July 3
“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” (Luke 14:33, NLT)
The Believer’s Bible Commentary calls this verse “one of the most unpopular verses in the entire Bible”. Why? What makes it so unloved? In the commentary on this verse, the Believer’s Bible Commentary states that to be a disciple of Jesus, this verse means that you must “forsake all”. You must not be WILLING to forsake everything you own but ACTUALLY live it out. Before you make the same mistake as many who read this scripture, let’s look at what it means to “give up everything you own”.
There is no mention in scripture of Jesus owning a house, property, a Bible, or anything else other than the clothes he wore. Because of this, many people assume that Jesus had nothing. Well, Jesus may not have owned anything outright, but He had to have food and shelter and clothing. The people who say that to follow Jesus, you have to give up “everything” do not realize that clothing, shelter, water, food, and the basics of life are part of “everything”. You see, its not that Jesus didn’t have or own anything. Instead, Jesus did not consider what He “had” as His own. He considered it “on loan from God the Father”. Every gift received, every invitation to a home (even homes of the Pharisees!), every meal that Martha cooked, everything was a gift of God. It was not Jesus’ to own.
I believe that this attitude of Jesus translates into your life. You may have food, clothing, water, and the necessities of life, but all these need to be secondary to your love of Jesus. To be a true disciple of Jesus, the things you use or have or possess are never your own. They are on loan from the Heavenly Father. They are gifts or blessings from God. To say they are your possessions and God has nothing to say about them is never what Jesus wants. If any of the “things” surrounding you in life are more important than Jesus, you cannot be a disciple of Jesus. You must be willing to give up anything, and when asked by circumstances or by God, be willing to walk away from them as needed.
Take for example the disciples of Jesus. In scripture, we are told something very clear about this topic. In Mark 1:17, Jesus told James and John, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!”. What did the two men do? Being true disciples, they dropped everything and went with Jesus. Jesus was more important than their fishing nets, their jobs, even their homes. Mark 1:20 even describes that when the two disciples left everything behind, they did it “immediately”! There was no hesitation. Nowhere in scripture does it say they ever had regrets for that decision. They just left it all behind when asked to follow Jesus. Everything was secondary to the call.
And that’s precisely the point! To be a faithful disciple, you aren’t required to give up your home, clothes, job, work implement, or water. It’s that all these things are secondary to the call of Jesus. When asked, you must be willing to immediately give them up to follow HIM as HE wills. So, the questions of this verse are not whether or not a certain thing is a possession or should you give it up now. You need to look at it in a different way. The real challenge is, “What does Jesus need you to do right now? Do you need to give up some possession or thing or job or plan to follow HIM right now?”
Is everything secondary to your call from Jesus? Would you leave your most important possessions behind if Jesus needed them or you right now? Even your favorite hobby? Even your family? Even your job? Even your home? Very few would ever say “Yes!”.
Sadly, from the moment we are born, most of us become more attached to things and people than we do to Jesus. We view the things around us as “most important in life”. When the church was suffering persecution in the third century AD, the inquisitors used a special tactic to separate those who were real Christians from shallow Christians. It was the true disciples they sought to kill. So, the inquisitors would say, “Renounce Jesus, and we will spare your life. Swear against Jesus, and you will be let go.” They knew that a true Christian would never renounce Christ.
The story is told of a Christian from the second century who decided not to renounce Jesus in order to save his own life. The man did so. He regretted it for the rest of his life. Every day he lived after the day he renounced Jesus was depressing and painful, every high moment in his life darkened by the intense shame he felt for giving up Jesus. I was informed by an historian that the man later gladly died as a martyr when questioned again about his faith. The story goes that for the first time in years, the man smiled, but only when dying for Jesus. In the end, he gave up everything for the Lord.
You might believe that Jesus means a lot to you. You might tell others that you believe in Jesus. But are you ready to give up everything for Jesus? What would make you hesitate if you were called to give anything special up right now? How much does Jesus mean to you? Peter announced that he would rather die than deny Jesus (Matthew 26:35). However, when push came to shove, Peter denied Jesus three times instead of keeping that promise. Jesus reminded Peter of that failure to be a true disciple in John 21:15-19. Even the best disciples can fail to be willing to give up everything for the Lord.
It is one thing to call yourself a disciple of Jesus. It is entirely different for Jesus to call you one of HIS own. Don’t let things of this life come between you and your Lord. Isn’t everything of this life temporary anyway?
There is no mention in scripture of Jesus owning a house, property, a Bible, or anything else other than the clothes he wore. Because of this, many people assume that Jesus had nothing. Well, Jesus may not have owned anything outright, but He had to have food and shelter and clothing. The people who say that to follow Jesus, you have to give up “everything” do not realize that clothing, shelter, water, food, and the basics of life are part of “everything”. You see, its not that Jesus didn’t have or own anything. Instead, Jesus did not consider what He “had” as His own. He considered it “on loan from God the Father”. Every gift received, every invitation to a home (even homes of the Pharisees!), every meal that Martha cooked, everything was a gift of God. It was not Jesus’ to own.
I believe that this attitude of Jesus translates into your life. You may have food, clothing, water, and the necessities of life, but all these need to be secondary to your love of Jesus. To be a true disciple of Jesus, the things you use or have or possess are never your own. They are on loan from the Heavenly Father. They are gifts or blessings from God. To say they are your possessions and God has nothing to say about them is never what Jesus wants. If any of the “things” surrounding you in life are more important than Jesus, you cannot be a disciple of Jesus. You must be willing to give up anything, and when asked by circumstances or by God, be willing to walk away from them as needed.
Take for example the disciples of Jesus. In scripture, we are told something very clear about this topic. In Mark 1:17, Jesus told James and John, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!”. What did the two men do? Being true disciples, they dropped everything and went with Jesus. Jesus was more important than their fishing nets, their jobs, even their homes. Mark 1:20 even describes that when the two disciples left everything behind, they did it “immediately”! There was no hesitation. Nowhere in scripture does it say they ever had regrets for that decision. They just left it all behind when asked to follow Jesus. Everything was secondary to the call.
And that’s precisely the point! To be a faithful disciple, you aren’t required to give up your home, clothes, job, work implement, or water. It’s that all these things are secondary to the call of Jesus. When asked, you must be willing to immediately give them up to follow HIM as HE wills. So, the questions of this verse are not whether or not a certain thing is a possession or should you give it up now. You need to look at it in a different way. The real challenge is, “What does Jesus need you to do right now? Do you need to give up some possession or thing or job or plan to follow HIM right now?”
Is everything secondary to your call from Jesus? Would you leave your most important possessions behind if Jesus needed them or you right now? Even your favorite hobby? Even your family? Even your job? Even your home? Very few would ever say “Yes!”.
Sadly, from the moment we are born, most of us become more attached to things and people than we do to Jesus. We view the things around us as “most important in life”. When the church was suffering persecution in the third century AD, the inquisitors used a special tactic to separate those who were real Christians from shallow Christians. It was the true disciples they sought to kill. So, the inquisitors would say, “Renounce Jesus, and we will spare your life. Swear against Jesus, and you will be let go.” They knew that a true Christian would never renounce Christ.
The story is told of a Christian from the second century who decided not to renounce Jesus in order to save his own life. The man did so. He regretted it for the rest of his life. Every day he lived after the day he renounced Jesus was depressing and painful, every high moment in his life darkened by the intense shame he felt for giving up Jesus. I was informed by an historian that the man later gladly died as a martyr when questioned again about his faith. The story goes that for the first time in years, the man smiled, but only when dying for Jesus. In the end, he gave up everything for the Lord.
You might believe that Jesus means a lot to you. You might tell others that you believe in Jesus. But are you ready to give up everything for Jesus? What would make you hesitate if you were called to give anything special up right now? How much does Jesus mean to you? Peter announced that he would rather die than deny Jesus (Matthew 26:35). However, when push came to shove, Peter denied Jesus three times instead of keeping that promise. Jesus reminded Peter of that failure to be a true disciple in John 21:15-19. Even the best disciples can fail to be willing to give up everything for the Lord.
It is one thing to call yourself a disciple of Jesus. It is entirely different for Jesus to call you one of HIS own. Don’t let things of this life come between you and your Lord. Isn’t everything of this life temporary anyway?
July 5
“Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.” (1 Kings 18:21, NLT)
The verse above is part of the famous challenge of faith on Mount Carmel. There, four-hundred-and-fifty prophets of Baal prayed and sacrificed to their god against Elijah. Elijah, standing alone, prayed and made sacrifices against these false prophets and Baal. In the end, our God accepted Elijah’s sacrifice. Only God showed up! The lies of the false prophets were proven that day. It was a show of force by God against the idolatry of the Baal worshippers. It was Elijah’s statement of faith in the only true God.
The reason for the great challenge of faith on Mount Carmel was that the people of Israel had become lax in their beliefs. They settled. They began to have the opinion that if a person wanted to worship an idol, that was fine. If a false prophet wanted to push their religion, that too was fine. Elijah attacked this compromise of faith. He questioned in the scripture above, “How much longer will your waver, hobbling between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21). Elijah was sick of those who called themselves faithful to God but settled into a lifestyle that accepted Baal worship, idols, and idolatry.
Archaeologists who have studied that period of history from the time of Elijah have found little “house idols” among the ruins of the homes of the Israelites. Essentially, the people at the time were fooling around with other gods. They did not remain devoted only to God. They followed the “prevailing winds” of the time, slipping into Baal worship and idolatry. Sins crept in. The respect for God waned. The people of Israel settled with a compromising faith, being comfortable with “two opinions or religions” instead of rising up for God. Even their king had thus compromised his faith.
There were only two times that I remember deciding not to perform a wedding. One of those was for a friend. The friend came to me with his fiancé. He wanted to get married. I told him that I was thrilled he had found someone to love. We set up a date and time for pre-marital counseling, which I require before any wedding I perform. At that pre-marital session, I was shocked. During the time of discussion, I asked, “Why did you decide to marry Gwen?” He responded, “Well, to tell you the truth, I didn’t get any other offers!” He laughed a little at the response, but I didn’t think he was joking. After more conversation, I found out that Gwen was getting married, because she “wanted children and was getting older”. It sounded as if her biological clock was calling the shots on who to marry! The two had “settled”. Both were willing to go into a marriage in which they weren’t fully committed. Both wanted to get married and start a family so badly that they “settled” for the first person who came along who seemed decent enough to marry. True love wasn’t there. They weren’t committed to each other. I was afraid that their commitment and love would not last in time. Neither of them ever even said how much they “loved” each other. What clinched it for me was when asked why he wanted to marry Gwen, my Christian friend said, “Nothing better has come along for me.” What would happen if something better came along after they were married???????
If a person getting married is only “settling” to make a lifelong commitment with the first person who comes along willing to do it, the marriage isn’t going to last. If a person goes into a relationship with God only to “settle” with that relationship “until something better comes along”, the connection between God and that person is not going to stand the test of time. Jesus told His followers, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’” (Mark 12:30). Did you notice the “ALLS” in this verse? God wants ALL your heart, not part of it! God wants to take first place in ALL your mind, not just the religious part! God wants the commitment of ALL your soul, not the part that is left over! In marriage, it’s all or nothing. In a relationship with God, it is all or nothing. There is no room for “settling” when it comes to a relationship with God, “until something better comes along”!
Gary Bauer, who was president at the time of the Family Research Council, took time off his work in Washington, DC to visit Iowa. He wanted to leave the limelight and craziness of Washington for some relaxation on vacation. He needed to step back from his hectic schedule. After a few days in Iowa, Gary commented on how excited he was to see the strong moral character of the people in Iowa. He enjoyed hearing about their church life, their families, and their community projects.
Charles Stanley heard about Gary Bauer’s vacation. Stanley wasn’t surprised by the stark contrast between crazy Washington, DC and serene Iowa. Charles Stanley commented: “How does a nation—America or any other—become spiritually torn and tattered? It is simple; the people who are the very heart of any country’s life give up and give in to mounting pressure to compromise what they know is right. In real life, a very small percentage of people want certain godless statutes installed. Yet if a nation’s majority wavers in confusion, more than likely these issues will face little debate.” (p. 195, Seeking His Face). Stanley was convinced that Bauer’s visit to Iowa brought home the fact that Washington, DC is full of too many people who have compromised their faith and seared their souls for the wealth and prosperity awarded them there. In essence, many in Washington, DC have “settled” spiritually. They have compromised their integrity. They have laid aside their faith in Jesus.
It is so very easy to “settle”. It is a slippery slope from allowing small sins to continue in your life to compromising your core values and beliefs. Beware “settling” in your spiritual life. Don’t let compromise and worldly ideals tamp down your moral fortitude. When you are willing to “settle” for a compromise in your beliefs, it won’t be long before you compromise in your relationship with God.
Are there some places in your life where you have “settled” for a half-hearted effort? Are there ways you have compromised your faith with worldly behaviors and ideals?
The reason for the great challenge of faith on Mount Carmel was that the people of Israel had become lax in their beliefs. They settled. They began to have the opinion that if a person wanted to worship an idol, that was fine. If a false prophet wanted to push their religion, that too was fine. Elijah attacked this compromise of faith. He questioned in the scripture above, “How much longer will your waver, hobbling between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21). Elijah was sick of those who called themselves faithful to God but settled into a lifestyle that accepted Baal worship, idols, and idolatry.
Archaeologists who have studied that period of history from the time of Elijah have found little “house idols” among the ruins of the homes of the Israelites. Essentially, the people at the time were fooling around with other gods. They did not remain devoted only to God. They followed the “prevailing winds” of the time, slipping into Baal worship and idolatry. Sins crept in. The respect for God waned. The people of Israel settled with a compromising faith, being comfortable with “two opinions or religions” instead of rising up for God. Even their king had thus compromised his faith.
There were only two times that I remember deciding not to perform a wedding. One of those was for a friend. The friend came to me with his fiancé. He wanted to get married. I told him that I was thrilled he had found someone to love. We set up a date and time for pre-marital counseling, which I require before any wedding I perform. At that pre-marital session, I was shocked. During the time of discussion, I asked, “Why did you decide to marry Gwen?” He responded, “Well, to tell you the truth, I didn’t get any other offers!” He laughed a little at the response, but I didn’t think he was joking. After more conversation, I found out that Gwen was getting married, because she “wanted children and was getting older”. It sounded as if her biological clock was calling the shots on who to marry! The two had “settled”. Both were willing to go into a marriage in which they weren’t fully committed. Both wanted to get married and start a family so badly that they “settled” for the first person who came along who seemed decent enough to marry. True love wasn’t there. They weren’t committed to each other. I was afraid that their commitment and love would not last in time. Neither of them ever even said how much they “loved” each other. What clinched it for me was when asked why he wanted to marry Gwen, my Christian friend said, “Nothing better has come along for me.” What would happen if something better came along after they were married???????
If a person getting married is only “settling” to make a lifelong commitment with the first person who comes along willing to do it, the marriage isn’t going to last. If a person goes into a relationship with God only to “settle” with that relationship “until something better comes along”, the connection between God and that person is not going to stand the test of time. Jesus told His followers, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’” (Mark 12:30). Did you notice the “ALLS” in this verse? God wants ALL your heart, not part of it! God wants to take first place in ALL your mind, not just the religious part! God wants the commitment of ALL your soul, not the part that is left over! In marriage, it’s all or nothing. In a relationship with God, it is all or nothing. There is no room for “settling” when it comes to a relationship with God, “until something better comes along”!
Gary Bauer, who was president at the time of the Family Research Council, took time off his work in Washington, DC to visit Iowa. He wanted to leave the limelight and craziness of Washington for some relaxation on vacation. He needed to step back from his hectic schedule. After a few days in Iowa, Gary commented on how excited he was to see the strong moral character of the people in Iowa. He enjoyed hearing about their church life, their families, and their community projects.
Charles Stanley heard about Gary Bauer’s vacation. Stanley wasn’t surprised by the stark contrast between crazy Washington, DC and serene Iowa. Charles Stanley commented: “How does a nation—America or any other—become spiritually torn and tattered? It is simple; the people who are the very heart of any country’s life give up and give in to mounting pressure to compromise what they know is right. In real life, a very small percentage of people want certain godless statutes installed. Yet if a nation’s majority wavers in confusion, more than likely these issues will face little debate.” (p. 195, Seeking His Face). Stanley was convinced that Bauer’s visit to Iowa brought home the fact that Washington, DC is full of too many people who have compromised their faith and seared their souls for the wealth and prosperity awarded them there. In essence, many in Washington, DC have “settled” spiritually. They have compromised their integrity. They have laid aside their faith in Jesus.
It is so very easy to “settle”. It is a slippery slope from allowing small sins to continue in your life to compromising your core values and beliefs. Beware “settling” in your spiritual life. Don’t let compromise and worldly ideals tamp down your moral fortitude. When you are willing to “settle” for a compromise in your beliefs, it won’t be long before you compromise in your relationship with God.
Are there some places in your life where you have “settled” for a half-hearted effort? Are there ways you have compromised your faith with worldly behaviors and ideals?
July 7
“But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:38, HCSB)
The first half of the scripture for today displays God’s view of the righteous person. God calls that loyal subject “MY righteous one”. God sees the truly righteous person as belonging to God’s family. The righteous person is one of God’s own. Each righteous one is closely watched by God, being part of the heavenly family.
The second half of the scripture for today display’s God’s view of the righteous person who “draws back”. This is a person who gives up being faithful in order achieve some earthly benefit or falls into a spiral of sinfulness. Essentially, the righteous person who “draws back” is known as a backslider. He or she backpedals on their relationship with God. Each chooses not to follow God with all the heart and soul and mind and strength. What is God’s response to this backpedaling? As the verse for today discloses, God finds “no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38).
You have probably met people who pulled back from following God. Maybe a trauma, a death, or an accident caused the person to question God’s protection. It might be that the person fell in with the wrong crowd or married someone who was not religious. Then, the person no longer felt the need to worship God. There are people who have given up on their faith, because they met poor examples of Christians. They might have been hurt by an unjust or worldly act by a religious person. There are a million excuses why people “walk away” from God. In the end, God’s response is the same. God takes “no pleasure” in the person who throws away a faithful relationship with Heaven.
If you travel to Jerusalem in modern times, you will see the Temple Mount. This ancient holy place contains the remnants of the original Temple built by King Solomon. Solomon was blessed by God in several ways. When Solomon asked for the wisdom to govern Israel, God granted him extraordinary wisdom in which to lead the people. He was renowned in the ancient world for his wisdom, kings and queens even coming to learn from him (See 1 Kings 10 for just an example). Though King David greatly desired to build a temple in Jerusalem, it was Solomon that God chose to build this holy site. Solomon was blessed with great wealth, a large family, and so much more.
However, Solomon’s relationship with God turned sour. The very blessings that Solomon enjoyed came between him and God. When Solomon was asked by his foreign-born wives if they could burn incense to their foreign gods, Solomon allowed it (1 Kings 11:8). 1 Kings 11:4 explains that Solomon’s wives “turned his heart after other gods”. They seduced him into worship of other religions. To appease his wives, he even built altars to other gods so they could worship there (1 Kings 11:7). In the end, God cursed Solomon’s actions. God caused a split among Solomon’s children and the leadership of Israel. This led to numerous problems between Israel and Judah and the neighboring countries. What caused God to pass judgment against Solomon? Solomon “drew back” from God. Solomon became a backslider. Worldly relationships and idolatry lured Solomon away from God.
Tom Greentree wrote a very interesting article online about people who lose their faith. He listed
“10 Reasons People Turn Away from Faith in Jesus” (tomgreentree.com). Here are his findings:
Disgust in other Christians. People who have been hurt by other Christians will often pull back, feeling betrayed and stung by the hypocrisy they’ve experienced. Whether through church division or personal conflicts, people can question the validity of the Christian faith when Jesus followers seem less Christian than those outside the church.
Disappointment with God. When God doesn’t seem to be hearing me or answering my prayers, disappointment can set in. Often this is due to unrealistic and untrue expectations of what God was going to do in the first place, but it also can happen when God seems silent and unresponsive. Are you even there, God?
Difficulties. Related to disappointment, we can experience difficulties in life that can drive us away from God. Following Jesus can make life seem worse, blowing up relationships, inviting persecution, the rejection of family, and hard times. Or, quite simply, the ongoing call to take up our cross and follow Jesus can become more than we signed up for.
Distractions. We live in a hyper-busy world, and our attention can jump from one thing to another. I’ve seen people who used to be really fired up but now have other priorities. Now I’m on to a new business venture and I don’t really have time to invest in spiritual growth. I signed the kids up for hockey and we just can’t make it to worship anymore. I’ve got this new hobby, etc. And distraction from faith leads to the destruction of faith.
Discouragement. I’ve heard it many times, when people feel like they have been trying so hard and getting nowhere. Discouraged with themselves, discouraged with their lack of experience with God, discouraged by some recurring sin, they give up.
Doubt. Of course, there are those who struggle with doubt. Maybe they aren’t so sure about the resurrection or that Jesus really is the Son of God. Perhaps they’ve got doubts about the Bible. This could be honest doubt, and that needs to be expressed in an open community. Doubt can be a great pathway to growth and learning. Doubt could also indicate a lack of discipleship–they’ve never really been taught or lead to grapple with the basics of faith. But doubt can also be a smoke screen for sin (next point).
Desires. The truth is, some people leave the faith because they don’t want to live under Jesus’ authority. I want to sleep with her. I want to serve myself. I want to rip them off. I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. And they walk away from Jesus. Often when people voice concerns about the uniqueness of Jesus, it’s covering over a desire to do something that contradicts his Lordship. By ditching Jesus’ leadership, they feel free to live how they want.
Distance. Distance often comes as a result of other things–we feel disappointed or disgusted, we are distracted or have doubts, and we pull away. We isolate ourselves from other followers of Jesus and before too long we just don’t feel a part of things anymore. Sometimes distance is chosen, and other times is comes due to mental or physical illness, difficult family situations or a change in lifestyle. But make no mistake, distance isolates and leads people away from faith.
Drift. I’ve noticed that people who never put any intentionality into their spiritual growth simply drift. Like a boat with no oars, no sail and no motor, they end up somewhere far away. Perhaps they had embraced a basic faith in Jesus, but without intentional community, without incorporating spiritual practices, without choosing to follow Jesus, they ended up drifting away.
Deceit. And finally, we can be deceived. We believe a lie about who Jesus is and what life is all about; we come under spiritual influences that cloud our minds. We listen to a buddy at work or a brother we respect, and our faith is quelled; we read a compelling book or watch a viral video, and the argument presented seems so persuasive. Without ever exploring valid alternatives, we accept a lie and faith is dislodged. There is an enemy, and he seeks to deceive and devour.
So, which of the ten is most dangerous to your relationship with God? Which has tempted you to “draw back” from faith in Jesus? I think Tom Green’s list is very enlightening. Sadly, it is also very true. Is today the time when you reaffirm your commitment to God? Why not stop now and say a prayer reaffirming your love of Jesus?
The second half of the scripture for today display’s God’s view of the righteous person who “draws back”. This is a person who gives up being faithful in order achieve some earthly benefit or falls into a spiral of sinfulness. Essentially, the righteous person who “draws back” is known as a backslider. He or she backpedals on their relationship with God. Each chooses not to follow God with all the heart and soul and mind and strength. What is God’s response to this backpedaling? As the verse for today discloses, God finds “no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38).
You have probably met people who pulled back from following God. Maybe a trauma, a death, or an accident caused the person to question God’s protection. It might be that the person fell in with the wrong crowd or married someone who was not religious. Then, the person no longer felt the need to worship God. There are people who have given up on their faith, because they met poor examples of Christians. They might have been hurt by an unjust or worldly act by a religious person. There are a million excuses why people “walk away” from God. In the end, God’s response is the same. God takes “no pleasure” in the person who throws away a faithful relationship with Heaven.
If you travel to Jerusalem in modern times, you will see the Temple Mount. This ancient holy place contains the remnants of the original Temple built by King Solomon. Solomon was blessed by God in several ways. When Solomon asked for the wisdom to govern Israel, God granted him extraordinary wisdom in which to lead the people. He was renowned in the ancient world for his wisdom, kings and queens even coming to learn from him (See 1 Kings 10 for just an example). Though King David greatly desired to build a temple in Jerusalem, it was Solomon that God chose to build this holy site. Solomon was blessed with great wealth, a large family, and so much more.
However, Solomon’s relationship with God turned sour. The very blessings that Solomon enjoyed came between him and God. When Solomon was asked by his foreign-born wives if they could burn incense to their foreign gods, Solomon allowed it (1 Kings 11:8). 1 Kings 11:4 explains that Solomon’s wives “turned his heart after other gods”. They seduced him into worship of other religions. To appease his wives, he even built altars to other gods so they could worship there (1 Kings 11:7). In the end, God cursed Solomon’s actions. God caused a split among Solomon’s children and the leadership of Israel. This led to numerous problems between Israel and Judah and the neighboring countries. What caused God to pass judgment against Solomon? Solomon “drew back” from God. Solomon became a backslider. Worldly relationships and idolatry lured Solomon away from God.
Tom Greentree wrote a very interesting article online about people who lose their faith. He listed
“10 Reasons People Turn Away from Faith in Jesus” (tomgreentree.com). Here are his findings:
Disgust in other Christians. People who have been hurt by other Christians will often pull back, feeling betrayed and stung by the hypocrisy they’ve experienced. Whether through church division or personal conflicts, people can question the validity of the Christian faith when Jesus followers seem less Christian than those outside the church.
Disappointment with God. When God doesn’t seem to be hearing me or answering my prayers, disappointment can set in. Often this is due to unrealistic and untrue expectations of what God was going to do in the first place, but it also can happen when God seems silent and unresponsive. Are you even there, God?
Difficulties. Related to disappointment, we can experience difficulties in life that can drive us away from God. Following Jesus can make life seem worse, blowing up relationships, inviting persecution, the rejection of family, and hard times. Or, quite simply, the ongoing call to take up our cross and follow Jesus can become more than we signed up for.
Distractions. We live in a hyper-busy world, and our attention can jump from one thing to another. I’ve seen people who used to be really fired up but now have other priorities. Now I’m on to a new business venture and I don’t really have time to invest in spiritual growth. I signed the kids up for hockey and we just can’t make it to worship anymore. I’ve got this new hobby, etc. And distraction from faith leads to the destruction of faith.
Discouragement. I’ve heard it many times, when people feel like they have been trying so hard and getting nowhere. Discouraged with themselves, discouraged with their lack of experience with God, discouraged by some recurring sin, they give up.
Doubt. Of course, there are those who struggle with doubt. Maybe they aren’t so sure about the resurrection or that Jesus really is the Son of God. Perhaps they’ve got doubts about the Bible. This could be honest doubt, and that needs to be expressed in an open community. Doubt can be a great pathway to growth and learning. Doubt could also indicate a lack of discipleship–they’ve never really been taught or lead to grapple with the basics of faith. But doubt can also be a smoke screen for sin (next point).
Desires. The truth is, some people leave the faith because they don’t want to live under Jesus’ authority. I want to sleep with her. I want to serve myself. I want to rip them off. I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. And they walk away from Jesus. Often when people voice concerns about the uniqueness of Jesus, it’s covering over a desire to do something that contradicts his Lordship. By ditching Jesus’ leadership, they feel free to live how they want.
Distance. Distance often comes as a result of other things–we feel disappointed or disgusted, we are distracted or have doubts, and we pull away. We isolate ourselves from other followers of Jesus and before too long we just don’t feel a part of things anymore. Sometimes distance is chosen, and other times is comes due to mental or physical illness, difficult family situations or a change in lifestyle. But make no mistake, distance isolates and leads people away from faith.
Drift. I’ve noticed that people who never put any intentionality into their spiritual growth simply drift. Like a boat with no oars, no sail and no motor, they end up somewhere far away. Perhaps they had embraced a basic faith in Jesus, but without intentional community, without incorporating spiritual practices, without choosing to follow Jesus, they ended up drifting away.
Deceit. And finally, we can be deceived. We believe a lie about who Jesus is and what life is all about; we come under spiritual influences that cloud our minds. We listen to a buddy at work or a brother we respect, and our faith is quelled; we read a compelling book or watch a viral video, and the argument presented seems so persuasive. Without ever exploring valid alternatives, we accept a lie and faith is dislodged. There is an enemy, and he seeks to deceive and devour.
So, which of the ten is most dangerous to your relationship with God? Which has tempted you to “draw back” from faith in Jesus? I think Tom Green’s list is very enlightening. Sadly, it is also very true. Is today the time when you reaffirm your commitment to God? Why not stop now and say a prayer reaffirming your love of Jesus?
July 9
“I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.” (Psalm 142:1–2, NLT)
A man from the congregation stopped by late one afternoon. He wanted to talk. Living in a parsonage at the time, I asked if he wanted to walk around the church grounds. It was a nice day. The sun was shining. I find it easy for people to walk and talk when upset. He agreed to the walk. As we ambled through the church property, he began to pour out his soul. He was filled with anxiety and hurt over a wrong done to him.
As we walked and talked, I hardly had to speak. The words just flew from his mouth. The pain of injustice was palpable. The deep hurt in his heart brought tears to his eyes. The betrayal of a trusted friend shook him to the core. Then, anger spilled forth… “Why had this happened?”
After a few more minutes of hurt and frustration spilled out, I asked, “What did you feel when you told this to God in your prayers?”
He replied with a shocked look upon his face, “I would NEVER complain and get upset like this in prayer to God! Are you crazy, Pastor? This stuff doesn’t belong in a prayer, for God’s sake!”
Therein lies the problem. This hurting man did not believe it right to speak to God about his personal hurts, his human feelings of anger at betrayal, about the emotions burning inside his heart. He thought these emotions were “too human and carnal” to bring to Almighty God. He didn’t want God to think less of him, so he refrained from speaking about any “lowly” human feelings in his prayers. What this man did not understand is that God desires you to share everything with him. God wants you to pour out your thoughts and hurts and emotions and fears and regrets and needs. God wants a REAL relationship with you, not some “holier than thou” kind of interaction!
The scripture for today confirms the desire of the Lord to have a REAL and INTIMATE relationship with you. In Psalm 142, David remarked, “I cry out to the Lord…” (Psalm 142:1). David believed that a healthy relationship with the Lord involved not only worship and praise, but also cries and tears and real emotions. When David wrote this psalm, he was in danger. He cowered in a cave, hiding from King Saul and the soldiers that sought to kill him. It was a frightening and terrible time in his life! David felt betrayed! Injustice surrounded him! Did David hide this from the Lord? NO WAY! David cried out as he prayed!
In the rest of the scripture for today, David continues to pour out his soul before the Lord. He uttered “complaints”! He spoke out about his “troubles”. In his relationship with the Lord, David did not hold back. He bared his soul before the Lord. He did not just share religious things. He talked about his troubles and pains and worries and fears. He uttered complaints about the unfairness of his situation. He wanted God’s help. He needed assurance. He trusted that God would listen and respond perfectly. David believed a healthy relationship with God began with honesty in prayer!
When is the last time you really opened up to God in honest, soul-baring prayer?
After kissing her eight-year-old boy goodnight, Joan walked over to the door, turned out the light to the bedroom, and softly closed the door behind her. Then, she listened. Usually when her son Caleb went to bed, he prayed. They used to pray together, but Caleb wanted to pray by himself now. As Joan listened, Caleb began to pray, “Dear God, my soul trusteth in thee. I sing praises to you. Amen.” Joan was totally confused. What kind of prayer was this? The next day, Joan asked Caleb about his prayer. Caleb responded, “That’s what Pastor Mark said in church last week when he prayed. Since his prayers are supposed to work, I used his words! Now, I know God will listen to me!”
Caleb thought that using “holy words” made God listen better. This little guy thought that if he said the “right words”, God would have a better chance of answering his prayers. Later, Caleb confessed that he didn’t understand what the pastor’s words meant, but he was sure they meant something very important! Sadly, by using someone else’s words, Caleb was not sharing what was in his own heart and soul. Caleb was not being honest in his own relationship with God. He thought using religious wording was what God wanted to hear. He was wrong!
Believe it or not, God wants to know the real you. God wants to hear the thoughts of your mind and heart and soul, even when they are selfish or wrong or hurtful or ignorant. If you are honest with God by opening up about what you are thinking and feeling, God will help you deal with the hurts and emotions and fears and realities of your life. Being honest with God opens you up to better healing and enables you to better understand your own weaknesses and strengths. That is why it is crucial that addicts speak about their addiction before the Lord. That is why you were taught to confess your sins to Almighty God.
God wants to know the details of your life, including your mistakes and sins and failures and successes and dreams and hopes and fears. You will NEVER have a deep and rewarding relationship with God by holding back what is going through your heart and soul and mind when praying! Don’t just act religious, be honest with God. Don’t hide your failures from God, openly confess them! Don’t show God only your good side; let God work with all your heart and soul. Maybe one reason you aren’t growing closer to God is that you are holding back the real you!
As we walked and talked, I hardly had to speak. The words just flew from his mouth. The pain of injustice was palpable. The deep hurt in his heart brought tears to his eyes. The betrayal of a trusted friend shook him to the core. Then, anger spilled forth… “Why had this happened?”
After a few more minutes of hurt and frustration spilled out, I asked, “What did you feel when you told this to God in your prayers?”
He replied with a shocked look upon his face, “I would NEVER complain and get upset like this in prayer to God! Are you crazy, Pastor? This stuff doesn’t belong in a prayer, for God’s sake!”
Therein lies the problem. This hurting man did not believe it right to speak to God about his personal hurts, his human feelings of anger at betrayal, about the emotions burning inside his heart. He thought these emotions were “too human and carnal” to bring to Almighty God. He didn’t want God to think less of him, so he refrained from speaking about any “lowly” human feelings in his prayers. What this man did not understand is that God desires you to share everything with him. God wants you to pour out your thoughts and hurts and emotions and fears and regrets and needs. God wants a REAL relationship with you, not some “holier than thou” kind of interaction!
The scripture for today confirms the desire of the Lord to have a REAL and INTIMATE relationship with you. In Psalm 142, David remarked, “I cry out to the Lord…” (Psalm 142:1). David believed that a healthy relationship with the Lord involved not only worship and praise, but also cries and tears and real emotions. When David wrote this psalm, he was in danger. He cowered in a cave, hiding from King Saul and the soldiers that sought to kill him. It was a frightening and terrible time in his life! David felt betrayed! Injustice surrounded him! Did David hide this from the Lord? NO WAY! David cried out as he prayed!
In the rest of the scripture for today, David continues to pour out his soul before the Lord. He uttered “complaints”! He spoke out about his “troubles”. In his relationship with the Lord, David did not hold back. He bared his soul before the Lord. He did not just share religious things. He talked about his troubles and pains and worries and fears. He uttered complaints about the unfairness of his situation. He wanted God’s help. He needed assurance. He trusted that God would listen and respond perfectly. David believed a healthy relationship with God began with honesty in prayer!
When is the last time you really opened up to God in honest, soul-baring prayer?
After kissing her eight-year-old boy goodnight, Joan walked over to the door, turned out the light to the bedroom, and softly closed the door behind her. Then, she listened. Usually when her son Caleb went to bed, he prayed. They used to pray together, but Caleb wanted to pray by himself now. As Joan listened, Caleb began to pray, “Dear God, my soul trusteth in thee. I sing praises to you. Amen.” Joan was totally confused. What kind of prayer was this? The next day, Joan asked Caleb about his prayer. Caleb responded, “That’s what Pastor Mark said in church last week when he prayed. Since his prayers are supposed to work, I used his words! Now, I know God will listen to me!”
Caleb thought that using “holy words” made God listen better. This little guy thought that if he said the “right words”, God would have a better chance of answering his prayers. Later, Caleb confessed that he didn’t understand what the pastor’s words meant, but he was sure they meant something very important! Sadly, by using someone else’s words, Caleb was not sharing what was in his own heart and soul. Caleb was not being honest in his own relationship with God. He thought using religious wording was what God wanted to hear. He was wrong!
Believe it or not, God wants to know the real you. God wants to hear the thoughts of your mind and heart and soul, even when they are selfish or wrong or hurtful or ignorant. If you are honest with God by opening up about what you are thinking and feeling, God will help you deal with the hurts and emotions and fears and realities of your life. Being honest with God opens you up to better healing and enables you to better understand your own weaknesses and strengths. That is why it is crucial that addicts speak about their addiction before the Lord. That is why you were taught to confess your sins to Almighty God.
God wants to know the details of your life, including your mistakes and sins and failures and successes and dreams and hopes and fears. You will NEVER have a deep and rewarding relationship with God by holding back what is going through your heart and soul and mind when praying! Don’t just act religious, be honest with God. Don’t hide your failures from God, openly confess them! Don’t show God only your good side; let God work with all your heart and soul. Maybe one reason you aren’t growing closer to God is that you are holding back the real you!
July 12
“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.”
(Isaiah 30:21, NLT)
(Isaiah 30:21, NLT)
In the days of Isaiah the prophet, Israel’s sin came between the people and God. Leaders were engaged in idolatry. Priests remained silent when they should have spoken up against the spiritual lawlessness in the land. The Israelites lived in sin. Lying was ever-present. Adultery, fornication, slander, and even murder became more and more common. Isaiah 30 describes Israel as “rebellious” twice in that chapter alone! Isaiah 30:9 explains how God became indignant when the people would not listen to His voice. They were deaf when God spoke! Because of this, war and famine and hunger came upon the people. All the while, it was God’s hope that someday the people would listen to His teachings. Isaiah 30:21 explains God’s hope that one day the people would “hear Him”. They would recognize God’s voice saying, “This is the way you should go”! (Isaiah 30:21b)
God wants to speak to the faithful. In Isaiah 30:9, God was frustrated when sin made the people deaf to His voice. God longed for the day when Israel could hear His direction and recognize His voice anew. This could only happen when they rejected sinfulness. It would only happen as the people returned to God’s law. This scripture is a reminder that not only do you need to follow God’s law, but you also need to get used to listening for God’s voice!
Yes, God does have a voice. Yes, God uses that voice to lead and guide the faithful. Yes, sin can make you unable to hear God’s voice.
In the Christmas movie, “The Polar Express”, the narrator describes the amazing effect of a bell from Santa’s sleigh. In this Christmas movie made for children, there is a scene in which the young boy who meets Santa is given a special gift of a Christmas bell from Santa’s sleigh. Only when the boy believes in Santa and the magic of Christmas can he hear the bell. The bell is thus a warning sign to let you know if you really believe in Santa and Christmas. In the ending of the movie, the narrator mentions that many adults can no longer hear the bell from Santa’s sleigh, because they no longer believe in the magic of Christmas!
Many people today no longer believe in the presence of Almighty God. Because of this, they have lost the ability to hear God’s voice. God is still speaking! God’s voice can still be heard. However, sinfulness and the lack of faith can make a person deaf to God’s voice. Is it no wonder that atheists cannot perceive God speaking to them?
Since God is still speaking, you need to learn to discern His voice. This begins with the need for you to follow God’s law, believe in Jesus, and start down that path of holiness. Then, along the way, listen for God’s leading. Learn to distinguish God’s voice. God will be talking to you, advising you, encouraging your faith, and showing love to you. God will be warning you of sins at your door. God will be directing your steps to keep you from succumbing to temptation. God wants you to know “which way to go” (Isaiah 30:21)!
“In his book What in the World Is God Doing?, Dr. Ted Engstrom relates a story told him by a veteran Korean Christian. In the early 1880s three Korean workmen, laboring in China, heard the gospel and embraced the Lord Jesus. The three soon conspired about getting the message of Christ into their own country, an action forbidden by the government. Since the Korean and Chinese alphabets were similar, they decided to smuggle in a copy of the Chinese Bible. They drew straws to see who would have the privilege of bringing the gospel into Korea.
The first man buried the Bible in his belongings and headed toward the border, a journey of many days by footpath. There he was searched, found out, and killed. Word reached the others that their friend was dead. The second man tore pages from his Bible and hid the separate pages throughout his luggage. He, too, made the long trip to the border only to be searched and beheaded.
The third man grew more determined than ever to succeed. He ingeniously tore his Bible apart page by page, folding each page into a tiny strip. He wove the strips into a rope and wrapped his baggage in his homemade rope. When he came to the border, the guards asked him to unwrap his belongings. Finding nothing amiss, they admitted him.
The man arrived home, untied the rope, and ironed out each page. He reassembled his Bible and began to preach Christ wherever he went.” (Robert J. Morgan, On This Day, July 11)
When God’s Word needed to be smuggled into Korea, three missionaries sought a way. God was with them, helping them. Sadly, two died in the process. The third used an ingenious method to smuggle the Bible into the country. The missionaries knew God wanted the Bible in Korea. God spoke to each of these missionaries to discover a method to get the Bible to Korea. Despite the threats, intimidation, torture, and death, missionaries found a way to smuggle God’s word into that restrictive world. Koreans needed to be introduced to God’s Word, taught of God’s character, and discern God’s voice!
The closer you get to God, the more you will perceive His voice coming your way. You might find a scripture in the Bible standing out as you read. As a friend speaks, you might discern a message from God floating through between the sentences. As you pray, you might feel a tug to go in a certain direction or the need to deal with a recurring temptation. There are thousands of ways God will speak to you! And God will speak to you!
Is God trying to show you a new “way to go”? How well do you recognize God’s voice? Whenever you come up against obstacles, do not be surprised if God is showing you a better way to overcome! Trust His voice!
God wants to speak to the faithful. In Isaiah 30:9, God was frustrated when sin made the people deaf to His voice. God longed for the day when Israel could hear His direction and recognize His voice anew. This could only happen when they rejected sinfulness. It would only happen as the people returned to God’s law. This scripture is a reminder that not only do you need to follow God’s law, but you also need to get used to listening for God’s voice!
Yes, God does have a voice. Yes, God uses that voice to lead and guide the faithful. Yes, sin can make you unable to hear God’s voice.
In the Christmas movie, “The Polar Express”, the narrator describes the amazing effect of a bell from Santa’s sleigh. In this Christmas movie made for children, there is a scene in which the young boy who meets Santa is given a special gift of a Christmas bell from Santa’s sleigh. Only when the boy believes in Santa and the magic of Christmas can he hear the bell. The bell is thus a warning sign to let you know if you really believe in Santa and Christmas. In the ending of the movie, the narrator mentions that many adults can no longer hear the bell from Santa’s sleigh, because they no longer believe in the magic of Christmas!
Many people today no longer believe in the presence of Almighty God. Because of this, they have lost the ability to hear God’s voice. God is still speaking! God’s voice can still be heard. However, sinfulness and the lack of faith can make a person deaf to God’s voice. Is it no wonder that atheists cannot perceive God speaking to them?
Since God is still speaking, you need to learn to discern His voice. This begins with the need for you to follow God’s law, believe in Jesus, and start down that path of holiness. Then, along the way, listen for God’s leading. Learn to distinguish God’s voice. God will be talking to you, advising you, encouraging your faith, and showing love to you. God will be warning you of sins at your door. God will be directing your steps to keep you from succumbing to temptation. God wants you to know “which way to go” (Isaiah 30:21)!
“In his book What in the World Is God Doing?, Dr. Ted Engstrom relates a story told him by a veteran Korean Christian. In the early 1880s three Korean workmen, laboring in China, heard the gospel and embraced the Lord Jesus. The three soon conspired about getting the message of Christ into their own country, an action forbidden by the government. Since the Korean and Chinese alphabets were similar, they decided to smuggle in a copy of the Chinese Bible. They drew straws to see who would have the privilege of bringing the gospel into Korea.
The first man buried the Bible in his belongings and headed toward the border, a journey of many days by footpath. There he was searched, found out, and killed. Word reached the others that their friend was dead. The second man tore pages from his Bible and hid the separate pages throughout his luggage. He, too, made the long trip to the border only to be searched and beheaded.
The third man grew more determined than ever to succeed. He ingeniously tore his Bible apart page by page, folding each page into a tiny strip. He wove the strips into a rope and wrapped his baggage in his homemade rope. When he came to the border, the guards asked him to unwrap his belongings. Finding nothing amiss, they admitted him.
The man arrived home, untied the rope, and ironed out each page. He reassembled his Bible and began to preach Christ wherever he went.” (Robert J. Morgan, On This Day, July 11)
When God’s Word needed to be smuggled into Korea, three missionaries sought a way. God was with them, helping them. Sadly, two died in the process. The third used an ingenious method to smuggle the Bible into the country. The missionaries knew God wanted the Bible in Korea. God spoke to each of these missionaries to discover a method to get the Bible to Korea. Despite the threats, intimidation, torture, and death, missionaries found a way to smuggle God’s word into that restrictive world. Koreans needed to be introduced to God’s Word, taught of God’s character, and discern God’s voice!
The closer you get to God, the more you will perceive His voice coming your way. You might find a scripture in the Bible standing out as you read. As a friend speaks, you might discern a message from God floating through between the sentences. As you pray, you might feel a tug to go in a certain direction or the need to deal with a recurring temptation. There are thousands of ways God will speak to you! And God will speak to you!
Is God trying to show you a new “way to go”? How well do you recognize God’s voice? Whenever you come up against obstacles, do not be surprised if God is showing you a better way to overcome! Trust His voice!
July 14
“And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”” (Mark 8:29, RSV)
The world does not look at Jesus the way a true follower looks at our Savior. Oh no! The world cannot see Jesus as the “the Christ” or “the Son of God” or even “Lord and Savior”! To give Jesus a title like one of these implies you have faith in Jesus. They can’t do that. They cannot take the leap of faith required to make Jesus Lord and Savior. They cannot begin to comprehend what it means that Jesus is THE Christ! So, worldly people “reinterpret” Jesus. They recast Him in more “worldly” terms. They not only remove his Holiness, but they also reinterpret His meaning to the world. If you do not learn the “real” Jesus from scripture, you will end up getting to know a “worldly”, “watered-down”, “thoroughly human” version of Jesus. Then, you will not personally know Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
To appeal to voters, one politician remarked that Jesus was “a great man”. A scholar, not wanting to be asked the question but being put on the spot, called Jesus a “very wise man”. Each of these two want you to believe that there is no divinity in Jesus. He was a great and wise man, but only a man. They cannot make the leap that Jesus is divine or even holy. A writer, when asked about Jesus, noted that Jesus was “a great figure of history”. This person cannot call Jesus a Savior or Lord, because the person views Jesus as only an historical figure; a person in a footnote from an ancient manuscript. This person cannot even call Jesus “holy”! Even in the church, there are too many people who use worldly terms and views to describe Jesus. I have heard people from the pews call Jesus “a holy man” or “a Jewish prophet” or even “a man sent from God”. All of these words again describe aspects of Jesus’ life. However, they do not ascribe to Jesus the status of THE SON OF GOD or THE CHRIST. Instead, they too see Jesus as a man of history, even if they claim that He spoke of righteousness and holiness. Well, I can speak about righteousness and holiness, but that does not make me The Son of God!
Our scripture for today gets to the heart of the issue. Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them point blank, “But who do YOU say that I am?” (Mark 8:29). This question forces the disciples to admit what they personally believe. Peter responds, “You are the Christ”. The title “Christ” is a Greek word form meaning “Messiah”, one sent to save the people of Israel. Peter doesn’t see Jesus as just a man or even just a holy man. There are other holy men of history. Peter claims Jesus is THE CHRIST. Jesus is the special one sent by God the Father to save the people from their sins. Jesus is the Messiah sent from God the Father to redeem the people of Israel. Thus, Jesus is the Chosen One, like none other!
A few decades ago, Ted Turner gave the world “10 Voluntary Initiatives”. Like many other worldly people of his day, he did not believe that the 10 commandments were sent by God so that everyone could live faithfully. No. Instead, he saw the 10 commandments as mere religious words, and substituted his own 10 Voluntary Initiatives in their place. He did not see the 10 commandments as holy, as the Word of God, nor as words sent by God and meant to be lived out by all human beings. No. Turner saw the 10 commandments as mere religious wordage. He deemed his own 10 Voluntary Initiatives just as worthy of respect. If Ted Turner were asked by Jesus, “Who do YOU think that I am?”, he would not answer with The Christ. He did not see the 10 Commandments as the supreme word of God nor Jesus as the Lord and Savior meant to save the world from sin. For people like Turner, Jesus was an historical figure. They see the 10 commandments as merely recorded historical human words.
The Inspirational Study Bible gave comment on Jesus’ words from Mark 8:29. The commentary chosen by faithful believers in Jesus as the Christ wrote the following:
“Jesus turns [to his disciples] and asks them the question. The question. “But who do you say that I am?”
He doesn’t ask, “What do you think about what I’ve done.” He asks, “Who do you say that I am.” …
He doesn’t ask, “Who do your friends think? … Who do your parents think? … Who do your peers think…?” He poses instead a starkly personal query, “Who do you think I am?” …
You have been asked some important questions in your life:
Will you marry me?
Would you be interested in a transfer?
What would you think if I told you I was pregnant?
You’ve been asked some important questions. But the grandest of them is an anthill compared to the Everest found in the eighth chapter of Mark.
Who do you say that I am?”
(as quoted by Max Lucado in Grace for the Moment, p. 154)
There will come a time when you need to decide who Jesus is TO YOU! Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Is He the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Or, is Jesus a great man from history, a famous historical figure, or a holy man, or prophet? People who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus can believe Jesus was a holy man but not believe He is the Christ! Worldly people can call Jesus a prophet! Unbelievers can claim Jesus as a great man of history! Still, you need to decide if you are going to go one step further. Will you claim Jesus as YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YOUR REDEEMER, THE CHRIST?
I end this meditation for today with Jesus’ question. It is a personal question just for you. “Who do you say Jesus is?” Only the true follower of Jesus can make the leap of faith to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and Christ. Peter could do it! Can you?
To appeal to voters, one politician remarked that Jesus was “a great man”. A scholar, not wanting to be asked the question but being put on the spot, called Jesus a “very wise man”. Each of these two want you to believe that there is no divinity in Jesus. He was a great and wise man, but only a man. They cannot make the leap that Jesus is divine or even holy. A writer, when asked about Jesus, noted that Jesus was “a great figure of history”. This person cannot call Jesus a Savior or Lord, because the person views Jesus as only an historical figure; a person in a footnote from an ancient manuscript. This person cannot even call Jesus “holy”! Even in the church, there are too many people who use worldly terms and views to describe Jesus. I have heard people from the pews call Jesus “a holy man” or “a Jewish prophet” or even “a man sent from God”. All of these words again describe aspects of Jesus’ life. However, they do not ascribe to Jesus the status of THE SON OF GOD or THE CHRIST. Instead, they too see Jesus as a man of history, even if they claim that He spoke of righteousness and holiness. Well, I can speak about righteousness and holiness, but that does not make me The Son of God!
Our scripture for today gets to the heart of the issue. Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them point blank, “But who do YOU say that I am?” (Mark 8:29). This question forces the disciples to admit what they personally believe. Peter responds, “You are the Christ”. The title “Christ” is a Greek word form meaning “Messiah”, one sent to save the people of Israel. Peter doesn’t see Jesus as just a man or even just a holy man. There are other holy men of history. Peter claims Jesus is THE CHRIST. Jesus is the special one sent by God the Father to save the people from their sins. Jesus is the Messiah sent from God the Father to redeem the people of Israel. Thus, Jesus is the Chosen One, like none other!
A few decades ago, Ted Turner gave the world “10 Voluntary Initiatives”. Like many other worldly people of his day, he did not believe that the 10 commandments were sent by God so that everyone could live faithfully. No. Instead, he saw the 10 commandments as mere religious words, and substituted his own 10 Voluntary Initiatives in their place. He did not see the 10 commandments as holy, as the Word of God, nor as words sent by God and meant to be lived out by all human beings. No. Turner saw the 10 commandments as mere religious wordage. He deemed his own 10 Voluntary Initiatives just as worthy of respect. If Ted Turner were asked by Jesus, “Who do YOU think that I am?”, he would not answer with The Christ. He did not see the 10 Commandments as the supreme word of God nor Jesus as the Lord and Savior meant to save the world from sin. For people like Turner, Jesus was an historical figure. They see the 10 commandments as merely recorded historical human words.
The Inspirational Study Bible gave comment on Jesus’ words from Mark 8:29. The commentary chosen by faithful believers in Jesus as the Christ wrote the following:
“Jesus turns [to his disciples] and asks them the question. The question. “But who do you say that I am?”
He doesn’t ask, “What do you think about what I’ve done.” He asks, “Who do you say that I am.” …
He doesn’t ask, “Who do your friends think? … Who do your parents think? … Who do your peers think…?” He poses instead a starkly personal query, “Who do you think I am?” …
You have been asked some important questions in your life:
Will you marry me?
Would you be interested in a transfer?
What would you think if I told you I was pregnant?
You’ve been asked some important questions. But the grandest of them is an anthill compared to the Everest found in the eighth chapter of Mark.
Who do you say that I am?”
(as quoted by Max Lucado in Grace for the Moment, p. 154)
There will come a time when you need to decide who Jesus is TO YOU! Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? Is He the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Or, is Jesus a great man from history, a famous historical figure, or a holy man, or prophet? People who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus can believe Jesus was a holy man but not believe He is the Christ! Worldly people can call Jesus a prophet! Unbelievers can claim Jesus as a great man of history! Still, you need to decide if you are going to go one step further. Will you claim Jesus as YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YOUR REDEEMER, THE CHRIST?
I end this meditation for today with Jesus’ question. It is a personal question just for you. “Who do you say Jesus is?” Only the true follower of Jesus can make the leap of faith to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and Christ. Peter could do it! Can you?
July 16
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, RSV)
Walking on the job site, the supervisor saw a carpenter applying wood putty to all the nail holes so that the paint job would look perfect. The supervisor understood that the nails were imbedded in the wood far enough so that the wood putty would not only hide the nail holes but make the paint job look extremely professional. But, to the eye of the supervisor, one nail hole looked misplaced. As the carpenter covered that specific nail damage in the wood with the putty, the supervisor asked, “Isn’t that nail a little high? I thought there were water lines behind this part of the wall?” The carpenter assured the supervisor that everything was “double-checked”. Sure enough, when the water was turned back on later that day, a leak showed through the drywall. A nail had been put into the wall too high and perforated the water pipe. Though the wall was perfectly finished, the pipe leak damaged the entire section of wall. All the work done to the wall had to ripped out to replace an entire four-foot section due to one misplaced nail that had been hidden and painted over. The supervisor mentioned to the carpenters on the job, “You can’t cover up serious mistakes like this. You guys should know better. We had to stop all the work on the site for two hours to fix this mess. And the homeowners were present when the flooding occurred! You know how this makes us look?”
There are things in life you can’t just gloss over, hide, paint over, hoping they go away.
When we lived in West Allis, Wisconsin, the workers on our road made a mistake connecting the sewer pipe. The day before the brand-new concrete roadway was poured, a plumber told the construction supervisor that a mistake had been made on the sewer connections. The construction supervisor said that there were no mistakes on the plans he was given. Three days after the beautiful new concrete road was poured in front of our house, they had to cut up a section of the new road and replace it with asphalt AFTER they fixed the section of sewer pipe that was not connected. The mistake was not shown on the construction supervisor’s papers. The workers had made the mistake but not written it up, so it remained hidden until after the road was poured. They had to tear apart everything in front of our house, making a ten-foot-deep hole and destroy some brand new concrete to find their own blunder! Boy, was the road supervisor mad when twenty people stood around the hole in the brand-new road to find the mistake his own workers had made! This was after he blamed us and our plumber for being stupid enough to question his work!
It’s crazy to me what people will try to cover over or hide; mistakes that are glossed over or hidden!
Max Lucado’s daughter Andrea gave another perfect example of this in his daughter’s “owie”! He wrote of the interaction: “Some time ago my daughter Andrea got splinter in her finger. I took her to the restroom and set out some tweezers, ointment, and a Band-Aid. She didn’t like what she saw. “I just want the Band-Aid, Daddy.”
Sometimes we are just like Andrea. We come to Christ with our sin, but all we want is a covering. We want to skip the treatment. We want to hide our sin. And one wonders if God, even in his great mercy, will heal what we conceal. How can God heal what we deny? How can God touch what we cover up? We do ourselves no favors in justifying our deeds or glossing over our sins.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 224)
You might think you don’t gloss over or cover your sins. You might think you don’t have a need to confess something. The fact is, you probably did at some point in your life. When you cover up your sins or downplay their attachment to your life, it is all too easy to think they aren’t there; that they aren’t doing their little evil works! But that’s the thing! Buried and covered up sin always comes back to haunt you spiritually. AND, it often bleeds its sickness into other parts of your life. Then, one day you are suddenly overcome with tears when you don’t know why, or the death of a close friend puts you in a tailspin. You may not realize how dangerously covered and hidden sins eat away at your soul, at the fringes of your mind, at the core of your heart. They cause insecurities and fears to jump up out of seeming nowhere. They cause you to feel doubt. They cause little jealousies to arise in your heart. They make you second-guess your own salvation.
1 John 1:8, our scripture for today, is a reminder that when we deny our own sins or bury them, “we deceive ourselves” and “the truth is not in us”. Honestly, denying our own sins is a prelude to believing lies around us. Lies about our own sins cause errors in judgment and distorted understandings of reality. They can make God appear as judgmental and wrongs appear justified. They can make the truth seem unreasonable and lies seem righteous. Hidden and buried sins covered for a long time can turn your life upside down without you even realizing their influence.
If you ever want to be real with God, you must be honest about your sins. If you desire to have a healthy spiritual life, buried sins must be uncovered. They must be confessed. You need to ask for forgiveness and grace from God in handling each and every one.
As you work through your spiritual thoughts about this meditation a few things may come to light:
1) You may doubt you have any buried sins when most people carry around a few.
2)You may downplay the significance of small sins in messing you up. Don’t!
3)Satan enjoys toying with your mind about buried sins. He loves to shove them in your face in order to manipulate you!
4)Confession is always good for the soul!
5)Confession today is a thousand times better than confession held back for a long time.
Examine your heart, soul, and mind today. Have you buried something that needed to be brought to the light of God?
There are things in life you can’t just gloss over, hide, paint over, hoping they go away.
When we lived in West Allis, Wisconsin, the workers on our road made a mistake connecting the sewer pipe. The day before the brand-new concrete roadway was poured, a plumber told the construction supervisor that a mistake had been made on the sewer connections. The construction supervisor said that there were no mistakes on the plans he was given. Three days after the beautiful new concrete road was poured in front of our house, they had to cut up a section of the new road and replace it with asphalt AFTER they fixed the section of sewer pipe that was not connected. The mistake was not shown on the construction supervisor’s papers. The workers had made the mistake but not written it up, so it remained hidden until after the road was poured. They had to tear apart everything in front of our house, making a ten-foot-deep hole and destroy some brand new concrete to find their own blunder! Boy, was the road supervisor mad when twenty people stood around the hole in the brand-new road to find the mistake his own workers had made! This was after he blamed us and our plumber for being stupid enough to question his work!
It’s crazy to me what people will try to cover over or hide; mistakes that are glossed over or hidden!
Max Lucado’s daughter Andrea gave another perfect example of this in his daughter’s “owie”! He wrote of the interaction: “Some time ago my daughter Andrea got splinter in her finger. I took her to the restroom and set out some tweezers, ointment, and a Band-Aid. She didn’t like what she saw. “I just want the Band-Aid, Daddy.”
Sometimes we are just like Andrea. We come to Christ with our sin, but all we want is a covering. We want to skip the treatment. We want to hide our sin. And one wonders if God, even in his great mercy, will heal what we conceal. How can God heal what we deny? How can God touch what we cover up? We do ourselves no favors in justifying our deeds or glossing over our sins.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 224)
You might think you don’t gloss over or cover your sins. You might think you don’t have a need to confess something. The fact is, you probably did at some point in your life. When you cover up your sins or downplay their attachment to your life, it is all too easy to think they aren’t there; that they aren’t doing their little evil works! But that’s the thing! Buried and covered up sin always comes back to haunt you spiritually. AND, it often bleeds its sickness into other parts of your life. Then, one day you are suddenly overcome with tears when you don’t know why, or the death of a close friend puts you in a tailspin. You may not realize how dangerously covered and hidden sins eat away at your soul, at the fringes of your mind, at the core of your heart. They cause insecurities and fears to jump up out of seeming nowhere. They cause you to feel doubt. They cause little jealousies to arise in your heart. They make you second-guess your own salvation.
1 John 1:8, our scripture for today, is a reminder that when we deny our own sins or bury them, “we deceive ourselves” and “the truth is not in us”. Honestly, denying our own sins is a prelude to believing lies around us. Lies about our own sins cause errors in judgment and distorted understandings of reality. They can make God appear as judgmental and wrongs appear justified. They can make the truth seem unreasonable and lies seem righteous. Hidden and buried sins covered for a long time can turn your life upside down without you even realizing their influence.
If you ever want to be real with God, you must be honest about your sins. If you desire to have a healthy spiritual life, buried sins must be uncovered. They must be confessed. You need to ask for forgiveness and grace from God in handling each and every one.
As you work through your spiritual thoughts about this meditation a few things may come to light:
1) You may doubt you have any buried sins when most people carry around a few.
2)You may downplay the significance of small sins in messing you up. Don’t!
3)Satan enjoys toying with your mind about buried sins. He loves to shove them in your face in order to manipulate you!
4)Confession is always good for the soul!
5)Confession today is a thousand times better than confession held back for a long time.
Examine your heart, soul, and mind today. Have you buried something that needed to be brought to the light of God?
July 18
“For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:20, NLT)
When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel, He cautioned them on where to go and what would happen. In His words of preparation, Jesus spoke the words in the scripture for today. He informed the disciples that when the Holy Spirit is an active influence in your life, that Holy Spirit will come through in your interactions with others. The Holy Spirit will alter your words so that others may sense God’s presence or get God’s message. The Holy Spirit will change your plans to bless God’s purpose. You will be an active participant in the Kingdom of God! God will be working directly through you!
Read this account: “ONE OF THE MOST powerful and misunderstood dynamics of the Holy Spirit is his ability to speak to us and guide us in our daily life. He gives us wisdom and direction when we need them. I’ve experienced his guidance numerous times in my life, and it never ceases to amaze me.
A few years ago, I desperately needed guidance. I had been praying about a critical decision that I needed to make on behalf of my family. For eight months I prayed for help, yet no answer seemed to come. One Thursday evening I stayed up late into the night pleading for some kind of direction. I wrote my thoughts out on my computer, journaling an answer that I would willingly accept if God would only show me that that was his will for us. Then I appealed to God to somehow let me know.
Sunday morning came, and I woke up earlier than usual. I was wide-awake and immediately felt the Lord speaking to my spirit. He was telling me to attend an early service at a church across town. This wasn’t our regular church, so his request didn’t make any sense to me. But God persisted, so I explained the feeling to my wife and went. When I arrived, I was shocked to see a good friend of mine—Wes, a man that I had known for several years. I sat beside him, and he seemed extremely nervous. Wes told me that he, too, had been roused from his sleep by God that morning and prompted to attend the early service of this church. Wes went on to explain that God had laid a specific message on his heart the previous night—a message for me. He had told his wife of it and had planned on sharing it with me the next time we saw each other, yet he had no idea it would be so soon. The message made no sense to him, yet it was very clear, he told me. You can imagine my anticipation.
When Wes spoke the words that God had put on his heart, they literally sent chills down my spine. He repeated word for word the answer that I had written on my computer four days earlier. The words that I had recorded and prayed over. He spoke three full sentences, exactly as I had written them. I was speechless. God had given me an answer, and he had done it in the most powerful way possible.
“When the Spirit of truth comes,” Jesus says, “he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). God may surprise us, but he won’t let us down.” (Tim LaHaye, Embracing Eternity: Living Each Day with a Heart Toward Heaven, p. 208)
God constantly influences things in our world. The Holy Sprit is vitally active and instrumental in the lives of people around you. God’s Spirit is active in you, right? With the activity of the Holy Spirit, messages and healing and holiness will flow forth from those who actively participate in the Kingdom of God. They will advance Jesus’ gospel in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. They will be influenced to help, pushed to be faithful when others are not, forgiven, and charged with a mission plan. You are part of God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit is already working through you. Have you noticed? How has God influenced you to an action? Did you ever feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in a special moment?
Prayer has a way of preparing your heart and soul for Spiritual action. Study of God’s word helps to influence your participation in God’s Kingdom. Having a clean conscience and a forgiven heart humbles you, preparing you for the path you must take. If you don’t respond to the leading of God’s Spirit, God will find another more faithful soul to follow Heavenly leading!
It surprises me that lifelong Christians can think themselves so holy that they are the only ones God uses in His redeeming work. Sometimes, it’s the broken soul or the new Christian that responds to the Holy Spirit’s direction!
Daniel was a drug addict. After a night of hard partying, his best friend died of a drug interaction. It tore apart Daniel’s soul. Daniel loved his best friend. The two were inseparable. Daniel had purchased the drugs that got his best friend killed. Nobody knew of Daniel’s part in his best friend’s death, except God and Daniel. That’s when God’s Spirit went to work.
In the weeks that followed the funeral for his best friend, Daniel’s personality changed. He went through a period of intense soul-searching. He began to pray again, like when he was younger. He stopped using drugs. He even began to attend a church. Nobody knew him there, and Daniel liked it that way. He wanted to find new meaning in life, beyond the drug scene, beyond the shallowness of his recent existence.
As Daniel was listening to the sermon of the pastor one Sunday morning, he began to feel discomfort. It wasn’t anything physical. It was emotional. It was spiritual. At the time, Daniel hardly recognized that the Holy Spirit was talking to him. Despite his lack of spiritual depth, Daniel listened to the Spirit. He felt called to speak to the lady at the end of his pew. When the service finished, Daniel went up to the woman and said, “Please forgive me, but I felt like I’m supposed to tell you something.” The woman’s eyes grew wide. She asked him what he was talking about. Daniel said simply, “I just felt that you are supposed to let it go. I have no idea what that means, but I just get this phrase in my head repeated over and over, “Let it go!””
Daniel didn’t know it at the time, but he had spoken to a woman who was on her tenth year of intense guilt. She lost a baby at childbirth. She blamed herself. She kept thinking that if she would have eaten differently, visited the doctor more often, or maybe had a few tests before birth, the baby would have been born healthy. She lived with an intense guilt that she was not only responsible for the baby’s death, but her sinful life was a contributing factor. For ten years, she beat herself up. That Sunday Daniel spoke to her was the anniversary of her baby’s death. She had been completely unable to hear the sermon due to her own overwhelming guilt. That is, until a man in her pew named Daniel gave her that message from God. She needed to let her guilt go to God. She needed to let the pain go. She needed grace. She was so very thankful for Daniel’s words. Her life changed in that moment. She finally accepted God’s healing love.
Daniel spoke to me following the interaction. He said, “I felt so stupid talking to that woman I hardly knew.” I said to Daniel, “You have no idea what God’s Spirit did in her!” Later, I was able to relay to him exactly what his message accomplished. To this day, Daniel sees that moment as a pivotal time in his spiritual life. Now, Daniel strives every day to listen to God and follow the Spirit’s leading.
I have seen it thousands of times. It has happened to me on countless occasions. The Holy Spirit speaks to me, prompts me to do or say something, and I follow through. I am often amazed at the response when this occurs. Lives are changed. People are forgiven. Tears break out. Souls are lifted. Old hurts are healed. So many things can occur when the Spirit is actively working through you!
After Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Holy Spirit working through them, they went out to preach. Lives were redeemed. We are told that when the disciples were sent out by Jesus, demons were silenced, people were healed, grace was transferred. Love grew! Isn’t it amazing and beautiful what happens when we let the Holy Spirit work in and through us? Isn’t it awesome when the Holy Spirit speaks through us and the world around us is changed for the better?
Read this account: “ONE OF THE MOST powerful and misunderstood dynamics of the Holy Spirit is his ability to speak to us and guide us in our daily life. He gives us wisdom and direction when we need them. I’ve experienced his guidance numerous times in my life, and it never ceases to amaze me.
A few years ago, I desperately needed guidance. I had been praying about a critical decision that I needed to make on behalf of my family. For eight months I prayed for help, yet no answer seemed to come. One Thursday evening I stayed up late into the night pleading for some kind of direction. I wrote my thoughts out on my computer, journaling an answer that I would willingly accept if God would only show me that that was his will for us. Then I appealed to God to somehow let me know.
Sunday morning came, and I woke up earlier than usual. I was wide-awake and immediately felt the Lord speaking to my spirit. He was telling me to attend an early service at a church across town. This wasn’t our regular church, so his request didn’t make any sense to me. But God persisted, so I explained the feeling to my wife and went. When I arrived, I was shocked to see a good friend of mine—Wes, a man that I had known for several years. I sat beside him, and he seemed extremely nervous. Wes told me that he, too, had been roused from his sleep by God that morning and prompted to attend the early service of this church. Wes went on to explain that God had laid a specific message on his heart the previous night—a message for me. He had told his wife of it and had planned on sharing it with me the next time we saw each other, yet he had no idea it would be so soon. The message made no sense to him, yet it was very clear, he told me. You can imagine my anticipation.
When Wes spoke the words that God had put on his heart, they literally sent chills down my spine. He repeated word for word the answer that I had written on my computer four days earlier. The words that I had recorded and prayed over. He spoke three full sentences, exactly as I had written them. I was speechless. God had given me an answer, and he had done it in the most powerful way possible.
“When the Spirit of truth comes,” Jesus says, “he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). God may surprise us, but he won’t let us down.” (Tim LaHaye, Embracing Eternity: Living Each Day with a Heart Toward Heaven, p. 208)
God constantly influences things in our world. The Holy Sprit is vitally active and instrumental in the lives of people around you. God’s Spirit is active in you, right? With the activity of the Holy Spirit, messages and healing and holiness will flow forth from those who actively participate in the Kingdom of God. They will advance Jesus’ gospel in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. They will be influenced to help, pushed to be faithful when others are not, forgiven, and charged with a mission plan. You are part of God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit is already working through you. Have you noticed? How has God influenced you to an action? Did you ever feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in a special moment?
Prayer has a way of preparing your heart and soul for Spiritual action. Study of God’s word helps to influence your participation in God’s Kingdom. Having a clean conscience and a forgiven heart humbles you, preparing you for the path you must take. If you don’t respond to the leading of God’s Spirit, God will find another more faithful soul to follow Heavenly leading!
It surprises me that lifelong Christians can think themselves so holy that they are the only ones God uses in His redeeming work. Sometimes, it’s the broken soul or the new Christian that responds to the Holy Spirit’s direction!
Daniel was a drug addict. After a night of hard partying, his best friend died of a drug interaction. It tore apart Daniel’s soul. Daniel loved his best friend. The two were inseparable. Daniel had purchased the drugs that got his best friend killed. Nobody knew of Daniel’s part in his best friend’s death, except God and Daniel. That’s when God’s Spirit went to work.
In the weeks that followed the funeral for his best friend, Daniel’s personality changed. He went through a period of intense soul-searching. He began to pray again, like when he was younger. He stopped using drugs. He even began to attend a church. Nobody knew him there, and Daniel liked it that way. He wanted to find new meaning in life, beyond the drug scene, beyond the shallowness of his recent existence.
As Daniel was listening to the sermon of the pastor one Sunday morning, he began to feel discomfort. It wasn’t anything physical. It was emotional. It was spiritual. At the time, Daniel hardly recognized that the Holy Spirit was talking to him. Despite his lack of spiritual depth, Daniel listened to the Spirit. He felt called to speak to the lady at the end of his pew. When the service finished, Daniel went up to the woman and said, “Please forgive me, but I felt like I’m supposed to tell you something.” The woman’s eyes grew wide. She asked him what he was talking about. Daniel said simply, “I just felt that you are supposed to let it go. I have no idea what that means, but I just get this phrase in my head repeated over and over, “Let it go!””
Daniel didn’t know it at the time, but he had spoken to a woman who was on her tenth year of intense guilt. She lost a baby at childbirth. She blamed herself. She kept thinking that if she would have eaten differently, visited the doctor more often, or maybe had a few tests before birth, the baby would have been born healthy. She lived with an intense guilt that she was not only responsible for the baby’s death, but her sinful life was a contributing factor. For ten years, she beat herself up. That Sunday Daniel spoke to her was the anniversary of her baby’s death. She had been completely unable to hear the sermon due to her own overwhelming guilt. That is, until a man in her pew named Daniel gave her that message from God. She needed to let her guilt go to God. She needed to let the pain go. She needed grace. She was so very thankful for Daniel’s words. Her life changed in that moment. She finally accepted God’s healing love.
Daniel spoke to me following the interaction. He said, “I felt so stupid talking to that woman I hardly knew.” I said to Daniel, “You have no idea what God’s Spirit did in her!” Later, I was able to relay to him exactly what his message accomplished. To this day, Daniel sees that moment as a pivotal time in his spiritual life. Now, Daniel strives every day to listen to God and follow the Spirit’s leading.
I have seen it thousands of times. It has happened to me on countless occasions. The Holy Spirit speaks to me, prompts me to do or say something, and I follow through. I am often amazed at the response when this occurs. Lives are changed. People are forgiven. Tears break out. Souls are lifted. Old hurts are healed. So many things can occur when the Spirit is actively working through you!
After Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Holy Spirit working through them, they went out to preach. Lives were redeemed. We are told that when the disciples were sent out by Jesus, demons were silenced, people were healed, grace was transferred. Love grew! Isn’t it amazing and beautiful what happens when we let the Holy Spirit work in and through us? Isn’t it awesome when the Holy Spirit speaks through us and the world around us is changed for the better?
July 20
“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You [God] knew my path. … Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul.” (Psalm 142:3–4, NASB95)
Look closely at the scripture above. It is a psalm of David when he was hiding for his life. He was practically alone. Many friends and family had abandoned him. Soldiers from the enemy sought to kill him. He hid in a cave. There, he created this psalm. In this psalm, David mentioned that though nobody seemed to “care for his soul” (Psalm 142:4), God knew his exact “path” (Psalm 142:3). Though people were out to silence David, God was there to guard him. Though the soldiers sought to kill him, God desired to protect him. David had been abandoned by people but not by God. God was there with him in the cave. God was “caring for his soul”. David had God’s full attention.
You may go through periods in your life when you wonder if anybody notices you. Like David, you may feel as if “no one cares for my soul”. After making a mistake, family may turn against you. If you become unpopular due to your opinions, friends may abandon you. If you change political affiliation, people may cease speaking with you. If you befriend an unpopular figure, society may turn its back on you. Throughout it all, God will desire to commune with your soul. God will actively pursue prayer time to speak with you. God cares deeply about the “path” (Psalm 142:3) you have taken.
God cares so much about you that God will often try to get your attention to protect you, guard you, save you, forgive you, or rescue you. God is active in and around you. Do you notice God’s presence? Like David, do you recognize that God is fully aware of the path you are on and the choices you have made? Are you aware when God wants your full attention?
“How far do you want God to go in getting your attention? If God has to choose between your eternal safety and your earthly comfort, which do you hope he chooses? What if he moved you to another land? (As he did Abraham.) What if he called you out of retirement? (Remember Moses?) How about the voice of an angel or the bowel of a fish? (A la Gideon and Jonah.) How about a promotion like Daniel’s or a demotion like Samson’s?
God does what it takes to get our attention. Isn’t that the message of the Bible? The relentless pursuit of God. God on the hunt. God in the search. Peeking under the bed for hiding kids, stirring the bushes for lost sheep.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 226)
While visiting Washington, DC, a reporter was shocked to see a certain politician walking on the street next to her. You see, just a month before, this politician was surrounded by reporters, photographers hounded his every move, and everyone wanted an exclusive interview with this man. But, just one month later, he could walk down the streets completely unnoticed. Nobody seemed to care who he was or why he was there. The reporter later wrote: “He was just another nobody on the street.”
To God, this politician is not “just another nobody”. You are not “just another nobody”. God knows your heart and soul and mind intimately. Your choices are incredibly important. Your spiritual life is crucial. Your relationship with God is a top priority. People may walk past you without giving you a second glance. God notices you every time.
While walking past a telephone booth some years ago in Long Beach, California, a police officer noticed a piece of paper taped to the glass. An unknown dope addict lost in the dream world of heroin scribbled the following words:
King Heroin is my shepherd, I shall always want.
He maketh me to lie down in the gutters. He leadeth me beside the troubled water.
He destroyeth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of wickedness for the effort's sake.
Yea, I sail walk through the valley of poverty. I will fear all evil for thou,
Heroine, art with me.
Thy needle and capsule try to comfort me.
Thou strippest the table of groceries in the presence of my family. Thou robbest my head of reason, my cup of sorrow runneth over. Surely heroin addiction shall stalk me all the day of my life and I will dwell in house of the damned forever.
This poor addict knew Psalm 23! Despite his knowledge of the Bible, he struggled terribly with heroin addiction. Nobody saw him pen this poem of suffering in that phone booth. Nobody knew the man who wrote it. But God knew. God was working on his addiction. God’s word was reverberating through his day, infiltrating his thoughts. Even in his drugged stupor, the man knew that heroin was attempting to replace God in his life. And God had something to say about it. God cared deeply about that nameless man.
When you walk through a crowd, you will never know the thoughts of all those around you. You may walk right past the person who is considering suicide. You might nod to the woman passing on your left without realizing that she still cries herself to sleep every night. That man with the hat passing on your right used to be a pastor. Now, he doubts God even exists. The boy holding his mother’s hand feels alone. The little girl tagging along with the family feels like a failure. God knows every detail of their lives. God is actively seeking their redemption. God wants to be part of their lives, just like God wants to hear from you right now.
The scripture for today is a reminder that God cares about you. Yes, YOU! And God wants to get your attention today to let you know that HE cares about the path you chose to walk. God knows you. God knows what you need. God enjoys a heart-to-heart moment with you. Got some time?
You may go through periods in your life when you wonder if anybody notices you. Like David, you may feel as if “no one cares for my soul”. After making a mistake, family may turn against you. If you become unpopular due to your opinions, friends may abandon you. If you change political affiliation, people may cease speaking with you. If you befriend an unpopular figure, society may turn its back on you. Throughout it all, God will desire to commune with your soul. God will actively pursue prayer time to speak with you. God cares deeply about the “path” (Psalm 142:3) you have taken.
God cares so much about you that God will often try to get your attention to protect you, guard you, save you, forgive you, or rescue you. God is active in and around you. Do you notice God’s presence? Like David, do you recognize that God is fully aware of the path you are on and the choices you have made? Are you aware when God wants your full attention?
“How far do you want God to go in getting your attention? If God has to choose between your eternal safety and your earthly comfort, which do you hope he chooses? What if he moved you to another land? (As he did Abraham.) What if he called you out of retirement? (Remember Moses?) How about the voice of an angel or the bowel of a fish? (A la Gideon and Jonah.) How about a promotion like Daniel’s or a demotion like Samson’s?
God does what it takes to get our attention. Isn’t that the message of the Bible? The relentless pursuit of God. God on the hunt. God in the search. Peeking under the bed for hiding kids, stirring the bushes for lost sheep.” (Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment, p. 226)
While visiting Washington, DC, a reporter was shocked to see a certain politician walking on the street next to her. You see, just a month before, this politician was surrounded by reporters, photographers hounded his every move, and everyone wanted an exclusive interview with this man. But, just one month later, he could walk down the streets completely unnoticed. Nobody seemed to care who he was or why he was there. The reporter later wrote: “He was just another nobody on the street.”
To God, this politician is not “just another nobody”. You are not “just another nobody”. God knows your heart and soul and mind intimately. Your choices are incredibly important. Your spiritual life is crucial. Your relationship with God is a top priority. People may walk past you without giving you a second glance. God notices you every time.
While walking past a telephone booth some years ago in Long Beach, California, a police officer noticed a piece of paper taped to the glass. An unknown dope addict lost in the dream world of heroin scribbled the following words:
King Heroin is my shepherd, I shall always want.
He maketh me to lie down in the gutters. He leadeth me beside the troubled water.
He destroyeth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of wickedness for the effort's sake.
Yea, I sail walk through the valley of poverty. I will fear all evil for thou,
Heroine, art with me.
Thy needle and capsule try to comfort me.
Thou strippest the table of groceries in the presence of my family. Thou robbest my head of reason, my cup of sorrow runneth over. Surely heroin addiction shall stalk me all the day of my life and I will dwell in house of the damned forever.
This poor addict knew Psalm 23! Despite his knowledge of the Bible, he struggled terribly with heroin addiction. Nobody saw him pen this poem of suffering in that phone booth. Nobody knew the man who wrote it. But God knew. God was working on his addiction. God’s word was reverberating through his day, infiltrating his thoughts. Even in his drugged stupor, the man knew that heroin was attempting to replace God in his life. And God had something to say about it. God cared deeply about that nameless man.
When you walk through a crowd, you will never know the thoughts of all those around you. You may walk right past the person who is considering suicide. You might nod to the woman passing on your left without realizing that she still cries herself to sleep every night. That man with the hat passing on your right used to be a pastor. Now, he doubts God even exists. The boy holding his mother’s hand feels alone. The little girl tagging along with the family feels like a failure. God knows every detail of their lives. God is actively seeking their redemption. God wants to be part of their lives, just like God wants to hear from you right now.
The scripture for today is a reminder that God cares about you. Yes, YOU! And God wants to get your attention today to let you know that HE cares about the path you chose to walk. God knows you. God knows what you need. God enjoys a heart-to-heart moment with you. Got some time?
July 22
““I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” (Luke 4:24, NIV84)
The day that Jesus said the words above, He was thrown out of his hometown. He was thus rejected by the people who lived near Him not because of He broke the law or behaved atrociously. Jesus was rejected because He spoke the truth. He commented rightly on scripture. The people in Jesus’ hometown rejected Jesus’ teaching because it hit them right where it hurt. Jesus knew His neighbors. He knew how they thought, how they understood life, what their goals were. Jesus’ explanation of the scripture was so right on the money that they were offended.
There will be times in your life when you will be similarly treated. You may be rejected for speaking the truth. You might be shunned for stating the obvious. If you shine a light on hidden sin, the response might just be that you are hated. Even though you are trying to save their souls, people may respond with hate and rejection and bitterness and resentment. That’s a consequence of dealing with the truth of the gospel.
Even in yourself, you may find your hackles raised when you are forced to deal with your own errors, your own failings, your sin. When the truth hits home, you might have to face your fears or deal with a recurring temptation. This may cause you to become bitter with God, angry at yourself, resentful of the pastor who dared to speak the truth to you. I would honestly say that if you don’t ever experience rejection when you speak the truth of the gospel, chances are you are not dealing with the truth or you are not rightly understanding the gospel!
When Jerry came home from overseas, he was angry and bitter. His stint in the army caused him much pain. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder was his diagnosis. Jerry had a hot temper, a short fuse, and too many bad memories from the war. When doctors suggested that he take anti-depressants, he told them that they were not going to drug him into oblivion! When his best friend mentioned that he needed the help of a good counselor, Jerry swore at him for five minutes straight, then refused to talk to him again. When Jerry responded angrily at his mother for something petty, she pulled away and refused to say anything negative. Everyone was walking on eggshells around Jerry.
Then, Jerry ran into his old pastor at a holiday event. When the pastor saw Jerry, he waved. Later, the pastor sought him out. Then, the pastor said to Jerry, “We have missed you at church. I remember when you and I used to work together for the food pantry at the holiday festival!” Feeling guilty for being half the man he used to be, feeling insecure around the pastor, feeling the emptiness in his soul, Jerry unloaded on the pastor. He swore at the pastor so loudly that some people in the crowd could only gasp at the interchange. After Jerry walked away, several of Jerry’s family and friends said they were sorry about what had happened. Others told the pastor he deserved the tongue-lashing and should “mind his own damned business”. What had the pastor done? Nothing wrong. What was the result? People blamed the pastor for a wrong when it was Jerry who had the problem.
People often do not respond to the truth in a positive way. In fact, they often take offense at the person who speaks the truth. When a person cites the gospel, some people are so offended at the seeming “holier than thou” attitude of the person that they respond with resentment: “How dare he get all religious with me!” When people respond negatively to God’s truth, it’s often their issue. When people get angry at you for daring to speak God’s honest truth in love, its often their own insecurities coming out. It doesn’t mean you should berate yourself for telling the truth. It doesn’t mean you should quit talking about the gospel. It just means you hit a sore spot.
It hurts to tell God’s honest truth in love and suffer for doing so. It’s difficult to deal with the emotions when you try to do something loving but are rejected outright and painted as a bad person. That doesn’t mean you should stop being loving or should cease telling the truth. It just means your words hit home. It means the person is hurting or dealing with serious issues. You just happen to be the one who gets the brunt of their emotional or spiritual illness.
True Christians are willing to be humiliated or berated for telling God’s truth in love. Faithful Christians are willing to face the wrath of others who attack them unfairly just for being loving. Shallow Christians will stop speaking about spiritual issues when confronted. They will pull back rather than risk an uncomfortable situation while speaking about spiritual things. Honorable disciples of Christ are not ashamed of the gospel, not willing to hide their love of Jesus! (Luke 11:33!). They seek to save souls even when those souls may strike back.
Jesus spoke God’s truth in love to His hometown. He was rejected for his efforts. You will be rejected in a similar manner for just speaking the truth in love. Jesus did not stop praising God, even when confronted or berated or abused. He did not withhold the gospel even when His life depended on it.
Are you willing to speak God’s truth in love, even when it hurts? Is your faith strong enough to handle the rejection of others, even those close to home? If everybody loves you, chances are you are not speaking the truth nor speaking the gospel. Sometimes, the only way you can tell that you are speaking God’s honest truth is by feeling the rejection of those who can’t handle God’s honest truth!
There will be times in your life when you will be similarly treated. You may be rejected for speaking the truth. You might be shunned for stating the obvious. If you shine a light on hidden sin, the response might just be that you are hated. Even though you are trying to save their souls, people may respond with hate and rejection and bitterness and resentment. That’s a consequence of dealing with the truth of the gospel.
Even in yourself, you may find your hackles raised when you are forced to deal with your own errors, your own failings, your sin. When the truth hits home, you might have to face your fears or deal with a recurring temptation. This may cause you to become bitter with God, angry at yourself, resentful of the pastor who dared to speak the truth to you. I would honestly say that if you don’t ever experience rejection when you speak the truth of the gospel, chances are you are not dealing with the truth or you are not rightly understanding the gospel!
When Jerry came home from overseas, he was angry and bitter. His stint in the army caused him much pain. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder was his diagnosis. Jerry had a hot temper, a short fuse, and too many bad memories from the war. When doctors suggested that he take anti-depressants, he told them that they were not going to drug him into oblivion! When his best friend mentioned that he needed the help of a good counselor, Jerry swore at him for five minutes straight, then refused to talk to him again. When Jerry responded angrily at his mother for something petty, she pulled away and refused to say anything negative. Everyone was walking on eggshells around Jerry.
Then, Jerry ran into his old pastor at a holiday event. When the pastor saw Jerry, he waved. Later, the pastor sought him out. Then, the pastor said to Jerry, “We have missed you at church. I remember when you and I used to work together for the food pantry at the holiday festival!” Feeling guilty for being half the man he used to be, feeling insecure around the pastor, feeling the emptiness in his soul, Jerry unloaded on the pastor. He swore at the pastor so loudly that some people in the crowd could only gasp at the interchange. After Jerry walked away, several of Jerry’s family and friends said they were sorry about what had happened. Others told the pastor he deserved the tongue-lashing and should “mind his own damned business”. What had the pastor done? Nothing wrong. What was the result? People blamed the pastor for a wrong when it was Jerry who had the problem.
People often do not respond to the truth in a positive way. In fact, they often take offense at the person who speaks the truth. When a person cites the gospel, some people are so offended at the seeming “holier than thou” attitude of the person that they respond with resentment: “How dare he get all religious with me!” When people respond negatively to God’s truth, it’s often their issue. When people get angry at you for daring to speak God’s honest truth in love, its often their own insecurities coming out. It doesn’t mean you should berate yourself for telling the truth. It doesn’t mean you should quit talking about the gospel. It just means you hit a sore spot.
It hurts to tell God’s honest truth in love and suffer for doing so. It’s difficult to deal with the emotions when you try to do something loving but are rejected outright and painted as a bad person. That doesn’t mean you should stop being loving or should cease telling the truth. It just means your words hit home. It means the person is hurting or dealing with serious issues. You just happen to be the one who gets the brunt of their emotional or spiritual illness.
True Christians are willing to be humiliated or berated for telling God’s truth in love. Faithful Christians are willing to face the wrath of others who attack them unfairly just for being loving. Shallow Christians will stop speaking about spiritual issues when confronted. They will pull back rather than risk an uncomfortable situation while speaking about spiritual things. Honorable disciples of Christ are not ashamed of the gospel, not willing to hide their love of Jesus! (Luke 11:33!). They seek to save souls even when those souls may strike back.
Jesus spoke God’s truth in love to His hometown. He was rejected for his efforts. You will be rejected in a similar manner for just speaking the truth in love. Jesus did not stop praising God, even when confronted or berated or abused. He did not withhold the gospel even when His life depended on it.
Are you willing to speak God’s truth in love, even when it hurts? Is your faith strong enough to handle the rejection of others, even those close to home? If everybody loves you, chances are you are not speaking the truth nor speaking the gospel. Sometimes, the only way you can tell that you are speaking God’s honest truth is by feeling the rejection of those who can’t handle God’s honest truth!
July 24
“Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.” (1 Peter 5:2, NLT)
John D. Barry gave some very important comments about the scripture for today. His words come in response to a story. Here is what he wrote:
“When I was a teenager, I became serious about showing unsolicited kindness while working through a 30-day intensive devotional. The devotional required me to record an act of kindness each day. My efforts included things as mundane as taking out the trash before being asked and closing schoolmates’ lockers to prevent them from becoming the victims of pranks. Although the acts were simple, and mostly meaningless, the effort taught me a discipline. Kindness should be intentional, not random. But what if your kindness stems from guilt?
Peter addressed this question of motive in his first letter, in which he exhorts ministers to “Shepherd the flock of God among you [being the people of the church], exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God” (1 Pet 5:2). He points out that if we are moved by compulsion, our motives are probably wrong.
There are times I wonder whether I treat others well because I subconsciously think that it will earn me points with them or with God. I battle this—it’s something we should all fight against. The state of the heart when helping others is every bit as important as the act itself.” (John D. Barry, Connect the Testaments, July 22)
Rightly, Barry makes clear that 1 Peter 5:2 questions the motive of the person who does good. If you do God’s work “grudgingly”, it goes against the will of God. The person who is “eager to serve God” “willingly” is the one who lives out holiness. The person who does the work of God “grudgingly” is the person who IS NOT doing the work of God correctly. So, the question for you this day is: “Do you do your work for God grudgingly or willingly?”
A man set up a counseling session with his pastor. The two men were very close friends. The man hoped his pastor could help with his depression. When they met, the man opened up willingly to his pastor. He explained how he hadn’t felt joy in prayer time for months. He told the pastor that he was no longer enjoying work or home life either. At the end of the session, the pastor sent the man to his doctor for some tests and then set up a meeting after the results to the tests were completed.
When the man visited his pastor next, the test results were given. There were no physical reasons for the depression. After further conversation, the pastor homed in on a statement the man made, “I hate to get up in the morning. I feel like I’m doing stuff for everyone else all day long. I never get to do what I want.” The pastor sent him off at the end of their discussion with a certain work to do. The man was to spend as much time as he could each day doing whatever he wanted to do. They would then meet a week later to discuss how it went.
A week later, the man came in and said, “I loved doing what I wanted when I wanted to do for the first day or two. Then, it became a chore. I wanted to do something for others. I wanted to help my kids with their homework. I wanted to fix the lawn mower when my wife struggled to get it started due to its age. I began to hate getting what I wanted all the time.” After a few more sessions, the man was given a different task. This time, he was ordered to spend time every day doing one thing to really help one other person and to do it for the love of Jesus. He was to do everything he could to make that one moment of help for that person have the greatest effect. The man came back saying, “At first, I hated having to do more work. However, when I saw the joy on the person's face, I realized that I liked to do that one thing every day. That one bit of love energized me. It felt good to change a person’s day for the better. And I really felt excited to do it for Jesus. It really felt good!”
When you do something out of obligation, it can feel like mere drudgery. When you do something out of true love, it seems to lift your day. The man realized after this session that he had been floating through life just trying to be nice. Being “nice” was his goal. When he did something loving in the name of Jesus just to bless another’s day, his work changed. He became energized. His depression lifted. He found meaning in that one task of love for Jesus.
The attitude you bring when doing God’s work means everything. If you are doing something “religious”, it may or may not mean much. If you are doing something for the love of Jesus, it will take on a whole different level of meaning. If you are helping at a church function “because someone twisted your arm”, my guess is that you won’t enjoy the work. However, if you are helping a person in need just for the love of God, you will find more meaning in your actions. One of the big reasons people get in a “spiritual funk” is that they are often doing things for the wrong reasons, for self-gratification instead of the love of God, to get something in return instead of giving a beautiful gift.
What are your motivations for giving? Are you in a spiritual funk? What forms your attitude as you go about your spiritual life? What fires you up spiritually?
If you want to find joy in your spiritual life, take notice of your spiritual attitude. Are you just going through the motions? Has your spiritual life become a duty instead of a joy? Do you serve Jesus grudgingly or willingly, out of guilt or out of love? As John Barry concluded: “The state of the heart when helping others is every bit as important as the act itself.”
“When I was a teenager, I became serious about showing unsolicited kindness while working through a 30-day intensive devotional. The devotional required me to record an act of kindness each day. My efforts included things as mundane as taking out the trash before being asked and closing schoolmates’ lockers to prevent them from becoming the victims of pranks. Although the acts were simple, and mostly meaningless, the effort taught me a discipline. Kindness should be intentional, not random. But what if your kindness stems from guilt?
Peter addressed this question of motive in his first letter, in which he exhorts ministers to “Shepherd the flock of God among you [being the people of the church], exercising oversight not by compulsion but willingly, in accordance with God” (1 Pet 5:2). He points out that if we are moved by compulsion, our motives are probably wrong.
There are times I wonder whether I treat others well because I subconsciously think that it will earn me points with them or with God. I battle this—it’s something we should all fight against. The state of the heart when helping others is every bit as important as the act itself.” (John D. Barry, Connect the Testaments, July 22)
Rightly, Barry makes clear that 1 Peter 5:2 questions the motive of the person who does good. If you do God’s work “grudgingly”, it goes against the will of God. The person who is “eager to serve God” “willingly” is the one who lives out holiness. The person who does the work of God “grudgingly” is the person who IS NOT doing the work of God correctly. So, the question for you this day is: “Do you do your work for God grudgingly or willingly?”
A man set up a counseling session with his pastor. The two men were very close friends. The man hoped his pastor could help with his depression. When they met, the man opened up willingly to his pastor. He explained how he hadn’t felt joy in prayer time for months. He told the pastor that he was no longer enjoying work or home life either. At the end of the session, the pastor sent the man to his doctor for some tests and then set up a meeting after the results to the tests were completed.
When the man visited his pastor next, the test results were given. There were no physical reasons for the depression. After further conversation, the pastor homed in on a statement the man made, “I hate to get up in the morning. I feel like I’m doing stuff for everyone else all day long. I never get to do what I want.” The pastor sent him off at the end of their discussion with a certain work to do. The man was to spend as much time as he could each day doing whatever he wanted to do. They would then meet a week later to discuss how it went.
A week later, the man came in and said, “I loved doing what I wanted when I wanted to do for the first day or two. Then, it became a chore. I wanted to do something for others. I wanted to help my kids with their homework. I wanted to fix the lawn mower when my wife struggled to get it started due to its age. I began to hate getting what I wanted all the time.” After a few more sessions, the man was given a different task. This time, he was ordered to spend time every day doing one thing to really help one other person and to do it for the love of Jesus. He was to do everything he could to make that one moment of help for that person have the greatest effect. The man came back saying, “At first, I hated having to do more work. However, when I saw the joy on the person's face, I realized that I liked to do that one thing every day. That one bit of love energized me. It felt good to change a person’s day for the better. And I really felt excited to do it for Jesus. It really felt good!”
When you do something out of obligation, it can feel like mere drudgery. When you do something out of true love, it seems to lift your day. The man realized after this session that he had been floating through life just trying to be nice. Being “nice” was his goal. When he did something loving in the name of Jesus just to bless another’s day, his work changed. He became energized. His depression lifted. He found meaning in that one task of love for Jesus.
The attitude you bring when doing God’s work means everything. If you are doing something “religious”, it may or may not mean much. If you are doing something for the love of Jesus, it will take on a whole different level of meaning. If you are helping at a church function “because someone twisted your arm”, my guess is that you won’t enjoy the work. However, if you are helping a person in need just for the love of God, you will find more meaning in your actions. One of the big reasons people get in a “spiritual funk” is that they are often doing things for the wrong reasons, for self-gratification instead of the love of God, to get something in return instead of giving a beautiful gift.
What are your motivations for giving? Are you in a spiritual funk? What forms your attitude as you go about your spiritual life? What fires you up spiritually?
If you want to find joy in your spiritual life, take notice of your spiritual attitude. Are you just going through the motions? Has your spiritual life become a duty instead of a joy? Do you serve Jesus grudgingly or willingly, out of guilt or out of love? As John Barry concluded: “The state of the heart when helping others is every bit as important as the act itself.”
July 26
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NRSV)
In the scripture for today highlighted above, the Apostle Paul described life in the present versus life eternal in Heaven. Life in the present is defined by Paul here as “dimly” visualized. Things are unclear. Paul referenced a mirror. In ancient times, mirrors were not clear like they are today. The image could be highly distorted due to the lack of perfect shape. The finish of the mirror was often polished metal with swirls and imperfections altering what you would see. Also, mirrors were not lit brightly like in many bathrooms or with makeup mirrors today. Light that was used to help the mirror reflect was often flickering as with candlelight or diffused even when in sunlight. The image in the mirror was FAR FROM PERFECT. Thus, when Paul speaks of viewing the present as “in a mirror, dimly”, he was saying that your view of life in the present is shaky, flickering, diffused and imperfect. You don’t have a clear picture of what is really going on. You only know things “in part” (1 Corinthians 13:12b).
Heaven will be different. You will see your life from God’s point of view. At that time, you will “know fully” all that God did to help you, sustain you, redeem you, protect you, and so much more. In Heaven, so much will be revealed to you. You will “know” so much more when God reveals the truth of all that happened around you. You see, God’s sight is so much more complete. God can see through Satan’s lies. God can perceive political maneuvering. God can see into the future. God can see into the soul to know the truth behind a person’s actions and thoughts.
But for now, for the present, you will see “dimly”. Your perception of what is going on around you is limited, faulty, flawed. Don’t be surprised if you are blindsided by the truth at points in your life. Don’t be surprised if you make bad choices because you didn’t have enough facts. Your knowledge of what is actually going on around you is inadequate, patchy, and even sketchy.
Because your view of what is really going on in your world is so limited, what can you do? First off, rely on God’s insight! As God can see all, tapping into God’s insight can totally change your perspective. God’s Spirit can inform you of things way beyond your human sight. God’s Spirit can cause you to sense a lie, search for the truth, and understand your situation. Second, don’t overlook the power of living a faithful life. When you follow God’s Word and listen to God’s voice, it informs you of so many things! Scripture teaches that Satan lies, people sin, the world is fallen, and so much more. Scripture informs you how to live, who to trust, where to look for the truth, and how to work through failures when you discern the truth. Finally, learn to trust God. When the world is bombarding you with hype, Satan is manipulating the truth, politicians and influencers are twisting the facts, seek God’s wisdom! Pray to God for direction. Listen for the God’s voice. Discern the leaning of the Holy Spirit in you! The Holy Spirit is in you, right?
The phone rang just as Father Joseph was walking into the Parish office. The secretary was not in yet, so he answered the phone. A woman asked to speak with Father Joseph. He didn’t recognize her name but said he would be glad to meet with her. An hour later, a beautifully dressed woman entered the Parish office. The secretary ushered her quietly into Father Joseph’s office. There, the priest spent the first few minutes getting to know Angela.
Angela wanted to speak with Father Joseph about her faith. As a Catholic, she felt torn between doing what the Bible said and what was best for her. Angela was pregnant. Her boyfriend was abusive. Her situation tenuous. What would she tell her Catholic family? Would an abortion save her from a life of suffering with an abusive boyfriend? She talked with Father Joseph for a good half an hour.
The entire time that Angela spoke, Father Joseph felt very uneasy in his soul. He had felt that before. Often, it was God trying to tell him something; the Holy Spirit giving him spiritual insight. After twenty constant minutes of this uneasiness, Father Joseph began to listen to his inner voice. Something was wrong. He needed clarity. He needed to end the time with Angela and pray for a while. Father Joseph set up another meeting with Angela and then went into prayer time.
For the next few minutes and hours, Father Joseph felt something was off. Then, over a period of a day or two, he realized that something was wrong in his conversation with Angela. Two days later, he understood why. Angela was an undercover reporter. She wrote an article against the Catholic Church and its views on abortion that included elements of her conversation with Father Joseph in her article! For weeks, Father Joseph had to defend his statements, was put on review, and was questioned by his parishioners. In the following weeks, his “set up” by the reporter was a source of public debate. Father Joseph barely survived the ordeal. If he hadn't cut short his time with Angela, who knows what else she could have used against him!
Don’t ever think you know fully what is really going on around you spiritually! There are so many lies and manipulations and worldly pressures that are forcing their will upon you at any given moment! There are things of which you are unaware! Jesus told His disciples that sending them out in the world to spread the gospel was like sending “sheep amongst the wolves” (Luke 10:3)! Wolves love to seek out the weakness of the sheep, to exploit their advantages! Do you not think that evil forces do the same?
Trust Jesus’ words! Listen to the Spirit! Seek the truth! Always be aware that for the present, you can’t see everything clearly. You see things “as in a mirror, dimly”. Until you know more, you are vulnerable. Until you are in Heaven with the Lord, you are never truly safe from harm! Faced with these dangers, there will be many ways God will protect you. Learning God’s Word and trusting God’s direction always helps!
Heaven will be different. You will see your life from God’s point of view. At that time, you will “know fully” all that God did to help you, sustain you, redeem you, protect you, and so much more. In Heaven, so much will be revealed to you. You will “know” so much more when God reveals the truth of all that happened around you. You see, God’s sight is so much more complete. God can see through Satan’s lies. God can perceive political maneuvering. God can see into the future. God can see into the soul to know the truth behind a person’s actions and thoughts.
But for now, for the present, you will see “dimly”. Your perception of what is going on around you is limited, faulty, flawed. Don’t be surprised if you are blindsided by the truth at points in your life. Don’t be surprised if you make bad choices because you didn’t have enough facts. Your knowledge of what is actually going on around you is inadequate, patchy, and even sketchy.
Because your view of what is really going on in your world is so limited, what can you do? First off, rely on God’s insight! As God can see all, tapping into God’s insight can totally change your perspective. God’s Spirit can inform you of things way beyond your human sight. God’s Spirit can cause you to sense a lie, search for the truth, and understand your situation. Second, don’t overlook the power of living a faithful life. When you follow God’s Word and listen to God’s voice, it informs you of so many things! Scripture teaches that Satan lies, people sin, the world is fallen, and so much more. Scripture informs you how to live, who to trust, where to look for the truth, and how to work through failures when you discern the truth. Finally, learn to trust God. When the world is bombarding you with hype, Satan is manipulating the truth, politicians and influencers are twisting the facts, seek God’s wisdom! Pray to God for direction. Listen for the God’s voice. Discern the leaning of the Holy Spirit in you! The Holy Spirit is in you, right?
The phone rang just as Father Joseph was walking into the Parish office. The secretary was not in yet, so he answered the phone. A woman asked to speak with Father Joseph. He didn’t recognize her name but said he would be glad to meet with her. An hour later, a beautifully dressed woman entered the Parish office. The secretary ushered her quietly into Father Joseph’s office. There, the priest spent the first few minutes getting to know Angela.
Angela wanted to speak with Father Joseph about her faith. As a Catholic, she felt torn between doing what the Bible said and what was best for her. Angela was pregnant. Her boyfriend was abusive. Her situation tenuous. What would she tell her Catholic family? Would an abortion save her from a life of suffering with an abusive boyfriend? She talked with Father Joseph for a good half an hour.
The entire time that Angela spoke, Father Joseph felt very uneasy in his soul. He had felt that before. Often, it was God trying to tell him something; the Holy Spirit giving him spiritual insight. After twenty constant minutes of this uneasiness, Father Joseph began to listen to his inner voice. Something was wrong. He needed clarity. He needed to end the time with Angela and pray for a while. Father Joseph set up another meeting with Angela and then went into prayer time.
For the next few minutes and hours, Father Joseph felt something was off. Then, over a period of a day or two, he realized that something was wrong in his conversation with Angela. Two days later, he understood why. Angela was an undercover reporter. She wrote an article against the Catholic Church and its views on abortion that included elements of her conversation with Father Joseph in her article! For weeks, Father Joseph had to defend his statements, was put on review, and was questioned by his parishioners. In the following weeks, his “set up” by the reporter was a source of public debate. Father Joseph barely survived the ordeal. If he hadn't cut short his time with Angela, who knows what else she could have used against him!
Don’t ever think you know fully what is really going on around you spiritually! There are so many lies and manipulations and worldly pressures that are forcing their will upon you at any given moment! There are things of which you are unaware! Jesus told His disciples that sending them out in the world to spread the gospel was like sending “sheep amongst the wolves” (Luke 10:3)! Wolves love to seek out the weakness of the sheep, to exploit their advantages! Do you not think that evil forces do the same?
Trust Jesus’ words! Listen to the Spirit! Seek the truth! Always be aware that for the present, you can’t see everything clearly. You see things “as in a mirror, dimly”. Until you know more, you are vulnerable. Until you are in Heaven with the Lord, you are never truly safe from harm! Faced with these dangers, there will be many ways God will protect you. Learning God’s Word and trusting God’s direction always helps!
July 31
“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6:19, NET)
(Matthew 6:19, NET)
In a reality show called “Hoarders”, viewers are given a glimpse of the life of those who hoard possessions. In most cases, the hoarders have homes that are stuffed with worldly goods. Being afraid to lose anything, these people accumulate more and more things until they are encumbered by the bulk of their worldly possessions.
One of those hoarders is Margaret. Margaret was raised in a poor household. She was often sent to school without food. It wasn’t unusual for her to have no breakfast to eat. She vowed to herself that she would never again be left without the necessities of life. From the time Margaret was in her twenties, she began to accumulate things. She frequently went to estate sales. At one sale, she bought a used expensive frying pan, even though it still had food residue. But it was such a cheap price! When a friend had a garage sale, she saw some beautiful tapestries that would "go perfect in the living room". She has yet to hang them ten years later! Over and over in her life, Margaret collected “bargains” that her parents could never afford when she was a child. She was thrilled to find a “gem” at estate sales or rummage sales or in the classified ads.
When Margaret’s brother visited, he was shocked at everything Margaret had "collected". There were newspapers going back decades. Margaret thought they might be worth a lot one day. There were clothes with tags that had never been worn. Margaret vowed that one day she would lose enough weight to look good in them. There were knickknacks that had gone out of fashion decades ago that Margaret thought would be great to collect as a set. Margaret’s purchases and possessions grew so fast that she began to pile them in one spare bedroom, then another, then in her living room. By the time Margaret’s brother came to visit, Margaret was stacking things in her hallways leaving only thin paths for her to negotiate. When Margaret became seriously ill with pneumonia, the paramedics had to spend an hour clearing a path just to get the ambulance gurney to her bedroom to take her to the hospital.
Margaret has a disease. She is a hoarder. Hoarding disorder is an irrational fear of discarding or loosing possessions. People with this illness often die surrounded by literally tons of “things” that they believed they could never do without. Most of those possessions have never been utilized. You might find a broken bicycle that the hoarder believed she would fix one day but never had the time to fix it. So, it just accumulated space. You might find old newspapers in a hoarder’s stash. The person believed that that all newspapers would be important to reread or collect one day. Often, the newspaper was left to rot. In fact, most hoarders end up suffering because of their possessions. Recently one hoarder died when his stash of books collapsed upon him. The weight was so heavy, and the amount of accumulated stuff was piled so high, he couldn’t get up from under the books. He died there from a lack of water a few days later. It was even believed that Margaret got pneumonia from her messy house, filled with old and discarded possessions, piled one upon the other and never cleaned.
Sometimes possessions can possess the owner. Owning too many things can encumber you, weigh you down, eat away at your time or space. Those who have a wrongful relationship with possessions are often burdened with their ownership.
In the scripture for today, Jesus taught that faithful people dare “not accumulate for themselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). Jesus knew that just as a person can be “possessed” by a demon, a person can also be possessed by their possessions. What you own may overtake your desires.
Karl was convinced by an article he read that the reason he didn’t have any satisfied relationships with women was that he lacked what women want. He set about making changes to his life. He bought a nice house in an expensive neighborhood. He bought a new car that would be perfect for starting a family. When his sister suggested he get a makeover to improve his image, he paid thousands for implanted hair. He bought expensive clothes. He even had his nails professionally manicured. But Karl couldn’t get a decent date if his life depended on it. Then, a friend mentioned that women like to have stability and appreciated wealth. Karl invested heavily in stocks. Today, Karl is so busy paying for the house and watching the stock market and taking care of his new home and new car that he barely has time to date! His acquisitions force him to spend most of his time taking care of his assets and give him little time to enjoy life or find a suitable soulmate. Feeling lonely, he often just wastes his time playing video games online late into the night until he is too tired to keep his eyes open.
Though Jesus warned against the accumulation of “treasures on earth”, many people surround themselves with “things” they cannot do without, things they “need” that they don’t need, things that mean everything. They build up collections. They accumulate large stock portfolios. They keep savings for a rainy day. They go online or walk up and down the aisles at the store to see what they “want” instead of only buying what they “need”. I’m not advocating that you never save for a rainy day or buy yourself a gift on your birthday! Our scripture for today is Jesus’ way of forcing you to examine why you have the possessions you do. Our Lord wants you to have your true needs met but does not want you burdened with the “tyranny of materialism”, when possessions possess your days.
Jesus ended the scripture for today by reminding us that “treasures of the earth” are fleeting. They can be destroyed or stolen. They can be lost. When you die, you cannot take them with you. Isn’t an eternal place in heaven worth more than a trinket of earth?
Where your treasure is, that’s where your heart lies. (Matthew 6:21)
Are there any possessions that maybe mean too much to you? Would Jesus feel comfortable visiting you and your possessions? How much of your worth is tied up in what you own? Is there any possession you would not give up without a moments hesitation if Jesus deemed this necessary? Can you prove it?
One of those hoarders is Margaret. Margaret was raised in a poor household. She was often sent to school without food. It wasn’t unusual for her to have no breakfast to eat. She vowed to herself that she would never again be left without the necessities of life. From the time Margaret was in her twenties, she began to accumulate things. She frequently went to estate sales. At one sale, she bought a used expensive frying pan, even though it still had food residue. But it was such a cheap price! When a friend had a garage sale, she saw some beautiful tapestries that would "go perfect in the living room". She has yet to hang them ten years later! Over and over in her life, Margaret collected “bargains” that her parents could never afford when she was a child. She was thrilled to find a “gem” at estate sales or rummage sales or in the classified ads.
When Margaret’s brother visited, he was shocked at everything Margaret had "collected". There were newspapers going back decades. Margaret thought they might be worth a lot one day. There were clothes with tags that had never been worn. Margaret vowed that one day she would lose enough weight to look good in them. There were knickknacks that had gone out of fashion decades ago that Margaret thought would be great to collect as a set. Margaret’s purchases and possessions grew so fast that she began to pile them in one spare bedroom, then another, then in her living room. By the time Margaret’s brother came to visit, Margaret was stacking things in her hallways leaving only thin paths for her to negotiate. When Margaret became seriously ill with pneumonia, the paramedics had to spend an hour clearing a path just to get the ambulance gurney to her bedroom to take her to the hospital.
Margaret has a disease. She is a hoarder. Hoarding disorder is an irrational fear of discarding or loosing possessions. People with this illness often die surrounded by literally tons of “things” that they believed they could never do without. Most of those possessions have never been utilized. You might find a broken bicycle that the hoarder believed she would fix one day but never had the time to fix it. So, it just accumulated space. You might find old newspapers in a hoarder’s stash. The person believed that that all newspapers would be important to reread or collect one day. Often, the newspaper was left to rot. In fact, most hoarders end up suffering because of their possessions. Recently one hoarder died when his stash of books collapsed upon him. The weight was so heavy, and the amount of accumulated stuff was piled so high, he couldn’t get up from under the books. He died there from a lack of water a few days later. It was even believed that Margaret got pneumonia from her messy house, filled with old and discarded possessions, piled one upon the other and never cleaned.
Sometimes possessions can possess the owner. Owning too many things can encumber you, weigh you down, eat away at your time or space. Those who have a wrongful relationship with possessions are often burdened with their ownership.
In the scripture for today, Jesus taught that faithful people dare “not accumulate for themselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). Jesus knew that just as a person can be “possessed” by a demon, a person can also be possessed by their possessions. What you own may overtake your desires.
Karl was convinced by an article he read that the reason he didn’t have any satisfied relationships with women was that he lacked what women want. He set about making changes to his life. He bought a nice house in an expensive neighborhood. He bought a new car that would be perfect for starting a family. When his sister suggested he get a makeover to improve his image, he paid thousands for implanted hair. He bought expensive clothes. He even had his nails professionally manicured. But Karl couldn’t get a decent date if his life depended on it. Then, a friend mentioned that women like to have stability and appreciated wealth. Karl invested heavily in stocks. Today, Karl is so busy paying for the house and watching the stock market and taking care of his new home and new car that he barely has time to date! His acquisitions force him to spend most of his time taking care of his assets and give him little time to enjoy life or find a suitable soulmate. Feeling lonely, he often just wastes his time playing video games online late into the night until he is too tired to keep his eyes open.
Though Jesus warned against the accumulation of “treasures on earth”, many people surround themselves with “things” they cannot do without, things they “need” that they don’t need, things that mean everything. They build up collections. They accumulate large stock portfolios. They keep savings for a rainy day. They go online or walk up and down the aisles at the store to see what they “want” instead of only buying what they “need”. I’m not advocating that you never save for a rainy day or buy yourself a gift on your birthday! Our scripture for today is Jesus’ way of forcing you to examine why you have the possessions you do. Our Lord wants you to have your true needs met but does not want you burdened with the “tyranny of materialism”, when possessions possess your days.
Jesus ended the scripture for today by reminding us that “treasures of the earth” are fleeting. They can be destroyed or stolen. They can be lost. When you die, you cannot take them with you. Isn’t an eternal place in heaven worth more than a trinket of earth?
Where your treasure is, that’s where your heart lies. (Matthew 6:21)
Are there any possessions that maybe mean too much to you? Would Jesus feel comfortable visiting you and your possessions? How much of your worth is tied up in what you own? Is there any possession you would not give up without a moments hesitation if Jesus deemed this necessary? Can you prove it?