Rule of Life

Theme For The Week: Our main text for this series of devotionals is from Luke 8.1-3. You can listen to teaching on this passage here: (part 1), (part 2), (part 3) and (part 4).

Intro Prayer: “Jesus, please help me in this time to be fully present to You and to myself that I may commune with You for the sake of your glory and the world around me.”

Silence: In this time, try and become silent before the Lord both internally and externally for 5 minutes. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to stillness.

Praise: Bless the Lord by declaring these truths about Him!

“You are the source of my life and my shepherd. You sent your Son and the Spirt for me. You are my savior and salvation. You strongly support me. You speak to me and silence the accusations of the enemy. I know the sound of your voice.”

Devotional: It is one thing to know that money doesn’t bring us real life and in Christ we can be content, but it is another thing to develop into the type of person who actually lives and experiences these truths. How in the world do we grow into this?

For centuries Christians have practiced what they call A Rule of Life. A Rule in this case simply means a trellace on which a vine grows. We develop rules or practices that when done repeatedly over time, give us the structure that we need to grow into the people God desires us to be.

In the area of money, tithing has been one of the rules of life that is particular helpful in developing us as disciples of Jesus. When we tithe, we actively honor God over money, we remind ourselves that he is our provider and that our resources are not just for us, but that we are stewards. This simple practice over time, has a dynamic effect on our lives- loosening the grip of idolatry of money and leading us into life to the full.

Today’s Scripture gives us insight into tithing. In it, not only was the gift given, but the giver was to remember the way God had saved them and provided for them, and now giving was an act of gratitude for the past. It was also a statement of faith for the future for God’s ongoing provision and care.

Scripture: Read today’s text slowly. Feed your spirit on the words. Your goal in this time is to commune with Jesus through His Word. Take note as you sense His Presence.

Deuteronomy 26.26 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.….15 Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Worship: Worship forms the truths of Scripture deep within our lives. This week we will be worshipping to the song Find Me, which brings us back to a place of gratitude each day.

Listen: Take time to listen to the Holy Spirit. Write down anything you sense the Lord speaking.

Obedience: What from today is the Lord calling you to put in practice? Could be to pray for someone, to call someone, to serve someone etc.