The Weekly Word: Favor & Fellowship
The weekly verse
“Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18 (NLT)
the weekly question
What “rock” are you building on?
Disorientation is defined as “a condition in which a person has lost their sense of direction.” This, in many ways, is sadly a perfect term for the age we live in today. People today contend with arguably the greatest spiritual assault against their “orientation”. Why? Because if you can influence what a person chooses to orient their life around, you’ll influence the way they think & what they do. Ultimately, your orientation matters because it reinforces your sense of identity & what makes you, “you”.
“Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.”
Hosea 14:9 (NLT)
In a world that continually finds itself on the wrong side of things, it’s critical that we remain tethered to what’s right. This righteousness is never acquired on our own, but rather, it is activated through an ongoing relationship with the Righteous One, Jesus. For those who reject The Lord, Jesus proves only to be a stumbling block that leads to their downfall. But for those who reorient their lives around Him, Jesus becomes the Foundation Rock that sustains your eternal identity in God.
“As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people…”
1 Peter 2:6-10 (NLT)
the weekly Consideration
When it comes to the subject of shepherding, our understanding should always begin & end with The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. As our Good Shepherd, He leads us to “green pastures & quiet waters” (Psalms 23:2). This doesn’t mean that things will be easy, however, it does mean that our spirits will never fail to be fed. And as we walk along the waters of truth & peace, the Life of Jesus should ultimately overflow into every area of our life.
As spouses, fathers, friends, bosses, coworkers, and everything in between, we must lead people in the same way in which Jesus leads us. We must listen to The Father’s voice and reflect His heart’s desire in what we say & do. If we’re going to be good shepherds, we need to love what God loves & hate what God hates. We need to love people & reveal what God says is right & true. And through it all, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus no matter what we do.
“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
Jeremiah 3:15 (BSB)
the weekly challenge
Grow in favor & fellowship
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel, unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
Daniel 6:4-5 (BSB)
From an eternal perspective, it’s a tremendous blessing for God’s people to wrongfully contend with the spirit of accusation. This is really a testament of choosing to glorify God by living with uncompromising character. And this is the type of life that God envisions for every single person who’s devoted themselves to Jesus.
As we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to such a place, the enemy is stripped of his ability to attack our conduct & he’s left to contend with our connection to Christ. And as we prioritize His Presence within us, we grow in the favor & fellowship we were made to enjoy with The Father.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”
Jesus (Matthew 5:11-12, BSB)
we pray this week’s edition of “the weekly word” blesses you & the lives of those around you!
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