GraceCreates

By Jon Walker

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)

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People with integrity live by fairness, even when fairness puts them at a disadvantage or causes them significant difficulty. They fight fair even when those around them do not.

People of integrity consider their word their bond, allowing their yes to mean yes and their no to mean no.

People of integrity are authentic and transparent; they act the same, no matter who is present. Their lives are “what you see is what you get.”

People of integrity are straightforward in their conduct. They don’t hide what they’re doing, or say one thing and do another. They are people “in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:2 NIV).

People with integrity explain the facts in even-handed manner, not presented in a way to make them look better than the other person. They are respectful, helpful, and gracious to everyone and anyone.

People of integrity go the extra mile with a smile. They do more than is required of them.

People of integrity are not afraid to ask for help. They’re not afraid to let God be their strength. They’re able to handle tough situations, knowing God is at work in them.

People of integrity focus on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,” anything at all that is excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8 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

“For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27 (NIV)

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As a new creation in Christ, you no longer need to be motivated by fear. You’re now free to view life in terms of what is best for others. This activates the fruit of the Spirit, love in its many flavors: joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control.

When God and his loving nature become your point of reference, you can start asking: “What is God’s best for others in this situation?” This will inspire you to offer a quality of service to others far beyond what you’re likely to give if you only offer them your own ideas of what is best.

The apostle Paul tells us that the mind of Christ will guide our service. If something is not true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, or of good report, if a thought is not excellent and praiseworthy, we allow the mind of Christ to filter it out of our strategy of service (Philippians 4:8).

Our service is enabled by God’s “mighty power at work within us . . . able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

Here’s the issue: Don’t allow your vision of what is possible in serving others to be limited by what you see as your own strength and resources.

Your objective-in-Jesus is to serve, not be served (Mark 10:45). Jesus speaks with words supported by action when he says, “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27 NIV).

Start asking the question, “How can I serve this person?”

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

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” Luke 15:4–6 (NIV)

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We never see Jesus rushing. He always took time for people; he understood people were part of his purpose. He stopped; he listened. He sought the one while the ninety-nine waited.

He kept a steady, unrushed pace because he stayed connected to his unrushed Father. He could have filled every minute of a day timer with things to do, but the first thing he always did was go to the Father.

He took time to pray and that set his agenda for the day. Despite the enormity of his purpose and the value of his time, Jesus stayed close to the Father. Did he know something we don’t know, or do we just have more important things to do than Jesus?

You may have heard a preacher say, “No one ever says on his deathbed, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’” You could say, through the Gospels, we see Jesus on his deathbed—and it’s significant that he wasn’t concerned about the details of his ministry. He wasn’t trying to tie up a bunch of loose ends at the office.

True to character, Jesus was fully focused on those around him. He granted grace to the thief on the cross; he asked God to forgive his executioners; he asks John to take care of his mother.

It’s safe to say your purpose—our purposes—will involve relationships, where we pour ourselves into the people around us. We stay connected to our unrushed Savior, who steadies us as we invest in people, not things, in a rhythm of grace that beats like the heart of the Father.

Instead of filling your day timer, consider what might happen if you purposefully invested a significant amount of time in twelve other people? Ask God about that—and see how he blocks off your schedule.

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 am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Luke 1:38 (NIV)

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When God sent an angel to Mary, telling her she would conceive the child, Jesus, even though she was a virgin, she responded with immediate obedience.

“Whatever you say, God,” is in essence what she said. “What you have said will be so,” which is an elegant way to say, “Your wish, my King, is my command.”

Our objective-in-Jesus is for obedience to become so natural to us that we do it without even thinking. It becomes second nature to us, an automatic response, like, “May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38 NIV).

One way to think about this is the obedience of gravity. Gravity is so faithful, so consistent to do what God designed it to do that we don’t even think in terms of gravity being disobedient or inconsistent to its nature. It always follows the command of God, the law of gravity he established.

Now, you and I are not an inanimate force, and we’re very capable of being unfaithful and inconsistent in our obedience to God’s commands.

Yet, Jesus said it is by following his commands that we show our love for him. Just as gravity is inseparable from its obedience to God’s laws, our love and obedience should mature toward being inseparable from the commands of God’s heart.

Our objective-in-Jesus, as impossible as it sounds, is to become so obedient to God that those who know us cannot imagine us ever doing anything other than obey—just like gravity.

In that moment, we become so obedient to who God designed us to be that, in paradox, denying self and service to others is so natural to us that we seem out of character when we don’t do these things.

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.