Category: Devotionals

We were created in the image of God. Whether we are male or female, God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). But, what does it mean to be created in His image? What does God look like?

Since none of us has actually seen God, we don’t really know what He looks like. But, the image that we read about in Genesis is not a physical image. When we read that mankind was created in God’s image, it doesn’t mean that we have God’s eyes or God’s nose. It doesn’t mean that the shape of our face is just like His. Being created in God’s image means that we were created to be like Him. We were created to be loving, to be faithful, to be merciful, to be righteous, to be holy. We were created to reflect the attributes of God.

But, do we actually reflect those attributes? Do we reflect the image of God? When sin entered the world in the Garden of Eden, that image became tarnished. The image was blurred like a photograph taken out of focus. When sin entered the world, the image of man no longer reflected the image of God. But, God’s plan in creating mankind was for us to reflect His image, so He made a way for us to be brought back into focus, to be restored to His image. That way is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). He reflects all of the attributes of God the Father. So, if we want to see what God looks like, we need to look at Jesus. The Gospels give us a clear picture of Jesus. By looking at Jesus through the Gospels, by seeing at the things that He did, listening to the words that He spoke, and learning the things that He taught, we can also see a clear picture of our heavenly Father (John 14:8-10).

When we invite Jesus into our lives by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, when we turn from our sin and follow Him, we receive the gift of salvation. When we accept that gift, we begin the process of sanctification. Sanctification means being made holy or “set apart” for God. It is a process that continues throughout our lives as the Holy Spirit transforms us into the likeness, or image, of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). And although that process will not be totally completed until Jesus returns, from the moment we receive salvation, we once more begin to reflect the image in which we were created, the image of God, our heavenly Father.

How do we become more like Christ? How do we leave behind the corruption in this world that is caused by evil desires and move closer to sharing in the divine nature of Jesus? Through His divine power, Jesus has given us all that we need to live a godly life, to become more like Him (2 Peter 1:3-4).

The second letter of the apostle, Peter, provides us with a list of what is needed–seven qualities that will help us to be more fruitful in our Christian lives. These qualities move us closer to becoming like Jesus and help us to keep from falling away. As followers of Christ, Jesus is, or should be, the center of our lives. When we move closer to the center, we become less likely to stumble and fall back into the pit from which He has rescued us.

The qualities that we need to possess are goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. All of these qualities should be added to our faith. We should not just try to attain them, we should seek them diligently. We need to make every effort to attain them. When we add these qualities to our faith in increasing measure, we become both effective and productive in our knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 1:5-8). When we are more effective and productive in our knowledge of Him, we become more like Him.

On the other hand, if we do not work diligently at possessing these qualities, we are near-sighted and blind. We no longer remember that we have been cleansed from the sins of our past. We become more susceptible to falling away. But, when we do make our best effort to attain them, we will never stumble and we will be welcomed richly into Christ’s eternal kingdom.

As Christians in the workplace, how are we expected to act?

The answer to this question can be found in Colossians 3:22-25. Although these verses in Paul’s letter to the believers in Colosse refer to slaves, it is important to note that, in that culture, a slave was considered a member of the household who held a position of responsibility. In our culture, they would be closer to what we consider an employee than what we would consider a slave. These slaves were also counted among the believers in Colosse. With these things in mind, let’s look at how these verses apply to us as employees and believers.

Colossians 3:22 says that slaves were to obey their masters in everything. In doing so, they were demonstrating godly behavior. Christians in the workplace are expected to do the same. We demonstrate godly behavior when we follow the direction of our bosses and employers unless, of course, we are being asked to do something that would be a violation of what God’s Word teaches us.

In that same verse, slaves were also told to always do their work well, not just when they were being watched. They were told to work with sincere hearts, not to please people but to please the Lord. As Christians in the workplace, we are held to the same standard. The way in which we do our jobs should always reflect the Gospel and not discredit it.

As Christians in the workplace, we are called to approach our work with the right attitude. We should do our work as if we were doing it for the Lord and not just for our employers. We need to display integrity in our work and show reverence for Christ. This means that we must always be conscious of the Lord as we work. Our attitude at work should be one that is pleasing to Him.

Finally, as Christians in the workplace, we should have the heavenly reward in the forefront of our minds. When we get to heaven, we will be rewarded for the work that we have done for the Lord in our lives. We will be rewarded for the work we do to further His kingdom through our churches and ministries (1 Corinthians 3:8-9). We will also be rewarded for the work that we do in our jobs. Even if our jobs are in the “secular” world, it is still the Lord Jesus who we are serving (Colossians 3:24).

Temptation is not sin. It is one of the weapons that the devil employs in his attempts to try and lead us into sin, but it is not sin in and of itself. Every person who walks the face of this earth will be faced with temptation at some point in his or her life. Even Jesus was faced with temptation, but He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Because Jesus faced temptation, He is able to empathize with our human weaknesses. Jesus is fully God but, while He was here on earth, He was also fully human with all the weaknesses that we humans all have. Despite that, Jesus resisted temptation and He did not sin. And because He faced temptation, because He knows what it is like, He is able to help us when we are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).

Immediately following His baptism in the Jordan River, Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, fasting and praying. No doubt Jesus was weak after forty days with no food, and it was then that He faced temptation. The devil tried to take advantage of Jesus’ weakened state and tempt Him to use His power for His own personal benefit rather than for the glory of God. But Jesus overcame that temptation. How did He do it? Through the most powerful weapon that exists to fight against the schemes of the devil, the two-edged sword known as the Word of God. Jesus responded to each of the devil’s temptations with God’s Word.

If we are to avoid temptation, like Jesus, we need to know God’s Word. His Word must be in our hearts and in our minds. When we have God’s Word tucked away in our hearts, we have a mighty weapon with which we can fight off temptation and avoid the sin it can lead to (Psalm 119:11). God’s Word can protect our hearts. Since everything that we do in life flows from our hearts, we must be sure to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), and what better way to do that but with the Word of God.

To resist temptation, we must also be vigilant and be in prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He died, Jesus told His disciples that they should watch and pray so that they could avoid temptation (Matthew 26:41). Jesus knew that, though their spirits were willing, their flesh was weak. This is true for us, as well. The devil knows that, too, and he will look for any opportunity to exploit that. If we fail to use self-control and don’t stay alert to his schemes, the devil will devour us (1 Peter 5:8). But, when we pray and submit our lives to God, we can resist the devil (James 4:7) and the temptations that he throws at us.

Proverbs 14:12 tells us that there is a way that, to us, appears to be right. However, not only is that way not right, but it also leads to death. In the Garden of Eden, when Eve listened to the serpent, the fruit that was forbidden must have looked good. Due to the serpent’s deception, it seemed right for her and Adam to eat it. They decided to follow their own way, the way that looked right, rather than God’s way, and the result was that sin and death entered the world. That was the consequence of following the wrong way.

There may be times in our lives when something before us seems to be right. It could be a job, a financial investment, a decision about a relationship. When we are facing a decision and we choose a way that does not line up with God’s will, it can lead us into trouble. We could be setting ourselves up for a consequence we will later regret. So, how do we know what God’s will is? How do we know if our choice is a good one and if the way that appears “right” is actually wrong? To know these things, we need to know God. And the best way to get to know God is through Scripture, His Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 says that Scripture is inspired by God. Since God is good, so is His Word. His Word is able to teach us what is good and true. It can help us to know what is wrong in our lives. When we are wrong, when we are living or choosing wrong, God’s Word not only corrects us but also teaches us to do what is right. When we study His Word and let it dwell in our hearts and in our minds, when we follow His Word, our lives will be successful and we will prosper.

God’s Word shows us the way that is good. God’s ways, God’s commands, and God’s will for us are all good. When we are facing a way that appears to be right, our best course of action is to consult God’s road map for our lives, His Word.

One day, Jesus will return. Scripture makes this quite clear. We don’t know the day or the hour on which He will return (Matthew 25:13), but Jesus Himself gave us a good picture of the events that will surround His return (Matthew 24:5-12). These events include the appearance of false prophets and deceivers, wars and rumors of wars, famine and earthquakes, and persecution.

The signs are quite clear, but we will never know the day or the hour of His return. That is why we need to be watchful, we need to be prepared. Jesus gave us a wonderful illustration of our need to be prepared in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The virgins were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive for his wedding. Five of the ten virgins were wise and five were foolish. While all of the virgins brought lamps with them, only the five wise virgins thought to bring oil for their lamps. When the bridegroom finally arrived, the wise virgins trimmed their lamps and went out to meet him. The foolish virgins, having no oil, had to go to buy some. The bridegroom arrived in their absence and when they returned, they found the door to the wedding shut to them.

Since we do not know when Jesus will return, we need to be prepared. In this parable, the oil in the lamps represents faith, righteousness, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we wait for Jesus’ second coming, we need to persevere in our faith through a personal relationship with Him. We also need to live righteously. We need to guard our hearts against the temptations that can lead to sin. We need to live our lives in a way that honors the Lord. Finally, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. His presence is what we need to persevere in faith and live righteously.

If we are prepared, if we make sure that we have “oil” for our lamps, we can watch with hope and joy for that glorious day of His coming knowing that we are prepared.

When asked by a Pharisee which of the commandments is the greatest in God’s Law, Jesus replied that it was to love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, and mind. He said that this was the first and the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).

But Jesus didn’t stop there. He pointed out that there was a second commandment that was like the first. You must love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). The two go hand in hand. We are required to love God first, but we are also required to love our neighbor. All of God’s Law is centered on these two commandments (Matthew 22:40).

As God’s children, we are called to love all people (1 Thessalonians 3:12). We are to love our neighbor, whether that person is a believer or not. We are even called to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). We are commanded by God to love our neighbor, to love all people, in the same way that we love ourselves.

Now, we cannot love God while at the same time hating a brother or sister. If we do, we are liars. We can say that we love God, but that would be a lie. How can we possibly love God, who we can’t see, yet hate a brother and sister, who we can see? It is not possible. God has commanded that if we love Him, we must also love our brothers and sisters (1 John 4:20-21).

When we love one another–when we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, when we love our neighbors, and even when we love our enemies–then we can truly say that we are born of God and that we know God (1 John 4:7). God is love. When we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us (1 John 4:12). And the love that we have for one another shows the world that we are true believers–disciples of Jesus Christ (John 13:35).

When sin entered the world through the disobedience of man, it brought with it a curse. That curse was death. Along with death came sickness. Sickness did not exist until the fall of man. But, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the curse of sin was broken. Death was conquered. Since sickness came as a part of the curse, we can say that Jesus’ sacrifice also conquered sickness and provided healing. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that by Jesus’ wounds we were healed. Healing has been made possible through the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

Now, this does not mean that sickness no longer exists. We still live in a fallen world and we all experience sickness throughout our lives. But, God is a God of healing. In Exodus 15:26, God tells us that He is the Lord who heals us. When we are faced with sickness, we must always remember that it is God’s nature to heal and we should pray for that healing. But, although we do have the promise of salvation through Jesus, we don’t have a promise that we will be healed. God may allow us to walk through our sickness. It may be to build our faith in Him, or perhaps to build the faith of others as they see us hold on to our faith in God despite our suffering. Only God knows the reason, but we must never waver in our faith and confidence that He is able to heal.

When we find ourselves waiting patiently for healing, we must live a life of faithfulness. We can do this in a number of ways. First, we must seek communion with God through prayer. We must pray through our suffering (James 5:13). We must walk in obedience to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 7:11,15).
We must wait on the Lord to give us His strength (Isaiah 40:29,31). And, we must always be encouraged in the faithfulness of our God (Psalm 89:1-2).

When healing comes, and even when it doesn’t, we should always thank God for His provision of healing. We should look forward to the day when healing is no longer needed. There will be a day when all things will be made new, when everything will be perfect and sickness will be no more because the curse will no longer exist (Revelation 22:3).

In the business world, when a manager is looking for someone to fill an open position, he will most often select the candidate with the best qualifications. He wants to be sure that this new hire will be able to fulfill the requirements of the position adequately. He will look for the best education, the best experience, the best personality, and so on. In some cases, he may even do a background check to be sure that the new hire is of sound character and has no criminal record of any kind.

But, when God calls someone to a “job” in His kingdom, He doesn’t need to look at those things. He already knows them. And, rather than call the most qualified, the most well-educated, the most experienced person, God will often call the person that the world would label, “least likely to succeed.” That’s because God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. God uses the weak rather than the strong. As He told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s grace is sufficient for the person He is calling. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

The Bible is full of examples of this. Take Moses. Moses did not have a degree in leadership. His only experience in leading was in leading a flock of sheep. He wasn’t even an eloquent speaker (Exodus 4:10). Yet, God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And then there’s Jacob. Jacob was a liar and a deceiver. He tricked his own father, Abraham, into giving him the blessing that rightfully belonged to his brother, Esau (Genesis 27:6-29). And yet, despite these character flaws, Jacob was used by God to receive the promise of a new nation given to Abraham. God blessed Jacob and allowed him to play a role in His plan to redeem the world. Jesus was a descendant of Jacob (Matthew 1:1-2).

There are examples in the New Testament, as well, such as Peter. Peter was a fisherman. He was not highly educated and was a bit rough around the edges. He was quick to speak and often put his foot in his mouth. When Jesus was arrested and standing trial, Peter basically threw his boss under the bus. He denied knowing Jesus–three times! (Luke 22:57-61) But God used Peter in a mighty way as one of the leaders of the early church. And then there’s Mark. As a young man, Mark joined Paul and Barnabas on one of their missions to spread the gospel. But, Mark apparently got cold feet or was homesick, because he deserted them in Pamphylia (Acts 15:37-40). Despite Mark’s bailing out on a missions trip, God still used him to help Peter and then, later on, Paul. And, of course, God used Mark to write one of the four gospels.

In the world’s eyes, none of these men would be considered qualified for a position of leadership or responsibility. But, when God calls someone to do His work, He knows that, with His help, they will succeed. When God calls us, in His eyes, we are the best person for the job. His plans for each of us are perfect and they are meant to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). When the work that God is calling us to seems to be beyond our abilities, when we feel unqualified, we need to place our trust in Him and not in our own limited understanding. When we do trust in Him, He will direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must always remember that what seems impossible for us on our own is not impossible with Him. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

In 1 Samuel, Saul, who at that point was still king, tried to kill David. Saul’s heart was filled with jealousy over David’s success and his popularity with the people of Israel and Judah. Saul was also afraid because he knew that the Lord was with David, but had departed from him (1 Samuel 18:12). Saul tried to pin David to a wall with his spear, but David managed to escape (1 Samuel 19:10). Saul then sent some of his men to watch David’s house and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife, Michal, warned David of Saul’s intent and then helped him to leave the house unseen (1 Samuel 19:11).

David knew that his escape from death was not his own doing. It was God’s hand on his life that made it possible. David recognized it as God’s protection and later memorialized it in song (Psalm 59). David praised God for His protection, for His strength, and for His love and mercy. In verse 16, David wrote:

But I will sing of Thy power;
Yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning:
For Thou hast been my defence
and refuge in the day of my trouble.
(Psalm 59:16, KJV)

When we are in our day of trouble and we can’t see a way out of it, we should turn to God. He is all-powerful and He is able to provide the help, the refuge, that we need. When He does, we need to be like David. We need to sing His praises aloud. We need to praise Him for His love, His mercy, and His mighty power.