In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul writes: "We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."As the people of God this is what we want for all people, including our friends, family members, schoolmates, co-workers, everybody!But what's the big deal about reconciliation?Think first about separation and hostility. There are two opposing sides. Reconciliation happens when … Continue reading Without him nothing, with him everything
Author: Matthew Ruttan
If you are “in Christ” his Spirit is in you
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)In the previous devotional we talked about how Jesus' righteousness, faithfulness and perfection gets credited to us. When his people stand before their Maker, God he sees not their sin (because Jesus has paid … Continue reading If you are “in Christ” his Spirit is in you
Very very good news: The verdict before the performance
The Bible verse I'm about to share is not one people tend to memorize, but it stands at the heart of what we call the gospel, a word that simply means "good news."It's found in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we … Continue reading Very very good news: The verdict before the performance
The trivialization of God
Donald McCullough has a book called “The Trivialization of God.”* You should never judge a book by its cover, of course, but the cover is particularly good. It shows a yellow pin-on button that says “God.”It’s the kind of button you might get at a political rally, or perhaps with the name or logo of … Continue reading The trivialization of God
They shot their books
If you go to Central American University in El Salvador you can see the room where six Jesuits and two women were killed.But the killers didn’t only shoot people. They shot their books. That’s right: their books were riddled with bullet holes.One of those books was a theological dictionary. It was open to an article … Continue reading They shot their books
Let your yes be yes and your no be no
In yesterday’s devotional we talked about the importance of being honest with your words. Makes sense, right? After all, God is a God of truth. Jesus comes to us “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). God’s “word is truth” (John 17:17). If we want to be his disciples, reflecting his truth needs to be a … Continue reading Let your yes be yes and your no be no
Standing up for the truth of God
Honesty is important. But when push comes to shove it’s easy to let a lie slip when it will make things easier for us or when it covers up a mistake we’ve made.It was Mark Twain who said: “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” … Continue reading Standing up for the truth of God
I burn my life to make a sunrise
Have you ever questioned whether or not you are making a difference? Have you made sacrifices, tried to help others, stretched yourself to grow in faith…only to doubt whether or not there would ever be any fruit from your labours?If so, you’re not alone.But guess what? God can use your sacrifices, hard work and faith, … Continue reading I burn my life to make a sunrise
What if we stopped chasing?
Gregory was a church father from the sixth century. He said: “You can tell how much you love something by the degree of sorrow you experience when you lose it.”*I think that’s a helpful piece of perspective. If I buy a new expensive watch, and if I am so utterly devastated when I lose it … Continue reading What if we stopped chasing?
A servant people
I remember reading a book which provided a summary of the biblical descriptions of the church. It was (and is) the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the people of the Spirit, the household of God, a community of disciples, etc.Another one was “a servant people.” Jesus’ people are a people who serve. This … Continue reading A servant people
