Tag Archives: Relationship

2015 Day 149 – 1 Corinthians 8

29 Friday May 2015

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In today’s reading I found 1 Corinthians 8:8 interesting, But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. It is my belief that what we put into our bodies has no bearing on our relationship with God. I find it interesting that the same people who will get hung up on drinking a beer or a glass of wine are sometimes the same people who will eat a greasy cheeseburger. If they are treating their bodies as a temple, then they should not allow anything bad to enter their bodies. Everything should be handled in moderation with responsibility and respect for what God has entrusted with us.

2015 Day 141 – 1 Corinthians 1

21 Thursday May 2015

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Today we begin the first letter from Paul to the Corinthian church. The purpose of the letter was to identify issues in the church, propose solutions, and to teach believers how to live Christ-like lives in a corrupt and lost society. In the first few chapters, Paul takes the opportunity to address their problems and to offer truths about what we really are without a relationship with Christ. In the final verse of this chapter Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:31, Therefore it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” He chose us, not because we were great and had a lot to offer Him, but because He is able to use anyone and anything for His glory. We are to consider it a privilege to be identified as children of God and to be found worthy to be His servant.

2015 Day 138 – 2 Thessalonians 2

18 Monday May 2015

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Paul gives a very strong blessing to the Thessalonian church at the end of 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God the Father, who loved us by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. There is no sweeter blessing and encouragement than what comes from the Lord Jesus Christ and God Himself. While many of us seek the encouragement and acceptance of others, it does not match or compare to what God is capable of giving to us through the Holy Spirit. When the rest of the world seems to not be interested, remember that God loves us more than we could ever imagine.

2015 Day 133 – 1 Thessalonians 3

13 Wednesday May 2015

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Faith is contagious and we can be encourage by the faith of both seasoned and new believers alike; especially in the heat of battle. In 1 Thessalonians 3:7 Paul says to this relatively young group of believers, Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we are encouraged about you because of your faith. Watching young or new believers act faithfully to God is powerful to watch. We can see God’s hand working in them in a raw and tangible way. When we see it, we are reenergized and remember what it was like to be new in the faith and how much it changed us. Let us not forget what it was like to be changed and renewed by God. There is much work to be done and God can continue to work in us. None of us is perfect and will never be perfect, but in an authentic relationship with God, we can become more like Him each day if we are willing to be influenced by Him.

2015 Day 132 – 1 Thessalonians 2

12 Tuesday May 2015

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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 128 – Acts 17

08 Friday May 2015

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In today’s reading, we are back in the book of Acts, and we find Paul speaking with the Greek Philosophers in Athens. Many of these people somehow managed to make a living spending their day talking about new ideas (good work if you can get it). As Paul is speaking with these philosophers, he takes the opportunity to use something he finds in Greek worship to point to the one true God. Acts 17:22 says, 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens!” I see that in every way you are religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with the inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. Too often we expect non-believers to come to a relationship with God by finding their own way. The reality is God meets them where they are. We are called to help them find their way. God can use any circumstance and any scenario for His glory and to bring people into relationship with Him. There is nothing so un-sacred that He cannot use it for good.

2015 Day 127 – Galatians 6

07 Thursday May 2015

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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 125 – Galatians 4

05 Tuesday May 2015

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Under Roman law, and adopted son was guaranteed all legal rights of his father’s estate. He was not treated as a second class child, even if he was born a slave. In Galatians 4:7 Paul talks about this in reference to our relationship with God when we accept the gift of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice, So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Likewise, as adopted children of God, we share all the rights as heirs of the Kingdom of God. We have a full identity as His children. Let us all try to remember this as we live our lives; we are children of the King.

2015 Day 121 – Galatians 1

01 Friday May 2015

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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 120 – Acts 16

30 Thursday Apr 2015

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The obvious benefit of belief in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross is salvation. But the most compelling reason for our present circumstances is a changed life. In today’s reading we see a prime example of this when Paul and Silas are beaten and jailed. When the earthquake happened and all the prison doors were opened, instead of running away, Paul and Silas did what most people would not and stayed. Moreover, they took the opportunity to save the jailer, not just physically, but spiritually as well. We see this in Acts 16:31, They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” Paul and Silas knew that a changed life does not just impact the individual, but everyone around them. Sometimes the impact is positive and sometimes it is negative, but there is no doubt there will be a reaction.