GDLC Audio

“Next” is a weekly devotional-podcast intending to take biblical passages and concepts and apply them to people who are going through transitional stages of their lives. While the primary target audience will be those coming to retirement or newly in retirement, this podcast will minister to anyone who is experiencing change in their lives (divorce; job loss; income diminishment; marriage; kids; etc.). The challenge will be to see God’s hand and God’s direction in the new place they’ve found themselves in.

The priest served as the one appointed to act on behalf of the people before their God. They would offer gifts, prayers, and sacrifices and lead the people in the worship of their God. Every priest had to not only offer sacrifices for the sins of the people but also for themselves because they were sinful/flawed human beings. That is, until Jesus came as the greater priest. Jesus is a high priest who, in every respect, was tempted as we are but yet was without sin. Jesus can sympathize with us but also has the power to give us grace and mercy in our time of need. 

The priest served as the one appointed to act on behalf of the people before their God. They would offer gifts, prayers, and sacrifices and lead the people in the worship of their God. Every priest had to not only offer sacrifices for the sins of the people but also for themselves because they were sinful/flawed human beings. That is, until Jesus came as the greater priest. Jesus is a high priest who, in every respect, was tempted as we are but yet was without sin. Jesus can sympathize with us but also has the power to give us grace and mercy in our time of need. 

We live in a society that prioritizes hard work, business, overloaded schedules, and telling people how busy we are. We are a people often stressed, worn out, frazzled, and in need of true rest. This week, we look at a greater rest that only God can bring. The Sabbath was a day given to us by God to rest from our work & enjoy the blessings of our God. Jesus is the spiritual Sabbath of our lives. In the cross we rest from our work to gain goodness from God and rest that His goodness has been given to us through Jesus. Jesus is our good work, Jesus is our rest, and through the Holy Spirit, we now get to live our lives from our greater rest in Him. 

We live in a society that prioritizes hard work, business, overloaded schedules, and telling people how busy we are. We are a people often stressed, worn out, frazzled, and in need of true rest. This week, we look at a greater rest that only God can bring. The Sabbath was a day given to us by God to rest from our work & enjoy the blessings of our God. Jesus is the spiritual Sabbath of our lives. In the cross we rest from our work to gain goodness from God and rest that His goodness has been given to us through Jesus. Jesus is our good work, Jesus is our rest, and through the Holy Spirit, we now get to live our lives from our greater rest in Him. 

Jesus is not a typical leader. He didn’t come to earth the first time to rule in might and power, although he could have. No, he first came as a servant, willing to do His Father's work, live a perfect life, and die on a cross to take the punishment he didn’t deserve. He was humble, obedient, loving, selfless, and sacrificial. This is not the way the world would describe a leader, but isn’t this the kind of person you would like to follow? Jesus is the greater leader and what an honor that we all get to follow Him together. 

Jesus is not a typical leader. He didn’t come to earth the first time to rule in might and power, although he could have. No, he first came as a servant, willing to do His Father's work, live a perfect life, and die on a cross to take the punishment he didn’t deserve. He was humble, obedient, loving, selfless, and sacrificial. This is not the way the world would describe a leader, but isn’t this the kind of person you would like to follow? Jesus is the greater leader and what an honor that we all get to follow Him together. 

In the world we live in, we like to link power with money, muscles, influence, followers, material possessions, authority, and many other things. The problem with every single worldly power is that they will all come to an end and are powerless against our greatest enemy and that is the enemy of death. Jesus came to bring us a greater power, and He demonstrated His power by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. The death and resurrection is the ultimate display of power and now Jesus invites us into a powerful life as we become servants of all. 

In the world we live in, we like to link power with money, muscles, influence, followers, material possessions, authority, and many other things. The problem with every single worldly power is that they will all come to an end and are powerless against our greatest enemy and that is the enemy of death. Jesus came to bring us a greater power, and He demonstrated His power by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. The death and resurrection is the ultimate display of power and now Jesus invites us into a powerful life as we become servants of all.