NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Day 28 – Week at a glance

Scripture focus: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” The words of Jesus in his famous Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5:3-6 NIV

1. God’s perspective on blessing is radical.

2. There is a danger in relying on false spirituality as a panacea for all our suffering. This week doesn’t dive deeply into what false spirituality is or how to combat it. I hope it raises enough questions that we have some intentional God conversations with trusted friends about what all this might mean.

3. Suffering is inevitable but not enviable. Jesus provides us with an excellent role model of one who appropriately handled suffering.

4. Cyclical suffering is bad; suffering does not have to be cyclical.

5. We may not have much confidence in our own ability to respond wisely to suffering. The great news is that we don’t have to trust in ourselves to make the right decisions all the time.

6. If Jesus relied heavily on clarity of vision, single-minded purpose, a strong sense of identity, discipline and big believing in the one who sent him – we should probably pay attention to his example.

7. Our true identity is revealed in Christ. (See Ephesians 1:11)

8. There are no simple formulas for escaping suffering.

9. Acceptance and make a decision are two different concepts. Both are valuable.

10. Suffering is not necessarily the result of sin (living independently of God). Sometimes it’s an invitation.

11. Whether one’s suffering is self-inflicted or not, God’s response to our suffering is consistent.

12. God’s prevailing purpose ALWAYS is founded upon his love, grace, mercy AND his commitment to our salvation.

13. God wants none to perish.

This completes the first twenty eight steps of your 365 step journey; I pray you are nearer to God as a result of the steps you’ve taken this week.

Recommended reading: Exodus 6 and 7 in the morning; Matthew 19 and Psalm 23 in the evening

Week 4 Bonus Material

Proverbs can seem contradictory unless you remember that they’re written to address specific situations. So be careful how you read! Consider Proverbs 26:4-5 – Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. I suppose that’s why we ask God constantly to make us aware of our next right step. Sometimes we zig, other times we zag, according to what his prevailing purposes require.

Proverbs

Purpose: Proverbs is considered wisdom literature. This isn’t to be mistaken with the commands of the law or the plot of narrative. By definition, a proverb is a generalization. It’s useful but not a promise or a guarantee. Clearly, all proverbs point to two key truths: wise living is good, foolish living is destructive.

Key themes: God is wise and doesn’t tolerate fools. He directs the path of those who trust him. He desires disciplined living because it is good for us.