The connect devotional is a great way to stay connected spiritually to what our community is learning about God right now. It is in step with the current sermon series, studying the scripture through the lens of life application.
Clicking here to subscribe and receive the Connect Devotional in your inbox
To see past posts, click the "All Posts" button above
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:11-12). Chatham Community Church is a community whose purpose is to love God, each other, and the world around us. Easy to say, much harder to do! Love does not come naturally. John ca...
Keep ReadingThere is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful lifefear of death, fear of judgmentis one not yet fully formed in love. 1 John 4:18 MSG Let's start by asking, "What does this verse NOT mean?" It does NOT mean we use this one line in the Bible to insult our Christian neighbors, friends, and family when they express con...
Keep ReadingBeloved, let us love one another This is how God showed his love among us:he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him God is love Whoever loves God must love his sisters and brothers (1 John 4:7, 9, 16, 21). Community, Purpose, Love our current themeare connected how? Three equal terms, in sequence: we begin with community, proceed into ...
Keep ReadingGod is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and matures in us. (The Message Bible paraphrase of the passage that includes I John 4:16-17a). The Hebrew language has this wonderful word: hesed. The trouble is, there is no succinct way to define it. Which, rig...
Keep Reading1 John 4:7-21 Good Monday to you, as we begin week 4 of our Community, Purpose, Love series! Our passage for the week is 1 John 4:7-21; please take a moment now to read through it. This is a challenging passage to write on. But not because there is too little in it; there is too much. John, the author, does not think like us, or write like us. Rather than writing in the ...
Keep ReadingJesus "appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He mightsend them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." (Mark 3:14-15) Think of a team you have been part of: at work, in a neighborhood, as a volunteer. Do you recall the purpose of that team? What kind of people were chosen? Those with similar abilities, backgrounds, and personalities? A co...
Keep Reading"He appointed twelvedesignating them apostlesthat they might be with him" (Mark 3:14a). Take a minute to think about how our eyes adjust to light after being in a dark room. Now imagine that the light we must adjust to is BRIGHT. Really, really BRIGHT. We would run back into that dark room to hunker down, wouldn't we? We would hide our eyes. We would whimperor scream "To...
Keep Reading"He climbed a mountain and invited those he wanted with him. They climbed together. He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons." (Mark 3:13-15 MSG) What are your job description(s)? Some of us have "official" job descriptions tied to ...
Keep Reading"Jesus went up into the hills and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelvedesignating them apostlesthat they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." (Mark 3:13-15a) The beginning of the Gospel of Mark shows Jesus establishing His plan to help the Hebrew peopleand, consequently,...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.He appointed twelvethat they might be with him and that he might send them out to preachand to have authority to drive out demons.(Mark 3:13-15) The job interview: everyone dreads it. "What will they ask me?" "What if I say something stupid?" Or (if we're more self-assured): "What if t...
Keep Reading