about to give birth, and Joseph. But the gospel account ends with the realization that there is not enough room anywhere to record all of Jesus' life and work.

In a sense, we are a part of the ongoing story of Christ. It is written on our hearts and is read by every person you know. God is able to make your life a great adventure story!

Father, thank You for the marvelous, glorious stories of Jesus. Thank You for allowing me to know them and to know You. Use this day for Your glorious story.

Grace to you,

Jim

Peace

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!'" John 20:19

The disciples were understandably afraid. Jesus was crucified, his body was missing (so they thought), and they could be next on the Jews hit list. But then the risen Lord Jesus came into the room infusing peace into the situation and into their lives. When Jesus' shows up everything changes. And Jesus always shows up (the truth is He never leaves). What fears do you have today? What difficulties are you dealing with? Embrace the presence of the risen Lord Jesus and receive the peace He gives. Claim the promise which David understood from the other side of the cross, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).

Lord Jesus, You are risen indeed and You are present with me. Help to embrace Your presence today and walk in Your peace with You.

I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark

The Great Exchange

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. - John 19:16-18

It's incomprehensible. God, the holy one who created the heavens and the earth, sent his Son to die for us. What's even more astounding is that, Jesus died on a cross. Crucifixion was an excruciatingly painful and humiliating way to die. Can you imagine the Son of God hanging there next to criminals?

Isaiah 53:6 says that, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Jesus suffered and died in our place. We deserve the cross, but Christ took the punishment for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God.

Father, I can not even comprehend your love for me. I can't imagine what Christ suffered through for me. But I am truly grateful that you made it possible for me to know you. In response to your love for me I give myself to to you. Lead me today.

By His grace,

Matt