God Meant Business

8/31/2009

Ezekiel 12:3 3 “Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself baggage for exile and go into exile by day in their sight; even go into exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand though they are a rebellious house. (New American Standard Bible)

What if tomorrow we had to leave our homes, our towns and this country and go live in Sri Lanka? They got some strange customs and beliefs in Sri Lanka. They got some strange gods in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka ain’t the land of the free and the home of the brave. Exile was a very uncomfortable experience because those in exile had to suddenly adjust to everything new around them – new cultures, new languages, new customs, and new religions; all under duress and against their will.

God meant business with His people and used Ezekiel to make His point in hope that His people would somehow understand His love though they were stubborn and rebellious.

I don’t want to admit to being rebellious but sometimes it takes slamming into a brick wall to get my attention and to cause me to think. If I look at them properly, my circumstances – comfort level notwithstanding – can be those things that help me see and hear God more clearly. As God wanted the ancient Jews to understand, so too He desires that I understand – my God loves me.

Father in Heaven,

You graciously used Ezekiel to usher in the dismantling of the pride of Israel – their proud culture and traditions – so they would understand You meant business; You loved them and relentlessly pursued their success in relationship with You. You used prophets, circumstances, and exile to get Your message across. Lord, I believe You do the same for me. Help me to understand and cooperate and know You mean business in the success of my relationship with You. I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Do Not Cease

8/30/2009

Revelation 4:8 8 ‘And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”’ (New American Standard Bible)

At face value this appears to be a weird scene; John was attempting to describe heaven and though he used words we understand, I don’t think he (or we) could fully comprehend what he was witnessing. What gets me is these four creatures incessantly repeating, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” What’s up with that!?

The presence of the Lord, that’s what; they can’t help themselves because they are in the presence of the Lord, and in His presence everything changes; nature changes, hearts change; perspective changes. The twenty-four elders fall down and worship because they can’t help themselves – they’re in the presence of One who is so marvelous and worthy, all they can do is throw themselves down in wonder and delight of His goodness and might; that, is worship.

In the face of all I experience these days and the uncertainty of men and their motives, I will focus on the goodness and might of the Lord and worship Him. As I pray for people and situations over which I have no control, I will worship with wonder and delight because He is not looking for me to solve anything – He asks only that I remain faithful – He’ll take care of the rest. So my focus is the Triune God, and I won’t cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

Father in Heaven,

You have all things under Your control and Your purposes are being worked out on earth and in heaven and one day, in heaven, I too will cast my crown in wonder and delight, and say forever, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” Because of Jesus! Amen.

Eagerness and Repentance

8/29/2009

Revelation 3:19 19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. New American Standard Bible

Reproof, that is, correction, and discipline, are not easy things. It takes a willing heart and tough skin to accept these things and not take them as personal – although in this instance it is precisely personal because Jesus reproves and disciplines the ones He loves, and you can’t get much more personal than love. Our God is not Caspar Milk-toast. Today in the reading He has made His demand known…

I am loved by the Lord and so He reproves me – that is He corrects my thinking and disciplines me – that is, He causes me to walk worthy. Therefore I consider my life and look carefully at both the things I’ve done, and the things I do, so that I may be zealous or eager, for the agenda and purposes of God in this earth. That calls for introspective meditation on my part, carefully looking at my life under the light of what I read in the Word and making the appropriate changes – eagerness and repentance. So when I accept I am really only whining and complaining about my life and circumstances, then I look to the Lord who tells me in His Word to stop and get on board with His purposes.

Father in Heaven,

You have given me Your Word that I may know what is on Your mind and how You do things. You desire a certain manner of living for me and ask that I cooperate and get on board with all that You are doing in the earth. I pray for a new perspective today that includes less of me and more of You. I pray that Your discipline and reproof work their work in my life resulting in a new attitude toward all You do and a personal forsaking of my old habits and ways that are contrary to Your purposes – help me, I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

He Who Hears

8/28/2009

Ezekiel 3:27 27 “But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.” New American Standard Bible

Wheels, wings, hands, heat, and hooves – I have no idea what Ezekiel was talking about other than this: he prefaces all of this by saying, “I saw visions of God.” My response is, “Oh!” God is indescribable and when someone tries, it sounds like nonsense.

I don’t think we’re supposed to understand what Ezekiel saw but we are to understand what Ezekiel said, and he said, “Thus says the Lord God…” And he also said, “He who hears, let him hear.” In other words, he who sets the course of his life and the heart of his purpose to hear, will hear! There is intentionality to Ezekiel’s words from God and only those with intentionality will listen.

Two of the more difficult books in the Bible are Ezekiel and Revelation because they speak of things that we don’t readily understand but that is no excuse not to listen and perhaps glean something of value from them. So I will set my heart to at least listen to what was written by Ezekiel and John and trust what they saw and tried to describe as the result of their own inability to state it plainly. But I will also ‘hear’ the words God spoke to them and look for the things I can understand and apply to my life – words like: ‘To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’ Sounds good to me!

Father in Heaven,

What a marvel it is that You have chosen to dwell with us lunkheads! What grace You’ve shown that You’ve given us Your word – and yes, some of it is hard to understand; but then who really understands You? Ah, but You’ve chosen to dwell in the heart of the one who believes You and obeys You and that is enough for me. I’ll think about the difficult stuff and try to understand but I’ll cling to the simple stuff and trust that I am to love You, serve You, and share Your love with my fellow man. Help today to do just that – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

How Blessed

8/27/2009

Psalm 144:15 15 How blessed are the people who are so situated; how blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! New American Standard Bible

Today’s reading starts in Jeremiah 52 and describes the overthrow of Jerusalem and; also it includes Revelation 1 where Jesus visits His servant John at the Roman penal colony on the island of Patmos. What a minute! Overthrow? Penal colony? What’s going on here!? Life, that’s what – life. My conclusion reading all this is, no matter where you are or what you have to do, if you look for Him you’ll find Jesus in it somewhere.

Not trying to be glib or cute; simply stating a truth. ‘How blessed are the people who are so situated,’ says the Psalm and that’s true as well; but the situation is not always so comfortable or prosperous because the Psalm begins with, “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle…” War is not a pleasant endeavor and battle is supremely stressful. But better to be trained by the Lord for battle than slugging it out on my own alone…

Today I will remember the blessing of the Lord and be grateful for His presence right here in my own circumstances. I will praise Him that He never forgets His people and is continually at work in us by His grace to see us succeed in our faith. That’s our God and I am His child!

Father in Heaven,

You are always here (wherever ‘here’ is). You do train me for battle because You know I’ll face them whether I am on Patmos or in Pocatello. But the bottom line is You are my God and I am Your child. How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord! I sing Your praises today as You sing Your love over me; How Great Thou Art and how blessed I am! – In Jesus’ Name, amen.

What Are They Saying

8/26/2009

3 John 6 6 “…and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.”

New American Standard Bible

If we don’t get it that John understood God’s love then we just don’t get it. John was all about the love of God and this thing called the Truth. Love is an action, truth is a reason. The truth is that there is a God and He loves us – and those who love Him obey Him and walk in truth. The result of this is that others will speak of the truth in the truthful because it results in actions of love.

What do others say about us? Are we criticized because we are Christians in worldly clothes (thoughts, words, and deeds)? Or do they testify to our love? If my focus is Jesus Christ incessantly, then there is a good chance the result of my life is truth in love and that is how others view me and speak of me. Jesus said, “Let your light [truth] shine before men in such a way that they may see your [love for Me displayed in] good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

What are they saying…

Father in Heaven,

You are my Focus. You are my Reason for life and living. May I learn more and more to concentrate all of my life energy and resource on You so that truth may ooze from my being carried on the back of love in good works toward others and especially toward those in the Family of God – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Just As You Have Heard

8/25/2009

2 John 6 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. New American Standard Bible

Unfortunately, love is misunderstood by many; love is not what you get, it’s what you give. The love John refers to here is not phileo, the brotherly love of affection; nor is the love spoken of here eros, the passionate love of a man and a woman. The love John speaks of is the love of giving, or the love of submission; that’s the love of the bended knee; that’s the love of obedience.

To love God is to obey Him – that's the tenor of Scripture from the first recorded conversations between man and God in the Garden of Eden. To love God is to submit to His rule and to give Him our hearts completely. To to keep any of it for ourselves is sin.

John says, “This is love…” he immediately links it to obedience.

As love is misunderstood, so is obedience. Obedience finds its life in the death of self, or the cessation of self-rule. Many of the decisions I make today will be those of self-rule. As long as I choose that then I am jettisoning God-rule. John reminds me today that I am to live otherwise – I am to live as I have learned, in God-rule and trust Him to care for me wherever I find myself…

Father in Heaven,

Your love for me is perfect, complete and giving. Everything I have and am is a result of what You’ve given. Is it too much for me to live likewise? I pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit this morning to live in love and to walk appropriately in obedience – just as I have heard from the beginning of my understanding of who You really are – in Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.

That Road

8/24/2009

1 John 5:20 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. New American Standard Bible

Jesus is both God and eternal life – it says so right here in the verse above, “This is the true God and eternal life.” Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” and Jesus is God. How do you understand something like that? To be sure the one who doesn’t believe doesn’t understand. But again, in the verse above John states, “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. John seems to be saying we know that Jesus has come, therefore based upon our belief; we receive understanding so that we may know Him, that is God, who is true; through our knowledge of Christ and our identity in Him. The only way to find God is through God.

That sounds like a mouthful but through Jesus we know God and by knowing God we know and experience eternal life - forever.

All roads lead to Jesus Christ. It’s the same for me and my broken past and it’s the same for you. But only One Road leads to God – that is, Jesus Christ. He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; and no one comes to the Father but by Him. Period. Without Jesus, no God; without God, no eternal life…

Father in Heaven,

You gave the gift of creation and created us to participate in it with You. All of Your creation points to Jesus Christ, the Author of Life; and every road in creation leads to Him. Some stop in pleasure, some stop in bitterness, some stop in confusion, some stop in ignorance; but to the ones who persevere, all of them lead to Jesus Christ. And only One leads to You and Jesus is that Road. Thank You for the signs pointing me to Jesus, and thank You Jesus, for leading me to the Father – I pray in Your Name, amen.

For The Trinity and for Trinity

8/23/2009

1 John 4:20 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. New American Standard Bible

Yesterday, a friend of mine sent me an e-mail that his infant daughter was in the hospital recovering from a seizure. They’re not sure what happened or why, but he asked me (and apparently many others) to pray. Which I did.

Later in the afternoon, my wife showed me some comments on Facebook from some of the others who were praying and on the list was a person with whom I have aught and have had since the last day of this past school year; someone I need to forgive for decisions he made that affected me. (I was so mad at him, I wanted to kick his butt and I treated him very rudely.)

So here comes a request for prayer from (it now appears) a mutual friend whose little daughter is named, of all names, “Trinity”. And here comes a thought: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25-26) Busted.

So, today, for the sake of the Trinity and for Trinity, I forgive and will endeavor to communicate that forgiveness to one who is my brother; I’ll also ask for his. God takes this relationship thing very seriously and it is high time I did so myself…

Father in Heaven,

You’ve used Your word and a little girl to show me what I’m doing: harboring offense, unforgiveness, and hatred in my heart. I’m sorry and I repent. I admit some situations in life are difficult, but I agree that harboring offense and anger are extremely hurtful to me and my relationship with You. I pray for Trinity and for this brother who’s offended me and ask for healing for all of us. Thank You for bringing it to light – I gratefully pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Divine Roommate

8/22/2009

1 John 3:24 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. New American Standard Bible

Where do you live; what kind of home do you have? Wherever and whatever it is it’s probably familiar to you. When you’re out, you don’t usually find yourself in too much trouble finding your way home. When you’re there, you don’t forget where the bathroom is. When you lay your head on the pillow at home tonight, it will be yours.

John’s statement to us is simply this: the one who keeps the commandments of God (does what He says) lives in God! God is his home. The law is out the window because by the law we find slavery not freedom. We don’t have to wait for heaven because God promises at least part of it here and now – “I will be with you and I will be in you”, says the Lord. (See John 14 – same author as 1 John)

That means that I must always do what God tells me to do and ever seek Him so that I may know what to do. As I do this, my divine Roommate reveals more and more of Himself to me and together, we know one another more and more. I can’t know what God tells me to do if I don’t make time and space for Him. I can’t know Him if I don’t learn about Him. But if I do I get the assurance that I know Him and He knows me and we live at home together in perfect harmony…

Father in Heaven,

And Father of my heart, You have chosen fellowship as the means for us to know one another. Your promise is You will dwell in a cesspool like me because I choose to do what You command. Father, forgive me for doubting where You are – You’re at home in my heart by Your Spirit through Jesus Christ my Lord, in His Name, amen.

His Own Life as Booty

8/21/2009

Jeremiah 21:9 9 “He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty.

New American Standard Bible

Sometimes the will of the Lord is very unpleasant from the standpoint of our comfort level, but His will is never malicious to the ones He loves. In 1 John 2 John said His promise to us was this: eternal life (v 25). So, whatever it takes in this life to get the promise, no matter how bad it looks or even feels to get it, is better – infinitely – than resisting.

Jesus said, “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matt 7.14) Sometimes the gate looks impossibly small and excruciatingly painful or humiliating, but it is the path to the promise: eternal life – and the promise far outweighs the gate.

I will follow the Lord. This past year has taught me that to do otherwise (as I have done and have attempted to do) is foolish and futile. God loves me and has told me over and over, “Trust Me Paul and I will lead you through!” Amen Lord, may it be!

Father in Heaven,

You called Jeremiah to give the people of his day a word from You that they were horrified to accept – surrender to the Babylonians? NEVER! But that is what You planned for them; it was the path of salvation. And they ones who did lived, and the ones who didn’t died. I want to live; I want the Prize and I want to spend eternal life with You; so I will obey and follow You in whatever You say and wherever You lead knowing that if I do, the promise is mine and eternal life is the booty. I pray in Jesus’ Name.

The Light of the Son

8/20/2009

1 John 1:5 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

New American Standard Bible

The problem with the message John heard and announced to us is not the truth of what he was saying but the place where we tend to dwell: darkness. Paul said in 1 Timothy 6.16, that God dwells in unapproachable light – well, what’s that? God’s light is God’s truth. God dwells in the truth because God is the Truth. Apart from God (at least in this life) everything else is false or faulty; everything else has shadows.

So what is the point? The point is living in the light to grow, develop, and to bear fruit, no matter how painful, intense, humiliating, or revealing. The point is living to avoid the darkness. The point is fellowship with God, and what the light does to us as we make the effort to live in it continuously. Just as the earth and plants on the earth need the light of the sun to survive, so too, our lives need the light of the Son to survive.

Son-light helps me to live and causes me to accept who I am and Who He is. Because He is only and ever light and cannot be other than Who He is, I am called to live with Him in the light and exist accordingly. John goes on to say that if I walk in the Light as He is in the light, then I have fellowship with Him, because I have gone to where He is, and His sacrificial blood cleanses me from all sin. It doesn’t keep me from my choices but gives me cleansing from my choices…

Father in Heaven,

You are Light and in You there is no (and has never ever been) any darkness at all. Like a pale and tender shoot that has just broken out of the ground, I pray for the light to penetrate deep into my being and bring life, correction and all that is right and good. May I relish the Light and not resist – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Tend My Sheep

8/19/2009

John 21:17 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep." New American Standard Bible

Picture this in your mind: Jesus, Peter, and a large elephant (of guilt), strolling along the beach in the early morning; waves gently lapping, gulls squawking, cool air, a pink sky, and a light Galilean breeze. Jesus set out that morning to tell Peter something and by doing so, not to beat him up, but to restore, refocus, and recommit Peter to his true calling; it wasn’t to fish.

Peter had lost his perspective, as we all do from time to time, and Jesus came to dismiss the elephant, and get Peter going, back in the right direction; it wasn’t to fish. So Jesus said to him, “Peter, I called you to be a shepherd, now, tend My sheep. Someone else can do the fishing…”

The story in John 21 is the story of restoration, refocus and recommitment – and remembering that it is God who calls and commissions; and counsels us when we forget it's someone else’s job to catch the fish. His word to me today is, “Paul, do you really love Me? If you do, then remember what I told you in John 14:15, ‘If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.' How’s that workin’ for ya?”

Father in Heaven,

You moved upon a couple of your servants to write the following and it is my prayer to You today as I look at where I am today, where I was yesterday and where I’m supposed to be tomorrow. And what I’m supposed to be doing…

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way, still you're there right beside me.

And nothing will I fear as long as you are near. Please be near me to the end.

I will not forget your love for me and yet my heart forever is wandering.

Jesus be my guide, and hold me to your side, I will love you to the end.

Nothing will I fear as long as you are near.

Please be near me to the end.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, and a light unto my path.

You're the light unto my path.1 1 (Words and Music by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith © 1984 Bug And Bear Music Meadowgreen Music)

So I Read and I Read and I Read

8/18/2009

John 20:31 31 “…but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

New American Standard Bible

God told Jeremiah to write down all the words (the teachings) that He had given to him and to read the words to the people of Judah so that, “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.” (Jeremiah 36.3 NASB) God was warning them but leaving the door open for repentance and rescue.

John also wrote down what God taught him so that those who read may believe that Jesus is the Christ – the Messiah – the Son of God; and that by [reading and] believing [one] might have life in His name. God’s grace is revealed to us in His word – which we are to read and believe.

So who are we going to believe, God or man? In whom are we to place our faith – in the Lord or in men? Does the president of the United States (or any other government official) offer me life in his name if I believe what he says?

I would paraphrase John this way: “These words have been written so that you, an intelligent creature bestowed with God’s grace, may read; and by reading believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And because you believe what is written, you’ll have everlasting life as a result.” God’s word reveals my evil ways and helps me to turn from them and find life in Him. So I read and I read and I read…

Father in Heaven,

These brief and incomplete words don’t come anywhere close to describing the magnitude of the grace that You have poured out upon us by giving us Your word. All I can do is thank You, and faithfully read and apply these words to my everyday living so that I might enjoy everlasting life by their message. My life is to read and share Your word always – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Ought

8/17/2009

John 19:7 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

New American Standard Bible

The “Law” was this: “Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.” (Leviticus 24.16 NASB) Blasphemy was the crime of saying something about God that wasn’t true. The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy because He called Himself the Son of God and that just didn’t fit into their definition of God…

We all ought to die; we all, because of our crimes against God and each other, deserve to die – blasphemy or not. But God in His infinite mercy sent to us a Savior to die – not for calling Himself who He really was – as atonement for us for our crimes against God and each other. Where the Jews failed miserably was in the confusing of relationship with religion, and ignoring love for the sake of law.

I do deserve to die but my God has provided through Jesus Christ, a way for me to live. And because He has, I really ought to live relating to others as He has related to me – graciously, lovingly and considerately. I must forgive as He forgives and wherever possible seek mercy over law. Why? Because I really do deserve to die but instead He gave me His grace; and when I see the magnitude of what He’s done for me I ought to do the same for others.

Father in Heaven,

You don’t allow sin. You don’t put up with rebellion or sedition or pride. But You made a way for a sinner like me to find the two things I need the most: grace and mercy. As You have loved me by sending Jesus Christ, may I in response love others and cut them some slack knowing that they do deserve to die and don’t deserve the thing they need the most; but You made a way for them to have both holiness and divine health, through Jesus Christ. I will live for Him in response to Your grace today – amen.

Truth and Error

8/16/2009

John 18:37b Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

New American Standard Bible

The apostle Paul once said, “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Rom. 6.16 NASB) In talking with Pilate, Jesus was addressing a man who was a slave of error; that’s all Pilate ever understood. Jesus was trying to share truth with him but he was so caught up in error he couldn’t understand Jesus so he asked, “What is truth!?”

Whatever we understand (think) is what we live by (do), be it truth or error. Jesus plainly says He came into this world to testify to the truth. Whatever decisions we make fall on one side or the other; truth or error. How we live our lives, the friends we make, our attitude toward our culture – everything we say, do, or think finds its beginning in truth or error. And it is truth, the truth that Jesus came to testify to, that sets us free and it is error that keeps us bound. George W. Bush may have proclaimed the “War on Terror” but Jesus Christ struck the first blow in the “War on Error”!

I’m going to hang around Jesus and listen to Him tell me the truth, and then I’m gonna lovingly do what He says.

Father in Heaven,

You set out to set us free. You did that! My heart and mind have been so bound for so long by my stupid thinking and again this morning You’ve reminded me that You came to free me by Your truth – about me and about You. I pray for Your help in getting it, and keeping it. I pray for a clean heart and a clean mind. And I thank You for sending Your Son to set me free from error – I pray in His Name, amen.

Unity of the Trinity

8/15/2009

John 17:23 23 "I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me."

New American Standard Bible

When we listen to the words of Jesus in John 17, we hear the heart of God toward us; Jesus is actually praying that we believers be perfected in unity, as the Trinity is perfect in unity. The outcome being that the world may know.

In the Trinity there is no competition or jockeying for position. In the Trinity there is common purpose built on the foundation of undying love, selfless-service, and consideration for the others. In the Trinity there is absolute acceptance. In the Trinity there is unity in goodness, love, and purpose.

So, it’s no wonder that Jesus would pray for that for us – and the Key that unlocks it all is this: “I in them.” The only way for this to happen is to see and accept, respect and respond to Jesus in us. Only Jesus in you and in me, can create purpose on the level of the Trinity. That’s why it’s so important that I avail myself daily to Christ by the Holy Spirit, that I may be perfected in unity with my brothers in Christ and show a hostile and unbelieving world that there IS a God, and that His purposes prevail in His love…

Father in Heaven,

You sent Jesus to do Your work and that work was to reveal You to a select group of men and women who would then share Your love throughout the world. From that time Your work has never stopped and now centuries later, You’ve invited me to be a partner with You in that work. I pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit to continually reveal Christ in me that I may help others and that the proof of Your presence would show itself in our unity of goodness, love and purpose – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

The Point

8/14/2009

John 16:27 27 “…for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.”

New American Standard Bible

Jesus, in this brief conversation with His disciples, explains the entire point of all human life: “because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” That’s it! That’s the point of life. Everything else we know, do, and experience finds its place under that statement. All humans are created to know God through Jesus Christ and to believe that He came from the Father. That’s why He came…

I’m called (or invited) to rise up to a higher plane of living through Jesus Christ – I’m called to know God through Him and to receive God’s love, care, and direction because I believe. My belief is to keep me from doing stupid stuff and to experience the fullness of God’s love and life in my own. The Holy Spirit silently and powerfully illumines my eyes to the reality of Christ, and Jesus then leads me to the fullness of the Father.

Father in Heaven,

You love those who love Jesus. Loving Jesus means obeying Jesus and living as He did – solely to please You. Father, may my life be enriched and filled with You love today and may the result of that be loving people and doing my part to lead them to Jesus that He may lead them to You. For You love me because I love Jesus and have believed that He came forth from You – I pray in His Name, amen.

What I Truly Want

8/13/2009

John 15:7 7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

New American Standard Bible

In two places in John’s gospel Jesus makes a similar appeal – John 14.13 and John 15.7. Also in Psalm 37.4 we find these words: Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. The key is not what God gives however but what is in us from God that drives our desires. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and my WORDS abide in you…” – the key is the abiding word of Christ – the key is delighting oneself in the Lord alone.

Jeremiah ‘ate’ the words of the Lord (Jeremiah 15.15ff) and they became his joy and delight. As a result, Jeremiah was considered by his own people to be a traitor and a dissident because he spoke to them the truth about what God was going to do to them (he did and He did.) Jeremiah’s own people killed him. But even so, Jeremiah received the Prize – God Himself! All this happened because Jeremiah lived in God and God’s words lived in him…

It’s not popular to live in God and speak God’s truth. I probably won’t be thought of very highly if I do. But if I do, and do faithfully, I’ll win the Prize and that is what I want the most. What I want is God and what I desire is Him. Jesus said I’ll have to pay a hefty price to get what I want, but it’ll be worth it; it will be done for me!

Father in Heaven,

You’ve called me to come close and Lord, I do. You’ve called me to lived separate and Father I want to. May Your words bring me ever closer and may I receive from You what I truly want – You! I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Do As I Did

8/11/2009

John 13:15 15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” New American Standard Bible

What would Jesus do? Jesus, the Master, the Lord of all, would set an example that we should do as He did – get up, take off His outer garment, pick up a towel and a basin, and wash feet. But not only that, He’d exercise lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for [He delights] in these things,” (Jeremiah 9.24). What would Jesus do – He’d teach others about God and He’d live His life serving others by exercising lovingkindness, justice and righteousness.

I’m to do the same, but with one catch: I’m to do it as He did, inseparably linked to the Father through the Holy Spirit. And I’m to obey. When a friend asks for a favor I respond, ‘What do you need?” and I’m willing to do whatever I can to help (usually, more than necessary). God only asks the same thing. Where is my heart when God says, “…let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,”?

My heart must be where Jesus’ was when He said, “I gave you an example that you should do as I did to you.” Simple.

He Saw He Spoke

8/10/2009

John 12:41 41 “These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.” New American Standard Bible

What do you talk about? Of what things do you speak? Do you talk about family, friends, work, dreams? I’m guessing you talk about the things you see, or feel, or imagine. Isaiah spoke about God because he saw God’s glory (see Isaiah 6.1ff). If you saw God’s glory, what would you say?

Isaiah said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5 NASB)

Isaiah said a bunch of other stuff because he saw the glory of the Lord and the Lord’s love for His people. What he saw he spoke about and 66 chapters are recorded for our instruction and edification.

What’re you looking at? I’m guessing whatever has you mind is what you talk about. It’s the same for me…

Father in Heaven,

You are to be the Center of our focus and the One we talk about. You are infinite and wise and eternally good. May my focus be more and more directed at You and then Lord, may I speak about what I see – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Limitless

8/9/2009

John 11:23 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

New American Standard Bible

Martha knew Jesus’ presence meant something, but she couldn’t mentally conceive of Jesus calling Lazarus forth from the grave – that seemed to be the furthest thing from her mind. To Martha, everyone has their limits and even Jesus apparently was too late in getting there to help with the situation.

Sometimes it does feel like God is too late to help. Sometimes circumstances and situations seem so utterly impossible that it appears that even God has met His limits. Sometimes we humans are so utterly foolish that because of what we see or feel we arrive at the fixed conclusion that not even God can help. Then God does something we never could’ve imagined. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again…[today!]” At the moment, Martha’s mind would never have gone there, but she changed her tune by the next day!

More often than not it isn’t the miracle I’ve conceived in my heart that I receive, but the creation of new thinking, new faith, and new hope that’s the outcome of my impossible situation or circumstances. Believing in Jesus means believing in all that He is able to do, and accepting the fact that sometimes He appears to be too late. When Jesus shows up impossibly late, the fact that He shows up at all ought to be enough for me to cry our in joyous praise, “Jesus is here! Jesus is here!”

Father in Heaven,

Your word says, "The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" Your word assures me that You will never leave me or forsake me. Your word says that the work You’ve begun in me, You’ll see through to completion in the day of Christ – that’s enough. Though, at times, it appears You’ve forgotten or shown up too late, I will, because of what You’ve said, reject such foolish thinking and rejoice that You showed up at all, and are working every moment of every day to complete in me the work You’ve begun – I praise You and thank You, in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Differentiation

8/8/2009

John 10:38 38 “…but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” (New American Standard Bible)

The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” (John 10:33 NASB)

Their issue was differentiation – the Jews couldn’t wrap their minds around God being ‘in’ someone and God being good to them; to them, God was somewhere ‘out there’. Jesus was trying to explain to them that, that thought, was the root of their problem – God wasn’t ‘out there’, He was up close and personal. But the problem remained of Jesus’ miracles which they really couldn’t explain but accepted as ‘good works’. They wanted to accept good things from God, just not God up close and personal. You can’t have one without the other – the miraculous and the divine are inseparable. We still wrestle with that today.

For me the real issue is belief – either the goodness of God manifests His presence (i.e. His involvement in and around my life) or it doesn’t. I am to accept both the divine and the miraculous because both manifest the presence of God; and whether I see them or not, God is still in the miracle business; He’s still (miracle of miracles) in the process of redeeming me (see Philippians 1.6).

Father in Heaven,

Your manifest presence is in Your goodness and in the fact that You care about me. Thank You for the gifts You give and for Your presence that I enjoy. Help me to be careful not to differentiate but to believe; and to partner with You in the real act of redemption still going on in the world today. I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

So Jesus Was Saying

8/6/2009

John 8:31 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

New American Standard Bible

An argument ensues and escalates to the point where Jesus is the target of a stoning. Jesus explains what it really takes and it gets under their skin. Jesus was saying that commitment to the Kingdom means unbroken commitment to His words. And understanding who they really were, and why He really came. It made them so mad they picked up stones to kill Him…

The Lord does the same thing with us – He gently makes His point about what He expects from us and then uses our circumstances to get out attention. Some crumble in humility and draw closer to the Lord, and some lash back in anger; some learn the lesson and some persist in doing things their way.

God loves me and is continually – night and day – at work in my life. He is at work in me to perfect me and to let me be His partner in accomplishing good in the world. I have no greater calling and nothing I possess, thought, word, deed, family, possessions – nothing can stand in the way of that – He will see to it. But I must cooperate and put down my stones and follow Him wherever and however He leads. And do whatever He says…

Father in Heaven,

Be near me my Father I ask You to stay.

And may I not cringe at the things that You say.

Your purpose within me is to build a holy life

And free me from thinking that fuels self's strife

I am called to follow You no matter where

And cast upon You all of my care.

So in this life may I rise to Your standard in deed and in prayer

And be fitted for heaven to live with You there. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Fearful and Resolute

8/5/2009

John 7:52 52 They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.”

New American Standard Bible

On the outside Jesus appeared to be just another in a long line of those trying to seditiously overthrow the Romans and restore the glories of Israel. On the outside. But Jesus didn’t come to overthrow anything; He came to restore the Kingdom of God that was lost in the Garden the day Adam and Eve fell.

What the chief priests and rulers were saying was right – no prophet (i.e. messiah) was to come out of Galilee, but out of Bethlehem; but these Jews had amazing genealogical records and it would have been easy to see where Jesus' birthplace was if they had taken the time to do so.

The lesson today is two-fold: it is the fearful arrogance of men and the resolute unbelief caused by such arrogance. And though I am caught up in both, I believe Jesus came to set even me free from the traditions and misconceptions I have lived under for so long. Yes, it is true that I am a Gentile according to Jewish ways, but I have gained access to the Kingdom of God through faith in Christ – something an unbelieving Jew will never have unless he humbles himself before God and confesses with his mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10).

Father in Heaven,

Salvation is according to You and not men (I cannot pray thanks enough for that!) You sent Your Son to reveal Your Kingdom and Your ways to us men and He faithfully did as You sent Him to do. Now, may I faithfully follow in His footsteps as I represent Your Kingdom as an ambassador for Christ. I ask that You continue to purge me from arrogance and unbelief and that I would be a vessel fit for use by the Holy Spirit – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

I Truly Have Heard

8/4/2009

2 Kings 22:19 19 “…because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord.”

New American Standard Bible

King Josiah, the last great king of Judah, was not putting on a show, he was genuinely sorry for his own sins and the sins of his people. I’m certain he walked around for days with a broken heart. We’re not used to seeing our leaders doing that – the people back then were probably surprised as well.

But God saw Josiah’s heart. The king’s actions revealed his brokenness and God responded with these words, “…because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself…and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have truly heard you.” God responds to what is in our heart.

My prayers, words and actions must come from a brokenness that only God can see, and supply. I must remember that my situation and circumstances are carefully orchestrated by the Lord to bring me to the place of seeing my own sin and repenting with godly repentance. Because when I do – God responds. Then there is healing, then there is restoration; and then there is fresh faith to carry on.

Father in Heaven,

You truly hear the cries of the truly broken; the truly sorrowful and the truly repentant. So, I pray for brokenness, not that I may get what I want, but that I may know that You, the Lord of heaven and earth, hear me and respond. I sing the song of Psalm 37, trusting in the Lord, I will do good; dwelling in the land, I will cultivate faithfulness, seeking brokenness. I will delight myself in the Lord; and receive from Him, the desires of my heart. I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Stubbornly Submitted

8/3/2009

John 5:30 30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

New American Standard Bible

What if it is really true – that Jesus expects us to live so stubbornly submitted to Him that we can actually, truly say, “I can do nothing on my own initiative…”? And then say, “I will do nothing on my own initiative.” One goal of our relationship with God is to do exactly as His Son did, to give over complete control of our lives to Him, and live and do only as He allows. I know that smacks against our American mentality that we can do as we please; but maybe that’s why we need to replace that mentality with a heavenly one…

I am tired of all the stupid mistakes I have made as a believer trying to call the shots in my life; trying to control my own destiny and future; being the captain of my own soul. A true captain of his own soul simply sets a sure and steady course straight for God and does everything he can to keep his vessel – his jar of clay – headed toward the goal of, “I can [and will] do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” That’s the goal toward which I sail.

Father in Heaven,

All nautical analogies aside, You have called me to live as Jesus lived. What would Jesus do? Not one thing until He cleared it with You! May that be the pattern of my thinking and the actuality of my life – I pray in His Name, amen.

Fingerprints of Grace

8/2/2009

2 Chronicles 33:12 12 When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

New American Standard Bible

Distress, if seen correctly, is a good thing. It is for sure an unpleasant thing, but it isn’t a bad thing. Many avoid distress thinking they don’t deserve it or they completely misunderstand the grace and benefits of being dragged off to Babylon with a hook in their nose; bound with bronze chains…

King Manasseh of Judah as he is portrayed in 2 Kings 21, is a bad, bad dude; so bad, he’s apparently beyond reach. But in 2 Chronicles 33, Manasseh, ‘when he was in distress…humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers’ – the God he’d completely forgot about in 2 Kings 21. I think God’s fingerprints of grace are all over this one.

Recent distress in my own life has caused me to see things differently; to see things in a way that was otherwise impossible for me to see. That is the blessing and benefit of grace – even when it comes with hooks and chains…or whatever method God will chose to us in the life of His child. So, I thank God for bumps and bruises, and also for bronze hooks and chains; as long as I am enabled to see afresh, and His grace and mercy remains.

Father in Heaven,

You love me sooooo much! You care for me so much that You would throw Yourself in front of an oncoming car and take the hit just to save me. Kinda like You allowed Yourself to be dragged off to suffer and die on the cross so that I could be eternally free. And You allow, even orchestrate, suffering and distress in my life so that I can clearly see how high and how wide and how deep is Your love for me. Father, whatever it takes to make me into the man of God You created me to be – do not stay Your hand, I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.

Synonymous

8/1/2009

John 3:36 36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” New American Standard Bible

In John 3 are two masterful sermons: one by Jesus to Nicodemus and the other by John to his disciples. One is the testimony of Jesus about Himself and the other is the testimony of John about Jesus.

John makes an interesting statement in the last sentence of his message – he equates belief with obedience; “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life…” He who believes has eternal life but he who does not obey [because he does not believe] the Son will not see life. To John, belief and obedience are synonymous; you can’t have the one without the other. The true test of our belief is this: do I obey Jesus Christ with all my heart in all I do?

Obedience takes my belief out of theory and puts it into practice. Obedience is the weight of credibility behind my words. Obedience is the super-glue that holds my testimony of Jesus Christ to others together. Obedience is the thing for which I am (or will be) persecuted. My waking and closing thought for each day must be: “how am I doing in obeying my Lord? Is it obvious to others and is my conscience clean?”

Father in Heaven,

You have called me to believe in You, and in the salvation You’ve provided in Your Son, Jesus Christ. My belief however will only be measured by my obedience to my Lord. Therefore I will seek Him and serve Him and will make that the singular focus of my life. So, I will forsake the American Dream, and seek the Eternal Reality that is mine in Christ – in His Name, amen.