You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/319753229012045/
Something that will help us all stay connected - keep up the discussion – on the Live Stream. Like, follow, and share these morning devotions. And don’t forget to check in @ Richland Church of the Nazarene. If you think about it, you should comment in the video – whenever you watch this video – and let us know where you’ve seen God lately. I’m looking for you to be looking for what I call God sightings… Put it in the comments.
So far in this set of devotions, we can see how God's purpose for our lives is to be changed into the likeness of Jesus. And that this transformation is a partnership between God and us. The Holy Spirit works in us to empower us to change as we also put forth effort – and we call that discipline.
And we have discussed that the process of transformation begins with the critical need to renew our minds (Romans 12:1–2). If we believe any lies about God, ourselves, or our situation, then we need to repent of accepting those lies and put on the truth of God.
So here’s our focus for today. As we renew our minds the next step in implementing change is to begin new practices. Remember I talked about the four things that Jesus modeled for His Disciples then, and these are four things that He still wants for us – His disciples today – to see as well.
We need to make these four things intentional happenings in our lives. This is our investment in the part of our life that will live beyond – into eternity:
(1) Spending time with the Father
(2) Doing the will of the Father
(3) Judging as the Father judges
(4) Speaking only as the Father speaks
Now it’s fairly easy to spend time with the Father. We can do this through reading His Word. Or maybe these devotions here on Facebook Live help you to hear the words of the Father. And we can always be reminded to spend time in prayer, or we can spend time worshiping. But there’s also a part of spending time with the Father that is us listening to Him – being still – quiet.
I don’t know about you but being quiet has never been something that I do very well. But there are times in my day where it’s peaceful to sit in silence and follow Philippians 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
There is a way that my soul is re-set – I can re-charge – I can re-fill my spirit in this way when I do these things, because I open a direct line of communication – communion with Almighty Creator of the Universe. And that re-builds the very core of my being – my soul.
And we need to do this regularly. But James reminds us that there’s more to this life than just soaking up the goodness of God. And that means we need to be about the Father’s business.
James 1:19-25 (NIV) My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
I want to leave you with this thought. It’s not enough to believe that Jesus is who He says He is. It’s not enough to simply study God’s Word and learn about Jesus. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has to make a difference in our lives daily. When we do not reflect and apply the Gospel to our daily lives we become forgetful hearers.