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About Grace Hunter

Grace is married, has 4 children one of whom is now in heaven. She enjoys reading, crocheting, puzzles, baking and spending time with her granddaughter. She and her husband have attended South Fellowship Church since 2014. She and her husband Jeff enjoy singing in the choir, working in the nursery and helping with the South Food Bank.

Advent 2023, December 14

Introduction: For hundreds of years many Christian traditions have read passages of scripture using a tool called a lectionary. This Advent season our devotional team decided to resource you with selections from the Revised Common Lectionary. You will encounter texts from the Psalms, the Prophets, and the New Testament as well as formal prayers. Each text has been selected to build anticipation for the coming of Christ – the Light of the World – amid the dark, cold days of winter. Reflect on the first coming of Christ while yearning for his second coming.

Note. If you desire to read these passages in a different version of the Bible, this link will provide all the readings for week 2 in Bible Gateway where you may also choose other versions of these passages.)

Mark 1:1-8 NIV 

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” –“a voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'” 

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Source: Year B – Advent : Revised Common Lectionary

 

Did you notice the connections from the Isaiah 40:1-11 reading on Monday and this one? Mark quotes Isaiah 40:3 here. Think of the meaning of these verses in your life as you pray this prayer.

God of hope,
you raised up John the baptizer
as a herald who calls us to conversion.
As we joyfully await the glorious coming of Christ,
we pray to you for the needs of the church and the world.

Prayers of the People, concluding with:

Hear our humble prayer
that we may serve you in holiness and faith
and give voice to your presence among us
until the day of the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Advent 2023, December 142023-12-08T21:21:47-07:00

Advent 2023, December 13

Introduction: For hundreds of years many Christian traditions have read passages of scripture using a tool called a lectionary. This Advent season our devotional team decided to resource you with selections from the Revised Common Lectionary. You will encounter texts from the Psalms, the Prophets, and the New Testament as well as formal prayers. Each text has been selected to build anticipation for the coming of Christ – the Light of the World – amid the dark, cold days of winter. Reflect on the first coming of Christ while yearning for his second coming.

Note. If you desire to read these passages in a different version of the Bible, this link will provide all the readings for week 2 in Bible Gateway where you may also choose other versions of these passages.)

2 Peter 3:8-15 NIV

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Source: Year B – Advent : Revised Common Lectionary

This passage in II Peter gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ glory that is to come. Do you see the anticipation? Are you ready to meet our Lord in the clouds? Listen to this hymn; think of the truth expressed in its words. As we anticipate Christmas, let’s remember we are also anticipating Jesus’ return!

“I Know That My Redeemer Lives” 

https://youtu.be/8l8_rmvo6kg?si=_W7OQnDsihpLXJdL

Advent 2023, December 132023-12-08T21:06:58-07:00

Advent 2023, December 12

Introduction: For hundreds of years many Christian traditions have read passages of scripture using a tool called a lectionary. This Advent season our devotional team decided to resource you with selections from the Revised Common Lectionary. You will encounter texts from the Psalms, the Prophets, and the New Testament as well as formal prayers. Each text has been selected to build anticipation for the coming of Christ – the Light of the World – amid the dark, cold days of winter. Reflect on the first coming of Christ while yearning for his second coming.

Note. If you desire to read these passages in a different version of the Bible, this link will provide all the readings for week 2 in Bible Gateway where you may also choose other versions of these passages.)

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 NIV

You showed favor to your land, O LORD; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. Selah

I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints–but let them not return to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 

Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

Source: Year B – Advent : Revised Common Lectionary

The Lord is faithful. He fulfills His promises, ALWAYS. Thank the Lord for His faithfulness in your life. Remember how He has been faithful to you in the past, to your friends and to your family. Be assured, He will be faithful to you and to His promises in the future regardless of your current circumstances. 

Use the prayer below or Psalm 85 above to pray to God and thank Him for His faithfulness in your life in the past and in the future.

God of hope,
you call us from the exile of our sin
with the good news of restoration;
you build a highway through the wilderness;
you come to us and bring us home.
Comfort us with the expectation of your saving power,
made known to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Advent 2023, December 122023-12-08T20:36:51-07:00

Advent 2023, December 11

Introduction: For hundreds of years many Christian traditions have read passages of scripture using a tool called a lectionary. This Advent season our devotional team decided to resource you with selections from the Revised Common Lectionary. You will encounter texts from the Psalms, the Prophets, and the New Testament as well as formal prayers. Each text has been selected to build anticipation for the coming of Christ – the Light of the World – amid the dark, cold days of winter. Reflect on the first coming of Christ while yearning for his second coming.

Note. If you desire to read these passages in a different version of the Bible, this link will provide all the readings for week 2 in Bible Gateway where you may also choose other versions of these passages.)

Isaiah 40:1-11 NIV

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. 

A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 

A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” 

You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. 

Source: Year B – Advent : Revised Common Lectionary

Did you notice the various words and phrases that talk about paths, or leading me, or preparing the way? Are you about to start on a new path in your life? Are you starting a new season in your work, family, or friendships?

Listen to this hymn and think about how God leads us. Thank Him for leading and directing us.

“He Leadeth Me” 

https://youtu.be/eARj8qKkV2E?si=5Jy6LUTyWOZnlGUW

Advent 2023, December 112023-12-08T20:39:11-07:00

An Overview of Romans

by Grace Hunter

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:9-16 NIV

Paul the Apostle wrote the book of Romans as a letter to the church in Rome in 57 AD. He was nearing the end of his third missionary journey and most likely he wrote this letter while in Corinth. Paul planned to visit Rome on his way to Spain, after he personally delivered the collection gathered from many churches for the poverty-stricken church in Jerusalem. He greatly desired to visit the Roman church, but he had not been there yet when he wrote Romans.

The church in Rome was predominantly Gentile but had a Jewish minority as well. The major theme of the letter to the Romans is the presentation of the gospel and God’s plan of righteousness for the world. Romans contains the clearest and most complete presentation of the gospel, perhaps because Paul had not yet visited Rome, nor had another Apostle taught the church in Rome directly.

Paul explains:

  • that all people are unrighteous;
  • that we receive justification through Christ;
  • the process of our sanctification,
  • the role of Israel, and
  • how we are to be righteous in the world.

Chapter 12 of Romans describes and instructs us on how we are to love one another in the body of Christ, His church. He begins Chapter 12 with:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will,” Romans 12:1-2 NIV.

He then teaches on Spiritual gifts. Then chapter 13 instructs us on how we as Christians are to practice righteousness in the world around us, including interacting with governmental authority. Chapter 14 and 15 teach us how to interact with both mature and immature Christians.
Paul’s list of characteristics of how Christians should display God’s love and ways sacrificially (in giving of ourselves to others), precedes Paul’s instruction on how we are to interact with the world at large.

It’s always important to keep in mind the reason a particular book in the Bible was written, to whom it was written, by whom it was written, as well as the time and place it was written. Having an outline of the book as a whole is helpful in understanding a particular passage. For example, Romans is organized more like a theological essay than a personal letter. As you read over Romans 12:9-16, think about all that Paul is instructing the Roman Christians to live out in their spiritual lives. Think about how the Holy Spirit is speaking to you through this section of Romans.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

An Overview of Romans2023-11-20T22:46:55-07:00

Love Your Neighbor

by Grace Hunter

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:43-48 NIV

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15 NIV

Jesus again begins a section of His sermon with, “you have heard that it was said”. Then he goes on to quote what the law in Leviticus 19:18 actually says, together with telling His disciples what this principle is in the Kingdom of God.

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18 NIV

Did you notice? The instructions in Leviticus do not say, “hate your enemy”. The phrase “love your neighbor as yourself” is found in many places throughout the New Testament: Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, and in James 2:8. But, “hate your enemies” is not in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, or in Deuteronomy. However, similar  attitudes are found in various places in the Psalms. Usually, these views are presented as hating enemies of God.

If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Psalm 139:19-22

David is having a conversation with God in this Psalm. David reflects a common attitude in Israel — that he hates God’s enemies and adversaries. Jonah, one of God’s prophets, displayed a similar attitude toward the Ninevites (Assyrians). Both David and Jonah displayed a frustration with God’s patience toward His enemies. But another phrase — like a golden thread throughout the Old Testament — is one found in Jonah 4:2b.

I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

Similar phrases are found in Exodus 34:6-7, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 145:8, Joel 2:13.

So even though many in Israel had the attitude of hating their enemies (that was perhaps even taught by rabbis and scholars), God had been known as a God who was slow to anger, who was compassionate and patient, even with His enemies (as in Jonah 4:2). Once again, Jesus is teaching His disciples what His Kingdom looks like and how His Kingdom works. Think about the implications of this for your own life as you read through and pray the Lord’s Prayer.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Love Your Neighbor2023-11-18T10:04:28-07:00

An Eye For An Eye – Really?

by Grace Hunter

You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:38-42 NIV

At first glance, Jesus seems to be directly contradicting the law of Moses in this section of His Sermon on the Mount teaching. Is that really what is happening here? Let’s look a little deeper. We are looking at little segments of the Sermon on the Mount each week, but it is important to keep the broader context in mind as well. Earlier Jesus said,

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

So, is Jesus teaching against the law? Or perhaps is He teaching that the law had been misinterpreted by leaders, Pharisees and scholars, that this is what He is seeking to correct. This section is prefaced once again with the statement, “You have heard that it was said” Matthew 5:38a. My NIV text note on Matthew 5:21 says,

The contrast Jesus sets up (Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43) is not between the Old Testament and his teaching (he has just established the validity of the Old Testament Law Matthew 5:17-20). Rather, it is between externalistic interpretation of the rabbinic tradition on the one hand, and Jesus’ correct interpretation of the Law on the other.

The law that Jesus is referring to in this section is found in Leviticus 24:19-20, Exodus 21:22-24, and in Deuteronomy 19:16-21. Each has similar wording, but Deuteronomy gives us some extra context.

If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime, the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. Deuteronomy 19:16-21 NIV

These instructions were given to judges and priests – not to everyone. This was a principle to be applied by judges or priests in judgements of wrongdoers. It described the punishment fitting the crime, not literally cutting off someone’s foot or hand. It was also described as a deterrent against wrong doing in general. Some leaders in Jesus’ day were not applying this law correctly. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:39-42 demonstrates how the law of love, not a law of retaliation, is applied in God’s kingdom. Pray through the Lord’s Prayer while thinking on these principles.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

An Eye For An Eye – Really?2023-11-11T23:58:48-07:00

Simply Say, Yes or No

Simply let your `Yes’ be `Yes,’ and your `No,’ `No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37 NIV

The familiar phrase “my word is my bond” is understood to mean that if I say I am going to do something, then believe it, I will do it. Jesus is teaching His disciples here in Matthew 5:37 a similar idea. Perhaps in Jesus day, as in our day and time, people often thought that in order to make someone believe one when one said he or she would do something, that one had to swear by something “sacred” to make one’s word believed. Jesus’ brother James said something similar:

“Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned,” James 5:12 NIV

My NIV study bible has a text note on this particular verse that I think clarifies what James and Jesus were getting at in these statements about letting our yes be yes and our no be no.

James’s words are very close to Christ’s (Matthew 5:33-37). James is not condemning the taking of solemn oaths, such as God’s before Abraham (Hebrews 6:13) or Jesus’ before Caiaphas (Matthew 26:63-64) or Paul’s (Romans 9:1) or a man’s before the Lord (Exodus 22:11). Rather, he is condemning the flippant use of God’s name or a sacred object to guarantee the truth of what is spoken.” NIV Study Bible (Text note on James 5:12 copyright 1985.)

I believe a principle is being taught here:

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth. Proverbs 16:13 NIV

These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD. Zechariah 8:16-17 NIV

Instead of embellishing our words or swearing by something considered sacred, Jesus implores us to be honest people. Jesus calls us to be known by our word, by our actions, as believable, trustworthy and faithful people. Of course, this is not what the evil one desires. So consider: Is my word good enough? Are my actions in line with my words? As you pray the Lord’s Prayer, think about your words, actions and God’s desire for us to live trustworthy honest lives before God and men.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

Simply Say, Yes or No2023-11-03T18:21:32-06:00

The Ideal Marriage

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 NIV

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning–the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NIV

Jesus introduces a new topic – adultery with, “It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 5:31-32 NIV) Jesus goes into more detail later in the book of Matthew when He was approached by Pharisees who wished to test him.

They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,’ and said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Matthew 19:3-9 NIV

Once again, the Pharisees were seeking to put a fence around the law, to emphasize what was allowed and what wasn’t. But Jesus demonstrated with His answer, referring to Genesis and the first marriage (Genesis 2:18-25), that His focus was on the sanctity of marriage, the sanctity of the marriage bed, and on the lifetime commitment made by a husband and a wife to each other in marriage. Jesus points the Pharisees and His listeners to the beauty and the idyllic state of the first marriage in the Garden of Eden. In this relationship before the fall, Adam and Eve were companions, there was no shame, they had complete honesty (openness) with each other and with God. Jesus wanted His hearers to recognize the ideal in marriage, the high value God places on marriage — instead of looking for the loophole that would allow a man to leave his wife for any reason imaginable.

Think about divorce in our society today. It seems that many people consider divorce an uncomplicated and valid choice over sticking with difficulties in a marriage. Jesus’ answer above leads me to believe that He valued women, valued marriage, and saw it as a lifetime commitment. Christian marriage demands mutual respect, mutual concern and a willingness to act in a self-sacrificing way by both husband and wife. Paul describes this type of marriage relationship in Ephesians 5:21-33. Consider all of these exhortations from scripture, and ask God to show you what you need to see and understand about marriage.

Note. To access scripture links that don’t appear in the email version, read the web version in your browser.

The Ideal Marriage2023-10-29T19:08:04-06:00

Lust Dehumanizes

“You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28 NIV

Jesus first states the 7th commandment as something all his hearers know, then He elaborates on the heart issue. Adultery does not occur in a vacuum. It begins with thoughts, it begins with looks, it begins with attitudes – long before any action is taken.

For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. I John 2:16 NIV

You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Numbers 15:39 NIV

These verses tell us where lust begins. Our eyes see something we desire, and we begin to crave that something. Lust usually involves desiring another person for one’s own sexual gratification. Lustful desires are always presented as sinful (Colossians 3:5), of the world (I John 2:16), or even equated with bestial instincts (II Peter 2:12-18).

A person who lusts after another, selfishly desires that person – in order to own or consume him or her, not for giving them love. Lust does not elevate or encourage. Instead it puts down, it dehumanizes, it devalues the other person as simply an object to possess.

Paul lists lust in Colossians 3:5 as a sin to be removed from a Christian’s life. Then Paul goes on to describe how a Christian can rid himself of sins like lust. Paul uses an analogy of taking off old clothes (sins) and putting on new ones (godly virtues and values). Colossians 3:1-4:6 gives many instructions on how to submit to the Holy Spirit and live a God honoring life.

Jesus deplores our sinful actions, likewise is burdened by and even saddened by our sinful thoughts and attitudes which invariably can lead to wrong doing. As you read and pray the Lord’s prayer, examine your thoughts and attitudes. When the Spirit reveals your sinful thoughts and attitudes toward another person, confess it, repent and receive God’s forgiveness.

Lust Dehumanizes2023-10-21T19:36:46-06:00
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