New Horizons Christian Church

This Week’s Theme: God Pursues a Love Relationship with You That Is Real and Personal.

(NOTE: Write out the BIBLE KEY at least once this week, perhaps in your personal journal.  Then, before you begin to read the devotional thoughts for each day, read the BIBLE KEY for that week. Become familiar with it and, perhaps, even memorize it.)

BIBLE  KEY: (Matthew 22:37-38, NIV) Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

MONDAY

(John 3:16-18, NIV) 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Verse 16 is one of the most popular verses in the whole Bible.  It reminds us of God’s great love for us and what He did as a result of it.  Verse 18 tells us what our response to God’s love should be.

Bask in God’s love for a moment right now.  Think about all the things that God has done for you because He loves you.  Consider little things, such as getting a good parking space, as well as big things, such as answering your prayers about something very important to you.

Now, thank God for these gifts of love.

TUESDAY

Moses assembled all the Israelites and spoke to them in Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV). This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

These words were spoken in the context of a much longer speech in which Moses set forth some additional terms of God’s covenant with Israel. (See Deuteronomy 29:1) This was a very important speech because it was a matter of life and death, blessings and curses for the Israelites and their children.  The Israelites needed to make a choice about what they wanted.

This speech was very important, also, because it established a contract between Israel and God to which they would be bound for centuries.  It affected every Jewish man, woman, and child, until it was replaced by the new covenant that Jesus established.

Moses revealed that a relationship with God was at the heart of this covenant.  “…that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” Notice that this relationship began with loving God.  Also, it involved listening to Him and being faithful to Him, such as a husband or wife being faithful to their spouse.

Today, Christians have a different contract with God.  It came to us through faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  However, it is still based on a loving relationship with God in which we give Him our attention, obedience, and loyalty.

Pray that God will strengthen your love for Him each day during our 8-week journey and that it will bring you closer to Him.

WEDNESDAY

(Matthew 6:19-21, 33, NIV) 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

What is really valuable in life?  When faced with a life or death situation, most people choose the things that money can’t buy, such as the lives of their loved ones.

There are many things that have value to us in life.  There are plenty of things that compete for our attention and loyalty.  Obviously, material wealth is one of them.  So, what does Jesus say in these verses is more valuable than money—what we should seek?

According to verse 33, what will God give you, if you seek those things?

Consider your relationship with your material wealth.  What action will you take to develop more love for God?

THURSDAY

Don’t forget to read the Bible Key each day.

Jesus told His disciples, (John 6:44-45, 65, NIV) 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

According to what Jesus said in verses 44 and 65, how can people come to Him?

So, God enables us to come to Jesus when we listen to Him and learn from Him.  But, how does that work?  The Bible tells, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message [of God], and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17, NIV) This is why it is so important to read and study your Bible.  It will build your faith as you hear and believe the message of Christ.

FRIDAY

(Matthew 16:13-17, NIV) 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 ”But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Obviously, people were speculating who Jesus really was.  But, in these verses, who did the men closest to Him believe He was?  Do you agree with Peter?

Thinking of the life of Jesus, we can see that God took the initiative to reach out to us by sending His Son.  Furthermore, He provided us with the Bible so that we could learn about Jesus centuries after He walked on the earth as a man.  God loves us and wants us to respond to His initiative by listening to Him and believing Him.  When we do, we will grow in our faith in Him.

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["Devotional Guides for the Journey" are written by Philip Walter. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright © 2012 ]

(Scripture quotes are from the New International Version [NIV] of the Bible, copyright © 1984, International Bible Society.)