Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
TO PONDER
We are family…
Families all have their own different idiosyncrasies because they are made up of different people, people with their own personalities, their own journeys.
We used to tease my grandfather about his seemingly never-ending painting of his back veranda with green paint, the joke was that if you stood still too long around him he would probably paint you with that same green paint.
In taking a bit of a deeper dive into today’s verse I was reminded of the above story of my grandfather and his near obsession with painting the veranda. The Greek words used by Paul here we see interpreted to ‘Keep on’ were actually ‘menō menō’, the word ‘menō’ has the implications of beginning and continuing, keep on keeping on!
Now some of you may have been triggered by the phrase ‘keep on keeping on’ who, like me, had flash backs of house paint commercials from the 70’s spruiking ‘Berger Paints’ where they kept on keeping on playing the commercial until the tag-line was burnt into your brain... Today’s verse is reminding us to keep on keeping on being family, to begin and never stop. To be like my grandfather with his never-ending painting, whenever he noticed some fading paint, or a scuff or blemish on his veranda he would take action and rectify it. We are family and we should keep on keeping on living out that love towards each other continuously and if we are doing it right those who are not already in our family will be painted by God’s version of green paint by just being around us.
PRAYER
Loving God, I thank you for inviting me into your family, for adopting me as your child and for all my brothers and sisters who are walking beside me, I ask that you would help me to keep on keeping on in loving my church family. Amen.
Today's Daily Verse is written by Westside's Church Planter, Danny Brock
35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”’
TO PONDER:
‘I worked hard for my money and lifestyle’, said every comfortable retiree ever. I’ve worked hard too and worked long hours, but my retirement is likely to be more moderate. I’ve known many labourers over the years who have worked hard and worked extra hours just to get by, and then with too much month left at the end of the money. Their retirements will be confined entirely to an old age pension and in rented accommodation.
We all have the same number of hours in a week. Most of us are honest and hardworking and give our tasks our best and full efforts. Why do those who earn more believe it is because of their efforts alone? Maybe they believe it is because of their superior intellect but many university graduates are driving taxis and working on road crews.
I’m grateful to God for those who have flourished financially in this life, but it is God’s Spiritual gift to them not their own efforts. The reward of effort is the satisfaction of a job well done and a life well spent, but as we have seen intellect and effort don’t necessarily result in material wealth.
Money, wealth, position, and power are gifts of God, and we forget this at our eternal peril. The real had work that has an eternal payoff is the care of souls. Eternal blessing comes from giving of ourselves and sharing our gifts and talents with those in need. The financially impoverished as well as the spiritually poor.
Spiritual Intelligence is thankfulness for wealth in all its forms and the understanding that all forms of wealth are gifts from God.
PRAYER
Father, if I am attached too much to my treasurers, give me the humility necessary to walk through this world gently and with a light grip. May my true joy and contentment be found in using my treasurers to bless others greatly. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by LifeWay Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
TO PONDER:
Some things never change. The materialism that ravaged The Teacher’s world, around the 3rd century BCE, ravages ours today. While this text is focused on the hyper-rich, the love of money and the consumables it can acquire is not limited to them.
If you are reading this, you must have an electronic device, internet access, and maybe a mobile phone plan. In terms of world poverty, this probably places you in the global middle income bracket. We middle class people share a broad income range, but we all manage to surround ourselves with gadgets and nick-nacks, even if we are toward the bottom of that income range. To what real advantage in the end? Items of pleasure, convenience and the sparkly things that catch our eye are all temporary and mostly disposable after a relatively short period of time. It’s all meaningless, or as the old translations said, ‘vanity’; empty, vacuous and without any eternal purpose.
What can I take into eternity? None of the meaningless material stuff which will go to dust and ashes. What can I take to eternity? Friendships, relationships, people! These are our only real and lasting treasurers.
Spiritual Intelligence is knowing that only people and relationships have eternal value.
PRAYER
Father, thanks for all the wonderful things of this world and all that can be purchased with the income you supply. Don’t let me be distracted by the new and flashy material things, but rather, keep me firmly focused on Jesus and the people he sends my way. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by LifeWay Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
TO PONDER
‘Seek’ is the operative word here. We want to be a part of God’s kingdom and to be defined by his righteousness and no one wants the gut-wrenching stress of worry, but to achieve this kind of peaceful contentment we must learn to be seekers.
As modern Christians, we talk a lot about belief, faith and trust but rarely about seeking, unless we are talking about mission and those who are ‘seekers’ that we may be training as disciples. Perhaps we should understand that our belief and faith and trust in Jesus relies heavily on God’s call for us to be constant seekers of truth.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, ‘‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Love seeks out the desires of its heart. God, who is love, found a way to us through his Son Jesus who is Truth in a person; transparent, believable, trustworthy and who alone is worthy of our faith. As God has pursued us, he desires us to seek him out so that we may have a growing and intimate knowledge of his Truth, Jesus.
When we become dedicated seekers, Jesus will reveal himself, each day, in ever different circumstances. The Kingdom and his righteousness, which are ours by promise, will become evident and substantial to the seeker of The Truth.
Spiritual Intelligence is asking daily for the deep and lasting desire to seek the Way the Truth and the Life.
PRAYER:
Father, make me a genuine seeker of the Truth, Jesus my Lord. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by LifeWay Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
16 Better a little with the fear of the Lord
than great wealth with turmoil.
17 Better a dish of vegetables with love
than a fattened calf with hatred.
TO PONDER:
Why proverbs, parables, and riddles? So, the listener will take responsibility for their own education and learn how to ‘figure it out’ for themselves.
St. Paul said to his congregation in Philippi, ‘continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.’ (Philippians 2:12,13)
To follow Jesus, we must each seek our own path and must work it out for ourselves, in light of Scripture and godly teaching, but ultimately our path is our own.
The writer of these proverbs says, ‘The discerning heart seeks knowledge’. That is, intimacy with the mind of God. A fool is one who speaks without this intimacy and without knowledge of God, their path is hidden and without direction.
The author says surely, it’s better to be joyful rather than miserable, better to pursue God than to pursue great wealth and the trouble it brings. Better to live simply with loving friends than to have our appetite for a prime rib destroyed by hatred. Walk your path, work out your salvation as you seek the way of the Lord.
Spiritual Intelligence is choosing to be a seeker of the way of the Lord. Discern the knowledge of the Lord, live simply, love and choose a cheerful heart.
PRAYER
Father, reveal to me my secret desire to pursue wealth, my jealous desires, and my hatred instead of love. Forgive me and resolve all grudges and conflicts within me. Heal me and be a light to my feet and a lamp to my path. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by LifeWay Illawarra Pastor, David Schuppan
20 ‘But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
TO PONDER:
Following on from yesterday’s warning and encouragement from St. Paul, Jesus has his own stern warning to offer about temporary worldly riches. Jesus is telling a story about people who accumulate wealth and property, for fear that God will not provide daily for our needs.
In the story, at the very moment you feel that you have successfully stocked your provisions for your personal wellbeing and future needs, God will demand your life from you. Well, that was a waste of time and effort.
I’ve often wondered if there will be personal interviews with Jesus as we enter eternity. There will certainly be a judgement, where we will need to give an account of ourselves as the stewards of God’s gifts. How will we answer? ‘I didn’t trust you Lord for my daily supply’? ‘I didn’t trust you to use ‘my’ money wisely’? Awkward!
Best to let go of fear and control don’t you think. Have faith, trust God, and live for today with today’s tasks and today’s people and today’s celebrations.
Spiritual Intelligence is awareness of workplace demarcation. Doing what is mine to do and leaving God to do his thing.
PRAYER:
Lord, get it into my thick skull, that I am not the solo leading hand on this Gospel mission but one of many tradies under your leadership. Let me find peace in that. Let me trust you above all things. Amen.
Today's devotion is written by LifeWay Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
TO PONDER
Life would be easy if money was unnecessary, but money is grease, and grease is required to smooth the way for any endeavour. Wealthy people know this, it’s how they run their businesses. Poor people know this because without it, their lives quickly grind to a halt.
Congregations also know what it is to be stuck. Each local church has all that it needs to do God’s work, but the wealth needed is often locked away in the hearts of its members.
Talents and gifts are often not shared for the common good, and like all spiritual gifts, money can be held onto tightly by fearful hearts, but if God’s gifts do not serve his purposes in this temporary world, then there are more than just our own souls at stake.
Our work in this world is the Care of Souls. For ‘widows and orphans’, which is shorthand for anyone needing financial, physical, and emotional help. The grease God has shared with you is for you, but not only for you. Money and other spiritual gifts are given for the purposes of doing good to others as Jesus does good for you.
Spiritual Intelligence is holding this world lightly with a generous heart.
PRAYER
Lord, set me free from control and fear, from clinging too tightly to thing that will turn to dust. Give me the wisdom and courage to invest in eternal things, my soul, and the souls of others. Amen.
Today's daily devotion is written by Lifeway Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
TO PONDER
Movies often show spies fleeing their hide-outs as their enemies come to capture them. These spies are often prepared to flee at a moment’s notice and have a small rucksack ready for just such an occasion. Life on the run must be lived light.
In my youth, I was often on my motorbike travelling hundreds of kilometres per day for the sheer joy of it. On the run you may say, from dreary workdays. All I needed was the bike, a sleeping bag, and a change of underwear. The life of a gypsy seemed attractive when young bones had no need of comfort.
The author to the Hebrews says that those who live by faith are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, looking forward to something more complete in eternity. This life is temporary. We are not permanent residents. Tom Waits has a great line in his song, ‘Come on up to the house’. It says, accurately, ‘the world is not my home, I’m just passing through’.
If all we have is Jesus, and minimum supplies, we can be content with that and still have great gain in what is to come.
Spiritual Intelligence is patience, long-suffering. This is godliness with contentment.
PRAYER
Father, transform my heart to cherish each day, a day at a time. Transform my mind that my desire may be for you and for the work of love in my family and community. Still my soul and give me contentment in a troubled world. Amen.
Today's devotion written by LifeWay Illawarra's Pastor, David Schuppan
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
TO PONDER
Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, what does this mean? A sacrifice was offered to God in order to please Him. We can do this when we offer our lives to Him and allow Him to direct us in the ways He wants us to go. Does this mean we should all be pastors, or missionaries?? I don’t think so. God wants us to offer our lives to Him, in every circumstance we are in. We are called to be in the world and to do everything we do for God’s glory. As this verse says, this means we will be living in a way that is different to the world around us. We are supposed to live lives that look different, and in this way point others to Jesus, not ourselves. So, let’s daily offer our bodies, our lives, our dreams and our aspirations to God and ask Him to use these for His glory, to point those around us to Himself.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you that you call me to join with you in pointing others to God. I know that I fall short of this mission day after day, but I also know that you consistently forgive me, set me back on my feet and gently guide me back to the right path. Help me to offer my life to you each day. In your name I pray, Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.