Much Grace, Much Fruit

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might read 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives.

Monday-Wednesday, May 11-13, 2009
Devotions: Ps 56, 57, 64, 65, 68, 72, 119:73-96; Col 4:1-12; Rom 12:1-14:12; Lk 7:36-8:25

Be gracious to me, YHWH; I’m trampled all day long by my enemies. But I trust God, Whose word I praise. You keep my tears in a bottle; You are for me, and I am safe. My God is merciful and Most High! He fulfills His purpose for me; He bathes me in His steadfast love and faithfulness. I, too, become steadfast in faith and hope and love, and this morning, God, I am praising You. Let Your glory cover the earth! The wicked persist, but God is greater; they hate me and seek my destruction, but God is for me and I will live with Him forever. Let the righteous rejoice and take refuge in our Holy One! God, praise is due to You from all the redeemed. You deliver us by Your power and mercy; You are Maker and Owner of all creation; how well You care for Your own! All nature sings Your praises. Scatter Your enemies, mighty Lord, as we praise You for protecting orphans, widows and the desolate. Blessed is YHWH, Who daily bears me up; He is my Salvation. He ends my exile; He assembles His people to worship and praise, and blesses us. So: blessed be God! Lord, watch over our leaders; guide and help our president and his cabinet, our congress members and judiciary. Crush or convert those who speak and act in opposition to Your perfect will. I praise Jesus, my Lord, set over all creation by His Father’s will. May His glory fill the whole universe! Lord, give me understanding to grasp and hold to Your perfect word. I know You are altogether righteous and good; Your law is my delight, and I hold Your word in my heart. May my heart become blameless and obedient to Your revealed will. I am Yours, God; keep saving me! How broad and perfect is the word of the Lord!

Treat those under your authority with justice and fairness, since you also have a Master in heaven. Pray steadfastly; be watchful, and give thanks always; pray for an open door for God’s word and His evangelists. Be wise in relating to non-Christians; let your conversation be seasoned with God’s truth and His Spirit. Let all the saints be one in love and purpose!

Because of God’s mercy, let us offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God—our spiritual act of worship. Don’t conform to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by God’s renewal of our minds, so that we can test and approve God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. Exercise sober judgment, and function according to God’s gift and call; do the work before you in the power of the Spirit and in faith! Let love be genuine; love friends and enemies, and honor one another. Glow with the Spirit, and serve the Lord with gladness. Rejoice in hope; take tribulation with patience; be generous to the saints; practice hospitality! Bless your persecutors; rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those in sorrow. Live in harmony; welcome the lowly; repay evil with good; hold to what is godly and noble. Live at peace with everyone, to the best of your ability. Leave judgment and vengeance to God; overcome evil with good! Serve the established authorities honorably; all authority comes from God. Pay your due taxes; keep your word; owe no one anything but love—that fulfills all the commandments! Salvation is near, and Christ is coming! Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision to gratify the desires of the flesh. Be helpful to those of weak faith; avoid disputation that challenges another’s faith in God. Let everyone follow God as the mind of each understands; do all to honor God. Christ died for this, that He Is Lord of living and dead alike. All of us will face judgment and give account to God. Be ready for that day.

Jesus accepted an invitation to eat at a Pharisee’s house. A sinful woman of that city came to the house. She went to Jesus’ feet, and as she wept, washed His feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with the contents of an alabaster flask of expensive ointment. The Pharisee viewed this with disdain for both Jesus and the woman. Jesus answered aloud the host’s unspoken thoughts: ‘Simon, I have something to say to you. A creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, the other owed fifty. When He forgave both debts, which do you think will love the master more?’ Simon supposed it would be the one forgiven the greater debt. Jesus continued, ‘You judged correctly. Now, look at this woman. I came to your house at your invitation, but you gave Me no water to wash My feet; she, who has little, came and has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair! You gave Me no kiss of welcome, but she has ceaselessly kissed My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has poured out precious ointment upon My feet. Therefore, Simon, I tell you, her many sins are forgiven, for she has loved much; and the one who has little to forgive, loves little.’ Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’ The host and other guests, seeing all this, conferred, asking, ‘Who is this, who even forgives sins?’

Jesus went on through the cities and villages, accompanied by His disciples, male and female. Among the woman, whom Jesus had healed and who now helped to support His ministry from their means, were Mary of Magdala, from whom seven demons were exorcised, Joanna, wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others. A great crowd came to Jesus, and He taught them the parable of the sower, seed and soils: ‘A sower sowed his seeds; some fell on the hardened path and was trodden under and eaten by birds; some seed fell on rocky soil, sprang up, but soon withered away for lack of moisture; some fell among thorns, which choked it out; and some fell on good soil, and grew and yielded a hundred times what was sown. Let all who have ears, hear this!’ His disciples asked Jesus what the parable meant; He told them they had the privilege of an interpretation. For others, the parables would be opaque—though they saw and heard, they could not perceive or understand the message. Jesus is the Sower; the seed is God’s word. The devil snatches away the word from those along the hardened path. The rocky listeners initially receive the word with joy, but it doesn’t take root in them, and they fall away when temptation comes. Those among thorns are distracted by cares, riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. The good-soil people hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.’ Then Jesus continued, ‘All that is now hidden will be made manifest. So pay attention how you listen and observe. To those who receive, God will give even more; from those who do not receive, God will take even that tiny pittance they have gleaned.’ Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived, but couldn’t get to Jesus because of the throngs around Him; when He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are outside, desiring to see you,’ Jesus replied: ‘My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and do it!’

One day, Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and headed across the Sea of Galilee. A windstorm arose, and threatened to swamp the boat. Jesus was sleeping, and the others woke Him, saying, ‘Master! Master! We are perishing!’ He awoke and rebuked the wind and waves, and the raging storm subsided to a calm. Then He said to His companions, ‘Where is your faith?’ And they were afraid, marveling together, ‘Who is this, that He commands even wind and water and they obey Him?’