It is always good to be reminded of who we are in Christ, especially when we find ourselves living in a world filled with chaos and confusion.  Over the next 32 days I will be sharing the devotions from my book, “In Christ Alone”.  Each devotion is designed to help us look to Christ for our identity in the midst of a myriad of sources trying to define who we are.

Here is day one with an important reminder that you, and those around you, can have peace in Christ.

I Have Peace

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.“
Romans 5:1 (NIV)

How would you rate your level of peace today?  What factors determine if you feel a sense of peace or not?  Some have described peace as the absence of conflict, but does living without conflict always lead to a life of true peace? Could the peace you long for, the peace beyond understanding, be something more — a peace that could exist even in the midst of conflict?

God says that in Christ we have peace because we have been made right with God through our faith in Jesus!  Our prayer life should draw us into greater peace as our faith in God grows.  As you grow in Christ, pray that you would live as one justified by faith so that the people around you can see the peace you have in Christ.  Pray that your inner peace would be visible to all people, even in times of conflict.  Pray that your identity of peace would lead you to be a peacemaker as you share about your faith in Jesus.  Pray that the people around you would see the peace of God reflected in everything you do.

In prayer,

Tom  

While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”!  This wraps up the thirty-two devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself.  Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.

Here is day thirty-two with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called by God to live a sacred calling in the midst of everything you do.

Living a Sacred Calling

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.“
Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

What makes something sacred?  How do you feel about your life being sacred?  How does your consideration and practice of the things outlined in this devotional change the way you view a sacred calling?  Why?  Does the sacredness of your life’s work come from what that work is or from who it is being done for?  Explain.  What things change, or should change, when you begin to view the everyday tasks of your life as part of your sacred calling from God?  How will your view of others change when you acknowledge their work as a response to God’s sacred calling in them?

When we live life set apart for God’s use, everything is on the table.  Responding to a sacred calling may involve preaching by some, but it is just as likely to involve welding by others.  While we tend to define people by what they do occupationally, God is much more interested in who we are really doing it for.  The previous thirty-one devotions in this book have all been written with the prayer that you will see your life, and your life’s work, as a sacred calling from God regardless of how He has gifted you.  As God calls, it is my prayer that each of us would respond, “Here am I”.

As you pray about living a sacred calling, thank God for giving you purpose in life.  Pray that you would know the value of living a life set apart for God’s exclusive use.  Pray that you would make all of your gifts and abilities available for God to use as He sees fit.  Pray for the humility needed to appropriately, and equally, value the sacred calling God has made to the people around you who have tasks which are different from yours.  Pray that you would learn to help others pursue a sacred calling in the midst of everyday life.

In prayer,

Tom  

While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”!  After today, I will be sharing one more devotion from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself.  Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.

Here is day thirty-one with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called by God to live a life worthy of His calling.

Called To Be Worthy

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.“
Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)

Are you worthy?  How difficult is it for you to answer that question?  Why?  How is being worthy different from being counted worthy that was a devotion earlier in this book?  Why?  What/who determines if you are worthy?  Explain.  What makes people worthy to you — is it the way they feel or the way you feel about them?  Explain.  Since God has called you to be worthy, what does that say about how He feels about you?  How can you help others know God calls them to be worthy?  Will you?

While it is comforting to be counted worthy by God, it is perhaps more sobering to have God call me to be worthy.  When I look deep within my life and know I am not worthy, there is hope in knowing that God looks even deeper and still calls me to be worthy.  As one created in the image of God, He knows full well the potential that lies beneath the layers of crud I have accumulated in my life.  When God calls me to live a life worthy of His calling, he makes it possible by transforming my heart and mind with the presence of His Spirit.  When I live by the Spirit rather than by the flesh, I find I can be worthy of His calling.

As you pray about being called to be worthy, ask God to help you see His great love for you and the worth you have to Him.  Pray that you would seek to live a life worthy of His calling as you allow His Spirit to make that possible.  Pray for the courage to reject life choices that would not be worthy of God’s presence.  Pray that God’s love would help you to see yourself as He sees you.  Pray that your view of others would take place through the eyes of God as He deems them worthy of His love.

In prayer,

Tom  

While we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we have a great opportunity to represent Jesus well as we respond to God’s calling with a hearty, “Here Am I”!  Over the next 2 days I will continue sharing the devotions from my “Here Am I” book to help each of us pray about our response to God as He calls us to Himself.  Through time in prayer, this devotional journal was written to help you see and respond to God’s calling as you see Him working in your “everyday” life.

Here is day thirty with an important reminder that you, and those around you, have been called by God to win the prize that only He can give.

Called To Win the Prize

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.“
Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Have you ever won anything that you knew would never have been possible to obtain on your own?  How does winning even small things make you feel?  Why?  How much does the encouragement of others help you to continue seeking something they believe you can obtain?  Would you be more likely to enter a contest if the person in charge indicated you would win if you didn’t give up?  Why?  In that light, how does being called by God to win the prize influence your desire to press on through whatever comes in life?

I used to get letters in the mail that were very clearly marked on the outside, “You may have already won!”.  While those were intriguing, the little word “may” often kept me from doing anything to win the potential prize.  When God calls us to win the prize, there is no maybe involved — at least not in His willingness to give.  It is our faithfulness in pursuing Him, not our perfection in doing so, that results in our receiving the prize for which we are called heavenward.  Knowing that the prize of eternity with God awaits us, our goal each day ought to be to walk with Jesus in such a way that others see Him in us.

As you pray about being called to win the prize, ask God to fill you with the desire to be faithful.  Pray that you would live with a confidence in God’s ability to deliver the prize for which He has called you to receive.  Pray that your relationship with God would help you to keep your eyes fixed on the eternal prize He offers.  Pray that you would walk faithfully with God each day as you not only anticipate the prize that is to come, but as you share that prize with others.

In prayer,

Tom