Fighting the good fight

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 28TH

1 Timothy 6:12 ESV NASB

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

“Fighting the good fight”

Jacqueline’s eyes flash fury and fire. She’s the embodiment of the hot-tempered, angry, fight starter described in Proverbs 15:18, 29:22. It’s not surprising then that rather than pleading with her landlord for more time to pay her delinquent rent, she beat him up and gave him two broken ribs.

The landlord was not the first person to suffer Jacqueline’s wrath. She has slugged both strangers and neighbors alike, and two years ago she hit her husband so hard he ran off—never to return.

A while back, however, despite her behavior, Jacqueline was the direct beneficiary of two of my friends’ generosity. She was so touched by their kindness—something she hasn’t extended or received much of in her lifetime—that she decided to give up physical combat. Jacqueline has now gone 5 months without throwing a punch.

While “right hooks” aren’t highly regarded in Scripture, we’re nonetheless called to engage in a lifetime of tenacious fighting against opposition and temptation that aims to hinder our walk with Christ.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul explained that we must “fight the good fight” as we remain true to the faith (1 Timothy 6:12). In another letter, the apostle says we’re to approach spiritual warfare as an athlete would approach a competition, with discipline and with the goal of obtaining an “eternal prize” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Finally, Paul wrote, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world” (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Unlike Jacqueline, we realize that the ultimate enemies we face are not human. Let’s choose today to prayerfully, carefully battle against our unseen enemies as we lift up the truths of Jesus. —Roxanne Robbins, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

One, two, three..

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 27TH

Luke 18:16 ESV NASB

But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

“One, two, three...”

When my son was a toddler, I played a game with him that made a big splash—literally. As I stood in the water, just a few feet from the edge of the pool, I would reach out my arms and encourage him to leap from the safe terra firma to me. I would count, “One . . two . . . THREE!” and with a giggle he would launch himself into my arms. To add some excitement, I would let his feet splash in the water just a bit.

Jesus reached His arms out to the “little children.” Though His disciples felt that the children were a “bother,” the Savior highly valued them and their faith (Luke 18:16-17). Unlike the pious and proud (v.9), they possessed a childlike faith marked by openness and trust. As Jesus lovingly embraced some kids, He said, “Anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (v.17).

In contrast, Luke then records Jesus’ interaction with a rich religious leader. The man testified that he had kept God’s “commandments since I was young” (v.21). Like the apostle Paul prior to his conversion, this man had been diligent in keeping the letter of the law (Philippians 3:6). But Jesus zeroed in on the rich leader’s heart and told him to sell all his possessions and “follow Me” (Luke 18:22).

Does Christ ask every person to jettison all they own? No. This was simply a way of showing the man that he’d have to take the step of faith he desperately needed. The goal was for him to have a trusting, humble, childlike faith in the Savior.

Today, Jesus calls to you with arms outstretched. Humbly receive Him with childlike trust. Ready? One . . . two . . . three! —Tom Felten, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Rich

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 26TH

1 Timothy 6:6 ESV NASB

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

“Rich”

Their fatigue and discomfort blended with the barren landscape as the group walked through the dirt streets. Trash littered what could hardly be considered front yards. This arid area of Choluteca known as “The New City” exists in denial of its name. Unclothed children, wild dogs, and a few large pigs ran through the streets with little purpose or focus beyond survival. For the mission team members, accustomed to green grass and a ready source of water, this view of Honduras was a stark reminder of their ultimate purpose to proclaim that Jesus gives new life found in wells that never run dry.

The suffering of others often eludes our glance because we’re caught up in the pace of everyday life. Surrounded by deadlines, family issues, and various trials, we are easily drawn into self-centered living. Our hearts aren’t hard; they’re distracted by the noisy, consuming world in which we live.

Warning against self-absorption, Paul teaches that contentment is not a circumstantial condition. Satisfaction comes only as we position ourselves to be consumed with nothing but God (Matthew 5:6). In reminding us of our temporary stay, Paul writes, “We brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it” (1 Timothy 6:7).

God doesn’t want us to live feeling guilty for the blessings and material things we’ve been given. He does challenge us, however, to live with both His justice and His mercy in view (Micah 6:8). When we “walk humbly with our God” and live toward this end, what we possess becomes a means for the advancement of His kingdom (Matthew 14:15-21).

Whether we sit in need or in abundance, we must regularly assess if our time, money, and energy are being used for what is everlasting or for what will never satisfy (Isaiah 55:1-2). —Regina Franklin, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Choose Love

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 24TH

Proverbs 5:18 ESV NASB

Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

“Choose love”

The actress Cameron Diaz explained why none of her romantic relationships have led to marriage. “I think that what I’ve found . . . is that you always find the person you’re meant to be with at that time in your life. And what I’ve also found is that you have to move on from those people at certain times, because that’s the way it happens. . . . A lot of people find themselves trapped in something they’ve outgrown and are unhappy. And they don’t know how to get out of it because they think they’re supposed to make it happen.”

This attitude may be acceptable when dating, but too many people bring it into their marriage. “Till death do us part” becomes “You’re the person I want to be with at this period in my life,” and they quickly discard their spouse when they’ve “outgrown the relationship” or the chemistry is no longer working. Then, in a futile quest to “find themselves,” they tear apart their family and ruin the lives of everyone in it (Proverbs 5:15-17).

But what if love doesn’t mean “what makes me happy or meets my needs this very moment”? What if we replaced this thin view of love with the muscular love of God? “God loved the world so much that He” . . . what? Tingled with happiness? Got wobbly in the knees? Used the world to find Himself? No. “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16).

The cross is the greatest act of love, not because it filled God with warm feelings, but because God put us ahead of Himself and chose to die for us.

How about you? Will you chase Hollywood’s idea of happiness, or will you commit to spend your life with your spouse? (Proverbs 5:18). Choose love. —Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Shared happiness

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 21ST

Acts 2:42 ESV NASB

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

“Shared happiness”

The 2007 film Into the Wild tells the true story of Chris McCandless. Upon graduating from college in the early 1990s, McCandless had become disillusioned with his conventional life. Without saying a word to his family, he sold all his belongings, disappeared into the back country of the western United States, and eventually ventured deep into the Alaskan wilderness—alone.

McCandless underestimated the rigors of the Alaskan wilderness and was found dead months later. Before his tragic death, he appeared to have a change of heart regarding his decision to live alone. These were his final words scrawled in his journal: “Happiness only real when shared.”

Being a loner is not what it’s cracked up to be. It was one of the first experiences God spotted as unhealthy— “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’” (Genesis 2:18).

God wired us with a dual need for companionship with Himself and with other human beings. Sustaining healthy relationships with family and friends is a central part of being created in the image of a Triune God who enjoys a level of togetherness that’s beyond our comprehension. We can’t escape how our Creator made us. The truth is, there can be no real joy in life outside of relationships.

The early church had this down. The book of Acts states, “They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity” (Acts 2:46).

God meant for us to share life with others. As Paul wrote, relationships were a source of great joy to him (2 Timothy 1:4). The only thing worse than dying alone is living alone. Share your life with others. —Jeff Olson, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

God’s patience

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 20TH

Luke 20:18 ESV NASB

“Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

“God’s patience”

Nearly one-third of the recorded teachings of Jesus in the Gospels are parables. It’s said that a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Jesus was the Master teacher who taught with simplicity, clarity (Matthew 13:54), and great authority (7:28-29). So much so, that the leading priests, teachers of the law, and elders asked Him, “By what authority are you doing all these things?” (Luke 20:2). Jesus responded by telling a parable of the evil tenant farmers (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12). Jesus spoke of:

• The sinfulness of humanity (Luke 20:9-15). Jesus drew from Isaiah 5:1-7, where the vineyard refers to the nation of Israel (v.7). The Jews, despite their favored nation status, had rejected God’s authority. The tenant farmers are a vivid representation of man’s rebellion and rejection of God.

• The long-suffering patience of God (Luke 20:10- 13). Despite the cruel treatment of all His messengers, the landowner relentlessly reached out to the tenants. He even sent His cherished son. For He is “the God of compassion and mercy . . . slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). The landowner is a clear picture of God’s patient endurance with people (2 Peter 2:9, 3:15).

• The severity of God’s judgment on those who reject the Son (Luke 20:13-16). There’s a mistaken idea that a loving God can’t get angry. But God said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3 NKJV). There is such a thing as “the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:16). This is a warning of judgment on everyone who rejects the Son.

The teachers and leading priests knew that Jesus was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers (Luke 20:19). What was Jesus saying to you and me in this tale? —K.T. Sim, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

The humanitarian veterinarian

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 19TH

Philippians 2:6 ESV NASB

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

“The humanitarian veterinarian”

Steve Goldsmith is a veterinarian who performs humanitarian work in difficult locations around the world. It’s humanitarian work because in poverty-stricken regions healthy animals can spell the difference between life and death for the people!

Recently, Dr. Goldsmith went on a medical mission to war-ravaged Afghanistan. One family cow didn’t take kindly to being stuck with a needle. The bad-tempered beast managed to kick free of her handlers. In the process, she kicked up a helping of—you guessed it— fresh fertilizer. The flung dung splattered across the vet’s face. Yuck!

The crowd of curious kids that had gathered found this highly amusing. And Dr. Goldsmith? He laughed heartily with them. “I won them over with that,” he recalls. “It broke down the barriers.”

The classic example of barrier-breaking is Jesus Himself. Author Philip Yancey notes that when Jesus came to earth, “He played by the rules.” Yancey means that Jesus didn’t come as divine royalty but as a humble baby, totally reliant on His mother, fully vulnerable to life’s pain. The apostle Paul writes of Jesus: “He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being” (Philippians 2:7). Jesus did this to rescue us from the penalty of our own willful disobedience. “He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (v.8).

Our first reaction to unpalatable situations is to preserve our own comfort and dignity. Jesus offers a stunning contrast. “Because of the joy awaiting Him, [Jesus] endured the cross, disregarding its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). We all face things we’d rather avoid. Remember, we serve One who has endured far worse for our sakes. —Tim Gustafson, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

The Lord’s Prayer

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 18TH

Luke 11:2 ESV NASB

And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

“Teach us to pray”

My biggest problem with ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ ” wrote Helen in response to an online post, “is knowing which version we’re using. . . . It’s always assumed we know it by heart, but I first learned trespasses, then learned sins and now am confronted by debts and debtors. So, when ‘we will now say the Lord’s Prayer’ is announced, instead of being able to pray and mean it, I’m nervous and wondering which version to use, which rather defeats the point of saying it together aloud.”

Like Helen, you might find your mind and heart distracted from the essence of prayer for any number of reasons. Be it choice of words, varying Bible translations, or conflicting philosophies about liturgical readings, thetopic of prayer, particularly the Lord’s Prayer, garners much discussion and theological debate. By taking a closer look at Luke 11:2-4, we can see that much confusion over this passage stems from Jesus’ preamble, in which He tells His disciples, “This is how you should pray.” Many interpret His instructions to mean this is the only way you should pray. To the contrary, throughout the New Testament Jesus builds on His suggested framework of prayer. In the Gospel of Luke, for example, He directs us to: • Pray for those who hurt you (6:28). • Pray continually and with persistence (18:1-5). • Pray that you will not give in to temptation (22:40,46). Scripture emphasizes that there is power in prayer. Respectively, Jesus wanted His disciples and wants you to experience deeper fellowship with the Lord through an enriched prayer life.

Ask God to give you renewed appreciation for the Lord’s Prayer, to grant you fresh insights into the verses, and to help you find joy as you meditate on the words and lift them up to God. —Roxanne Robbins, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

The longing of God

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 17TH

Revelation 21:3 ESV NASB

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

“The longing of God”

Blaise Pascal once said the now-famous words: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which [can] be filled . . . only be filled by God.” St. Augustine once prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” In Revelation 21 we see the end of human longing—the heart at rest in relationship with its Creator in His eternal kingdom.

Something we spend less time thinking about, however, is the longing that God has—a longing that will also be fulfilled on that great day. Now, to be sure, an omnipotent, self-sufficient God doesn’t lack anything. We don’t meet God’s needs. But throughout biblical history, God has expressed His longing for us: “You will be Mine.”

• “I will claim you as My own people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7). • “I will be your God, and you will be My people” (Leviticus 26:12). • “I will put My instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33). • “You will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:28).

For thousands of years, God has had one desire—a people drawn to Himself. This longing has fueled His missionary endeavors: sending prophets to call back His straying people, sending His Son to find His straying sheep (Luke 19:10). In the kingdom of God, His desire will finally be fulfilled: “I will be their God, and they will be My children” (Revelation 21:7).

God is our King and Judge, that’s true. But we often miss His Father heart—a heart that longs for our free, loving, devoted allegiance to Him; a heart that awaits that longing to be fulfilled. —Sheridan Voysey, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Laughter

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 14TH

Genesis 18:12 ESV NASB

Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

“Laughter”

Chuck Shepherd oversees the Web site News of the Weird that reports all the strange, unbelievable stories crossing the newswires. Shepherd’s site will leave you scratching your head at the improbable or ludicrous happenings. The site boasts the tagline: “Proof that true stories are weirder than made-up stories.”

Often, people put God’s words in the same category. Are you kidding me? That sounds preposterous. Can’t be true. God offers a new way to live, a new way to see and hope and love; and His kingdom often seems entirely out of touch with the world we know.

When God came to Abraham (old, withered, 99-year-old Abraham) to tell him he would father a son, Abraham couldn’t help himself: “He laughed to himself in disbelief.” And He chuckled in amazement, saying, “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” (Genesis 17:17).

Abraham’s wife Sarah, “long past the age of having children” (a kind way of saying Sarah was older than dirt), had exactly the same response (18:11). She laughed (v.12). The notion was comical.

“Why did the two . . . laugh?” asked Frederick Buechner. “They laughed because they knew only a fool would believe that a woman with one foot in the grave was soon going to have her other foot in the maternity ward.” But 9 months later, Isaac arrived. And, appropriately, his name means “laughter.” This was a different laughter, an irrepressible laughter of joy and beautiful hope-come-true.

Perhaps this is a good sign that we’ve heard God correctly—we laugh at the seeming impossibility of it all. God says we are forgiven and loved, that He will make our world right, no reason to fear—and we can hardly believe it. Without God, it is impossible and laughable. —Winn Collier, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

MIKE DONEHEY OF TENTH AVENUE NORTH

MIKE DONEHEY OF TENTH AVENUE NORTH ON HEALING BEGINS

James 5:16 ESV NASB

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

"Healing Begins"

Martin Luther once said that we must beat the gospel into people’s heads incessantly, for it’s the one thing that we are most prone to forget. Funny, because that’s a huge reason why we wrote most of the songs on our last record, Over and Underneath. Not that we wanted to beat people up, necessarily, but our hope was definitely what Luther spoke of, in that, we wanted those who heard our songs to hear the gospel, that is, that we don’t earn grace, grace was earned for us. And we wanted to beat it into the heads of those listening, starting with our own. That’s what the title was all about: Over and Underneath. At the heights of our purity, Christ has gone higher; at the depths of our depravity, Christ has gone lower, bearing our sins on the cross. No matter how pure we are, we need Him still, and no matter how far we’ve fallen, we’re not too far gone.

This is what we feel the gospel is, and it’s what we hope to continue to communicate with our sophomore release, The Light Meets The Dark. Our desire for this record is simply to be the next step. It’s a call not only to believe the gospel but to let it so saturate our minds and hearts that we actually begin to live like we believe it. But of course, that might be a little different than you think. This record isn’t a call for better living and high achieving, more commitments and greater successes. It’s a cry for confession, exposure, and the laying down of our pride. It’s a cry for honesty, for truth, and for an encounter with the One who is truth, and having that encounter change the way we see the world. You see, when we believe this thing we call the gospel, it allows us to be honest about who we really are. Or should I say, it forces us to come to terms with who we are. It frees us to not only be exposed but to be ok about being exposed; to speak our pain and fears out into the open. It frees us to be poor in spirit. Which, isn’t that the goal after all?

I heard it said once that the best thing that could ever happen to any of us is if all of our sins were broadcast on the five o’clock news. And yeah, that can be a fairly disturbing thought, I suppose, but think about it for a moment. Think of how scary that is, and yet somehow, so incredibly freeing, too. If everyone knew all your junk, all your fears, all your questions, you wouldn’t have to hide anymore. No more masks. No more pretending. Just you, and hopefully, the grace that comes when we step into the light. Sure, it can be the most terrifying step you’ll ever have to take, but when we do, when we lay our souls out naked and bare for all to see, it forces us out of the shadows and into a place where life begins. It’s where the light meets the dark, and it’s where we want to be. Hope to meet you there. -Mike Donehey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

unclean, ungrateful, unusual

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 10TH

Luke 17:15 ESV NASB

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,

“unclean, ungrateful, unusual”

The husband and wife were desperate. Their only son had been in a coma for 2 months. The doctors weren’t sure what was slowly taking his life. Their brother-in-law, a believer in Jesus, brought them to his home church. The distressed couple heard the message of salvation and professed their belief in Jesus. They then asked the church to pray for the healing of their son. Much to the amazement of the doctors, the deathly sick young man’s condition began to improve. Two weeks later, he was discharged from the hospital. But soon after, the couple stopped going to church.

There were once some men afflicted with leprosy who failed to follow God after being healed by Jesus. If infectious, lepers had to be quarantined from the community (Leviticus 13:45-46). Ceremonially unclean and socially despised, 10 lepers were helpless and hopeless until they saw Jesus. They cried out, “Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:12).

Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests (Luke 17:14; see Leviticus 13:9-10), in itself an act of faith, for they had not yet been healed. “And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy” (Luke 17:14). Their obedience was evidence of their faith.

It would not be unreasonable to expect all 10 men to run to Jesus to thank Him for a new start in life. But only one did (Luke 17:17), and he was a foreigner, a Samaritan (vv.16,18). All the men had faith, but only one had faith and gratitude. Gratitude is even more rare than faith. Often, we’re quick to pray but slow to praise. We enjoy the gift, but soon forget the Giver. All the lepers received the gift of good health, but only one received the gift of eternal life (v.19).

Physical healing is a great blessing, but it still ends at death. The blessing of salvation lasts forever. —K.T. Sim, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Less than 1 percent

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 6TH

Judges 7:15 ESV NASB

When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the camp of Midian into your hands.”

“Less than 1 percent”

The movie Rudy tells the true tale of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a smallish, walk-on (nonscholarship) player who tried to make the powerhouse University of Notre Dame’s football team. He didn’t have the size. He didn’t have the athleticism. But he had the heart to make the team and even went on to play in a game!

Gideon was also a “shrimp” who didn’t seem to stand a chance against the imposing Midianite army. In fact, when the angel of the Lord told him that he would lead the attack, he squealed, “How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” (Judges 6:15). Gideon was feeling mighty wimpy.

That’s when God totally blew his mind. In the span of just six verses, God winnowed Gideon’s Israelite army— already outnumbered four to one—from 32,000 men to just 300! (7:2-7, 8:10). We’re talking less than 1 percent of the original number of soldiers. If he had been allowed to, Gideon would have likely bolted with the 22,000 guys who left on the first day of downscaling due to their serious case of knee-knocking fear.

Why did God mini-size the Israelite army? To keep Gideon and his guys from thinking it was all about them! (v.2). He wanted them to know that the battle would be won by His strength alone. And it was—the “half-pint” army of 300 was used by God to destroy the mammoth Midianite forces (vv.22-25). When you feel small standing before the mountainous task that God has called you to, remember these words: “[God] chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:27). His “power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Follow God’s lead and watch Him receive the glory when the battle is won by His strength! —Tom Felten, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Sinners Alike

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 5TH

Romans 2:1 ESV NASB

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

“Sinners alike”

As my husband and I sat with our children at the 4th of July fireworks, two lesbian women sat nearby with their young toddlers. Expressive in their affection for each other, what they perceived as liberty, God’s Word defines as bondage. I remembered a young woman I had sat with a month earlier. Listening, I grieved with her as she shared her struggles. Longing for acceptance, her wounds had led her to homosexuality.

Today’s society tells us homosexuality is a normal part of being human, even defending one’s sexual orientation as predesigned by God. On the other extreme, stand those who define homosexuality as a sin more egregious than others.

While Paul teaches that sexual sin affects our bodies differently than other sins (1 Corinthians 6:18), any standard different from God’s brings spiritual death.

Spiritual bondage to sin ensues anytime we choose to follow our flesh instead of what God has commanded in Scripture. If we worship the created over the Creator, we will live contrary to God’s design (Romans 1:21). With blurred vision, we view our sin as acceptable and even normal (vv.22,25).

Paul reminds us, however, “This good news tells us how God makes us right in His sight” (Romans 1:17). The body of Christ must lovingly choose to: • Respond to homosexuality as we would any sin in our own lives (Galatians 6:1-2). • Demonstrate how God’s heart of love can change and transform us when we call on His name (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

We’re surrounded by people who struggle with sexual identity. As living proof of God’s forgiveness, we must remember that only His grace and truth provides the path to righteousness. —Regina Franklin, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Listening

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 4TH

Luke 10:39 ESV NASB

She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.

“Listening”

Our youngest son, Seth, is 5, and about the only time I’ve seen him still for more than a minute or two is when he’s asleep. He’s constantly moving, spinning, jumping, running in circles, doing cartwheels and handstands, or diving off something. Last week, Seth sat on his pillow and flung himself down our stairs—riding the soft cushion like a rollercoaster— down to the first floor. Keeping his attention is nearly impossible. Most often, when I want him to hear me clearly, I have to hold his face in my hands and draw him close. “Listen,” I say.

In the account Luke provides of Jesus’ visit to Martha and Mary’s house (10:38-39), it seems that Jesus needed to hold Martha’s face in His hands and say, “Listen, please. Now! Stop and be quiet so you can hear Me and be with Me.”

Martha had invited Jesus and His followers into their home, and she began to prepare a meal for them. Preparing dinner for her guests was a good thing. The Hebrew tradition at that time had much to say about welcoming strangers into your home and offering them generous hospitality. However, even good things—at the inappropriate time—become hindrances. In this case, Martha’s myopic devotion to her work caused her to miss another opportunity . . . a better opportunity. “Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing,” Luke tells us (v.40). Her distraction kept her from “the one thing worth being concerned about,” which was listening to Jesus (v.42). For all of us, the one central thing—whether we’re working or resting, filled with joy or burdened by sadness—is to hear what Jesus is saying to us. As John Ortberg says, “That one thing is the decision to live so continually in Jesus’ presence as to be always covered with the dust of the Rabbi.” —Winn Collier, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!

Does anyone care?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, MAY 3RD

Lamentations 3:22 ESV NASB

The LORD ’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.

“Does anyone care?”

Those who have suffered severe loss often lament that their day of tragedy seemed like a normal day for everyone else. On the day they were fired, learned of their cancer, discovered their spouse was unfaithful, or held a child as she died—on that very day other people went about their business as usual. My divorce is final! My beloved is gone! they silently scream. How can you go to work, eat out, and catch a movie as if nothing has changed? Don’t you care?

Worse, their disastrous day seemed normal for God as well. The sun shone, clouds rolled by, night fell, stars appeared. Doesn’t God care either?

The book of Lamentations captured Jeremiah’s anguished cry as he considered the suffering of his people. Life was bad. Jerusalem had been destroyed and its citizens carried off to Babylon. Those left behind had resorted to cannibalism—mothers eating their own children to survive (2:20). Jeremiah laments that his suffering “is bitter beyond words,” but he grasps a glimmer of hope when he remembers that “the faithful love of the Lord never ends” and “His mercies begin afresh each morning” (3:19-23).

Actually, the Lord’s mercies don’t merely begin each morning, they are each morning. Psalm 104 praises God for faithfully tending His diverse creation. The routine events of nature—are all directed by God’s powerful hand. “When You give them Your breath, life is created, and You renew the face of the earth” (v.30).

The clockwork consistency of nature on your worst day is a reminder that God cares. Take it as a sign that God loves you. He’s not debilitated by His grief for you, but is preserving your life until the morning when His mercies will begin afresh. —Mike Wittmer, Our Daily Journey

Be sure to check out all of our Christian Clothing & Christian Shirts @ SoulHarvest.net!