GraceCreates

By Jon Walker

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)

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In faith, I know this to be true:

God knows the truth.

I can trust the truth because God knows the truth.

The truth comes from God. When the Spirit of truth comes to guide me toward all truth, he will not present his own ideas because the truth comes from God. He will tell me about the truth he’s heard from God (John 16:13, author paraphrase).

The truth is a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.

Jesus does not tell me the truth; he is the Truth: “I am . . . the truth . . . . No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus does not teach me how to live life; he is the Life: “I am . . . the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus does not show me the way; he is the Way: “I am the way . . . . No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus is the truth as spoken by God, the Word from the beginning; the Word that was with God; the Word that was God (John 1:1).

I know the truth—“the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 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

. . . as though God were making his appeal through us. 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

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During the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian, angry that he didn’t come in first, threw down his bronze medal during the awards ceremony and stomped into infamy.

He not only violated the Olympic spirit, but did so without any regard to the fact that he was representing his country, all the people of Sweden.

My imagination meandered to a fictional interview with Abrahamian, where he might have said, “I’m here to represent my country and I wanted people to know Sweden is more than blond babes, Abba, Volvo, and IKEA.

Back in reality, we’re told by Paul, a gold medalist in following Christ, that we’re to represent Jesus in our Olympic-walk with God. It is as if, “God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV).

Now before you start thinking “I ought” and “I must,” remember you’ve already determined you can’t, but God can. Instead of focusing on how you have to act to represent Jesus, focus on the truth that the Holy Spirit is inside you transforming you into the very image of Christ.

So, the thing to do is to give God an all-access backstage pass to the areas of your life, where he can sweep out the attitudes that lead to the actions that are not in alignment with a Jesus-one. As he changes your ungodly beliefs and attitudes, your behavior will begin to change.

You may not even know all the areas in your life that need a holy cleansing from God, but where you lack wisdom, ask God, “who gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5 NIV).

Remember, “the prize awaits [you]—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give [you] on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for [you] but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return (2 Timothy 4:8 NLT).

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 I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

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In faith, I know this to be true:

God takes my mistakes and uses them for his glory.

After Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, he told them later, “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7 NIV).

God took the brothers’ self-centered action, motivated by jealousy and anger, and he worked it into his plan of redemption. They meant it for bad; God used it for good (Genesis 45).

I know it is true that God can take my sins and mistakes and he can use them for good.

Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31 NIV). But when Peter failed, Jesus knew he’d reached the point of, “I can’t, but God can,” and Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17 NIV).

I know it is true that God will still use me in ministry, even after I sin or make mistakes.

God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 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

If the old covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! 2 Corinthians 3:9 (NLT)

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Lord, the air is swirling with false guilt and whispered condemnation, even within the community of believers.

What we’ve done wrong has been forgiven; yet, we still feel the weight of condemnation. But you, Lord, do not condemn—and so the condemnation must be coming from the enemy, and he has no authority to condemn us.

You are our advocate, sitting at the right hand of God, telling him that you’ve covered our sins and cleansed us white as snow.

In your name, under your authority, we break this stronghold of condemnation that seems to permeate the Christ-community. We tear down the stronghold of false guilt, and ask, that you sweep it’s rubble out the door, clearing a path for mercy, grace, love, and acceptance.

Lord, place a hedge of thorns around us, keeping away the evil influences that carry false guilt and condemnation. Render them useless against us as we put on the full armor of God, standing firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of your salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:13–17).

In place of condemnation and guilt, let us know your deep, deep Father’s love; and with its flood carry away the spirits of unloveability, ugliness, control, passiveness, detachment, insensitivity, fear, idol worship, “what would people think,” manipulation, eroded trust, depression, anger, despair, lust, false intimacy, “what if,” martyrdom, must win, boredom , depressive tiredness, perfectionism, low self-esteem, fear of conflict, helplessness, hopelessness, conditional love, rejection, illegitimate solutions to legitimate needs, and the sin of not taking thoughts captive for Christ.

Jesus, we know your desire for us is freedom, the freedom you paid so steep a price to purchase for us and to give us freely. We receive your freedom, Lord, and we thank you for this gift. Guide us to walk in freedom, shaking off any false guilt or condemnation.

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.