“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you"
TO PONDER
As humans it is our instinct to immediately want revenge or to retaliate. Jesus is telling us in this passage that we should love people who hate us or want to harm us. Hate can destroy us physically, emotionally, and of course spiritually. We are told throughout the Bible that God is love and if we are not living God’s love then we are not living in his image.
Can you resist the urge to seek revenge? Instead, reacting with love towards your enemy?
PRAYER
Dear Lord, you have laid out a path for us, a way for us to live with each other in this world through giving us your Son Jesus – to love those with whom we disagree, to share what we have, to let go of any hate or unrest. Help me practice what you preach, help me to love my enemies so that your light of love might shine through me in this troubled world. Help me love them as I love You and treat my enemies as I would wish to be treated.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Josi Weiss, LifeWay Office Coordinator
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
TO PONDER
Christians should not be strangers to sufferings and most of us have experienced it one way or another. We should also be aware that just as we will share in Christ’s glory in the age to come, we will also share in Christ’s experience on earth for the same reason Christ did. The enemy seeks to persecute those who belong to God. And the sin of the world serves as the enemy’s toolbox, which he brings to bear on on God's people at every opportunity. It is out privilege that we suffer for God’s name because we know, like Paul did, that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the victory which has been won for us by Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
God, help me to realise that the sufferings of our present time are not comparable to the glory to be revealed and to put them in an eternal perspective. Until Christ returns in judgement, help me to be content in trusting your goodness and mercy. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Asian ministry pastor.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
TO PONDER
Paul has fought the good fight, that is the fight for the Gospel. He has fulfilled his mission and calling as revealed to him by the Spirit. Don’t ever believe the lie that Paul is special and the rest of us stand no chance to do the same. We all receive what Paul receives from the Spirit; strength, faith and endurance, we too have potential to equal his testimony and ministry. Paul says that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him in Heaven, there are eternal rewards as crowns for us as well.
PRAYER
God, grant me the ability to persevere in faith and following you. Help me to dwell in your word, and be founded on it in such a manner that I shall not be moved by any storm or tempest that may arise. Amen
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
TO PONDER
As God is not willing that any should perish, and as He is willing that all should come to repentance, He has never decreed the damnation of anyone, nor has He rendered it impossible for any soul to be saved.
Of course, God wants all people to be saved; and Jesus gave himself as a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Nevertheless, some people will exercise their choice to reject and exclude God from their lives; and this God cannot prevent without taking away from people the very freedom of choice that makes them people.
It is why Christians should want to grow in holiness in their gratitude to God for his patience with us, for without such patience sinners could never be saved.
PRAYER
May the Lord bless us and cause us to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May we be freed from that power of darkness, the corruption that is in the world through the selfish desires of our hearts. And may we grow up in Him in all things, and be strengthened to share His hope with all the world. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Asian ministry pastor.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
TO PONDER
The human mind will always set itself on something and if a person thinks of something often enough, they will come to the stage when they cannot stop thinking about it. Their thoughts will quite literally be in a groove out of which they cannot jerk them. It is, therefore, of the first importance that we should set our thoughts upon the fine things.
There are the things which are true. Many things in this world are deceptive and illusory, promising what they can never perform, offering a specious peace and happiness which they can never supply. We should always set our thoughts on the things which will not let us down, we should fix our minds on Jesus.
Paul recommends holiness and righteousness to be in every point of view; and to show that the Gospel of Christ requires Christians to have the mind that was in Christ, and to walk as he himself also walks. Everything we do and say should bring honour to God, good to others and credit to God's people, the church..
PRAYER
God, help us to meditate upon your words, revolve them in our minds, seriously consider them, and reason with ourselves about them, in order to put them into practice in every aspect of our life. Amen
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Asian ministry pastor
“Then he said: `The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
TO PONDER
This encounter with Jesus is not only for the life of Paul but also of every Christian life. There are three highlights in it. First, to know the will of God. It is the first aim of the Christian to know God's will and to obey it. Second, to see the Just One. It is the aim of the Christian to walk daily in the presence of the Risen Lord. Third, to hear God's voice. It was said of a great preacher that in his preaching he paused ever and again as if listening for a voice. The Christian is ever listening for the voice of God above the voices of the world to tell him where to go and what to do.
PRAYER
Oh, Lord, it is a privilege that we have been appointed to know your will, to see you and hear you speak. This gives us an appreciation for the significance of what it means to be in your presence. I pray that you would make me eager to tell my story of your presence in my life because it is a story of your mercy and grace on a sinful person like me..
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Asian ministry pastor
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
TO PONDER
Glorifying and praising God is useful in confirming and strengthening our faith. Like the shepherds, we should all know that the life of Christ Jesus was a work of God. Their zeal in glorifying and praising God is an implied reproof of our indolence, or rather of our ingratitude. If the cradle of Christ had such an effect upon them, as to make them rise from the stable and the manger to heaven, how much more powerful should the death and resurrection of Christ be in raising us to God? The testimony of the angel to the shepherds points out the nature of true godliness. For our faith is properly aided by the works of God, when it directs everything to this end, that the truth of God, which was revealed in his word and his son Jesus, may be brought out with greater clearness.
PRAYER
Lord, may we never forget to marvel at your works and keep them in our hearts, coming back to them repeatedly for the purpose of praising you and testifying about your goodness and grace to others.
Today's devotion written by Francis Leung, LifeWay Asian ministry pastor
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
TO PONDER
Although we all have our stories of how the Covid pandemic has negatively impacted our lives, and I happily admit that it has been very mildly in my own family compared to the struggles it has caused for many; the reality is that often these kinds of struggles are necessary in order for us to take stock of where our faith and trust really lies.
It is no coincident that throughout history and across continental and political borders, the church of God seems to grow fastest where its people experience hardship and oppression. Nothing drives us to God quite like a crisis. While each of us will experience our own personal crises in life, the death of a loved one, the breakdown of a significant relationship, the loss of a job, the fact is that as a society, we have not really experienced a corporate crisis like the current Covid situation in an unusually long time.
Interestingly, Jesus talks about money more than almost any other topic in the gospels. Our money and financial security give us the illusion that we do not need God, that all our material needs are taken care of. It is this kind of belief that makes it hard for rich people to recognise their need for God and therefore to place their trust and faith in Jesus rather than their own wealth.
The key, as it has been all this week, is the perspective we hold when it comes to our money (which is all God's money anyway!). Are we looking to the horizon of the kingdom of God from where all blessings flow and there is life in abundance, or to our own personal kingdoms in which we need to secure ourselves and protect our meagre resources fiercely from the 'greedy' hands of others in need?
PRAYER
Jesus, in a world which is so bent on accumulating personal wealth and financial security, help me to remember that all the security I need is to be found in you. Help me to remember that you call me to use the gifts and blessings that you have given me to be a gift and a blessing to others, not to simply to build a kingdom for myself. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle Site Pastor.
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
TO PONDER
Jesus often talked about 'sorting' when it came to the kingdom of heaven. Here he talks about sorting fish, but in other parables he talks about sorting wheat from weeds, and in another he talks about separating sheep from goats. So what does that all mean for us today?
We live in a world which is convinced that we (humanity) can solve any problem if we just put our minds to it. That somehow the recognition and accolades of this life will somehow help us in the next (if such a thing really exists). Jesus makes a different and much more exclusive claim. Exclusive in so far as there is only one way to assure our security in the next life - faith in him. But it is also wonderfully inclusive because he invites all to put their trust in him. It is one of the wonderful paradoxes of the Christian faith, it is at the same time both incredibly exclusive and equally inclusive.
But we need to help people recognise that the sorting day is on its way, we need to help them recognise that the only distinguishing factor that determines whether they are a good fish or a bad fish, a bushel of wheat or a pile of weeds, a sheep or a goat, is their faith and trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Nothing else will determine our eternity.
That's great news if you're a good fish, terrible if your not. Let's get busy helping people telling people the truth about what's coming so as many as possible end up in the Kingdom of Heaven.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help me to remember that the good news of my salvation through your son Jesus is not just for me but your offer of salvation in Jesus is for all the world. Please help me to play my part in sharing that reality with others. Help me to see you at work in my life so that I can share the wonders of your goodness to me with others. Amen