3 Devotions based on upcoming Sunday’s (4th After Pentecost) Readings
Pease wait till Sun. 6/21 to post please, thank you.
4th Sunday after Pentecost-Old Testament
TEXT: Jeremiah 28:5-9
TITLE: “In God We Trust”
“But the prophet that prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.” Jeremiah 28:9
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Those words are asked of people in courts when many times the truth can mean either life or death for someone. Truth, and recognizing it, is important. It was P. T. Barnum who once said, “A sucker is born every minute.” On the one hand, we live in a fallen world that’s steeped in the art of deception and making a quick buck! On the other hand, God is Truth, and by His grace we are infused with that Truth!
Hence, it can be difficult for Christians to be ‘wise as serpents’ when The Serpent-Satan, the father of lies, continues to weave what comes natural for him-lies. It was this Serpent who brought death into this world by deceiving Adam and Eve. Thus, recognizing a true man of God and what’s true or false can indeed mean the difference between life and death. By faith, we know God’s Word to be true. Jesus was the serpent on the pole of which all who were bitten by serpents were to look to and live. Jesus is the Truth and His Word acts as litmus as we test to whatever we hear against it or is not true.. God is true as are His promises and He promises us His Spirit to ‘teach us all things.’ Therefore, we look to God and His Word to know that which is true or false. In God we trust!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for granting me a discerning heart through Your Spirit to know what is true. Help me in my weakness to still know what is true, in Jesus Name, Amen.
4th Sunday after Pentecost-Epistle
TEXT: Romans 7:1-13
TITLE: The Life of the Party
“Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.” Romans 7:9
A good time was being had by all at the wedding party! All of a sudden the Pastor shows up and it was like all the air went out of the room. One person whispered to another, “We were having a good time till he showed up. Now we got to watch our p’s and q’s!” This (not so) fictitious, little story parallels the verse above. On the one hand, we’re all having a good time, “alive,” then ‘the Law’ shows up (from God to Moses on Mount Sinai), and our life (‘party’) died. That’s because we’re sinners! Once the Law became written and known, it showed us our sins; sins that ‘killed’ us.
On the one hand, we may think the Law is like the unwanted guest at the party, but in reality it is for our ultimate good. Though we can never keep the Law perfectly, Jesus did! On the other hand, we can be thankful for Jesus and the Law which shows us our sins that we may repent and look to Him in faith. Jesus is the welcome guest and Savior of mankind’s wedding ‘party’ just as He was the Savior at that wedding in Cana. There, Jesus made sure the wine never ran out and that the party continued with joy! Jesus is the Life of this ‘party’ we call life!
Dear Heavenly Father, help us live our Christian liberty to Your Glory and to help others with it as we thank you for all our blessings, in Jesus Name, Amen.
4th Sunday after Pentecost-Gospel
TEXT: Matt. 10:34-42
TITLE: A Sword For Unbelief
“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matt.10:34b
There’s a cute little children’s song that goes:
“Be careful little eyes what you see, there’s Father up above looking down with love,
So be careful little eyes what you see.”
The remaining verses are: 2-Be careful little ears what you hear;
3-Be careful little hands what you do;
4-Be careful little feet where you go.
All these verses talk about a type of Father that has to do with ‘dos and don’ts’. Though He may be looking down with love, it sounds as though you’re in trouble if you did something wrong. On the one hand, we are daily doing something wrong. It’s in our nature! On the other hand, Jesus forgave us of all of our sins! Therefore, we don’t need to be looking behind our back to see if an angry God is watching us!
Couple this little song with the verse above and it appears we have a Heavenly Father who’s going to slice us to pieces if we step out of line! I thought Jesus was the ‘Prince of Peace,’ the emissary of His Father’s love? Jesus was trying to convey to His disciples that His coming would bring a war against sin. Calvary was the ultimate victory over sin. He uses family here as an extreme anti type. Though families may have love and devotion for one another, if there be the sin of unbelief, they will be divided; hence, the sword. The Bible says, “It is God’s will that all men be saved.” God’s love is what truly joins families as they place God first and foremost in their lives as part of His family.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for keeping us faithful to You, yet, help us in our faithful devotion to You, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.