Day 134: Another Facet of Love

To focus on something more positive now, I wanted to turn your attention to something I came across in Ephesians 4:2.  That verse says that we as Christians must be patient, so making allowances for each others' faults because of love.  I hadn't thought of love in that way before.  It's hard to patient, and dealing with annoying bad habits from our friends or family can really grate on our nerves.  That's what we're supposed to do when we love others and accept them for who they are.  Things get more interesting though when you anticipate that a person will sin and even get on your nerves.  We're humans, and those emotions are guaranteed to occur.  Since this fact is such obvious knowledge, why don't we prepare for it by expecting a person to hurt us or annoy us?  That way it won't come as such a surprise.  Plus, putting up with an easy-going person is not hard.  Still showing patient love to someone who bugs us to death shows true love and devotion.

Day 117: Sectarianism

This is the last devotion I have for now.  I will be getting back to writing stories and my regular list of writing prompts shortly (with an occasional devotion or reflection).

1 Corinthians 1: 10-17 introduce the term "sectarianism."  To my understanding, it is the label that certain branches of Christians use to distinguish themselves from other Christians.  For example, Baptists differ from Lutherans, but Calvinites also exist.  Mennonite and Mormon deviate out even farther from Christianity.  It can get confusing to think about which one is the "right" approach.  There are several different versions of the Bible to consider, different interpretations, historical context translating into current time periods, and literal vs. figurative ideas.  How are we supposed to get it right?  I don't think we ever can.

1 Corinthians 3: 1-14  continue the discussion a little farther.  I believe Paul is trying to say that sometimes, our differences don't matter.  At least Christians are better than non-believers.  We shouldn't judge or condemn others when God is the only rightful person to do this.  Can you imagine what could be accomplished if we could all work together?  We are on the same "side" after all.

Day 116: I am the Creation

This verse selection comes from Romans 9:17-23, which is as follows.

For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ^{(Exodus 9:16)   18} Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,


Everything God does to you or for you, whether good or bad) is willed and intended by Him to be used a lesson to bring you closer to Him.  We have no real control over our lives.  God does because He created us.  He has planned out our lives from before we were born.  Our lives resemble a quilt or a clay pot.  We can take comfort in this because God's will is the best for us.  That means that the best things will happen in our lives. 

There is a poem called “The Hound of Heaven” by Francis Thompson about a man who tried to run from God, only to find that God kept pursuing him like a hound.  It teaches that God strips us of pleasure so we learn that all the real pleasure and joy is in His arms.  All things in this world are vanities.  Once we accept this and are reunited with God and His plan for us, we can do great things!

Day 115: Romans 6 & Sin

Now for some devotionals!

Paul is such an inspirational man.  He's spirited, bold in the truth, humble to God, and filled with such love in his heart for both fellow Christians and the stubborn Jews.  In Romans 6:2, he urges Christians to be dead to sin now, for "...How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it."  How can we participate in sinful behavior when we are Christians?  Christians don't do such things any more.  We have to be examples for others.  Once you think about it, that is a lot of pressure on us, but God allows slip-ups.  We can't be perfect all the time, but we should try as best we can.  When we made the decision to become Christians, we made a commitment to live God's way, not ours.

You might be thinking, "But some sins are so hard to overcome."  In verse 14, Paul says, "...sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."  Likewise, 1 Cor. 10:13, he later says that God will always provide a way out of your temptation.  If that does not encourage you, remember that because we are under grace, we answer to someone higher than on earth.  The grace God gives us leaves us indebted to Him.

In verse 21, Paul asks, "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death."  What benefits did come from sinning?  For example, did I have any good, lasting fruit from being selfish, mad, or lazy?  No, I only got in worse trouble and regret.  What about when I was being giving or loving?  Sometimes the hard path may not be easy to get onto, but it is worth it once you're on it.

Day 74: Devotion Comments

This blog post is to make up for the one I missed on Monday, March 11.  I might share more of my devotion comments in the future, if you find them interesting.

Currently, I am reading the book of Acts.  In Acts 25, Paul is enduring the unfair accusations that the Jews have brought against him, just as Jesus had to patiently endure in front of the High Priest.  Verses 7 and 8 of Acts really struck me.

When he [Paul] had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,  while he answered for himself, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.”

It really irks me when someone says something incorrect or misinterprets what I say or think.  I want to speak up immediately and correct them, defend myself from their false opinions.  Yet Paul patiently takes all the blows.  It might not sit well with him that they slander him but does not let it show outwardly.  A couple chapters ago, he is even polite and civil when he stood before governor Felix to be judged.  Paul doesn't deserve to be subjected to that, but he still maintains his faith in God and the truth.  All the world can deny what he says, but Paul can rest assured because God is on his side.  The truth always prevails.  I just give Paul a lot of credit because I am not sure I could have that kind of composure.

Another thing, I relate to doubting Thomas more than I thought.  I like to think of myself as an optimist, someone who trusts in God and still believes in miracles.  Other times, I am cautious before jumping to conclusions, can be bluntly critical, and try to look at things realistically.  Normally, this means "bursting someone's bubble" or inadvertently hurting feelings.  I was in one of those later moods when my sister called me "doubting Thomasina."  I wasn't insulted, but it made me realize how quickly we can fall into that sort of attitude. Perhaps Thomas did not purposely disbelieve in Jesus rising but chose to be realistic.  He was protecting himself from getting his hopes dashed.  I suppose sometimes we have to put our hearts on the line, especially when it is concerning God or something important.  There might be pain, but God is there is to catch us.