Weekday Devotionals
Devotional by Steve Griggs
UNCOMMON – Psalm 51 / Devotional by Steve Grigg (All verses in New Life Version)
Verse – Psalm 51:1, 10, 12-13: O God, favor me because of Your loving-kindness. Take away my wrong-doing because of the greatness of Your loving-pity… 10 Make a clean heart in me, O God. Give me a new spirit that will not be moved…12 Let the joy of Your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you. 13 Then I will teach wrong-doers Your ways. And sinners will turn to You.
THOUGHT:
Some of my take aways for Pastor Pete’s message include the following:
“Change begins with the introspection of my heart.” “TRANSGRESSION (rebellion) I am my own god.” “INIQUITY (guilt) I am giving a half-hearted effort.” “SIN – To miss God’s target. (I am common)”
“Numbers is about the ONGOING decisions we make and the next steps we take.” “If we are to live uncommon, we must recommit DAILY to live out our LIFELONG decision to follow Jesus.”
I began this devotional by looking at myself, introspection. I ask the questions; am I my own god, am I giving a half-hearted effort, and do I miss God’s target (am I common)? In some areas and times of my life, guilty on all counts! So how do I deal with these issues? I change, now. I recognize that like anything in life that needs to change, I need to begin today and accept that it is a lifelong process. Here are words from Peter that I was led to for this writing:
2 Peter 1:1&2 This letter is from Simon Peter. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ and a servant owned by Him. I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours which is of great worth and which no amount of money can buy. This faith comes from our God and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. 2 May you have more and more of His loving-favor and peace as you come to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better.
Look at how he opens, “I am a missionary of Jesus Christ, a servant owned by Him.” He opens with a description of his relationship with God, and then adds who he is writing to. “I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours…” This is to all believers and his words call us to live an UNCOMMON life as missionaries, servants preaching, teaching, sharing, and living the word of God.
In verse #2 Peter “May you have more and more…to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better”, reaffirms what Pastor Pete said in his statement, “If we are to live UNCOMMON, we must recommit DAILY to live out our LIFELONG decision to follow Jesus.
Uncommon lives, introspection of the heart, ongoing, next steps, recommit daily, and lifelong! I look at these words and think that my old self would say not possible or not likely to be accomplished in me. Yet Peter tells us differently.
2 Peter 1:3-4 “He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. 4 Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.”
Jesus gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. That’s EVERYTHING. And holy living is that UNCOMMON life Pastor Pete is speaking about. “As we come to know Him better…” We can know God better through One Year Bible, small groups, prayer, and various special events.
Peter continues with a list for growth. These words give us guidance in our ONGOING, DAILY, and LIFELONG walk with Jesus. Our UNCOMMON life.
2 Peter 1:5-8 “Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. 6 As you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. 7 As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. 8 If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Pete spoke about these in a previous message, pointing out that they are growth steps. You have to start with faith, then you add holy living, add knowledge, add self-control, add perseverance, add godliness, add brotherly kindness, top it off with love. He explained how each one is necessary before being able to successfully add the next step, I believe he used an example of baking a cake.
CHALLENGE:
I know that we did this on Sunday, but take some more time for introspection of your heart. Be honest, look for any rebellion in your heart/mind. Ask if you pursue or serve God in half-hearted efforts. Finally, look for areas where you miss God’s target. Take your time, let God’s holy spirit take you into a time of reflection.
When you are finished, pray these words.
Psalm 51:10-13 Make a clean heart in me, O God. Give me a new spirit that will not be moved. 11 Do not throw me away from where You are. And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Let the joy of Your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you. 13 Then I will teach wrong-doers Your ways. And sinners will turn to You.
Now live your UNCOMMON life!
God Bless!
SKG
UNCOMMON – Psalm 51 / Devotional by Steve Grigg (All verses in New Life Version)
Verse – Psalm 51:1, 10, 12-13: O God, favor me because of Your loving-kindness. Take away my wrong-doing because of the greatness of Your loving-pity… 10 Make a clean heart in me, O God. Give me a new spirit that will not be moved…12 Let the joy of Your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you. 13 Then I will teach wrong-doers Your ways. And sinners will turn to You.
THOUGHT:
Some of my take aways for Pastor Pete’s message include the following:
“Change begins with the introspection of my heart.” “TRANSGRESSION (rebellion) I am my own god.” “INIQUITY (guilt) I am giving a half-hearted effort.” “SIN – To miss God’s target. (I am common)”
“Numbers is about the ONGOING decisions we make and the next steps we take.” “If we are to live uncommon, we must recommit DAILY to live out our LIFELONG decision to follow Jesus.”
I began this devotional by looking at myself, introspection. I ask the questions; am I my own god, am I giving a half-hearted effort, and do I miss God’s target (am I common)? In some areas and times of my life, guilty on all counts! So how do I deal with these issues? I change, now. I recognize that like anything in life that needs to change, I need to begin today and accept that it is a lifelong process. Here are words from Peter that I was led to for this writing:
2 Peter 1:1&2 This letter is from Simon Peter. I am a missionary of Jesus Christ and a servant owned by Him. I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours which is of great worth and which no amount of money can buy. This faith comes from our God and Jesus Christ, the One Who saves. 2 May you have more and more of His loving-favor and peace as you come to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better.
Look at how he opens, “I am a missionary of Jesus Christ, a servant owned by Him.” He opens with a description of his relationship with God, and then adds who he is writing to. “I am writing to those who have received the same faith as ours…” This is to all believers and his words call us to live an UNCOMMON life as missionaries, servants preaching, teaching, sharing, and living the word of God.
In verse #2 Peter “May you have more and more…to know God and our Lord Jesus Christ better”, reaffirms what Pastor Pete said in his statement, “If we are to live UNCOMMON, we must recommit DAILY to live out our LIFELONG decision to follow Jesus.
Uncommon lives, introspection of the heart, ongoing, next steps, recommit daily, and lifelong! I look at these words and think that my old self would say not possible or not likely to be accomplished in me. Yet Peter tells us differently.
2 Peter 1:3-4 “He gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. He gives it through His great power. As we come to know Him better, we learn that He called us to share His own shining-greatness and perfect life. 4 Through His shining-greatness and perfect life, He has given us promises. These promises are of great worth and no amount of money can buy them. Through these promises you can have God’s own life in you now that you have gotten away from the sinful things of the world which came from wrong desires of the flesh.”
Jesus gives us everything we need for life and for holy living. That’s EVERYTHING. And holy living is that UNCOMMON life Pastor Pete is speaking about. “As we come to know Him better…” We can know God better through One Year Bible, small groups, prayer, and various special events.
Peter continues with a list for growth. These words give us guidance in our ONGOING, DAILY, and LIFELONG walk with Jesus. Our UNCOMMON life.
2 Peter 1:5-8 “Do your best to add holy living to your faith. Then add to this a better understanding. 6 As you have a better understanding, be able to say no when you need to. Do not give up. And as you wait and do not give up, live God-like. 7 As you live God-like, be kind to Christian brothers and love them. 8 If you have all these things and keep growing in them, they will keep you from being of no use and from having no fruit when it comes to knowing our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Pete spoke about these in a previous message, pointing out that they are growth steps. You have to start with faith, then you add holy living, add knowledge, add self-control, add perseverance, add godliness, add brotherly kindness, top it off with love. He explained how each one is necessary before being able to successfully add the next step, I believe he used an example of baking a cake.
CHALLENGE:
I know that we did this on Sunday, but take some more time for introspection of your heart. Be honest, look for any rebellion in your heart/mind. Ask if you pursue or serve God in half-hearted efforts. Finally, look for areas where you miss God’s target. Take your time, let God’s holy spirit take you into a time of reflection.
When you are finished, pray these words.
Psalm 51:10-13 Make a clean heart in me, O God. Give me a new spirit that will not be moved. 11 Do not throw me away from where You are. And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Let the joy of Your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you. 13 Then I will teach wrong-doers Your ways. And sinners will turn to You.
Now live your UNCOMMON life!
God Bless!
SKG
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