We Are Family

We Are Family
Monday, April 23, 2007

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Romans 12:10 NIV

Common belief identifies members of God’s family. And common affection unites them. Paul gives this relationship rule for the church: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” The apostle plays the wordsmith here, bookending the verse with fraternal-twin terms. He begins with philostorgos (philos means friendly; storgos mean family love) and concludes with philadelphia (phileo means tender affection; adelphia means brethren). An awkward but accurate translation of the verse might be “Have a friend/family devotion to each other in a friend/family sort of way.” If Paul doesn’t get us with the first adjective, he catches us with the second. In both he reminds us: the church is God’s family.

You didn’t pick me. I didn’t pick you. You may not like me. I may not like you. But since God picked and likes us both, we are family.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in Cure for the Common Life

Its the Little Things...

The Little Things

Luke 16:10

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."

It is the little things that make any relationship extra good, extra meaningful!

The little love note you find tucked into your clothes when you are away on a trip, put there by your spouse. The little words spoken in kindness.

And also, when you find that a person is honest about little things that don't matter very much, you trust their honesty when a big thing comes up.

We sometimes say to our children, "If we find that we can trust you in this, then maybe we will talk about letting you do that."

It is a principle of life, isn't it? The way you handle the little things says a lot about how you handle the big things. Because this is true, we need to pay much closer attention to the "little things" in life. In reality, they are not little things at all.

I remember a man from India saying to me once, "Little tigers grow into big tigers, and big tigers kill." Sometimes we find it easier to commit the big things of our life to God than the little things. Our sin nature wants to hang on to those little things. What little things are holding you back? It's time to give them to God.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

Time Management & Priorities

Thursday 4/19/2007

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately,...as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time....
—Ephesians 5:15,16


We are the generation God has set apart to participate in the end-time harvest that is prophesied in His Word. God is searching for people He can trust to be accountable for the anointing, power, and authority that will be evident in these last days.

Learning to walk in obedience where we are prepares us for the next level into which God wants to take us. Obedience prepares us for promotion. We cannot wait until the "glory days" hit and then get prepared. Preparation precedes promotion.

God is speaking to His people today saying, "Get your house in order." What does this mean in a practical way? I believe it means that we are not to live fragmented, useless lives with no purpose and direction. We must be accountable and responsible for the abilities God has given each of us. We must make a firm decision to stop wasting our time, because time is a gift from God.

Time management is vital to preparation and equipping. Funnel your time into your purpose. Don't look at your time as your own, but see it as God's something He has entrusted to you to use wisely.

Say This:

"I will no longer procrastinate or be slow of heart to believe. I will move when the Lord says, 'Move!'"

A Clear Vision of the Cross

A Clear Vision of the Cross
Friday, April 06, 2007

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
I Peter 3:18 NIV

One of the reference points of London is the Charing Cross. It is near the geographical center of the city and serves as a navigational tool for those confused by the streets.

A little girl was lost in the great city. A policeman found her. Between sobs and tears, she explained she didn’t know her way home. He asked her if she knew her address. She didn’t. He asked her phone number; she didn’t know that either. But when he asked her what she knew, suddenly her face lit up.

“I know the Cross,” she said. “Show me the Cross and I can find my way home from there.”

So can you. Keep a clear vision of the cross on your horizon and you can find your way home.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in And the Angels Were Silent

He died on our behalf...

Easter

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

The reason Jesus died and rose again for you, was so that your life-focus would shift from yourself to His purposes in this world!

You were created for His purposes (see Ephesians 2:10), but your fallen, sinful, self-focused life was preventing you from living out your reason for existing. So Jesus "died.on [your] behalf". He died in your place, taking the sin and guilt you had built up, and experiencing God's judgment for you.

And He also "rose again on [your] behalf". His resurrection life in you enables you to live in a way that brings God glory.

Do you see what the Lord is saying to you today? You do not "live for [yourself]" anymore. Now you live for Him! Your life purpose is no longer to get as much, do as much, travel as much for yourself as you can. Now your purpose is to honour Him, love Him, and point people to Him as much as you can.

Replace "all" with your name: "He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

Love is...

Wednesday 4/4/2007

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
—John 13:34 NIV


Love is the new commandment Jesus gave under the New Covenant. The love walk is a liberating lifestyle because it sets us free from self.

Love is a sacrifice—it costs. Every time we love someone, it costs us something. Time, talent, money, or pride may be the cost.

Forgiveness is love; it costs pride to forgive. The flesh is basically lazy and passive; it always wants effortless benefits. Love is effort.

There seems to be a lack of joy among God's people; one of the major reasons is that we often become passive, looking for an effortless lifestyle.

Love is involvement. It is impossible to have true relationship without involvement. Involvement requires commitment; commitment requires work; work is effort.

Love is an effort; it is an effort to walk in love.

Love is involvement, not isolation. Love requires reaching out. Love says, "I'm sorry," first and initiates the move that can bring restoration and understanding.

Love involves sacrificial giving. Love doesn't do the right thing to get something; love does the right thing because it is right. Love is healing; love restores.

Say This:

"Love is the new commandment Jesus gave. I walk in love, and it sets me free from self. Forgiveness is love, so I forgive."

Easter...

Easter

Hebrews 2:9-11

“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren”

Jesus’ suffering and death on our behalf only increased His resurrection glory in heaven!

Jesus was always perfect. He existed forever as God the Son, in perfect fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. All the attributes of God were His in perfection. When He became a man, He lived without any sin. So how was He “perfected…through sufferings”?

His perfections became even greater! It is one thing to have a nature that would sacrifice out of love for others. But that aspect of a person becomes even more glorious when they are put in a situation where they actually have to make an inconceivable sacrifice to save others.

Today God the Father wants you to see the glory of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Get on your knees before the cross and glorify Him who suffered for you.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.