Read John 3:25-30
“He must increase, but I must decrease” (v. 30).
Real respect can be extremely costly. In the world’s eyes, John de- creased to the point that his head rolled, and Jesus did not perform a miracle to stop it. One of the last glimpses we get of John from Scripture is the question he sent to Jesus. “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” (Matt. 11:3). In the light it had looked so right to respect Jesus. Now in the dark John had questions. But for his respect John received the greatest accolade of all, for Jesus said, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11).
A life of respect is a life of humility. Selfish people cannot be respectful, because respect always involves giving instead of receiving. True respect is not trading compliments. It is giving honor with no expectation of the honor being returned.
Today we honor the victims of the tragedies that unfolded on September 11, 2001. The stories of courage that have come from that tragedy never cease to amaze. We respect those men and women because they had an inner sense of respect for the lives of others and gave themselves to save those lives. (Gordon Snider)
Can respect that is not costly be called respect?
This devotional is the Friday, September 11, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read John 14:15-21
“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (v. 15).
I like to poke my youngest nephew in the tummy — or perform some other silly act — just to get him to laugh. I like to spend time with my parents because they mean a lot to me. Sometimes I will get a glass of water or run an errand for my husband because I love him.
When we truly love our family, we like to do things for them. Is this the cost of love? Perhaps. If I had never married, I would have less laundry to do each week. But marriage to my husband is definitely worth the work!
Similarly, obedience to God, when it stems from our love for Him, becomes less of a chore. We want to please Him because we love Him.
First John 2:5 could be paraphrased this way: Everyone who obeys God’s Word is showing how much they love God. Love is the soil, and obedience is the sweet-smelling flower.
If I ever begin to feel like obedience to God is too hard, I am focused on the wrong things. When I think of what love for us cost God — the horrible death of His only Son — I realize that any price I have to pay is never too much. (Ashlee Englund)

Loving God can never really cost too much.

This devotional is the Thursday, September 3, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read Psalm 112:1-10
“Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous” (v. 4).
The Hebrew word for “ariseth” is commonly used for the sunrise (Ps. 97:11; Isa. 58:8). The morning light is one of the most welcome sights known to man. The night may have been long and dark — no stars or moon — but the darkness will be conquered. The sun will rise to push away the oppression of the nocturnal black.
Life can bring its own night. The effects of sin and the foibles of fallen humanity may leave the righteous groping for direction, stumbling and struggling without any immediate sense of the Son. But light will dawn anew. The psalmist declares that, for the upright in heart, the darkest night will have a dawn of hope. Dr. Thomas Chalmers, facing the Scottish Reformation of 1843, cited these words to his beleaguered hearers: “Never was the truth — a word spoken in season — more vividly realized . . . a strong expression of conscious comfort and encouragement . . . called forth.” The sun will shine again for the righteous. The night will not be forever for the children of the Son. (WES)

The righteous will have their dark times. They shall receive comfort.
Their own character will secure this [light]. — Charles Spurgeon

Live righteously in the dark and the Son of Righteousness will come in a sunrise of hope.

This devotional is the Monday, August 24. 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read Acts 1:14-22
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (v. 14).
Much can be learned from the practices of geese while in flight. For example, as each goose flaps its wings it creates a “lift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock achieves 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position. Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
If we Christians have the sense of a goose, we can also learn lessons from God’s creatures. Sharing a common purpose, we will gain encouragement from each other. Not trying to gain position at the detriment of others but working together, we will know a special camaraderie. Doing our fair share of the work, all will avoid the danger of burnout, and we will benefit from the combined resource of our gifts and talents. Standing by each other with our encouragement and assistance, we will all be able to accomplish more. It is no surprise that Paul saw this type of unity as a picture of a healthy body — the Church. (L Gayle Woods)

The children of God can learn from God’s great creation.

This devotional is the Wednesday, August 12, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read Psalm 78:52-55
“And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies” (v. 53).
I begged and begged for an orphan lamb. Thankfully, my mom liked animals, too, so one day Daddy and Mama went to a nearby sheep farmer and brought home a rejected twin lamb. Raggedy Ann promptly became my shadow. She followed me feeding calves, mowing the lawn, running with us as we played along the river, or just lying in the yard reading. She would even come bounding down the lane to greet me getting off the school bus.
Raggedy Ann had no idea how close to death she had come or how privileged she was to have a loving owner. She forgot she was a sheep, totally ignoring a flock of sheep pastured nearby, seeming to think she was a dog or even a human like her master.
God provides His children those same feelings, and the reality, of safety. One has to wonder how lost people, who do not know Jesus as their Savior and Shepherd, cope with all the dangers and fears that life brings. Safety is something this sinful world has little of. (Wanda Skeen)

In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet. . . .
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet. . . .
Tho’ sorrows befall us and Satan oppose. . . .
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes.
God leads His dear children along. - George A. Young

No amount of money, possessions, or defense strategy can equal the knowledge of God’s loving care.

This week's featured devotional is the Tuesday, August 4, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read Romans 6:1-5
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (v. 4).
It is of deep concern that many professed Christians give little or no evidence of a new life in Christ. Water baptism is a beautiful thing when practiced according to Scripture. It is the outward testimony of an inward work.
In a recent baptismal service, a husband, wife, and teen-age son gave clear testimony of how salvation had come to their family, one member at a time. The newness of life that they could see in other members of the family gave them a desire to enjoy the same in their lives.

It should not be overlooked that there is a death involved in this baptism. It is a death to sin. In the context of our scripture, the question is asked: “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (v. 2). Paul’s clear answer is that Christians do not so live. Instead he exhorts us to walk “in newness of life.” Wycliffe Bible Commentary notes that “the translation to ‘walk in newness of life’ carries with it the day-by-day living in the ordinary routines of life.” (BAM)

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart! . . .
And my sins which were many are all washed away. — Rufus H. McDaniel

A born again experience still brings newness of life!

This devotional is the Thursday, July 30, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.

Read John 17:15-19
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (v. 17).
Once while working at Mt. Zion Bible School, I was sitting at my desk in the office and thinking about something which was quite troubling to me. It seemed that a dark cloud came to overshadow the day. (more…)

Read Hebrews 10:22-24
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (v. 24).
Contrary to the opinion of many of my friends and relatives, I crave solitude. (more…)

Read Romans 8:14-15
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (v. 15).
The family is one of the beautiful analogies used in God’s Word to describe the new life in Christ. The image stirs up emotions of closeness, sharing, and belonging. These emotions are magnified when an orphan is adopted into a family unit, and for the first time in life he experiences those feelings.
Sadly, that picture of the family is, for some, only a distant dream. Fathers are obeyed out of fear rather than from love and respect. Mothers shout and condemn rather than encouraging and supporting. In that kind of a home, “the spirit of bondage” has scarred the biblical analogy.
Even sadder, however, is that some Christians view God more like the dysfunctional father than as “Abba, Father.” They live in fear of punishment for an inadvertent sin, and their fear makes it impossible to draw close to their God.
Today, take a moment to draw close to Him. His arms are outstretched; His face has a welcoming smile. There is no freedom like the warmth and joy of the presence of God. (Gordon Snider)

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night.
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray.
I woke; the dungeon flamed with light.
My chains fell off; my heart was free.
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. — Charles Wesley

Slavish fear is banished by the presence of Abba, Father.

This devotional entry is the Monday, July 6, 2015 entry from Opening the Word.