PC3 Devotions

1 John 3:1

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him

Jeremiah 31:3

3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Whether we realize or not, everyone has a view of God, regardless of where one is in his or her faith journey. It’s a picture that defines what we believe about God’s heart, what He values and how He interacts with humanity. With that said, what does your picture of God look like? How does this snapshot influence the way you approach Him and how you believe He approaches you? These questions are critical because they shape us at our core. Regarded theologian A.W. Tozer goes as far as saying that “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Sadly, our initial pictures of God reveal how much we misunderstand the heart of God. Often, the first things that comes to mind for many of us when we think about God are rules, guidelines, and restrictions. This view drives us into a work-based agreement rather than a caring relationship. The Bible instantly becomes a dry instruction manual that needs to be followed in order to have a relationship with Him. We often translate this into the assumption that we’ve got to act better in order for God to accept and love us. If we just stay in the guidelines, then we will be in His good graces.

The strangest thing about this assumption, this idea that God loves and accepts us based on our behavior, is that it didn’t come from God at all. In fact, God’s message is just the opposite. God’s message is that you will never find acceptance with Him through your behavior. When sin entered into the world, there was nothing that “we” could do to atone for this condition.

God sent the clearest message possible about His heart when He sent His son, Jesus Christ. It is a message of unconditional love. When you understand the heart behind the one making the rules, you will begin to see those boundaries and guidelines in a different way. You will begin to see the “why” behind God giving them to us in the first place. God’s rules or guidelines are not conditions of a relationship with Him; they are confirmation of a relationship. God’s rules or guidelines are not conditions of His love; they are confirmation of His love.

The problem is we tend to compartmentalize so that He becomes something we can manage. We give Him access to some areas of our lives but restrict His access to others. By forcing Him into a little box, we feel more comfortable ignoring His voice as He speaks to those past hurts, sins, failures, and regrets.  God knows that while this is our tendency, this is not what a relationship with Him looks like. Yet, He still offers us something that no one else can offer: unconditional love.

There are no gimmicks, hooks, baits, or switches with God.  He literally gives to us unconditionally, no strings attached. We have the option to accept it or reject it.  And what is hard for our brains to wrap around is that if we reject God, it still does not change how He feels about us. He is in a continual pursuit for our hearts. His LOVE never ends.

When we replace God and His Love with the grasping of control, our life deteriorates. When we cut off love within our family, friends, and marriage, our relationships and our lives are capable of spinning out of control. This is not how God has designed us live. God knows that while this is our tendency, this is not what relationship with Him looks like. God wants to be the center of every decision, the One you go to for everything, the One you depend on, the one you respond to.

God, thank you for loving me in the midst of my brokenness. Thank you for seeing all the junk that is in my heart and still loving me. May I reflect your love to others through my actions and my words. Amen.

Ephesians 4:1-3 

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

We all know deep down inside what type of person we want to become and what values we hope will define us. These desires must be shared in community. We need accountability. We also need someone who has the guts to ask us, “How are you doing with things? Do some things need to change? What are you struggling with in regards to sin or temptation?”

Why do we need people who will hold us accountable and are willing to speak the truth in love? Coasting spiritually without accountability leaves one vulnerable for their heart to be fooled. Instead of allowing God to examine our motives, we rely on our own heart to judge our behavior. This places us on a slippery slope as the prophet Jeremiah says the “heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Our heart’s inclination will be towards sin and “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does” (1 John 2:16). It will always tell us what we want to hear. How often do we tell ourselves, “I’ll just do it this one time” or “”my ____________ doesn’t really affect anyone else?” We are experts at rationalizing our own sin. Sin thrives on privacy and darkness. However, we don’t really hide things, we simply isolate ourselves from others. We need community to reveal the lies we tell ourselves (Proverbs 15:22, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

But, the need for community goes deeper than tackling the deceitfulness of sin. In Ephesians 4, Paul urges his listeners to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called “ (v.1).  This does not mean that we should try to deserve our place in God’s favor. It means that we should recognize how much our place in God’s favor deserves from us. The focus is not on our worth, but rather the worth of our calling. Because we bear the integrity of God’s image and the influence of His love, we must urge one another to walk in a manner worthy of their calling.

The challenge is to engage in such a way where others have access to stir and spur you on to reflect Christ’s heart. But, it’s not just about having people in your life who encourage you. The call is to be this kind of person for others. This begins with being mindful of the mission God has for us and considering ways you can stir others as well. Community requires mutual accountability. We engage with others for the sake of our call.

God, may I see how desperately I need to be known by others. Instead of hiding my true self, may I be willing to be vulnerable. But, help me to not stop there. May I encourage and spur others along with grace and transparency. Amen.

Romans 8:38-39 

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 4:7-10

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

John 3:16-17

 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Our culture doesn’t quite know what to do with love. We often react in two vastly different ways when someone else loves us. We either receive the love because in our mind we feel we deserve it or we reject it because we don’t think we are worthy. Regardless of your reaction to being loved, you are instantly put on a treadmill of having to earn your keep. When you live like this, you will always be disappointed. Freedom will never come.

If you are not loved, you will resort to manipulation. People become pawns. You will use others to get the love you desperately want to feel. When you aren’t loved, attention becomes a cheap substitute. What we often don’t realize is that there is something deeper going on below the surface with regard to our grasping for love and attention. Every longing you feel to be loved is a longing for God. This is the connection we are ultimately looking for.

Our concept of love is vastly different than what is seen through the life of Christ. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ- His life, His death & His resurrection- to save sinners and establish His Kingdom. What would motivate such a thing? John 3:16 makes it clear that the motive behind the Gospel is God’s love.

Romans 5:8 says that, while we were still sinners and enemies of God,  Christ died for us. Karl Barth, a noted theologian after writing thousands of pages on doctrine and theological insight, simply concluded that God is the “One who loves.”

Love pierces and exposes because it believes. Love holds and consoles because it endures. Love ultimately draws and calls because it never fails. It is love that allows us to be vulnerable and confirms that we are valuable. How? By meeting us where we are and bringing us hope for the life we were made to live.

You have been loved with the love of the Father.  God wants to make sure that because you were created Him that you are worthy of His love. This brings you face to face with His call on your life. Everyone has a call on his or her life.

God made you. God has called you.  The call of God is His invitation into the life of God. It is the resurrection that seals the availability of this life forever. The call of God is His invitation to His life.

You can live a life without regret. Your sin has been forgiven and your call has been secured. But, it is all in how you respond. What will your response be to the Good News?

God, I’m overwhelmed by your love. It boggles my mind that all you ask is that I respond to your invitation. May I not hesitate. May I instead run to you with open arms. Amen.

As we close this week’s devotionals, we want to turn our attention towards how knowing the attributes of God should influence our actions and words. Remember, when one believes they are loved freely by God, they are freed to love others. Yet, often the difficulty we have with scripture is not due to a lack of comprehension but rather unwillingness on our part to put those truths into practice. For instance, take today’s passage found in Romans. It is straightforward and easy to understand. Yet, for all of its’ simplicity, we struggle to act upon what we know.

Romans 12:9-13

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

What makes applying these commands appear so daunting? Why are we met with such resistance? Quite simply, these actions of love, humility, generosity and joy run counterculture to our human flesh. Relying on our own strength to accomplish them would be pure foolishness. True obedience is only possible when we rely on the Christ’s heart to be reflected in us and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us.

We are confronted with this reality in verse 9 when the author reminds us that love must be sincere. We must stop giving simple lip service to love. How can one say they believe in a loving God, but  fail to show love to those around them? What message would we be sending to a lost world if we spoke of Christ’s love yet did not exhibit the one quality the defines our faith?  Love requires action (1 John 3:18).

The author continues and says, “hate what is evil and cling to what is good” (v.9). Rather than rationalizing and justifying away the sin which is present in our lives, we must come face to face with it. But, we can’t stop there. We must drop our sinful ways and cling to God’s grace as well as rejoice in the good He is producing within us.

At first glance, urging us to hate evil and cling to what is good appears to have no connection to the charge to love others. We are left scratching our head wondering how confronting the sin in our own lives helps us exhibit love to those around us. It all boils down to a perspective shift. Because we understand the depths to which we’ve been forgiven we are able to love others through humility (v.10), have hope and patience in the midst of any circumstance (v.12) and be generous with everything we’ve been given (v.13).

This is easier said than done. It’s as if the author knew our human tendency to become distracted and lose sight of Christ’s love. So, he reminds his audience in verse 11 to “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor.” When we become lazy in our spiritual life, we make ourselves vulnerable towards letting status quo, convenience and our feelings direct our actions.

However, becoming sluggish in our pursuit of God has an even more damaging effect on the message we transmit to others. If we are not excited about grace and forgiveness, how can we ever expect those who we want to influence to be drawn towards the cross? Imagine the difference and impact we could have if this body of believers applied these five short verses to our everyday life. We can no longer speak about love. The time has come to answer the call to love extravagantly on Christ’s behalf.

Lord, help me to love boldly. May your heart be reflected in both my actions and my words. Let the hope that I have in you speak volumes to the people you put in my path. Amen.

Often the difficulty we have with scripture is not due to a lack of comprehension but rather unwillingness on our part to put those truths into practice. For instance, take today’s passage found in Romans. It is straightforward and easy to understand. Yet, for all of its’ simplicity, we struggle to act upon what we know.

Romans 12:9-13

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

What makes applying these commands appear so daunting? Why are we met with such resistance? Quite simply, these actions of love, humility, generosity and joy run counterculture to our human flesh. Relying on our own strength to accomplish them would be pure foolishness. True obedience is only possible when we rely on the Christ’s heart to be reflected in us and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us.

We are confronted with this reality in verse 9 when the author reminds us that love must be sincere. We cannot give simple lip service to love. What message would we be sending to a lost world if we spoke of Christ’s love yet did not exhibit the one quality the defines our faith?  Love requires action (1 John 3:18).

The author continues and says, “hate what is evil and cling to what is good” (v.9). Rather than rationalizing and justifying away the sin which is present in our lives, we must come face to face with it. But, we can’t stop there. We must drop our sinful ways and cling to God’s grace as well as rejoice in the good He is producing within us.

At first glance, urging us to hate evil and cling to what is good appears to have no connection to the charge to love others. We are left scratching our head wondering how confronting the sin in our own lives helps us exhibit love to those around us. It all boils down to a perspective shift. Because we understand the depths to which we’ve been forgiven we are able to love others through humility (v.10), have hope and patience in the midst of any circumstance (v.12) and be generous with everything we’ve been given (v.13).

This is easier said than done. It’s as if the author knew our human tendency to become distracted and lose sight of Christ’s love. So, he reminds his audience in verse 11 to “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor.” When we become lazy in our spiritual life, we make ourselves vulnerable towards letting status quo, convenience and our feelings direct our actions.

However, becoming sluggish in our pursuit of God has an even more damaging effect on the message we transmit to others. If we are not excited about grace and forgiveness, how can we ever expect those who we want to influence to be drawn towards the cross? Imagine the difference and impact we could have if this body of believers applied these five short verses to our everyday life. We can no longer speak about love. The time has come to answer the call to love extravagantly on Christ’s behalf.

Lord, help me to love boldly. May your heart be reflected in both my actions and my words. Let the hope that I have in you speak volumes to the people you put in my path. Amen.

How does one keep their “spiritual fervor”?

The desires of our heart are what motivate our behavior. The way we act and speak shines light on exactly where those desires reside: to please God or to please ourselves. We must take time to examine our heart and see if we are staying connected and aligned with God’s own heart.

The questions we must ask ourselves cut to the core of where we place our trust. Unfortunately, many of us are reluctant to explore the depths of our heart, as we are terrified of what might be lurking down there. Yet, in Proverbs 3:1-2 (NASB)

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, BUT LET YOUR HEART KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS; ² for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

Let your heart keep my commandments. This is easier said then done. Instead of allowing God to examine our motives, we tend to rely on our own heart to judge our behavior. This places us on a slippery slope as the prophet Jeremiah says the “heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Our heart’s inclination will be towards sin and “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does” (1 John 2:16). Jesus takes it a step further when describing what comes out of the heart as “evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness and slander” (Matthew 15:19).

This is ironic when you consider culture urges us to “follow our heart” or “go with our gut.” The problem with this logic is that our heart remains planted in our corner. It will always tell you what you want to hear. Our heart shouldn’t serve as the guide leading us through life… unless it is transformed.

So, where does our hope for transformation lie? In Ezekiel 36:26-27, it speaks about our stony heart of sin being replaced by a new, obedient heart. If God can do all of this, it seems foolish we would ever doubt that He can transform our character. God is great and powerful, but we must invite Him to be powerful in our lives. His strength is always there, but it is up to us to be receptive towards allowing His power to reside in our heart.

The God of the universe knows us intimately. We love that He knitted us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13) and has the hairs on our head numbered (Matthew 10:30). But, we get a little uneasy when faced with the reality that He also knows our heart and tests our thoughts (Jeremiah 12:3).  We can’t fake it, depend on appearances, or hide behind masks.  We can wave goodbye to the impossible task of self-preservation. Those dark places we attempt to hide from others, and sometimes ourselves, are exposed and vulnerable before God.  It is His truth that penetrates deeply and His commands that pierce us (Hebrews 4:12-13.  He stares directly into the depth of our heart waiting for us to be honest with Him about its’ condition. Why? Because He desires to transform our heart.

At times, we can feel utterly hopeless in our attempts to produce change and conquer sin. Yet, we can have hope knowing Christ was powerful enough to defeat sin on the cross. Understanding His heart has the ability to drastically alter and revolutionize an individual’s life.  Knowing God’s character inspires us to trust Him.  It is trust that makes obedience from the heart possible and obedience from the heart awakens our deepest desires for life!

Allow God access to the deepest part of your heart and its deepest desires– their fulfillment is met in Him as your heart takes on the shape of His.

God, my desire is to be a person after your heart. Help me to see this pursuit begins first with being honest about my own heart. You search my innermost being and know my insecurities, hopes, dreams, fears and desires. May I trust you with those places I’ve tried to keep hidden for far too long. Amen.

Confess your desire to want what He wants and trust Him to give you His heart.