BELIEVE: week nine: Stewardship

View fullsize

Believe Devo’s Week 9: Stewardship

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:9

Every house hunter or renovator on HGTV at some point during the show exclaims something like, “Now I can see myself entertaining here!” Or “This backyard would be great for having friends over for barbecuing,” or “This kitchen will be awesome for hosting!” Apparently everyone wants to entertain, but they’re just one major move or remodel away from actually pulling it off.

In the Scripture, hospitality appears in the form of a command, not a suggestion. “Do not forget to show hospitality” (Hebrews 13:2). “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13). Whether we live in an apartment or house, a mansion or cottage, whether it needs to be remodeled or is brand new, our home is a gift from God, and he expects us to share it willingly and cheerfully with others.

Jesus doesn’t want you to wait until your house is perfect before you open it up and share it with others.

“I believe everything I am and everything I own belongs to God.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 21-22.]

BELIEVE: week eight: Compassion

View fullsize

“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4

Freddy was a classmate of mine in junior high school. He had a condition referred to (at the time) as “water on the brain.” The excess fluid around his skull created an oversized and awkward head for Freddy. Junior high school is an awful place to be different. Immature people create the worst possible names for our apparent weaknesses. Freddy was called Watermelon Head.

One day between classes in a hallway filled with people, a group of boys started picking on Freddy. They called him names and shoved him around. This was the same year I became a Christian. Something was stirring in me, something that was not there before—or perhaps I should say someone.

I felt compelled to go and stand between Freddy and the bullies. But in the end, I did nothing. Forty years later I still think about this incident. As a new, immature Christian, I failed Freddy, and he took the abuse with no advocate. I am so sorry, Freddy. With God’s forgiveness granted, I wake up each day praying for the courage to “defend,” to “uphold the cause,” and “rescue” the Freddys God puts in my life.

“I believe God calls all Christians to show compassion to people in need.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 19-20.]

BELIEVE: week seven: Humanity

View fullsize

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Most Americans claim they are Christian. They aren’t Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu; they were raised in the church or attend church; and they try to live by the golden rule.

Nicodemus was no different. He was one of the spiritual leaders—in our world, he’d be teaching the adult Sunday school class and serving on the elder board. Nicodemus had memorized all the laws and tried to live out each one. Secretly approaching Jesus, he was sure Jesus would assure him he had done everything needed to gain a relationship with God. After all, he had been working for this his whole life. And that is when Jesus said the words from the most famous verse in the Bible. They were spoken not to a person outside the church, but to one of its leaders.

Many people attempt to live good lives, working hard to make sure they secure an eternal relationship with they Creator. Like Nicodemus, however, they have missed the one thing they need to gain access to a true relationship with God.

God wants nothing more than to be in relationship with you, but unless you accept the free gift of his Son, you cannot enter into that relationship.

“I believe all people are loved by God and need Jesus Christ as their Savior.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 17-18.]

BELIEVE: week six: The Church

View fullsize

“Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15

What mother tells her child to chew up a pill that is meant to be swallowed? Most likely the child would promptly spit out the pill because of its bitter taste. A loving mother smashes the pill and smothers it in applesauce so the pill goes down easier. Wisdom tells her that if her child spits it out, the healing benefit will be lost.

God calls us to challenge each other to spiritual growth, but if the challenge comes without love, it’s the same as chewing a pill that’s meant to be swallowed. As a wise believer, you should surround yourself with a few trusted friends who, beyond the shadow of a doubt, love you while your spiritual temperature is normal. Whenever you begin to experience a rise in your spiritual temperature, you can give them permission to challenge you in love.

We all falter from time to time. By preemptively choosing loving believers to monitor your spiritual temperature, you ensure that the truth you have to swallow will be given to you in love.

“I believe the Church is God’s primary way to accomplish His purposes on earth.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 15-16.]

BELIEVE: week five: Identity In Christ

View fullsize

Believe: Devos: Week Five: Identity In Christ

“To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” ~ John 1:12

The words “It’s a boy!” at the birth of our second child brought Roxanne and me tremendous joy. We already had a girl; now we had a boy. Life was perfect—until we noticed that our baby boy was missing his left hand and forearm. Immediately questions flashed through our minds. Sports? How would the kindergarteners treat him? Where would his wedding ring go? Never mind marriage; what girl would love him with so many men out there with two hands? And the most alarming question: Would we love him?

Nurses swaddled our little David and laid him in our arms. And in that moment our greatest fear evaporated. We loved him; there was nothing he had to do to earn our love. He was our son.

Our actions sometimes make us feel that God could never love us, as if there were anything we could do to earn God’s love. God loves us not because of anything we have done, but because of what he did. He loves us because of who we are, his children.

Today David is a successful attorney and has a beautiful wife who loves him dearly. He played sports better than most kids with two hands! While that brings us great joy, it isn’t why we love hi. We love him because he’s our son.

God feels the same about you!

“I believe I am significant because of my position as a child of God.”

[Excerpt from Believe: 31-Day Devotional by Randy & Rozanne Frazee, pgs. 13-14.]