Author: Kerry

Looking at his disciples, [Jesus] said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.”
Luke 6:20-23

Blessings Uncovered

In 2017, when Jakhil Jackson was nine years old, his aunt took him to a shelter in the city of Chicago to help feed the homeless, and Jakhil couldn’t believe what he saw—the poverty, sadness, and pain. He looked at his aunt and said, “They don’t even have basic items to start or end their day.” His experience that day compelled him to start putting together what he called “Blessing Bags” bags filled with toothbrushes, socks, soap, deodorant—everyday items a person needs—and handing them out to the homeless. His original goal was to give out 5,000 blessing bags, which is a goal he didn’t meet. He exceeded it. Since 2017, he has put together and given away more than 20,000 blessing bags.

If Jakhil Jackson would walk up to your door today, what would you hope would be in that blessing bag?

Not many would immediately identify the things Jesus did in Luke chapter 6. Not many would say, “I am blessed when I am poor, hungry, sad, hated by others, excluded, insulted, and rejected.” Yet “blessed” is what Jesus says we can consider ourselves when those things happen to us. Why?

Because whatever happens to us on earth–how anyone else treats us, whatever sins we can identify in our own lives—none of that can take away the eternal victory already given to us when Jesus himself was hated, excluded, insulted, rejected, and crucified as our Savior so that we could be forever blessed.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have blessed me forever as my Savior. Help me to see every trial and trouble as things from which you will one day perfectly deliver me. Amen.

The Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9,10

Power Made Perfect in Weakness

When fishing from my boat, I used to wear my life jacket only when there were large waves. I would never wear one when the weather was nice. The irony is that I was safer in bad weather with a life jacket than in good weather without a life jacket.

We can be tempted to do the same in our spiritual lives. When things are going well, we don’t always express our trust in God and confidently depend on him. We think we have everything under our control. But when the storms of life reveal our weakness, we are led to plead for God’s help and turn to him for strength. Ironically, we are stronger during difficult times because of Christ’s power than during good times when we tend to trust in ourselves.

Are you feeling weak and vulnerable? Trust in Christ and his sufficient grace to bring you through your troubles.

Prayer:
When difficulties and troubles weaken me, Jesus, wrap me in your strength and lead me by your grace. Teach me to depend on you for help and guidance in all matters of my life, confidently trusting that you will help me by your power as my Lord. Amen.

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
Luke 5:4-10

Fisher of People

Peter and his companions knew how to fish. When a person spends their life doing something, they usually become pretty good at it. Maybe this is why Jesus’ miracle had such an impact on Simon. When Jesus sent so many fish into their nets that they began to break, and their boats began to sink, he was astonished. Falling at his master’s knees he said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Does Peter’s reaction surprise you? Wouldn’t we expect him to say, “Lord, since you can do miracles like this, stay right next to me! If this is how you fish, we are going to be rich!” Instead, he says, “Get away from me!” Peter knew that he didn’t have any business being near the one who had power over creation and all its creatures.

We can understand his response, can’t we? Thankfully, Jesus deals with us the same way he dealt with Peter. He says, “Don’t be afraid.” Although we have every reason to be afraid of a holy God, we need not be because that holy God sent Jesus to pay for every sin and set us right with him. Spend this day celebrating the good news and worshiping the holy God who has called you to follow him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to assure me of your love and forgiveness. Amen.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
Luke 5:8-10

Fishing for People

Simon Peter had just witnessed a miracle. Jesus had given him a catch of fish so miraculously large that his nets began to break, and his boats began to sink. Peter immediately realized that he had nothing to do with this great catch of fish and that it happened by the power of Jesus’ word. He knew that he was in the presence of God and was deeply aware of the fact that he did not belong there.

But Jesus absolutely wanted him there. He was at a turning point in his ministry. Before this event, he was a lone teacher. Now Jesus wanted others to help him. So he said to Peter, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Jesus called people to fish for other people.

But notice the kind of people Jesus called! These were not professional speakers, they were fishermen. Jesus used regular guys to preach and teach. God still does the same thing. He sends ordinary people to preach and teach.

Why does God give such an important task to such unimportant people? To show that the power is from God and not from people. The net with which Jesus catches people is the good news about his perfect life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection. The message itself carries the power to catch people for Jesus.

God gets all the credit for all the good that comes from preaching. The more unworthy the messenger, the more God’s power stands out. He uses sinful men and women as his messenger to tell other sinners about their Savior and lead them to faith in him.

Prayer:
Lord, I am a sinful person. Forgive my sins by your grace, and work through your people to fill the nets of your kingdom with those caught in unbelief. Amen.

When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Luke 5:4-6

Because Jesus Says So

Can you imagine the scene? Jesus had just finished teaching crowds of people, using Simon’s boat as an impromptu stage. Now he taught Simon how to fish. The problem was that Simon was a professional fisherman, and Jesus was not.

Jesus told him to put out into the deep water during the day. But Simon knew that the best time to fish was the evening and that the best place to throw your nets was in the shallow water. In fact, Simon had labored with all his skill all night long and caught nothing. And now Jesus wanted him to drop his nets again at a less favorable time. It didn’t make any sense.

But there was something about Jesus that caused Simon to take him at his word. And so, he said to Jesus, “…because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Jesus’ word has authority and power. Because Jesus is the almighty Son of God, he filled the nets with fish to their breaking point.

The miracle taught Simon to always trust Jesus’ word. This would be important when Simon began doing the important work of what Jesus called “catching people.” You see, after this miracle, Jesus called Simon to fish for people. Jesus’ word is what catches people for him by bringing them to faith, and now Simon knew the power of Jesus’ word.

Do you? Christianity has been spreading and growing for millennia, not by human skill or technique, but by the word of Jesus. It may seem strange or go against your expectations for how God should work, but because Jesus says so, trust in his word to do the job. He will not let you down!

Prayer:
Jesus, help me to always trust your word. Amen.

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:12,13

Christianity Is for Everyone

Of all the words you could pick to describe Christianity, would “inclusive” be one of them? Many people would say, “No, Christianity is too exclusive.” But does the Bible passage you just read sound discriminatory?

The apostle Paul wrote those words. His life’s work was spreading the good news of Christianity, and he did not discriminate with it. Paul was Jewish, but he told non-Jewish people about Jesus. Paul was a man, but he told women about Jesus. Paul had a religious upbringing, but he told the unreligious about Jesus.

Why is the Christian message so inclusive? Because God wants to include all people in his kingdom. He wants all people to be saved—including you! Isn’t that amazing? It makes God happy to include you.

Christianity is for everyone. That’s why Paul’s words here are so inclusive. But did you also notice how exclusive they are? You cannot believe anything that you want to. Paul did not write, “Everyone who calls on whatever will be saved.”

God is more exclusive than that. He does not tolerate faith in just anyone or anything. In this, he is like a doctor. When you’re sick, the doctor doesn’t prescribe medicine that he randomly picked. He administers what he knows will help you. He wants to give you the medicine that will cure your ailment.

God works the same way. All human beings suffer from the same problem—sin. Therefore, all human beings need the same solution—the Lord Jesus Christ.

So why is the Christian message so exclusive? Because there is only one Savior. We need a salvation that is all God’s work and not ours, and we have it in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is the God-man who loved the world so much he gave up his life on the cross for everyone who ever has lived, is living, or will live.

When Christians speak the good news about Jesus, they are just like sick people telling other sick people where to find the cure. God promises eternal salvation to everyone who calls on Christ in faith.

Prayer:
Lord of all, bless me when I call on you. Amen.

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:6-8

Unlikely Messengers

This is one of the most striking incidents recorded in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord high and exalted, surrounded by angels and seated on his throne. He was overwhelmed by his sin. He was convinced that he was ruined.

Until God sent an angel with a burning coal from the temple’s altar. In the Old Testament, the altar was the place where sacrifices were slaughtered and burned. What happened on the altar made sinners forgiven.

So the angel touched Isaiah’s lips with the coal and declared that his guilt was gone, and his sins were atoned for. The Hebrew word translated “atone” literally means “to cover up.” Sin is atoned for when it is covered by sacrificial blood and can no longer be seen.

Our holy God does not ignore sins. He atones for them. That is what Christ did on the cross. On the altar of the cross, Jesus gave his life as an atoning sacrifice to pay for your sins and cover them with his blood.

Because of Jesus’ work, that angel could announce that Isaiah was forgiven. The same announcement is still spoken to sinners. Not by angels, but by the people whom God forgives, just like Isaiah. Isaiah was overwhelmed by God’s forgiveness and volunteered to speak it to others.

God continues to use unlikely messengers to announce his forgiveness to you. Whether it was spoken by a Christian friend or family member, a stranger, or even the pastor writing this devotion, know that the holy Lord forgives and welcomes you into his presence. Look at Jesus’ cross. Listen to Jesus’ word: “Your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for.”

Prayer:
Lord, you have made atonement for my sin and let me know about it. Thank you. Amen.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
Isaiah 6:5

Seeing God

Would you like to see God? The prophet Isaiah actually did. The Lord was seated high on his throne, and his robe filled the temple. Smoke billowed everywhere. Fiery angels flew overhead and shouted praises to God so loudly that the temple shook. And there, in the middle of all of it, stood Isaiah, listening to what the angels were saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

To be holy means to be set apart. Holiness is separation from sin. In fact, sinfulness and holiness are polar opposites. It is like light and darkness. One cannot exist in the presence of the other. Light scatters darkness, and God’s holiness destroys unholy things.

That was why Isaiah was terrified. What happens when sinners see God? Death happens. No sinner can stand in the presence of God and live. Isaiah expected to be obliterated by God’s holiness.

That was Isaiah’s problem. It’s also our problem. Like him, we have unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips. Whether we look inside or outside ourselves, there is only unclean sin.

So, would you still like to see God? Only if you know that God’s holiness does not just condemn sinners; it also saves them. Because he is holy, God cleanses us from our sin.

How? The holy Son of God came down from heaven and became a man. He lived a perfectly holy life and gives you his holiness. And then, for the sake of sinners, woe came to Christ. Jesus Christ was treated as the sinner and was ruined on the cross, cast from his Father’s presence so that you will live in his Father’s presence forever.

That is the goal of God’s holiness—to take away your sin so that you are able to see him without fear. In heaven, “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

Prayer:
Lord Almighty, thank you for giving me what I need to see you. Amen.

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:11

Be Ready

“Come on! It’s time to go!” It was the third time Dad called upstairs. It seemed his daughter had a hard time deciding what to take along in the car. First, it was her pillow. Next, it was her favorite baby doll. This time Dad wasn’t sure. He only heard her panic-stricken words. “Wait! We can’t leave yet!”

Dad and the rest of the family were ready to get going. It was the youngest that seemed to hold them back. Yes, she had her reasons, and they all seemed important to her. The delays, however, were going to cost them valuable time on the road.

A similar situation can happen in our walk with our Savior. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Our initial response might be: “Wait a minute!” Another might be: “Not right now, but maybe later.” We may even answer: “Just let me finish what I am doing first.”

When tempted to put off Jesus’ invitation, remember the response of the disciples in our Bible reading for today. They said they were ready, and they showed it. They saw the authority and the love Jesus revealed to them on the lake. Nothing was going to keep them from following him. When we see Jesus’ love and authority, we’ll be ready to hear and respond to Jesus’ invitation the same way they did—”they pulled their boats up on the shore, left everything and followed him.”

Prayer:
O gracious Lord, time after time you invite me to follow you and serve you. Remove every obstacle that would stand in my way. Give me a strong and devoted love that not only hears, but also responds to you and to your love for me. Amen.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5

True Significance

We all want to matter to someone. We want affirmation and, in some way, to make a difference. Emotions tank when we feel we don’t matter, can’t do anything, and no one cares.

God came to the prophet Jeremiah with the following words: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah was given a specific task to take a challenging message to the people of his day. It would be a tough assignment, but God encouraged and equipped him for the task.

While the call is not the same, the heart of God toward Jeremiah is the same heart he exhibits toward you. Remember three things today about your value, worth, and significance. God says, “I knew you.” Even before you were born, God knew you. He knows the hairs on your head and the hurts of your heart. He knows the strength of your skills and the reality of your weaknesses. He knows the significance of your sins and still chose you to be the object of his saving love.

God says, “I appointed you.” Jeremiah was called to a specific role to bring God’s message to the nations. When we realize that God knew us and loves us, that he set us apart and called us his own, we also realize that he appoints us to be part of his larger mission to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). God has us here on earth to be part of an eternally significant task—to proclaim the saving love of Jesus to people everywhere.

So today and every day, remember true significance is knowing God knows you, that he set you apart, and that he appoints you to be part of his eternal mission of bringing Jesus to the nations.

Prayer:
Lord, as I search for and desire significance, help me see myself as you see me—one whom you love and have set apart and called to be part of your work. Help me today find my significance in you! Amen.