Category Archives: Christian

Don’t be cheated out of the prize (Colossians 2:6-23), June 16, 2015

Today’s Podcast

Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Colossians 2:6-23
Set – 1 Kings 18; Colossians 2
Go! – 1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

Colossians 2:6-23
⁶ Now that you have welcomed the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, into your lives, continue to journey with Him and allow Him to shape your lives. ⁷ Let your roots grow down deeply in Him, and let Him build you up on a firm foundation. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always spill over with thankfulness. ⁸ Make sure no predator makes you his prey through some misleading philosophy and empty deception based on traditions fabricated by mere mortals. These are sourced in the elementary principles originating in this world and not in the Anointed One (so don’t let their talks capture you). ⁹ You see, all that is God, all His fullness, resides in His body. ¹⁰ You, too, are being completed in Him, the One who has dominion over all rule, all authority. ¹¹ In Him you were also circumcised, set apart by a spiritual act performed without hands. The Anointed One’s circumcision cut you off from the sinfulness of your flesh. ¹² You were buried with Him beneath the waters of the ceremonial washing called baptism and then were raised up with Him by faith in the resurrection power of God, who brought Him back from the dead. ¹³ And when your flesh was still uncircumcised—dead in transgression and swathed in its sinful nature—it was God who brought us to life with Him, forgave all our sins, and ¹⁴ eliminated the massive debt we incurred by the law that stood against us. He took it all away; He nailed it to the cross. But that’s not all. ¹⁵ He disarmed those who once ruled over us—those who had overpowered us. Like captives of war, He put them on display to the world to show His victory over them by means of the cross.

¹⁶ So don’t let anyone stand in judgment over you and dictate what you should eat or drink, what festivals you should celebrate, or how you should observe a new moon or Sabbath days— ¹⁷ all these are only a shadow of what shall come. The reality, the core, the import, is found in the Anointed One. ¹⁸ Don’t be cheated out of the prize by others who are peddling the worship of heavenly beings and false humility. People like this run about telling whoever will listen what they claim to have seen; but in reality they testify only to an inflated mind, saturated in conceit—not in the Spirit. ¹⁹ They are detached from the very head that nourishes and connects the whole body with all of its nerves and ligaments, a body that grows by the kind of growth that can only come from God.

²⁰ Listen, if you have died with the Anointed One to the elemental spirits of the cosmos, then why are you submitting yourselves to its rules as if you still belonged to this world? ²¹ You hear, “Don’t handle this! Don’t taste that! Don’t even touch it!” ²² but everything they are obsessed about will eventually decay with use. These rules are just human commands and teachings. ²³ Here’s what they are promoting: fabricated religion, self-humiliation, and bodily abuse. No matter which way they try to tether their bodies, they cannot harness their desires.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you ever looked at the root system of hardwood trees? Trees like oaks and maples and ash? When you try to move those trees, you find it difficult if they are mature because their root systems grow pretty deep into the soil. Unlike grass and weeds that sit in the top few inches of soil and find their roots subject to the heat of the day and dependent on the dew in the night or a good shower every week, mature trees draw their moisture and nutrients from deep in the ground.

That’s how Paul exhorts the Colossians to view their continued maturing in Me. Grow deeply in Me. Find the richest nutrients, the purest water, the safest anchor for the day’s trouble by sending your roots deep. Don’t just touch the surface with your experience with Me. Dig deep into My word. Spend time with Me. Study and learn from Me and understand what I want from you and what I did for you.

You will find the truth confirmed by My Spirit living in you. Others can try to explain that experience to you, but it’s like trying to explain the what it’s like to eat an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. Until you do it, you can really know what it’s like. It’s only words. So it is with experiencing My Spirit living in you. Until you let Me have control of your life, it’s only words. I can only tell you so much. You must let go and let Me have first place in your life. Only then when you experience Me.

So as Paul says, “Don’t be cheated out of the prize…” What awaits you is indescribable if you let Me have My way in your life. I know how to bring joy into your life. After all, I made you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Be a credit to God (Colossians 1:1-14), June 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Colossians 1:1–14
Set – 1 Kings 16; Colossians 1
Go! – 1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 15–16; Colossians 1

Colossians 1:1-14
¹ Paul, an emissary of Jesus the Anointed serving at God’s pleasure, along with our brother Timothy ² to you, dear holy and faithful brothers and sisters in the family of the Anointed who live in Colossae. May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One envelop you.
³ As always, we’ve been praying for you, thanking God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, ⁴ ever since we heard of your faith in Jesus the Anointed and your love for His holy ones— ⁵ a faith and love that emerge from the hope you have heard about in the word of truth—the gospel—the very hope that awaits you in heaven. ^6-7 The same gospel that was brought to you is growing and bearing fruit all over the world, just as it has been growing among you since the day you heard and took in the truth of God’s grace from our beloved fellow servant Epaphras. (He is a faithful minister of the Anointed on our behalf.) ⁸ He was the one who told us how you demonstrate your love in the power of the Spirit. ⁹ Since the day we got this good news about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We ask:
Father, may they clearly know Your will and achieve the height and depth of spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ May their lives be a credit to You, Lord; and what’s more, may they continue to delight You by doing every good work and growing in the true knowledge that comes from being close to You. ¹¹ Strengthen them with Your infinite power, according to Your glorious might, so that they will have everything they need to hold on and endure hardship patiently and joyfully. ¹² Thank You, Father, as You have made us eligible to receive our portion of the inheritance given to all those set apart by the light. ¹³ You have rescued us from dark powers and brought us safely into the kingdom of Your Son, whom You love ¹⁴ and in whom we are redeemed and forgiven of our sins [through His blood].

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I like the things Paul asks for in his prayer for the congregation at Colossae. Did you catch it? His prayer reminds Me of Solomon’s prayer. He didn’t ask for their health or riches or fame. He asked that their lives be a credit to Me. He asked that they delight Me by doing good work and growing in knowledge that comes from being close to Me.

Are those the kinds of prayers you pray? Do you ask that you and your fellow believers be a credit to Me? Can I count on being delighted by the good work that you do in My name? Those are the goals you should strive to obtain. Those are the worthy aspirations that will last through eternity.

The debits and credits you amass in your bank accounts aren’t real. You think they are. They let you get temporary toys that satisfy you for a short time. But think about it. You must replace your cars every few years. You house needs constant repair. The must have electronic gadget in your pocket or in your home soon wears out and sits idly in a corner or goes to the trash.

Only the good works you do for others on My behalf have eternal value. Only the relationships you build and the knowledge you gain from being close to Me will pass from this life to the next. Nothing else is real. It’s all just temporary. Just a breath, a wink of the eye, and it’s gone.

Paul’s prayer for his brothers and sisters in Colossae still ring true today. Seek My will for you life. I won’t hide it from you, but I also expect you to put out some effort to find it. Achievement in life takes effort. It takes work. It takes some sweat and tears and sometimes blood. It’s always worth it, though. I don’t want any lazy followers. I expect all of My children to do their part in building My kingdom.

As you do your part, as you seek My will for your life, as you do good works for Me, I will strengthen you with My infinite power. And as Paul says in his prayer, My infinite power comes from My glorious might and I will give you everything you need to hold on no matter what you face in this life.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Knowing God is enough (Philippians 3:1-11), June 13, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Philippians 3:1-11
Set – 1 Kings 14; Philippians 3
Go! – 1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronicles 12; Philippians 3

Philippians 3:1-11
¹ It is time that I wrap up these thoughts to you, my brothers and sisters. Rejoice in the Lord! (I don’t mind writing these things over and over to you, as I know it keeps you safe.)

² Watch out for the dogs—wicked workers who run in packs looking for someone to maul with their false circumcision.

³ We are the true circumcision—those who worship God in Spirit and make our boast in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King—so we do not rely on what we have accomplished in the flesh.

⁴ If any try to throw around their pedigrees to you, remember my résumé—which is more impressive than theirs. ⁵ I was circumcised on the eighth day—as the law prescribes—born of the nation of Israel, descended from the tribe of Benjamin. I am a Hebrew born of Hebrews; I have observed the law according to the strict piety of the Pharisees, separate from those embracing a less rigorous kind of Judaism. ⁶ Zealous? Yes. I ruthlessly pursued and persecuted the church. And when it comes to the righteousness required by the law, my record is spotless.

⁷ But whatever I used to count as my greatest accomplishments, I’ve written them off as a loss because of the Anointed One. ⁸ And more so, I now realize that all I gained and thought was important was nothing but yesterday’s garbage compared to knowing the Anointed Jesus my Lord. For Him I have thrown everything aside—it’s nothing but a pile of waste—so that I may gain Him. ⁹ When it counts, I want to be found belonging to Him, not clinging to my own righteousness based on law, but actively relying on the faithfulness of the Anointed One. This is true righteousness, supplied by God, acquired by faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Him inside and out. I want to experience the power of His resurrection and join in His suffering, shaped by His death, ¹¹ so that I may arrive safely at the resurrection from the dead.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you gotten to the point Paul discovered? Paul realized that all he gained and thought important was nothing but yesterday’s garbage compared to knowing Me. Have you developed a relationship like that with Me yet? What’s really important to you right now?

There was a time when Paul thought the Temple and the law were the most important things in his life. He prided himself on keeping the law and enforcing it upon others. He wanted all who associated with the Jewish faith or called on My name to understand that he studied under one of the most rigorous rabbis.

Gamaliel took few disciples and fewer still could stand up under the rigor of his training, but Paul did. He worked feverishly to keep the Pharisaical traditions pure and stop the radical teaching of My disciples. Paul applauded the arrest and imprisonment of those who disrupted the activities of the Temple. He hunted down those who declared Jesus the Messiah. Paul even held the coats of those who stoned to death Stephen, the gentle servant caring for the children and orphans who claimed allegiance to My kingdom.

Paul did all he could to persecute My church. That is until I met him on the road to Damascus. Then everything changed. When he saw Me, he saw the mistake he made in not believing My disciples’ word. He understood the truth of their message. Paul recognized the wrongs he committed in unjustly punishing those who lived as I instructed them.

As I opened his eyes to the scriptures Gamaliel taught him, Paul saw in them everything I told the crowds on the Judaean hillsides. He recognized the fallacies of the traditions he had tried to uphold and the necessity of love reaching out to overcome the failures of trying to keep the law.

Paul found in Me the hope he tried to find in his religion without success. He felt the forgiveness that lifted the burden of guilt sin placed upon his life and knew the stories he heard from My followers about My grace and mercy were true. Paul understood the transforming power of My Spirit and gave himself fully to Me.

Paul died to himself. He gave up everything for Me. Paul recognized the mission I wanted him to complete and eagerly accepted it. He saw the eternal ramifications of his decision and the temporary nature of all else around him. Paul could say without any doubt that everything he gained to that point in his life truly appeared as garbage compared to knowing Me.

Why? Because I am the Eternal God…and that’s enough.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Have the mind-set of Christ (Philippians 2:1-18), June 12, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Philippians 2:1-18
Set – 1 Kings 12; Philippians 2
Go! – 1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10-11; Philippians 2

Philippians 2:1-18
¹ If you find any comfort from being in the Anointed, if His love brings you some encouragement, if you experience true companionship with the Spirit, if His tenderness and mercy fill your heart; then, brothers and sisters, ² here is one thing that would complete my joy—come together as one in mind and spirit and purpose, sharing in the same love. ³ Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. ⁴ Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.

⁵ In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:

⁶ Though He was in the form of God,
He chose not to cling to equality with God;
⁷ But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new;
a servant in form
and a man indeed.
The very likeness of humanity,
⁸ He humbled Himself,
obedient to death—
a merciless death on the cross!
⁹ So God raised Him up to the highest place
and gave Him the name above all.
¹⁰ So when His name is called,
every knee will bow,
in heaven, on earth, and below.
¹¹ And every tongue will confess
“Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord,”
to the glory of God our Father!

¹² So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, ¹³ because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him.

¹⁴ Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, ¹⁵ so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. ¹⁶ Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain. ¹⁷ Even if my lifeblood is to be poured out like wine as a sacrifice of your faith, I have great reason to celebrate with all of you. ¹⁸ And for the same reason, you can be glad and celebrate with me.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

It might seem I’m always talking to you about selfishness, but that’s the essence of sin, the opposite of perfect love. My love in you thinks about other’s interests ahead of your own. It doesn’t mean you ignore your own needs, but it meets their needs before your wants. It looks after your brothers and sisters. It demonstrates the kind of love I demonstrated toward you.

Paul puts it in terms of having the mindset of Christ – Me incarnate. When I came to you in the flesh, I showed you how to love. I showed you what love really means. It means putting others ahead of yourself even if it means dying. I let you put Me on a cross to show you how much I love you. I died to pay the penalty for your sins to demonstrate My love for you.

When you demonstrate love as a church, as a fellowship of believers, My spirit will guide you into directions that unify you toward goals that build My kingdom. When your selfish desires are replaced by My desires and you seek My kingdom instead of your interests, you’ll find yourself empowered to do My work in extraordinary ways.

So how do you get rid of those selfish motives, those selfish desires? Let Me take control. Die to self and let Me reign in your life. Fill your mind and soul with Me. Be mindful of what you let come into your life and spend time with Me. Spend time in My word and pray. Talk with Me about your day, your interests, your troubles, your desires. I will take them and give you other things to think about.

I will replace your troubles and your burdens with other burdens. I will replace your burdens with interests in others. I will give you tasks in My priorities instead of yours. I will begin to help you see others the way I see them and help you focus less on yourself and more on others. I will help you love.

Let Me help you adopt My mind-set. Let Me transform you by renewing your mind. Let Me make you over again by giving Me charge over your life. It’s easy to do. Just say yes to Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God put you where He wants you (Philippians 1:12-26), June 11, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Philippians 1:12-26
Set – Song of Songs 8; Philippians 1
Go! – Song of Songs 5-8; Philippians 1

Philippians 1:12-26
¹² I have good news, brothers and sisters; and I want to share it. Believe it or not, my imprisonment has actually helped spread the good news to new places and populations. ¹³ Word has spread through the ranks of the imperial guard and to everyone else around me that I am in prison because of my faith in the Anointed One. ¹⁴ My imprisonment has instilled courage in most of our brothers and sisters, so they are trusting God more and have been even more daring as they speak the good news without fear.

^15-17 I am well aware that some people out there are preaching the message of the Anointed One because of jealousies and rivalries. Their motives aren’t pure. They’re driven by selfish ambitions and personal agendas, hoping somehow to add to my pain here in prison. And I also know there are others who are preaching the Anointed from true goodness, motivated by love. They wish me the best because they know I’m here in prison in defense of the gospel.

¹⁸ So what do we do then? Listen. What matters is that in every way, regardless of the motives—whether pure or shady—the great story of the Anointed is a cause for joy. I will continue to rejoice ¹⁹ because I know that through your encouragement and prayers and through the help of the Spirit of Jesus the Anointed, I will soon be released from this dark place. ²⁰ I don’t expect that dishonor and shame will plague me in any way, but I do hope that I will continue to be able to speak freely and courageously about Jesus, and that now and forever the Anointed One will be glorified and placed above all else through this body of mine—whether I live or die. ²¹ For my life is about the Anointed and Him alone. And my death, when that comes, will mean great gain for me. ²² So, if it’s His will that I go on serving here, my work will be fruitful for the message. I honestly wouldn’t know how or what to choose; ²³ I would be hard-pressed to decide. I lean toward leaving this world to be with the Anointed One because I can only think that would be much better. ²⁴ To stay in this body of flesh—even with all its pains and weaknesses—would best serve your needs. ²⁵ Now that I think of it, I am sure of this: I would prefer to remain to share in the progress and joy of your growing belief. ²⁶ When I return to you, we will celebrate Jesus the Anointed even more.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I know you sometimes don’t understand why I place you in the situations you’re in. I know you sometimes at least want to complain about the pain and suffering you endure in life. But Paul learned in every situation to be content. The reason he learned that lesson is because of the outreach his situation provided in reaching others.

You don’t know the impact your life has on those who watch you from a distance. You often don’t notice the people who observe your situation and watch how you go through your suffering still able to give Me praise and glory even in times when it might seem difficult to do so. You don’t know the number of people who talk about your strength in times you should be at your weakest.

Paul understood the impact he had on the imperial guard when word came back to him about the number of soldiers talking about him from those who visited him. Friends and others guards asked about his faith, his spirit, his ability to endure in such harsh surroundings. His answer always came back to My Spirit living in him.

Would Paul rather be released to preach freely among the many churches he help found across Asia Minor? Certainly. But I had other plans for him. And because of his faith in these trying times, Paul had the time and resources to write his many epistles that survived the centuries and became the foundational documents for the doctrine of the church. He codified the message I wanted spread so you would have a chance to read it for yourself.

What would have happened had Paul been set free? How many letters would you miss had Paul not been imprisoned? How would the doctrine have survived had I not allowed the Jews to force his plea to Rome for justice? Paul still didn’t understand the full ramification of his imprisonment. He saw how his message spread to the guards, but never envisioned his letters would reach to you…but I did.

Never second guess My decision to put you where you are. I have reasons for your position in life. Just understand, like Paul, you have an opportunity to witness for Me to those around you. From your witness incredible things can happen. Whether you introduce Me to one person or thousands, the message remains vital to the spread of My name. I placed you where you are today for a reason. Don’t let today go by without knowing your role right now is important to Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Get to know God – pray (Ephesians 6:10-23), June 10, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 6:10-23
Set – Song of Songs 1-2; Ephesians 6
Go! – Song of Songs 1-4; Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:10-23
¹⁰ Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. ¹² We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.

¹³ And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. ¹⁴ Yes, stand—truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, ¹⁵ and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. ¹⁶ Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. ¹⁷ Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed. ¹⁹ And please pray for me. Pray that truth will be with me before I even open my mouth. Ask the Spirit to guide me while I boldly defend the mystery that is the good news— ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains—so pray that I can bravely pronounce the truth, as I should do.

²¹ I am sending to you Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful minister in the Lord. He will tell you everything that has been going on here with me ²² so you will know how I am and what I am doing. He’s coming with news that will hopefully comfort your hearts. ²³ Brothers and sisters, let me leave you with a blessing:

May peace and love with faith be yours from God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Paul admonishes you to talk to Me, to pray. He tells you to pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how. Paul demonstrated prayer and interrupted his short letter to the Ephesians with short interludes of prayer written into his letter. Paul believed in prayer.

Why is it so hard for you to grab hold of that concept and understand the importance of prayer in your life? Why is prayer such a battle for you? Why do My children struggle so to spend time talking with Me, sharing their thoughts with Me in quiet times of prayer and meditation?

All My saints discovered the importance of the discipline as part of their growth in their spiritual maturity. You can’t get close to Me without it. It’s a natural progression in maturing your relationship. Just like talking with your friend is important in maturing your relationship with your friend.

Can you imagine a friendship growing if you never spoke to each other? Can you imagine a marriage surviving if you never shared your inner most thoughts? Communication is vital to the success of any relationship. So how can your relationship with Me grow and abound if we don’t talk with each other? Pray is vital to your spiritual life.

So pray. Pray about everything. I’m interested in the smallest items in your life. I’m interested in your joys. I’m interested in your children. I’m interested in your hurts. I’m interested in your job. I’m interested in your phone calls. I’m interested in the clothes you buy and the food you eat. I’m interested in everything about you. So talk to Me.

It’s the only way we really get to know each other.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Watch what you say and do, but smile…a lot! (Ephesians 5:1-10), June 9, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 5:1-20
Set – Ecclesiastes 12; Ephesians 5
Go! – Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalms 94; Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5:1-20
¹ So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children, ² and live in love as the Anointed One loved you—so much that He gave Himself as a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing God.

³ Listen, don’t let any kind of immorality be breathed among you. Any demoralizing behaviors (perverse sexual acts, uncleanliness, greediness, and the like) are inappropriate topics of conversation for those set apart as God’s people. ⁴ Don’t swear or spurt nonsense. Don’t make harsh jokes or clown around. Make proper use of your words, and offer them thankfully in praise. ⁵ This is what we know for certain: no one who engages in loose sex, impure actions, and greed—which is just a form of idolatry—has any inheritance in the kingdom of God and His Anointed.

⁶ Don’t be fooled by people whose sentences are compounded with useless words, empty words—they just show they are empty souls. For, in His wrath, God will judge all the children of disobedience for these kinds of sins. ⁷ So don’t be persuaded into their ignorance; and don’t cast your lot with them ⁸ because, although you were once the personification of darkness, you are now light in the Lord. So act like children of the light. ⁹ For the fruit of the light is all that is good, right, and true. ¹⁰ Make it your aim to learn what pleases our Lord. ¹¹ Don’t get involved with the fruitless works of darkness; instead, expose them to the light of God. ¹² You see, it’s a disgrace to speak of their secrets (so don’t even talk about what they do when no one is looking). ^13-14 When the light shines, it exposes even the dark and shadowy things and turns them into pure reflections of light. This is why they sing,

Awake, you sleeper!
Rise from your grave,
And the Anointed One will shine on you.
¹⁵ So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! ¹⁶ Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times. ¹⁷ So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly. ¹⁸ Don’t drink wine excessively. The drunken path is a reckless path. It leads nowhere. Instead, let God fill you with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ When you are filled with the Spirit, you are empowered to speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs; to sing and make music with your hearts attuned to God; ²⁰ and to give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed for all He has done.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I’ve found that sometimes you take Paul’s words a little too far when he says don’t make harsh jokes or clown around. In other translations, it says to be sober and you really take it to heart. So much so that people around you think you’re eating lemons all the time. That’s not who I want you to be. Why would anyone want to be around you if you never have a smile on your face?

Can you imagine Jesus attracting children to Him if he never smiled? It’s the friendly face that fascinates children. It’s the smile that draws others to that singular personality. The dole and dreary expression drives people away, it never attracts them to you. Is it any wonder My church has trouble growing when its members look like they had spoiled prunes and leftover mush for breakfast?

I do want you to guard your speech. I do want you to watch your behavior. I do want you to control yourself and keep yourself far from the behavior of the world, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy life. It doesn’t mean life isn’t fun. It doesn’t mean you don’t smile and play and even act silly sometimes. Remember you are My children. And at times it’s even okay to act like My children.

Jesus, while He walked with you, sat and played games with the children. He sang songs with them. He played hide-and-seek with them. He ran in the fields with them. He enjoyed life like they enjoyed life. He told you that unless you approach life the same way children approach life you cannot enter My kingdom. Children approach life with curiosity, faith, trust, joy, peace, contentment – all those attributes that make life enjoyable and put a smile on your face.

Paul tells you when you are filled with My Spirit you are empowered to speak to each other with the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. You know where you find those? The Psalms that speak of My joy. The Wisdom books that tell My story, strength, and glory. The Prophets that promise the riches of heaven to those that follow Me. Those pious songs are filled with the joy of following Me. There are no funeral dirges in those songs, but rather hymns of praise to Me.

Life can be full of fun and laughter and joy without crossing the line of bad behavior or speech. After all, I created all good things. Why wouldn’t they bring a smile to your face?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You have a higher purpose (Ephesians 4:14-32), June 8, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 4:17-32
Set – Ecclesiastes 7; Ephesians 4
Go! – Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:17-32
¹⁷ Therefore, as a witness of the Lord, I insist on this: that you no longer walk in the outsiders’ ways—with minds devoted to worthless pursuits. ¹⁸ They are blind to true understanding. They are strangers and aliens to the kind of life God has for them because they live in ignorance and immorality and because their hearts are cold, hard stones. ¹⁹ And now, since they’ve lost all natural feelings, they have given themselves over to sensual, greedy, and reckless living. They stop at nothing to satisfy their impure appetites.

²⁰ But this is not the path of the Anointed One, which you have learned. ²¹ If you have heard Jesus and have been taught by Him according to the truth that is in Him, ²² then you know to take off your former way of life, your crumpled old self—that dark blot of a soul corrupted by deceitful desire and lust— ²³ to take a fresh breath and to let God renew your attitude and spirit. ²⁴ Then you are ready to put on your new self, modeled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous, and holy.

²⁵ So put away your lies and speak the truth to one another because we are all part of one another. ²⁶ When you are angry, don’t let it carry you into sin. Don’t let the sunset with anger in your heart or ²⁷ give the devil room to work. ²⁸ If you have been stealing, stop. Thieves must go to work like everyone else and work honestly with their hands so that they can share with anyone who has a need. ²⁹ Don’t let even one rotten word seep out of your mouths. Instead, offer only fresh words that build others up when they need it most. That way your good words will communicate grace to those who hear them. ³⁰ It’s time to stop bringing grief to God’s Holy Spirit; you have been sealed with the Spirit, marked as His own for the day of rescue. ³¹ Banish bitterness, rage and anger, shouting and slander, and any and all malicious thoughts—these are poison. ³² Instead, be kind and compassionate. Graciously forgive one another just as God has forgiven you through the Anointed, our Liberating King.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Something evil happens today that spoils My greatest creation. A vicious rumor spreads like wildfire that says you cannot suppress the natural desires of humankind. That rumor says every teenager will engage in illicit sex. Every child will steal and lie. Every adult will dabble in lust and pornography to satisfy their desires outside of their marriage vows.

The rumors are not true! I created humankind above that. To say you will succumb to the basic desires of all animals means you are the same as every other animal on the planet. You are not! I created you as higher beings. I created you with the ability to choose right from wrong, good from bad. I created you to choose to follow the path I lay out before you.

If you say you cannot control the base desires of your body, you lower yourself to the level of the creatures I commanded you to control and care for. You lower yourself to the level of your pets, the cats and dogs that run your streets and live in your homes. You are better than that. You can choose your actions. You can discipline your body and refuse to bow to the actions that will cause discord and dissension within society.

The other animals across the globe exist as part of the global ecosystem to provide food for the rest of My creation. From the smallest protoplasm to the largest sea and land creatures, each becomes a meal for another of My creation…except for humankind. I created you to care for the rest of creation. You sit at the pinnacle of creation.

All other creature exist for you. You use their hides for warmth and shelter. You eat their flesh for nourishment. You use their strength to assist in your labor. You train them and keep them for companionship. You control the rest of My creation because you have the ability to refrain from acting on the base desires and instincts that drive the rest of the animal kingdom.

When you fail to constrain those desires, when you act without restraint, when you selfishly fulfill whatever drive you please, you reduce yourself to the level of the rest of creation instead of maintaining your place at its head. I did not give you intelligence to waste it. I did not give you the freedom of choice to watch you abuse others for your selfish desires. Go back to the basics of why I created you in the first place and you’ll find your real purpose.

I created you to care for My creation and to maintain a right relationship with Me. Take off the old garments of selfish, animalistic behavior. Understand that I want more from you as My greatest creation. Know that you exist for something much better. Let Me help you become the person I meant you to be. Put on the new self, modeled after Me so that you can fulfill the work I planned for you from the beginning of time.

You’ll not be disappointed. I promise.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The power of His Spirit is love (Ephesians 3), June 7, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 3
Set – Psalms 18; Ephesians 3
Go! – Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalms 18; Ephesians 3

Ephesians 3
¹ All this is exactly why I, Paul, am a prisoner of Jesus the Anointed, His representative to the outsider nations. ² You have heard, haven’t you, how God appointed me to bring you His message of grace? ³ And how the mystery was made known to me in a revelation? I briefly wrote about it earlier. ⁴ When you read what I have written, you will be better able to understand the depth of my insight into the mystery of the Anointed One, ⁵ a mystery that has never before been shown to past generations. Only now are these secrets being revealed to God’s chosen emissaries and prophets through the Holy Spirit. ⁶ Specifically, the mystery is this: by trusting in the good news, the Gentile outsiders are becoming fully enfranchised members of the same body, heirs alongside Israel, and beneficiaries of the promise that has been fulfilled through Jesus the Anointed.

⁷ I became a servant and preacher of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace as He exercised His amazing power over me. ⁸ I cannot think of anyone more unworthy to this cause than I, the least of the least of the saints. But here I am, a grace-made man, privileged to be an echo of His voice and a preacher to all the nations of the riches of the Anointed One, riches that no one ever imagined. ⁹ I am privileged to enlighten all of Adam’s descendants to the mystery concealed from previous ages by God, the Creator of all, through Jesus the Anointed. ¹⁰ Here’s His objective: through the church, He intends now to make known His infinite and boundless wisdom to all rulers and authorities in heavenly realms. ¹¹ This has been His plan from the beginning, one that He has now accomplished through the Anointed One, Jesus our Lord. ¹² His faithfulness to God has made it possible for us to have the courage we need and the ability to approach the Father confidently. ¹³ So I ask you not to become discouraged because I am jailed for speaking out on your behalf. In fact, my suffering is something that brings you glory.

¹⁴ It is for this reason that I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ after whom all families in heaven above and on earth below receive their names, and pray:

¹⁶ Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit ¹⁷ so that through faith the Anointed One will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together ^18-19 with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings.

²⁰ Now to the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, ²¹ to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Once again I want you to examine Paul’s prayer. He understood what makes My children different from the rest of the world. He asks that I fill your souls with the power of My Spirit and make love the rich soil where your lives take root. And that you will have the power to understand that My love surpasses anything you have ever experienced in your lives.

You see, the old song that says love makes the world go ‘round got it right. The phrase really is true. Everything I do comes about because of My infinite love for you. The discipline I must give to help you mature, the good gifts I bestow on you, the sacrifices I make for you, everything that I do comes from My spirit of love that drives Me. I am love.

You can experience that love and even demonstrate that love to others when My Spirit lives in you. Some will tell you it’s not possible to live that kind of life, but My word tells you different. My word tells you to be holy, because I am holy. I don’t give you commands you can not keep. But you can only keep them by the power of My spirit in you.

I told you when I was with you I would send My Spirit to live with you and live in you to empower you for right living. So many want to let My Spirit live with them, but not in them. Don’t let that be you. Let Me take control of your life. Listen to Me constantly. Let Me guide your every move. Let Me direct your thoughts. As Paul talks about in his letter to the Romans, let Me transform your mind so that you think like Me.

The transformation comes by letting Me fill you completely. Dying to self and living for Me. It’s that becoming a living sacrifice Paul tells you about in that same letter. Letting go of the selfish desires that come to you and listening to what I have in store for you. Pushing away the desires that the world says you should just automatically satisfy and disciplining yourself to live as I would have you live.

Can you do it? Yes, with the power of My Spirit in you. I will help you succeed. I will strengthen you. Just stop and ask Me. I will show you how.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Building a place for God (Ephesians 2:11-22), June 6, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 2:11-22
Set – Ecclesiastes 3; Ephesians 2
Go! – Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalms 45; Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2:11-22
¹¹ So never forget how you used to be. Those of you born as outsiders to Israel were outcasts, branded “the uncircumcised” by those who bore the sign of the covenant in their flesh, a sign made with human hands. ¹² You had absolutely no connection to the Anointed; you were strangers, separated from God’s people. You were aliens to the covenant they had with God; you were hopelessly stranded without God in a fractured world. ¹³ But now, because of Jesus the Anointed and His sacrifice, all of that has changed. God gathered you who were so far away and brought you near to Him by the royal blood of the Anointed, our Liberating King.

¹⁴ He is the embodiment of our peace, sent once and for all to take down the great barrier of hatred and hostility that has divided us so that we can be one. ¹⁵ He offered His body on the sacrificial altar to bring an end to the law’s ordinances and dictations that separated Jews from the outside nations. His desire was to create in His body one new humanity from the two opposing groups, thus creating peace. ¹⁶ Effectively the cross becomes God’s means to kill off the hostility once and for all so that He is able to reconcile them both to God in this one new body.

¹⁷ The Great Preacher of peace and love came for you, and His voice found those of you who were near and those who were far away. ¹⁸ By Him both have access to the Father in one Spirit. ¹⁹ And so you are no longer called outcasts and wanderers but citizens with God’s people, members of God’s holy family, and residents of His household. ²⁰ You are being built on a solid foundation: the message of the prophets and the voices of God’s chosen emissaries with Jesus, the Anointed Himself, the precious cornerstone. ²¹ The building is joined together stone by stone—all of us chosen and sealed in Him, rising up to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In Him you are being built together, creating a sacred dwelling place among you where God can live in the Spirit.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Prejudice never seems to go away among My highest creation. For some reason, humankind in all its array of colors, sizes, and shapes knows each of its individual race obviously attains the highest level among the races. But that’s just not true. I made them all. Some races have had more advantages than others through the centuries. Some races because of prejudices tried to destroy others. It didn’t work because I won’t let it, but they tried nonetheless.

The cross puts and end to all that when you let it. My love reaches across the racial boundaries and once for all sets aside the petty differences humankind sets in place to distinguish between nations, races, sects, and other groups. The cross makes clear My love for all races. All men and women. Everyone, everywhere.

When I split the veil in the Temple at My death and became the perfect sacrifice for all humankind, I ended the divide between Jews and non-Jews, olive-skinned, dark-skinned, pale-skinned, whatever colored skinned. I died so everyone could be forgiven. All that needs happen is you accept the gift of My forgiveness. Like any gift, though, it must be accepted before it is yours.

When you accept My gift of salvation, you become part of My new kingdom. You become part of that building Paul talks about. Person by person, you act as the stones that build upon the sure foundation of the cross that build a mighty temple in which My Spirit can live and act.

So imagine yourself as one of those stones in a mighty castle or temple. Imagine what happens if you crumble or remove yourself from your place in the wall. The wall weakens. If enough of those stones decide they no longer want to remain faithful to the task of doing their part of maintaining the strength of the wall, the wall crumbles and falls and other stones fall with you.

You see, your part in the structure is important. You might be part of an outer wall for all the world to see or part of a basement supporting wall or one of the inner walls that few will ever notice, but your part in supporting My structure is important. I need you to fulfill the task I’ve given you. And as you’ll remember in ancient structures, every stone is different. No two stones are cut exactly alike. The master mason carefully places each stone to optimize the strength of the wall. That’s what I do with you. I place you where and when I need you most.

Don’t think your placement is accidental. Don’t think I didn’t know what I was doing when I created you. Don’t think My plan is too hard for you or beneath you. My task for you is the one best suited for you at this moment and brings the most glory to Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.