GraceCreates

By Jon Walker

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength. Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV)

*** *** *** ***

In faith, I know this to be true:

• God is working in me and he’s given me the gifts I need to work for him. I have talents from God and his blessings to use them, for I am “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [me] to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).
• God has given me “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,” so I may know how to use my gifts. He has enlightenment my heart, so that I may know the inheritance of his hope; he has placed his power within me, through the Holy Spirit and “that power is like the working of his mighty strength” (Ephesians 1:17-19 NIV).

I hold this to be true and will live accordingly, in faith, because I know that is true.

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

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)

*** *** *** ***

One of the classic bonding moments in movies is when two characters aren’t getting along. And then one of them is about to get in trouble, and the other one covers for him, helping him past a momentary lapse in judgment or a foolish mistake. In that moment, they bond as friends, knowing they can trust each other no matter what.

In the same sense, we’re to cover for our brothers and sisters, deeply loving them into their best, and in the process, we bond as friends and heavenly cohorts. When we provide cover for our brothers and sisters, we choose to see them for what they are becoming, and not for what they once were, or even what they may now be.

When a brother or sister falters, when a family member fails, when we trip up and hurt ourselves and others, we can run to one another for cover.

When sin steals its way, we keep one another from greater corruption. If wounded, we protect one another from injuring ourselves further or from injuring others.

And, when life gets too hot for us to handle by ourselves, or we sense all the warmth oozing out of us, we run to one another to cover each other in the very love of God himself.

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

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

*** *** *** ***

It will take some getting used to, but there will be no curses in heaven.

We may find it strange, at first, to be in a place where there is no criticism, fault-finding, or mean-spirited judgment. We’re so immersed in the language of insult and put-down that we’ve become numb to its effect on us all.

Yet, the New Testament teaches our objective-in-Jesus should be to stop sounding like Satan, the accuser, and to start speaking in the language of love, encouraging each other into the fullness of Christ (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 14:1-23).

Steve Pettit suggests, since Satan will have no voice in eternity, he shouldn’t have a voice in us now.

Experience should show us – particularly our own experiences of being criticized – that judgment never helps us mature or make significant changes in our lives. We become one with God’s work to transform others when we see them clearly, as God sees them, through the eyes of his perfect love.

The primary New Testament word for blessing is eulogia, which gives English the word eulogy: words or praise or tribute most often heard at a funeral.

But as Jesus-ones, our objective-in-Jesus is to start the praise and encouragement for others before they die! We say not to speak ill of the dead; why do we think nothing of speaking ill of the living?

When we speak well of others, we bring out the best in them as they respond to the love of God flowing through us. These are not words of flattery, which come with strings attached; rather, we speak words empowered by Jesus, speaking past the fear and downright meanness, calling others back to who they truly are in Christ.

When we bless one another, we draw attention to the One from whom all blessings flow. We experience a taste of heaven here on earth, only whetting our appetites for the full banquet yet to come.

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

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***

Someone told me that once you get into medical school you’re no longer given specific A-B-C grades; instead, your progress is measured by a pass/fail standard.

Whether this is true or not, it makes good sense. Would you want a surgeon who just barely pulled a C in an internal organs removal course removing your gallbladder?

No doubt you’d want a surgeon who mastered the procedure! That’s the point of a pass/fail measurement: did you master the training or did you fail to master the training?

God works on such a mastery-based system. His commitment to us is greater than letting us settle for a D in love thy neighbor.

He wants us to get it right, but knows we can’t do that the first time or every time. So he’s willing to work in and around us to help us master the Jesus-school curriculum of love.

The thing about God’s mastery-based curriculum is you cannot fail. He will keep working with you until you get it. A failed test just means you train again until you can pass the test.

In failing, there is no disgrace; only his grace.

Our Teacher makes use of all things – pain and suffering, joy and comfort, opposition and cooperation – to transform us into a people who love fully and deeply, who become other-centered instead of self-centered.

Our Master knows it is impossible for us to master it all, so he’s made all things possible through a supernatural intimacy with him (Matthew 19:26).

He’ll continue to work with us until we’re successful at the purpose for which he created us and then he’ll welcome us home when we graduate to heaven (Romans 8:28; Philippians 3:14).

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.