TheRoadtoEmmaus

AdailydevotionalfortheForestdaleCommunityChurch

January23–27,2017

ThisweekinStillness&SilenceThefocusofthisweek’sdevotionalis“MosesandtheLaw.”ItwasduringtheExodusjourneythatGodgaveMosesthe10CommandmentsatMtSinai.Jesuswouldlatersay,“DonotthinkthatIhavecometoabolishtheLawortheProphets.Ihavenotcometoabolishthembuttofulfillthem.”(Matthew5:17)Inyourtimesofstillnessandsilencethisweek,practicerestinginJesus’fulfillmentoftheLaw(foryou!).Withthehymnistproclaim:

“WhenHeshallcomewithtrumpetsound,O,mayItheninHimbefound,

DressedinHisrighteousnessalone,Faultlesstostandbeforethethrone.”

(“TheSolidRock,”byEdwardMote)

Closeyoureyesandletthosewordsresonateinyourmindandheart.Afterafewminutes,youarereadytobegin.

Monday: MakingtheConnection

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Scripture Exodus20:2-3&Matthew5:17“IamtheLORDyourGod,whobroughtyououtofEgypt,outofthelandofslavery.Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme.”

“DonotthinkthatIhavecometoabolishtheLawortheProphets;Ihavenotcometoabolishthembuttofulfillthem.”

DevotionalArichyoungmanaskedJesushowtoinheriteternallife.JesusremindedhimtoobeytheTenCommandments.Whentheyoungmanrepliedhehadalwaysdoneso,Jesusdidnotcallhimahypocriteandrequirehimtoconfess.Hesimply“lookedathimandlovedhim.”ThenHetoldthemantosellallhispossessions,givetheproceedstothepoorandcomefollowHim.Buttheyoungmancouldnotdoit.

Jesus’living,dying,rising&ascendingfulfilled(tocarryoutsomethingpromised,desired,expected,predicted)theProphets.HisteachingfulfilledtheLaw,aswiththerichyoungman.TheTenCommandmentswerelikemarriagevowsbetweenGodandIsrael,deliveredbythe“bestman”Moses.Overmanycenturies,Israelfailedtoremaindevotedtothosevows,committingspiritualadultery.InJesus’verybeing,GodHimselfpersonallyreveals&deliversanewrighteousness(inanewcovenant)toallwhobelieve,sothatinthefullnessoftimethemarriagewillbeperfect.

Question:Howwouldyourlifebeifyou“lookedat”God,yourselfandothersasdoesJesus?

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Prayer: LordJesus,IinviteyoutomakeyourselfknowntomeintheTenCommandments&SermonontheMount.Thankyouthatyouknowme.Helpmetoknow&followYoumoreinmylife.Amen.

Tuesday: Prayer

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Scripture Exodus20

18Whenthepeoplesawthethunderandlightningandheardthetrumpetandsawthemountaininsmoke,theytrembledwithfear.Theystayedatadistance19andsaidtoMoses,“Speaktousyourselfandwewilllisten.ButdonothaveGodspeaktousorwewilldie.”20Mosessaidtothepeople,“Donotbeafraid.Godhascometotestyou,sothatthefearofGodwillbewithyoutokeepyoufromsinning.”

DevotionalOnMountSinaiGodmadeHiscovenantwithIsraelbygiving

themlawsforlivingandworshipping.Butthoselawsconvictuswhenwearenotabletoobeythem.Andthemorewetry,themorewediscoverhowdeeplysinfulweare.ButitisalsothatconvictionwhichdrivesustoseekrefugefromGod’swrath.AnditcanmakeusdeeplygratefulforGod’sgraceinChrist’satoningworkonthecross.ThebondageofsinpointsustoJesuswhoistheonlyOneWhocansetusfree.JesuscametodotheFather’swill,tofulfillthelawinourbehalf.WearesafeinJesus.AsMartinLutheroncesaid,"IadmitthatIdeservedeathandhell,whatofit?ForIknowOnewhosufferedandmadesatisfactiononmybehalf.HisnameisJesusChrist,SonofGod,andwhereHeisthereIshallbealso!”

Question:HastherebeenatimeinyourlifewhenyouhavefeltbothconvictedbyasinandthewarmthofGod’sgrace?

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Prayer: LordJesus,helpmebeevermindfulthatyoursacrificeonthecrossbroughtatonementformysin.HelpmealsobemindfulthatyourrighteouslifefulfilledallofGod’slawsformeaswell.MayIbegratefuleverydayinawaythatislifechanging.Amen.

Wednesday:RestBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:John15:5

“….forwithoutme,youcandonothing” DevotionalJustreadingthe10Commandmentsdoesn’tfeel‘restful’tome.It’salotof‘shallnots.’Therearemanydangerstoavoid.Therearealsoalotof‘shalls.’Thingstodo.WhenImoveontothewordsofJesusinthebookofMatthew,andlookatChapters5,6and7,therearestillalotofthingsIamsupposetoavoidandthingsIshoulddo.ButinthosemomentswhenIreadthesethingsandsee‘work’,IrealizethatiswhenIneedtostepbackandrestthemost.IneedtorestinJesus.Whathehasalreadydone.IneedtorestintheHolySpiritandrelyontheSpirittoguidemeawayfromdangersandleadmetowardsChrist.Doweneedtobeactiveparticipantsinthejourney?Absolutely.Doweneedtodoitalone?No.Andwecan’t.Godhasenabledusthroughthesavingworkofhissonandthepowerofhisholyspirittodoashecommands.Wecanrestinthat.Question:Howdoyoufeelwhenyoureadthe10Commandments? BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer: Lord,weloveyouandwanttopleaseyoubyourabilitytosucceedatthethingsyoucommand.Butweareweak,sinfulpeople.Helpus,Lord.EnableustoreceiveYou,yourSonandtheHolySpiritinwaysthatempowerustobetterliveoutyourGospel.Amen.

Thursday: RelationshipBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Exodus20:20

Mosessaidtothepeople,“Donotbeafraid.Godhascometotestyou,sothatthefearofGodwillbewithyoutokeepyoufromsinning.”

DevotionalWhenyouwereyoung,wereyoualittlebitafraidofyourparents?Thatfearwastherebecausetheywantedyoutodowhatwasrightandtheyknew,inyourhumannaturethatmightnotbeyourchoice.Well,itisprettymuchthesamewithGod.MosescamedownfromMt.SinaicarryingtheTenCommandmentsthatGodhadcarvedandthepeoplewereafraid.Nonetheless,MosesreassuresthemthatGodjustwantedtohelpthemsotheydidn’tsin.GodwantsustohavearelationshipwithHim.HewantsustowalkandtalkwithHimdaily.Hewantsustolovehimandabidewithhim.IntheNewTestament,JesussumsuptheTenCommandmentsbysaying,thatweneedtoloveGodandlove. Question:WhatdoeswalkingwithGodmeantoyou?DoyouwanttohavearelationshipwithHim? Prayer: DearGod,thankyouforwantingarelationshipwithus.Thankyouforgivingusdirection.WeloveyouGod.AmenBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Friday:WorkBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Scripture:Exodus20:20 “Mosessaidtothepeople,“Donotbeafraid.Godhascometotestyou,sothatthefearofGodwillbewithyoutokeepyoufromsinning.”

Devotional Asachild,Ibelievedthe10Commandmentstobethe“top10”sinsagainstGod.Ashorribleasthissounds,IwouldbelieveifpeoplestoleorsaidtheLord’snameinvain,theywereprobablygoingtohell.IwasblindtothemeaningbehindthecommandmentsorwhatJesushadtodowithit.IlaterlearnedthecommandmentsweretheperfectstandardbywhichtheIsraelitesweretoconducttheirlives.AndwhatwasJesus’part?“Butwhenthetimehadfullycome,GodsentHisSon,bornofawoman,underthelaw,toredeemthoseunderlaw,thatwemightreceivethefullrightsofsons(Gal4:4-5).Hewastheonlyonewhohaseverkeptthelawperfectlyandbecametheperfectsacrificeforoursins.

Therearen’tany“top10”sinsagainstGod,allsinsareagainstGod.“forallhavesinnedandfallshortofthegloryofGod”(Rom3:23).Thoughwestillshoulddoourbesttoobeythelaw,OurSavior,JesusChrist,hastakenourplaceofjudgment.ByputtingourfaithinJesus,wearefreedfromthebondageofthelawandhavebecomeGod’schildren.Question:WhatdoesitmeantoyouthatJesusfulfilledthelaw?HowcanweshareitwithotherssotheymayexperiencethecomfortinknowingthattheytooarefreefromthebondageofthelawthroughJesusChrist?

Prayer:Father,wehaveallfallenshortofYourglory.Ipray,thatwiththehelpoftheHolySpiritwecansomehowseeourshortcomings,liftthemuptoJesus,andchangeourwaysforthegood,forourselvesandforothers.InJesusname,Amen

BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)

Thisweeksdevotionalwriters:

Monday:BradEdgerlyTuesday:NancyMcLaughlinWednesday:BethGovoniThursday:ChrisRedford

Friday:ChristineBartholomew