Jacquelyn Kruger
Share
August 24
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
—1 Corinthians 15:3–4; read also vv. 1–28
This is a most amazing Scripture and is well worth memorizing in
order to share the core of the gospel concisely and powerfully. This
gospel is not just insightful teaching or good advice. At the core of it are things that happened—actual, real, historical events. Our faith is not based upon opinions, but upon facts.
Christ died: This is the center of the gospel. How did He die?
The Roman government executed Him by one of the most cruel and excruciating forms of capital punishment ever devised: crucifixion. The stripes on His back, His hands and feet nailed to the crossbeam: these things caused excruciating pain.
He died for our sins. The Father laid upon Him all the guilt and
wrath our sin deserved and satisfied the wrath of the Father against
sin. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
He was buried: This is a very important part of the gospel. It is
positive proof that He really died. It also fulfilled Scripture that “they made His grave with the wicked; but with the rich at His death” (Isaiah 53:9).
He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: Jesus proclaimed He would rise three days after His death (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19). “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (v. 14). Then He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve, then by over five hundred brothers at once, by James, and then by Paul himself.
Prayer: Hallelujah for the resurrection! And now He goes to prepare a place for us and will come again for us soon. Amen.
18/08/2022
See a combat Veteran's Perspective on Afghanistan. It has been one year since the pull-out. His heartfelt remarks are on Dutch Sheets' Give Him 15 devotional for August 18th. https://www.givehim15.com/prayer-1
https://www.givehim15.com/prayer-1
Prayer | Give Him 15 5 min readAugust 10, 2022“What Is Unshakable Will Remain”The past 48 hours have shocked many Americans. While my responsibility and calling is not to defend individuals or political parties, it is worth pointing out that what the Left did on 8/8, has never been done in our 246 year history as a ...
August 14
YOUR LIFE IS A SHINING
EXAMPLE TO OTHERS
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat
meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
—1 Corinthians 8:13; read also 1 Corinthians 8
This verse is written in the context of food that has been offered to
idols. Now some people knew that idols were nothing and that there was only one God. Therefore, their conscience was not bothered by eating that food. However, this was a bad example to a weak brother in Christ who would not eat meat offered to idols. Therefore, to influence the weak brother to go against his conscience was actually to sin against Christ. “But when you sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” (v. 12).
Paul makes the principle clear. Our actions can never be based
only on what we know to be right for ourselves. We also need to consider what is right towards our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
We had a family member who was married to an alcoholic. At
that time my husband participated in “social drinking.” I observed
that their drinking together was only reinforcing his alcoholism. In
Romans 14:21 we read: “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”
Because of these verses, my husband and I decided we would never
participate in “social drinking” of any kind because of the bad example it would set. We may never have become alcoholics, but there would be those watching us who could become alcoholics.
It is easy for a Christian to say, “I answer to God and God alone”
and to ignore his brother or sister. But we will answer to God for how we have treated our brother or sister.
Prayer: Lord, help us to consider what kind of example we are setting in what we eat and drink, what kind of entertainment we watch, what kind of music we listen to, etc. Help us never to put a stumbling block in front of anyone that would lead them down a wrong path away from You. Amen.