CATEGORY ARCHIVES: Devotions

whatever it takes.

Posted by phil

Ask yourself: are you willing to do whatever it takes to see people come to Christ?

Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Think about verse 19.

What did Paul mean when he said he made himself a slave to everyone?

What’s difficult about that idea?

How do verses 20-22 apply to your life today? How have you become like others in order to show them Christ’s love?

When have you NOT followed these instructions? What happened?

How do Paul’s instructions relate to how Jesus lived His life? Explain.

Is there anything you should NOT do or say in order to share Christ with others? Why or why not?

This was a difficult passage for me when I was in high school. I was taught that I was to be different from others to demonstrate God’s work in my life. Yet these verses seemed to say I should act like others.

Yes, relationships with unbelievers are necessary in order to share God’s love, but not at the expense of living a life that’s pleasing to God.

So how do we balance? Jesus showed us how. He was in constant relationship with God. Jesus’ inner circle was a group of men who yearned to love God more. But Jesus also spent time with so-called sinners. He ate with them; He talked with them. He was their friend.

Do you have a group of believers who help encourage you and hold you accountable? Do you develop relationships with non-believers? How can you share the hope of Christ with someone this week?


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BUT IT’S MY RIGHT! WRONG.

Posted by phil

We are big on rights in this country, as we should be. Even at Camp Ridgecrest we feel like it is our right to do certain things or have certain opportunities. However, there is something that supersedes rights in the kingdom of God—moving the gospel forward.

Read 1 Corinthians 9:1-12. Concentrate on verse 12.

What was Paul upset about in this passage?

Why is it important to provide for ministers and missionaries?

How can you help those in the ministry this week? This doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary assistance!

How could the message of Christ have been hindered by Paul demanding the people provide for him?
What’s more important, having material possessions or spreading the message of Christ? Explain. How do you show this in your life?
What rights do you need to give up in order to share Christ’s love with others?

Unless you work at a church or are a missionary, this passage may be one you routinely skim over. Maybe you think, What does pay for ministers have to do with me? This passage reflects a bigger truth, though. Paul was describing a God-given right that he had. According to God, he was entitled to provision from the people to whom he was ministering. That should sound familiar to you. As Americans, we defend, protest, and write our legislators, all in the effort to claim what is ours! But Paul refused to use this right. He chose to go without so that the message of Christ could be proclaimed. Wow. What a shift in perspective! How could you go without something you deserve this week in order to honor God? Are you willing to make that sacrifice?


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Liberty and justice for all?

Posted by phil

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Take note of verse 11.

We were all once enslaved to sin, but thankfully we don’t have to stay that way! A change can be made through the power of Christ. This is the good news we are to share with others.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Take note of verse 11.

How do you stand up to the list given in verses 9-10? With what
do you struggle?

What does it mean to be “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified”?
How does it make you feel to
know that as a Christ follower you are no longer guilty before God?
Do you believe that all sins are equal? Why or why not?

Do you think someone can continue to struggle with a sin and yet be a believer? For example, can an alcoholic or homosexual ever be a Christ follower?

What about someone who is selfish or who talks negatively? Why or why not?

Often, verses 9-10 serve as a “Do Not Enter” sign posted on church doors. So-called believers point to homosexuals or drug addicts and say “There’s no room for you here until you get your life straight.” They withhold the life-changing message of Christ from those they deem unworthy. Yet how many Christ followers are guilty of continued disobedience in other areas like greed or gossip? There is no double standard with Christ. Everyone is guilty before God, and anyone who accepts His gift of love and mercy will become justified in His sight. Only Jesus can take away your sin and free you from its burden. Jesus can change lives. Be careful not to withhold His gracious gift from others.


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Pledge allegiance to…

Posted by phil

Read 2 Peter 2:15-19. Focus on verse 19.

Some people in the world say they find freedom in doing whatever they want to do. They tout their lifestyle as real freedom, but in reality they are enslaved by it.
Read the story of Balaam (Num. 22:22-35). Why do you think Peter mentioned this story?

-Have you ever been promised something only to realize you didn’t get what you were guaranteed? How did that make you feel?

-Why do you think people try to get others to commit the same kind of bad choices they make?
Have you ever been guilty of this? Explain.

-What gives you a sense of freedom? Why?

-To what do you feel enslaved? Explain.

-Do you think Christ has the power to free you from sin? How do you make that belief a reality?

A lot of people think Christianity is about a list of do’s and don’ts; they believe serving God means giving up freedom. Don’t be fooled! The truth is everyone is slave to something. People end up serving many different masters. Maybe it’s an addiction, like drugs or porn. Or maybe it’s the desire for academic achievement or the need for others’ approval. Whatever becomes the focus of your life is what enslaves you. That’s the point of today’s verses. The false teachers said their message brought freedom, but it only brought corruption and defeat.

So you have a choice: do you pledge allegiance to self and sin and the consequences that go with it, or do you choose to serve Christ instead? What changes will you make this week to make Christ the ruler of your life?


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The cost.

Posted by phil

Read 2 Peter 2:9-14.

Murders. Robberies. Hit-and-run accidents. Have you ever watched the news and been astonished by the things people do with little thought about the consequences ?

But that I-can-do-what-I-want attitude extends to more than heinous crimes; it’s a part of our everyday lives and daily decisions. We think we can say whatever we want, make morally questionable decisions, and choose to live in opposition to God’s standard with little or no consequences.

There’s a problem with that logic. If you are a Christian, then you have submitted your rights to Christ; He has control of your life. There is a standard by which you have been called to live and choosing to live in opposition to it has consequences.

Scripture clearly outlines those consequences, as seen in today’s harshly worded passage. Paul’s words were aimed at false teachers who thought they could do, say, and teach whatever they wanted. Yet Paul said the consequences of their disobedience would destroy them.

As a believer, you may sometimes choose to live in opposition to God’s standard. That doesn’t mean you lose your salvation, but it also doesn’t mean that God erases the consequences of your sin. When you sin, there are always consequences—sometimes devastating ones.

God has called you to more than that. Count the cost of your choices today and choose obedience. Once Christ has freed you from sin, why would you want to go back to it?


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God is Intimately Involved

Posted by anthologycreative

Think about a moment when you were humbled. Maybe you were standing in the midst of some of God’s most beautiful creation and realized His greatness. Perhaps you realized the limits of your abilities in a humbling and slightly embarrassing display witnessed by half the school. How did you feel? What did you learn—about yourself and humility?

Read Philippians 2:5-11, focusing on verses 7-8.

What do these verses teach you about Christ’s character?

Verse 8 says Jesus “humbled Himself.” How?

Why was Jesus’ earthly life a humbling experience for Him?

In your own words, define the word “servant.” Why is that a fitting description of Jesus? Explain.

How did Jesus serve others by living among us and sacrificing Himself?

When is it most difficult for you to be humble or to serve someone else?

What did Jesus receive because of His obedience to humble Himself?

The Bible teaches that Jesus was with God the Father in the beginning and that throughout eternity, He has been equal with His Father (John 1:1-3; Phil. 2:6). In today’s Scripture passage, we begin to understand that Jesus humbled Himself by taking on flesh and becoming like us. Then He went to the cross and died a sinner’s death so that we could be redeemed. Thank God today that Jesus was not content to remain in heaven but became a servant for you. The God you worship isn’t a God who stands far off from you. He’s intimately involved with your life because of Jesus.

Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. —Philippians 2:7-8

Adapted from ec magazine. © 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.


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Hold His Hand

Posted by anthologycreative

Your friends forgot to include you in their weekend plans. Maybe your parents forgot to pick you up after school. Whatever the situation, you felt abandoned and forgotten. But have you ever felt abandoned by God?

Read Psalm 37:23-26. Zone in on verse 24.

What promises did the psalmist proclaim for God’s people in these verses?

What was the condition for these promises?

How have you seen God’s guidance in your life?

In what areas of your life are you having difficulty trusting that God will come through for you?

Psalm 37 is all about how God will come through for His people. Earlier in the passage, the psalmist had encouraged readers to trust in God’s provision and seek His leadership in their lives. All of these promptings imply a quiet assurance that God will act in His good timing. In today’s passage, the psalmist outlines the tender care God shows to those who seek and follow Him. He guides their steps, holds their hands, and never allows them to be discarded or disowned. He upholds them and meets their needs. That is what God will do for you. So when He seems far away, take heart! He promises to come through for those who put their trust in Him.

Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the Lord holds his hand. —Psalm 37:24

Adapted from ec magazine. © 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.


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God Will Take Care Of You

Posted by anthologycreative

Do you ever feel like you’re wandering around with no direction in life? Maybe you’re not quite sure why you’re taking certain classes this year. Or maybe life just doesn’t seem to make much sense in general right now. You might be trying to make big decisions, like where or if you’ll go to college or what to do after graduation. Maybe you just want to know if your crush feels the same way about you. Whatever the circumstances, uncertainty can be scary.

Concentrate on verse 7 as you read Deuteronomy 8:1-10.

According to these verses, why did God lead the Israelites on a 40-year journey through the desert?

What had He promised them?

How had God provided for the Israelites while they were in the desert?

Why did God allow His people to feel uncertain for so long? (See vv. 2,5.)

In what area of your life do you need to “observe the commands of the Lord” (Deut. 6:17) as you wait on Him?

How might God be using uncertainty in your life to draw you closer to Him?

In what situation is God calling you to trust in His provision?

The Israelites traveled the hot, arid land by foot, totally removed from the comforts of civilization, susceptible to attack, and without a way to grow food or find water—but God took care of their every need. We sometimes believe that accounts of God’s provision and protection are only found in Bible stories. But if you ask some friends who have been walking with the Lord for awhile, they can probably tell you how God has provided for them. God wants to lead you, guide you, and provide for you in all parts of your life. Let Him.

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams of water, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills.
—Deuteronomy 8:7

Adapted from ec magazine. © 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.


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Into Your Own Darkness

Posted by anthologycreative

I feel so alone. How many times have you said those words? Maybe you really were alone and felt destitute and abandoned. Maybe you were in a room full of people, but you felt nameless, faceless, overlooked, and misunderstood in the middle of the crowd. Perhaps you said those words during a dark time in your relationship with God when He seemed far away and hard to reach. But is God ever really far away?

Read Psalm 139:7-12. Read verses 11-12 aloud.

What did David observe about the presence of God in this passage?

According to these verses, is God ever far away? Why or why not?

Is that comforting or disconcerting to you? Explain.

What attributes of God’s nature does the psalmist point out?

What do you suppose would make David want to hide from God?

Is there any secret sin in your life that you have attempted to hide from God?

In what dark situation in your life does God seem distant right now?

What steps will you take this week to seek God in that situation?

David is known as a man after God’s own heart, but Israel’s great king also dealt with some major sin during his life. In 2 Samuel 11, we read that he slept with another man’s wife, then had him killed! Yet in worship David proclaims that God is always near him and no matter where he goes, he can’t hide from God.

God is so invested in finding you that He will follow you into even the darkest places. Even in the bleakest moments of your life, take comfort that God is there. Is your family situation bleak? God is there with you. Have you run to busyness or sex or some other addiction to escape the pain you feel? God is there, too. No matter what your situation, it is not too dark for God. He is determined to seek you—and darkness is no obstacle for Him!

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”—even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.
—Psalm 139:11-12

Adapted from ec magazine. © 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.


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For Good

Posted by anthologycreative

The news came late one evening that a classmate had lost his life in a tragic automobile accident. He was a leader in the youth group, at the top of his class, and had such a bright future. What happened? Where was God in the midst of this tragedy? How could any good come from such a thing?

Read Romans 8:28-30. Think about verse 28.

What does it mean that God works all things together for good?

What is God’s ultimate goal in our lives? (See verse 29.)

What does it mean to be conformed to the image of His Son?

When have you seen God work together for good? How did it change you and make you more like Christ?

Do you need to make changes in your life in order to conform to His image? If so, what?

In this passage, we find a very comforting truth: God is working all things together for good. Notice the Scripture says all things, not just some things. This doesn’t mean that every situation is good. We live in a world where sin is rampant and bad things happen to good people. But God can take our terrible situations and turn them around for good. God’s good will ultimately shapes us into His image. This promise isn’t for everyone, though. It’s only for those who love God and who are about His business. Examine your life. Are you seeking Christ or the world? How can your present situation, good or bad, teach you to be more like Him?

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28

Adapted from ec magazine. © 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.


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