10.31.2010
Mark 8:37 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? ESV
Just this morning my wife and I were discussing our lives and the lives of our children and relatives. We weren’t talking about them in a bad way, being critical or judgmental; we were just thinking about the decisions we made in our younger days and perhaps the consequences of those decisions. Our conversation started on the topic of goal-setting and what it meant to us back then, and what it means to us now.
And then I read Mark 8 and Jesus asked the question, “For what can a man give in return for his soul?” Indeed.
We all are entrusted with a priceless gift – our very lives. What we do with them is mostly up to us . Sometimes things happen to us despite our best efforts; but for the most part, our time, talents and resources are ours to do with what we choose. Jesus asked another question: For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? In other words, what gain is it for us to live our lives solely for ourselves? Many of our life-decisions and goals are self-based and selfishly based.
The only answer I have this morning is this: to live the rest of my life trying to help others to come to know God and receive their life-goals from Him. I have a twelve-year old who needs guidance as he is on the threshold of his teen years. I have a nineteen-year old who needs counsel as to how to launch into adulthood. I have a twenty-year old who needs her dad’s encouragement and cheer-leading. And personally, I need to simplify my life, spending what I have left wisely as I make my way home to my Maker. The top of the corporate ladder? Nah! Unless of course, it helps me to reach my godly goal…
Father in Heaven,
You have given me my very soul and the older I get the more I realize it isn’t mine to keep; or to waste. My goal Father, is to invest what I have left into the lives of others and into Your Kingdom. I am sorry for what I have squandered and ask for Your guidance as I live out what is left – for Jesus’ sake, amen.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Who Prayed?
10.30.2010
Mark 5:29-30 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ESV
After touching Him, she felt in her body that she was healed. Whatever the sensation was, whatever her physical companion had been for twelve years, it was suddenly gone. Twelve years is a long time to carry pain, discomfort, and societal exclusion. He (Jesus) perceived in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He whirls about in the crowd causing no small series of collisions, stumbling, back-pedaling and confused stoppage asking, “Who touched My garments?” Great question, Jesus.
Jesus knew who touched Him – it’s called omniscience. Jesus in His humanity, was on such a level with the Holy Spirit and the Father that nothing was unknowable. That is the magnitude of the God with Whom we deal – nothing is unknowable. God never asks, who prayed? God never wonders what’s around the next bend. And God’s power is out-flowing to those who seek Him – even if it’s to one simply comes in faith not really knowing what is going to happen. She reasoned in her mind something would happen and came to the Living God and found out that He was immensely pleased with her desperate act of faith – I think acts of desperation are His favorites. You cannot come to God unknown.
So when I pray I needn’t worry that He hears me; He always does; He always knows; and His power always goes out.
Father in Heaven,
You sense and feel me when I feel about for You and today I feeling about for You – I need Your touch dealing with the things I’ve been dragging about for years. I pray for Your touch; heal me and help me – amen.
Mark 5:29-30 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ESV
After touching Him, she felt in her body that she was healed. Whatever the sensation was, whatever her physical companion had been for twelve years, it was suddenly gone. Twelve years is a long time to carry pain, discomfort, and societal exclusion. He (Jesus) perceived in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He whirls about in the crowd causing no small series of collisions, stumbling, back-pedaling and confused stoppage asking, “Who touched My garments?” Great question, Jesus.
Jesus knew who touched Him – it’s called omniscience. Jesus in His humanity, was on such a level with the Holy Spirit and the Father that nothing was unknowable. That is the magnitude of the God with Whom we deal – nothing is unknowable. God never asks, who prayed? God never wonders what’s around the next bend. And God’s power is out-flowing to those who seek Him – even if it’s to one simply comes in faith not really knowing what is going to happen. She reasoned in her mind something would happen and came to the Living God and found out that He was immensely pleased with her desperate act of faith – I think acts of desperation are His favorites. You cannot come to God unknown.
So when I pray I needn’t worry that He hears me; He always does; He always knows; and His power always goes out.
Father in Heaven,
You sense and feel me when I feel about for You and today I feeling about for You – I need Your touch dealing with the things I’ve been dragging about for years. I pray for Your touch; heal me and help me – amen.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Soil Conditioning
10.31.2010
Mark 4:20 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” ESV
When we plant gardens, we seek for the best conditions we can and pay close attention to the condition of the soil; whether or not we understand it, the life of the garden is in the soil. Yes, there are other factors, sun, water, warmth; but the soil is very important for the success of the planting. So we toil to prepare the soil. We remove the weeds and the rocks; we fertilize and condition the dirt. The best of intentions in the worst of conditions does not a good garden make.
The best spiritual soil is the soil that is conditioned by listening, accepting, and obeying. The best conditioning for the soul is to never forget that God is always present no matter the situation or circumstance. The most fruitful is the one who never takes his/her eye off of God (or away from His presence) and faithfully, by his/her life (thought, word, and deed) clings to God. Sometimes the fruit of that is a crusade where hundreds are saved; other times it is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; real-time fruit – real-time results. Fruit is to be consumed, not admired…
Conditioning soil takes know-how and time – oh, and perseverance. If the sum of my life on earth is to be fruitful (see John 15) then I can only imagine what heaven will be like…
Father in Heaven,
Touch me Lord that I may bear fruit for Thee – amen.
Mark 4:20 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” ESV
When we plant gardens, we seek for the best conditions we can and pay close attention to the condition of the soil; whether or not we understand it, the life of the garden is in the soil. Yes, there are other factors, sun, water, warmth; but the soil is very important for the success of the planting. So we toil to prepare the soil. We remove the weeds and the rocks; we fertilize and condition the dirt. The best of intentions in the worst of conditions does not a good garden make.
The best spiritual soil is the soil that is conditioned by listening, accepting, and obeying. The best conditioning for the soul is to never forget that God is always present no matter the situation or circumstance. The most fruitful is the one who never takes his/her eye off of God (or away from His presence) and faithfully, by his/her life (thought, word, and deed) clings to God. Sometimes the fruit of that is a crusade where hundreds are saved; other times it is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; real-time fruit – real-time results. Fruit is to be consumed, not admired…
Conditioning soil takes know-how and time – oh, and perseverance. If the sum of my life on earth is to be fruitful (see John 15) then I can only imagine what heaven will be like…
Father in Heaven,
Touch me Lord that I may bear fruit for Thee – amen.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
What Part of the Ministry do I Own?
10/28/10
Mark 1:12 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
The other night my Wyldlife leader asked the question, “What part of this ministry do you own?” As a former pastor and church-guy, the question resonated with me; I often internally asked that question of people – especially when they were absent or did something poorly and I knew they could’ve done a lot better.
Matthew and Luke say the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Leading seems a little kinder and gentler. But Mark says the Spirit drove Him out into the wilderness – what drives us? What part of this ministry do we own?
To de driven is to be moved to action by something greater or stronger than you. Or it’s to be impelled. Or it’s to be moved by some desperation. Jesus was driven – not against His own will but by His zeal for obeying God. Rarely do we see people that driven in the Church for the Lord. Au contraire, you may say. More often than not the only driving in the Church is to and from. We are mostly driven by distractions, not what is important. In the greater scheme of things what will really matter in our lives 10, 20, 30 years from now? What mattered to Jesus was God and only doing what He said and going where He sent. O for faith and zeal like that!
I’m gonna drive to work today because my lifestyle demands I must work – my bills drive me. But I need to think about my place in God’s Church and see what drives me there and what my motives are really about. What part of the ministry do I own?
Father in Heaven,
Today, on Your altar I lay all of my thoughts, hopes, dreams, ambitions, pleasures, and preferences. I pray to be under the compelling leadership of the Holy Spirit that I may do as You say and go where You sent – Father break my heart that it may be more like Yours – I pray in the Name of the Driven One – amen.
Mark 1:12 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
The other night my Wyldlife leader asked the question, “What part of this ministry do you own?” As a former pastor and church-guy, the question resonated with me; I often internally asked that question of people – especially when they were absent or did something poorly and I knew they could’ve done a lot better.
Matthew and Luke say the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. Leading seems a little kinder and gentler. But Mark says the Spirit drove Him out into the wilderness – what drives us? What part of this ministry do we own?
To de driven is to be moved to action by something greater or stronger than you. Or it’s to be impelled. Or it’s to be moved by some desperation. Jesus was driven – not against His own will but by His zeal for obeying God. Rarely do we see people that driven in the Church for the Lord. Au contraire, you may say. More often than not the only driving in the Church is to and from. We are mostly driven by distractions, not what is important. In the greater scheme of things what will really matter in our lives 10, 20, 30 years from now? What mattered to Jesus was God and only doing what He said and going where He sent. O for faith and zeal like that!
I’m gonna drive to work today because my lifestyle demands I must work – my bills drive me. But I need to think about my place in God’s Church and see what drives me there and what my motives are really about. What part of the ministry do I own?
Father in Heaven,
Today, on Your altar I lay all of my thoughts, hopes, dreams, ambitions, pleasures, and preferences. I pray to be under the compelling leadership of the Holy Spirit that I may do as You say and go where You sent – Father break my heart that it may be more like Yours – I pray in the Name of the Driven One – amen.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
As Close as My Heart
10.27.2010
Psalm 114:7-8 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water. ESV
This psalm says that when the people came out of Egypt that Judah was His sanctuary and Israel His dominion. This went against the belief that God was ‘out there’ and was intended to teach them that God is ‘now here’. Judah wasn’t the first-born of Jacob but was the fourth-born. But from the fourth-born came the ruler, the Messiah. Not the likely first-born, which they would’ve expected, but the unlikely fourth-born. Look for God where you least expect Him.
The psalm says that the earth trembles in the presence of the Lord – we need to emulate the earth, we need to do as it does by its nature. And here’s the point: God is the One who turns rocks into a pools of water… and does it in a desert! God told Moses to speak to the rock and out of it would flow enough water to quench the thirst of the people and their animals. Who looks for pools of water in deserts springing from rock? Only those who’ve learned to look for God where they least expect Him.
Psalm 114 is a song of encouragement and a song that helps me to remember that God seems to ignore conventional wisdom and the predictable. If God is predictable in any manner, it is this: He’s unpredictable. I need to remember that and tremble in His presence. I ought to do what the earth does: obey Him completely and even when and where it all looks lost. When things go bad and things get tough, I’ll look for God and that’s enough!
Father in Heaven,
You must delight in what appears to me as impossible situations. You must smile and whisper in my heart, “Look up! Listen! I am so close!” Thank You for this little psalm with such encouragement. Teach me to always look for You where I when I least expect You. Thank You that You are always close by – as close as my heart! Amen.
Psalm 114:7-8 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water. ESV
This psalm says that when the people came out of Egypt that Judah was His sanctuary and Israel His dominion. This went against the belief that God was ‘out there’ and was intended to teach them that God is ‘now here’. Judah wasn’t the first-born of Jacob but was the fourth-born. But from the fourth-born came the ruler, the Messiah. Not the likely first-born, which they would’ve expected, but the unlikely fourth-born. Look for God where you least expect Him.
The psalm says that the earth trembles in the presence of the Lord – we need to emulate the earth, we need to do as it does by its nature. And here’s the point: God is the One who turns rocks into a pools of water… and does it in a desert! God told Moses to speak to the rock and out of it would flow enough water to quench the thirst of the people and their animals. Who looks for pools of water in deserts springing from rock? Only those who’ve learned to look for God where they least expect Him.
Psalm 114 is a song of encouragement and a song that helps me to remember that God seems to ignore conventional wisdom and the predictable. If God is predictable in any manner, it is this: He’s unpredictable. I need to remember that and tremble in His presence. I ought to do what the earth does: obey Him completely and even when and where it all looks lost. When things go bad and things get tough, I’ll look for God and that’s enough!
Father in Heaven,
You must delight in what appears to me as impossible situations. You must smile and whisper in my heart, “Look up! Listen! I am so close!” Thank You for this little psalm with such encouragement. Teach me to always look for You where I when I least expect You. Thank You that You are always close by – as close as my heart! Amen.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Paul Was Free
10.26.2010
Acts 26:32 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
To which I would have responded, “Yes. O Agrippa, but he wouldn’t make it twenty-for hours because of the Jews that wanted to kill him!” Freedom for Paul wasn’t the best option because for one, he was already free in Christ and he had explicit instructions from the Lord to speak to the Emperor in Rome – one Nero.
Imagine today if caught up in the bureaucracy of it all one of us was being sent to the Supreme Court to testify to the madness in our legal system. Imagine if through all of the red-tape and regulation if one of us had the opportunity to address a joint session of Congress and tell them the truth about Jesus and the truth about governing and leadership. Imagine through false accusation and hearsay that one of us was to speak directly to the president and share what Jesus Christ has to say about agendas. Paul was free but he wasn’t free to just take off, he was under orders to get to Rome and speak to the highest ranking individual in the then known world about the Only true and living God.
Christians are already free. I am not free to just do whatever; I am free to sit and listen to the Lord and then go and do whatever it is He commands me to do. What a difference it would make if we all believed that. I cannot be set free unless God sets me free and I cannot be free unless the Spirit sets me free indeed. Freedom is not my ability to call the shots; freedom is the gift to know and obey God.
Father in Heaven,
You have set me free and with that freedom is the freedom to follow You and supersedes what the world says I can or cannot do. True freedom is true relationship with You; and true relationship with You is true love and true love is my obeying what You command – thank You for making me free – in Christ, amen.
Acts 26:32 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
To which I would have responded, “Yes. O Agrippa, but he wouldn’t make it twenty-for hours because of the Jews that wanted to kill him!” Freedom for Paul wasn’t the best option because for one, he was already free in Christ and he had explicit instructions from the Lord to speak to the Emperor in Rome – one Nero.
Imagine today if caught up in the bureaucracy of it all one of us was being sent to the Supreme Court to testify to the madness in our legal system. Imagine if through all of the red-tape and regulation if one of us had the opportunity to address a joint session of Congress and tell them the truth about Jesus and the truth about governing and leadership. Imagine through false accusation and hearsay that one of us was to speak directly to the president and share what Jesus Christ has to say about agendas. Paul was free but he wasn’t free to just take off, he was under orders to get to Rome and speak to the highest ranking individual in the then known world about the Only true and living God.
Christians are already free. I am not free to just do whatever; I am free to sit and listen to the Lord and then go and do whatever it is He commands me to do. What a difference it would make if we all believed that. I cannot be set free unless God sets me free and I cannot be free unless the Spirit sets me free indeed. Freedom is not my ability to call the shots; freedom is the gift to know and obey God.
Father in Heaven,
You have set me free and with that freedom is the freedom to follow You and supersedes what the world says I can or cannot do. True freedom is true relationship with You; and true relationship with You is true love and true love is my obeying what You command – thank You for making me free – in Christ, amen.
Monday, October 25, 2010
God Was For Him
10.25.2010
Job 16:19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. ESV
It occurs to me that Job was probably not a Jew, in the sense that he was a descendant of Abraham. Tradition seems to point to the possibility that Job (Where is the Father? Or, Hated One) might’ve been an Edomite or possibly one of the peoples of the East between Palestine and Babylon. Whatever the case, Job seems to have been influenced by the God of Abraham and like Abraham lived in faith in God. His story seems to fall in the time of the post-exile of the Jews which would explain his knowledge of God and his theology.
As I read Job I see bits and pieces of arguments on both sides of the discussion that would lead me to think that Job and his three friends had more than a surfacy knowledge of God. But it is important for me to remember that their knowledge of God was somewhat deficient. The difference I think is that Job seemed to understand that God was for him, not against him; a view that his three friends didn’t quite grasp. Job’s God was loving and forgiving unlike Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad who seemed to see God like most people do – a petulant divine Judge.
So, in reading this statement by Job today, I see an attitude of hope for someone who hasn’t a clue as to why all that has happened to him, has happened to him. Job has clung to his view of God and that is where he based his faith – God is for me and not against me.
My own view of God is faulty in that my view of Him is evolving all the time. There are certain things about God, His love, His mercy and kindness, His forgiveness and grace (NOT an exhaustive list…) that are non-negotiables for me. But despite my best efforts I still see the Lord through imperfect lenses and need to remember that even with that, ‘Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.’ And, if my God is for me, who can be against me [and succeed]?
Father in Heaven,
What grace and mercy and love it is that You are for Your people and You’ll use anyone and everything to make sure we know that. Thank You for the example of Job who seemed to believe in You despite the worst and You blessed him because he did. I ask for the same mercy – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Job 16:19 Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. ESV
It occurs to me that Job was probably not a Jew, in the sense that he was a descendant of Abraham. Tradition seems to point to the possibility that Job (Where is the Father? Or, Hated One) might’ve been an Edomite or possibly one of the peoples of the East between Palestine and Babylon. Whatever the case, Job seems to have been influenced by the God of Abraham and like Abraham lived in faith in God. His story seems to fall in the time of the post-exile of the Jews which would explain his knowledge of God and his theology.
As I read Job I see bits and pieces of arguments on both sides of the discussion that would lead me to think that Job and his three friends had more than a surfacy knowledge of God. But it is important for me to remember that their knowledge of God was somewhat deficient. The difference I think is that Job seemed to understand that God was for him, not against him; a view that his three friends didn’t quite grasp. Job’s God was loving and forgiving unlike Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad who seemed to see God like most people do – a petulant divine Judge.
So, in reading this statement by Job today, I see an attitude of hope for someone who hasn’t a clue as to why all that has happened to him, has happened to him. Job has clung to his view of God and that is where he based his faith – God is for me and not against me.
My own view of God is faulty in that my view of Him is evolving all the time. There are certain things about God, His love, His mercy and kindness, His forgiveness and grace (NOT an exhaustive list…) that are non-negotiables for me. But despite my best efforts I still see the Lord through imperfect lenses and need to remember that even with that, ‘Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.’ And, if my God is for me, who can be against me [and succeed]?
Father in Heaven,
What grace and mercy and love it is that You are for Your people and You’ll use anyone and everything to make sure we know that. Thank You for the example of Job who seemed to believe in You despite the worst and You blessed him because he did. I ask for the same mercy – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Strong Faith and a Changed Heart
10.24.2010
Acts 20:22-23 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ESV
One of the things that bugs me as we wait for the bank to decide what to do with our property is the not knowing what is going to happen next. I have it all planned out what we’re to do and then it doesn’t happen and I find myself waiting, waiting, waiting… Y’think the Lord is trying to say something to me?
I think about Paul’s comments here and wonder what I’d feel like if all I seemed to hear from God is, “And by the way son, in every town in which you preach Me your only reward will be trouble and hardship!” And Paul didn’t really appear to care so much about the consequences as long as he obeyed God. Different guy.
One of the things that encourages me about Paul’s life was his commitment to obedience to the calling of God; Paul was going to tell the truth no matter what it cost Him. Paul was constrained to speak out for God. Perhaps he really saw the madness of mankind in their varied and often whacko beliefs and in compassion and love tried to help them to see the Better Way. I kinda think he did.
So what I do is to pray each Sunday night in faith and not fear that God will lead us out of the financial mess in which we find ourselves and in the meantime we will trust Him with the outcome. That helps with the not knowing. It is sufficient for me that God knows and He will do what is best for us and we have to be happy with that – right?
Father in Heaven,
You designed us to not know it all; You wired us to be less than omniscient. But You also placed within us the capacity for faith and we are to live in faith in You and leave all of the results up to You. I trust You in the not knowing and believe You will help us as You see fit, not as we wish – and Your help is always better by far. And the results of hardship and not knowing are a stronger faith and a changed heart – that’s what I seek - Amen.
Acts 20:22-23 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ESV
One of the things that bugs me as we wait for the bank to decide what to do with our property is the not knowing what is going to happen next. I have it all planned out what we’re to do and then it doesn’t happen and I find myself waiting, waiting, waiting… Y’think the Lord is trying to say something to me?
I think about Paul’s comments here and wonder what I’d feel like if all I seemed to hear from God is, “And by the way son, in every town in which you preach Me your only reward will be trouble and hardship!” And Paul didn’t really appear to care so much about the consequences as long as he obeyed God. Different guy.
One of the things that encourages me about Paul’s life was his commitment to obedience to the calling of God; Paul was going to tell the truth no matter what it cost Him. Paul was constrained to speak out for God. Perhaps he really saw the madness of mankind in their varied and often whacko beliefs and in compassion and love tried to help them to see the Better Way. I kinda think he did.
So what I do is to pray each Sunday night in faith and not fear that God will lead us out of the financial mess in which we find ourselves and in the meantime we will trust Him with the outcome. That helps with the not knowing. It is sufficient for me that God knows and He will do what is best for us and we have to be happy with that – right?
Father in Heaven,
You designed us to not know it all; You wired us to be less than omniscient. But You also placed within us the capacity for faith and we are to live in faith in You and leave all of the results up to You. I trust You in the not knowing and believe You will help us as You see fit, not as we wish – and Your help is always better by far. And the results of hardship and not knowing are a stronger faith and a changed heart – that’s what I seek - Amen.
Friday, October 22, 2010
A Risky Expense
10.22.2010
Acts 15:26 26 ...men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. ESV
In many places in our world life is as it was back then: kill or be killed; eat or be eaten. There are still places in our world where men are so caught up in the local culture and beliefs that they will kill others to maintain them. There are of course other places like America where one is ridiculed with sarcasm, suspicion, and skepticism for belief in Christ. Many of our own elected officials for the most part have to have facts and science in order to live rather than faith.
Paul and Barnabas went into the world around them and proclaimed Christ. They paid the price for their proclamation by being slandered, beaten, stoned, and receiving death threats. And yet they were honored for being those who risked their live for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our faith is an ever increasingly unpopular reality in modern society. The Church is ridiculed as being weak, mentally unhinged, and full of hypocrites all because we give our allegiance to Christ – something the world cannot receive, achieve, or believe.
What is my life worth? What is the sake of Christ worth? How much risk will I expend today for Jesus?
Lord,
You are worth it all. May my life be a risky expense for You this day and may I consider my being as nothing compared to telling others about You and seeking to help them see just how truly worthy You are – amen.
Acts 15:26 26 ...men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. ESV
In many places in our world life is as it was back then: kill or be killed; eat or be eaten. There are still places in our world where men are so caught up in the local culture and beliefs that they will kill others to maintain them. There are of course other places like America where one is ridiculed with sarcasm, suspicion, and skepticism for belief in Christ. Many of our own elected officials for the most part have to have facts and science in order to live rather than faith.
Paul and Barnabas went into the world around them and proclaimed Christ. They paid the price for their proclamation by being slandered, beaten, stoned, and receiving death threats. And yet they were honored for being those who risked their live for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our faith is an ever increasingly unpopular reality in modern society. The Church is ridiculed as being weak, mentally unhinged, and full of hypocrites all because we give our allegiance to Christ – something the world cannot receive, achieve, or believe.
What is my life worth? What is the sake of Christ worth? How much risk will I expend today for Jesus?
Lord,
You are worth it all. May my life be a risky expense for You this day and may I consider my being as nothing compared to telling others about You and seeking to help them see just how truly worthy You are – amen.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
I Wonder...
10.21.2010
Acts 13:2-3 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. ESV
I wonder what difference it would make this year when our seniors graduate if we were to worship and fast with them at the end of the school year and see where God would call them. Then I wonder what would happen if we were to fast and pray and send them off…
Conventional wisdom says we should allow our kids to graduate, throw them a party, give them some gifts and let them go and sow some wild oats; they’ve earned it. Conventional wisdom says we should encourage them to get a job or enroll in college and somehow begin to make their way in life; they now need to grow up and live normal lives. Conventional wisdom says they should do as we did and grow up into adulthood with no clear vision as to what their life is to be about and go and live the best they can; it’s what we’ve all done. Sadly, tragically, millions of kids are just turned loose in life with little or no knowledge of its meaning or purpose or their place in it…
I wonder how many budding pastors and prophets (cf Acts 13.1) there are among us who are never nurtured nor discipled to turn their lives over to God to follow His leading because we just don’t take this part of the church all that seriously. I wonder if we would ever summon the courage to prayerfully and carefully tell them ‘no’ when they set their sights in the wrong direction. I wonder.
Father in Heaven,
I wonder how our lives would change if we began to take our faith more seriously and sought You earnestly not only for our own life’s direction, but also for the direction of our children and young people. May I be part of the change in the way we view our kids that they may effectively and purposefully take the gospel into the next generation.
Acts 13:2-3 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. ESV
I wonder what difference it would make this year when our seniors graduate if we were to worship and fast with them at the end of the school year and see where God would call them. Then I wonder what would happen if we were to fast and pray and send them off…
Conventional wisdom says we should allow our kids to graduate, throw them a party, give them some gifts and let them go and sow some wild oats; they’ve earned it. Conventional wisdom says we should encourage them to get a job or enroll in college and somehow begin to make their way in life; they now need to grow up and live normal lives. Conventional wisdom says they should do as we did and grow up into adulthood with no clear vision as to what their life is to be about and go and live the best they can; it’s what we’ve all done. Sadly, tragically, millions of kids are just turned loose in life with little or no knowledge of its meaning or purpose or their place in it…
I wonder how many budding pastors and prophets (cf Acts 13.1) there are among us who are never nurtured nor discipled to turn their lives over to God to follow His leading because we just don’t take this part of the church all that seriously. I wonder if we would ever summon the courage to prayerfully and carefully tell them ‘no’ when they set their sights in the wrong direction. I wonder.
Father in Heaven,
I wonder how our lives would change if we began to take our faith more seriously and sought You earnestly not only for our own life’s direction, but also for the direction of our children and young people. May I be part of the change in the way we view our kids that they may effectively and purposefully take the gospel into the next generation.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Learning through Experience
10.20.2010
Job 6:24 24 “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.” ESV
I fully recognize I have shortcomings, gaffs and sin. In my mind I have such good intentions but in my actions I have such poor execution. At the end of the day sometimes I just sit and reflect back over the day and think about my interactions with people, the attitudes I’ve harbored, and the words that have come out of my mouth. (I try to leave my thoughts alone because sometimes they’re just plain old scary!)
Today, I look back five years to when we moved to Baker and I think about all the water that’s gone under the bridge so to speak since then; a lot of life has passed and now I’m here to where I am today – and the water’s still moving.
Job seemed certainly befuddled by his circumstances and pain. Not only was he hurting physically but emotionally as well; he’d lost 10 children in one horrific incident. I’ve lost one child but I saw it coming; Job lost his and didn’t see it coming. His statement to his friend is something along the line of: alright Mr. Smarty-pants, if you know so much, and if I have done such evil as to deserve all this, then tell me plainly what I did to get in this mess!
Life is simply learning through experience. Sometimes we can learn by observing the mistakes of others but most of the time we learn best by our own shortcomings, gaffs and sin. I need to say to God honestly and humbly, Lord, teach me and I will be silent before You. Make me understand Your ways and help me to keep from going astray. I need to be taught of God, by God and from God. He seems to use my life and all of its experiences to get me to clue-in.
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for the experiences of my life from then until now. Thank You for Your partnership and leadership through it all and as it continues. Help me to be an astute student and to accept Your teaching in a posture of humility and gratitude. I look forward to an eternity with You where my classes will continue in grad-school. Amen.
Job 6:24 24 “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.” ESV
I fully recognize I have shortcomings, gaffs and sin. In my mind I have such good intentions but in my actions I have such poor execution. At the end of the day sometimes I just sit and reflect back over the day and think about my interactions with people, the attitudes I’ve harbored, and the words that have come out of my mouth. (I try to leave my thoughts alone because sometimes they’re just plain old scary!)
Today, I look back five years to when we moved to Baker and I think about all the water that’s gone under the bridge so to speak since then; a lot of life has passed and now I’m here to where I am today – and the water’s still moving.
Job seemed certainly befuddled by his circumstances and pain. Not only was he hurting physically but emotionally as well; he’d lost 10 children in one horrific incident. I’ve lost one child but I saw it coming; Job lost his and didn’t see it coming. His statement to his friend is something along the line of: alright Mr. Smarty-pants, if you know so much, and if I have done such evil as to deserve all this, then tell me plainly what I did to get in this mess!
Life is simply learning through experience. Sometimes we can learn by observing the mistakes of others but most of the time we learn best by our own shortcomings, gaffs and sin. I need to say to God honestly and humbly, Lord, teach me and I will be silent before You. Make me understand Your ways and help me to keep from going astray. I need to be taught of God, by God and from God. He seems to use my life and all of its experiences to get me to clue-in.
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for the experiences of my life from then until now. Thank You for Your partnership and leadership through it all and as it continues. Help me to be an astute student and to accept Your teaching in a posture of humility and gratitude. I look forward to an eternity with You where my classes will continue in grad-school. Amen.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Challenge of Faith
10.19.2010
Job 5:1 “Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? ESV
I’ve been told that the key to understanding Job is to remember that his friends were incorrect in their view of God. The first friend to speak is Eliphaz and he assumes that Job is in trouble because he’s guilty of some wrongdoing (see chapter 4, verse 7). Eliphaz’s whole case is that Job is being punished for something he did wrong. This was a challenge of Job’s faith.
Those who don’t know God work on a payback system of sorts and see almost everything in life as something reciprocal to a previous event – what goes around comes around (or something like that.) Listen to how people talk and they’ll tell you that most of life is some sort of payback – somebody up there likes me; you must be living right.
Fortunately, with Job we get to read the beginning of the book where we find God doting on His servant and speaking well of him. We see God making the case that Job loves Him and trusts Him no matter what. What happens to Job is because God thinks very highly of him. That doesn’t enter the mind of Eliphaz who thinks how we behave is how we win or lose with God. People around us think the same way – he must’ve done something or else this wouldn’t have happened…
The longer I walk with God the more I realize there is nothing I can do to earn points with Him – the biggest reason is: He’s not about points – or score cards or winning. God is about faith. Hebrews 11.6 says, And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. To please God is to believe in Him. If Eliphaz (or anyone else for that matter) would say: Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? I would answer by saying, “Eliphaz, let’s you and I talk to God together; He loves it when we pray.”
Father in Heaven,
You are helping me see that You have already done everything that needs to be done and I am the beneficiary of all of that. Help me to live in the reality of what You’ve done and trust You with all of the circumstances of my life – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Job 5:1 “Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? ESV
I’ve been told that the key to understanding Job is to remember that his friends were incorrect in their view of God. The first friend to speak is Eliphaz and he assumes that Job is in trouble because he’s guilty of some wrongdoing (see chapter 4, verse 7). Eliphaz’s whole case is that Job is being punished for something he did wrong. This was a challenge of Job’s faith.
Those who don’t know God work on a payback system of sorts and see almost everything in life as something reciprocal to a previous event – what goes around comes around (or something like that.) Listen to how people talk and they’ll tell you that most of life is some sort of payback – somebody up there likes me; you must be living right.
Fortunately, with Job we get to read the beginning of the book where we find God doting on His servant and speaking well of him. We see God making the case that Job loves Him and trusts Him no matter what. What happens to Job is because God thinks very highly of him. That doesn’t enter the mind of Eliphaz who thinks how we behave is how we win or lose with God. People around us think the same way – he must’ve done something or else this wouldn’t have happened…
The longer I walk with God the more I realize there is nothing I can do to earn points with Him – the biggest reason is: He’s not about points – or score cards or winning. God is about faith. Hebrews 11.6 says, And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. To please God is to believe in Him. If Eliphaz (or anyone else for that matter) would say: Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? I would answer by saying, “Eliphaz, let’s you and I talk to God together; He loves it when we pray.”
Father in Heaven,
You are helping me see that You have already done everything that needs to be done and I am the beneficiary of all of that. Help me to live in the reality of what You’ve done and trust You with all of the circumstances of my life – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Monday, October 18, 2010
What Job Saw
10.18.2010
Job 3:25 25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. ESV
There is a whole theology surrounding this statement by Job. There are many who think that what befell him was his caving into fear or his harboring of fear and that had he not been afraid way down deep where no one could see, he wouldn’t have fallen into the suffering he was experiencing.
As humans, fear is a part of our lives. We fear things, places and people. Even the most fearless among us would admit there are things of which they are fearful; fear is upon us all, save maybe the mentally impaired. Therefore all of us should suffer at the hands of God for the fear we carry around, right? WRONG!!!!
Conversations are being held about us in heavenly places. Yes, it is true Job may have had secret fears that gnawed at his faith but God didn’t punish Job for his lack of faith – God allowed Job to experience what he did so he could see the presence of God in the worst of circumstances and that's what Job saw. Job and his friends will spend the next several dozen chapters arguing but in the end Job sees God and is grateful and blessed when he does.
I fear things and my mind sometimes goes crazy on me but I always find myself coming back to my Safe Haven, the presence of the Lord. Circumstances don’t work out the way I want, relationships get strained but I end up trusting God in the midst and things seem to have a way of working themselves out. One thing is for sure: if I learn to trust God in His love then I will always benefit from whatever happens in my life because God is large and in charge.
Father God,
One thing is for sure: Your unfailing love for Your children; it never fails, falters, or fades. I trust You today not knowing what lies in front of me but knowing You took care of Job and fears aside You built him up for good and he trusted You. That’s where I want to be and I ask for You help to get there… amen.
Job 3:25 25 For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. ESV
There is a whole theology surrounding this statement by Job. There are many who think that what befell him was his caving into fear or his harboring of fear and that had he not been afraid way down deep where no one could see, he wouldn’t have fallen into the suffering he was experiencing.
As humans, fear is a part of our lives. We fear things, places and people. Even the most fearless among us would admit there are things of which they are fearful; fear is upon us all, save maybe the mentally impaired. Therefore all of us should suffer at the hands of God for the fear we carry around, right? WRONG!!!!
Conversations are being held about us in heavenly places. Yes, it is true Job may have had secret fears that gnawed at his faith but God didn’t punish Job for his lack of faith – God allowed Job to experience what he did so he could see the presence of God in the worst of circumstances and that's what Job saw. Job and his friends will spend the next several dozen chapters arguing but in the end Job sees God and is grateful and blessed when he does.
I fear things and my mind sometimes goes crazy on me but I always find myself coming back to my Safe Haven, the presence of the Lord. Circumstances don’t work out the way I want, relationships get strained but I end up trusting God in the midst and things seem to have a way of working themselves out. One thing is for sure: if I learn to trust God in His love then I will always benefit from whatever happens in my life because God is large and in charge.
Father God,
One thing is for sure: Your unfailing love for Your children; it never fails, falters, or fades. I trust You today not knowing what lies in front of me but knowing You took care of Job and fears aside You built him up for good and he trusted You. That’s where I want to be and I ask for You help to get there… amen.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
My Considerations
10.17.2010
Job 2:3 3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” ESV
Let’s get this straight – whenever God asks a question from one of His creatures, He already knows the answer – He’s just making sure the creature knows the answer. God knew where Adam and Eve were when He asked “Where are you?” (Genesis 3.9) God knows everything – even what we’re thinking about; even the stuff we think He doesn't know.
So God asks Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job…?” I suspect God knew Satan was well acquainted with Job. I suspect God knew that for some reason Satan envied and hated Job. I suspect that from Satan’s responses to God’s questions about Job. Have you considered My servant Job…? God knew he’d considered Job; God’s people are well known to God’s enemy.
What would be our response to God’s questioning as to our whereabouts and our considerations? God might ask us, have you considered My servant Essoanesso? and it might not occur to us that Essoanesso was even on God’s mind, let alone His servant. We might not realize where are thoughts are leading us regarding him or her…
God’s questions to me are to get me to remember who He is and who I am and for what I use my mind in my private moments. God knows. He wants me to know He knows and He wants me to know so I know. Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. (Pr 23:6-7)
Father in Heaven,
You know all and all who know You. May I be the real deal and diligently use my mind to honor You and others – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Job 2:3 3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” ESV
Let’s get this straight – whenever God asks a question from one of His creatures, He already knows the answer – He’s just making sure the creature knows the answer. God knew where Adam and Eve were when He asked “Where are you?” (Genesis 3.9) God knows everything – even what we’re thinking about; even the stuff we think He doesn't know.
So God asks Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job…?” I suspect God knew Satan was well acquainted with Job. I suspect God knew that for some reason Satan envied and hated Job. I suspect that from Satan’s responses to God’s questions about Job. Have you considered My servant Job…? God knew he’d considered Job; God’s people are well known to God’s enemy.
What would be our response to God’s questioning as to our whereabouts and our considerations? God might ask us, have you considered My servant Essoanesso? and it might not occur to us that Essoanesso was even on God’s mind, let alone His servant. We might not realize where are thoughts are leading us regarding him or her…
God’s questions to me are to get me to remember who He is and who I am and for what I use my mind in my private moments. God knows. He wants me to know He knows and He wants me to know so I know. Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. (Pr 23:6-7)
Father in Heaven,
You know all and all who know You. May I be the real deal and diligently use my mind to honor You and others – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Friday, October 15, 2010
God’s Hope
10.15.2010
Malachi 2:15 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. ESV
Boy, you talk about loaded! This statement is crammed with questions! Did He (God) not make them (the husband and wife) one? Why yes, as a matter of fact He did. And did He not use the (His) Spirit to make them one in their union (as a married couple)? And did not God (the One God of One) have an agenda in mind when He did so? You bet He did! And what was His agenda? Offspring that would love Him and seek Him. Who knew Malachi would say such things? Who knew we wouldn’t pay attention? I am blown away.
I see my mission in a vastly different way tonight. I see that my energy and efforts as a parent need to be focused more directly on my children as I lead and live a godly life. What is the One God seeking? Godly offspring.
I wonder how many parents in my town will consider that this weekend. I wonder how many will consider just what God is seeking next Monday when they bundle their kids off to school. I wonder what they’ll think as they turn on the TV with little-er ears just down the hall. I wonder what kind of conversations will take place in homes during the next seven days. I wonder if anyone will remember their relationship with God and what, if any, impact it will have on their kids or grandkids or neighbor’s kids…
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for the reminder of a few things today. Thank You that You are smack dab in the middle of my relationship with my wife and You have ordained that together we model and impart godliness to our kids. Father, I confess we’ve made many mistakes and I ask that You forgive us and empower us to follow You and that it may be evident to our watching offspring – in Jesus’ Name and by Your Spirit, amen.
Malachi 2:15 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. ESV
Boy, you talk about loaded! This statement is crammed with questions! Did He (God) not make them (the husband and wife) one? Why yes, as a matter of fact He did. And did He not use the (His) Spirit to make them one in their union (as a married couple)? And did not God (the One God of One) have an agenda in mind when He did so? You bet He did! And what was His agenda? Offspring that would love Him and seek Him. Who knew Malachi would say such things? Who knew we wouldn’t pay attention? I am blown away.
I see my mission in a vastly different way tonight. I see that my energy and efforts as a parent need to be focused more directly on my children as I lead and live a godly life. What is the One God seeking? Godly offspring.
I wonder how many parents in my town will consider that this weekend. I wonder how many will consider just what God is seeking next Monday when they bundle their kids off to school. I wonder what they’ll think as they turn on the TV with little-er ears just down the hall. I wonder what kind of conversations will take place in homes during the next seven days. I wonder if anyone will remember their relationship with God and what, if any, impact it will have on their kids or grandkids or neighbor’s kids…
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for the reminder of a few things today. Thank You that You are smack dab in the middle of my relationship with my wife and You have ordained that together we model and impart godliness to our kids. Father, I confess we’ve made many mistakes and I ask that You forgive us and empower us to follow You and that it may be evident to our watching offspring – in Jesus’ Name and by Your Spirit, amen.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Effective Listening
10.14.2010
Acts 3:22 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.’ ESV
What part of the food we eat today is going to make the difference in our life? The salad? The meat? The broccoli; the pasta? What part is going to help us the most? Or maybe it will be all of it; eating food today will make the difference in our life. What of what we hear will make the difference in our life today?
The Jews listening to Peter were big fans of Moses; they hung on every word Moses taught them in the Law. And I think they were ready, willing, and eager for a prophet like Moses to come along and kick the Roman’s butts and clean house. The disappointment came when this superman they envisioned in their culture never showed up. This Jesus guy sure wasn’t the prophet and political powerhouse they were expecting. But here’s Peter saying He was. All this time they’d been listening to God but believing only what their hearts wanted.
I must learn to shut up and listen; really listen. I must learn to live within my circumstances and let the Lord lead me through them with the right thoughts and the right attitudes. Life is a series of odd situations that are divinely designed to get me to ask, “Lord, what are You trying to tell me?” If I’m not careful and attentive I’ll miss what He’s saying. I think I’ve missed too much for too long. For me there are two parts to effective listening: hearing and doing. I must learn to be complete in my listening…
Father in Heaven,
You have much to tell me and I need to hear it all. I pray as we fellowship together that You would give me ears to hear and a heart to follow You wherever You lead in whatever You desire for me to do. Help me to model for others how to hear You effectively – I pray in Your Name, amen.
Acts 3:22 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.’ ESV
What part of the food we eat today is going to make the difference in our life? The salad? The meat? The broccoli; the pasta? What part is going to help us the most? Or maybe it will be all of it; eating food today will make the difference in our life. What of what we hear will make the difference in our life today?
The Jews listening to Peter were big fans of Moses; they hung on every word Moses taught them in the Law. And I think they were ready, willing, and eager for a prophet like Moses to come along and kick the Roman’s butts and clean house. The disappointment came when this superman they envisioned in their culture never showed up. This Jesus guy sure wasn’t the prophet and political powerhouse they were expecting. But here’s Peter saying He was. All this time they’d been listening to God but believing only what their hearts wanted.
I must learn to shut up and listen; really listen. I must learn to live within my circumstances and let the Lord lead me through them with the right thoughts and the right attitudes. Life is a series of odd situations that are divinely designed to get me to ask, “Lord, what are You trying to tell me?” If I’m not careful and attentive I’ll miss what He’s saying. I think I’ve missed too much for too long. For me there are two parts to effective listening: hearing and doing. I must learn to be complete in my listening…
Father in Heaven,
You have much to tell me and I need to hear it all. I pray as we fellowship together that You would give me ears to hear and a heart to follow You wherever You lead in whatever You desire for me to do. Help me to model for others how to hear You effectively – I pray in Your Name, amen.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
With All of What That Means
10.13.2010
Acts 2:21 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ESV
Saved, what does that mean? I think we try to make the word (or concept) into something it’s not. I think we’ve tried to make salvation into some kind of title to be earned. I think we’ve tried to make salvation into a weapon to be used. I think salvation to many, means being sure to keep all of the rules.
What if salvation meant accepted, connected, respected, and protected? What if salvation was simply being invited to a party that lasts forever? What if salvation was the act of becoming a friend? What if salvation was a deep down assurance that in spite of everything else, all is going to be well and I won’t be flapped by the ebb and flow of the world? What if salvation was the divine ability brought about by true love to become focused and remain focused upon only God in every circumstance and situation? What if salvation was a judgment derived by comparing what is in the world to what God promises and choosing God based upon the outcome of that comparison?
I am saved because I have been invited to His party. I am saved whether you see or agree with me on that statement or not. I am saved to be free in Him and free to love you in response. Salvation is neither cheap nor easy. And everyone who shows true interest in God and His Kingdom shall be saved with all of what that means…
Father in Heaven,
You save people but not according to their definition of the word – only according to Yours. You save people so that they may become acclimated to the truth which is way different that what we call truth here on earth. You’ve saved me because You’ve shown me that being with You forever is better that having it all here. I’ve called upon You because You’ve helped me to recognize that You are better by far – infinitely so. Blessed be Your Name and Your people – the ones who’ve called upon You to be saved. Amen.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
That Enabling Joy
10.12.2010
Nehemiah 8:10 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ESV
On the negative side, the heart that is attuned to God through His word can be shamed by what is revealed in the word. That shame can lead to sorrow and that sorrow to tears. But unless it leads to true repentance it’s a waste of time and God is not in the business of making us cry – He’s in the business of healing us and giving us joy. We must never underestimate the strength that comes from that joy. The positive side is that we remain connected to Him.
I have always believed this verse to be saying that it is somehow God’s own joy that is my strength. And while it is true that God is joyful over me, it is my strength in the New Testament sense that my life is producing joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If my life is producing joy, then I know in my heart that I am totally connected to the Father – apart from Him I can do nothing. That knowledge produces in me an assurance and sense of well being that what I am doing is pleasing to God. That is the Source of my strength.
Joy is not just happiness but is the deep down knowledge that I am completely connected to God – no loose ends, no fraying edges. And from that joy is a divine strength that enables me to do the Father’s bidding. Crying over spilled milk is not strength. Remorse is not strength. The joy of who God is and what He does in me is strength, and I am to focus upon and seek for that enabling joy.
Father in Heaven,
Your joy over me is my strength but so is my joy in You. Your joy is a gift You give to me to carry on and so I seek Your joy through fellowship with You and by devotion and obedience to Your word. And as I live my life with the necessary strength to do as You say others will be blessed and that this world be brightened by Your love and presence. Amen.
Nehemiah 8:10 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ESV
On the negative side, the heart that is attuned to God through His word can be shamed by what is revealed in the word. That shame can lead to sorrow and that sorrow to tears. But unless it leads to true repentance it’s a waste of time and God is not in the business of making us cry – He’s in the business of healing us and giving us joy. We must never underestimate the strength that comes from that joy. The positive side is that we remain connected to Him.
I have always believed this verse to be saying that it is somehow God’s own joy that is my strength. And while it is true that God is joyful over me, it is my strength in the New Testament sense that my life is producing joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If my life is producing joy, then I know in my heart that I am totally connected to the Father – apart from Him I can do nothing. That knowledge produces in me an assurance and sense of well being that what I am doing is pleasing to God. That is the Source of my strength.
Joy is not just happiness but is the deep down knowledge that I am completely connected to God – no loose ends, no fraying edges. And from that joy is a divine strength that enables me to do the Father’s bidding. Crying over spilled milk is not strength. Remorse is not strength. The joy of who God is and what He does in me is strength, and I am to focus upon and seek for that enabling joy.
Father in Heaven,
Your joy over me is my strength but so is my joy in You. Your joy is a gift You give to me to carry on and so I seek Your joy through fellowship with You and by devotion and obedience to Your word. And as I live my life with the necessary strength to do as You say others will be blessed and that this world be brightened by Your love and presence. Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Cutting the Honesty Corners
10.11.2010
Nehemiah 5:7 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them... ESV
Sometimes someone had to make a stand against those who are doing wrong – Nehemiah was that someone. He saw the evil that the Jews were doing to their own people and he confronted them for it; bringing charges against them. To take advantage of people who are having a tough go of it is wrong and it should be stopped.
I don’t see much stopping in our present day society – we seem to glory in our ability to take advantage of others who are having a tough go of it. Maybe it's because we recognize the depravity of the human heart. And now with millions of impending foreclosures, we’re having to eat the fruit of our wrong doing.
Greed is an insidious thing. An opportunity seen is usually an opportunity taken. Fire sales and flood sales are an opportunity to get rid of the crap but also to take advantage of the unsuspecting. Maybe it’s time we reset the valuation tables.
The problem though is not the tables but the heart. Resetting the valuation tables will soon give way to someone who is clever enough to mess with them to his own advantage. Such is the way things are when we are left to our own devices, devoid the counsel of God.
Father God,
You know the hearts of all men and You know what is wrong with all of us. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, help me to be honest in all my dealings with others, and to avoid cutting the honesty corners no matter how innocent it may look to me. May I walk in Your counsel and do what is right – amen.
Nehemiah 5:7 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them... ESV
Sometimes someone had to make a stand against those who are doing wrong – Nehemiah was that someone. He saw the evil that the Jews were doing to their own people and he confronted them for it; bringing charges against them. To take advantage of people who are having a tough go of it is wrong and it should be stopped.
I don’t see much stopping in our present day society – we seem to glory in our ability to take advantage of others who are having a tough go of it. Maybe it's because we recognize the depravity of the human heart. And now with millions of impending foreclosures, we’re having to eat the fruit of our wrong doing.
Greed is an insidious thing. An opportunity seen is usually an opportunity taken. Fire sales and flood sales are an opportunity to get rid of the crap but also to take advantage of the unsuspecting. Maybe it’s time we reset the valuation tables.
The problem though is not the tables but the heart. Resetting the valuation tables will soon give way to someone who is clever enough to mess with them to his own advantage. Such is the way things are when we are left to our own devices, devoid the counsel of God.
Father God,
You know the hearts of all men and You know what is wrong with all of us. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, help me to be honest in all my dealings with others, and to avoid cutting the honesty corners no matter how innocent it may look to me. May I walk in Your counsel and do what is right – amen.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A Common Christ
10.10.2010
Luke 23:12 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. ESV
There is nothing like a common cause to bring folks together. It seems when there is something to do there is energy, synergy, and a pulling together that is not normally known. Everyone is focused on the job and gitn'er done. In today’s reading the people in the book of Nehemiah were focused on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and it says almost everyone pitched in to get the job done.
In Luke 23, two rulers had a common cause: dealing with this Jesus Person who was causing them so much governmental grief; how do you solve a problem like God? The account in Luke 23 says that Pilate and Herod were enemies (and nasty political rivals) until the very day they had to deal with a common Christ – Jesus; it says they became friends from that day forward. I think they joked about it on subsequent days when they met at Starbucks for coffee or at the country club for a round of golf. It gave them something to talk about besides themselves…
The problem with common causes is that they end and then we’re left with now what? Common causes help us to focus on shallow things like completion but prevent us from connecting on a deeper level where we’d focus on issues of our hearts; common causes keep us from looking at the soul of another who may need help on a level that a common cause will only mask. That’s why we all need a common Christ and connection together with and through Him. That’s where and when we begin to see the hurts and the faults that we can truly minister to only with and through Him.
I must strive with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength to see my fellow believers through only His eyes; and help, comfort, or encourage them only through His heart – only through a common Christ will we live lives of meaning, purpose, intentionality, and effectiveness before God.
Father in Heaven,
You created us to be one with You and one with each other only through Jesus and by the presence of His Spirit. Help me today to focus on our commonality through Christ and to relate to others only in that way – I pray in His Name, amen.
Luke 23:12 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. ESV
There is nothing like a common cause to bring folks together. It seems when there is something to do there is energy, synergy, and a pulling together that is not normally known. Everyone is focused on the job and gitn'er done. In today’s reading the people in the book of Nehemiah were focused on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and it says almost everyone pitched in to get the job done.
In Luke 23, two rulers had a common cause: dealing with this Jesus Person who was causing them so much governmental grief; how do you solve a problem like God? The account in Luke 23 says that Pilate and Herod were enemies (and nasty political rivals) until the very day they had to deal with a common Christ – Jesus; it says they became friends from that day forward. I think they joked about it on subsequent days when they met at Starbucks for coffee or at the country club for a round of golf. It gave them something to talk about besides themselves…
The problem with common causes is that they end and then we’re left with now what? Common causes help us to focus on shallow things like completion but prevent us from connecting on a deeper level where we’d focus on issues of our hearts; common causes keep us from looking at the soul of another who may need help on a level that a common cause will only mask. That’s why we all need a common Christ and connection together with and through Him. That’s where and when we begin to see the hurts and the faults that we can truly minister to only with and through Him.
I must strive with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength to see my fellow believers through only His eyes; and help, comfort, or encourage them only through His heart – only through a common Christ will we live lives of meaning, purpose, intentionality, and effectiveness before God.
Father in Heaven,
You created us to be one with You and one with each other only through Jesus and by the presence of His Spirit. Help me today to focus on our commonality through Christ and to relate to others only in that way – I pray in His Name, amen.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Access
10.9.2010
Luke 22:3 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. ESV
Five times the word into is used in Luke 22. Satan enters into Judas Iscariot. The disciples follow a man into the home where they celebrate the Passover. Jesus tells them in two different places to pray so they won’t enter into temptation. Jesus is dragged into the High Priest’s home to be interrogated. What comes to my mind is access.
Judas left a door open in his soul and Satan took advantage of it and gained access and control over him. The disciples gained access into the secret disciple’s home so they could celebrate the Passover. They may have learned that there was someone else besides them who followed Jesus. Jesus instructed His disciples to remain focused upon God in prayer so they could prevent temptation to gain access into them. And Jesus was shoved into the High Priest’s home where secret interrogations were held and He was accused in private – not out in the open where the people could see what was going on; they weren’t given access to what the priests were up to…
Sometimes we ask, “What’s gotten into you?” or perhaps more accurately, “What’s gotten into him!?” In the Body of Christ we ought to ask, “What door did you leave open?” Letting my guard down is a dangerous thing and I must be constantly vigilant about that. So to remain vigilant, means that I am to remain focused upon God and alert to what’s going on around me. I am continually vulnerable to access if I’m not on my guard – one never knows what the cat may drag in…
Father in Heaven,
Here is my plea today: help me to remain focused upon You that I may guard the door(s) of my soul and not allow sin, satan, or self to gain access and take control – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Luke 22:3 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. ESV
Five times the word into is used in Luke 22. Satan enters into Judas Iscariot. The disciples follow a man into the home where they celebrate the Passover. Jesus tells them in two different places to pray so they won’t enter into temptation. Jesus is dragged into the High Priest’s home to be interrogated. What comes to my mind is access.
Judas left a door open in his soul and Satan took advantage of it and gained access and control over him. The disciples gained access into the secret disciple’s home so they could celebrate the Passover. They may have learned that there was someone else besides them who followed Jesus. Jesus instructed His disciples to remain focused upon God in prayer so they could prevent temptation to gain access into them. And Jesus was shoved into the High Priest’s home where secret interrogations were held and He was accused in private – not out in the open where the people could see what was going on; they weren’t given access to what the priests were up to…
Sometimes we ask, “What’s gotten into you?” or perhaps more accurately, “What’s gotten into him!?” In the Body of Christ we ought to ask, “What door did you leave open?” Letting my guard down is a dangerous thing and I must be constantly vigilant about that. So to remain vigilant, means that I am to remain focused upon God and alert to what’s going on around me. I am continually vulnerable to access if I’m not on my guard – one never knows what the cat may drag in…
Father in Heaven,
Here is my plea today: help me to remain focused upon You that I may guard the door(s) of my soul and not allow sin, satan, or self to gain access and take control – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Fix is In
10.8.2010
Ezra 10:3 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law ESV
You can’t unscramble an egg; once the milk is spilled it’s best to leave it to the pets to clean up. Religion says “fix it”; relationship says ‘together let’s work this out with God’s help.’ I can’t imagine how many of these wives and children were turned away just because one day they were acceptable, and the next they weren’t. Sounds like a social nightmare.
There are at least a couple different ways to deal with sin. One is to diligently avoid it; another is to truthfully confess and humbly repent. But with repenting and confessing there also must be the appropriate action taken to live with the consequences. That may mean taking extra measures to care for one who’s been hurt through no fault of their own. That may mean asking for forgiveness from and seeking to repair the breach that’s been created by such thoughtlessness. And then there is to do what is right before God and follow His lead in making amends – seems to me that not very often does this happen…
Putting away the wives and the children might’ve been the fix religion required but I don’t think it honored God or helped hurt people in the long run. Sometimes I might just have to live with the truth of the pain I’ve caused and to seek to restore relationships I’ve damaged…
Father in Heaven,
You call me to live a holy and separate life and may I do that with Your help – avoiding sin and dealing with it appropriately when I miss the mark. May I be wise to stay away from it in the first place, and to man up whenever I falter. In all of life may I seek to honor You – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Ezra 10:3 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law ESV
You can’t unscramble an egg; once the milk is spilled it’s best to leave it to the pets to clean up. Religion says “fix it”; relationship says ‘together let’s work this out with God’s help.’ I can’t imagine how many of these wives and children were turned away just because one day they were acceptable, and the next they weren’t. Sounds like a social nightmare.
There are at least a couple different ways to deal with sin. One is to diligently avoid it; another is to truthfully confess and humbly repent. But with repenting and confessing there also must be the appropriate action taken to live with the consequences. That may mean taking extra measures to care for one who’s been hurt through no fault of their own. That may mean asking for forgiveness from and seeking to repair the breach that’s been created by such thoughtlessness. And then there is to do what is right before God and follow His lead in making amends – seems to me that not very often does this happen…
Putting away the wives and the children might’ve been the fix religion required but I don’t think it honored God or helped hurt people in the long run. Sometimes I might just have to live with the truth of the pain I’ve caused and to seek to restore relationships I’ve damaged…
Father in Heaven,
You call me to live a holy and separate life and may I do that with Your help – avoiding sin and dealing with it appropriately when I miss the mark. May I be wise to stay away from it in the first place, and to man up whenever I falter. In all of life may I seek to honor You – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Facing Forced Faith
10.7.2010
Ezra 8:22 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” ESV
As you may know from reading my devotional thoughts, I love the vulnerable honesty portrayed in the Bible. Ezra 8.22 is one of those Kodak moments when somebody stopped to realize that by his words and boasting about the Lord, he had placed himself directly between a rock and a hard place, and maybe put God on the spot. Ezra may have, for a moment, realized that he might’ve possibly said too much too soon.
His statement is true – the hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him – that is true; but that was a pretty bold statement to make considering the length of the journey and the history of the incidents along the route – Ezra and his people may have been easy pickings against a marauding band of thieves; and because travel back and forth on the journey was so few and far between, they may have ended up buried out in the sand and nobody would’ve been the wiser for some time. So, if God is protecting me why should I pack along a weapon to defend myself against those who might consider me easy pickings? Am I just being wise or am I facing the dilemma of forced faith? Ezra was, so he made sure he stopped to get God to go along with what he’d committed Him to…
Sometimes, I think I face forced faith because I say and do things, and then need God to come through on my thoughtlessness and stupidity lest I end up looking like a complete idiot while trying to represent God in a positive light. I usually cannot out-think my next move but I know God can, and God often intervenes for me when I do because the truth is: the hand of God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Ro 8:28 ESV)
Father God,
Thank You for coming through for me when I put myself in situations where my faith seems forced. Help me to live wisely and humbly and honestly before You and men even when I say and do things that put You on the spot… amen.
Ezra 8:22 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” ESV
As you may know from reading my devotional thoughts, I love the vulnerable honesty portrayed in the Bible. Ezra 8.22 is one of those Kodak moments when somebody stopped to realize that by his words and boasting about the Lord, he had placed himself directly between a rock and a hard place, and maybe put God on the spot. Ezra may have, for a moment, realized that he might’ve possibly said too much too soon.
His statement is true – the hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him – that is true; but that was a pretty bold statement to make considering the length of the journey and the history of the incidents along the route – Ezra and his people may have been easy pickings against a marauding band of thieves; and because travel back and forth on the journey was so few and far between, they may have ended up buried out in the sand and nobody would’ve been the wiser for some time. So, if God is protecting me why should I pack along a weapon to defend myself against those who might consider me easy pickings? Am I just being wise or am I facing the dilemma of forced faith? Ezra was, so he made sure he stopped to get God to go along with what he’d committed Him to…
Sometimes, I think I face forced faith because I say and do things, and then need God to come through on my thoughtlessness and stupidity lest I end up looking like a complete idiot while trying to represent God in a positive light. I usually cannot out-think my next move but I know God can, and God often intervenes for me when I do because the truth is: the hand of God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Ro 8:28 ESV)
Father God,
Thank You for coming through for me when I put myself in situations where my faith seems forced. Help me to live wisely and humbly and honestly before You and men even when I say and do things that put You on the spot… amen.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
In Stages
10.6.2010
Luke 19:11 11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. ESV
The second stanza of Amazing Grace has the line, How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed. I’m not so sure grace appeared all that precious to me at that hour – I think my realization of grace came many years later. I had some pretty weird notions of the Kingdom of God that needed to be corrected the hour I first believed.
It appears the people around Jesus had some pretty weird notions as well – the verse above says they supposed the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately. When does the Kingdom of God appear? When does grace appear precious? For some it's sooner than later and for others it's later than sooner. And for all of us the Kingdom of God comes in stages. It is true that God’s love is unconditional but along the line there has to be some conditioning and unlearning that has to take place in us.
Grace is more precious to me today than it was in 1983 when I made the choice to give all of my life to Jesus Christ and submit to His lordship. But the Kingdom has, in stages, become more precious to me as well; it didn’t happen all at once. Jesus proceeded to tell a parable because they needed to hear a parable in order to understand what was about to happen and to understand that the Kingdom comes in stages of conditioning, experience, and understanding. Wherever we are today, at whatever stage, the Kingdom has come and is coming.
Father God,
You are all-wise and all-knowing and You reveal Yourself in incremental ways that I can incrementally understand. Grace is more precious to me now because You have proven Yourself over and over to me. May I simply be more attentive and more attuned to Your love and presence as You help me to understand what comes next – thank You – amen.
Luke 19:11 11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. ESV
The second stanza of Amazing Grace has the line, How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed. I’m not so sure grace appeared all that precious to me at that hour – I think my realization of grace came many years later. I had some pretty weird notions of the Kingdom of God that needed to be corrected the hour I first believed.
It appears the people around Jesus had some pretty weird notions as well – the verse above says they supposed the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately. When does the Kingdom of God appear? When does grace appear precious? For some it's sooner than later and for others it's later than sooner. And for all of us the Kingdom of God comes in stages. It is true that God’s love is unconditional but along the line there has to be some conditioning and unlearning that has to take place in us.
Grace is more precious to me today than it was in 1983 when I made the choice to give all of my life to Jesus Christ and submit to His lordship. But the Kingdom has, in stages, become more precious to me as well; it didn’t happen all at once. Jesus proceeded to tell a parable because they needed to hear a parable in order to understand what was about to happen and to understand that the Kingdom comes in stages of conditioning, experience, and understanding. Wherever we are today, at whatever stage, the Kingdom has come and is coming.
Father God,
You are all-wise and all-knowing and You reveal Yourself in incremental ways that I can incrementally understand. Grace is more precious to me now because You have proven Yourself over and over to me. May I simply be more attentive and more attuned to Your love and presence as You help me to understand what comes next – thank You – amen.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
What Heaven Requires
10.5.2010
Luke 18:26 26 “Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”” ESV
The people around Jesus that day (cf. Luke 18) were aghast to hear Jesus say how hard it was for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 18.24, 25). They viewed the rich as having a leg-up on the rest of the population. Their mentality was, if anyone could do it, surely the rich could – they had the means for everything; they could do anything! I think we think of the rich the same way. I think we think about riches the same way – a gateway for opportunity.
Who wouldn’t want to have the means to have nice things, live in a nice house, drive a nice care; live in a nice neighborhood? Who wouldn’t want to have the means to buy whatever their heart desired, to travel, to give generously to noble causes? These things would be nice but could also become a noose. Then as now money, and the abundance of it, can be a snare. Then as now, they misunderstood money and what it does to people.
What Jesus might’ve been pointing out is that an abundance of money can lead to a lack of need for God. Jesus may have been pointing out that money in many people’s reality, replaces God. And Jesus might’ve been pointing out that entrance into heaven is hard for anyone who thinks they can obtain it by anything other than faith. Heaven requires as much faith for the rich as it does for the poor; and the only way to please God is through faith…
I admit I’ve held a perverted view of money and wealth – and indebtedness – for many years. Mostly I’ve used my money to chase my dreams and satisfy myself. My goal in the closing chapters of my life is to learn to use my money for what it was intended and to please God with a life of faithful dependence upon Him. I know from my track record that more money doesn’t solve my problems – it only exacerbates them; what I need is His wisdom in handling my money.
Father in Heaven,
You have given to me everything I need for life and godliness. Help me to use all of the resources I have to live life with godliness. I pray wisdom is using my money and to grow in my trust of You and Your provision. I’m not praying for a change in my bank-account – I’m praying for a change in my heart – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Luke 18:26 26 “Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”” ESV
The people around Jesus that day (cf. Luke 18) were aghast to hear Jesus say how hard it was for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 18.24, 25). They viewed the rich as having a leg-up on the rest of the population. Their mentality was, if anyone could do it, surely the rich could – they had the means for everything; they could do anything! I think we think of the rich the same way. I think we think about riches the same way – a gateway for opportunity.
Who wouldn’t want to have the means to have nice things, live in a nice house, drive a nice care; live in a nice neighborhood? Who wouldn’t want to have the means to buy whatever their heart desired, to travel, to give generously to noble causes? These things would be nice but could also become a noose. Then as now money, and the abundance of it, can be a snare. Then as now, they misunderstood money and what it does to people.
What Jesus might’ve been pointing out is that an abundance of money can lead to a lack of need for God. Jesus may have been pointing out that money in many people’s reality, replaces God. And Jesus might’ve been pointing out that entrance into heaven is hard for anyone who thinks they can obtain it by anything other than faith. Heaven requires as much faith for the rich as it does for the poor; and the only way to please God is through faith…
I admit I’ve held a perverted view of money and wealth – and indebtedness – for many years. Mostly I’ve used my money to chase my dreams and satisfy myself. My goal in the closing chapters of my life is to learn to use my money for what it was intended and to please God with a life of faithful dependence upon Him. I know from my track record that more money doesn’t solve my problems – it only exacerbates them; what I need is His wisdom in handling my money.
Father in Heaven,
You have given to me everything I need for life and godliness. Help me to use all of the resources I have to live life with godliness. I pray wisdom is using my money and to grow in my trust of You and Your provision. I’m not praying for a change in my bank-account – I’m praying for a change in my heart – in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Only One with Breath
10.4.2010
Luke 17:18 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ESV
In Psalm 150 the last verse in the psalm is, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” We might say, “let everything that has breath use it to praise the Lord!” Leprosy is a very serious contagious disease and to be miraculously freed from it would be a big deal. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! But not everything – nor everyone – does.
One of Jesus’ biggest obstacles in preaching the Kingdom of God was the cultural belief among the Jews that despite their circumstances, they believed they’d already made it, and were acceptable to God because of who they were and what they’d done. They took their relationship with God for granted. They looked back upon their history as a people and celebrated all of their victories not because God helped them, but because they were Jews; they were survivors; they always made a comeback. As a result, they were mostly arrogant and proud, and had accepted the victim mentality that is so prevalent among many people today. Their religion was sugar-coating to what they really thought of themselves.
So it’s no wonder out of the ten lepers healed in Luke 17 only one came back with breath to praise God – the other nine simply went their way.
I must not take God for granted nor must I allow myself to come to Him with a long list of favors; at least I shouldn’t without praising Him and celebrating who He is first. I need things from God but rather than nagging Him with my wants and needs, I must learn to thank Him for what He’s doing and has already done. He says He knows my needs, so rather that continually reminding Him of them I ought to praise and thank Him for meeting them; He’s working it all out on my behalf. And I must obey Him in what I already know He has said to do – let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for what You are doing in my life and thank You for what You always provide. May I diminish in taking You for granted and may I learn to trust You and praise You that You always give me just what I need to grow closer to You. Hallelujah. Amen.
Luke 17:18 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ESV
In Psalm 150 the last verse in the psalm is, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” We might say, “let everything that has breath use it to praise the Lord!” Leprosy is a very serious contagious disease and to be miraculously freed from it would be a big deal. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! But not everything – nor everyone – does.
One of Jesus’ biggest obstacles in preaching the Kingdom of God was the cultural belief among the Jews that despite their circumstances, they believed they’d already made it, and were acceptable to God because of who they were and what they’d done. They took their relationship with God for granted. They looked back upon their history as a people and celebrated all of their victories not because God helped them, but because they were Jews; they were survivors; they always made a comeback. As a result, they were mostly arrogant and proud, and had accepted the victim mentality that is so prevalent among many people today. Their religion was sugar-coating to what they really thought of themselves.
So it’s no wonder out of the ten lepers healed in Luke 17 only one came back with breath to praise God – the other nine simply went their way.
I must not take God for granted nor must I allow myself to come to Him with a long list of favors; at least I shouldn’t without praising Him and celebrating who He is first. I need things from God but rather than nagging Him with my wants and needs, I must learn to thank Him for what He’s doing and has already done. He says He knows my needs, so rather that continually reminding Him of them I ought to praise and thank Him for meeting them; He’s working it all out on my behalf. And I must obey Him in what I already know He has said to do – let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for what You are doing in my life and thank You for what You always provide. May I diminish in taking You for granted and may I learn to trust You and praise You that You always give me just what I need to grow closer to You. Hallelujah. Amen.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Teach Him What He Will Learn
10.3.2010
Psalm 138:8 8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
In Philippians 1 there is a verse that goes, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of Christ.” What this verse does not say is that I will be completely cooperative in the process. What it does say is that God will keep at it until my life expires here on earth. The Lord will work in me as far as I cooperate with Him. When I went to work at my local firm I was told by my trainer that the owner had said, teach him what he will learn.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me – His steadfast love endures forever; but that doesn’t mean mine does, nor does it mean that I will learn every lesson. My purpose is already established with God who will use me just as I am and will always be – He is not limited by my limitations, but is completely able to fulfill His purpose in me (and with me) despite my limitations – He’s completely comfortable with that.
I can only aspire to be fully me and to learn from God all that I am able to learn. He’ll fulfill His purpose in me regardless of where I am in the process. This also takes the pressure off of me of trying to be someone I’m not. And it also motivates me to be closer to God and to spend the time it takes for me to learn from Him all I can and to understand that I am not in control of the process at all – all I can do is be present to His presence. I can’t know it all but I am free to choose to hang out with God.
Father in Heaven,
You are fulfilling Your purpose in me and with me. I’ll relax in Your steadfast love and trust in Your working with my life. Help me to learn what I can and to be stretched when necessary. Strengthen me and cause me to walk only on the path You’ve ordained –praying in Christ’s Name, amen.
Psalm 138:8 8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
In Philippians 1 there is a verse that goes, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of Christ.” What this verse does not say is that I will be completely cooperative in the process. What it does say is that God will keep at it until my life expires here on earth. The Lord will work in me as far as I cooperate with Him. When I went to work at my local firm I was told by my trainer that the owner had said, teach him what he will learn.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me – His steadfast love endures forever; but that doesn’t mean mine does, nor does it mean that I will learn every lesson. My purpose is already established with God who will use me just as I am and will always be – He is not limited by my limitations, but is completely able to fulfill His purpose in me (and with me) despite my limitations – He’s completely comfortable with that.
I can only aspire to be fully me and to learn from God all that I am able to learn. He’ll fulfill His purpose in me regardless of where I am in the process. This also takes the pressure off of me of trying to be someone I’m not. And it also motivates me to be closer to God and to spend the time it takes for me to learn from Him all I can and to understand that I am not in control of the process at all – all I can do is be present to His presence. I can’t know it all but I am free to choose to hang out with God.
Father in Heaven,
You are fulfilling Your purpose in me and with me. I’ll relax in Your steadfast love and trust in Your working with my life. Help me to learn what I can and to be stretched when necessary. Strengthen me and cause me to walk only on the path You’ve ordained –praying in Christ’s Name, amen.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
The Gift of Nothing
10.2.2010
Luke 15:16 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. ESV
Jesus was very effective in painting word pictures. He describes the son in this parable in a way that we pity him, or at least we might. Imagine being somewhere among foreign people who know nothing of you and care nothing for you. Imagine running out of your last bit of money and finally awakening to the fact that you have nothing and nobody seems to be giving anything. Sounds like a possible recipe for tough times. But consider the richness of the gift of nothing.
The son was full of himself as long as he had something. He was full of selfishness and ignorance as long as there was a balance in the checkbook. He was even full all-about-me as he was out feeding the pigs (an especially loathsome word-picture for the listening Jew). And at last he realizes he’s flat broke and nobody is gonna give him a thing.
Interestingly, it is only then he receives the richness of nothing; only when all hope was gone that his senses returned. He was materially rich but without his senses. Only when he became direly destitute did he have his light-bulb moment: dad!
I marvel at the schemes I come up with these days to better my circumstances, to try to put a plus-side to my account balance. It is only when I realize that I have nothing – no bailouts, no TARP, no welfare, no nothing and nobody gives a damn – that I realize what I have in Jesus. The only One who is going to really help me is the only One who really cares – the Lord. Sometimes it just takes embracing at a negative balance in the checkbook to remember that…
Father in Heaven,
Sometimes it feels like You’re just waiting for me to embrace the gift of nothing so that I can remember that apart from You, that’s all I have. Help me to die to my schemes and dreams and to live in the reality that You are continually providing for me a way out if I will embrace it and trust You. Amen.
Luke 15:16 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. ESV
Jesus was very effective in painting word pictures. He describes the son in this parable in a way that we pity him, or at least we might. Imagine being somewhere among foreign people who know nothing of you and care nothing for you. Imagine running out of your last bit of money and finally awakening to the fact that you have nothing and nobody seems to be giving anything. Sounds like a possible recipe for tough times. But consider the richness of the gift of nothing.
The son was full of himself as long as he had something. He was full of selfishness and ignorance as long as there was a balance in the checkbook. He was even full all-about-me as he was out feeding the pigs (an especially loathsome word-picture for the listening Jew). And at last he realizes he’s flat broke and nobody is gonna give him a thing.
Interestingly, it is only then he receives the richness of nothing; only when all hope was gone that his senses returned. He was materially rich but without his senses. Only when he became direly destitute did he have his light-bulb moment: dad!
I marvel at the schemes I come up with these days to better my circumstances, to try to put a plus-side to my account balance. It is only when I realize that I have nothing – no bailouts, no TARP, no welfare, no nothing and nobody gives a damn – that I realize what I have in Jesus. The only One who is going to really help me is the only One who really cares – the Lord. Sometimes it just takes embracing at a negative balance in the checkbook to remember that…
Father in Heaven,
Sometimes it feels like You’re just waiting for me to embrace the gift of nothing so that I can remember that apart from You, that’s all I have. Help me to die to my schemes and dreams and to live in the reality that You are continually providing for me a way out if I will embrace it and trust You. Amen.
Friday, October 1, 2010
What If
10.1.2010
Luke 14:34-35 34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ESV
When I awoke this morning I thought, what if. What if I didn’t read my Bible everyday? What would my life be like if I neglected to get God’s perspective from my daily readings? How would I think and what would I think about if I wasn’t putting something of eternal value into my thought processes on a regular basis? If I am as bad as I am now, how bad would I be if I turned my back on the Lord? If what I have settled for now is pathetic, how pathetic would my settling be if I totally ignored God? What if?
There is a part of me that I cannot see that is nourished and helped by spending regularly scheduled time in God’s book. There is a part of me that is beyond my control that is infinitely helped by choosing to think about and respond to God’s way. What if I chose to live some other way? If my behavior and worldview is impacted now by what I read in Scripture, then what would it look like if I didn’t?
What if God has something in store for me that He is waiting for me to discover in His word that I’ve never seen before and never ever considered possible? What if there are people around me that God has strategically placed to be eternally freed by what He reveals through me from my daily times in His word? What if?
Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? Scrambled eggs are good, but they don’t make chickens. What if I choose to remain faithful to God by reading what He has given to me, and acting upon it?
Father in Heaven,
You have given Your word and invited me to partake of it. Let Your word have its way in me and through me; and may my daily excursions into it make a difference in my life and the lives of the people around me – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Luke 14:34-35 34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ESV
When I awoke this morning I thought, what if. What if I didn’t read my Bible everyday? What would my life be like if I neglected to get God’s perspective from my daily readings? How would I think and what would I think about if I wasn’t putting something of eternal value into my thought processes on a regular basis? If I am as bad as I am now, how bad would I be if I turned my back on the Lord? If what I have settled for now is pathetic, how pathetic would my settling be if I totally ignored God? What if?
There is a part of me that I cannot see that is nourished and helped by spending regularly scheduled time in God’s book. There is a part of me that is beyond my control that is infinitely helped by choosing to think about and respond to God’s way. What if I chose to live some other way? If my behavior and worldview is impacted now by what I read in Scripture, then what would it look like if I didn’t?
What if God has something in store for me that He is waiting for me to discover in His word that I’ve never seen before and never ever considered possible? What if there are people around me that God has strategically placed to be eternally freed by what He reveals through me from my daily times in His word? What if?
Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? Scrambled eggs are good, but they don’t make chickens. What if I choose to remain faithful to God by reading what He has given to me, and acting upon it?
Father in Heaven,
You have given Your word and invited me to partake of it. Let Your word have its way in me and through me; and may my daily excursions into it make a difference in my life and the lives of the people around me – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
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