Weekday Devotionals
Verse: Ephesians 2:19-21 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit.
Thoughts: The cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, with all other stones laid in reference to it. Dictionary.com says that it is ‘something that is essential and indispensable (absolutely necessary). The chief foundation on which something is constructed or developed.’ Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christianity. He is essential and absolutely necessary. He is the foundation upon which our lives are constructed and developed. Or at least He should be, however this is not always the case.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There are two vital parts to this simple verse. First, we say it with our mouths, “Jesus, you are my Savior. My life is yours.” That is the easy part. So easy, that we say it every Sunday at church. But how intentional are we at living it out? We must also believe it in our heart. When I gave my life to Christ, I was given a new name. I was no longer a stranger or a foreigner. I became a child of God. I notice that this phrase gets thrown around rather easily, but the weight of being a ‘child of God’ changes everything. It means we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we have access to the Creator of the entire universe. A common misconception in our world is that I must do more, be better, try harder, have more followers, be more successful and then I will be loved. Then I will be enough. The truth is, I am not enough. I could never do enough or be enough to earn salvation. The good news is, God doesn’t ask me to be enough. He just wants my surrender. Once I surrender my life to Him, His Spirit will transform me in supernatural ways that I could never accomplish on my own. I will be able to love others the way He does. I will be able to see people not just for how they behave in the moment, but as a broken human in desperate need of God’s love and grace. People who disagree on every topic, but have the same belief about Jesus, can become the closest of friends. Why? Because we all become part of His family when we believe. Jesus becomes our cornerstone. When you get a group of Christians who believe God’s word and have Jesus as the cornerstone, you better watch out because that is a force that God will use for His glory.
My body is no longer mine; I am a holy temple for the Lord. Supernaturally, I will start to notice that I no longer really want to listen to that vulgar music. I don’t want to watch those movies and shows that the world says I “have to watch!” The way I love my spouse will look more loving and understanding. The way I parent my kids will look more like grace and patience. Not because social media or a book is giving me a list of ways to be better at these things, but because God living within me will supernaturally do the transforming. But first, I must surrender.
Application/Challenge: What areas of your life have you surrendered to God? What areas have you not yet surrendered to God? Why? Actively pray for opportunities for God to help you learn how to surrender these areas that you have not yet surrendered to Him. Then, be faithful in following the Holy Spirit’s leading as you learn.
-- Raquel Simmons
Thoughts: The cornerstone is traditionally the first stone laid for a structure, with all other stones laid in reference to it. Dictionary.com says that it is ‘something that is essential and indispensable (absolutely necessary). The chief foundation on which something is constructed or developed.’ Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christianity. He is essential and absolutely necessary. He is the foundation upon which our lives are constructed and developed. Or at least He should be, however this is not always the case.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” There are two vital parts to this simple verse. First, we say it with our mouths, “Jesus, you are my Savior. My life is yours.” That is the easy part. So easy, that we say it every Sunday at church. But how intentional are we at living it out? We must also believe it in our heart. When I gave my life to Christ, I was given a new name. I was no longer a stranger or a foreigner. I became a child of God. I notice that this phrase gets thrown around rather easily, but the weight of being a ‘child of God’ changes everything. It means we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we have access to the Creator of the entire universe. A common misconception in our world is that I must do more, be better, try harder, have more followers, be more successful and then I will be loved. Then I will be enough. The truth is, I am not enough. I could never do enough or be enough to earn salvation. The good news is, God doesn’t ask me to be enough. He just wants my surrender. Once I surrender my life to Him, His Spirit will transform me in supernatural ways that I could never accomplish on my own. I will be able to love others the way He does. I will be able to see people not just for how they behave in the moment, but as a broken human in desperate need of God’s love and grace. People who disagree on every topic, but have the same belief about Jesus, can become the closest of friends. Why? Because we all become part of His family when we believe. Jesus becomes our cornerstone. When you get a group of Christians who believe God’s word and have Jesus as the cornerstone, you better watch out because that is a force that God will use for His glory.
My body is no longer mine; I am a holy temple for the Lord. Supernaturally, I will start to notice that I no longer really want to listen to that vulgar music. I don’t want to watch those movies and shows that the world says I “have to watch!” The way I love my spouse will look more loving and understanding. The way I parent my kids will look more like grace and patience. Not because social media or a book is giving me a list of ways to be better at these things, but because God living within me will supernaturally do the transforming. But first, I must surrender.
Application/Challenge: What areas of your life have you surrendered to God? What areas have you not yet surrendered to God? Why? Actively pray for opportunities for God to help you learn how to surrender these areas that you have not yet surrendered to Him. Then, be faithful in following the Holy Spirit’s leading as you learn.
-- Raquel Simmons
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