February 2
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:16–17, ESV)
“In 1818, Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women. The finest hospitals lost one out of six young mothers to the scourge of “childbed fever.” A doctor’s daily routine began in the dissecting room where he performed autopsies. From there he made his way to the hospital to examine expectant mothers without ever pausing to wash his hands. Dr. Semmelweis was the first man in history to associate such examinations with the resultant infection and death. His own practice was to wash with a chlorine solution, and after eleven years and the delivery of 8,537 babies, he lost only 184 mothers—about one in fifty. He spent the vigor of his life lecturing and debating with his colleagues.
Semmelweis once argued, “Puerperal fever is caused by decomposed material, conveyed to a wound. I have shown how it can be prevented. I have proved all that I have said. But while we talk ,talk, talk, gentlemen, women are dying. I am not asking anything world shaking. I am asking you only to wash. For God’s sake, wash your hands.”
But virtually no one believed him. Doctors and midwives had been delivering babies for thousands of years without washing, and no outspoken Hungarian was going to change them now! Semmelweis died at the age of 47, his wash basins discarded, his colleagues laughing in his face, and the death rattle of a thousand women ringing in his ears.” (bible.org).
Just as doctors in olden days did not understand the importance of washing their hands between patients, many Christians today don’t understand the great importance of spiritual washing or spiritual cleansing. A spiritual washing cleanses the heart and soul of the residue of past sin. It washes away the guilt and pain that remain long after a sin has damaged your life. Spiritual cleansing is necessary for every person. It is a basic need when a person comes to Jesus. It is perfect to recover a relationship with God when your connection with God has gone awry.
In our scripture today, Isaiah expresses the need for sinful Judeans to “wash themselves” and “make themselves clean” (Isaiah 1:16). Several things were required to accomplish this cleansing of the land. First, the people needed to “remove the evil of their deeds” from before God’s eyes. Sin was running rampant throughout the kingdom. The people were ignoring God’s law to pursue their own selfish and lustful ways. God wanted this evil to stop. The second thing required of the Judeans was to “correct oppression” (Isaiah 1:17). Sin in the land caused oppression and suffering to multiply. Powerful people took advantage of others, especially the needy and poor. Orphans (the fatherless) and widows were especially vulnerable to oppression and suffering. As a sign of true cleansing, God wanted to see “justice for the fatherless” and support for the widows in the land. The Judeans couldn’t just talk about their need for spiritual cleansing, they had to change the wrongs being practiced in the land, act upon their faith, and care for the needy. A true cleansing cannot occur as long as such things were prevalent in God’s Kingdom.
How do you do a spiritual cleansing? Following Isaiah 1:16 from our scripture today, you need to purge any evil in your life. You also need to overturn any evil in the world around you. A good place to start is by repenting of your sin. Be honest with God. Ask for forgiveness for all those things that have darkened your soul or poisoned your thoughts. Don’t just get rid of evil thoughts. Cleanse your world around you by righting the wrongs being practiced in your church and community, your country and your world. Be a force for good. Make sure to watch over the vulnerable and hurting. Find ways to make right the wrongs being perpetrated by sin around you. And finally, don’t let your sinful ways sneak back into your everyday world.
When Dr. Semmelweis tried to change the way that doctors took care of their patience, he grew frustrated that too many resorted to “talk, talk, talk”. They didn’t want to change their ways nor even acknowledge their mistakes. You also must not fall into this same spiritual trap, where you talk about the sin in your life but never change your ways. God sees a true spiritual cleansing not as just a work of the heart and soul and mind. It involves outreach and mission, a turning away from power and privilege, and a cleansing of one’s social environment. Sometimes, more is required than just a cleansing of your thoughts and beliefs.
Is there some evil poisoning your heart today? Do you know of a needy person requiring help? Is there a past sin that keeps sneaking back into your life? Every now and then, a good spiritual washing can go a long way to making things right.
Semmelweis once argued, “Puerperal fever is caused by decomposed material, conveyed to a wound. I have shown how it can be prevented. I have proved all that I have said. But while we talk ,talk, talk, gentlemen, women are dying. I am not asking anything world shaking. I am asking you only to wash. For God’s sake, wash your hands.”
But virtually no one believed him. Doctors and midwives had been delivering babies for thousands of years without washing, and no outspoken Hungarian was going to change them now! Semmelweis died at the age of 47, his wash basins discarded, his colleagues laughing in his face, and the death rattle of a thousand women ringing in his ears.” (bible.org).
Just as doctors in olden days did not understand the importance of washing their hands between patients, many Christians today don’t understand the great importance of spiritual washing or spiritual cleansing. A spiritual washing cleanses the heart and soul of the residue of past sin. It washes away the guilt and pain that remain long after a sin has damaged your life. Spiritual cleansing is necessary for every person. It is a basic need when a person comes to Jesus. It is perfect to recover a relationship with God when your connection with God has gone awry.
In our scripture today, Isaiah expresses the need for sinful Judeans to “wash themselves” and “make themselves clean” (Isaiah 1:16). Several things were required to accomplish this cleansing of the land. First, the people needed to “remove the evil of their deeds” from before God’s eyes. Sin was running rampant throughout the kingdom. The people were ignoring God’s law to pursue their own selfish and lustful ways. God wanted this evil to stop. The second thing required of the Judeans was to “correct oppression” (Isaiah 1:17). Sin in the land caused oppression and suffering to multiply. Powerful people took advantage of others, especially the needy and poor. Orphans (the fatherless) and widows were especially vulnerable to oppression and suffering. As a sign of true cleansing, God wanted to see “justice for the fatherless” and support for the widows in the land. The Judeans couldn’t just talk about their need for spiritual cleansing, they had to change the wrongs being practiced in the land, act upon their faith, and care for the needy. A true cleansing cannot occur as long as such things were prevalent in God’s Kingdom.
How do you do a spiritual cleansing? Following Isaiah 1:16 from our scripture today, you need to purge any evil in your life. You also need to overturn any evil in the world around you. A good place to start is by repenting of your sin. Be honest with God. Ask for forgiveness for all those things that have darkened your soul or poisoned your thoughts. Don’t just get rid of evil thoughts. Cleanse your world around you by righting the wrongs being practiced in your church and community, your country and your world. Be a force for good. Make sure to watch over the vulnerable and hurting. Find ways to make right the wrongs being perpetrated by sin around you. And finally, don’t let your sinful ways sneak back into your everyday world.
When Dr. Semmelweis tried to change the way that doctors took care of their patience, he grew frustrated that too many resorted to “talk, talk, talk”. They didn’t want to change their ways nor even acknowledge their mistakes. You also must not fall into this same spiritual trap, where you talk about the sin in your life but never change your ways. God sees a true spiritual cleansing not as just a work of the heart and soul and mind. It involves outreach and mission, a turning away from power and privilege, and a cleansing of one’s social environment. Sometimes, more is required than just a cleansing of your thoughts and beliefs.
Is there some evil poisoning your heart today? Do you know of a needy person requiring help? Is there a past sin that keeps sneaking back into your life? Every now and then, a good spiritual washing can go a long way to making things right.
February 4
“When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.”” (John 13:27, NLT)
Rev. Kenneth Haugk wrote a very thought-provoking book about antagonists in the church. In that book, he defined an antagonist as “someone who on the basis of non-substantive evidence, goes out of their way to make insatiable demands, usually attacking the person or performance of others; these attacks are selfish in nature, tear down rather than build up, and are frequently directed against leadership.” (Antagonists in the Church, p. 27). He argued that antagonists are so hard-headed that you can’t reason with them. You may think you can; you may try; but they don’t respond to reasoning. They are dangerous and deadly as friends, colleagues and parishioners. They are church killers.
Do you have any antagonists around you? So did Jesus.
In our scripture for today, Jesus witnessed Satan enter into Judas during the Last Supper. From then on, Judas was determined to follow through on Jesus’ arrest. Judas led the soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane. He betrayed Jesus with a kiss. His actions directly influenced Jesus’ crucifixion and death. I find it Jesus' words during the Last Supper very interesting. Instead of reasoning with Judas, Jesus told him to “do what you are going to do” (John 13:27). Jesus knew there was no talking him out of it; no amount of reasoning would help.
Based on the scripture for today, when Satan entered into Judas, he became an antagonist. Satan himself is an antagonist against God. He is an antagonist against you. There is no reasoning with him. You cannot change his ways. He is hopelessly devoted to evil and sin. Sadly, all you can do with Satan is keep away from his presence when possible. Do not play his games. Do not listen to his lies.
Sadly, there have been antagonists in every church I have pastored. In conferring with other pastors, they have found the same. Antagonists are not only in every area of society, but they are also entrenched in the church. You will have to deal with them. You will have to work around them.
A new pastor was in his study, preparing for the next Sunday’s sermon. He liked to write his sermons early in the day, before the rush of ministry caused interruptions in his thoughts and reflections. As he pondered the scripture for the next week, he heard a gentle knock on his window. Peering out, he saw a member of the congregation who was smiling at him. The pastor went to the door of the church and let the woman inside. As she smiled, she asked if the pastor had just a few moments to talk. She explained that she needed his counseling for a few moments. The pastor was happy to oblige.
For the next few months, this woman made herself available to the pastor in many ways. She stopped over on his day off to bring cookies. She was quick to encourage his son when dealing with an issue at school. She befriended his wife. She invited them all to dinner. She offered to help with a project in the parsonage. What the pastor didn’t know was that the more the woman ingratiated herself into the pastor’s close acquaintances, the more she was weaving her web of destruction.
Two years later, after the pastor helped the woman become the head of the main women’s organization and a committee chairperson, things began to unravel. The pastor began to have problems in the church. Arguments broke out at several meetings. What the pastor didn’t realize right away was that this woman was an antagonist in the church. She warmed her way past the defenses of others. Then, when she had power, she often wielded it to cause disruption and hurt feelings all over the place. After five years, the pastor left that congregation, his faith severely shaken.
I bet within a month of the next pastor arriving, that woman was at his door with a plate of cookies. I bet she brought a warm greeting to the next pastor’s family. It was all a part of her antagonistic ways. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
If you are an antagonist, chances are you are blind to the damage you do. I’m sure you blame others for all the problems around you. I just want you to know that unless you repent of your antagonistic ways, you will be as deadly as Judas. Satan will love to increase your power in the church and in life. He can use you well.
If you must deal with antagonists, realize the same thing as did Jesus in our scripture today. Antagonists cannot be reasoned with. They will not change their ways. That is why Jesus told Judas to just “do what you are going to do”. Jesus didn’t reason with Judas. He didn’t try to change his mind. Once Satan had a hold on Judas, there were no words that were going to help. The only way Judas could be saved was if he came to his senses. And by the time Judas did come to his senses, Jesus was dead. With no way to make things right, Judas could only commit suicide. His antagonism paved the way for his destruction.
Antagonists destroy things. Its what they do. They are especially good at destroying relationships, even relationships with God. When you go up against antagonists, do not be mislead by their warmth. Do not be swayed by their seeming friendship. They are dangerous. Also, realize what Jesus knew. You cannot convince them of the truth. Sometimes, all you can do is walk away from them. I just hope their destructive ways don’t envelop you in the meantime.
There are some souls you can’t save. There are some people who can’t be persuaded with reason. There are those who will not listen to your wisdom or heed your warnings. Sadly, at times you may have to step back from those who are hell-bent on destruction. You may have to abandon that friend who will damage your soul. Please pray for them that it may not be too late. It is often too late before antagonists recognize their own sinfulness.
Is there someone near you now who may not be good for your soul? Is there a family member or friend who will not listen to reason? Be careful of antagonists. Satan loves to use them to get to you.
Red Flags of Antagonists To Watch For:
1. Previous track record
2. Parallel track record (antagonist at work, school, club, etc.)
3. Nameless others: "At least 24 others feel this same way."
4. Criticism of predecessor
5. Instant buddy
6. Gushing praise
7. "I Gotcha!" Asks leading questions, tries to trap you.
8. Extraordinary likeability
9. Church hopper
10. Liar
11. Uses aggressive means: extreme, combative, unethical
12. Flashes $$$
13. Takes notes at inappropriate times
14. Sarcasm, cutting language
15. Different drummer, always doing things their own way
16. A pest--incessant phone calls, questions, etc.
17. The "cause"
Do you have any antagonists around you? So did Jesus.
In our scripture for today, Jesus witnessed Satan enter into Judas during the Last Supper. From then on, Judas was determined to follow through on Jesus’ arrest. Judas led the soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane. He betrayed Jesus with a kiss. His actions directly influenced Jesus’ crucifixion and death. I find it Jesus' words during the Last Supper very interesting. Instead of reasoning with Judas, Jesus told him to “do what you are going to do” (John 13:27). Jesus knew there was no talking him out of it; no amount of reasoning would help.
Based on the scripture for today, when Satan entered into Judas, he became an antagonist. Satan himself is an antagonist against God. He is an antagonist against you. There is no reasoning with him. You cannot change his ways. He is hopelessly devoted to evil and sin. Sadly, all you can do with Satan is keep away from his presence when possible. Do not play his games. Do not listen to his lies.
Sadly, there have been antagonists in every church I have pastored. In conferring with other pastors, they have found the same. Antagonists are not only in every area of society, but they are also entrenched in the church. You will have to deal with them. You will have to work around them.
A new pastor was in his study, preparing for the next Sunday’s sermon. He liked to write his sermons early in the day, before the rush of ministry caused interruptions in his thoughts and reflections. As he pondered the scripture for the next week, he heard a gentle knock on his window. Peering out, he saw a member of the congregation who was smiling at him. The pastor went to the door of the church and let the woman inside. As she smiled, she asked if the pastor had just a few moments to talk. She explained that she needed his counseling for a few moments. The pastor was happy to oblige.
For the next few months, this woman made herself available to the pastor in many ways. She stopped over on his day off to bring cookies. She was quick to encourage his son when dealing with an issue at school. She befriended his wife. She invited them all to dinner. She offered to help with a project in the parsonage. What the pastor didn’t know was that the more the woman ingratiated herself into the pastor’s close acquaintances, the more she was weaving her web of destruction.
Two years later, after the pastor helped the woman become the head of the main women’s organization and a committee chairperson, things began to unravel. The pastor began to have problems in the church. Arguments broke out at several meetings. What the pastor didn’t realize right away was that this woman was an antagonist in the church. She warmed her way past the defenses of others. Then, when she had power, she often wielded it to cause disruption and hurt feelings all over the place. After five years, the pastor left that congregation, his faith severely shaken.
I bet within a month of the next pastor arriving, that woman was at his door with a plate of cookies. I bet she brought a warm greeting to the next pastor’s family. It was all a part of her antagonistic ways. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
If you are an antagonist, chances are you are blind to the damage you do. I’m sure you blame others for all the problems around you. I just want you to know that unless you repent of your antagonistic ways, you will be as deadly as Judas. Satan will love to increase your power in the church and in life. He can use you well.
If you must deal with antagonists, realize the same thing as did Jesus in our scripture today. Antagonists cannot be reasoned with. They will not change their ways. That is why Jesus told Judas to just “do what you are going to do”. Jesus didn’t reason with Judas. He didn’t try to change his mind. Once Satan had a hold on Judas, there were no words that were going to help. The only way Judas could be saved was if he came to his senses. And by the time Judas did come to his senses, Jesus was dead. With no way to make things right, Judas could only commit suicide. His antagonism paved the way for his destruction.
Antagonists destroy things. Its what they do. They are especially good at destroying relationships, even relationships with God. When you go up against antagonists, do not be mislead by their warmth. Do not be swayed by their seeming friendship. They are dangerous. Also, realize what Jesus knew. You cannot convince them of the truth. Sometimes, all you can do is walk away from them. I just hope their destructive ways don’t envelop you in the meantime.
There are some souls you can’t save. There are some people who can’t be persuaded with reason. There are those who will not listen to your wisdom or heed your warnings. Sadly, at times you may have to step back from those who are hell-bent on destruction. You may have to abandon that friend who will damage your soul. Please pray for them that it may not be too late. It is often too late before antagonists recognize their own sinfulness.
Is there someone near you now who may not be good for your soul? Is there a family member or friend who will not listen to reason? Be careful of antagonists. Satan loves to use them to get to you.
Red Flags of Antagonists To Watch For:
1. Previous track record
2. Parallel track record (antagonist at work, school, club, etc.)
3. Nameless others: "At least 24 others feel this same way."
4. Criticism of predecessor
5. Instant buddy
6. Gushing praise
7. "I Gotcha!" Asks leading questions, tries to trap you.
8. Extraordinary likeability
9. Church hopper
10. Liar
11. Uses aggressive means: extreme, combative, unethical
12. Flashes $$$
13. Takes notes at inappropriate times
14. Sarcasm, cutting language
15. Different drummer, always doing things their own way
16. A pest--incessant phone calls, questions, etc.
17. The "cause"
February 6
“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD…” (Jonah 1:3, NLT)
You don’t often see it in a Bible where a man of God flees before the Lord. In our scripture for today, that is exactly what the prophet Jonah attempted. When he found out that God expected him to go to Nineveh and preach to the people, Jonah feared that the people there might just listen to God. Jonah did not want God to forgive the people of Nineveh and grant them grace and mercy. Jonah hated the people of Nineveh for all the suffering they caused Israel. He did not want that them to ever feel forgiven. Rather than accept God’s command and be a part of God’s grace, Jonah fled from the Lord. When God commanded him to go to Nineveh, he “went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). Jonah fought against what he knew deep in his soul was right. He just could not stomach following through with what God expected.
All too many people choose to purposefully go in the opposite direction from God’s will. When they find out what God requires or what they need to do to make things right, they would rather avoid the situation altogether. They want mercy but are not willing to follow through with doing what is right. Some are not willing to repent, though desiring to make things right with God. You can’t have one without the other! Too many people, faithful and unfaithful alike, would rather avoid doing what is right, even if God asks for it, even if God is willing to bless the endeavor!
Just before the death of actor W.C. Fields, a friend visited Fields' hospital room and was surprised to find him thumbing through a Bible. Asked what he was doing with a Bible, Fields replied, "I'm looking for loopholes." (sermonillustrations.com). People like loopholes. They don’t want to expend the effort to do something right. They ignore God’s instructions. They do not want to admit their failures or sin. Are you one who tends to go in the “opposite direction” when God has a difficult requirement for you? Did you ever walk away when you should have stayed somewhere? Did you ever ignore your conscience because it meant swallowing your pride and admitting your error?
Pastor Keith was close friends with a parishioner named Dave. Dave was a great guy, a confidant for the pastor, a trusted friend. Whenever Pastor Keith needed some help with a project at his home, Dave was there to lend a hand. When the pastor’s wife was diagnosed with cancer, Dave helped drive her to several of the treatments. Dave and his wife even watched over the pastor’s children while Pastor Keith was with his wife at the hospital. You could honestly say that Dave and Pastor Keith were best friends.
One quiet afternoon, while Pastor Keith got some extra work done in his church office, a knock came at the door. Upon opening the door, the pastor was shocked to see Dave standing there. Smiling at his great fortune, Pastor Keith ushered Dave in and pushed up a chair for him to sit. The pastor was expecting a nice conversation between best friends. Instead, he received a shock. After a few pleasantries, Dave admitted to Pastor Keith that his drinking had gotten out of control. Dave’s wife had left with the children that morning, telling her husband that either he got into treatment or she would be filing for divorce.
Aghast at the news, Pastor Keith replied, “Why didn’t you tell me you were having problems? I thought we were friends?”
Dave’s quiet reply was, “I knew if I told you about all the drinking, you would have gotten me into treatment. I didn’t want to go into treatment. I avoided talking to you about it, because I didn’t want to believe my drinking problem had gotten so out of control….”
Even the best of faithful people might be tempted to avoid the truth, lie to themselves, hide their sin, or walk away from what is needed. Don’t you do the same!
In the end, Jonah could not escape God’s truth nor God’s mission. Try as he might by running away, God would not let Jonah get far. God even caused Jonah to be thrown overboard, eaten by a “great fish”, then thrown up back on shore! In the end, Jonah did what God asked. Jonah prophesied to Nineveh. The people there repented with much fervor. Disaster was averted. God’s plan worked, despite Jonah’s attempt at avoidance!
Is there something or someone you have been avoiding lately? Does God want you to do something about that situation or wait for better timing? Have you ever avoided doing what was right? Have you ever run away from the truth? Even the best of us can try to avoid God’s call. However, I have found that avoiding God’s call always results in regret. You can't run away from the truth forever…. it always manages to catch up with you in the end!
All too many people choose to purposefully go in the opposite direction from God’s will. When they find out what God requires or what they need to do to make things right, they would rather avoid the situation altogether. They want mercy but are not willing to follow through with doing what is right. Some are not willing to repent, though desiring to make things right with God. You can’t have one without the other! Too many people, faithful and unfaithful alike, would rather avoid doing what is right, even if God asks for it, even if God is willing to bless the endeavor!
Just before the death of actor W.C. Fields, a friend visited Fields' hospital room and was surprised to find him thumbing through a Bible. Asked what he was doing with a Bible, Fields replied, "I'm looking for loopholes." (sermonillustrations.com). People like loopholes. They don’t want to expend the effort to do something right. They ignore God’s instructions. They do not want to admit their failures or sin. Are you one who tends to go in the “opposite direction” when God has a difficult requirement for you? Did you ever walk away when you should have stayed somewhere? Did you ever ignore your conscience because it meant swallowing your pride and admitting your error?
Pastor Keith was close friends with a parishioner named Dave. Dave was a great guy, a confidant for the pastor, a trusted friend. Whenever Pastor Keith needed some help with a project at his home, Dave was there to lend a hand. When the pastor’s wife was diagnosed with cancer, Dave helped drive her to several of the treatments. Dave and his wife even watched over the pastor’s children while Pastor Keith was with his wife at the hospital. You could honestly say that Dave and Pastor Keith were best friends.
One quiet afternoon, while Pastor Keith got some extra work done in his church office, a knock came at the door. Upon opening the door, the pastor was shocked to see Dave standing there. Smiling at his great fortune, Pastor Keith ushered Dave in and pushed up a chair for him to sit. The pastor was expecting a nice conversation between best friends. Instead, he received a shock. After a few pleasantries, Dave admitted to Pastor Keith that his drinking had gotten out of control. Dave’s wife had left with the children that morning, telling her husband that either he got into treatment or she would be filing for divorce.
Aghast at the news, Pastor Keith replied, “Why didn’t you tell me you were having problems? I thought we were friends?”
Dave’s quiet reply was, “I knew if I told you about all the drinking, you would have gotten me into treatment. I didn’t want to go into treatment. I avoided talking to you about it, because I didn’t want to believe my drinking problem had gotten so out of control….”
Even the best of faithful people might be tempted to avoid the truth, lie to themselves, hide their sin, or walk away from what is needed. Don’t you do the same!
In the end, Jonah could not escape God’s truth nor God’s mission. Try as he might by running away, God would not let Jonah get far. God even caused Jonah to be thrown overboard, eaten by a “great fish”, then thrown up back on shore! In the end, Jonah did what God asked. Jonah prophesied to Nineveh. The people there repented with much fervor. Disaster was averted. God’s plan worked, despite Jonah’s attempt at avoidance!
Is there something or someone you have been avoiding lately? Does God want you to do something about that situation or wait for better timing? Have you ever avoided doing what was right? Have you ever run away from the truth? Even the best of us can try to avoid God’s call. However, I have found that avoiding God’s call always results in regret. You can't run away from the truth forever…. it always manages to catch up with you in the end!
February 8
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” (Luke 9:25, NLT)
Alamiin Si usually writes about ways to market yourself, methods to sell merchandise, how to get noticed on social media, and strategies to become a great entrepreneur. However, in a particularly telling article he wrote for medium.com, Si gave some amazing introspective advice. Read what he wrote:
“Adolf Merckle was one of Germany’s five richest men. By May of 2008, he was worth $9.2 billion (Forbes). Two years prior, he happened to be the 36th richest man in the world! He was the owner of Ratiopharm — A German pharmaceutical company that is the leading generic brand for entire Europe. Adolf was famous, and that didn’t stop him from committing suicide! It was reported that he drove to a railway embankment near his home, where he lay on the frozen tracks and waited patiently for death. Such a tragic incident...
The next time you feel compelled to chase fame and earn people’s acceptance, so badly, remember that fame is hollow and take comfort in Albert Einstein’s words: “It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.”” (“The Parables”).
People have spent their entire life striving for riches, fame, and fortune only to find that having worldly success did not bring meaning or ultimate pleasure to life. The dedicated pursuit of worldly pleasures cannot help you sleep peacefully at night, feel right about your choices, or give your life meaning. Many pleasures in life get in the way of inner peace and a relationship with God. Riches may split families. Possessing clout may result in self-centered ego-trips. Having too many possessions can overwhelm your time or responsibilities. Having more things or wealth can greatly complicate your choices.
The scripture for today attacks the worldly notion that “gaining the whole world” is a suitable life goal (Luke 9:25). Too often, when people want to be famous or have lots of money, they push aside godly means to accomplish these worldly goals. I’ve met workaholics who strove day and night to make more and more money. All too often, their families and friendships suffered. They had no spiritual life. Making money consumed them. When you seek to “gain the world”, you often “lose yourself” in the process (Luke 9:25b). What matters most in life falls by the wayside, replaced by popularity contests, a life centered completely on the acquisition of things, and a love of selfish pursuits. Is it no surprise that many rich people fall prey to a desire for drugs to escape their reality or affairs to assuage their loneliness? You won’t find lasting joy or peace by following worldly fads, gathering likes or friends on social media, and getting your highs off worldly assets. In fact, children growing up surrounded by everything they will ever need usually end up with corrupted values and destroyed relationships. It may be popular on social media to be rich or famous, but that doesn’t mean it is in any way healthy or holy.
“A friend who lives in a forested area found his home overrun with mice--too many to exterminate with traps. So, he bought a few boxes of D-Con and distributed them around the house, including one under his bed. That night he couldn't believe his ears; below him was a feeding frenzy. In the morning he checked the box and found it licked clean. Just to make sure the plan worked, he bought and placed another box. Again, the mice went for the flavored poison like piranha. But the tasty and popular nighttime snack did its deadly work. In the days that followed, all was quiet. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good for you. It can be deadly--like sin.” (Craig Brian Larson, in Leadership Magazine, Summer, 1989, p. 43).
Even people of the Bible were corrupted by popularity, fame, and fortune. When Saul became King, he became obsessed with killing rivals to the throne. Only after David became a famous soldier and leader, did he commit adultery and murder. After Solomon was blessed by wisdom and wealth, he married wealthy foreign women in order to gain the favor of powerful military and political leaders. Those same women poisoned his relationship with God (see 1 Kings 11:4). One has only to look at Judas to see how a person can follow worldly ideals to self-destruction. After taking a bribe of 30 pieces of silver in order to lead some soldiers to arrest Jesus, Judas greatly regretted that bribe. Just before killing himself, Judas threw the money away rather than spend it. The money proved to be his undoing.
If your ultimate goals are to be rich or famous or influential or popular, you are setting yourself up for failure. Those you love most will probably suffer because of this obsession. The more worldly your goals, the more you will be agonized in their pursuit. I’m sure there are many who have become rich or famous who might make fun of this premise. They may call me naïve. However, history proves Jesus’ words correct. When a person “gains the world”, he or she will often “lose their soul” in the process.
Are some of your goals or aims or wishes a little too worldly? Is your mind too attached to material possessions? Have you been neglecting godly activities? How much of your time is devoted to acquiring more and newer things? Are you ever content with what you have? Could you do with less? A healthy relationship with worldly possessions is a rare and wonderful gift. My hope is that you are godly enough to have chosen this mentality.
“Adolf Merckle was one of Germany’s five richest men. By May of 2008, he was worth $9.2 billion (Forbes). Two years prior, he happened to be the 36th richest man in the world! He was the owner of Ratiopharm — A German pharmaceutical company that is the leading generic brand for entire Europe. Adolf was famous, and that didn’t stop him from committing suicide! It was reported that he drove to a railway embankment near his home, where he lay on the frozen tracks and waited patiently for death. Such a tragic incident...
The next time you feel compelled to chase fame and earn people’s acceptance, so badly, remember that fame is hollow and take comfort in Albert Einstein’s words: “It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.”” (“The Parables”).
People have spent their entire life striving for riches, fame, and fortune only to find that having worldly success did not bring meaning or ultimate pleasure to life. The dedicated pursuit of worldly pleasures cannot help you sleep peacefully at night, feel right about your choices, or give your life meaning. Many pleasures in life get in the way of inner peace and a relationship with God. Riches may split families. Possessing clout may result in self-centered ego-trips. Having too many possessions can overwhelm your time or responsibilities. Having more things or wealth can greatly complicate your choices.
The scripture for today attacks the worldly notion that “gaining the whole world” is a suitable life goal (Luke 9:25). Too often, when people want to be famous or have lots of money, they push aside godly means to accomplish these worldly goals. I’ve met workaholics who strove day and night to make more and more money. All too often, their families and friendships suffered. They had no spiritual life. Making money consumed them. When you seek to “gain the world”, you often “lose yourself” in the process (Luke 9:25b). What matters most in life falls by the wayside, replaced by popularity contests, a life centered completely on the acquisition of things, and a love of selfish pursuits. Is it no surprise that many rich people fall prey to a desire for drugs to escape their reality or affairs to assuage their loneliness? You won’t find lasting joy or peace by following worldly fads, gathering likes or friends on social media, and getting your highs off worldly assets. In fact, children growing up surrounded by everything they will ever need usually end up with corrupted values and destroyed relationships. It may be popular on social media to be rich or famous, but that doesn’t mean it is in any way healthy or holy.
“A friend who lives in a forested area found his home overrun with mice--too many to exterminate with traps. So, he bought a few boxes of D-Con and distributed them around the house, including one under his bed. That night he couldn't believe his ears; below him was a feeding frenzy. In the morning he checked the box and found it licked clean. Just to make sure the plan worked, he bought and placed another box. Again, the mice went for the flavored poison like piranha. But the tasty and popular nighttime snack did its deadly work. In the days that followed, all was quiet. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good for you. It can be deadly--like sin.” (Craig Brian Larson, in Leadership Magazine, Summer, 1989, p. 43).
Even people of the Bible were corrupted by popularity, fame, and fortune. When Saul became King, he became obsessed with killing rivals to the throne. Only after David became a famous soldier and leader, did he commit adultery and murder. After Solomon was blessed by wisdom and wealth, he married wealthy foreign women in order to gain the favor of powerful military and political leaders. Those same women poisoned his relationship with God (see 1 Kings 11:4). One has only to look at Judas to see how a person can follow worldly ideals to self-destruction. After taking a bribe of 30 pieces of silver in order to lead some soldiers to arrest Jesus, Judas greatly regretted that bribe. Just before killing himself, Judas threw the money away rather than spend it. The money proved to be his undoing.
If your ultimate goals are to be rich or famous or influential or popular, you are setting yourself up for failure. Those you love most will probably suffer because of this obsession. The more worldly your goals, the more you will be agonized in their pursuit. I’m sure there are many who have become rich or famous who might make fun of this premise. They may call me naïve. However, history proves Jesus’ words correct. When a person “gains the world”, he or she will often “lose their soul” in the process.
Are some of your goals or aims or wishes a little too worldly? Is your mind too attached to material possessions? Have you been neglecting godly activities? How much of your time is devoted to acquiring more and newer things? Are you ever content with what you have? Could you do with less? A healthy relationship with worldly possessions is a rare and wonderful gift. My hope is that you are godly enough to have chosen this mentality.
February 10
“And he [Jesus] said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”” (Mark 7:20–23, ESV)
In the 1940’s, schools most often dealt with students for the following offenses: running in the halls, chewing gum, and talking in class, class pranks. Recently, teachers were asked what kinds of offenses they must deal with. The list included stealing, rape, alcohol use, drug use, teen pregnancy, and suicide. It’s a whole different world out there. “Former Education Secretary William Bennett argued, "If we turn the economy around, have full employment, live in cities of alabaster and gold, and this is what our children are doing to each other, then we still will have failed them.’” (“Family Policy”, June, 1993, pp. 5-6).
There is a famous saying that “home is where the heart is”. This saying is meant to bring a warm feeling to a person’s thoughts with memories of a loving upbringing and tender loving care. Sadly, as moral decay grows throughout the world, more and more children do not experience loving thoughts of home. With disintegrating family structures and the loss of values being taught in schools, young people grow up in a world that is full of insecurities. You don’t know if your parent’s marriage will last. You don’t know who to trust. You don’t know when social media will post unflattering pictures of you. Values around marriage, sexuality, right and wrong are changing with the political and social winds. What was popular in culture five years ago has changed. What was considered bad is now good. What was good is now bad. All this uncertainty has taken its toll, encouraged by the loss of values and the disintegration of the faithful family.
The human heart is now pressed to be more worldly. Social media influencers denigrate things like the Ten Commandments. TV shows suggest a majority of priests are pedophiles. Celebrities sell their soul and self-worth to make millions. Even manipulating an election is fair game. With this social moral decay, your heart will be affected. It will have to fend off sinful thoughts. It will have to wade through social norms to find the real truth of the matter. It will have trouble figuring out who God is or what Jesus truly said. Even Bibles are being watered down for public consumption. The more the world descends into sinfulness, the more difficult it will be for your heart to deal with the consequences.
In our scripture for today, Jesus dealt with issues of the heart. He wanted His followers to know that there is a connection between what is in the heart and how a person lives. A sinful heart will cause sinful reactions in the person’s life. Jesus taught that a sinful heart overflowing with “evil thoughts” will inevitably produce such things as “sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21,22). It is only a matter of time. When Satan turns a heart sinful, first will come the “evil thoughts”. Then, those evil thoughts will produce sinful actions. BUT, its not just the human heart that produces evil thoughts and then sin, moral decay in social media and political life and in entertainment will do the same.
Decades ago, a gay lifestyle or an abusive lifestyle was hushed up in Hollywood. Now, we have other things coming out of Hollywood that openly display the moral decay. Corey Feldman proclaimed in an article speaking about his own abuse, “Hollywood has a problem with pedophilia (the sexual love of children).” (from an article in irishtimes.com, February 10, 2020). Then there is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal showing that powerful people held young people and even children captive on an island for the rich and powerful to sexually abuse. In a recent poll of parents in the United Kingdom, more than 85% of parents complained that social media was damaging their children in some way. Half of those parents said that social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok “hindered or undermined a young person’s character or moral development”. Essentially, this poll proved that moral decline in the world damages the heart (especially in young people) and results in moral debasement.
Just when you think that the problem is with “the world”, let’s look at Christianity. Moral decline has damaged the hearts and souls of the faithful there as well. At a “Community Impact Seminar” put on by Focus on the Family, it was reported that “Two-fifths of self-identified Christians say do anything you want, just don't hurt anyone.” 40% of Christians at that event believed that it was OK to “do anything” that did not harm another person. This, to me, is evidence that even the Christian heart is being damaged by moral decay and the invasion of worldly ideas. Sinful public thoughts have now invaded the consciousness of the formerly faithful church.
In the 1940’s a professor from my own alma mater seminary called homosexuality a sin. In the 1980’s professors from that same seminary repudiated that belief. In 1794, the Methodist “Book of Discipline” taught many aspects of living a holy life. Every four years, that book has been revised and changed. During the time of slavery, southern Methodist churches adapted their “Book of Discipline” to allow for slavery. During recent times, some have advocated that the “Book of Discipline” should be revised to accept transgender pastors and rid itself of the “old theology” of quaint notions like marriage and divorce.
I am not advocating that all traditional ways are good ways, nor advocating that reexamining modern ideas in light of the Bible is wrong. I am simply stating that when there is moral decline, it will affect not only your heart but the heart of your world. When evil thoughts permeate your mind or the political and social arenas, sinful lifestyles will take hold. Sinful people will be lauded. Sinful acts will inevitably destroy lives.
As Jesus stated in our scripture for today, it all starts with evil thoughts. These evil thoughts then result in sinful actions. These evil thoughts and sinful actions can easily spread through public life, infecting and poisoning every part of our world. So, for today, do some self-evaluation. Are there any evil thoughts that have been popping into your mind? Are there any worldly attitudes that have poisoned your values or corrupted your heart?
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8, ESV)
There is a famous saying that “home is where the heart is”. This saying is meant to bring a warm feeling to a person’s thoughts with memories of a loving upbringing and tender loving care. Sadly, as moral decay grows throughout the world, more and more children do not experience loving thoughts of home. With disintegrating family structures and the loss of values being taught in schools, young people grow up in a world that is full of insecurities. You don’t know if your parent’s marriage will last. You don’t know who to trust. You don’t know when social media will post unflattering pictures of you. Values around marriage, sexuality, right and wrong are changing with the political and social winds. What was popular in culture five years ago has changed. What was considered bad is now good. What was good is now bad. All this uncertainty has taken its toll, encouraged by the loss of values and the disintegration of the faithful family.
The human heart is now pressed to be more worldly. Social media influencers denigrate things like the Ten Commandments. TV shows suggest a majority of priests are pedophiles. Celebrities sell their soul and self-worth to make millions. Even manipulating an election is fair game. With this social moral decay, your heart will be affected. It will have to fend off sinful thoughts. It will have to wade through social norms to find the real truth of the matter. It will have trouble figuring out who God is or what Jesus truly said. Even Bibles are being watered down for public consumption. The more the world descends into sinfulness, the more difficult it will be for your heart to deal with the consequences.
In our scripture for today, Jesus dealt with issues of the heart. He wanted His followers to know that there is a connection between what is in the heart and how a person lives. A sinful heart will cause sinful reactions in the person’s life. Jesus taught that a sinful heart overflowing with “evil thoughts” will inevitably produce such things as “sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21,22). It is only a matter of time. When Satan turns a heart sinful, first will come the “evil thoughts”. Then, those evil thoughts will produce sinful actions. BUT, its not just the human heart that produces evil thoughts and then sin, moral decay in social media and political life and in entertainment will do the same.
Decades ago, a gay lifestyle or an abusive lifestyle was hushed up in Hollywood. Now, we have other things coming out of Hollywood that openly display the moral decay. Corey Feldman proclaimed in an article speaking about his own abuse, “Hollywood has a problem with pedophilia (the sexual love of children).” (from an article in irishtimes.com, February 10, 2020). Then there is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal showing that powerful people held young people and even children captive on an island for the rich and powerful to sexually abuse. In a recent poll of parents in the United Kingdom, more than 85% of parents complained that social media was damaging their children in some way. Half of those parents said that social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok “hindered or undermined a young person’s character or moral development”. Essentially, this poll proved that moral decline in the world damages the heart (especially in young people) and results in moral debasement.
Just when you think that the problem is with “the world”, let’s look at Christianity. Moral decline has damaged the hearts and souls of the faithful there as well. At a “Community Impact Seminar” put on by Focus on the Family, it was reported that “Two-fifths of self-identified Christians say do anything you want, just don't hurt anyone.” 40% of Christians at that event believed that it was OK to “do anything” that did not harm another person. This, to me, is evidence that even the Christian heart is being damaged by moral decay and the invasion of worldly ideas. Sinful public thoughts have now invaded the consciousness of the formerly faithful church.
In the 1940’s a professor from my own alma mater seminary called homosexuality a sin. In the 1980’s professors from that same seminary repudiated that belief. In 1794, the Methodist “Book of Discipline” taught many aspects of living a holy life. Every four years, that book has been revised and changed. During the time of slavery, southern Methodist churches adapted their “Book of Discipline” to allow for slavery. During recent times, some have advocated that the “Book of Discipline” should be revised to accept transgender pastors and rid itself of the “old theology” of quaint notions like marriage and divorce.
I am not advocating that all traditional ways are good ways, nor advocating that reexamining modern ideas in light of the Bible is wrong. I am simply stating that when there is moral decline, it will affect not only your heart but the heart of your world. When evil thoughts permeate your mind or the political and social arenas, sinful lifestyles will take hold. Sinful people will be lauded. Sinful acts will inevitably destroy lives.
As Jesus stated in our scripture for today, it all starts with evil thoughts. These evil thoughts then result in sinful actions. These evil thoughts and sinful actions can easily spread through public life, infecting and poisoning every part of our world. So, for today, do some self-evaluation. Are there any evil thoughts that have been popping into your mind? Are there any worldly attitudes that have poisoned your values or corrupted your heart?
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8, ESV)
February 12
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” (Psalm 57:1, ESV)
What do setbacks and accidents and unanticipated crises do to you?
“Thomas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the incandescent light, the storage battery, talking movies, and more than 1000 other things. December 1914 he had worked for 10 years on a storage battery. This had greatly strained his finances. This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67. With all his assets going up in a whoosh (although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof), would his spirit be broken?
The inventor’s 24-year old son, Charles, searched frantically for his father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. “My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67—no longer a young man—and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother?’ When I told him I didn’t know, he said, ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.’“ The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.”
(Chuck Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick, pp. 82-83 and “Bits and Pieces”, November, 1989, p. 12)
When unanticipated calamities, accidents, setbacks, problems, or crises occur, it can take a toll on every part of you. Your body might experience panic attacks. Your leg might twitch nervously. You might wring you hands or get a tic. You might feel nauseated from the shock to your mind and heart and soul. Things might look bleak or overwhelming. Your world may feel like it has turned upside down. You might feel like you are on a rollercoaster ride. All in all, it will be a difficult time. Most accidents and other unanticipated crises come completely out of the blue. Initially, you may be unprepared to deal effectively with the onslaught of issues and emotions. If you handle things poorly, your life may unravel. If you can keep a strong connection with God, you just might find that these unanticipated calamities will teach you important truths and strengthen your soul. They can bring you closer to God. They can make you a better person, a more caring individual, and a steady rock in uncertain times. Like Thomas Edison after the fire, there might be a lot of good that comes out of that calamity if you take the time to see what God sees.
It is believed that when David wrote Psalm 57, he was hiding in a cave. King Saul had attempted to murder David out of jealousy and envy. David had to flee. He had to leave behind most of his worldly belongings, only able to keep what he could carry on his back to safety. There in the cave, alone and in danger, he began writing Psalm 57 with the words chosen for today. He penned, “… in the shadow of your [God’s] wings I take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1b). David could not fix his relationship with Saul. He could not fight the king’s powers. He did not have time to reach out for help or usher some support. He was on his own, alone and powerless…. except for his God. David knew God was with him. David knew God would help. In the cave, David didn’t fall apart. He did not give up. He sat with God “until the storms of destruction” would pass him by. He waited patiently, praying to God until deliverance came his way. And, God came through. In the days ahead, Saul was humbled by David’s actions. In the months following, David gained followers and trained new soldiers. In the resulting years, what David did during this period of his life brought God closer. The dangers helped David to see the value in a strong relationship with God. Material possessions mattered less to David. Friendships and trust and a love with God proved vital to overcome the worst the world could throw at him.
There may come a time when all you may be left with are the clothes on your back. If you have a house fire, you may lose almost everything you own. An accident may take the life of a loved one. You may find yourself alone. You might feel abandoned or in danger. You might lose your job due to budget cutbacks. Despite whatever calamity may strike, you are ultimately never alone. God is waiting in the quiet places of your life, waiting to hear your prayer, working behind the scenes on your behalf. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Throw yourself on the mercy of God and just hold on. The storms of destruction will pass by and God will take care of where you end up.
When your life turns upside down, despite all the shock and trauma involved, God does not leave you without comfort. God knows exactly where you are, and God is exactly who you need.
“Thomas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the incandescent light, the storage battery, talking movies, and more than 1000 other things. December 1914 he had worked for 10 years on a storage battery. This had greatly strained his finances. This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. Fire companies from eight surrounding towns arrived, but the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67. With all his assets going up in a whoosh (although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof), would his spirit be broken?
The inventor’s 24-year old son, Charles, searched frantically for his father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. “My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67—no longer a young man—and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother?’ When I told him I didn’t know, he said, ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.’“ The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”
Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.”
(Chuck Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick, pp. 82-83 and “Bits and Pieces”, November, 1989, p. 12)
When unanticipated calamities, accidents, setbacks, problems, or crises occur, it can take a toll on every part of you. Your body might experience panic attacks. Your leg might twitch nervously. You might wring you hands or get a tic. You might feel nauseated from the shock to your mind and heart and soul. Things might look bleak or overwhelming. Your world may feel like it has turned upside down. You might feel like you are on a rollercoaster ride. All in all, it will be a difficult time. Most accidents and other unanticipated crises come completely out of the blue. Initially, you may be unprepared to deal effectively with the onslaught of issues and emotions. If you handle things poorly, your life may unravel. If you can keep a strong connection with God, you just might find that these unanticipated calamities will teach you important truths and strengthen your soul. They can bring you closer to God. They can make you a better person, a more caring individual, and a steady rock in uncertain times. Like Thomas Edison after the fire, there might be a lot of good that comes out of that calamity if you take the time to see what God sees.
It is believed that when David wrote Psalm 57, he was hiding in a cave. King Saul had attempted to murder David out of jealousy and envy. David had to flee. He had to leave behind most of his worldly belongings, only able to keep what he could carry on his back to safety. There in the cave, alone and in danger, he began writing Psalm 57 with the words chosen for today. He penned, “… in the shadow of your [God’s] wings I take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (Psalm 57:1b). David could not fix his relationship with Saul. He could not fight the king’s powers. He did not have time to reach out for help or usher some support. He was on his own, alone and powerless…. except for his God. David knew God was with him. David knew God would help. In the cave, David didn’t fall apart. He did not give up. He sat with God “until the storms of destruction” would pass him by. He waited patiently, praying to God until deliverance came his way. And, God came through. In the days ahead, Saul was humbled by David’s actions. In the months following, David gained followers and trained new soldiers. In the resulting years, what David did during this period of his life brought God closer. The dangers helped David to see the value in a strong relationship with God. Material possessions mattered less to David. Friendships and trust and a love with God proved vital to overcome the worst the world could throw at him.
There may come a time when all you may be left with are the clothes on your back. If you have a house fire, you may lose almost everything you own. An accident may take the life of a loved one. You may find yourself alone. You might feel abandoned or in danger. You might lose your job due to budget cutbacks. Despite whatever calamity may strike, you are ultimately never alone. God is waiting in the quiet places of your life, waiting to hear your prayer, working behind the scenes on your behalf. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Throw yourself on the mercy of God and just hold on. The storms of destruction will pass by and God will take care of where you end up.
When your life turns upside down, despite all the shock and trauma involved, God does not leave you without comfort. God knows exactly where you are, and God is exactly who you need.
February 14
“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3, ESV)
“A young man said to his father at breakfast one morning, “Dad, I’m going to get married.”
“How do you know you’re ready to get married?” asked the father. “Are you in love?”
“I sure am,” said the son.
“How do you know you’re in love?” asked the father.
“Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good-night, her dog bit me and I didn’t feel the pain until I got home.”” (bible.org)
The father asked his son a great question, “Are you in love?” The boy believed with his whole heart that he was in love with his girlfriend. Often, people will think they are “in love” only to realize that it wasn’t really love at all. It might have been lust. It might have been infatuation. It might have been loneliness or desire or insecurity or even greed that drove a person to think they were in love. Sadly, few people really understand the meaning of true love.
Wayne Hudson, who wrote Many a Tear has to Fall, pondered the question about love after a significant other stated that she didn’t love him anymore. Hudson, a devout Christian, had this to say: “When someone says, "I don't love you anymore,” it shakes you to your very core. It caused me to ponder the true meaning of love as never before. After many years, I arrived at the only definition that makes any sense. Since God is love and we must compare our love to him, we come up short if we define it any other way. For you see, in the final analysis, "Love is a commitment with a beginning and no end." Christ chose to love us, and he has never stopped. He never will. We should be very careful with a word like love. Are we willing to make that kind of commitment?”
Are you willing to make that kind of commitment with others and with God?
When Jesus said to his disciples, “Love one another”, He knew the meaning of “love”. He didn’t want His followers to love each other for a while, until there was an argument, or until they grew apart. Jesus wanted His followers to have a genuine love that could be counted on through thick and thin. Have you ever felt unconditional love from a fellow believer? Sadly, it is rare. We often do not know if a person will love us unconditionally. You might think a close Christian friends or family members will love you in all circumstances, such as if you lose your income, become paralyzed, make a mistake, lash out, or even wander away from the faith. BUT, will they come through? Can you be counted on to exhibit a genuine love?
Because there are a lot of “love counterfeits” in the world today which lack unconditional love and faithfulness, the scripture for today was written to clarify the true meaning of love. The Apostle Paul penned these words to the Corinthian church: “If I give away all that I have, and deliver up my body to be burned but have not love, I gain nothing.”( 1 Corinthians 13:3). At first, this verse doesn’t sound truthful. Who would give away everything with such a generous attitude? Who would give over his or her own body “to be burned”? Actually, there have always been Christians who did such things. Ascetic Christians always gave away their possessions, most often to the poor. Some religious orders in history even expected it of their followers. Also, in the first century when Paul wrote the scripture for today, Christians were being burned and stoned and torn apart by lions in the amphitheaters in the Roman Empire. If you look at those who gave away everything and even gave up their lives, you might think them supremely religious and utterly faithful. However, Paul begged to differ. Some of these Christians did not take their stand with a loving heart. Some did it to be recognized. Some did it out of obligation. Some just threw their lives away. Paul was making a very important point here: a person who seems religious can lack love. And without godly love, that person will “gain nothing” in the sight of God.
God can separate out those people who think they love others from those who really do. God is able to determine whether godly acts are done out of love or for other reasons. God knows whose love is unconditional. Do you place conditions on your love? Can you imagine if God did the same?
Just because God loves us unconditionally does not mean that God will never be able to pronounce judgment upon us. It does not mean that God will allow us to sin if we say we love Jesus. God will not be manipulated in such a way. In the same way, you should not let those who play loosely with love get by with abuse, neglect, manipulations, or denigration. Love does not mean you are always nice. It means you are supremely faithful and devoted to a godly relationship with others as with the Almighty.
As I write this on St. Valentine’s weekend, I beg to ask you for a favor. While the whole world celebrates different earthly traditions about love, could you to devote yourself to real love? I would like you to be God’s Ambassador of faithful love. Do you think you could accomplish that? Our world is dying for real, faithful, godly examples of love. Sadly, it is drowning in counterfeits...
“How do you know you’re ready to get married?” asked the father. “Are you in love?”
“I sure am,” said the son.
“How do you know you’re in love?” asked the father.
“Last night as I was kissing my girlfriend good-night, her dog bit me and I didn’t feel the pain until I got home.”” (bible.org)
The father asked his son a great question, “Are you in love?” The boy believed with his whole heart that he was in love with his girlfriend. Often, people will think they are “in love” only to realize that it wasn’t really love at all. It might have been lust. It might have been infatuation. It might have been loneliness or desire or insecurity or even greed that drove a person to think they were in love. Sadly, few people really understand the meaning of true love.
Wayne Hudson, who wrote Many a Tear has to Fall, pondered the question about love after a significant other stated that she didn’t love him anymore. Hudson, a devout Christian, had this to say: “When someone says, "I don't love you anymore,” it shakes you to your very core. It caused me to ponder the true meaning of love as never before. After many years, I arrived at the only definition that makes any sense. Since God is love and we must compare our love to him, we come up short if we define it any other way. For you see, in the final analysis, "Love is a commitment with a beginning and no end." Christ chose to love us, and he has never stopped. He never will. We should be very careful with a word like love. Are we willing to make that kind of commitment?”
Are you willing to make that kind of commitment with others and with God?
When Jesus said to his disciples, “Love one another”, He knew the meaning of “love”. He didn’t want His followers to love each other for a while, until there was an argument, or until they grew apart. Jesus wanted His followers to have a genuine love that could be counted on through thick and thin. Have you ever felt unconditional love from a fellow believer? Sadly, it is rare. We often do not know if a person will love us unconditionally. You might think a close Christian friends or family members will love you in all circumstances, such as if you lose your income, become paralyzed, make a mistake, lash out, or even wander away from the faith. BUT, will they come through? Can you be counted on to exhibit a genuine love?
Because there are a lot of “love counterfeits” in the world today which lack unconditional love and faithfulness, the scripture for today was written to clarify the true meaning of love. The Apostle Paul penned these words to the Corinthian church: “If I give away all that I have, and deliver up my body to be burned but have not love, I gain nothing.”( 1 Corinthians 13:3). At first, this verse doesn’t sound truthful. Who would give away everything with such a generous attitude? Who would give over his or her own body “to be burned”? Actually, there have always been Christians who did such things. Ascetic Christians always gave away their possessions, most often to the poor. Some religious orders in history even expected it of their followers. Also, in the first century when Paul wrote the scripture for today, Christians were being burned and stoned and torn apart by lions in the amphitheaters in the Roman Empire. If you look at those who gave away everything and even gave up their lives, you might think them supremely religious and utterly faithful. However, Paul begged to differ. Some of these Christians did not take their stand with a loving heart. Some did it to be recognized. Some did it out of obligation. Some just threw their lives away. Paul was making a very important point here: a person who seems religious can lack love. And without godly love, that person will “gain nothing” in the sight of God.
God can separate out those people who think they love others from those who really do. God is able to determine whether godly acts are done out of love or for other reasons. God knows whose love is unconditional. Do you place conditions on your love? Can you imagine if God did the same?
Just because God loves us unconditionally does not mean that God will never be able to pronounce judgment upon us. It does not mean that God will allow us to sin if we say we love Jesus. God will not be manipulated in such a way. In the same way, you should not let those who play loosely with love get by with abuse, neglect, manipulations, or denigration. Love does not mean you are always nice. It means you are supremely faithful and devoted to a godly relationship with others as with the Almighty.
As I write this on St. Valentine’s weekend, I beg to ask you for a favor. While the whole world celebrates different earthly traditions about love, could you to devote yourself to real love? I would like you to be God’s Ambassador of faithful love. Do you think you could accomplish that? Our world is dying for real, faithful, godly examples of love. Sadly, it is drowning in counterfeits...
February 16
“Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9, NLT)
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:9, ESV)
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:9, ESV)
I have included the same verse of scripture from two different versions of the Bible. I have done so because they are both instructive. Both offer so much for you to ponder. Both speak about anger or frustration that boils up in your heart. In the New Living Translation of the Bible, the committee that put together the final text considered that the verse is about “controlling your anger”. If you do not get control of your anger, it will “label you a fool” for others to see. The second scripture above is the same verse from the English Standard Version of the Bible. It also focuses on anger or frustration that has boiled over into the person’s spirit. For the editors of this Bible edition, they suggest you “not be quick in your spirit” to resort to anger. They suggest that if you let anger or frustration boil over it will “lodge” in your heart and make you out to be a fool. The first version focuses on how your anger makes you look to others (like a fool). The second version focuses on the danger when anger lodges in your heart, making its way into your every thought. Both versions of the Bible are colorfully insightful for the Bible reader. Though both see the very same Hebrew words slightly differently, both point out the dangers of losing your temper and its long-term effects.
When frustration boils over into anger, how do you handle it. Have you been angry so often that it is already “lodged in your heart”? Do you have a problem controlling your temper? When your blood boils, are you quick to resort to angry shouts, passive aggressive comments, or give someone a long-term silent treatment? How do you control your temper? You know, there is only one letter difference between temper and tempter. In a way, there is a connection between letting your temper get away with you and being tempted to do something you will regret!
“It is said of one of the famous composers that he had a rebellious son who used to come in late at night after his father and mother had gone to bed. Before going to his own room, he would go to his father’s piano and slowly, as well as loudly, play a simple scale, all but the final note. Then leaving the scale uncompleted, he would retire to his room. Meanwhile the father, hearing the scale minus the final note, would writhe on his bed, his mind unable to relax because the scale was unresolved. Finally, in consternation, he would stumble down the stairs and hit the previously unstruck note. Only then would his mind surrender to sleep once again.” (George MacDonald, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion)
The composer’s son knew his father could not stand to let a scale go unfinished. Because the son knew his father would be frustrated beyond all belief by the incomplete scale, the son could play this game in order to drive his father crazy. The son knew that his father could not control his own “consternation”. He could not stand for an incomplete scale. The son used this information to prey upon his father’s frustration.
There are people in this world who will frustrate you. They will push your buttons. They will do the wrong things, on purpose or by accident. There are also problems or irritations that will cause your blood pressure to rise. There are situations that will be fraught with difficulties or frustrations. People sometimes do not think rationally. Emotions are sometimes hard to control. Life is not predictable. Issues will always come up. Challenges will present themselves. Opinions may spark revolt. Age differences may cause misunderstandings. All these things are a part of life. How you deal with them is up to you. Are you going to let these irritabilities and annoyances and frustrations boil over into anger? Will you let the anger lodge in your heart? Will there be a time when you could “pop off” at any moment?
An angry, old miser had difficulty parting with his money. He hated paying for anything and everything. He had enough money in the bank to live a comfortable life. However, he always worried that if he started to spend his money, it would soon run out. Because of this fear, he never spent one penny he wasn’t forced to nor even paid for a person for help.
One morning, the old miser found that his kitchen faucet was dripping. He tightened and tightened the knobs on the sink to no avail. The washers or seat inside the shutoff were worn. At first, the miser let the thing drip. He wasn’t going to pay no plumber the going rate. He would just ignore the problem and keep his well-earned money. However, after a few hours, the noise began to grate on his nerves. In the quiet of the night, he could hear it drip from his bedroom. It kept him up at night. Then, the thought of wasting that water began to eat at his nerves all the more. He would not pay for a plumber to fix the problem, yet he felt guilty at having to pay a higher water bill. For weeks, the drip frayed at his nerves.
When the miser’s neighbor came over to check on him, the old man treated him poorly. He yelled and cursed at him. When the paper boy delivered the paper on the front lawn instead of the steps, he spent the next two afternoons waiting for the paper boy to show up so he could glare at him and complain to him how he had missed the steps. More and more, the miser was getting angry at everyone and everything.
After the police were called to the miser’s home due to a complaint, the police contacted the miser’s daughter. She came over to check on her father. He yelled at her, complained about her husband, and talked about all the things her children were doing wrong. Finally, she looked at him and said, “Dad, why do you show me so much hate when I’m trying to care for you?” He didn’t answer. Upon leaving, the daughter saw the leaky faucet in the kitchen and the next week sent over a plumber to fix it. The miser didn’t even have to pay for the repair. In the end, the $200 bill took care of the drip, drip, drip. Sadly, the $200 couldn’t fix the miser’s anger which had only grown more lodged in his heart. Oh, the drip was gone for now, but that noise in his furnace was growing louder by the week. I wonder what it will do to his anger in the future.
If you feel overwhelmed by an anger or frustration that boils over, there is a way to control your temper. Give it over to God. Let it go. Get used to the fact that you can’t fix everything, that life is full of little and big challenges, and that you can’t control people. Out of a greater love of God, let go of any anger that has lodged in your heart. Replace your thoughts of anger with thoughts of all the blessings in your life. Focus on the good. Do not be consumed by wrongs or evils or sins. Commune with God. Speak to God in prayer about all those small and big things that are eating away at your peace. Then, let your beautiful Savior bring mercy and peace to your ailing heart and soul and mind. You don’t have to let anger or frustration or consternation stew in your heart or soul or mind. If it lodges there, it can only lead to temptation or worse.
When frustration boils over into anger, how do you handle it. Have you been angry so often that it is already “lodged in your heart”? Do you have a problem controlling your temper? When your blood boils, are you quick to resort to angry shouts, passive aggressive comments, or give someone a long-term silent treatment? How do you control your temper? You know, there is only one letter difference between temper and tempter. In a way, there is a connection between letting your temper get away with you and being tempted to do something you will regret!
“It is said of one of the famous composers that he had a rebellious son who used to come in late at night after his father and mother had gone to bed. Before going to his own room, he would go to his father’s piano and slowly, as well as loudly, play a simple scale, all but the final note. Then leaving the scale uncompleted, he would retire to his room. Meanwhile the father, hearing the scale minus the final note, would writhe on his bed, his mind unable to relax because the scale was unresolved. Finally, in consternation, he would stumble down the stairs and hit the previously unstruck note. Only then would his mind surrender to sleep once again.” (George MacDonald, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion)
The composer’s son knew his father could not stand to let a scale go unfinished. Because the son knew his father would be frustrated beyond all belief by the incomplete scale, the son could play this game in order to drive his father crazy. The son knew that his father could not control his own “consternation”. He could not stand for an incomplete scale. The son used this information to prey upon his father’s frustration.
There are people in this world who will frustrate you. They will push your buttons. They will do the wrong things, on purpose or by accident. There are also problems or irritations that will cause your blood pressure to rise. There are situations that will be fraught with difficulties or frustrations. People sometimes do not think rationally. Emotions are sometimes hard to control. Life is not predictable. Issues will always come up. Challenges will present themselves. Opinions may spark revolt. Age differences may cause misunderstandings. All these things are a part of life. How you deal with them is up to you. Are you going to let these irritabilities and annoyances and frustrations boil over into anger? Will you let the anger lodge in your heart? Will there be a time when you could “pop off” at any moment?
An angry, old miser had difficulty parting with his money. He hated paying for anything and everything. He had enough money in the bank to live a comfortable life. However, he always worried that if he started to spend his money, it would soon run out. Because of this fear, he never spent one penny he wasn’t forced to nor even paid for a person for help.
One morning, the old miser found that his kitchen faucet was dripping. He tightened and tightened the knobs on the sink to no avail. The washers or seat inside the shutoff were worn. At first, the miser let the thing drip. He wasn’t going to pay no plumber the going rate. He would just ignore the problem and keep his well-earned money. However, after a few hours, the noise began to grate on his nerves. In the quiet of the night, he could hear it drip from his bedroom. It kept him up at night. Then, the thought of wasting that water began to eat at his nerves all the more. He would not pay for a plumber to fix the problem, yet he felt guilty at having to pay a higher water bill. For weeks, the drip frayed at his nerves.
When the miser’s neighbor came over to check on him, the old man treated him poorly. He yelled and cursed at him. When the paper boy delivered the paper on the front lawn instead of the steps, he spent the next two afternoons waiting for the paper boy to show up so he could glare at him and complain to him how he had missed the steps. More and more, the miser was getting angry at everyone and everything.
After the police were called to the miser’s home due to a complaint, the police contacted the miser’s daughter. She came over to check on her father. He yelled at her, complained about her husband, and talked about all the things her children were doing wrong. Finally, she looked at him and said, “Dad, why do you show me so much hate when I’m trying to care for you?” He didn’t answer. Upon leaving, the daughter saw the leaky faucet in the kitchen and the next week sent over a plumber to fix it. The miser didn’t even have to pay for the repair. In the end, the $200 bill took care of the drip, drip, drip. Sadly, the $200 couldn’t fix the miser’s anger which had only grown more lodged in his heart. Oh, the drip was gone for now, but that noise in his furnace was growing louder by the week. I wonder what it will do to his anger in the future.
If you feel overwhelmed by an anger or frustration that boils over, there is a way to control your temper. Give it over to God. Let it go. Get used to the fact that you can’t fix everything, that life is full of little and big challenges, and that you can’t control people. Out of a greater love of God, let go of any anger that has lodged in your heart. Replace your thoughts of anger with thoughts of all the blessings in your life. Focus on the good. Do not be consumed by wrongs or evils or sins. Commune with God. Speak to God in prayer about all those small and big things that are eating away at your peace. Then, let your beautiful Savior bring mercy and peace to your ailing heart and soul and mind. You don’t have to let anger or frustration or consternation stew in your heart or soul or mind. If it lodges there, it can only lead to temptation or worse.
February 18
“So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”” (Mark 2:10–12, NLT)
In this scripture for today from the gospel of Mark, Jesus healed a paralyzed man. The man could not walk. He was disabled. He could not carry on a normal life. We do not know why this man was paralyzed. Maybe the paralysis was caused by a fall. There might have been some kind of accident at his work. He could have been born this way. We do not know the history of this man, but we do know that he was disabled. He could not walk on his own to see Jesus. His friends carried him to see Jesus where he was healed.
When Jesus healed the man, he mentioned that the paralysis would leave when the man’s sins were forgiven (Mark 2:10). Because of this, it may be assumed that there was a connection between some sins and the man’s paralysis. Upon forgiving the man’s sins, Jesus commanded the man to stand up and go home (Mark 2:11). He did! The man could now go back to his life, forgiven from his sin and healed by God’s grace.
To understand many stories of the Bible and get a fuller understanding of their implications for the spiritual life, it is necessary that you look deeper into scripture. For example, today’s scripture is not just about the healing of one paralytic man. It carries more meaning than that! As a parable of everyday life, this healing may speak to a number of other ways people are paralyzed. Some people are paralyzed by their fears and insecurities. Some people become paralyzed when they don’t know what to do. Churches can become paralyzed by infighting or the loss of spiritually-lead workers. There are many types of paralysis in the world, physical and emotional and spiritual. This scripture speaks to many!
When Charlie was discharged from military service, he went through a period of depression. Being a soldier who fought in Afghanistan, he was deeply affected by the war. With loud noises, he might duck and cover. At night, he would have nightmares. In awkward moments, he would have flashbacks where his heart would race, and he would sweat heavily. Following his discharge, Charlie lived at home with his parents for two years, suffering these symptoms. One might say his life was on hold. A soldier in his old unit said it felt like since they got out, they were “going nowhere” or “just spinning their wheels”. In effect, Charlie’s experience in war caused him to have a paralysis in his life, where he just didn’t feel like moving on or finding motivation. He was depressed. He felt alone.
Then, Charlie’s parents paid for him to go on a mission trip with a men’s group at the church. At first, Charlie was hesitant to go. In the days before, he thought numerous times of backing out of the trip. In the end, Charlie went anyway. The mission trip involved the men working at a homeless shelter for abused women and families. While the men were there, they painted several rooms, fixed some of the landscaping, and did needed maintenance to the building. At first, the residents drew back from the men. Having bad experiences from abuse, most of the residents were afraid. Soon, however, the ice began to melt between the groups. Charlie also experienced it. One young teenage boy attached himself to Charlie, often helping him work and asking him questions about the military. The boy wanted to be a soldier. The boy said he wanted to “do something with his life”. For the first time in a long time, Charlie began to see that his life made a difference. Not only was he helping greatly, but he was also deeply moved by the worship the men had each night. On the last night of the trip, Charlie ended up talking one on one with a former soldier in the men’s group. Late in the night, they prayed together and vowed to help each other with their “issues”.
Charlie’s life was never the same after that. He became active in the men’s group and a regular attender at the church. There, Charlie met his future wife. There, he also got married, his daughter was baptized, and many years later his funeral was held. I led that funeral.
Charlie came home from war emotionally scarred and spiritually paralyzed. Yet, when he found Jesus on that mission trip, his life changed completely. He moved on with his life. Jesus freed him from his past.
You may at times find yourself or your church or your family becoming paralyzed. The paralysis may be initiated by a trauma, a death, a loss, a medical issue, a highly emotional situation, or an accident. Your life may be put on hold. You might find yourself “just spinning your wheels” or “going nowhere”. You might feel alone or disabled. Please know that just as Jesus healed that paralytic man, He can just as easily heal you. He can restore function or meaning to your life. You must place your trust in His care. Others may have to bring you to Jesus, but if you listen to His voice and heed His commands, you will find yourself leaving behind that paralysis. You will be freed from that past. If your paralysis is in any way connected to a past sin, realize that Jesus can forgive you. He can give your life meaning again. Just trust His power. Trust in God’s grace.
Is there some part of your life stuck in a standstill? Has your relationship with God been on hold? Is there something holding you back from a fulfilling life? There are many ways Jesus can heal you. All it takes is for you to come into His presence and listen to His voice!
"Between the great things that we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing." Adolph Monod.
When Jesus healed the man, he mentioned that the paralysis would leave when the man’s sins were forgiven (Mark 2:10). Because of this, it may be assumed that there was a connection between some sins and the man’s paralysis. Upon forgiving the man’s sins, Jesus commanded the man to stand up and go home (Mark 2:11). He did! The man could now go back to his life, forgiven from his sin and healed by God’s grace.
To understand many stories of the Bible and get a fuller understanding of their implications for the spiritual life, it is necessary that you look deeper into scripture. For example, today’s scripture is not just about the healing of one paralytic man. It carries more meaning than that! As a parable of everyday life, this healing may speak to a number of other ways people are paralyzed. Some people are paralyzed by their fears and insecurities. Some people become paralyzed when they don’t know what to do. Churches can become paralyzed by infighting or the loss of spiritually-lead workers. There are many types of paralysis in the world, physical and emotional and spiritual. This scripture speaks to many!
When Charlie was discharged from military service, he went through a period of depression. Being a soldier who fought in Afghanistan, he was deeply affected by the war. With loud noises, he might duck and cover. At night, he would have nightmares. In awkward moments, he would have flashbacks where his heart would race, and he would sweat heavily. Following his discharge, Charlie lived at home with his parents for two years, suffering these symptoms. One might say his life was on hold. A soldier in his old unit said it felt like since they got out, they were “going nowhere” or “just spinning their wheels”. In effect, Charlie’s experience in war caused him to have a paralysis in his life, where he just didn’t feel like moving on or finding motivation. He was depressed. He felt alone.
Then, Charlie’s parents paid for him to go on a mission trip with a men’s group at the church. At first, Charlie was hesitant to go. In the days before, he thought numerous times of backing out of the trip. In the end, Charlie went anyway. The mission trip involved the men working at a homeless shelter for abused women and families. While the men were there, they painted several rooms, fixed some of the landscaping, and did needed maintenance to the building. At first, the residents drew back from the men. Having bad experiences from abuse, most of the residents were afraid. Soon, however, the ice began to melt between the groups. Charlie also experienced it. One young teenage boy attached himself to Charlie, often helping him work and asking him questions about the military. The boy wanted to be a soldier. The boy said he wanted to “do something with his life”. For the first time in a long time, Charlie began to see that his life made a difference. Not only was he helping greatly, but he was also deeply moved by the worship the men had each night. On the last night of the trip, Charlie ended up talking one on one with a former soldier in the men’s group. Late in the night, they prayed together and vowed to help each other with their “issues”.
Charlie’s life was never the same after that. He became active in the men’s group and a regular attender at the church. There, Charlie met his future wife. There, he also got married, his daughter was baptized, and many years later his funeral was held. I led that funeral.
Charlie came home from war emotionally scarred and spiritually paralyzed. Yet, when he found Jesus on that mission trip, his life changed completely. He moved on with his life. Jesus freed him from his past.
You may at times find yourself or your church or your family becoming paralyzed. The paralysis may be initiated by a trauma, a death, a loss, a medical issue, a highly emotional situation, or an accident. Your life may be put on hold. You might find yourself “just spinning your wheels” or “going nowhere”. You might feel alone or disabled. Please know that just as Jesus healed that paralytic man, He can just as easily heal you. He can restore function or meaning to your life. You must place your trust in His care. Others may have to bring you to Jesus, but if you listen to His voice and heed His commands, you will find yourself leaving behind that paralysis. You will be freed from that past. If your paralysis is in any way connected to a past sin, realize that Jesus can forgive you. He can give your life meaning again. Just trust His power. Trust in God’s grace.
Is there some part of your life stuck in a standstill? Has your relationship with God been on hold? Is there something holding you back from a fulfilling life? There are many ways Jesus can heal you. All it takes is for you to come into His presence and listen to His voice!
"Between the great things that we cannot do and the small things we will not do, the danger is that we shall do nothing." Adolph Monod.
February 20
“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2, NLT)
After a wedding, Cary approached the pastor who had led the ceremony. Cary was a part of the wedding party and had been around the pastor for two days during the setup, dress rehearsal, the wedding service, and reception. During that time, Cary had watched the pastor interact with people. He listened intently to the pastor’s message. Finally, he came to the pastor in his office. He sat down across from the pastor and said, “I have been away from church and God for a long time. During this weekend, I tried to reconnect with God, but I felt nothing. It’s as if God was not listening to me.” After just a moment, the pastor said, “Maybe that was your problem. You wanted God to listen instead of listening to God! The pastor then led Cary to the altar to repent for his sins, then to ask for God to be present with Cary. After some encouragement, he sent Cary off with a warning to spend some dedicated prayer time and gave him some scriptures to read. The pastor ended their time together by saying, “Now let’s see what happens!”
Cary was not sure anything different would occur. He had not noticed God speaking to him before the wedding. He could barely feel anything but a longing for spiritual meaning during the weekend. That prayer with the pastor, however, seemed to do something to his soul. It was as if there was a subtle difference in his thoughts. Then, as he read of the scriptures, he began to think more about his life’s meaning and his place in the world. It was not long before Cary felt God’s presence more and more and more! Six months later, Cary joined that church and began a long and wonderful relationship with God.
Why couldn’t Cary connect with God before that weekend? There may have been many reasons, but we may never know. Our scripture for today gives us a clue, however. The more that Cary’s life was “off the rails” in sin, the less he could sense or hear God. As mentioned in Isaiah 59:2, sins “cut you off from God”. Before that weekend, he was talking TO God. However, after his confession of sin (the removal of the stain of sin keeping Cary from God) and pastoral instruction, he began to talk WITH God. Only then was Cary able to reconnect with God and feel God’s Spirit working in his world.
I have conversed with people who had absolutely no feeling for God or God’s Spirit. When listening or participating in prayer, they didn’t feel anything. When they talked with God, they heard only a silence from Heaven in return. Why? All too often, their past sins ruined their relationship with God and damaged their soul. They are now numb to the Spirit. According to the scripture for today, at some point God decided “not to listen anymore”. Since they weren’t willing to be respectful to God, God left them to their sins until they were humble enough to repent of their sins and return to God’s good graces.
The scripture for today and experience have taught me that sins have a way of blocking one’s connection with God. A sinful lifestyle or the accumulations of sins in a person’s life tend to shut-down the relationship with God. Imagine if you were dating a person. While dating, you swore at them, treated them poorly, went out behind their back, and generally did things against that person. At what point would that person not want a relationship with you? God is much more full of grace and forgiveness, but if you show God no respect there will come a time when God leaves you to your own devices. You may feel God’s absence in your soul. Your might sense an emptiness in your spirit. However, you must truly repent of your sins in order to regain that relationship with God. You need to let go of that sinful lifestyle for God to listen and respond to your calls.
When Billy Graham, the great twentieth century evangelist, decided to believe in God, things did not go well at first. Years later, he wrote of that time in his life…. “The night I came to Christ, I didn’t have any tears. But later I went home and I looked out my window at the North Carolina sky and I cried over my sins. I said, “Oh, God, forgive me.” And the most wonderful peace swept over my soul. From that moment on, I’ve known that my sins were forgiven.” From that moment on, Billy Graham grew into a powerful force for God. But, did you notice that at first he did not feel peace with God? Early in that night, he did not sense the connection with God had changed. However, later that night when he cried over his sins and asked God to forgive him, everything changed. A real peace swept over his soul.
Sins damage or destroy your relationship with God. They block a connection with God. They cause God to move away from you, sometimes far away. They cause you to no longer hear God’s voice. Today, I’d like you to ponder the sins of your past. Are they forgiven? Have you ever completely turned them over to God? Have you ever shed tears of repentance in the hope that God would forgive your sins and reconnect with your heart? Are there some sins blocking your full and joyful connection with God? Have you kept God’s forgiveness from occurring? You will never have a beautiful relationship with the Divine if your sins are blocking His healing, and His voice can’t pierce through your deafness. God is waiting right now for a conversation WITH you. What’s keeping you from it?
Cary was not sure anything different would occur. He had not noticed God speaking to him before the wedding. He could barely feel anything but a longing for spiritual meaning during the weekend. That prayer with the pastor, however, seemed to do something to his soul. It was as if there was a subtle difference in his thoughts. Then, as he read of the scriptures, he began to think more about his life’s meaning and his place in the world. It was not long before Cary felt God’s presence more and more and more! Six months later, Cary joined that church and began a long and wonderful relationship with God.
Why couldn’t Cary connect with God before that weekend? There may have been many reasons, but we may never know. Our scripture for today gives us a clue, however. The more that Cary’s life was “off the rails” in sin, the less he could sense or hear God. As mentioned in Isaiah 59:2, sins “cut you off from God”. Before that weekend, he was talking TO God. However, after his confession of sin (the removal of the stain of sin keeping Cary from God) and pastoral instruction, he began to talk WITH God. Only then was Cary able to reconnect with God and feel God’s Spirit working in his world.
I have conversed with people who had absolutely no feeling for God or God’s Spirit. When listening or participating in prayer, they didn’t feel anything. When they talked with God, they heard only a silence from Heaven in return. Why? All too often, their past sins ruined their relationship with God and damaged their soul. They are now numb to the Spirit. According to the scripture for today, at some point God decided “not to listen anymore”. Since they weren’t willing to be respectful to God, God left them to their sins until they were humble enough to repent of their sins and return to God’s good graces.
The scripture for today and experience have taught me that sins have a way of blocking one’s connection with God. A sinful lifestyle or the accumulations of sins in a person’s life tend to shut-down the relationship with God. Imagine if you were dating a person. While dating, you swore at them, treated them poorly, went out behind their back, and generally did things against that person. At what point would that person not want a relationship with you? God is much more full of grace and forgiveness, but if you show God no respect there will come a time when God leaves you to your own devices. You may feel God’s absence in your soul. Your might sense an emptiness in your spirit. However, you must truly repent of your sins in order to regain that relationship with God. You need to let go of that sinful lifestyle for God to listen and respond to your calls.
When Billy Graham, the great twentieth century evangelist, decided to believe in God, things did not go well at first. Years later, he wrote of that time in his life…. “The night I came to Christ, I didn’t have any tears. But later I went home and I looked out my window at the North Carolina sky and I cried over my sins. I said, “Oh, God, forgive me.” And the most wonderful peace swept over my soul. From that moment on, I’ve known that my sins were forgiven.” From that moment on, Billy Graham grew into a powerful force for God. But, did you notice that at first he did not feel peace with God? Early in that night, he did not sense the connection with God had changed. However, later that night when he cried over his sins and asked God to forgive him, everything changed. A real peace swept over his soul.
Sins damage or destroy your relationship with God. They block a connection with God. They cause God to move away from you, sometimes far away. They cause you to no longer hear God’s voice. Today, I’d like you to ponder the sins of your past. Are they forgiven? Have you ever completely turned them over to God? Have you ever shed tears of repentance in the hope that God would forgive your sins and reconnect with your heart? Are there some sins blocking your full and joyful connection with God? Have you kept God’s forgiveness from occurring? You will never have a beautiful relationship with the Divine if your sins are blocking His healing, and His voice can’t pierce through your deafness. God is waiting right now for a conversation WITH you. What’s keeping you from it?
February 22
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15, ESV)
In a meeting this past week with a lifelong Christian named Carol, I heard some very common musings. As we talked, Carol mentioned that she was upset about a conversation with a person in her church. The church person explained to Carol that she had heard a rumor that Carol had been involved in some shady business deals. Carol was shocked and said to the church friend, “Why didn’t you come talk to me when you first heard?” The church friend replied, “I don’t like conflict. I didn’t want you to be upset.”
Sadly, gossip and rumor and innuendo and all kinds of passive aggressive occurrences are too common in the church because of this kind of interaction. Too many Christians will not speak directly to others in the church about gossip or untruths or issues because they fear conflict. They think that always being nice is always being faithful. Where in the Bible does it say that? If you study the scriptures faithfully, you will learn that constructive conflict was often used by the faithful in order to save souls, help the needy, overcome obstacles, and keep the church on the path to righteousness.
When David sinfully committed adultery with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan was sent by God to challenge David’s actions. When Peter had issues with the adoption of Gentile Christians into the faith, Paul confronted him in Jerusalem. I could name dozens of other examples where faithful people of the Bible were called by God to challenge and correct the errors of others. The purpose of the conflict involved was to bring about righteousness, save souls, correct sinful influences, and set people on the right path to salvation. If the conflict would not have occurred, the souls involved would have remained in jeopardy. The conflict was not only called for, but holy. The conflict was not done out of vindication but from a love for God and a love for the other person.
After meeting with a couple for counseling over a period of six months, I saw that their relationship was not getting stronger. Conflicts arose weekly. During the latest session, the wife mentioned that she was very hurt by something her husband did that week. The husband was shocked. He thought he had been a good husband and was working hard on the relationship. The wife said, “I had a bad day on Tuesday. I was snippy. I knew it. I hated it. So, when Keith came home from work, I begged him to talk with me. He picked up on my mood and said he would rather go in down to his workshop.”
The husband said, “I was trying to be nice! I didn’t say anything, so I wouldn’t get in trouble!”
I replied to the husband, “That was stupid! You had a chance to help and instead you ran away into the workshop! She really needed to talk with you. I believe it would have helped greatly.”
Right after I called his action stupid, I recoiled inside myself. Why was I so critical? Why did I use such harsh language? I told the man I was sorry for calling his action stupid. Two days later, after worship, the man came to me and thanked me for saying his action was stupid. He responded that the use of that word shocked him into examining what he was doing. Only then did he realize that his father did the same thing. When his mother was upset, his father would go out to the garage and work on cars. Keith did not want to follow his parents’ example. It never did them any good.
The scripture for today reminds us that sometimes confrontation and conflict can be beneficial. They can save souls. They can save friendships and marriages. In the right context, confrontation and conflict are not only needed but godly actions. If you think being a good Christian means you should only be “nice” and avoid all conflict, you are sadly mistaken. This way of thinking is not biblical and unhealthy in the long run.
Matthew 18 is filled with various teachings by Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven. Therein, Jesus explained to the disciples about a range of topics including who will go to heaven, what heaven is like, and what will prevent you from getting to heaven. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus made clear that when a brother (or sister) in the faith “sins against you”, your response should not be to get even or damage the relationship further. Instead, Jesus instructed the faithful to “go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone”. You are not to recruit all your friends to the fight. You are not to post something all over social media. You should first talk one-on-one. Jesus’ hope was that the relationship may be saved, “and you will have gained your brother” as a true friend. Jesus’ prayer was that the Christian friendship would be saved and the truth discovered.
Do not ever deceive yourself into thinking that all conflict and confrontation are wrong or evil or bad or unwanted. Sometimes, conflict or confrontation are exactly what God requires. This is not to say that you should be confrontational or love conflict. What it means is that God may require you to use conflict or confrontation as a tool to preserve a holy friendship or restore faith. You just might find out that what you believed was not correct; what you heard was not the truth.
Holiness can be difficult at times. It can require you to step out of your comfort zone and bring up things that might make you feel awkward. You might have to talk about issues that are challenging or fraught with danger. It is also important to remember that someone might bring up an uncomfortable truth to you. Instead of becoming defensive, why not listen with a faithful heart? Seek God’s guidance as to the truth of the matter. Be open to active listening. Out of love, hear what others have to say even if you abhor the subject matter. You might also discover who among your acquaintances is truly a faithful and trustworthy friend.
Area of Concern Constructive Approach Destructive Approach
Issues Raises & clarifies issues Brings up old issues
Feelings Expresses both positive & negative feelings Expresses only negative feelings
Information Complete and honest information Selective information
Focus Conflict focuses on issue Conflict focuses on person
Blame Accepts mutual blame Blames other person(s) for problem
Perception Focuses on similarities Focuses on differences
Change Facilitates change to prevent stagnation Minimizes change, increasing conflict
Outcome Both win One wins, one loses; or both lose
Intimacy Resolving conflict increases intimacy Escalating conflict decreases intimacy
Sadly, gossip and rumor and innuendo and all kinds of passive aggressive occurrences are too common in the church because of this kind of interaction. Too many Christians will not speak directly to others in the church about gossip or untruths or issues because they fear conflict. They think that always being nice is always being faithful. Where in the Bible does it say that? If you study the scriptures faithfully, you will learn that constructive conflict was often used by the faithful in order to save souls, help the needy, overcome obstacles, and keep the church on the path to righteousness.
When David sinfully committed adultery with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan was sent by God to challenge David’s actions. When Peter had issues with the adoption of Gentile Christians into the faith, Paul confronted him in Jerusalem. I could name dozens of other examples where faithful people of the Bible were called by God to challenge and correct the errors of others. The purpose of the conflict involved was to bring about righteousness, save souls, correct sinful influences, and set people on the right path to salvation. If the conflict would not have occurred, the souls involved would have remained in jeopardy. The conflict was not only called for, but holy. The conflict was not done out of vindication but from a love for God and a love for the other person.
After meeting with a couple for counseling over a period of six months, I saw that their relationship was not getting stronger. Conflicts arose weekly. During the latest session, the wife mentioned that she was very hurt by something her husband did that week. The husband was shocked. He thought he had been a good husband and was working hard on the relationship. The wife said, “I had a bad day on Tuesday. I was snippy. I knew it. I hated it. So, when Keith came home from work, I begged him to talk with me. He picked up on my mood and said he would rather go in down to his workshop.”
The husband said, “I was trying to be nice! I didn’t say anything, so I wouldn’t get in trouble!”
I replied to the husband, “That was stupid! You had a chance to help and instead you ran away into the workshop! She really needed to talk with you. I believe it would have helped greatly.”
Right after I called his action stupid, I recoiled inside myself. Why was I so critical? Why did I use such harsh language? I told the man I was sorry for calling his action stupid. Two days later, after worship, the man came to me and thanked me for saying his action was stupid. He responded that the use of that word shocked him into examining what he was doing. Only then did he realize that his father did the same thing. When his mother was upset, his father would go out to the garage and work on cars. Keith did not want to follow his parents’ example. It never did them any good.
The scripture for today reminds us that sometimes confrontation and conflict can be beneficial. They can save souls. They can save friendships and marriages. In the right context, confrontation and conflict are not only needed but godly actions. If you think being a good Christian means you should only be “nice” and avoid all conflict, you are sadly mistaken. This way of thinking is not biblical and unhealthy in the long run.
Matthew 18 is filled with various teachings by Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven. Therein, Jesus explained to the disciples about a range of topics including who will go to heaven, what heaven is like, and what will prevent you from getting to heaven. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus made clear that when a brother (or sister) in the faith “sins against you”, your response should not be to get even or damage the relationship further. Instead, Jesus instructed the faithful to “go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone”. You are not to recruit all your friends to the fight. You are not to post something all over social media. You should first talk one-on-one. Jesus’ hope was that the relationship may be saved, “and you will have gained your brother” as a true friend. Jesus’ prayer was that the Christian friendship would be saved and the truth discovered.
Do not ever deceive yourself into thinking that all conflict and confrontation are wrong or evil or bad or unwanted. Sometimes, conflict or confrontation are exactly what God requires. This is not to say that you should be confrontational or love conflict. What it means is that God may require you to use conflict or confrontation as a tool to preserve a holy friendship or restore faith. You just might find out that what you believed was not correct; what you heard was not the truth.
Holiness can be difficult at times. It can require you to step out of your comfort zone and bring up things that might make you feel awkward. You might have to talk about issues that are challenging or fraught with danger. It is also important to remember that someone might bring up an uncomfortable truth to you. Instead of becoming defensive, why not listen with a faithful heart? Seek God’s guidance as to the truth of the matter. Be open to active listening. Out of love, hear what others have to say even if you abhor the subject matter. You might also discover who among your acquaintances is truly a faithful and trustworthy friend.
Area of Concern Constructive Approach Destructive Approach
Issues Raises & clarifies issues Brings up old issues
Feelings Expresses both positive & negative feelings Expresses only negative feelings
Information Complete and honest information Selective information
Focus Conflict focuses on issue Conflict focuses on person
Blame Accepts mutual blame Blames other person(s) for problem
Perception Focuses on similarities Focuses on differences
Change Facilitates change to prevent stagnation Minimizes change, increasing conflict
Outcome Both win One wins, one loses; or both lose
Intimacy Resolving conflict increases intimacy Escalating conflict decreases intimacy
February 24
“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21, NLT)
A soccer store online clarified the need for follow-through when kicking a soccer ball. In an explanation of the term “follow-through”, their web site included the following statement: “Follow-through is crucial for all types of shooting in football (soccer). Rather than trying to kick the ball, you should be kicking “through” it. The kicking motion should continue after the ball has been struck to ensure a smooth, controlled kick.” (thesoccerstore.co.uk, Nov 21, 2018). Their definition makes clear that following through on a kick of the soccer ball is crucial not only for more power in the kick, but so that the kick may be controlled. Without that follow-through, soccer kicks will be less accurate and have less power. Many other sports require follow-through for good play. You need it for kicking a field goal, serving a tennis ball, and whenever power must be generated through motion of the body.
Follow-through is also a good practice in other areas of life. Good salespeople, who follow through on sales leads, not only have more sales but also tend to have more satisfied customers. College recruiters need to follow through on high school students who profess a desire to attend their school. What many people don’t know is that follow through is also crucial in the spiritual life. If a Sunday School teacher does not check on a student that has been absent for several weeks, that student may stop coming to class. When visitors come to church on Sunday, any good church will send letters of welcome or extend visits to their homes. I often would check in with couples who were getting ready for marriage to see how things were going and to make arrangements for the wedding. When I heard of members being hospitalized, I would follow through by visiting them before they went home. I believe that follow-through is crucial in many areas of life, especially in the spiritual life.
The scripture for today contains wisdom from Peter. In his first letter to the Christians in Asia Minor, Peter wrote that God called each Christian not only to “do good, even if it means suffering”, Peter also noted that Jesus left the followers an “example”. 1 Peter 2:21 then ends the verse by saying that faithful Christians need to “follow in his (Jesus’) steps”. It is crucially important to learn about Jesus’ life so that you can emulate His actions and heed His words. Peter expected the Christians in Asia Minor to follow through in their faith by using Jesus as their example. They needed to learn from Him, heed His voice, and following His teachings. If you want to be faithful, you need to follow through on your faith, not just talk about it or watch others experience it. You need to actively follow through, with Jesus as your example, in your daily life.
For centuries, there was a phrase used by pastors and committed Christians to describe people who failed to follow through in their spiritual life. Those who did not live out their faith using Jesus as an example were called “pew-sitters”. Pew sitters start off looking like they are going to be active Christians. They may attend church regularly. They might put a few dollars in the collection plate. They might join a congregation after attending membership classes or being baptized. However, just when you think they are going to become active and committed Christians, their spiritual life stops. They don’t participate in church functions regularly. They don’t pray very often. They don’t read the Bible frequently. In effect, all they do is take up room in the pew during worship. They are pew sitters. That’s all they do. They sit on their laurels. They usually don’t grow spiritually, do evangelism, teach about the faith, or save souls. They sit in the pews on Sundays, but that’s about all they do for Jesus.
Just as follow-through is crucial for a good soccer kick or a great serve in tennis, follow through is necessary in the spiritual life for any healthy Christian. If you don’t follow through on the promises you made to Jesus, you will never grow close to God. If you don’t follow through on your Bible learnings, you’ll never discover the depths of scriptural wisdom. If you don’t follow through with your prayer life, you may never discover the peace and strength that comes from an intimate relationship with God. Follow-through is key for becoming a better Christian. It is absolutely necessary when believing in Christ.
How well do you follow through on your promises to God? Do you follow through in your prayer life? Is there a person who has been ill recently who might need you to follow through with a chat or visit? Might some extra time meditating on God’s Word give you a needed boost in your mood or a better connection with your God? What areas of your life might need a little more follow-through? When you follow through on your commitments to Jesus, amazing things ALWAYS occur!
Follow-through is also a good practice in other areas of life. Good salespeople, who follow through on sales leads, not only have more sales but also tend to have more satisfied customers. College recruiters need to follow through on high school students who profess a desire to attend their school. What many people don’t know is that follow through is also crucial in the spiritual life. If a Sunday School teacher does not check on a student that has been absent for several weeks, that student may stop coming to class. When visitors come to church on Sunday, any good church will send letters of welcome or extend visits to their homes. I often would check in with couples who were getting ready for marriage to see how things were going and to make arrangements for the wedding. When I heard of members being hospitalized, I would follow through by visiting them before they went home. I believe that follow-through is crucial in many areas of life, especially in the spiritual life.
The scripture for today contains wisdom from Peter. In his first letter to the Christians in Asia Minor, Peter wrote that God called each Christian not only to “do good, even if it means suffering”, Peter also noted that Jesus left the followers an “example”. 1 Peter 2:21 then ends the verse by saying that faithful Christians need to “follow in his (Jesus’) steps”. It is crucially important to learn about Jesus’ life so that you can emulate His actions and heed His words. Peter expected the Christians in Asia Minor to follow through in their faith by using Jesus as their example. They needed to learn from Him, heed His voice, and following His teachings. If you want to be faithful, you need to follow through on your faith, not just talk about it or watch others experience it. You need to actively follow through, with Jesus as your example, in your daily life.
For centuries, there was a phrase used by pastors and committed Christians to describe people who failed to follow through in their spiritual life. Those who did not live out their faith using Jesus as an example were called “pew-sitters”. Pew sitters start off looking like they are going to be active Christians. They may attend church regularly. They might put a few dollars in the collection plate. They might join a congregation after attending membership classes or being baptized. However, just when you think they are going to become active and committed Christians, their spiritual life stops. They don’t participate in church functions regularly. They don’t pray very often. They don’t read the Bible frequently. In effect, all they do is take up room in the pew during worship. They are pew sitters. That’s all they do. They sit on their laurels. They usually don’t grow spiritually, do evangelism, teach about the faith, or save souls. They sit in the pews on Sundays, but that’s about all they do for Jesus.
Just as follow-through is crucial for a good soccer kick or a great serve in tennis, follow through is necessary in the spiritual life for any healthy Christian. If you don’t follow through on the promises you made to Jesus, you will never grow close to God. If you don’t follow through on your Bible learnings, you’ll never discover the depths of scriptural wisdom. If you don’t follow through with your prayer life, you may never discover the peace and strength that comes from an intimate relationship with God. Follow-through is key for becoming a better Christian. It is absolutely necessary when believing in Christ.
How well do you follow through on your promises to God? Do you follow through in your prayer life? Is there a person who has been ill recently who might need you to follow through with a chat or visit? Might some extra time meditating on God’s Word give you a needed boost in your mood or a better connection with your God? What areas of your life might need a little more follow-through? When you follow through on your commitments to Jesus, amazing things ALWAYS occur!
February 27
“In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12, ESV)
“In a letter to his friends, hymn writer Wendell P. Loveless related this story:
One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, passers by noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.
In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. Our Lord often went to be alone with the Heavenly Father. Sometimes it was after a busy day of preaching and healing, as in today’s Scripture reading. At other times, it was before making a major decision (Luke 6:12).” (from “Our Daily Bread” as listed in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
Life has its ups and downs. It has twists and turns, accidents and surprises. Moments of your life may be filled with chaos or angst. There might be times of turmoil or worry or fear. So often, people turn to the wrong things to bring peace to the turmoil. They take antidepressants, anxiety medications, illicit drugs, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and more. They overspend, overwork, overdo, overeat. So often, people handle the chaos of life with medicines or actions that placate part of the body. Anxiety drugs may ease the mind. Opiates and alcohol and illicit drugs may make you numb to the world for a short while. A buying spree might satiate your urges, but it won’t help your financial situation. All in all, people choose to deal with the turmoil in life by medicating the body and emptying their mind. Sadly, they do not realize that all these actions do nothing for the soul. When your world is in chaos, your soul is also affected. Illicit drugs and buying sprees do NOTHING to help the soul to deal with the turmoil. There is only one thing that can heal and quiet the heart, mind, and soul: communing with God.
When in the presence of God, something happens to body, mind, and soul. They feel at ease. They let go of pain. Worldly people don’t know what it’s like to have a body and mind and soul at true peace. They are so busy treating their conditions and insecurities with drugs and worldly remedies that they do not realize that their soul is thirsty for the peace that only comes from being in the presence of God (“the peace that passes all understanding”-Philippians 4:7). If you find that you are about to face something big or your world has been shaken up, go spend time with God. It is the only way to feel comfort and peace and wholeness in your whole self.
In the scripture for today, Jesus was about to deliver the “Sermon on the Mount” to masses of people. It was to be a big day. His message was crucially important. What did Jesus do before this big day? He spent time with God the Father in prayer. Luke 6:12 tells us that Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray”. He did not spend a few minutes with God in a hurried-up prayer to get it over with. He spent “all night” talking to God the Father. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were “filled with Fury” and in an uproar about recent events (Luke 6:11). Jesus, whose life was threatened, went to God the Father and prayed a good long while. Jesus spent valuable time alone with God the Father. They talked all night long. While the Pharisees continued to feed their fury and fumed over unauthorized healings, Jesus felt comfort and peace from God the Father. While the Pharisees were caught up in their worldly turmoil. Jesus was preparing for a big moment of His life. In the quiet of the mountain, alone with the Heavenly Father, Jesus gathered strength and poise for the coming day.
When your world is filled with uncertainties and turmoil, turn your attention to alone time with God the Father. Follow Jesus’ example. Look for real, lasting peace in body, mind, and soul. Spend important moments in prayer. If you are serious about being alone with God, opening up your soul, listening for God’s voice; you will find that your body, mind, and soul will all be put at ease. No matter how tumultuous your life may be, God can bring a peace that passes all understanding, a wholeness that brings ultimate comfort.
So, what are you waiting for? Do you have some time now to quietly listen for the voice of God?
One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, passers by noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.
In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. Our Lord often went to be alone with the Heavenly Father. Sometimes it was after a busy day of preaching and healing, as in today’s Scripture reading. At other times, it was before making a major decision (Luke 6:12).” (from “Our Daily Bread” as listed in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
Life has its ups and downs. It has twists and turns, accidents and surprises. Moments of your life may be filled with chaos or angst. There might be times of turmoil or worry or fear. So often, people turn to the wrong things to bring peace to the turmoil. They take antidepressants, anxiety medications, illicit drugs, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and more. They overspend, overwork, overdo, overeat. So often, people handle the chaos of life with medicines or actions that placate part of the body. Anxiety drugs may ease the mind. Opiates and alcohol and illicit drugs may make you numb to the world for a short while. A buying spree might satiate your urges, but it won’t help your financial situation. All in all, people choose to deal with the turmoil in life by medicating the body and emptying their mind. Sadly, they do not realize that all these actions do nothing for the soul. When your world is in chaos, your soul is also affected. Illicit drugs and buying sprees do NOTHING to help the soul to deal with the turmoil. There is only one thing that can heal and quiet the heart, mind, and soul: communing with God.
When in the presence of God, something happens to body, mind, and soul. They feel at ease. They let go of pain. Worldly people don’t know what it’s like to have a body and mind and soul at true peace. They are so busy treating their conditions and insecurities with drugs and worldly remedies that they do not realize that their soul is thirsty for the peace that only comes from being in the presence of God (“the peace that passes all understanding”-Philippians 4:7). If you find that you are about to face something big or your world has been shaken up, go spend time with God. It is the only way to feel comfort and peace and wholeness in your whole self.
In the scripture for today, Jesus was about to deliver the “Sermon on the Mount” to masses of people. It was to be a big day. His message was crucially important. What did Jesus do before this big day? He spent time with God the Father in prayer. Luke 6:12 tells us that Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray”. He did not spend a few minutes with God in a hurried-up prayer to get it over with. He spent “all night” talking to God the Father. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were “filled with Fury” and in an uproar about recent events (Luke 6:11). Jesus, whose life was threatened, went to God the Father and prayed a good long while. Jesus spent valuable time alone with God the Father. They talked all night long. While the Pharisees continued to feed their fury and fumed over unauthorized healings, Jesus felt comfort and peace from God the Father. While the Pharisees were caught up in their worldly turmoil. Jesus was preparing for a big moment of His life. In the quiet of the mountain, alone with the Heavenly Father, Jesus gathered strength and poise for the coming day.
When your world is filled with uncertainties and turmoil, turn your attention to alone time with God the Father. Follow Jesus’ example. Look for real, lasting peace in body, mind, and soul. Spend important moments in prayer. If you are serious about being alone with God, opening up your soul, listening for God’s voice; you will find that your body, mind, and soul will all be put at ease. No matter how tumultuous your life may be, God can bring a peace that passes all understanding, a wholeness that brings ultimate comfort.
So, what are you waiting for? Do you have some time now to quietly listen for the voice of God?
October 28
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10, ESV)
A family had become fed up with the noise and traffic of the city and decided to move to the country and try life in the wide open spaces. Intending to raise cattle, they bought a western ranch. Some friends came to visit a month later and asked them what they had named the ranch. The father said, "Well, I wanted to call it the Flying-W and my wife wanted to call it the Suzy-Q. But one of our sons liked the Bar-J and the other preferred the Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it the Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-Y Ranch." Their friend asked, "Well, where are your cattle?" The man replied, "We don't have any. None of them survived the branding." (John C. Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You, p.33 Thomas Nelson Publ. Nashville 1993)
While humorous, the story about the family above reminds us of the danger of trying to please everyone. If you are so caught up in pleasing someone, you will often make the mistakes of throwing caution, reason, or faith aside in order to look good to another person. You will jump through hoops in order to bring joy to another. You might even find yourself neglecting what you should do or what God wants in order to get another person to like you.
Dorothy was not very popular in High School. She was intelligent and witty, but lacked an appeal to the boys. After being teased by some of her friends, she decided to show them. A month later, she spent days flirting with a boy in order to seduce him at a school party. The boy was well liked and popular. She was thrilled. Within just a few dates, they had sex. Her friends were amazed that she "landed such a catch". To keep her boyfriend happy and continue her streak to popularity among her friends, she continued to have sex with her boyfriend. Six months later, she was pregnant and then had an abortion. Seven months later, her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. It was only then that Dorothy realized that she was got into the relationship because of the hassle of her friends. She had sex because that's what she thought would keep her boyfriend happy. She had the abortion to hide everything from her parents and keep them happy. Throughout the entire time, she wasn't even happy! She was doing everything to look good, be popular, be a good girl…. but she regretted it the whole while. To this day, she feels horrible that a child had to suffer and die just so she could learn her lesson.
In the scripture above from Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote about the danger of seeking the "approval of man" (Galatians 1:10). For Paul, "pleasing man" was antithetical to pleasing God. You can't please everyone all the time. You have to choose whom to please. If you are seeking the approval of a person, you can't be spending your time seeking God's approval. It’s a matter a priorities. This is made clear when Paul wrote toward the end of the verse that in "trying to please man, you CAN'T be a servant of Christ". Have you figured this out yet?
I am often surprised by those who try to please others in life. They think it will make them look good, when it often makes them look the opposite to God. Being subject to the "approval" of others makes you subject to them and their moods. Their happiness becomes your delight. Their disappointment becomes your shame. You will suffer at the whim of another. In the end, isn't it all about whom is manipulating whom? Reread this last sentence again!
Don't get caught up in the merry-go-round of people-pleasing. It won't go well. Christ doesn't look kindly upon it either. In the end, you become a stooge, and Christ is made to "play second fiddle" while you learn your lesson. Both you and your Lord deserve better.
While humorous, the story about the family above reminds us of the danger of trying to please everyone. If you are so caught up in pleasing someone, you will often make the mistakes of throwing caution, reason, or faith aside in order to look good to another person. You will jump through hoops in order to bring joy to another. You might even find yourself neglecting what you should do or what God wants in order to get another person to like you.
Dorothy was not very popular in High School. She was intelligent and witty, but lacked an appeal to the boys. After being teased by some of her friends, she decided to show them. A month later, she spent days flirting with a boy in order to seduce him at a school party. The boy was well liked and popular. She was thrilled. Within just a few dates, they had sex. Her friends were amazed that she "landed such a catch". To keep her boyfriend happy and continue her streak to popularity among her friends, she continued to have sex with her boyfriend. Six months later, she was pregnant and then had an abortion. Seven months later, her boyfriend dumped her for another girl. It was only then that Dorothy realized that she was got into the relationship because of the hassle of her friends. She had sex because that's what she thought would keep her boyfriend happy. She had the abortion to hide everything from her parents and keep them happy. Throughout the entire time, she wasn't even happy! She was doing everything to look good, be popular, be a good girl…. but she regretted it the whole while. To this day, she feels horrible that a child had to suffer and die just so she could learn her lesson.
In the scripture above from Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote about the danger of seeking the "approval of man" (Galatians 1:10). For Paul, "pleasing man" was antithetical to pleasing God. You can't please everyone all the time. You have to choose whom to please. If you are seeking the approval of a person, you can't be spending your time seeking God's approval. It’s a matter a priorities. This is made clear when Paul wrote toward the end of the verse that in "trying to please man, you CAN'T be a servant of Christ". Have you figured this out yet?
I am often surprised by those who try to please others in life. They think it will make them look good, when it often makes them look the opposite to God. Being subject to the "approval" of others makes you subject to them and their moods. Their happiness becomes your delight. Their disappointment becomes your shame. You will suffer at the whim of another. In the end, isn't it all about whom is manipulating whom? Reread this last sentence again!
Don't get caught up in the merry-go-round of people-pleasing. It won't go well. Christ doesn't look kindly upon it either. In the end, you become a stooge, and Christ is made to "play second fiddle" while you learn your lesson. Both you and your Lord deserve better.
October 29
“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.” (Proverbs 31:10–11, NKJV)
I have always been a strong advocate for equal rights for all people. I feel that equal work deserves equal pay, no matter who does the work. However, in the last decade or two, I've seen equality slip, not because a lot of people don't believe in equal rights and equal pay. It's slipped because people who don't deserve equal pay demand it. Instead of equal rights, we've ended up with "anti-oriented" groups and "pro-me" groups. Feminists of today often advocate for women's rights instead of human rights. I've seen and heard women advocate that men are the problem of everything bad in the world. Our world is filled with a "victimization attitude", where everyone else is at fault for me not getting what I think I deserve. We've moved away from a selfless love and concern for others to a demand to be heard. We've moved away from unselfish servant-hood to the mantra that people have a right to do what "they want" and to "live their life however they please". Of all the groups of people on this earth, modern worldly attitudes and beliefs have affected women more negatively than any other group.
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
October 30
“And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9–10, RSV)
Some things in life are related. If you affect one, it will affect the other. If you change one, you will change the other. There are millions of examples of this. If you change out dead batteries in a toy for new ones, the toy will come to life again. If you move the thermostat setting up two degrees, the house will warm as the furnace kicks in. When you take the fall leaves out of a blocked gutter, the water should be able to flow through it again. In your spiritual life, there are also related elements that affect one another. Our scripture for today shows some of these elements and how they work together to mold a person into a more effective and beloved child of God.
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
October 31
“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
When you make a commitment to God through Jesus Christ, you become a Christian. As you live out the promises and obedience given that relationship, you become a faithful and true Christian. The basis for the word "Christian" is Christ, the Messiah. Thus, when you live for Jesus' sake, you become a "Christian" through that relationship with Jesus. An "Serbian" owes a commitment to Serbia. A "Mohammedan" is an ancient term for one who follows Mohammed. A "Christian" owes his or her life to Christ. That relationship should be the center of one's life and form the crux of who you are.
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!