Bible Devotions for Living

A study of the Gospels shows exactly how Jesus navigated life. Review how Jesus lived to see where you are doing well and where you need more work.

Jesus lived a holy and sinless life (Jn 8:46; Mt 3:15; 1 Pet 2:22; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15):

Sin is destructive and negatively affects your relationship with God. Jesus lived a perfectly holy and sinless life and as a result had a close relationship with the Father. The Father directed His path, spoke with Him, and answered His prayers. You should live as pure a life as possible to be as near to God too.

How are you doing at living a holy and sinless life?

What area of your life / behavior needs improvement?

How can you improve that area or avoid tempting situations?

• Imitate Jesus by being holy and pure.

Jesus fought temptations with Scripture (Mt 4:1-11; Lk 4:1-13):

When being attacked by the devil, the Lord Jesus used Scripture as His weapon to disarm the enemy.

What are some common temptations the devil uses against you?

Do you fight them? How?

Do you use Scripture and prayer to fight them?

• Imitate Jesus by fighting temptation with Scripture. Note, you must read Scripture to have it as a weapon, so read it daily.

Jesus prioritized spiritual over the physical (Mt 4:3-4):

Throughout His life, Jesus focused on the spiritual instead of the physical – when tempted by the devil with food, He spoke of spiritual things instead of food; when Peter told Him not to go to Jerusalem, He told Peter to think of things from God’s perspective and not mans; Jesus wanted the Father’s will and not His own so Scripture could be fulfilled and people saved. Jesus was always focused on the spiritual first.

When it comes to thinking and reacting to life, what percentage of the time do you focus on the spiritual and what percentage on the physical world?

How will focusing on the spiritual help you as a Christian?

• Imitate God by focusing on the spiritual.

Jesus taught (Mt 5:3-12; 5:19-20; 6:1; 5:7; 5:20; 6:2-7-27):

Jesus taught in public and in synagogues. He taught how things worked (Blessed are they who …); about Himself, the Father, salvation, spiritual matters, the importance to follow God’s Word; and He taught how to live.

Not all believers have the spiritual gift of teaching, but as believers we all know enough to teach people how to be saved. Also, if we read the Bible, we know things from God’s Word that can be used to teach and help other believers.

Do you ever teach non-believers the Gospel?

Do you tell other believers what you’ve learned from God’s Word?

Do you teach your own children what you’ve learned?

• Imitate God by teaching others.

Jesus preached (Mt 4:17):

The Lord told unbelievers about sin, repentance, the need for salvation, God, and how to be saved.

Do you?

• Imitate God by telling non-believers their need to be saved and how to be saved.

Jesus helped people:

He helped people who asked, He sometimes helped people who didn’t ask simply because He saw the need.

You can’t help everybody and in some cases, you shouldn’t help people who ask for help (i.e. homeless junkie asking for money to buy drugs). But you should help people, especially believers, in your life.

Are you helping others around you?

Do you help when asked?

Do you see needs and help when not asked?

• Imitate God by helping people.

Jesus knew when to back off:

He left when people asked Him to leave (Mt 8:34-9:1) and didn’t stay where not wanted.

How about you? Do you force yourself on people?

• Imitate God by not forcing yourself or the Gospel on them.

Jesus spoke of the Father often:

Jesus spoke of the Father over 150 times in the Gospels. In fact, He mentioned the Father almost every time in the Gospels where He had an extended time speaking. He left no doubt that God was His Father, that He believed in the Father, and that He came from the Father.

Do you wear your faith on your sleeve like that?

• Imitate Jesus by speaking of the Father to people often.

Summary:

• Imitate Jesus by being holy and pure.
• Imitate Jesus by fighting temptation with Scripture.
• Imitate God by focusing on the spiritual.
• Imitate God by teaching others.
• Imitate God by telling non-believers their need to be saved and how to be saved.
• Imitate God by helping people.
• Imitate God by not forcing yourself or the Gospel on them.
• Imitate Jesus by speaking of the Father to people often.

What did God lay on your heart?

Which of Jesus’ ways of life are you better at?

Which do you need to work on?

Pick one area where you aren’t doing so well and try to do better at it until it becomes a part of your normal life.