Kindness—brotherly kindness—is the link of a chain of virtues onto which the greatest virtue, love, naturally hangs.

Take a moment to picture a chandelier hanging from the ceiling by a chain. Foundational to the lights of the chandelier working is the electrical plate plugged into the ceiling. That’s like faith in Christ. It’s His divine power which is the light of the world. The power travels down the cord and sure, the world may observe a Christian’s goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance and even godliness, but where it first touches the world–the electrical connection inside the light–is our brotherly kindness, a visible expression of love for our neighbor.

2 Peter 1: 3 [Jesus’] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Maybe you’re heard the old saying that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Do you want to be a light for Christ? Show a little kindness.

Give it up for Lent: unproductive Christianity that is selfish at its core.

Questions for 2 Peter 1:3-11.

1. Where does the power to live as godly people come from?
2. What does it mean to participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world?
3. Why do you think Peter begins with faith and ends with love?
4. What does he mean when he says to make your calling and election sure?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Have you ever noticed that Jesus gave thanks to the Father a lot? At the Last Supper, when multiplying the loaves and fishes, outside of Lazarus’ tomb (John 11), etc. Oh, it’s not always the words “thank you” but it’s always the meaning.

Jesus’ heart was one in which gratitude made its home. Gratitude didn’t get banished to the back porch or storm cellar Monday through Saturday as it often does for us. We show up on Sunday and thank the Lord. Monday through Saturday, how many of us show up pretty thankless except for maybe a tiny prayer here or there?

How do we rekindle gratitude?

Here are some ideas:

• See the world through the eyes of a child. Everything small and curious, wonderful and fun, tasty and sure to make you smile … is a gift. Children are dependent upon the giver and every gift is a new discovery. What about you? Upon whom do you depend?
• See your sufferings through the eyes of God. Even hardships are bringing you closer to His heart and conforming you to the likeness of Christ.
• See gratitude as a key for God to unleash His power to do the miraculous. If we remain ungrateful for everyday miracles, why should God do the spectacular on our behalf?

Give it up for Lent: Sunday-only gratitude

Questions for Colossians 3:15-17

1. How are peace with God and gratitude connected?
2. How are you and I connected in this passage? How does it change your perspective to know that the word “you” is plural (all of you)?
3. How do we give thanks to the Father through Jesus?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

When life is a struggle, the quickest and best cure is rekindled gratitude. 

How is that possible, you ask?

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

Give thanks in all circumstances.

Not just good ones. Not just comfortable ones. Not just happy ones.

All circumstances.

Does anyone besides me find that really hard to do?

I have bad days. Probably more bad ones than good if I stop to think about. Probably not as bad as other people’s if I stop to think about it some more. In fact, I know that some people would trade everything to be in my shoes and it’s only my inherent selfish first-world-attitudes that view my life as anything but wonderful.

So why do I find it so hard to give thanks?  What about gratitude is so hard?

I am guessing it has something to do with rebellion against God. Resenting that this is the best He has for me. Comparisons I’m making between my life and someone else’s and their grass being significantly greener. So, why not me?

Today’s passage is a good reminder that God’s will is…God’s…will and every day I do His will is better than any day I don’t. Bloom where you’re planted as I just spoke about at the Lenten retreat over last weekend. Rekindle that gratitude. If I hold onto what is good and avoid every kind of evil…if I am content in God’s hands because that’s the best and safest place to be, I will find it easier to show the very thing that is God’s will: being joyful, prayerful, and yes….grateful.

Give it up for Lent: Any comparisons that lead us to ingratitude.

Questions regarding 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22.

1. What items are we supposed to do? What 3 items are we not supposed to do?
2. What types of things put out the Spirit’s fire?
3. What does it mean to treat prophecies with contempt?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

I love that!  We have a hope that does not disappoint us. 

We have a fountain of hope because God, whose resources and love are beyond all measure, is pouring His love into our hearts through His living Spirit.  Yes, it’s once-and-done in receiving this deposit, this guarantee of our inheritance, but it’s more, too!  It’s an ongoing pouring because the Holy Spirit is God, He is alive, and His Word is alive.  He is our fountain of hope, constantly pouring into our lives.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

To have a rekindled hope, we need to think about in whom we must have our hope. Especially in times of suffering when it’s easy to look at our circumstances (which can be awful and constantly changing).  But God is love and is forever unchanging.  Therefore, if our hope is not in our circumstances but in God Himself, we can find a constant fountain of hope because God Himself is faithful.  And Jesus showed it all the way to the Cross.

Give it up for Lent: Hope grounded in your circumstances.

Questions for Romans 5:1-5 and Hebrews 3:6

1. We see the salvation process in Romans 5 but it’s more like a rewind to remind us of our hope. At the end of verse 2 we have the hope of the glory of God. What had to happen for us to experience that?
2. Rejoicing in suffering seems pretty perverse if it’s gratuitous suffering. Suffering for no reason whatsoever. But verse 3-5 tells us why suffering isn’t pointless for the Christian. Why isn’t it?
3. Is this hope already there? (v. 5) How did it get there?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Isaiah 45:1 “This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2 I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Tomorrow we resume ReKindle, the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Hope doesn’t save. Hope joins the party hosted by Grace and Faith. And no, this isn’t a sorority event, it’s how salvation works. Grace is God’s action shown to all mankind in Jesus Christ and His offer of forgiveness. Faith joins in and is our part even if it is a gift of God for us to believe. Hope is what we receive as a result of God’s grace working with our faith.

Do you realize that all of this (except for God’s grace) is invisible?

Faith, you can’t see it.

Hope, you can’t see it, but grace?  It was visible.  The grace of God in Jesus Christ is seen every time we remember the Cross and His death for our sins.

Do you want to rekindle your hope?

As the hymn goes,  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Give it up for Lent: Graceless Hope

Questions for Romans 8:18-25

1. Consider all the seen and unseen things in this passage. Our sufferings are very real and visible. The glory that they’re producing in us won’t be revealed until later. Is it already there but invisible?
2. The creation groans. We groan. But someday what happens? (v. 21)
3. This passage teaches that our bodies, too, will be redeemed. Our bodies will be resurrected and that is a hope we someday will experience. How does the hope of glory to be revealed differ from the hope of resurrection?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Courage rekindled is the antidote to fear.

I listen to the Apostle Paul encourage the believers at Corinth: 1 Corinthians 16:10 If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should refuse to accept him. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers. 12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity. 13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.

It might surprise many of you to learn that on a daily basis, I’m pretty discouraged. Carrying on the work of the Lord basically draws a target on your back, and the more faithful you are, the more you witness, and the more you stand firm, the bigger the target gets and the more the insults, rejections, and failures will try to chip away at one’s confidence and courage.

Being female, I get an expanded target inside the Church as well. I’m getting used to it but I still don’t like having a target at all.  It’s just one of those things that people don’t tell you when you go to seminary with a call of God on your life: you’ll get a target on your back that only grows bigger if you do the work of God properly.

I can resonate with King David. 1 Samuel 30:1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. 3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured– Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

Q:  Who was talking of stoning David?

A:  Chosen people he had the task of leading. That is who was turning on him.

Q:  Where did David turn for courage rekindled?

A:  The LORD his God.

Give it up for Lent: Reliance on man for your strength and joy

Questions regarding 1 Corinthians 16:10-14 and 1 Sam 30:1-6

1. In 1 Cor 16, why does Paul feel it is necessary to circle the wagons around Timothy? Why might the believers there not have accepted him? It might help to read 1 Timothy 4:12 and 2 Timothy 1:7-14
2. What is particularly discouraging about being rejected by fellow believers?
3. In 1 Corinthians verses 13 and 14, there are 5 commands for the Christian, with courage as the centerpiece. How is our courage rekindled?
4. In 1 Samuel 30:1-6, everyone wept. How did fear and bitterness turn the brothers to thoughts of stoning David? How did David deal with the same feelings?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Let’s turn now to rekindling our courage.  We need to have sufficient courage to face each day.  And I don’t know about you, but sometimes courage is pretty hard to find, especially when the obstacles seem awfully big.

Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. 27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved– and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

In the Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion has a monologue about courage:

Cowardly Lion: Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got?

Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman: Courage.

Cowardly Lion: You can say that again!

It’s easy to have our courage fail. When the Wizard of Oz says that the Cowardly Lion is a victim of disorganized thinking, that the lion is confusing wisdom with courage, the Wizard is actually saying something pretty profound.

Courage without wisdom is genuinely foolish. It’s putting yourself at risk for no apparent reason and for no real gain.

True courage, however, is standing firm—in full awareness—and standing firm because it is right and because you must. In our day of political correctness, many of us shrink from the public square. We don’t talk about Jesus because He’s so 1^st century and religion and politics of our modern era don’t mix. Hogwash.

I submit to you that we shrink back because we’re scared.

We know what we should do and what is right, but we’re too afraid of being notorious or labeled a whacko, a religious nut. So we shut up. We go off to our little Bible studies and our Christian coffee klatches to huddle for sympathy, but we do not stand firm out where it really matters. Out where it witnesses!

Lord, rekindle our courage!

Give it up for Lent: Shrinking from speaking up for Jesus

Questions regarding Philippians 1: 15-30:

1. How does Paul describe courage? (vv. 20-21)
2. What does Paul expect of his fellow believers? (vv. 27-30)
3. What areas of your life need a little rekindled courage?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Luke 22:20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.  25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

I can’t begin to imagine the heaviness of heart among the disciples when Jesus pronounces someone from their small group will betray Him. One of them doesn’t have faith that Jesus is who He says He is.

As each one looks inward and outward regarding faith, it changes from whose faith is non-existent to whose faith is the greatest.

In a competition of the faithful, it’s only human I suppose to look at it as a horse race. Who comes in dead last—never making it out of the gate—that lowlife betrayer of Jesus whose faith failed! Who wins the race as having a superior faith! The disciples decide to argue all the way to the finish line to be the winner over the others!

Jesus says, Don’t do that. There’s a better way to have faith that doesn’t fail.

Perhaps there was a conversation in which Simon Peter was asserting his superiority and leadership skills and proclaiming his superior faith… or perhaps Jesus just knew Peter’s heart and so He turns from group talk to Peter specifically.

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Our adversary likes nothing better than to take leaders and turn them to evil. Satan is constantly appealing for God to give someone over to the sifting process of suffering as he did with Job. Satan wants to sift in order to destroy someone (like Satan did with Judas) but God intends that suffering purifies one’s faith. How encouraging that Jesus prayed for Peter….that his faith would not fail!

Give it up for Lent: Comparative Christianity

Questions from Luke 22:20-34

1. What was the outcome of Jesus’ prayer? He doesn’t say “if you turn back”, but…?
2. What’s Peter supposed to do after he turns back?
3. How do Jesus’ words about leaders and serving go together?
4. How was Peter’s ignorance regarding his own actions during the trials of Jesus reflective of a misguided zeal (v. 33-34)?
5. Jesus comes right out and tells him he’s in the cross-hairs, but perhaps Peter felt like (in front of the others) he had something to prove in superior love or devotion. He’s got the words of Jesus Himself! How did Peter’s actions even here show a wavering faith?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.

Luke 17:1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. “

Isn’t it interesting that the apostles cry out to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” as it relates to forgiving people over and over?

This whole business of living as a Christian in a majority non-Christian world is enough to make me want to have an increased faith. We’re assaulted every day with reasons to give up and throw in the towel–in our ignorance and faithlessness simply to decide it’s not worth it.

But it is worth it. Increase my faith! Rekindle it!

Jesus says this mustard seed thing and I struggle not to see it as magic. That if I believe enough, I can do magic tricks of uprooting trees and moving mountains. What power! What control! What nonsense.

That’s not the point Jesus is making. The point Jesus is making is that tiny faith in a great God–in the One who created this earth to begin with—can still be a powerful faith! The outcome is not a result of my power and my control, but His. If I’m praying in His will and believing in such a God to work wonders, is anything too hard for Him?

Give it up for Lent: contentment with a watered down faith

Questions for Luke 17:1-6:

1. How realistic is Jesus about the heart-condition of this world? What part is natural (a function of this world) and what part is man-made?
2. How dire are the consequences of leading others into sin?
3. What are we supposed to do when someone is sinning? Is repentance automatic?
4. In the context of forgiveness, how is genuine faith as small as a mustard seed profound in its consequences?

ReKindle is the 2016 Lenten devotional series from Seminary Gal.

To receive these devotionals to your email inbox throughout Lent, please fill in your email address in the space provided on my Home Page in the sidebar (right) and respond to the verification email.  If you already receive devotionals and articles, no need to do anything else.  You’ll get them automatically.  Thank you!  Or log onto the SeminaryGal Facebook page and see them reprinted there.

Acknowledging that former years’ devotional series remain popular, Be Still and Know that I AM God can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014 and With Christ in the Upper Room  is archived beginning February 18, 2015.