A Community of Love Read: Philippians 2:1-13 In this beautiful passage, Paul calls us to live with one another with the kind of selfless love that is reflective of Christ. On the basis of our standing in Christ and participation in the life of the Holy Spirit, we are called to serve one … [Read More…] September 30: A Community of Love
Love One Another Read: John 13:1-17, 34 Aside from the cross, there is no more gripping moment revealing the servant-hearted nature of Jesus than when He kneels and washes His disciples’ feet. The task of foot washing was reserved for the very lowest of slaves. Feet that shared the roads with horses and … [Read More…] September 29: Love One Another
The Servant of All Read: Mark 10:35-45 I love this passage because of its sheer humanity. James and John ask to be big shots in the Kingdom of God, and all the other disciples are indignant at their nerve, jealous that they didn’t think to ask first. Every one of them is jockeying … [Read More…] September 28: The Servant of All
Love Caved In Upon Itself Read: Luke 12:13-21 God created us to return His self-giving love by loving Him back with every fiber of our being, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. But in our sinful, fallen condition, our love turns in upon itself and we become lovers of ourselves. Our souls, … [Read More…] September 27: Love Caved in Upon Itself
Made for Love Read: Matthew 22:35-40 God created us to be His image bearers (Genesis 1:27). Because God is love (1 John 4:8), to bear His image is to live in love, just as He Himself is love. In other words, we were made for love—not power, survival, ego, or hoarding—we were made … [Read More…] September 26: Made for Love
Have you ever walked into a new gym and felt totally lost? There’s so much equipment for so many different styles of fitness. Where to start? And everyone is so passionate about their workout routine! “You’ve got to try swimming, it’s the best!” “Cycling is where it’s at!” “Once you start weightlifting, you’ll never … [Read More…] September 25, 2022
Speaking Truth in Love Read: Ephesians 4:11-16 The Apostle Paul uses the analogy of a body to describe how followers of Jesus belong to one another in the family of God. Just like a human body has many different, mutually interdependent parts that are essential for the life of the whole, so God’s … [Read More…] September 23: Speaking Truth in Love
Abide in ME Read: John 15:1-11 Jesus is a master teacher, and His analogies are brilliant in their insight. In our passage today, Jesus is showing us just how spiritually dependent we are on Him. We’re like a branch of a grapevine. The grapes grow on the branch because it is connected to … [Read More…] September 22: Abide in Me
Bread from Heaven Read: John 6:32-40 Jesus had just fed five thousand people in the desert with the bread and fish He multiplied from a boy’s lunch. The people were amazed. No one since Moses had given them bread in the wilderness like this. They felt they’d hit the jackpot! If Jesus could … [Read More…] September 21: Bread from Heaven
Broken Cisterns Read: Jeremiah 2:11-13 In today’s passage, God is confronting His people, Israel, for forsaking Him and worshipping idols instead. The language is picturesque. They’ve abandoned their only true source of life-giving water in the desert. In a desert culture, water is life. If you have a spring of living water, you’ll … [Read More…] September 20: Broken Cisterns
