How to Handle Money
Note from Jesus Dear Child of the Father in Heaven, In My earthly ministry, I taught My disciples these essential truths: Some people store up treasures in their homes here on earth. This is a shortsighted practice — don’t undertake it. Moths and rust will eat up any treasure you may store here. Thieves may break into your homes and steal your precious trinkets. Instead, put up your treasures in heaven where moths do not attack, where rust does not corrode, and where thieves are barred at the door. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) Paul also wrote about these issues to his ministry apprentice Timothy. He sent Timothy the words that you read in your verses today. Paul’s message stressed three principles: Timothy, teach these things, but also make sure you live them. Money and wealth can be a blessing if used appropriately. However, the desire for money and wealth often leads people to destruction. Paul then reminded Timothy that there are three kinds of people: Those who place their confidence in their earthly riches. Those who want to gain earthly riches. Those who are truly rich because they have found contentment in what they have. Paul was part of this last group. He could confidently say: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances. I know how to survive in tight situations, and I know how to enjoy having plenty. In fact, I have learned how to face any circumstances: fed or hungry, with or without. I can be content in any and every situation through the Anointed One Who is my power and strength. (Philippians 4:11-13) Paul instructed Timothy to follow his example. Timothy needed to learn to be content. He also needed to recognize that godliness has great gain — whether godliness results in worldly riches or not. In fact, many of My people are far wealthier with worldly riches than they realize. Some have gotten caught up in greed and covetousness. Greed and covetousness nearly always get people into serious financial problems as well as being spiritual problems. If you struggle with greed, financial mismanagement, or debt, then spend some time in the book of Proverbs. The book is full of financial advice that will be very helpful to you in avoiding lifestyle things that are harmful and also will help you better know how to manage your money. As My disciple, you need to be generous and willing to share what you have with others. You are a child of heaven’s grace because of the generosity of the Father (2 Corinthians 8:9)! You are most like your Father in heaven when you are generous with your time, your attention, your money, your home, your possessions — with everything that you have. You have been blessed with these things so that you can pass on your blessings to others. Your Father in heaven wants you to be a conduit of blessing. Paul taught the Corinthians this principle, and you will find it a powerful addition to Paul’s words to Timothy. Particularly notice the underlined sentence where Paul pointed out that whatever you have is intended not only for your needs but also to help others. Giving grows out of the heart — otherwise, you’ve reluctantly grumbled “yes” because you felt you had to or because you couldn’t say “no,” but this isn’t the way God wants it. For we know that “God loves a cheerful giver.” God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share. Remember what is written about the One Who trusts in the Lord: He scattered abroad; He gave freely to the poor; His righteousness endures throughout the ages. The same One Who has put seed into the hands of the sower and brought bread to fill our stomachs will provide and multiply the resources you invest and produce an abundant harvest from your righteous actions. You will be made rich in everything so that your generosity will spill over in every direction. Through us your generosity is at work inspiring praise and thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:7-11) Learn to be content and use the blessings of your resources to be a blessing to others. Doing so is an essential part of what it means to be a child of the Father! Verses to Live Some people have a tendency to think of spiritual blessings and material blessings as being separate. For My devoted disciple, no such separation exists. Whatever material things you have are intended to be part of your spiritual life. If you tend to think of spiritual and material things as being separate, carefully note the last three sentences below — the underlined ones. In the first sentence, Paul gave a reminder of how you are to use what you have, and in the last two sentences, he clearly pointed out that there is an eternal implication associated with how you use what you have. [G]odliness, along with contentment, does put us ahead but not in the ways some imagine. You see we came into this world with nothing, and nothing is going with us on the way out! So as long as we are clothed and fed, we should be happy. But those who chase riches are constantly falling into temptation and snares. They are regularly caught by their own stupid and harmful desires, dragged down and pulled under into ruin and destruction. For the love of money — and what it can buy — is the root of all sorts of evil. Some already have wandered away from the true faith because they craved what it had to offer; but when reaching for the prize, they found their hands and hearts pierced with many sorrows. Timothy, don’t let this happen to you — run away from these things! You are a man of
Helping Churches on the Brink
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, On Paul’s last visit with the Ephesian elders, he warned them: Here are my instructions: diligently guard yourselves, and diligently guard the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has given you oversight. Shepherd the church of God, this precious church which He made His own through the blood of His own Son. I know that after I’ve gone, dangerous wolves will sneak in among you, savaging the flock. Some of you here today will begin twisting the truth, enticing disciples to go your way, to follow you. You must be on guard, and you must remember my way of life among you. For three years, I have kept on, persistently warning everyone, day and night, with tears. So now I put you in God’s hands. I entrust you to the message of God’s grace, a message that has the power to build you up and to give you rich heritage among all who are set apart for God’s holy purposes. (Acts 20:28-32) In many ways, the issues Paul addressed to the Ephesian elders in these verses are the same ones in his letters of 1 Timothy and Titus. Paul sent these two letters to men he mentored from their youth to help them to be missionaries, church planters, and ministers. In their letters to churches, Jude and Peter also had to address those kinds of issues unequivocally and with urgency and strong language. Each of these faithful servants had to be bold in confronting difficult challenges. Many of My churches were on the brink of destruction as they faced a variety of difficult issues. Even in New Testament times, problems arose in churches as they began to grow and age. Some of those problems that were addressed in letters to various churches had to do with persecutions. Some had to do with people who refused to get along with each other. Some had to do with false teachers who spread gangrenous teaching that undermined the gospel. How could Paul guard new churches against these kinds of problems? Where could he turn to provide direction for these churches through their storms? He appointed elders and mentored ministers to appoint elders and to deal with these issues. They warned of coming heresies. They spoke directly about the lure of immorality that could infect and disable their churches and could harm their witness to a lost world. Paul appointed elders in the towns where he planted churches (Acts 14:23). These elders were sometimes called overseers (bishops) (Acts 20:28 NIV). Their job was to shepherd or pastor My people (1 Peter 5:1-4) just as I AM the shepherd for My flock of sheep (John 10:1-18). These elders were to protect the flock of God from false teachers, to correct My disciples when they were not living holy lives, to encourage them in their walk with Me, and to lead by example. At the end of Paul’s life, he had to face several imprisonments while trying to make sure the new churches were stable and protected by wise spiritual leaders. In 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul gave character qualities for both male and female leaders. He warned against fussing and fighting over meaningless arguments. He shared standards of behavior for young ministers as they dealt with different age groups. Paul entrusted this work with churches in Crete to Titus and with churches in Ephesus to Timothy. These men were to carry on Paul’s work, appoint faithful leaders in churches, and be men of courage and character as they led. Paul saw their faithful ministry as the key for the church’s future. His instructions make up what are commonly called the Pastoral Epistles of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. You will find similar kinds of teaching and concerns in the short letter of Jude and the letter of 2 Peter as they directly addressed these same issues. Verses to Live Today’s verses come from 1 Timothy, Titus, Jude, and 2 Peter. Leadership for the future, guidance for the present, confrontation of false teachers at the moment, and a constant and clear focus on the core gospel and on My ultimate return give strength to churches on the brink. Too often these words are forgotten and ignored today, so I hope you will spend some time letting Paul, Jude, and Peter awaken you to the urgency of living faithfully both in the present and into the future. Paul, an emissary of Jesus the Anointed commissioned by order of God our Savior and Jesus the Anointed, our living and certain hope, to you, Timothy, my true son in the faith. May the grace, mercy, and peace that come only from God the Father and our Lord Jesus the Anointed mark your life. As I said that day I left for Macedonia, stay in Ephesus and instruct the unruly people in the church, once and for all, to stop teaching a different doctrine. Tell them to turn away from fables and endless genealogies. These activities just cause more arguments and confusion. Instead, they should concern themselves with welcoming in and bringing about the reign of God, which is all about faith. (1 Timothy 1:1-4) Here’s another statement you may trust: if anyone is seeking a position as overseer in the church, he desires an honorable and important work. Here are the qualifications to look for in an overseer: a spotless reputation, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, sensible, respectable, welcoming to strangers (allowing them into his home), and gifted to teach. Disqualify any drunk or violent man. Look for a gentle man; no belligerent fellow can follow this calling. And he should be free from money lust. He should exert good control over his own household, and his children should obey and honor him. (If someone can’t manage his own household, then how can he take care of God’s family?) He mustn’t be someone recently converted; otherwise, he may become arrogant and fall into the devil’s condemnation. He should also be
Investing in God’s Future
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Disciple, I appreciate your desire to follow Me and put Me first in your life. Your efforts at faithfulness do not go unnoticed. Your work to honor the Father will not be forgotten. Thank you for your courage to live for Me in a world that so often turns away from My teaching. As you live your life of faith, I urge you to pay attention to Paul’s words to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:1-2). He was reminding Timothy that while living faithfully in your current generation is vital, you must also help build the future of God’s people by investing in the younger generations around you. Live for your grandchildren — both your physical grandchildren and your spiritual grandchildren — to have faith! Don’t write off or dismiss as hopeless those younger than you just because they are immature or find themselves caught up in a culture different from your own. Just as Paul always had several younger men around him that he was training — John Mark, Timothy, Silas, and Titus for example — you must also invest in loving and training those younger than you. Notice that Paul made clear that this principle wasn’t just for men. He challenged Titus to call older women to invest their lives in younger women, as well (Titus 2:4 NLT). This training principle is universal and essential if future generations are going to have faith in Me! The Father has always wanted us to live for future generations to have faith. I lived that way myself, investing in my apostles and telling them to invest in future disciples by training them to obey what I taught (Matthew 28:18-20). Even in my crucifixion, I was investing in future generations to have faith. Remember the Psalm that defined my death? Notice how it begins — my agony — and how it ends — my victory declared to future generations! My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? … Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:1, 30-31) Please, dear follower, live for future generations to have faith by investing in them, praying for them, and encouraging them in their life of faith. Verses to Live Notice Paul’s principle that he taught to Timothy, a principle for four generations of faith: You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:1-2) Response in Prayer O Father, I am convicted by Jesus’ call to make disciples and Paul’s challenge to Timothy to invest in future generations. Please use me, dear Father, to make a difference in the lives of future generations. Be with my children and my grandchildren — both physical and spiritual — and guard them as I invest myself in them. Forgive me, dear Lord, for not focusing on them as I should. Give me the wisdom to know best how to bless them for their future and Your glory. In the name of Jesus, I ask for this grace. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Head-to-Toe in the Full Armor of God
Note from Jesus Dear Faithful Follower, Some of the churches in your day are skilled at drawing big audiences. Many more congregations, both large and small, need to focus more on equipping a spiritual army. My disciples are facing an all-out spiritual war. I’ve got the marks on My body to prove hell’s fury toward the Father and His desire to redeem humankind. Hell has a way of insidiously seeping into politics, government, religion, and personal relationships and too many of my followers are ill-equipped and unprepared. When Satan gains a foothold, then it is literally “hell on earth.” Look at the book of Revelation in your Bible and you will see this war story: War in heaven. War on earth. War with religion. War with government. War through false teaching. War because of weakness. Yes, My disciples are at war with Satan and hell. This war has casualties and cost. That’s why I need real followers. I don’t need Twitter® or Instagram® followers or Facebook® friends. I’m looking for genuine disciples. I’m looking for friends who won’t run out on Me even when hell breaks loose against you. That’s why I’ve never been very excited just to get a big audience. If you don’t believe me, ask those 5,000-plus folks I fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish and who wanted a sardine sandwich Messiah (John 6:1-29). When I wouldn’t be their kind of Messiah, these “followers” flaked out on Me (John 6:41-71). My audience dropped to way below 5,000 pretty quickly! Paul understood. He knew My disciples were under attack. He had smelled the breath of hell’s fury in the form of religious haters and government lackeys. He had lost people he loved to hell’s fury, people into whom he had poured his heart, his hopes, and his time. He also knew faithful friends who were so committed to My cause and his mission that they voluntarily shared his imprisonments and hardships. Paul knew the difference between an audience and an army! His army was willing to pay the price to prepare for the battle, to stand alongside him in the battle, and to give their lives with him in battle if it was required. Why? Why would they pay such a high price? Why would they take such risks to share Paul’s worst moments? Simple. They were called to be part of the army. They never considered settling for being like internet followers or faux friends to Paul. They enlisted in My army to fight a war against hell, sin, death, and Satan. Read Paul’s words in the verses below. He wrote them to the brothers and sisters in Ephesus along with other believers throughout Asia Minor. He was preparing them for spiritual warfare. More specifically, he was telling them to prepare themselves for the warfare that had already begun. They lived in the place where religions collided in the Roman Empire. Wealth and power came with many of those religions. Superstition, black magic, and immoral acts went with others. Dark clouds were gathering on the horizon. These storms would crescendo into the emperor cult in Asia Minor, a pseudo-religion that thrived in the same cities that received Paul’s words about spiritual warfare. This cult with its political power would propel the persecution of My followers. The war between hell and My disciples would lead to My Revelation to John, the vision he received and recorded in the book of Revelation. Paul wasn’t looking for just an audience; he was trying to awaken an army. Today, as you read Paul’s words, please know that the Holy Spirit is working to use these same words of Paul to awaken an army in your day. I don’t want just more audience; I’m looking for a committed army. I don’t need more Twitter® or Instagram® followers; I AM looking for genuine disciples. I don’t need Facebook® friends; I AM looking for real friends. I AM looking for friends who do what I ask them to do. I am looking for genuine disciples who will follow even when they don’t understand all I am doing in the world (John 15:9-15; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12)! There’s a war going on right where you live. Follow Me. But don’t come unprepared. Pick up the weapons and the armor that win the war and be ready — because there’s a war going on right where you live. Verses to Live Paul’s words about those who see you as their enemies are powerfully descriptive and one hundred percent true. You don’t need to be afraid, though; you just need to be prepared for the battle. Your ultimate victory is assured when you are committed to Me. Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. Put on the full armor of God to protect yourselves from the devil and his evil schemes. We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places. And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand — truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pray about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God’s people. Keep on praying feverishly, and be on the lookout until evil has been stayed. And please pray for me.
Your Daily Worship
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, In yesterday’s note, I urged you to display your Father’s righteous character and gracious compassion. Today, I apply that principle more fully to your personal daily life. Follow My example in living out the Father’s character and compassion in your daily work, in your other activities, and in your relationships with friends and family — in all that you do. I submitted Myself to your needs and to the needs of the lost world (Philippians 2:5-11). I submitted to your needs to serve you and redeem you (Mark 10:45). Similarly, I want you to commit to a life of submission to redeem those in the world around you. Much of what Paul wrote to the Ephesians in today’s verses centers on seeing your daily life, including with those closest to you, as worship. Paul wanted the Ephesians to know, and I want you to know, that proper living in a Christian household, in Christian relationships, and in whatever a Christian does ultimately comes back to Me, Who I AM, what I have commanded, and the manner in which I did what I did. (In the verses below, the bold text highlights implications that your commitment to Me has on how you live and how you interact with others.) Many documents that were written by the apostle Paul’s contemporaries on virtue and proper living concluded with what were called “household codes” or “household rules.” The important standard household in Paul’s day consisted of husband and wife, parents and children, and often slaves (including household servants) and masters. Paul used this familiar form and filled it full of new meaning. He used this format to focus on Me as the motivating center, the key example, and the moral authority for the behaviors he commanded. My disciples were to follow My example, were to be moved by My sacrifice to do the right thing, and were to honor Me by obeying My will. This focus elevated Paul’s words from admonitions to live the cultural norm to living a life of submission and worship empowered by the Holy Spirit. Also, Paul added another principle to his household rules, the principle of reciprocal submission. The flow of responsibility went both ways in Paul’s teaching: Wives to husbands and husbands to wives. Children to parents and parents to children. Slaves to masters and masters to slaves. Those in the stronger position (husband, parent, master) were given specific instructions to live out their form of submission in challenging ways, just as I lived Mine as the Son of God (Philippians 2:5-11). This reciprocal submission was unheard of in Paul’s culture. Culturally and legally in these three relationships, the husband, parent, and master had all the authority. The “lower” person in their culture and in their laws — the wife, the child, or the slave — had all the responsibility to submit, obey, and serve. Not so with Paul or with Me. The point of all of these principles, My beloved disciple, is that you must learn to live for others. I AM calling you to serve others before you benefit yourself. Follow My example of submission to the Father’s will. Be willing to submit even at great cost. Learn to live this way depending upon the Holy Spirit for your power. Seek to follow My example as you obey My will. Offer the way you live and the way you consider and serve others as your worship to the Father (Romans 12:1-2). As you do, you begin to redeem the very situations in which you live these principles. Verses to Live What Paul wrote to the Ephesians in the verses below was said in the language of worship: “submit humbly to one another out of respect [holy fear or reverence] for the Anointed,” Christ Jesus — Me. Early in this section, Paul gave the command “let God fill you with the Holy Spirit.” Then Paul gave five ways the Holy Spirit is energized in the life of My disciple as that disciple lives a life of worship: “speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs.” “sing.” “make music with your hearts attuned to God.” “give thanks to God the Father.” “submit humbly to one another.” In this way, Paul moved the way My disciples were to relate to their families and others from a set of rules into making their home life and interpersonal relationships part of their worship. In other words, Paul gave much more to the Ephesians than a standard set of household rules. He called on My disciples (1) to follow My example in these daily relationships, (2) to live by the power of the Holy Spirit in these relationships, and (3) to recognize that the way they lived in their relationships was an important aspect of their worship. I hope you recognize these same truths as well! So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times. So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly. Don’t drink wine excessively. The drunken path is a reckless path. It leads nowhere. Instead, let God fill you with the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit, you are empowered to speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs; to sing and make music with your hearts attuned to God; and to give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed for all He has done. And the Spirit makes it possible to submit humbly to one another out of respect for the Anointed. Wives, it should be no different with your husbands. Submit to them as you do to the Lord, for God has given husbands a sacred duty to lead as the Anointed
My Promises for You!
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, The events that led to Paul’s journey to Rome and his shipwreck and other problems along the way began in Jerusalem. Some Jews from Asia Minor stirred up the crowd: “Help! Fellow Israelites! This man is an enemy of our people, our religion, our law, and this temple! He travels around the world subverting our holiest customs! He is at this moment desecrating this holy temple by bringing outsiders into this sacred place.” (Acts 21:28) The crowd went berserk, seizing and beating Paul until a Roman commandant intervened. Paul asked the commandant if he could speak to the crowd. Paul gave his testimony about becoming My follower. His testimony included My commissioning him to go to the Gentiles. That part further incensed the crowd and it went into another frenzy (Acts 22:1-23). The crowd was so angry that Paul had to be rescued from them once again. The commandant then took him into protective custody after being told by Paul that he was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:24-30). This citizenship gave him special rights and privileges under the Roman law. The commandant arranged for a legal hearing for Paul before the Jewish ruling council called the Sanhedrin. This time, Paul capitalized on differences within the Sanhedrin and caused such a stir the commandant had to intervene again and have his soldiers rescue Paul from the hostile leaders’ fits of anger (Acts 23:1-10). Paul faced intense conflict after he was arrested. His enemies planned a murderous ambush during his transfer as a prisoner (Acts 23:12-35). So I came near Paul during the night and spoke to him to give him courage and remind him that I would not forsake him or abandon him. I assured Paul that he would reach his goal: “Keep up your courage, Paul! You have successfully told your story about Me in Jerusalem, and soon you will do the same in Rome.” (Acts 23:11) Paul would fulfill My purposes for him in Rome! After a series of trials before different government officials (Acts 24:1-27; Acts 25:1-27; Acts 26:1-32), these officials honored Paul’s appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:10-12; Acts 26:32). They sent Paul to Rome as a prisoner to stand trial. Paul then began his incredible journey to Rome (Acts 27:1-44). This voyage included terrible storms, mutinous actions by the crew, Paul’s redemptive influence, and eventually a shipwreck. Paul spent the winter season on the small island of Malta with the crew, the Roman soldiers, and other prisoners before sailing on to Rome (Acts 28:1-11). As Paul’s journey to Rome neared its end, believers along the way began to join his group as they traveled to the capital city (see the verses below). They were not afraid to be identified with Paul even though he was a prisoner! They offered hospitality to him and his entourage. They came at personal risk to support, encourage, and accompany My passionate apostle on his journey to Rome. Their hospitality, fellowship, and accompanying him were sources of needed encouragement for Paul as he reached the city of Rome: We set sail from Malta and stopped first at Syracuse. After three days, we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. We waited there a day, and then a south wind sprang up and sped us to Puteoli. We found some believers there, and they invited us to stay with them for seven days. Then we reached Rome. The believers from Rome heard we were coming, so they traveled out to meet us at the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns. Paul thanked God and felt encouraged to see them. Once inside the city, Paul lived under house arrest by himself, with only one soldier to guard him. (Acts 28:12-16) Please notice four realities of discipleship that I demonstrated during Paul’s trip to Rome. These four realities will also help sustain you in difficult times. My enduring presence in your life to bring you home to Me. My willingness to be near you and to hear your prayers. My encouragement to you through the partnership and presence of other believers. My work in your life to bless and empower you. Just as I sustained Paul, I will sustain you! Verses to Live I will provide you these four realities of My grace if you look for them and seek them. Notice how these four are emphasized in Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians: Reality 1: My enduring presence in your life to bring you home to Me. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, Who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:3-6 NLT) Reality 2: My willingness to be near you and to hear your prayers. Most of all, friends, always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. (Philippians 4:4-7) Reality 3: My encouraging you through the partnership and presence of other believers. Whenever you cross my mind, I thank my God for you and for the gift of knowing you. My spirit is lightened with joy whenever I pray for you (and I do constantly) because you have partnered with me to
Filled with the Holy Spirit
Note from Jesus Dear Child of Glory, The world is filled with many beautiful and precious people. Unfortunately, so many of them miss their greatest opportunities. Many miss these great opportunities because they do not have their lives tuned to the Holy Spirit. We — Father, Son, and Spirit — want you to “Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.” So much of the world is held in the grip of the evil one. Under the premise of “fun” and “freedom,” the evil one gains hold of people little by little. He snuffs out the life that We intended for them; he addicts them to what is fleeting and cannot provide meaningful fulfillment. As Paul wrote in Ephesians: As for you, don’t you remember how you used to just exist? Corpses, dead in life, buried by transgressions, wandering the course of this perverse world. You were the offspring of the prince of the power of air — oh, how he owned you, just as he still controls those living in disobedience. (Ephesians 2:1-2) However, when you are filled with the Spirit, you experience the delight of the Father. You live the life that reflects and shares My grace. In the verses below, Paul ties five spiritual blessings to being filled with the Spirit. These activities are the result of the Spirit’s presence. They are also the way you can release the power of the Holy Spirit into your lives. (See the verses below and Ephesians 5:15-21 in the NIV as an alternative translation.). Notice these traits — these five blessings and activities — that both fill you with the Spirit and are also a result of being filled with the Spirit: “Speak to each other in soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs.” “Sing.” “Make music with your hearts attuned to God.” “Give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus”, i.e., through My name. “Submit humbly to one another out of respect for the Anointed”, i.e., out of respect for Me, your Lord and Christ. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to enjoy life as you were intended to live it. The “law of the Spirit of life” means that you are not under condemnation, but the Spirit “breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-4). This same Spirit works to transform you, day-by-day, to be more and more like Me (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). These are exactly the opposite effects of living under the false freedom of the world. You were filled with My spirit from the moment you were born from above (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7). And you can seek to be filled ever more completely with the Spirit (Luke 11:13; Acts 4:29-31). The Spirit will guide you as your dance of life keeps in step with Me (Galatians 5:18; Galatians 5:25-26). The Spirit helps you put to death the vestiges of the flesh. The Spirit empowers you to get out of the evil one’s life-sapping grip on your life. The Spirit enables you to live fully as the Father’s beloved child and My co-heir of all the blessings of the Father’s grace (Romans 8:13-17). Verses to Live The following words are from the apostle Paul. They were written to people living in a place fascinated with spiritual power. They are a great reminder of the Spirit’s importance to you. As you read these verses, intentionally submit your heart to Me. Ask for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to fill you and transform you. So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times. So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly. Don’t drink wine excessively. The drunken path is a reckless path. It leads nowhere. Instead, let God fill you with the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Spirit, you are empowered to speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs; to sing and make music with your hearts attuned to God; and to give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed for all He has done. And the Spirit makes it possible to submit humbly to one another out of respect for the Anointed. (Ephesians 5:15-21) Response in Prayer Abba Father, I thank You for not only adopting me as Your child but also for filling me with the Spirit. I thank You that I live in the Spirit to experience Your true freedom of grace. As I am led by Your Spirit and filled with Your Spirit, bring Your righteous character and gracious compassion to life in Me. Transform me to be like Jesus as I wait for my full adoption as Your child and as a full heir with Jesus to all that You intend for Your children of grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Focus on What Is Core
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, I walked the streets and footpaths of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea two thousand years ago. I came as God incarnate and gave Myself as a sacrifice for your sins and everyone else’s sin (1 John 2:1-2). The ultimate validation of Who I AM and of the efficacy of My sacrifice was My resurrection (Acts 13:26-33). Through the years, those who believe in Me and commit themselves to Me have come together to form My church. However, Satan has consistently used a tried and proven method to sabotage My disciples’ work to build My church. The evil one gets people arguing about religious things that are not that important. If he can distract My followers with useless, foolish, and selfish arguments, he knows that they will lose their focus on the core truths of their faith. Paul’s letters of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, as well as the letters of 2 Peter and Jude, speak directly to these problems. In today’s verses from 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul addressed similar issues with Timothy who was in Ephesus and with Titus who was in Crete. Paul spoke in lofty words about “God’s family” to remind My leaders and those to whom they ministered that My church is precious. My church is not just a thing or an idea. The church is the blood-bought family of people who have the purpose of being My blessing and bringing My redemption to their lost world. However, to do the work of redemption, the people of My family have to remain focused on the core truths of the gospel. Without this focus, their fellowship can devolve into personality clashes. If this primary focus is lost or if there are arguments over inconsequential semi-religious issues, My people can be trapped by immorality in all of its forms. In today’s verses, you see Paul as he addressed the issues that were distracting My beloved disciples in Crete (where Titus ministered) and in Ephesus (where Timothy served). He pointed these disciples away from the distracting issues of false teaching, “worldly fables,” and “sensual cravings and pleasures.” Paul encouraged Timothy and Titus to point My beloved disciples in Crete and Ephesus in the direction of the core gospel and the life-change that true faith puts in place of the world’s foolish and destructive counterfeit approaches to life. Notice that some of the core teachings involve the following subjects: My identity as the Christ, Son of God, and Savior God’s promises about Me and My fulfillment of My mission on earth The validation of My resurrection and return to glory The proclamation of the gospel all over the world The importance of godliness in all things My return to completely redeem and save you The Father’s great grace, mercy, and loving-kindness toward you when you were living in sin Your rebirth through faith and the power of the Holy Spirit The significance of baptism The importance of living a humble and holy life full of good deeds Verses to Live My beloved disciple, I want you to focus on the core things of your faith. To the delight of the evil one, many people want to distract you from these core things. You can always find a way to argue about religious ideas. Instead, stick to what is core. Refuse to get distracted by what is not essential, by false teaching, or by the lure of immorality. I called you to be salt in a world of decay and light in a world of darkness (Matthew 5:13-16). Paul urged Timothy and Titus to teach the people to whom they ministered to be the same! I [Paul] am writing all this to you, hoping I can come to you before too long; but in case I am delayed, you will know how one ought to behave as a member of God’s family — the assembly of the living God, the pillar and foundation that support the truth — and I think you will agree that the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in the flesh, proven right in the Spirit; He was seen by the heavenly messengers, preached to outsider nations. He was believed in the world, taken up to the heavens in glory. But even so, the Spirit very clearly tells us that in the last times some will abandon the true faith because of their devotion to spirits sent to deceive and sabotage, and mistakenly they will end up following the doctrine of demons. They will be carried away through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences have been branded with a red-hot iron, saying, “Don’t marry. Don’t eat such-and-such foods.” But God created all these to be received with gratitude by people who hold fast to the faith and really comprehend the truth. For everything God made is good. That means nothing should be rejected as long as it’s received with a grateful heart, for by God’s word and prayer, it is made holy. Place these truths before the brothers and sisters. If you do, you will be a good servant of Jesus the Anointed, raised and fed on words of true belief, trained in the good instruction you have so clearly followed. Reject worldly fables. Refuse old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself toward godliness. Although training your body has certain payoffs, godliness benefits all things — holding promise for life here and now and promise for the life that is coming. This statement is worthy of trust and our full acceptance. This is what we work so hard for! This is why we are constantly struggling: because we have an assured hope fixed upon a living God Who is the Savior of all humankind — especially all of us who believe. (1 Timothy 3:14-16; 1 Timothy 4:1-10) Be ready to do what is good and honorable. Don’t tear down another person with your words. Instead, keep the peace, and be considerate. Be truly humble toward everyone because there was a
Essential Unity
Note from Jesus Dear Member of My Body, Paul emphasized in several of his letters to churches that My church is My bodily presence in the world (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-30). When I lived on earth in a physical body, I brought the touch and truth of the Father to a broken and confused world. Now, as My body, you are called to do the same thing. You are a member of My body. The concept of being a member of an organization called a church is foreign to the New Testament. Such a concept is also foreign to My teaching. When My apostles used the term “member,” they were talking about a member of a body. Each member is a vital part of a living body. How you treat others in My family, what you believe, and how you use your gifts impact My church in significant ways. How you live these dynamics either helps or hinders the church to live and serve as My bodily presence in the world. When Paul wrote the verses below, he used the emotional leverage of his imprisonment. In this way, he reminded My disciples in Ephesus and Asia Minor of the importance and urgency of three things: Living with a definite character that reflected My character, Agreeing on essential doctrinal truths centered in Our — Father, Son, and Spirit’s — nature. Using their spiritual gifts to help My body to impact the world with My character and compassion. As My Asian disciples applied these three principles, My body on earth reflected and continued My ministry. These three things would help them resist false teaching and would restore My presence to the world through their lives as My church. However, these three practices were most effective as each member — each “body part” — did its work based on faith in a shared doctrinal core and lived with gracious compassion for each other. Verses to Live Paul wrote Ephesians to give My disciples a glorious view of the Father’s intention for the church. In today’s verses, Paul emphasized that essential unity among My disciples must have three dimensions. My people need to have unity based on gracious character (paragraph 1 below), unity rooted in faith essentials held in common (paragraph 2), and unity as My bodily presence through using their gifts (the remaining verses). As in all things in My church, love — which Paul mentioned three times in these verses — is to be the overriding principle for everything you do. Unfortunately, the evil one can give My life, My message, and My church a bad name when My followers emphasize only one or two of these principles to the exclusion of the others or when the motivation is not love. Please know that all three are important if you are to be My presence to the world through My church! As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you. Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love. Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace binding you together. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were all called to pursue one hope. There is one Lord Jesus, one living faith, one… washing through baptism, and one God — the Father over all Who is above all, through all, and in all. This God has given to each of us grace in full measure according to the Anointed’s gift as the Scripture says, When He ascended to the heights, He put captivity in chains; And in His triumph, He gave gifts to the people. (Well, when it says “He ascended,” then that must mean that He had descended earlier to the lower levels, that is, to the earth. The One Who descended is the same One Who rose from the dead to ascend far above all the heavens so that He could fill all things.) It was the risen One Who handed down to us such gifted leaders — some emissaries, some prophets, some evangelists, as well as some pastor-teachers — so that God’s people would be thoroughly equipped to minister and build up the body of the Anointed One. These ministries will continue until we are unified in faith and filled with the knowledge of the Son of God, until we stand mature in His teachings and fully formed in the likeness of the Anointed, our Liberating King. Then we will no longer be like children, tossed around here and there upon ocean waves, picked up by every gust of religious teaching spoken by liars or swindlers or deceivers. Instead, by truth spoken in love, we are to grow in every way into Him — the Anointed One, the head. He joins and holds together the whole body with its ligaments providing the support needed so each part works to its proper design to form a healthy, growing, and mature body that builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:1-16) Response in Prayer Father, forgive us. We have been short-sighted children. Sometimes we grow weak on truth and end up compromising Your will. Sometimes, dear Father, we’ve gotten so hung up on our version of doctrine that we’ve forgotten to treat each other with gracious compassion. Other times, Father, we’ve forgotten to use our gifts and have gotten caught up in just going to church and being a member of a religious group. I am sorry that we so easily forget that each of us is a vital body part of Jesus’ bodily presence. Open our hearts to recognize the importance of being the second incarnation of Jesus to the world, this time through the church. Please forgive us — and please forgive me in particular — for our short-sightedness, our contentious spirit, and our lack of involvement in Jesus’ body, the church. While I cannot speak for everyone,
Power and Praise
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, One of the most remarkable gifts you have as the Father’s child is the gift of your intercessory prayer for others. When the apostle Paul was in prison, his confinement prevented him from being with his beloved brothers and sisters in Ephesus. So as Paul was praising the Father, he seamlessly moved from praise into a prayer. The focus of Paul’s prayer was for the Father to release the presence and power of the Holy Spirit into the lives of these Ephesian Christians. This same Spirit-power tore Me from the clutches of death and raised Me from the dead. Rather than spending a lot of time talking to you about what Paul said in the verses below, I want you to pay special attention to the two prayers in these verses. As you do, notice these three dynamics in Paul’s prayers: Paul moved from praise in prayer to intercession in prayer. This movement from praise to intercessory prayer was natural for Paul as he prayed led by the Holy Spirit. This kind of prayer carries great power. Paul told the Ephesians what he prayed for them. Intercessory prayer is often most powerful when you share the specific petitions in your prayer with those for whom you are praying. In other words, don’t just tell folks that you are praying for them; tell them what you are praying for them! Paul prayed for the Ephesians to experience the Spirit’s power at work within them. The Holy Spirit, the same One Who intercedes for My disciples when they pray, also releases the Father’s power into their lives. Spend more time in praise to the Father, and as you do, you will find more of the Holy Spirit’s power being released into the lives of your brothers and sisters in My family. Verses to Live Paul’s life and letters are full of his prayers. These prayers helped him stay connected with My disciples scattered all over the world. As you read two of Paul’s prayers, let the Holy Spirit help you remember brothers and sisters for whom you need to pray. Pray for these dear people, and then let them know what you prayed for them. Paul’s first prayer is in the first part of his Ephesian letter. The other prayer comes at the middle as he shifts from talking about the truths of the gospel to talking about the ways the disciples must live out those truths. Your power as a disciple to live with My character and compassion comes from knowing the truth and having the power to live it. You can release this power through your prayers of praise and intercession! To God be all praise and glory! This is why, when I heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus that is present in your community and of your great love for all God’s people, I haven’t stopped thanking Him for you. I am continually speaking to Him on your behalf in my prayers. Here’s what I say: God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people. Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You. Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power. Friends, it is this same might and resurrection power that He used in the Anointed One to raise Him from the dead and to position Him at His right hand in heaven. There is nothing over Him. He’s above all rule, authority, power, and dominion; over every name invoked, over every title bestowed in this age and the next. God has placed all things beneath His feet and anointed Him as the head over all things for His church. This church is His body, the fullness of the One Who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:14-23) It is for this reason that I bow my knees before the Father, after Whom all families in heaven above and on earth below receive their names, and pray: Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit so that through faith the Anointed One will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings. Now to the God Who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21) Response in Prayer I praise You, gracious Father. I praise You, Lord Jesus. I praise You, powerful Holy Spirit. I praise You for Your greatness, power, and sovereignty. I praise You for the plan to redeem the mess we have made. I praise You for entering our world and planting redemption into it through Jesus. I praise You for the power of the Holy Spirit that tore Jesus from the clutches of death and raised Him from the dead. I praise You for saving Me through My faith as I shared in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection through baptism. I praise You for living inside Me through the Holy Spirit. And I ask that my spirit be