In His Steps devotional book

In His Steps

FOOTPRINTS TO FOLLOW

In His Steps

Footprints To Follow

Frazer Discipleship

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What is Frazer 365?

Frazer 365 is one church’s attempt to touch every member every day with the Word of God. Acts 2:46 teaches that the early church met “day by day, attending the temple together.” While most members cannot get to our campus every day, we can still study His Word daily together in community. We believe that God works in miraculous ways when every member studies the same Scripture each day. We have also discovered that an expositional approach to the study of Scripture keeps us from skipping the difficult sections and provides us the whole counsel of God’s Word.

At Frazer, we believe that the Word of God “is living and active.” (Hebrews 4:12a)

The Bible is alive with God’s truth, and it activates our spiritual growth. Proper application to our daily lives works to help us follow His will.

At Frazer, we believe that the Word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow.” (Hebrews 4:12b)

The Bible properly divided, penetrates our lives, and reveals the core of who we are meant to be in Christ. Scripture clearly cuts to the heart of God’s purpose and plan for the life He has given us. At times, it painfully points out the sin in our lives.

At Frazer, we believe that the Word of God discerns “the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12c)

The Holy Spirit speaks to us through God’s Word and uncovers our thoughts and intentions. Scripture points out wrong thinking and misdirected motives and guides us back to a godly mindset, unselfish attitude, and a serving spirit.

At Frazer, we believe that: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

At Frazer, we believe that His Word is “a lamp to my feet.” (Psalm 119:105a)

Godly Wisdom comes from His Word. Scripture shines a light on God’s will so you can see where He wants your next steps to be.

At Frazer, we believe that His Word is “a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105b)

As you commit to Frazer 365, may His Word illuminate your path as you take daily steps of faith in your journey with Him.

In His Steps Footprints to Follow

Let us follow Jesus closer; let us walk in His steps where it will cost us something more than it is costing us now; let us pledge not to do anything without first asking: “What would Jesus do?”

. . . Are we not ready to follow Him all the way? What is it to be a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to imitate Him? What does it mean to walk in His steps?

Charles Sheldon1

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

1 Peter 2:21

In His Steps

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.

1 Peter 2:21

A good example is far better than a good precept. Dwight L. Moody1

Introduction

In 1897, Charles Sheldon wrote In His Steps, which would become a classic bestseller. Over 125 years ago, Sheldon’s book examined what the world would be like if everyone paused to ask the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” Sheldon wrote the following in his bestselling book:

The greatest question in all of human life is summed up when we ask, “What would Jesus do?” if, as we ask it, we also try to answer it from a growth in knowledge of Jesus Himself. We must know Jesus before we can imitate Him.2

Charles Sheldon’s book is founded on 1 Peter 2:21. Peter writes, “For to this you have been called . . .” Peter is referring back to his discussion on suffering that began in 1 Peter 2:13. He had been speaking directly to those in that time who

had been suffering as slaves and because of their testimony as Christians. He goes on to say, “. . . because Christ also suffered for you . . .” We have a Savior who knows suffering.

In verse 21, Peter then writes these words: “. . . leaving you an example.” The Greek word for “example” is hypogrammos. This word comes from “hypos,” which means “under” and “grammos,” which means “something written.” In biblical times, the word was used to describe a pattern of letters children would use to learn to write. They would put the pattern of letters under what they were writing on, copy over them, and learn to write. Likewise, we learn best how to live the Christian life by copying Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:21 closes with another metaphor of imitating Christ. “. . . so that you might follow in his steps.” As children follow their father’s steps in the sand, sometimes they try to place their smaller feet in the larger footprints he has left. In the same manner, Jesus is the spiritual pattern which every believer imitates.

While Jesus is our perfect example, Scripture gives us other examples that would benefit us spiritually if we followed in their steps. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Christians at Philippi:

Philippians 3:17 (NLT)

17

Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

The Greek word that Paul uses for “pattern” does not occur anywhere else in Scripture. It means “a fellow imitator.” The term “example” comes from the Greek word tupos and means “a mark left by a blow.” It was a pattern or type that would form an impression. Thus, it was a copy. God gives us examples to follow from Jesus and other believers from

Scripture. Through God’s Word, we have Footprints to Follow .

As we follow Jesus and other biblical examples, we will find four keys to keep us faithful in our Christian journey. These four keys to a faithful life are prayer, worship, giving, and serving. It will take dedication and commitment in these four areas to be all that God has called us to be. We will never get to the destination God has called us to by spiritually drifting through life. As Pastor John Ed Mathison once said: “If you are interested, you will do what is convenient. If you are committed, you will choose to walk in His steps.”

As you walk through this study and find Footprints to Follow, may your worship of God reach new heights as your prayer life reaches new depths. May giving and serving be natural byproducts of your time spent with Jesus in His Word. By learning from examples in Scripture about worship, prayer, giving, and serving, we pray that you will walk more faithfully In His Steps.

Day One In His Steps

A Prayer to Make God Known

What a mighty master of the art of prayer was Elijah the Tishbite!

C.H. Spurgeon1

Text: 1 Kings 18:36-38

36  And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

Thoughts:

Welcome to Day 1 of In His Steps: Footprints to Follow. Over the next seven days, we will focus on Passionate Prayer as a major key that unlocks victory in our Christian life. We will look at five examples of prayer warriors in Scripture worthy of imitating: Elijah, David, Agur, Paul, and Jesus.

Let’s begin with Elijah’s prayer to make God known. In 1 Kings 18, the prophet of God, Elijah, confronts 450 prophets

of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah at Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19). It is a showdown of 850 idol worshipers against one man of God. Elijah gives the rules for this contest. The false prophets will prepare a bull at the altar and call on their gods to send fire down on the altar. Then, Elijah will do the same. The false prophets agree. Why wouldn’t they? In Canaanite mythology, Baal is considered the god of lightning and fire. If there is anything Baal should be able to do, sending down fire on an altar should be the easiest one.

Elijah let the 850 prophets go first. They prayed to their idols, Baal and Asherah, from early morning until three o’clock in the afternoon (1 Kings 18:26-29). They cried out to their idols throughout that time. They cut themselves with swords and lances until they bled (1 Kings 18:28). They were intense and committed. However, because they prayed to something that wasn’t real, they never got a valid answer.

Then, Elijah red the altar with twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Next, Elijah had twelve large jars of water poured on the altar. By the way, this occurred after over three years of drought in the land. So, Elijah put what was most precious at that time—water—on the altar of the Lord. The prophet of God then looked up to Heaven and said a prayer that took less than thirty seconds to say (1 Kings 18:36-37). And God sent fire down from Heaven and consumed the bull, wood, stones, and dust. This fire was so fierce that it “licked up the water that was in the trench” (1 Kings 18:38).

As soon as Elijah finished his short prayer, the fire of God fell. God powerfully answered the sincere prayer of one of His faithful prayer warriors. Let’s look briefly at the content found in Elijah’s prayer. First, Elijah addressed his prayer to the “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” (1 Kings 18:36). Elijah wanted there to be no doubt that his God was (and is)

the same as the God of his forefathers in faith.

Next, Elijah prayed that God would make Himself known. Specifically, he prayed, “Let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word” (1 Kings 18:36). Notice the significance of the order of Elijah’s prayer. First and foremost, Elijah wanted God to be known. Then, He wanted it known that he was God’s servant and his actions obeyed God’s word. This day was not about Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah did not covet the popularity of his name. He desired for God’s name to be made known.

He repeats this emphasis as he closes out his prayer: “Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (1 Kings 18:37). God honors those who honor His name. Elijah’s prayer was answered because he genuinely wanted God to be known to those who didn’t believe in Him.

Elijah’s prayer is an excellent example of Footprints to Follow . When we pray for God to make Himself known, we avoid making idols of ourselves. This type of prayer keeps our motives in check and our priorities straight. If we follow this pattern in our prayer lives, we know we are praying according to God’s will.

Notice how God answered Elijah’s prayer. Not only did He send fire down from Heaven, but He made Himself known. Observe the response of the 850 false prophets:

1 Kings 18:39 (ESV)

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”

I pray that Elijah’s prayer is the desire of your heart. May our prayers be rooted in a deep passion for God to be made known to a world that desperately needs to see Him.

Questions:

1. When you compare the prayers of the false prophets with Elijah’s prayer, what does it teach you about people being sincerely wrong?

2. What does the brevity of Elijah’s prayer compared to the hours of prayer of the 850 false prophets teach about the importance of your heart surrendered in prayer?

3. What else have you learned today from Elijah’s prayer that you can imitate in your prayer life?

Day Two

In His Steps

A Prayer for Restoration

His need was great. He had sinned with a high hand against God who had lavished countless benefits upon him. His sin was inexcusable; he took all the blame. It’s “me” and “mine” all the way through. “Have mercy upon me, wash me, cleanse me.” He talked about “mine iniquity, my sin, my transgressions.” He did not blame heredity, society, or his fallen nature. He assumed full responsibility.

John Phillips1

Text: Psalm 51:1-12

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9  Hide your face from my sins, and

blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Thoughts:

The Book of Psalms is a collection of five smaller books. These books were collected gradually over time as corporate worship forms developed along with temple worship. Psalm 51 is part of Book II, which begins with Psalm 41 and ends with Psalm 71. From Psalm 51 to the end of Book II, all but four Psalms are attributed to David. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer for restoration after he sinned greatly by committing adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband, Uriah, killed. In Psalm 51, we find a model prayer on confessing sin and seeking forgiveness and restoration.

James Montgomery Boice highlights two essential ingredients found in David’s prayer:

Two things come together in these verses. The first is a fierce, almost desperate clinging to God’s mercy. This is profound because, as many commentators have pointed out, mercy is the sole basis of any approach to God by sinners. We cannot come to God on the basis of his justice; justice strikes us with fear and causes us to hide from him. We are not drawn to God by his wisdom; wisdom does not embolden us, though we stand in awe of it. No more does omniscience, omnipotence, or omnipresence. The only reason we dare come to God and dare hope for a solution to our sin problem is his mercy. The second striking thing in these opening verses, which comes together with the first, is David’s profound

awareness of his sin and its true nature. In verses 1 and 2, he uses three words to describe his sin.

The first word is transgressions. It refers to crossing a forbidden boundary with the thought that this is a serious rebellion. We have crossed the boundary of his moral law and are at war with him in consequence.

The second word is iniquity. It means “perversion” and refers to what we usually call “original sin” or the “depravity” of our natures. Significantly, it is the word used in the first part of verse 5, in the phrase “sinful from birth.”

The third word is sin itself. It means “falling short” or “missing the mark.” We miss God’s high mark of perfection, falling short of it in the same way an arrow might fall short of a target.

These three words occur again later in the psalm (in vs. 3, 4, 5, 9, and 13). All refer to personal failure, which David emphasizes by speaking of “my transgressions, my iniquity, and my sin” (vs. 1–2).2

Warren Wiersbe adds the following insight:

David’s sins had affected his whole person: his eyes (vs. 3), mind (vs. 6), ears and bones (vs. 8), heart and spirit (vs. 10), hands (vs. 14), and lips (vs. 13–15). Such is the high cost of committing sin. David knew this, so he asked for more than cleansing, as important as that is; he wanted his entire being to be restored so he could serve the Lord acceptably. He wanted the joy of the Lord within him (see vs. 12) and the face of the Lord smiling upon him. David asked the Lord to create a new heart within him and to give him a steadfast spirit that would not vacillate. Verse 10 is the central verse of the psalm,

and it expresses the heart of David’s concern. David knew that the inner person – the heart – was the source of his trouble as well as the seat of his joy and blessing, and he was incapable of changing his own heart. Only God could work a miracle.3

Passionate prayer results from a heart that views sins from God’s perspective. True confession leads to a sincere cry for God’s mercy, and genuine repentance leads to God’s restoration.

Questions:

1. In what ways does David’s prayer reveal his heartfelt confession?

2. Why does David use three words for sin in his prayer to God for mercy?

3. In what other ways is David’s prayer a great example to follow when seeking God’s forgiveness and restoration?

Day Three

In His Steps

A Prayer for Godliness

This is the only prayer in the entire book of Proverbs. It may seem surprising. I mean, how is this for a life goal? Never to go broke, nor to get rich—because both are dangerous with temptation—but to live month-to-month in constant dependence on God and to do as much good with our money as we can. It might seem crazy, but that really is wisdom.

Raymond C. Ortlund

1

Text: Proverbs 30:7-9

7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8  Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9  lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Thoughts:

Proverbs 30 is a prayer by Agur, the son of Jakeh (vs. 1). Most theologians believe that Agur lived in the same era as Solomon. The only thing we know about Agur comes from this one Proverb.

The name Agur is derived from a Hebrew word that means “collector.” His collected words prayed to God reveal several things about this otherwise unknown man. Agur was weary

and worn out (vs. 1). He also did not consider himself wise (vs. 2-3). However, he considered God’s words completely true (vs. 5-6). Reading his prayer in Proverbs 30, we surmise that he knew God’s wisdom was greater than his own. Agur understood the temptations of riches and truly desired to live a godly life. He promoted living with a proper reverence for God and compassion for others.

Proverbs 30:7-9 provides a great example of how to pray for godliness. David Hubbard and Lloyd J. Ogilvie share these comments regarding this section of Agur’s prayer:

The prayer exemplifies persistence: “ before I die ” means “as long as I live.” This is not a cry for rescue from immediate crisis but for continual help with never-ending problems. The first petition uses the imperative mood like an admonition – “ remove falsehood and lies. ” The damaging results to the person who deals in dishonesty and to his victims are obvious. “Falsehood” is literally “emptiness,” worthless behavior or speech. Lies are regularly condemned in Proverbs for their disruptive impact on the social and especially judicial welfare of the community (6:19; 19:5, 9, 22).

The second petition is again an imperative – “Give me neither poverty nor riches.” The petitioner knows what help he needs in terms of protection and supply, and he asks for it in the straightforward manner of the children of God. He counts on the Lord to determine his basic needs and to meet them. “Feed me” in its Hebrew form portrays the divine hand extending a loaf of bread and telling him exactly what his portion will be. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) is the New Testament form of this request.

The most fascinating thing about the prayer is the balanced and wise wisdom present in the motivation clauses beginning with “ lest” (vs. 9). “ Full ” may lead to an arrogant self-sufficiency that loses all sense of dependence on God. This leads to living like you don’t know the Lord - “ Who is the Lord ? ”. Poverty, on the other hand, may drive a person to the desperate act of stealing.

The worldview expressed here is remarkable. The petitioner knows both the frailty of his own human nature and also the sanctity of God’s name. Earthly sins have heavenly significance. And the ultimate result of human crime is to insult the name of the Lord who made us, and who made us for better things than lying and stealing. 2

The perspective of Agur’s petition provides an excellent pattern for our prayers. If we have too much, we are prone to forget God. If we have too little, we could be tempted to pursue dishonest gains. We need to passionately pray for godliness so that we are totally dependent upon God and continually pursue righteous living.

Questions:

1. How does Agur’s balance display wisdom?

2. Why is it difficult to pray, “Lord, give me neither poverty nor riches” (vs. 8)?

3. How is stealing profaning the name of God (vs. 9)?

Day Four

In

His Steps

A Prayer for the Church

For Paul, the knowledge that God was working was an inducement to prayer, not an excuse for neglecting it. It was because God was at work that he could pray with confidence.

James Montgomery Boice1

Text: Ephesians 1:15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16  I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19  and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22  And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Thoughts:

The first chapter of Ephesians contains two of the longest sentences in the original language of Greek found in all of the New Testament. Ephesians 1:3-14 is one long sentence, as is Ephesians 1:15-23. In the first section, Paul praises God for the salvation that comes through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the second section, verses 15-23, Paul prays that the salvation accomplished through Christ would be completed in His church as His people grow in the knowledge of Christ.

The late preacher and long-time preaching professor Jim Shaddix once said:

The prayers in the Bible are an interesting study, because they are a unique animal. When you and I pray, we are praying to know the will of God, praying for something. But do you understand that when a prayer finds its way into the canon of inspired Scripture, it doesn’t simply become a prayer to God; it becomes God’s prayer for us?2

We know that God wants that same growing relationship with us because He inspired Paul to record this prayer in Scripture. The heartbeat of Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus is recorded in Scripture to encourage us to have the same attitude in prayer so that we as Christians can grow in our relationship with Christ.

Paul’s prayer contains two clauses known as progressively purpose clauses. Both clauses begin with the word “that.” One begins verse 17, and the other is found in the middle of verse 18. These two statements provide the purpose of Paul’s prayer and build off of one another. The first purpose of Paul’s prayer is that we would learn to know God intimately. Paul prays that

God would give Christians the “Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” (vs. 17). The word “know” here is a word that means the deepest, fullest kind of knowledge. Paul is praying that God’s children would learn to know Him fully.

The second purpose clause begins with these words, “that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you” (vs. 18). From this point in verse 18 through the end of verse 23, Paul prays for God to do a spiritual work in our hearts so we can see the investment that God made in us which will lead to an increased intimacy with Him.

Paul’s prayer modeled in our life could transform our walk with Christ and those we pray for.

J. I. Packer, in his classic book, Knowing God , says that those who know God have four characteristics: great energy for God, great thoughts of God, great boldness for God, and great contentment in God ( Knowing God , page 27–31). Let us pray that God will open our eyes so that we may know Him better. 3

Questions:

1. Why is it essential that you pray specifically for God to help the eyes of your heart to be enlightened to all He has done for you?

2. Why do you think Paul concluded His prayer by describing God’s great power? How does knowing God is all-powerful give you confidence in your prayer to know Him more fully?

3. How can you pray Paul’s prayer for yourself and others, specifically to grow in the knowledge of God and in an awareness of all we have in Jesus Christ?

Day Five

In His Steps

Jesus’ Prayer for God’s Glory

Prayer helps us keep God’s glory as the first priority in every endeavor. Charles Swindoll1

Text: John 17:1-5

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2  since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

4  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

Thoughts:

Thus far, we have looked at the prayers of Elijah, David, Agur, and Paul. Today begins a three-day journey through the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17. David Guzik’s statement reveals the significance of this prayer:

The Bible is filled with great prayers. We are impressed with Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8), Abraham’s prayer (Genesis 18), and Moses’ prayer (Exodus 32), but this prayer is by far the greatest recorded in the Bible.2

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 can be divided into three parts: a prayer for Jesus to glorify God (vs. 1-5), a prayer for His disciples (vs. 6-19), and a prayer for future believers (vs. 20-26). Today, we will focus on the first part, where Jesus prays that God will be glorified through His sacrifice. Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg discuss what it means to glorify God:

When we talk about the glory of God and glorifying God, we need to remember that we’re referring to a noun and a verb. The “glory” of God is a noun and means his majesty or his splendor, his “display of divine goodness.” When we talk about God’s being glorified (the verb), we mean the appropriate response to his goodness displayed. So the glory of God (noun) is his goodness displayed, and glorifying God (verb) is his goodness celebrated. God is glorious regardless of whether anyone understands who he is, but we glorify God by seeing his goodness and worshiping him for it. Here when Jesus prays to be glorified, it means his goodness must be seen and celebrated. For God to answer this request means the greatness of Jesus will need to be understood and acknowledged. 3

However, Jesus is about to be crucified on the cross of Calvary. So, how will God answer Jesus’ prayer? God will take the disgraceful associations of the cross and transform them to honor His Son. God will provide the gift of salvation through

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Shortly after, God will glorify the Son by restoring Him to the position He had with the Father before the foundation of the world.

Charles Swindoll explains the significance of this first section of Jesus’ prayer:

Prayer helps us keep God’s glory as the first priority in every endeavor. Jesus began His prayer by acknowledging the primary purpose of His mission on earth. As the Son of God, He asked to be glorified – to be vindicated in the sight of all humanity as the embodiment of divine truth – not for His own sake, but that He might reflect this glory back to the Father.

When we go to the Father, through the Son, asking for anything to be accomplished, we are wise to acknowledge God’s glory as the primary goal in every human endeavor, whether directly associated with ministry or not. When asking for success in business, let it be for the glory of God – and let it be genuinely so, not merely lip service. When asking for ministry to expand, lead off your prayer by submitting all things to the glory of God. I would even go so far as to include the following: “And, Lord, if this does not bring glory to you, please deny our request and then guide us to accomplish Your will in Your way.” 4

As we follow Jesus’ example of prayer, may we pray for God’s glory. May our lives display and celebrate God’s goodness.

Questions:

1. In what ways does the first part of Jesus’ prayer challenge your personal prayer life?

2. How does the timing of Jesus’ prayer before the cross both encourage and inspire your attitude in prayer?

3. Why is it important that before Jesus prays for His disciples and future believers, He prays for God’s glory?

Day Six

In His Steps

Jesus’ Prayer for His Disciples

Having taught and encouraged the disciples as much as He could on the eve of their despair, Jesus now does the great thing: He commits them to the Father in prayer.

David Guzik1

Text: John 17:6-19

6  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9  I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.  12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  13 But now I am coming to you, and these

things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.  18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

Thoughts:

Jesus continues His prayer by interceding for His disciples. John Phillips helps us to see the context of this section of Jesus’ prayer:

The Lord is still walking along the Gethsemane road. He had been talking to his followers. He now talks to his Father. Like Moses at the burning bush, we would do well to remove the shoes from our feet. The place whereon we now stand is holy ground.

We can picture the Lord Jesus pausing now in his walk toward Gethsemane. The disciples are clustered around him in a tight little group. He cared for each and every person with a compassion that was even at that moment taking him step by step to the cross. But these were the men who were to take the news to the world and right now it was more important that he pray for them than that he should pray for the world.2

Jesus prayed these words to the Father: “I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours” (vs. 9). David Guzik explains these words by quoting G. Campbell Morgan:

When Jesus says I do not pray for the world, it is not out of unconcern for the world’s plight. It was because of a focus on His own disciples. “He was praying for the instrument He was creating, through which He would reach the world.”3

Jesus’ prayer for His disciples focused on three main requests from the Father. The first focus of Jesus’ prayer is His passion for unity. In verse 11, He prays, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” Jesus wants His disciples unified just as He is unified with the Father! Jesus knows that everything His disciples do as part of His church hinges on our unity! When the church is unified, passionate in prayer, and controlled by the Holy Spirit, the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it. However, divided churches are powerless churches! Second, Jesus prayed for their protection. The word translated ‘’kept’’ in verse 12 means “to guard, watch over, care for, preserve.” Jesus prays, ‘’I guarded them, I watched over them, I cared for them, I preserved them.’’ And then He prays, “Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost . . .” (NKJV). Notice that the keeping is the result of the guarding! Jesus’ prayer enlightens us to the security and safety He provides for those who know and follow Him.

Third, Jesus prays that His disciples will be sanctified by the truth of His Word (vs. 17-19). This theme on God’s Word starts in verse 6: “They have kept your word.” It continues in verse 8: “ For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them.” The Word of God will transform you and make you more like Jesus. It will give you a desire for righteousness. Jesus prays that His disciples will keep God’s Word because He knows that is the secret to unity and sanctification.

If we follow the example of Jesus’ prayer, we will discover a more passionate prayer life. Remember, Jesus came into this world not only to talk to people about God, but also to speak to God the Father about people. Prayer was the priority of Jesus. Everything He did hinged on prayer. Prayer provided Him with direction and power. Jesus’ priority must become our priority if we’re to receive direction and power from Heaven. The power of a church is largely dependent upon the prayer life of its members! And if Jesus was prayer-driven, how much more important is it for us to become prayer-driven people?

Questions:

1. Why is praying for unity so critical for disciples of Jesus Christ?

2. How can a passionate prayer life remind you of the protection that God provides? How can this security give you peace?

3. If Jesus prayed for His disciples to keep His Word, how important is it for us to incorporate this focus into our prayers?

Day Seven

In His Steps

Jesus’ Prayer for Us

We so often understand this prayer as though it were rather gloomy. It is not. It is uttered by One who has just affirmed that He has overcome the world (16:33), and it starts from this conviction. Jesus is looking forward to the cross, but in a mood of hope and joy, not one of despondency. The prayer marks the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but it looks forward to the ongoing work that would now be the responsibility first of the immediate disciples and then of those who would later believe through them. Jesus prays for them all.

Leon Morris1

Text: John 17:20-26

20  “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23  I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24  Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the

foundation of the world. 25  O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Thoughts:

In this third section of His prayer, Jesus turns His attention to future believers. In these verses, Jesus is praying for us. Interestingly, the word for “pray” found in John 17 means “to make a request of an equal.” Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. He is co-equal with the Father. There is no greater unity than what exists between Father, Spirit, and Son. We can have no one greater praying for us to the Father than His Son, Jesus Christ.

Bruce Barton provides excellent insight into this third section of Jesus’ prayer:

Jesus concluded his prayer by including us. His words, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message” (17:20), can bring real comfort during times of discouragement. We can easily replace “those” with our own names and realize that Jesus had us in mind as he prepared for the cross.

The pattern of Jesus’ prayer provides a helpful outline for us. He prayed for himself, for those close to him, and for those beyond his immediate sphere who would be affected by the ministry of his friends.

The purpose of Jesus’ prayer should be our purpose in praying. He asked for unity. He desired to see a deep connection between those who were connected to him. The unity of which he spoke was clearly a reference to his earlier command to “love one another”

(13:34) In Jesus’ words, both unity and love have the same purpose: “to let the world know” (17:23) or so that “all men will know” (13:35). In a world where unity means to broaden the labels or enlarge the structure, Jesus commands us to be united in him. Passionate commitment to Jesus Christ leads a believer to discover fellow believers in the most unusual places. The unity that the world seeks to impose, whether it is sociological, governmental, legal, or religious, will actually bring discord. The unity that Christ offers brings peace within and between persons.2

Jesus has a great desire for Christians to be unified as one. Our unity in Christ is a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love. Unity among believers provides the strongest environment for the Gospel to make its greatest impact in the world. The unity Jesus prayed for us is the same unity that Jesus has with the Father (vs. 21). This unity that the Father and Son have displayed in our lives will result in people believing that God sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world.

In his book entitled Prayer, Philip Yancey writes:

As Jesus once prayed for Peter, now he prays for us. In fact, the New Testament’s only glimpse of what Jesus is doing right now depicts him at the right hand of God ‘interceding for us.’ In three years of active ministry, Jesus changed the moral landscape of the planet. For nearly two thousand years since, he has been using another tactic: prayer. 3

May Jesus’ prayer for you in John 17:20-26 encourage you in your own prayer life. Let the truth that Jesus continually

intercedes on your behalf lead to a passionate prayer life with the Lord that involves the unity of the believer.

Questions:

1. How does the following Scripture encourage you today?

Hebrews 7:25 (ESV)

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

2. Do you have the same passion for unity as Jesus in your prayer life? If not, why not? If so, how can this desire for unity increase through your prayers?

3. What lessons on prayer have you learned from the prayers of Elijah, David, Agur, Paul, and Jesus?

Day Eight

In His Steps

Wise Men Worship Jesus

We are perishing for lack of wonder, not for lack of wonders.

G.K.

Chesterton1

Text: Matthew 2:1-11

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2  saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6  “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7  Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8  And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that

I too may come and worship him.” 9  After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11  And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Thoughts:

Today begins our week on worship. We refer to it as Intentional Presence, because authentic worship requires a deliberate desire to encounter God’s presence. When we see God for who He is, we see ourselves for who we are. This encounter leaves us in awe of God’s character, which results in genuine worship.

As we look at examples of worship in Scripture, we will find Footprints to Follow. The first example of someone worshiping Jesus found in Scripture reveals shepherds praising Him shortly after His birth (Luke 2:15-20).

The next example of worship occurs in Matthew 2, where wise men traveled from the East to worship Jesus. Craig Keener states, “Most scholars recognize that these Magi belonged to a priestly caste of Eastern astrologers,” believing that the “Magi hail from Persia or Babylon.”2

Most likely, these wise men were pagans who traveled from afar to worship Jesus. It has been suggested that these wise men came to Bethlehem some two years after Jesus was born, which fits the timeline they gave to Herod concerning the star that appeared in the sky (Matthew 2:16). So, Jesus would have been a young child and the wise men’s visit was probably in a home.

Notice the word “worship” in verse 11. It is the Greek word proskuneo, which means “to kiss toward.” This word refers to the ancient tradition of a person kissing the hand of a superior. A person would bow to the ground, lower their head, and kiss the hand of one who was superior. Proskuneo portrays a person bowing before a superior with a sense of honor, respect, awe, and reverence.

Alan Carr’s history of the word “worship” deepens our understanding:

Our English word worship comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word weorthscipe. It refers to giving someone their “worth.” It means that we ascribe to God His worth and state and affirm His supreme value and glory. When we apply these images to our relationship with God, it simply means that we humble ourselves and give glory, honor, reverence, awe, respect and homage to God. It means that we recognize His vastly superior standing, humble ourselves before Him, and give Him glory.

Thus, worship is giving. Essentially, it is giving honor and respect to God. So, we should not come to church “to get a blessing.” We should come before God daily, whether at church, home, or wherever, to give glory, honor, respect, and reverence to the Lord God Almighty.3

If pagan wise men could travel two years to fall down and worship Jesus, we should be able to get into His presence daily and worship Him!

Questions:

1. How do the wise men’s efforts to worship Jesus challenge you in yours?

2. What did you learn from the word proskuneo that can be applied to your worship of Jesus?

3. How does your humility affect your worship?

Day Nine

In

His Steps

Worship After a Storm

1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

2 Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

Psalm 145:1-3 (ESV)

Text: Matthew 14:22-33

22  Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23  And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24  but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25  And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26  But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28  And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29  He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to

Jesus. 30  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33  And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Thoughts:

Matthew records Jesus feeding the 5,000 and then having His disciples get in a boat, while He went up on the mountainside to pray (14:22-23). Scripture specifically chronicles the time Jesus began praying as “evening” (vs. 23). The Greek word used for “evening” refers to the time after sunset and marks the transition from day to night. This was the time Jews typically had their supper. Bible scholars put this time between 3 pm to 6 pm. Scripture also notes that Jesus didn’t come to His disciples until the “fourth watch of the night” (vs. 25). There are four watches of the night consisting of four three-hour segments that ran from 6 pm to 6 am. The fourth watch was from 3 am to 6 am. So, Jesus prayed for twelve hours with His Father as the disciples struggled through a storm.

The Bible provides two important details in verse 24. A footnote in this verse tells us the distance the disciples traveled. “A long way from land” is “many stadia” in the original language. One stadia equals six hundred feet. John records the distance more precisely stating they rowed “twenty-five to thirty stadia” (John 6:19). The disciples rowed three to four miles on the Sea of Galilee, which is approximately four to five miles wide. They rowed all night and seemingly got nowhere because the boat was “beaten by the waves” and the “wind was against them.” The word for “beaten” is a Greek word that means “tormented.” Without this storm, the disciples would have easily crossed to the other side. The disciples struggled

all night while Jesus prayed. Was He praying for them? We don’t know. We know that God allowed the storm and waited approximately twelve hours before He came walking to them on the water.

The disciples had gone straight from a miracle to a mess. They went from feeding the 5,000 to a storm that tormented them for hours. Jesus calmed the storm and got in the boat with His disciples. After the ordeal, the disciples worshiped Jesus, and confessed, “Truly you are the Son of God” (vs. 33).

Sometimes, we worship God with more fervor when we overcome storms in our lives. We rejoice that the storm we were struggling with has subsided. Why is it easier to praise God after a miracle than before? Don’t we have the same opportunity to worship Him regardless of the situations that confront us?

There is never a time where we don’t have an opportunity to be worshipers of Christ. J.D. Greear shares these insights into worship:

Rejoicing comes from reminding yourself of something that you know.

It’s amazing how many times in Scripture we are commanded to worship – and not just if we feel like it.

Throughout the Psalms, the people of God are told to raise their hands in worship, to sing aloud, to shout, to clap – even to dance.

We’re commanded to do these things whether or not we feel like it because worship is a choice. In worship, we choose to rejoice, by faith, in a reality that God declares to be true. Sometimes that choice aligns with our feelings. Often that choice defies our feelings.

Many of us go to church thinking about how we feel. But worshipping is not a reflection of how we feel; it’s a reflection of what we know to be true and what God has promised in his Word. It’s a declaration of what God is worthy of.

Worship is not a depiction of our feelings, but a declaration of our faith. It’s a defiant declaration that “I am not how I feel. My life is not what circumstances may make it look like it is. What God says is true is true, and I am going to act like it.”

Worshiping despite our feelings is a fight, but it is a godly fight. And it is a fight for joy.

In trying moments, worship is a declaration that while suffering may be a part of our story, it’s not our whole story. And it’s not the end of our story.

Worship re-centers our identity on who we are in Christ and defiantly declares the victory we have in Him. It re-narrates our lives in the better, truer narrative that God provides.1

Questions:

1. Are you prone to worshiping God with more passion after a storm of life is over? What does your answer say about the depth of your worship?

2. Why is worship always a choice?

3. How can testing times strengthen your daily worship of God and lead to more consistency in your praise of God?

Day Ten

In His Steps

Worship Is a Response

The closer you get to the truth, the clearer becomes the beauty, and the more you will find worship welling up within you.

N.T. Wright1

Text: Luke 24:50-53

50  And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.  51  While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.  52  And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Thoughts:

The disciples who witnessed Jesus’ ascension into Heaven show us a profound truth involving worship: Worship is a response. Years ago I heard this incredible definition of worship that still reverberates in my heart: Worship is a rhythm of revelation and response. In other words, worship is the natural response to Jesus’ revelation of Himself. Through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, we understand more about Christ. The more we know about Him, the greater our reasons to worship Him. Drawing near to God leaves us in awe of who He is.

The authors of the Life Application Commentary on Luke simply state:

The sight of Jesus returning to glory in heaven called for a response of worship from those who watched. Then they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. There was no more sorrow, no more bewilderment, no more wonder about what was going on with this Jesus. Instead, the disciples understood and were filled with joy.2

The revelation of Jesus sparked joy in the lives of His disciples even as He was leaving them. Worship is a response to learning more about Jesus, which is a profound benefit of staying in His Word. J.C. Ryle adds this commentary:

Let us notice, lastly, in this passage, the feelings of our Lord’s disciples when He finally left them and was carried up into heaven. We read that “they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.”

How shall we account for these joyful feelings? How shall we explain the singular fact, that this little company of weak disciples, left, for the first time, like orphans, in the midst of an angry world, was not cast down, but was full of joy? – The answer to these questions is short and simple. The disciples rejoiced, because now for the first time they saw all things clearly about their Master. The veil was removed from their eyes. The darkness had at length passed away. The meaning of Christ’s humiliation and low estate, - the meaning of His mysterious agony, and cross, and passion, - the meaning of His being Messiah and yet a sufferer, - the meaning of His being crucified, and yet being Son of God, - all was at length

unraveled and made plain. They saw it all. They understood it all. Their doubts were removed. Their stumbling blocks were taken away. Now at last they possessed clear knowledge, and possessing clear knowledge felt unmingled joy.3

Ryle also provides a great application with which to close today’s devotion:

Let us search the Scriptures more deeply and pray over them more heartily. Too many believers only scratch the surface of Scripture, and know nothing of digging down into its hidden treasures. Let the word dwell in us more richly. Let us read our Bibles more diligently. So doing we shall taste more of joy and peace in believing, and shall know what it is to be “continually praising and blessing God.”4

Questions:

1. In what ways do you approach worshiping God as a response?

2. In what ways does today’s devotion challenge your study of Scripture?

3. What else can you learn about worship from the example set forth by His disciples in Luke 24:50-53?

Day Eleven

In His Steps

Worship With Tears

We must never rest until everything inside us worships God.

A. W. Tozer1

Text: Luke 7:36-50

36  One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38  and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39  Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41  “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43  Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have

judged rightly.” 44  Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven–for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48  And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50  And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Thoughts:

We have thus far learned about worship through wise men and Jesus’ disciples. Today, we have an excellent pattern for praise found through a woman with a shady reputation. Luke refers to her as “a woman of the city, who was a sinner” (vs. 37). In the eyes of society and the Pharisees, she was an outcast. But upon learning that Jesus was in the house, she came to worship Him.

Thabiti Anyabwile helps us see this woman’s worship of Jesus as if we were there in the Pharisee’s house with Jesus:

Put yourself in the place of the Pharisee. He’s a religious man. He’s serious about sin and holiness, morality and immorality. He doesn’t have just anyone at his table. He’s taking a risk having Jesus at his table because Jesus isn’t like the Pharisees. But he’s showing some level of hospitality. Then into his house – right up to his table – walks this woman known all around town as “a sinner” (vs. 37).

Now put yourself in the place of the woman. She

lives in that city, and she knows what Pharisees are like. Religious men. Often self-righteous. They make a big distinction between themselves and “sinners.” They always reject “sinners” as unworthy. But Jesus is in the Pharisee’s home, in her city, where she can reach him. What courage must it have taken for her to enter this Pharisee’s home? What hope must have been in her heart when she gathered her most expensive possession, an alabaster flask of ointment? What brokenness must have rushed up in her heart and mind as she stood behind Jesus “weeping” (vs. 38)? She knew she was a sinner better than anyone else did. There behind the Lord, at his feet, she knelt in a pool of her own tears. Maybe she had planned to anoint his feet with the oil all along. Then she saw that the host had not washed the Savior’s feet when he entered the home. Maybe she picked up on the minor insult, as washing a guest’s feet was a common courtesy whenever anyone came to your home. Maybe she had been to homes and had not been given this common courtesy and knew the insult, or maybe she just loved Jesus. So she cried – so much that she could wipe the Savior’s feet with her tears – and she took the tresses of her hair and wiped his feet. Then she kissed his feet in love and worship, and she anointed him with her oil. 2

True worship can be costly. Mark’s account of this same story uncovers the sacrifice involved in this woman’s worship.

Mark 14:3b-5 (ESV)

3  … a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4  There were some who said

to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5  For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.”

A denarius was a day’s wage for a common laborer. So, she worshipped Jesus with almost a year’s salary. Three hundred denarii today would be worth approximately $55,000. She brought something costly to Jesus because Jesus was worthy to be worshiped with something of great worth. However, the greatest example of her worship is not found simply in her sacrifice, but through her tears. She cried in His presence because she felt unworthy. She continued crying because God’s grace allowed her to be there at His feet. Shouldn’t we all feel the same in His presence?

Questions:

1. When is the last time you wept as you worshiped Jesus? Describe your experience.

2. Why does worshiping Jesus involve complete surrender of your possessions and your emotions?

3. What has worshiping Jesus cost you?

Day Twelve

In His Steps

Sitting Before the Lord

Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God – it whets our appetite. Eugene Peterson1

Text: Luke 10:38-42

38  Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42  but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Thoughts:

The account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 contrasts worry and worship. Many Christians spend most of their lives anxious and troubled, thinking about things they believe must be done. After all, life offers a seemingly unlimited array of opportunities to distract us from spending time with Jesus. We have more time-saving technology than ever before, yet

these devices somehow consume our available time. In our text, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to His teachings while Martha served. Both are important, but the one thing most necessary in our lives is investing time listening to the Lord. Like all other relationships, the strength and depth of our relationship with Jesus is based on spending quality time with Him. Mike McKinley writes:

Like any other relationship, our relationship with Jesus is based on spending time with him. We do that not primarily by serving him but by getting to know him through his word. Clean houses and full bank accounts will not endure past the grave, but our relationship with Jesus through His words now, and face to face one day, can never be taken from us (vs. 42).2

Authors of the Life Application Commentary provide a noteworthy fact about this time period that helps with our application of this Scripture:

Although intently listening to Jesus was Mary’s way of expressing her love and devotion to God, in the first century, this would be quite unusual for a woman. Learning at a rabbi’s feet was a privilege typically reserved for young men. Thus, Martha assumed that Jesus would honor her request that he rebuke Mary. Instead, Jesus commended Mary, welcoming her to learn from him.

As with Mary, the decision is often between what is good and what is best. Fixing and serving a meal wasn’t intrinsically wrong, but it wasn’t the best, at that moment. Jesus was there. Spending some time quietly listening to his words could empower Mary to serve many other days, to many other guests. She chose what was

best. You too must choose what is best. Setting aside a time every day to listen to God, by reading the Bible and praying, is a start.3

Mary’s devotion to Jesus models for us the need to spend time daily and spiritually at Jesus’ feet listening to His Word. Through His Word, we learn more about our Savior, and increased knowledge of who He is leads to a greater worship of Him. The attributes of Jesus leave us in awe of Him. Perhaps today, you can spend some valuable time in conversation with Jesus through His word and prayer, which will cause you to respond to Him with worship.

Questions:

1. In what ways can worry cause you to miss your time of worship?

2. Why is worship a prerequisite to serving God?

3. In what ways can God’s Word lead to worship?

Day Thirteen In His Steps

Faith Leads to Praise

Faith is when you praise God in the storm, you trust Him in the valley, and you follow Him in the dark.

Corrie Ten Boom1

Text: John 9:35-41

35  Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36  He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38  He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

40  Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41  Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”

Thoughts:

Knowing that John only has twenty-one chapters, an entire chapter on one miracle must be important for the amount of space it consumes (John 9:1-41). In verses 1-12, Jesus, the Light of the World, opens the physical eyes of a blind beggar. In verses 13-34, religious leaders interrogate Jesus seeking to

find fault with Him instead of believing in His miracle-working power. The man just had his sight restored and is immediately confronted with naysayers. When the Pharisees called Jesus a sinner, the once-blind man proclaimed, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25). When the religious leaders refused to believe in Jesus, they threw the healed man out of their presence.

That is when Jesus intervenes again in this man’s life. Religious people often cast people out, while Jesus invites them in. The conversation between Jesus and this man, found in verses 35-41, takes an even more miraculous turn. Christ takes the man from his doubters to deliverance.

Jesus posed a question we all must answer: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (vs. 35). The man’s answer revealed that he still hadn’t fully believed in Christ: “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” (vs. 36). Jesus emphatically told him that He was the Son of Man (vs. 37). The man’s response led to his salvation: “Lord, I believe” (vs. 38). As soon as he believed, “he worshiped him” (vs. 38).

When God opens your eyes, faith is made possible. And faith is followed by praise. Faith and trust are strengthened off one another. The greater your faith, the deeper your worship. Genuine worship leads to a stronger faith. Only after this man received His spiritual sight could he worship. Interestingly, the religious leaders who could see physically were the ones who had blurred spiritual vision. (vs. 40-41). When they asked Jesus if He was calling them blind, Jesus said: “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” When God has given you clear revelations of Himself, and you still doubt and refuse to worship Him, you’re guilty of not having true faith.

In his book, Discovery the Mystery of Faith: How Worship Shaped Believing, Genn Packiam provides a clear connection between faith and worship. May his words encourage your faith-inspired worship today:

The object of our faith is a Person, not a proposition. We do not place our lives in an idea or a doctrine or a system or a set of values. We place ourselves in the personal God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Proclaiming the creed, then, is an act of worship, not a recitation of doctrine. Faith, after all, is not simple agreement or the acknowledgment of certain propositions or hypotheses. Faith is the placing of your whole life within God, the only One who is faithful enough to hold your life, redeem it, and save it.

There is no worship without faith, and there is no faith without worship. It is faith that leads us to worship and worship that enlarges our faith. 2

Questions:

1. What stands out about the blind man’s encounter with Jesus and the Pharisees? What lessons can you learn from today’s Scripture about how people can distract us from praising God?

2. In what ways does your faith impact worship?

3. How does your worship increase your faith?

Day Fourteen

In His Steps

Praise in Prison

These men of God had no reason to expect a miracle. Yes, God had delivered Peter, but Stephen and James had been martyred. These faithful witnesses did not know what was going to happen, but they sang God’s praises anyway. Why? They passionately believed God could deliver them anytime and from any place if He so desired.

R. Kent Hughes1

Text: Acts 16:25-34

25  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26  and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27  When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29  And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30  Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31  And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32  And they

spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33  And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34  Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Thoughts:

Throughout this week, we have learned some valuable lessons about worship. We find Footprints to Follow in the lives of faithful followers of Jesus. Today, we conclude our week with worship in an odd place: prison.

Today’s text provides an epic example of worship from the life of the apostle Paul. In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas part ways. Paul needs a new partner. So, when Barnabas gives John Mark another chance, Paul chooses Silas. In Acts 16, Paul sets out in a new direction as he sets sail on his second missionary journey. This journey leads Paul outside Philippi, near a place of prayer, where he meets a slave girl who is a pagan fortune teller. This girl followed Paul and Silas for many days shouting, “ These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17). This annoyed Paul to the point where he cast the evil spirit out of her in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:18). Now, she could no longer make money telling fortunes, which enraged her owners.

Paul and Silas were taken to the public marketplace and beaten with rods. In Latin, the officials who punished them in Acts 16 were called lictors. From that word, we get our expression, “Getting your licks in.”

Then, they were thrown into prison, and their feet were fastened into stocks (Acts 16:24). Prison was not new for Paul, but his response is remarkable. And this is not the only time

Paul was beaten for preaching Jesus Christ. Paul would later graphically describe this night of torture and many other trials in his letter to the church at Corinth:

2 Corinthians 11:24-27 (ESV)

24  Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26  on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

One would think that Paul and Silas would be miserable in the inner prison, chained by their feet, and bloody and bruised by their beating. I can imagine their conversation between one another. Picture Silas saying, “Paul, how are you feeling?” Paul says, “My whole body aches.” Silas asks, “What will we do now, Paul?” Paul responds, “First, we will pray, and then we will sing.” Silas asks, “Sing? What in the world do we have to sing about?” And Paul simply says, “Jesus!”

As they praise God, God sends an earthquake to open the prison doors. Yet Paul and Silas don’t even leave! They stay and worship! This results in a jailor and his entire family being saved, and ultimately, Paul and Silas being released. Only God could do something so spectacular. The two men were brought into prison on the charge of causing trouble by preaching the Gospel. Interestingly, while the Gospel brought them in, God’s glory broke them out.

Prayers followed by praise can result in God displaying His power. Paul and Silas experienced it in the worst situations, as can any of God’s children. Let their example encourage you to worship God no matter the circumstances, because God is always worthy to be praised.

Questions:

1. What would be your first response if you were falsely accused, beaten, and thrown into prison? What does your response indicate about your faith in God?

2. In what ways does your worship lead to your witness for Christ?

3. What lessons have you learned this week about worshiping Jesus that you can apply to your walk with the Lord?

Day Fifteen

In His Steps

God – The Greatest Giver

God is the greatest giver of all, with no mortal limitations, no imperfect motivations, and with no questionable intentions. Lincoln Forlong1

Text: John 3:16

16  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Thoughts:

Today begins our week on Radical Generosity . Giving is a foundational concept of Scripture. The Greek verb for giving is didómi , which occurs 414 times in the New Testament. It conveys the act of giving or granting something to someone. This word covers many meanings, including giving gifts, granting authority, and bestowing blessings. It can even mean offering oneself. This verb is often used to depict God’s generous and gracious giving and the call for Christians to give to others.

When we consider Footprints to Follow, God is the supreme example of giving. He is the greatest giver of all. “For God so

loved the world, that he gave (didómi)…” God gave His only Son, Jesus, so that we could have the opportunity to be born again and become His children.

God’s nature to give extends to the world. Leon Morris states:

The Jew was ready enough to think of God as loving Israel, but no passage appears to be cited in which any Jewish writer maintains that God loved the world. It is a distinctively Christian idea that God’s love is wide enough to embrace all people. His love is not confined to any national group or spiritual elite. It is a love that proceeds from the fact that he is love (1 John 4:8, 16). It is his nature to love. He loves people because he is the kind of God he is. John tells us that his love is shown in the gift of his Son.2

It is the nature of God to give. James, the half-brother of Jesus, writes:

James 1:5 (ESV)

5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

God is naturally generous. When we realize the divine DNA of giving in the heart of God, we see how dependent we are on His nature of giving. Croatian theologian Miroslav Volf writes, “Our very existence is a result of God’s grace. If God were to stop giving, we would stop existing.” 3 God’s consistent generosity keeps us physically and spiritually alive. The next breath we take is a gift from God, as is the opportunity to grow in our faith journey with Him.

Notice the nature of God as a giver found in the following Scriptures:

Psalm 68:35 (ESV)

35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel–he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

John 6:33 (ESV)

33 “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Romans 4:17 (ESV)

17  as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

As we begin this week on Radical Generosity, may we focus on God’s example as the greatest giver!

Questions:

1. How can you imitate God’s example of giving?

2. In what ways are you dependent on God’s nature to give?

3. In his book, Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace, Miroslav Volf writes:

God gives for the benefit of others. The true God gives so that we can become joyful givers and not just self-absorbed receivers.4

What is your response to these words?

Day Sixteen

In His Steps

Giving More Than Needed

Generous giving only comes from a heart that has been moved by God’s grace. God gives us a new heart as believers, and one of the inevitable results of that new heart is generosity.

Tony Merida1

Text: Exodus 36:1-7

1 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” 2  And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3  And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4  so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5  and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6  So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the

people were restrained from bringing, 7  for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

Thoughts:

Exodus 35-38 details the instructions and process of the Israelites voluntarily contributing materials and labor to build the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God’s presence would dwell with His people. In Moses’ account, we find a great example of giving above and beyond what is needed.

Philip Ryken and R. Kent Hughes provide profound insight into the Israelites’ example of giving:

Remember that these donations were entirely voluntary. There was no tax for the Tabernacle. Moses didn’t even give people the hard sell. He simply said, “Look, God wants us to make him a large tent. Here’s what we need to complete the project, and if you have a heart for this, then bring whatever you’d like to give.”

This is not an approach that many fund-raisers would recommend. The professionals would tell Moses to come up with a better plan: “You can’t just tell people to give what they want to give. If you do that, you’ll never get enough. You have to make some kind of offer. Tell the people that anyone who brings a gift can be a ‘Courtyard Contributor,’ but reserve a ‘Circle of Honor’ in the Holy of Holies for the people who give the most.” Or the fund-raisers would advise Moses to tell everyone how much to give: “Don’t just take up a collection, Moses; at least give them a suggested donation.”

How well did this plan work? Did the people contribute enough to build the Tabernacle? Actually, what they gave was more than enough.

The people gave so much that it started to become a problem. They brought more than a ton of gold, three tons of silver, and two tons of bronze (Exodus 38:21–31).

Rather than having too little, the workmen had too much. At first it was exciting to see what the people brought: pure gold, fancy cloth, sparkling gems. But they kept bringing more and more every day, until finally there was too much stuff: too much wood, fabric, silver, and gold. So the craftsmen left their work and went to tell Moses what was happening. “Enough already!” they said. “You have to put a stop to this, Moses. It’s too much. We don’t know what to do with all these contributions.”

So the prophet did put a stop to it: “Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: ‘No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.’ And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work” (Exodus 36:6-7).

The Israelites wanted to give so much that Moses had to hold them back.

This sterling example of generosity shows what happens when people who are saved by grace start giving from the heart. We are so grateful for what God has done that we want to keep giving and giving and giving. The story of the Tabernacle shows that grace is the best motivation for giving. Rather than giving out of a sense of duty – or even worse, from a sense of guilt – God invites us to give with joyful, grateful hearts.2

May we follow in the steps of the Israelites in giving more than is needed.

Questions:

1. In what ways does today’s Scripture challenge you in the area of giving? How does it motivate you?

2. In what ways does the giving of the Israelites emulate God’s nature of giving?

3. If a church gave more than was needed, what message about Christ would the world receive?

Day Seventeen

In His Steps Giving Costs

A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your weakness.

Mother Teresa1

Text: Luke 10:25-37

25  And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  30  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  31  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was,

and when he saw him, he had compassion.  34  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  35  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  37  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Thoughts:

Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer who was attempting to test Jesus. Jesus had just told the man that the greatest commandment is to love God and your neighbor. The lawyer probed deeper and inquired, “Who is my neighbor?” Thus, Jesus tells the incredible story of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. Make no mistake, the priest and Levite in this story represent the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, while the Samaritan, who Jews despised, represented the one who truly loved his neighbor.

The religious leaders knew all of the laws of their day and were staunch advocates of legalism. They had memorized everything they were supposed to do, but their actions did not match their beliefs. In biblical times, if a priest or Levite touched something dead, they would be rendered unclean until they could ceremonially be declared clean again.

Numbers 19:11-13 (ESV)

11  “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12  He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the

seventh day, he will not become clean. 13  Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him.

So, while the priest and the Levite knew the law commanded them to love God and their neighbor, they wouldn’t risk their positions to show compassion to someone in need. In other words, they cared more about themselves than others.

The question to consider is, “Why would Jesus use a Samaritan in His story to portray someone who gave to someone in need?” A Franciscan Monk gave this description of the hatred between Jews and Samaritans:

Imagine the hatred between Serbs and Muslims in modern Bosnia, the enmity between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, or the feuding between street gangs in Los Angeles or New York, and you have some idea of the feeling and its causes between Jews and Samaritans in the time of Jesus. Both politics and religion were involved.

The fact that there was such dislike and hostility between Jews and Samaritans is what gives the use of the Samaritan in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) such force! The Samaritan is the one who is able to rise above the bigotry and prejudices of centuries and show mercy and compassion for the injured Jew after the Jew’s own countrymen pass him by!

2

The Samaritan’s actions reveal that giving costs us something. The Samaritan in this story had to get past prejudice, religion, and politics to show kindness to the man in need. It cost his time and effort, money for the inn, and the willingness to pay for any future needs. This Samaritan goes to great lengths to provide for someone he doesn’t know, while the priest and Levite don’t even bother to stop, much less help. True giving costs. Giving to the Lord involves sacrifice. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice to give us an opportunity for salvation. At least we can give to others with some level of unselfish sacrifice, too!

Questions:

1. What contrasts do you see between the actions of the priest, Levite, and the Samaritan?

2. What did Jesus’ story mean for the lawyer asking the questions?

3. In what ways does your giving cost? How is your giving sacrificial?

Day Eighteen

In His Steps

Barnabas – The Gift of Generosity

By selling his property and freely giving the proceeds to the apostles, Barnabas set a powerful example of selfless giving within the early Christian community.

Anonymous

Text: Acts 4:32-37

32  Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33  And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36  Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Thoughts:

The Early Church provides an incredible example of giving for today’s churches. Scripture declares, “There was not a needy

person among them” (Acts 4:34). What a testimony! People sold their land and houses, entrusted the proceeds to the church leaders, and the church distributed it wisely so that everyone’s needs were met.

The Life Application Bible Commentary shares the following insight:

In summarizing the daily activities of the early church, Luke noted the believers’ unselfishness. Surely the church’s spiritual unity (all the believers were of one heart and mind) prompted this material generosity. No one was required to contribute to the needs of others; this “communal purse” was voluntary. Yet the believers willingly shared everything they had, not holding tightly to possessions, for they felt that what they owned was not their own.

The early church was able to share possessions and property as a result of the unity brought by the Holy Spirit working in and through the believers’ lives. This way of living is different from communism because the sharing was voluntary, didn’t involve all private property but only as much as was needed, and was not a membership requirement in order to be a part of the church. The spiritual unity and generosity of these early believers attracted others to them. 1

One of those givers was named Barnabas. Interestingly, his name means “son of encouragement.” N.T. Wright provides these comments about Barnabas:

Luke uses this note about property-sharing in the community to introduce us to a character who will be important as the Book of Acts progresses. A man named

Joseph was given the nickname, by the apostles, of ‘Barnabas,’ which means ‘son of encouragement.’ He was a ‘Levite,’ that is, a member of the Israelite tribe of Levi, which provided the minor officials who worked in the Temple. Barnabas provides a concrete example for Luke of someone who sold property and brought the proceeds to the apostles.

It may be that the property in question was on the island of Cyprus, where he came from, and where, with Paul, he would go as part of the first overseas missionary journey (Acts 13). But Barnabas, as we shall see, lived up to his nickname, not only in the matter of his own property but also when it came to taking risks to help people in a difficult spot (Acts 9:27; 11:22–26). As in his gospel, so here in Acts, Luke keeps popping people like this into his story, not only making it more vivid but helping us to get a sense of what following Jesus looks like in practice. 2

Scripture not only provides general examples of radical generosity but also gives us specific illustrations like Barnabas. May the “son of encouragement,” along with other anonymous givers, inspire you to be a generous giver.

Questions:

1. What example does the Early Church provide for the whole church today?

2. In what ways does Barnabas’s example encourage your individual giving?

3. Why do you think the giving of the Early Church was so inspiring and contagious?

Day Nineteen

In His Steps

Transformed People Give

I see clearly that generosity with money (and with time and possessions as well) reflects the generous heart of God revealed in Jesus. Lynne Baab1

Text: Luke 19:1-10

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.  2  And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.  3  And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.  4  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.  5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”  6  So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.  7  And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”  8  And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Thoughts:

Luke 19:1-10 records the salvation of a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus. For our devotion today, we will refer to him as Zach. Like many tax collectors in Jesus’ day, Zach was a dishonest charlatan. He had cheated people on their taxes to make himself rich. More importantly, he was lost. Fortunately for him (and for everyone), Jesus “came to seek and to save the lost” (vs. 10).

Notice that Zach wanted to see Jesus, but it was Jesus who looked up and spoke first to him. While Zach was short in stature and hurriedly climbed up in a sycamore tree, Jesus was long on compassion and stopped on His journey to save a lost sinner.

J.C. Ryle describes what happens when lost people are saved:

Converted sinners will always give evidence of their conversion. We are told that Zacchæus “stood, and said unto the Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” There was reality in that speech. There was unmistakable proof that Zacchæus was a new creature. When a wealthy Christian begins to distribute his riches, and an extortioner begins to make restitution, we may well believe that old things have passed away, and all things become new. (2 Cor. 5:17.)—There was decision in that speech. “I give,” says Zacchæus,—“I restore.” He does not speak of future intentions. He does not say, “I will,” but “I do.” Freely pardoned, and raised from death to life, Zacchæus felt that he could not begin too soon to show whose he was and whom he served.

He that desires to give proof that he is a believer, should walk in the steps of Zacchæus. Like him, let him

thoroughly renounce the sins which have formerly most easily beset him. Like him, let him follow the Christian graces which he has formerly most habitually neglected. In any case a believer should so live that all may know that he is a believer. Faith that does not purify the heart and life, is not faith at all. Grace that cannot be seen, like light, and tasted, like salt, is not grace, but hypocrisy.2

Everything changed when Zach met Jesus. God transformed his life, which radically altered his ways. The man who once defrauded became completely honest. The one who once took from people, now gave back fourfold what he had stolen. One lesson learned from Zach is that, like Jesus, transformed people give!

Questions:

1. How significant is it that Zacchaeus desires to see Jesus and Jesus seeks to save the lost?

2. In what ways has God sought you?

3. In what ways has God radically transformed your life?

Day Twenty

In

His Steps

Giving to Spread the Good News

I will place no value on anything I have or possess except in relation to the Kingdom of Christ. If anything I have will advance that Kingdom, it shall be given or kept whichever will best promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes, both for time and eternity.

David Livingstone1

Text: Philippians 4:15-18

15  And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16  Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18  I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Thoughts: What could someone give that would be more important than spreading the Good News about Jesus Christ? Since sharing Jesus is of utmost importance, nothing is more significant than supporting the church and those who spread the Gospel.

At the end of his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul expressed his gratitude for their partnership, which enabled him to share Jesus. Paul used the Greek word koinóneó for “partnership.” Koinóneó is derived from the word koinos, which means “common” or “shared.”

The verb “koinóneó” primarily means to share or participate in something with others. It conveys the idea of having a common part or fellowship in an activity, experience, or possession. In the New Testament, it often refers to the sharing of spiritual blessings, sufferings, or material goods among believers. It emphasizes the communal and participatory nature of the Christian faith.2

When you share a common love for Jesus, you want to give to those who can share the love of Christ with the world. Paul specifically states that, of all the churches he had planted and helped, only one, the church at Philippi, had given monetarily to help him spread the Good News. It is sad to note that many people who have had Christ shared with them fail to give so that others can have the same opportunity. Steven Lawson describes the relationship between Paul and the church of Philippi:

This ministry partnership between the Philippians and Paul has been a long-term relationship over many years. He writes, “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone” (vs. 15). The Philippians had established an ongoing partnership with him beyond that which any other church had known. No church had stood with him for as long as they had. Paul had first

preached the gospel in Philippi a decade earlier, and as he then departed for Macedonia, this church remained his ministry partner for a period of ten years. Only the Philippian church had consistently given Paul the financial support he needed to continue his itinerate preaching ministry. As soon as he left Philippi after planting the church there, they immediately began giving financially to meet his needs.3

May the believers at Philippi provide us with Footprints to Follow in the area of giving so that others can hear about Jesus. In addition, let their example encourage you that nothing is more important than people receiving the Good News of Christ.

Questions:

1. What example concerning the priority and consistency of giving do the believers at Philippi provide?

2. How grateful is Paul for their support? How thankful would you be for others’ giving if you were in Paul’s situation?

3. What ways can you give, in addition to money, to spread the Gospel?

Day Twenty–One

In His Steps

Jesus – The Greatest Gift

The measure of all love is giving. The measure of the love of God is the cross of Christ.

J. I. Packer

1

Text: Philippians 2:5-11

5  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Thoughts:

God, the best giver, gave the greatest gift–Jesus Christ. Being one with God, Jesus also gave the greatest gift–Himself. Nowhere is this depicted better than in Philippians 2:5-11. Philippians 2:5-11 has been called the Hymn of Christ. Inspired by God, Paul wrote a chain of phrases that lead us to one

conclusion–Jesus left His throne room in glory to become a servant who died on the cross. Maxie Dunnam and Lloyd Ogilvie write these words about this monumental text:

In many ways, verses 5–11 make up the greatest and most moving passage that Paul ever wrote about Jesuscertainly the most descriptive. But not only is this a vivid description of who Jesus is, it is a call to us. Thomas A. Langford has expressed this as clearly and as succinctly as possible:

In Jesus we find embodied the self-giving of God to persons and the self-giving of a person to other persons. Jesus is the Lord who is servant, and Jesus is the servant who is Lord. As the Lord who is servant, Jesus identifies with human life so as to establish a redemptive relationship. As servant who is Lord, Jesus calls us to acknowledge his lordship through our servanthood. The grace of God in Jesus Christ calls us to a graciousness, which is a self-abandonment to the love of God and the love of the neighbor. 2

Paul introduces this great theological statement of who Jesus is to support his call to the Philippians to look out not only for their own interests, but also for the interests of others. His toughest word was in verse 3: “In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” In what stark contradiction that is to the rampant self-interest being expressed by most. It is scathingly clear: the call of Christ is that our ultimate concern must be for others, and that concern leaves no

room for indulgent self-concern. The call is to have the mind of Christ who emptied Himself, and became a servant.3

Jesus became a servant who died, and God exalted Him. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to follow His example and serve others. In a world full of self-serving people, may we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and develop servant hearts that move us to serve others. By doing so, our actions may lead others to receive Jesus Christ, the greatest gift.

Questions:

1. In what ways is Jesus the greatest gift?

2. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus took on the form of a servant (vs. 7)?

3. How can you also take on the form of a servant to help others find the greatest gift of Jesus?

Day Twenty–Two

In His Steps

The Early Church Served Through Love

13 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV)

Text: Acts 2:42-47

42  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44  And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Thoughts:

Today, we begin our last week of In His Steps—Footprints to Follow. Throughout this week, we will review examples

of serving that will give us a pattern to follow regarding Surrendered Service.

The Early Church provides an excellent example of Christians who served one another through love. John R. Stott highlights the love of the first church:

They devoted themselves … to the fellowship (koinōnia) (vs. 42). Koinōnia (from koinos, ‘common’) bears witness to the common life of the church in two senses. First, it expresses what we share in together. This is God himself, for ‘our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ’(1 John 1:3), and there is ‘the fellowship of the Holy Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 13:14). Thus koinōnia is a Trinitarian experience; it is our common share in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But secondly, koinōnia also expresses what we share out together, what we give as well as what we receive.

Koinōnia is the word Paul used for the collection he was organizing among the Greek churches (2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:13), and koinonikos is the Greek word for ‘generous’. It is to this that Luke is particularly referring here, because he goes on at once to describe the way in which these first Christians shared their possessions with one another: all the believers were together and had everything in common (koina). Selling their possessions and goods (probably meaning their real estate and their valuables respectively), they gave to anyone as he had need (vs. 44-45). These are disturbing verses. . . . although the selling and the sharing were and are voluntary, and every Christian has to make conscientious decisions before God in this matter, we are all called to generosity, especially towards the poor and needy.

. . . Christian fellowship is Christian caring, and Christian caring is Christian sharing. . . . We must not evade the challenge of these verses. That we have hundreds of thousands of destitute brothers and sisters is a standing rebuke to us who are more affluent. It is part of the responsibility of Spirit-filled believers to alleviate need and abolish destitution in the new community of Jesus.1

As Christians, we are called to follow Christ’s example. As part of His church, we are called to follow the pattern set by the first church, defined for us in God’s Word. Christ sets the perfect model for serving, and His church provides the pattern for serving God and one another. Both Christ and His church served one another through love.

Questions:

1. What stands out to you about believers from Acts 2:42-47?

2. Why is it essential that the early Christians “devoted themselves…to the fellowship…”?

3. How can you follow in the footprints of the Early Church when it comes to serving one another?

Day Twenty–Three

In His Steps

Abraham Served Through Hospitality

Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy.

Henry Nouwen1

Text: Genesis 18:1-8

1 And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2  He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3  and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5  while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6  And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

Thoughts:

Abraham’s life gives us multiple lessons on faith. In Genesis 18, his life also exemplifies serving with hospitality. Victor Hamilton offers this explanation of Genesis 18:3-5:

The emphasis here is on Abraham’s solicitude as host. His actions include giving water to his guests so that they may wash their feet, and offering them rest and food. Once they are refreshed (vs. 5), they may continue on their journey. Such hospitality in the ancient Near Eastern world would not be strange. Indeed, its absence would be strange and disturbing. The host is responsible for his guest’s needs and safety as long as the guest remains under his roof. On an earlier occasion, Abraham, when he himself was the visitor, received anything but a hospitable reception from the Egyptians (Genesis 12:10–20).

They accept Abraham’s offer: Very well, do as you have spoken. They eat! Like Joseph, who conceals his identity from his brothers, Yahweh and his angels conceal their identity from Abraham. He does not know that he is “entertaining angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).2

John Walton adds deeper insight:

The bowing, foot-washing, and offer of refreshment in the shade and a meal are all standard aspects of meticulous hospitality. Protocol required that the meal served to the guest exceed what was first offered. Thus, Abraham simply offers a meal, but what he orders prepared is freshly baked bread, a calf, and a mixture of milk and yogurt. The three seahs of flour (twenty quarts) used to make bread again reflect Abraham’s generosity

to his guests, but what is particularly generous here is the fresh meat, an item not normally found in their daily diet.3

Tremper Longman III provides another detail concerning Abraham’s hospitality:

The emphasis on hurrying throughout this passage emphasizes urgency and this along with the quality of the food demonstrates both Abraham as an excellent host and his recognition of the importance of his guests. He lets them eat while he attends to their needs standing by the tree.4

Abraham offers the standard hospitality but then goes way beyond the norm. He rushes to serve his guests the finest he has to offer. Abraham serves his unique guests with the utmost respect, humility, and kindness.

We can learn a lot from Abraham’s servant spirit. First, give more than is required or expected. Second, be hospitable by giving the best you have to offer. Third, serve others at the same standard or higher than you wish to be served. Overall, greet others with the same honor you would use if you were welcoming Jesus into your home!

Questions:

1. What additional lessons can you glean from Abraham’s hospitality?

2. Why is it important that Abraham gave his guests the best he had to offer? Consider Hebrews 13:2 in your answer.

Hebrews 13:2 (ESV)

2  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3. What are your thoughts on Henry Nouwen’s quote from the beginning of today’s devotion?

Day Twenty–Four

In His Steps

A Widow Served Through Faith

Service is what prayer looks like when it gets up off its knees and walks around in the world. Anonymous

Text: 1 Kings 17:8-16

8  Then the word of the Lord came to him,  9  “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”  10  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.”  11  And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12  And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”  13  And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.  14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that

the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’”  15  And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.  16  The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

Thoughts:

Most, if not all, of us realize that God has called us to serve Him by serving others. Sometimes, we seek to justify our lack of service because of our life situations. At times, we say we are too busy to serve. Other times, we rationalize, “When I get through this tough time in my life, then I will serve like I should.”

The example of serving in today’s Scripture shatters our excuses for not serving. In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah finds himself amid a three-and-a-half-year drought. Circumstances are so dire that there hasn’t even been dew on the ground for some time. Elijah finds himself in a place called Zarephath, which means “a smelting place.” It can also mean “a place for refining.” Here in this sweltering heat with no rain for months, God shows us an incredible illustration of serving. It will be at our Zarephaths where God refines our definition of servanthood.

Elijah meets a widow, and Scripture tells us that she is in a dire situation. All she has left is “a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug” (vs. 12). When Elijah finds her, she is gathering sticks for a fire so she can prepare one last meal for herself and her son (vs. 12). And here is Elijah asking her for water and some bread (vs. 10-11).

After he hears of her awful situation, Elijah makes an incredible request. He asks her to make him a meal first and then promises that if she does that, her jar of flour and jug of oil will never run out until God sends rain again (vs. 13-14). What is

even crazier than Elijah’s bold demand and promise is that the widow does what the prophet proposed.

There are two great lessons on serving in Elijah’s encounter with the widow. First, God commanded the widow to feed Elijah (vs. 9). So, before Elijah arrived, God had set the entire account into motion. Both Elijah and the widow knew of God’s command. Thus, Elijah was bold enough to ask, and the widow was brave enough to answer! When you know God is speaking, it is much easier to obey. Any time you obey God’s commands, you put yourself in a position for God to miraculously intervene in your situation.

The second lesson stems from the faith the widow had to serve Elijah in the midst of tragic circumstances. She could have disobeyed God and said “no” to Elijah, and nobody who knew her situation would blame her for making a final meal for herself and her son. However, because she was willing to serve Elijah before she served herself, she experienced God’s miraculous provision. She would have all she needed until the rain came again. Because she served, God turned her final meal into an opportunity for faith and rewarded her with future meals for her and her son!

Questions:

1. How do the widow’s actions destroy any possible excuses you can give for not serving others?

2. When you consider a self-serving attitude and a heart for serving others, what consequences are there for both?

3. When you compare the consequences, how does that stir you to serve others?

Day Twenty–Five

In His Steps

Ruth Served Through Loyalty

The only way you can serve God is by serving other people. Rick Warren1

Text: Ruth 1:15-18

15  And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Thoughts:

After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi, now a bitter widow, urges her daughters-in-law (Ruth and Orpah) to return to their families and find husbands in their own lands. She emphasizes that she is too old to remarry and have children, so her daughters-in-law won’t find husbands from her. Orpah takes her mother-in-law’s advice and returns to her native land. However, Ruth refuses to leave Naomi.

In Ruth 1:16-17, Ruth expresses her unwavering loyalty and commitment to her mother-in-law. She vows never to leave Naomi, even if it means leaving behind everything she knows. Stephen Davey provides the following explanation:

In summary, Ruth tells Naomi that no matter what the future holds and no matter where their future takes them, she will stay by her side. This is no snap decision— no whim or sudden impulse. Ruth knows that Naomi has nothing to offer her except poverty and hardship. She has absolutely nothing to gain by going with Naomi, and she has everything to lose. The most remote thing in her future is the sound of wedding bells.

Naomi tried to tell her to go back to her mother, implying that Ruth’s mother, a Moabitess, is evidently alive. But can you imagine the conversation if Ruth went back? “Ruth, are you out of your mind?! I knew there would be trouble when you married that Israelite. Now stay in Moab; stick to your family … worship our gods … and for goodness’ sake, marry a nice Moabite man!”

We’ve read this story so often that we’ve forgotten what Ruth is giving up. She’s already lost her husband. Now she’s turning her back on her citizenship, her country, her family, her religion, and her security. She is literally giving away her future.

One author put it this way:

Ruth possesses nothing. No deity has promised her blessing; no human being has come to her aid. She lives and chooses a life without a support system, and she knows that the fruit of her decision may well be the emptiness of rejection and, perhaps, even death. She has

committed herself to an older widow rather than searching for a new husband. There is no more radical decision in all the memories of Israel.2

Sometimes, the greatest sacrifice to serve someone else is just staying by their side. Ruth sacrificed and served Naomi to honor her mother-in-law while Orpah returned to her native land. Their decisions forever altered their destinies. M. R. DeHaan shares this insight:

Orpah returned to her idolatry and is never mentioned again. It was all settled in one moment. It was her personal choice. But, oh, how much she lost by that one wrong decision! Her record ends in the darkness of heathen idolatry, but Ruth made the right choice of accepting Naomi’s God and was rewarded by becoming the bride of the mighty, wealthy Boaz, and entered the line of the Redeemer of his people.

Ruth is not only a picture of the Church, but also of the individual believer. Her sister-in-law, Orpah, had the same opportunity, but she turned back and is lost from view. Ruth decided for God and became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.3

God knows when we honor others by serving them. Our acts of service may go unnoticed by the world, but our every action is taken under the watchful eye of our all-knowing Father.

Questions:

1. What does Ruth’s sacrifice of service reveal about her love and dedication to Naomi?

2. How do Orpah and Ruth’s contrasting decisions and destinies both warn and inspire you?

3. In what ways can you honor others by serving them?

Day Twenty–Six

In His Steps

Dorcas Served Through Good Deeds

What you do has far greater impact than what you say. Steven Covey1

Text: Acts 9:36-42

36  Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37  In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39  So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41  And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42  And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Thoughts:

The Bible doesn’t say much about a woman named Dorcas, but what it does say is a lasting testimony and a prime example of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. R. Kent Hughes notes:

Her Hebrew name was Tabitha, which means “gazelle,” as does the Greek equivalent, Dorcas. Evidently the name fit her because she was a lovely, graceful, giving person who made garments for the needy. Her busy hands carried out the plans of a loving heart.2

Scripture explicitly refers to Dorcas as a disciple (in Greek, mathetria), the feminine form of the word used for disciples in other parts of the Bible. Interestingly, she is the only woman in Scripture called a disciple of Jesus Christ. There were many other female followers of Christ (Mary, Martha, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susana, etc.), but Dorcas is the only one specifically called a disciple.

Dorcas was known for being “full of good works and acts of charity” (vs. 36). She had made “tunics and other garments” (vs. 39) for others, and after her death, many testified to her many acts of service. Dorcas’ legacy of serving has been perpetuated through “Dorcas Societies” established in many churches throughout the ages. In addition, there have been countless Ladies’ Bible study classes named “The Dorcas Class” as a lasting testimony of her acts of kindness.

Acts states that Dorcas “became ill and died” (vs. 37). People called for Peter, and he gathered with other mourners in an upper room. “All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them” (vs. 39). John Phillips vividly describes the scene:

These people seem to have been some of the recipients of Dorcas’s goodness. We can easily picture them showing Peter the fruit of her labors, pointing out the quality of the material, displaying the neat stitches, the good workmanship, the loving embroidery. The death of Dorcas was deeply felt by all, as is the death of any truly good person.

Peter could not but have been deeply moved himself by the grief all around him, the sobs of the saints, the abundant evidence of the goodness of the departed Dorcas.3

God empowered Peter, and Dorcas was miraculously raised back to life again. Dorcas was faithful in her service to others and was also one of a few people raised from the dead in the New Testament that we know by name!

The Life Application Bible Commentary gives the following application concerning Dorcas’s faithful service:

Dorcas made an enormous difference in her community by “always doing good and helping the poor.” Specifically, she was known for making robes and other clothing (Acts 9:39). When she died, the room was filled with mourners, very likely many of the people she had helped. And when she was brought back to life, the news raced through the town. God uses great preachers like Peter and Paul, but he also uses those who have gifts of kindness, like Dorcas. Rather than wishing you had other gifts, make good use of the gifts God has given you. 4

Allow the legacy of Dorcas’s service to resurrect your spirit to serve others. May her testimony of faithfulness inspire you,

encourage you, and cause you to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

Questions:

1. Imagine the scene in the upper room where people are testifying to Dorcas’s service while grieving over her death. Contemplate the powerful emotions of that moment as people remember her service.

2. In what ways does Dorcas’s story impact your life today?

3. What are your thoughts on Stephen Covey’s quote at the beginning of today’s devotion?

Day Twenty–Seven

In His Steps

Joseph Served Through Honoring

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:10 (ESV)

Text: Matthew 27:57-60

57  When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58  He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60  and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

Thoughts:

Today, we come to another “disciple” of Jesus named Joseph. Interestingly, like Dorcas from yesterday’s devotion, the early disciples of Jesus were known for their acts of service. Douglas O’Donnell’s commentary on Matthew provides excellent details surrounding Joseph’s identity and his acts of service:

Here are three key observations about Joseph. First, he was Jewish. We know that fact from his Jewish name

(Joseph) and his Jewish hometown (Arimathea).

Second, Joseph was “rich” (v. 57). Why does Matthew mention that detail? There is perhaps a theological reason—namely, even rich men can be faithful followers of Jesus. There is a place for rich men in the church, men who put Jesus before money by putting their money to work for Jesus. This is the first time in Matthew that wealth takes on a positive connotation.

Matthew mentions Joseph’s wealth for historical reasons. Only a rich (and politically connected) man could gain access to Pilate and actually be granted his request. And only a rich man would be able to afford “a clean linen shroud” (vs. 59), a “new tomb” that was likely cut into a limestone hillside-cave (vs. 60), and “a great stone” that was rolled in front of the tomb (vs. 60).

My third observation about Joseph was that he demonstrated courageous love for Christ. In Matthew’s Gospel, Joseph makes a short cameo appearance. His scene is short but sweet. He arrives as quickly as he departs. He reminds us of the earlier Joseph in Matthew 1-2, as both Josephs are quiet (not a word of theirs is recorded for us), and both men’s deeds speak more loudly than their words.

Perhaps this second Joseph is not mentioned earlier in Matthew because he was a coward. John tells us as much, for he writes that Joseph “was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews ” (John 19:38). Well, after Jesus’ courageous death, it appears that Joseph had a conversion from bashful to brave. This coward became courageous. He is the only male disciple of Jesus to step forward in chapter 27. All the apostles are absent. It took great courage for a highly distinguished member of the Sanhedrin to go by

himself to Pilate in order to ask for the body of a convicted and crucified criminal. What would the other members of the Council think about this? Would they resent him? Would they kick him out of the club? And what would Pilate think of such a politically charged request? Pilate could have said no and ordered Jesus’ body to remain on the cross to rot in the sun the next day, be picked apart by birds, and then torn apart by scavenger dogs. That would be quite the warning to anyone aspiring to insurrection! (And that was done in those days.) Or he could have ordered that Jesus’ body be thrown into a mass grave with other criminals and no names. Or Pilate could have charged Joseph with siding with the enemy. Joseph was very bold here. By going to Pilate, he risked his reputation and perhaps even his life.

Along with being a courageous man, Joseph was a loving man. Rich men don’t usually do slave’s work. But here we see a rich man prepare Jesus’ body for a proper and honorable burial. He dirtied his clean hands, during Passover no less, by touching Jesus’ unclean body (thus, ironically, obeying the Law [Deuteronomy 21:22, 23]). He served the Servant of Servants, the one who came to serve and lay down his life for others. Joseph, who took, wrapped, laid, cut, rolled , and went away (note the six verbs), embodied Jesus’ John 13 foot-washing model. He loved the greatest man ever to live in the least great moment of that man’s life. Joseph’s kind action echoes the anonymous woman who anointed Jesus’ body for burial (26:6–13). She anoints him for burial; Joseph prepares the body. Both are tender gestures. And both are now part of the Gospel story we tell (they have been re -

warded for their good deeds). Joseph shows us how the Christian faith works. Our faith is to be a courageous, loving, doing faith. 1

Joseph is an excellent example and model for serving Jesus. Out of his great desire to honor Jesus, Joseph risked his life to show his respect and love for the Lord.

Questions:

1. How does Joseph’s public affection for Jesus give you greater courage to live for the Lord?

2. How can honoring someone become a genuine motive for serving?

3. Joseph will forever be remembered for honoring Jesus after His death. Contemplate your future legacy and write down how you want to be remembered. How can your service to the Lord impact your legacy?

Day Twenty–Eight

In His Steps

Jesus Served Through Sacrifice

The more you manifest a servant’s heart in all you do, the more of an impact you’ll have on people’s lives.

Jim George1

Text: Matthew 20:28

28  “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Thoughts:

Today concludes our journey In His Steps as we have considered some Footprints to Follow. Along this journey, we have focused on four specific areas: Passionate Prayer, Intentional Presence (Worship), Radical Generosity (Giving), and Surrendered Service (Serving). We have focused on both well-known saints of Scripture and obscure disciples of Jesus Christ. They have all given us models to follow when it comes to following Jesus. The perfect example of everything we need to be Christlike understandably comes through Christ. No one has ever served like our Savior. His sacrifice at the cross is the ultimate example of humble service.

Noticeably, each Gospel writer records a purpose statement given by Jesus Himself. Matthew’s is our verse for today–Matthew 20:28. The rest are as follows:

Mark 10:45 (ESV)

45  “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

John 10:10 (ESV)

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Interestingly, the only purpose statement repeated in the Gospels is that Jesus came to serve. Contemplate the examples of Jesus’s acts of service:

• He left His throne room in glory to enter our world (Philippians 2:6).

• He took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7).

• He submitted Himself to an earthly father and mother (Luke 2:51).

• He went out of His way to heal the sick, lame, blind, and mute (Matthew 8-9).

• He served tirelessly as people always begged for His attention (Mark 5).

• He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-11).

• He allowed the religious leaders to beat Him until He was unrecognizable (Isaiah 52:14).

• He sacrificed His life on the cross (Matthew 27:45-54).

• He who knew no sin became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

These are just a few of the many examples where Jesus modeled servanthood. Certainly, the “Son of Man came not to

be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).

Matthew 20:20-24 records the mother of James and John requesting that Jesus allow her sons to one day sit on His right and left hand in His Kingdom. This request displeased the other ten disciples. In light of this selfish inquiry to be great, Jesus responds with these words:

Matthew 20:25-27

(ESV)

25  But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26  It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.

Jesus’s definition of greatness involves service. That is the context of His concluding statement found in Matthew 20:28: “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Notice the transitional word “even.” Even Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, came to give His life. Even Jesus, the Savior, served. Even Jesus, the Master, ministered.

Since Jesus was willing to serve, how can His followers do anything less than become servants who ministered?

Even so, Jesus, come! And until You return, help us to serve You faithfully by serving others. Thank You, Lord, for the many examples You have given us—the Footprints to Follow. May we always follow In His Steps.

Questions:

1. What are your thoughts when you consider Jesus as a servant?

2. What have you learned about following Jesus through the examples of those discussed in Scripture?

3. What current examples come to mind when you think of prayer, worship, giving, and serving?

4. In what ways can you be a good example for people to follow?

Notes

In His Steps

Notes

Contents

1Sheldon, Charles M. 2020. In His Steps. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books.

Introduction

1Moody, D. L. (n.d.). Top 10 example quotes - brainyquote. brainy quote.com. https://www.brainyquote.com/lists/topics/top-10example-quotes

2Sheldon, Charles M. 2020. In His Steps. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books.

Day 1

1Merida, Tony. 2015. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

Day 2

1Phillips, John. 2009. Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary. Vol. 1. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

2Boice, James Montgomery. 2005. Psalms 42–106: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

3Wiersbe, Warren W. 2004. Be Worshipful. 1st ed. “Be” Commentary Series. Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.

Day 3

1Ortlund, Raymond C., Jr. 2012. Preaching the Word: Proverbs— Wisdom That Works. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

2Hubbard, David A., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1989. Proverbs. Vol. 15. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

Day 4

1Boice, James Montgomery. 1988. Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.

2Excert from “There Are No Second Team Christians” from Ephesians 1:15-23 preached by Jim Shaddix at the Alabama Pastor’s Conference.

3Merida, Tony. 2014. Exalting Jesus in Ephesians. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

Day 5

1Swindoll, Charles R. 2018. John. Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary. Tyndale House Publishers.

2Guzik, David. 2013. John. David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible. Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

3Carter, Matt, and Josh Wredberg. 2017. Exalting Jesus in John. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

4Swindoll, Charles R. 2018. John. Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary. Tyndale House Publishers.

Day 6

1Guzik, David. 2013. John. David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible. Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

2Phillips, John. 2009. Exploring the Gospel of John: An Expository Commentary. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

3Guzik, David. 2013. John. David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible. Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

Day 7

1Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2Barton, Bruce B. 1993. John. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

3Davis, Barry L. 2013. 52 Sermons from the Gospel of John. Pulpit Outlines Series. n.p.: Barry Davis.

Day 8

1Chesterton, G. K. (2024, November 21). 19 inspiring quotes about worship (2024). MediaShout. https://mediashout. com/19-inspiring-worship-quotes-2024/

2Keener, Craig S. 2009. The Gospel of Matthew: A SocioRhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

3Carr, Alan. 2012. Worship: What It Is and Why It Matters. The Topical Sermon Notebook. Wordsearch.

Day 9

1Greear, J. D. (2020, July 14). Worship is not a reflection of how you feel. JD Greear Ministries. https://jdgreear.com/worshipnot-reflection-feel/

Day 10

1Wright, N. T. (2024, November 21). 19 inspiring quotes about worship (2024). MediaShout. https://mediashout.com/19inspiring-worship-quotes-2024/

2Barton, Bruce B., David Veerman, Linda Chaffee Taylor, and Grant R. Osborne. 1997. Luke. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

3Ryle, J. C. 1879. Expository Thoughts on Luke. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 4Ibid.

Day 11

1Tozer, A. W. (2025, February 7). 30 great quotes on worship. https://www.experiencingworship.com/articles/general/20017-great-quotes-on-worship.html

2Anyabwile, Thabiti. 2018. Exalting Jesus in Luke. ChristCentered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

Day 12

1Peterson, E. (2018, November 19). Quotes on worship from various authors. Renewing Worship. https://www. renewingworshipnc.org/worship-quotes/ 2McKinley, Mike. 2016. Luke 1–12 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company.

3Barton, Bruce B., David Veerman, Linda Chaffee Taylor, and Grant R. Osborne. 1997. Luke. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Day 13

1Boom, C. T. (n.d.). Corrie Ten Boom quotes: https://www. facebook.com/groups/996246724284169/posts/faith-is-whenyou-praise-god-in-the-storm-you-trust-him-in-the-valley-andyou-fo/1589912848250884/?_rdr

2Packiam, G. (2013). Discover the Mystery of Faith: How Worship Shapes Believing. David C. Cook.

Day 14

1Hughes, R. Kent. 1996. Acts: The Church Afire. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

2Wiersbe, W. W. (2009). Be Daring: Put Your Faith Where the Action Is. David C. Cook, pg. 40.

Day 15

1Forlong, L. (2022, July 10). See God as the greatest giver. Focus Bible Church Tauranga. https://focusbiblechurch.com/seegod-as-the-greatest-giver/

2Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

3Volf, M. (2005). Free of charge: Giving and forgiving in a culture stripped of Grace: The Archbishop’s official 2006 Lent book. Zondervan.

4Forlong, L. (2022, July 10). See God as the greatest giver.

Day 16

1Merida, Tony. 2014. Exalting Jesus in Exodus. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

2Ryken, Philip Graham, and R. Kent Hughes. 2005. Exodus: Saved for God’s Glory. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Day 17

1Teresa, M. (n.d.). A quote by Mother Teresa. Goodreads. https:// www.goodreads.com/quotes/288714.

2McCloskey, P. (2024, March 13). The rift between Jews and Samaritans. Franciscan Media. https://www.franciscanmedia. org/ask-a-franciscan/the-rift-between-jews-and-samaritans/

Day 18

1Barton, Bruce B., and Grant R. Osborne. 1999. Acts. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

2Wright, Tom. 2008. Acts for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-12. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Day 19

1Barb, L. (n.d.). Money, generosity, and transformation into Christ’s image. Lynne Baab. https://www.lynnebaab.com/blog/ money-generosity-and-transformation-into

2Ryle, J. C. 1879. Expository Thoughts on Luke. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.

Day 20

1Livingstone, D. (n.d.). 197 Inspirational Quotes & Bible verses: Tithe.ly. RSS. https://get.tithe.ly/blog/197-inspirationalquotes-and-bible-verses

2Strong’s Greek: 2841. κοινωνέω (koinóneó) -- to share, to participate, to have fellowship, to partake. (n.d.). https:// biblehub.com/greek/ 2841.htm

3Lawson, Steven J. 2017. Philippians for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company.

Day 21

1Packer, J. I. (n.d.-b). Ten quotes on generosity. FaithFi.com. https://www.faithfi.com/faithfi/ten-quotes-on-generosity-3831

2Thomas A. Langford, Christian Wholeness (Nashville: The Upper Room, 1978), p. 15.

3Dunnam, Maxie D., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1982. Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon. Vol. 31. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc

Day 22

1Stott, John R. W. 1994. The Message of Acts: The Spirit, the Church & the World. The Bible Speaks Today. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Day 23

1Nouwen, H. (2024, February 18). Hospitality. Henri Nouwen. https://henrinouwen.org/meditations/hospitality-2/

2Hamilton, Victor P. 1995. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

3Walton, John H. 2001. Genesis. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

4Longman, Tremper, III. 2016. Genesis. Edited by Tremper Longman III. The Story of God Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Day 25

1Warren, R. (n.d.). Top 25 serving God quotes (of 195): A-Z quotes. AZquotes.com. https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/ serving-god.html

2Davey, Stephen. 2013. Ruth. Edited by Lalanne Barber. Wisdom Commentary Series. Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers.

3DeHaan, M. R. 1996. The Romance of Redemption: Studies in the Book of Ruth. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

Day 26

1Covey, S. (2024, October 9). Faith and service: 10 quotes to inspire acts of kindness. Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen. https://ofhsoupkitchen.org/faith-and-service-quotes

2Hughes, R. Kent. 1996. Acts: The Church Afire. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

3Phillips, John. 2009. Exploring Acts: An Expository Commentary. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

4Barton, Bruce B., and Grant R. Osborne. 1999. Acts. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House

Day 27

1O’Donnell, Douglas Sean. 2013. Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Day 28

1 George, J. (2022, Oct. 4). Servant archives - Daily Christian Quotes. https://www.dailychristianquote.com/tag/servant/ page/2/