GraceCreates

By Jon Walker

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

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God is sovereign and that means he’s able. He’s able to take what you give and use it for his glory far beyond anything you could imagine: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV).

God spoke the world into existence, and with the same power and creativity, he spoke you into your mother’s womb, timing your conception perfectly so that you’d be here when he had predetermined, “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14 NIV), to fulfill God’s purpose.

You may feel inadequate to be part of God’s plan, but he created you exactly how he wants you to be. Is it possible God knows more about your abilities than you do? Is it probable God would ask you to do things he never designed you to do, or without providing you everything you need?

If God believes in you, is it possible that not believing in yourself is a subtle form of arrogance? Or devilish disobedience?

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

By Jon Walker

Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31 (NIV)

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You’re not the only believer to feel inadequate for service and mission. The apostle Paul encouraged some of the very first Christians with these words: “Think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NIV).

But your feelings of inadequacy have no bearing on the truth: God is adequate for the task, and he will energize you with his own adequacy, the adequacy of the Holy Spirit within you. You can do all things through him who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

This means you cannot fail in your service to God; and when your service helps others, you can boast in the Lord instead of your own abilities and resources.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the giants before us, be overwhelmed by God’s mighty power and awesomeness. Like Paul, be overwhelmed with God’s joy; like Peter, be overwhelmed by God’s wonder.

Like the boy, David, said to the giant, Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty . . .” (1 Samuel 17:45 NIV).

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

By Jon Walker

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:24 (NIV)

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The other day my sister was feeling homesick. She was perplexed because she was at home, and as she prayed, the Spirit led her to pray for her son who was on the mission field.

When she told me, my first thought was, “This is how our transformation in Jesus takes place.” We become other-centered, even to the point that when the Holy Spirit nudges us to prayer, we search for who the prayer is for, rather than assuming the prayer is all about our own needs.

God did not place the Spirit within us simply to meet our own needs. His deposit of Jesus-in-you is also there to share with others, ultimately leading them to ask God to place the Spirit in them, that is, they receive Jesus into their hearts.

God fills us with himself to give us the ability to empty ourselves of self-interest so we’re able to make the interests and concerns of others the greater priority.

In this way, we carry our unseen and eternal fellowship with God—our oneness with him—into the nasty here-and-now of lives that are seen, yet temporary (Matthew 18:19–20). We’re able to say, “We are from God, and we come with the same attitude of Jesus, not using the Spirit for our own interest, but emptying ourselves in service to you” (paraphrase of 1 John 4:6; Philippians 2:5–7).

For this purpose we live and move and have our being for we are his offspring (based on Acts 17:28 NIV).

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

By Jon Walker

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 4 (NIV)

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Being a pastor is one of the toughest jobs on the planet; but John, says it can also be the most joyful: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4 NIV).

Spiritual leaders must correctly teach God’s Word, confront false teaching before it spreads, proclaim the gospel to non-believers, pray for all people, and train and appoint leaders; and they must do this all while serving as an example of what it looks like when you’re maturing as a Jesus-one (see 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus).

Accordingly, the apostle Paul says we should respect our spiritual leaders, overwhelming them with appreciation: “Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:13 NIV).

Paul also says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17 NIV).

You can make a big deal about obeying and submitting, but keep in mind that our overarching objective is to become one with Christ, who is one with the Father.

If a spiritual leader is walking toward oneness with Jesus, then it’s perfectly reasonable for us to move toward that same oneness with Jesus, meaning we swing into alignment behind our pastor.

From this angle, you can see the enormous responsibility a pastor has to keep in line with God and to encourage you to keep in line.

Pray for your spiritual leaders today, that they continue to walk in the truth, and let them know in some way that you want to bring them joy by “walking in the truth” with them (3 John 4 NIV).

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.