James 1:22 (NASB) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

I spend a lot of time thinking of just the right thing to say. I’ve always had a habit of rehearsing important conversations in my head beforehand (does that sound crazy? Oh well). And when I write these devotionals I spend a lot of time thinking of the right way to word something, the best way to get my ideas across.

So last night when I was supposed to be writing my devotional for the day, I was asking God for something to say, and you know what? He didn’t give me anything to say. Instead He told me something I needed to do. So I stopped trying to write and started figuring out what I needed to do.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that if my actions don’t back up my words, then my words are not worth reading!

-Kevi

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Mark 8:36 (NLT) And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Have you ever seen something odd lying by the side of the road and thought, “How could someone lose that? Surely if you lost ___ you would notice it was gone!” Well, someone in my neighborhood probably found a pair of purple and white striped baby socks on their sidewalk today and thought, “How could someone lose these and not know it?” It’s easier than you think. (I cannot keep socks on my baby girl’s feet!)

We were all at one time (before we were saved by grace through faith) in the position of losing our souls, due to our own selfish and sinful ways. So we should be very empathetic to those around us that are still in this position—and they don’t even know it! Yet, most of the time I shake my head in disbelief that the lost choose to be lost.

Lord, please give me compassion for the lost, and show me what it looks like to give up my life for the sake of the Good News.

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. Mark 8:35 (NLT)

-Kevi

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2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB) All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Today for lunch I gave my son a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some green beans. He licked all the peanut and butter and jelly out of the sandwich leaving a smushed pile of wheat bread behind, and didn’t even touch the green beans. He picked out his favorite parts, and got back to his busy schedule of playing. Well, I know he will eat green beans, so I followed him around with a fork until he ate all of them.

While I was following him around with the green beans, I thought of my own attitude towards Bible study. It’s easy to take a few minutes and read one of my favorite passages, the ones I understand and am encouraged by, and then get back to my busy schedule. But in order to grow, I need to put in the work of studying ALL the Scripture, because God put ALL of it in there for a reason!

-Kevi

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If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2

On Sunday, Joe spoke about Revelation chapters 18 & 19 where the destruction of a great and powerful city is viewed from two very different perspectives. Those on earth are crying, "Alas!" and those in Heaven proclaiming, "Alleluia!" 

This made me think of scriptures that have been burning in my heart since a marriage retreat Joe and I attended last November. According to Colossians 3, if I'm risen with Christ (proclaiming to be a Christian) then I am to set my sights and affections on the things above. So, whether I'm in a conflict with my children or husband (it happens, let's be real), or facing a Red Sea crisis, if I can just stop, turn my eyes to Heaven, try to see the other person or situation as Jesus does, then my cry too can be, "Alleluia!"

Now, am I always successful at this? Most times, not. It's difficult to look past the ominous storm clouds in our face to a rainbow that has not yet been revealed when we are in a crisis. 

Nevertheless, my answer is found, as always, in His Word. 

Colossians 3:15 speaks about  letting the peace of God to rule in our hearts. So today, I will try to look above, allow His peace and sing, "Alleluia!"

Praising Him,

Lori C.

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Acts 26:10;19-21 (NASB) And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.

19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death.

Many people have said that when you become a parent you get “pay back” for all the things you did to your own parents. As my son was throwing a toddler tantrum today, and my daughter spit up all over me and the living room rug, it would be easy to think the same thing.  But taking care of my children is a calling and a blessing, not a punishment!

Paul persecuted the early Christian church before his conversion and he was later persecuted by the Jewish leaders himself. Was that payback? No, Paul’s journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea to Rome was part of God’s plan. His imprisonment ultimately led to God’s glory.

Let’s stop thinking about the challenges we face as punishment or payback, and start thinking about them as vehicles for God’s grace and opportunities to show God’s glory.

-Kevi

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1 Corinthians 10:14 (NASB) Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

My son has been doing a lot of climbing lately: he climbs on top of the table, he climbs on the back of the couch and tries to climb up the stair rail; he climbs into his sister’s crib…you get the idea. Whenever I catch him climbing to a dangerous height, I use all the urgency my voice can muster and tell him to “Get down—right now!” But he usually just laughs and continues on until I physically get him down myself. I want him to “flee” from danger, but he heads straight towards it.

I think the reason my son doesn’t “flee” from danger is that he hasn’t really experienced it yet. I’d rather him listen to me than learn from experience. Paul felt the same way. He warned the church at Corinth to learn from the mistakes the children of Israel made: “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were;” 1 Corinthians 10:5-7a (NASB)

If we can recognize sin and its consequences in other’s lives, why can’t we learn to flee from it and avoid those same consequences in our lives? With the Holy Spirit’s help, I believe we can!

-Kevi

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Proverbs 2:1-5 (NASB) My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.

The other day I was in the checkout line at the store and the customer in front of me sparked a conversation with the cashier about how we always get home and realize we forgot the one thing we actually came to the store for. I laughed about it with the cashier, and then I got home and realized I forgot the dish soap, the one thing I went to the store for! Wouldn’t you think that conversation would have helped me to remember it?

It’s like when I go to church and listen to the sermon thinking: “What a good message, I’m glad they are talking about that principle (you know, for people that need to hear it).” And then I get home and the Holy Spirit says: “You know, you needed to hear that too!”

If we want to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say, we need to do more than just listen, we need to “incline [our hearts] to understanding.”

-Kevi

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Hebrews 13:20-21 (NASB) Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

My son found a whistle today, but he’d never seen a whistle, and didn’t know how to use it. I showed him what it could do, and he eagerly took it back to try and make it whistle too. But instead of blowing into the whistle, he kept trying to make a whistle noise himself “Woo Woo.” He was trying to do it on his own, instead of letting the whistle do the work. Cute, but not effective!

This reminded me of how I often act with God. I work and work and don’t accomplish much, because I’m trying to do it myself. All God wants is for me to show up with my faith and my obedience and He will do the work in people’s lives. If I provide the air, He will make it whistle!

-Kevi

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Acts 20:2-24 (NASB) And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

When my son was just a few months old, I was carrying him across the living room and tripped over the dog (I knew the dog was there, but the lack of sleep with a newborn will get to you)! In those split seconds I did everything I could to make sure I took the brunt of the fall and my infant did not hit the ground. It worked: he wasn’t hurt but I was sure sore!

I’m sure I would have said from the day he was born that I would consider my son’s well-being before my own, but it wasn’t until that moment I knew what that meant. Paul said he put the gospel before his own life, and time and time again he acted it out. He knew there was danger awaiting him in Jerusalem but he followed the Holy Spirit there nevertheless.  

We may not face circumstances as dangerous as Paul did, but there will be times when following Jesus will call for us to put the gospel ahead of our own comfort and our own will. I hope my reaction is always as decisive as Paul’s was.

-Kevi

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