 The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of February 22, 2016
Brevity Psalm 39:4-5, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. 5You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” Beloved, our days on earth are numbered. I am reminded of this each year on my birthday or when I receive a notice for my High School reunion. I remember when it was a 10-year reunion and now this year it will be 37 years! Unbelievable! Like James McDonald said during a sermon, “Yesterday I was in High School!” Yes, time goes by quickly. This is why the Psalmist asked the Lord to remind him, “How brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.” Why do we need to be reminded of this? Because we take our lives or life for granted. We put off for tomorrow what should be accomplished today. Some unfortunately put off the most important decision of their life- their decision whether or not to follow Jesus Christ. Unfortunately for some it will become too late. Hence in a sense their decision was made by their non-decision. For others maybe our priorities may need to change. Instead of chasing all that the world has to offer maybe we need to change course and follow after God with a deeper devotion. Maybe we need to stop giving God our leftovers and begin to give Him our best. As Pastor Chuck used to say, “We have only one life and it will soon be past. And only what is done for Christ will last. And so looking at the eternal and realizing the value of the eternal over the temporal.” Yes beloved we need to number our days and value the eternal over the temporal. But what does that mean for us? It simply means that we need to value relationships over property, life over things, love for others over love for self and above all place the Lord first in our lives. Brevity…our life is but a vapor…but eternity awaits us! I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Christ, Pastor Joe
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 The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of February 8, 2016
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.” The woman with an alabaster flask of ointment did a beautiful thing for Jesus. This ointment was very expensive and could have been sold for a large amount of money, money that could have been given to the poor or lined the pocket of a deceitful apostle. Beloved, what the world does not understand, Jesus does. Concerning the woman Jesus said, “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 we serve Jesus with all of our heart, soul and mind and it costs us our time, talent and treasure we have done a beautiful thing for Jesus. The world will not and cannot understand a heart and life devoted to the Lord. They will question your service unto God and attempt to dissuade you from giving your all. Beloved, don’t be fooled by the temporal but continue to focus on the eternal. Each day as you serve the Lord and His people continue to give your all. This lady with the alabaster flask of ointment reminds me of King David in 2 Samuel 24:24 who said, “But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels7of silver.” Beloved, true service to the Lord is costly. It costs our time, our talent, our treasure, our comfort and on and on. May we live in such a manner that we continue to display our love for Jesus! I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! In Christ, Pastor Joe |
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