Day 26 - 40 Days of JOY
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of JOY
Day 26 | THE IMPORTANT THING
40 Days of JOY
Day 26 | THE IMPORTANT THING
THE IMPORTANT THING
Romans 14:17
“For, after all, the important thing for us as Christians is not what we eat or drink but stirring up goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.” (LB)
Can you remember the last party you went to? What do you remember about it?
I remember the people who were there… my friends – some old friends, some new ones – and then perhaps the REASON for the party. I seldom remember the food or the decorations, but the people? Yes!
In the NIV – and some other translations –the first part of this verse reads this way: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking…”
Remember that Jesus told his followers to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matt 6:33 NLT)
The problem most of us living in America have is that we have SO much stuff and think most of it is “vital” to our JOY.
I wonder how much of the “stuff” you have you don’t really need? Not that there’s anything wrong with what you have… but is it essential?
In the days of the ancient Olympics (begun in 776 BC), the competitors – all men at the time – competed naked. The idea was to shun any hindrance to the contestant doing his very best.
I can hear the Apostle Paul thinking along the same lines as he encourages the church at Rome – and by extension, us – not to get bogged down in incidentals such as food and drink… but instead to focus on what matters: “goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.”
Prayer: LORD, I admit many things in my life distract me from the essential things. Please help me to focus more on your Kingdom and to enjoy the gifts. You offer from Your Spirit. Amen.
Romans 14:17
“For, after all, the important thing for us as Christians is not what we eat or drink but stirring up goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.” (LB)
Can you remember the last party you went to? What do you remember about it?
I remember the people who were there… my friends – some old friends, some new ones – and then perhaps the REASON for the party. I seldom remember the food or the decorations, but the people? Yes!
In the NIV – and some other translations –the first part of this verse reads this way: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking…”
Remember that Jesus told his followers to “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matt 6:33 NLT)
The problem most of us living in America have is that we have SO much stuff and think most of it is “vital” to our JOY.
I wonder how much of the “stuff” you have you don’t really need? Not that there’s anything wrong with what you have… but is it essential?
In the days of the ancient Olympics (begun in 776 BC), the competitors – all men at the time – competed naked. The idea was to shun any hindrance to the contestant doing his very best.
I can hear the Apostle Paul thinking along the same lines as he encourages the church at Rome – and by extension, us – not to get bogged down in incidentals such as food and drink… but instead to focus on what matters: “goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit.”
Prayer: LORD, I admit many things in my life distract me from the essential things. Please help me to focus more on your Kingdom and to enjoy the gifts. You offer from Your Spirit. Amen.
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