Category: Devotionals

Why Should We Put Our Faith In Jesus?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals5 Comments

Faith

Lately, I have been writing about the characteristics of True Faith (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4). Reading those posts, you might think: Why should we put our faith in Jesus? That’s an honest question that deserves an honest answer.

Why Should We Put Our Faith In Jesus?

(1) He is the God sent Savior.

It was prophesied in Isaiah 35 that the blind, deaf, lame, and mute would be healed when God came to save His people. Scripture is fulfilled in Matthew 15 when Jesus heals the crowd because the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the mute speak. These miracles point to Jesus being the God sent Savior.

We should confidently put our faith in the One God sent to save the world.

(2) He is Compassionate. 

For three days Jesus ministered to the crowd. Providing healing for the sick and hurting. When it was time for them to go home, Jesus realized many had not eaten for several days. He didn’t want to send them home with their supplies depleted and stomachs empty for fear they wouldn’t make it.

What does He do?

He throws a Divine Picnic where He feeds four thousand men, not including women and children.

Jesus’ actions teach us that He provides. Not only does He provide for our spiritual needs but also our physical needs.

Jesus’ as our Provider doesn’t mean we will be rich or nothing bad will happen to us. It does mean, however, He will provide what we need. We can trust He will provide because He is compassionate – He cares for and loves us.

Since Jesus is compassionate, taking care of our needs, we should confidently put our faith in Him.

(3) He is the All Sovereign and Powerful God of the Universe. 

Jesus’ provision – healing the sick and hurting, and feeding the hungry – point to His power and sovereignty over all things.

Since Jesus is sovereign and all powerful, and able to work out His plan. A plan that involves the defeat of sin, Satan, and death. We should confidently put our faith in Him.

Conclusion

Jesus’ healing of the Gentile crowd and feeding of the four thousand from Matthew 15 gives us the confidence we need to put our faith in Jesus. It’s there we learn

Jesus is the compassionate all sovereign and powerful God sent Savior.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you recognize Jesus as the compassionate all sovereign and powerful God sent Savior?
  2. Do these characteristics encourage you to place your faith in Jesus?

Resources

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Post developed from my sermon The Faith of the Canaanite Crowd

What is True Faith? | Part 3

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals4 Comments

Faith

What is true faith? We talk about faith all the time. When we call someone to follow Jesus, we tell them to have faith in Him. When someone is struggling, we encourage them to exercise faith. We use salvation and faith interchangeable. Faith is a word we use all the time, but what does it mean? For the next few weeks I will answer that question.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 serves as an excellent example of faith. Over the next few days we will glean four things faith is from her story.

(3) True Faith is Humble

The woman in our story is humble. She knows her place. She knows she doesn’t have the right to sit at the table. When Jesus ignores her and tells her she is not apart of His mission, she doesn’t bite back in pride. She doesn’t get mad. She doesn’t claim special privilege or tell Jesus He isn’t fair. Instead she is humble and recognizes her place.

If we would claim faith in Jesus, we too must be humble. We must recognize our place. We must recognize we are unworthy sinners who deserve God’s punishment.

We don’t come to God in pride and say, “Hey God, do you know who I am? Do you know how good I am? Do you know how many people I have helped?” No, those who have true faith are humble. They recognize their place. They recognize who they are – sinners who deserve God’s punishment. Recognizing those things, they come to Jesus humbly.

The Content of True Faith

Continuing to build our definition of true faith, we see:

  • True faith believes – It specifically believes Jesus is Lord and the Son of David. He is our authority and the only way to a reconciled relationship with the Father.
  • True faith is persistent – It continues to go after Jesus not allowing anything to dissuade it or act as a barrier.
  • True faith is humble – It recognizes its place realizing we are sinners who deserve God’s punishment not His grace.

Question for Reflection

  1. Do you agree you are a sinner who deserves God’s punishment?

Resources

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Post adapted from my most recent sermon The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

What is True Faith? | Part 2

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals3 Comments

Faith

What is true faith? We talk about faith all the time. When we call someone to follow Jesus, we tell them to have faith in Him. When someone is struggling, we encourage them to exercise faith. We use salvation and faith interchangeable. Faith is a word we use all the time, but what does it mean? For the next few weeks I will answer that question.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 serves as an excellent example of faith. Over the next few days we will glean four things faith is from her story.

(2) True Faith is Persistent

The Canaanite woman was persistent. She kept coming after Jesus, even when He ignores her and the Disciples are annoyed. But she doesn’t care. She doesn’t turn away. She is persistent.

All those who exercise faith in Jesus are persistent as well. They know who He is. They know He has control over all things. They know He is Lord. They know He is the Messiah, so they continue to go after Jesus. They don’t give up.

How does this work out practically?

Some of you might be out of a job, and praying for another one, but God hasn’t answered you. Instead of giving up on God, we have to persistently trust Him, knowing He will answer in His own time.

Maybe some of you are sick, having difficulties at home, or need guidance. You have been praying, but God hasn’t delivered. Instead of giving up on God, we have to persistently trust Him. Again, knowing He will answer in His own time and in His own way.

True faith doesn’t allow situations, circumstances, or barriers to dissuade us from going after Jesus and trusting in Him. True faith is persistent.

The Content of True Faith

Continuing to build our definition of true faith, we see:

  • True faith believes – It specifically believes Jesus is Lord and the Son of David. He is our authority and the only way to a reconciled relationship with the Father.
  • True faith is persistent – It continues to go after Jesus not allowing anything to dissuade it or act as a barrier.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Have your circumstances caused you to stop chasing after Jesus?
  2. Do you continue to chase after Jesus no matter what is going on in your life, recognizing only He is Lord and Messiah?

Resources

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Post adapted from my most recent sermon The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

What is True Faith? | Part 1

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals11 Comments

Faith

What is true faith? We talk about faith all the time. When we call someone to follow Jesus, we tell them to have faith in Him. When someone is struggling, we encourage them to exercise faith. We use salvation and faith interchangeable. Faith is a word we use all the time, but what does it mean? For the next few weeks I will answer that question.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 serves as an excellent example of faith. Over the next few days we will glean four things faith is from her story.

(1) True Faith Believes

The Canaanite woman believed. She believed Jesus could heal her daughter. She believed that because she recognized Jesus was Lord and the Son of David. These titles reveal a good deal about Jesus and the content of believing faith.

1. Jesus is Lord, He has authority over all things.

By calling Jesus Lord, the Canaanite Woman recognized rightly He is the One who directs her life. He is the One who has the right to call the shots in her life. The same goes for you and I.

You see, if we place our faith in Jesus, we allow and trust Jesus to direct our lives. As well as we submit every aspect of our lives to Jesus. He is our Lord, our King.

2. Jesus is the Son of David, He is the Father’s chosen Savior, the Messiah.

By calling Jesus the Son of David, the Canaanite Woman believed there is no other way to the Father but through Jesus. She recognized He is the only way. He is God’s chosen One. Essentially, she recognized nothing but belief in Jesus could right her relationship with God.

Connected to the belief that Jesus is the only way to God is the idea that we can do nothing to earn a relationship with God. We can’t work our way to God. We can’t repair our own relationship with Him. Only Jesus can repair our relationship with God.

Jesus is the only One who lived a perfect and righteous life, so He is the only One who doesn’t deserve God’s punishment, which means He is the only One who can take our punishment for us.

On the cross Jesus does just that, hanging in our place. As our substitute, He takes God’s wrath for us. In other words, God pours His wrath out on Jesus instead of us, even though we are the One’s who deserve punishment.

The Content of True Faith

So far we see true faith believes. It specifically believes Jesus is Lord and the Son of David. He is our authority and the only way to a reconciled relationship with the Father.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you believe Jesus is your Lord?
  2. Do you believe Jesus is the only way to the Father?

Resources

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Post adapted from my most recent sermon The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

Evangelism and the Day of the Lord

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Evangelism1 Comment

Locust

There is a day coming when the Lord will return and judge all nations. All those not following Jesus will be slain by the Lord.

Joel 2 Pictures this Day

As a watchman, Joel sounds the trumpet warning of an approaching enemy. An enemy that ultimately destroys Israel. Their destruction points to the Day of the Lord.

Commenting on Joel 2:1-11, John Calvin says,

The object of the narrative, then, is to make the people sensible, that it was now no time for taking rest; for the Lord, having long tolerated their wickedness, was now resolved to pour upon them in full torrent his whole fury.

Table Talk magazine commenting on Calvin says,

Calvin reminds us the final end is not to preach judgment for judgement’s sake, but to warn people to turn from sin.

Challenge

The many disasters lately – New Orleans; New York; Moore, OK; West, TX – should bring to mind the Day of the Lord. Knowing it is approaching and may occur at any moment, should cause us to eagerly call others to repent. Friends, neighbors, family members, and even strangers need the gospel. It is our only hope as the Day draws near. May we bravely and boldly proclaim it to all who will listen.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Does impending judgment motivate you to preach the gospel to your neighbors?
  2. Are you satisfied others will face judgment, or does it motivate you to share Jesus?

Resources

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Table Talk Magazine, June 2013, The Army of the Lord, Friday, June 14

How Do You Know You Value the Kingdom? | Part 3

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

Treasure

Maybe you have called yourself a Christian for a long time, but how do you know you value the kingdom?

The Parable of the Householder

The Parable of the Householder not only tells us what Jesus’ disciples should do, but what those who value the kingdom will do.

And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Matthew 13:52, ESV)

Jesus not only compares His disciples to the Scribes – the learned teachers of the day – but also to a household master. He pictures the master bringing out and showing off his old and new treasure.

The old treasure represents the familiar teachings of the day, while the new treasure represents the teachings Jesus revealed to the disciples.

What’s Jesus point?

Jesus’ point is that His disciples are to teach the people how the old and new truths He revealed integrate together. Jesus’ message doesn’t wipe the slate clean. It doesn’t replace the old. It fulfills it, and it is the disciples job to show how that’s the case.

Why Spread Jesus’ Message?

Problems will arise, if Jesus’ disciples carry Jesus’ message to the people. People will reject and hate them. Life will not be easy. Knowing that, why spread Jesus’ message?

The value of the Kingdom should cause Jesus’ disciples to spread His message.

You see, those who value the kingdom will tell others about it. They will talk about it, no matter the cost.

That’s because we talk about those things we value.

How do you know if you value the kingdom?

(1) Is Jesus apart of your conversations with others?

Do you talk about Him with you friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers?

We talk about those things we value. You can know if you value the things of God, you can know if you value the kingdom, you can know if you value Jesus, if you talk about Him.

How else can we know if we value the kingdom or the things of God?

(2) Do you read God’s Word?

If you value the things of God, you will want to learn more about Him. The way to do that is to read His Word.

(3) Do you pray?

If you think God is valuable, you will set aside time in your day to talk with Him.

(4) Do you seek to live according to God’s Word?

If you think His wisdom and commands are valuable, you will want to live by them.

(5) Do you give your money, time, and resources to kingdom work?

Those things we value, we invest in. Do you invest in the kingdom by giving your money, time, and resources to it?

(6) Do you put Jesus first in your life?

The things we value get first priority in our lives. So is Jesus first in your life, or is He 2nd or 3rd, or even at the bottom of your list? We give first priority to those things we value. So is Jesus first in your life?

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do the questions above reveal you value the Kingdom or not? Why or why not?
  2. What other questions would you add to the list of six above?

Resources

Post adapted from my most recent sermon Why Should You Want to Follow Jesus?

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