Tag Archives: Obedience

2015 Day 136 – 2 Thessalonians 1

16 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

In this second letter to the Thessalonian church, Paul wanted to clear up confusion about Christ’s second coming. Many of these believers in the church thought Christ would be coming soon because of the amount of persecution they were facing. But Paul reiterated the time of His coming was unknown and not necessarily imminent. Paul simply encourages these early believer to trust that God is in control. In 2 Thessalonians 1:8 Paul says, God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you. It is not our job to judge others or retaliate when we feel persecuted. It is our job to be obedient and listen to God’s leading through the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are to life boldly, but we are also to live lives that are under control and obedient to God’s will and purpose.

2015 Day 135 – 1 Thessalonians 5

15 Friday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

God is faithful and in turn can help us be faithful back to Him. When God asks anything of us he does not expect us to accomplish it alone. As Paul finished up this first letter to the Thessalonians, he reminds them of God’s faithfulness to them. In 1 Thessalonians 5:24 Paul says, The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. God is able to do great things with or without us. But when we allow God to work through us, we are blessed to be a part of His will and it’s eternal impact.

2015 Day 132 – 1 Thessalonians 2

12 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

In today’s reading, Paul urges the Thessalonian church as he would a father to his children. In the middle of 1 Thessalonians 2:12 he says “…urging you to live lives worthy of God…” We are to be a reflection of Christ; not because it is required for salvation, but because we are God’s children. Just as a child wants to be called worthy of their parents, and don’t want to embarrass their family, we are to be the same in our relationship with God. We are to conduct ourselves in a way that is pleasing to our Heavenly Father.

2015 Day 127 – Galatians 6

07 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The world wants us to be arrogant about our accomplishments. We are supposed to measure our success against the accomplishments of others. But the only true measurement is that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul, in this final chapter of this book, says in Galatians 6:14, May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. The only thing that should matter to us is our relationship with Christ and how that affects our lives and service to Him. The less the interests of this world matters to us the better off we are.

2015 Day 124 – Galatians 3

04 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

I find it interesting that we, as believers, still struggle with the things Paul talks about to the Galatians 2,000 years ago. People who are supposedly strong believers still relying on what they do for Christ rather than what He did for us. In Galatians 3:24 Paul says, So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Nowhere does it say we are justified by the work we do for Christ, yet that is what we classify as a “good Christian”. Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to say we don’t need to be good people. God created us to serve Him by serving and loving others, but that is not salvation. It is obedience and a byproduct of loving God and wanting others to know that love. Let us work to be a reflection of Christ and recognize that He does not expect us to be perfect or even strive for perfection, but rather to simply be a reflection of Him and His love.

2015 Day 121 – Galatians 1

01 Friday May 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

To be a true follower of Christ we cannot stand around and wait for the approval of people around us. Paul made this clear in Galatians 1:10, Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. We all want to feel we are doing the right thing in the eyes of the people we know and care about. But the reality is we only need to be concerned with what Jesus thinks about us and commands us to do according to His will and for His glory. Walking with Jesus is not always easy, but it is the only journey that matters.

2015 Day 114 – James 2

24 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

In our reading today, James 2:14 can be a bit confusing, What good is it, my brother, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? When I first read this, it seemed to imply that works were necessary for salvation. But just the opposite is true. The verse simply states that faith should transform us. If our lives remain the same, we don’t truly believe the truth about who Jesus is and what He came for. As true believers we should be transforming into being more like Christ. If that isn’t happening, then our relationship is not true, or at a minimum, not growing. Faith is revealed by how we act based on our beliefs.

2015 Day 113 – James 1

23 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Today we begin reading in the book of James. As you will recall, we are reading the New Testament in chronological order of events. The book of James was the first book written after the gospels and lines up with events as they happened in the book of Acts. The author is obviously James who was the half brother of Jesus. There are some people who have a hard time with the book of James because, while he talks about grace that comes through salvation from Christ’s sacrifice, there is a lot of talk about actions. This tends to confuse people into thinking it is all about works. James simply brings into view the outcomes that should come from those who have been miraculously saved and are in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of James we find my favorite verse, James 1:12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. As we have seen in our past reading, God does not promise an easy and perfect life. But He has promised our reward of eternal life when we have stood against all this life has to throw at us.

2015 Day 112 – Acts 14

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

In today’s reading I found it entertaining the people of Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes. The Greeks of that area recognized the supernatural abilities of the Apostles. But it was not the abilities of the Apostles, but of God working through them. If we stop trying to do great things for God and allow God to do great things through us, we would see much greater results. The total submission and willingness to be used by God to bring others into knowledge and relationship with Christ is the example we should learn here.

2015 Day 110 – Acts 12

20 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in Daily Reading

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The early church experienced more in it’s early existence than we could ever expect in our lifetimes. Many people believe this is because God does not work the same as He once did. I believe the reality is that we do not work the same way believers did in the early church. By the end of the New Testament, the apostles would each suffer and either die a brutal death or live the remainder of their days in exile. They were willing to lay their faith on the line and sacrifice all they had to spread the good news of Christ. The disciples sacrificed greatly, and in turn, God acted greatly through each of their lives. Can you imagine Peter as he was being rescued from prison by an angel? What would it be like to see locked gates open (before electronics) and hardened guards unaware of what was happening before them? In Acts 12:11 we see Peter’s reaction, Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.” God is able to do mighty things and when we put ourselves in a position where God is the only way, He does not let us down.