Sanctuary
DAY 55 WRITTEN BY: TC MCCONNELL-
Isaiah 8:14
He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, he will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
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In Isaiah's prophetic words, we find a revelation of the name of Jesus as our Sanctuary. The Bible often uses the imagery of stones and rocks to depict Jesus as the foundation of our faith. Here, Isaiah describes Him as both a "holy place" and a "stone."
Amidst life's uncertainties and chaos, Jesus serves as our Sanctuary. When the world around us feels unsteady, we can find security in Him. He becomes our spiritual shelter, offering us protection, peace, and rest for our souls. Just as a physical sanctuary provides safety and comfort, Jesus provides a spiritual haven where we can seek refuge.
However, in this same passage, Isaiah also cautions that for those who reject Him, Jesus becomes a stumbling stone. Refusing to accept Him as their sanctuary, they trip over His truth and grace. But for those who embrace Him, He is the cornerstone of our faith, the unwavering foundation of our lives.
Naming Jesus as our Sanctuary reminds us to turn to Him in times of trouble. He invites us to cast our burdens upon Him, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). When we face difficulties, we can take refuge in His loving arms, finding strength and guidance in Him.
As believers, let us not stumble over this stone but build our lives upon it. Embrace Jesus as your Sanctuary, your refuge, and your rock. Place your trust in Him, and you will experience a peace that surpasses all understanding, a hope that endures, and a sanctuary that remains unshaken, even in the midst of life's storms.
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Heavenly Father, I am grateful for the revelation of Your Son, Jesus, as my Sanctuary. In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, I find peace and security in His name. I confess that at times I have stumbled over the stone, failing to fully embrace Jesus as my cornerstone. Help me build my life firmly upon Him, recognizing His unshakable foundation for my faith. I pray that, in moments of trouble, I will turn to Jesus as my Sanctuary. Grant me the strength and wisdom to walk confidently in His name, knowing that He is my unwavering refuge. Thank You for the hope and peace that only Jesus, my Sanctuary, can provide. Amen.
Surety of a Better Covenant
DAY 54 WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Carter-
Hebrews 7:22
Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.
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The sacrificial system mandated for the Israelites only temporarily covered sin. It required daily sacrifices for atonement. The high priests would first offer a sacrifice for their sins and then for those of the people. This continual offering was laborious and extremely tedious. However, it served an amazing purpose: It allowed for a relationship with God.
Hebrews 7:28 tells us, “the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever. This appointed Son, Jesus Christ, brought a better covenant for mankind. Our Savior is described in detail as "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens." His death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice. Romans 6 states, “The death he died, he died to sin once for all,” and in doing so, He fulfilled every aspect of the sacrificial system. No longer is there a need for continual sacrifice. His death was sufficient.
The sacrificial system has been replaced with a “Better Covenant,” our ever- interceding Savior. He holds a priesthood permanently. Hebrews continues and gives us further assurance: “He is able to save completely those who come to God through him since he always lives to intercede for them.” He has been perfected forever, and we now have eternal fellowship with the Father through the amazing gift of His son, Jesus.
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God, thank you for the gift of your Son, for a “Better Covenant,” and the confidence it gives to know that you are interceding for me. May my life demonstrate your love to others and bring You glory.
The Head of All Principalities and Powers
DAY 53 WRITTEN BY: GILBERT TORRENS-
Colossians 2:10
and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
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Everything on earth operates under the direction and command of some form of ruler and authority. Every government, company, military group, team, and even church has a hierarchy and chain of command or organizational chart that outlines the leadership levels of the organization. The higher up in these hierarchies, the more power that position holds.
This is true also for the spiritual realm, as the Bible often mentions angels and demons, and their different tasks with levels of importance and authority (Rev 12:7-9, Jude 9), and in the case of demons, levels of wickedness (Mat 12:45). In multiple places in scripture, we see angelic powers and demonic destruction far beyond human capabilities.
But here is the best news of it all: Jesus, our Jesus, who calls us friends (Jn 15:15), is the exclusive power and authority over all these beings. Jesus Christ, our savior, is sovereign for all eternity over all these rulers and authorities, physical or spiritual. Nothing else can sway or share in this authority. He has defeated the powers and rulers (Col 2:15) and reigns supreme, seated in glory in heaven (Eph 1:20-22).
And we know that Jesus loves us (Jn 15:9, Eph 5:2), He forgives (Col 3:13, 1 Jn 1:9), He is good (Jn 10:14, Rom 5:8), He listens to us (1 Jn 5:14), He doesn’t change (Heb 13:8) and He works in our favor even in suffering! (Rm 8:28). We are in his grasp, and nothing can remove us from his hand! (Rm 8:38-39).
This personal loving Jesus has filled us and sealed us with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 1:22) who guides us into holiness (Gal 5:16-18) and helps us in time of need (Rm 8:26-27).
Today, we must trust his nature. In any circumstance we face, we must remind ourselves the truths of his love, forgiveness, goodness. We must remind ourselves that no matter how dire the circumstances, how painful and dark the valley of shadow of death may be, our Jesus is still supreme, and his Spirit is with us through it all.
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Lord Jesus you are worthy of all praise! You alone are ruler over all. Your sacrifice has paid the ransom, brought us life, and now I live to bring you praise. Thank you for your sacrifice. Please let this life which you have given me, be an offering unto you Lord. Help me, as I face trials, to look to you. Help me as I cannot carry these burdens, as I cannot take these steps on my own, but only in you, Jesus, I can walk and face today. Amen.
Alpha and Omega
DAY 52 WRITTEN BY: KEN BRUNER-
Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
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The Book of Revelation begins and ends with the declaration of Jesus as Alpha and Omega (See Revelation 1:8). What a powerful statement – Our Savior is the Ultimate – there is nothing before Him and there is nothing that follows Him! Not only is the Initiator and the one who brings all things on Earth to their sovereign conclusions, He takes care of everything in between.
Literally, Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet. Think of it this way: Jesus is A to Z, the beginning, the end, and everything in between. Everything in Scripture points to Jesus and it’s all about His ministry of reconciliation – reconciling God to man!
Not only does God have a plan for all of humanity, He has a plan for us as individuals. Consider Philippians 1:6
“I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
He is OUR A to Z – He began a good work in us when we surrendered our lives to Him and He is carrying it on to completion, sanctifying us until we are glorified.
What a comfort to follow, serve, and obey the Alpha and Omega! We know that He has a plan that He not only set into motion, but oversees. Yes, we are “works in progress”, but in the hands of a Sovereign God who never abandons a project and is faithfully molding us into the image of His Son.
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Mighty Alpha and Omega, who created and sustains all things, how grateful we are that we matter to you. Thank you for choosing and calling us! Thank you for not abandoning the works of your hands and for shaping us into the image of Your Son. Thank You for always working for our good and Your glory – may we faithfully seek You and surrender to You by living lives of obedience!
The First and The Last
DAY 51 WRITTEN BY: Katie Grogan-
Revelation 1:17
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last”
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When we think about what is happening in Revelation chapter 1, the apostle John is given instructions from God to record everything he sees in his visions in a book to deliver to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. The book of Revelation gives us a summary of who God is, what He is doing, what He has done and what He will do in the time that is to come. When the apostle John sees the glorified Christ in this verse that we read, it says “when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.”
I can only imagine the awe that the apostle John felt and the magnificent wonder of the risen Christ in which he had seen. His eternal presence was with John as He said, “I am the first and the last.” The gentleness of his right hand, and the reassuring comfort to “fear not”, represents the loving character of who Christ is. He is the first and the last, He is eternal, and He reigns on His throne forevermore. He is the beginning and the end; those who have placed their faith in Him are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:17). We have an eternal hope in Jesus that one day, we will see him face to face and experience the awe and wonder of our eternal Savior.
We can have confidence that in this life there will be many challenges and things that distract us and turn our affections away from God. However, He calls us to live a life that honors Him and that means putting Jesus at the helm and all other distractions aside. When we think about the sinful world we live in, 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” This means that we are to live with an eternal perspective: that the things of this world are temporary and will fade away, but we are to live holy and godly lives as we wait for the day when we will live with Christ for eternity.
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God, even now as I pray help me to put all other distractions aside. That nothing would come before you in my life. You are the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the author and perfecter of my faith. Thank you that one day you will make all things new and that I can look forward to the day when I will spend eternity with you. For as long as you have me here on this earth, give me the desire to live with an eternal mindset, to focus on the things above and living a Christ-honoring life.
God
DAY 50 WRITTEN BY: JULIE WELBORN-
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
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A mediator is a person who works between two parties who are in conflict. A middleman who works to bring the two parties together, to help them negotiate a settlement, reach an agreement and make peace between them.
We see prophecy all throughout the Old Testament that foretells the coming of this mediator. A Messiah who will come into our broken, sin-filled world to build a bridge between sinners and Almighty God.
Jesus, being fully God and fully man, lived a sinless, perfect life. He was unjustly sentenced to death. He was brutally punished without cause. He suffered and died on a wooden cross and it was all for our benefit. Think about that truth for a moment.
By his death on the cross, Jesus made the one and only way that we can be in fellowship with God. He is our perfect mediator. His perfect life and his death in our place bridged the gap between us and Almighty God.
Not only did Christ provide a way for us to one day be in the presence of God when our lives on earth are through, Christ goes before us and petitions for us in the presence of Almighty God. What an amazing truth!!
At the core of Christianity is the truth that we are separated from God by sin, and we need a mediator. Thank you, God for your son Jesus, the perfect mediator.
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Dear God, thank you for allowing us to come in your presence. Thank you for your son, Jesus, who made a way for us to come to you. Thank you for extending love and grace and forgiveness to all who seek you. Thank you for the cross, which provided a bridge for us to be with you forever. Today Lord, help me to see and take time to reflect on all you have done for me. Amen.
Author of Salvation
DAY 49 WRITTEN BY: RYAN PEDERSON-
Hebrews 2:10
For it was fittng that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
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I’ve been to many weddings over the past ten or so years, and at almost every one of them, during the ceremony or a toast, someone brings up that love requires sacrifice. Any one who has been married for any amount of time can tell you that the idea of love requiring sacrifice is not just a platitude. It’s the TRUTH.
The Lord wrote the script on how we could be reconciled through the Law of Moses. Not only did He write the plans, but he had to carry them out too. And in only the way that God can, He glorified Himself in this plan. The Father made the Son the “perfect” substitute for us through his experience of obediently suffering unto death. Our sin deserved God’s wrath and payment had to be made. So Jesus became a man, not just to live a perfect sinless life, but to die on behalf of imperfect sinful people. Only by taking upon himself our human nature could Christ truly be a perfect substitute to pay the sins of humanity.
To the most extreme detail, and in probably one of the only ways we would truly understand it, God was willing to show his love for us by sacrificing and suffering for us. Was there another way for us to experience eternity with Him? We will never know the answer to that this side of Heaven. But, what we do know is that God loves us so much that He made sure we couldn’t question it.
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Father, thank you for the sacrificial love of Jesus, who suffered what we should have in order for us to live in eternity with you. There is no greater love than Yours. Help us dwell in Your love today and let it permeate our hard hearts. Amen.
He Is Faithful
DAY 48 WRITTEN BY: JON GROGAN-
Hebrews 3:1-3
Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
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The overarching theme of the book of Hebrews is that Christ is greater than any angel, priest, or old covenant law. Although the writer of Hebrews is unknown, it is assumed by most that the writing was intended for Jewish Christians in whom he is exhorting to persevere in their faith in Christ and not turn back to Judaism.
In verse 1 of Hebrews 3 the writer refers to a “heavenly calling.” This is the same calling that Paul mentions in his letter to the Philippians when he writes “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). If we are in Christ, we have a heavenly calling and we can lean on the Lord’s faithfulness.
For those of us who have been reading through the Bible, we have seen that Moses showed himself to be faithful as the Lord called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He was appointed by God for a heavenly calling. A monumental task to be sure. But we must consider, how much more faithful is Jesus than Moses, one of our heroes in the faith?
The answer is simple. Jesus is greater.
Jesus is “the apostle and high priest”; worthy of all the honor and glory because of who he is and what he has done for us on the cross. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he writes, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (5:8). As followers of Christ, we can rely on the Lord as we pursue sanctification and God’s direction in our lives. We are merely vessels called by God to point others towards Jesus. No matter what we’re facing, good or bad, we can find rest and have confidence in knowing that the Lord will continue to show himself faithful.
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Father, thank you for your faithfulness in my life. There is no one greater than you. Please help me to live in a way that is worthy of my calling in Christ Jesus and direct my focus on the things of Christ and towards the goal of sanctification. Remind me today of all the ways you show yourself faithful in my life. I pray that I am constantly reminded that there is no greater example of faithfulness than Jesus.
Master
DAY 47 WRITTEN BY: AARON BROOME-
Luke 8:24
They came and woke him up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm.
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Have you ever been so certain of your impending doom that you sought out someone (or something) who you knew could save you from your demise?
The disciples were planning a leisurely paddle across the sea to Capernaum (Luke refers to this body of water a lake) when a fierce windstorm came down on them and they were swamped. They understood that their lives were in peril of being lost to the sea. This great force of nature was responsible for taking the lives of many men before them and has taken many men since. They needed a greater power than the sea, so they turned to Jesus, and what did they find?! Jesus was so exhausted that He had fallen asleep at the back of the boat. The disciples interpreted this physical display as having a Master who did not care for their well-being. I like to think that in the disciples’ minds, they are thinking this Son of God will surely live through this storm, but there is no hope for them. They thought “let’s wake Him up and see if He’ll at least TRY to help us!” That’s when the craziest part of the story happens. Jesus wakes up, speaks to the sea, and as quickly as the storm was upon them, it ceased. The waves were now calm.
The fact that Jesus was napping while all this happened shows he was not concerned with the sea’s demonstration of power. Psalm 89:9 tells us that “You rule the raging sea; when it’s waves surge, you still them.” The sea is often used as the ultimate symbol of chaos which is both uncontrollable and unpredictable. What a great illustration of our lives. Many things in life are completely out of our control. The fact that Jesus can merely speak to this force, and it obey Him, demonstrates that His power does not need to be exerted in any greater measure. What a great comfort it is to know that our Master can merely speak to bring everything back into His control.
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Lord, speak into our lives daily. Help us to not be concerned about our mortality when you have demonstrated that you are Master over all uncontrollable and unpredictable things.
He Is Preeminent
DAY 46 WRITTEN BY: TRE WIGGINS-
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
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The crux of Colossians 1 is a focus on Jesus as Lord and God. In fact, He is the pinnacle of the Scriptures. He is the scarlet thread that flows through God’s word and what everything in the Bible ultimately points to.
Colossians 1:18 tell us that Christ is the head of the body, which is the church. If we count ourselves believers, we are part of the body of Christ. In brief, this means that Jesus is the head, or sole authority. He alone sets the pace and direction for the life of the body. He joyfully reigns over all underneath Him.
The rest of the verse tells us why this is significant. Because “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.” What does firstborn from the dead mean? It means Christ, in His resurrection, has made a way for others to be resurrected to glorified bodies. He has gone before us. He is the first to pave the way. Because Christ died and lives again, when we die, we can live again as well. We can be made like Him because of his work on our behalf. When we die, that doesn’t have to be the final word. We can live again if we trust Christ to forgive us of our sin. This has happened so that He might be made supreme, or so that He might have first place. This is who the Scriptures say Jesus is. He is the one who can bridge the gap between life and death. He is God. And because of this, He is worthy of our worship.
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Father, we thank you for all Christ is to us. We are nothing without Him. But with Him, we have every spiritual blessing. None of which are we more thankful for than the relationship He’s made possible with You. He is everything to us, and we ask you today that you would cause us to treasure Him more than anything else in the world. May the eyes of our hearts be focused on Him and Him alone.
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
DAY 45 WRITTEN BY: ERICA SUMMEROUR-
Exodus 3:2, 6
Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed...
...Then he continued, “ I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
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Moses had spent roughly 40 years taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep when he met God in the wilderness of Midian. At this time, the Israelites had been living in Egypt for around 430 years.
Through a truly humbling display of His supernatural power, God spoke to Moses, and identified Himself as the one that the people of Israel had been waiting for —the God of Moses’ ancestors.
The God of Abraham, who promised to increase the family of this childless man to a number greater than all the stars in the sky, and to bless all the nations of the Earth by his descendants.
The God of Isaac, who because of the faithfulness of his father, promised to give the land given to Abraham to Isaac and his descendants forever.
The God of Jacob, who promised to bring kings from the lineage of this second born, birthright stealing son— including the King of Kings!
God kept all of His promises to these men, and He continues to keep them to this very day.
What does the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob promise us?
● We are promised adoption into the family of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
● We are promised forgiveness of our sins and a restored relationship with God.
● We are promised peace and guidance through the Holy Spirit.
● We are promised eternal life through His Son, Jesus.
God did not forget His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He fulfilled them completely and with perfect timing. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is a promise keeper.
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Loving Father, help me to remember that nothing changes your promises: not the passage of time, not my sin, not my circumstances, and not the plans of other people. Thank you, Lord, for being a true promise keeper and reminding me that you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Everlasting Father
DAY 44 WRITTEN BY: DIANNE MILTON-
Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
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These are the words of the prophet Isaiah during the reign of the evil King Ahaz of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, after he warned of the coming invasion by the Assyrians. It would be a terrible time for the Jews but, at the same time, Isaiah gave them hope. He prophesied about Jesus the Messiah who would come to them. In the following verse (Isaiah 9:7), he says “The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.”
Jesus Messiah is the Son of God and, at the same time, a part of the Trinity. God said in Deuteronomy 6:4 “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” The Hebrew word for “one” here is echad, which refers to a compound unity. This word is used instead of yacheed, which refers to singularity. Jesus is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Like God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, Jesus is everlasting. He was from the beginning (John 1:1) and will forever be. This hope that Isaiah prophesied to Israel then, is the same hope we have in Jesus now. The Messiah has come and all we must do is trust in Him to obtain eternal life with him. Hallelujah!
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Father, I praise you because you gave me Jesus to be my Savior and my Eternal Father, just as you told Isaiah. That means you will never leave me or forsake me and I can be with you forever. You will everlastingly love me, keep me, protect me and bless me more than I can ever ask or think. In your presence, I wish to always live.
The Almighty
DAY 43 WRITTEN BY: JONATHAN CARTER-
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
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God gives us a glimpse in this passage of just who He is. In one short sentence, we are confronted with the sheer awesomeness of an eternally existent, all- powerful, and ever-present God. He begins with “I AM” and describes Himself in more detail as the Alpha and Omega—the Beginning and the End. This echoes God stating His name for the first time in Exodus 3:14: “I AM Who I AM.” God’s overwhelming greatness encompasses everything. He exists outside the limits of space, time, and matter. He was, is, and is to come. He is the Lord God Almighty.
This theme is repeated throughout Scripture. Colossians 1:17 states, 'He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together.' Psalm 90:2b declares, 'From beginning to end, you are God.'
How encouraging it is to know that God, “The Almighty," is for you. His power laid the foundations of the earth and set it in motion. His faithfulness has continued from generation to generation. He is intimately aware of your circumstances and needs; His love knows no limits. And your future is secure with the wonderful promise of His return.
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Almighty God — you have no rivals. Help me to rest in You, knowing that You are in complete control. I pray for wisdom and understanding that I might know You deeper, and that my life would demonstrate Your power.
The Head
DAY 42 WRITTEN BY: ELIZABETH BROOME-
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
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In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he taught about spiritual gifts. The gifts Christ has given us should be used to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to edify the church (Ephesians 4:12). Because everyone is given different gifts, our growth will look different. However, as long as we are submitted to Christ, the Head of the church, we will have the same outcome.
Christ is not asking us to do something He hasn’t done. He submitted to the will of the Father when He came to earth. In John, Jesus said “I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30b). This should motivate us as we serve the church. Paul explained to the Corinthians that the church is “Christ’s and Christ’s is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:23). As we grow together, we are serving both Jesus and the Father.
Christ is also unified with the Father. In John 10:30, Jesus says “I and my Father are one.” While Jesus was equal to the Father, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will. As we submit to the Head of the church, we are submitting to the Father and will grow in unity together. As Paul told the church, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in on hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all Who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
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Heavenly Father, Thank you for the example that we have in Jesus. Help me to submit to Christ as I grow in the gifts you gave me. Help our church to grow spiritually and in unity with the Father. Amen.
Creator of All Things
DAY 41 WRITTEN BY: CINDY HALE-
Colossians 1:16
For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities‐ all things have been created through him and for him.
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Historians and cross references show us that Paul have more than likely never personally been to the city of Colossae; but being the servant of God that he was, the report of the Colossian people that he had received from his trusted friend Epaphras stirred in Paul’s heart the need to write to them regarding errors that were creeping in among the Colossian saints. Paul addresses them as saints and faithful brethren, which leads us to understand that among the Christians, there were those who were allowing error to creep in and those who were remaining faithful to the full truth of the gospel message. Paul’s purpose is to now address the false teaching that was being spread.
This false teaching was what might be called religious mixing, taking a little of this and little of that, allowing them to comingle. They did it corporately, today, we may be guilty of doing it personally.
In verse 16, Paul reveals to the Colossians, as well as us, the powerful name of Jesus that magnifies His deity, and solidifies the fact that Jesus Himself is the One that created all things. All includes the universe and all things in it, and there is nothing that He created that could ever usurp His power. The created can never overcome the Creator.
Jesus Christ, Creator of All Things, holds the power of heaven and earth in His hands. There will always be counterfeits that we are faced with. How can I identify a counterfeit? By spending time with the Creator of All Things. Time in His word and time in prayer allow me to have that intimate relationship that helps me to know Him. When I am intimate with the Creator, I can never be fooled by the counterfeit!
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Father, help me to always see Jesus for the powerful creator of the universe and all that is in it, both physical and spiritual. Help know Him more intimately, and never forget He has complete control. Knowing this, I can always trust Him to be in control in my life, even during chaos. I can rest in the knowledge of this truth. On the mountaintop, I praise Him, and, in the valley, I praise Him. Oh, what a powerful name, Jesus!
Yahweh
DAY 40 WRITTEN BY: LEE WELBORN-
Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (NIV)
Trust in Yahweh forever, for in Yah—Yahweh Himself—we have an everlasting Rock. (LSB)
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Isaiah was a Hebrew prophet born in Jerusalem approximately 2,700 years ago. Isaiah’s name means “Yahweh is salvation.” When God called him to prophesy, Israel lived in fear of powerful enemies in Assyria and Babylon. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord seated on a throne, high and lifted up. God gave Isaiah messages to deliver, sometimes to kings and other times to his fellow countrymen. One of those beautiful messages was the promise of a coming Messiah.
Isaiah encouraged the people to trust in the Lord. Some translations indicate Isaiah used the name “Yahweh,” the very personal name of God. The name Yahweh may be pronounced by breathing in while saying, “Yah,” and then gently breathing out while saying, “Weh.” Saying his name is as easy as breathing, which is fitting since He is the one who breathed into Adam the breath of life.
Isaiah explained why we could trust in the Lord. Yahweh is an everlasting Rock, the Rock eternal. He is unchanging and cannot be moved. This makes me think of Stone Mountain, the biggest rock I have ever seen. I climbed to the top as a child. Years later when I returned, I placed my feet in the very same place where I stood as a child. Stone Mountain hadn’t moved. The next time I go, it will be right where I left it. God’s promises are like Stone Mountain. They don’t change. I can stand on them with confidence. God’s unchanging love is love I can trust.
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Yahweh, thank you for giving me such a clear illustration of your nature through the words of Isaiah. You are my firm foundation. Help me to stand on your promises. When the world around me seems to be crumbling, help me to remember my Lord, my everlasting Rock.
The Wisdom of God
DAY 39 WRITTEN BY: VINNY VARSALONA-
1 Corinthians 1:24
Yet to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom.
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You may remember the catch phrase of the classic show, Schoolhouse Rocks!, “Knowledge is power!!”
While knowledge may be helpful to carry out the tasks at our job, do well in school, or know a backroad when traffic is heavy on the way to TGC, knowledge by itself is incomplete. To see this we need to look no further than the Pharisees who knew the law to a “t” but remained powerless in the face of living and serving Yahweh as Christ did.
On the other hand, the Greeks devoted their lives to seeking wisdom through philosophy in justice, ethics, logic, and government, but did so in the sterile environment of their minds in chairs in schools. Again, this was fruitless the moment they changes habitats to be apart of the real world. Their efforts were fickle and fell as soon as they reached the cusp of their limiting factor, the human mind.
Enter Jesus: Where the Jews fell shorts establishing positions of powere and the Greeks withered in the messiness of a broken world, Christ followed the Law from His heart and in doing so was empowered and informed by the Holy Spirit to have competency wherever the Father sent Him. By following Jesus’ example and creating space for the Spirit to live and work through us, we have access to God’s power. As Paul wrotes just a few sentences earlier, “For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those perishing but is God’s power to us who are being saved.” Christ’s sacrifice was not only for us apart of The Grove Church family but was to reconcile or friends, families, neighbors, coworkers and everyone else in the world to the Father. By seeking His wisdom, He is faithful to grant us His power in accordance to our faith and spread the Gospel through His people to heal the sick and recover the lost.
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Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word and for sacrificing Christ so I may have the mind of Christ. Help me to lean off You for wisdom and empower me to serve you in whatever way You have for me. Search me, God and know my heart. Increase my faith and help me to not grasp my own power because I know that will eventually fail. I trust You and thank You for the work I know You’re already doing through me. In Jesus name, Amen.
The Lord Who Heals
DAY 38 WRITTEN BY: VICTORIA SCHNEIDER-
Exodus 15:26
If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.
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Less than three days after the Israelites witnessed great victory over the Egyptians and the Lord parting the Red Sea, they face a problem: no fresh water. What started as worship wilts into worry and grumbling. They come to a place of bitter water, called Marah, where the bitterness of their hearts is revealed.
Just seventy-two hours after moving an entire sea, they doubt God’s power to provide. Instead of turning to God, they grumble. Moses, however, takes this to God, who responds with gracious blessing. Not only does He heal the water but also makes it 'sweet.' God goes beyond making the water fresh; He makes it satisfying. Here, we see a glimpse of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, where Jesus tells her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The Lord then tests them to listen and follow His voice, keep His commandments and statutes, and He will keep them from the diseases that plagued Egypt. They will experience a full 'sweet and satisfying' relationship with Him - Jehovah Rapha - The Lord who Heals. Then He blesses them even further as He takes them to Elim, the desert oasis with twelve springs for the twelve tribes.
This test from the Lord for the Israelites is the beginning of drawing them out of the slavery and bondage they once knew, leading them in the joy and full trust of the Lord. He is in the process of revealing His character to them, a God who provides, brings life more sweet and abundant than desired, and a God who brings healing to their hearts and bodies. We all have or are experiencing a Marah - a bitter season in this life. We have the choice to respond to it in trust and joy in the Lord instead of bitterness and striving. The Lord is a God who heals us of all our spiritual diseases. We experience this partly in our salvation on earth. And for those of us who partake in that living water, we will one day partake in full glorified healing.
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Father, you are our healer. You bind our wounds and heal our broken hearts. Help me to trust who you are, to rest fully on your character and promises. May I look at the Marah or bitter situation in my life now and lean into what you are trying to teach or grow in me. Help me to give these things over to you as I wait for abundant and full healing in eternity. Amen.
Image of the Invisible God
DAY 37 WRITTEN BY: GUY SHARLOW-
Colossians 1:15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
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In Paul’s opening chapter to his letter to the saints in Colossae, he is pleased to hear about their faith in the gospel of Christ and encourages them to continuing growing in the knowledge of his character. He completes the picture of Jesus to them in this passage saying that the invisible God that no man has seen has been seen in Christ. He explains that the deity of Christ is in both creation and redemption. In the first part of chapter 15, Jesus is told to be the image of the invisible God. This is a reflection of Jesus’s own words in John 10:30 where he says, “I and the Father are one.”
This can be confusing when reading the last part of verse 15 that says he is the firstborn of all creation. If you’re like me, you may ask how Jesus can be both God and the firstborn. John Calvin gives a great background into the culture of this time. The firstborn of the family was considered the principal heir. They carried the family name in the genealogy of their family. Jesus is the principal heir of the father; not that he was created, but that holds the supremacy, honor, and holiness of the firstborn. He is the greater Abraham, the greater David (Psalm 89:27), and the greater prophet. He is the Messiah.
This connects creation and redemption as seen by the rest of the letter where all things were created in him, by him, and for him. He holds all things together. He is the active role in our universe that holds it together. If you want to see God, see him in the person of Christ.
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Thank you, Jesus, for your sovereignty and active role in my life. You were before all things and, in you, all things were made. For your glory, you revealed yourself to us so that we may see our invisible God. You suffered, died, and rose again so that we may, by your grace, be heirs to the kingdom of God with you being our principal heir. You are the reason of our creation and the way of our redemption. Thank you for loving me and adopting me into your family and discipling me into the heir you have called me to be.
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
DAY 36 WRITTEN BY: TC McCONNELL-
Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
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This text unveils the magnificent nature of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, through two of His profound titles: Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.
Wonderful Counselor encapsulates His role as the source of divine wisdom and guidance. In life's uncertainties, we can turn to Jesus for counsel. His understanding surpasses ours, and His wisdom is impeccable. Through prayer, we seek His guidance, knowing that His counsel will lead us to the right decisions.
As the Mighty God, Jesus reveals His divinity. He is not a mere teacher or role model; He is God incarnate. He exercises the power to perform miracles, heal our brokenness, and conquer darkness. In the face of daunting challenges, we can depend on Jesus, the Mighty God, for strength and deliverance. His might is boundless, and no obstacle is insurmountable for Him.
These two titles exemplify the completeness of Jesus. He is both the source of wisdom and the source of strength. When we approach Him, we encounter the Wonderful Counselor, offering divine guidance, and the Mighty God, granting the power to transform our circumstances.
Reflect on these names, drawing nearer to Jesus in your faith journey. Seek His counsel, trust in His power, and find the strength to overcome any obstacle. Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God, is the One who walks with us, guiding and empowering us through every season of life.
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Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus – our Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God. As I reflect on these names, help me to draw nearer to Jesus in my daily walk of faith. Help me to seek His counsel and rely on His strength in all circumstances, finding comfort and assurance in His presence. Amen.
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