Read: Psalm 73:21-28

Consider: As we’ve looked at encountering God in all of life, there have been two New Testament statements that we have given particular focus.

“In him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

and…

“Pray continually” — or as it is sometimes translated, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Both statements point us in the direction of a life lived in God’s presence. Not a life with sporadic spiritual experiences. Not a life in which our emotions dictate whether or not we think we are close to God. Not a life in which we perform certain deeds in order to gain God’s favor. But a life in which our waking and sleeping, our coming and going, our working and playing, our mourning and laughing, our failing and succeeding are all done with a sense that God is with us.

Most of us don’t doubt God’s presence. We believe that God is not confined to our time-space continuum. We know that God is present in and throughout His creation. We even believe that He is with us individually. Our problem is not that we don’t believe in His presence. Our problem is that the distractions of life steal from us a continual awareness of His presence. We’re conscious of so many things and circumstances that surround us, but so often we’re not conscious of God Himself throughout our day.

But as we’ve seen, this God-consciousness does not come naturally for us. We have to develop an awareness of God’s presence. In fact, if I was looking for one word to describe how we develop our God-consciousness, I would say intentionally. We do it on purpose and with purpose.

As we organize our lives around the spiritual practices that increase our awareness of God’s presence, we’ll find renewed joy and peace. We’ll find that sensing the guidance of the Holy Spirit comes easier for us. And with the Psalmist we’ll declare, “It is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28).

Pray: “Lord, teach me the reality of Your presence. I don’t ask for isolated experiences or emotional highs. Rather, I ask You to teach me how to dwell in the consciousness of Your presence no matter what is happening around me.”

Tuesday, February 7

Read: Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18

Consider: In the midst of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount He spoke about three of the Jewish spiritual disciplines—giving, praying and fasting. Of course, these have also become spiritual practices for those of us who, though not Jewish by birth, follow Jesus the Messiah.

Take note that Jesus did not say, “if you give…if you pray…if you fast….” No He said, “when you give…when you pray…when you fast” (6:2, 5, 16). He didn’t hold these up as options. He was directing us to do them with proper motives and with the freedom that comes with authenticity. Jesus was not making legalistic commands or a new set of rules. But He wanted us to understand how important these practices are for us in our walks with God. Without them we would miss so much of what God has for us.

We call these “spiritual disciplines,” but they are also very physical—even material—in nature. Giving requires time and material resources. Praying utilizes the mind as well as the spirit. And fasting is an act of subjugating our physical needs. These physical acts are used by God to draw us closer to Him. They are used to help us practice the presence of Jesus throughout every day and night.

Contrary to what most people think, “spirituality” is not some sort of abstract concept. It is not an escape from this world. It is not transcending to a higher form of consciousness. No, it is allowing God to enter into our physical realm and transform our obedience into a deepened relationship with Him. These spiritual—and physical—disciplines are vehicles to take us into ever-increasing intimacy with Christ.

Pray: Enjoy the freedom of your prayer life today. Talk to Him with confidence that your obedience, behind the closed door (6:6), will be rewarded with a sense of His presence. You may want to pray the prayer of Matthew 6:9-13. Pray it slowly, meditating on the meaning of each phrase. And bask in His presence. Then take your prayerful attitude out into your world today.

Wednesday, February 8

Read: Matthew 14:3-23

Consider: Twice in today’s reading we find Jesus trying to get some time to be alone. He was deeply distressed by the brutal murder of John and craved time alone with the Father. But the people needed Him and Jesus had to postpone His much needed solitude. Following the emotional drain of miraculously providing for thousands of people, Jesus sent His disciples ahead and “went up into the hills by himself to pray” (14:23).

Jesus was engaging in three of the spiritual practices that are vital for healthy living—prayer, solitude and silence.

Those disciplines are foreign to most twenty-first century Americans. Our lives are anything but silent. They are so hectic that we simply run from one emotionally draining experience to another. That, of course, is why they are disciplines. They don’t happen automatically or easily.

We often think that it is impossible for us to experience silence before God, the blessed solitude that comes by being alone with Him, or uninterrupted prayer. But perhaps it seems impossible because we’re waiting for it to happen. It won’t happen. We must make it happen. We must discipline our lives and organize our schedules in order to feed our spirits in the presence of His Spirit.

It’s hard. But then, it was hard for Jesus. It took Him two tries in the fourteenth chapter of John. So if you’re struggling with it, you’re in good company.

Pray: There is a nineteenth century hymn with a chorus that says…

Blessed quietness! Holy quietness!

What assurance in my soul!

On the stormy sea Jesus speaks to me,

And the billows cease to roll.

Try to get some time today—rather, try to make some time today—to be quiet enough to hear from Him. Make today’s prayer time a time of listening, rather than talking.

This Sunday we begin a two-part series called, “In Step with Him.” It is based on Galatians 5:25—“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Thursday, February 9

Read: Galatians 1:1-9

Consider: Do you sense that Paul is frustrated and angry? The opening words of his letter to the Galatian believers are markedly different than what we find in his other letters. He usually starts with thanksgiving and encouragement. But not in Galatians. After the salutation that lets the recipients know who is writing, he lets them have it!

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (1:6-7)

The stakes are high. He’s talking about the perversion of the gospel, “deserting the one who called you,” and “turning to a different gospel.” What could possibly have angered Paul to this degree? What false religion were they embracing?

It was a false religion that runs throughout the church today. It was a perversion of the Christian faith that you and I have to deal with constantly. This perverted, false religion that caused them to desert “the one who called you” was legalism. That’s right. Paul spends the rest of the letter addressing the legalism that had invaded the church. And he’s frightened for them, frustrated with them, and angry that they are treating the message of the cross with such contempt.

What is legalism? At the core, legalism is trying to attain God’s favor by what we do. It is the attempt to earn our salvation. And it is subtle—we can find ourselves doing good things for the wrong reasons. And it is deadly. It destroys the freedom and joy that Christ has for us.

Paul’s word choice is interesting. He repeatedly refers to the “gospel.” Remember, that word “gospel” (evangel) means “good news.” So when he states that they were “turning to a different good news” he quickly adds that it really was “no good news at all” (1:6-7). Legalism is bad news.

Pray: “Lord, salvation comes from You alone. I can’t earn it or manufacture it. I don’t deserve it. But You have freely given Your grace to me. Help me to keep the joy of my relationship with You. May my good works always be prompted by compassion and gratitude and never from a false idea that You require them in order to love me. Thank You for Your love and grace.”

Friday, February 10

Read: Galatians 2:21-3:1-14

Consider: Paul’s tone hasn’t changed much from the opening words of this letter.

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (3:1-3)

Why does God love us? Why does He accept us? Why does He forgive us? The religions of this world tell us that when we are good, God is good to us. When we are good, God loves us. When we are good, God accepts us. But Christ followers have been taught something quite different.

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

We didn’t do anything to earn His love, acceptance or forgiveness. They are all gifts from a God who is more gracious than we can imagine. But because we have such a hard time comprehending that love, we are lulled back into the false religious values of this world. So we end up doing our Christian practices for the wrong reason. We end up praying, worshipping, giving and serving in order to convince God and ourselves that we are good. Well, we are righteous, but certainly not because of anything we have done. There is another reason.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It is vital that we comprehend this message. For if we entertain the notion that our righteousness could be gained in any other way, what we are saying is that “Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21).

Pray: “Thank You, Lord, for the unearned love You gave to me. Thank You that You raise me up by Your grace. To consider myself “the righteousness of God” humbles me more than I can express. I know full well that it is only by Your grace that this is true. Thank You for love. Thank You for grace. Thank You for the cross.”

Saturday, February 11

Read: Galatians 5:1-12

Consider: In the Old Testament, circumcision was a sign in the flesh that God commanded the Israelites to observe. It was a symbol and became part of the covenant that He had with His people. It was not optional for Hebrew men. It carried deep spiritual significance.

But something happened with the coming of Christ. The Old Testament law has been replaced by a New Covenant—a covenant written by the blood of Jesus Christ. We no longer need to observe the law, for the requirements of the law—the things that the law were intended to teach us—are now written on our hearts. Through the forgiveness of sin and the indwelling of His Spirit, you are empowered to…

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Jesus said, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). And later when teaching us to do to others as we would have them do to us, He said, “this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). In other words, learning to live the sacrificial love that Jesus showed us is the fulfillment of God’s intent for us. Paul would say it very succinctly—“we are no longer under the supervision of the law” (Galatians 3:25).

That is why Paul was so upset with the Galatian believers. It was as though they thought they had to add something to God’s grace. Someone had convinced them that circumcision was still needed—that laws had to be obeyed to please God. Paul said that grace is more than enough and if we try to be righteous by observing the law, we show contempt for the cross. That is why he said, “if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all” (Galatians 5:2).

Believers today deal with the same issue. No, it’s not over the necessity of circumcision. But it does revolve around rules and regulations. It is as if we are sometimes looking for a backup plan—insurance—just in case Christ’s grace is not enough. So, often Christians end up keeping an array of rules and believing that is what makes us different, that is what makes us right. That is the perversion of the faith that Paul is addressing. As he would say it in another letter…

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

It is this truth that saves us from self-righteousness and empowers us to depend on His righteousness.

Pray: Praise God that He set us free (Galatians 5:1). Thank Him for the gift of His grace.

For small group discussion questions covering these devotionals and accompanying sermons, go to the Discussion Starters page.