November 2
“He [Elijah] replied again, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”” (1 Kings 19:14, NLT)
After a powerful display by God on Mt. Carmel, all the false prophets in the land were put to death. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel blamed the prophet, Elijah. Elijah was the prophet who proved that the false prophets who worshipped Baal were not to be trusted. He was the one who asked God to prove their lies. He was the one who was responsible for their being exposed. But Ahab and Jezebel enjoyed the adoration of the false prophets. The king and queen directly profited from their presence. When the false prophets were put to death, the king and queen promised Elijah that he would be put to death. Their threat was not without power… they were the royalty of Israel. Their word became law. Elijah feared for his life. He fled into the wilderness alone. Despite the fact that Elijah had “zealously served the Lord God Almighty” (1 Kings 19:14), his life was still in danger. He was still hated by those in power. Feeling so alone in his struggle for true faith, Elijah cried out to God: “the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you [God]”. They have “torn down your altars” and “killed your prophets”. Then, Elijah said to God in his prayer, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too” (1 Kings 19:14).
Elijah was reeling from the situation he was in. He was hurting because, though he had done everything right, he was hated. Though he accomplished what God asked of him, Elijah was a fugitive. Elijah felt so alone, so utterly alone.
Every person at some time has that feeling that they are all alone. That feeling may arise when you are broken down in your vehicle on the side of the road late at night. It may come when you face that first moment of divorce. Loneliness may envelop you when you lose a spouse, lay in a hospital bed after an accident, or when you move far from home. You may feel it when in your bed at night. You might even feel it when surrounded by a crowd of people! Loneliness envelops us all at some time. It can leave you feeling isolated and so very vulnerable.
Faithful people are often not accepted in the modern secular world. You might feel like you are the only one who is frustrated with the evil going on in politics. When people don’t listen to your pleading or ignore your point of view, it can torment your soul. Satan loves to tell you that your feelings don’t matter and that your belief in God is based on lies. Doubts may creep into your thoughts as those around you seem to prosper while you struggle. Though holding on to God, you may feel as if your faith doesn’t matter and your prayers are not being heard. You might think your life hasn’t amounted to much or your faithful stance is not accepted by those on Facebook. Even when you stand up for Jesus, the world may tell you that nobody cares about your faith and that belief in God is for losers.
“When a friend urgently texted Florida mom Stacey Philpot about a Facebook post she just had to see, she wasn't sure what to expect. The post showed a teenaged boy standing alone at the flagpole and it seemed as if everyone had something to say about him. And that's when it hit Stacey - she was looking at her son!
As a blogger, Stacey Philpot spends a good amount of time online. So, she decided to take a little break from Facebook. But then a friend sent her an urgent text about a post Stacey "wouldn't want to miss."
The post showed a boy standing alone at the flagpole praying as part of “See You At The Pole Day”. This yearly event encourages students everywhere to gather at their school's flagpole to pray for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities. Usually the event draws a crowd. But at Minneola High School, only one young man turned up. The brave boy stood all alone, praying by himself.” (from Godupdates.com)
Stacey’s son may have been the only student praying at the flagpole that day, but he was not alone among the truly faithful. He may not have had students to pray with him, but God watched over him. There may not have been friends to accompany him that day, but God’s angels observed his prayers. The faithful in heaven looked on. It may have looked like it from a camera lens, but He was not alone.
Though depressed and feeling alone in the wilderness, Elijah found himself in the presence of God. An angel sent by God watched over Elijah and even prepared him a meal (1 Kings 19:5). Then, God came to Elijah and spoke to him. Do you know what God told Elijah? God told him to arise and get back to work. Not only did God have a mission for Elijah, God told him that there were seven thousand other faithful men in Israel who were also ready to do battle for God (1 Kings 19:18). In the end, God slayed the evil King and Queen of Israel who dared threaten the faithful; these royalty who worshipped other gods, and who set up places to worship the fertility god, Baal. Obviously, Elijah was never truly alone!
There will be times when your strong faith has you feeling alone in this crazy, secular world. Jesus said that the truly faithful are “not of this world”. A faith like yours does not belong in a world filled with evil. That’s why some day you will be with God in Heaven. There, you will feel absolutely cherished. There, you will not know loneliness whatsoever! Until that day, realize that you are never truly alone. There are others who are faithful to God near you. God’s angels watch over you. God knows your name! God has your address! Your life is securely in the palm of God’s hand (John 10:28)!
Elijah was reeling from the situation he was in. He was hurting because, though he had done everything right, he was hated. Though he accomplished what God asked of him, Elijah was a fugitive. Elijah felt so alone, so utterly alone.
Every person at some time has that feeling that they are all alone. That feeling may arise when you are broken down in your vehicle on the side of the road late at night. It may come when you face that first moment of divorce. Loneliness may envelop you when you lose a spouse, lay in a hospital bed after an accident, or when you move far from home. You may feel it when in your bed at night. You might even feel it when surrounded by a crowd of people! Loneliness envelops us all at some time. It can leave you feeling isolated and so very vulnerable.
Faithful people are often not accepted in the modern secular world. You might feel like you are the only one who is frustrated with the evil going on in politics. When people don’t listen to your pleading or ignore your point of view, it can torment your soul. Satan loves to tell you that your feelings don’t matter and that your belief in God is based on lies. Doubts may creep into your thoughts as those around you seem to prosper while you struggle. Though holding on to God, you may feel as if your faith doesn’t matter and your prayers are not being heard. You might think your life hasn’t amounted to much or your faithful stance is not accepted by those on Facebook. Even when you stand up for Jesus, the world may tell you that nobody cares about your faith and that belief in God is for losers.
“When a friend urgently texted Florida mom Stacey Philpot about a Facebook post she just had to see, she wasn't sure what to expect. The post showed a teenaged boy standing alone at the flagpole and it seemed as if everyone had something to say about him. And that's when it hit Stacey - she was looking at her son!
As a blogger, Stacey Philpot spends a good amount of time online. So, she decided to take a little break from Facebook. But then a friend sent her an urgent text about a post Stacey "wouldn't want to miss."
The post showed a boy standing alone at the flagpole praying as part of “See You At The Pole Day”. This yearly event encourages students everywhere to gather at their school's flagpole to pray for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities. Usually the event draws a crowd. But at Minneola High School, only one young man turned up. The brave boy stood all alone, praying by himself.” (from Godupdates.com)
Stacey’s son may have been the only student praying at the flagpole that day, but he was not alone among the truly faithful. He may not have had students to pray with him, but God watched over him. There may not have been friends to accompany him that day, but God’s angels observed his prayers. The faithful in heaven looked on. It may have looked like it from a camera lens, but He was not alone.
Though depressed and feeling alone in the wilderness, Elijah found himself in the presence of God. An angel sent by God watched over Elijah and even prepared him a meal (1 Kings 19:5). Then, God came to Elijah and spoke to him. Do you know what God told Elijah? God told him to arise and get back to work. Not only did God have a mission for Elijah, God told him that there were seven thousand other faithful men in Israel who were also ready to do battle for God (1 Kings 19:18). In the end, God slayed the evil King and Queen of Israel who dared threaten the faithful; these royalty who worshipped other gods, and who set up places to worship the fertility god, Baal. Obviously, Elijah was never truly alone!
There will be times when your strong faith has you feeling alone in this crazy, secular world. Jesus said that the truly faithful are “not of this world”. A faith like yours does not belong in a world filled with evil. That’s why some day you will be with God in Heaven. There, you will feel absolutely cherished. There, you will not know loneliness whatsoever! Until that day, realize that you are never truly alone. There are others who are faithful to God near you. God’s angels watch over you. God knows your name! God has your address! Your life is securely in the palm of God’s hand (John 10:28)!
November 4
“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Timothy 2:25–26, NLT)
Jerry grew up in a very faithful family. His father was a church elder and present almost every Sunday at worship. His mother was active in several church groups and had a beautiful singing voice. She was a staple of the alto section of the church choir. But Jerry was a rebellious child. He was always getting into trouble in school. When his parents expected him home at ten pm from a night out with school friends, Jerry would walk in at 9:59pm or maybe at 10:05pm. He enjoyed pushing the limits and breaking established rules.
Jerry married a woman who shared his penchant for breaking rules. She called herself a “free spirit”. Together, the two decided that since it was the 1960’s, they would have an open marriage. Each could have multiple sexual partners as long as they informed each other. The two thought they were thoroughly modern and certainly not “backward” like their religious siblings. When I met Jerry, who was then in his 60’s, he was a bitter man. His wife ran off with one of her lovers, divorcing Jerry. Jerry never remarried. He had no children. He was lonely. He resented the “religiosity” of his siblings, as he called it. Jerry’s life was far from easy. His wife took half of his wealth when she ran off with her lover. While his brothers and one sister lived in loving relationships and had financial independence when they grew older, Jerry had neither. He was resentful. He was bitter. But never once did Jerry ever believe that God was the reason his siblings and parents were so successful in life. Even as his life self-destructed, he refused to believe in God. Jerry had no idea that he was falling into “the devil’s trap”. Jerry thought he was a free spirit. He felt he didn’t worship anybody or anything. However, his life choices fell perfectly in line with Satan’s plan to wreck his life, marriage, and future. Jerry was so obstinate, he refused to see how God had tried to save him from “the devil’s trap”.
The scripture for today speaks of “the devil’s trap” in 2 Timothy 2:26. Paul, who wrote this these words to Timothy, thought the devil’s trap entailed enticing people to “oppose the truth” of God’s law (2 Timothy 2:25). Those who fall into the devil’s trap believe the lies of Satan. This “changes their hearts” and causes them to believe the lies. Paul encouraged Timothy to have patience with those who bought into Satan’s lies. He urged Timothy to “gently instruct” those who fell for Satan’s trap. Paul believed that those who opposed God’s truth inevitably ended up “captive” to Satan (2 Timothy 2:26). They believed Satan’s deception. Without knowing God’s truth, they would unknowingly self-destruct just as Satan intended. In doing so, they would fall right into the devil’s trap.
I am not surprised that there are people like Jerry, who fall into the devil’s trap. Jerry never accepted Jesus as his Savior, never really believed in God. However, I am surprised by Christians who so willingly believe some of Satan’s lies and are captured in the devil’s traps.
Pastor Darren is liberal. He does not believe in Satan. He believes that just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is simply the absence of good. He believes in doing good works. He believes Jesus is the epitome of what is good in the world. He doesn’t believe in Satan or evil spirits or hell or damnation. He believes everyone will be saved. Pastor Darren is blind to Satan and evil. This opens him up to attack. Darren was struggling with some evil in his church, yet he refused to address the possibility that Satan or evil were behind it. After he was forced out of the church, Darren went through a long period of depression. He began to doubt his calling as a pastor. He even gave up ministry for a while, to become a counselor. Darren hasn’t realized that it was Satan’s plan to remove Darren from the pulpit and subvert his ministry. Pastor Darren has no clue that he fell right into “the devil’s trap”, because he won’t even garner the possibility that the devil or evil are real.
Karen is a lifelong Christian. She works at a large department store as a manager. She often opens and closes the store. Sometimes, after the store is closed, Karen will sneak into the “Returns Department” of the store and take home items of clothing for her children. She never pays for what she “borrows”. She justifies the thievery to herself by believing that the store won’t miss the profits and that she deserves a higher salary anyway. So, in lieu of asking for a raise, she steals things from the Returns Department. Even though her actions go directly against the commandment, “Thou Shall Not Steal”, she has convinced herself that she is not doing anything wrong. She has no clue that if she does this for a long time, she will begin to “fudge” other sins in her life and justify them as well. She’s on a slippery slope that may soon end with her soul in jeopardy.
There are so many ways for you to fall into the devil’s traps. You can bet the devil is, even now, trying to find your weaknesses. He is happily pushing lies on you, seeing which you fall for, which you will believe. Then, he will use those lies and deceptions to undermine your faith and subvert your relationship with God.
Out of love for you, I want you to seriously examine your life for evidence of lies. Look for ways you have been deceived by the devil’s traps. Are there situations where you consistently “slip up” and sin? Are there temptations that show up from time to time and threaten your faithfulness? Don’t for even one moment believe the lies of this world. They can be so deceptive! They can be so enticing!
If you find an area in your life where you are especially weak to the devil’s traps, keep vigilant. Pray for strength! Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you in those areas especially! Seek the protection of God! Do you not realize why Jesus included the line in the Lord’s Prayer, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”? Jesus recognized the devil’s traps. When the devil tried to manipulate Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4), Jesus remained faithful. I pray in your day of temptation that you will be faithful as well. Don’t fall for the devil’s traps, the deceptions, the lies. Believe God’s truth. See the world through God’s eyes. Trust in the Lord!
Jerry married a woman who shared his penchant for breaking rules. She called herself a “free spirit”. Together, the two decided that since it was the 1960’s, they would have an open marriage. Each could have multiple sexual partners as long as they informed each other. The two thought they were thoroughly modern and certainly not “backward” like their religious siblings. When I met Jerry, who was then in his 60’s, he was a bitter man. His wife ran off with one of her lovers, divorcing Jerry. Jerry never remarried. He had no children. He was lonely. He resented the “religiosity” of his siblings, as he called it. Jerry’s life was far from easy. His wife took half of his wealth when she ran off with her lover. While his brothers and one sister lived in loving relationships and had financial independence when they grew older, Jerry had neither. He was resentful. He was bitter. But never once did Jerry ever believe that God was the reason his siblings and parents were so successful in life. Even as his life self-destructed, he refused to believe in God. Jerry had no idea that he was falling into “the devil’s trap”. Jerry thought he was a free spirit. He felt he didn’t worship anybody or anything. However, his life choices fell perfectly in line with Satan’s plan to wreck his life, marriage, and future. Jerry was so obstinate, he refused to see how God had tried to save him from “the devil’s trap”.
The scripture for today speaks of “the devil’s trap” in 2 Timothy 2:26. Paul, who wrote this these words to Timothy, thought the devil’s trap entailed enticing people to “oppose the truth” of God’s law (2 Timothy 2:25). Those who fall into the devil’s trap believe the lies of Satan. This “changes their hearts” and causes them to believe the lies. Paul encouraged Timothy to have patience with those who bought into Satan’s lies. He urged Timothy to “gently instruct” those who fell for Satan’s trap. Paul believed that those who opposed God’s truth inevitably ended up “captive” to Satan (2 Timothy 2:26). They believed Satan’s deception. Without knowing God’s truth, they would unknowingly self-destruct just as Satan intended. In doing so, they would fall right into the devil’s trap.
I am not surprised that there are people like Jerry, who fall into the devil’s trap. Jerry never accepted Jesus as his Savior, never really believed in God. However, I am surprised by Christians who so willingly believe some of Satan’s lies and are captured in the devil’s traps.
Pastor Darren is liberal. He does not believe in Satan. He believes that just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is simply the absence of good. He believes in doing good works. He believes Jesus is the epitome of what is good in the world. He doesn’t believe in Satan or evil spirits or hell or damnation. He believes everyone will be saved. Pastor Darren is blind to Satan and evil. This opens him up to attack. Darren was struggling with some evil in his church, yet he refused to address the possibility that Satan or evil were behind it. After he was forced out of the church, Darren went through a long period of depression. He began to doubt his calling as a pastor. He even gave up ministry for a while, to become a counselor. Darren hasn’t realized that it was Satan’s plan to remove Darren from the pulpit and subvert his ministry. Pastor Darren has no clue that he fell right into “the devil’s trap”, because he won’t even garner the possibility that the devil or evil are real.
Karen is a lifelong Christian. She works at a large department store as a manager. She often opens and closes the store. Sometimes, after the store is closed, Karen will sneak into the “Returns Department” of the store and take home items of clothing for her children. She never pays for what she “borrows”. She justifies the thievery to herself by believing that the store won’t miss the profits and that she deserves a higher salary anyway. So, in lieu of asking for a raise, she steals things from the Returns Department. Even though her actions go directly against the commandment, “Thou Shall Not Steal”, she has convinced herself that she is not doing anything wrong. She has no clue that if she does this for a long time, she will begin to “fudge” other sins in her life and justify them as well. She’s on a slippery slope that may soon end with her soul in jeopardy.
There are so many ways for you to fall into the devil’s traps. You can bet the devil is, even now, trying to find your weaknesses. He is happily pushing lies on you, seeing which you fall for, which you will believe. Then, he will use those lies and deceptions to undermine your faith and subvert your relationship with God.
Out of love for you, I want you to seriously examine your life for evidence of lies. Look for ways you have been deceived by the devil’s traps. Are there situations where you consistently “slip up” and sin? Are there temptations that show up from time to time and threaten your faithfulness? Don’t for even one moment believe the lies of this world. They can be so deceptive! They can be so enticing!
If you find an area in your life where you are especially weak to the devil’s traps, keep vigilant. Pray for strength! Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you in those areas especially! Seek the protection of God! Do you not realize why Jesus included the line in the Lord’s Prayer, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”? Jesus recognized the devil’s traps. When the devil tried to manipulate Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4), Jesus remained faithful. I pray in your day of temptation that you will be faithful as well. Don’t fall for the devil’s traps, the deceptions, the lies. Believe God’s truth. See the world through God’s eyes. Trust in the Lord!
November 6
“And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children— “My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.””
(Hebrews 12:5–6, NRSV)
(Hebrews 12:5–6, NRSV)
Felicity Lancer was used to getting her way, and her father knew that it was all his fault. Felicity was his only child, and when her mother died young, John Lancer became even more attached to his daughter. So as the years went by, wealthy John indulged his little Felicity. She had everything she wanted, from toys, to clothes, ponies, and puppies -- but nothing pleased her for very long. What John didn't realize was that it wasn't a passing phase at all, and Felicity didn't outgrow it. It got worse.
By the time she was fifteen, Felicity was running with a wild crowd, drinking a lot, and dating grown-up men, and some of them were very unsavory characters. John thought that Felicity was wild because she had grown up without a mother. Therapy didn’t help, even after Felicity was court-ordered to do so. In desperation, John found an inpatient treatment facility to help Felicity with her alcoholism, anger, depression, and resentment. Felicity mocked his plan, then walked out of his house never to return.” (Manuela Cardiga, news.amomama.com)
John Lancer doted on his precious daughter. He didn’t like to punish her, correct her, or give her many responsibilities. Because of his wife’s death, he went overboard in giving Felicity anything she wanted. This proved to be her undoing. She grew up spoiled. Later in her life, she ended up cruel, irresponsible, and full of lies.
When a person grows up without correction, punishment, responsibilities, and required learning, that person often turns out spoiled rotten, selfish, and cruel. In the same manner, if a person grows up without love and respect and care, that person often will have a difficult time dealing with the loss of this support. Parenting involves walking a fine line between love and correction, care and punishment, teaching and respect. As a Heavenly Father, God has taught us that love is necessary; but so is discipline and learning and correction and punishment. All are part of becoming gracious and wise and holy.
Many people are under the false impression that God should be only good and loving and giving and supportive. They see God as a giver of life and blessing and hope. What they do not realize is that all these gifts from God require something in return from the true believer. They require commitment and dedication, responsibility, faithfulness, holiness, and obedience. I find in particularly odd that even among Christians there is a notion that God won’t punish someone for wrongdoing but only be forgiving. These folks often see God’s forgiving side but forget that God requires obedience and holiness and commitment and repentance in response. If you want to really know the love of God, you need to learn the discipline of God as well.
Charles Spurgeon explained God’s discipline using several object lessons. He noted that “When a dealer in precious gems finds a stone of minimum value, little time is spent cutting it. But when a rare diamond is found, that stone will be cut, and cut, and cut again.” (p. 316, Beside Still Waters) The precious diamond gets added care, but also must be molded and changed. It must receive cuts and alterations. In the end, these make the diamond not only special but precious, as well as rare.
In like manner, Spurgeon explained further that “If a gardener gets an inferior tree, he lets it grow wild and takes whatever fruit it produces. But if the tree is exceptional, he will want every branch in its proper place, and he will cut here and cut there because this produces more fruit. The gardener leaves nothing on the tree that would be detrimental.” (Ibid.) The living tree receives many cuts and suffers in the process. However, it produces abundantly the more it is altered by the skilled hand of the gardener.
Taken together, these object lessons or parables written by Spurgeon display clearly that in order to become precious, some things in life must be cultivated and cut and put under extra scrutiny and altered. The wild tree will grow some fruit, but the carefully curated tree will often give more fruit or fruit of much greater quality. This works with faith as well. God will take extra time and give extra scrutiny to the most promising people. God will cultivate things in their life, cut out some things that might spoil them, and correct their flaws. God will point out their sin and expect repentance. At times, they will reel from God’s punishment and suffer from God’s correction. Through it all, they will become more and more precious; able to produce more and more blessings.
Hebrews 12:5-6, our meditation for today, reaffirms this reality. By quoting Proverbs 3, the author of Hebrews explains that a true child of God will receive “the discipline of the Lord” (Hebrews 12:5). This scripture encourages those who are growing closer to God to not “lose heart” when punished by God. Why? Plainly, “the Lord disciplines those He loves, and chastises EVERY child whom He accepts” (Hebrews 12:6). Just as NO true person of faith will ever go through life without the love of God surrounding him or her, NO true person of faith can escape God’s discipline. EVERY child of God will receive discipline of one type or another from God. This discipline may hurt at the time, but it will produce many benefits in the heart and mind and soul and life of the obedient.
Have you ever noted how many privileged people end up with lives corrupted by sin? Too many end up feeling lost and alone. Many self-destruct through addictions and psychological afflictions. Without submitting to the discipline of God, wanting to have their own way, they falter and fail; often becoming worldly and cruel and selfish and corrupt.
God punishes sin, while demanding obedience and faithfulness from the spiritual. When they respond well to God’s commands and laws, they receive God’s love in kind. They experience forgiveness and blessings and peace. Don’t expect the forgiveness and blessing and peace of God without also expecting the discipline and correction of the Lord.
Since God disciplines and corrects those whom He loves, giving extra scrutiny to the most precious of souls, be ready for those times in your life when you will receive punishment by the hand of your loving God. When you are falling into sinful ways, God may come down hard on you. When pride and selfishness begin to take root, God will bring swift correction to these sins. Learn your lessons well. Be obedient to the Almighty. Don’t you realize how precious you are to God to go through HIS discipline as well as receive HIS love?
Spoiled children always think their punishment is either undeserved or unfair. Disobedient children always disrespect their parents while running far away from discipline. Sinful souls always have a way of rejecting correction and fighting responsibility to God.
How well do you learn from the discipline of the Lord? How much do you trust the hand and will of God the Father? Is there some kind of discipline God has been using on you lately? What error in you is God seeking to correct?
By the time she was fifteen, Felicity was running with a wild crowd, drinking a lot, and dating grown-up men, and some of them were very unsavory characters. John thought that Felicity was wild because she had grown up without a mother. Therapy didn’t help, even after Felicity was court-ordered to do so. In desperation, John found an inpatient treatment facility to help Felicity with her alcoholism, anger, depression, and resentment. Felicity mocked his plan, then walked out of his house never to return.” (Manuela Cardiga, news.amomama.com)
John Lancer doted on his precious daughter. He didn’t like to punish her, correct her, or give her many responsibilities. Because of his wife’s death, he went overboard in giving Felicity anything she wanted. This proved to be her undoing. She grew up spoiled. Later in her life, she ended up cruel, irresponsible, and full of lies.
When a person grows up without correction, punishment, responsibilities, and required learning, that person often turns out spoiled rotten, selfish, and cruel. In the same manner, if a person grows up without love and respect and care, that person often will have a difficult time dealing with the loss of this support. Parenting involves walking a fine line between love and correction, care and punishment, teaching and respect. As a Heavenly Father, God has taught us that love is necessary; but so is discipline and learning and correction and punishment. All are part of becoming gracious and wise and holy.
Many people are under the false impression that God should be only good and loving and giving and supportive. They see God as a giver of life and blessing and hope. What they do not realize is that all these gifts from God require something in return from the true believer. They require commitment and dedication, responsibility, faithfulness, holiness, and obedience. I find in particularly odd that even among Christians there is a notion that God won’t punish someone for wrongdoing but only be forgiving. These folks often see God’s forgiving side but forget that God requires obedience and holiness and commitment and repentance in response. If you want to really know the love of God, you need to learn the discipline of God as well.
Charles Spurgeon explained God’s discipline using several object lessons. He noted that “When a dealer in precious gems finds a stone of minimum value, little time is spent cutting it. But when a rare diamond is found, that stone will be cut, and cut, and cut again.” (p. 316, Beside Still Waters) The precious diamond gets added care, but also must be molded and changed. It must receive cuts and alterations. In the end, these make the diamond not only special but precious, as well as rare.
In like manner, Spurgeon explained further that “If a gardener gets an inferior tree, he lets it grow wild and takes whatever fruit it produces. But if the tree is exceptional, he will want every branch in its proper place, and he will cut here and cut there because this produces more fruit. The gardener leaves nothing on the tree that would be detrimental.” (Ibid.) The living tree receives many cuts and suffers in the process. However, it produces abundantly the more it is altered by the skilled hand of the gardener.
Taken together, these object lessons or parables written by Spurgeon display clearly that in order to become precious, some things in life must be cultivated and cut and put under extra scrutiny and altered. The wild tree will grow some fruit, but the carefully curated tree will often give more fruit or fruit of much greater quality. This works with faith as well. God will take extra time and give extra scrutiny to the most promising people. God will cultivate things in their life, cut out some things that might spoil them, and correct their flaws. God will point out their sin and expect repentance. At times, they will reel from God’s punishment and suffer from God’s correction. Through it all, they will become more and more precious; able to produce more and more blessings.
Hebrews 12:5-6, our meditation for today, reaffirms this reality. By quoting Proverbs 3, the author of Hebrews explains that a true child of God will receive “the discipline of the Lord” (Hebrews 12:5). This scripture encourages those who are growing closer to God to not “lose heart” when punished by God. Why? Plainly, “the Lord disciplines those He loves, and chastises EVERY child whom He accepts” (Hebrews 12:6). Just as NO true person of faith will ever go through life without the love of God surrounding him or her, NO true person of faith can escape God’s discipline. EVERY child of God will receive discipline of one type or another from God. This discipline may hurt at the time, but it will produce many benefits in the heart and mind and soul and life of the obedient.
Have you ever noted how many privileged people end up with lives corrupted by sin? Too many end up feeling lost and alone. Many self-destruct through addictions and psychological afflictions. Without submitting to the discipline of God, wanting to have their own way, they falter and fail; often becoming worldly and cruel and selfish and corrupt.
God punishes sin, while demanding obedience and faithfulness from the spiritual. When they respond well to God’s commands and laws, they receive God’s love in kind. They experience forgiveness and blessings and peace. Don’t expect the forgiveness and blessing and peace of God without also expecting the discipline and correction of the Lord.
Since God disciplines and corrects those whom He loves, giving extra scrutiny to the most precious of souls, be ready for those times in your life when you will receive punishment by the hand of your loving God. When you are falling into sinful ways, God may come down hard on you. When pride and selfishness begin to take root, God will bring swift correction to these sins. Learn your lessons well. Be obedient to the Almighty. Don’t you realize how precious you are to God to go through HIS discipline as well as receive HIS love?
Spoiled children always think their punishment is either undeserved or unfair. Disobedient children always disrespect their parents while running far away from discipline. Sinful souls always have a way of rejecting correction and fighting responsibility to God.
How well do you learn from the discipline of the Lord? How much do you trust the hand and will of God the Father? Is there some kind of discipline God has been using on you lately? What error in you is God seeking to correct?
November 9
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
(2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NLT)
(2 Corinthians 1:3–4, NLT)
There are several important and wonderful things to learn from the two verses above. The first comes from looking at the repetition of words. Do you see how many times the word, “comfort”, is used in these two verses? Four times in two verses (in the Greek versions its actually used five times!)! It is obvious that Paul, who wrote these words, was trying to tell the reader important things about the relationship between God and “comfort”. By the time this meditation is finished, I pray you see how Paul’s wonderful choice of words conveys something extremely important about the character of God!
As a father, Max Lucado included the following words in his book, Grace for the Moment:
“My child’s feelings are hurt. I tell her she’s special.
My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.
My child is afraid. I won’t go to sleep until she is secure.
I’m not a hero .… I’m a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.…
Why don’t I let my [Heavenly] Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?
I’m learning.… Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I’m better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won’t go to sleep when I’m afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.
Ever.” (p. 342)
Any good and loving parent has learned that comforting a child is super-important. Children need the reassurance and support that comfort gives. Without those comforting moments, children would grow up afraid to face challenges and be skittish in new situations. They would feel fearful at trying new things (like riding a bike!). They would feel alone when facing their demons!
Have you ever seen a parent teaching a child to ride a bike without training wheels for the first time? You can see the fear on the child’s face. Their hesitation at getting on that bike seat is palpable. The child knows that riding a bike without the support of training wheels means he or she could fall. There might be a terrible crash! All kinds of fears of what could happen are racing through the child’s mind, causing his or her pupils to dilate and hands to become sweaty. I’ve seen some children shake like a leaf or tear up just before taking the “big ride”. However, the child’s courage is stoked by the parent who has been down this road before. The parent encourages the child, giving pointers and a positive outlook. Then comes that moment when the ride starts. Where is the parent? Running alongside the bike, touching the seat with a slight pressure in order to keep the bike upright and on its intended path. In a few moments, the child will learn how exhilarating it is to ride a bike! This important step in the child’s life will prove again that great things are possible with courage and comforting support!
Now, I want you to see a few things hidden from most Christians who read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. First, the Greek word for “comfort” also means “encouragement”. In the Greek language comfort and encouragement go together! People in the English-speaking world usually do not make a connection between the words “comfort” and “encouragement”. Even thought the parent teaching a child to ride a bike uses encouraging words and actions to bring comfort and support to the child, English speakers often do not equate these words as closely as a Greek reader. Do you realize the power of encouraging words to bring comfort and assurance to the fearful and hurting?
My quiet afternoon was broken by the ringing of the telephone. When I answered the phone, I learned that a woman from my congregation had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. The neighbor mentioned that the woman had taken a bad fall in her living room. When I got to the hospital, the woman was writhing in pain. They were about to take her into emergency surgery to fix her broken bones. One of the broken bones, had punctured her lung. She was suffering terribly. Through short breaths, she told me how much it hurt to talk. Then, she said that her husband was out of town and her two adult children were unavailable. She was so thankful for my presence. She begged me to meet with her doctor and find out the results of the surgery as well as keep in touch with her family. When I responded that I would be there throughout the day and had cancelled everything else to be with her through the ordeal, I could see her breathing ease. I could see some of the fear leave her eyes. My presence and words comforted her. The thought of her family being kept abreast of the affair without her having to do or say anything more brought great relief. Our prayer together brought tears to her eyes, with the words of comfort and encouragement giving her hope and peace in that frightful moment.
Do you realize the power you have to bring God’s comfort and encouragement to others? It’s a beautiful and wonderful and impressive force of God!
The second thing I want to impress upon you concerns Paul’s use of the word “comfort” in the meditation for today. Did you know that this word has a hidden connection with God? The Greek word for “comfort” used by Paul five times in this verse is the same word used for the Holy Spirit in John 14:26. It is the word “Paraklete”, which also means comforter, helper, aid, and encourager. For centuries, in fact, the Holy Spirit was often referred to as the Paraclete, the same word used in the scripture today meaning “comfort”. By inference, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bring comfort and encouragement to the faithful. When the Holy Spirit resides in you, you should feel God’s encouragement and comfort and strength! When you need to face those trials and stressful moments, the Holy Spirit is right there with you, bringing comfort and encouragement and strength! You can count on it!
The scripture for today includes mention that the reason you are given comfort by God is so that you can “comfort others” (2 Corinthians 1:4). All truly faithful children of God are comfort-givers! Comforting others is not only in the character of Holy Spirit, it should be a part of your Christian DNA! When others are around you, they should be encouraged by your presence. When fearful, they should find comfort in your prayers. When facing “troubles”, others should feel hopeful or peaceful in your presence.
Are you a good comforter? Do people feel encouraged by your words? Who might benefit from some of God’s comfort working through you today?
As a father, Max Lucado included the following words in his book, Grace for the Moment:
“My child’s feelings are hurt. I tell her she’s special.
My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.
My child is afraid. I won’t go to sleep until she is secure.
I’m not a hero .… I’m a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.…
Why don’t I let my [Heavenly] Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?
I’m learning.… Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I’m better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won’t go to sleep when I’m afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.
Ever.” (p. 342)
Any good and loving parent has learned that comforting a child is super-important. Children need the reassurance and support that comfort gives. Without those comforting moments, children would grow up afraid to face challenges and be skittish in new situations. They would feel fearful at trying new things (like riding a bike!). They would feel alone when facing their demons!
Have you ever seen a parent teaching a child to ride a bike without training wheels for the first time? You can see the fear on the child’s face. Their hesitation at getting on that bike seat is palpable. The child knows that riding a bike without the support of training wheels means he or she could fall. There might be a terrible crash! All kinds of fears of what could happen are racing through the child’s mind, causing his or her pupils to dilate and hands to become sweaty. I’ve seen some children shake like a leaf or tear up just before taking the “big ride”. However, the child’s courage is stoked by the parent who has been down this road before. The parent encourages the child, giving pointers and a positive outlook. Then comes that moment when the ride starts. Where is the parent? Running alongside the bike, touching the seat with a slight pressure in order to keep the bike upright and on its intended path. In a few moments, the child will learn how exhilarating it is to ride a bike! This important step in the child’s life will prove again that great things are possible with courage and comforting support!
Now, I want you to see a few things hidden from most Christians who read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. First, the Greek word for “comfort” also means “encouragement”. In the Greek language comfort and encouragement go together! People in the English-speaking world usually do not make a connection between the words “comfort” and “encouragement”. Even thought the parent teaching a child to ride a bike uses encouraging words and actions to bring comfort and support to the child, English speakers often do not equate these words as closely as a Greek reader. Do you realize the power of encouraging words to bring comfort and assurance to the fearful and hurting?
My quiet afternoon was broken by the ringing of the telephone. When I answered the phone, I learned that a woman from my congregation had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. The neighbor mentioned that the woman had taken a bad fall in her living room. When I got to the hospital, the woman was writhing in pain. They were about to take her into emergency surgery to fix her broken bones. One of the broken bones, had punctured her lung. She was suffering terribly. Through short breaths, she told me how much it hurt to talk. Then, she said that her husband was out of town and her two adult children were unavailable. She was so thankful for my presence. She begged me to meet with her doctor and find out the results of the surgery as well as keep in touch with her family. When I responded that I would be there throughout the day and had cancelled everything else to be with her through the ordeal, I could see her breathing ease. I could see some of the fear leave her eyes. My presence and words comforted her. The thought of her family being kept abreast of the affair without her having to do or say anything more brought great relief. Our prayer together brought tears to her eyes, with the words of comfort and encouragement giving her hope and peace in that frightful moment.
Do you realize the power you have to bring God’s comfort and encouragement to others? It’s a beautiful and wonderful and impressive force of God!
The second thing I want to impress upon you concerns Paul’s use of the word “comfort” in the meditation for today. Did you know that this word has a hidden connection with God? The Greek word for “comfort” used by Paul five times in this verse is the same word used for the Holy Spirit in John 14:26. It is the word “Paraklete”, which also means comforter, helper, aid, and encourager. For centuries, in fact, the Holy Spirit was often referred to as the Paraclete, the same word used in the scripture today meaning “comfort”. By inference, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to bring comfort and encouragement to the faithful. When the Holy Spirit resides in you, you should feel God’s encouragement and comfort and strength! When you need to face those trials and stressful moments, the Holy Spirit is right there with you, bringing comfort and encouragement and strength! You can count on it!
The scripture for today includes mention that the reason you are given comfort by God is so that you can “comfort others” (2 Corinthians 1:4). All truly faithful children of God are comfort-givers! Comforting others is not only in the character of Holy Spirit, it should be a part of your Christian DNA! When others are around you, they should be encouraged by your presence. When fearful, they should find comfort in your prayers. When facing “troubles”, others should feel hopeful or peaceful in your presence.
Are you a good comforter? Do people feel encouraged by your words? Who might benefit from some of God’s comfort working through you today?
November 12
“As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?” (Ezekiel 33:11, NLT)
In the days of Ezekiel, the people of Judah had fallen into a pattern of sinful living. They built altars to other gods. They burned incense in their homes as a tribute to idols. The Sun and stars were worshipped as if they were able to change the fates of men. Injustice and oppression and all kinds of social sins permeated society. Violence was becoming commonplace. Murder rates rose. Even the Temple in Jerusalem was tainted with idolatry. Some of the religious leaders had adorned the walls of the temple with religious symbols depicting unholy worship. Despite the abominations occurring among God’s chosen people, God wanted them to return to Him. God kept reaching out to them through prophets like Ezekiel, urging them to repent and turn from their sinful ways.
Ezekiel preached that the people of Judah were suffering because of their sin. Sinful thinking had permeated into their souls, their minds, their hearts. This caused them to feel sick often (Ezekiel 33:10). Their sinful ways caused illness to the body and a breakdown of the social order. Despite all the sin and chaos, the idolatry and faithlessness, God wanted the people to return to faithful worship and holy living. In Ezekiel 33:11, the scripture for today, the prophet declared God’s word: “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.” God wanted one thing: for the people of God to “turn from their wickedness”. They did not. A short time later in their history, war and famine decimated the sinful people.
Our scripture for today contains the plea from God to try and save all the people in the land of Judah. God did not want to see them suffer. God did not want to see them die. God wanted to protect them from violence and apostasy and so much more. Sadly, they were intent on self-destruction. They were too prideful and selfish to listen to the prophet Ezekiel. They would not heed God’s warnings. Over and over, God attempted to save them. They would not turn from their sinful ways.
When you start down a path of self-destruction or develop damaging habits, God will let you know. God will often speak to your soul, urging you to change your ways. When a sin tempts you, when sinful ways look appealing, when you take those first steps down a path that leads to suffering, God will warn you. People sent by God (like Ezekiel!) will ask you to repent or change your ways. Your body will feel the strain. Your soul will send you little nagging reminders that something is wrong. Your prayers will feel strained. Your time with God will seem tense. The truth might make your feel uncomfortable. Your heart will often feel heavy. Your body might respond with nausea and illness. Your sleep might be interrupted. All these things will come upon you as God seeks to bring you back to Him!
For some people, repentance is easy. When they feel that tug of the soul saying something is wrong, they are quick to drop to their knees and ask for forgiveness. Others are so prideful that they may never admit their wrongdoing. Some will ignore the signs. Some will increase their use of alcohol or start taking drugs to bury their guilt and shame. Too many become self-destructive. How do you respond to your sin?
Gwen was in her forties when I met her. She came for counseling because she thought that her life was a mess. She intended for me to bring comfort. She wanted a shoulder to cry on and a way to let out her pain. What she did not realize at first was what resulted in her predicament. It was sin.
When Gwen was a teen, she was rebellious. She didn’t like the rules of her parents. She dated “bad boys”. She was arrested for underage drinking. She didn’t try to learn at school. She fought every authority. I believed her rebelliousness was caused by something when she was young. The Holy Spirit urged me to probe into her childhood.
After two sessions of counseling, Gwen finally opened up to tell me that she had been sexually abused as a child. I believe all her anger and rebelliousness had been a way to deal with her feelings surrounding this abuse. She hated authority because she was abused by an authority figure. She hated rules because rules did not protect her from the abuse. The tears flowed as Gwen replayed the abuse of her childhood. Then, just at the moment when she expected me to say, “There, there, you poor girl. You deserve love and joy.” Instead, I looked at her and said, “Are you done beating yourself up for the abuse? Are you going to let the abuse continue to destroy your life? You are doing this to yourself. You are self-destructing. Your abuser hurt you deeply when you are young. However, now you are continuing the abuse. The cycle has to stop. You need to repent and let this go or you will never find peace.”
Over the next months, I listened to Gwen repent of her sin. Then, the healing came swiftly. She let go of the past that haunted her. She began to reclaim her life. She changed her values. Gwen was a new person. Her smile returned. Her heart was healing. And God was blessing all her changes.
It took a lot for Gwen to seek help. It takes a lot for people to change their ways. When you are walking down a path that leads to destruction, it may seem daunting to turn back to God! However, the blessings will come if you turn back from the evil that is tempting you or plaguing you. The joy will come again when you turn away from the sin that seeps into your thoughts and affects your attitude.
Long before your life falls apart from sin, God will be reaching out to you. God will want you to turn from any self-destructive ways. God will desire deeply to save you from the guilt and regret and resentment that inevitably rise from being on a sinful path for much too long. Listen when God calls. Heed that holy voice that speaks to you in the quiet night. Don’t neglect that feeling you get when the Holy Spirit prompts you to just walk away from a temptation. God wants to save you, protect you, bless you. But will you respond to His call, heed His command, and turn toward His voice in those crucial moments?
Ezekiel preached that the people of Judah were suffering because of their sin. Sinful thinking had permeated into their souls, their minds, their hearts. This caused them to feel sick often (Ezekiel 33:10). Their sinful ways caused illness to the body and a breakdown of the social order. Despite all the sin and chaos, the idolatry and faithlessness, God wanted the people to return to faithful worship and holy living. In Ezekiel 33:11, the scripture for today, the prophet declared God’s word: “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.” God wanted one thing: for the people of God to “turn from their wickedness”. They did not. A short time later in their history, war and famine decimated the sinful people.
Our scripture for today contains the plea from God to try and save all the people in the land of Judah. God did not want to see them suffer. God did not want to see them die. God wanted to protect them from violence and apostasy and so much more. Sadly, they were intent on self-destruction. They were too prideful and selfish to listen to the prophet Ezekiel. They would not heed God’s warnings. Over and over, God attempted to save them. They would not turn from their sinful ways.
When you start down a path of self-destruction or develop damaging habits, God will let you know. God will often speak to your soul, urging you to change your ways. When a sin tempts you, when sinful ways look appealing, when you take those first steps down a path that leads to suffering, God will warn you. People sent by God (like Ezekiel!) will ask you to repent or change your ways. Your body will feel the strain. Your soul will send you little nagging reminders that something is wrong. Your prayers will feel strained. Your time with God will seem tense. The truth might make your feel uncomfortable. Your heart will often feel heavy. Your body might respond with nausea and illness. Your sleep might be interrupted. All these things will come upon you as God seeks to bring you back to Him!
For some people, repentance is easy. When they feel that tug of the soul saying something is wrong, they are quick to drop to their knees and ask for forgiveness. Others are so prideful that they may never admit their wrongdoing. Some will ignore the signs. Some will increase their use of alcohol or start taking drugs to bury their guilt and shame. Too many become self-destructive. How do you respond to your sin?
Gwen was in her forties when I met her. She came for counseling because she thought that her life was a mess. She intended for me to bring comfort. She wanted a shoulder to cry on and a way to let out her pain. What she did not realize at first was what resulted in her predicament. It was sin.
When Gwen was a teen, she was rebellious. She didn’t like the rules of her parents. She dated “bad boys”. She was arrested for underage drinking. She didn’t try to learn at school. She fought every authority. I believed her rebelliousness was caused by something when she was young. The Holy Spirit urged me to probe into her childhood.
After two sessions of counseling, Gwen finally opened up to tell me that she had been sexually abused as a child. I believe all her anger and rebelliousness had been a way to deal with her feelings surrounding this abuse. She hated authority because she was abused by an authority figure. She hated rules because rules did not protect her from the abuse. The tears flowed as Gwen replayed the abuse of her childhood. Then, just at the moment when she expected me to say, “There, there, you poor girl. You deserve love and joy.” Instead, I looked at her and said, “Are you done beating yourself up for the abuse? Are you going to let the abuse continue to destroy your life? You are doing this to yourself. You are self-destructing. Your abuser hurt you deeply when you are young. However, now you are continuing the abuse. The cycle has to stop. You need to repent and let this go or you will never find peace.”
Over the next months, I listened to Gwen repent of her sin. Then, the healing came swiftly. She let go of the past that haunted her. She began to reclaim her life. She changed her values. Gwen was a new person. Her smile returned. Her heart was healing. And God was blessing all her changes.
It took a lot for Gwen to seek help. It takes a lot for people to change their ways. When you are walking down a path that leads to destruction, it may seem daunting to turn back to God! However, the blessings will come if you turn back from the evil that is tempting you or plaguing you. The joy will come again when you turn away from the sin that seeps into your thoughts and affects your attitude.
Long before your life falls apart from sin, God will be reaching out to you. God will want you to turn from any self-destructive ways. God will desire deeply to save you from the guilt and regret and resentment that inevitably rise from being on a sinful path for much too long. Listen when God calls. Heed that holy voice that speaks to you in the quiet night. Don’t neglect that feeling you get when the Holy Spirit prompts you to just walk away from a temptation. God wants to save you, protect you, bless you. But will you respond to His call, heed His command, and turn toward His voice in those crucial moments?
November 14
“I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!” (Ezekiel 34:16, NLT)
In Luke 19:10, Jesus described the purpose of His being sent into the world. God the Father wanted the Savior to “seek and save the lost” souls, especially in Israel. When Jesus came to this world, His mission was not to speak of God’s wisdom nor to expound on the truth. Jesus was sent to save people. His was not a philosophical endeavor. This was no “ivory tower” proposition. Jesus had to travel among the lost souls of the house of Israel to save as many as He could. Then, through the written word, that mission was to spread to the whole world.
Our God is one who seeks out and tries to save lost souls. God cares about every single life, every one of the souls on this earth. God even reached out to save you. Without Jesus, you would have been just another lost soul going through life without a purpose, without a heavenly home, without the knowledge of the truth.
Some six centuries before Jesus proclaimed that He was sent to seek and save the lost souls of this world, Ezekiel preached that God had always been doing this very same thing. During the time of Ezekiel, the people of Israel and Judah had lost their way. They were sinning greatly. Many toyed with other gods, saying prayers to the likes of Baal and Asherah and Anat. Even the priesthood was led astray. The Jewish society was torn with strife. Violence, murder, oppression, and adultery were commonplace. Jewish leaders practiced idolatry. To God in Heaven, the souls in Israel and Judah were “lost”. Then, war was upon them. Suffering was rampant. Death was everywhere. Exiles were captured and taken away. In the midst of all this mess, God gave Ezekiel a message to preach. It is written in the scripture for today included above. God was going to “search for the lost ones who had strayed away” to “bring them safely home again” (Ezekiel 34:16). Those who had caused these lost souls to suffer would be destroyed. “Justice” would prevail (Ezekiel 34:16c)!
When Ezekiel spoke these words, I’m sure there were lost souls who didn’t even realize that they had strayed away from God. The “fat and powerful” (Ezekiel 34:16b) thought they were protected by their wealth and power and privilege. While tearing down and destroying the evil of the privileged, God was also searching for the lost ones, the “nobodies”, that were overlooked by the elites. God was going to bless all those who returned to faithfulness. God was going to punish all those who dared to lead the people into sin.
Our God is thoroughly committed to seeking and saving the lost. God desires to bandage and protect the vulnerable who suffer because of the manipulations of evil in this world. God punishes those who take advantage of others. This is the kind of God you worship.
On the other hand, there are those who are bent on evil. They sin openly and often. They do not realize they are lost souls. They are more than willing to take others to hell with them. Satan has more than enough willing participants in his evil. He enjoys the suffering of people. He protects those who oppress. He supports those with evil intentions. So many of this world have not understood the purpose of Satan. They think he is a mythical being. They think evil does not seek to destroy you. They are blind to the spiritual warfare going on all around them.
Like God and Jesus, your mission (“should you choose to accept it!”) is to be obedient to Almighty God. This involves you being one of those sent to “seek and save the lost”. While being faithful, you need to help open the eyes of the blind who are lost to God. Those who are fallen may make fun of your efforts. They will call you names and berate you. That does not change the fact that you are a missionary of God, sent by Jesus to save the lost of this world.
Two weeks ago, my doctor was called out of the office for an emergency at the hospital. When I was informed that my appointment would be delayed by a couple of hours, I decided not to drive the forty minutes back home only to turn around and return an hour later. Instead, I stopped at a restaurant down the street to have a small sandwich and spend the time meditating on things God would want me to do on this web site. I also figured, there would be ample time for some scripture reading and prayer. As I finished my sandwich, a man walked past me but said, “Hello!” As he passed by, I responded with a warm “Hi! I hope you are having a wonderful day!” The man was shocked. He wasn’t ready for a response, let alone a smile and a warm greeting! He turned to me and whispered, “Not a lot of people are very warm to me. Thank you!” When I told him that was a shame, he said, “Where are you from?” That began a conversation that lasted a half hour!
I found out that the man was recently homeless. He had moved to Wisconsin from Florida only to find out that the place he had hoped to stay was no longer available. He was living out of his car. We talked at some length about difficult times in life, about Wisconsin winters, about his desire to find housing before the weather turned bitterly cold, and about his new job as a manager. He mentioned how lonely it was to move away from his family in Florida. Then, as he got up to leave, he asked if we could pray together. I told him that it was a wonderful idea. We prayed and then I left for my appointment. I had just enough time to get there.
Do you realize what happened in this “chance” encounter? I believe God called away my doctor for an emergency knowing I would stop at that restaurant (which I had never stopped at before and was a last second choice!). God wanted me to meet with this homeless man. God did not want me to initiate the prayer, because God wanted the man to step out and ask for it! God wanted me to give encouragement to this hurting soul. God wanted the man to know that he was not alone. God wanted to save this man by sending me to be with him for a half hour and to encourage him during this tumultuous time. God wanted to save his soul and encourage him.
God will put you in places where there are lost souls. God will use you to help save them. God will give you the eyes to see those who need protection and encouragement and more. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the basis for your belief and mission. The Holy Spirit will be your guide. I wonder how many souls you will reach today, tomorrow, this week. Isn’t it exciting to know you are part of God’s glorious plan?
Our God is one who seeks out and tries to save lost souls. God cares about every single life, every one of the souls on this earth. God even reached out to save you. Without Jesus, you would have been just another lost soul going through life without a purpose, without a heavenly home, without the knowledge of the truth.
Some six centuries before Jesus proclaimed that He was sent to seek and save the lost souls of this world, Ezekiel preached that God had always been doing this very same thing. During the time of Ezekiel, the people of Israel and Judah had lost their way. They were sinning greatly. Many toyed with other gods, saying prayers to the likes of Baal and Asherah and Anat. Even the priesthood was led astray. The Jewish society was torn with strife. Violence, murder, oppression, and adultery were commonplace. Jewish leaders practiced idolatry. To God in Heaven, the souls in Israel and Judah were “lost”. Then, war was upon them. Suffering was rampant. Death was everywhere. Exiles were captured and taken away. In the midst of all this mess, God gave Ezekiel a message to preach. It is written in the scripture for today included above. God was going to “search for the lost ones who had strayed away” to “bring them safely home again” (Ezekiel 34:16). Those who had caused these lost souls to suffer would be destroyed. “Justice” would prevail (Ezekiel 34:16c)!
When Ezekiel spoke these words, I’m sure there were lost souls who didn’t even realize that they had strayed away from God. The “fat and powerful” (Ezekiel 34:16b) thought they were protected by their wealth and power and privilege. While tearing down and destroying the evil of the privileged, God was also searching for the lost ones, the “nobodies”, that were overlooked by the elites. God was going to bless all those who returned to faithfulness. God was going to punish all those who dared to lead the people into sin.
Our God is thoroughly committed to seeking and saving the lost. God desires to bandage and protect the vulnerable who suffer because of the manipulations of evil in this world. God punishes those who take advantage of others. This is the kind of God you worship.
On the other hand, there are those who are bent on evil. They sin openly and often. They do not realize they are lost souls. They are more than willing to take others to hell with them. Satan has more than enough willing participants in his evil. He enjoys the suffering of people. He protects those who oppress. He supports those with evil intentions. So many of this world have not understood the purpose of Satan. They think he is a mythical being. They think evil does not seek to destroy you. They are blind to the spiritual warfare going on all around them.
Like God and Jesus, your mission (“should you choose to accept it!”) is to be obedient to Almighty God. This involves you being one of those sent to “seek and save the lost”. While being faithful, you need to help open the eyes of the blind who are lost to God. Those who are fallen may make fun of your efforts. They will call you names and berate you. That does not change the fact that you are a missionary of God, sent by Jesus to save the lost of this world.
Two weeks ago, my doctor was called out of the office for an emergency at the hospital. When I was informed that my appointment would be delayed by a couple of hours, I decided not to drive the forty minutes back home only to turn around and return an hour later. Instead, I stopped at a restaurant down the street to have a small sandwich and spend the time meditating on things God would want me to do on this web site. I also figured, there would be ample time for some scripture reading and prayer. As I finished my sandwich, a man walked past me but said, “Hello!” As he passed by, I responded with a warm “Hi! I hope you are having a wonderful day!” The man was shocked. He wasn’t ready for a response, let alone a smile and a warm greeting! He turned to me and whispered, “Not a lot of people are very warm to me. Thank you!” When I told him that was a shame, he said, “Where are you from?” That began a conversation that lasted a half hour!
I found out that the man was recently homeless. He had moved to Wisconsin from Florida only to find out that the place he had hoped to stay was no longer available. He was living out of his car. We talked at some length about difficult times in life, about Wisconsin winters, about his desire to find housing before the weather turned bitterly cold, and about his new job as a manager. He mentioned how lonely it was to move away from his family in Florida. Then, as he got up to leave, he asked if we could pray together. I told him that it was a wonderful idea. We prayed and then I left for my appointment. I had just enough time to get there.
Do you realize what happened in this “chance” encounter? I believe God called away my doctor for an emergency knowing I would stop at that restaurant (which I had never stopped at before and was a last second choice!). God wanted me to meet with this homeless man. God did not want me to initiate the prayer, because God wanted the man to step out and ask for it! God wanted me to give encouragement to this hurting soul. God wanted the man to know that he was not alone. God wanted to save this man by sending me to be with him for a half hour and to encourage him during this tumultuous time. God wanted to save his soul and encourage him.
God will put you in places where there are lost souls. God will use you to help save them. God will give you the eyes to see those who need protection and encouragement and more. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the basis for your belief and mission. The Holy Spirit will be your guide. I wonder how many souls you will reach today, tomorrow, this week. Isn’t it exciting to know you are part of God’s glorious plan?
November 16
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
(Philippians 2:8, NIV84)
(Philippians 2:8, NIV84)
Recently, I came across a few self-help articles and videos. One after the other, they seemed to be saying the same thing: make yourself look better to the world. One was titled, “10 ways to Promote Yourself”. Another offered wisdom on “How to cheat on Your Resume: Make Yourself Look Good!” In a job listing, one company was looking for people to use social media to promote their customers, making them more socially appealing. A web site promoted a beauty product for women that made them “stand out from others”! A commercial touted their slogan, “Because you deserve better!” Over and over, I felt these ads and articles were promoting the idea that those who are successful or good or worthy in the world are those who place themselves first. They perfect their own image. They promote themselves over others. They try to outdo all others. Put together, their message was clear: “Take pride in yourself!”
When Jesus came into the world, He didn’t use self-promotion. Though He was the Son of God, He didn’t use His powers to look better than others or hone His image of perfection. In many ways, Jesus did the opposite! He was seen in public with notorious sinners. He went around touching the sick and infirm. He interacted with crazy people filled with demons. He said things that got him in trouble with the powerful elites. Our scripture for today is just another explanation of Jesus’ work. Though He was the Son of God, Jesus “humbled himself and became obedient to death”. He didn’t promote himself; He humbled Himself! He didn’t perform miracles to look good but to teach spiritual truths! He didn’t preach in order to make a good living and live in luxury! He lived humbly and in respect to God the Father.
The ways of the world and the ways of Jesus are constantly in conflict. The world seeks selfish promotion and prideful self-aggrandizement. The world is more concerned with how a person looks than the character if one’s heart and soul. Jesus thought very differently. He believed obedience to God was more important than personal growth. He accomplished miracles not for self-promotion but to teach grace and forgiveness and truth. He didn’t hobnob with the powerful to increase His standing. He met with people at all levels of society, seeking only to spread the gospel of God’s truth.
Each and every day, you will be bombarded with worldly ideals like self-promotion, selfish living, and how to be prideful. Will you choose to reject these worldly principles in deference to the gospel of Jesus? Jesus “humbled Himself” in order to be obedient to God the Father. Others didn’t force Him to be humble. It was Jesus’ choice. You too have that choice. You can be prideful or humble; worldly or obedient to God. By your words and actions, your choice will be made clear.
Augustine, Luther, Calvin all spoke about the dangers of pride. Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologians have all preached against pridefulness. C. S. Lewis wrote that “pride is the great sin”. In his book, Mere Christianity, he included the following bit of wisdom… “…the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.”
With pride being this dangerous and with the example of Jesus humbling Himself; why do people not recognize the deadliness of pridefulness and the grace of humility?
Bill attended church for years. He was a good man with good intentions. He was a great dad and a successful businessman. In the 1980’s, Bill bought into a franchise, “Blockbuster Video”. He rented storefront property and opened his business to great acclaim in the local papers. In the days of Video Cassettes and DVDs, Bill’s store did a tremendous amount of business renting out movies and shows on these forms of media.
In the 1990’s, Bill was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Businessmen’s Association in his hometown. He was lauded by groups such as Kiwanis and the Better Business Bureau. His donations helped local food pantries, a popular Christmas Fund, and a dozen other charities.
In the early 2000’s, Bill had a chance to sell his franchise. He turned down the generous offer. When he had a few bad quarters of business income, he chalked it up to the economy. When competition from Walmart and other stores grew, Bill believed his business model was superior. However, as streaming video became popular, Bill didn’t want to face the fact that the era of video stores was ending. After several bad quarters of income, Bill began to dig into his savings to overcome the financial shortages. Throughout it all, Bill begged God to “bless his business”.
After Bill had three years of financial losses, he finally closed the store. Later, he remarked to his best friend at church: “I wanted so badly for God to bless my business. In a hundred different ways, God was telling me that the business model of Blockbuster was dying. I refused to believe it. I didn’t want to sell the business that had been so profitable to me. I refused to listen to the Holy Spirit tell me that I needed to move on. I lost probably two hundred thousand dollars blinded by my prideful need to stay in the business, look good to the community, and get accolades from my colleagues.”
Pride has a way of making you blind to what is really going on around you spiritually, financially, morally, and ethically. Pride will cause you to lie to yourself and others. Pride has a way of twisting your self-image and clouding your judgment. It is no surprise that the serpent in the Garden of Eden used pride as a weapon to cause the first human sins.
The wisdom of Proverbs warns us that “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). Search out and destroy sinful pride in your life. Having pride in your work or in yourself is not necessarily a bad thing. Sinful pride goes beyond that. It will always blind you, bring forms of self-destruction, and corrupt your soul. Sinful pride will block your connection with God. Sinful pride is at work producing all kinds of other sins and failures. Be on watch against it.
Jesus “humbled Himself”. This prevented prideful sin from taking hold. If you do not follow this example of Jesus, you will find prideful sin taking root in your life. Then its just a matter of time before self-destruction takes place. Beware!
When Jesus came into the world, He didn’t use self-promotion. Though He was the Son of God, He didn’t use His powers to look better than others or hone His image of perfection. In many ways, Jesus did the opposite! He was seen in public with notorious sinners. He went around touching the sick and infirm. He interacted with crazy people filled with demons. He said things that got him in trouble with the powerful elites. Our scripture for today is just another explanation of Jesus’ work. Though He was the Son of God, Jesus “humbled himself and became obedient to death”. He didn’t promote himself; He humbled Himself! He didn’t perform miracles to look good but to teach spiritual truths! He didn’t preach in order to make a good living and live in luxury! He lived humbly and in respect to God the Father.
The ways of the world and the ways of Jesus are constantly in conflict. The world seeks selfish promotion and prideful self-aggrandizement. The world is more concerned with how a person looks than the character if one’s heart and soul. Jesus thought very differently. He believed obedience to God was more important than personal growth. He accomplished miracles not for self-promotion but to teach grace and forgiveness and truth. He didn’t hobnob with the powerful to increase His standing. He met with people at all levels of society, seeking only to spread the gospel of God’s truth.
Each and every day, you will be bombarded with worldly ideals like self-promotion, selfish living, and how to be prideful. Will you choose to reject these worldly principles in deference to the gospel of Jesus? Jesus “humbled Himself” in order to be obedient to God the Father. Others didn’t force Him to be humble. It was Jesus’ choice. You too have that choice. You can be prideful or humble; worldly or obedient to God. By your words and actions, your choice will be made clear.
Augustine, Luther, Calvin all spoke about the dangers of pride. Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox theologians have all preached against pridefulness. C. S. Lewis wrote that “pride is the great sin”. In his book, Mere Christianity, he included the following bit of wisdom… “…the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.”
With pride being this dangerous and with the example of Jesus humbling Himself; why do people not recognize the deadliness of pridefulness and the grace of humility?
Bill attended church for years. He was a good man with good intentions. He was a great dad and a successful businessman. In the 1980’s, Bill bought into a franchise, “Blockbuster Video”. He rented storefront property and opened his business to great acclaim in the local papers. In the days of Video Cassettes and DVDs, Bill’s store did a tremendous amount of business renting out movies and shows on these forms of media.
In the 1990’s, Bill was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Businessmen’s Association in his hometown. He was lauded by groups such as Kiwanis and the Better Business Bureau. His donations helped local food pantries, a popular Christmas Fund, and a dozen other charities.
In the early 2000’s, Bill had a chance to sell his franchise. He turned down the generous offer. When he had a few bad quarters of business income, he chalked it up to the economy. When competition from Walmart and other stores grew, Bill believed his business model was superior. However, as streaming video became popular, Bill didn’t want to face the fact that the era of video stores was ending. After several bad quarters of income, Bill began to dig into his savings to overcome the financial shortages. Throughout it all, Bill begged God to “bless his business”.
After Bill had three years of financial losses, he finally closed the store. Later, he remarked to his best friend at church: “I wanted so badly for God to bless my business. In a hundred different ways, God was telling me that the business model of Blockbuster was dying. I refused to believe it. I didn’t want to sell the business that had been so profitable to me. I refused to listen to the Holy Spirit tell me that I needed to move on. I lost probably two hundred thousand dollars blinded by my prideful need to stay in the business, look good to the community, and get accolades from my colleagues.”
Pride has a way of making you blind to what is really going on around you spiritually, financially, morally, and ethically. Pride will cause you to lie to yourself and others. Pride has a way of twisting your self-image and clouding your judgment. It is no surprise that the serpent in the Garden of Eden used pride as a weapon to cause the first human sins.
The wisdom of Proverbs warns us that “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). Search out and destroy sinful pride in your life. Having pride in your work or in yourself is not necessarily a bad thing. Sinful pride goes beyond that. It will always blind you, bring forms of self-destruction, and corrupt your soul. Sinful pride will block your connection with God. Sinful pride is at work producing all kinds of other sins and failures. Be on watch against it.
Jesus “humbled Himself”. This prevented prideful sin from taking hold. If you do not follow this example of Jesus, you will find prideful sin taking root in your life. Then its just a matter of time before self-destruction takes place. Beware!
November 18
“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.” (Proverbs 16:22, ESV)
Growing up, my grandparents lived only a half mile away. When my parents were busy or working, my grandparents would often watch over us kids. I remember fondly pounding nails while in my grandfather’s workshop. I also remember playing Yahtzee with my grandmother. I have many good memories from our time together.
Over meals, my grandparents often would teach us new things. While eating, we might play a game like twenty questions or my grandmother would challenge us with Bible trivia. While spending many hours and meals with them, I often picked up on their mannerisms and sayings and pieces of wisdom. One day while eating lunch, my grandmother mentioned to the family that a neighbor was seen stumbling down the street, “drunk as a skunk”. I’m not sure how drunk a skunk can get, but the saying meant that the person was fall-down drunk! While cleaning up that day, my grandmother commented that the drunk man “was not all there”. This saying concluded that the man was just not thinking. His act was pure folly.
At one memorable meal, my grandfather commented on a friend of his who got drunk and crashed his car. My grandfather shook his head and remarked, “A Fool and his Folly!” I took his words to mean that the man who crashed his car was not only a fool but was prone to do foolish things over and over. What I did not know at the time was that this old saying was based on a scripture; Proverbs 16:22.
Proverbs is a book of Wisdom. It contains many oral traditions and adages and bits of knowledge that together are known as Wisdom Literature in the Bible. Proverbs 16:22 gives us words of God’s wisdom to live by. This scripture, written above, claims that “good sense” is a “fountain of life”. Those who don’t have good sense are considered fools. The scripture states further that fools practice folly (Proverbs 16:22b), just as my grandfather taught me. However, this verse also claims that the teaching of fools is folly. You see, fools not only hate correction (Proverbs 12:1), they never seem to learn enough to escape their foolish ways!
John MacArthur expounded on this inability to teach or instruct fools so that they may escape their folly. In the November section of his book, Strength for Today, MacArthur included the following facts about fools based on biblical principles:
People are born foolish and need to learn the wisdom of God (Proverbs 22:15).
It is foolish to not believe in God (Proverbs 14:1).
Fools think their folly is always right, even when proven wrong. They don’t accept God’s wisdom (Proverbs 12:15).
Fools often make their own rules in life (and suffer because of them!). This action inevitably results in fools mocking God or playing God or both. (Proverbs 14:9)
There are many other ways that fools and their folly wreck lives and destroy relationships with God. Sadly, this hasn’t stopped fools and foolishness from being all too common. MacArthur concluded that we are “living in a world of fools”. Folly is rampant.
Because foolish living is so common in our world, I’m pretty sure you can give examples of “fools and their folly”. For me, Daniel was the epitome of foolish thinking. He was a man who was introduced to gambling in the back alley near his home. There, children would often play dice and make bets. Daniel loved the rush of winning. He enjoyed making bets and seeing if he could outplay another person in games of chance.
As Daniel grew older, his enjoyment of gambling grew into an addiction. He often bet on the outcome of football games, bought lottery tickets, or entered pools in the local bar. Even when his chances of winning were astronomical, Daniel convinced himself that odds were in his favor. It was delusional thinking.
Daniel was lucky enough to come from a decently wealthy family. He married a good woman and had four children. However, as Daniel’s addiction took hold, his family often went without food or clothing or more. Daniel would get his paycheck on Friday only to lose it gambling by Sunday evening. Then, his wife would scrounge for food, or they would neglect to pay utility bills. On several occasions, their utilities were turned off.
When Daniel was forty-two, he inherited almost five hundred thousand dollars. Everyone in town thought this would help the family to finally catch up on their bills and pay their way. NOPE! Daniel blew the entire inheritance within two years, and they were back to begging for food and getting their utilities turned off. They even lost their home when they could not pay the mortgage. A fool and his folly!
Now, before you criticize Daniel and his poor decisions, realize that you are capable of foolish thinking as well. Are there times when you lie to yourself? Are there foolish thoughts that run through your mind each day? Do you fight a bit of truth in your life because it is inconvenient or hard to swallow? Do you ignore good advice? There are so many ways to act foolish, even if you know God!
Today’s scripture is a reminder that fools will not learn valuable lessons in life. Don’t be one of those people who makes the same mistakes over and over, who lie to themselves, or who refuse to accept the truth. An obedient child of God needs to face the truth, learn God’s wisdom, and reject foolish thinking. Do you want to become an example to others of a “fool and his folly”?
Over meals, my grandparents often would teach us new things. While eating, we might play a game like twenty questions or my grandmother would challenge us with Bible trivia. While spending many hours and meals with them, I often picked up on their mannerisms and sayings and pieces of wisdom. One day while eating lunch, my grandmother mentioned to the family that a neighbor was seen stumbling down the street, “drunk as a skunk”. I’m not sure how drunk a skunk can get, but the saying meant that the person was fall-down drunk! While cleaning up that day, my grandmother commented that the drunk man “was not all there”. This saying concluded that the man was just not thinking. His act was pure folly.
At one memorable meal, my grandfather commented on a friend of his who got drunk and crashed his car. My grandfather shook his head and remarked, “A Fool and his Folly!” I took his words to mean that the man who crashed his car was not only a fool but was prone to do foolish things over and over. What I did not know at the time was that this old saying was based on a scripture; Proverbs 16:22.
Proverbs is a book of Wisdom. It contains many oral traditions and adages and bits of knowledge that together are known as Wisdom Literature in the Bible. Proverbs 16:22 gives us words of God’s wisdom to live by. This scripture, written above, claims that “good sense” is a “fountain of life”. Those who don’t have good sense are considered fools. The scripture states further that fools practice folly (Proverbs 16:22b), just as my grandfather taught me. However, this verse also claims that the teaching of fools is folly. You see, fools not only hate correction (Proverbs 12:1), they never seem to learn enough to escape their foolish ways!
John MacArthur expounded on this inability to teach or instruct fools so that they may escape their folly. In the November section of his book, Strength for Today, MacArthur included the following facts about fools based on biblical principles:
People are born foolish and need to learn the wisdom of God (Proverbs 22:15).
It is foolish to not believe in God (Proverbs 14:1).
Fools think their folly is always right, even when proven wrong. They don’t accept God’s wisdom (Proverbs 12:15).
Fools often make their own rules in life (and suffer because of them!). This action inevitably results in fools mocking God or playing God or both. (Proverbs 14:9)
There are many other ways that fools and their folly wreck lives and destroy relationships with God. Sadly, this hasn’t stopped fools and foolishness from being all too common. MacArthur concluded that we are “living in a world of fools”. Folly is rampant.
Because foolish living is so common in our world, I’m pretty sure you can give examples of “fools and their folly”. For me, Daniel was the epitome of foolish thinking. He was a man who was introduced to gambling in the back alley near his home. There, children would often play dice and make bets. Daniel loved the rush of winning. He enjoyed making bets and seeing if he could outplay another person in games of chance.
As Daniel grew older, his enjoyment of gambling grew into an addiction. He often bet on the outcome of football games, bought lottery tickets, or entered pools in the local bar. Even when his chances of winning were astronomical, Daniel convinced himself that odds were in his favor. It was delusional thinking.
Daniel was lucky enough to come from a decently wealthy family. He married a good woman and had four children. However, as Daniel’s addiction took hold, his family often went without food or clothing or more. Daniel would get his paycheck on Friday only to lose it gambling by Sunday evening. Then, his wife would scrounge for food, or they would neglect to pay utility bills. On several occasions, their utilities were turned off.
When Daniel was forty-two, he inherited almost five hundred thousand dollars. Everyone in town thought this would help the family to finally catch up on their bills and pay their way. NOPE! Daniel blew the entire inheritance within two years, and they were back to begging for food and getting their utilities turned off. They even lost their home when they could not pay the mortgage. A fool and his folly!
Now, before you criticize Daniel and his poor decisions, realize that you are capable of foolish thinking as well. Are there times when you lie to yourself? Are there foolish thoughts that run through your mind each day? Do you fight a bit of truth in your life because it is inconvenient or hard to swallow? Do you ignore good advice? There are so many ways to act foolish, even if you know God!
Today’s scripture is a reminder that fools will not learn valuable lessons in life. Don’t be one of those people who makes the same mistakes over and over, who lie to themselves, or who refuse to accept the truth. An obedient child of God needs to face the truth, learn God’s wisdom, and reject foolish thinking. Do you want to become an example to others of a “fool and his folly”?
November 20
“So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”” (Hebrews 13:6, NIV)
Of the days of creation, Genesis 2 explains how God created Adam. However, after creation, God saw that Adam was lonely. So, God exclaimed that He would “make a helper” fit for Adam (Genesis 2:18). For this reason, God created Eve. Eve was to be a helpmate for Adam, a support, an encourager, and someone to take away his loneliness. God did this out of love for Adam. Though God was always a helper for Adam, Eve could be a human representation of God’s presence.
In the scripture for today, written above, the author of Hebrews notes how God is a “helper” for those who believe. God does not leave us alone. God is present and active in our lives. Like Eve was a human “helper” for Adam, God is a divine “helper” for all those who call upon His name (in fact, the same Greek word is used in both scriptures for “helper”!). As your divine “helper”, God protects and nurtures you. There is no need to “be afraid” (Hebrews 13:6b). As a spouse is meant to be a soulmate, God is always the soulmate to the true believer. God is always at your side, supporting you.
Though God intended to be a helper to all the faithful, many do not call upon Him when help is needed. Too many Christians try to tackle every obstacle in life without seeking God’s presence and strength and help. They go at it alone. They use their own might instead of God’s power. They rely on their own reason instead of the Holy Spirit’s insight. They don’t pray until overwhelmed or stymied or at a loss about what to do in a difficult situation. God never intended for you to go through life without leaning on His everlasting arms!
The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, wrote the following words while contemplating Hebrews 13:6:
“The God of the past has blotted out your sins (Acts 3:19). The God of the present makes all things work together for your good (Rom. 8:28). The God of the future will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5). In God you are prepared for every emergency.
There is no point in having a God if you do not use Him, and yet many professing Christians would never dream of going to God for practical help. I believe that it is as well to have no God as to have an unreal God, one who cannot be found in the midnight of need. What a blessing to be able to go to God and pour out our hearts. God will be our Helper (Ps. 54:4), a near and dear Friend in joy and sorrow.
Dear friend, are you in trouble? Do you have a God? Then pray and spread your trial before Him. Do you have a troublesome letter in your house (2 Kin. 19:10–13)? Then go, like Hezekiah, and tell the Lord (2 Kin. 19:14). Is your child dying? Then cry to the Lord as David did (2 Sam. 12:16). Are you as low as Jonah? Then let your prayer rise from the bottom (Jon. 2:1). Are you bitter? Pour it out before the Lord.
Make good use of your God. Gain full advantage by pleading with Him. Tell Him your troubles. Search His promises, and then petition Him with holy boldness, for this is the surest and the fastest way to find relief.
What would we do if we could not speak with God, our ever–gracious Friend? We would die of a broken heart. Like Job, we would curse the day of our birth. We would wish that we had never been born (Job 3:3) and look forward to annihilation. But praise God, we can go to Him by faith and plead His promise. Then, the dark clouds will withdraw…” (p. 323, Beside Still Waters)
Like me, Spurgeon was convinced that “the dark clouds will withdraw” when a person leans upon the strength of God. When drawing upon divine help, the soul is encouraged. Hope grows. Peace settles upon the soul. So, why is it that people don’t seek God’s help more often?
After his toy broke, the young child sought to repair it. The wheel had come off his favorite car. Try as he might, the boy struggled to replace the wheel. The axle and wheel had separated because the axle was worn from use. Each time the young boy tried to put the wheel back on, within seconds, it would inevitably fall off. Growing frustrated, the boy tried over and over to fix the problem. His father saw the boy’s frustration growing within and said, “Hand the car to me and I’ll fix it for you.”
The boy responded immediately, “No, I fix it myself!”
After many more attempts, the young boy was moved to tears. He came to the realization that the car was forever broken. But it was his favorite car! As tears began to flow, the father said again, “Hand the car to me and let me fix it.” Giving up hope at a repair, the boy handed his father the car. The father went down to his workshop and reformed the axle so that the wheel would no longer fall off. Then, he brought the car back to his son and gave it to him. The boy was overjoyed, loving his father’s saving grace!
I take away from this true story two major things. The first relates to the boy’s response to his father’s offer for help; “No, I do it myself!”. So often, we say this very same thing to our Heavenly Father. Though God is offering help, we don’t want it! We push away God until we have exhausted all hope to “do it ourselves”. God is there to help but we are not willing to accept God’s help. Some people don’t want forgiveness. Some won’t accept God’s grace. Some don’t want to obey God’s voice. They fight God’s help all the way. Why? Simply, most people are prideful and obstinate. Is it any surprise that scripture speaks of the “hard headedness” of humankind? The second thing I take away from this true story is that the father’s help brought great joy to the son. So, why did the son keep the father away for so long? Sometimes, people don’t experience joy because they keep God at arm’s length. They push God away. They refuse God’s grace. Is it any wonder so many people, even Christians, are miserable these days!
God is your helper, lean on Him. Don’t wait until the last minute to call upon His name and seek His strength. God is your helper, listen to Him. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Don’t fight what you know is right down deep in that soul of yours! God is your helper, trust Him! Maybe what is stopping your joy lately is your inability to trust that God has the answer to your problems!
In the scripture for today, written above, the author of Hebrews notes how God is a “helper” for those who believe. God does not leave us alone. God is present and active in our lives. Like Eve was a human “helper” for Adam, God is a divine “helper” for all those who call upon His name (in fact, the same Greek word is used in both scriptures for “helper”!). As your divine “helper”, God protects and nurtures you. There is no need to “be afraid” (Hebrews 13:6b). As a spouse is meant to be a soulmate, God is always the soulmate to the true believer. God is always at your side, supporting you.
Though God intended to be a helper to all the faithful, many do not call upon Him when help is needed. Too many Christians try to tackle every obstacle in life without seeking God’s presence and strength and help. They go at it alone. They use their own might instead of God’s power. They rely on their own reason instead of the Holy Spirit’s insight. They don’t pray until overwhelmed or stymied or at a loss about what to do in a difficult situation. God never intended for you to go through life without leaning on His everlasting arms!
The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, wrote the following words while contemplating Hebrews 13:6:
“The God of the past has blotted out your sins (Acts 3:19). The God of the present makes all things work together for your good (Rom. 8:28). The God of the future will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5). In God you are prepared for every emergency.
There is no point in having a God if you do not use Him, and yet many professing Christians would never dream of going to God for practical help. I believe that it is as well to have no God as to have an unreal God, one who cannot be found in the midnight of need. What a blessing to be able to go to God and pour out our hearts. God will be our Helper (Ps. 54:4), a near and dear Friend in joy and sorrow.
Dear friend, are you in trouble? Do you have a God? Then pray and spread your trial before Him. Do you have a troublesome letter in your house (2 Kin. 19:10–13)? Then go, like Hezekiah, and tell the Lord (2 Kin. 19:14). Is your child dying? Then cry to the Lord as David did (2 Sam. 12:16). Are you as low as Jonah? Then let your prayer rise from the bottom (Jon. 2:1). Are you bitter? Pour it out before the Lord.
Make good use of your God. Gain full advantage by pleading with Him. Tell Him your troubles. Search His promises, and then petition Him with holy boldness, for this is the surest and the fastest way to find relief.
What would we do if we could not speak with God, our ever–gracious Friend? We would die of a broken heart. Like Job, we would curse the day of our birth. We would wish that we had never been born (Job 3:3) and look forward to annihilation. But praise God, we can go to Him by faith and plead His promise. Then, the dark clouds will withdraw…” (p. 323, Beside Still Waters)
Like me, Spurgeon was convinced that “the dark clouds will withdraw” when a person leans upon the strength of God. When drawing upon divine help, the soul is encouraged. Hope grows. Peace settles upon the soul. So, why is it that people don’t seek God’s help more often?
After his toy broke, the young child sought to repair it. The wheel had come off his favorite car. Try as he might, the boy struggled to replace the wheel. The axle and wheel had separated because the axle was worn from use. Each time the young boy tried to put the wheel back on, within seconds, it would inevitably fall off. Growing frustrated, the boy tried over and over to fix the problem. His father saw the boy’s frustration growing within and said, “Hand the car to me and I’ll fix it for you.”
The boy responded immediately, “No, I fix it myself!”
After many more attempts, the young boy was moved to tears. He came to the realization that the car was forever broken. But it was his favorite car! As tears began to flow, the father said again, “Hand the car to me and let me fix it.” Giving up hope at a repair, the boy handed his father the car. The father went down to his workshop and reformed the axle so that the wheel would no longer fall off. Then, he brought the car back to his son and gave it to him. The boy was overjoyed, loving his father’s saving grace!
I take away from this true story two major things. The first relates to the boy’s response to his father’s offer for help; “No, I do it myself!”. So often, we say this very same thing to our Heavenly Father. Though God is offering help, we don’t want it! We push away God until we have exhausted all hope to “do it ourselves”. God is there to help but we are not willing to accept God’s help. Some people don’t want forgiveness. Some won’t accept God’s grace. Some don’t want to obey God’s voice. They fight God’s help all the way. Why? Simply, most people are prideful and obstinate. Is it any surprise that scripture speaks of the “hard headedness” of humankind? The second thing I take away from this true story is that the father’s help brought great joy to the son. So, why did the son keep the father away for so long? Sometimes, people don’t experience joy because they keep God at arm’s length. They push God away. They refuse God’s grace. Is it any wonder so many people, even Christians, are miserable these days!
God is your helper, lean on Him. Don’t wait until the last minute to call upon His name and seek His strength. God is your helper, listen to Him. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Don’t fight what you know is right down deep in that soul of yours! God is your helper, trust Him! Maybe what is stopping your joy lately is your inability to trust that God has the answer to your problems!
November 22
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28–29, NIV)
For decades, psychologists have postulated that dreams derive from the subconscious parts of the brain. They are formed as the brain processes information and projects emotions into one’s thoughts during sleep or while ruminating. Contrary to this secularized worldview where dreams are relegated to the subconscious, the scripture for today (among many other scriptures) make clear that God uses dreams to convey messages to the faithful and unfaithful alike. The Spirit of God alters dreams to deliver potent warnings and hopes and visions and prophecies to people in order to save their souls.
The scripture for today contains words from God delivered to the prophet Joel. In these words, God conveyed that when the time is right, God will “pour out His Spirit upon all people” (Joel 2:28). This powerful movement of God’s Spirit will cause some to “prophesy” of future events. Others will “dream dreams” or “see visions”. All these dreams and visions and prophecies are revelations that will be delivering signs and directives from God. In truth, God will be communicating to all those who will heed His voice.
This scripture declares that the character of God is to reach out to “all people” (Joel 2:28). Everyone will have the chance to receive messages from God. Every soul will have the chance to connect with God. God’s Spirit will not be given out by God in miserly fashion. The Spirit will be “poured out”. God wants everyone to see the truth and follow His saving grace. It is God’s ultimate goal to save as many souls as possible.
That includes your soul!
While pondering this scripture from the book of Joel, Leona and Nicolas Venditti concluded a meditation with the following words: “Not all dreams are from the Lord but there are times where God uses dreams to warn and speak to people in real life circumstances. A prime example is Joseph. He received personal dreams that were later fulfilled. He also interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. The same happened to Daniel. The believing community needs more than ever to be able to discern the spiritual realm and dreams are a part of that.” (as cited in Daily Treasures from the Word of God).
1 Corinthians 12 lists the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among them are the abilities to heal, to speak in tongues, to perform miracles, and more. Among the gifts listed is also the gift of prophesy. Prophesying is the ability to see into the future from God’s perspective. It is not like augury or soothsaying, wherein a person looks into the future with their own abilities, real or imagined. Instead, prophesying is where a person is able to receive a glimpse of the future from God’s point of view. A personal prophecy can envision the future (as God sees it) of an individual. A communal prophecy can foresee the future of a group of people, a church, a nation, or the world! Some prophecies come as warnings or omens. They may encourage a person to change their ways, repent, or forgive, or stay away from something dangerous. Some prophecies come as directives, where God urges a person to start a church or begin a mission or move on to better places. Don’t ignore a vision or a dream you think may come from God. Pray about it. Seek God’s confirmation. Listen to God’s voice and follow the Spirit.
I became well-acquainted with a man who was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident. For a long while, we shared a break time together at work, often listening to one another’s stories. After a few months, this man decided to confide in me. He told me about the car accident that caused the damage to his spine and his paralysis. As he relayed the events of that night and the terrible accident, he said some things that I would never forget. He told me how during that night there were so many things that went wrong. His car wouldn’t start. A friend offered him a ride. He had been ill that day and should have just stayed in bed. Instead, he fixed his car and drove alone to a party. After the party and a few too many drinks, he drove home. On that dark night, at a notorious bend in the road, he wrapped his car around a tree. But, I still remember him saying with a shaky voice, “I just knew something was telling me not to go out that night, that I shouldn’t have partied, and that I shouldn’t have been drinking. There were so many signs. Only now, years later, have I come to the conclusion that God was trying to prevent me from getting into that accident, but I was too blind to notice.”
That’s the problem with God sending dreams and visions and prophecies to all people. Not only do some never acknowledge the messages come from God, some do not heed those messages even when they have a feeling they ARE from God!
Part of being faithful requires you be willing to listen for and heed the voice of God. That involves searching within your dreams and visions to seek God’s prophecies and revelations. What might God be telling you in this week? What things might God be warning you about? Where might God be leading you? What is God wanting you to do? Don’t underestimate the ability of God to speak directly to you through dreams and visions. At times, God might be telling you of the near future in order to save you from harm or keep you from temptation. It would be wise of you to heed the prophecy!
Another word to the wise....
Some people have a special spiritual ability to perceive God's prophecies sent by the Holy Spirit. If you are one of these people, realize that not only may it be heartbreaking to foresee some things to come, others may not believe what you have seen. For this reason, the gift of prophesy may be both a great blessing and a tremendous burden for your soul.
The scripture for today contains words from God delivered to the prophet Joel. In these words, God conveyed that when the time is right, God will “pour out His Spirit upon all people” (Joel 2:28). This powerful movement of God’s Spirit will cause some to “prophesy” of future events. Others will “dream dreams” or “see visions”. All these dreams and visions and prophecies are revelations that will be delivering signs and directives from God. In truth, God will be communicating to all those who will heed His voice.
This scripture declares that the character of God is to reach out to “all people” (Joel 2:28). Everyone will have the chance to receive messages from God. Every soul will have the chance to connect with God. God’s Spirit will not be given out by God in miserly fashion. The Spirit will be “poured out”. God wants everyone to see the truth and follow His saving grace. It is God’s ultimate goal to save as many souls as possible.
That includes your soul!
While pondering this scripture from the book of Joel, Leona and Nicolas Venditti concluded a meditation with the following words: “Not all dreams are from the Lord but there are times where God uses dreams to warn and speak to people in real life circumstances. A prime example is Joseph. He received personal dreams that were later fulfilled. He also interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. The same happened to Daniel. The believing community needs more than ever to be able to discern the spiritual realm and dreams are a part of that.” (as cited in Daily Treasures from the Word of God).
1 Corinthians 12 lists the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among them are the abilities to heal, to speak in tongues, to perform miracles, and more. Among the gifts listed is also the gift of prophesy. Prophesying is the ability to see into the future from God’s perspective. It is not like augury or soothsaying, wherein a person looks into the future with their own abilities, real or imagined. Instead, prophesying is where a person is able to receive a glimpse of the future from God’s point of view. A personal prophecy can envision the future (as God sees it) of an individual. A communal prophecy can foresee the future of a group of people, a church, a nation, or the world! Some prophecies come as warnings or omens. They may encourage a person to change their ways, repent, or forgive, or stay away from something dangerous. Some prophecies come as directives, where God urges a person to start a church or begin a mission or move on to better places. Don’t ignore a vision or a dream you think may come from God. Pray about it. Seek God’s confirmation. Listen to God’s voice and follow the Spirit.
I became well-acquainted with a man who was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident. For a long while, we shared a break time together at work, often listening to one another’s stories. After a few months, this man decided to confide in me. He told me about the car accident that caused the damage to his spine and his paralysis. As he relayed the events of that night and the terrible accident, he said some things that I would never forget. He told me how during that night there were so many things that went wrong. His car wouldn’t start. A friend offered him a ride. He had been ill that day and should have just stayed in bed. Instead, he fixed his car and drove alone to a party. After the party and a few too many drinks, he drove home. On that dark night, at a notorious bend in the road, he wrapped his car around a tree. But, I still remember him saying with a shaky voice, “I just knew something was telling me not to go out that night, that I shouldn’t have partied, and that I shouldn’t have been drinking. There were so many signs. Only now, years later, have I come to the conclusion that God was trying to prevent me from getting into that accident, but I was too blind to notice.”
That’s the problem with God sending dreams and visions and prophecies to all people. Not only do some never acknowledge the messages come from God, some do not heed those messages even when they have a feeling they ARE from God!
Part of being faithful requires you be willing to listen for and heed the voice of God. That involves searching within your dreams and visions to seek God’s prophecies and revelations. What might God be telling you in this week? What things might God be warning you about? Where might God be leading you? What is God wanting you to do? Don’t underestimate the ability of God to speak directly to you through dreams and visions. At times, God might be telling you of the near future in order to save you from harm or keep you from temptation. It would be wise of you to heed the prophecy!
Another word to the wise....
Some people have a special spiritual ability to perceive God's prophecies sent by the Holy Spirit. If you are one of these people, realize that not only may it be heartbreaking to foresee some things to come, others may not believe what you have seen. For this reason, the gift of prophesy may be both a great blessing and a tremendous burden for your soul.
November 25
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4, NIV)
While a chaplain in St. Louis, Missouri, I visited a patient each day at the hospital in which I served. He had been in a terrible car accident. He was in a coma. His doctor had no idea if he would live or die.
Though he had been in a coma for more than three months, the man woke up suddenly one morning, asking for something to drink. Shocked, his nurse ran from his room to inform the doctor of the radical change in the man’s condition. The staff found the man thoroughly lucid. He could talk, feel, even walk with help. It was as if he was asleep for the whole time. At the doctor’s request, the patient went through a series of tests. He passed all basic tests of brain function. However, the man had a few glaring holes in his memory. He could hardly believe that his favorite football team made the playoffs. He also was astonished to hear news of a relative who had nearly died in the accident with him. He didn’t remember the accident whatsoever.
While in his hospital room, the man kept thinking of the car accident. He saw pictures of his car smashed along the side of the highway, but he could not remember anything of that day. Even after leaving the hospital, and seeing his totaled vehicle, he had a hard time accepting the facts. When people talked about that day or visiting him in the hospital, he listened politely but refused to believe the stories. When he looked in the mirror, there were no bruises or scars. Those faded during the months he was in the coma. The man just couldn’t fathom what had happened to him. Later, he told me that in his mind he denied that the accident and coma truly happened. He found it easier to live that way.
Like this man, there are people walking around who find it easier to deal with life by lying to themselves. They go through life without any belief in God. By not believing in God, they don’t have to follow any commandments. They don’t have to join a church or get up on Sunday mornings to attend worship. They delude themselves into this false understanding that since they can’t see God, God must not exist. Though they can’t see electricity, they know it exists. Though they can’t see the wind, they see evidence of it. Though they can’t see love, they can feel it. Still, they deny the soul within them that longs for a connection with their Creator and Redeemer. Like the man who recovered from the coma, they find it easier to live in denial. They deny the truth that God will one day judge their souls, that there is a Heaven and Hell, that evil forces manipulate them while upon this earth.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul informed the Corinthian church of dangerous forces in the earthly realm. Paul explained in this verse that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers…”. Some versions of the Bible even list the “god of this age” as Satan. What this scripture brings forward for discussion is that Satan, a god of this age, prefers people to be in denial about spiritual things. Satan enjoys “blinding the minds” of people. He causes them to doubt God. He encourages them to be worldly. He keeps the truth from them that there is a God, that their Creator is in Heaven, and that they need a Redeemer to save them from sin. As long as people are blind to what is really going on, Satan can manipulate all kinds of things around them. He can cause them to pursue worldly goals, to seek cheap thrills, to drown their sorrows in alcohol, to surround themselves with material possessions, to ignore suffering by those who are less fortunate, and to live as if there will always have time to do what they want when they want it. Satan is so good at manipulating people that they delude themselves into believing that there is no “light of the gospel”, no “glory of Christ”, and nobody bears the “image of God”. Satan keeps them in the dark. They go through life as in a coma. They find it better to deny God’s truth than deal with it.
But every now and then, God will break through Satan’s lies and deceptions. Glimpses of reality will force people to make their choice about whether to believe God’s truth.
For many years, Tonya did the right thing. She graduated High School with honors. She attended college and became a nurse. She did so many things right in her life. She was taught by her parents that hard working people get ahead in life and that you get out of life what you put into it. Tonya worked hard and reaped the benefits of a good job, a loving family, and a pretty decent life.
Then, Tonya’s life became “messy”. A year after getting engaged, she found her fiancé in bed with another woman. Later that same month, her best friend died. Two months after that, she was diagnosed with a serious illness and discovered she would have to take medicine the rest of her life. Tonya’s illness even forced her to reduce her working hours to part time for more than six months.
That November, Tonya came to the realization that she had worked hard, made a lot of right decisions, was a loving and fair person, and yet life had not rewarded her with success. In fact, on Thanksgiving of that year, Tonya found herself alone for the holiday for the first time in her life. She was living with a friend because she could no longer afford her own apartment. She had no boyfriend. Her health was sketchy. Her future uncertain. For the first time in her life, Tonya began to question everything she believed. She sought answers to why her life had become so difficult. Not long after, I saw her in our church for the first time.
In the months that followed, Tonya’s spiritual side began to blossom. She learned to pray for real. She learned to sing praises with a joyful heart. She found hope in Jesus. She found meaning in her life. She began a deep spiritual journey that continues to this day. If you ask Tonya about her life now, she will tell you something like this: “When I was young, I had no idea about all that Jesus had done for me. I was totally unaware of my connection with God. I breezed through life enjoying all my accomplishments without seeing that God wanted a deeper relationship with me. I now know the beauty of forgiveness, what its like to feel the love of God, and have a hope that does not disappoint. I have found value not in things but in what I can do for others in Jesus’ name!”
Satan has succeeded in blinding many in this world. Don’t let his manipulations blind you to the grace and glory of God. Don’t let his whispers of depression and regret and insecurity cloud you from the love of God and the hope garnered at the cross of Jesus. The “god of this age” seeks to have you focus everything on the material world. God wants you to see more than that. God wants you to experience a greater love. Jesus wants to walk with you on every path you take. The Holy Spirit seeks to protect you from harm and guide you toward godly wisdom.
Don’t be blinded by things of this world. Let the light of the gospel cause you to see more clearly the truth of God’s call upon your life.
Though he had been in a coma for more than three months, the man woke up suddenly one morning, asking for something to drink. Shocked, his nurse ran from his room to inform the doctor of the radical change in the man’s condition. The staff found the man thoroughly lucid. He could talk, feel, even walk with help. It was as if he was asleep for the whole time. At the doctor’s request, the patient went through a series of tests. He passed all basic tests of brain function. However, the man had a few glaring holes in his memory. He could hardly believe that his favorite football team made the playoffs. He also was astonished to hear news of a relative who had nearly died in the accident with him. He didn’t remember the accident whatsoever.
While in his hospital room, the man kept thinking of the car accident. He saw pictures of his car smashed along the side of the highway, but he could not remember anything of that day. Even after leaving the hospital, and seeing his totaled vehicle, he had a hard time accepting the facts. When people talked about that day or visiting him in the hospital, he listened politely but refused to believe the stories. When he looked in the mirror, there were no bruises or scars. Those faded during the months he was in the coma. The man just couldn’t fathom what had happened to him. Later, he told me that in his mind he denied that the accident and coma truly happened. He found it easier to live that way.
Like this man, there are people walking around who find it easier to deal with life by lying to themselves. They go through life without any belief in God. By not believing in God, they don’t have to follow any commandments. They don’t have to join a church or get up on Sunday mornings to attend worship. They delude themselves into this false understanding that since they can’t see God, God must not exist. Though they can’t see electricity, they know it exists. Though they can’t see the wind, they see evidence of it. Though they can’t see love, they can feel it. Still, they deny the soul within them that longs for a connection with their Creator and Redeemer. Like the man who recovered from the coma, they find it easier to live in denial. They deny the truth that God will one day judge their souls, that there is a Heaven and Hell, that evil forces manipulate them while upon this earth.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul informed the Corinthian church of dangerous forces in the earthly realm. Paul explained in this verse that “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers…”. Some versions of the Bible even list the “god of this age” as Satan. What this scripture brings forward for discussion is that Satan, a god of this age, prefers people to be in denial about spiritual things. Satan enjoys “blinding the minds” of people. He causes them to doubt God. He encourages them to be worldly. He keeps the truth from them that there is a God, that their Creator is in Heaven, and that they need a Redeemer to save them from sin. As long as people are blind to what is really going on, Satan can manipulate all kinds of things around them. He can cause them to pursue worldly goals, to seek cheap thrills, to drown their sorrows in alcohol, to surround themselves with material possessions, to ignore suffering by those who are less fortunate, and to live as if there will always have time to do what they want when they want it. Satan is so good at manipulating people that they delude themselves into believing that there is no “light of the gospel”, no “glory of Christ”, and nobody bears the “image of God”. Satan keeps them in the dark. They go through life as in a coma. They find it better to deny God’s truth than deal with it.
But every now and then, God will break through Satan’s lies and deceptions. Glimpses of reality will force people to make their choice about whether to believe God’s truth.
For many years, Tonya did the right thing. She graduated High School with honors. She attended college and became a nurse. She did so many things right in her life. She was taught by her parents that hard working people get ahead in life and that you get out of life what you put into it. Tonya worked hard and reaped the benefits of a good job, a loving family, and a pretty decent life.
Then, Tonya’s life became “messy”. A year after getting engaged, she found her fiancé in bed with another woman. Later that same month, her best friend died. Two months after that, she was diagnosed with a serious illness and discovered she would have to take medicine the rest of her life. Tonya’s illness even forced her to reduce her working hours to part time for more than six months.
That November, Tonya came to the realization that she had worked hard, made a lot of right decisions, was a loving and fair person, and yet life had not rewarded her with success. In fact, on Thanksgiving of that year, Tonya found herself alone for the holiday for the first time in her life. She was living with a friend because she could no longer afford her own apartment. She had no boyfriend. Her health was sketchy. Her future uncertain. For the first time in her life, Tonya began to question everything she believed. She sought answers to why her life had become so difficult. Not long after, I saw her in our church for the first time.
In the months that followed, Tonya’s spiritual side began to blossom. She learned to pray for real. She learned to sing praises with a joyful heart. She found hope in Jesus. She found meaning in her life. She began a deep spiritual journey that continues to this day. If you ask Tonya about her life now, she will tell you something like this: “When I was young, I had no idea about all that Jesus had done for me. I was totally unaware of my connection with God. I breezed through life enjoying all my accomplishments without seeing that God wanted a deeper relationship with me. I now know the beauty of forgiveness, what its like to feel the love of God, and have a hope that does not disappoint. I have found value not in things but in what I can do for others in Jesus’ name!”
Satan has succeeded in blinding many in this world. Don’t let his manipulations blind you to the grace and glory of God. Don’t let his whispers of depression and regret and insecurity cloud you from the love of God and the hope garnered at the cross of Jesus. The “god of this age” seeks to have you focus everything on the material world. God wants you to see more than that. God wants you to experience a greater love. Jesus wants to walk with you on every path you take. The Holy Spirit seeks to protect you from harm and guide you toward godly wisdom.
Don’t be blinded by things of this world. Let the light of the gospel cause you to see more clearly the truth of God’s call upon your life.
November 27
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, NRSV)
In a classroom, the teacher asked her students, “Do you want to be a leader or a follower?” All the children in the room responded, “Leader!” The teacher looked proud. She had taught them to be an example for others, to lead with confidence, to envision authority. Sadly, she forgot to teach them how to be good followers! She also never really taught them that there are some seasons in life where it is best to follow in the path of a great leader. Following isn’t bad. Following isn’t wrong. Following may be the best way to grow or learn or understand. Following is even required in some situations. For example, it is best to follow God!
The scripture for today contains Jesus’ words about His followers, the sheep of His flock. When some Jews gathered around Jesus to hear His teachings, Jesus explained that those who believe in Him are like sheep in His flock. They follow their shepherd, Jesus. Those sheep “hear Jesus’ voice” (John 10:27). Like any good shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep well. He knows their tendencies, their weaknesses, their hurts, their strengths. Then Jesus mentioned one further thing about those who believed in Him: “they follow me”. Like good sheep in the fold, good believers know to follow Jesus. They follow His voice. They listen to His instruction. They trust His leadership. They know intrinsically that following the Good Shepherd means the difference between life and death. With the Good Shepherd, they are safe and protected and watched over.
Did you notice that those who believe in Jesus, according to this verse, know to “follow” Him. They do not take the lead over the flock. They are smart enough to know that Jesus is the shepherd. They don’t mind being the sheep. Their purpose in life is to follow Jesus’ voice and heed His instruction. Any sheep that fail to follow will soon find themselves in danger. When they stray away, the wolves who constantly watch for weaknesses in the flock will be thrilled to take them. The sheep are only safe as long as they follow the shepherd, listen for His instruction, and Heed His voice.
In modern times, people don’t like to be told to follow the leader. They want to be the leader. People don’t like to be told to obey another. They want to be obeyed. However, the smartest of all people know that following faithfully is as important as leading faithfully. Sadly, this fact is lost on many today. They don’t want to follow faithfully. They only want to be the leader.
At a town meeting in Wisconsin, a public gathering was held to discuss problems with water quality and sewer issues plaguing the area. Recent water testing found lead and arsenic and several other contaminants making it through the filtering process and into people’s drinking water. Many authorities were invited to attend the meeting including members from the State Committee on Water Quality, Environmental Protection Agency agents, the Mayor, the Governor, area pastors, business owners, and many more. Everyone came to find out what the town was going to do about the problem.
After the results of the latest water testing were given, a politician stood up to complain that not enough taxes were being spent on water testing. An FDA official came forward to complain that he hadn’t been consulted. The mayor explained that his committee had been working hard to alleviate the problems. After a short while, shouting came as a federal employee blamed county leadership for certain procedures that he believed led to the problem. Local officials blamed area corporations for pollution. Two politicians argued over whether the other’s party was partly responsible. As the meeting degenerated into arguments and accusations and finger-pointing, an American Indian leaned over to the man next to him and said, “The biggest problem here is there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians!”
The American Indian was correct. So many of those in attendance at that meeting cared more about shoring up their own leadership than coming up with solutions to the problem. They were more interested in pointing fingers at others than following the recommendations of those with more knowledge in the matter. Everyone wanted to be the leader. Too few wanted to follow the recommendations presented.
In our “modern” times, people don’t like to follow. They are so intent on being the leader that, even when lacking ability, they only want to be the one in charge. Sadly, this arrogant need to always be the leader has infiltrated the church. Even among the faithful, fewer and fewer good followers can be found. Steven V. Roberts wrote some interesting words to this effect a few decades ago. Here’s what he found:
“In this Age of Self, the language is filled with phrases that glorify personal choice above all other values: self-determination, self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-help even do-it-yourself. In this climate, no doctrine is safe, no dictate accepted without scrutiny....The touchstone of belief today is the individual, not the institution. Priests, like precinct captains, have lost authority. The same voters who talk back to their political leaders on call-in shows and town meetings are talking back to their religious leaders at parish council meetings and Communion breakfasts. While 85 percent of American Catholics look up to the pope as a moral leader, 4 out of 5 say they follow their own conscience, rather than papal authority, on moral questions...The phrase “cafeteria Catholics” describes those who pick and choose among church teachings. But in religion, as in politics, the more appropriate analogy for modern mores is to fast food rather than to cafeterias; as the slogan for one hamburger chain puts it: “Have it your way.”...How do leaders lead when followers don’t want to be led?” (“Leading the Faithful in an Age of Dissent,” Steven V. Roberts, U.S. News and World Report, August 23, 1993, p. 6)
Jesus wanted true followers. Sadly, even some in the pews don’t want to follow Jesus’ authority. They question Jesus’ words. They twist scriptures to fit their own understanding. They refuse to follow Jesus’ voice and confront their own sin. They are often too prideful to remain quiet and listen for the voice of Jesus instead of trying to run their own or another’s spiritual life. When the pastor or the Bible disagree with these people, they don’t follow Jesus’ words with respect. Instead, some have resorted to rewriting the Bible to fit their own doctrines. Others complain how the Bible is outdated and needs to be re-interpreted for modern ears.
Are you among the true followers of Jesus?
Do you follow Jesus’ voice even when it doesn’t make sense to you at the time?
Are you willing to be corrected by the Lord?
Do you struggle with following some of God’s commands?
Jesus was proud of those in His flock who actually listened for His voice and followed His authority. I pray you are numbered among the faithful in the fold.
The scripture for today contains Jesus’ words about His followers, the sheep of His flock. When some Jews gathered around Jesus to hear His teachings, Jesus explained that those who believe in Him are like sheep in His flock. They follow their shepherd, Jesus. Those sheep “hear Jesus’ voice” (John 10:27). Like any good shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep well. He knows their tendencies, their weaknesses, their hurts, their strengths. Then Jesus mentioned one further thing about those who believed in Him: “they follow me”. Like good sheep in the fold, good believers know to follow Jesus. They follow His voice. They listen to His instruction. They trust His leadership. They know intrinsically that following the Good Shepherd means the difference between life and death. With the Good Shepherd, they are safe and protected and watched over.
Did you notice that those who believe in Jesus, according to this verse, know to “follow” Him. They do not take the lead over the flock. They are smart enough to know that Jesus is the shepherd. They don’t mind being the sheep. Their purpose in life is to follow Jesus’ voice and heed His instruction. Any sheep that fail to follow will soon find themselves in danger. When they stray away, the wolves who constantly watch for weaknesses in the flock will be thrilled to take them. The sheep are only safe as long as they follow the shepherd, listen for His instruction, and Heed His voice.
In modern times, people don’t like to be told to follow the leader. They want to be the leader. People don’t like to be told to obey another. They want to be obeyed. However, the smartest of all people know that following faithfully is as important as leading faithfully. Sadly, this fact is lost on many today. They don’t want to follow faithfully. They only want to be the leader.
At a town meeting in Wisconsin, a public gathering was held to discuss problems with water quality and sewer issues plaguing the area. Recent water testing found lead and arsenic and several other contaminants making it through the filtering process and into people’s drinking water. Many authorities were invited to attend the meeting including members from the State Committee on Water Quality, Environmental Protection Agency agents, the Mayor, the Governor, area pastors, business owners, and many more. Everyone came to find out what the town was going to do about the problem.
After the results of the latest water testing were given, a politician stood up to complain that not enough taxes were being spent on water testing. An FDA official came forward to complain that he hadn’t been consulted. The mayor explained that his committee had been working hard to alleviate the problems. After a short while, shouting came as a federal employee blamed county leadership for certain procedures that he believed led to the problem. Local officials blamed area corporations for pollution. Two politicians argued over whether the other’s party was partly responsible. As the meeting degenerated into arguments and accusations and finger-pointing, an American Indian leaned over to the man next to him and said, “The biggest problem here is there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians!”
The American Indian was correct. So many of those in attendance at that meeting cared more about shoring up their own leadership than coming up with solutions to the problem. They were more interested in pointing fingers at others than following the recommendations of those with more knowledge in the matter. Everyone wanted to be the leader. Too few wanted to follow the recommendations presented.
In our “modern” times, people don’t like to follow. They are so intent on being the leader that, even when lacking ability, they only want to be the one in charge. Sadly, this arrogant need to always be the leader has infiltrated the church. Even among the faithful, fewer and fewer good followers can be found. Steven V. Roberts wrote some interesting words to this effect a few decades ago. Here’s what he found:
“In this Age of Self, the language is filled with phrases that glorify personal choice above all other values: self-determination, self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-help even do-it-yourself. In this climate, no doctrine is safe, no dictate accepted without scrutiny....The touchstone of belief today is the individual, not the institution. Priests, like precinct captains, have lost authority. The same voters who talk back to their political leaders on call-in shows and town meetings are talking back to their religious leaders at parish council meetings and Communion breakfasts. While 85 percent of American Catholics look up to the pope as a moral leader, 4 out of 5 say they follow their own conscience, rather than papal authority, on moral questions...The phrase “cafeteria Catholics” describes those who pick and choose among church teachings. But in religion, as in politics, the more appropriate analogy for modern mores is to fast food rather than to cafeterias; as the slogan for one hamburger chain puts it: “Have it your way.”...How do leaders lead when followers don’t want to be led?” (“Leading the Faithful in an Age of Dissent,” Steven V. Roberts, U.S. News and World Report, August 23, 1993, p. 6)
Jesus wanted true followers. Sadly, even some in the pews don’t want to follow Jesus’ authority. They question Jesus’ words. They twist scriptures to fit their own understanding. They refuse to follow Jesus’ voice and confront their own sin. They are often too prideful to remain quiet and listen for the voice of Jesus instead of trying to run their own or another’s spiritual life. When the pastor or the Bible disagree with these people, they don’t follow Jesus’ words with respect. Instead, some have resorted to rewriting the Bible to fit their own doctrines. Others complain how the Bible is outdated and needs to be re-interpreted for modern ears.
Are you among the true followers of Jesus?
Do you follow Jesus’ voice even when it doesn’t make sense to you at the time?
Are you willing to be corrected by the Lord?
Do you struggle with following some of God’s commands?
Jesus was proud of those in His flock who actually listened for His voice and followed His authority. I pray you are numbered among the faithful in the fold.
November 29
“Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’ ” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.” (Judges 7:3, NLT)
In the days of the judges of Israel, a man named Gideon was called by God to fight against the Midianites. The Midianites had attacked Israel on multiple occasions. Over a period of seven years, their skirmishes into Israel caused many to go hungry. Often, these invaders would swoop in at the time of the harvest and steal entire crops, leaving the Israelites impoverished. The time had come to stop their incursions, once and for all. Gideon asked God to go with Israel into the fight. But God had some expectations concerning the battle. One of the conditions is given above. Those who were “timid and afraid” were told to leave the area of the battle and just “go home” (Judges 7:3). As Israel prepared for this battle against the Midianites, twelve thousand men left the battlefield because they were “timid (lacking courage) and afraid” of the military encounter only days away.
Usually, when a nation goes to battle, every possible man is brought into the fight. It has always been a strategy of war. Military leaders assume that battles are best won with overwhelming odds. In the scripture above, God told Gideon to hone down the troops preparing for battle. God wanted to take only the best men to the fight. First, God removed twelve thousand men who were “timid or afraid” of the fight to come. Later, God whittled down the fighters further to only three hundred men. With these few troops, Gideon still won the battle. It was proof that God’s power enabled Israel to defeat the Midianites.
I find it interesting that the first thing God asked Gideon to do in preparation for the war was to thin the troops to include only those who were not timid or afraid to fight. Gideon sent these fearful troops back home. They would not be used in the battle. They weren’t needed. Their skill did not count. Fear and timidity counted against their presence in the battle.
In spiritual battles today, fear and timidity continue to be drawbacks to God’s holy people. When God wants people to fight great spiritual battles, too many tremble with fear at the challenge. They are paralyzed by the power of dark forces. Evil has them shaking in their boots. Yes, Satan is a powerful force in our world. Yes, demons and evil spirits have powerful weapons in their arsenal. However, your God is all-powerful. No entity can defeat God. Satan and his minions don’t stand a chance to overthrow God’s armies nor take over God’s Kingdom. Though God in Christ is THE absolute power in the whole universe, believers still are paralyzed into inaction by fear and timidity.
A mentor of mine felt called to a church in Ohio. That church was a mess. It had fired two of its previous pastors and essentially “run them out of town”! My mentor’s wife told him that he was crazy to want to go to this church. She was worried that their children would be ostracized at the school, the family may lose thousands of dollars in the move, and the church would reject her husband. Several of my mentor’s friends told him to stay away from that church, for it was called a “pastor-eater congregation”. The church was known for wrecking the ministries and lives of church leaders. Still, my mentor felt God calling him to go to Ohio and lead this church.
On his first Sunday preaching at the church in Ohio, my mentor told the congregation from the pulpit that he wanted as many as possible to attend the Bible Studies. He was going to focus their attention on the gospel, spending ten weeks before Easter on what it means to be faithful. During that time, he required every member of the congregation to pray for the church. He constantly would ask the members if they were praying and held prayer meetings to encourage more prayer in the lives of the people. At first, people balked at the pastor’s requirements, even making fun of his expectations to pray and come to Bible Study. A few left the church in disgust. But over time, things began to change. After the ten weeks, many of the people came forward during worship for a laying on of hands, to be baptized, or to recommit themselves to Jesus.
Today, fifty years later, that church is thriving. My mentor has moved on to other churches. He still has a soft spot in his heart for the people in that church in Ohio. In a moment together, my mentor told me that his desire was to make the people in that church into soldiers for Christ. He wanted them to stand up against the spiritual forces that were tearing the church apart. The gospel, taught so well in the Bible Study sessions, brought courage to the people. In the end, people in that church desired greatly to be counted among the faithful that God would use to turn things around.
Fear and timidity have always kept people from standing firm in their beliefs or standing up for God. Don’t let that stop you! When God needs you to face a great challenge or fight in a spiritual battle, have the courage and desire to side with God in the conflict. Don’t back down from doing God’s will! Don’t shy away from being God’s example. Don’t let earthly desires distract you from God’s plan. Satan is your enemy. Spiritual battles will continue until Armageddon. God is looking for faithful soldiers who are not afraid to face terrible odds. Are you willing to fight with God at the front lines or would you rather just go home from the challenge?
Usually, when a nation goes to battle, every possible man is brought into the fight. It has always been a strategy of war. Military leaders assume that battles are best won with overwhelming odds. In the scripture above, God told Gideon to hone down the troops preparing for battle. God wanted to take only the best men to the fight. First, God removed twelve thousand men who were “timid or afraid” of the fight to come. Later, God whittled down the fighters further to only three hundred men. With these few troops, Gideon still won the battle. It was proof that God’s power enabled Israel to defeat the Midianites.
I find it interesting that the first thing God asked Gideon to do in preparation for the war was to thin the troops to include only those who were not timid or afraid to fight. Gideon sent these fearful troops back home. They would not be used in the battle. They weren’t needed. Their skill did not count. Fear and timidity counted against their presence in the battle.
In spiritual battles today, fear and timidity continue to be drawbacks to God’s holy people. When God wants people to fight great spiritual battles, too many tremble with fear at the challenge. They are paralyzed by the power of dark forces. Evil has them shaking in their boots. Yes, Satan is a powerful force in our world. Yes, demons and evil spirits have powerful weapons in their arsenal. However, your God is all-powerful. No entity can defeat God. Satan and his minions don’t stand a chance to overthrow God’s armies nor take over God’s Kingdom. Though God in Christ is THE absolute power in the whole universe, believers still are paralyzed into inaction by fear and timidity.
A mentor of mine felt called to a church in Ohio. That church was a mess. It had fired two of its previous pastors and essentially “run them out of town”! My mentor’s wife told him that he was crazy to want to go to this church. She was worried that their children would be ostracized at the school, the family may lose thousands of dollars in the move, and the church would reject her husband. Several of my mentor’s friends told him to stay away from that church, for it was called a “pastor-eater congregation”. The church was known for wrecking the ministries and lives of church leaders. Still, my mentor felt God calling him to go to Ohio and lead this church.
On his first Sunday preaching at the church in Ohio, my mentor told the congregation from the pulpit that he wanted as many as possible to attend the Bible Studies. He was going to focus their attention on the gospel, spending ten weeks before Easter on what it means to be faithful. During that time, he required every member of the congregation to pray for the church. He constantly would ask the members if they were praying and held prayer meetings to encourage more prayer in the lives of the people. At first, people balked at the pastor’s requirements, even making fun of his expectations to pray and come to Bible Study. A few left the church in disgust. But over time, things began to change. After the ten weeks, many of the people came forward during worship for a laying on of hands, to be baptized, or to recommit themselves to Jesus.
Today, fifty years later, that church is thriving. My mentor has moved on to other churches. He still has a soft spot in his heart for the people in that church in Ohio. In a moment together, my mentor told me that his desire was to make the people in that church into soldiers for Christ. He wanted them to stand up against the spiritual forces that were tearing the church apart. The gospel, taught so well in the Bible Study sessions, brought courage to the people. In the end, people in that church desired greatly to be counted among the faithful that God would use to turn things around.
Fear and timidity have always kept people from standing firm in their beliefs or standing up for God. Don’t let that stop you! When God needs you to face a great challenge or fight in a spiritual battle, have the courage and desire to side with God in the conflict. Don’t back down from doing God’s will! Don’t shy away from being God’s example. Don’t let earthly desires distract you from God’s plan. Satan is your enemy. Spiritual battles will continue until Armageddon. God is looking for faithful soldiers who are not afraid to face terrible odds. Are you willing to fight with God at the front lines or would you rather just go home from the challenge?