November 1
“Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Zechariah 4:6, NLT)
When the Israelites sought to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem following their exile in Babylon, they had many obstacles to overcome. The Temple had been utterly destroyed by the invading armies of Babylon. The holy Temple was burned. Stones were strewn everywhere. The people of the land were poor, starving, hungry, and defeated. During this time of great difficulty, several prophets were sent by God to reassure Israel. The people of Israel were to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the Temple in Jerusalem, and to reclaim the country. They also were responsible for setting up the worship of God and to make sure the people turned again to God’s ways. One of the prophets sent by God was Zechariah. In today’s scripture, Zechariah reminded one of the reconstruction leaders, Zerubbabel, that God was watching over the work. God was blessing the reconstruction.
In Zechariah 4:6, an angel sends a message to Zerubbabel. The reconstruction of Israel will continue “not by force nor by strength, but by God’s Spirit”. At the time, Zerubbabel was overwhelmed. His laborers were hungry. The Temple was in ruins. Jerusalem was a mess. How was he to continue to rebuild? What would happen if one of the neighboring armies was to invade at this crucial moment? Would the people survive all these obstacles? God’s message through HIS angel was clear. God was involved in the rebuilding. Everything would go as planned, not because Zerubbabel had vast armies for protection, nor lots of resources. Instead, God’s Spirit and God’s armies would supply everything that was needed.
As a person of God, you will also face your difficult times, your seasons of challenge and difficulty. During these troubled times, look for God’s protection and strength to come your way. You are one of God’s people. Your faith is noticed. Your devotion and worship of the Almighty places you in a protected class. God watches over you. No matter how big the obstacle or difficulty, if God wants to do something in your life, HE will personally watch over that project. He will be your protection. He will guard your work (Psalm 121:8). All you need to do is trust in the Almighty and follow HIS lead.
In his book, Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel tells about a spiritual lesson taught by his son one summer day. “While my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled "Hey Dad!" I became an instant circus act, catching him. We both fell to the ground. For a moment after I caught him, I could hardly talk.
When I found my voice again, I gasped in exasperation: "Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that???"
He responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure...because you're my Dad." His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted. Isn't this even more true for a Christian?” (Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, p. 46-47)
Young Zac knew he could trust his father. He knew his father would catch him. He knew his father would be there when he jumped. Therefore, Zac felt absolutely no fear in jumping toward his father. When challenges and difficulties come your way, you need to have no fear in jumping toward your Heavenly Father. He too can be trusted. He too will protect you. Don’t be afraid to face challenges wherein God wants you to persevere.
Being a part of God’s family has its privileges. When you are faithful to God, you will find that God is more than faithful in return. When Zerubbabel felt overwhelmed in dealing with the rebuilding of the Temple after war, God sent a reassuring angel. “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies” were ready to take on the protection of Israel. It is no different for you. When you are doing what God wants you to do, The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be at your back. God’s angels will be on call. God’s Spirit will lead you. Go boldly to your task.
In Zechariah 4:6, an angel sends a message to Zerubbabel. The reconstruction of Israel will continue “not by force nor by strength, but by God’s Spirit”. At the time, Zerubbabel was overwhelmed. His laborers were hungry. The Temple was in ruins. Jerusalem was a mess. How was he to continue to rebuild? What would happen if one of the neighboring armies was to invade at this crucial moment? Would the people survive all these obstacles? God’s message through HIS angel was clear. God was involved in the rebuilding. Everything would go as planned, not because Zerubbabel had vast armies for protection, nor lots of resources. Instead, God’s Spirit and God’s armies would supply everything that was needed.
As a person of God, you will also face your difficult times, your seasons of challenge and difficulty. During these troubled times, look for God’s protection and strength to come your way. You are one of God’s people. Your faith is noticed. Your devotion and worship of the Almighty places you in a protected class. God watches over you. No matter how big the obstacle or difficulty, if God wants to do something in your life, HE will personally watch over that project. He will be your protection. He will guard your work (Psalm 121:8). All you need to do is trust in the Almighty and follow HIS lead.
In his book, Holy Sweat, Tim Hansel tells about a spiritual lesson taught by his son one summer day. “While my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled "Hey Dad!" I became an instant circus act, catching him. We both fell to the ground. For a moment after I caught him, I could hardly talk.
When I found my voice again, I gasped in exasperation: "Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that???"
He responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure...because you're my Dad." His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted. Isn't this even more true for a Christian?” (Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, p. 46-47)
Young Zac knew he could trust his father. He knew his father would catch him. He knew his father would be there when he jumped. Therefore, Zac felt absolutely no fear in jumping toward his father. When challenges and difficulties come your way, you need to have no fear in jumping toward your Heavenly Father. He too can be trusted. He too will protect you. Don’t be afraid to face challenges wherein God wants you to persevere.
Being a part of God’s family has its privileges. When you are faithful to God, you will find that God is more than faithful in return. When Zerubbabel felt overwhelmed in dealing with the rebuilding of the Temple after war, God sent a reassuring angel. “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies” were ready to take on the protection of Israel. It is no different for you. When you are doing what God wants you to do, The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be at your back. God’s angels will be on call. God’s Spirit will lead you. Go boldly to your task.
November 3
“Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind. They continually set traps to catch people.” (Jeremiah 5:26, NLT)
In this area of the United States, hunting is very popular. People hunt pheasant, rabbit, deer, ducks, geese, and much more. In a good number of area cornfields, there are permanent blinds from which the farmer or the family will hunt deer in the autumn. From these blinds, the hunter is hidden. In these blinds, the hunter is kept safe from the elements. One thing is for sure…. in the autumn, you never know when a blind is occupied by a deer hunter. You can’t tell until a deer ambles by and is shot. The “blinds” are made so that a deer has no idea that the hunter is preparing for the kill.
In the scripture for today, wicked men are viewed as “lying in wait” to catch the faithful unaware. The modern language of the New Living Translation of the Bible describes the wicked men as watching for the faithful “victims” like “a hunter hiding in a blind” (Jeremiah 5:26). The wicked men “set traps” to catch unsuspecting people in their unholy snares. You must be careful to watch for wickedness. Some of the snares of the wicked are very subtle, honed to entrap the faithful person like you.
“In A View from The Zoo, Gary Richmond, a former zookeeper, tells about an experience a friend had with a raccoon. He explains that raccoons go through a glandular change at about 24 months. After that they often attack their owners. A 30-pound raccoon can be equal to a 100-pound dog in a scrap. Richmond felt compelled to warn this young friend of his named Julie of the change coming to her pet raccoon. She listened politely as he explained the coming danger. She responded by saying what people always say, "It will be different for me..." And she smiled as she added, "Bandit wouldn't hurt me. He just wouldn't." Three months later Julie underwent plastic surgery for facial lacerations sustained when Bandit attacked her for no apparent reason.” (Quoted in “Dynamic Preaching”, June 1990)
Julie was caught unaware at the extreme attack by her pet raccoon. Because she raised him, she was lulled into the false assumption that he was harmless. I’ve met people who thought that they knew a friend who seemed harmless, but who ended up causing a lot of problems when their true colors came out. Like a deer walking past a hidden blind, sometimes a faithful person cannot see the wickedness lurking nearby.
Years ago, a young mother from our congregation stopped by my office. Despite her ever-present smile, I always felt God telling me that inside her heart she was sad and depressed. That lingering notion sent from God was confirmed when she visited my office that day. As we talked, she told me what had transpired in her younger years. Emily’s family lived on the same area for generations. Several relatives lived on her street. One block over, there were a few more. Right next door to Emily lived her cousins, aunt and uncle.
Because I was a pastor in that neighborhood, what Emily told me about close family living all around her was not new to me. What shocked and saddened me was what she told me next. Emily had been sexually abused by her uncle next door. It started when she was five or six. It continued for five years, often occurring when her parents sent her next door to retrieve something or when her uncle was babysitting. Emily told her mother about what had happened, but her mother replied, “I know him. He wouldn’t do this. Who put you up to this nonsense?” When Emily heard these words, she knew to keep quiet about the shameful acts. She lived with the memories that haunted her for many years. When Emily came to me, she was tormented by the memories, which were causing her depression. Her uncle had died a decade before. She thought the nightmares and bad memories would leave after he died. She was wrong. They came back when she slept, when she was stressed, or when she was down.
I counseled Emily for months. With God’s gracious help, she worked through it. Sadly, to this day, only her husband knows the truth. She will never tell anyone else in the family, because her uncle’s charm had everyone fooled. The uncle attended mass weekly. He was a well-respected businessman. He was the life of the family parties. Everyone was snowed, except Emily. She got caught in his snare.
My wife saw a police officer friend this past week. He told her he was having a tough week with many long hours at work. She inquired why he was so stressed out. He responded that the police department had to check every sex offender in their jurisdiction on Halloween to make sure they were not giving out candy to children. If they were, they were arrested. The officer assured my wife that if not monitored, many offenders would use Halloween to lure children.
As the scripture says for today, the wicked “continually set traps to catch people”. Our world is filled with dark and evil people, who love to trap the unsuspecting. It is your job to watch out for the vulnerable, to be just in your dealings, and to seek God’s help in determining the truth…. always! Sometimes, those traps can be hidden well, those snares can be oh so tempting….
In the scripture for today, wicked men are viewed as “lying in wait” to catch the faithful unaware. The modern language of the New Living Translation of the Bible describes the wicked men as watching for the faithful “victims” like “a hunter hiding in a blind” (Jeremiah 5:26). The wicked men “set traps” to catch unsuspecting people in their unholy snares. You must be careful to watch for wickedness. Some of the snares of the wicked are very subtle, honed to entrap the faithful person like you.
“In A View from The Zoo, Gary Richmond, a former zookeeper, tells about an experience a friend had with a raccoon. He explains that raccoons go through a glandular change at about 24 months. After that they often attack their owners. A 30-pound raccoon can be equal to a 100-pound dog in a scrap. Richmond felt compelled to warn this young friend of his named Julie of the change coming to her pet raccoon. She listened politely as he explained the coming danger. She responded by saying what people always say, "It will be different for me..." And she smiled as she added, "Bandit wouldn't hurt me. He just wouldn't." Three months later Julie underwent plastic surgery for facial lacerations sustained when Bandit attacked her for no apparent reason.” (Quoted in “Dynamic Preaching”, June 1990)
Julie was caught unaware at the extreme attack by her pet raccoon. Because she raised him, she was lulled into the false assumption that he was harmless. I’ve met people who thought that they knew a friend who seemed harmless, but who ended up causing a lot of problems when their true colors came out. Like a deer walking past a hidden blind, sometimes a faithful person cannot see the wickedness lurking nearby.
Years ago, a young mother from our congregation stopped by my office. Despite her ever-present smile, I always felt God telling me that inside her heart she was sad and depressed. That lingering notion sent from God was confirmed when she visited my office that day. As we talked, she told me what had transpired in her younger years. Emily’s family lived on the same area for generations. Several relatives lived on her street. One block over, there were a few more. Right next door to Emily lived her cousins, aunt and uncle.
Because I was a pastor in that neighborhood, what Emily told me about close family living all around her was not new to me. What shocked and saddened me was what she told me next. Emily had been sexually abused by her uncle next door. It started when she was five or six. It continued for five years, often occurring when her parents sent her next door to retrieve something or when her uncle was babysitting. Emily told her mother about what had happened, but her mother replied, “I know him. He wouldn’t do this. Who put you up to this nonsense?” When Emily heard these words, she knew to keep quiet about the shameful acts. She lived with the memories that haunted her for many years. When Emily came to me, she was tormented by the memories, which were causing her depression. Her uncle had died a decade before. She thought the nightmares and bad memories would leave after he died. She was wrong. They came back when she slept, when she was stressed, or when she was down.
I counseled Emily for months. With God’s gracious help, she worked through it. Sadly, to this day, only her husband knows the truth. She will never tell anyone else in the family, because her uncle’s charm had everyone fooled. The uncle attended mass weekly. He was a well-respected businessman. He was the life of the family parties. Everyone was snowed, except Emily. She got caught in his snare.
My wife saw a police officer friend this past week. He told her he was having a tough week with many long hours at work. She inquired why he was so stressed out. He responded that the police department had to check every sex offender in their jurisdiction on Halloween to make sure they were not giving out candy to children. If they were, they were arrested. The officer assured my wife that if not monitored, many offenders would use Halloween to lure children.
As the scripture says for today, the wicked “continually set traps to catch people”. Our world is filled with dark and evil people, who love to trap the unsuspecting. It is your job to watch out for the vulnerable, to be just in your dealings, and to seek God’s help in determining the truth…. always! Sometimes, those traps can be hidden well, those snares can be oh so tempting….
November 5
“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him [Jesus]; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8:38–39, RSV)
“Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962), the world-famous violinist, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn't able to buy it. Later, having raised enough money to meet the asking price, he returned to the seller, hoping to purchase that beautiful instrument. But to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner's home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea. "Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?" he asked. Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector's emotions were deeply stirred. "I have no right to keep that to myself," he exclaimed. "It's yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it."” (“Our Daily Bread”, February 4, 1994)
Some Christians are like that collector. They take the beautiful gospel and collect spiritual memories and the knowledge of Jesus and keep it in their hearts. Other Christians are like Fritz Kreisler. They not only know the gospel when they hear it, they want to share the beauty and knowledge of it with their world. Are you more of a spiritual collector, keeping the knowledge of love of God to yourself, keeping your faith private and your love of God to yourself? Or, are you more of a spiritual gift giver, willing to share your love of God and experiences of faith with those to whom God sends you? Your answer is crucially important to future generations!
When I was young, I thought that a person’s faith was personal and confidential. It was something shared between me and God. I might talk about my faith during worship, or when asked a question, but most people didn’t know what I believed. The more I studied scripture and met other more spiritual Christians, I learned that this personal and confidential belief system was misinformed. I did need a personal faith in Jesus, but it was not to be a confidential thing. I was not to keep my faith only to myself. The world needed to hear about my faith. So did God.
The scripture reading for today occurs after a man was healed. Jesus exorcised a multitude of demons from the man. Being grateful to be healed and in his right mind, the man “begged” to be with Jesus (Luke 8:38). However, the man learned that Jesus did not want him to be a regular disciple. Jesus had another mission for him. Jesus told him that mission with the words, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39). I do not believe that Jesus wanted only this man to share his faith with his world. Jesus told the disciples to share their faith and heal on their journey written about in Luke 10. They even exorcised demons while on the way! Thus, the job of a follower of Jesus is not just to perform healings and pray and fight demons. The job of a follower of Jesus is also to share the faith wherever they are sent!
In response to Jesus’ command for the healed man to share his faith in his hometown, the healed man did as he was told. Luke 8:39 tells us that the man proclaimed “throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him”. If Jesus has done something in your life, don’t you think he’d want you to do the same?
There are two main mistakes Christians make regarding sharing the gospel. One mistake I did as a youth. I did not share the gospel message. Some do not share the gospel out of shame or embarrassment, peer pressure or a desire to be popular. Not sharing the gospel says something to God: the gospel message isn’t as important as other things. The other main mistake Christians make is to go overboard in sharing their faith. They bug people with the gospel. They force the gospel message down people's throats where some tact should have been used instead. Sometimes, sharing the gospel without words in specific situations may be the preferred method of evangelism.
Do others know you are a Christian? Are you an obnoxious Christian? Are you willing to share the gospel as God calls you? These are crucial questions for your faith. Your answers to these questions will display for this generation and the next whether Jesus was really your Savior.
Some Christians are like that collector. They take the beautiful gospel and collect spiritual memories and the knowledge of Jesus and keep it in their hearts. Other Christians are like Fritz Kreisler. They not only know the gospel when they hear it, they want to share the beauty and knowledge of it with their world. Are you more of a spiritual collector, keeping the knowledge of love of God to yourself, keeping your faith private and your love of God to yourself? Or, are you more of a spiritual gift giver, willing to share your love of God and experiences of faith with those to whom God sends you? Your answer is crucially important to future generations!
When I was young, I thought that a person’s faith was personal and confidential. It was something shared between me and God. I might talk about my faith during worship, or when asked a question, but most people didn’t know what I believed. The more I studied scripture and met other more spiritual Christians, I learned that this personal and confidential belief system was misinformed. I did need a personal faith in Jesus, but it was not to be a confidential thing. I was not to keep my faith only to myself. The world needed to hear about my faith. So did God.
The scripture reading for today occurs after a man was healed. Jesus exorcised a multitude of demons from the man. Being grateful to be healed and in his right mind, the man “begged” to be with Jesus (Luke 8:38). However, the man learned that Jesus did not want him to be a regular disciple. Jesus had another mission for him. Jesus told him that mission with the words, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39). I do not believe that Jesus wanted only this man to share his faith with his world. Jesus told the disciples to share their faith and heal on their journey written about in Luke 10. They even exorcised demons while on the way! Thus, the job of a follower of Jesus is not just to perform healings and pray and fight demons. The job of a follower of Jesus is also to share the faith wherever they are sent!
In response to Jesus’ command for the healed man to share his faith in his hometown, the healed man did as he was told. Luke 8:39 tells us that the man proclaimed “throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him”. If Jesus has done something in your life, don’t you think he’d want you to do the same?
There are two main mistakes Christians make regarding sharing the gospel. One mistake I did as a youth. I did not share the gospel message. Some do not share the gospel out of shame or embarrassment, peer pressure or a desire to be popular. Not sharing the gospel says something to God: the gospel message isn’t as important as other things. The other main mistake Christians make is to go overboard in sharing their faith. They bug people with the gospel. They force the gospel message down people's throats where some tact should have been used instead. Sometimes, sharing the gospel without words in specific situations may be the preferred method of evangelism.
Do others know you are a Christian? Are you an obnoxious Christian? Are you willing to share the gospel as God calls you? These are crucial questions for your faith. Your answers to these questions will display for this generation and the next whether Jesus was really your Savior.
November 7
“Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lord your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.””
(2 Chronicles 9:8, ESV)
(2 Chronicles 9:8, ESV)
The words above seem as if they were spoken by a prophet. They were not. They were spoken by the Queen of Sheba. They were spoken to Solomon when he was the king of Israel and Judah. It is obvious from the words that the Queen was very impressed by Solomon. The two later ushered in a harmonious relationship between their countries and trade flowed between the two.
I want to focus on something that the Queen said to Solomon. She mentioned that God had shown favor upon Solomon and “set” Solomon upon the throne. In response, Solomon was to rule through the execution of “justice and righteousness” (2 Chronicles 9:8). God expected both justice and righteousness from the king during his reign. Sadly, despite his wisdom, there were ways in which Solomon failed God in this endeavor.
Though King Solomon was expected to rule with “justice and righteousness”, it is not just kings who are commanded by God to follow through with these two signs of the faith. You are as well. All human beings are judged by God in how they deal with issues of justice and righteousness. I could quote many scriptures to reinforce this fundamental issue of faith (including the one in the picture to the left!), but I do not have the space! Instead, I want you to focus on the meaning of being a just and righteous person with your decisions today.
The Hebrew word for justice used in the scripture today means to “give a verdict or sentence of judgment that is right”. What this means is that you need to judge people with the will of God, not with personal bias or favoritism. You can’t judge people unfairly or without being honest. You must not hide the truth or play with the truth. You need to be a fair person, even if it will hurt you in the end. Based on the definition of the term “justice”, how well do you measure up to the meaning of the word?
The Hebrew word for righteousness used in the scripture means to “do what is right before God”. While you can judge a person with fairness or justice, righteousness implies that you need to follow through by doing what God wills in any given situation. This may be harder than you think, for being righteous implies doing what is right in God’s eyes, not by your own standards. It may mean you give a person mercy or forgiveness because of God’s will, instead of getting even or making someone pay for hurting your feelings. As with justice, righteousness is difficult to do. It requires that you deal with issues using God’s methods, not your own. Based on the definition of the term “righteousness”, how well do you measure up to the meaning of the word?
During the 1980’s, a research study was done of high school students. They were asked a question that posed a moral dilemma: “If a stranger or your dog were going to die, which would you save first?” Most of the students answered that they would save their dog first. When asked why, the most common response was, “I love my dog. I don’t love the stranger.” When Dennis Prager learned about the results of the study, his response was a challenge. He wrote: “The feeling of love has supplanted God or religious principle as the moral guide for young people. What is right has been redefined in terms of what an individual feels” (Christianity Today, October 25, 1993, p. 73). Prager was entirely appropriate in his critique. If you base your decisions on what you “feel”, you will go against God’s command that you base decisions on God’s justice and God’s righteousness. Sadly, millions today make their decisions and make their way through life based on what feels good, not by doing what is just or right by God. This has skewed what is right and wrong, good and evil, just and unjust, fair and foul.
There is a HUGE difference when your decisions are made on the principles of “justice and righteousness”. If you want to continue to be a true Christian who is faithful to God, you will have to toss out worldly beliefs based on feelings, and judge your situations based on God’s “justice and righteousness”. This will not be easy, but it will be faithful.
There is a saying that has been attributed to Martin Luther (as quoted from The Adversary, Mark Bubeck, p. 13). I include it today as inspiration…
Feelings come and feelings go
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God,
Naught else is worth believing.
Every day, you will make judgments, determine right and wrong, craft your decisions, take your stands. In all cases, honor God with “justice and righteousness”!
I want to focus on something that the Queen said to Solomon. She mentioned that God had shown favor upon Solomon and “set” Solomon upon the throne. In response, Solomon was to rule through the execution of “justice and righteousness” (2 Chronicles 9:8). God expected both justice and righteousness from the king during his reign. Sadly, despite his wisdom, there were ways in which Solomon failed God in this endeavor.
Though King Solomon was expected to rule with “justice and righteousness”, it is not just kings who are commanded by God to follow through with these two signs of the faith. You are as well. All human beings are judged by God in how they deal with issues of justice and righteousness. I could quote many scriptures to reinforce this fundamental issue of faith (including the one in the picture to the left!), but I do not have the space! Instead, I want you to focus on the meaning of being a just and righteous person with your decisions today.
The Hebrew word for justice used in the scripture today means to “give a verdict or sentence of judgment that is right”. What this means is that you need to judge people with the will of God, not with personal bias or favoritism. You can’t judge people unfairly or without being honest. You must not hide the truth or play with the truth. You need to be a fair person, even if it will hurt you in the end. Based on the definition of the term “justice”, how well do you measure up to the meaning of the word?
The Hebrew word for righteousness used in the scripture means to “do what is right before God”. While you can judge a person with fairness or justice, righteousness implies that you need to follow through by doing what God wills in any given situation. This may be harder than you think, for being righteous implies doing what is right in God’s eyes, not by your own standards. It may mean you give a person mercy or forgiveness because of God’s will, instead of getting even or making someone pay for hurting your feelings. As with justice, righteousness is difficult to do. It requires that you deal with issues using God’s methods, not your own. Based on the definition of the term “righteousness”, how well do you measure up to the meaning of the word?
During the 1980’s, a research study was done of high school students. They were asked a question that posed a moral dilemma: “If a stranger or your dog were going to die, which would you save first?” Most of the students answered that they would save their dog first. When asked why, the most common response was, “I love my dog. I don’t love the stranger.” When Dennis Prager learned about the results of the study, his response was a challenge. He wrote: “The feeling of love has supplanted God or religious principle as the moral guide for young people. What is right has been redefined in terms of what an individual feels” (Christianity Today, October 25, 1993, p. 73). Prager was entirely appropriate in his critique. If you base your decisions on what you “feel”, you will go against God’s command that you base decisions on God’s justice and God’s righteousness. Sadly, millions today make their decisions and make their way through life based on what feels good, not by doing what is just or right by God. This has skewed what is right and wrong, good and evil, just and unjust, fair and foul.
There is a HUGE difference when your decisions are made on the principles of “justice and righteousness”. If you want to continue to be a true Christian who is faithful to God, you will have to toss out worldly beliefs based on feelings, and judge your situations based on God’s “justice and righteousness”. This will not be easy, but it will be faithful.
There is a saying that has been attributed to Martin Luther (as quoted from The Adversary, Mark Bubeck, p. 13). I include it today as inspiration…
Feelings come and feelings go
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God,
Naught else is worth believing.
Every day, you will make judgments, determine right and wrong, craft your decisions, take your stands. In all cases, honor God with “justice and righteousness”!
November 9
“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” (Colossians 2:8, NLT)
Bertrand Russell was born into a Christian home and taught to believe in God, but he rejected his training and became an outspoken atheist. His daughter, Katherine Tait, said of him, "Somewhere at the bottom of his heart, in the depths of his soul, there was an empty space that once had been filled by God, and he never found anything else to put in it."
It is my firm belief that all those who choose to keep God out of their hearts have the same problem. They have an emptiness inside that never goes away. Human beings were made to worship God. They were made by the Creator to have a spiritual component and a connection to the Creator God. Whenever human beings choose to keep God out of their world, they inevitably will find a deep sorrow and emptiness that nothing in life can replace. Many communists chose politics, philosophy, or war to consume their time and fill their hearts. I never knew one who felt fulfilled or warmed in the heart. over time, most become cynical, with a deep emptiness. Is it any surprise that Russia, during the Cold War years, had some of the highest rates of alcoholism and death by alcohol in the world? On the other hand, I have met people in the West who tried to replace God with drugs or sex or power or material possessions. Their joy was often fleeting. Their peace in heart and soul was missing. Their life went unfulfilled. If you deny God a place in your heart or day, an emptiness will overtake your soul. You will feel it. It will haunt you.
In the scripture chosen for today, the apostle Paul was commenting to the church in Colossae. That church was highly influenced by Greek culture and Hellenistic thinking. It is often said by scholars that philosophy began with the Greeks. Whether true or not, it infiltrated the culture in and around the Colossian church. Knowing this, Paul (who was part Greek in heritage) wrote that the Christians in Colossae should not let anyone “capture them with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking” (Colossians 2:8). Paul grew up with those philosophies. His countrymen reveled in philosophical discourse. Being very familiar with human philosophical thinking, Paul was warning the Greek Christians in Colossae that they would find no spiritual peace in worshiping human endeavors. For Paul, “spiritual powers of this world” contained no long-term value to the soul. The soul needed Christ (Colossians 2:8b).
If you find that your soul feels an emptiness, it may be time for you to reconnect with God. Read your Bible. Talk to a Christian friend who is filled with God’s Spirit. Find a good devotional, and read it every day. Come visit this web site and let the meditations feed your soul. Pray while walking. Pray before you eat. Pray with friends. Go to worship with an expectant, joyful heart. Seek God. If you look long enough for God, God will come to you. I promise. As Jesus said, “Ask, and you shall receive. Seek and you will find…..” (Matthew 7:7).
The problem with people like Bertrand Russell is that they give up on true faith. They put away a godly relationship. Whenever that happens, an emptiness will result. The soul will shrivel up and die. Nearing the end of his life, Bertrand Russell, the Christian who gave up Christ, wrote the following words…..
“Through the long years
I have sought peace,
I found ecstasy,
I found anguish,
I found madness,
I found loneliness.
I found the solitary pain
that gnaws the heart,
But peace I did not find.”
(Ray Monk, Bertrand Russell, The Spirit of Solitude)
There is only one place I have found to find true and lasting peace: with God in Christ.
It is my firm belief that all those who choose to keep God out of their hearts have the same problem. They have an emptiness inside that never goes away. Human beings were made to worship God. They were made by the Creator to have a spiritual component and a connection to the Creator God. Whenever human beings choose to keep God out of their world, they inevitably will find a deep sorrow and emptiness that nothing in life can replace. Many communists chose politics, philosophy, or war to consume their time and fill their hearts. I never knew one who felt fulfilled or warmed in the heart. over time, most become cynical, with a deep emptiness. Is it any surprise that Russia, during the Cold War years, had some of the highest rates of alcoholism and death by alcohol in the world? On the other hand, I have met people in the West who tried to replace God with drugs or sex or power or material possessions. Their joy was often fleeting. Their peace in heart and soul was missing. Their life went unfulfilled. If you deny God a place in your heart or day, an emptiness will overtake your soul. You will feel it. It will haunt you.
In the scripture chosen for today, the apostle Paul was commenting to the church in Colossae. That church was highly influenced by Greek culture and Hellenistic thinking. It is often said by scholars that philosophy began with the Greeks. Whether true or not, it infiltrated the culture in and around the Colossian church. Knowing this, Paul (who was part Greek in heritage) wrote that the Christians in Colossae should not let anyone “capture them with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking” (Colossians 2:8). Paul grew up with those philosophies. His countrymen reveled in philosophical discourse. Being very familiar with human philosophical thinking, Paul was warning the Greek Christians in Colossae that they would find no spiritual peace in worshiping human endeavors. For Paul, “spiritual powers of this world” contained no long-term value to the soul. The soul needed Christ (Colossians 2:8b).
If you find that your soul feels an emptiness, it may be time for you to reconnect with God. Read your Bible. Talk to a Christian friend who is filled with God’s Spirit. Find a good devotional, and read it every day. Come visit this web site and let the meditations feed your soul. Pray while walking. Pray before you eat. Pray with friends. Go to worship with an expectant, joyful heart. Seek God. If you look long enough for God, God will come to you. I promise. As Jesus said, “Ask, and you shall receive. Seek and you will find…..” (Matthew 7:7).
The problem with people like Bertrand Russell is that they give up on true faith. They put away a godly relationship. Whenever that happens, an emptiness will result. The soul will shrivel up and die. Nearing the end of his life, Bertrand Russell, the Christian who gave up Christ, wrote the following words…..
“Through the long years
I have sought peace,
I found ecstasy,
I found anguish,
I found madness,
I found loneliness.
I found the solitary pain
that gnaws the heart,
But peace I did not find.”
(Ray Monk, Bertrand Russell, The Spirit of Solitude)
There is only one place I have found to find true and lasting peace: with God in Christ.
November 11
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NRSV)
“Zeng Shen was young enough to be Confucius's grandson, yet he won high praise from the old sage. One of the sayings for which Zeng Shen is famous goes something like this. "Every day I ask myself three questions. The first is, 'Have I sinned in my thoughts and actions toward others?' The second is, 'Have I broken faith in any of my friendships?' The third is, 'Have I tried to teach anything to others I have not fully learned and understood myself?'"
If Zeng Shen asked himself these three questions every day, resolving to make no mistakes, then, young as he was, we can well understand why Confucius praised him. Not only is each of the three questions extremely important in itself, but the practice of examining one's own behavior every day is a habit that every leader should cultivate.” (Konosuke Matsushita, quoted in Bits and Pieces, August 20, 1992, pp. 22-23)
I believe self-examination and self-evaluation should be the cornerstone of every Christian as well. It is impossible to be a true and valuable child of God without looking inside one’s own soul and testing its purity and faithfulness.
A seven-year-old boy was riding the bus to school. He was a good kid with good parents. He came from a good Christian home. The boy, while seated toward the back, saw that a bully, who was older, was picking on one of the smaller children. When the small child began to cry, the seven-year-old defended him, got in a heated argument and scuffle trying to protect the smaller child. The bus driver saw the scuffle in his rear-view mirror. When the bus arrived at the school, the bully and the seven-year-old boy were put on detention and punished. The parents were called.
Later, the seven-year-old said to his father, “I did what was right. I protected the boy from the bully. The bully did what was wrong. Why am I being punished?”
The father replied, “While protecting the boy, you broke the rules on the bus. You did a good thing by protecting the boy, but you got into a fight on the bus. You also left your seat to fight the bully. You broke the rules.”
The boy immediately responded, “That sucks. I did what was right.”
The father replied, “While doing the right thing in protecting the boy, you did a wrong thing and got into a shoving match on the bus. You did both right and wrong.”
The boy shrugged and said, “I’m not going to help anybody on the bus ever again!”
The father hugged his son and said, “It was not helping that got you into trouble. It was how you helped that became your problem.”
When the seven-year-old tried to defend the smaller child, he became so focused on protecting the young child from the bully, that he ignored the rules on the bus. After that punishment, the boy began to do more self-evaluation. He learned that some things in life take more finesse. You need to find ways to stay within the rules while still doing what is right. You can’t just go off doing what is right, but breaking rules right and left in your anger or to get even. Even if something is wrong, to respond in a bad way to that wrong is itself a mistake. Choices in life can become complicated and require self-reflection.
I have met Christians who, without adequate self-reflection, failed to do what was right. Like the seven-year-old boy, they intended to do what was right but instead made a mess of things. You can’t go off half-cocked when someone is treated wrongly. If you do, your response might be unwise or overly zealous. Then, all you have done is replace one wrong with another.
Spiritual self-examination helps you to re-evaluate your situation. It forces you to take a pause to appraise yourself. It requires that you be honest with yourself and ponder your motives and intentions. Self-examination is required not only for the nuances in life. It helps you to grow into a better person, a wiser judge of character, and gives you a greater depth of understanding. Often, spiritual self-examination is the only way to garner a closer relationship with God.
If you tend to jump into things with your emotions, you may want to re-examine your motives. If your insecurities cause you to make fault assumptions, you may want to look deeper into your fears. If you tend to make quick, inaccurate judgments about people or situations, you may need to re-evaluate your perspective. When at church, if anger or resentment or jealousy or envy cloud your judgment, you may want to search through your heart. It may be that emotional issues might be forcing your decisions, or Satan may be playing with your mind.
Over-reactions, over-simplifications, snap judgments, emotional outbursts, angry retorts, selfish ambitions, and so much more, can wreck your relationships and bring disastrous consequences. Sometimes, the only way to see through the haze of a mess is to have some critical self-evaluation of your soul. Prayer will help the process. Soul-searching with the help of the Holy Spirit will be necessary. That’s why Paul wrote to the Corinthian church to “examine themselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). In an honest self-examination, one is more able to learn about how to respond in certain situations. Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth to test themselves to make sure that Jesus was the cornerstone of their beliefs and the source of their inspiration.
In the fast-paced world today, it is so easy to get caught up in your emotions or misplace your allegiances. When getting hit from all sides, it is difficult to keep one’s eyes on Jesus! Valuable self-examination can save you from a multitude of mistakes and help inform you which direction or response is the most faithful. Without a true self-examination, you may never know why some things go wrong in your life or whether you are faithfully living in trusted devotion to Jesus.
If Zeng Shen asked himself these three questions every day, resolving to make no mistakes, then, young as he was, we can well understand why Confucius praised him. Not only is each of the three questions extremely important in itself, but the practice of examining one's own behavior every day is a habit that every leader should cultivate.” (Konosuke Matsushita, quoted in Bits and Pieces, August 20, 1992, pp. 22-23)
I believe self-examination and self-evaluation should be the cornerstone of every Christian as well. It is impossible to be a true and valuable child of God without looking inside one’s own soul and testing its purity and faithfulness.
A seven-year-old boy was riding the bus to school. He was a good kid with good parents. He came from a good Christian home. The boy, while seated toward the back, saw that a bully, who was older, was picking on one of the smaller children. When the small child began to cry, the seven-year-old defended him, got in a heated argument and scuffle trying to protect the smaller child. The bus driver saw the scuffle in his rear-view mirror. When the bus arrived at the school, the bully and the seven-year-old boy were put on detention and punished. The parents were called.
Later, the seven-year-old said to his father, “I did what was right. I protected the boy from the bully. The bully did what was wrong. Why am I being punished?”
The father replied, “While protecting the boy, you broke the rules on the bus. You did a good thing by protecting the boy, but you got into a fight on the bus. You also left your seat to fight the bully. You broke the rules.”
The boy immediately responded, “That sucks. I did what was right.”
The father replied, “While doing the right thing in protecting the boy, you did a wrong thing and got into a shoving match on the bus. You did both right and wrong.”
The boy shrugged and said, “I’m not going to help anybody on the bus ever again!”
The father hugged his son and said, “It was not helping that got you into trouble. It was how you helped that became your problem.”
When the seven-year-old tried to defend the smaller child, he became so focused on protecting the young child from the bully, that he ignored the rules on the bus. After that punishment, the boy began to do more self-evaluation. He learned that some things in life take more finesse. You need to find ways to stay within the rules while still doing what is right. You can’t just go off doing what is right, but breaking rules right and left in your anger or to get even. Even if something is wrong, to respond in a bad way to that wrong is itself a mistake. Choices in life can become complicated and require self-reflection.
I have met Christians who, without adequate self-reflection, failed to do what was right. Like the seven-year-old boy, they intended to do what was right but instead made a mess of things. You can’t go off half-cocked when someone is treated wrongly. If you do, your response might be unwise or overly zealous. Then, all you have done is replace one wrong with another.
Spiritual self-examination helps you to re-evaluate your situation. It forces you to take a pause to appraise yourself. It requires that you be honest with yourself and ponder your motives and intentions. Self-examination is required not only for the nuances in life. It helps you to grow into a better person, a wiser judge of character, and gives you a greater depth of understanding. Often, spiritual self-examination is the only way to garner a closer relationship with God.
If you tend to jump into things with your emotions, you may want to re-examine your motives. If your insecurities cause you to make fault assumptions, you may want to look deeper into your fears. If you tend to make quick, inaccurate judgments about people or situations, you may need to re-evaluate your perspective. When at church, if anger or resentment or jealousy or envy cloud your judgment, you may want to search through your heart. It may be that emotional issues might be forcing your decisions, or Satan may be playing with your mind.
Over-reactions, over-simplifications, snap judgments, emotional outbursts, angry retorts, selfish ambitions, and so much more, can wreck your relationships and bring disastrous consequences. Sometimes, the only way to see through the haze of a mess is to have some critical self-evaluation of your soul. Prayer will help the process. Soul-searching with the help of the Holy Spirit will be necessary. That’s why Paul wrote to the Corinthian church to “examine themselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). In an honest self-examination, one is more able to learn about how to respond in certain situations. Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth to test themselves to make sure that Jesus was the cornerstone of their beliefs and the source of their inspiration.
In the fast-paced world today, it is so easy to get caught up in your emotions or misplace your allegiances. When getting hit from all sides, it is difficult to keep one’s eyes on Jesus! Valuable self-examination can save you from a multitude of mistakes and help inform you which direction or response is the most faithful. Without a true self-examination, you may never know why some things go wrong in your life or whether you are faithfully living in trusted devotion to Jesus.
November 13
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17, NLT)
“During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Finally, in spite of the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved. Ultimately, all the time lost to fear was regained by replacing fear with faith in the net.” (Told by Richard Baxter in The Free Gift)
God’s grace is like that safety net. It can catch you when you fall into sin. It can save you. It can protect you. The scripture for today contains God’s promise of a spiritual safety net. The scripture is from the book of Revelation. The words of Revelation 22:17 contain an offer for all to “come” to God. It is an invitation to “come” to God’s side, accept God’s grace, be baptized in forgiveness, to drink freely from God’s “water of life” planned for salvation. Despite your failings, fears, insecurities, and sins, God still offers you to come by accepting His grace and enjoying the freedom that comes with a redeemed life.
If you study the scripture for today, you may pick up on the fact that God offers grace and “the water of life”, i.e. salvation, to “anyone who hears” God’s voice and is willing to come to God. God’s offer is to everyone, no matter where you come from, no matter what you’ve done. That safety net of grace is available right now, at this moment, with you. What would stop you from accepting God’s terms and freely drinking from God’ s grace? That’s a good question!
I have met many people who have sinned but would not accept God’s invitation to come to His grace and drink freely of healing waters. For some, their guilt and shame outweighed God’s invitation. They felt undeserving of God’s forgiveness. This is regrettable, for God intended this spiritual safety net as a sign of pure grace, as an extension of His love! When you reject God’s invitation to full communion or do not allow God to cleanse your heart or mind, you are also rejecting God. Your self-condemnation is holding you back from God’s wonderful grace. Jesus’ death on the cross for you was in vain, unless you freely come back to God.
When Julia was in her twenties, she made some big mistakes. Rebelling against her conservative parents, she threw herself into many of society’s ills. She took drugs. She drank alcohol freely. She was involved in a dozen sexual relationships. During all her years of college, she never once attended the chapel. Only when money got low did she come home. Then, as soon as she got enough money, she went back to college and to her uninhibited lifestyle. By the time Julia was twenty-five, she had a sexually transmitted disease and was known about campus as a party girl.
When Julia was twenty-six, she found a lump on her breast. A month later, she had a mastectomy. The cancer found on her breast was particularly virulent and dangerous. Over the next few years, she went through chemo and various forms of therapy. Through it all, her family and her home pastor kept by her side.
While recuperating at home one day, the pastor came to visit. When alone with Julia, he asked her why she never came to church anymore. Her response was, “I don’t want the whole congregation to be hit with lightning when I walk through the door, Pastor! I am quite undeserving after all the things I’ve done in my life. I even think the cancer is God’s punishment upon me.” Over the next few months, the pastor took time to explain God’s grace to Julia. He never let her forget that she was loved by God, despite her failures and sins. Then, one day in late November, Julia decided to let go of her past mistakes and come back to faith. She rejoined her home church and became an integral part of that congregation. It had taken Julia a long time to figure out that God’s safety net of grace was not just for little mistakes but was needed by everyone at some time. Big sins or little sins can be forgiven. All one must do is give up one’s pride, accept God’s call, and come to God’s side. There grace flows freely, according to one’s faith.
Do you realize how awesome is God’s grace? This verse reminds us all that grace is open to “anyone”. I hope nothing ever stops you from coming over to God’s side, accepting God’s grace, letting God forgive your sin no matter how egregious, and living in faith. Jesus paid for God’s grace on the cross. He did it so you could come freely to God’s side. Give thanks today for that grace that saved you! Isn’t it nice knowing that you have a safety net?
God’s grace is like that safety net. It can catch you when you fall into sin. It can save you. It can protect you. The scripture for today contains God’s promise of a spiritual safety net. The scripture is from the book of Revelation. The words of Revelation 22:17 contain an offer for all to “come” to God. It is an invitation to “come” to God’s side, accept God’s grace, be baptized in forgiveness, to drink freely from God’s “water of life” planned for salvation. Despite your failings, fears, insecurities, and sins, God still offers you to come by accepting His grace and enjoying the freedom that comes with a redeemed life.
If you study the scripture for today, you may pick up on the fact that God offers grace and “the water of life”, i.e. salvation, to “anyone who hears” God’s voice and is willing to come to God. God’s offer is to everyone, no matter where you come from, no matter what you’ve done. That safety net of grace is available right now, at this moment, with you. What would stop you from accepting God’s terms and freely drinking from God’ s grace? That’s a good question!
I have met many people who have sinned but would not accept God’s invitation to come to His grace and drink freely of healing waters. For some, their guilt and shame outweighed God’s invitation. They felt undeserving of God’s forgiveness. This is regrettable, for God intended this spiritual safety net as a sign of pure grace, as an extension of His love! When you reject God’s invitation to full communion or do not allow God to cleanse your heart or mind, you are also rejecting God. Your self-condemnation is holding you back from God’s wonderful grace. Jesus’ death on the cross for you was in vain, unless you freely come back to God.
When Julia was in her twenties, she made some big mistakes. Rebelling against her conservative parents, she threw herself into many of society’s ills. She took drugs. She drank alcohol freely. She was involved in a dozen sexual relationships. During all her years of college, she never once attended the chapel. Only when money got low did she come home. Then, as soon as she got enough money, she went back to college and to her uninhibited lifestyle. By the time Julia was twenty-five, she had a sexually transmitted disease and was known about campus as a party girl.
When Julia was twenty-six, she found a lump on her breast. A month later, she had a mastectomy. The cancer found on her breast was particularly virulent and dangerous. Over the next few years, she went through chemo and various forms of therapy. Through it all, her family and her home pastor kept by her side.
While recuperating at home one day, the pastor came to visit. When alone with Julia, he asked her why she never came to church anymore. Her response was, “I don’t want the whole congregation to be hit with lightning when I walk through the door, Pastor! I am quite undeserving after all the things I’ve done in my life. I even think the cancer is God’s punishment upon me.” Over the next few months, the pastor took time to explain God’s grace to Julia. He never let her forget that she was loved by God, despite her failures and sins. Then, one day in late November, Julia decided to let go of her past mistakes and come back to faith. She rejoined her home church and became an integral part of that congregation. It had taken Julia a long time to figure out that God’s safety net of grace was not just for little mistakes but was needed by everyone at some time. Big sins or little sins can be forgiven. All one must do is give up one’s pride, accept God’s call, and come to God’s side. There grace flows freely, according to one’s faith.
Do you realize how awesome is God’s grace? This verse reminds us all that grace is open to “anyone”. I hope nothing ever stops you from coming over to God’s side, accepting God’s grace, letting God forgive your sin no matter how egregious, and living in faith. Jesus paid for God’s grace on the cross. He did it so you could come freely to God’s side. Give thanks today for that grace that saved you! Isn’t it nice knowing that you have a safety net?
November 15
““For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.” (Luke 18:32–34, NASB95)
There were moments when Jesus pulled the disciples aside and explained to them what was going to befall Him. He hinted at the future. Sometimes, He used parables. At other times, He used examples. In the scripture above, Jesus spoke openly about what was going to happen in Jerusalem. Because Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection had not yet occurred, the disciples couldn’t understand if Jesus was speaking in a parable or talking about something else. The scripture ends with clarity. “The disciples understood none of these things” (Luke 18:33). The real meaning of Jesus’ words “was hidden from them.” “They did not comprehend” (Luke 18:34). This did not stop the crucifixion nor the resurrection from occurring (Luke 18:32). Only later did the disciples understand what Jesus meant at that moment. Only with hindsight did they figure out God’s plan.
As you go through your life, there will be times when you will not understand God’s plan. You might not comprehend what is going on in your world. Little things may not have meaning. Big challenges may not seem to have a divine purpose. However, I have found that with many things in life, God does have a plan. A lot of events in your life have purpose. You may not understand their meaning in the present time. It may only occur to you later what God was doing. Even then, it may take you months or years to figure out the purpose behind some of the events of your life. It may only come after much contemplation, counseling, or a moment of clarity that God’s plan for your life falls into focus.
Way back in the 1990’s, I had a problem in our church. Our church was growing, and I couldn’t be everywhere I was needed. More and more, I prayed to God for help with the growing responsibilities of my ministry in a growing church. After weeks without a day off, I took some extra time to pray. I asked God what to do. Nothing seemed to come to mind right away. However, a few days later, I was talking to a man in the church. As we talked, God’s Spirit spoke to my heart and mind. This man was going to be integral to God’s plan to help me. Now, I had to figure out what God had in mind!
The next week, I visited that man at his home. I spoke to him about the church in general terms. I began to comprehend that God’s Spirit had been speaking to him. I then revealed what I had been praying about and asked him to consider helping me lead a group in the church. He said he’d pray about it. After a few days, he agreed to work with me. After a few months, he took over the leadership of the group. This enabled the group to flourish even more, and the church continued to grow because I could increase my work in other areas and devote myself to more prayer.
Since the day I met that man in his home, he has moved several times. He has taken on various ministry roles at each church. Ten years ago, he was called into overseas mission work, which he continues to this day. I had no idea when I met him at that home visit that I was talking to a future missionary! He had no idea that his future lay in missionary work overseas. As I look back upon his life, I am amazed at all the lives he has touched in various churches and over the world. Only as I look back can I see how an answered prayer, God’s push for a home visit, and a few words by me began such a wonderful ministry! Only with hindsight do I even know some of what God had planned!
God often reveals parts of His plan for our lives. So often, we don’t put together those elements until later. We don’t see. We don’t quite understand some things. We can’t know. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a plan. It just means that we don’t understand enough of it at the present. It means we don’t quite comprehend the breadth of God’s purview. God is doing way more than you know!
I believe that after you die, God reveals all His plans for your life. He reveals things that you didn’t know. He shows you things that you missed. My prayer is that you begin to connect the dots in your life so you may perceive God’s plan for you on this earth. I do believe every person has a purpose. God has a plan for each soul. You may not understand your role in this world today, but some day you will. I hope on that day, you are not ashamed at how you responded to God’s plan. Instead, I pray that you go to your eternal rest knowing that God’s plan for you was just absolutely awesome!
As you go through your life, there will be times when you will not understand God’s plan. You might not comprehend what is going on in your world. Little things may not have meaning. Big challenges may not seem to have a divine purpose. However, I have found that with many things in life, God does have a plan. A lot of events in your life have purpose. You may not understand their meaning in the present time. It may only occur to you later what God was doing. Even then, it may take you months or years to figure out the purpose behind some of the events of your life. It may only come after much contemplation, counseling, or a moment of clarity that God’s plan for your life falls into focus.
Way back in the 1990’s, I had a problem in our church. Our church was growing, and I couldn’t be everywhere I was needed. More and more, I prayed to God for help with the growing responsibilities of my ministry in a growing church. After weeks without a day off, I took some extra time to pray. I asked God what to do. Nothing seemed to come to mind right away. However, a few days later, I was talking to a man in the church. As we talked, God’s Spirit spoke to my heart and mind. This man was going to be integral to God’s plan to help me. Now, I had to figure out what God had in mind!
The next week, I visited that man at his home. I spoke to him about the church in general terms. I began to comprehend that God’s Spirit had been speaking to him. I then revealed what I had been praying about and asked him to consider helping me lead a group in the church. He said he’d pray about it. After a few days, he agreed to work with me. After a few months, he took over the leadership of the group. This enabled the group to flourish even more, and the church continued to grow because I could increase my work in other areas and devote myself to more prayer.
Since the day I met that man in his home, he has moved several times. He has taken on various ministry roles at each church. Ten years ago, he was called into overseas mission work, which he continues to this day. I had no idea when I met him at that home visit that I was talking to a future missionary! He had no idea that his future lay in missionary work overseas. As I look back upon his life, I am amazed at all the lives he has touched in various churches and over the world. Only as I look back can I see how an answered prayer, God’s push for a home visit, and a few words by me began such a wonderful ministry! Only with hindsight do I even know some of what God had planned!
God often reveals parts of His plan for our lives. So often, we don’t put together those elements until later. We don’t see. We don’t quite understand some things. We can’t know. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a plan. It just means that we don’t understand enough of it at the present. It means we don’t quite comprehend the breadth of God’s purview. God is doing way more than you know!
I believe that after you die, God reveals all His plans for your life. He reveals things that you didn’t know. He shows you things that you missed. My prayer is that you begin to connect the dots in your life so you may perceive God’s plan for you on this earth. I do believe every person has a purpose. God has a plan for each soul. You may not understand your role in this world today, but some day you will. I hope on that day, you are not ashamed at how you responded to God’s plan. Instead, I pray that you go to your eternal rest knowing that God’s plan for you was just absolutely awesome!
November 17
“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you… Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
(John 13:15,17, NLT)
(John 13:15,17, NLT)
On a most memorable evening, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. It was an act of humility. It was a statement of the importance of service for the follower of Jesus. Upon completing His act of service, Jesus offered the words above to the disciples. He had “given them an example to follow” by serving. He expected the disciples to “do as HE had done” (John 13:15). Disciples of Jesus do not only listen to the words of Jesus, study the Bible, pray with fervent hearts, and listen for God’s voice. As part of being a disciple, followers of Jesus are required to DO acts of service, to LIVE OUT their faith, to BE AN EXAMPLE of service. Your faith means nothing if it isn’t an example to others. Your faith needs to shine with service. Your faith isn’t something involving only your brain. It involves your whole body, heart, mind, and soul. For Jesus, a disciple not only thinks right, they live out God’s truth in all they do as an example to all those whose lives they touch.
Throughout the history of the Christian church, there have been man believers who considered faith as a religious practice between themselves and God alone. Faith involved one’s thoughts or prayer or heart, but the faith was never an example to others. Faith could be a “head game”, where one’s thoughts and feelings were of ultimate importance. For some of these folks, outward acts of faith did not matter. For example, there were very pious people and groups who spent many hours studying their Bible and in prayer, but who never lived out that faith in the community. There were monks who lived alone or did not venture out of their cells to share their faith. Many of these types believed that following Jesus was an internal practice. Out of love of God, they often were very religious in their beliefs. They followed the commandments strictly. They lived wholesome lives. They worshiped with vigor. However, for some, acts of service were not forthcoming. Faith was a private thing. Contrary to their doctrine, today’s scripture reminds us that faith is not just a “head game”. It involves service and mission work and outreach. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as “an example”. He wanted the disciples to do acts of outreach and service as an example for others to follow.
Early one afternoon, I was contacted by a woman about doing a funeral. She was not from our congregation, so I asked her why she contacted me. She mentioned that she was from out of town and was home for her mother’s funeral. Her mother had died suddenly, so she came home to take care of the estate, as there were no other relatives living in the area. I found out that she called five different churches and no pastor would lead the funeral service. I then asked the woman why she wanted a Pastor to do the service. Her response intrigued me, “I think my mother was a Christian.”
Since the woman needed and desired a Pastor to lead the funeral service, and because of her responses, I felt God telling me to set aside my work for the day and plan the funeral service. The next morning, I met with the daughter. We talked about faith, about the funeral, about scriptures dealing with death and resurrection. She was not a Christian, so the process was new to her.
To prepare for the funeral of a non-member, I often inquire about the life of the deceased. I want to know what they believed, if they believed in God, what were their goals and achievements, how did they live. We usually talk about family issues, the history of the person’s relationships, and their life’s work. Finally, I asked the question that seemed to spark an interest in me from the phone call the day before. I felt God telling me to inquire of the woman, so I asked, “What did you mean by saying that you think your mother was a Christian?”
It was then that the woman told me about what she found at her mothers’ home. In the drawer next to her mother’s bed was a Bible with lots of hand-written notes inside. There were prayers from various sources cut out and stuffed in the pages. Verses of the Bible had been underlined. The pages of the Bible were worn. Next to the Bible was a diary where the woman wrote all her questions for God, the names of people she prayed for, and various scriptures that were her favorites. There were a few daily devotional books at her kitchen table and one next to her mother’s favorite chair. After stating all this, the daughter said of her mother: “Mother never talked openly about her religion. She kept that part of her life to herself. I had no idea she prayed and read the Bible so often! We never ever talked about it.”
How can a true Christian go through life without others knowing they believe? How can a Christian be true to Jesus without giving examples of faith, sharing the faith, or doing outreach in Jesus’ name? Jesus told His disciples in the scripture today that acts of service and humility and outreach are something they should do for others. The scripture for today even ends by saying that a “blessing” from God comes by DOING acts of service as an example to others and to God. The blessing doesn’t come by just knowing Jesus. The blessing comes when you live out the faith; it comes along with acts of service and humility in honor to God!
How many others know you believe in Jesus? How many others can say they have seen your examples of faith? At the end of your life, will others be inspired to share their faith through service because of you? Will others speak of your life as “blessed”? Your faith isn’t only a head game. It is a life commitment involving outreach and service to others. It doesn’t involve only believing. You need to do something with your faith. Otherwise, you never will receive the blessings from God that really will matter for all eternity….
Throughout the history of the Christian church, there have been man believers who considered faith as a religious practice between themselves and God alone. Faith involved one’s thoughts or prayer or heart, but the faith was never an example to others. Faith could be a “head game”, where one’s thoughts and feelings were of ultimate importance. For some of these folks, outward acts of faith did not matter. For example, there were very pious people and groups who spent many hours studying their Bible and in prayer, but who never lived out that faith in the community. There were monks who lived alone or did not venture out of their cells to share their faith. Many of these types believed that following Jesus was an internal practice. Out of love of God, they often were very religious in their beliefs. They followed the commandments strictly. They lived wholesome lives. They worshiped with vigor. However, for some, acts of service were not forthcoming. Faith was a private thing. Contrary to their doctrine, today’s scripture reminds us that faith is not just a “head game”. It involves service and mission work and outreach. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as “an example”. He wanted the disciples to do acts of outreach and service as an example for others to follow.
Early one afternoon, I was contacted by a woman about doing a funeral. She was not from our congregation, so I asked her why she contacted me. She mentioned that she was from out of town and was home for her mother’s funeral. Her mother had died suddenly, so she came home to take care of the estate, as there were no other relatives living in the area. I found out that she called five different churches and no pastor would lead the funeral service. I then asked the woman why she wanted a Pastor to do the service. Her response intrigued me, “I think my mother was a Christian.”
Since the woman needed and desired a Pastor to lead the funeral service, and because of her responses, I felt God telling me to set aside my work for the day and plan the funeral service. The next morning, I met with the daughter. We talked about faith, about the funeral, about scriptures dealing with death and resurrection. She was not a Christian, so the process was new to her.
To prepare for the funeral of a non-member, I often inquire about the life of the deceased. I want to know what they believed, if they believed in God, what were their goals and achievements, how did they live. We usually talk about family issues, the history of the person’s relationships, and their life’s work. Finally, I asked the question that seemed to spark an interest in me from the phone call the day before. I felt God telling me to inquire of the woman, so I asked, “What did you mean by saying that you think your mother was a Christian?”
It was then that the woman told me about what she found at her mothers’ home. In the drawer next to her mother’s bed was a Bible with lots of hand-written notes inside. There were prayers from various sources cut out and stuffed in the pages. Verses of the Bible had been underlined. The pages of the Bible were worn. Next to the Bible was a diary where the woman wrote all her questions for God, the names of people she prayed for, and various scriptures that were her favorites. There were a few daily devotional books at her kitchen table and one next to her mother’s favorite chair. After stating all this, the daughter said of her mother: “Mother never talked openly about her religion. She kept that part of her life to herself. I had no idea she prayed and read the Bible so often! We never ever talked about it.”
How can a true Christian go through life without others knowing they believe? How can a Christian be true to Jesus without giving examples of faith, sharing the faith, or doing outreach in Jesus’ name? Jesus told His disciples in the scripture today that acts of service and humility and outreach are something they should do for others. The scripture for today even ends by saying that a “blessing” from God comes by DOING acts of service as an example to others and to God. The blessing doesn’t come by just knowing Jesus. The blessing comes when you live out the faith; it comes along with acts of service and humility in honor to God!
How many others know you believe in Jesus? How many others can say they have seen your examples of faith? At the end of your life, will others be inspired to share their faith through service because of you? Will others speak of your life as “blessed”? Your faith isn’t only a head game. It is a life commitment involving outreach and service to others. It doesn’t involve only believing. You need to do something with your faith. Otherwise, you never will receive the blessings from God that really will matter for all eternity….
November 19
“For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.” (Zechariah 10:2, ESV)
"A devout believer in astrology, French king Louis XI was deeply impressed when an astrologer correctly foretold that a lady of the court would die in eight days' time. Deciding, however, that the too-accurate prophet should be disposed of, Louis summoned the man to his apartment, having first told his servants to throw the visitor out of the window when he gave the signal. "You claim to understand astrology and to know the fate of others," the king said to the man, "so tell me at once what your fate will be and how long you have to live."
"I shall die just three days before Your Majesty," answered the astrologer. The shaken king canceled his plans!" (Today in the Word, July 16, 1993)
In the above story, a prediction was given by an astrologist who looked to the stars for answers in life. Astrology, the study of the stars, has always been popular among people. Many enjoy looking for predictions to come true, even seeing truths where there are none! Modern examples of astrology occur in more places than you might think. If you turn to an entertainment section of larger newspapers, you will often find horoscopes. These look to determine your future through signs given by the astrological markers of the Zodiac preordained by your birth date. In larger cities, you might also find Tarot Card Readers, Palm Readers, Tea Leaf examiners, and others who will be glad to “read” your future with the use of cards, creases in your hands, or in the remnants of tea. Throughout history, many human beings have sought to find ways to predict the future, as if life is preordained to follow some predetermined atheistic order.
As Christians, we know better. Since God created the universe, it is God who preordains and orders the universe as HE sees fit. Instead of following the stars or other signs in the universe, prophets have found that God is the best source of inspiration when looking to the future. We are told in many places of scripture that God has plans and a purpose for life in the universe. When Jesus was born, the shepherds were given a “sign” by God that the time had come. The angel told of his birth (Luke 2:12). The Magi saw signs in the unusual distribution of stars in the sky, especially with an unusually bright star in the East (Matthew 2:2). Some Christians mistakenly took the Magi’s words as saying that if one performed astrology or astronomy, they could see into the future. However, the special star in the East was put there by God. And, long before Jesus was born, there were predictions by the prophets of His coming (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 60: 3-6, Micah 5:3, among many others). When true children of God desire the know what is coming in life, the best place to look is not among the stars, but in the direction of Almighty God.
Over the centuries, God often used prophets to tell of coming events. Before Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, Amos predicted the war. Before Babylon took Jerusalem’s elite into exile, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others warned of the result. In our scripture for today from Zechariah 10, the prophet Zechariah is highly critical of “household gods” and “diviners” who falsely claim to know the future. Zechariah knew the future, because it was told to him by God. As God’s prophet, he knew that God was planning for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. He was informed by God that the exile of God’s people was to be a part of their past. A new nation was going to be formed. All these things came true in due time.
If you desire to peer into your future, don’t look for human “diviners” who will explain your future for a few dollars. Look to God for direction. Seek out God’s plan. As you come closer and closer to God, I believe there are times you will be given glimpses into the future. Before Jesus was crucified, He knew that time was coming. Before Moses died, he picked Joshua as his successor. It may be that God wants you to prepare for something important in your future. If so, God will send signposts along the way. I just hope you are open to seeing them, looking for them, attentive to God’s voice.
"I shall die just three days before Your Majesty," answered the astrologer. The shaken king canceled his plans!" (Today in the Word, July 16, 1993)
In the above story, a prediction was given by an astrologist who looked to the stars for answers in life. Astrology, the study of the stars, has always been popular among people. Many enjoy looking for predictions to come true, even seeing truths where there are none! Modern examples of astrology occur in more places than you might think. If you turn to an entertainment section of larger newspapers, you will often find horoscopes. These look to determine your future through signs given by the astrological markers of the Zodiac preordained by your birth date. In larger cities, you might also find Tarot Card Readers, Palm Readers, Tea Leaf examiners, and others who will be glad to “read” your future with the use of cards, creases in your hands, or in the remnants of tea. Throughout history, many human beings have sought to find ways to predict the future, as if life is preordained to follow some predetermined atheistic order.
As Christians, we know better. Since God created the universe, it is God who preordains and orders the universe as HE sees fit. Instead of following the stars or other signs in the universe, prophets have found that God is the best source of inspiration when looking to the future. We are told in many places of scripture that God has plans and a purpose for life in the universe. When Jesus was born, the shepherds were given a “sign” by God that the time had come. The angel told of his birth (Luke 2:12). The Magi saw signs in the unusual distribution of stars in the sky, especially with an unusually bright star in the East (Matthew 2:2). Some Christians mistakenly took the Magi’s words as saying that if one performed astrology or astronomy, they could see into the future. However, the special star in the East was put there by God. And, long before Jesus was born, there were predictions by the prophets of His coming (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 60: 3-6, Micah 5:3, among many others). When true children of God desire the know what is coming in life, the best place to look is not among the stars, but in the direction of Almighty God.
Over the centuries, God often used prophets to tell of coming events. Before Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, Amos predicted the war. Before Babylon took Jerusalem’s elite into exile, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others warned of the result. In our scripture for today from Zechariah 10, the prophet Zechariah is highly critical of “household gods” and “diviners” who falsely claim to know the future. Zechariah knew the future, because it was told to him by God. As God’s prophet, he knew that God was planning for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. He was informed by God that the exile of God’s people was to be a part of their past. A new nation was going to be formed. All these things came true in due time.
If you desire to peer into your future, don’t look for human “diviners” who will explain your future for a few dollars. Look to God for direction. Seek out God’s plan. As you come closer and closer to God, I believe there are times you will be given glimpses into the future. Before Jesus was crucified, He knew that time was coming. Before Moses died, he picked Joshua as his successor. It may be that God wants you to prepare for something important in your future. If so, God will send signposts along the way. I just hope you are open to seeing them, looking for them, attentive to God’s voice.
November 21
“And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.” (Genesis 35:6–7, ESV)
Can you imagine the fear of running for your life? Some soldiers know this fear. Abused women know this fear. Terrified children know what it is like to live with this feeling. Jacob manipulated and took advantage of his brother Esau. In response, Esau chased after Jacob, angry enough to harm or maybe even kill him. In terrible dread, Jacob fled to an area called Luz or Bethel. While there, he met God. He had a vision of a ladder (familiarly called Jacob’s ladder), between Heaven and Earth. Pondering the vision, God spoke to Jacob from the top of the ladder, from Heaven. In response to this event, Jacob later came to Bethel again. In the scripture for today, we are told that Jacob built an altar at that holy place. What many Bible readers don’t know is that this place where the altar was built, Bethel, is special. The word “Bethel” means “house of God” in Hebrew. When Jacob met God at Bethel, he knew it to be a holy place. He knew God dwelt there. It was a holy place where God was “in residence”.
There are many Jewish synagogues and Christian churches that are named “Bethel”. The name is wholly appropriate for a house of worship. Wouldn’t you want to visit a place where God is “in residence”, a “house of God”? While being a perfect name for a church or synagogue, let’s not forget that God can be in many places at once. God has many places where He is “in residence”. My hope is that your home and your heart are places wherein God has a place of His own. Is that true?
In the early 1700’s Deism was popular. Many Deists believed that God created this world and the universe, but then sat back to watch how creation unfolded. For the most part, God was uninvolved after creation. Our scripture for today refutes that deistic notion. It shows a God who is very much involved in the lives of the faithful. God visits Jacob at Bethel. God calls Jacob to visit Bethel. Jacob meets with God at that holy place. He has a divine encounter there. God was never distant to Jacob. God was with him, influenced his life, even told him when and where to go. God was very involved in the affairs of Jacob’s life. Can the same be said about your life?
The story is told that after Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God. During that lesson, Miss Sullivan tapped out the symbols for the name "God." Much to Miss Sullivan's surprise, Helen spelled back, "Thank you for telling me God's name, Teacher, for he has touched me many times before." Helen Keller knew something of God's signature from nature, but it was wordless. She had felt God’s presence. Despite being unable to communicate well with humans, God had already communicated about Himself to young Helen Keller!
People can be so busy, so harried, so full of emotions or focused on human endeavors that they miss the presence of the divine in their lives. I actually had a person tell me they don’t have time for prayer. When I asked if they ever had an encounter with God, the person responded that he did not. It didn’t surprise me. If the man couldn’t take the time to set aside time for prayer, he surely would be hard pressed to see God in the rush of his daily activities. That’s why sometimes God can only break through in a person’s life in extreme situations. When a relative dies, during a health crisis, at moments of financial uncertainty, sometimes God can break through the haze. Then, God can be heard and seen. Sadly, if a person’s life goes perfectly well for a long time, that person may never see or feel the presence of the Almighty… even when God is fully present.
Jacob felt and experienced the presence of God at Bethel. When have you experienced the same? Have you ever invited Jesus to take residence in your heart? Does the Holy Spirit have a home in your soul? In the upcoming days, take time to invite God into your day and life. Ask for God’s Spirit to take residence in your home. If you are sincere and patient, you might be surprised when you also experience God making a residence in and around you!
There are many Jewish synagogues and Christian churches that are named “Bethel”. The name is wholly appropriate for a house of worship. Wouldn’t you want to visit a place where God is “in residence”, a “house of God”? While being a perfect name for a church or synagogue, let’s not forget that God can be in many places at once. God has many places where He is “in residence”. My hope is that your home and your heart are places wherein God has a place of His own. Is that true?
In the early 1700’s Deism was popular. Many Deists believed that God created this world and the universe, but then sat back to watch how creation unfolded. For the most part, God was uninvolved after creation. Our scripture for today refutes that deistic notion. It shows a God who is very much involved in the lives of the faithful. God visits Jacob at Bethel. God calls Jacob to visit Bethel. Jacob meets with God at that holy place. He has a divine encounter there. God was never distant to Jacob. God was with him, influenced his life, even told him when and where to go. God was very involved in the affairs of Jacob’s life. Can the same be said about your life?
The story is told that after Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God. During that lesson, Miss Sullivan tapped out the symbols for the name "God." Much to Miss Sullivan's surprise, Helen spelled back, "Thank you for telling me God's name, Teacher, for he has touched me many times before." Helen Keller knew something of God's signature from nature, but it was wordless. She had felt God’s presence. Despite being unable to communicate well with humans, God had already communicated about Himself to young Helen Keller!
People can be so busy, so harried, so full of emotions or focused on human endeavors that they miss the presence of the divine in their lives. I actually had a person tell me they don’t have time for prayer. When I asked if they ever had an encounter with God, the person responded that he did not. It didn’t surprise me. If the man couldn’t take the time to set aside time for prayer, he surely would be hard pressed to see God in the rush of his daily activities. That’s why sometimes God can only break through in a person’s life in extreme situations. When a relative dies, during a health crisis, at moments of financial uncertainty, sometimes God can break through the haze. Then, God can be heard and seen. Sadly, if a person’s life goes perfectly well for a long time, that person may never see or feel the presence of the Almighty… even when God is fully present.
Jacob felt and experienced the presence of God at Bethel. When have you experienced the same? Have you ever invited Jesus to take residence in your heart? Does the Holy Spirit have a home in your soul? In the upcoming days, take time to invite God into your day and life. Ask for God’s Spirit to take residence in your home. If you are sincere and patient, you might be surprised when you also experience God making a residence in and around you!
November 23
“Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”” (Exodus 32:4, NLT)
When Julie woke up in her bed, her face was wet. She had cried herself to sleep and cried during her dreams. The night before, she had found out that her husband was having an affair. He had cheated with her best friend. In one evening, she had suffered the loss of a husband and the trust of a best friend. When her husband walked out on her, she felt so alone. She wasn’t angry as much as she was absolutely torn up. Her stomach churned, even though empty. As the sun splayed through her window, Julie looked down at her hands. There, gold and diamonds glistened upon her “ring finger”. The wedding she was given on “the happiest day of her life” now seemed like such an empty symbol. She had wanted a wedding ring and big wedding for years. Now, those dreams were crushed. The memories only caused her grief. The ring meant nothing to her any longer. She removed it from her finger and threw it across the bedroom.
Isn’t it interesting how a piece of gold can mean so much at one time in your life, but mean nothing in the next?
Joe was a successful entrepreneur. He started off making computers in his parents’ garage, and later went on to open a computer repair business in his hometown. He was very successful at his endeavor. After twenty years, he needed seven employees to help him deal with all the business coming his way. He was worth more than a million dollars at the age of forty-one. But all this success seemed trivial to him on a Monday morning last July. Why? He just found out from his doctor that he has Stage IV liver cancer. The cancer was now in his lymph nodes and no doubt was going to spread. The specialist had told him to prepare a will. He had months to live and lots of chemotherapy to suffer through. As he sat in his Porsche after leaving the doctor’s office, he realized for the first time in his life that his wealth meant nothing. He’d never be able to enjoy it. He had worked so many hours building up his business, amassing his fortune, and yet would never get to spend any of it for fun. Thousands would go to medical expenses. He didn’t even have a wife to share the news. He felt utterly alone. His money could not help him now.
Human beings place so much value in “things”, in wealth, in precious commodities like “gold”. But when faced with adversity or death or suffering or pain or loss, these “things” can lose their value. Suddenly, there are more important things than money or gold or success and power.
In the scripture for today, Aaron took gold and melted it down to make an idol. The idol was in the shape of a calf, thus history remembers the idol as “a golden calf”. After fashioning it, the people of Israel shouted that the golden calf had brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 32:4). They began to worship the golden calf instead of God. They proclaimed the calf had freed them from slavery, when this was obviously God’s doing. The people of Israel made a classic mistake made by many human beings. They worshiped a precious metal, a commodity, a “thing” instead of God. They placed their value in something tangible, but ultimately worthless in comparison to the real God who had sent ten plagues upon Egypt. You may look at the Israelites with their golden calf as misguided people or sinful idol worshipers. Just remember, many people in our world fashion “golden calves” to worship. You might as well.
Is there some “thing” that means more than God to you? Have you ever placed ultimate value in a project, goal, piece of jewelry, vehicle, home, spouse, child, or “thing”? Has anything ever come between you and God?
I have met men who placed financial success above all other things in life. They worship money and power, not God. I have met women who desired wealth above all else. They surrounded themselves with rare jewels and precious works of art but had souls of stone. There are women in Hollywood who have been born with exceptional beauty and worship their looks and status. Some will not realize until too late that looks fade, gold can be lost, fame is fleeting, and status is fickle. There is only one thing in all the universe that will last forever: God’s Presence. Nothing can replace it. Nothing else lasts.
What you desire today may change by tomorrow. What is important today might mean nothing by next week. What you devote your time and effort to says something about you. Don’t get caught up making a golden calf out of things in your life. You will live to regret it. The Israelites suffered greatly because of their golden calf. You will also…. If you worship something formed by human hands.
Are there things or people you give a little too much power over you? Are there valuable commodities that you might sell your soul to obtain? Do you enjoy or hate your life depending on what another person says or does? Is there something you could lose today that would bring all this into focus?
Life is short. God’s love is precious. What you value determines your place on heaven and earth. Don’t put your faith in the wrong things.
Isn’t it interesting how a piece of gold can mean so much at one time in your life, but mean nothing in the next?
Joe was a successful entrepreneur. He started off making computers in his parents’ garage, and later went on to open a computer repair business in his hometown. He was very successful at his endeavor. After twenty years, he needed seven employees to help him deal with all the business coming his way. He was worth more than a million dollars at the age of forty-one. But all this success seemed trivial to him on a Monday morning last July. Why? He just found out from his doctor that he has Stage IV liver cancer. The cancer was now in his lymph nodes and no doubt was going to spread. The specialist had told him to prepare a will. He had months to live and lots of chemotherapy to suffer through. As he sat in his Porsche after leaving the doctor’s office, he realized for the first time in his life that his wealth meant nothing. He’d never be able to enjoy it. He had worked so many hours building up his business, amassing his fortune, and yet would never get to spend any of it for fun. Thousands would go to medical expenses. He didn’t even have a wife to share the news. He felt utterly alone. His money could not help him now.
Human beings place so much value in “things”, in wealth, in precious commodities like “gold”. But when faced with adversity or death or suffering or pain or loss, these “things” can lose their value. Suddenly, there are more important things than money or gold or success and power.
In the scripture for today, Aaron took gold and melted it down to make an idol. The idol was in the shape of a calf, thus history remembers the idol as “a golden calf”. After fashioning it, the people of Israel shouted that the golden calf had brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 32:4). They began to worship the golden calf instead of God. They proclaimed the calf had freed them from slavery, when this was obviously God’s doing. The people of Israel made a classic mistake made by many human beings. They worshiped a precious metal, a commodity, a “thing” instead of God. They placed their value in something tangible, but ultimately worthless in comparison to the real God who had sent ten plagues upon Egypt. You may look at the Israelites with their golden calf as misguided people or sinful idol worshipers. Just remember, many people in our world fashion “golden calves” to worship. You might as well.
Is there some “thing” that means more than God to you? Have you ever placed ultimate value in a project, goal, piece of jewelry, vehicle, home, spouse, child, or “thing”? Has anything ever come between you and God?
I have met men who placed financial success above all other things in life. They worship money and power, not God. I have met women who desired wealth above all else. They surrounded themselves with rare jewels and precious works of art but had souls of stone. There are women in Hollywood who have been born with exceptional beauty and worship their looks and status. Some will not realize until too late that looks fade, gold can be lost, fame is fleeting, and status is fickle. There is only one thing in all the universe that will last forever: God’s Presence. Nothing can replace it. Nothing else lasts.
What you desire today may change by tomorrow. What is important today might mean nothing by next week. What you devote your time and effort to says something about you. Don’t get caught up making a golden calf out of things in your life. You will live to regret it. The Israelites suffered greatly because of their golden calf. You will also…. If you worship something formed by human hands.
Are there things or people you give a little too much power over you? Are there valuable commodities that you might sell your soul to obtain? Do you enjoy or hate your life depending on what another person says or does? Is there something you could lose today that would bring all this into focus?
Life is short. God’s love is precious. What you value determines your place on heaven and earth. Don’t put your faith in the wrong things.
November 25
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29, ESV)
Christy Henrich, as a teenager, ranked among America's best gymnasts. But a judge told her that at 95 pounds, spread over a 4-foot-11 frame, she was too fat to make the 1988 Olympic team. So, she began starving herself, subsisting some days on an apple or just an apple slice. If she ate more, she would force herself to vomit. She missed making the Olympics by a fraction of a point but, thanks to nine-hour training days, she placed fourth in the uneven parallel bars in 1989's world championships in Stuttgart. She died on July 26, 1994 months after her weight fell to 52 pounds. Doctors determined that she of multiple organ system failure. She was 22 years old. Christy thought over and over that if she only weighed less, she would be a champion. She was never satisfied with her weight. She was never content with how she looked.
There are many, many people that go through life with weary souls. They struggle and fight with many things like disease, popularity, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and so much more. Many look for social approval or desire something they cannot attain. As they struggle to fit in, to be liked, to find their place in the world, their souls are fed discontent and anger. Most do not like the body they were born with. Not a few are full of emotions like anger, jealousy, envy, self-loathing, defeatism, negativity, and so much more. They do not realize that their souls will never find peace while yoking their happiness to things of this world.
The scripture for today contains some words from Jesus’ preaching and teaching in the cities of Galilee (Matthew 11:1). His words show how to find rest for the weary soul. If you want your soul to feel such peace, Jesus taught in Matthew 11:29 that you should 1) take Jesus’ yoke upon yourself and 2) learn from Jesus. These two things will allow you to “find rest for your soul”. Whenever your soul feels empty or tired, joyless or upset, look to these two places to reorient your soul.
What does it mean to take Jesus’ yoke upon yourself? A yoke was a special type of connector that was used to tie two animals of burden together so that they could work as one. Based on this definition, Jesus wants you to yoke yourself to him, so that you two may work together in life. When Jesus is by your side, working side by side with you, your soul will find the true meaning of life. If you are “unevenly yoked” to Jesus, it means that you are constantly fighting with Jesus. You won’t work as one. You want to go your own way and struggle against Jesus’ lead.
Jesus also taught that for your soul to find rest and not be weary, you need to learn from Jesus. If you are not able to learn from Jesus, but simply “do your own thing”, you will never find the peace that your soul craves. Over my decades of ministry, I have found that many people do not really want to learn from Jesus. They may want to learn about Jesus or to understand the Christian religion, but they do not spend time learning from Jesus. To do that, you need to let go of your preconceptions and selfish notions, let go of your worldly attitudes and beliefs, and let Jesus teach you about how life works. You need to accept His Spirit and let Him teach you want is right and wrong, good and evil. Do you have the patience and fortitude to learn from Jesus? Do you struggle with Jesus’ commands? Are you willing to accept Jesus’ teachings at face value, or do you like to “interpret” His words to suit yourself?
If your soul is restless, commit yourself to the two things required to pacify your weary soul. 1) Yoke yourself to Jesus. 2) Learn from Him. Only in so doing will you ever find the peace that the world CANNOT give (John 14:27). You may look many other places in your life to find peace in heart and soul. None other will stand the test of time. You need to connect with Jesus to find your true peace. You need to learn from Him before you will ever feel content in your soul.
There are many, many people that go through life with weary souls. They struggle and fight with many things like disease, popularity, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and so much more. Many look for social approval or desire something they cannot attain. As they struggle to fit in, to be liked, to find their place in the world, their souls are fed discontent and anger. Most do not like the body they were born with. Not a few are full of emotions like anger, jealousy, envy, self-loathing, defeatism, negativity, and so much more. They do not realize that their souls will never find peace while yoking their happiness to things of this world.
The scripture for today contains some words from Jesus’ preaching and teaching in the cities of Galilee (Matthew 11:1). His words show how to find rest for the weary soul. If you want your soul to feel such peace, Jesus taught in Matthew 11:29 that you should 1) take Jesus’ yoke upon yourself and 2) learn from Jesus. These two things will allow you to “find rest for your soul”. Whenever your soul feels empty or tired, joyless or upset, look to these two places to reorient your soul.
What does it mean to take Jesus’ yoke upon yourself? A yoke was a special type of connector that was used to tie two animals of burden together so that they could work as one. Based on this definition, Jesus wants you to yoke yourself to him, so that you two may work together in life. When Jesus is by your side, working side by side with you, your soul will find the true meaning of life. If you are “unevenly yoked” to Jesus, it means that you are constantly fighting with Jesus. You won’t work as one. You want to go your own way and struggle against Jesus’ lead.
Jesus also taught that for your soul to find rest and not be weary, you need to learn from Jesus. If you are not able to learn from Jesus, but simply “do your own thing”, you will never find the peace that your soul craves. Over my decades of ministry, I have found that many people do not really want to learn from Jesus. They may want to learn about Jesus or to understand the Christian religion, but they do not spend time learning from Jesus. To do that, you need to let go of your preconceptions and selfish notions, let go of your worldly attitudes and beliefs, and let Jesus teach you about how life works. You need to accept His Spirit and let Him teach you want is right and wrong, good and evil. Do you have the patience and fortitude to learn from Jesus? Do you struggle with Jesus’ commands? Are you willing to accept Jesus’ teachings at face value, or do you like to “interpret” His words to suit yourself?
If your soul is restless, commit yourself to the two things required to pacify your weary soul. 1) Yoke yourself to Jesus. 2) Learn from Him. Only in so doing will you ever find the peace that the world CANNOT give (John 14:27). You may look many other places in your life to find peace in heart and soul. None other will stand the test of time. You need to connect with Jesus to find your true peace. You need to learn from Him before you will ever feel content in your soul.
November 27
“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27, ESV)
Two brothers were playing outside in the backyard when one pushed the other into a snowbank. The older brother always enjoyed pushing his younger brother around. When the younger boy got up and dusted the snow off his backside, he shouted at his older brother, “I’m telling Mom! Then, you are gonna get in trouble!” This gave the older brother some amount of restraint. He did not want to get in trouble, so he responded, “I’m sorry, OK!” Thereafter, the two went back to their playing.
As I thought about today’s scripture, I was reminded of what the younger brother said to the older brother. After doing something wrong, the younger brother knew to count on his mother to make it right. The mother would dole out the right punishment. The older brother knew this to be so and changed his behavior. He did not want to face any punishment that day. He would rather be rewarded for good behavior.
Throughout the history of humankind, parents have been the ones to give rewards and punishments to good and bad children. Their discipline taught the children what was right and wrong, good and evil. Without the involvement of a good parent, children must fend for themselves. When an authority figure is not around to dole out the rewards and punishments, the weaker ones in the family group will usually be picked on relentlessly. Having a parent is very important. Values, morals, and ethics are taught not according to who is the strongest, but according to what is right. With any good parent, rewards and punishments are to be doled out fairly with regard for each child. Thus, the children of good parents learn good behavior and godly discipline.
In Matthew 16:27, Jesus spoke about the end times. There, rewards and punishments will also be paid out. Each and every person will be judged by the Messianic Son of Man “according to what he has done”. Those who live faithfully will be rewarded. Those who are sinful will be given their ultimate punishment. In this verse, Jesus stated that this “WILL” occur. No person living or dead will escape this judgment. It will happen one day. On that day, how will you fare?
Your Heavenly Father will make sure that Judgment Day comes to pass. On that day, you will receive your rewards or punishments depending upon what you have done with your life. For the faithful, this will be a day to celebrate. For the sinful, this will be a day to fear. As the older brother feared the punishment of his mother in the story above, children of God fear the punishment of the Heavenly Father. You know the Father’s punishment will be fair. Do you know how HE will view your life? How have you lived your life? What have you done with the time God has given you?
For the sinful, the scripture for today is a huge warning. Someday, those sins will come back to haunt the unrighteous. God will make certain of that. It is surprising to me the number of people who think they can go through life doing what they want, when they want, and where they want, with no regard for future consequences. They think their actions will go unnoticed. They think that sinful things done in secret will never come to the light. How wrong they are! God the Father is the ultimate parent. HE will judge the sinful as well as reward the faithful. That day of judgment is coming. It may happen in this life or in the next. It will happen according to God’s will.
"The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for "religious" things. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever--the best in the entire county. When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God. Near the end of his diatribe he wrote, "Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper." The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite. In the next edition of the town paper, a small ad appeared. It read simply, "God doesn't always settle His accounts in October."" (William E. Brown in Making Sense of Your Faith)
When God settles your accounts, what will be your bottom line? What will your Judgement Day be like? Will you celebrate on that day? Do you fear that day even now? There is still time in your life to make things right with God and others. But, will you?
As I thought about today’s scripture, I was reminded of what the younger brother said to the older brother. After doing something wrong, the younger brother knew to count on his mother to make it right. The mother would dole out the right punishment. The older brother knew this to be so and changed his behavior. He did not want to face any punishment that day. He would rather be rewarded for good behavior.
Throughout the history of humankind, parents have been the ones to give rewards and punishments to good and bad children. Their discipline taught the children what was right and wrong, good and evil. Without the involvement of a good parent, children must fend for themselves. When an authority figure is not around to dole out the rewards and punishments, the weaker ones in the family group will usually be picked on relentlessly. Having a parent is very important. Values, morals, and ethics are taught not according to who is the strongest, but according to what is right. With any good parent, rewards and punishments are to be doled out fairly with regard for each child. Thus, the children of good parents learn good behavior and godly discipline.
In Matthew 16:27, Jesus spoke about the end times. There, rewards and punishments will also be paid out. Each and every person will be judged by the Messianic Son of Man “according to what he has done”. Those who live faithfully will be rewarded. Those who are sinful will be given their ultimate punishment. In this verse, Jesus stated that this “WILL” occur. No person living or dead will escape this judgment. It will happen one day. On that day, how will you fare?
Your Heavenly Father will make sure that Judgment Day comes to pass. On that day, you will receive your rewards or punishments depending upon what you have done with your life. For the faithful, this will be a day to celebrate. For the sinful, this will be a day to fear. As the older brother feared the punishment of his mother in the story above, children of God fear the punishment of the Heavenly Father. You know the Father’s punishment will be fair. Do you know how HE will view your life? How have you lived your life? What have you done with the time God has given you?
For the sinful, the scripture for today is a huge warning. Someday, those sins will come back to haunt the unrighteous. God will make certain of that. It is surprising to me the number of people who think they can go through life doing what they want, when they want, and where they want, with no regard for future consequences. They think their actions will go unnoticed. They think that sinful things done in secret will never come to the light. How wrong they are! God the Father is the ultimate parent. HE will judge the sinful as well as reward the faithful. That day of judgment is coming. It may happen in this life or in the next. It will happen according to God’s will.
"The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for "religious" things. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever--the best in the entire county. When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God. Near the end of his diatribe he wrote, "Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper." The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite. In the next edition of the town paper, a small ad appeared. It read simply, "God doesn't always settle His accounts in October."" (William E. Brown in Making Sense of Your Faith)
When God settles your accounts, what will be your bottom line? What will your Judgement Day be like? Will you celebrate on that day? Do you fear that day even now? There is still time in your life to make things right with God and others. But, will you?
November 29
“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!” At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.”
(Nehemiah 1:11, NRSV)
(Nehemiah 1:11, NRSV)
When you are doing God’s work, it is crucially important that you remember to pray for yourself, especially as you confront critical moments. Some Christians think wrongly about this, thinking they must pray only for others. However, this is a terrible mistake. You need to pray for success in whatever endeavor God has you on. You need to pray humbly, not pridefully. You need to face that trial head-on, knowing God is right beside you!
A young woman came home to a husband who had lost control. She knew he had mood swings that were unbelievably sudden. One moment, Steve would be excited about work. The next day, he would quit his job. He might be very romantic and passionate in the evening, but by the next day he was sullen and angry. Marissa was losing it. She prayed about what to do. She didn’t understand what was happening. She lived three hundred miles from home and had no family to rely on for help. She didn’t want to abandon her Steve or her marriage. She had made a vow to God, hadn’t she?
Then, one night, Steve snapped. As Marissa came home from a church group meeting, she saw her husband walking down the middle of their road in his underwear in the snow! She was so shocked that she didn’t know what to do. She immediately said a short prayer and forced him to go into the car and back home. Then, while he warmed up, she prayed. She was a private person. Steve was not crazy! What was happening to them? She prayed until she began to sweat, then asked God to give her courage. She put her husband in the car and drove him to the hospital. There, she asked them to put him in an inpatient psychiatric unit for testing. He would be in a locked unit. Her husband looked at her so hurtful. He was being locked in a hospital ward! He asked her why she was being so horrible. He told her that she was going to make him lose his job. Steve screamed in anger. Then, he just quit talking.
After coming home, Marissa cried herself to sleep. Over the next days, she asked God over and over to help her to make this right. God would not allow her to back down. She knew deep in her heart that her husband needed help. Finally, the analysis was completed. Her husband was diagnosed with an extreme form of bipolar disorder with a touch of schizophrenia. He was put on very strong medications. Believing in her heart that God wanted her to get help for Steve, Marissa would not back down. She knew her husband needed saving. Despite his anger and mood swings and the punishing guilt he threw at her, she held firm. She had prayed for help and God was giving it to her through the hospital stay and medications.
Six months later, Marissa’s husband came home from work to find his wife reading her Bible. Steve was doing much better. His mood swings were much less violent now. He wasn’t happy, per se, but he was stable. Steve took off his coat and walked beside his wife. He knelt down at her feet and in a precious moment of lucidity, said to his wife: “Marissa, my love. Thank you for saving my life. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you. Please, forgive me.” For the first time in a long time, Marissa realized that she had done the right thing. God had led her well. With God’s help, she had the strength to persevere until her husband got well. Later that night, in a quiet moment, Marissa laid in silence, tears flowing in the night. While her husband slept, she gave thanks to the Lord who had upheld her and given her strength and courage through this terrible ordeal. Her success had taken a toll on her, but she knew her husband was right. She had saved his life. Praise God!
In the scripture for today from the book of Nehemiah, we are given insight into some of Nehemiah’s prayers. Nehemiah was a prophet who lived in exile. He believed that God was going to free exiles like him and give them back their holy Israel. Being a “cupbearer to the King” had its privileges. Nehemiah had the ear of King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah wanted to approach the King about giving the Israelites a homeland again. In Nehemiah 1:11, Nehemiah prayed humbly for “success” in approaching the King about this matter. He asked that God be with him, give him the right words and the opportune moment to approach the King. Nehemiah had been a very attentive servant. He distinguished himself among the King’s attendants. That very day of Nehemiah’s prayer, God granted Nehemiah success. The King freed the people of Israel who were held in exile.
If you are doing something God wants you to do, it is crucial at important moments that you pray for success in your endeavor. God wants you to approach Him with humble reverence, asking for what you need. If you are doing what God wills, God will give you success that otherwise might seem beyond reach. Who thought King Artaxerxes would free all the Israelite slaves? It was a miracle. However, the successful outcome came about because of Nehemiah’s prayers, his deep humility, and the perfect moment set up by God.
Is there some endeavor you need to start for God? Do you long for success in fulfilling God’s command? Humble prayers from a faithful servant go a long way toward assuring success. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of asking from God for what you really need.
A young woman came home to a husband who had lost control. She knew he had mood swings that were unbelievably sudden. One moment, Steve would be excited about work. The next day, he would quit his job. He might be very romantic and passionate in the evening, but by the next day he was sullen and angry. Marissa was losing it. She prayed about what to do. She didn’t understand what was happening. She lived three hundred miles from home and had no family to rely on for help. She didn’t want to abandon her Steve or her marriage. She had made a vow to God, hadn’t she?
Then, one night, Steve snapped. As Marissa came home from a church group meeting, she saw her husband walking down the middle of their road in his underwear in the snow! She was so shocked that she didn’t know what to do. She immediately said a short prayer and forced him to go into the car and back home. Then, while he warmed up, she prayed. She was a private person. Steve was not crazy! What was happening to them? She prayed until she began to sweat, then asked God to give her courage. She put her husband in the car and drove him to the hospital. There, she asked them to put him in an inpatient psychiatric unit for testing. He would be in a locked unit. Her husband looked at her so hurtful. He was being locked in a hospital ward! He asked her why she was being so horrible. He told her that she was going to make him lose his job. Steve screamed in anger. Then, he just quit talking.
After coming home, Marissa cried herself to sleep. Over the next days, she asked God over and over to help her to make this right. God would not allow her to back down. She knew deep in her heart that her husband needed help. Finally, the analysis was completed. Her husband was diagnosed with an extreme form of bipolar disorder with a touch of schizophrenia. He was put on very strong medications. Believing in her heart that God wanted her to get help for Steve, Marissa would not back down. She knew her husband needed saving. Despite his anger and mood swings and the punishing guilt he threw at her, she held firm. She had prayed for help and God was giving it to her through the hospital stay and medications.
Six months later, Marissa’s husband came home from work to find his wife reading her Bible. Steve was doing much better. His mood swings were much less violent now. He wasn’t happy, per se, but he was stable. Steve took off his coat and walked beside his wife. He knelt down at her feet and in a precious moment of lucidity, said to his wife: “Marissa, my love. Thank you for saving my life. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you. Please, forgive me.” For the first time in a long time, Marissa realized that she had done the right thing. God had led her well. With God’s help, she had the strength to persevere until her husband got well. Later that night, in a quiet moment, Marissa laid in silence, tears flowing in the night. While her husband slept, she gave thanks to the Lord who had upheld her and given her strength and courage through this terrible ordeal. Her success had taken a toll on her, but she knew her husband was right. She had saved his life. Praise God!
In the scripture for today from the book of Nehemiah, we are given insight into some of Nehemiah’s prayers. Nehemiah was a prophet who lived in exile. He believed that God was going to free exiles like him and give them back their holy Israel. Being a “cupbearer to the King” had its privileges. Nehemiah had the ear of King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah wanted to approach the King about giving the Israelites a homeland again. In Nehemiah 1:11, Nehemiah prayed humbly for “success” in approaching the King about this matter. He asked that God be with him, give him the right words and the opportune moment to approach the King. Nehemiah had been a very attentive servant. He distinguished himself among the King’s attendants. That very day of Nehemiah’s prayer, God granted Nehemiah success. The King freed the people of Israel who were held in exile.
If you are doing something God wants you to do, it is crucial at important moments that you pray for success in your endeavor. God wants you to approach Him with humble reverence, asking for what you need. If you are doing what God wills, God will give you success that otherwise might seem beyond reach. Who thought King Artaxerxes would free all the Israelite slaves? It was a miracle. However, the successful outcome came about because of Nehemiah’s prayers, his deep humility, and the perfect moment set up by God.
Is there some endeavor you need to start for God? Do you long for success in fulfilling God’s command? Humble prayers from a faithful servant go a long way toward assuring success. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of asking from God for what you really need.
October 30
“And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9–10, RSV)
Some things in life are related. If you affect one, it will affect the other. If you change one, you will change the other. There are millions of examples of this. If you change out dead batteries in a toy for new ones, the toy will come to life again. If you move the thermostat setting up two degrees, the house will warm as the furnace kicks in. When you take the fall leaves out of a blocked gutter, the water should be able to flow through it again. In your spiritual life, there are also related elements that affect one another. Our scripture for today shows some of these elements and how they work together to mold a person into a more effective and beloved child of God.
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
October 31
“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
When you make a commitment to God through Jesus Christ, you become a Christian. As you live out the promises and obedience given that relationship, you become a faithful and true Christian. The basis for the word "Christian" is Christ, the Messiah. Thus, when you live for Jesus' sake, you become a "Christian" through that relationship with Jesus. An "Serbian" owes a commitment to Serbia. A "Mohammedan" is an ancient term for one who follows Mohammed. A "Christian" owes his or her life to Christ. That relationship should be the center of one's life and form the crux of who you are.
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!