Daily Bible Readings:
Monday, September 9. Read 1 Corinthians 2:13-16. 1) What does Paul say about human wisdom? 2) What advantages does having a spiritual mindset bring to a person? 3) What equips us to know God’s thoughts?
Tuesday, September 10. Read Galatians 4:8-12. 1) What was the condition of the Galatian christians BEFORE they “knew God”? 2) What were the Galatians doing that caused Paul to ask “why do you want to go back”? 3) How should Christians want to live? See 4:12.
Wednesday, September 11. Read 2 Timothy 3:10-17. 1) How does Paul describe his life as a disciple of Jesus? 2) What value does Paul attribute to that life? 3) What did Paul say Timothy must do?
Thursday, September 12. Read Ephesians 2:11-13. 1) How does Paul describe the Gentiles before they knew Christ? 2) How did they live during that time? 3) What could be same about the Gentiles after they became people of faith?
Friday, September 13. Read Romans 12:1-2. 1) How did Paul tell the Roman Christians to live their lives? 2) What did he warn them against? 3) What do you think it means to live in a transformed way?
Saturday, September 14. Read 1 Peter 1:13-25. This is Sunday’s sermon text.
Prayer for the Week:
Dear Father, thank you for paying such a ransom for us. Thank you for showing us what a life transformed by hope looks like in the way it is lived. May we be people who are changed by the holiness to which you call us. Help us to not slip back into our old ways of living. In Jesus’ name, I pray this. Amen.
Hymn of the Week:
All for Jesus
by Mary D. James, 1883
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my being’s ransomed pow’rs,
all my thoughts and words and doings,
all my days and all my hours.
Let my hands perform his bidding,
let my feet run in his ways;
let my eyes see Jesus only,
let my lips speak forth his praise.
Worldlings prize their gems of beauty,
cling to gilded toys of dust,
boast of wealth and fame and pleasure;
only Jesus will I trust.
Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus,
I’ve lost sight of all beside;
so enchained my spirit’s vision,
looking at the Crucified.
O what wonder! How amazing!
Jesus, glorious King of kings,
deigns to call me his beloved,
lets me rest beneath his wings.
Devotional Article of the Week:
Keeping My Eyes on the Prize
God isn’t after change: God wants transformation!
by Phil Ware
Politicians talk about change as if it is some precious metal not easily mined or the holy grail to be recovered. They tout their ability to bring change. They may even talk about the quality of change they hope to bring. They all seem to ignore one basic truth.
Change is easy.
Don’t misunderstand me. The experience of that change may not be easy. However, change is as predictable as the sunrise. Change is everywhere. Change happens whether we do anything or not. Whether we want it or not, change is the constant that interrupts, redirects, and enlivens each of our lives.
Change happening is redundant!
Transformation is hard. Transformation is a change with a focused goal and a clear outcome. Transformation takes us from something steady, somewhere mundane, and someone predictable and moves us to a whole new level of life. Transformation removes the steady, the mundane, and the predictable and replaces it with a whole new way of being. Transformative change, the process of genuine transformation, is radical. Going through it is challenging. Most of all, it is life-altering.
So what kind of change, what kind of real transformation, does God wants to see happen in each of us?
Throughout the New Testament, God has a clear destination for our transformation. God wants us to become like Jesus:
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40 ESV).
My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19).
To them [God’s people] God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1:27-29).
Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the freedom to be transformed, “with ever-increasing glory,” to be like Jesus:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
Jesus described the journey of transformation in three stages:
- Come, now!
We have to decide to begin the process of transformation as an immediate priority. - Follow me.
We have to spend time with Jesus and learning from him on a daily basis if true transformation is going to take place. - I will help you become.
Jesus has promised to help us in this journey of transformation; in fact, his job is helping become, to be transformed.
A key part of stage two and stage three are re-emphasized in Paul’s words to the Corinthians. We have to follow, and he empowers the becoming. Paul is more specific with the Corinthians. He’s basically saying, “Keep your eyes on the prize! Focus on and contemplate on Jesus — focus on what he taught, rejoice in who he is, and notice how he did it. If you do, the Holy Spirit will transform you to be like him!”
Our goal, our prize, is to become like Jesus. We want to be “transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” as we “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). This transformation may not happen quickly. However, like water running consistently over limestone, the nature of Jesus wears its way into our demeanor, our character, and our compassion. The Holy Spirit transforms us because we make Jesus our all-consuming passion.
If we want to become more like Jesus, we must realize that the goal of our lives is not changing, but Jesus. He is the prize we hope to become. We cannot attain this prize on our own. Incredibly, as we focus more and more on Jesus, we find ourselves transformed by the Holy Spirit.
God is still working on each of us (Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:28). As Paul emphasized, mature disciples realize they haven’t yet attained their goal of full Christ-likeness (Philippians 3:12-14). As Jesus becomes our focus, our all-consuming passion, the Holy Spirit continues the work doing what we cannot: he transforms us to be more like Jesus. The Spirit takes responsibility to handle stage three: “I will help you become.”
Does this take a while? Yes, a lifetime.
Will I get impatient with my setbacks and the long wait to become all I want to be? Yes, but you will find life so much richer and Jesus so much more than you ever imagined as you see yourself becoming what he wants you to be.
So where do I start with this focus?
How do I keep my eyes on the prize?
The bottom line of this task is really pretty simple to understand. Focus on Jesus each day. Read some of his story every day from one of the gospels. Memorize some of his words regularly. Consciously react to a situation NOT as you are tempted to react, but as you believe Jesus would try to act in that situation. Thank him for good things that happen — not necessarily in a prayer, but as a companion who walks with you. Share with him the things that make you struggle.
Is transformation really that simple? There will be a tweak or two we will add to the process, but remember, we supply the focus — we come to Jesus, and we follow — he promises to use the Spirit to help us become!