May the Lord strengthen your soul today!

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” (Ps 138:3)

The Lord hears the prayers of His saints. He is not a distant God. He is not asleep. We do not have to wake Him with shouts or sacrificial actions. His ears are attuned to the prayers of His people. He hears us in the morning, midday, and throughout the night. He is attentive to our needs.

Our prayers don’t go in one ear and out the other. He hears us and He answers us. To be sure, His answer doesn’t always match how we want Him to answer. But He answers our prayers. In the case of David, we learn that the Lord strengthened His soul. He did not immediately take away the difficulty he was experiencing. Instead, the Lord provided him strength so that he might continue to press on, worshipping and serving Him despite the difficulties.

May the Lord strengthen you as well. May He provide you what you need in order to keep on keeping on. In order to worship the Lord even when the world is pressing in on you. May you continue to be a witness to the Lord in the midst of a world that rejects His rightful rule over them.

May the Lord strengthen your soul today.

Are your feet beautiful?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” (Rom 10:15)

As Christians we have been sent out to make disciple-making disciples. We are to make these disciples “as we are going” about our day. We don’t have to travel half way around the world to be “on mission” for Jesus. We can live “on mission” for Him right here in our own community.

Paul reveals in this section of his letter to Romans that we are sent to preach the good news. It is a beautiful thing. Beautiful can be translated as “the appropriate time; timely” or it can be translated as beautiful in the sense that it is an appropriate action or a lovely action.

If we translate the word timely, which it seems many commentators lean towards, the idea links more to God’s plan being worked out in His time. The preaching of the gospel as the message of hope to both Jews and Gentiles has come at the appropriate time in God’s plan of salvation.

While at the same time, the feet of those who come with the good news of the gospel are beautiful, they are lovely. It is a beautiful action for someone to preach the good news of Jesus to others.

We are to be those beautiful feet who in God’s timing are bringing a message of hope and light to those who live in darkness. Are your feet beautiful?

In Christ Jesus we are not condemned!

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1)

What a great promise! Those who are in Christ are not condemned to death, bondage, and slavery to sin. We are free from punishment.

We are not free from punishment due our own merit. Paul makes it clear that the Law — the written code God gave the Israelites to direct their lives, has not saved them but condemned them. It has proven them to be rebels and law breakers who deserve God’s punishment. Under the law, we are condemned. The verdict handed down is guilty. We deserve punishment. The wages of our sin is death.

But thanks be to God that in Christ we are not condemned. We are free from condemnation because Jesus took the punishment of the guilty verdict on our behalf.

If you want to experience freedom to live as you have been designed and a relationship with the Creator of the universe, you must come through Christ. We can’t come through the law or our own good works. Christ is the only way.

In Christ Jesus we are not condemned!

Christian, whose slave are you?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Rom 6:17-18)

If you are a Christian today, you were saved from slavery. Yes, you were saved from slavery. Before Christ you lived in bondage to sin. It held you captive. You were unable to escape its chains. You were led here and there, committing further acts of lawlessness because sin reigned in your life.

Christ has set you free! His sacrifice on our behalf and our belief in Him as Savior broke the chains of sin. Jesus released us from bondage so that we might live upright lives. Lives free from the grip of sin.

Since we have been set free from sin, we should not allow it to dominate us. We should not allow it mastery over us. Instead, we should live as free men and women from the grip of sin.

Though we have been freed from sin, that doesn’t mean we are free. We are either a slave of sin and Satan or a slave of God. There is not neutral middle ground. Having been saved and freed from slavery to sin by Jesus, we should live as if He is our Master. We should live our freed lives as slaves of righteousness.

Slaves of righteousness is that for which we have been created. We were created by God to live according to His will and way. Those who live upright lives, who seek God’s wisdom found in His Word, live with God’s blessing. To experience God’s blessing results in a life of joy despite the external circumstances we experience.

Christian, are you living in your past chains or are you living as a slave of righteousness?

Your works don’t make you righteous

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…” (Ro 3:21-22)

Paul’s letter to the Roman’s is a theological masterpiece. It highlights who we really are and what God has done so that we might have a relationship with Him. We are sinners through and through. Our sin has so corrupted us that we cannot nor do we desire to live for God. Using Paul’s term — we are not righteous. We do not live morally upright lives, nor are we in right relationship with God.

We cannot earn a right relationship with God through the Law, whether that be God’s law or our own moral code. There is absolutely nothing we can do but there is something God does. He sends His Son — Jesus — who is the Christ. Jesus is the God appointed Savior of the world. Through His life and death on our behalf, we can experience a right relationship with the Father. Not by emulating Jesus or sacrificing to Him, but through faith. Simply trusting that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provides you a right relationship with the Father, provides you a right relationship with the Father.

All those who believe in Jesus’ cross-work experience salvation. Through Jesus, the Father establishes the righteousness of man.

Trust in Jesus and not in your own work. Your works don’t make you righteous.

Unity is a blessing from the Lord

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Ps 133:1)

Because of God’s presence and provision, we are able to dwell together in unity with one another. Unity in community is a blessing showered down on us by God. God is the One who transforms our hearts — our will, wants, desires — so that we can live in unity with one another.

Unity requires self-sacrifice and forbearance. Only a heart that has been transformed by the Lord will be willing to sacrifice and forbear with another.

Where there is unity, there is the Lord’s blessing, His provision. When we experience unity with another, we should praise the Lord. If we desire unity, we should seek the Lord. Out of our relationship with the Lord, our growth in Christ, we experience unity with one another.

If you desire unity, turn to the Lord, seek Him, grow in Him, and you will experience the unity you desire with other brother’s and sister’s in Christ.

For indeed, unity is a blessing from the Lord. May we praise Him when it is present in our community.