July 1
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deuteronomy 30:19, NLT)
As the chapters of the Biblical book of Deuteronomy come to a close, Israel is about to embark on a new chapter in its life. Moses is about to leave. Aaron is about to take over leadership. The people are on the brink of the promised land. The wilderness, for the most part, is behind them. At this juncture, Moses stops the people to remind them of some important aspects of faith. He reminds them to “love the Lord”, to “keep God’s commandments” (Deuteronomy 30:16), and to not “worship other gods” (Deuteronomy 30:17-18). It was a time of looking back to the past to remember while looking forward to the new day that was dawning. While doing this, Moses quoted God in saying, “I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses” (Deuteronomy 30:19). God is urging the people to “choose life”. It is possible they may not. They may choose evil and curses and death. They may reject God’s blessing. Time will tell of their choice. And in one final note from our scripture for today, “their descendants” will face blessings and curses based on their choices in coming days.
All too often, we don’t realize that future generations of our descendants will be blessed or cursed depending on our choices today. This scripture reiterates that FACT. Your choices, your decisions, your faith, your attitude all will impact future generations. One very bad choice may imperil your children or family or friends. One decision in a fateful moment may change your destiny and alter the future of those you love. Don’t ever underestimate your impact on this world!
There was once an ambitious young lad who had always dreamed that one day, he would become a general in the army. He was intelligent, and the qualities he possessed were more than enough to get him anywhere he wanted. For this he thanked God whom he feared and always prayed that one day his dream would be fulfilled. Unfortunately, when the time came for him to join the army, he was rejected due to the fact that he was flat-footed. After various attempts he gave up the idea of ever becoming a general, and for this he blamed God for not answering his prayer. He felt alone, emotionally beaten, and filled with an anger which he started projecting against God. He knew that there was a God but did not believe in God as a friend anymore. To him, God was now a tyrant.
He then decided to enter university and become a doctor. And so happened, he became a doctor and some years later he was a qualified surgeon. He became a pioneer in delicate operations where the patient did not stand a chance of surviving if not under the hands of this young surgeon. Now all his patients had a chance, that of a new life.
Throughout the years he saved thousands of lives, those of children and adults. Parents could now live happily with their re-born son or daughter and mothers who were critically ill could now still love their family. Fathers who were devastated because no one could raise their family after their death, had been given another chance. As he grew older, he trained other aspiring surgeons on his new operating technique and more and more lives were saved and are still being saved.
One day he closed his eyes and went to meet the risen Lord. There, still full of condemnation, the man asked God why his prayers were never answered. The Lord answered, “Look out in the skies my child and see your dream fulfilled." There he could see himself as a young boy praying to become a soldier. He saw himself getting into the army and becoming a soldier. There he was proud and ambitious, and with a look in his eyes that one day he would lead a whole regiment. He was called to fight his first battle, but as he was in a camp at the front, a bomb fell next to him. He was then sent in a wooden box back to his family. All his ambitions were now shattered as his parents wept and wept.
Then the Lord said, "Now look how my plan has been fulfilled although you did not approve." Once again, he looked in the skies. There he watched his life day by day and how many lives he had saved. He saw the smiles on his patient's faces and on their family's faces and the new life he had given them by becoming a surgeon. Then amongst his patients he saw a young boy who also had a dream of becoming a soldier one day, but unfortunately was sick. He saw how he had saved his life by operating on the boy. Today the boy had grown up and became a general. He only became a general because the surgeon had saved his life. At that point he knew that the Lord was always with him. He understood how God had used him as His instrument to save thousands of lives and to give a future to the young boy who wanted to become a soldier.
Nobody knows who wrote the above story of the surgeon. What is known is that its truth is unmistakable. Small choices in life deeply affect the future. Your choices today will affect generations. Your faith in God displayed today will influence others. Your obedience to God today will affect the world from now on.
The scripture for today is a bold reminder to “choose life”. There are all too many ways to choose death, curses, and evil. You need to choose life, not only for your own sake, but for the sake of generations to come. Those generations may never know or appreciate if you chose life today, but God will forever be aware of your choices today. And, in time, the world will know…. one way or another.
All too often, we don’t realize that future generations of our descendants will be blessed or cursed depending on our choices today. This scripture reiterates that FACT. Your choices, your decisions, your faith, your attitude all will impact future generations. One very bad choice may imperil your children or family or friends. One decision in a fateful moment may change your destiny and alter the future of those you love. Don’t ever underestimate your impact on this world!
There was once an ambitious young lad who had always dreamed that one day, he would become a general in the army. He was intelligent, and the qualities he possessed were more than enough to get him anywhere he wanted. For this he thanked God whom he feared and always prayed that one day his dream would be fulfilled. Unfortunately, when the time came for him to join the army, he was rejected due to the fact that he was flat-footed. After various attempts he gave up the idea of ever becoming a general, and for this he blamed God for not answering his prayer. He felt alone, emotionally beaten, and filled with an anger which he started projecting against God. He knew that there was a God but did not believe in God as a friend anymore. To him, God was now a tyrant.
He then decided to enter university and become a doctor. And so happened, he became a doctor and some years later he was a qualified surgeon. He became a pioneer in delicate operations where the patient did not stand a chance of surviving if not under the hands of this young surgeon. Now all his patients had a chance, that of a new life.
Throughout the years he saved thousands of lives, those of children and adults. Parents could now live happily with their re-born son or daughter and mothers who were critically ill could now still love their family. Fathers who were devastated because no one could raise their family after their death, had been given another chance. As he grew older, he trained other aspiring surgeons on his new operating technique and more and more lives were saved and are still being saved.
One day he closed his eyes and went to meet the risen Lord. There, still full of condemnation, the man asked God why his prayers were never answered. The Lord answered, “Look out in the skies my child and see your dream fulfilled." There he could see himself as a young boy praying to become a soldier. He saw himself getting into the army and becoming a soldier. There he was proud and ambitious, and with a look in his eyes that one day he would lead a whole regiment. He was called to fight his first battle, but as he was in a camp at the front, a bomb fell next to him. He was then sent in a wooden box back to his family. All his ambitions were now shattered as his parents wept and wept.
Then the Lord said, "Now look how my plan has been fulfilled although you did not approve." Once again, he looked in the skies. There he watched his life day by day and how many lives he had saved. He saw the smiles on his patient's faces and on their family's faces and the new life he had given them by becoming a surgeon. Then amongst his patients he saw a young boy who also had a dream of becoming a soldier one day, but unfortunately was sick. He saw how he had saved his life by operating on the boy. Today the boy had grown up and became a general. He only became a general because the surgeon had saved his life. At that point he knew that the Lord was always with him. He understood how God had used him as His instrument to save thousands of lives and to give a future to the young boy who wanted to become a soldier.
Nobody knows who wrote the above story of the surgeon. What is known is that its truth is unmistakable. Small choices in life deeply affect the future. Your choices today will affect generations. Your faith in God displayed today will influence others. Your obedience to God today will affect the world from now on.
The scripture for today is a bold reminder to “choose life”. There are all too many ways to choose death, curses, and evil. You need to choose life, not only for your own sake, but for the sake of generations to come. Those generations may never know or appreciate if you chose life today, but God will forever be aware of your choices today. And, in time, the world will know…. one way or another.
July 3
“Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” (James 2:26, NLT)
A man and his wife dreamed big. They had great hopes for retirement after his years on the police force were over. As Jerry got closer and closer to the big day, they looked at Recreational Vehicles to purchase. Would they buy a motorhome or a fifth wheel and tow truck? Then, they decided they would visit Florida their first year, because neither one of them had ever vacationed there. Jerry and Ellie bought a large map of the United States. They mounted it to a board in their family room. Every so often, they would put a pin in some place they wanted to visit during retirement. They spent hours dreaming of the possibilities. Then, one month before retirement, Jerry had a heart attack. He died two days later. I knew Jerry and Ellie well. Not only did they never visit all those vacation spots together, Ellie never had the heart to go to any of the places they marked together, without Jerry by her side.
You can spend your time in life talking about what you’d like to do or what you want to do without doing it. You can while away the hours dreaming of things you’d rather do without ever getting to them. You can talk a lot about what you would do if you were in charge, as if you would ever be in charge! There are a lot of ways to spend your life dreaming and talking and hoping and wishing about changes without ever getting anything accomplished.
In the early 1970’s, there was a young man in a high school in Kansas. His name was “All Talk” or just “AT”. They gave him that nickname because the guy always had a few words about how he was better, smarter, would do better, had a better idea, etc. He constantly inserted himself into conversations or turned the conversations into something about him. After high school, the graduates went their separate ways to make a life for themselves. At the tenth high school reunion, the alumni gathered at the high school auditorium for a special gathering. “All talk” wasn’t there. Later in the evening, a few people asked what happened to him. One person mentioned that he was still living at home but that he didn’t want to show his face at the reunion. The spouse of an alum asked why. One person responded, “What is going to brag about? How he saved the world from his basement room in his mother’s house?”
You might know an “all talk” type of person. You might be one who is more full of words than action. What the scripture for today wants you to reconsider is the value of action, of getting things done, of moving past talking about a problem to fixing one. I’ve seen church committees spend months debating a problem in the church without ever solving it. I’ve met people who complained about something for years but never lifted one finger to make a difference.
As the scripture for today makes abundantly clear, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). If your faith has substance, works will naturally follow. If your faith is “all talk”, you might never get around to accomplishing much with your spiritual life.
At a contentious meeting, a man turned to me and said, “You talk about doing mission work. I don’t want to go overseas to mission work, and there’s not much to do around here!” There, he was wrong. In the next ten minutes, I described how several older people in the church needed help with cleaning and yard work. One woman needed a person to check on her every few days while she was recovering from surgery. A young man in the congregation needed some help with homework, while his mother with three jobs was overwhelmed with making a living. Those were just a few of the needs and missions those in that room could have taken on. How many works did they choose? None. The head of the committee asked for us to go back to the topic on the agenda which consisted of how much money was in the mission budget for the year. The committee never got back to the topic of who to help and when to do it.
Max Lucado, in his book Grace for the Moment, pondered the scripture for today. In this inspirational title, he wrote: “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right. God is always near and always available. Just waiting for your touch. So let him know. Demonstrate your devotion:
Write a letter.
Ask forgiveness.
Be baptized.
Feed a hungry person.
Pray.
Teach.
Go.
Do something that demonstrates faith. For faith with no effort is no faith at all. God will respond. He has never rejected a genuine gesture of faith. Never.” (p. 322).
For faith to be real, it must involve action. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, works to support this fact should define your spiritual life. On looking back at your spiritual life, how many actions have you taken LATELY? How many ways have you worked hard for Jesus? Is your faith more about talking than doing? I hope not. Because according to today’s scripture, your faith would be dead or dying. Our world is starving for people to put some legs to their faith and get active for Jesus. There are places you need to be. There are people who need your help. The only question left is, are you going to do something about it?
What if John Adams and George Washington had only complained about the British governing system but never done anything about it? What if Lewis and Clark were too settled to make their expedition to the Pacific Ocean? What if your favorite teacher never bothered with studying at college? What if Gandhi decided to sit at home and not inspire a generation in India? Our world is a better place because of those who stood up and made a difference. Your faith is possible because Jesus didn’t shy away from the cross!
So, what will you do about it?
You can spend your time in life talking about what you’d like to do or what you want to do without doing it. You can while away the hours dreaming of things you’d rather do without ever getting to them. You can talk a lot about what you would do if you were in charge, as if you would ever be in charge! There are a lot of ways to spend your life dreaming and talking and hoping and wishing about changes without ever getting anything accomplished.
In the early 1970’s, there was a young man in a high school in Kansas. His name was “All Talk” or just “AT”. They gave him that nickname because the guy always had a few words about how he was better, smarter, would do better, had a better idea, etc. He constantly inserted himself into conversations or turned the conversations into something about him. After high school, the graduates went their separate ways to make a life for themselves. At the tenth high school reunion, the alumni gathered at the high school auditorium for a special gathering. “All talk” wasn’t there. Later in the evening, a few people asked what happened to him. One person mentioned that he was still living at home but that he didn’t want to show his face at the reunion. The spouse of an alum asked why. One person responded, “What is going to brag about? How he saved the world from his basement room in his mother’s house?”
You might know an “all talk” type of person. You might be one who is more full of words than action. What the scripture for today wants you to reconsider is the value of action, of getting things done, of moving past talking about a problem to fixing one. I’ve seen church committees spend months debating a problem in the church without ever solving it. I’ve met people who complained about something for years but never lifted one finger to make a difference.
As the scripture for today makes abundantly clear, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). If your faith has substance, works will naturally follow. If your faith is “all talk”, you might never get around to accomplishing much with your spiritual life.
At a contentious meeting, a man turned to me and said, “You talk about doing mission work. I don’t want to go overseas to mission work, and there’s not much to do around here!” There, he was wrong. In the next ten minutes, I described how several older people in the church needed help with cleaning and yard work. One woman needed a person to check on her every few days while she was recovering from surgery. A young man in the congregation needed some help with homework, while his mother with three jobs was overwhelmed with making a living. Those were just a few of the needs and missions those in that room could have taken on. How many works did they choose? None. The head of the committee asked for us to go back to the topic on the agenda which consisted of how much money was in the mission budget for the year. The committee never got back to the topic of who to help and when to do it.
Max Lucado, in his book Grace for the Moment, pondered the scripture for today. In this inspirational title, he wrote: “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right. God is always near and always available. Just waiting for your touch. So let him know. Demonstrate your devotion:
Write a letter.
Ask forgiveness.
Be baptized.
Feed a hungry person.
Pray.
Teach.
Go.
Do something that demonstrates faith. For faith with no effort is no faith at all. God will respond. He has never rejected a genuine gesture of faith. Never.” (p. 322).
For faith to be real, it must involve action. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, works to support this fact should define your spiritual life. On looking back at your spiritual life, how many actions have you taken LATELY? How many ways have you worked hard for Jesus? Is your faith more about talking than doing? I hope not. Because according to today’s scripture, your faith would be dead or dying. Our world is starving for people to put some legs to their faith and get active for Jesus. There are places you need to be. There are people who need your help. The only question left is, are you going to do something about it?
What if John Adams and George Washington had only complained about the British governing system but never done anything about it? What if Lewis and Clark were too settled to make their expedition to the Pacific Ocean? What if your favorite teacher never bothered with studying at college? What if Gandhi decided to sit at home and not inspire a generation in India? Our world is a better place because of those who stood up and made a difference. Your faith is possible because Jesus didn’t shy away from the cross!
So, what will you do about it?
July 5
“Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.”” (1 Samuel 15:12, NLT)
It was at Carmel that King Saul celebrated his victory over the Amalekites. It was a huge victory. To celebrate the battle won, Saul “went down to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself” (1 Samuel 15:12). The monument was to congratulate himself for the great victory. But Saul knew that the victory was foretold and assured by God. Still, Saul did not set up a monument to God, he set up a great monument to himself. He made himself the center of the victorious celebration. It was a show of pride. Saul took credit for God’s work. It was just one more example of why God “was sorry” that HE had made Saul King. In fact, in the very moment Saul was celebrating his victory, God spoke these very words to the prophet Samuel: “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command” (1 Samuel 15:11).
I find it interesting that Saul was at the height of his great achievements. He was victorious. He was a winner. He was esteemed among the people. At this very moment, Saul’s pride and lack of obedience shone brightly. Rather than humbly admit that God had assured the victory to protect the people of Israel, Saul proclaimed his own great abilities in battle for all the country to witness. What came next was nothing short of terrible for King Saul. Saul lost God’s blessing. He no longer was given direction by God. He sought out a witch to foretell his future. He tried to murder David. He attacked the wrong people. The people resented him. In the end, he even witnessed the death of his sons in a battle God never gave him the capacity to win. Saul then died knowing he had failed God completely.
On the day when Saul acquired his greatest achievement, he began a downslide to self-destruction. By rejecting God’s authority and God’s blessing, he doomed himself and many in his armies. His faith never recovered. His family was never united. His joy was turned to sorrow.
So many people do not understand that pride and riches and victories can bring out the worst in people. It can expose their selfish ways, their pettiness, their self-absorbed world view, their lusts, their faithlessness. So many people strive in life to win at something, to succeed, to grow rich. Along the way, they don’t realize that their success may be the very thing that wrecks them. Their lack of faith is the problem. Their inability to respect and obey God’s Word will doom them and those they love.
John was said to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This old saying means that good things seemed to just come so very easily to John. He was born to a multi-millionaire who was well-respected for his business acumen. Growing up, he not only had it everything he wanted, but he also seemed to succeed at everything he did. He was the class president his senior year of high school. He was prom king. He was all-conference in sports. He was sought out by all the girls in high school. College was no different. John went to the wealthiest of schools, Harvard. There, he continued his string of successes. After graduation, he was offered a position with his father’s business. Along the way, John became entirely self-absorbed. He had it too easy. Success at life came without any effort. John developed a drug problem, and by age twenty was already taking cocaine frequently. Not long after, he began to mix the drug with alcohol for greater effect. John also did not appreciate his own good looks. He dated many women, taking most to bed with him. Many women wanted to be with him. They knew he would succeed. They knew he was rich. They threw themselves at him. John took total advantage.
Today, John is a pariah. He is not respected whatsoever in his hometown. The hundreds of women he loved and left hate him for it. John lives in a wealthy estate outside of town with a high wall surrounding it. He still works for his father. He still uses drugs and alcohol. His life is full of downward spirals. John doesn’t care. He lives his life for the moment. He doesn’t care that most everyone in his own town cannot stand the sight of him, nor his haughty attitude, nor his dirty millions of dollars in trust funds. I have a prediction. Unless John gives himself totally over to God, he will wreck everything he touches. His own pride will continue to strangle the very joy out of his life.
Success and victory and so much more can bring out the worst in people. These accomplishments can destroy one’s faith. In the very moments successful people are celebrating, God may be sorry that they are so blessed. Why? Their own success has taken them away from God’s presence. They are now self-absorbed and consumed with desire for earthly rewards. Many in the Bible suffered such a fate after success. King David’s son, Absalom, died this very way. This occurred to Haman in the days of Queen Esther. If you think you are immune to success, be careful. Achievements and wealth and acclaim can destroy even the best.
The Bible is clear that “pride goeth before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride kills faith. Selfishness often causes the loss of righteousness. Disobedience accomplished after a great success can cause God to be sorry a person was even blessed. Saul’s victory and subsequent spiritual fall should serve as a warning to you that success and wealth and blessings can easily come between you and your God. When you have great achievements, the best that you can do is….
Give God the glory.
Continue to follow the Word of God.
Be humble in the face of accolades.
Be faithful in your response to victory.
Get closer to God the more success comes your way.
Don’t let earthly riches come between you and doing right.
Don’t let your successes choke off your faith.
Never stop being obedient to God.
By the way, success and great achievement can also ruin countries. It happened to Israel. It happened to Judah. It happened to Egypt. I fear it may soon happen to America if it continues in gross disobedience to God's way of life.
I find it interesting that Saul was at the height of his great achievements. He was victorious. He was a winner. He was esteemed among the people. At this very moment, Saul’s pride and lack of obedience shone brightly. Rather than humbly admit that God had assured the victory to protect the people of Israel, Saul proclaimed his own great abilities in battle for all the country to witness. What came next was nothing short of terrible for King Saul. Saul lost God’s blessing. He no longer was given direction by God. He sought out a witch to foretell his future. He tried to murder David. He attacked the wrong people. The people resented him. In the end, he even witnessed the death of his sons in a battle God never gave him the capacity to win. Saul then died knowing he had failed God completely.
On the day when Saul acquired his greatest achievement, he began a downslide to self-destruction. By rejecting God’s authority and God’s blessing, he doomed himself and many in his armies. His faith never recovered. His family was never united. His joy was turned to sorrow.
So many people do not understand that pride and riches and victories can bring out the worst in people. It can expose their selfish ways, their pettiness, their self-absorbed world view, their lusts, their faithlessness. So many people strive in life to win at something, to succeed, to grow rich. Along the way, they don’t realize that their success may be the very thing that wrecks them. Their lack of faith is the problem. Their inability to respect and obey God’s Word will doom them and those they love.
John was said to be born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This old saying means that good things seemed to just come so very easily to John. He was born to a multi-millionaire who was well-respected for his business acumen. Growing up, he not only had it everything he wanted, but he also seemed to succeed at everything he did. He was the class president his senior year of high school. He was prom king. He was all-conference in sports. He was sought out by all the girls in high school. College was no different. John went to the wealthiest of schools, Harvard. There, he continued his string of successes. After graduation, he was offered a position with his father’s business. Along the way, John became entirely self-absorbed. He had it too easy. Success at life came without any effort. John developed a drug problem, and by age twenty was already taking cocaine frequently. Not long after, he began to mix the drug with alcohol for greater effect. John also did not appreciate his own good looks. He dated many women, taking most to bed with him. Many women wanted to be with him. They knew he would succeed. They knew he was rich. They threw themselves at him. John took total advantage.
Today, John is a pariah. He is not respected whatsoever in his hometown. The hundreds of women he loved and left hate him for it. John lives in a wealthy estate outside of town with a high wall surrounding it. He still works for his father. He still uses drugs and alcohol. His life is full of downward spirals. John doesn’t care. He lives his life for the moment. He doesn’t care that most everyone in his own town cannot stand the sight of him, nor his haughty attitude, nor his dirty millions of dollars in trust funds. I have a prediction. Unless John gives himself totally over to God, he will wreck everything he touches. His own pride will continue to strangle the very joy out of his life.
Success and victory and so much more can bring out the worst in people. These accomplishments can destroy one’s faith. In the very moments successful people are celebrating, God may be sorry that they are so blessed. Why? Their own success has taken them away from God’s presence. They are now self-absorbed and consumed with desire for earthly rewards. Many in the Bible suffered such a fate after success. King David’s son, Absalom, died this very way. This occurred to Haman in the days of Queen Esther. If you think you are immune to success, be careful. Achievements and wealth and acclaim can destroy even the best.
The Bible is clear that “pride goeth before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride kills faith. Selfishness often causes the loss of righteousness. Disobedience accomplished after a great success can cause God to be sorry a person was even blessed. Saul’s victory and subsequent spiritual fall should serve as a warning to you that success and wealth and blessings can easily come between you and your God. When you have great achievements, the best that you can do is….
Give God the glory.
Continue to follow the Word of God.
Be humble in the face of accolades.
Be faithful in your response to victory.
Get closer to God the more success comes your way.
Don’t let earthly riches come between you and doing right.
Don’t let your successes choke off your faith.
Never stop being obedient to God.
By the way, success and great achievement can also ruin countries. It happened to Israel. It happened to Judah. It happened to Egypt. I fear it may soon happen to America if it continues in gross disobedience to God's way of life.
July 7
“Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:9–10, NLT)
This verse above from the book of Revelation carries an interesting connection between two concepts. These two concepts often occur together for those who go against God. When a person sins or chooses evil, they often endure God’s wrath and torment. God’s wrath goes against the sin or evil in the person’s life. Torment, or suffering, follows thereafter. When a person is living in sin, it is usual to feel God’s anger against the sin for coming between the person and his or her God. This sin is evidenced in the person’s life with torment or suffering in some way.
The scripture from Revelation 14, listed above, contains God’s punishment toward those who will choose the beast, who “accept his mark on the forehead or hand”, and who choose the side of evil over God. These people will feel “God’s anger”, which will be “poured full strength” (Revelation 14:9). In the last days, choosing to side with the beast and evil and sin is tantamount to choosing to take sides against God. For God, this is the ultimate betrayal. While those on God’s side, such as “the holy angels and the Lamb” will only feel God’s care and protection, those who choose the side of the beast will be “tormented” (Revelation 14:10).
I want to draw a connection for you. I have found that those who are living in sin, who have chosen to stand up against God, and those who have chosen to do evil, will encounter a different kind of God. They will not be exposed to the God of love as much as the God of wrath. If you let sin become a part of your spiritual life, God’s love will fade. It will be replaced by God’s anger at your sinful choices. You will find yourself in “torment”, just as in the last days of Revelation. There is a concrete connection in scripture between living in sin and spiritual torment.
It came upon Justine slowly at first. Despite growing up in the church, she fell away from God during her college years. Her time at college was filled with sexual exploration, binge drinking, and a newfound freedom to do what she wanted. Justine thought this time of her life was a chance for her to spread her wings and be free of responsibilities. When she lived under her parents’ roof, Justine felt stifled. While at college, she felt free. With that newfound freedom, Justine began to make a lot of poor choices. She had a few one-night stands. She experimented with drugs. She did not eat well. She drank alcohol frequently. Ever so slowly, her spiritual life became non-existent. She stopped praying. She quit attending worship on campus. She never once read the Bible her grandmother gave her as a graduation gift. Justine did what she wanted when she wanted without any thought about consequences.
Between the time Justine was twenty and twenty-four, things went from bad to worse in her life. She was diagnosed with a venereal disease. Her grades began falling. Her periods became irregular. She experienced severe bouts of depression. The more Justine ran away from what was holy, the more her life became one of “torment”. Her stomach felt nauseated. The medicine for the venereal disease gave her headaches. Drinking gave her hangovers that kept her in bed for two days at a time. Justine’s GPA was just barely above the minimum for graduation.
After searching for a job for six months following graduation, Justine decided to move back home to save money. There, she was surprised by reactions from family. They commented on how pale she looked, how depressed she seemed, and how moody she had become. What the family didn’t realize was that Justine looked back on her life and did not like who she had become. She had messed up so much that she felt overwhelmed. And now, she was jobless to boot. Without telling a soul, Justine contemplated suicide.
I have met a number of people like Justine. They rejected faith, God, and holiness. They opted for the freedom to do what they wanted, lived a hedonistic lifestyle, and desired no thought about consequences. Over a period of time, sin crept in. Then came the torment, the suffering. Depression was close behind. The cycles of sin and rejection of God had taken their toll. Torment and suffering and pain came right on their heels.
I don’t think people realize that when you openly choose to sin, you openly take sides against God. The result will be a loss of God’s blessing. Then will come torment and pain and suffering. The torment might take the form of depression or loneliness or regret or bitterness. The pain might be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the end, a life lived in the absence of God will become a life defined by regrets. God never wants this to be your end.
When you feel yourself slipping away from God, dedicate yourself to turn things around. When your spiritual life falters, find the will to return to God. If sin has taken a hold upon your soul, repent right away. When you openly choose to let go of your connection with God, you have taken sides. You have chosen to side with evil and sin and the beast. You have chosen to go against God’s will. This will only result in your suffering and pain and torment. It is just a matter of time. I have seen this proven time after time after time. Today, resolve yourself to be faithful. Take a step closer to God. Shed any sin that has taken hold. Choose to love God more.
I remember praying with a young woman who was dying. Nobody came to visit her, so I did. Her last words before she slipped into a coma was “If only I would have done some things differently. I have deep regrets, Pastor Dave.” Do you know how awful it is to hear those last words coming from the mouth of a person who used to love God years ago?
There is a spiritual warfare going on around you. The side you take will define you.
The scripture from Revelation 14, listed above, contains God’s punishment toward those who will choose the beast, who “accept his mark on the forehead or hand”, and who choose the side of evil over God. These people will feel “God’s anger”, which will be “poured full strength” (Revelation 14:9). In the last days, choosing to side with the beast and evil and sin is tantamount to choosing to take sides against God. For God, this is the ultimate betrayal. While those on God’s side, such as “the holy angels and the Lamb” will only feel God’s care and protection, those who choose the side of the beast will be “tormented” (Revelation 14:10).
I want to draw a connection for you. I have found that those who are living in sin, who have chosen to stand up against God, and those who have chosen to do evil, will encounter a different kind of God. They will not be exposed to the God of love as much as the God of wrath. If you let sin become a part of your spiritual life, God’s love will fade. It will be replaced by God’s anger at your sinful choices. You will find yourself in “torment”, just as in the last days of Revelation. There is a concrete connection in scripture between living in sin and spiritual torment.
It came upon Justine slowly at first. Despite growing up in the church, she fell away from God during her college years. Her time at college was filled with sexual exploration, binge drinking, and a newfound freedom to do what she wanted. Justine thought this time of her life was a chance for her to spread her wings and be free of responsibilities. When she lived under her parents’ roof, Justine felt stifled. While at college, she felt free. With that newfound freedom, Justine began to make a lot of poor choices. She had a few one-night stands. She experimented with drugs. She did not eat well. She drank alcohol frequently. Ever so slowly, her spiritual life became non-existent. She stopped praying. She quit attending worship on campus. She never once read the Bible her grandmother gave her as a graduation gift. Justine did what she wanted when she wanted without any thought about consequences.
Between the time Justine was twenty and twenty-four, things went from bad to worse in her life. She was diagnosed with a venereal disease. Her grades began falling. Her periods became irregular. She experienced severe bouts of depression. The more Justine ran away from what was holy, the more her life became one of “torment”. Her stomach felt nauseated. The medicine for the venereal disease gave her headaches. Drinking gave her hangovers that kept her in bed for two days at a time. Justine’s GPA was just barely above the minimum for graduation.
After searching for a job for six months following graduation, Justine decided to move back home to save money. There, she was surprised by reactions from family. They commented on how pale she looked, how depressed she seemed, and how moody she had become. What the family didn’t realize was that Justine looked back on her life and did not like who she had become. She had messed up so much that she felt overwhelmed. And now, she was jobless to boot. Without telling a soul, Justine contemplated suicide.
I have met a number of people like Justine. They rejected faith, God, and holiness. They opted for the freedom to do what they wanted, lived a hedonistic lifestyle, and desired no thought about consequences. Over a period of time, sin crept in. Then came the torment, the suffering. Depression was close behind. The cycles of sin and rejection of God had taken their toll. Torment and suffering and pain came right on their heels.
I don’t think people realize that when you openly choose to sin, you openly take sides against God. The result will be a loss of God’s blessing. Then will come torment and pain and suffering. The torment might take the form of depression or loneliness or regret or bitterness. The pain might be physical, mental, or spiritual. In the end, a life lived in the absence of God will become a life defined by regrets. God never wants this to be your end.
When you feel yourself slipping away from God, dedicate yourself to turn things around. When your spiritual life falters, find the will to return to God. If sin has taken a hold upon your soul, repent right away. When you openly choose to let go of your connection with God, you have taken sides. You have chosen to side with evil and sin and the beast. You have chosen to go against God’s will. This will only result in your suffering and pain and torment. It is just a matter of time. I have seen this proven time after time after time. Today, resolve yourself to be faithful. Take a step closer to God. Shed any sin that has taken hold. Choose to love God more.
I remember praying with a young woman who was dying. Nobody came to visit her, so I did. Her last words before she slipped into a coma was “If only I would have done some things differently. I have deep regrets, Pastor Dave.” Do you know how awful it is to hear those last words coming from the mouth of a person who used to love God years ago?
There is a spiritual warfare going on around you. The side you take will define you.
July 9
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7, ESV)
Looking back over his life, the Apostle Paul wrote the words above to his beloved Timothy. Timothy traveled often with Paul. He was Paul’s trusted companion. When a church was in trouble and Paul couldn’t get there in time, he often entrusted Timothy with the mission to get to the church and make things right. When Paul wrote the words above to Timothy, Paul was expressing his belief that his life was ending. Paul was sent by God to start dozens of churches, to spread the good news of the gospel, to share his knowledge of Jesus Christ. But along the way, Paul received many scars and pains. He was shipwrecked multiple times. He was stoned. He suffered. He was jailed wrongly. Still, he labored on for Jesus. However, at this time in his life, Paul was to be tried in Rome for being a Christian. Paul knew there was every chance he would not be set free. He was under house arrest for a while. As he prayed, he felt the time for his death was coming soon. So, Paul was passing the torch of ministry to beloved Timothy. Paul had “fought the good fight” for the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:7). Paul did not give up. He finished this metaphorical “race” to save as many souls as he could. Throughout it all, Paul “kept the faith”.
Some people never become Christians. They don’t know what it’s like to carry the gospel to others. They never even entered the “faith race”. Some grow up in the church. Their parents start them on the road to faith, but these young ones never continue to follow Jesus. They leave the race even before it is really begun. Some people go through all the preliminaries to start their faith. They go through Sunday School classes or confirmation. They might attend worship for a good while. They may even be baptized. But not long after, they stop being faithful. Their desire to be in the “faith race” falters. They fall away from God. Their prayers end long before the faith race is even at the half point. Then again, a few faithful ones decide, like Paul, to “finish the race” of faith. They “keep the faith”. They decide to follow in the footsteps of Jesus until the end of life. These rare few have “finished the race of faith”. They “kept the faith”. They will receive a prize for finishing the race. Not only will they see Heaven, but they will also come face to face with their Savior one day.
Races are not easy. There comes a time in every race where the body aches, muscles may burn, pain will take hold, and continuing the race will become almost unbearable. Those who have raced in marathons talk about “hitting the wall”. Sometime in the race, they feel like they’ve run into an impenetrable barrier. Every step seems difficult. The body wants desperately to stop. Many who have “hit the wall” talk about the ability of the mind and heart and soul to spur one on even when the body feels like it can’t go one more step. These marathoners will point to the fact that when a person “hits the wall”, the race becomes a mind game. You must figure out a way to overcome the pain in your body to finish the race. This is very difficult when every step along the way hurts terribly.
In the opening stage of the 2021 Tour de France bicycling race, there were at least two large crashes. At one of the crashes, Marc Soler of the Movistar team was hurt badly. Since the Tour de France bicycle race is the most prominent bicycle race in the world and not wanting to let his team down, Soler got back on his bike and finished the race that day. Later medical exams and x-rays showed he had finished the 198-kilometer race (123 miles in one day) with both of his arms broken. Both arms had a broken radius, and his left arm had a broken ulna as well. He was forced to abandon the Tour after making it to the finish line.
Can you imagine riding a bike 100 plus miles on two broken arms? That was how important it was for Marc Soler to finish the race that day. No doubt he hurt from the crash. No doubt his arms were in pain until the end. Still, he did not want to let down the team and his fans. With sheer will power and a desire to be faithful to his team, he finished the race. It was an amazing feat.
When your heart and soul and mind are dedicated to finishing the faith race, what might stop you from making it to the end? You are the only one who can stop your faith journey. You are the only one who can quit following God to the end of your life. Even if your life is ended too soon, you can still be faithful to the end. Even if you suffer greatly, you can still be faithful to God. Even if you are bed-bound, you can still pray and meditate and call upon the Lord and share the gospel. It is not up to anyone else but you whether you stay in the faith race or drop out along the way.
How has your faith race been so far? Have you felt like giving up? Has spiritual or physical pain hampered your ability to get things done? Your God is counting on you finishing the race. Others of the faith are hoping that you succeed. People will be looking to you for encouragement along the way. Will you finish the race? Will you be faithful unto death? Will others stay in the faith race because of your help?
Everyone who has ever competed in sports knows how hard it can be to finish the course or set or race or meet or tour or game. The faith race is even more difficult. Satan will be tempting you to quit along the way. Obstacles will be thrown your way. Doubts may creep in. Pain might sideline you for a while. Age might take its toll on body and heart and mind. Still, hold firm to your faith. Continue your race no matter what befalls you. Finish the spiritual race knowing there are many cheering you on, me included. Your prize awaits you in the end. Never give up! Praise Jesus!
Some people never become Christians. They don’t know what it’s like to carry the gospel to others. They never even entered the “faith race”. Some grow up in the church. Their parents start them on the road to faith, but these young ones never continue to follow Jesus. They leave the race even before it is really begun. Some people go through all the preliminaries to start their faith. They go through Sunday School classes or confirmation. They might attend worship for a good while. They may even be baptized. But not long after, they stop being faithful. Their desire to be in the “faith race” falters. They fall away from God. Their prayers end long before the faith race is even at the half point. Then again, a few faithful ones decide, like Paul, to “finish the race” of faith. They “keep the faith”. They decide to follow in the footsteps of Jesus until the end of life. These rare few have “finished the race of faith”. They “kept the faith”. They will receive a prize for finishing the race. Not only will they see Heaven, but they will also come face to face with their Savior one day.
Races are not easy. There comes a time in every race where the body aches, muscles may burn, pain will take hold, and continuing the race will become almost unbearable. Those who have raced in marathons talk about “hitting the wall”. Sometime in the race, they feel like they’ve run into an impenetrable barrier. Every step seems difficult. The body wants desperately to stop. Many who have “hit the wall” talk about the ability of the mind and heart and soul to spur one on even when the body feels like it can’t go one more step. These marathoners will point to the fact that when a person “hits the wall”, the race becomes a mind game. You must figure out a way to overcome the pain in your body to finish the race. This is very difficult when every step along the way hurts terribly.
In the opening stage of the 2021 Tour de France bicycling race, there were at least two large crashes. At one of the crashes, Marc Soler of the Movistar team was hurt badly. Since the Tour de France bicycle race is the most prominent bicycle race in the world and not wanting to let his team down, Soler got back on his bike and finished the race that day. Later medical exams and x-rays showed he had finished the 198-kilometer race (123 miles in one day) with both of his arms broken. Both arms had a broken radius, and his left arm had a broken ulna as well. He was forced to abandon the Tour after making it to the finish line.
Can you imagine riding a bike 100 plus miles on two broken arms? That was how important it was for Marc Soler to finish the race that day. No doubt he hurt from the crash. No doubt his arms were in pain until the end. Still, he did not want to let down the team and his fans. With sheer will power and a desire to be faithful to his team, he finished the race. It was an amazing feat.
When your heart and soul and mind are dedicated to finishing the faith race, what might stop you from making it to the end? You are the only one who can stop your faith journey. You are the only one who can quit following God to the end of your life. Even if your life is ended too soon, you can still be faithful to the end. Even if you suffer greatly, you can still be faithful to God. Even if you are bed-bound, you can still pray and meditate and call upon the Lord and share the gospel. It is not up to anyone else but you whether you stay in the faith race or drop out along the way.
How has your faith race been so far? Have you felt like giving up? Has spiritual or physical pain hampered your ability to get things done? Your God is counting on you finishing the race. Others of the faith are hoping that you succeed. People will be looking to you for encouragement along the way. Will you finish the race? Will you be faithful unto death? Will others stay in the faith race because of your help?
Everyone who has ever competed in sports knows how hard it can be to finish the course or set or race or meet or tour or game. The faith race is even more difficult. Satan will be tempting you to quit along the way. Obstacles will be thrown your way. Doubts may creep in. Pain might sideline you for a while. Age might take its toll on body and heart and mind. Still, hold firm to your faith. Continue your race no matter what befalls you. Finish the spiritual race knowing there are many cheering you on, me included. Your prize awaits you in the end. Never give up! Praise Jesus!
July 11
“They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.” (Romans 1:25, NLT)
In the first chapter of the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul describes the sins that had permeated humankind from the beginning of creation. He notably believed that the “wickedness of men” and “ungodliness” had replaced the respect and honor that God was due (Romans 1:18). In pointing out these evil traits all too present in the lives of humankind, Paul wrote that instead of worshipping the “Creator Himself”, human beings were all too prone to “worship and serve the things God created instead” (Romans 1:25). This is a profound understanding. There are people who worship movie stars and singing idols more than God. There are people who worship money and power and wealth and health. God gives us so many things to help with life and we end up worshipping them instead of the God who gives so freely. It should not be.
You would think that in more modern times human beings would have learned to reject the worship of “things” and instead show honor to the Creator. Sadly, this is far from true. Humanism and socialism and atheism have taken hold of the hearts and minds of men. They peddle it in colleges all over the world. Groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter spout it on their web sites. News organizations expound the virtues of these “modern” concepts. Sadly, they continue to do what the wicked have done for generations since the beginning of time. They deify the creature and “things” and concepts and causes as worthy of honor OVER the Creator.
Max Lucado explained it this way in his book, In the Grip of Grace. “We understand how storms are created. We map solar systems and transplant hearts. We measure the depths of the oceans and send signals to distant planets. We … have studied the system and are learning how it works.
And, for some, the loss of mystery has led to the loss of majesty. The more we know, the less we believe. Strange, don’t you think? Knowledge of the workings shouldn’t negate wonder. Knowledge should stir wonder. Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? …
Ironically, the more we know, the less we worship. We are more impressed with our discovery of the light switch than with the one who invented electricity.… Rather than worship the Creator, we worship the creation (see Rom. 1:25). No wonder there is no wonder. We’ve figured it all out.” (As copied on p. 338 in Grace for the Moment)
Human pride has been so sure that it has everything “all figured out”, that it finds no room for God’s place in its world. Patients go to doctors to be healed when it is God who heals. Professors discuss the principles of physics as if they dropped out of the sky from nowhere. The hugely complicated human genome was indexed over the past few decades. Rather than showing the amazing complexity God has put into the human body, biologists, virologists, doctors and others have instead believed it is all a consequence of luck and breeding and natural processes instead of shaped by the influence of God. So many forms of human thought have raised the worth of human reasoning to epic proportions and relegated God to a bygone era. Sadly, it is this kind of human pride that belongs in a bygone era!
Though the Bible encouraged people to fast during certain holy periods of life, fifty years ago scientists declared that fasting was not healthy. In the past decade scientists have discovered a great potential for healing when fasting. Now, they advocate it! Though the Bible taught of the dangers of alcohol and drug use, scientists and politicians in present day argue that there are no problems with moderate use of these things. They even legalize their use and promote them. I guarantee we will soon find that the regular use of alcohol and drugs are damaging to the body even in moderate use, just as the Bible declares. Why is it that humans trust in their own reasoning rather than God’s wisdom?
In every corner of modern life, there are advocates for the worship of earthly things. People like me believe in the worship of God. Many of the faithful feel like we are “voices shouting in the wilderness” as John the Baptist proclaimed (John 1:23). So many people have the belief that people who worship God are Neanderthals and backward thinkers. They equate faithful people to “flat-earthers”. Many make fun of those who stand up for God or biblical beliefs. These modern voices of faithlessness continue to delude generations. They pull people away from God using their rhetoric or smooth talk. They sell lies and half-truths, and people fall under their spell.
How will you choose to live? Will you in any way worship something that is created? Will anything become more important for you than God? Jesus urged all the disciples to “seek first God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). I pray you are one of those disciples who takes Jesus’ word to heart. Is God first in your life? Do you understand everything in life through the lens of faith? Have you relegated “creature comforts” as less important than godliness and righteousness? I pray so.
I see it over and over. Every time a person decides to worship something created instead of the Creator, it always comes back to bite them at some point in life. ALWAYS! Don’t let this ancient prideful sin gather worth in your heart and soul and mind. It will only keep you from seeing God’s wonder, God’s power, God’s grace, and God’s place in your life.
You would think that in more modern times human beings would have learned to reject the worship of “things” and instead show honor to the Creator. Sadly, this is far from true. Humanism and socialism and atheism have taken hold of the hearts and minds of men. They peddle it in colleges all over the world. Groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter spout it on their web sites. News organizations expound the virtues of these “modern” concepts. Sadly, they continue to do what the wicked have done for generations since the beginning of time. They deify the creature and “things” and concepts and causes as worthy of honor OVER the Creator.
Max Lucado explained it this way in his book, In the Grip of Grace. “We understand how storms are created. We map solar systems and transplant hearts. We measure the depths of the oceans and send signals to distant planets. We … have studied the system and are learning how it works.
And, for some, the loss of mystery has led to the loss of majesty. The more we know, the less we believe. Strange, don’t you think? Knowledge of the workings shouldn’t negate wonder. Knowledge should stir wonder. Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? …
Ironically, the more we know, the less we worship. We are more impressed with our discovery of the light switch than with the one who invented electricity.… Rather than worship the Creator, we worship the creation (see Rom. 1:25). No wonder there is no wonder. We’ve figured it all out.” (As copied on p. 338 in Grace for the Moment)
Human pride has been so sure that it has everything “all figured out”, that it finds no room for God’s place in its world. Patients go to doctors to be healed when it is God who heals. Professors discuss the principles of physics as if they dropped out of the sky from nowhere. The hugely complicated human genome was indexed over the past few decades. Rather than showing the amazing complexity God has put into the human body, biologists, virologists, doctors and others have instead believed it is all a consequence of luck and breeding and natural processes instead of shaped by the influence of God. So many forms of human thought have raised the worth of human reasoning to epic proportions and relegated God to a bygone era. Sadly, it is this kind of human pride that belongs in a bygone era!
Though the Bible encouraged people to fast during certain holy periods of life, fifty years ago scientists declared that fasting was not healthy. In the past decade scientists have discovered a great potential for healing when fasting. Now, they advocate it! Though the Bible taught of the dangers of alcohol and drug use, scientists and politicians in present day argue that there are no problems with moderate use of these things. They even legalize their use and promote them. I guarantee we will soon find that the regular use of alcohol and drugs are damaging to the body even in moderate use, just as the Bible declares. Why is it that humans trust in their own reasoning rather than God’s wisdom?
In every corner of modern life, there are advocates for the worship of earthly things. People like me believe in the worship of God. Many of the faithful feel like we are “voices shouting in the wilderness” as John the Baptist proclaimed (John 1:23). So many people have the belief that people who worship God are Neanderthals and backward thinkers. They equate faithful people to “flat-earthers”. Many make fun of those who stand up for God or biblical beliefs. These modern voices of faithlessness continue to delude generations. They pull people away from God using their rhetoric or smooth talk. They sell lies and half-truths, and people fall under their spell.
How will you choose to live? Will you in any way worship something that is created? Will anything become more important for you than God? Jesus urged all the disciples to “seek first God’s Kingdom and God’s Righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). I pray you are one of those disciples who takes Jesus’ word to heart. Is God first in your life? Do you understand everything in life through the lens of faith? Have you relegated “creature comforts” as less important than godliness and righteousness? I pray so.
I see it over and over. Every time a person decides to worship something created instead of the Creator, it always comes back to bite them at some point in life. ALWAYS! Don’t let this ancient prideful sin gather worth in your heart and soul and mind. It will only keep you from seeing God’s wonder, God’s power, God’s grace, and God’s place in your life.
July 14
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NLT)
Have you ever met someone who loved to suck up your effort and attention and care with no thought of returning those gifts? I call them “emotional black holes”. Like black holes in the universe suck up light for it never to return, these emotional black hole people suck the life and joy out of you. They are always in emotional need and extract what they can from those around them. They never seem satisfied with themselves or their situation, so they are constantly lacking contentedness. Then, they go looking for contentment and satisfaction and joy from others. They hunt for compliments. They cry, looking for you to bring comfort immediately. If you have a problem, they seem to have a bigger problem. They are always needy. You can never give enough comfort to satiate their insecurities or emotional needs.
Those who are emotional black holes love faithful people. They know you are loyal and trustworthy to God and honest as the day is long. They use this to manipulate you. They know you are a giving person, so they make sure to find ways to take their emotional needs from you whenever possible. When in the presence of an emotional black hole personality, you will often feel tired or weak. You will give of yourself, but it will never be enough. You can show love, but it will never suffice. If you are married to an emotional black hole, you will suffer and get depressed and tired and weak. Chances are you will close yourself off at some point or lose yourself in the process. If you have a child who is an emotional black hole, you might enjoy being the hero at first. However, with time you will see that emotional black holes (even if they are your children) do not return your love and concern and comfort. If you work with or for a person who is an emotional black hole, you will feel exhausted when you leave work. Even during vacation, you may not have enough time to recover from the exhaustion of working for or with one of these people.
Some people read the scripture for today and believe that we are to “comfort others” as they want. This is NOT how you do it nor what the scripture reads. 2 Corinthians 1:3 mentions that Jesus is to be praised because God is a wonderful “source of all comfort”. That is so true. God brings a comfort that the world and worldly possessions cannot equal. When in God’s presence, peace and hope and security are natural byproducts. The scripture then goes on to expect that as God has comforted us, we are to “give the troubled the same comfort God gives” (2 Corinthians 1:4). God expects the faithful to comfort others with a godly love in response to HIS love. So, how does this relate to emotional black holes? You shouldn’t give them what they WANT. You should feed them how God needs. Being an enabler won’t help comfort an emotional black hole manipulator. It will only make them less likely to be faithful. And that’s just it. In your relationships with others, comfort them AS GOD WOULD, rather than AS THEY DESIRE.
Joan’s best friend Carrie was brought up in a dysfunctional household. Carrie was the youngest child. She was an “oops baby”. She was the result of an undesired pregnancy of a woman in her mid-thirties. Growing up, Carrie’s parents were busy with the other children and didn’t take much time with her. Since Joan and Carrie were the only two girls on their block growing up, they naturally gravitated to each other. They played with dolls together. They played house together. They enjoyed each other’s friendship.
As Carrie grew into her teen years, her insecurities started to take center stage. As a result, Carrie constantly desired more and more attention. At first, she started to consume Joan’s time. Then, Carrie found the attention of teenage boys. Carrie was a pretty girl. As she got older, she used this to her advantage. She would shyly smile and show her dimples and get what she wanted. Even though Joan and Carrie were best friends, this bothered Joan very much. Carrie often desired attention from everyone and got it. When she didn’t get attention from boys, Carrie would crave it from Joan. This began to put undue pressure on their friendship.
Throughout High School, Joan and Carrie were both in youth fellowship. They often came to church events together. However, when Carrie became the center of attention, Joan was relegated to the bench. Carrie only came to her when a boyfriend broke up with Carrie or when Carrie needed a friend to accompany her to an event. Sadly, Joan let this one-sidedness continue in the relationship. Joan convinced herself that as a Christian, she needed to be there for Carrie. What she didn’t realize is that Carrie was an emotional black hole. All she did was suck the life from Joan until Joan was tired and depressed and lonely. This dysfunctional relationship with Carrie took a big toll on Joan in High School.
I have seen this scenario time and time again. God desires that you comfort others. This does NOT mean that you cater to them or allow them to manipulate you. God brings comfort to you so that you may comfort others. God doesn’t shower you will blessings and comfort so that others can suck the life out of you, leaving you empty! God doesn’t give you the gift of love and hospitality and sharing so that you can throw it away on others who will suck it up for themselves and leave you exhausted.
It is crucially important that when God comforts you that you also comfort others. That is the message for today from 2 Corinthians. However, when you comfort others, remember that you want to do so without enabling or manipulation or allowing yourself to be used in some way. You may have to STOP YOURSELF from giving away blessings to emotional black holes so that you can give your love and comfort freely to those who truly need that blessing. Giving freely to emotional black holes who will simply suck in the blessings but never use them or even appreciate them stops the giving cycle. Giving freely to those who need and deserve God’s blessings will result in paying it forward over and over down the road. Remember, you are called to comfort people, not to enable their insecurities and manipulations!
How well do you bring comfort to others? Are you comforting the right people from God’s perspective? Who might need some godly comfort today? How might you deliver that best? Are you an emotional black hole? Meditate on these things.
Those who are emotional black holes love faithful people. They know you are loyal and trustworthy to God and honest as the day is long. They use this to manipulate you. They know you are a giving person, so they make sure to find ways to take their emotional needs from you whenever possible. When in the presence of an emotional black hole personality, you will often feel tired or weak. You will give of yourself, but it will never be enough. You can show love, but it will never suffice. If you are married to an emotional black hole, you will suffer and get depressed and tired and weak. Chances are you will close yourself off at some point or lose yourself in the process. If you have a child who is an emotional black hole, you might enjoy being the hero at first. However, with time you will see that emotional black holes (even if they are your children) do not return your love and concern and comfort. If you work with or for a person who is an emotional black hole, you will feel exhausted when you leave work. Even during vacation, you may not have enough time to recover from the exhaustion of working for or with one of these people.
Some people read the scripture for today and believe that we are to “comfort others” as they want. This is NOT how you do it nor what the scripture reads. 2 Corinthians 1:3 mentions that Jesus is to be praised because God is a wonderful “source of all comfort”. That is so true. God brings a comfort that the world and worldly possessions cannot equal. When in God’s presence, peace and hope and security are natural byproducts. The scripture then goes on to expect that as God has comforted us, we are to “give the troubled the same comfort God gives” (2 Corinthians 1:4). God expects the faithful to comfort others with a godly love in response to HIS love. So, how does this relate to emotional black holes? You shouldn’t give them what they WANT. You should feed them how God needs. Being an enabler won’t help comfort an emotional black hole manipulator. It will only make them less likely to be faithful. And that’s just it. In your relationships with others, comfort them AS GOD WOULD, rather than AS THEY DESIRE.
Joan’s best friend Carrie was brought up in a dysfunctional household. Carrie was the youngest child. She was an “oops baby”. She was the result of an undesired pregnancy of a woman in her mid-thirties. Growing up, Carrie’s parents were busy with the other children and didn’t take much time with her. Since Joan and Carrie were the only two girls on their block growing up, they naturally gravitated to each other. They played with dolls together. They played house together. They enjoyed each other’s friendship.
As Carrie grew into her teen years, her insecurities started to take center stage. As a result, Carrie constantly desired more and more attention. At first, she started to consume Joan’s time. Then, Carrie found the attention of teenage boys. Carrie was a pretty girl. As she got older, she used this to her advantage. She would shyly smile and show her dimples and get what she wanted. Even though Joan and Carrie were best friends, this bothered Joan very much. Carrie often desired attention from everyone and got it. When she didn’t get attention from boys, Carrie would crave it from Joan. This began to put undue pressure on their friendship.
Throughout High School, Joan and Carrie were both in youth fellowship. They often came to church events together. However, when Carrie became the center of attention, Joan was relegated to the bench. Carrie only came to her when a boyfriend broke up with Carrie or when Carrie needed a friend to accompany her to an event. Sadly, Joan let this one-sidedness continue in the relationship. Joan convinced herself that as a Christian, she needed to be there for Carrie. What she didn’t realize is that Carrie was an emotional black hole. All she did was suck the life from Joan until Joan was tired and depressed and lonely. This dysfunctional relationship with Carrie took a big toll on Joan in High School.
I have seen this scenario time and time again. God desires that you comfort others. This does NOT mean that you cater to them or allow them to manipulate you. God brings comfort to you so that you may comfort others. God doesn’t shower you will blessings and comfort so that others can suck the life out of you, leaving you empty! God doesn’t give you the gift of love and hospitality and sharing so that you can throw it away on others who will suck it up for themselves and leave you exhausted.
It is crucially important that when God comforts you that you also comfort others. That is the message for today from 2 Corinthians. However, when you comfort others, remember that you want to do so without enabling or manipulation or allowing yourself to be used in some way. You may have to STOP YOURSELF from giving away blessings to emotional black holes so that you can give your love and comfort freely to those who truly need that blessing. Giving freely to emotional black holes who will simply suck in the blessings but never use them or even appreciate them stops the giving cycle. Giving freely to those who need and deserve God’s blessings will result in paying it forward over and over down the road. Remember, you are called to comfort people, not to enable their insecurities and manipulations!
How well do you bring comfort to others? Are you comforting the right people from God’s perspective? Who might need some godly comfort today? How might you deliver that best? Are you an emotional black hole? Meditate on these things.
July 16
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” (Acts 7:51, ESV)
Two months ago, I slept wrong. I was so tired that I slept on my pillow the wrong way. The result? A stiff neck. The next day, the neck hurt constantly. The muscles seemed achy, and twinges bothered me hourly. I was amazed at how often I used my neck muscles, because I felt every movement of my head. It was a painful day.
The scripture for today mentions “stiff-necked people”. In doing so, it is not talking about those who have achy necks from poor sleep. The Greek word used in the verse above for “stiff-necked” means “stubborn”. In Biblical terms, a “stiff-necked person” is a person who is set in their ways, stubborn, hard-headed. This word is not meant to describe someone who is hard-headed in a good way; one who will be faithful under all circumstances and stay true to God. Instead, the word for stiff-necked is used to describe a person who is sinful but who remains stubbornly against God’s way. In the scripture above, the stiff-necked person is described as “resisting the Holy Spirit” and “uncircumcised in heart and ears”. In more modern terms, the person who is stiff-necked is considered “pig-headed”, “obstinate”, “set in his ways”, or “uncompromising”.
Though sin usually causes troubles and pains in a person’s life, those who are “stiff-necked” choose to continue in sin despite its negative results. The person might do it out of pridefulness. The person might choose to remain in sin, ignoring the consequences of that choice. When Pharaoh stubbornly rejected God in the days of Moses, he ended up with a “hardened heart”. This hardened heart caused him to fight God at every turn and resulted in the terrible loss of life and wealth during the ten plagues and when his armies were drowned at the Red Sea. A stiff-necked person is usually so set in his ways that he may choose a sin over family, friends, and even his own life. Inevitably, the stiff-necked person will always fight God.
Many people in Christendom have heard of Saint Augustine. Though revered today as a saint, Augustine of Hippo was far from a faithful example when he was young. As a young man, Augustine constantly fought against what was right. He had no respect for God. He was known for stealing and swearing, carousing and the like. He once wrote about his youth that he was “foul, and loved it”. Augustine enjoyed breaking the rules. He boasted of his sexual exploits as a young man and took a lover for fifteen years. His parents were constantly shocked at his open rebellion and rejection of a holy life, but Augustine had no place for godliness in his life. He was stiff-necked as they come.
After a very spiritual experience in 386, Augustine changed his ways and was baptized. He later was ordained to the priesthood. He wrote and preached and taught and was one of the greatest theologians of the early church. Augustine worked tirelessly to bring people to Christ. He even spent his last days in prayer and repentance, hoping to spare his hometown from Visigoth invaders.
A stiff-necked person will fight God in some way. A prideful attitude will often harden the person’s heart against godliness and righteousness. In the same way young Augustine sought to do anything for self-pleasure, the stiff-necked person will often be selfish or hedonistic, preferring an easy life and sinful pleasures to spiritual depth.
It is not difficult to become stiff-necked. If you love to push the limits, sow your wild oats, take risks, or delight in sinful pleasures, being stiff-necked might come easy to you. You might tell yourself that you deserve some guilty pleasure. I’ve even met strong Christians who deluded themselves into thinking that since they were very faithful most of the time, they could enjoy one or two sinful pleasures “on the side”. However, every sinful pleasure comes with costs. Every sinful pleasure will damage your heart and soul and mind and body in some way. That’s why God desires that you avoid sinful pleasures. They may feel good for a time, but they will eat you up from the inside out in the end.
Is there a sinful pleasure that you refuse to give up despite its risks and dangers? Is there a habit that God wants you to give up, but you refuse? Being stiff-necked was not uncommon among the people of Israel. Even though they knew God, these stiff-necked and stubborn people refused to follow God in some way even when it was painfully obvious to do so. And that’s one thing about being stiff-necked. In some way, a spiritual stiff neck will always be accompanied by some kind of hurt or pain that will refuse to go away until you repent of it for good.
The scripture for today mentions “stiff-necked people”. In doing so, it is not talking about those who have achy necks from poor sleep. The Greek word used in the verse above for “stiff-necked” means “stubborn”. In Biblical terms, a “stiff-necked person” is a person who is set in their ways, stubborn, hard-headed. This word is not meant to describe someone who is hard-headed in a good way; one who will be faithful under all circumstances and stay true to God. Instead, the word for stiff-necked is used to describe a person who is sinful but who remains stubbornly against God’s way. In the scripture above, the stiff-necked person is described as “resisting the Holy Spirit” and “uncircumcised in heart and ears”. In more modern terms, the person who is stiff-necked is considered “pig-headed”, “obstinate”, “set in his ways”, or “uncompromising”.
Though sin usually causes troubles and pains in a person’s life, those who are “stiff-necked” choose to continue in sin despite its negative results. The person might do it out of pridefulness. The person might choose to remain in sin, ignoring the consequences of that choice. When Pharaoh stubbornly rejected God in the days of Moses, he ended up with a “hardened heart”. This hardened heart caused him to fight God at every turn and resulted in the terrible loss of life and wealth during the ten plagues and when his armies were drowned at the Red Sea. A stiff-necked person is usually so set in his ways that he may choose a sin over family, friends, and even his own life. Inevitably, the stiff-necked person will always fight God.
Many people in Christendom have heard of Saint Augustine. Though revered today as a saint, Augustine of Hippo was far from a faithful example when he was young. As a young man, Augustine constantly fought against what was right. He had no respect for God. He was known for stealing and swearing, carousing and the like. He once wrote about his youth that he was “foul, and loved it”. Augustine enjoyed breaking the rules. He boasted of his sexual exploits as a young man and took a lover for fifteen years. His parents were constantly shocked at his open rebellion and rejection of a holy life, but Augustine had no place for godliness in his life. He was stiff-necked as they come.
After a very spiritual experience in 386, Augustine changed his ways and was baptized. He later was ordained to the priesthood. He wrote and preached and taught and was one of the greatest theologians of the early church. Augustine worked tirelessly to bring people to Christ. He even spent his last days in prayer and repentance, hoping to spare his hometown from Visigoth invaders.
A stiff-necked person will fight God in some way. A prideful attitude will often harden the person’s heart against godliness and righteousness. In the same way young Augustine sought to do anything for self-pleasure, the stiff-necked person will often be selfish or hedonistic, preferring an easy life and sinful pleasures to spiritual depth.
It is not difficult to become stiff-necked. If you love to push the limits, sow your wild oats, take risks, or delight in sinful pleasures, being stiff-necked might come easy to you. You might tell yourself that you deserve some guilty pleasure. I’ve even met strong Christians who deluded themselves into thinking that since they were very faithful most of the time, they could enjoy one or two sinful pleasures “on the side”. However, every sinful pleasure comes with costs. Every sinful pleasure will damage your heart and soul and mind and body in some way. That’s why God desires that you avoid sinful pleasures. They may feel good for a time, but they will eat you up from the inside out in the end.
Is there a sinful pleasure that you refuse to give up despite its risks and dangers? Is there a habit that God wants you to give up, but you refuse? Being stiff-necked was not uncommon among the people of Israel. Even though they knew God, these stiff-necked and stubborn people refused to follow God in some way even when it was painfully obvious to do so. And that’s one thing about being stiff-necked. In some way, a spiritual stiff neck will always be accompanied by some kind of hurt or pain that will refuse to go away until you repent of it for good.
July 19
“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.” (Ezekiel 22:30, ESV)
In speaking with the prophet Ezekiel, God was upset. The people of Israel and Judah and especially Jerusalem had fallen into sin. They were not only going against God but committing atrocious acts of sinfulness. Before the words of God in the scripture for today were uttered to Ezekiel, God gave a litany of sins that the people of Jerusalem had committed. The leaders were guilty of “conspiracy” against God (Ezekiel 22:25). The leaders and people committed murder, “profaned holy things”, oppressed the poor and needy, mistreated foreigners, and denied people justice when wronged. The religious leaders were no better. They failed to worship God on the Sabbath day, taught that there was no difference between what was holy and what was not, faked religious visions, and lied about God’s revelations (Ezekiel 22:26-28). After describing the terrible state of faith in Jerusalem and Judah, God “sought for a man who would… stand in the breach”. God was looking for that one faithful man who would stand up and be counted as faithful. The result? God found not one faithful man to stand up to the evil. Not one.
In the commentary on this piece of scripture above, the Believer’s Bible Commentary made the following awesome statement: “God is not looking for new methods or programs; God is always looking for someone to stand in the gap. One person can make a difference.” (p. 1054) So often, church leaders think that new methods of relaying the gospel or new programs will help spread the good news about Jesus. This scripture is adamant that what is needed is not “new programs or methods”. Our world needs faithful people who are willing to stand up against evil and live righteously.
Jesus is proof that one person standing up for what is holy can change the world. One person being openly faithful, standing in the gap against evil, can alter history.
“Telemachus was a monk who lived in the 4th century. He felt God saying to him, “Go to Rome.” He was in a cloistered monastery. He put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome. When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus.
He thought to himself, “Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?” He ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying, “Hail to Caesar, we die for Caesar” and he thought, “this isn’t right.” He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said, “In the name of Christ, forbear.”
The crowd protested and began to shout, “Run him through, Run him through.” A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, “In the name of Christ, forbear.” The crowd continued to chant, “Run him through.” One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk’s stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, “In the name of Christ forbear.” A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome.” (10,000 Sermon Illustrations).
Even though Rome, at the time, was supposedly ruled by Christian emperors, they still practiced games of murder in the coliseum. It was a bygone sinful practice. It wasn’t until one man, Telemachus, stood against the mindless public sin that changes occurred. Sadly, it took his death to change things.
Many seemingly faithful people won’t stand in the gaps of life where sin occurs, because they are afraid of the same consequences as Telemachus. They are afraid of repercussions. Maybe they don’t want to appear like a religious fanatic. Maybe they don’t want to be singled out. Maybe they are waiting for someone else to take the chance of public humiliation or excoriation. So often, our world is greatly in need of people to stand up for God. Sadly, too many Christians back down from the challenge.
Hopefully, you are different. Maybe you have what is needed to stand up and be counted as one of the faithful. Have you ever stood against evil? Have you ever publicly declared your faith before those who would make fun of you or demean you? It takes great faith and a strong love of God to stand in the gap. I’ve seen others do it. I’ve done it. I hope I can count on you to do the same.
God is counting on you, too!
In the commentary on this piece of scripture above, the Believer’s Bible Commentary made the following awesome statement: “God is not looking for new methods or programs; God is always looking for someone to stand in the gap. One person can make a difference.” (p. 1054) So often, church leaders think that new methods of relaying the gospel or new programs will help spread the good news about Jesus. This scripture is adamant that what is needed is not “new programs or methods”. Our world needs faithful people who are willing to stand up against evil and live righteously.
Jesus is proof that one person standing up for what is holy can change the world. One person being openly faithful, standing in the gap against evil, can alter history.
“Telemachus was a monk who lived in the 4th century. He felt God saying to him, “Go to Rome.” He was in a cloistered monastery. He put his possessions in a sack and set out for Rome. When he arrived in the city, people were thronging in the streets. He asked why all the excitement and was told that this was the day that the gladiators would be fighting and killing each other in the coliseum, the day of the games, the circus.
He thought to himself, “Four centuries after Christ and they are still killing each other, for enjoyment?” He ran to the coliseum and heard the gladiators saying, “Hail to Caesar, we die for Caesar” and he thought, “this isn’t right.” He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said, “In the name of Christ, forbear.”
The crowd protested and began to shout, “Run him through, Run him through.” A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, “In the name of Christ, forbear.” The crowd continued to chant, “Run him through.” One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk’s stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, “In the name of Christ forbear.” A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome.” (10,000 Sermon Illustrations).
Even though Rome, at the time, was supposedly ruled by Christian emperors, they still practiced games of murder in the coliseum. It was a bygone sinful practice. It wasn’t until one man, Telemachus, stood against the mindless public sin that changes occurred. Sadly, it took his death to change things.
Many seemingly faithful people won’t stand in the gaps of life where sin occurs, because they are afraid of the same consequences as Telemachus. They are afraid of repercussions. Maybe they don’t want to appear like a religious fanatic. Maybe they don’t want to be singled out. Maybe they are waiting for someone else to take the chance of public humiliation or excoriation. So often, our world is greatly in need of people to stand up for God. Sadly, too many Christians back down from the challenge.
Hopefully, you are different. Maybe you have what is needed to stand up and be counted as one of the faithful. Have you ever stood against evil? Have you ever publicly declared your faith before those who would make fun of you or demean you? It takes great faith and a strong love of God to stand in the gap. I’ve seen others do it. I’ve done it. I hope I can count on you to do the same.
God is counting on you, too!
July 21
“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe…” (Hebrews 12:28, ESV)
You may not believe me when I pass on this information to you, but most Christians do NOT know how to worship. Worship, according to its old English roots, means to attribute worth to something or someone. The worship of God is meant to show ultimate worth to God in Christ. It is not meant to be entertainment. It is not meant to be a time to fulfill your spiritual needs. It is not ever to be a time of your edification or even your education about righteousness or other holy topics, though these things can happen in the context of worship. According to the scripture above, worship is only “acceptable” when it is filled with “reverence and awe” toward God. It is a time to attribute ultimate worth to God and godly ways. That is why praise and singing and prayers and such are important in worship. They fulfill requirements to show reverence to God. That’s why people bow their heads and fold their hands in respect. That is why people will dress up to attend or speak with hushed voices. Worship is meant to show ultimate reverence and awe toward God Almighty. Anything less is not really worship, is it?
I’ve even seen pastors and church members who treated special worship services that were to be aired on TV as a production needing direction and special lights and cameras to promote “an effect” or emotional response. Then, they would ask if people “enjoyed” the worship. Is that what worship is for, for enjoyment? NO. There are many mainline pastors who treat worship as a social gathering. They put emphasis on social norms such as political correctness and proper phrasing to please the sensibilities of the public. Is this worship? This may be worship of political correctness, denominationalism, or the church, but it is most definitely not the worship of God. Some evangelical Christians like to promote worship as an emotional time of connection with God. They stress getting emotionally involved in order to be more open to God. Sadly, this ends up with people throwing up their hands or shouting “Amen” because other people are doing it. People might be pressured to speak in tongues or speak a certain way in order to “fit in”. Is it worship if people are trying to “fit in” with the congregational norms? NO. If God isn’t absolutely central to worship, if the reverence and awe of God are not critical to the function of that time, it may be worship, but it is not worship that is “acceptable” to God (Hebrews 12:28).
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado explains why he too feels worship is misunderstood and poorly conceived in modern times. He wrote: “Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the awareness that were it not for his [God’s] touch, you’d still be hobbling and hurting, bitter and broken. Worship is the half-glazed expression on the parched face of a desert pilgrim as he discovers that the oasis is not a mirage.
Worship is the “thank you” that refuses to be silenced.
We have tried to make a science out of worship. We can’t do that. We can’t do that any more than we can “sell love” or “negotiate peace.”
Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer.” (See Grace for the Moment, p. 346)
When you worship God, do you feel “reverence and awe”? Is your time of worship centered on God or something else? Do you choose to go to worship depending on how you feel, whether you are getting enough for your money, or whether you are engaged? Worship is NOT a time for you to determine its worth by how it affects you. Worship is a time when you show up for God! How well do you practice worship on your own? Do you only participate in worship on Sunday mornings, God forbid?!! Are there times when worship has become more about you than about God? A little self-reflection on this topic will go a long way into bringing you closer to God and God closer to you!
I’ve even seen pastors and church members who treated special worship services that were to be aired on TV as a production needing direction and special lights and cameras to promote “an effect” or emotional response. Then, they would ask if people “enjoyed” the worship. Is that what worship is for, for enjoyment? NO. There are many mainline pastors who treat worship as a social gathering. They put emphasis on social norms such as political correctness and proper phrasing to please the sensibilities of the public. Is this worship? This may be worship of political correctness, denominationalism, or the church, but it is most definitely not the worship of God. Some evangelical Christians like to promote worship as an emotional time of connection with God. They stress getting emotionally involved in order to be more open to God. Sadly, this ends up with people throwing up their hands or shouting “Amen” because other people are doing it. People might be pressured to speak in tongues or speak a certain way in order to “fit in”. Is it worship if people are trying to “fit in” with the congregational norms? NO. If God isn’t absolutely central to worship, if the reverence and awe of God are not critical to the function of that time, it may be worship, but it is not worship that is “acceptable” to God (Hebrews 12:28).
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado explains why he too feels worship is misunderstood and poorly conceived in modern times. He wrote: “Worship is when you’re aware that what you’ve been given is far greater than what you can give. Worship is the awareness that were it not for his [God’s] touch, you’d still be hobbling and hurting, bitter and broken. Worship is the half-glazed expression on the parched face of a desert pilgrim as he discovers that the oasis is not a mirage.
Worship is the “thank you” that refuses to be silenced.
We have tried to make a science out of worship. We can’t do that. We can’t do that any more than we can “sell love” or “negotiate peace.”
Worship is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to the Savior, by the healed to the Healer, and by the delivered to the Deliverer.” (See Grace for the Moment, p. 346)
When you worship God, do you feel “reverence and awe”? Is your time of worship centered on God or something else? Do you choose to go to worship depending on how you feel, whether you are getting enough for your money, or whether you are engaged? Worship is NOT a time for you to determine its worth by how it affects you. Worship is a time when you show up for God! How well do you practice worship on your own? Do you only participate in worship on Sunday mornings, God forbid?!! Are there times when worship has become more about you than about God? A little self-reflection on this topic will go a long way into bringing you closer to God and God closer to you!
July 23
“The LORD our God said to us in Horeb, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain.'”
(Deuteronomy 1:6, ESV)
(Deuteronomy 1:6, ESV)
Bev and Jerry had one son, Dave. Dave went off to college and graduated with honors. Everything he applied himself to, he did well. But after college, Dave seemed to stagnate. He spent his first summer after graduating traveling. He used his graduation money to travel to Florida and Georgia to see old friends. Then, when he came home, he dedicated himself to finding the perfect job. For six months, Dave looked for jobs, but the COVID pandemic made the search tough. Some places stopped hiring. Some places required a move, and Dave didn’t have the finances nor the ability to make things happen during lockdown.
After nine months at home with his parents, Dave came down the steps into the kitchen one morning about noon. He had been up all night playing on his computer and chatting with friends. His parents looked at his state and his father said, “Dave, don’t you think it’s time you go out there and get a job?” This started a big argument, with Dave complaining his parents were overbearing and inhospitable. Two weeks later, Dave moved out. He found an entry-level job that would cover his expenses. He didn’t have the best job, but he was on his own. Eight months later, Dave told his parents that he was very glad they pushed him to take that first job. He was in a rut after college and needed the nudge. If not for their push, Dave would never have found the exact job he was searching for not long after.
In the scripture for today, Israel was in a rut. The people had survived their suffering in Egypt, then went out boldly to the wilderness to meet God at Mt. Sinai (another name for Mt. Horeb mentioned in the scripture for today!). There, the people received the Ten Commandments from God. After staying near Mt. Sinai too long, doing some things wrong, and committing sinful acts with golden idols, God told the people in the scripture for today, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain…” (Deuteronomy 1:6). The chosen people were languishing at Mt. Sinai for too long of a time. Then, they began murmuring against Moses and Aaron. Some even regretted leaving Egypt. The people of Israel needed a new mission. They needed to begin their journey toward the promised land. So, with the scripture above, God gave them a push in that new direction.
After reflecting on the scripture for today, John D. Barry wrote the following words: “We have a terrible tendency to stay in one place or keep doing one activity longer than we should. Our meetings run long, we constantly work overtime, or we overstay a welcome. And then there’s the most significant problem of all: we ignore God’s command to leave a place, position, or role.
Change can be refreshing. But the countless decisions and the difficult and frustrating moments that accompany change can often keep us from moving forward. We become comfortable where we are, and we fear the unknown.” (Connect the Testaments).
It is all too easy to get comfortable with certain circumstances in your life. It is not uncommon for people to keep doing something familiar just because they are used to doing it. In your spiritual life, there will be times when God wants you to move on to something new or to take some new direction. You may need to learn new things or move away from your regular habits to accomplish what God wants you to do. For some people, this is a daunting task. Some people, like the Israelites in our scripture for today, just don’t want to move past the familiar to new territory. Churches can become so set in their ways that they stagnate and falter. There comes a time in every person’s relationship with God that God will say, “You’ve been at this long enough, time to move on….”
Carrie was abused as a child. An uncle had assaulted her at a young age. For many years, Carrie went to counseling, endured depression, and suffered through bouts of anger. She deeply regretted this part of her life. The abuse seemed to cloud her every moment and hold her back from meeting new people or doing new things.
When Carrie was twenty-three, she joined a new church. Encountering some new friends there and feeling good about her relationship with God, Carrie felt God’s closeness. But, more and more, Carrie felt something holding her back. Then, one day during prayer it came to her like a bolt of lightning. God wanted her to move past her abuse, to put it behind her, to let the pain of that era go. Carrie obeyed, and it changed her forever. Today, you’d never know Carrie was abused. Why? Because when God told her that she had “stayed long enough at that mountain” of hurt, Carrie followed God’s lead. She faithfully moved past her hurt, and a whole new chapter of her life began to take shape. It was a joy to behold Carrie blossom with her new attitude and direction. Friends were amazed at the growth in her spiritual life.
There may come a day when you will have to move past something. It may be a mountain of hurt. It may be a mountain of debt. It may be a mountain of regret. No matter the circumstances, if God wants you to start on a new path, you need to follow His direction. Don’t dwell on something too long when God wants you to put it behind you. Don't stay at some place in your life too long when God wants you to move on. Some places and situations belong in the rear-view mirror!
After nine months at home with his parents, Dave came down the steps into the kitchen one morning about noon. He had been up all night playing on his computer and chatting with friends. His parents looked at his state and his father said, “Dave, don’t you think it’s time you go out there and get a job?” This started a big argument, with Dave complaining his parents were overbearing and inhospitable. Two weeks later, Dave moved out. He found an entry-level job that would cover his expenses. He didn’t have the best job, but he was on his own. Eight months later, Dave told his parents that he was very glad they pushed him to take that first job. He was in a rut after college and needed the nudge. If not for their push, Dave would never have found the exact job he was searching for not long after.
In the scripture for today, Israel was in a rut. The people had survived their suffering in Egypt, then went out boldly to the wilderness to meet God at Mt. Sinai (another name for Mt. Horeb mentioned in the scripture for today!). There, the people received the Ten Commandments from God. After staying near Mt. Sinai too long, doing some things wrong, and committing sinful acts with golden idols, God told the people in the scripture for today, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain…” (Deuteronomy 1:6). The chosen people were languishing at Mt. Sinai for too long of a time. Then, they began murmuring against Moses and Aaron. Some even regretted leaving Egypt. The people of Israel needed a new mission. They needed to begin their journey toward the promised land. So, with the scripture above, God gave them a push in that new direction.
After reflecting on the scripture for today, John D. Barry wrote the following words: “We have a terrible tendency to stay in one place or keep doing one activity longer than we should. Our meetings run long, we constantly work overtime, or we overstay a welcome. And then there’s the most significant problem of all: we ignore God’s command to leave a place, position, or role.
Change can be refreshing. But the countless decisions and the difficult and frustrating moments that accompany change can often keep us from moving forward. We become comfortable where we are, and we fear the unknown.” (Connect the Testaments).
It is all too easy to get comfortable with certain circumstances in your life. It is not uncommon for people to keep doing something familiar just because they are used to doing it. In your spiritual life, there will be times when God wants you to move on to something new or to take some new direction. You may need to learn new things or move away from your regular habits to accomplish what God wants you to do. For some people, this is a daunting task. Some people, like the Israelites in our scripture for today, just don’t want to move past the familiar to new territory. Churches can become so set in their ways that they stagnate and falter. There comes a time in every person’s relationship with God that God will say, “You’ve been at this long enough, time to move on….”
Carrie was abused as a child. An uncle had assaulted her at a young age. For many years, Carrie went to counseling, endured depression, and suffered through bouts of anger. She deeply regretted this part of her life. The abuse seemed to cloud her every moment and hold her back from meeting new people or doing new things.
When Carrie was twenty-three, she joined a new church. Encountering some new friends there and feeling good about her relationship with God, Carrie felt God’s closeness. But, more and more, Carrie felt something holding her back. Then, one day during prayer it came to her like a bolt of lightning. God wanted her to move past her abuse, to put it behind her, to let the pain of that era go. Carrie obeyed, and it changed her forever. Today, you’d never know Carrie was abused. Why? Because when God told her that she had “stayed long enough at that mountain” of hurt, Carrie followed God’s lead. She faithfully moved past her hurt, and a whole new chapter of her life began to take shape. It was a joy to behold Carrie blossom with her new attitude and direction. Friends were amazed at the growth in her spiritual life.
There may come a day when you will have to move past something. It may be a mountain of hurt. It may be a mountain of debt. It may be a mountain of regret. No matter the circumstances, if God wants you to start on a new path, you need to follow His direction. Don’t dwell on something too long when God wants you to put it behind you. Don't stay at some place in your life too long when God wants you to move on. Some places and situations belong in the rear-view mirror!
July 25
“Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. His subjects ground their teeth in anguish, and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God.” (Revelation 16:10–11, NLT)
Due to the sin in the world in the last days, Revelation tells us that God will send angels to cause suffering among who have sinned. God’s intent is to spark the people to confess their sins, repent of the evil they had caused, and return to God and God’s righteous ways. Instead, every time that God will send an angel to offer up suffering, those people will not repent. They will harden their hearts against God.
Look at the scripture above from Revelation 16. The “fifth angel” sent by God to pour out wrath against evil in the world causes a bowl of God’s wrath to be poured out against the evil beast and the evil kingdom that follows the beast. The response? There was “darkness” and “anguish” and “pains and sores” upon the beast and his followers (Revelation 16:10-11). God wanted to see the evil ones repent. Instead, they “did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (Revelation 16:11). As is common, the ones practicing evil “cursed the God of heaven”. Other versions of the Bible state that they “blamed God”.
In social media over the past few weeks, I have noticed a lot of people blaming God for evil in the world. But does God cause that evil? NO. How does that evil come about? Satan and those who do evil perpetuate it. Yet, who do they blame when the consequences of evil deeds cause suffering and pain? They blame God. You will often notice people who have poor faith or no faith at all are quick to blame God or God’s ways for the problems in the world. I often hear humanists state that there can’t be a God if there is suffering of good people in the world. They claim that there can’t be a God if there are bad things happening in the world. God stops suffering right? Therefore, they conclude that either God loves suffering, or God causes suffering to people, or there is no God. Their logic is faulty. The scripture for today proves that God causes suffering in the world to happen to those who promote evil. God will even cause good people to suffer in special scenarios where a greater good will come out of it. Faithless people don’t see the whole picture. They don’t appreciate God’s grace nor God’s plans. Worse yet, they don’t blame Satan for evil in the world. They don’t blame evil people. They blame God.
When James was a teenager, he got himself in a load of trouble. He would disrupt classes in school with pranks. He got into fights. He was a poor student. He received detention every few months. James was of small stature. Because of that, he was picked on a lot. He also had a big chip on his shoulders. He would fight anyone at the drop of a hat.
James went to church but did not believe in God. He went because his parents made him go. When James was young, he blamed bullies at school for his bad behavior. When he was a teenager, he blamed his teachers for being boring or classes for being a waste of his time. Because of his poor grades and problems in school, James did not go to college. After graduation, he started work at a nearby factory. When a fight broke out at a union hall meeting and James was implicated, he blamed others for the fight. When he was fired, he drank a lot. When a bar fight landed him in a hospital, he blamed the bar owner for the episode and demanded the owner pay his expenses.
Throughout this whole while, James believed God was either non-existent, aloof, or in his words “a worthless piece of _____”. James had nothing good to say about God. He made fun of Christians in his family and among his friends. When he got into trouble, he wouldn’t pray. He blamed God for being callous and causing his suffering. He blamed others for everything else.
The crazy thing is that James fell in love with a wonderful Christian woman named Sylvia. She saw something wonderful in him that few others could see. Sylvia prayed for James for seventeen years of their marriage before James finally came to really believe in God. Then, something wonderful happened to James after he repented of his sins. No longer did James call God names or blame God for life's problems. He took responsibility for his own shortcomings. He openly admitted his faults and mistakes. He came clean with God. He even called upon his friends to repent for their wrongs and clean up their lives. To date, I know of dozens who have come to Christ after talking with James and Sylvia.
You will never get things right in your life if you fight with God. You will never feel right in your soul as long as you blame God and others for bad things caused by evil in this world. As long as you delude yourself into thinking that God is the problem, joy will elude you and evil will have its way with you.
If you read the scripture reading for today closely, you may notice that God didn’t cause the suffering of the beast and evil kingdom to enjoy their suffering. God caused the bad things to happen to the evil ones in order to elicit their repentance and return to faithfulness. God doesn’t hate evil people. God hates the evil they do. God wants them to repent and return. God is always hoping for people to turn from their evil ways, repent, and make things right. God does fight against evil in the world. So, be careful to choose your sides and arguments well.
So many people today love putting blame in all the wrong places. There are people who blame guns for murders. They blame parents for the bad behavior of children. They blame whites for racism. They blame European heritage for slavery. All these are partial or complete lies. Evil is what causes sin. Evil causes punishment. Evil damages lives. Evil destroys the good. Why blame God for what is evil in the world? Why blame others for your own sins? Why put the blame in the wrong place?
If you are faithful Christian, repentance should come easy. You should realize by now that a lot of the bad that comes in your life is from evil in the world or in you. You should also realize that God is your salvation, grace is your hope, heaven is your real home, and a deep relationship with God changes everything. God is not your enemy but your support. Jesus is not the problem; He is your Savior. Sin is not a guilty pleasure but a source of suffering. If you find that your life is filled with bad, take responsibility for your part of the blame. Repent. Make things right. Turn back to God. There is NO other way to peace and a contented soul.
Look at the scripture above from Revelation 16. The “fifth angel” sent by God to pour out wrath against evil in the world causes a bowl of God’s wrath to be poured out against the evil beast and the evil kingdom that follows the beast. The response? There was “darkness” and “anguish” and “pains and sores” upon the beast and his followers (Revelation 16:10-11). God wanted to see the evil ones repent. Instead, they “did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God” (Revelation 16:11). As is common, the ones practicing evil “cursed the God of heaven”. Other versions of the Bible state that they “blamed God”.
In social media over the past few weeks, I have noticed a lot of people blaming God for evil in the world. But does God cause that evil? NO. How does that evil come about? Satan and those who do evil perpetuate it. Yet, who do they blame when the consequences of evil deeds cause suffering and pain? They blame God. You will often notice people who have poor faith or no faith at all are quick to blame God or God’s ways for the problems in the world. I often hear humanists state that there can’t be a God if there is suffering of good people in the world. They claim that there can’t be a God if there are bad things happening in the world. God stops suffering right? Therefore, they conclude that either God loves suffering, or God causes suffering to people, or there is no God. Their logic is faulty. The scripture for today proves that God causes suffering in the world to happen to those who promote evil. God will even cause good people to suffer in special scenarios where a greater good will come out of it. Faithless people don’t see the whole picture. They don’t appreciate God’s grace nor God’s plans. Worse yet, they don’t blame Satan for evil in the world. They don’t blame evil people. They blame God.
When James was a teenager, he got himself in a load of trouble. He would disrupt classes in school with pranks. He got into fights. He was a poor student. He received detention every few months. James was of small stature. Because of that, he was picked on a lot. He also had a big chip on his shoulders. He would fight anyone at the drop of a hat.
James went to church but did not believe in God. He went because his parents made him go. When James was young, he blamed bullies at school for his bad behavior. When he was a teenager, he blamed his teachers for being boring or classes for being a waste of his time. Because of his poor grades and problems in school, James did not go to college. After graduation, he started work at a nearby factory. When a fight broke out at a union hall meeting and James was implicated, he blamed others for the fight. When he was fired, he drank a lot. When a bar fight landed him in a hospital, he blamed the bar owner for the episode and demanded the owner pay his expenses.
Throughout this whole while, James believed God was either non-existent, aloof, or in his words “a worthless piece of _____”. James had nothing good to say about God. He made fun of Christians in his family and among his friends. When he got into trouble, he wouldn’t pray. He blamed God for being callous and causing his suffering. He blamed others for everything else.
The crazy thing is that James fell in love with a wonderful Christian woman named Sylvia. She saw something wonderful in him that few others could see. Sylvia prayed for James for seventeen years of their marriage before James finally came to really believe in God. Then, something wonderful happened to James after he repented of his sins. No longer did James call God names or blame God for life's problems. He took responsibility for his own shortcomings. He openly admitted his faults and mistakes. He came clean with God. He even called upon his friends to repent for their wrongs and clean up their lives. To date, I know of dozens who have come to Christ after talking with James and Sylvia.
You will never get things right in your life if you fight with God. You will never feel right in your soul as long as you blame God and others for bad things caused by evil in this world. As long as you delude yourself into thinking that God is the problem, joy will elude you and evil will have its way with you.
If you read the scripture reading for today closely, you may notice that God didn’t cause the suffering of the beast and evil kingdom to enjoy their suffering. God caused the bad things to happen to the evil ones in order to elicit their repentance and return to faithfulness. God doesn’t hate evil people. God hates the evil they do. God wants them to repent and return. God is always hoping for people to turn from their evil ways, repent, and make things right. God does fight against evil in the world. So, be careful to choose your sides and arguments well.
So many people today love putting blame in all the wrong places. There are people who blame guns for murders. They blame parents for the bad behavior of children. They blame whites for racism. They blame European heritage for slavery. All these are partial or complete lies. Evil is what causes sin. Evil causes punishment. Evil damages lives. Evil destroys the good. Why blame God for what is evil in the world? Why blame others for your own sins? Why put the blame in the wrong place?
If you are faithful Christian, repentance should come easy. You should realize by now that a lot of the bad that comes in your life is from evil in the world or in you. You should also realize that God is your salvation, grace is your hope, heaven is your real home, and a deep relationship with God changes everything. God is not your enemy but your support. Jesus is not the problem; He is your Savior. Sin is not a guilty pleasure but a source of suffering. If you find that your life is filled with bad, take responsibility for your part of the blame. Repent. Make things right. Turn back to God. There is NO other way to peace and a contented soul.
July 28
“One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4, RSV)
During the Passover celebration, Jewish families gather at the table to remember what God did for their ancestors in Egypt. They read scripture and recount the deeds of God in the days of Moses. They eat bitter herbs to remind themselves of the hard labor endured at the hand of Pharaoh. They speak of the Ten Plagues. They eat unleavened bread, a reminder of the rush to leave Egypt. Normally, all this is done in a family setting. All the generations participate. Even the youngest child is encouraged to ask questions. Why is it done this way? So that one generation can pass on the faith to the next generation. It is so that God’s powerful deeds can be recounted in the oral traditions of families. The purpose of the entire Passover meal is to pass on the faith and the truth of God to the next generations.
Inherent in the Jewish and Christian faith is the command to pass on the faith to the next generations. This is not seen as a voluntary thing nor an optional effort. Biblically, it is part of being faithful. The next generations after you need to carry the torch of knowledge and faith. They need to know God and learn how to support godly ideals. When Israel neared the promised land after the time of Moses, Joshua shared his own perspective of what he had learned of God in the wilderness and Egypt and long before (Joshua 24). He told the Israelites this as an example, that they might pass this information on to latter generations. When Peter was in Jerusalem during the first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, he explained the generations of faith before him and urged the people in Jerusalem not to forget about Jesus (Acts 2). There are literally thousands of passages of the Bible that were written to encourage people to share and pass on the faith to the present and future generations. This sharing of the faith with the next generations is a crucial work in the life of the church.
During my lifetime, this sharing of God with future generations has all but ended in many families. I hear fewer and fewer stories of families praying before meals, praying with each other, reading the Bible together, or talking about God. Families get together for Christmas and Easter and swap stories of what is happening in life but seem never to get around to sharing the faith.
Dave Keehn wrote a web article in 2014 entitled “Passing on our Faith: One Generation to Another”. In that article, he lamented that many families no longer share the faith with the next generation. He wrote about 3 myths that surround this sharing of the faith. First, he pointed out that some families seem to act as if the faith is passed down by osmosis. Parents think by acting faithful around the children that the children will want to be faithful. This doesn’t work. The second myth believed by too many is that the faith should only be shared with the next generation by trained professionals like pastors, Christian educators, and scholars. This is not how Jesus did it! He chose twelve disciples to share the gospel with. He chose them not for their professionalism but for their faithfulness. I’ve seen the faith shared beautifully by many people who have never been formally educated by seminaries or seminars. The last myth shared by Keehn is one that is most common today. Some Christians believe that sharing the faith with the next generation is “not worth the effort”. Are they crazy? Must be. If we don’t’ share the faith, there will be no next generation of Christians. Whatever effort is required is what is needed. If your children “push back” against your sharing of the faith, you shouldn’t shut up about it. Children push back against a lot of things that are good for them like going to the dentist and eating their vegetables. If you just give up on sharing the faith with them, a spiritual vacuum will exist around you. Those around you will be unaffected by your love of Jesus. Is this how you want to be remembered forever? How is Jesus praised by this attitude?
When the matriarch of the family, Coleen, was dying of cancer, she called each of her grandchildren to visit her one at a time. At her bedside, she shared with each one why she believed in God and how much each grandchild was cherished. She talked about the day she gave up getting drunk. She mentioned falling in love with her husband. She talked about the day she found that cross necklace buried in the garden and accepted Christ wholeheartedly. Some of the grandchildren rolled their eyes talking about her last conversations, but at the funeral I led that’s what most of them talked about. The intimate sharing of grandma’s faith had planted a seed deep in the heart of each grandchild. To this day, they remember that hour spent at grandma’s bedside.
Will your friends and family remember your faith when you are gone? Will they remember how important it was for you to share that faith? You may get eye rolls and teased for your sharing. You may be told to keep it to yourself. However, when you are gone, that precious faith in Jesus will have a chance. It will have a foothold in all those with whom you shared. God will take care of the rest.
The scripture for today from Psalm 145 is another reminder to “laud God’s works” to the generations around you (Psalm 145:4). It is a reminder that God’s “mighty acts” not only deserve to be remembered but must be shared (“declared”)! It is God’s will for you and me and every faithful soul.
How well do the people around you know of your spiritual journey? How might you share your witness of Christ with those around you in a way that a spiritual seed will be planted well? This is no small task, but it is a crucial part of your spiritual journey.
Inherent in the Jewish and Christian faith is the command to pass on the faith to the next generations. This is not seen as a voluntary thing nor an optional effort. Biblically, it is part of being faithful. The next generations after you need to carry the torch of knowledge and faith. They need to know God and learn how to support godly ideals. When Israel neared the promised land after the time of Moses, Joshua shared his own perspective of what he had learned of God in the wilderness and Egypt and long before (Joshua 24). He told the Israelites this as an example, that they might pass this information on to latter generations. When Peter was in Jerusalem during the first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection, he explained the generations of faith before him and urged the people in Jerusalem not to forget about Jesus (Acts 2). There are literally thousands of passages of the Bible that were written to encourage people to share and pass on the faith to the present and future generations. This sharing of the faith with the next generations is a crucial work in the life of the church.
During my lifetime, this sharing of God with future generations has all but ended in many families. I hear fewer and fewer stories of families praying before meals, praying with each other, reading the Bible together, or talking about God. Families get together for Christmas and Easter and swap stories of what is happening in life but seem never to get around to sharing the faith.
Dave Keehn wrote a web article in 2014 entitled “Passing on our Faith: One Generation to Another”. In that article, he lamented that many families no longer share the faith with the next generation. He wrote about 3 myths that surround this sharing of the faith. First, he pointed out that some families seem to act as if the faith is passed down by osmosis. Parents think by acting faithful around the children that the children will want to be faithful. This doesn’t work. The second myth believed by too many is that the faith should only be shared with the next generation by trained professionals like pastors, Christian educators, and scholars. This is not how Jesus did it! He chose twelve disciples to share the gospel with. He chose them not for their professionalism but for their faithfulness. I’ve seen the faith shared beautifully by many people who have never been formally educated by seminaries or seminars. The last myth shared by Keehn is one that is most common today. Some Christians believe that sharing the faith with the next generation is “not worth the effort”. Are they crazy? Must be. If we don’t’ share the faith, there will be no next generation of Christians. Whatever effort is required is what is needed. If your children “push back” against your sharing of the faith, you shouldn’t shut up about it. Children push back against a lot of things that are good for them like going to the dentist and eating their vegetables. If you just give up on sharing the faith with them, a spiritual vacuum will exist around you. Those around you will be unaffected by your love of Jesus. Is this how you want to be remembered forever? How is Jesus praised by this attitude?
When the matriarch of the family, Coleen, was dying of cancer, she called each of her grandchildren to visit her one at a time. At her bedside, she shared with each one why she believed in God and how much each grandchild was cherished. She talked about the day she gave up getting drunk. She mentioned falling in love with her husband. She talked about the day she found that cross necklace buried in the garden and accepted Christ wholeheartedly. Some of the grandchildren rolled their eyes talking about her last conversations, but at the funeral I led that’s what most of them talked about. The intimate sharing of grandma’s faith had planted a seed deep in the heart of each grandchild. To this day, they remember that hour spent at grandma’s bedside.
Will your friends and family remember your faith when you are gone? Will they remember how important it was for you to share that faith? You may get eye rolls and teased for your sharing. You may be told to keep it to yourself. However, when you are gone, that precious faith in Jesus will have a chance. It will have a foothold in all those with whom you shared. God will take care of the rest.
The scripture for today from Psalm 145 is another reminder to “laud God’s works” to the generations around you (Psalm 145:4). It is a reminder that God’s “mighty acts” not only deserve to be remembered but must be shared (“declared”)! It is God’s will for you and me and every faithful soul.
How well do the people around you know of your spiritual journey? How might you share your witness of Christ with those around you in a way that a spiritual seed will be planted well? This is no small task, but it is a crucial part of your spiritual journey.
July 31
“A servant girl noticed him [Peter] in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!” After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.” (Luke 22:56–58, NLT)
The scripture above displays several errors in Peter’s thinking. After Jesus is arrested, Peter followed at a distance. Peter wanted to know what was to happen to Jesus. He obviously cared about Jesus, so Peter wanted to see what would become of his friend. While doing his observation of what is happening, Peter was accused by a woman who claimed, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” (Luke 22:56). Fearing for his life, afraid of his own fate, not wanting to stir up the crowd, Peter lied, claiming he didn’t know Jesus. Then, when someone else noticed Peter and told the crowd that he was one of Jesus’ disciples, Peter again lied. He told the man “I am not!” (Luke 22:58). These are two of the times that Peter not only denied knowing Jesus, but they are also two of the examples of Peter’s sin.
What was Peter’s sin here? Put in a situation where he feared the retribution of the crowd, Peter lied to cover his identity. In doing so, he also denied his relationship with Jesus. In multiple ways, Peter denied the truth in order to protect himself. You may be critical of Peter’s denial of Jesus, but don’t be too critical. Chances are that you have made the same error in your own life. Confronted by someone, you may too have lied in order to protect yourself. You may not have denied Jesus, but you probably hid the truth or outright falsified the facts in order to save face.
In a deeply moving bit of wisdom, Lauren Whitman explained Peter’s situation in this way:
“Peter’s friend, Peter’s mentor, Peter’s God has been unjustly arrested and hauled away. Jesus is suffering—and Peter watches as the devastating events unfold. Not only is it heartwrenching and horrific to have this happen to your friend, but it must also be terrifying. What will happen to Peter, a friend and follower of Jesus?
What is happening to Jesus is not Peter’s fault. But as these events take place, Peter responds in a way he will come to deeply regret. He jumps into survival mode. His own welfare matters more to him than the allegiance to Jesus that he had once boldly proclaimed (see Matt. 26:33; John 13:36–37). Rather than being a man of his word, he acts with cowardice. He lies. He denies that he knows Jesus, not once but three times (see Luke 22:57–60). He betrays his friend.” (p. 31, A Painful Past: Healing and Moving Forward).
There will be moments when out of fear, you might slip into this survival mode. Put on the spot, you too may be forced to either come clean, tell the truth, admit your mistake, or lie, play down your mistake, cover up the truth, or play fast with the facts. Even though you are a Christian and have made promises to be truthful, your fear may control your actions. Your insecurities can easily override your deeply held beliefs and cause you to sin. Peter’s failure that night is very common indeed. It may even be your “go-to” when put on the hot seat.
It is normal to feel nervous or anxious when put on the hot seat, questioned about your motives, accused of a wrong, or blamed for a situation. If your fear and insecurities overwhelm your emotions in that moment, you may respond just like Peter. You might make up a story, lie through your teeth, blame everything on someone else, or deny the facts. You might even be thinking to yourself that you are at fault while still putting the blame somewhere else.
When Justin was in college, he fell head over heals in love with Marilyn. For months, the two were inseparable. When they had a class together, they’d sit together. When not in class, they often met to study together in the library. They went out on dates. They cuddled in bed. They hugged and kissed whenever an empty space presented itself. Justin began to think Marilyn was “the one”. He phoned his parents one week before Christmas break to tell them that he was thinking of asking Marilyn to marry him. He also talked to the campus priest about getting married. The very next day, however, Justin’s life was turned upside down. He found out that Marilyn had slept with his roommate the weekend before. The two broke up that very hour. Marilyn went on to marry his roommate a year later.
After his disastrous breakup with Marilyn, Justin was a changed man. He only dated women for short periods of time, maybe three or four dates, or maybe a month. Then, out of the blue, he would break up. He would not allow any woman to get close to him, to break his heart like Marilyn had done. For a long time, Justin told himself that this was better for his own sanity. He overlooked the devastating looks that his dates gave him when he upended the relationship. While the women he jilted suffered insecurities because of his rejection, Justin just told himself that it was all for the best. He would tell himself that he was damaged anyway, so he was just saving these women from his own inadequacies.
Justin made the same mistake as Peter. He may not have betrayed Jesus multiple times, but he was lying to himself and others to cover up his own insecurities. He caused emotional and psychological damage to others because he was not able to deal with his own past. Justin needed a “come to Jesus” moment to deal with this sin and the lies and insecurities all around it.
There is no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt not hurt others because of your own insecurities and fears”. However, that didn’t stop Peter from his terrible denials of Jesus. Insecurities and fears can drive you to do some hurtful things to others. These types of sins can hurt others just as much as a death. These sins can scar the innocent for life. So many simply view Peter’s sin as “the denial of Jesus”. It was way more than that. It was and is a reminder that insecurities and fears can throw you into a survival mode that will hurt others and damage your relationship with Christ.
Is there an insecurity or fear that has caused you to lie or hurt another? Do you cover up your mistakes by blaming others? When put on the spot, do you try to deflect using lies or half-truths? There is so much more to this story of Peter from the Bible, wouldn’t you agree?
What was Peter’s sin here? Put in a situation where he feared the retribution of the crowd, Peter lied to cover his identity. In doing so, he also denied his relationship with Jesus. In multiple ways, Peter denied the truth in order to protect himself. You may be critical of Peter’s denial of Jesus, but don’t be too critical. Chances are that you have made the same error in your own life. Confronted by someone, you may too have lied in order to protect yourself. You may not have denied Jesus, but you probably hid the truth or outright falsified the facts in order to save face.
In a deeply moving bit of wisdom, Lauren Whitman explained Peter’s situation in this way:
“Peter’s friend, Peter’s mentor, Peter’s God has been unjustly arrested and hauled away. Jesus is suffering—and Peter watches as the devastating events unfold. Not only is it heartwrenching and horrific to have this happen to your friend, but it must also be terrifying. What will happen to Peter, a friend and follower of Jesus?
What is happening to Jesus is not Peter’s fault. But as these events take place, Peter responds in a way he will come to deeply regret. He jumps into survival mode. His own welfare matters more to him than the allegiance to Jesus that he had once boldly proclaimed (see Matt. 26:33; John 13:36–37). Rather than being a man of his word, he acts with cowardice. He lies. He denies that he knows Jesus, not once but three times (see Luke 22:57–60). He betrays his friend.” (p. 31, A Painful Past: Healing and Moving Forward).
There will be moments when out of fear, you might slip into this survival mode. Put on the spot, you too may be forced to either come clean, tell the truth, admit your mistake, or lie, play down your mistake, cover up the truth, or play fast with the facts. Even though you are a Christian and have made promises to be truthful, your fear may control your actions. Your insecurities can easily override your deeply held beliefs and cause you to sin. Peter’s failure that night is very common indeed. It may even be your “go-to” when put on the hot seat.
It is normal to feel nervous or anxious when put on the hot seat, questioned about your motives, accused of a wrong, or blamed for a situation. If your fear and insecurities overwhelm your emotions in that moment, you may respond just like Peter. You might make up a story, lie through your teeth, blame everything on someone else, or deny the facts. You might even be thinking to yourself that you are at fault while still putting the blame somewhere else.
When Justin was in college, he fell head over heals in love with Marilyn. For months, the two were inseparable. When they had a class together, they’d sit together. When not in class, they often met to study together in the library. They went out on dates. They cuddled in bed. They hugged and kissed whenever an empty space presented itself. Justin began to think Marilyn was “the one”. He phoned his parents one week before Christmas break to tell them that he was thinking of asking Marilyn to marry him. He also talked to the campus priest about getting married. The very next day, however, Justin’s life was turned upside down. He found out that Marilyn had slept with his roommate the weekend before. The two broke up that very hour. Marilyn went on to marry his roommate a year later.
After his disastrous breakup with Marilyn, Justin was a changed man. He only dated women for short periods of time, maybe three or four dates, or maybe a month. Then, out of the blue, he would break up. He would not allow any woman to get close to him, to break his heart like Marilyn had done. For a long time, Justin told himself that this was better for his own sanity. He overlooked the devastating looks that his dates gave him when he upended the relationship. While the women he jilted suffered insecurities because of his rejection, Justin just told himself that it was all for the best. He would tell himself that he was damaged anyway, so he was just saving these women from his own inadequacies.
Justin made the same mistake as Peter. He may not have betrayed Jesus multiple times, but he was lying to himself and others to cover up his own insecurities. He caused emotional and psychological damage to others because he was not able to deal with his own past. Justin needed a “come to Jesus” moment to deal with this sin and the lies and insecurities all around it.
There is no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shalt not hurt others because of your own insecurities and fears”. However, that didn’t stop Peter from his terrible denials of Jesus. Insecurities and fears can drive you to do some hurtful things to others. These types of sins can hurt others just as much as a death. These sins can scar the innocent for life. So many simply view Peter’s sin as “the denial of Jesus”. It was way more than that. It was and is a reminder that insecurities and fears can throw you into a survival mode that will hurt others and damage your relationship with Christ.
Is there an insecurity or fear that has caused you to lie or hurt another? Do you cover up your mistakes by blaming others? When put on the spot, do you try to deflect using lies or half-truths? There is so much more to this story of Peter from the Bible, wouldn’t you agree?