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Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 2:11-14, Matthew 11:28-30

Grace And Good Works

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 8, 2025

When Paul wrote to His young disciple, Titus, he told him that God’s grace trains us to live godly lives and makes us “zealous” for good works (Titus 2:11-14). Doing good things won’t make a person right with God. It is by “grace” we are all saved, as Paul instructs the Ephesians in Chapter 2:8-9. But the Grace of God that has appeared once and for all in the person of Jesus Christ is a tremendous motivation for living a life that’s pleasing to God by using our gifts to serve others. Verse 10 of Ephesians chapter 2 also connects God’s grace with living lives of service to others. Verses 8 and 9 say, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.” But we should keep reading, for the next verse completes God’s purpose for his creation: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We Christians are the creative work of Christ’s marvelous grace. Knute Larson writes in one of his commentaries, “We are new creations formed and shaped by Christ’s death and resurrection. Good works, deeds born from the goodness of God’s Spirit, characterize those who belong to God. Christians should never have to be cajoled into service, nor should they follow God’s commands as a duty. We should be zealous, eager, and passionate to please the Father by extending his goodness to others.” The places of good works and God’s favor have reversed themselves in Christ. Under a dispensation of law, we are to do good deeds so we can receive God’s favor. But under grace, it would be stated that we do good deeds because we’ve already received God’s favor.

Grace motivates us to give grace to others in the form of good deeds. M.R. DeHaan understands Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-29 to be a call to unbelievers and believers. The first part, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” is the part for non-believers. It’s a call to rest your salvation in the hands of Jesus and trust in Him. The second part, “Take My yoke upon You,” is for believers. DeHaan adds, “Now that you are saved get busy and go to work, and you will find an additional rest and peace, over and above the “rest” of salvation.” He goes on, “Failure to distinguish to whom the Scripture is addressed results in confusion, and as a result, we have preachers urging people to work, give up things, sell all they have to give to the poor, as conditions of salvation, which is a denial of salvation by grace. Salvation for the sinner is by doing nothing but receiving the grace of God. And then good works follow.” Many preachers are putting the horse before the cart and proclaiming that salvation is earned by the good works we do. This is a perversion of the gospel. Good works are not the horse that draws the cart of salvation. The horsepower behind good works is salvation itself. Paul said, “It’s by grace you are saved through faith. It’s not of works.”

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1 Peter 4:10, Zechariah 3:10

Pay it Forward!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 7, 2025

The movie “Pay it Forward” captured the idea that when you get grace or receive some unexpected blessing from another, you should pass it on to others in some way. In the movie, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) takes up his seventh-grade teacher’s challenge to make the world better. Trevor proposes a chain letter of good deeds. He will do good deeds for three people and then instruct each recipient to “pay it forward” by doing good deeds for three other people who are instructed to pay it forward, and so on.

Some time ago, Kathy and I took Jean, Kathy’s mother,  to Pizza Hut after church for lunch. We always see others from CBC when we go there. When we finished, I went to the counter to pay for our dinner and was told that someone had already paid my bill! This made my day! Not that I needed the money or was even worried about the expense, but that someone stepped out to do something gracious for me and my family. So, the next time I was at Pizza Hut, I did the same thing. I saw a family from the church and paid for their meal. The mom said something to the effect, “Thank you, we’ll be sure to pay it forward.” Grace should always motivate more grace. In Christ, the old familiar saying, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” falls apart!

Now, we can’t all buy each other’s lunches all the time, but we can always pass on the grace we receive to others in various ways. We are especially called to pass on God’s grace to us to others in the form of using our gifts to serve. In 1 Peter 4:10, believers are instructed to pass on the grace of God to others around them. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” This utopian world that is visualized in the movie is prophesied by Zechariah several thousand years ago. He’s talking about how things will be upon the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth at the “Day of the Lord.” When the Messiah sets up the kingdom everyone will be blessed with much prosperity, each having their own crops and fields and fruit trees. But even better than that, Zechariah 3:10 says, “In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree.” I believe Zechariah goes on to explain that this will never happen until the grace of God settles upon the whole land and moves in the hearts of His people. In Chapter 4, he writes, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

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2 Timothy 1:6

Growing my Gift!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 6, 2025

We’ve all been given particular gifts by God. We all have particular passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences that God has brought us through in order to help us become all that he desires of us. The most fulfilling aspect of the spiritual life is to find and use the gifts that God gives us to serve others. Paul writes to a young man named Timothy and says, “That is why I remind you to help God’s gift grow, just as a small spark grows into a fire” (2 Timothy 1:6). Like the oak tree, rather than the blade of grass or the dandelion, growing something that will be significant takes time. With reference to our gifts and abilities, they need to be developed. You’ve heard it said that there are three secrets to success in any intricate skill. The three secrets are practice, practice, and practice.

In his book entitled “Outliers: The Story of Success,” Michael Gladwell entitles his second chapter, “the “10,000 hour rule.” He argues that to get exceptionally good at anything, it will take 10,000 hours of practice. The examples the author uses span every discipline, from computers, sports, and music to acting and many others. One of the key studies performed in this area involved violinists. They had studied three groups of violinists. The first were the elite professionals that were known worldwide. The second were professionals who played in symphonies etc. The last group was talented ones who taught or played with small groups part-time or as a hobby. It was found that the level of natural talent wasn’t as disparate as one would think. The real difference was in the hours of preparation. The conclusion was (I quote) “that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller role innate talent seems to play, and the bigger role preparation seems to play.” The point of this chapter, and the point I’m making, is that as Paul instructed Timothy, you really need to develop any talent God gives you. The development of a gift takes time and energy.

People who are passionate about something are much more likely to devote the time and energy to develop in that area. Football players, musicians, as well as accountants, and administrators don’t rise very high in their field without a passion for their subject; neither do those who attempt to serve God or even live the spiritual life of following Christ. We are called “disciples” because it truly does take discipline. I hear people often speak about ministry “fit” strictly in terms of natural ability and Spiritual gift. These are true aspects, but they do not completely define a perfect match. Passion enough to stay with the activity is the key to real success. Without passion, many lose motivation and eventually quit. Many professing Christians fall away because of a true lack of passion for the expression of the gifts that God has given them. When Paul tells the young man, Timothy,” to fan his gift “into flame,” he really means, “get passionate about it!” Paul goes on to tell the Philippians, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9

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Galatians 5:13, Colossians 4:12

Grow in Serving Others

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 5, 2025

One of the most significant kinds of growing we can do is in serving Christ and serving others. The Apostle Paul mentored several young men into their roles as Christian leaders in the first century. Everyone is aware of Timothy because of the two letters that Paul wrote to him from prison that are part of the New Testament. But there were several others mentioned in the New Testament also. There was Luke, John Mark, Silas, Titus, Onesimus, Philemon and many others. There was one young man from Colossae named Epaphras. When Paul was in prison in Rome, the church at Colossae sent this man to visit Paul and to encourage him. When Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians, he spoke about Epaphras and said, “Epaphras sends greetings. He is one of you. He serves Christ Jesus. He is always praying hard for you. He prays that you will stand firm in holding to all that God has in mind for us. He prays that you will continue to grow in your knowledge of what God wants you to do.” Colossians 4:12

There are several Spiritual gifts that we are all exhorted to exercise. Some have a special gift with regard to “giving.” Paul includes that one as one of the Spiritual gifts in his list of gifts. Ones with that gift have been specially blessed by God to make money in ways that most of us never experience in life. Paul expects them to be extra-generous. But all of us are challenged to give. Some have the special gift of evangelism and seem to reach people that others cannot. Yet nearly all the writers of the New Testament charge every Christian with the duty of sharing their faith with others. Service, itself, is one of the spiritual gifts, but we’re all called to serve.

Paul intimately connects the call to serve others with the new freedom that comes to us through our faith in Jesus Christ. The book on Christian liberty, Galatians, corrects false teachings regarding the role of doing good deeds and avoiding bad deeds as they relate to our salvation. We are set free from the confines of the law and that is one of the greatest enablements in the world. It’s surprising what I can do when I don’t “have to.” It seems like my whole life was lived under a system built on “have to”, “need to”, “ought to,” and “should of” kind of thinking. Removing the necessity of doing good works for my salvation sets me free to do good works.. The question then becomes, what are you going to do with all this freedom? Here’s what Paul says in his conclusion to the Galatians: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13) Furthermore, Peter reminds us, “Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others. You should use it faithfully.” 1 Peter 4:10

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Ephesians 5:18

What Excites You?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 4, 2025

The word for passion in the Bible is often used to refer to the physical drives for food, sex, and water. It’s a compulsion that one will do whatever is necessary to fulfill. Paul talks about fulfilling the sex drive in the bounds of matrimony. He says, “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:9). It is often included in the list of fleshly sins. Paul also writes, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). The root of the word deals with “strong desire” but it doesn’t always have to be a bad “strong desire.” In a verse that is contrasted with the fleshly passions, Paul says to Timothy, “But as for you…flee these things (fleshly passions). Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11)

Did you know that the word from which our word “enthusiasm” comes is a combination of two words, which are “theos” (God) and “en” (in)? It means God in you! Jesus told us that He would send us the Holy Spirit who would “…be in you” (John 14:17). Even today, we say he or she has “spirit” when we see someone filled with enthusiasm and passion about what they are doing. All the enthusiasm and spirit we need are right here in us. It’s a wellspring that will never run dry. Once we grasp the depth of God’s love for us, as expressed on the cross of Calvary, our lives will never be the same. His “passion” for us took Him to the cross. It’s even called “the passion.” We are changed forever. Paul tells the Ephesians and all of us that we should “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Spiritual Gifts are special abilities that come along with the presence of the Spirit in our lives. Based on our specific abilities, experiences, and personalities, they are the things we get excited about.

I don’t get enthusiastic about everything in life! I’m not a good numbers person! I’m not a good details guy! I don’t do well in physics, science, biology, geography, or geology. My father was in construction, doing plastering, cement, stone, and artificial stone work. He was excellent at that and got passionate about it. He would take every opportunity to sign his work, like an artist. On the north side of the Longhorn Bar in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, you will see his name cut right into the stone along with “Durostone,” the name of his company. He was a good artist and I have lots of drawings he made as well. But that wasn’t for me! I couldn’t draw a straight line. I would never be happy doing that kind of work. But I really do get excited about talking about God’s Word. Once I became a Christian, that’s all I’ve wanted to do, thus off to Bible College and then Seminary to study and learn God’s Word to spend the rest of my life talking about it. Jim Collins, in his book “Good to Great,” says, “The good-to-great companies did not say, ‘Okay, folks, let’s get passionate about what we do.’ Sensibly, they went the other way entirely: ‘We should only do those things that we can get passionate about.’” I still write these morning devotions because I’m passionate about studying and talking about the bible. I can say with the Apostle Paul, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12

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Matthew 12:35, Proverbs 4:23

Speak From The Heart!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 3, 2025

The heart is a deep subject in the scriptures. It shows up over 700 times in the Bible and is used in several different ways. I’m not sure it can be easily defined. We are to love God with all of our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew and Mark). Our heart can have confidence (Psalm 27:3). God will not despise a repentant heart (Psalm 51:17). I like the way Max Lucado describes the biblical use of the word heart. He writes, “…the heart was the totality of the inner person—the control tower, the cockpit. The heart was thought of as the seat of the character—the origin of desires, affections, perceptions, thoughts, reasoning, imagination, conscience, intentions, purpose, will, and faith…To the Hebrew mind, the heart is a freeway cloverleaf where all emotions, prejudices, and wisdom converge. It is a switch house that receives freight cars loaded with moods, ideas, emotions, and convictions and puts them on the right track.” I would add a short phrase at the end of Max’s thought, “…or the wrong track.”

There is one theme that is recurring regarding the heart. It is that the heart is the seat of all our motives in life. Only the “heart” can explain why we say the things we say. Jesus told his listeners on several occasions that “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). In Luke 6:45, Jesus says the same thing. In Matthew 15:18, Jesus said that the heart, the motives behind our speech, is something that often results in sin. He said, “…but the things which go forth out of the mouth come out of the heart, and those defile man.” Now, the wisest man in the world, Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, tells us that we must “guard our hearts, above all else” (Proverbs 4:23). He explains why it’s so important by adding that the heart “is the wellspring of life.” Why we say what we say is determined by the heart. Matthew 12 goes on to say that a “good heart brings forth good things… while an evil heart brings forth evil things.”

What we say either helps others or hurts them. The Amplified version of the Bible translates Psalm 4:4 (the Psalm Paul quotes in Ephesians 4:26) as “Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent…” It then gives a parenthetical explanation of this phrase. It is “…sorry for the things you say in your hearts.” I’m often sorry for the things I say with my mouth, but I’ve not spent much time repenting and being sorry for what I say in my heart. Paul gives us a clear directive regarding our speech. He writes, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” Ephesians 4:29. If the heart is on the right track, the words will also be. That was Paul’s practice, “He (Paul) traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people…” Acts 20:2

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Romans 12:10-11, Ephesians 6:11-18

A Fire in your Heart!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 2, 2025

I’ve often quoted Bilbo Baggins, who responded to Gandalf’s call to his journey across Middle Earth to destroy the one ring. Gandalf told him it would be a wondrous adventure. Bilbo says, “Oh no! Adventures make one late for dinner.”  He liked the little hovel cut into the earth where he lived and enjoyed the smell of bacon frying in the morning. So do I! At 78, I have no fire in my heart for adventure anymore. I miss that and pray that it can still be rekindled. Living life with passion becomes boring quickly.  Max Lucado wrote a great little devotion about building a fire in your heart. He writes, “Jesus says the options are clear. On one side, there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry for what you don’t try, right? You can’t fall if you don’t take a stand, right? You can’t lose your balance if you never climb, right? So don’t try it. Take the safe route. Or you can hear the voice of adventure—God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure, it isn’t safe, but what is?”

When I read Romans 12:10-11, it reminded me of the call to the life of adventure. Paul tells the believers in Rome this: “Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord!” (Romans 12:10-11). The Christian life is truly an adventure. Not everyone will truly embark on it. I found a little adventure with my grandkids playing the video game called “Skyrim.” It’s about, primarily, being a dragon slayer. It’s set in medieval times and has swords, armor, helmets, spears, breastplates, etc. I can’t help but think about Paul’s explanation to the Ephesians in chapter six about the Christian armor. He says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Our enemy is the one that the Book of Revelation calls the “dragon.” Paul goes on, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This great fire-breathing dragon will extinguish every heart’s fire if we’re not “on guard.”

Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians continues: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” As you follow your adventures through Skyrim, you encounter guards and citizens who speak to you when you pass by. Several times, you will hear them say after you, “I used to be an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee.” I don’t want that to be my testimony at the end of my life. I want to die slaying dragons. After all, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Psalm 27:1

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Proverbs 27:19

Searching the Heart

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
March 1, 2025

I’ve never liked the idea of “looking within myself” to find life’s answers. The focus on “me” seems to be unbiblical in some ways. I grew up in the “me” generation of the 60’s where it was chic to abandon life’s responsibilities and “get our motors running and head out on the highway.” One of the most popular movies of that era was “Easy Rider.” That social experiment of the ’60s was a failure. I know many from that era who “fired all their guns at once” and truly did “explode into space” (quote from Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild”). But there are passages in the Bible that point to my need to understand myself in some ways. The wisest man in the world tells me that I can learn some interesting things about myself if I study my “heart.” He says, “As in water, face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man” (Proverbs 27:19).

I’m not suggesting, nor do I believe the Bible teaches, that we can completely know our hearts. It’s a much deeper subject than we might imagine. The heart is the seat of all our emotions, reasons, and motives. Jeremiah teaches us that the “heart is desperately wicked.” He then goes on to ask, “Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). The assumption in that Hebrew question is that no one can really completely know or fully understand the depth of man’s depravity. That’s why David spent so much time in prayer. One of his key prayers is found in Psalm 139. In verse 23 of that great prayer, David pleads with God, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts.” He goes on to pray for the purging of any wickedness that would be found within. We all must come to grips with our own sinfulness. This drives us to the Cross of Christ. We need a savior. Jesus died to pay for our sins, and he has provided a new life, a life of meaning and purpose that marks the fulfillment of God’s purpose for our lives.

When Solomon talks about seeing who we really are in our hearts, he’s saying we get to understand how God has shaped us, formed us, even in our mother’s womb, to serve His purpose in the world and generation in which we live. Finding and following a heart passion is not an easy thing. One would think that it’s readily apparent, but it isn’t always that way. I believe the key is to spend time with God, His Word, and an open mind in prayer. Hebrews 4:12 teaches us that “God’s Word examines the thoughts and motives of our hearts.” To James, God’s Word is the mirror in which we can find ourselves. I’m sure you’ve heard Socrates’ quote, “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.” Even Paul tells the Galatians that each person “must examine his or her own work” if they are to find true satisfaction in a job well done (Galatians 6:4). I love the American Heart Association’s motto: Search your heart: Learn and Live! We should search our hearts and Love, Learn, and Live! David’s prayer is, “Search me, O God, and know my heart…and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

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