November 3, 2024 - Dr. Jeff Raines

Do Not Fear - [Isaiah 41:8-10]

Why are you afraid?

Fear is one of the most powerful human motivators. But we are not meant to live in fear. It's damaging to our bodies and relationships and distorting to our souls. This week there is a political storm where fear is used as a motivator on all sides.

One of the most repeated commands is scripture is "fear not."

Today's step: REPLACE FEAR WITH FAITH

Fear tends to expose our idols and pushes us into idolatry. Maybe it's success or money or reputation - we cling to idols when we fear loss.

"For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, do not fear, I will help you." Isaiah 41:10

The Effects of Fear:

• Fear leads to idolatry (Isaiah 41)
• Fear traps us (Procerbs 29:5)
• Fear suffocates love (1 John 4:18)
• Fear blinds us (2 Kings 6:16-17)

What do we do with our fear?

Replacing Fear:

• Trust the Lord (Philippians 4:6-7)
• Seek a new perspective (Romans 8:31-39)
• Remember that we belong to God
• Embody God's love (1 John 4:16-18)

Let's invite God's love to flow in us so powerfully so that the world can see the Kingdom of God.

In the Beginning was the Word: Jesus at Creation

Weekly Devotional 11.4.2024

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

“The beginning of Hobbits lies far back in the Elder Days that are now lost and forgotten….Yet it is clear that Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk became even aware of them.” This quote is taken directly from the prologue “Concerning Hobbits” of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien outlines important details about the Hobbits, such as where they lived and their lifestyle. The prologue introduces the Hobbits and their history, habits, and home. The word prologue is taken from the Greek word prologos, meaning “before word.” Prologues help readers understand important themes and background information, introduce main characters, and set the overall tone for a story. Another important prologue is found at the beginning of John’s Gospel. These opening verses in John reveal the main character of Jesus and that He is the pre-existent Son who offers eternal life for all who believe. John introduces themes like Jesus being born of God and not by flesh and Jesus being the one and only Son, as well as important thematic words like light, truth, and witness—all ideas we find throughout the Gospel. Within these key themes and words in the prologue is Jesus’ role in creation. According to John, Jesus the Son is the agent through whom God the Father created everything.

Not only was Jesus the agent and goal of creation, but he holds all things together and is the head of the new creation—the church. Because Jesus is supreme over all creation, He is also supreme over his church, the new creation. When we profess Jesus is Lord, we, too, are a new creation. This means that we are no longer slaves to sin—we are led by the Spirit and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. To be a new creation means that we are dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). The same Jesus through whom all things were made and are held together is the same One who reconciles us back to God. He is Lord over all—creation and new creation.

This week, read John 1 and Colossians 1 and think about Jesus at Creation and His Lordship over creation and the new creation.

October 27, 2024 - Dr Jeff Raines

More!

Think about the word "more." What drives us to always want more? Is "more" bad? What is the "more" in your heart? What is driving you?

“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Exodus 20:17

Covetousness leads to a multitude of other sins and comes up in several lists of sins in the New Testament. Sometimes we don't want things until we compare ourselves with what others have. Coveting makes us miserable- it's a recipe for a bitter and angry life. It divides us from other people. Coveting is corrosive to gratitude.

We have so many luxuries. We live in the wealthiest nation in history and yet- are we happy?

We can combat covetousness with gratitude and with wonder.

Action step: Replace greed and lust with gratitude and faith in Jesus. [Philippians 4:11-13]

We need MORE of Jesus.

Weekly Devotional 10.28.2024
Divine Mystery: Fully God and Fully Man

“A life without passion is not living, it’s merely existing.” This quote has been attributed to Leo Buscaglia, an author and professor who specialized in what it means to be human, who also said, “A life without love, no matter how many other things we have, is an empty, meaningless one.” When these quotes are taken together, Buscaglia says that a well-lived life must include both passion and love. By stating what something is not, he is clarifying more about what something is. There are many examples throughout novels and movies where writers describe characters and scenes by describing what they are not. This not only helps us better understand what something is, by isolating what it is not, but it also clarifies misunderstandings an audience may hold about that person or location. Throughout a story, you might begin to misunderstand the nature of a person because, through other situations in the narrative, you have conjured up a false representation of the main character. To help codify and clarify the main character, the author explicitly states who the main character is not, thus better defining the person they are describing. Perhaps the most famous example of this is found in the Caledonian Creed of 451. This creed came a century after the Nicene Creed and sought to clarify Christ's natures by explicitly stating what He was and what He was not. Even after the Council of Nicea, there were several heretical views about Jesus’ humanity and divinity, that He was both fully God and fully man. Because of the divine mystery of this idea, it is easier to say who He isn’t than to say who He is. Part of the Caledonian Creed states: “Recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, and without separation.” To put it simply, Jesus is both God and man, and He is not a mixture, nor does He change, divide, or separate. Jesus was fully God and fully man and 1) not a new thing or third thing after combining two things, 2) not split and a percent man and percent God that, when put together, equal %100, 3) not changed from God to human, but instead carried both natures and finally, 4) that this union cannot be separated and will be together into eternity. By stating who Jesus is not, the creed helped clarify who Jesus is and oppose heretical views during the 5th century.

Last week, we looked at the Trinity and understood that there is unity in God’s essence and distinction in His persons. That means there is one God in three equal and distinct persons—Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus is God in His essence, the Son in His person, and fully God and fully man in His natures. The Son has been part of the Godhead since eternity past. He was not always God and man, but at the beginning, only God. Jesus added to His nature at the incarnation and became fully God and fully man—a doctrine known as the hypostatic union. He did not lose His deity but rather added to His nature by becoming fully man while remaining fully God—His two natures were in union with His person. The first chapter of John’s Gospel helps us understand that in the beginning was the Word, that is, Jesus, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and also that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14). Through the incarnation, Jesus added the nature of humanity to His nature of eternal divinity, thus having two distinct natures in the one person of Jesus. Augustine wrote, “Man was added to Him, God not lost to Him; He emptied Himself not by losing what He was, but by taking to Him what He was not.” He did not lose His divinity or become a lesser God to become more human. He was 100% God and 100% man. That is the divine mystery that our infinite and wise God has done, and we, as finite and limited beings, cannot comprehend.

October 20, 2024 - Dr Jeff Raines

What is our most important job as Christians? Before Jesus ascended, he left us with these words:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…”

Acts 1:8

We are to add our voice to those witnesses. We must have an authentic experience with Jesus and live lives of transformation consistent with the gospel. We can’t be faithful witnesses to Jesus if we are false witnesses about everything else.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Exodus 20:16

Today’s action step: fully commit to the truth

How can we be fully committed to the truth? Practice truth in the small things so that we’re ready to tell the truth in the big things. Lying in small things erodes trust. Pride, gossip, a consumer culture, political divisions, AI generated images- all of these are barriers to living in truth. Jesus never told us to set aside his teachings in order to gain power. We should never share something unless we’ve done the work to make sure that it’s true.

We may find ourselves in a culture of lies, but we have a different and higher calling. Don’t give up on the truth. Jesus tells us in John 14 that he will give us the Spirit of truth.

If we want to cling to the truth, cling to Jesus. Listen to Jesus. He calls us to truth.

Grace, Love, and Fellowship: Jesus and the Trinity

Weekly Devotional 10.21.2024

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Correctly understanding the Trinity is critical to understanding who God is and the person and work of Jesus. Before diving in, we must understand that theology for knowledge's sole purpose is useless. The doctrine of the Trinity should lead us to a greater awe of God, more robust worship of Him, and a celebration of His triunity. Listen to or read this week’s devotional slowly and savor these great truths and mysteries about the triune God—one God in three distinct persons.

Members of the Trinity share in love and fellowship with one another, demonstrating the importance of unity in plurality. As the church, we are individuals but called to be one in Christ. The Bible helps us understand that we are to be in community with one another and that we are to seek love and peace with each other. Jesus’ bride, the church, is a beautiful depiction of the Trinity, where there is one mission, and we can co-exist together. There is unity in the focus to go and make disciples and a need for community so that we can serve and love one another. Our encouragement this week is to live with one another in harmony, reflecting the Trinity, and to glorify the Triune God in an even greater way. When we think about the marvelous mystery of the Trinity, we can praise and pray to the Father, Son, and Spirit for their work in creation and redemption and their continued work in our lives and the world. As the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy says, “God in three persons, blessed Trinity.”

Hungry and Thirsty, For What? - John 6:25-40 and Matthew 5:6 - Ronney Joey Webb.

When was the last time you were really hungry and thirsty? We go through life hungering and thirsting for food and water, but some of us spiritually malnourished.

What gives us life?

Jesus offers the ultimate food - a relationship with God the Father through the sacrifice of his life. He calls himself the bread of life. The only thing that satisfies the soul is the presence of Jesus.

What will sustain us in the hard times?

Hardship is a fact of life. Sometimes the very place that God wants to bring us allows us to have the greatest hunger for him. God led Abraham away from his home to a place in famine. What do we turn to when we find ourselves in tough circumstances? Do we turn to God’s word or do we turn to worldly things that numb our pain?

What are you hungry and thirsty for?

Are you hungry for the eternal peace of Jesus or are you hungry for the world’s fleeting pleasures? When we eat and drink of Jesus- fill our lives with Him - our soul is truly satisfied.

How do we practically hunger and thirst for Jesus in our own lives?

•Receive hunger for Jesus as a gift
•Ground ourselves in the fear of the Lord
•Read our Bible consistently
•Pray without ceasing- talk to God
•Let encounters with God fuel our hunger
•Avoid Hunger-Suppressing Fillers
•Pursue a God focused life

Threefold Office: A Greater King

Weekly Devotional 10.14.2024

“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16

Jesus serves as our greater King, the one who is God, was appointed by God, overcame sin, and rules over all creation and the church. This week, we conclude the three-part series of Jesus’ threefold office as prophet, priest, and king.

As God’s new covenant people, we can live in a few ways, knowing that Jesus is our King. First, don’t put your faith and trust in earthly leaders, but do pray for them. Every leader, apart from Jesus, is flawed. We cannot put our faith in and trust in one leader, expecting them to change the world around us. Only Jesus can change the heart of man and the world around us. However, we can pray for our leaders. Paul writes that we should pray for kings and those in high positions so that we can live quiet, godly lives (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Pray for all local and world leaders to be Spirit-led and Spirit-filled people who seek to uphold God’s Word. And when they don’t, and their flaws and failures are on full display, continue to pray for them. Next, rule well in your spheres of influence. If you own a business, lead as a parent, coach a team, or oversee a group of people, strive to make Jesus known through your words and actions. Be a representative of Jesus' good and right rule in your own life, making His name known to all and expanding His kingdom through the ends of the earth. Lastly, trust Jesus’ sovereign and perfect rule in your life and all creation. As believers, we have the assurance that all things work together for those who love Him. Every knee will bow one day; when that time comes, we will share in His rule over the universe and be seated with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:21). Trust Jesus as the Great Prophet—the one who was God incarnate and lived a perfect life of obedience to the Law; the Great Priest—the one who mediates God’s presence and provided a perfect sacrifice for our sins, and the Great King—the one who has power and authority over all and will reign forever.