1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NLT)

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

Explanation:

In 2004 I was the recipient of someone using their spiritual gifts that changed my life.

In June of that year my life simply imploded. As a result, I was delirious with heartbreak and pain, and was so scared of the uncertainty of my future I could barely breathe. Fear had a death grip on me. I could only watch as many things I loved or found my purpose in disintegrated.

But little did I know the Holy Spirit had distributed some of His special gifts to someone who would use them. Her name was Susan Bulat, and her daughter Mary had married my son Matthew. Beyond being in-laws, we had years of fun conversations under our belt because we sat on the sidelines of our children’s sports and academic lives together. What fun we had, laughing and comparing notes on all things major and minor.

But then 2004. She heard of my situation and invited me to meet up with her. Over lunch she listened and asked insightful questions, paid the bill and then asked me if I would mind popping into her car for a minute before we parted ways. It was pouring rain as I dashed to her car. When I got in, she took me by the hand and prayed the most loving and wise prayer. As we sat in the car with the rain cascading down the windshield, it felt as though the whole universe was crying with me. I felt God’s gaze upon me.

Something happened from that prayer that changed the trajectory of my heart. She was practicing verse seven. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”

What I experienced because she used her gifts was verse eight “wise advice,” verse nine “she shared her faith and healing started in my heart,” and verse 10 “the miracle of God’s care began in a supernatural way and she spoke prophetic words of hope to my life.”

Because she used her gifts, what could have been a bitter time became one of the sweetest spiritual seasons of my life. From 2004-2005 I was surrounded by Christians, but only Susan took me by the hand and prayed for me. I never forgot it. I am so grateful she used her gifts.

She turned a social event into a provisional moment. What differentiated it was Susan’s willingness to be used by God. Through her, God was throwing me a life line that would go on to teach me that God is 100% dependable and dialed in to our needs. He spoke that to me through a submitted heart that reached out to me, a voice that spoke His love to me, and a hand that held mine in a demonstration of God’s tenderness. How could God have done that without a willing vessel named Susan?

I will forever be grateful that as our verses today say, “there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord!”

You and I are going in completely unrelated directions today. I am going to see different people than you. I will experience different circumstances than you. I will have different resources than you. I will need individual gifts today, to accomplish what God wants to accomplish through me. You too. BUT...we have the same God, with identical access, and the power of the same Holy Spirit.

Application:

1. Imagine Fairfield County being gobsmacked with God's care today, as all of us scatter to …be His gifts…as we use His gifts!

2. How does the reality that “HE” distributes the gifts free you from comparison traps and envy? He alone made you distinctly perfect for the gifts He has placed in you. Are you willing to use them?

3. Someone needs what only you have today. Look for those moments and use your gifts.

4. How empowering is it for you to know you could change someone’s situation by merely using what God has placed inside of you?

5. It is ok to pray for more gifts. Why not?

Devo Plus:

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. Romans 15:2 (NLT)

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I am so grateful for Your generosity in my life, that You would give me access to such transforming gifts. I am so grateful for Your power in my life that allows me to help others. In this month of January, this year 2021, it feels as though the world is oozing with loss and misery. May I stay mindful of Your desire to work through me to meet those needs. Help me stay observant, and cause me to make spiritual eye contact with the exact people who need the gifts You have offered. Amen.

John 15:1-8 (NLT)

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

Explanation:

I spent a lot of time with my paternal grandparents when I was a kid, which exposed me to my Granny’s passion for gardening. My favorite thing to do was to “hide out” with a book under the grapevine arbor on their property. I never developed my Granny’s passion for growing things, but I do remember how every spring she would spend hours with her garden snips, pruning the grapevines. She explained to me that well-pruned vines produced the best fruit, and it required time and attention to each bud and shoot so the best outcomes could be obtained.

I love how this scripture is something I can visualize because of that experience I had as a child. Unlike the time when I was growing up under my Granny’s care, we now have thousands of resources to teach us about pruning processes, thanks to the internet. An article published by Washington State University says, “you should approach your pruning in a spirit of learning and adventure, not panic.” When I apply that sentence to today’s scripture, I am humbled. In my relationship with God, I can point out specific times when I have approached the Father’s loving pruning with anxiety, driving me further away from His will for me. Apart from Him I am nothing, so why am I so afraid?

As I continued reading the WSU article, it said that grapevines are “vigorous and forgiving. Even if you make a mistake, you’ll have a chance to fix it.” Isn’t that so similar to our God? EVEN IF I MAKE A MISTAKE, He’ll forgive me and give me a chance to make things right through His amazing grace. When I am well-pruned, I am able to produce “good fruit” for the benefit of making disciples for Jesus. What an amazing comparison between God’s creation and His desire for us to abide in the vine!

Application:

1. When you read today’s passage, what stands out to you?

2. Is there an opportunity for you to allow God to do some loving pruning and help you bear more fruit?

3. Can you think of a time when you could reflect and see that God was pruning you for a new season?

Devo Plus:

Did you know that grapes, grapevines, and grape products are mentioned more times in the Bible than any other plant? Look at the following scriptures to see how grapes and their growth have been referenced in the Bible: Ezekiel 15 (wood of the vine); Isaiah 5:6 (pruning/cleansing); Song of Solomon 2:13 (fragrance of the “blossoming vine” is believed to be about the grapevine); Genesis 49:22; Hosea 10:1; and Psalm 80:13 (unprotected vines are ravaged by animals).

Prayer:

Ask God today to prune the branches of your heart. Maybe there is negativity, hurt, or anxiety that has prevented you from turning it all over to Him. Ask Him to help you to abide in the vine of His love so you may be more fruit-bearing in the future.

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

Explanation:

You didn’t just evolve into who you are. You were created and designed with a purpose. Your blueprints are similar to other human beings, but they’re not exactly the same. You. Are. Totally unique. It’s so true, you have been “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

But what is even more amazing is that God cares about each of us. He loved you so much that He sent Jesus to die for you, that you might be forgiven of any sins you might commit! He promised His continual presence, He gave you His Word for direction and His Holy Spirit for guidance. He gave you community with others for your spiritual growth and companionship. He totally set you up for success. He made you READY for serving Him and His world.

I used to train people to run their first half marathon. They showed up with their name-brand running shoes. And their cool, new running clothes. Even a running watch. They had EVERYTHING they needed to complete their half marathon. The only thing required of them …. they still need to run! Just because you have all the gear, you don’t complete a long-distance running event if you don’t learn to run a progressively longer run.

It’s the same with God. He has set you up for success. He’s done His part. Now it’s up to you to do your part.

Application:

1. I have an everyday habit of thinking through all the good things God has done for me. Spend a few moments reminding yourself, and even listing, all the ways God has “blessed” you.

2. What is one simple thing you can begin today, that if you do it every day, would make an incredible difference in a year from now? Five years from now? Ten years from now?

3. The Tree Church’s goal is to set you up for success. Do you need to begin reading your Bible? Join a Connect Group? Begin serving? Get your finances together? What do you need to do next…to do your part?

Devo Plus:

Read John 15:1-27 and Romans 12:2 to help you to understand HOW to do your part.

Prayer:

Father, I do want to place my life on solid ground. Matthew 7:24 says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Guide me as I begin this process even more deeply. Amen.

Ezra 7:10; Nehemiah 8:1-3 (ESV)

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Explanation:

In today’s passage, we see the supernatural result of one person’s determination to honor God with obedience. We should be greatly encouraged by the way God moved in Ezra’s life, because He is ready, willing, and able to do the same for us if we follow Ezra’s example.

First, Ezra purposed in his heart to understand what God required of him, according to His Word. Next, Ezra applied to his life what he understood; through obedience, he developed the character and purity of heart God could use to build His kingdom. Finally, Ezra poured out to others all that God poured into him—and multitudes were blessed by Ezra’s wisdom.

We live in a world that demands instant gratification. God never prescribes a shortcut for character building or impactful ministry. If we want God to use us in mighty ways to bring healing to the broken-hearted, we must start where Ezra started—with a desire to listen, learn, and let God mold us like clay before sending us out to serve an unsaved world.

The people Ezra addressed that day wept over what they heard (Nehemiah 8:9). These were tears of repentance because of the supernatural power instilled in the messenger. But don’t miss the takeaway–God didn’t do the super until the messenger did the natural.

Application:

1. Why is our obedience to God’s Word so vital for the salvation of lost people around us?

2. What attitudes, habits, or fears are keeping you from building Ezra’s disciplines into your life?

3. Has God ever revealed a truth to you in the Bible that you never quite understood? What was your response?

4. In Nehemiah 8:1-3, what are two indications that God was doing a supernatural work that day?

Devo Plus:

Read Nehemiah 8:1-10 to get the full impact of how God used Ezra to bless the people that day.

Prayer:

Lord God, I commit my life to You for service in any way You want to use me. As I press in to learn and obey, I ask that You guide me and show me how I can be a blessing to others. Amen.

Nehemiah 1:3-11 (ESV)

And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Explanation:

In this passage, Nehemiah, an Israelite, has heard about the condition of Jerusalem. The walls of Jerusalem were down, and the holy city was exposed. This was critical because without walls, Jerusalem was exposed to enemies and was in a dangerous state. When Nehemiah hears this news, he grieves for the people and the city of Jerusalem. In reaction to his grief, he doesn’t spring right into using his abilities to help the city of Jerusalem. He doesn’t meet with a group and figure out the next best step. He doesn’t make a go-fund-me campaign. You know what he does? He prays. We read about Nehemiah fasting, praying, and crying out to God. Before he uses his God-given talents to work toward a solution to a problem, he prays. In his prayer, he worships God, he cries out to God, he confesses things that his nation has done wrong, he reminds himself of God’s promises, he asks God for help. Nehemiah recognizes that he can’t do anything to help the situation in Jerusalem without God’s guidance, wisdom, and supernatural blessing. His first step of prayer is a beautiful reminder of what our first step needs to be in life.

I’m guilty of not making prayer my first response. I’m guilty of trying to use my giftings and abilities to solve problems that arise in my life. I’m guilty of thinking that God wants me to try to “fix something” on my own before I come to Him. These are all wrong responses. As evident in this passage of scripture, the best first response is prayer and seeking God. And that makes sense, doesn’t it? God desires for us to come to Him, to seek after Him so HE can give us what we need in each situation. Can He use our abilities? Yes! Can He give us wisdom? Yes! Does it start with seeking after Him? Yes! May our first response, in all situations, to be going to God in prayer!

Application:

1. What is your usual first response when you are faced with a problem in your life?

2. Before you make major decisions in life, what do you usually do?

3. Have you ever gone to prayer first when faced with a problem, or before you make a big decision? If so, how has that impacted you? What was the result?

4. Have you taken time to ask God what giftings He has given you and how He wants you to use them? Take a few minutes to ask God that, and to listen to what He says to you.

Devo Plus:

There is so much going on in this world that causes us to be in a state of “unrest.” Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” God promises us that He will give us perfect peace when our mind is on Him. A mind focused on God plays out practically through prayer, worship, and reading His Word. Take some time to do these things today, so you can experience a peace and wisdom that only God can give.

Prayer:

God, You are so generous, and have blessed each of us with giftings and abilities. At times, we think we can manage on our own with these abilities. Help us recognize that on our own we cannot truly succeed. We need You, and Your guidance and wisdom. Help us to have humble hearts that seek after You in prayer. We can only find peace and fulfillment when we are in relationship with You. Thank You for providing a way for us to be in relationship with You.

John 4:31-38 (ESV)

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Explanation:

In this passage, Jesus is talking to his disciples, reminding them that everyone can belong in the Kingdom of God. He is speaking to them of the physical world they are in, and the spiritual world they do not see. Jesus uses symbolism from the physical world, comparing harvesting crops as a farmer would, to gathering believers as He will be in Heaven. When Jesus says, “I have food to eat that you do not know about,” he is referring to His mission of saving people from their sins. When Jesus came to earth and eventually died on the cross, He ushered in a way to connect to God that was never possible before. Our sin nature separated us from a holy and perfect Father. Jesus’s death allowed for every believer to experience God personally, and for His Spirit to live inside them. Jesus only asks his believers to trust in Him.

Notice the urgency that Jesus uses when He talks to his disciples? He wants them to understand how important this is, and how little time people have to make the choice to follow Him. No one knows how much time they have in this life. Jesus commands believers to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” Matthew 28:19-20b (ESV). Every believer has the privilege to further God’s Kingdom by telling people about Jesus and His saving grace. God asks for obedience to trust Him in this process.

The very end of the passage, “I sent you to reap that which you did not labor,” refers to the work that every person before the disciples sacrificed for God. In this instance, Jesus is talking about Himself, along with Old Testament prophets, writers, and John the Baptist, whom the Bible says prepared the way for Jesus.

Application:

1. Sowing is an agricultural term used when someone plants seeds to produce crops they will eventually harvest. Jesus uses this same term, but compares sowing our hearts to God’s word by connecting to Him and then reaping the “harvest” of eternal life. What spiritual investments have you made that you are waiting to reap?

2. Jesus says that sower and reaper may rejoice together, talking about the joy that comes when we lead someone to God. Have you ever experienced leading someone to Christ?

3. Can you think of people in your life who have labored (sacrificed) before you, so that you could experience Jesus?

Devo Plus:

Galatians 6:8-9

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. I am so thankful that You sent people before me who have allowed me to experience Your love and mercy. I am grateful that I live where I can freely worship You. Help me to share my testimony with others I meet. Remind me that the “harvest” is still plentiful, and others need to have their lives transformed by knowing You. Thank You. Amen.

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Explanation:

In order to be used by God, we have to be ready. Being ready means that we open our hearts and minds to whatever it is He calls us to do. If I say I’m “ready to be used,” I cannot retreat into a corner and hide; I must allow my light to shine.

I love how Jesus compares us to salt in this teaching. What does it mean to “be the salt”? Salt has been used as a method for preserving food for thousands of years. It’s also used to enhance the flavor, keeping foods from tasting bland. Without its saltiness, salt is useless. We are called to “preserve” the world from the evils that attempt to pull us away from our focus on God. As Christians, we also serve as “flavor enhancers” to life in this world. We interact with others, and make efforts to show them love in their darkness and peace in their time of tribulation.

Once we remind ourselves that we are the “salt,” we must remember that we are also called to serve as a light in a dark world. One of my favorite hobbies, especially when it’s cold outside, is doing jigsaw puzzles. Since it gets dark really early in the winter, I use a light that has a three-way bulb in it. If I use the light on the first setting, I can barely even see the table. On the medium setting, it’s better, but I often miss the colors and the details in the pieces. Using the brightest setting, I see all of the patterns, colors, and shapes on the table, and I can complete my puzzle much easier. Isn’t that what this scripture reflects? On our “brightest setting” is where God can use us most effectively.

As you reflect on this scripture passage today, I have a challenge for you: show others your “brightest setting,” and focus on “enhancing the flavor” of the lives of those around you. Shine brightly so others may see God’s love radiating from you.

Application:

1. When you read this passage, what does it mean to you to be the salt and the light?

2. What ways can you show salt and light in your daily life?

3. What part of this passage stands out to you the most?

Devo Plus:

Read these scriptures to see how “light” is used in other passages in the Bible: John 1:5, 8:12, 12:35-37; Psalm 139:7-12

Prayer:

During your prayer today, ask God to allow you to shine so that all may see His light within you. Ask the Holy Spirit to move in you, and help you find opportunities to “enhance the flavor” of the life of someone around you.

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Explanation:

In this chapter, James addresses how believers’ works are a sign of the kind of faith they possess. The faith that doesn't lead a person to do good works is not a saving faith; it is a dead thing. It is meaningless to believe, or ''wish,'' a poverty-stricken person to be well, but put no effort toward their well-being.

The same goes for how we think about God. If we love Him and obey His commands, then our actions should follow. We would easily fall into loving others well. Is this easy? No, especially in these times. Hate seems to spew so easily, even from the people who say they have “faith” in God. Their actions and works prove otherwise.

If we are to love well, do not take that lightly. Make your words and actions work together. Pray for the sick and DO something about it. Pray for the friend who is struggling financially and DO what God has called you to do for them. Love them well with faith and action. If one is missing, just like James stated, it’s “dead.”

Application:

1. Pray this week for God to use you.

2. Do your words fall empty? Do you have faith and works working together?

3. Write it down. What was your experience like?

Devo Plus:

Read the rest of James 2. Apply at least one faith and good work this week. It will be a blessing to you and them.

Prayer:

Gracious God, You show us love and grace consistently, even though we don’t deserve it. Help us this week to be ready to be used by You, and to have courage and strength to say yes to anything You are calling us to. Help our words and actions work together. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (ESV)

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Explanation:

The Corinthian Church had a division problem. They had been blessed with many skilled leaders who were serving the church. Yet, instead of this being a blessing and an opportunity to become more like Christ, they placed each of these leaders on a pedestal and then began arguing about which one was better. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-4:21, Paul is writing to correct their thinking, and realign them to the truth that though each of these leaders work, God is the one who builds and grows the church.

If God is responsible for the growth, does that mean Paul, Apollos, and Peter can sit back and do nothing? Paul’s answer in today’s passage is a resounding no. It is through the leader’s effort that God works to bring about the building that only He can accomplish. It is Paul’s responsibility to work in a way that would hold up under the test of God’s refining fire. It is not sloppy or halfhearted work. It is a pursuit of excellence. It is a type of work worthy of God’s glory.

It is important to remember that work is not about the results. God accomplishes and brings about results. Paul’s work, and ours as well, is about the “grace driven effort” that God invites us to partake in, not the results. God accomplishes, we join in by obeying with all that we are.

When we gladly submit to God’s leading and give our best in every area of life, we are doing work that stands the test of fire. Whether that work be parenting, our career, or serving our church, God is calling us to work and to watch all He can do through our efforts.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stood out to you in today’s passage?

2. Does knowing the results of your work are not dependent on you give you freedom?

3. Does knowing that your work will be “tested” encourage you to work harder?

4. What is one area of your life where God has been inviting you to work alongside Him? This can come in the form of convicting you about serving, or the amount of effort you give at home or your career.

5. What is one thing you will give more effort to today?

Devo Plus:

Read 1 Corinthians 1-4.

Prayer:

Father give us the grace to work hard. Not for the results, not for accomplishment, not for anything other than You are worthy to be worshipped through giving our best effort. This is hard, and I don’t know that we always have what it takes to work this way. So, help us. Where we need strength and courage, provide. Where we need hope, provide. Where we need courage, please provide. Give us the grace to not settle for halfhearted attempts to follow You. But provide what we need each moment, in that moment. And we know that we can rest and trust that the results of our work are in Your hands and are for Your glory. Amen.

Ezra 3:1-7 (ESV)

When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, burnt offerings morning and evening. And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the appointed feasts of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Explanation:

The seventh month was important to the spiritual calendar of Israel because it was when they celebrated the Day of Atonement, Feasts of Trumpets, and Feasts of Tabernacles. The exiles who had returned to Jerusalem gathered as one, with few resources among them to accomplish rebuilding the destroyed temple. Working together as one body of believers, they got to work starting with what they knew for sure…obedience to God’s commands.

Jeshua and Zerubbabel led the way by rebuilding the altar first. The altar was fundamentally needed before a temple. The altar was where they could atone for their sins through burnt offerings. Their relationship with God was made right through this act of worship, established through the Law of Moses. They knew the temple meant nothing without the altar. To be able to have God’s hand and favor in the rebuilding process, they would first need to start with being obedient to what He already asked of them.

The original altar material was still in its place, so they dug through the ruins to clear a spot. They then not only built the altar, they put it where it was originally. There was so much work to be done, but their return to obeying God first prepared them to start the great work of rebuilding the temple. Now that their spiritual foundation was set, they began to hire the right people and gather the best materials to complete the temple. Even King Cyrus contributed, by allowing them to rebuild and offering resources.

Application:

1. The altar was the only source for the Israelites to atone for their sins. For us today, the cross is our altar. Do you have a set foundation for worship and atonement of your sins? You can start simple like the exiles did, and build your altar before restoring the temple.

2. What are some things Jesus has asked of you in obedience that you haven’t completed?

3. What does obedience to God look like for you?

4. What steps of spiritual obedience will you take this week to allow for the physical to have a good foundation?

Devo Plus:

Take your time making your “altar.” Eliminate the idols that surround you. Worship, pray, and be obedient to our biggest commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Prayer:

God, thank You for the direct commands You give us that allow us to be in relationship with You. I want to be prepared to walk in obedience, with the confidence that You work all things together for good. I return my heart to You, and will build my life on Your solid foundation. Amen.