The Tree Church Daily Devotions

Extending Grace)

Over our years of marriage, Matthew and I have realized it’s hard to extend grace to the other in areas where we ourselves are strong. It’s easy for me to critique him in the areas where I don’t struggle, and visa versa. We’ve been learning it is actually right in those areas where we need to extend the most grace to each other. We also recognize that each of us really wants grace, yet each of us, at times, struggles to give grace. It’s this same lesson I talk to my kids about frequently. They can easily become frustrated with each other and want to hold a sibling to a high standard, but a moment later, they want grace when they don’t live up to that high standard. I find myself correcting them, but at the same time totally relating to them! We all desire grace, but often have a hard time giving it to others. One of my favorite things about being a Jesus follower is that Jesus is the perfect example for how we should live. We don’t have to wonder how He would respond to a situation, because we have example after example of how He did respond to situations. One of ways Jesus was an example for us is in the area of grace. Jesus showed us the ultimate form of grace through living a sinless life, yet dying on the cross for our sins. There isn’t a better example of grace than that right there! He took on a punishment He didn’t deserve so we could be in right standing with God. This mind-blowing gift of grace should compel us to live differently, to extend grace in extravagant ways. But, if you’re anything like me, even though I’ve received the ultimate form of grace, I still struggle to give grace to others. It’s crazy but it’s true. In order to extend the grace that Jesus modeled, I have to fight against my human nature. Giving grace, like most things God asks us to do, is not a natural response. My natural response is pride, wanting to prove a point, selfishness, self-protection, making myself feel good. Those responses won’t lead me to experiencing the full life that God offers. The full life that God offers will come through extending grace, humility, thinking of others before myself, treating others the way I want to be treated, and in serving others. I have to be purposed to fight against my flesh, submit myself to God, and allow Him to transform me in this area. Only then will I be able to give the grace that I’ve been called to give. Only then will I experience the full life that God offers. What situation in your life do you feel God is calling you to extend grace? In what relationship do you feel challenged to fight against your natural response and instead give grace? What are some practical steps you can take to extend grace? What are some reminders of God’s grace in your own life that can encourage you to give grace to others? Here are a few prayers that I’ve been praying this week. God, help me to: -Remember areas of my life where You have shown extravagant grace to me. -See areas in my own life where I need to be giving grace to others. -Develop a natural rhythm of extending grace. -See and love people the way You see and love them.

While We Were Still Sinners

Romans 5:6-11 (ESV) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Explanation: What powerful Scripture we are given today. “We were still weak.” We ARE still weak today, but His grace changes everything about our story. He chose just the right time to die for us. In our sin, darkness, and rebellion, Jesus chose to die to give us a chance to live. His amazing love for us set a plan in motion to save us from death and eternal separation from God. Every day, we make mistakes. We fail to meet a standard worthy of grace and mercy. We are sinners. Day after day, we ask God to forgive us for our failures and shortcomings, and day after day, He extends His mercy with open arms and forgives us. His grace knows no bounds, and because of that, we get to experience life. The blood of Jesus blankets the sins and shortcomings of our humanity, and allows us to be seen as “right” in the eyes of God. As we reflect on this extravagant grace we’ve been given, did we do anything to earn it? Did we do anything to deserve it? The answer is simple—no. Jesus did it all so we didn’t have to. He gave the ultimate sacrifice so we could experience ultimate grace through Jesus. What extravagant grace He continues to show us day after day. Application: 1. The Greek word for grace is charis, which means “favor.” One popular commentary defines grace as the “act of endowing unmerited favor.” Think about God giving you unmerited, undeserved favor, and what that means to you today. 2. Our response to God’s grace is to continue the good work He has given to us—to make disciples out of others. As you look at your calendar for the upcoming days, think of opportunities you may have to grant grace to others you will interact with. What might change about your “normal” exchange with them? How can you help them see the impact of God’s grace on your life? Prayer Starter: Today in your prayer time, take the following steps to respond to God’s grace in your life: ​​1. Acknowledge that you NEED His grace. ​​2. Accept His grace and allow it to free you from your past sins. ​3. Ask Him how you can share His grace with others you encounter. Devo Plus: In the Old Testament, there are many examples of how God used imperfect people to accomplish His purpose. Read the story of Rahab in Joshua 2, to see how God’s grace toward Rahab was used for His good.

The Gift of Grace

Romans 3:23-25 (ESV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. Explanation: God’s gift of grace levels the playing field for all of mankind. We all need His grace because all of us have sinned. And because grace is a gift, there is nothing anyone can do to earn it; we can’t receive it by doing enough good things to tip the scale in our favor. Either we accept it or we do without it. Each of us has equal access to the salvation God offers through Christ Jesus. By His willingness to die in our place, Christ became a propitiation for our sin, i.e., He satisfied God’s judgment by paying the price for our sin. Grace is the hand of God reaching down to us, offering a gift we don’t deserve—salvation through Jesus for all who believe He died in our place. Once we receive the gift we don’t deserve, we can understand the concept of divine forbearance or mercy…God withholding the judgment we do deserve. Application: 1. God designed His plan of salvation in such a way that no one can claim they have done enough good works to earn it. Did you ever, or do you now, fall into the trap of thinking God’s love is based on how much you do for Him? 2. Grace and mercy are inseparable attributes that show us the extravagance of God’s love. He can’t offer us a gift we don’t deserve without holding back the justice we do deserve. How does this truth affect your response when someone hurts or offends you? 3. Another word for propitiation is atonement. Jesus Christ—who is God in the flesh—atoned, or paid the penalty for, the sins of everyone who confesses by faith that they believe this to be true. Prayer Starter: Give thanks to God today for sending His Son, Jesus, to stand in judgment of our sin. Ask God to help you model grace and mercy so others can experience the love of God in action. Devo Plus: Read Ephesians 2:4-10 and reflect on the incredible love God exhibited by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sin.

Am I Merciful?

Matthew 18:21-35 (ESV) Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Explanation: Peter, a disciple of Jesus, asked Jesus the question, “How many times do I have to forgive someone?” I am certain this is a question all of us have wondered at some point in our lives. And Jesus’s response to this question was most likely not what the disciples were expecting. Jesus replies with a number, 77. No, He was not implying that on the seventy-eighth time, you don’t have to forgive. He was saying we need to continually forgive others. Jesus then proceeds to tell them a parable. A servant was forgiven debt that he owed to his master. He was released and set free of a very large debt. The servant was shown grace and mercy. Unfortunately, this servant did not show the same grace and mercy to another. He found a fellow servant, and demanded this servant pay what was owed. The servant was not able to pay the debt and was thrown into prison. When the master heard this, he become angry. He called out the servant on his actions and throws him into jail. As we read this story, what we realize is that because of the sacrifice of Christ, our sins are forgiven over and over. We sin every single day, yet when we ask for forgiveness, He always forgives us. We are called to do the same to others…to forgive just as we have been forgiven. How many times should I forgive others? As many times as they need forgiveness. Application: 1. Why is it often hard to forgive someone, especially if they repeat the offense multiple times? 2. Why do you think Jesus calls us to continually forgive? 3. How does knowing Jesus continually forgives us change your perspective on forgiving others? Prayer Starter: God, if we are honest, it is often hard to forgive others. When others wrong us or hurt us, we often want to hold on to it and make them “pay” for what they have done. But we know this is not healthy and we recognize that forgiveness is always the answer. Will You help us? Will You help us to forgive others? Remind us of the grace, mercy, and forgiveness we have received from You. Help us to forgive others the way we have been forgiven. We know that all of this is only possible with Your help and leading. Soften our hearts, and help us be a people who forgive others and show them the same grace we have received. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen. Devo Plus: Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? I encourage you this week to seek God and move toward forgiveness.

Your Sins Are Forgiven

Luke 7:36-50 (ESV) One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Explanation: Have you ever dived in a pool’s deep end, sure you’d taken in enough air to reach the bottom and make it back to the top? But while the surface is still just out of reach, you realize you were wrong. You start to panic, and just when you think you can’t hold back from sucking in water, you burst through the surface and…breathe. That. That is the best way I can explain what forgiveness is to me. As desperate a need as the air I breathe. A life muddled and rocked, churned and frazzled…and then, just when hope seems too far out of reach…Jesus steps in. What could this rescue possibly bring out of me except worship? Worship from my deepest parts because there’s nothing else I can give in return for what I’ve been given. I cry because I can’t hold it in. I sing because I have to express what’s in my heart. I choose lifting His name high with my choices and my actions, even above my feelings, because what else can I offer that is worth His undefinable grace? Forgiveness, of all things, should draw out our extravagant worship, not just what we can scrape together. The woman in our passage gave everything: every shred of dignity, the fear of being judged, her livelihood, all poured on Jesus’s feet. She worshiped quite literally with everything she had...and He was worth it. Application: 1. Read Luke 12:48. “To whom much is given, much will be expected.” Meditate on this verse and ask God to show you areas of your life where you have been given much. Ask Him for help to act on that fact accordingly. 2. Read Romans 12:1. ”Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your reasonable act of worship.” Scripture is clear that in light of who God is and what He offers, our reasonable act of worship is to give our whole lives and being to Him. It’s not saying our complete sacrifice is equal to what He offers us. He’s saying it’s a starting point, our reasonable response to what He’s done for us. Pray and ask God to continue to mold your heart with the truth that your whole life, offered in worship, is what He expects. Prayer Starter: Jesus, what could we offer You but our whole hearts and our whole lives? May they be full of worship in every way, as You daily stir our hearts to remember the great and complete forgiveness You offer us. In Your beautiful Name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Devo Plus: For a comparable story, read John 12:1-3. Note the similarities and differences.