Category: From Pastor

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.

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

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Joshua 24:14–15 “Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” 

Every home has something at the center. It may be work, schedules, finances, sports, school, entertainment, comfort, or simply trying to get through the week. Even good things can slowly become the things that organize our lives. Joshua reminds us that the most important question for a household is not what we are doing, but whom we are serving.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

That statement wasn’t simply about what happened inside Joshua’s house. It was a declaration of allegiance. Joshua understood that his family belonged under God’s authority and that God’s Word would shape the way they lived together.

That is still God’s desire for Christian homes today.

The Christian home is not a perfect home. It is not a home where everyone always gets along, where children always obey, or where husbands and wives never disagree. It is a home where Christ is at the center and where His Word continually brings us back when we fail.

Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Notice how comprehensive that is. Whatever you do. The Christian faith isn’t reserved for Sunday morning. Christ belongs in the kitchen, the living room, the conversation after a difficult day, the parenting decision, the financial discussion, and the disagreement between husband and wife.

God’s design for the home begins with this simple truth: we live under Christ.

That changes the way we think about authority. It changes the way a husband leads. It changes the way a wife responds. It changes the way parents discipline. It changes the way children obey. Everyone in the home stands under the same Lord.

And when we remember that, our homes can become places where the Gospel is lived out in ordinary ways. A husband can serve instead of demanding. A wife can show respect instead of keeping score. Parents can correct their children without crushing them. Children can learn that obedience is part of loving God. Families can pray, forgive, worship, and return again and again to the promises of Christ.

So today, don’t begin by asking, “How can I fix my family?” Begin by asking, “How can I put Christ at the center of my home today?”

Maybe that means praying with your family. Maybe it means apologizing. Maybe it means putting down the phone and listening. Maybe it means opening God’s Word together. Maybe it means simply reminding someone in your home, “I love you, and I am thankful God has given you to me.”

A Christian home is built one faithful moment at a time.

Reflect: What tends to take the place of Christ at the center of your home or daily life? What is one simple way you can intentionally put Christ at the center of your home today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of my home and the people You have placed in my life. Forgive me for the times I put myself, my desires, or my priorities ahead of You and others. Help me to live under Your good and gracious design. Make my home a place where Your Word is heard, Your forgiveness is practiced, and Your love is seen. Give me wisdom to lead, humility to serve, patience to forgive, and faith to trust You. Let my home be a place where You are honored and where others can see the grace You have given me in Christ. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Building Together: “Let the Light get in!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

A light is most useful when it shines beyond itself.

Think about a porch light on a dark evening. It does not exist simply to make the porch look brighter. It helps people find the door. It allows a neighbor to see the walkway. It makes it possible to move safely through the darkness.

God’s light works in our lives in a similar way.

Paul has spent much of Ephesians 5 reminding us what it means to walk in the light. Now he turns our attention toward what that light looks like in the life of a Christian. He says, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to fill us with Christ. He creates faith. He strengthens faith. He reminds us of God’s promises. He leads us to repentance and assures us of forgiveness. The Spirit does not simply make us feel more religious. He points us again and again to Jesus.

And when Christ fills our hearts, something begins to happen in our lives.

Paul says we will speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We will give thanks. We will encourage one another. Our relationship with God begins to shape our relationships with people.

That is an important part of growing together.

Christian growth is not simply about becoming a better individual. God grows us together as His people. We learn to encourage one another. We forgive one another. We carry one another’s burdens. We worship together. We give thanks together.

Think about a campfire. One piece of wood can burn by itself, but when several pieces are gathered together, the fire becomes stronger and brighter. In the same way, God gathers His people together around His Word. As we receive His grace, we encourage one another and help one another remain in the light.

Notice that Paul says, “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.”

That can be difficult. We can find plenty of reasons to complain. We see problems in our families, our churches, our communities, and our own lives. Yet Christian thanksgiving does not mean pretending everything is good. It means trusting that God is good even when circumstances are not.

The greatest reason for thanksgiving never changes.

Jesus Christ has died for our sins. He has risen from the grave. He has forgiven us. He has brought us from darkness into light. He has given us the Holy Spirit and made us His own.

That Gospel changes how we live.

So as you go through today, ask yourself what kind of light you are bringing into the lives of the people around you. Are your words encouraging or discouraging? Are you quick to complain or quick to give thanks? Are you looking for ways to serve or waiting for someone to serve you?

You do not have to create the light yourself.

Christ has already given you His light.

Let His light shine through you!

Reflect: What is one way you can bring the light of Christ into someone else’s life today? What is one thing you can thank God for today, even in the midst of circumstances that may be difficult?

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me out of darkness and into the light of Christ. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit, who creates and strengthens faith through Your Word. Fill my heart with Your truth and grace. Help me encourage others with my words, serve them with my actions, and give thanks even when life is difficult. Let the light of Christ shine through me so that the people around me may see Your goodness and grace. Keep me close to Your Word and gathered with Your people until the day You bring me into the perfect light of heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This week’s devotions are based on Week 4 of Building Together: “Let the Light get in!”  (WATCH HERE)

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Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:  “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 

 

Have you ever been awakened by the light of the morning?

When a room is dark, it is easy to stay in bed. The darkness makes everything feel quiet and comfortable. Then the sun comes through the window. Suddenly you can see. The day has begun. The light awakens you and calls you to get up and live.

Paul uses a similar picture in Ephesians 5. He says, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”

Notice that Paul does not say, “You were walking in darkness, but now you have learned how to walk in the light.” He says something much stronger. You were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

This is about more than behavior. It is about identity.

Apart from Christ, we are sinners living in darkness. Sin affects what we think, what we desire, and how we see God and others. We cannot simply educate ourselves out of sin or work hard enough to make ourselves spiritually alive.

But God does what we cannot do.

He brings us into the light through Christ.

Colossians 1:13 says that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Through Jesus, we have been rescued. Through baptism and faith, we have been united with Christ. Our sins are forgiven. We have been given a new identity.

That changes how we respond when God’s Word exposes sin in our lives.

Sometimes we don’t want the light. We would rather keep certain things hidden. We would rather avoid admitting our selfishness, our bitterness, our lust, our pride, or our anger.

But God’s light does not expose our sin to destroy us. It exposes our sin so that we can bring it to Jesus.

Think about a doctor examining a wound. The doctor may need to expose something that is painful or unpleasant, but the purpose is healing. The problem cannot be treated if it remains hidden.

God’s Word works the same way. When it exposes our sin, it is doing the loving work of bringing us to repentance and pointing us to our Savior.

Romans 13:11 says, “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber.” The Christian life is not about remaining asleep in old patterns of sin. Christ has awakened us to a new life.

So don’t run from the light today.

If God’s Word reveals something that needs to change, confess it. If you have hurt someone, seek forgiveness. If you have been walking in a sinful habit, turn away from it. If you have been hiding something, bring it into the light.

And then remember the most important truth: your sin does not have the final word. Jesus does.

At the cross, Jesus took your darkness upon Himself. He suffered for your sin and rose again so that you could live in His light.

You are not who you once were.

You are light in the Lord.

So wake up. Get up. Walk in the light Christ has given you!

 

Reflect: What is something in your life that God’s Word may be exposing that you have been tempted to keep hidden? How does knowing that Christ has forgiven you give you courage to bring your sin into the light?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for rescuing me from the darkness of sin and bringing me into Your light. Forgive me for the times I have tried to hide my sin instead of bringing it to You. Give me courage to listen when Your Word exposes what needs to change in my life. Lead me to genuine repentance and assure me of Your complete forgiveness. Help me live as a child of light today. Let Your light shine through my words, my choices, and my relationships so that others may see Your grace. Amen.