St. Johns News
Eager Anticipation – October 20, 2023
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20,21
Eager Anticipation
Daily Devotion – October 20, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:20,21
See series: Devotions
I’ll never forget it. My sister had traveled some distance to surprise my dad on his 60th birthday. When he came into the kitchen for breakfast, she was there. “Surprise!”
But my dad’s response made a deep impression on me. While he was certainly happy to see her, he didn’t give my sister the reaction she wanted. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
Of course! “But,” he explained, “I missed out on the fun of looking forward to your visit.” Eagerly anticipating something good is part of the joy we experience. He had missed out on it!
Who doesn’t remember—or still experience—the anticipation in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas? Even though a young couples’ wedding might still be weeks or months away, planning and dreaming about how the day will go is a big part of the fun and excitement. Our lives wouldn’t be as fulfilling if everything just happened, and we could never again eagerly anticipate anything. Waiting can be difficult, but if we have the right perspective on life, waiting patiently for good things will extend and enhance our joy when the big day finally arrives.
Plenty of people have wondered why Jesus is taking so long to come back to take his people to be with him in heaven forever. Many have even used his “tardiness” as a reason to scoff at our Christian hope. However, instead of questioning his timing, the apostle Paul encourages us to eagerly await Jesus’ return. For, on that day, he will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body, and we will live with him forever.
As much as we will rejoice that day, it’s a blessing to live in eager anticipation today!
Prayer:
Jesus, help me live each day in eager anticipation of your glorious return. Amen.
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It’s All Backward – October 19, 2023
For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Philippians 3:18,19
It’s All Backward
Daily Devotion – October 19, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:18,19
See series: Devotions
Winners are winners, and losers are losers. It’s really that simple. If the game is over, and you’ve scored fewer points than your opponent—you lose. For it to be the other way around would just be backward!
But this backward perspective on life is what the apostle Paul proposes in our Bible reading today. Paul recognized that when Jesus died on the cross, it looked like he had lost. But the exact opposite was true—it was on that cross Jesus paid the price for our sins and saved us from the punishment we deserved. Far from losing, Jesus won the victory on the cross.
Sadly, Paul knew that many people reject Jesus precisely because Jesus’ death on the cross looked like a loss. This is why Paul wrote that “many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.” After all, they think we want to be winners, not losers. And to their way of thinking, the cross equals defeat.
But, as Paul explains, those who don’t see and understand the power of the cross will end up falling short when time runs out. “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.” In other words, in their pursuit of every worldly thing that equals success and victory, in their eyes, won’t be able to save them on the last day. “Their mind is set on earthly things,” Paul wrote. But when Jesus comes again to judge the living and dead, earthly things will have absolutely zero value.
Only Jesus and his cross can save us now and forever. Yes, to this world, it’s all backward. But in the eyes of faith, the cross proclaims one simple message: victory.
Prayer:
Jesus, help me see victory in your cross. Amen.
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A Role Model – October 18, 2023
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.
Philippians 3:17
A Role Model
Daily Devotion – October 18, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:17
See series: Devotions
In the 1990s, basketball superstar Charles Barkley made a commercial for Nike that caused a stir. After a monstrous dunk, he turned to the camera and declared, “I am not a role model.”
His point was that people shouldn’t look up to someone because he can dunk a basketball. He didn’t want kids modeling their lives after entertainers’. He argued that people who serve others in quiet and unassuming ways are the best role models.
The apostle Paul was no entertainer and didn’t get paid the big bucks. He even refused payment for his apostolic work; he did it for free. He got up every day and did what Jesus had called him to do without fame, fortune, or fanfare.
Was his work easy? Hardly. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul provided a laundry list of things he had endured. He concluded by explaining, “I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Co 11:27,28). His life had been far from luxurious.
But what had Paul’s suffering given him? Resilience. Strength. Stamina. Confidence. Those character traits were built on Jesus’ perfect promises and forged in the hot fires of challenging life situations.
And now, Paul could boldly declare, “I am a role model.” He urged the Philippians, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”
But Paul wasn’t really pointing to himself with those words. He was pointing to Jesus, the source of his strength. Paul later explained, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Php 4:13).
Simply put, Paul is the best kind of role model because he kept his eyes on Jesus. We are well served now and forever in following his lead.
Prayer:
Jesus, empower me to fix my eyes on you and your salvation, just like Paul. Amen.
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The Finish Line – October 17, 2023
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13,14
The Finish Line
Daily Devotion – October 17, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:13,14
See series: Devotions
When something becomes too hard, we often give up. For example, if the hill we’re climbing on our bike becomes too steep, we may not have the necessary strength to overcome the gravity pulling us back down. This old man hops off and walks it to the top.
What’s true of our physical nature is also true of our spiritual nature. When we find ourselves on some “spiritual hill” facing resistance, we can be tempted to go in the opposite direction to avoid the pain and inconvenience of resistance. Our “spiritual gravity”—also known as our sinful nature—pulls us to whatever is easiest for us, the path of least resistance.
So, how do we overcome the temptation to give up when the spiritual going gets tough? We rely on our Lord Jesus. He is the One who has already won the victory for us by his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. He who won heaven for us will give us the strength to fight against those things that might sidetrack us on our journey there.
Well, how do athletes overcome the adversity they face? Training, preparation, focus.
This is what the apostle Paul did. He wrote, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus has already won the race for us. Eternal salvation is certain in him. He’s standing at the finish line, waiting to welcome us home.
Prayer:
Jesus, help me focus on the perfect salvation you’ve won for me and give me strength to overcome my daily adversity. Amen.
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Press On – October 16, 2023
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Philippians 3:12
Press On
Daily Devotion – October 16, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:12
See series: Devotions
When was the last time you just wanted to give up and throw in the towel? Have you felt that way already two or three times today?
It’s easy to feel this way sometimes. Everyone gets to the point where they’re tempted to give up and call it a day.
Even Jesus felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he faced the overwhelmingly burdensome task of winning perfect forgiveness and eternal salvation for all sinners. The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, quoted the future Savior’s thoughts when he wrote, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all.”
But Jesus didn’t give up. He pressed on. And what compelled him to show the necessary resilience and to press on? His heavenly Father’s promises. Jesus remembered, “Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God” (Isaiah 49:4). Was it hard? You bet. But his Father’s reward gave him the strength to press on.
The apostle Paul was convinced of this reality, too–even in the midst of his own pain and imprisonment. In pondering the eternal reward guaranteed to him by Jesus, he wrote, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
We can press on, too, no matter how hard it gets, because nothing we face in this world is worth comparing to the glorious and eternal reward that will be revealed to us at the end of life’s race in this dying world (Romans 8:18).
Jesus knows how hard it is, but his faithful promises give us the strength to press on.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me remember that you know my pain so well. And remind me daily that I am more than a conqueror through you. Amen.
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The Feast – October 15, 2023
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.
Isaiah 25:6-8
The Feast
Daily Devotion – October 15, 2023
Devotion based on Isaiah 25:6-8
See series: Devotions
Celebrations and food go hand in hand. Weddings have receptions, birthdays have cake, and the holidays always have their own unique treats.
Why is that? Why does feasting always seem to accompany celebration and joy? Because it’s a blessing that God has intended. He gives us food to help us celebrate.
In the beginning, the Lord gave Adam and Eve a home in Eden that was full of food for them to feast on. They were free to eat from any tree in the garden—except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But they broke God’s command, and their rebellion trapped them and all their descendants in a shroud.
What is this shroud that enfolds all peoples, this sheet that covers all nations? It is death. Because of sin, life ends in death for all individuals, peoples, and nations.
So, thank God that he destroyed the shroud when he sent his Son into our death-covered world! By his death on the cross, Jesus took away every sin that separates us from God, and by his resurrection, he swallowed up death forever. The shroud of death is lifted. Jesus lives, and in him, you live too.
Now God has prepared the feast for you, a banquet of life eternal. The celebrations of this world last only a moment, but the heavenly feast will never end. This is a feast of rich meats and the finest of wines—a feast like no other. This is a never-ending celebration where death has been swallowed up forever, and all tears have been wiped away. Rejoice and be glad in God’s salvation!
Prayer:
Lord Almighty, thank you for swallowing up death forever and for preparing the heavenly feast for me. Amen.
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Our Lowly Bodies – October 14, 2023
The Lord Jesus Christ . . . will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:20,21
Our Lowly Bodies
Daily Devotion – October 14, 2023
Devotion based on Philippians 3:20,21
See series: Devotions
A handful of you will live your lives free from serious illness or injury. And when you die, you will die quietly in your sleep. For many people, however, it’s simply a matter of time before they experience the hard truth that our bodies are frail, weak, and lowly vessels.
All it takes is one nasty bacterium, one malignant cell, one stubborn virus. All it takes is a second of inattention behind the wheel or a moment of distraction at the worksite, and before you know what’s happening, you find yourself lying in a hospital bed with barely enough strength to sit up. It’s then that you understand how vulnerable your body really is. And if you manage to avoid all this, there is always the slow-motion collision your body has with old age.
No matter how fit we are, how strong, athletic, or vigorous we are—the bodies we have are still lowly bodies. They are lowly and weak because of sin.
When the Son of God entered our time and space, he took on a human body; he became a human being. In that body, he lived a sinless life on our behalf. Then he allowed sinners to nail his body to a cross. On that cross, Jesus’ body carried the sins of the whole world and paid for them in full. And three days later, Jesus rose from death, his body glorified.
What does this mean for us? God’s Word says that “the Lord Jesus Christ…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Remember this when you look in the mirror and see your frailty. Remember this when you’re lying on a hospital bed. Remember this when you feel too weak to leave your home. Remember this when the body of a beloved Christian wears out and dies.
In this fallen world, our bodies are lowly bodies. But for the Christian, the world to come will be different. God’s Word says so.
Prayer:
Sustain me, Lord, as I grapple with my lowly body in this fallen world. Thank you for your promise to transform my lowly body to be like yours. Amen.
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God Wants Us to Grow – October 13, 2023
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes . . . The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the vines he delighted in.
Isaiah 5:1,2,7
God Wants Us to Grow
Daily Devotion – October 13, 2023
Devotion based on Isaiah 5:1,2,7
See series: Devotions
God isn’t kind to us because we were first kind to him. He’s kind to us because being kind to us is what God delights in. The prophet Isaiah compared God’s kindness to what it takes to build a vineyard—digging the land, removing all the stones, planting the vines, building a watchtower and a winepress. All of that takes a lot of work. And it took an extra amount of work in Palestine (where Isaiah lived at the time).
The Palestinians have a legend that goes like this: When God created the world, an angel flew over it, carrying a bag of stones under each arm. As he flew over Palestine, one bag broke so that half of all the stones in the world were in Palestine.
The point of that short story is to say that there are a lot of stones in the dirt of Palestine. And if you have ever been given the task of removing stones from a field or a backyard, then you certainly know that this isn’t a delightful task. But it’s the kind of task that God delights in if it takes care of you.
Your life is a labor of love for God. He is glad to invest whatever amount of time it takes to strengthen you spiritually so you produce a bumper crop of spiritual fruit. He even gave his son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for your sins so you could be in a right relationship with him and spend your life serving him. What are ways you can do that today?
Prayer:
Lord God, help me to guide my life according to your Word and ground my faith on all that was accomplished for me by Jesus. Amen.
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