Romans 11:25-36 (NLT)

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,

“The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem,

and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness.

And this is my covenant with them,

that I will take away their sins.”

Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?

Who knows enough to give him advice?

And who has given him so much

that he needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Explanation:

God’s plan requires Israel to be saved. In the Old Testament, God promised there would be a day when the people of Israel turn back to God for forgiveness. If you aren’t a believer of the Bible, you’d probably look at today’s world and think there is no possible way that the Jewish people will ever be on the same side of the gospel as we Christians are. But God made a promise. We know He is always faithful and never breaks his promises. The mercy He’s shown to you and me will also be extended to the Jews when they choose to follow Him. They will be restored to a place of privilege and blessing, and God will be glorified.

Paul does an awesome job pointing out some of the amazing qualities of God in the last portion of today’ s passage. He talks about God’s great riches, wisdom, and knowledge…that span far beyond what our minds could ever comprehend. God knows so much more than we do, and even knows us more than we know ourselves. I love the last verse that sums it all up—EVERYTHING comes from Him. EVERYTHING exists by HIS power, and EVERYTHING is intended for His glory.

Just like Israel, if you’ve strayed away from God’s hand on your life and wandered out on your own, God is ready to restore you. His arms are always extended for you to run into them. Confess your sin and give Him your wayward spirit, so you can experience the glory and grace that are waiting for you!

Application:

1. It’s been approximately 2,000 years since Paul wrote about Israel returning to God, and nearly 3,000 years since the Israelites strayed away. Knowing that God has promised to restore Israel and bring them back to Him, what does that tell you about God’s patience and His plan for humanity?

2. “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory” (v36). When you think about this verse, what stands out to you?

Devo Plus:

Did you know that in the Bible there are over 160 promises of God? The link below outlines 162 promises that God has given us. Take some time today to reflect on one or two, and commit them to memory!

https://outuponthewaters.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/162-promises-of-God-from-Scripture.pdf

Prayer:

God, I thank You that You are faithful to Your promises. You are the one and only promise keeper that we can rely on. Thank You for your imminent power, wisdom, and grace that guides my life. Help me to walk in Your ways, today and always. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins, and help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Jeremiah 31:31-37 (ESV)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Thus says the Lord,
who gives the sun for light by day
    and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
    the Lord of hosts is his name:
“If this fixed order departs
    from before me, declares the Lord,
then shall the offspring of Israel cease
    from being a nation before me forever.”

Thus says the Lord:
“If the heavens above can be measured,
    and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,
then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel
    for all that they have done,
declares the Lord.”

Explanation:

Nearly 600 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Jeremiah declared that God would replace the Old Testament laws written on scrolls with a new covenant written on our hearts. Previously, the people knew of God through the priests and prophets who spoke on His behalf. Now, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, everyone can have a personal relationship with God. Not that we won’t need to learn anything or teach our loved ones about the Lord; the essence here is that we can know God’s character for ourselves by spending time daily in His presence and obeying what He speaks to our hearts.

God offers up proof from the world He created that His new covenant is everlasting. The eternal destiny of Christ followers is as sure as the rising sun. In the same way the universe will never be fully explored, nor a foundation for the earth discovered, neither will God forsake the believer in Christ or the restoration of Israel. The comfort and security of these truths are confirmed in the New Testament (Matthew 28:20, Acts 3:21), but proclaimed by a man who couldn’t have known the height of the heavens or the suspension of the earth when he spoke these words.

Application:

1. Why do you think God uses the laws of nature to guarantee His covenant?

2. How would you explain to someone what it means to have God’s laws (truths) “written on their hearts”?

3. In what ways are you actively seeking to know God the way He wants to be known?

Devo Plus:

Read Job 26:7. This confirms Jeremiah’s words that the earth has no foundation, and it is proof the Bible is divinely inspired. No human could possibly have known this in 600BC!

Prayer:

Lord God, thank You for precious promise to never leave me nor forsake me, no matter how far I run or how much I sin against You. Reveal more of Yourself to me as I draw closer to You every day. Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (ESV)

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Explanation:

In this passage, Paul starts off by talking about “our fathers” (the Israelites), and describes some of the literal things they experienced as they went through the wilderness with Moses. It’s beautiful that Paul says “our father” because he’s including the Gentiles in this grouping. The Gentiles have been grafted into the family of God, and that is a gift! Paul describes these amazing spiritual moments that the Israelites experienced: God giving manna from heaven for them to eat, God parting the Red Sea so they could pass through for safety, providing the cloud that guided them by day and the fire that guided them by night. All of those things were miracles that the Israelites witnessed. You would think those miracles would cause the Israelites to turn from sin, because they saw God work and knew He was the one true God. Yet, the passage goes on to say that God was not pleased with most of them (and the word “most” is an understatement) because they continued to walk in sin.

Paul goes on to say that we should let the Israelites be examples for us. They had a front seat to the power and provision of God, but they still chose to create idols, engage in sexual immorality, and allow sin to be a part of their lives. There were consequences for their actions. They didn’t receive the gift of the promised land that God was offering them. What a let down! Let’s learn from the Israelites. Let’s recognize the power and provision of God, and TURN from our sin.

Application:

1. What sin are you allowing in your life right now? (gossip, sexual immorality, anger, putting something above God)

2. God gives forgiveness and grace to all. But He wants us to confess our sin and repent (turn from our sin). Take a moment to confess and repent of your sin.

3. As the passage says, God provides a way out when we are faced with temptation. He gives us tools to use so we can deal with what we are facing. What is a “tool” or strategy you can use to fight against the sin you listed in question 1? For example, if you struggle with sexual immorality, you may need to restrict your access to the internet or delete an app off your phone.

Devo Plus:

Fleeing from sin and pursuing the life God calls us to isn’t our natural bent. Our flesh desires to do what makes us feel good. In order to live a life that imitates Christ, we have to be purposed to do things that create healthy spiritual habits in our lives. If you’re reading this devotion, you’re off to a great start! It is so important to daily read God’s word and to renew our minds. Set a goal for yourself this week to read or listen to all of the daily devotions that The Tree puts out, and to take at least one action step each day. You can do it!

Prayer:

God, we don’t want to be like the Israelites. We want to learn from their example. We know You are the one true God, and we want to live our lives in a way that reflects that truth. Reveal things in our lives that need to change, and help us to have the courage to confess these things and seek forgiveness from You. Please continue to give us strength to overcome sin and pursue a holy life. Thank You for Your mercy and grace to us.

Romans 11:11-24 (The Message)

The next question is, “Are they (the Jews) down for the count? Are they out of this for good?” And the answer is a clear-cut No. Ironically when they walked out, they left the door open and the outsiders walked in. But the next thing you know, the Jews were starting to wonder if perhaps they had walked out on a good thing. Now, if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God’s kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back! What a homecoming!

But I don’t want to go on about them. It’s you, the outsiders, that I’m concerned with now. Because my personal assignment is focused on the so-called outsiders, I make as much of this as I can when I’m among my Israelite kin, the so-called insiders, hoping they’ll realize what they’re missing and want to get in on what God is doing. If their falling out initiated this worldwide coming together, their recovery is going to set off something even better: mass homecoming! If the first thing the Jews did, even though it was wrong for them, turned out for your good, just think what’s going to happen when they get it right!

Behind and underneath all this there is a holy, God-planted, God-tended root. If the primary root of the tree is holy, there’s bound to be some holy fruit. Some of the tree’s branches were pruned and you wild olive shoots were grafted in. Yet the fact that you are now fed by that rich and holy root gives you no cause to gloat over the pruned branches. Remember, you aren’t feeding the root; the root is feeding you.

It’s certainly possible to say, “Other branches were pruned so that I could be grafted in!” Well and good. But they were pruned because they were deadwood, no longer connected by belief and commitment to the root. The only reason you’re on the tree is because your graft “took” when you believed, and because you’re connected to that belief-nurturing root. So don’t get cocky and strut your branch. Be humbly mindful of the root that keeps you lithe and green.

If God didn’t think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don’t presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, it’s game over.


And don’t get to feeling superior to those pruned branches down on the ground. If they don’t persist in remaining deadwood, they could very well get grafted back in. God can do that. He can perform miracle grafts. Why, if he could graft you—branches cut from a tree out in the wild—into an orchard tree, he certainly isn’t going to have any trouble grafting branches back into the tree they grew from in the first place. Just be glad you’re in the tree, and hope for the best for the others.


Explanation:

Are you an insider or an outsider?

A time I remember feeling left out was a few weeks after I moved here in 2005. I attended a conference at our church, and when it was time for lunch, I watched a group of pastors and their wives get in a van to go for lunch. I was 50 and had always been on staff at a church…but I wasn’t now. As I watched them laugh and enjoy camaraderie, it re-emphasized my new reality. That was a tough moment.


As only God can do, He pulled me in, reframed my life, and gave me a new identity. 

That is God’s history. He takes broken things and rearranges situations and brings life out of it. 


That is also what God did with the Gentiles. The Jews were the insiders when it came to God, but they squandered it. God then made the Gentiles (who had been the big outsiders) into insiders. He offered them all the benefits of salvation and inclusion in God’s plan of redemption. To illustrate God’s redemptive nature, Paul used a term called “grafting.” I watched a YouTube of grafting, which helped me understand.

Picture a healthy tree trunk 30 inches in circumference. The roots and trunk are healthy but the top of the tree isn't, so it is cut off. The scion (the branch to be grafted in) has buds on it to produce fruit, but is very tiny and frail and was taken from a sapling. One plant was chosen for the strength of its rootstock while the other was chosen for what it can produce. 

Joined together, they have a second chance at being a fruit-bearing tree.

A cut or wound is made into the trunk of the highly pruned tree, and the healthy branch is poked into the cut and left to bond until the branch begins to grow. 

It is a win/win because the great root system of the pruned tree gives strength and support, and the branch bears fruit. 

Due to their unbelief, God broke off national Israel (natural branches) from the tree. God then grafted Gentiles (wild olive tree branches) into the place of blessing. 

The kindness of God was grafting wild branches (Gentiles) into the olive tree. His severity was breaking off the natural branches (Israel) from this place of blessing. 

God’s kindness is experienced upon response to His kindness. 

Application:

One plan operates at a time. When natural branches were on the tree, wild branches were not. Wild branches were grafted in when the natural branches were broken off. What does this tell us about obedience to God?


Devo Plus:

 The question is not “Are you a Christian?”

The question is not “Are you a Jew?”

The question is, 

“Are you Israel?”

Prayer:

Lord, I stand amazed at Your mercy and ability to prune me from heavy deadness, and graft me into a new life. Thank You for this tender pruning and grafting. Amen.

Romans 11:1-10 (NIrV)

So here is what I ask. Did God turn his back on his people? Not at all! I myself belong to Israel. I am one of Abraham’s children. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. God didn’t turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don’t you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel. He said, “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.” How did God answer him? God said, “I have kept 7,000 people for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal.” Some are also faithful today. They have been chosen by God’s grace. And if they are chosen by grace, then they can’t work for it. If that were true, grace wouldn’t be grace anymore.

What should we say then? The people of Israel did not receive what they wanted so badly. Those Israelites who were chosen did receive it. But the rest of the people were made stubborn. It is written,

“God made it hard for them to understand.

    He gave them eyes that could not see.

    He gave them ears that could not hear.

And they are still like that today.”

David says,

“Let their feast be a trap and a snare.

    Let them trip and fall. Let them get what’s coming to them.

Let their eyes grow dark so they can’t see.

    Let their backs be bent forever.”

Explanation:

The people of Israel had always been God’s chosen people. He was with them, He made promises to them, and used them in a huge way to play out the story of redemption. In this passage where we pick up, many were stuck in the “old” ways. They were living lives still stuck in rituals, captivated by culture, and following the Old Testament law strictly. They had not believed Jesus was the Messiah or received His grace. As Paul is addressing these people, he recognizes that God has not forgotten His people, but He chose a remnant, a small group to lead the way so others could be saved. God hadn’t forgotten them, but needed to utilize those who had willing, humble hearts. He needed people of faith to continue to point the world to Him.

And the same is true today. We could have a church full of people, but God is concerned about their hearts. A number means nothing to God. He can use a large army or a small group. He simply chooses people who have humble and willing hearts. And we can either join God in His story of redemption, or we can fight Him. Spoiler alert, no matter what we choose, God can still use it to lead others to Him. I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of the remnant, the few remaining. I want to join God in His story of redemption. I want to walk alongside God. I want to be one who He continues to consider His “good and faithful servant.”

Are you a part of the remnant, my friends? If not, I encourage you to look at how you live, and allow God to change the parts that are not honoring to Him. I pray that you too get to be a part of God’s remnant, His people who remain faithful through it all.

Application:

1. What sticks out to you as you read this passage?

2. How have you seen God use even those who don’t follow Him to play a role in His redemption story?

3. Why do you want to be a part of God’s remnant (a small portion who continue to live a life of faith)? What do you need to do in order to make that happen?

Devo Plus:

This passage makes a reference to a portion of the story of Elijah. The prophet Elijah feels as though He is the only one who has continued to live his life for God, and that God’s people have forgotten. God tells Elijah that He has selected 7,000 who will continue to be faithful. I encourage you to read this story for yourself in 1 Kings 19. May it encourage you when you feel as if you are a lone ranger trying to live your life for God; there are still many others out there doing the same. God will use His remnant to continue to live out His story of grace and redemption.

Prayer:

God, I pray that this passage was a great reminder to us today. A reminder to continue to choose to walk the path that is hard, to continue to live our lives for You and not for this world. It isn’t always easy, but at the end of our days, we want to be included in Your remnant. We want to be one of the chosen few who lived out Your story of redemption. Thank You for choosing us. We pray You will continue to lead and guide us in all things. Amen.

Colossians 3:12-17 (MSG)

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of God-the Message-have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Explanation:

Back in the olden days of actual Christian bookstores, I remember perusing once and coming upon a book called, “I’m a Christian, now what?” In these verses, Paul writes to the new Christians living in the city of Colossae, and tells them just what to do after they have decided to follow Jesus. Paul’s intent is to encourage them in their growth toward Christian maturity. He first reminds them that God has chosen them to hear and accept this message, and in so doing, He has called them to a new life with love as the foundation. God promises to love us enough–so fully and completely–that we are then able to go and love others in the same way.

But how can we “put on” all of these qualities that come so easily to a God who is only good, when we are just people inherently broken by sin? Paul tells us that we are to put on what God has already picked out for us. Meaning that without His Power and Spirit leading and moving in us, we will have no idea what to wear. We will get up every day and stare at our closet full of what we know–jealousy, impatience, grudge holding–and throw on the same old thing, hoping for a better result. But God, our personal soul stylist, tells us that He has something better for us. He asks us to try something new on, assuring us that it will look great on us. Even if it is uncomfortable for a while, or is something we might not choose for ourselves, He promises us that we will grow to love it.

Paul goes on to tell us what to do once we are dressed. We are to wear God’s choices boldly, proudly telling everyone where we got them. Thank Him for always helping us to change, and everywhere we go, people will notice our new wardrobe. Let us show others how peace is our new piece. Sing a new song to show our gratefulness. In everything we do, give these new goals from God’s word the ultimate say in our lives, and see all of the ways God will continue to bless us going forward.

Application:

1. In most Bible translations of this passage, we, as God’s chosen people, are referred to as “holy.” I’ve never been comfortable using that word to describe anything but God Himself. But Paul clearly tells us when we chose to accept Jesus, God sees us as holy and beloved. Do you see yourself as holy? How does it make you feel to know this is how Our Father describes us? It should be cause for celebration every time we think about it!

2. Paul encourages us to do everything in the name of Jesus. What words or actions come to mind that you know you don’t do in Jesus’s name? Think about these, not to feel shame, but to seek something new. Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to help you replace these habits with what He wants you to “put on” today. Slowly, your closet will begin to look different!

3. Is our compassion/kindness/humility circumstantial? Does everything have to be just so before we choose to forgive? Let us learn that God’s power to help us, in spite of our circumstances, is always enough. No situation is ever too much for us to overcome with Him on our side!

4. When “putting on our new self,” perhaps deciding when to get dressed is as important as what we choose to wear. Is there significance to our getting dressed in the morning every day? Thankfully, we can start fresh with a new outfit every day, just like the grace of God. Praise God for loving us so!

Devo Plus:

1. Use God’s word to put into practice the virtues Paul advocates for new Christians:

- For more on how to love others well, read 1 Corinthians 13.

- For more on when and how to worship, read Psalms.

- For more on sound wisdom for ourselves and others, read Proverbs.

- While I’ll always miss a good Christian bookstore, God’s word is full of all we need to know for living a life in Christ!

2. Read Matthew 6:28-33 to remind yourself: If God dresses the lilies with beauty and splendor, how much more will He clothe you, His chosen and beloved child?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, we are so grateful for Your willingness to work in our lives. You consider us holy when we feel so far from it, yet You never tire of our wrong choices. Instead, You gently offer us a different way to live. Give us courage to act on all You reveal to us, and thank You for never leaving us to go this life alone. Help us choose You in all we do. We love You. Amen.

Ephesians 4:17-24 (ESV)

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy, to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!– assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Explanation:

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians details how the gospel story is the roadmap for how we should live our lives. Paul is speaking to a community of those who follow Christ, and refers to them as one body. Christians are to live as a renewed self, throwing away the old sins and manners, then living with a restored spirit of a new life. This new life is righteous and holy.

Many years ago, I came across the book series “Eat This, Not That.” The books are marketed for the purpose to help consumers choose which foods are healthier by comparison. 

Should I choose McDonald’s fries or Wendy’s?  

Eat a salad with ranch dressing or a chicken sandwich?  

Chocolate chip cookie or fruit salad?

It is usually clear which is the better choice, the path that will best give my body the nutrition it needs. Yet sometimes the choice is painfully hard to make. Luckily, I prefer the taste of the more nutritious food. I want the fruit salad over the cookie. Anything with ranch dressing is out of the question. And I am not willing to eat in my car from a paper bag. So, these choices are easy for me.

This is exactly what Paul is trying to get across to the Ephesians.  

Choose generosity instead of greed.

Choose purity instead of lust.

Choose truth over lies.

Choose God.

Application:

1. Think about the foods you eat to nourish your body. Putting good food in produces good health. Putting junk in could result in an unhealthy body.

2. Now, compare this to the Spirit of Christ. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to nourish you, or are you choosing junk?

Devo Plus:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

Prayer:

God, help us to make the choices that reflect Your righteousness. Strengthen us to shed our former ways and choose a path of unselfishness, so we may live in the manner in which You desire for us. Amen.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Explanation:

This world is constantly telling us what is “cool,” how we should live, what they believe to be right…and every single time the world’s standards will not only fall short, but will often leave us feeling more empty and confused. This is true when it comes to how we treat our bodies and what we do with them. Culture is constantly telling us the lie that “it is my body, so I can do with it as I please.” But as followers of Christ, we recognize that in order for us to receive grace, freedom and forgiveness, a price was paid. When we truly reflect on that sacrifice and the price He paid, it should cause us to want to live our lives in the best way we can for Him. My body, and what I do with it, no longer belongs to me; it belongs to God.

I can either utilize this body, which is on loan to me, to bring glory to God, or I can use it to give into temptations and defile the gift God has given. Yes, it involves sacrifice, it involves fighting temptations, it involves doing hard things…but it also means I am doing everything I can to take the best care of this gift God has given. Friends, are you honoring God with your body and how you conduct your life? If not, seek Him, and take steps today to glorify Him in both the physical and the spiritual. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price, so do all you can to bring glory to God with the gift you have been given.

Application:

1. What does it mean to view your body as a temple?

2. How does your view of your body change, knowing that it belongs to God and not you?

3. How would your life look different if you were truly honoring and glorifying God with your body?

Devo Plus:

It is always good to look a verse in context. I encourage you today to read all of 1 Corinthians 6 to get a little more insight into what Paul was addressing.

Prayer:

God, today we recognize that all we have, including our bodies, are an incredible gift from You. So often we want to do what we want, to live selfishly in the way we utilize our bodies. Will you please remind us today of the sacrifice that was paid for us? Remind us that our bodies are on loan, and were given to us as a gift. We want to make sure we are being obedient in utilizing this incredible gift to bring You honor and glory. It may be hard now, but we know someday the reward will be great when we live with You for all eternity. Amen.

1 Peter 2:1-5 (NLT)

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s goodness.

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 

Explanation:

My infant son is completely dependent on me for his daily nourishment. When he first starts to feel hungry, he vocalizes loudly and his little fingers find their way into his mouth, eventually stuffing his whole fist in his mouth as he sucks away. When this doesn’t quite satisfy, he commences crying, puckering up his chubby little face and putting the air in his lungs to good use. If he isn’t picked up and fed in a timely manner, all bets are off! His little legs start pumping, his arms are flailing, and his screams could wake the neighbors as he fights an unseen enemy, trying to get the hunger in his belly satiated. Others can try to hold him, distract him, or comfort him, but he will not be deterred. As soon as I pick him up and feed him, he stops fighting and is at peace, drinking in deeply the nourishment his body needs. Once he has had his fill, he leans back to gaze at me with a big smile, the overflow from his full belly dribbling down his chin, content to enjoy a quiet moment together in my presence.

So often we focus on our physical bodies and emotional needs, while our spirit is starving for the sustenance and nourishment it so desperately requires. We feel out of sorts, irritated and short tempered, and just blame it on being tired or drained. We try to soothe ourselves by distracting our minds, feeding our bodies, or spending time with others, only to find ourselves getting progressively more hungry and tired. If we ignore feeding our spirits long enough, we begin spewing out negativity and ugliness onto others, fighting imaginary battles we aren’t meant to fight. We need to learn to recognize the early signs of spiritual hunger, and cry out for the only One who can fill us up again. This passage challenges us to crave spiritual milk like a newborn baby does, regularly making time for God to pour into us from His presence and His word. When we fully utilize our priestly privileges of direct access to God, our spirits fill up with the goodness of God, and we will be able to overflow “with spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

Application:

1. How is the health of your spirit today? Take some time to reflect. Has your inner man been growing, or has it been feeling starved?

2. Have you been feeding your spirit with time with God and His word on a regular basis lately? Have you been giving adequate time to drink deeply of His goodness and nourishment, or just ticking off a box to get to the next thing on your to-do list?

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you forward in your growth and walk with God, so you can be “a living stone that God is building.”

Devo Plus:

Carve out some special, dedicated, set-apart time this week that you wouldn’t normally do to spend in God’s presence. Ask Him to specially fill any hungry areas in your spirit with His goodness.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need You so desperately. You are my only true source of sustenance and nourishment, but so often I look to other things to fill my need for You. Help me to turn to You in desperation on a regular basis, recognizing my hunger for Your presence and companionship. Give me a fresh word, Lord!

John 15:1-8 (TLB)

“I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He lops off every branch that doesn’t produce. And he prunes those branches that bear fruit for even larger crops. He has already tended you by pruning you back for greater strength and usefulness by means of the commands I gave you. Take care to live in me, and let me live in you. For a branch can’t produce fruit when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from me.

“Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can’t do a thing. If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned. But if you stay in me and obey my commands, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to my Father.

Explanation:

One of my Granny’s many talents was her ability to make things grow. Unfortunately, I did not inherit that talent, I can only grow weeds. Granny, however, did her best to teach me how to garden. One thing I remember well is that sometimes, in order for a plant to be more fruitful, we have to cut back seemingly healthy portions of the plant. The vine, or stem of the plant provides the nourishment to the branches. I remember asking Granny why she would pluck away buds from the different offshoots. She said “even though it looks good, it is stealing vitamins from these other stronger buds and it will make them weaker. It’s our job to keep the bigger, nicer buds from having their food taken away.”

Isn’t that the story of what God does with us? We motor along our daily lives and do our best to walk in the path that God has set before us. Then, sometimes out of the blue, we get our branches cut back. He reminds us that HE is the vine—the giver of the nourishment and our one and only Life Giver. He knows when we’ve sprouted a bud that might harm us, even when we have the best intentions. His focus is on directing us in a way that we can be our best for Him. Unlike the plants in my Granny’s garden, when we as humans are pruned, sometimes we feel it. Something we’ve begun to invest in is plucked away, and we may not understand why. It may be painful for a moment, but in the lens of eternity, we have to believe He’s doing it to produce a bountiful harvest, and the pruning is for our growth.

Application:

1. How can you relate yourself to being one of the branches that this scripture discusses?

2, Are there areas in your life that have been “pruned” recently? Thank God for His mercy and wise gardening, even if you’re struggling to understand the “why.”

3. Jesus talks about His disciples producing a bountiful harvest. What does a “bountiful harvest” look like in your life today? Are you producing a bountiful harvest, or do you need pruning from the Gardener to remove things that are separating you from the nourishment only He can provide?

Devo Plus:

I remember learning part of this passage in Kids’ Church back in the day. We sang a song called “His Banner Over Me Is Love” and there were motions to each verse. One particular verse says “He is the vine and we are the branches, His banner over me is love.” We’d do crazy things with our arms to make them look like branches coming from our bodies. Today, take a moment and be a kid again. Look up “His Banner Over Me Is Love”-WITH MOTIONS on YouTube or Google. (You’re welcome in advance!)

Prayer:

Thank you, God, for being the Master Gardener. Remove from me those buds that are not fruitful, and allow me to provide a bountiful harvest in Your name. Help me to be a light for others, and even in the pruning, remind me to look to You as my source and Life Giver. Thank You for being the Creator and Master of the universe, and King of my heart. In Jesus’s Name. Amen.