 THE WORD OF GRACE DEVOTION for the week of JANUARY 26, 2015
A BEAUTIFUL THING Matthew 26:6-13, “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?9For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Beloved, when was the last time you did a beautiful thing for Jesus? In this week’s devotional we read of a woman, probably Mary Magdalene, who poured an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment on the head of Jesus. When the text says very expensive, it means very VERY expensive. In today’s dollars it would be the equivalency of a year’s salary. Imagine pouring something like that into the tithe box instead of the sporadic giving many perform today. Imagine serving the Lord with the tenacity of laying it all on the line instead of complaining about children’s ministry or worship ministry or some other ministry. In this one act Mary revealed her heart for JESUS for Scripture says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Mary’s act was done to prepare Jesus for His burial. Jesus responded by saying, “Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” Beloved, this week’s devotion then is a call for us to examine our hearts and to respond with a love for Jesus. Maybe we need to step up our giving or our serving or our reading or our praying or maybe even all of those facets of our relationship with the Lord. Maybe we have placed our relationship with Jesus into neutral not knowing that we are on a hill moving in reverse! Let’s get this thing back into gear and move forward with the Lord! Beloved, when was the last time we did a beautiful thing for Jesus? I pray that you will have a blessed week and that you will do a beautiful thing for Jesus! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Him, Pastor Joe
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The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of January 5, 2015
Love Covers It! Matthew 5:38-42, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.41And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Beloved, this morning’s reading was so intensely full with application that I was not certain which Scripture to pull for my devotion. From the Beatitudes to loving your enemy, Matthew 5 was loaded! However, I choose a portion of Scripture that many of us struggle with, that of being taken advantage of. Beloved, it is difficult for us to respond with God’s love when we are being taken advantage of. In fact we often do not respond we REACT! If someone slaps us on the right cheek, we slap him right back. If someone takes away our tunic, we take it back and slap him as well. It is difficult to respond with love when we are attacked. However, Jesus tells us that in Matthew 5:39-40, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” Beloved, the practical application for us requires that we be actively involved in leading this person closer to Christ. Sometimes we do need to respond with Grace upon Grace rather than with self-righteousness. And because of the Holy Spirit living within us we can respond with grace, love, and mercy simply because Christ did the same for us as Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Here are a couple of other Scriptures, which may help: 1 Peter 4:8- “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” Proverbs 10:12- “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” Beloved, I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! Remember, love covers it! In Him, Pastor Joe |
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