Month: April 2024

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:16

Love Is Unconditional

Daily Devotion – April 30, 2024

Devotion based on 1 John 3:16


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When your living Lord laid down his life for you, he showed you that love was an action; a thing you do. But who is to be the recipient of your loving actions? Most people would say their family, friends, and neighbors are the recipients of their love. But what is it about your family, friends, and neighbors that make them deserve your love? Is it because they raised and nurtured you? Is it because they support and encourage you? Is it because they lend you a cup of milk and an egg when you need them? Those are all wonderful things, but if those are the reasons you love others, then you still don’t understand love. Notice what all the previous examples have in common. They are examples of conditional love; it’s about you getting something before you give something.

In 1 John 3:16, we are told that Jesus loves “us.” It would be good for us to remember what we gave to Jesus before Jesus made us the recipients of his love. According to Ephesians 2:1-3, all people are, by nature, enemies of God. This is because, by nature, none of us wants the same things God wants. We had nothing of value to give to Jesus, in fact, we disobeyed and fought against him. If Jesus were to love us with conditional love, if he were to wait for us to give something to him before he gave something to us, then we would never be loved by him.

But you are loved. Jesus was fully aware you had nothing to give him. Yet, he decided to make you a recipient of his love. When he laid down his life for you—he gave your life value, forgiveness, and salvation. Jesus loves you not because of what you can give to him, rather, he loves you because of what he has given to you. Jesus loves you unconditionally.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, I’m not worthy to be a recipient of your love. Yet, you love me anyway. Teach me love is unconditional. Strengthen me so that my love for others may be as unconditional as your love for me. Amen.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
1 John 3:16

Love Is an Action

Daily Devotion – April 29, 2024

Devotion based on 1 John 3:16


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What is love? Ask a doctor, and they will tell you love is a result of fluctuating testosterone and estrogen levels. Ask a poet, and they will tell you that love is an emotion or a feeling. Ask a philosopher, and they will tell you that love is a construct of your mind. What about you? How would you define love? How you answer the question likely depends on which season of life you are in. A young person may start stammering about sweating palms, a racing heart, and a fluttering feeling in their stomach. A mature person may engage in a sensible discussion about faithfulness, commitment, and responsibility. An older person may wistfully reflect on something that is both comfortable and familiar.

Doctors discuss it, poets sing about it, and philosophers analyze it. Young people are afflicted with it, the mature are obligated by it, and the elderly tolerate it. We do our best to define and describe it, but it doesn’t seem like we really know what love is.

Jesus Christ did not define his love for you with a discussion of hormones, emotions, or thoughts. He did not describe his love for you from a personal perspective, rather, Jesus showed you his love with his actions. He did something that personally cost him dearly but benefits you eternally. He laid down his life for you. He paid the price for your sins so that you could be in a right relationship with God. As the apostle John wrote, “This is how we know what love is.”

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for showing me that love is an action. As I think about my Savior, who laid down his life for me, I am no longer content to define or describe love. Lord, strengthen me as I show that I know what love is by my actions. Amen.

No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
Acts 4:32

A Manager of God’s Possessions

Daily Devotion – April 28, 2024

Devotion based on Acts 4:32


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That’s mine! You can’t have it! Leave it alone! Many parents have heard words like this so often that they never want to hear them again. At work, you hear: He took my parking place. That was supposed to be my promotion. Why doesn’t anyone think about my loyalty to this company?

The concern about me and what’s mine seems to be present at every stage of life. Some stages may be more filled with it than others, but the general thought is still the same. You have to fight to hold on to what you have. You have to fight to get what you deserve.

The early Christians spoken about in our Bible reading didn’t think that way. In fact, they didn’t claim anything as their own. Those believers did not find it necessary to talk much, if at all, about their own possessions. Possessions didn’t seem to be that important.

Why? The first reason is that these believers realized that everything they had was God’s, not theirs. They didn’t think of possessions as belonging to this person or that person. Everything belonged to God. Each one of them was only a manager of God’s possessions.

Think of that. What you have is not yours. It’s God’s, and you are the manager. One person manages one group of things, and other people manage other things. Having that understanding can change your point of view about possessions dramatically.

Another reason the early Christians didn’t consider their possessions to be their own was that they realized that we use our possessions only for a short time. What we possess now must be viewed from the perspective of our eternal glory of heaven. Our lives here and now are only a short step in our unending journey. Everything comes from God, and he has even better things, even more valuable things, in store for us. Heaven awaits. This fact teaches us to place the right amount of value on what God has given us to use here on earth.

Prayer:
Lord, teach me that all good gifts come from you. Lead me to value the spiritual blessings that you give through Jesus. Help me to use the many blessings you give me to serve you and love others. Amen.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:11,14

I Am Your Good Shepherd

Daily Devotion – April 27, 2024

Devotion based on John 10:11,14


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Jesus says to you and me: I am not your typical shepherd. I am not a hired hand that cares nothing for the sheep. I am not some fly-by-night outfit that will only care for you when it’s safe. I am not going to abandon my post—and you—and run when the wolves come.

No. I am the Good Shepherd. I am the Lord. I am the God who made you, cares for you, and protects you. I am the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for you. But when I laid down my life, it was my choice, no tragic accident. It was my choice to lay down my life for you on the cross. I willingly gave up my life to take away your sin and to forgive your wandering ways. And it was my choice to take up my life again on the third day. I conquered death—mine and yours.

Now, nothing can separate you and me. Nothing can snatch you out of my hand. Follow, listen to my voice, and trust my promises. I will never fail you. I will never leave you. I will never let you go. I know your hurts and doubts, your pains and problems, your fears and worries. And if not even death can snatch you out of my hand, neither can that problem you have with your job, your marriage, your health, your friends, your past, or your future.

I am your Good Shepherd. I laid down my life for you and took it up again. So you know: I won’t leave you now or ever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my dear Good Shepherd, with you I have all that I need. With you, my soul rests in peace. With you, my soul is restored and healed. With you, I am not afraid, even in the valley of the shadow of death. With you, goodness and love follow me all the days of my life, on my way to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Never let me go. Amen.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:1-3

Mine!

Daily Devotion – April 26, 2024

Devotion based on Psalm 23:1-3


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Mine! A child reaches for a toy, rips it from his brother’s hands, and shouts, “Mine!” Certainly, a lesson in sharing is in order when it comes to playing. But a heart that cries out “Mine!” isn’t always a bad thing. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, loves us so deeply and possessively that he declares, “Mine!” And when a heart responds to Jesus’ love, it shouts, “Mine! You are mine, and I am yours!”

The writer of this psalm pictures himself as a helpless sheep, no longer helpless because the Lord is his shepherd. Hear the possessive love, “My Shepherd!” I am his and he is mine forever. Mine! None of us are literal sheep or literal shepherds, but we can appreciate the imagery. Even if you’re not a sheep, can’t you picture the peace and quiet of lying down on the green grass near a babbling brook where you’re just resting, no longer running around and scrambling through a frantic life? The Lord, our Good Shepherd, gives us a rest far greater than that! He gives us rest for our souls. He refreshes us with the very love of God to sustain us all our days and give us eternal life. These blessings are not something I have to wait for; right now, they are mine through Jesus!

The Lord shepherds you through this life with a love so tender and possessive, a love that screams from a gruesome cross and then from an empty tomb, and now from a throne in heaven, “Mine! You are mine!” your Good shepherd declares. And throughout this life, we can confidently respond, “Mine!” Jesus and all his blessings are mine! The Lord is my Shepherd. He shepherds us through life and to our final destination—heaven, where we will be at peace in our Good Shepherd’s arms. He is mine, and I am his. Forever.

Prayer:
Lord, you are my Shepherd, and I lack nothing. “Surely, your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. . . I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
John 10:14,16

Listen to the Good Shepherd’s Voice

Daily Devotion – April 25, 2024

Devotion based on John 10:14,16


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When you hear different voices all shouting at once, which one do you listen to? Parents know what that’s like when all their children are crying at once. Teachers have been in a classroom where multiple students call out different answers to the same question. When so many voices are calling out, it’s hard to hear any one of them.

There are a lot of voices in the world clamoring for our attention. All of them are saying different things. There’s the voice of popular opinion—what people think is correct and acceptable. There are the voices of false teachings—this teacher says this, that teacher says that. There are voices of criticism calling the Christian faith outdated or unloving. Internally, we hear the voice of doubt and uncertainty.

But there is one voice that triumphs over all. The voice of the Good Shepherds calls us to listen to him. And as we listen to him, we come to know him better. The voice of your Good Shepherd calls out to you in every word of the Bible. He quiets the clamor of all the voices in the world. He calls us back from the dangers of sin and unbelief and speaks soothing words of forgiveness and reassurance. We listen to his voice to know what is true and good. We listen to his voice to have all doubt chased away so we can live confidently in God’s love.

Prayer:
Good Shepherd, quite the clamor of the world around be so I may always listen to your voice. Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14,15

The Good Shepherd Knows

Daily Devotion – April 24, 2024

Devotion based on John 10:14,15


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A fan can know a lot about a celebrity on a superficial level. They can know the celebrity’s birthday, life story, and so many other details. However, if they were to bump into each other in public, the celebrity would know nothing about the fan. It’s a one-sided, superficial relationship at best.

Have you ever thought of your relationship with Jesus in the same way— “I know a lot about him, but does he really know me?” Or maybe you are searching the Bible to learn more about God and what he’s like, but does he really know you? It’s actually the other way around. Jesus, your Good Shepherd, knows you. And not on a superficial level. He knows you better than you know him. In fact, he knew you, loved you, and laid down his life for you before you ever came to know him.

Before the sheep realized the danger, the shepherd knew and acted to save the sheep. Before it ever dawned on us how much we needed Jesus and his salvation, he laid down his life for us. He knows his sheep. He knows you intimately. At first thought, it might startle you to realize God knows you that well. Perhaps there are things about you that no one else knows, and it would terrify you if they did. Jesus knows those things. However, it didn’t lead him to run away or shun you. It led him to lay down his life for you. Listen to what your Good Shepherd calls you: my sheep!

He knows your deepest needs better than you do, and he knows how best to meet them. He knows the guilt you’ve felt and the trouble you’ve experienced. He takes you in his arms, cleanses you of all guilt, and calms your troubled heart. Your Savior knows you and loves you. You are his!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through the ups and downs of life and grant all that I need, as you know best. Amen.

[Jesus said] “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:12-15

The Good Shepherd Saves

Daily Devotion – April 23, 2024

Devotion based on John 10:12-15


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Save the animal in danger, or save your life? Which would you choose? It seems like a no-brainer. As much as you care for a creature in danger, would you protect that creature if it cost you your life? A hired hand would protect his own life over the life of a sheep, and understandably so. But not the shepherd, especially not the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects and saves his sheep at the expense of his own life.

Of course, we’re not just sheep. God is our Creator, and we are his creatures—the crown of his creation! Humanity didn’t mindlessly wander away from the Lord; we sinned and rebelled against our Maker. It’s understandable that a hired hand would not spare his life to save a sheep. It’s even more understandable, humanly speaking, that our perfect God would take our life as punishment for our sins. Instead, he gave his life to save us from sin. Our Good Shepherd didn’t abandon his creatures who once abandoned him. He laid down his life for us.

You are more precious than a sheep. You are such a precious soul that your God and Maker valued your life at the price of his own Son’s life. Your Good Shepherd defied all human understanding by giving his perfect life to give you eternal life. He saved you from being abandoned and devoured by sin and Satan. He brought you into his fold, where you belong to the God who made and saved you.

Prayer:
Lord, I belong to you because you created me, and you saved me with the price of your own blood. Thank you! Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”
John 10:11-13

The Good Shepherd Cares

Daily Devotion – April 22, 2024

Devotion based on John 10:11-13


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There is pride in ownership. When someone rents a house, they might not care as much about the day-to-day upkeep. Some tenants don’t treat it like their own because it’s not. When you buy the house, and it’s yours, the pride of ownership brings a whole new level of care and upkeep. An hourly employee may put in a good, honest day’s work, but at the end of the shift, he punches the clock and goes home. However, the owner stays late to do what it takes and makes sacrifices for the company because it’s his.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus makes the point that a shepherd who owns a flock of sheep cares for them in a way a hired hand does not. He cares for them because they are his. He will care for and protect them at any cost.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Unlike a hired hand, he does what it takes and makes the ultimate sacrifice because we are his. Jesus is not simply another human sent by God to serve on God’s behalf. He is true God from eternity and the God who made us and who came to save us. Jesus cares for you and laid down his life for you. He takes pride in you because you belong to him for time and for eternity. Your Good Shepherd cares!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through life ever closer to your tender, loving care. Amen.