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This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of Building Together: “When Faith Goes to Work!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 6:5–9 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 

9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. 

 

God has placed us in different roles throughout our lives. Some lead, while others follow. Some work behind the scenes, while others stand in front of people. Some carry great responsibility, while others faithfully handle the small tasks that often go unnoticed. Our world tends to measure people by their position, influence, or accomplishments. But God’s Word reminds us that our earthly status does not determine our worth before Him.

In Ephesians 6:5–9, Paul addresses slaves and masters, people who occupied very different positions in Roman society. Paul does not pretend these circumstances are equal. Yet he directs both slaves and masters to remember that they ultimately serve the same Lord. He tells masters that they have a Master in heaven who shows no favoritism. No earthly position places anyone above God’s authority.

This truth also shapes how we understand our roles today. In the church, we have different roles and different areas of service.  In our community and workplaces, we can have different positions and responsibilities.  Yet, we do not need someone else’s position to live a meaningful life of faith.  We can enjoy faith-filled service no matter our status or position.

Yet our sinful nature often tempts us to compare ourselves with others. We may become jealous of someone else’s influence or feel overlooked when our contributions go unnoticed. We might even believe that certain tasks are beneath us. When these attitudes arise, we need to repent and remember that our standing before God does not depend on our achievements. We all are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. We all are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.

What freedom this gives us! We do not have to prove our worth through our position or earn God’s approval through our service. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are forgiven and made God’s own children. Because Christ has served us with His life, we are free to serve others with grateful hearts.

Today, wherever God has placed you, look for an opportunity to serve faithfully. Your role may seem ordinary, and your work may go unnoticed, but you belong to the same Lord who loves you and gave Himself for you.

Reflect: Where am I tempted to measure my worth by my position or compare my role with someone else’s? How can I use the responsibilities and gifts God has given me to bless someone today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your own through Jesus Christ. Forgive me when I compare myself with others or seek importance through my position. Help me recognize the gifts You have given me and use them faithfully to serve the people around me. Remind me that whatever my role, I belong to You and can serve with joy because Christ first served me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of Building Together: “Behind Closed Doors!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

There is a side of every family that the outside world never sees. People see us at church, at work, at school, or in the community, but our families see us when we are tired, frustrated, disappointed, and under pressure. They see how we respond when we don’t get our way. They hear the words we use when we are angry. They see whether we forgive or hold a grudge.

What happens behind closed doors matters.

It matters because our homes are one of the primary places where our faith is lived out. It is easy to speak about love, patience, forgiveness, humility, and kindness at church. It is much harder to practice those things when someone we love has disappointed us for the third time, when the children aren’t listening, when the bills are piling up, or when we are simply exhausted.

Paul’s words in Colossians 3 remind us what Christlike living looks like in those ordinary moments. “…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. .” Then he says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Notice where Paul begins: Our identity: “chosen…holy…dearly loved”

Our Christian behavior doesn’t create God’s love for us. God’s love creates our Christian behavior.

We don’t forgive so that God will forgive us. We forgive because, in Christ, God has already forgiven us. We don’t serve our families so that God will finally be pleased with us. We serve because Christ has already given Himself for us. We don’t love perfectly in order to become God’s children. We love because He has made us His children through Christ.

That is especially important in our homes.

There will be times when we fail. Husbands will fail their wives. Wives will fail their husbands. Parents will fail their children. Children will fail their parents. But a Christian home is not a home without sin. It is a home where sin is met with repentance and forgiveness.

Sometimes the most powerful witness we can give our children is not pretending that we are always right. It is allowing them to hear us say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.” It is allowing them to see that forgiveness is real because we have experienced it from Christ.

And what happens in our homes eventually affects the church.

We bring our attitudes, habits, relationships, and character with us when we gather as God’s people. If we learn to practice patience at home, we become more patient with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we learn to forgive at home, we become more ready to forgive in the congregation. If we learn to serve at home, we become more willing to serve in the church.

Strong Christian homes don’t make a strong church because they are perfect. They strengthen the church because Christ is at work in them.

The church is a family of forgiven sinners, and our homes are smaller places where that same Gospel is lived out.

So this week, don’t underestimate the spiritual significance of ordinary life. The way you speak to your spouse matters. The way you respond to your children matters. The way you forgive matters. The way you pray matters.

Behind closed doors, we have opportunities every day to build something that lasts.

We follow God’s order.

We love with God’s heart.

We leave a legacy of faith.

And when we fail, we return again to the One who never fails us. Christ has loved His Church perfectly. He has given Himself for us. He has forgiven us. And His grace gives us the freedom to go home and try again.

Reflect: What do the people closest to you see in your life behind closed doors that you might not want others to see? What is one way you can let the forgiveness and love of Christ shape the atmosphere of your home this week?

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your beloved child through Jesus Christ. Forgive me for the ways my selfishness, impatience, anger, and pride have affected the people closest to me. Fill my home with Your grace. Help me to speak with kindness, serve with humility, forgive as I have been forgiven, and love as Christ has loved me. When I fail, give me the courage to repent and ask for forgiveness. When others fail me, give me the grace to forgive. May what happens behind the doors of my home reflect the love of Christ and strengthen the family of Your Church. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of Building Together: “Behind Closed Doors!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Psalm 78: 4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, 6  so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 

Every generation leaves something behind for the next. We pass along traditions, stories, habits, values, possessions, and memories. But there is something far more important than anything we can put in a will or leave in a bank account. We have the opportunity to leave a legacy of faith.

Psalm 78 describes one generation telling the next generation about the mighty works of God. The goal was not simply that children would know some Bible stories. The purpose was that they would “set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”

That is the heart of Christian parenting and Christian influence.

God gave Israel this same responsibility in Deuteronomy 6. His people were to keep His Word in their hearts and then talk about it with their children throughout everyday life. Notice how ordinary the settings are. When you sit in your house. When you walk along the way. When you lie down. When you rise.

Faith was not supposed to be confined to a classroom or a worship service. God’s Word was to become part of everyday life.

That is still true today.

Our children and grandchildren learn about faith not only from what we teach them but from what they see in us. They see how we respond when life doesn’t go our way. They hear how we speak when we are frustrated. They notice whether we pray when we are worried. They see whether we worship because Christ is important to us or merely because it is what we do.

They see whether we forgive.

They see whether we admit when we are wrong.

They see whether God’s Word actually shapes the decisions we make.

This doesn’t mean Christian parents have to be perfect. In fact, one of the most important things our children can see is what a Christian does when he or she isn’t perfect.

They can hear us say, “I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

They can see us return to God’s promises when we fail.

They can hear us say, “I don’t know what to do, but I know that God is faithful.”

They can learn that Christianity isn’t about pretending to have everything together. It is about knowing where to turn when we don’t.

And that is why the most important legacy we can leave isn’t simply a set of good morals. It is Christ.

We want the next generation to know that Jesus died for sinners. We want them to know that their sins are forgiven because of His cross. We want them to know that baptism is God’s promise, that His Word is trustworthy, and that His grace does not depend on their performance.

Parents have a tremendous responsibility in this. But the responsibility doesn’t belong only to parents. Grandparents, godparents, teachers, older brothers and sisters in Christ, and the entire congregation have opportunities to encourage the next generation.

We may not know what influence a simple conversation, prayer, Bible verse, or act of kindness will have years from now. But God does. He works through His Word, and He promises that His Word does not return empty.

So don’t underestimate the ordinary things.

Pray with your children.

Read God’s Word together.

Bring them to worship.

Tell them what Jesus has done for you.

Let them see you repent.

Let them see you forgive.

Tell them again and again that Jesus loves them and has made them His own.

The goal isn’t to create perfect children. The goal is to faithfully point them to a perfect Savior.

Reflect: What are you currently passing on to the next generation through your words, habits, and example? Who is one younger person you can intentionally encourage or invest in spiritually this week?

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for the generations of faithful people who have shared Your Word with me. Forgive me for the times I have failed to speak about You, live according to Your Word, or point others toward Christ. Help me to be faithful with the people You have placed in my life. Give parents wisdom and patience as they raise their children. Give grandparents, teachers, and all Your people opportunities to encourage the next generation. Above all, keep our children and grandchildren rooted in Your Word and secure in the promise of Christ. May our homes and our congregation faithfully proclaim the Gospel from one generation to the next. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of Building Together: “Behind Closed Doors!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Mark 10:42–45 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

 

We live in a world that often measures leadership by position, power, and influence. The person at the top gives the orders, and everyone else follows. The person with the most authority gets the final word. The person with the most power is the person who gets his or her way.

Jesus turns that thinking upside down.

When His disciples argued about who was the greatest, Jesus told them that the rulers of the Gentiles “lord it over” others. Then He said, “It shall not be so among you.” Greatness in the kingdom of God looks different. Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”

Then He pointed to Himself.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

That is the kind of love that Christ brings into the Christian home.

For husbands, this is especially important. God gives a husband a unique responsibility to love his wife, care for her, and lead his family. But biblical leadership is not permission to demand his own way. It is a calling to give himself away.

Jesus had every right to glory, yet He humbled Himself. He had every right to be served, yet He became a servant. He had every right to avoid suffering, yet He went to the cross for sinners.

That is the model for Christian love.

A husband who follows Christ asks, “How can I serve my wife?” rather than, “Why isn’t she doing more for me?” He asks, “What does she need?” rather than, “What do I deserve?” He learns that his strength is not given to him so that he can control others but so that he can protect, provide, serve, encourage, and love.

But this isn’t only a message for husbands.

Philippians 2 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” That applies to all of us. Wives, husbands, parents, children, grandparents, friends, and fellow Christians are all called to live with the mind of Christ.

That means giving up the need to win every argument. It means listening when you would rather speak. It means serving when nobody notices. It means forgiving when you would rather hold onto the offense. It means choosing the good of another person even when it costs you something.

And none of this begins with trying harder.

It begins by looking at Jesus.

We cannot manufacture Christlike love by sheer determination. We need the One who loved us first. Jesus did not wait until we deserved His love. He loved us while we were sinners. He did not give a little of Himself for us. He gave everything.

That is the Gospel that changes our homes.

When we know that Christ has already given Himself for us, we don’t have to fight constantly to get what we think we deserve. We are free to give. Free to serve. Free to forgive. Free to love.

A Christian home becomes stronger when everyone stops asking, “What do I get?” and begins asking, “How can I love?”

That is what it looks like when Christ’s love becomes the heart of the home.

Reflect: Where are you tempted to insist on getting your own way instead of seeking the good of someone else? What is one specific way you can serve someone in your home today without expecting anything in return?

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came not to be served but to serve and to give Your life for us. Forgive me for the many times I put myself first and insist on having things my way. Give me the mind of Christ. Teach me to serve rather than demand, to listen rather than insist, to forgive rather than keep score, and to love rather than seek my own advantage. Thank You for giving Yourself completely for me. Help me live today in the freedom of Your grace. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 5 of Building Together: “Behind Closed Doors!”  (WATCH HERE)

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First happy birthday to my dad…who is a faithful devotion reader and continues to be an example of creating a marriage that reflect Christ!

Genesis 2:20-24 But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 

23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. 

 

From the beginning, God designed marriage to be more than two people sharing a home. In Genesis 2, God brings the man and woman together and declares that the two become “one flesh.” Marriage is God’s gift, God’s design, and God’s good creation.

But Scripture gives marriage an even greater purpose. Marriage points beyond itself to the relationship between Christ and His Church.

Throughout the Bible, God describes His relationship with His people using the language of marriage. The Lord calls Himself Israel’s husband. Paul describes the Church as a bride promised to one husband, Christ. Revelation looks forward to the day when “the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.”

That means Christian marriage is meant to tell a story. It is meant to give the world a small glimpse of a much greater love.

The story is about Christ.

Jesus is the Bridegroom who loves His Bride, the Church. He doesn’t love her because she has earned His love. He doesn’t remain faithful because she has always been faithful to Him. Christ loves sinners who have wandered, failed, rebelled, and fallen short. He gives Himself for His people, forgives their sins, washes them clean, and makes them His own.

That changes how we understand marriage.

A husband is called to love his wife not simply because she is lovable or because she meets his expectations. He is called to love her because Christ has shown him what love looks like. A wife is called to respect and honor her husband not merely because he has earned it, but because she too belongs to Christ.

This doesn’t mean Christian marriages are perfect. They aren’t. Two sinners living together will eventually hurt each other. There will be selfishness, impatience, disagreements, disappointments, and times when we fail to keep the promises we have made.

But Christian marriage has something the world desperately needs: the Gospel of forgiveness.

When a husband says, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” he is reflecting something of Christ’s humility. When a wife forgives rather than keeping a record of wrongs, she is reflecting something of Christ’s grace. When husband and wife continue to love each other through difficult seasons, they are showing something of God’s covenant faithfulness.

Your marriage, if you are married, is more than your marriage. It is an opportunity to display Christ’s love.

And if you are not married, this truth still belongs to you. You are part of Christ’s Bride, the Church. Your identity and worth are not determined by your marital status. Christ has claimed you as His own. You belong to Him.

That is ultimately where this passage leads us. Before we think about being a better husband or wife, we look at the perfect Bridegroom. Christ loved His Church and gave Himself for her. He has forgiven us completely and made us His own.

Because we have received that love, we can begin to reflect it in our homes and relationships.

 

Reflect: How might your marriage or closest relationships give others a glimpse of Christ’s love and faithfulness? Where is Christ inviting you to show greater forgiveness, patience, or faithfulness to someone you love?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the faithful Bridegroom who loved Your Church and gave Yourself for her. Thank You for making me Your own through Your death and resurrection. Forgive me for the times I have been selfish, impatient, unfaithful, or unwilling to forgive. Teach me to reflect Your love in my marriage, my family, and all my relationships. Help husbands to love sacrificially, wives to respond with grace and respect, and all of us to remember that our relationships belong under Your lordship. Make our homes places where Your faithfulness, forgiveness, and love can be seen. Amen.