Today's Devotions

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Showcase:Lent

  • Fourth Sunday in Lent - The Man Born Blind by David Hyman +

    Spiritual blindness is the driving theme in this passage from John 9:1-41. But the man born blind is the one Read More
  • Lent Backwards by Julie Moore +

    The Easter buffet at The Carolina Inn is a bounteous feast to follow the fasting of the Lenten season.. Despite the fact that Jesus Read More
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bonhoeffer 3The disciples are needy in every way. They are simply "poor" (Luke 6:20). They have no security, no property to call their own, no piece of earth they could call their home, no earthly community to which they might fully belong.

But they also have neither spiritual power of their own, nor experience or knowledge they can refer to and which could comfort them. For his sake they have lost all that. When they followed him, they lost themselves and everything else which could have made them rich. Now they are so poor, so inexperienced, so foolish that they cannot hope for anything except him who called them.

Biblical Wisdom

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

Questions to Ponder

What kinds of poverty are there?
In the life of faith, what is the point of disciples being poor?
Bonhoeffer asserts that for Jesus' sake disciples lose everything. Why would Jesus want that?
Psalm Fragment

As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God. Psalm 40:17

Journal Reflections

Reflect on why you would (or would not) consider yourself poor as a disciple of Jesus.
Could you imagine yourself as ever seeing poverty as a gift? Why, or why not?
Intercessions

Pray for the "rich" that they may have compassion for the "poor." Pray for the "poor" that they may have compassion for the "rich."

Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to lose everything for your sake and so discover all that I have and am in you.

40-Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Copyright © 2007 Augsburg Books, imprint of Augsburg Fortress.

http://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/40-day-journey-dietrich-bonhoeffer/2012/06/08

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Witnesses for Jesus by Tim Keller (Mark 15) +

    Tim Keller discusses the significance of the women and men who saw Jesus die, buried, and resurrected.  Read More
  • Prayer-bringing light into darkness by NT Wright +

    NT Wright discusses the importance of prayer in maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Read More
  • After darkness, light-the reformation by Michael Reeves +

    Michael Reeves discusses the transformative power of bringing Jesus to the world at the heart of the Reformation. Read More
  • The Esther Option-Living in a fallen world by Mike Cosper +

    The following is an excerpt from an article on The Gospel Coalition website. Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • One Holy Fire, Nicky Cruz +

    The introduction to One Holy Fire, Let the Spirit Ignite Your Soul establishes Cruz’s desire to awaken the passion and Read More
  • Transformed +

    Webster defines devotion as “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” How do we fall in love Read More
  • A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment +

    A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. Read More
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