Devotionals
It’s Not About Me
By: Brittanie Baker
April 7, 2023
Jesus had just told his disciples a second time that He was going to be betrayed, killed, and raised three days later. Shortly after on their way to Capernaum, they began to argue about which disciple was the greatest.
When I read this story, I’m quick to think that I wouldn’t have been the disciples in this scenario. Jesus was about to die, surely I would have been more focused on that then myself and my status, right?
In college, I remember sitting in several church services where “Not I, but Christ” was the theme. The phrase was on stickers, car magnets, and preached frequently. I proudly displayed the sticker on my laptop for all to see.
Was I living in accordance with what I was proclaiming? Not really.
Were my motivations pure in service to others? No.
Did I want the praise from those around me? Yep. Sure did.
Just like the disciples, I let pride cloud my focus.
They were so invested in being the best disciple, having worldly status, and being the closest to Jesus that they initially missed the point of their need of a Savior. Our sin debt demands the highest price, the sacrifice and atonement of the Lamb of God. Thankfully, Jesus answered our greatest need by sacrificing Himself on the cross and defeating death in resurrection.
It’s not about power and position.
It’s not about money and wealth.
It’s not about popularity and perfection.
It’s all about Him.
Christ is Counting on You
By: Sarah Hemming
April 6, 2023
Jesus says, you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Possibly the two most common questions everyone asks is, “Who am I and what is my purpose?” The answer I believe is simple, you were created by God for God. God chose you to bring people to Himself. He created you, to send you into the world to be a light in a super dark place.
2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “You are Christ ambassadors.” Ester 4:14 says, “You were born for such a time as this.” Are you using your gifts, your light, for such a time as this? Has laziness and apathy set in? Are packed schedules and chaos running your life? Maybe you have been discouraged by others to silence what you know you're called to. You can be confident in letting your light shine with boldness and confidence throwing off all hesitancy and fear.
Today is a new day, with new mercies and Christ is counting on you. What baskets do you need to remove today so you can let your light shine?
Who’s in Control
By: Pastor Kayla Hegrat
April 5, 2023
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 NIV)
We live in a world of planning. I remember being asked in kindergarten, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question follows us for our entire childhood until we get to High School, when we’re pressured to have it all figured out.
What are you going to be when you get older? Where are you going to school? What’s your 5-year plan, your 10-year, or your 20? We live in a society that wants us to plan our every step. To know every move, we’re going to make.
James reminds us that it’s not ultimately up to us. It’s the Lord’s will on what will happen in our lives. Let me encourage you today to know it’s okay not to have your whole life planned. It’s okay if the plans you had changed. You’re more successful when you move with God than without Him. Let go of the future and live for today.
Outdoing in Service
By: Chris Eliff
April 4, 2023
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged… You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:18-21, 24)
When Paul wrote to the Roman city Colossae there was a social hierarchy in family. The husband held all the rights of everyone under his household. He could even decide whether his child lives or dies upon childbirth with no repercussions. That is a crazy amount of power.
Paul addresses this family hierarchy in Colossians with Christ in mind. Notice how Christ is at the center of it all. Wives are to submit, not in a sense of blind obedience, but because Christ submitted to the cross and is the head of the body. Children are to obey their parents, considering Christ, because Christ obeyed the Father in full. Husbands are to lead in love and kindness towards their wife and children because Christ loved the church and lead in love and kindness when he surrendered his Spirit on the cross.
God made the Christian family to symbolize the body of Christ. Socially equal members outdoing one another in love with Christ in mind. We have been called to love selflessly. Maybe today, instead of doing what you want to do, think about how you can serve someone in your family, because serving your family with Christ in mind is “serving the Lord”.
Going the Distance
By: Beth Whetlor
April 3, 2023
Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’” The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. (Luke 18:18-23 (NLT))
I have been recently teaching and facilitating a women’s Bible study using Priscilla Shirer’s Jonah series. In that series one of the teachings that Priscilla points out was the idea of shortcuts to salvation, and how we as Christians can at times desire to shortcut to our salvation without actually giving up or going the distance that Jesus requires of us.
In the passage you just read we see that a Religious leader has kept all of the commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) except one, “You must not covet” (Ex.20:17) The religious leader has acquired wealth using his position as a religious leader. The religious leader is consumed by being wealthy and clearly Jesus points out that his covetousness is the driving factor for his life, not the righteousness and servanthood of God.
Jesus in pointing out that reality distresses the religious leader because the leader is consumed by obtaining wealth through his position, not being a devoted sold out believer in God who desires to serve the people. Jesus tells him what he must do to go the distance. There are no shortcuts to salvation. Jesus did not shortcut the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus went the distance. Our response should be no different to Christ, we must go the distance and never shortcut.
We all at times have shortcuts in our spiritual walk, where we do not go the distance. Today, I pray that the Holy Spirit reveals our shortcuts and gives us the strength to make that commitment to go the distance.
The Humble Savior
By: Angel Marks
March 31, 2023
Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
The extent of Jesus’s humbleness is mind boggling. He chose His life as the stepson of a poor carpenter on the run from King Herod, instead of being born in the palace itself. Our Lord Jesus had the authority to raid kingdoms and conquer the world! Yet, He chose to be a homeless wanderer whose sole mission was leading by example in showing God’s love to the lost and broken.
What we have to offer in this world is not our financial resources, our knowledge, or our skillset. The message of Jesus’s love and grace is what truly matters most. Are we humble enough to submit to our Father, or do we have the audacity to think our finite, human resources are enough to grow the Kingdom of Christ?
Jesus' Compassion
By: Pastor Alan Hemming
March 30, 2023
"Another time there were many people with Jesus. The people had nothing to eat. So he called his followers to him and said, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat. I should not send them home hungry. If they leave without eating, they will faint on the way home. Some of them live a long way from here.”
Jesus’ followers answered, “But we are far away from any towns. Where can we get enough bread to feed all these people?”
Then Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “We have seven loaves of bread.”
Jesus told the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread into pieces and gave them to his followers. He told them to give the bread to the people, and they did as he said. The followers also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for the fish and told them to give the fish to the people.
They all ate until they were full. Then the followers filled seven baskets with the pieces of food that were left." (Mark 8:1-8)
One of the greatest characteristics of Jesus is the compassion that He shows. His compassion for the people and for us leads to incredible miracles including the miracle of the feeding of the thousands. If you read the other accounts of this story, it’s His compassion of the people that led to the miracle. In so many ways his compassion for us led him to the miracle of the resurrection. What is so interesting about this story is that the story of the feeding of the thousands is one of the only stories that is repeated in all 4 gospels.
My question for you today is why do you think this miracle was so important to be repeated in every gospel? What does this miracle say about Jesus’ character?
Understanding God’s Perfect Love
By: Allison Shaver
March 29, 2023
“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” (Ephesians 3:18)
I want to share with you a time that I encountered God’s love. I grew up in church so I knew about God’s love, but there’s a difference between knowledge and truly understanding something.
Years ago I was in a tough season, in the midst of being let down by people close to me. I had a long car ride by myself, and a familiar song came on via shuffle, but this time the words grabbed my attention and I ended up listening on repeat for two hours. Here are some of the lyrics:
“Your love's not passive
It's never disengaged
It's always present
It hangs on every word we say
Love keeps its promises
It keeps its word
Your love's not selfish
Your love is pure
You don’t give your heart in pieces”
-Pieces by Amanda Cook
This time, I heard it in the context of the ways people had let me down. The times you can tell that person is never fully paying attention when you speak. The person that tells you they’ll do something but never follows through. When someone only treats you well when you do a good job. When you make someone your number one but when it’s reversed, you aren’t theirs. I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences at one point or another. These experiences can distort our expectations of love, even God’s love for us.
But God doesn’t do ANY of these things. In fact, He does the opposite. He cares about the little things that I care about. He doesn’t get tired or bothered by me. He doesn’t get distracted when I come to Him. He does what He says He will. His love is not based on my performance.
This concept can be hard for us to truly grasp. We don’t have any love on earth that is close to His perfect love that we can compare it to. I encourage you to dwell on His perfect love today. Let Him reveal the depth of His love to you in new ways, so you can walk even closer in intimacy with Him.
But, Jesus
By: Sydney Eliff
March 28, 2023
When I think of the different characteristics of Jesus it’s easy to write down a long list.
He is kind.
He is loving.
He is trustful.
He is merciful.
He is graceful.
He forgives expecting NOTHING in return.
And that’s what I want to talk about today.
Jesus’ forgiveness.
During the Roman Empire, violent offenders, those guilty of high treason, despised enemies, deserters, slaves and foreigners were crucified. During Jesus’ crucifixion he was accompanied by two other men. There’s not much detail about those two men other than they were thieves, but what happens next is what is so beautiful about this passage.
"One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”" (Luke 23:39-34 )
This thief knew what his endgame was and that he deserved the punishment upon him.
But, Jesus.
He turned to Jesus and said “remember me” and Jesus responds with “today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus forgave him regardless of the lack of return He would receive. That same forgiveness is available to you right now. That’s who Jesus is.
He forgave you yesterday.
He forgives you today.
He will forgive you tomorrow.
You have a choice to go to Jesus and repent to Him. But, you must go to Him first.
Will you?
The Power of Faith
By: Pastor Chris Whetlor
March 27, 2023
So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:19-29 (NASB95))
In the passage there are numerous powerful events happening in the same story. The disciples hiding from the Jews fearing death. Jesus appearing twice out of nowhere in his resurrected form. The fact that Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into the gathered disciples on the first visit, which is a devotion in and of itself. What an amazing moment that foreshadows the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). It must have been something to behold.
However, for this devotion, let's focus on Thomas. One would have to ask where Thomas was the night of the first appearance? Why was Thomas so “doubtful” of his friends encounter with Jesus? At the same time specific about the hands and feet. These are all questions to ponder. However, I sense that the answer lies in the trauma of Jesus’s death. As a Hospice Chaplain I see everyone experience death, trauma, and grief in diverse ways. Thomas clearly like the other disciples was in existential crisis, grief stricken, and so spiritually crushed that he could not
believe the Resurrection.
But in a moment (vs. 27-29) Jesus takes Thomas’s fear, grief, crushed spirit, and restores Thomas who proclaims, “My Lord and My God.” The amazing thing is that Jesus can do that for us when we face challenging times, and we do not even need to be in his presence (Vs 29). If you are struggling today, be encouraged, and let the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ restore and uplift you today so that you declare “My Lord and my God.”
I’m Gonna Let It Shine
By: Brittanie Baker
March 24, 2023
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14 & 16)
During a small gathering on the mountain, Jesus tells his disciples they are the light of the world, and that their light will ignite others.
As a small child, one of my favorite songs to sing in Sunday school was “This Little Light of Mine.” If a song had motions, I sang it with passion. However, as I’ve grown older and matured in my faith, I now better understand the darkness and disparity of this world and the importance of shining my light for all to see.
But, where does this light come from?
Jesus says He is the light of the world (John 8:12).
As disciples and followers of Jesus, we are called to show Christ to those around us in our words and actions.
Even when it’s difficult.
Even when it’s unpopular.
Even when it’s time consuming.
In order for us to be the city on the hill, we need to emulate and reflect Him in the darkness. We can be the light because Jesus, throughout his life, death, and resurrection has shown us the way. He overcame difficulty, went against the cultural norms, and spent time in service to those around Him.
Church, let me encourage you to be a light in the darkness.
Love fiercely.
Show mercy and give grace.
Serve wholeheartedly.
Share His joy.
Be different.
Let it shine ‘til Jesus comes.
Find Your Exit Buddy
By: Sarah Hemming
March 23, 2023
"And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.
And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them." (Mark 6:7-12)
Most of us have watched the movie Finding Nemo. If you haven’t, you should call a friend after reading this and invite them over to watch it today.
There is a scene in the movie where Nemo and Dory are told by Squirt that to move forward in their journey, they need to find their exit buddy.
Similar to Jesus’s instructions, He sends the disciples in this passage out in partnership. Jesus instructs us to do the same today. He never asks us to do life alone. Jesus knew they didn’t need anything else for their journey because they had one another and the authority He gave them. That was more than enough.
Do you have your exit buddy? Who do you need to call today and ask to come alongside you?
How to Pray
By: Pastor Kayla Hegrat
March 22, 2023
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8).
The first time I was asked to pray before a congregation, I was nervous. Sweating bullets, I thought I was going to fall right off the stage because I felt like I was going to pass out from nerves. This verse came to my mind.
Jesus teaches us to pray, and I know at first glance this seems like a list of what not to do, but it’s through the contrast that we find out all we need to do. From the hypocrites, we can see to pray humbly and not for the attention of others.
Through the pagans, we learn to keep it simple. Big, impressive words, long flowing speech, and incantations said over and over is not what God is looking for. He just wants to hear from you. In your words, with your heart. When called to pray, remember it’s just you and God. He knows what you need before you ask him, and He’s given you a Spirit to help you.
Additional Reading: Romans 8:26
Faith Through Hearing
By: Chris Eliff
March 21, 2023
So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” (John 9:10-11)
Jesus came upon a man who was born blind. He stopped turned to the man, spit on the ground to make mud and rubbed it on his eyes. Jesus then proceeded to say “Go, wash…”. The bible indicates that he “went and washed and came back seeing”.
Something has puzzled me about this story, this man is blind from birth, but Jesus told him to go and wash. Ignoring the glaring issue of his blindness, the man went obediently even though he could not SEE where he was going. We have no indication that the man received help or where he was in relation to the pool, but what is clear is the man’s faithful obedience to the sound of Jesus’ commands without seeing Jesus.
We cannot see Jesus today, but we have his words, and we have his Holy Spirit guiding us. The question I leave with you is this, are we going to listen to the voice of Christ and go into the unknown or are we going to allow the obstacle of not seeing where we are going deter us from going to receive the gift he has in store for us?
Mic Drop Moment
By: Beth Whetlor
March 20, 2023
"When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”"(Luke 4:16-22 (NLT))
Have you ever read something in the Bible and said to yourself I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to witness that event? The story from the passage you just read, for me, is one of those times. Jesus comes home to Nazareth, where some people know him only as Joseph’s son. They probably saw him in the synagogue on the Sabbath numerous times, but this time was different.
As the worshippers waited patiently for him to read from the word of God, Jesus turns to Isaiah 61:1-2, which prophesies the coming of the Messiah. This reading would have excited the Jewish worshippers who have long awaited the Chosen one who would rescue and restore Israel from their Roman Empire oppressors. Jesus reads the scripture and declares that prophecy has come to fruition and that He is the long-awaited Messiah. Wow!!! Talk about a mic-drop moment.
I must ask myself how would I have reacted to this? How would you have reacted to this moment? Would I have sat there stunned like they were, asking the question “Isn’t this the son of Joseph”? Or would I have recognized that the Messiah was standing right in front of me and fell to my knees in worship?
There are many who dismiss Jesus as just the son of a carpenter, but to those who believe, He is the Messiah. Who do you say he is today? I pray you see Him as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.
You are Seen
By: Angel Marks
March 17, 2023
In John 1:45-51, Nathanael was skeptical of Jesus as he went with Philip to meet him. As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel-a man of complete integrity.” I wonder if Nathanael rolled his eyes and waited for proof. “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” Nathanael needed no more convincing. “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are king of Israel.”
Jesus, in all His important ministries and in His human body of limitations, took the time to see Nathanael in his darkest moments. In 1 Samuel 13, while David was the forgotten and disregarded son of Jesse, God looked at him and chose him to be ruler of His people. When Hagar went from prosperity to poverty in an instant, He saw her during her pain and in Genesis 16:13, she said, “You are the God who sees me.”
In a world of chaos, heartbreak, abandonment, and fear, you are not forgotten or neglected. You are sought for, provided for, loved, and you are seen. What a great God we serve!
Jesus Meets Our Faith
By: Pastor Alan Hemming
March 16, 2023
"A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up." (Mark 9:17-26)
This is probably one of my favorite stories in all of the gospels. What stands out to me is that this story happens immediately after the Transfiguration, the literal mountaintop experience of the book of Mark. There is something remarkable (do you see the pun there???) about how Jesus wouldn’t settle for just the mountaintop experiences but will go down into our valleys to rescue us, even when we don’t have
that much faith. This first story after the Transfiguration is a compass to what Jesus’ mission is: to rescue, heal, and set us free so that we can be in a fully trusting relationship with Him.
In what ways are you like the father? The boy? Give to Jesus the faith you have and see how He can multiply it!
Being the One, All the Time
By: Allison Shaver
March 15, 2023
“One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”” (Luke 17:15-18)
In this story, 10 lepers radically encounter Jesus and are healed, yet only one returns to thank Jesus. This was no small thing that Jesus did for them. Lepers were outcasts, hated by the community and made to live alone in their filth. This was not just an inconvenience to them, it ruined life as they knew it, so being healed of leprosy was huge.
This makes me think about the ways God has moved in my life, big and small. How many times have I felt like there was no way, and God radically came through? It’s easy to call on Him when we have a need. Once our problem is resolved, though, we have the tendency to go back to a comfortable, predictable life, instead of keeping that same dependence on God that we had before the breakthrough. We need to give God glory with our lives daily and resist our natural tendency to take Him for granted.
Lord, I pray that we would not lose sight of our thankfulness to you as you continue to move in our lives. Let us be like the one leper that returned to give you the glory You so deserve. Help us to walk closely with You, not just in times of desperation, but each and every day. Amen!
Your Faith Has Made You Well
By: Sydney Eliff
March 14, 2023
“Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’” Luke 8:43-48
This women showed so much strength and courage stepping out in a large crowd in “unclean” conditions to be healed by Jesus!
We can all relate to this women because we are all in need of healing. We are in need of His merciful touch to make us clean. The outcome may not end with the results we are hoping for but because we reach out our hand to Him, we do not miss out on the encounter of knowing Him.
How often do you allow your circumstances or current conditions to stand in the way of you stepping out in the crowd?
Father God, thank you for allowing us to reach out our hands to you in our pain and suffering. You know what’s in our hearts today, God. You know our current circumstances. We come to you with those things and lay them at your feet. Thank you for your merciful touch and your unwavering love. In Jesus name, Amen.
The Smartest Person in the Room
By: Pastor Chris Whetlor
March 13, 2023
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? -John 3:1:10 (NASB95)
I remember a professor in college saying to me one time that “If you are the smartest person in the room, find another room.” If there was anyone that Jesus had an encounter with who was literally “the smartest person in the room” it was Nicodemus, who Jesus refers to and gives the high honor of “teacher of Israel.”
Jesus bombards Nicodemus with a new way of thinking which simultaneously perplexes and amazes Nicodemus. However, here is the thing about Nicodemus, he comes to Jesus because he recognizes that there is something special about Jesus. Nicodemus, instead of being argumentative towards, and let us be honest, murderous towards Jesus like his fellow teachers were prone to be, comes to Jesus to embrace what he does not understand.
Nicodemus recognizes that he is not the smartest person in the room, but more importantly has the humility to see that, plus the desire to seek deeper understanding. This encounter profoundly changes Nicodemus who in two later stories we find Nicodemus defending Jesus (John 7:50-52), and then helps bury Jesus after the crucifixion (John 19:38-42), which would no doubt have cost him everything.
In the search for understanding Nicodemus went from being a seeker, to a defender, and a sold-out believer. Nicodemus had the humility to know he was not the smartest man in the room, but he knew who was! In that humility, Nicodemus gained the greatest understanding of all, that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and his salvation. Our prayer for ourselves and others should be that we all embrace that understanding and become a Nicodemus.