Go Together: The Gift That Moves Us
This week’s devotions are based on Week 1 of Grateful Hearts GO Together (WATCH HERE)
2 Corinthians 5:14–15 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Have you ever received a gift so meaningful that you couldn’t help but tell someone about it? Perhaps it was something you had hoped for, something you desperately needed, or an unexpected expression of love. When something truly matters to us, we naturally want to share it with others.
The greatest gift we have ever received is the love of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that “Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Jesus didn’t simply offer us a little help or make our lives more comfortable. He gave himself for us. He took our sin upon himself, carried our guilt to the cross, and rose again to give us forgiveness and eternal life. We have been rescued, not because we deserved it, but because of his incredible love and grace.
That changes the way we live. Paul says Christ died and rose again so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for him. Our lives are no longer centered only on our own needs, schedules, comfort, or plans. We belong to Christ. His love gives us a new purpose and a reason to look beyond ourselves.
That is what it means to have a grateful heart. We don’t share Jesus because we have to earn God’s favor. We don’t serve, invite, encourage, or give in order to prove our worth. We do these things because Christ has already given us everything. Gratitude grows out of grace.
As we look at the ministry God has placed before us at Crosspoint, it is easy to think about plans, projects, resources, and what needs to be accomplished. Those things have their place, but our greatest motivation is much deeper. There are people around us who need the same hope, forgiveness, and life we have received in Jesus. God’s love moves us to care about them.
We GO together because Christ has first come to us. We share what we have received. And we do it with grateful hearts!
Reflect: How does remembering what Christ has done for you change the way you look at the people God has placed in your life?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us when we did not deserve your love. Thank you for sending Jesus to take our sin upon himself and give us forgiveness, life, and salvation. Forgive us for the times we have become so focused on ourselves that we have overlooked the needs of others. Fill our hearts with gratitude for your grace. Help us see the people around us through your eyes and recognize opportunities to share the hope we have in Christ. Bless the ministry of Crosspoint. Keep our hearts focused on people who need to hear the Gospel, and unite us in carrying out the mission you have given us. May everything we do flow from the love we have first received from Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.
Standing Together: Here We Stand
This week’s devotions are based on Week 7 of Building Together: “Will it stand?” (WATCH HERE)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10).
These words bring us back to the foundation of everything Paul has said about standing firm. Notice what Paul does not say. He does not tell us to become stronger, try harder, or prove that we are worthy soldiers in God’s army. He tells us to be strong in the Lord. Our confidence does not rest on the strength of our faith, the consistency of our efforts, or our ability to overcome every temptation. It rests on the strength of the One who has claimed us as His own.
As we conclude our Building Together series, this is an important truth to remember. We have talked about being united in Christ, putting away the old self, walking in love, living as children of light, and serving one another with the gifts God provides. Now Paul reminds us that living this way will not always be easy. We face temptation, discouragement, conflict, and the constant effort of the devil to turn our hearts away from Christ and against one another. Even a Christian committed to God’s Word can become distracted by disagreements, weariness, and competing priorities.
The answer is not to pretend these struggles do not exist. Nor is it to believe that if we become a stronger congregation, we will no longer face them. The answer is to recognize where our strength comes from. God equips His people with His truth, the righteousness of Christ, the Gospel of peace, faith in His promises, the assurance of salvation, and the living Word of God. These are not rewards for Christians who have everything together. They are gifts for people who need God’s help.
This is also the heart of the Reformation we observe tomorrow (Sorry for many it’s Halloween, but Luther chose ‘All Hallow’s Eve’ to post his statements against the sale of indulgences as many came to Wittenberg on All Saints Day – November 1 to view Elector Frederick’s collection of relics remembering the saints. Thus started what became the Reformation.) Martin Luther’s stand was not ultimately a declaration of his own courage or conviction. It was a stand on the authority of God’s Word and the saving work of Jesus Christ. The Reformation reminds us that the Church does not stand because its people are impressive, its leaders are flawless, or its plans always succeed. The Church stands because Christ is faithful and His promises do not fail.
Paul gives us another reason for confidence in Romans 8. He asks, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He points us to the God who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all. Then he declares that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is the assurance we need when our faith feels weak, when our congregation faces challenges, or when the future seems uncertain. Our security is not found in our ability to hold on to God perfectly, but in His faithfulness to hold on to us.
So what does it mean to stand together? It means returning to Christ’s promises when doubts arise. It means speaking the truth in love when conflict threatens unity. It means praying for one another when the burden becomes heavy. And it means remembering that the victory has already been won by Jesus through His death and resurrection. We do not fight to earn that victory. We stand in the victory He has given us.
Here we stand, not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord.
Reflect: Where are you most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than God’s promises? How can you help our congregation remain rooted in Christ as we face challenges and serve together?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. When we are weak, remind us that Your strength is sufficient. When we are divided, unite us in Your truth and love. When we are discouraged, direct our hearts to the victory Christ has already won for us. Keep us faithful to Your Word, confident in Your promises, and committed to building together as Your people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Standing Together: You Were Never Meant to Stand Alone
This week’s devotions are based on Week 7 of Building Together: “Will it stand?” (WATCH HERE)
Ephesians 6:18–20 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
After describing the armor God gives His people, Paul turns to prayer. Paul does not picture a soldier standing alone on a battlefield, responsible only for his own survival. He describes a community of believers praying for one another. The Christian life is personal, but it was never meant to be lived in isolation.
There is an interesting detail in this passage. Paul asks the Ephesians to pray for all the saints, and then he specifically asks them to pray for him. Even though he is an apostle, a seasoned missionary, and a bold witness for Christ, Paul knows he needs the prayers of fellow believers. He asks God to give him the right words and the courage to proclaim the Gospel clearly. If Paul needed the support of other Christians, we should not be surprised that we need it, too.
Yet how often do we try to carry our struggles alone? We hide our doubts because we think we should have stronger faith. We keep our worries to ourselves because we do not want to burden anyone. We struggle with temptation in silence, hoping we can overcome it through determination. Sometimes we even withdraw from worship and Christian fellowship precisely when we need them most.
The devil would be happy for us to believe that our struggles are ours alone to manage. Isolation makes discouragement louder and temptation harder to resist. When we are separated from the encouragement of God’s people, we can begin to believe the lie that our failures define us or that God’s promises are no longer meant for us.
God gives us something better. He gathers us into a body where we hear His Word, receive His Spirit, and remind one another of His promises. We do not gather because we have everything figured out. We gather because we need what God gives through His Word and because we need one another. When a fellow believer reminds you that Christ died for your sins, that your Baptism marks you as God’s child, or that God’s mercy is new every morning, that encouragement is more than a kind thought. It directs you back to the sure promises of God.
Paul’s request also challenges us to look beyond our own struggles. He asks the Ephesians to pray for all the saints, not merely those they know well or naturally get along with. Who in your congregation may be quietly struggling? Who needs encouragement, a listening ear, or someone to pray with them? You may not be able to remove another person’s burden, but you can help carry it. Sometimes standing together begins with a simple question: “How can I pray for you?”
We stand firm not because we are strong enough on our own, but because the Lord strengthens us through His promises and places us among people who share the same hope. In Christ, we are not isolated soldiers fighting for ourselves. We are members of His body, called to pray for one another, encourage one another, and keep pointing one another to the Savior who will never abandon us.
Reflect: Who might need your prayers or encouragement this week? Is there a struggle you have been carrying alone that you could share with a trusted Christian?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me fellow believers to walk beside me in faith. Forgive me when I isolate myself or overlook the struggles of others. Help me receive encouragement from Your people and offer it generously to those who need it. Keep us united in Your Word, strengthen us through Your promises, and teach us to stand together in the victory You have won for us. Amen.
Standing Together: Put On the Armor God Provides
This week’s devotions are based on Week 7 of Building Together: “Will it stand?” (WATCH HERE)
Ephesians 6:13–17 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
When trouble comes, our first instinct is often to try harder. We determine to be more patient, resist temptation through sheer willpower, or overcome guilt by promising to do better. While discipline and wise choices matter, spiritual battles cannot be won through determination alone. Paul does not tell us to manufacture our own armor. He tells us to take up the armor of God.
Consider the pieces Paul describes. The belt of truth reminds us to stand on what God has revealed rather than on the devil’s deception. The breastplate of righteousness points us away from our own goodness and toward the righteousness Christ gives us. The Gospel of peace assures us that through Jesus we have peace with God. The shield of faith clings to God’s promises when doubt and accusation attack. The helmet of salvation guards our hope, and the sword of the Spirit, God’s Word, gives us the truth with which to answer temptation.
Notice that these are God’s gifts. We do well to use the armor he has given. Unfortunately, we often take on the world and the forces of evil on our own. Defeat happens all too often when we fail to armor up! When we forget the belt of truth, we fall for Satan’s lies. When we forget the breastplate of righteousness, we despair of our standing before God. When we forget to put on the shoes of peace, we allow fear and anxiety to fill our hearts. Like a soldier unprepared for battle, so is the Christian without the armor of God.
So armor up! How? God continues to deliver the gift of his armor through His Word and the Sacraments. In Baptism, He joined us to Christ and gave us His promises. Through the Gospel, He announces forgiveness to sinners. In the Lord’s Supper, He gives us Christ’s true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. These are not rewards for strong Christians. They are gracious gifts for people who need their Savior.
When temptation, guilt, or discouragement comes today, do not assume you must defeat it by becoming stronger in yourself. Turn to the gifts God has provided. Hear His Word, remember your Baptism, receive His forgiveness, and trust His promises. Our confidence is not in how tightly we hold on to God, but in how faithfully He holds on to us.
Reflect: When I face temptation, guilt, or fear, do I rely primarily on my own strength or turn to the gifts God has given me in Christ?
Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You for providing everything I need to stand firm in faith. Forgive me for trusting my own strength instead of Your promises. Clothe me in Christ’s righteousness, strengthen my faith through Your Word, and remind me daily that my salvation rests in Jesus alone. Keep me steadfast in Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Standing Together: Stand Firm in God’s Truth
This week’s devotions are based on Week 7 of Building Together: “Will it stand?” (WATCH HERE)
John 8:31–32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Truth is always the answer to lies, but sometimes the lies sound pretty similar to the truth. Satan loves to couch his deception in the context of truth. He does not always tempt us by making evil look obviously wrong. Sometimes he makes a lie sound reasonable, a compromise seem harmless, or God’s commands appear outdated. His goal is to weaken our trust in God’s Word until we begin to rely on our own judgment instead. That is why Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:11 to stand against “the schemes of the devil.”
We see this strategy in the Garden of Eden. The serpent began by questioning God’s Word: “Did God actually say…?” (Genesis 3:1). That question planted doubt about God’s goodness and truthfulness. The same temptation continues today. We may hear that God’s Word cannot be trusted, that sin is simply a matter of personal preference, or that we can determine right and wrong for ourselves. Even within the Church, we can be tempted to adjust God’s truth to fit our preferences rather than allowing His Word to shape our lives.
Jesus shows us how to stand firm. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus answered with Scripture. He did not negotiate with the devil or decide for Himself what was right. He trusted His Father’s Word. Jesus remained faithful where we have often failed, and He did so for our salvation.
Remaining in the teachings of Jesus is the key to overcoming the deception of Satan. This weekend as we mark the anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, we are reminded that Martin Luther’s stand during the Reformation reflected his conviction that the Word of God was always the measure of truth. His confidence rested not in his own wisdom or courage, but in the authority of God’s Word. As Christians, we are called to test our thoughts, beliefs, and practices against Scripture. Yet we must remember that God’s Word is what exposes the lies of Satan and returns us to the truth.
The great blessing of exposing the lies of Satan and standing firm in the teachings of Jesus? Freedom! Not freedom to do what our sinful nature desires, but freedom to walk in the steps of Jesus. Freedom to love as we have been loved. Freedom to not be deceived. Freedom to let God’s truth guide our life. Freedom to live with the confidence that heaven is our home. Freedom to know we are forgiven. Freedom to trust Jesus as our Savior.
When doubts arise or the world challenges your faith, return to God’s promises. Read His Word, remember your Baptism, and receive the comfort of the Gospel. God’s truth does not change. In Christ, we have a sure foundation on which to stand.
Reflect: What message or belief is tempting me to question God’s Word, and what promise of Scripture can help me stand firm?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, keep me steadfast in Your Word. Protect me from the devil’s lies and from the pride that makes me trust my own judgment above Your truth. Thank You for Jesus, who remained faithful for me and has given me forgiveness and life. Strengthen my faith through Your promises and help me confess Your truth with humility and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.