SEARCHLIGHT

  August 30, 2024 On this final devotion for our week let us read Romans 15:1-13. Read our verses for today slowly and stop and reflect when a word or statement stands out to you.  What does God’s Word seem to be saying to you, in prayer ask God to direct your thoughts toward what you have discovered. Take these thoughts into your weekend. Romans 15  We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.   2  Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.   3  For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”   4  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. 5  May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,   6  so that with one mind and one voice

  August 29, 2024 Honoring one another involves  grace . Romans 12 says, “Take delight in honoring  each other .” I understand that to mean that “each other”  means  each other . No exceptions. I’m going to honoring you. You are going to honor me. Remember, what we said about honoring others that we are talking about treating people like they have value and like their life matters. Honoring one another involves grace in several ways. Honor involves grace because of people . People struggle with sin, they also have weaknesses. But that does not disqualify them from being honored. Their life is still important. They are still valuable. And it takes grace to honor one another, especially the people who make it hard to honor them. I think we all have some of those challenging folk in our lives. Even so, what a witness to God’s life in us when we Show honor to others. It is an act of grace. You cannot show honor to someone enough. We are told to outdo each other in honor. There is no limit

 August 28, 2024 Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! Thou art the Potter; I am the clay mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. … AMEN.   Adelaide A. Pollard Romans 12:10  (NLT) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. .... Honor one another above yourselves. (NIV) Today lets think about honoring one another with enthusiasm. Romans 12 encourages us to "Take delight in honoring each other." This means we should be enthusiastic and strive to excel in showing honor to one another. It suggests a positive kind of rivalry where we aim to surpass each other in giving respect and recognition. Can you imagine that? Think about this for a moment. What would our life be like if we were driven, motivated, inspired, enjoyed, and enthusiastic about honoring the people in our life? What if they reciprocated? Imagine!! What would happen in relationships if it was the practice to try to outdo each other in h

 August 27, 2024 I have one deep, supreme desire. That I may be like Jesus. To this I fervently aspire, That I may be like Jesus . . . . Amen. Thomas Chisholm Romans 12:10   (Good News Version) Love one another warmly as Christians, and be eager to show respect for one another. Honoring one another involves respect. The Good News Version you just read says, “Be eager to show respect for one another.” Honor and respect go together. You cannot separate them. It’s the two sides of the same coin. To show respect for someone is to give them your special attention. Respecting someone is to listen to them even if you disagree with them. Respecting someone is to not be rude toward them. Showing respect to another person is something we rarely encounter these days. Have you noticed how people speak to one another in our culture? How they speak about one another in our culture? If respecting someone is to not be rude toward them, then I feel like our culture has lossed grasp of what it means t

  August 26, 2024 Grant me, oh Lord, to know what I ought to know, love what I ought to love, to praise what delights you most, the value what is precious in your sight, to hate what is offensive to you. Amen. Thomas `A Kempis in Little Book of Prayers Romans 12:10    “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other”   In last Friday's devotion, we suggested that valuing one another is a key ingredient of honor. Today, let's explore the idea that honoring each other involves humility. One interpretation of Romans 12:10 expresses it as, "Honor one another above yourselves " (NIV). It's about serving others, giving them the place of honor instead of seeking it for ourself, and helping them to succeed . The other day I read a confession of sorts from a man named Brent. He was an exceptional pianist. He recalled that when he was a young man, he had the honor of accompanying a famous singer at his church. Brent saw this as a chance to sh

  August 23, 2024 Oh God, let me live this whole day for the purpose for which it was intended, in works of mercy and necessity; in prayer, praise and meditation; and let the words of my mouth in the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in your sight. Amen. Romans 12:10    “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other”   Think about a time you were honored. When someone spoke of your value to the family, how significant you were to the company, or how important you were to the team. Maybe they thanked you for something you did for them. How did it make you feel? Did it inspire you to do more of the same? Did it make the sacrifice worthwhile? Did it give you confidence? Was it uplifting to you on the inside? That’s what honoring others does. Honoring others can motivate, inspire, uplift, and energize. It transforms feelings of insignificance into significance, obscurity into remembrance, and the urge to quit into renewed determination. Honoring

  August 22, 2024 Oh God, fill me with confidence and trust that in knowing your will, I may follow it, and that in following your will, I will find joy, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen. Romans 15:7 “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you   so that God will be given glory ”. "That God will be given glory," is a consistent theme in all of scripture. Here are a few examples: 1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism opens with the question "What is the chief end of humankind?" (Man) The answ

  August 21, 2024 God be in my head, and in my understanding; God be in my eyes, and in my looking; God be in my mouth, and in my speaking; God be in my heart, and in my thinking; God be at my end, and at my departing. Through Christ my Lord I pray. Amen. Celtic Prayer Romans 15:7  “Accept each other   just as Christ has accepted you ”  There we have it. All this "one another-ing" should mirror the way Christ accepted us. It is God"s desire that we embrace others with the deepest and most complete sense of acceptance. This includes accepting them with love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness, just as Christ has accepted us. Let's consider today how it is that Christ accepts you and me. First , Jesus accepted you with joy. Luke 15:3, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry

August 20, 2024 O Lord, govern my life by your wisdom, so that my soul may always be serving you as you desire, not as I may choose. Do not grant what I ask if it offends your love, which always must be living in me. Let me surrender my own will, that I may serve you; let me live to you, for you are the true life. Amen. Romans 15:7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Let us think a little further on this call that God places on us to "accept one another." To accept one another does not mean overlooking each other's behaviors and attitudes. Their "Sin" we used to say it. Here is the thing we often struggle with, I hear this in many conversations, if I am accepting of others am I not approving of those actions that are unchristlike? Accepting someone does not mean you approve of everything they do, believe, or stand for. There are going to be times that the people who you love and accept are going to make

August 19, 2023 Teach us, good Lord, to serve as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; the fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, except that of knowing that we do your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Ignatius of Loyola Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Accept One Another! In our verse above, accepting one another is not just a suggestion; it's a command. God's vision for his world and the witness of the community of Jesus, is that we will be accepting of others. As I often say, the community of Jesus ought to be known for what they are for, rather than what or who they are against. Instead of earning a reputation for exclusion, God desires His followers to be known for their acceptance and love, urging us all to embrace each other with open hearts. Accepting each other might seem simple at a glance, but it's our dif

  August 16, 2024   Father, it is so easy for me to live automatically, so that nothing touches me or moves me. Give me the fullness of living in the now. Teach me to rejoice in the present. In the name of your son Jesus. Amen. Galatians 6:10  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone ….   Just for a moment, try to picture a world where everyone around you is kind, caring, encouraging, and willing to help when you need help. Everyone. Spouses, family members, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, bosses, political leaders, prime ministers. They are for you. Picture a world where people are quick to try to understand, quick to apologize, and quick to forgive. Imagine that everyone around you is healthy and thriving, fully who God made them to be, passionate about their work but with plenty of time for rest and fellowship and celebration. Imagine a world where people love God, where everyone is confident and pleased with who they are and each person works hard t

    August 15, 2024 Loving father, teach me to love and care for those that need you today. May Jesus love for others be felt through me today. Amen.   Psalm 119:105 “Come to the table and feast on the wisdom of the Lord, for His words are life and truth.” Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” John 21:12 “Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.”     The “Table” is a significant biblical image that has tremendous spiritual application. I always find it interesting how God’s profound message can be embodied in the rather simple things of life. Things we value but don’t think about that much. Things we just take for granted; I suppose. The table is one of those things. Tables in the Bible represent the values of community, family, and steadfast presence. They serve as

  August 14, 2024 Let me know you, oh Lord, who knows me; let me know you as I am known. Enter into my soul and fitted for yourself so that you may have it and hold it without spot or wrinkle. This is my hope. Amen. St. Augustine in Confessions Matthew 5:13-16 13  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.   15  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.   16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Mark 12:30-31 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no

 August 13, 2024 God, thank you for this new day. Would help me to find my joy and strength in you today. To walk in your way of love. My keep my eyes focused on you and off all the struggles and chaos of this world. Let your peace replace worry. Help me to choose kindness over hurrying and forgiveness over disunity and resentment. Help me to surrender to your Spirit-filled power over-relying on my own strength and ability. Amen.   Genesis 1:26-27 26  Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27  So God created humankind in his image,     in the image of God he created them;     male and female he created them.   In Genesis' opening chapter, God breathes life into His creation. Amidst the many refrains, one stands out: "And Go