Day 201: Right In Front of You!

John 20:11-16

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

You ever looked for something and it’s right in front of your face but you didn’t see it the first time you looked? I used to get in trouble for this all the time when I was younger, in my defense my eyes are screwed. I have a lazy eye and astigmatism in one eye, and strain in the other. So when I say I can’t see something, i really cannot see it. However, that’s not the point, when I was younger my mom would send me to look for something, and after looking for about five seconds I would run back and be like, “Mom I don’t see it”. Then she would say, ‘If I go back here and find you’re in trouble.” So I’d frantically run and try to find it, When she came and looked, somehow someway it magically appeared. Sometimes I would go back and somehow my eyes would be opened and I would find it right in front of my face. I was looking but I wasn’t really seeing.

I tell this story because I feel like that’s what Mary is exhibiting in this passage. She comes looking for Jesus but she cannot find Him. He’s not there. She starts doing what all of us do when we can’t find something, we start accusing people of stealing. She starts saying they took Him. Here’s the kick, Jesus even comes to her, and she’s looking at Jesus not realizing she’s looking in the face of the risen Messiah, it’s amazing. The person she’s looking for is right in front of her face. He’s right there. She mistakes Him for a gardener and she’s like, “Where is He? Tell me where He is, and I’ll go get Him.”

There’s two things I want to point out here. Jesus calls her name, and immediately she realizes that Jesus is standing before her. There’s something about the call of Jesus. When God opens our eyes we start to see things that we have been overlooking for a long time. When Jesus opens our eyes we start to see things differently, we start to see the world differently. When Jesus opens our eyes we start to see what he sees. When Jesus opens our eyes we start to see Him, and we see Hs hand on our lives. Which brings me to my next point.

Are we overlooking Jesus? Are we searching for Him without realizing that He is right in front of us. He is standing right there and we are so overcome with our own personal troubles, and concerns that we don’t see that He is right there. He’s right there. I want to make sure that wherever I am in my life Jesus is there with me. I want to make sure that I am not overlooking Jesus. Realize that God is always there, He never leaves us. He’s always standing right there. Right in front of us.

Reflection

1. Are you overlooking God?

Prayer Time

Allow your answer to the above question guide your prayer. Talk to God about opening your eyes so that you see what He wants you to see. Ask God to give you vision, and to open you ears to hear His voice.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 202!

Day 200: For God So Loved the World

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Recently I watched a sermon by Rich Wilkerson Jr. where he said something that really resonated with me. To paraphrase it, he basically said don’t exclude yourself from God’s love. The scripture says God so loved the world, we are part of that world, you are part of that world, I am part of that it. Sometimes I feel like we exclude ourselves from the world when we talk about how much God loves us, we are under that umbrella too and no one is barely under it. It’s big enough for all of us to fit under it comfortably. He loves each and every one of us individually. He loves you so much. I want you to really know that today, get it in your spirit, know it, breathe it. Because His love is breathing in us, His love is pumping blood to our hearts. His love is allowing us to move freely and enjoy life.

I have had moments in my life where things have happened or I looked back over my past and just say, “God really loves me”. And he does, so much! My life is proof of that. Your life is proof of that. Sometimes we have to apply scriptures to ourselves personally and make sure we include ourselves in the word of God. God  loves you, yes He loves the world and you know that, but you need to know that He loves you. The person reading this devotional, that person. You. He loves you!

Another thing Pastor Rich said was, “If we didn’t get the message that Jesus loves us through His words, look at His body language.”

What he meant by that, is if Jesus telling us He loves us wasn’t enough. Look at what He did to prove it, to show it. Look at the cross, look at what He went through on behalf of love. God sent Him to die because He loves us. This seems like beginner’s teaching but it is so imperative that we go back to where it all started. It’s important that we constantly return to the cross because that’s where everything changed. We can get so caught up in the theological aspect of it all that we forget the simple yet profound aspect of it. Jesus loves us, so much that He took on our sin and died in our place. And you can take that and ascribe i to yourself personally. Jesus died for you, He died for me, He died for the world. Make it personal, we forget that a relationship with God is personal. Yes being a Christian is about community, and fellowship, and outreach. But the foundation of that is a personal relationship with God. That starts with understanding that God loves us, and then we can allow Him to lead us, and I’ll leave you with one quote.

“Until you understand how God loves you, you’ll never be able to let God lead you.”

-Rich Wilkerson Jr.

Reflection    

1. Do you tend to exclude yourself from God’s love?
2. Whatever your answer was to the above question, why? Explain.
3. Do you believe that God loves you?
4. Repeat to yourself, “God loves me.”

Prayer Time

Allow your answers to the above questions guide your prayer. Take the time to think about God’s love for you, think about how much He loves you and rest in that love. Talk to Him about it. He loves you so much. Just have a moment with Him.

I love you, I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 201!

Day 199: If You Love Me...

John 14:15

If you love me, obey my commandments.

Today let’s talk about loving God. I’m not sure if I speak for everyone when I say this, but sometimes I question my love for God because it’s seems like I’m not doing enough to show Him how much I love Him. I often feel like I’m not doing it right. I think I sike myself out because  I want to love God so much and I do, but sometimes I’m just like, but how do you know? Like do you know His love language? Can I brings Him gifts? What is this crazy thing called love?

It’s a crazy concept because I know I love God, yet I question my love for Him. I want to love God perfectly if that makes sense. Loving God seems like such a complicated thing because we want to do it right? We want to make sure we are loving God the right way. We cannot see Him, so there’s no physical connection, which in my opinion is the best kind of love. The type of love that says I’ve never seen your face, but I know you and I love you. I love you just for who you are. That’s some real love.

I think Jesus telling us exactly how to love Him in the above scripture. You want to show me you love me, here’s how you do it, obey my commands. Listen to my voice, turn your heart to my way. That’s how I will know that you love me. I believe the bible is full of formulas telling us the secrets of life. He’s given us another one, quite simple, if you love me obey me. That simple, He doesn’t say anything else, just obey me. Now if we really love God this will not be a problem. Obeying God means giving some things up, sacrificing some things, turning away from our old ways, but if we love God it won’t be a problem. When I would hear this scripture it would be complicated or used to tell us that we are not living right, and tell us that we aren’t loving God the right way or at all. But that is not what I get from this scripture is Jesus telling us how to live. He’s telling us what to do to show Him our love. I do not think that this scripture is in any way berating the believer for not loving God the right way but instead saying, here’s how you live, here’s how you love.  All you have to do is obey me and I will know that you love me. Live how I have taught you to live and I will know that you love me. That’s how you show me.

Loving God is about obeying Him and following His commands. It’s not complicated or hard because like I said before if we really love God, doing whatever needs to be done to obey should be no problem.

Reflection

1. Do you love God?
2. Do you obey His commands?
3. Are you willing to sacrifice and do whatever you need to, to make sure that you are obeying Him?

Prayer Time

Allow you answers to the above questions guide your prayer. Talk to God about what it looks like to love Him by obeying His commands. Declare your love for God not just by saying it but by obeying His commands.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 200!

Day 161: The Beauty of Unity

Psalms 133

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.

Ephesians 4:4-6

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

One of my favorite things in the world to see is when people come together. It is a beautiful sight and a beautiful feeling, from church to concerts and music festivals, and peaceful rallies and protests. There is nothing like people coming together for the greater good. There is power in numbers and there is beauty in unity. There is nothing more beautiful than when God’s people come together in worship. This is why I love attending conferences where people of all ages, races, lifestyles, shapes, and sizes come together under one roof to glorify God, to worship together and build relationships, praying for one another. It’s beautiful.

There is also something beautiful about the smaller crowds, the scripture says that when two or three come together there He is. We don’t always have to be in big rooms and huge crowds. Some of the greatest moments I’ve had is with a few people in a room, where we’re praying together and worshipping together, pouring into one another. It is such an amazing feeling and sight to not only see it but to be a part of it.

I remember about a year ago, going to a new church, meaning not only was I new to the church, the church was just starting. A few of my friends from my school also attended this church. But the same group of us also attended the same small group and one evening started out as a bible study and turned into a night of prayer, prophecy, crying, and worship. There were about ten to fifteen of us in this room, from all over the world and country, there were two people from Africa, 5 people from London, two from California, and three from New Jersey, and a few more. What was so amazing about this night was seeing how God brought us all together from around the world for that specific night. I felt like I was in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. That night, lifetime friendships and bonds were formed. That night lives were changed and hearts were turned. It all happened because we decided to come together as one and be with God. I would love to share the full story of what happened that night but it is too much to write at the moment.  

When God’s people come together wonderful things happen. I’ve heard so many people talk about the division in the church or the division amongst Christians. But when I see the church I do not see division, I see people who are all a part of one body, serving one God. I see people loving each other unconditionally, and coming together every Sunday around the world to worship Him. There is no division in that. I see people coming together throughout the week to learn more about the word of God and tell people of His love. I see people loving like Christ, living like Christ. I see unity. Yes, there is are some division in the church but the unity of God’s people overpowers the division that tries to separate us.

I go to school in Philadelphia the city of brotherly love, a city founded on biblical principals. We as Christians are called to live a life full of love, we are called to love our neighbors. We are part of one body and we work better together, There are many things we can do on our own, but there is nothing like coming together as a united front. The body of Christ cannot be separated and still function as one. If anyone needs to live in unity right now it is us, It is Christians, followers of Christ, it is the people who know that there is a hope beyond what we can see. It is pleasant to God when He sees His people living in unity. So let’s not just come together on Sundays but let’s live in unity with our brothers and sisters every day of our lives.

They say music is the one thing that can bring the world together. Let’s change that, let us, as the church and body of Christ bring people together. Whether it be through music, art, or any outlet we have. We can use what we have to bring unity to this world.

Prayer Time

Take the time today to pray for unity amongst the body of Christ. Pray for someone other than yourself today. Pray for the church, and that division will cease amongst God’s people.

I love you, I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 162!

Day 155: It Can't All Be for Nothing

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

When I think of the Gospel and the measures God took for us to have life, I am reminded of how much He loves us. I am reminded that He wants a relationship with us so bad that He went through the trouble of seeing His own son persecuted on our behalf. He turned His back on His child so that we can live a life free of sin, so that we may have a relationship with Him. But also that we may have eternal life when our life here on earth is over. Today I want to talk about the importance of our life here on earth. God took a lot of drastic measures to assure that we can have a life full of freedom and purpose. That we may live an abundant life, here on earth.

I’ve heard pastor’s say that our life on earth doesn’t matter because we have a life that will be spent in eternity with God. With all due respect, I must disagree, it is how we live our life on earth that will determine if we get to spend eternity with God. Secondly, if our lives on earth weren’t that important why did God send His Son to die for the sins of humanity so that we didn’t have to. He could have let our sin kill us, but He didn’t He decided to save us and give us a straight connection to Him.

From the beginning of time, God has meant for us to have purpose and life here on Earth. From the creation, one thing I notice is that He created man last as if He was preparing the earth for man. Providing them with means of food, water, and work. Then when He created man, He gave them dominion over the earth. He then blew the breath of life into him, He blew breath into the nostrils of Adam and it is with that breath that we live and breathe today. We are living on the borrowed breath of God.

Now let’s fast forward to the Gospel. The coming of Jesus had been prophesied long before He was born. The moment Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree, man was disconnected from God, and from that moment on God was in constant pursuit of our hearts. God went through precise, complicated, and detailed steps in order to secure a relationship with us.

Jesus was born of a virgin Mary. Now Jesus could have come through a divine cloud, hailing righteousness on all man. But that is not how it went down, Jesus came to earth as a man, He was born of a woman, conceived by the Holy Spirit. So He was fully man while also being fully God. Jesus experienced life as a child, a teenager, and a man. He started His ministry at the age of 30. Jesus would then go on preaching and healing people. Then Jesus would be betrayed by one of His own and suffers the worst death known to man. Jesus suffered the death we should have gotten. He came and took on our sin, and died with it. Then three days later He resurrected without it. Jesus became sin in order to defeat it, and God would have to turn His back on His own Son because God cannot come in contact with sin. Which is why in our sin we are disconnected from God. But Jesus suffered and gave up His life so that we could be free. He even took on the sin of those who persecuted Him.

All this to say, It can’t all be for nothing. Jesus didn’t come and die for nothing. God didn’t go through the drastic measures of sending His son to live and die for nothing. When I think of the Gospel, I think of the life God has destined for us to live. I think of the message and hope He sent us through Jesus Christ. We cannot go through life being so focused on heaven that we are no good to the earth. While we’re here God has given us a purpose, He gave us this life for a reason. He sent His son for a reason. He wouldn’t go through all of that for nothing. Don’t throw it all away. We have a purpose here on this earth, God wants us here for a reason. It can’t be for nothing.

Response/Prayer Time

Take the time to think about all God went through so that we may have a relationship with Him. Think about the importance of your life here on earth. Pray however you feel led.

I love you, I hope you have an amazing day or weekend. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 156!