If someone was to describe you with a single word what would it be? When I was in high school my nickname was Bull. It was because of a motion I made with my foot before every pitch I threw but if I’m honest it probably described my personality a bit. I was driven and stubborn a little bit bull headed. I would hope that others would describe me with different words today. The Bible is clear about how it would describe God with one word – Love. It says it several times throughout scripture but in particular this passage in I John 4. Let’s look at it together today.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

Have you ever received an extravagant gift?  Something that you knew was extremely costly for the person who gave it to you.  Not necessarily even in money terms but in time or sacrifice.  I remember once when a friend gave me his favorite baseball card for my birthday.  I’m not sure what the card was worth in money but, to my friend, it was his prized possession.  I told him that I couldn’t take the card and he said that he wanted me to have it because I was special to him just like the card was.  For an eight year old boy that was about as extravagant as it gets.  God’s love for us is an extravagant love the Bible even describes it as lavish.  Let’s look together today at I John 3.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

For God, the extravagant love He shows for us comes across in many ways but none as great as literally giving His life for us.  The thing about extravagant gifts is that they can be overwhelming.  I remember thinking how in the world can I repay my friend for the gift of his baseball card.  I started hanging out with him more and we would often argue about what sports we would play.  I found myself agreeing with him more instead of arguing.  The same thing happens with God.  When we understand His extravagant love for us it changes us.  We want to spend more and more time with Him and we want to live lives that please Him.  We want to share His love with others.  May we all be overwhelmed today and each day with a fresh sense of the lavish love of God for us and may we share that love with the world.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?  Is it about His teachings?  Is it trusting in Him for Salvation?  Is it living life the way that He did?  John reminds us that it is actually all of the above.  Let’s look together at I John 2 today.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

John reminds us that we will sin and that Jesus has covered all of our sins through His work on the cross.  Yet as a true follower of Jesus our lives should be different.  We should walk as Jesus walked or live as He did.  We should have lives marked by love, compassion on others.  We should live by a different set of priorities from the rest of the world.  I pray that my life and all of our lives would be marked by Jesus.  That simply our love and attitude and mindset would be clearly based on a different economy, the economy of the kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus made a difference in the world because He was so different, may we be the very same.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right?  You wake up and your morning routine gets thrown off and then everything starts going in a downward spiral.  Today was one of those mornings for me.  Got to the office early and tried to turn on worship music and it wouldn’t work.  Started to write this devotional and my computer was completely frozen and then the screen went black.  Realized I left my phone and glasses on the counter at home so I walked back to retrieve them.  Left my keys at the office so I couldn’t get into the house, walked back for the keys and returned home to find the dogs chewing on said phone and glasses.  Just one of those mornings.  I found myself struggling with anger and completely frustrated and realized it wasn’t as much the circumstances as it was that I missed the time with worship music and reading the Bible first thing in the morning.  When I do that the circumstances of life tend to not affect me as much.  I took a pause, read the Bible from my phone and restarted the computer (for now it is sort of working).  Let’s look at the passage I read this AM.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

That’s the thing when I start my day in the light.  Things just go better.  Everything isn’t always perfect, we all struggle at times but it’s just a better foundation for my day.  Today take a quick pause and spend time in the light with Jesus.  I suspect the rest of your day will go a bit better.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever waited a long time for something? It is easy to grow impatient and grumble and even forget the purpose of what it is you are waiting for. The Bible talks a lot about Jesus’ return and waiting on that day. We are encouraged to look forward to it coming soon and also to take advantage of the time we have to share God’s love and message with others. Let’s look together today at what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3. 

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

It is interesting to me how much the Bible talks about false teachers.  It is a theme that pops up in many of the letters in the New Testament and is also addressed by Jesus in the Gospels.  Peter devotes much time to it in II Peter.  Let’s take a look at it together today. 

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

The real question is not whether or not you will come across false teachings but rather how do you spot it?  The best way is with the Bible, itself.  It serves as a filter through which we evaluate every teaching we come across.  Anything that you hear that goes against scripture is false teaching.  This idea was what led Martin Luther to writing his 95 theses.  He saw that some in the church were teaching things that contradicted Scripture and he wanted to address that.  Our society today has nearly limitless access to information which can be both good and bad.  I got into a conversation with a friend the other day who began sharing something they had learned about God.  I stopped them and said that the teaching they had heard went against the teachings of the Bible.  They responded with shock saying they had heard the same teaching from several preachers and all over social media.  The danger with false teaching is that is often so very close to the truth.  The next time you hear something new try and search it out in the Bible you just may be surprised what you find.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever noticed that your relationship with God is not always easy?  Maybe there are times of struggle, times when sin seems more present and God feel far away.  Maybe times where you feel stuck.  Peter encourages us to continue to strive to move forward in our faith journey.  Let’s look at his words in 2 Peter 1 together today. 

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter gives us a list of “add-ons” to our faith to help us along the way.  I find it interesting that many of these are actually also referred to as the fruit of the spirit.  It seems the more we are seeking God in our journey the more present these things are in our lives.  Peter stresses the urgency of this task, not to earn favor with God, but so that we will attract others to join us on this journey of faith.   May we all strive to add on goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, mutual affection, and of course love as we walk this faith journey of life. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever had an enemy? Not merely someone who didn’t like you or who you didn’t get along with, but someone who was actively working toward your destruction. It can be unnerving to think that someone is doing that but the Bible reminds us that, in fact, we all have an enemy. Satan is at work to attack us. Let’s look together at I Peter 5 today.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Peter is a man of action. He leaps and then looks where he is leaping. I love that his writing is so action oriented as well. He doesn’t beat around the bush or waste time with long explanations his just says what he wants to say. Let’s look at a few verses in chapter 4 where he tells us how we should be living as followers of Jesus.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Have you ever faced opposition because of your faith?  I can think of several occasions throughout my life but nothing like the early church faced regularly.  In the midst of such opposition they still shared their faith boldly with others.  Our example in this is Jesus who suffered for us, and died so that we might have life.  Let’s look together at what Peter says about this in I Peter 3.

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Even in the face of persecution Peter tells his readers to always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have.  In other words always be ready to talk to others about Jesus.  Peter reminds us to do it with gentleness and respect but to take advantage of those chances.  I think that God regularly puts these opportunities in front of us and sometimes we simply miss them.  Pray that God would give you the eyes to recognize those opportunities and the boldness and the words to take advantage of those opportunities when they come to you. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave