February 3
“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NLT)
In the scripture above, Paul was explaining to the Thessalonian church about the importance of being faithful to God. He was convinced that God would always be faithful to them (1 Thessalonians 5:24) but wanted the Christians in Thessalonica to be wholly faithful to God. In speaking about their faith response, Paul explained that their “whole spirit and soul and body” needed to be kept “blameless” before God until Jesus’ return. If you read this with an eye toward understanding, you will see that this verse shows that there are three parts of you that need to be kept pure before God: spirit, soul, and body. How good are you at keeping all three areas of your life faithful to God?
Keeping your spirit faithful to God requires you to not only have God’s Holy Spirit in you but to keep it in tune with God. You don’t want to defile God’s Spirit that resides in you. 2 Corinthians 7:1 states that your spirit may become defiled or unclean before God. This can happen when you purposefully go against God’s commands. When you sin in this manner, God’s Spirit in you rejects this action, and you will feel some separation between you and God. The temple of Jerusalem was made to be a place where unclean animals and speech and conduct were not allowed. It was always understood that people needed to “become clean” in spirit when in the presence of God. Those who were unclean often felt the wrath of God or outright died on the spot. So, it is critically important for you to keep your spirit blameless before God. Sins should be repented of immediately. Spiritual mistakes should be corrected. God will let you know when your spirit is wrong. In extreme cases, God will even remove His Holy Spirit from your life in response to your sin. I hope this never happens to you (like it did to Saul in 1 Samuel 28!).
Some people are good at keeping their spirit in line with God through worship and prayer and meditation, but are poor at keeping their soul in check. In the scripture for today, Paul wanted Christians to keep their soul blameless before God. The soul here in this verse means the seat of one’s emotions. It is the part of you that derives your person-hood, that makes you, you! If you are the kind of person to be openly righteous and faithful, but inside your heart is filled with anger, resentment, fear, timidity, or other emotional upheavals, chances are your soul is out of whack (See Ephesians 2:3, and Matthew 15:18)! For your soul to be blameless, you need to refrain from evil thoughts and sinful appetites that may wage war inside your heart and mind. You need to refrain from letting anger and arguments become a normal part of your inner dialogue or your family life. Jealousy, envy, greediness, self-centeredness and other sins can easily co-opt your life. How good are you at keeping your emotions in check?
The final area that Paul desired for the Thessalonian Christians to keep “blameless” is the body. The Christian body is meant to be pure before God. That’s why Paul advocated for Christians never to see prostitutes (1 Corinthians 6:15,16). He believed that forbidden sex defiled the body. However, there are other things that can cause havoc with one’s body. Gluttony was listed as one of the seven deadly sins in history. This sin can cause your body to be fat and for you to be lazy. Other sins of the body include a love for adornments, a lust for jewelry, and an exaggerated view of your looks. For example, 1 Timothy 2:9 warned women to dress modestly, not with lots of gold and jewelry. Samson’s sin was not only in choosing Delilah (a prostitute) for a girlfriend, but he reveled in his strength. There are many men today whose looks determine their self-worth, feeding their ego.
In the scripture for today, Paul warns you to keep spirit, body, and soul blameless before God. Which of these areas of your life do you find it difficult to keep blameless? Which area causes you the most amount of grief or fear? Realize that you might have to spend a lot of time keeping one of these areas of your life right before God. Though difficult, the struggle will be worth it. Heaven will depend on it!
One final piece of advice that this scripture warrants. Be careful if you fail repeatedly in one of these three areas of your life. An unclean spirit can infiltrate your soul. Defiling your body can wreck your soul and spirit. If you fail in one of these three areas, you are liable to have it impact the other two areas of your life. Then, you will suffer even more!
Take some time today to evaluate your spirit, soul, and body. How is each area of your life holding up? How might you make it blameless?
Keeping your spirit faithful to God requires you to not only have God’s Holy Spirit in you but to keep it in tune with God. You don’t want to defile God’s Spirit that resides in you. 2 Corinthians 7:1 states that your spirit may become defiled or unclean before God. This can happen when you purposefully go against God’s commands. When you sin in this manner, God’s Spirit in you rejects this action, and you will feel some separation between you and God. The temple of Jerusalem was made to be a place where unclean animals and speech and conduct were not allowed. It was always understood that people needed to “become clean” in spirit when in the presence of God. Those who were unclean often felt the wrath of God or outright died on the spot. So, it is critically important for you to keep your spirit blameless before God. Sins should be repented of immediately. Spiritual mistakes should be corrected. God will let you know when your spirit is wrong. In extreme cases, God will even remove His Holy Spirit from your life in response to your sin. I hope this never happens to you (like it did to Saul in 1 Samuel 28!).
Some people are good at keeping their spirit in line with God through worship and prayer and meditation, but are poor at keeping their soul in check. In the scripture for today, Paul wanted Christians to keep their soul blameless before God. The soul here in this verse means the seat of one’s emotions. It is the part of you that derives your person-hood, that makes you, you! If you are the kind of person to be openly righteous and faithful, but inside your heart is filled with anger, resentment, fear, timidity, or other emotional upheavals, chances are your soul is out of whack (See Ephesians 2:3, and Matthew 15:18)! For your soul to be blameless, you need to refrain from evil thoughts and sinful appetites that may wage war inside your heart and mind. You need to refrain from letting anger and arguments become a normal part of your inner dialogue or your family life. Jealousy, envy, greediness, self-centeredness and other sins can easily co-opt your life. How good are you at keeping your emotions in check?
The final area that Paul desired for the Thessalonian Christians to keep “blameless” is the body. The Christian body is meant to be pure before God. That’s why Paul advocated for Christians never to see prostitutes (1 Corinthians 6:15,16). He believed that forbidden sex defiled the body. However, there are other things that can cause havoc with one’s body. Gluttony was listed as one of the seven deadly sins in history. This sin can cause your body to be fat and for you to be lazy. Other sins of the body include a love for adornments, a lust for jewelry, and an exaggerated view of your looks. For example, 1 Timothy 2:9 warned women to dress modestly, not with lots of gold and jewelry. Samson’s sin was not only in choosing Delilah (a prostitute) for a girlfriend, but he reveled in his strength. There are many men today whose looks determine their self-worth, feeding their ego.
In the scripture for today, Paul warns you to keep spirit, body, and soul blameless before God. Which of these areas of your life do you find it difficult to keep blameless? Which area causes you the most amount of grief or fear? Realize that you might have to spend a lot of time keeping one of these areas of your life right before God. Though difficult, the struggle will be worth it. Heaven will depend on it!
One final piece of advice that this scripture warrants. Be careful if you fail repeatedly in one of these three areas of your life. An unclean spirit can infiltrate your soul. Defiling your body can wreck your soul and spirit. If you fail in one of these three areas, you are liable to have it impact the other two areas of your life. Then, you will suffer even more!
Take some time today to evaluate your spirit, soul, and body. How is each area of your life holding up? How might you make it blameless?
February 6
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11, RSV)
Rain, rain Beating against the pane!
How endlessly it pours Out of doors
From the blackened sky— I wonder why!
Flowers, flowers, Up springing after showers,
Blossoming fresh and fair, Everywhere!
Ah, God has explained Why it rained!”
(p. 342 Lettie Cowman, Streams in the Desert)
Recently, we went through some rough weather here. Temperatures dropped to -26 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind chills were over -50 degrees Fahrenheit. That was after a big snowfall. Then, came howling winds that made my bones ache. During the inclement weather, frost formed on several windows and doors. I avoided some of the rooms of my house, where the insulation isn’t very capable. I avoided going outside. I was afraid to walk, because of the fear of falling in ice and snow. I had to force myself to stay inside and focus on other things. I found work to do. I took extra time for physical therapy for my spine and damaged nervous system. I was sore, cold, and hurting.
The week after the frigid temperatures, I noticed changes. With all the extra physical therapy I had been doing, my back was feeling stronger. Muscle spasms that had been causing me to grimace and limp were abating. The physical therapy was working! It took the extra hours of physical therapy during the cold spell to bring a reduction in my pain thereafter. Today, I’m feeling better than a month ago.
In the middle of a storm, things can seem bleak. During intense physical therapy, joints and muscles can ache terribly. Undergoing long hours of study or physical training for a special event may cause your mind and/or body to feel strain and pressure. Taking the time to do intensive Bible Study or Bible Verse Memorization will tax your mind and spirit. Learning to deal with aging or a degenerative disease can be intimidating. However, when it’s done as God intends, discipline in these ways will pay dividends. If you stick to it and remain steadfast, the hours of extra work will bring benefits to your mind, body, and spirit IF you can stick it out.
The writer of the book of Hebrews in our Bible is unknown. What we do know is that the writer was probably a male, probably a Jewish Christian, and certainly knowledgeable and wise. In the scripture for today, the author wrote that when faithful people experience discipline, it will be “painful rather than pleasant.” All types of discipline take effort and are difficult. However, discipline accomplished by God has a way of yielding “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11). God can use moments of discipline to strengthen your faith, increase your wisdom, bring peace to your soul, and teach righteousness to your mind. All these benefits of discipline will come in time, but only to “those who have been trained by it (discipline)” (Hebrews 12:11). If you do not take the time to discipline your life, you will never feel the godly effects of righteousness. You will never be trained.
Malcolm Gladwell, author of the incredibly popular and bestselling book, Outliers, suggests that in order to achieve greatness in any field, whether it be sport, business, or academia, you must have committed at least 10,000 hours to practice. This theory has been advocated by a number of scholars and applied more directly to the sporting world by authors such as Matthew Syed and Daniel Coyle. Each of them is convinced that only by disciplined rehearsal, practice, training, and learning can you ever achieve greatness in a field. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a seminary student, the hours spent in disciplined work will affect your ability to compete on a playing field or be successful in that area of your life. How disciplined are you spiritually? Have you spent 10,000 hours praying, studying and reading the Bible, working on missions, or sharing your faith? God desires to discipline your life in many ways. How well do you take to discipline? What area of your life is God wanting to discipline you right now?
The Inuit tribes are known for their habitations in extremely cold environments. In places like Siberia and Alaska, they thrive where others cannot. They have learned to discipline their minds and bodies to deal with the cold. They have adapted their living to this harsh environment. I was shocked recently to learn that researchers have found that certain Inuit genes have been found to help make them more adaptable to the cold. These gene combinations are not found among those in the warmest Africa. Generations of Inuit pass on their hardy genes affected by generations of disciplined people so that their descendants may survive in harsh environments. Can you imagine how your future generations and your genes might be affected by spending 10,000 hours of spiritual formation with God? What would you be like if you spent many more hours in prayer and Bible Study and missions work? How might your friends and relatives’ lives be changed by your commitment, discipline, and dedication for God?
How endlessly it pours Out of doors
From the blackened sky— I wonder why!
Flowers, flowers, Up springing after showers,
Blossoming fresh and fair, Everywhere!
Ah, God has explained Why it rained!”
(p. 342 Lettie Cowman, Streams in the Desert)
Recently, we went through some rough weather here. Temperatures dropped to -26 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind chills were over -50 degrees Fahrenheit. That was after a big snowfall. Then, came howling winds that made my bones ache. During the inclement weather, frost formed on several windows and doors. I avoided some of the rooms of my house, where the insulation isn’t very capable. I avoided going outside. I was afraid to walk, because of the fear of falling in ice and snow. I had to force myself to stay inside and focus on other things. I found work to do. I took extra time for physical therapy for my spine and damaged nervous system. I was sore, cold, and hurting.
The week after the frigid temperatures, I noticed changes. With all the extra physical therapy I had been doing, my back was feeling stronger. Muscle spasms that had been causing me to grimace and limp were abating. The physical therapy was working! It took the extra hours of physical therapy during the cold spell to bring a reduction in my pain thereafter. Today, I’m feeling better than a month ago.
In the middle of a storm, things can seem bleak. During intense physical therapy, joints and muscles can ache terribly. Undergoing long hours of study or physical training for a special event may cause your mind and/or body to feel strain and pressure. Taking the time to do intensive Bible Study or Bible Verse Memorization will tax your mind and spirit. Learning to deal with aging or a degenerative disease can be intimidating. However, when it’s done as God intends, discipline in these ways will pay dividends. If you stick to it and remain steadfast, the hours of extra work will bring benefits to your mind, body, and spirit IF you can stick it out.
The writer of the book of Hebrews in our Bible is unknown. What we do know is that the writer was probably a male, probably a Jewish Christian, and certainly knowledgeable and wise. In the scripture for today, the author wrote that when faithful people experience discipline, it will be “painful rather than pleasant.” All types of discipline take effort and are difficult. However, discipline accomplished by God has a way of yielding “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11). God can use moments of discipline to strengthen your faith, increase your wisdom, bring peace to your soul, and teach righteousness to your mind. All these benefits of discipline will come in time, but only to “those who have been trained by it (discipline)” (Hebrews 12:11). If you do not take the time to discipline your life, you will never feel the godly effects of righteousness. You will never be trained.
Malcolm Gladwell, author of the incredibly popular and bestselling book, Outliers, suggests that in order to achieve greatness in any field, whether it be sport, business, or academia, you must have committed at least 10,000 hours to practice. This theory has been advocated by a number of scholars and applied more directly to the sporting world by authors such as Matthew Syed and Daniel Coyle. Each of them is convinced that only by disciplined rehearsal, practice, training, and learning can you ever achieve greatness in a field. Whether you are an Olympic hopeful or a seminary student, the hours spent in disciplined work will affect your ability to compete on a playing field or be successful in that area of your life. How disciplined are you spiritually? Have you spent 10,000 hours praying, studying and reading the Bible, working on missions, or sharing your faith? God desires to discipline your life in many ways. How well do you take to discipline? What area of your life is God wanting to discipline you right now?
The Inuit tribes are known for their habitations in extremely cold environments. In places like Siberia and Alaska, they thrive where others cannot. They have learned to discipline their minds and bodies to deal with the cold. They have adapted their living to this harsh environment. I was shocked recently to learn that researchers have found that certain Inuit genes have been found to help make them more adaptable to the cold. These gene combinations are not found among those in the warmest Africa. Generations of Inuit pass on their hardy genes affected by generations of disciplined people so that their descendants may survive in harsh environments. Can you imagine how your future generations and your genes might be affected by spending 10,000 hours of spiritual formation with God? What would you be like if you spent many more hours in prayer and Bible Study and missions work? How might your friends and relatives’ lives be changed by your commitment, discipline, and dedication for God?
February 8
“See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.” (Isaiah 49:16, NLT)
While traveling, my car broke down. I was left on the side of the road alone, with nobody to turn to. My cell phone had no reception, so there was no one to call for help. As I considered my situation, I noticed smoke in the distance. There must be someone in that direction, I mused. Walking a mile, I found a farmhouse, and a farmer was out burning some brush in a pit. Without a word, he knew my car must have broken down. In a friendly manner, he told me took me up to his house, where we called for a tow. While I waited, he and his wife told me about a place to eat in town while my car was being fixed. He also mentioned the name of the best mechanic and gave me the name of a man in town who would take care of me. I had nothing to write on, so I used a pen to write all the relevant information on the palm of my hand. I didn’t want to lose this information that I knew would be very important if anything else went wrong. An hour later the tow truck arrived, and I headed off to get my car and travel to the nearby town. As we drove, I thanked God for the farmer and his gracious help. I felt great relief when I looked at all his information written on the palm of my hand. Everything would be OK.
In my emergency, the information written on the palm of my hand was most important. I needed that to be safe. You also might find it important to keep vital information on the palm of your hand, where it is kept ready for you when you need it. Joe Navarro wrote an article for Psychology Today’s web site in which he revealed some of the in-depth analysis he has done on the relationship between one’s hands and one’s mind. At one point in the article, he made that point that “what we do with our hands tells us a lot about what is going on in our heads” (Blog on Spycatcher). What a person does with his or her hands can reveal what is important or relevant to a person. When you write something on the palm of your hand, you are making that information crucial, important, timely, and precious.
In the scripture from Isaiah 49 chosen for today, we are told about something God had written on His Almighty hand. When the people of Israel and Judah were returning from exile and beginning to rebuild the temple and city of Jerusalem, Isaiah the prophet told the people that their work was precious to God. Isaiah shared with God’s people that God had indeed “chosen” them (Isaiah 49:7). God considered them “favored” (Isaiah 49:8). Their situation was hugely important to God. As evidence, the scripture for today states that God had “written {Israel’s} name on the palm of His hand” (Isaiah 49:16). God’s mind contained the recollection of “Jerusalem’s walls in ruins”. God didn’t want His people to endure that suffering ever again. God wanted them to keep close to Him and His righteousness. God wanted them to be faithful, protected, secure. As a reminder of the importance of this work, God wrote the name of His people on the palm of His Holy hand.
When you are down or depressed or hurting, you might get it into your head that nobody cares. However, when your life is important to God, that is entirely untrue. You matter to God. When you are a part of God’s plan, your presence is “a picture” in God’s mind. Your name may indeed be written on God’s Almighty hand. The children of God who walk in righteousness are precious to God. You mean something to God. When you devote yourself to God, God takes notice. Even when nobody else seems to care, you can bet that God does care a lot for you. When the people in Jerusalem suffered, God noticed. That is evident in the scripture for today. What makes you think that God won’t notice when you are hurting or suffering? God is aware of you. You are not alone.
While suffering in captivity in Hanoi, many of the downed pilots during the war in Vietnam prayed to God. Even when their country seemed to have abandoned them, God had not. A good share of them mentioned later how much they felt God’s presence. When suffering on plantations in the Southern United States before the Civil War, many slaves would sing of how God was with them. Though they were relegated to slavery, God considered them precious. That knowledge helped the slaves to endure their toil and suffering.
Whenever you feel lost or alone, just remember the scripture for today. When you have a relationship with God, God knows it. God feels your prayers. God remembers your situation. God cares about you. When you are precious to God, your name is written on the palm of His hand.
In my emergency, the information written on the palm of my hand was most important. I needed that to be safe. You also might find it important to keep vital information on the palm of your hand, where it is kept ready for you when you need it. Joe Navarro wrote an article for Psychology Today’s web site in which he revealed some of the in-depth analysis he has done on the relationship between one’s hands and one’s mind. At one point in the article, he made that point that “what we do with our hands tells us a lot about what is going on in our heads” (Blog on Spycatcher). What a person does with his or her hands can reveal what is important or relevant to a person. When you write something on the palm of your hand, you are making that information crucial, important, timely, and precious.
In the scripture from Isaiah 49 chosen for today, we are told about something God had written on His Almighty hand. When the people of Israel and Judah were returning from exile and beginning to rebuild the temple and city of Jerusalem, Isaiah the prophet told the people that their work was precious to God. Isaiah shared with God’s people that God had indeed “chosen” them (Isaiah 49:7). God considered them “favored” (Isaiah 49:8). Their situation was hugely important to God. As evidence, the scripture for today states that God had “written {Israel’s} name on the palm of His hand” (Isaiah 49:16). God’s mind contained the recollection of “Jerusalem’s walls in ruins”. God didn’t want His people to endure that suffering ever again. God wanted them to keep close to Him and His righteousness. God wanted them to be faithful, protected, secure. As a reminder of the importance of this work, God wrote the name of His people on the palm of His Holy hand.
When you are down or depressed or hurting, you might get it into your head that nobody cares. However, when your life is important to God, that is entirely untrue. You matter to God. When you are a part of God’s plan, your presence is “a picture” in God’s mind. Your name may indeed be written on God’s Almighty hand. The children of God who walk in righteousness are precious to God. You mean something to God. When you devote yourself to God, God takes notice. Even when nobody else seems to care, you can bet that God does care a lot for you. When the people in Jerusalem suffered, God noticed. That is evident in the scripture for today. What makes you think that God won’t notice when you are hurting or suffering? God is aware of you. You are not alone.
While suffering in captivity in Hanoi, many of the downed pilots during the war in Vietnam prayed to God. Even when their country seemed to have abandoned them, God had not. A good share of them mentioned later how much they felt God’s presence. When suffering on plantations in the Southern United States before the Civil War, many slaves would sing of how God was with them. Though they were relegated to slavery, God considered them precious. That knowledge helped the slaves to endure their toil and suffering.
Whenever you feel lost or alone, just remember the scripture for today. When you have a relationship with God, God knows it. God feels your prayers. God remembers your situation. God cares about you. When you are precious to God, your name is written on the palm of His hand.
February 12
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17, ESV)
“Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, tells of the time he was walking down the street and passed a beggar. Tolstoy reached into his pocket to give the beggar some money, but his pocket was empty. Tolstoy turned to the man and said, “I’m sorry, my brother, but I have nothing to give.”
The beggar brightened and said, “You have given me more than I asked for—you have called me brother.”
To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 58)
In the story above, a beggar was in need. What Tolstoy didn’t realize was that the beggar didn’t just need money. He needed the respect of being called a brother. There are people with many seen and unseen needs in your life. You may think a person needs money, when in fact the person needs a shoulder to cry on. A friend may talk as if she needs a personal loan when what she really needs is someone to listen and care. That person who snapped at you at church last month may not need a “talking to.” She may need some grace. Your daughter may not just need a ride to a birthday party, she may need a few minutes beforehand to talk about her anxiety at attending the event. Don’t assume you know what a person needs. Don’t assume you can’t help. Don’t hold back from helping when God wills you to do it. You never know how much perfectly-timed help can change a life.
In the scripture I’ve chosen for this day, John speaks about helping others. In this first letter of John, we are taught that when "anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart” and won’t help, there is a problem (1 John 3:17). In fact, the scripture ends by asking if “God’s love” even lives in that person who withheld his or her help. It describes a person who will not help as one who has “closed his heart” against another. I think it is important to realize in your life when your heart is closed to another. This “closed heart” will make it harder to love, to help, to give grace or forgiveness.
In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh purposefully forced the Israelites to suffer hardship as slaves in Egypt. When he could have eased their workload, he instead increased it (Exodus 5:18-19). When urged by Moses to let the slaves go, Pharaoh instead fought harder to keep them. When Moses tried to show God’s command of the situation, Pharaoh used his leaders to stymie his efforts (Exodus 7:8-13). In the end, God responded to Pharaoh’s “heart which was hardened”. God sent the plagues upon Egypt.
Has your heart ever been hardened against someone? Has God ever wanted you to help another, but you closed off your heart against that person instead? Giving, sharing, helping can be difficult at times. Also, you may not know what is really needed in some situations. Not everyone needs money or a handout in response to their needy situation. You might find one gift works better than another. However, if your heart is closed off against needy people, it will be difficult to help anyone. And, according to this verse, God will not be happy with your lack of love.
After working for years at a food pantry, the director complained to one volunteer that those who came for food were often lacking good manners. The director went on to complain that the needy didn’t often say “Thank you”, were poor at budgeting, and lacked personal hygiene. The volunteer listened intently as the director prated on about the ills of helping those who came for the food. After five minutes of ranting, the volunteer said quietly, “Why don’t you just close the food pantry, since all these people who come looking for help are just taking advantage?”
The director was shocked at the question. Thinking back, he realized how his rant sounded to the volunteer and made an apology for his words. The volunteer responded, “I know you must get tired of all the needs but remember that we all need you very much to love helping others.”
The director responded, “Thanks for the reminder. I do really love helping those in need.”
This verse serves as a reminder (just like that volunteer) that you need to keep your heart open to helping others. Don’t let overwhelming need or your love of money close you off from those who could use your help. Not only does it show a lack of love, but it shows disrespect to God. Find ways to help where you can. You can’t fix every problem, but your help may be more crucial than you realize.
The beggar brightened and said, “You have given me more than I asked for—you have called me brother.”
To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 58)
In the story above, a beggar was in need. What Tolstoy didn’t realize was that the beggar didn’t just need money. He needed the respect of being called a brother. There are people with many seen and unseen needs in your life. You may think a person needs money, when in fact the person needs a shoulder to cry on. A friend may talk as if she needs a personal loan when what she really needs is someone to listen and care. That person who snapped at you at church last month may not need a “talking to.” She may need some grace. Your daughter may not just need a ride to a birthday party, she may need a few minutes beforehand to talk about her anxiety at attending the event. Don’t assume you know what a person needs. Don’t assume you can’t help. Don’t hold back from helping when God wills you to do it. You never know how much perfectly-timed help can change a life.
In the scripture I’ve chosen for this day, John speaks about helping others. In this first letter of John, we are taught that when "anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart” and won’t help, there is a problem (1 John 3:17). In fact, the scripture ends by asking if “God’s love” even lives in that person who withheld his or her help. It describes a person who will not help as one who has “closed his heart” against another. I think it is important to realize in your life when your heart is closed to another. This “closed heart” will make it harder to love, to help, to give grace or forgiveness.
In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh purposefully forced the Israelites to suffer hardship as slaves in Egypt. When he could have eased their workload, he instead increased it (Exodus 5:18-19). When urged by Moses to let the slaves go, Pharaoh instead fought harder to keep them. When Moses tried to show God’s command of the situation, Pharaoh used his leaders to stymie his efforts (Exodus 7:8-13). In the end, God responded to Pharaoh’s “heart which was hardened”. God sent the plagues upon Egypt.
Has your heart ever been hardened against someone? Has God ever wanted you to help another, but you closed off your heart against that person instead? Giving, sharing, helping can be difficult at times. Also, you may not know what is really needed in some situations. Not everyone needs money or a handout in response to their needy situation. You might find one gift works better than another. However, if your heart is closed off against needy people, it will be difficult to help anyone. And, according to this verse, God will not be happy with your lack of love.
After working for years at a food pantry, the director complained to one volunteer that those who came for food were often lacking good manners. The director went on to complain that the needy didn’t often say “Thank you”, were poor at budgeting, and lacked personal hygiene. The volunteer listened intently as the director prated on about the ills of helping those who came for the food. After five minutes of ranting, the volunteer said quietly, “Why don’t you just close the food pantry, since all these people who come looking for help are just taking advantage?”
The director was shocked at the question. Thinking back, he realized how his rant sounded to the volunteer and made an apology for his words. The volunteer responded, “I know you must get tired of all the needs but remember that we all need you very much to love helping others.”
The director responded, “Thanks for the reminder. I do really love helping those in need.”
This verse serves as a reminder (just like that volunteer) that you need to keep your heart open to helping others. Don’t let overwhelming need or your love of money close you off from those who could use your help. Not only does it show a lack of love, but it shows disrespect to God. Find ways to help where you can. You can’t fix every problem, but your help may be more crucial than you realize.
February 16
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm 37:5, NRSV)
The scripture above is very informative. If you read it correctly, it explains what you need to do for God to act on your behalf. However, to really understand the implications, you need to read this scripture carefully. It was written in a specific way with a specific understanding. If you do not follow it as intended, you will not experience God's strong action upon your life.
The scripture is split into three parts in three phrases. The first two parts are required of you. In the first phrase of the sentence, you are given this command: “commit your way to the Lord” (Psalm 37:5). When you encounter an issue or problem or obstacle in your life, your first response should be to “commit the entire matter to the Lord”. You should give God complete control. The Hebrew word for “commit” means to “roll”. In essence, when you commit an entire matter to the Lord, you are rolling the entire weight of the situation into HIS hands. You cease to retain control of the situation. You leave the control with God. You let things roll as HE wills. Throughout this period, as you turn the situation over to God, you need to “trust in Him”. This is the second part and phrase of today’s scripture. You need to let the Lord have the responsibility and direction of the situation. You need to trust that God knows what HE is doing. You need to leave things in His hands. This doesn’t mean that you should take no responsibility for your actions or ignore your part in the matter. Far from it! Instead, you need to follow God’s direction, be patient, and trust that God is leading you. Don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions. Act on God’s initiative, not your own.
Growing up in a small town, Rosalynn desired the allure of the big city lights. She couldn’t wait to turn eighteen and leave for college in some far-away big city. When she was a sophomore and junior in High School, she dreamed of going to college in Boston or Miami, Chicago or Atlanta. She didn’t like growing up in a small town where everybody knew everybody’s business. Rosalynn had dreams; big ones!
While she was a senior in High School and planning her life far from home, Rosalynn’s parents divorced. It was a huge mess, and Rosalynn struggled to deal with the implications. Because money was tight, she couldn’t afford a big-city school. She ended up at a college only fifty miles away in another small town. Throughout the whole ordeal, Rosalynn complained to God in her prayers. Why was this happening? Why had her dreams been so terribly altered? She had a hard time adapting at college. She worked two jobs just to be able to afford her tuition, room and board. She became depressed and angry.
Instead of being content in her situation and trusting God would help her through, Rosalynn stopped praying and began to drink more. She experimented with drugs. While at a party, Rosalynn met a wealthy young man. Six months later, she dropped out of college and moved in with him. For once, she didn't have to worry about money. Her boyfriend, Chuck, had more than enough money for the two of them. You should have seen his house! While she settled into her new life with Chuck, she fell further from God.
Twenty years later, Rosalynn looks back on her life as a series of mistakes. First, she gave up on God. Second, she wasn’t content with “just” going to college. She was angry that she never had the opportunity to enroll in a major college in a big city. When she ran away with Chuck, she thought living together was grand. However, when he dumped her for another woman a year and a half later, Rosalynn had to move back home with her mother. She spent several years in small jobs in her home town, with much of her money given to a counselor with whom she met once a week. However, two years later she went back to visit her home church. A few months later, she rejoined and attended worship frequently. She began to pray. She joined two groups. She traveled on mission trips. A year later, Rosalynn met the love of her life and settled down. For the past fifteen years, Rosalynn has had two children and is now very happy with her life. Still, as she looks back at her younger college days, she realizes that she didn’t listen very well to God. She didn’t trust God to help her through. When things got tough, she made all her decisions on her own without any direction from God. Inevitably, this made her very unhappy and almost ruined her life.
When you commit your way to the Lord and put your total trust in Him, the scripture for today promises that in time, the Lord will act (Psalm 37:5). God will come through. Sadly, people don’t trust in God, waiting patiently for God’s response during trying times. Instead, they plunge headfirst, often making big mistakes.
How well do you listen to God’s voice? Do you commit your way to the Lord when your world gets shaken up, or do you tend to take the reins yourself without a thought to God’s plans? Do you place enough trust in God, awaiting His direction? God will act, given the right moment. God will know when it is the perfect time to accomplish something. Don’t let situations in life control your decisions. Don’t let others dictate your future. God knows you best. God can see further along your path in life. Trust God’s guiding hand. In time, you will see God come through when you commit your way fully to a trust in His plans.
The scripture is split into three parts in three phrases. The first two parts are required of you. In the first phrase of the sentence, you are given this command: “commit your way to the Lord” (Psalm 37:5). When you encounter an issue or problem or obstacle in your life, your first response should be to “commit the entire matter to the Lord”. You should give God complete control. The Hebrew word for “commit” means to “roll”. In essence, when you commit an entire matter to the Lord, you are rolling the entire weight of the situation into HIS hands. You cease to retain control of the situation. You leave the control with God. You let things roll as HE wills. Throughout this period, as you turn the situation over to God, you need to “trust in Him”. This is the second part and phrase of today’s scripture. You need to let the Lord have the responsibility and direction of the situation. You need to trust that God knows what HE is doing. You need to leave things in His hands. This doesn’t mean that you should take no responsibility for your actions or ignore your part in the matter. Far from it! Instead, you need to follow God’s direction, be patient, and trust that God is leading you. Don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions. Act on God’s initiative, not your own.
Growing up in a small town, Rosalynn desired the allure of the big city lights. She couldn’t wait to turn eighteen and leave for college in some far-away big city. When she was a sophomore and junior in High School, she dreamed of going to college in Boston or Miami, Chicago or Atlanta. She didn’t like growing up in a small town where everybody knew everybody’s business. Rosalynn had dreams; big ones!
While she was a senior in High School and planning her life far from home, Rosalynn’s parents divorced. It was a huge mess, and Rosalynn struggled to deal with the implications. Because money was tight, she couldn’t afford a big-city school. She ended up at a college only fifty miles away in another small town. Throughout the whole ordeal, Rosalynn complained to God in her prayers. Why was this happening? Why had her dreams been so terribly altered? She had a hard time adapting at college. She worked two jobs just to be able to afford her tuition, room and board. She became depressed and angry.
Instead of being content in her situation and trusting God would help her through, Rosalynn stopped praying and began to drink more. She experimented with drugs. While at a party, Rosalynn met a wealthy young man. Six months later, she dropped out of college and moved in with him. For once, she didn't have to worry about money. Her boyfriend, Chuck, had more than enough money for the two of them. You should have seen his house! While she settled into her new life with Chuck, she fell further from God.
Twenty years later, Rosalynn looks back on her life as a series of mistakes. First, she gave up on God. Second, she wasn’t content with “just” going to college. She was angry that she never had the opportunity to enroll in a major college in a big city. When she ran away with Chuck, she thought living together was grand. However, when he dumped her for another woman a year and a half later, Rosalynn had to move back home with her mother. She spent several years in small jobs in her home town, with much of her money given to a counselor with whom she met once a week. However, two years later she went back to visit her home church. A few months later, she rejoined and attended worship frequently. She began to pray. She joined two groups. She traveled on mission trips. A year later, Rosalynn met the love of her life and settled down. For the past fifteen years, Rosalynn has had two children and is now very happy with her life. Still, as she looks back at her younger college days, she realizes that she didn’t listen very well to God. She didn’t trust God to help her through. When things got tough, she made all her decisions on her own without any direction from God. Inevitably, this made her very unhappy and almost ruined her life.
When you commit your way to the Lord and put your total trust in Him, the scripture for today promises that in time, the Lord will act (Psalm 37:5). God will come through. Sadly, people don’t trust in God, waiting patiently for God’s response during trying times. Instead, they plunge headfirst, often making big mistakes.
How well do you listen to God’s voice? Do you commit your way to the Lord when your world gets shaken up, or do you tend to take the reins yourself without a thought to God’s plans? Do you place enough trust in God, awaiting His direction? God will act, given the right moment. God will know when it is the perfect time to accomplish something. Don’t let situations in life control your decisions. Don’t let others dictate your future. God knows you best. God can see further along your path in life. Trust God’s guiding hand. In time, you will see God come through when you commit your way fully to a trust in His plans.
February 18
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
Have you ever had one of those days in which you can’t concentrate, your mind wanders, and you find yourself daydreaming? After long winters, I looked forward to the springtime, to warming weather, and to beautiful sunshine. When those spring days came upon me, I could hardly contain myself. Sitting in the classrooms of my youth, I would look outside longingly. I couldn’t concentrate on what the teacher said, for in my mind I was already out playing in the sunshine.
You’ve probably felt the same way. Ever sat in a meeting and just couldn’t get interested in the topic of the day? Ever find yourself wishing you were somewhere else? Have you ever been so in love that you anxiously counted down the minutes until you saw your loved one again? This scripture for today is going to make you rethink those moments. If you can’t keep your thoughts “fixed” on God, you will miss out on something special. If you let your mind wander, you might miss something God is doing right in front of you!
During my seminary years, we worshiped in the chapel each day of the week. Classes would cease for part of an hour during which we would be welcome in the chapel for these services. Some of the services would be inspiring and keep you riveted. Others would seem to drag on, maybe because of a topic that just didn’t grab you or a preacher whose sermon was ill-prepared. Then, I found it hard to concentrate on the worship theme, hard even to keep myself focused on the prayers.
During my years in ministry, I’ve seen people whose minds had traveled far from the sanctuary. I’ve seen people who fell asleep in their pews, fingered their cell phones as they looked bored, and chatted up a friend while ignoring the looks of those interrupted from their spiritual endeavor. It’s hard to listen to God when your mind is in far away places. It’s difficult to pray when your thoughts are racing to a familial problem or an upcoming task. How can you receive any spiritual benefit from God when your mind and heart are wandering to and fro? Closeness with God won’t occur if your attitude in worship is filled with boredom, distraction, or daydreaming.
The prophet Isaiah is credited with the scripture for today shown above. These words came at a time when the people of God were spiritually distant from God. They weren’t very interested in worship. Their social world concerned itself more with political and military realities than spiritual insight. With the words for today, Isaiah made a connection between peace, trust in God, and “thoughts that are fixed on God”. For Isaiah, these three things were interwoven and entwined. You can’t have peace when you don’t trust God. You can’t trust God when your thoughts are racing with emotions and fears and social agendas. There is a connection between peace, trust in God, and thoughts that are fixed on God. If you fail in one area, you will often fail in another.
During the period in which Isaiah spoke, the people in Judah and Jerusalem were involved in many sinful actions and attitudes. Isaiah 10 lists a number of the sins of Judah including sinful decrees and laws (Isaiah 10:1), taking advantage of poor and needy people (Isaiah 10:2), and idol worship (Isaiah 10:11). Isaiah 9:1 described the people of God as “walking in darkness”. They chose evil instead of good, oppression instead of justice. In response, God sent invading armies from Assyria and Babylon to ravage the land. God was correcting the sin. All the while, Isaiah kept preaching for the people to live rightly before God and repent. Isaiah begged for the people to keep their “thoughts fixed on God (Isaiah 26:3). They had to trust God. There was no other way to find peace in the land.
If peace seems far from your life, remember the two other things in this verse that were required for peace to be found. First, the faithful needed to trust in God. Second, they had to keep their thoughts “fixed” upon God and God’s ways. If you let your trust turn to doubt or your mind wander from godly thoughts, you will find less and less peace in your world.
A long time ago, I met with a pastor who had doubts about God’s strength. Depression caused him to separate himself from God. He let worries and fears creep into his every waking hour. After speaking about his problems, I told him that I bet his congregation wasn’t getting much out of his sermons. “How did you know? Did one of my parishioners contact you?”
“Oh no, nothing like that!” I replied. “I just figured with all your doubts and emotions shaking you up, you wouldn’t be very passionate speaking of God!”
“Well, sadly, you are right,” he responded with eyes fixed on the floor.
When your thoughts are not fixed on God, the peace and power of God begins to fade. When trust in God is replaced with doubts of God’s strength, many things will fall apart in your life.
Remember: perfect peace, trust in God, and thoughts fixed on God all affect one another. Of the three, which is weakest in your heart this day?
You’ve probably felt the same way. Ever sat in a meeting and just couldn’t get interested in the topic of the day? Ever find yourself wishing you were somewhere else? Have you ever been so in love that you anxiously counted down the minutes until you saw your loved one again? This scripture for today is going to make you rethink those moments. If you can’t keep your thoughts “fixed” on God, you will miss out on something special. If you let your mind wander, you might miss something God is doing right in front of you!
During my seminary years, we worshiped in the chapel each day of the week. Classes would cease for part of an hour during which we would be welcome in the chapel for these services. Some of the services would be inspiring and keep you riveted. Others would seem to drag on, maybe because of a topic that just didn’t grab you or a preacher whose sermon was ill-prepared. Then, I found it hard to concentrate on the worship theme, hard even to keep myself focused on the prayers.
During my years in ministry, I’ve seen people whose minds had traveled far from the sanctuary. I’ve seen people who fell asleep in their pews, fingered their cell phones as they looked bored, and chatted up a friend while ignoring the looks of those interrupted from their spiritual endeavor. It’s hard to listen to God when your mind is in far away places. It’s difficult to pray when your thoughts are racing to a familial problem or an upcoming task. How can you receive any spiritual benefit from God when your mind and heart are wandering to and fro? Closeness with God won’t occur if your attitude in worship is filled with boredom, distraction, or daydreaming.
The prophet Isaiah is credited with the scripture for today shown above. These words came at a time when the people of God were spiritually distant from God. They weren’t very interested in worship. Their social world concerned itself more with political and military realities than spiritual insight. With the words for today, Isaiah made a connection between peace, trust in God, and “thoughts that are fixed on God”. For Isaiah, these three things were interwoven and entwined. You can’t have peace when you don’t trust God. You can’t trust God when your thoughts are racing with emotions and fears and social agendas. There is a connection between peace, trust in God, and thoughts that are fixed on God. If you fail in one area, you will often fail in another.
During the period in which Isaiah spoke, the people in Judah and Jerusalem were involved in many sinful actions and attitudes. Isaiah 10 lists a number of the sins of Judah including sinful decrees and laws (Isaiah 10:1), taking advantage of poor and needy people (Isaiah 10:2), and idol worship (Isaiah 10:11). Isaiah 9:1 described the people of God as “walking in darkness”. They chose evil instead of good, oppression instead of justice. In response, God sent invading armies from Assyria and Babylon to ravage the land. God was correcting the sin. All the while, Isaiah kept preaching for the people to live rightly before God and repent. Isaiah begged for the people to keep their “thoughts fixed on God (Isaiah 26:3). They had to trust God. There was no other way to find peace in the land.
If peace seems far from your life, remember the two other things in this verse that were required for peace to be found. First, the faithful needed to trust in God. Second, they had to keep their thoughts “fixed” upon God and God’s ways. If you let your trust turn to doubt or your mind wander from godly thoughts, you will find less and less peace in your world.
A long time ago, I met with a pastor who had doubts about God’s strength. Depression caused him to separate himself from God. He let worries and fears creep into his every waking hour. After speaking about his problems, I told him that I bet his congregation wasn’t getting much out of his sermons. “How did you know? Did one of my parishioners contact you?”
“Oh no, nothing like that!” I replied. “I just figured with all your doubts and emotions shaking you up, you wouldn’t be very passionate speaking of God!”
“Well, sadly, you are right,” he responded with eyes fixed on the floor.
When your thoughts are not fixed on God, the peace and power of God begins to fade. When trust in God is replaced with doubts of God’s strength, many things will fall apart in your life.
Remember: perfect peace, trust in God, and thoughts fixed on God all affect one another. Of the three, which is weakest in your heart this day?
February 21
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, RSV)
After a long and tiring session in the Emergency Room at the local hospital where he worked, Peter sat in the break room for a respite from the day’s toil. He had worked over eleven hours and was dragging. A dozen ambulances had unloaded the hurting during the night. Three car accidents and numerous heart and lung issues plagued his mind as he replayed the events in the past hours. As he sat in the break room, he put his feet up and felt their ache. His body needed this. However, despite the rest of the moment, his mind was ill-at-ease. It was still running through all the emergency procedures, decisions, and prescriptions over the past few days. Peter could ease the ache in his feet by putting them on the ottoman in the break room, but his mind was not so easy to put at ease. Even after work, even while on vacation, his mind kept running at full speed, trying to analyze and process all that happened in his chaotic life. Peter knew he needed to find some peace for his mind and heart and soul, but real lasting peace was elusive.
Every single human being deals with a mind or heart or emotions that won’t shut off. Your body might ache at the end of a long day. As you get older, this tiredness seems to “settle in your bones”. It threatens to keep you up at night. Which kind of tiredness seems to be your constant companion? Is it your body that aches more each day? Is it your mind that can’t seem to be at peace? How about your heart; is it longing for something, nagging away at your thoughts? Which part of you is weighed down today?
There are many things that people do in order to find rest in life. Some resort to drugs and alcohol after a tough day. Some choose a comfort food in order to try and feel better. I’ve met more than a few people who pushed their body to the limit with exercise and work in an attempt to shut off a racing mind when they sleep. Sometimes, even that doesn’t work! There are many methods of escapism that people have chosen as their mode to leave behind hurts and pains and realities as they go about their daily life. There are teens who hide their angst in video games. Young mothers may choose a glass of wine in order to settle their nerves. Workaholics may use work-related trips to try and get away from it all for a short while. Honestly, I’ve found nothing that works better at easing the body and soul than good old-fashioned time with God.
When things were eating at my heart or mind in my second church (and many times since!), I’d grab one hundred scriptures written on flashcards and go for a walk. On the walk, I’d memorize the verses, repeating them over and over. Sometimes, the verses would speak to my situation and infuse me with an idea. At other times, the scriptures would ease my soul. The scripture above was one of the hundred or so scriptures that I would carry. I’d repeat it over and over as I walked in order to let Jesus’ words seep into my mind, heart, and soul. The walk would tire my body in a healthy way. Every mile or so, I’d pray about something or someone. I often felt God walking with me as the miles passed.
Our scripture for today makes it crystal clear that Jesus wants to “give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). However, in order to do that, you have to follow the prescription given in the first parts of this verse. In order to find rest in Jesus, you need to “come to Him". You need to bring him your hungry heart or aching soul. You need to offer up your sore body or racing mind. I don’t care how strong you think you are; you need this! You need some “come to Jesus moments” in which you let everything go from your shoulders to God’s ears. You body, mind, heart, and soul crave these moments. Nothing else will heal you as well or help you to make it through with lasting relief!
Jesus often went to pray “alone”; to talk with God the Father (i.e. Matthew 14:23). I believe it was His way to recharge His spiritual batteries, to heal His weary body and mind and heart. You should do the same! When was the last time you left behind your daily grind and spent some alone-time with your Savior? How long has it been since you spent quiet time, just you and your Lord?
Fifteen years ago, a close friend of mine was reeling from the death of her mother. We spent time talking and praying, but she instinctively knew what was needed. She craved healing time with God. After praying about her need for several days, she finally asked God to simply show her a sign that He was listening. She promised to look for that sign each time she walked and prayed. The words had scarcely escaped her mind when she looked up and saw something she had never before seen in her life. As she walked alone in the early morning mist to the grave of her mother, she saw a fawn lying on the grave of her mother. She immediately stopped and took in the scene. It was surreal. The fawn was just lying there, looking in her direction, the two seemingly locking eyes. Slowly, the fawn stood up and walked into the field beyond, from whence it had come. My friend simply said out loud at that precise moment, “Thank you, dear Lord, for that wonderful answer to my prayer.” Her heavy heart seemed to lift. She felt ready to move on with her life, knowing that she was in Almighty hands.
When life gets crazy, go spend some “alone with Jesus” moments. Don’t forget to come to Him who saved you! Offer up what weighs heavily on your heart. I’ve done it many, many times. Nothing is like it in the whole world!
Every single human being deals with a mind or heart or emotions that won’t shut off. Your body might ache at the end of a long day. As you get older, this tiredness seems to “settle in your bones”. It threatens to keep you up at night. Which kind of tiredness seems to be your constant companion? Is it your body that aches more each day? Is it your mind that can’t seem to be at peace? How about your heart; is it longing for something, nagging away at your thoughts? Which part of you is weighed down today?
There are many things that people do in order to find rest in life. Some resort to drugs and alcohol after a tough day. Some choose a comfort food in order to try and feel better. I’ve met more than a few people who pushed their body to the limit with exercise and work in an attempt to shut off a racing mind when they sleep. Sometimes, even that doesn’t work! There are many methods of escapism that people have chosen as their mode to leave behind hurts and pains and realities as they go about their daily life. There are teens who hide their angst in video games. Young mothers may choose a glass of wine in order to settle their nerves. Workaholics may use work-related trips to try and get away from it all for a short while. Honestly, I’ve found nothing that works better at easing the body and soul than good old-fashioned time with God.
When things were eating at my heart or mind in my second church (and many times since!), I’d grab one hundred scriptures written on flashcards and go for a walk. On the walk, I’d memorize the verses, repeating them over and over. Sometimes, the verses would speak to my situation and infuse me with an idea. At other times, the scriptures would ease my soul. The scripture above was one of the hundred or so scriptures that I would carry. I’d repeat it over and over as I walked in order to let Jesus’ words seep into my mind, heart, and soul. The walk would tire my body in a healthy way. Every mile or so, I’d pray about something or someone. I often felt God walking with me as the miles passed.
Our scripture for today makes it crystal clear that Jesus wants to “give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). However, in order to do that, you have to follow the prescription given in the first parts of this verse. In order to find rest in Jesus, you need to “come to Him". You need to bring him your hungry heart or aching soul. You need to offer up your sore body or racing mind. I don’t care how strong you think you are; you need this! You need some “come to Jesus moments” in which you let everything go from your shoulders to God’s ears. You body, mind, heart, and soul crave these moments. Nothing else will heal you as well or help you to make it through with lasting relief!
Jesus often went to pray “alone”; to talk with God the Father (i.e. Matthew 14:23). I believe it was His way to recharge His spiritual batteries, to heal His weary body and mind and heart. You should do the same! When was the last time you left behind your daily grind and spent some alone-time with your Savior? How long has it been since you spent quiet time, just you and your Lord?
Fifteen years ago, a close friend of mine was reeling from the death of her mother. We spent time talking and praying, but she instinctively knew what was needed. She craved healing time with God. After praying about her need for several days, she finally asked God to simply show her a sign that He was listening. She promised to look for that sign each time she walked and prayed. The words had scarcely escaped her mind when she looked up and saw something she had never before seen in her life. As she walked alone in the early morning mist to the grave of her mother, she saw a fawn lying on the grave of her mother. She immediately stopped and took in the scene. It was surreal. The fawn was just lying there, looking in her direction, the two seemingly locking eyes. Slowly, the fawn stood up and walked into the field beyond, from whence it had come. My friend simply said out loud at that precise moment, “Thank you, dear Lord, for that wonderful answer to my prayer.” Her heavy heart seemed to lift. She felt ready to move on with her life, knowing that she was in Almighty hands.
When life gets crazy, go spend some “alone with Jesus” moments. Don’t forget to come to Him who saved you! Offer up what weighs heavily on your heart. I’ve done it many, many times. Nothing is like it in the whole world!
February 23
“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” (Romans 8:14, NIV)
Did you know that the Bible lists requirements for being a child of God? According to the scripture today, you absolutely cannot be a child of God without two things: you need to have contact with the Spirit of God and you need to be led by the Spirit of God. I have found many people who claim to be Christian or to love God, but when you ask about the Holy Spirit’s part in their spiritual life, they do not understand. They lack a relationship with God's Spirit. Do you realize that God’s Holy Spirit needs to be in your heart, active in your mind, and part of your day, as well as influencing your actions? It's the only way to be an authentic child of God.
After Jesus was resurrected and His time was short on this earth, He met with His disciples a few times. These times were crucial to cement His resurrection in their minds and to impart His final words and directions to them. Jesus challenged Peter about his denial, while pressing His disciple to begin his ministry (John 21:15-19). Jesus confirmed His resurrection as well as dispelled doubts of His resurrection to disciples like Thomas (John 20). Jesus also explained His continuing ministry to the ends of the earth (Luke 24). However, Jesus also bestowed the Holy Spirit upon His disciples in John 20:22. Jesus knew that every disciple would need the Holy Spirit to witness and minister, but also that the Holy Spirit was a requirement to being a child of God (Romans 8:14).
Because of what Jesus did in His final days, and because of the scripture today, you need to ask yourself two questions. First, do you have the Holy Spirit in you? Does God’s Spirit speak with your mind, interact with your spirit, and influence your prayers? Second, you need to ask yourself if you are “led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). Do you follow God’s direction through the influence of God’s Spirit upon your life? I’ve met a number of Christians who admitted to having God’s Spirit, but when it came to acting upon the Spirit’s direction, they were apprehensive. You need to both have God’s Spirit and follow God’s Holy Spirit.
In my second church, there was a young man who became very dear to me. He went through confirmation class and attended worship regularly with his parents and extended family. He was active in Sunday School, youth programs, and much more. However, I sensed something about him. God’s Spirit was telling me that he lacked the Holy Spirit in his life. He was attending church functions out of familial obligation and came to many events in order to enjoy the family and friends gathered. God wanted more from him.
For months, I watched for an opportunity to interact with him one on one. I felt God’s Spirit telling me to wait for the right time for a conversation about faith. Little did I know it would occur at four o’clock in the morning! At a youth overnight, we had many games and programs. The youth event was meant as an ice-breaker for new youth and for the youth to get to know me. It was also meant to cement their relationships with each other. One by one, the youth got tired and by 3AM, most were down for the count, sleeping in sleeping bags. However, Steven was still up. When his best friend went to bed, Steven noticed I was still awake and came to speak to me in the church kitchen. There, we talked. There, I said to him what God wanted me to say. There, I felt that he was willing to let God’s Spirit come into his life. We prayed together. He was never the same again. From then on, I could feel God’s Spirit when around him. I could see he responded to God, felt God speaking to him, and tried to follow God’s will. When a person let’s God’s Spirit fill him or her, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. The spiritual part of that person comes alive and blooms. They can see and feel God to a much greater extent.
It's not enough to have God’s Spirit in you. If you aren't “led by the Spirit of God”, you aren’t much worth to God. In fact, it is my belief that if you don’t follow God’s Spirit often enough, God will remove His Spirit from you. In the book of Revelation, God’s angel threatened to remove God’s Spirit from those churches that didn’t follow God’s command. The angel was going to symbolize this loss of God’s Spirit by removing God’s spiritual lampstand from their midst (Revelation 2:5). Doing so would mean that the church existed in name only. God would not be found among them.
If you want to be a child of God, you need God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been called a “counselor” and “comforter” (John 14:16,26). With the Holy Spirit in your life, you will feel God’s direction and know you aren’t alone. God will influence you and reach out to you. This can’t happen for long without God’s Spirit active in your life Isn't it better to have God’s Spirit in you rather than just around you? Obviously!
Look for God’s Spirit working in and around you. Ask for God to confirm His Spirit is in your heart. If you are lacking the Holy Spirit in your daily life, pray with someone who has God’s Spirit strongly. Seek God’s will. Open yourself up to God’s direction. Follow God’s guidance. When God’s Spirit is alive and active in your life, not only will you be a “real” child of God, your spiritual life will grow and bloom in a powerful way!
After Jesus was resurrected and His time was short on this earth, He met with His disciples a few times. These times were crucial to cement His resurrection in their minds and to impart His final words and directions to them. Jesus challenged Peter about his denial, while pressing His disciple to begin his ministry (John 21:15-19). Jesus confirmed His resurrection as well as dispelled doubts of His resurrection to disciples like Thomas (John 20). Jesus also explained His continuing ministry to the ends of the earth (Luke 24). However, Jesus also bestowed the Holy Spirit upon His disciples in John 20:22. Jesus knew that every disciple would need the Holy Spirit to witness and minister, but also that the Holy Spirit was a requirement to being a child of God (Romans 8:14).
Because of what Jesus did in His final days, and because of the scripture today, you need to ask yourself two questions. First, do you have the Holy Spirit in you? Does God’s Spirit speak with your mind, interact with your spirit, and influence your prayers? Second, you need to ask yourself if you are “led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). Do you follow God’s direction through the influence of God’s Spirit upon your life? I’ve met a number of Christians who admitted to having God’s Spirit, but when it came to acting upon the Spirit’s direction, they were apprehensive. You need to both have God’s Spirit and follow God’s Holy Spirit.
In my second church, there was a young man who became very dear to me. He went through confirmation class and attended worship regularly with his parents and extended family. He was active in Sunday School, youth programs, and much more. However, I sensed something about him. God’s Spirit was telling me that he lacked the Holy Spirit in his life. He was attending church functions out of familial obligation and came to many events in order to enjoy the family and friends gathered. God wanted more from him.
For months, I watched for an opportunity to interact with him one on one. I felt God’s Spirit telling me to wait for the right time for a conversation about faith. Little did I know it would occur at four o’clock in the morning! At a youth overnight, we had many games and programs. The youth event was meant as an ice-breaker for new youth and for the youth to get to know me. It was also meant to cement their relationships with each other. One by one, the youth got tired and by 3AM, most were down for the count, sleeping in sleeping bags. However, Steven was still up. When his best friend went to bed, Steven noticed I was still awake and came to speak to me in the church kitchen. There, we talked. There, I said to him what God wanted me to say. There, I felt that he was willing to let God’s Spirit come into his life. We prayed together. He was never the same again. From then on, I could feel God’s Spirit when around him. I could see he responded to God, felt God speaking to him, and tried to follow God’s will. When a person let’s God’s Spirit fill him or her, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. The spiritual part of that person comes alive and blooms. They can see and feel God to a much greater extent.
It's not enough to have God’s Spirit in you. If you aren't “led by the Spirit of God”, you aren’t much worth to God. In fact, it is my belief that if you don’t follow God’s Spirit often enough, God will remove His Spirit from you. In the book of Revelation, God’s angel threatened to remove God’s Spirit from those churches that didn’t follow God’s command. The angel was going to symbolize this loss of God’s Spirit by removing God’s spiritual lampstand from their midst (Revelation 2:5). Doing so would mean that the church existed in name only. God would not be found among them.
If you want to be a child of God, you need God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been called a “counselor” and “comforter” (John 14:16,26). With the Holy Spirit in your life, you will feel God’s direction and know you aren’t alone. God will influence you and reach out to you. This can’t happen for long without God’s Spirit active in your life Isn't it better to have God’s Spirit in you rather than just around you? Obviously!
Look for God’s Spirit working in and around you. Ask for God to confirm His Spirit is in your heart. If you are lacking the Holy Spirit in your daily life, pray with someone who has God’s Spirit strongly. Seek God’s will. Open yourself up to God’s direction. Follow God’s guidance. When God’s Spirit is alive and active in your life, not only will you be a “real” child of God, your spiritual life will grow and bloom in a powerful way!
February 26
“I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” (Proverbs 24:30–34, NLT)
The scripture for today is about laziness. It was written to explain what happened when a person was too lazy to get out and take care of a farm field. The field would become “overgrown with nettles” and other weeds (Proverbs 24:31). The field edge walls, which denoted the boundaries of one’s land and kept neighboring animals out of precious crops, were “broken down” with time. The reason for the land being overgrown and wild was because of the personality of the farmer. He (in Hebrew it is a man) was being lazy. This laziness had seeped into his life and taken away his “common sense” (Proverbs 24:30). Common sense would dictate that you need to keep the fields well cultivated in order to grow good crops. Why would a person make such a mess? Laziness, pure and simple.
However, I think this passage of scripture may also be a warning of another sort. It’s not just urging you to keep up the care and maintenance of your land and work. It is urging you, in a subtle way, not to be lazy in any part of your life. I’ve known people who were good mechanics who neglected their own family's vehicles. I’ve met women who would spend hours buying perfect clothes who left their checkbook in a mess, not even watching any budget. I’ve known a good number of young people who made a mess of one area of life, so much so that it caused problems in other areas of life. You can exercise all day long, but if you are lazy with your food preparation it can make you fat or sick or diseased. Above all, though, this scripture speaks to the spiritually lazy person. Like a neglected farm field can grow weeds and nettles, a neglected spiritual life can result in a person making a mess of his or her morals or values or choices or relationship with God.
Are you spiritually lazy?
There is a story of an old mountaineer and his wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away the time. Both were known to sleep in late and neglect their land.
After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it's raining. Get up and to outside and see."
The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a second, sighed, then said, "Aw, Ma, why don't we just call in the dog and see if he's wet." (p.3 Bits and Pieces, April 29, 1993)
The biggest problem with laziness is that you tend to put work on others. A lazy mother may desire her children to do the cooking and cleaning. A lazy worker forces the other workers to take up the slack. And in the case of the old mountaineer and his wife, the dog must check for rain! Spiritual laziness is no different. When you neglect your spiritual “work” such as Bible Study, prayer, mission work, outreach, worship, and more, you force others to take up the slack. Others will have to keep up the church building, do the praying, and help the needy. Others will have to step up and teach the next generation and help with church leadership.
Spiritual laziness not only forces others to do God’s work, it also causes “weeds” to grow in the soul. Like weeds in a farm field can reach out and stifle the growth of good crops, spiritual weeds can stifle the growth of your relationship with God. They can hamper your ability to pray effectively. They may cause you to lack spiritual maturity. Instead of trying to understand a scripture by studying and meditating upon it, a spiritually lazy person might just ignore why it was put in the Bible or take someone else’s word for its meaning. Spiritually lazy people become apathetic about God’s work. The messes they leave about them cause spiritual damage to others around them.
In a Roman Catholic Church in New York, several women asked for a meeting of the church. These women were active in community groups and strong feminists. Spurred on by a college professor, they spoke vehemently to the members about women’s rights. They advocated a call for the church to accept abortions and a women’s right to choose. They cajoled the people, calling the church’s beliefs on abortion outdated and quaint. Despite the outrage of several older members of the church, most people in the church chose to remain silent. They didn’t want to make waves. Over time, the women took their cause to groups in the church, and regularly put up signs about women’s rights on bulletin boards and at the entrances. After months of this, the church leaders got together to decide what to do. One man said he was tired of the women and their “causes”. He advocated the leaders do whatever the women wanted. He was sick and tired of the grumbling and noise. Even though three older members complained to the priest, the decision was made. The church would not stand against the women. The church made a decision not to do anything about the whole issue. Today, an abortion clinic is less than a mile away from the church. As for the church, it has fallen into disrepair and may soon close. Spiritual apathy will have killed it.
Not only can individuals become spiritually lazy, a church may become this way as well. Being spiritually lazy, a church may leave it up to a pastor or priest or leaders to do all the work. A church might grow used to a certain way of preaching or certain social structure. Not wanting to take the time to grow spiritually, a church might not “waste time” with Bible Studies for adults. They might not make the extra effort to reach out to the youth in their community. They might choose to become a “social group” instead of God’s witnesses to the amazing grace of Jesus’ resurrection! The pastor might do more work to keep the bureaucracy alive than to share the good news of the gospel. Is your church spiritually lazy?
In the end, lets be honest. Periods of spiritual laziness can slowly creep in like a weed in a field. It can slowly work its way into your heart and soul. It can affect your decisions and values, damaging your marriage and family. Spiritual laziness may not be a glitzy topic, but it can make a real mess out of your relationship with God Almighty. What can you do to combat laziness in and around you?
However, I think this passage of scripture may also be a warning of another sort. It’s not just urging you to keep up the care and maintenance of your land and work. It is urging you, in a subtle way, not to be lazy in any part of your life. I’ve known people who were good mechanics who neglected their own family's vehicles. I’ve met women who would spend hours buying perfect clothes who left their checkbook in a mess, not even watching any budget. I’ve known a good number of young people who made a mess of one area of life, so much so that it caused problems in other areas of life. You can exercise all day long, but if you are lazy with your food preparation it can make you fat or sick or diseased. Above all, though, this scripture speaks to the spiritually lazy person. Like a neglected farm field can grow weeds and nettles, a neglected spiritual life can result in a person making a mess of his or her morals or values or choices or relationship with God.
Are you spiritually lazy?
There is a story of an old mountaineer and his wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away the time. Both were known to sleep in late and neglect their land.
After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it's raining. Get up and to outside and see."
The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a second, sighed, then said, "Aw, Ma, why don't we just call in the dog and see if he's wet." (p.3 Bits and Pieces, April 29, 1993)
The biggest problem with laziness is that you tend to put work on others. A lazy mother may desire her children to do the cooking and cleaning. A lazy worker forces the other workers to take up the slack. And in the case of the old mountaineer and his wife, the dog must check for rain! Spiritual laziness is no different. When you neglect your spiritual “work” such as Bible Study, prayer, mission work, outreach, worship, and more, you force others to take up the slack. Others will have to keep up the church building, do the praying, and help the needy. Others will have to step up and teach the next generation and help with church leadership.
Spiritual laziness not only forces others to do God’s work, it also causes “weeds” to grow in the soul. Like weeds in a farm field can reach out and stifle the growth of good crops, spiritual weeds can stifle the growth of your relationship with God. They can hamper your ability to pray effectively. They may cause you to lack spiritual maturity. Instead of trying to understand a scripture by studying and meditating upon it, a spiritually lazy person might just ignore why it was put in the Bible or take someone else’s word for its meaning. Spiritually lazy people become apathetic about God’s work. The messes they leave about them cause spiritual damage to others around them.
In a Roman Catholic Church in New York, several women asked for a meeting of the church. These women were active in community groups and strong feminists. Spurred on by a college professor, they spoke vehemently to the members about women’s rights. They advocated a call for the church to accept abortions and a women’s right to choose. They cajoled the people, calling the church’s beliefs on abortion outdated and quaint. Despite the outrage of several older members of the church, most people in the church chose to remain silent. They didn’t want to make waves. Over time, the women took their cause to groups in the church, and regularly put up signs about women’s rights on bulletin boards and at the entrances. After months of this, the church leaders got together to decide what to do. One man said he was tired of the women and their “causes”. He advocated the leaders do whatever the women wanted. He was sick and tired of the grumbling and noise. Even though three older members complained to the priest, the decision was made. The church would not stand against the women. The church made a decision not to do anything about the whole issue. Today, an abortion clinic is less than a mile away from the church. As for the church, it has fallen into disrepair and may soon close. Spiritual apathy will have killed it.
Not only can individuals become spiritually lazy, a church may become this way as well. Being spiritually lazy, a church may leave it up to a pastor or priest or leaders to do all the work. A church might grow used to a certain way of preaching or certain social structure. Not wanting to take the time to grow spiritually, a church might not “waste time” with Bible Studies for adults. They might not make the extra effort to reach out to the youth in their community. They might choose to become a “social group” instead of God’s witnesses to the amazing grace of Jesus’ resurrection! The pastor might do more work to keep the bureaucracy alive than to share the good news of the gospel. Is your church spiritually lazy?
In the end, lets be honest. Periods of spiritual laziness can slowly creep in like a weed in a field. It can slowly work its way into your heart and soul. It can affect your decisions and values, damaging your marriage and family. Spiritual laziness may not be a glitzy topic, but it can make a real mess out of your relationship with God Almighty. What can you do to combat laziness in and around you?