October 2
“Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”” (John 5:2–6, ESV)
A sculptor had ruined a huge piece of beautiful Carrara marble. It was left in the courtyard of the cathedral in Florence, Italy, for almost a hundred years. Artisans thought it was beyond repair. But in 1505, a young sculptor by the name of Michelangelo was asked if he thought anything could be done with “The Giant.” He measured the block and carefully noted the imperfections caused by the bungling workman of an earlier day. To his mind came the image of the young shepherd boy David. So he carefully made a sketch of that biblical character as he envisioned him. For 3 years he worked steadily, his chisel skillfully shaping the marble. Finally, when one of his students was allowed to view the towering figure, 18 feet high and weighing 9 tons, he exclaimed, “Master, it lacks only one thing, and that is speech!”
The famous Michelangelo could see the worth of that giant piece of “worthless” marble. His genius was able to see past its flaws to its potential. God can see past human flaws to the potential of the person. God doesn’t look at your inabilities. God can envision ways in which you are perfect for some situation, perfect to reach out to a certain individual, placed in a perfect position to help where nobody else could or would. I just hope in your life you do the same. Are you willing to look past a person’s flaws to see their potential in God’s perfect plan? Can you work past an imperfect situation to nurture to fruition something godly and wonderful?
Our scripture for today, written above, contains the healing of a man who had been “an invalid for thirty-eight years” (John 5:5). For all those years, people walked past his disabled form. They probably thanked the Lord that they were not born to be such a value-less individual. The man’s life was filled with misery. He was unable to walk or run or play or enjoy life like most others. For thirty-eight years his life went mostly unnoticed. No one saw the potential in this man to reveal God’s glory, until Jesus stopped nearby.
Jesus looked among the blind and lame and paralyzed by the Sheep Gate of the Temple and His eye caught upon this man who “had already been there a long time” (John 5:6). Jesus saw the potential in this man for a healing. Desiring to let loose God’s great power, Jesus questioned the man, “Do you want to be healed?”. Even this poor disabled man didn’t see his own potential, for he told Jesus that he couldn’t get into the healing waters in order to be healed. The man did not understand Jesus’ calling and ability to heal. Not bothering with the healing waters by the temple, Jesus healed the man instantly. Thirty-eight years of suffering were wiped aside in one amazing moment. Now, instead of the man being a symbol of the suffering, he was a symbol of Jesus’ power to heal.
For decades, people did not see anything but an invalid when viewing this man by the Sheep Gate. Jesus saw the potential in this man’s healing. He changed the man’s life. He gave more evidence to the world of God’s ability to raise people up, bring wholeness, begin again. Where others looked at this man with pity, Jesus looked at this man with potential. God can do extraordinary things with a person you might overlook. God can also do extraordinary things with you!
The prophet Amos was a sheep herder and sycamore fig farmer before God called him to be a great prophet. Peter was a fisherman before being called by Jesus to be a disciple and church builder. King David was the youngest of the brothers and unfit for leadership. Moses had a speech impediment. God saw potential in each of these biblical heroes. God blessed the world with these people who seemed to have limited potential but whom God blessed with amazing abilities.
Don’t underestimate your value to God. Don’t look past the potential that others may have. Just because a person is lacking on one area of life doesn’t mean that God can’t use their talent or change their circumstances. Though you may have a checkered past or a fear of public speaking, that does not mean that God cannot use you to accomplish extraordinary things.
Paul was a wonderful carpenter. He was able to shape wood to make beautiful decorative furniture. He could match a piece of wood in a damaged piece of furniture so artfully that you could not tell the piece of furniture was reclaimed. Paul was also a strong Christian man.
For many years, Paul desired to do something for God. His brother was a pastor of a large church, and Paul wanted to do something special for God as well. However, Paul was afraid to speak in public. He also would shake when in front of large groups. For these reasons, Paul felt ill-suited to God’s work. Then, one day, Paul’s brother came to him with an urgent need. A severe thunderstorm had poured many inches of rain upon the church. There was flooding damage in multiple rooms. Several pews were soaked. The narthex wall started to fall apart. The insurance wouldn’t cover all the damages. The people feared that the church would be closed temporarily for repairs. Paul’s brother begged for help. Paul vowed to give it his best.
For weeks, Paul worked day and night. The walls were shored up. The damaged plaster was reworked. The pews were dried out and refinished. In a month, everything was back to normal. The church gave Paul a standing ovation one Sunday. From that time on, everything changed for Paul.
Over the years, Paul helped struggling churches to stay open. He did structural repairs and repainted many a wall. He fashioned cribs for a nursery in an inner-city church that was growing too fast to afford amenities. He unclogged toilets and oiled furnace blower bearings. He kept several churches open when they should have closed. God did great things with Paul over the years.
If it had not been for the flooding emergency, Paul may never have begun to work in all those churches. Places of worship may have closed if not for people seeing Paul’s potential. God placed Paul in the position to bring greatly needed help to some struggling parishes. He was perfect for the job.
Don’t be surprised if God doesn’t see your potential long before you do. Don’t be amazed when God does beautiful things by placing you among the people who need you. Don’t overlook what God may do when inspiring the faithful. Amazing things happen when God gets involved!
Look for God’s potential in the persons and places around you. Work with what God gives you to multiply the blessings. That man in our scripture was overlooked for thirty-eight years before becoming an example of Jesus’ power to heal. I wonder who or what God may use in your life to show amazing grace!
The famous Michelangelo could see the worth of that giant piece of “worthless” marble. His genius was able to see past its flaws to its potential. God can see past human flaws to the potential of the person. God doesn’t look at your inabilities. God can envision ways in which you are perfect for some situation, perfect to reach out to a certain individual, placed in a perfect position to help where nobody else could or would. I just hope in your life you do the same. Are you willing to look past a person’s flaws to see their potential in God’s perfect plan? Can you work past an imperfect situation to nurture to fruition something godly and wonderful?
Our scripture for today, written above, contains the healing of a man who had been “an invalid for thirty-eight years” (John 5:5). For all those years, people walked past his disabled form. They probably thanked the Lord that they were not born to be such a value-less individual. The man’s life was filled with misery. He was unable to walk or run or play or enjoy life like most others. For thirty-eight years his life went mostly unnoticed. No one saw the potential in this man to reveal God’s glory, until Jesus stopped nearby.
Jesus looked among the blind and lame and paralyzed by the Sheep Gate of the Temple and His eye caught upon this man who “had already been there a long time” (John 5:6). Jesus saw the potential in this man for a healing. Desiring to let loose God’s great power, Jesus questioned the man, “Do you want to be healed?”. Even this poor disabled man didn’t see his own potential, for he told Jesus that he couldn’t get into the healing waters in order to be healed. The man did not understand Jesus’ calling and ability to heal. Not bothering with the healing waters by the temple, Jesus healed the man instantly. Thirty-eight years of suffering were wiped aside in one amazing moment. Now, instead of the man being a symbol of the suffering, he was a symbol of Jesus’ power to heal.
For decades, people did not see anything but an invalid when viewing this man by the Sheep Gate. Jesus saw the potential in this man’s healing. He changed the man’s life. He gave more evidence to the world of God’s ability to raise people up, bring wholeness, begin again. Where others looked at this man with pity, Jesus looked at this man with potential. God can do extraordinary things with a person you might overlook. God can also do extraordinary things with you!
The prophet Amos was a sheep herder and sycamore fig farmer before God called him to be a great prophet. Peter was a fisherman before being called by Jesus to be a disciple and church builder. King David was the youngest of the brothers and unfit for leadership. Moses had a speech impediment. God saw potential in each of these biblical heroes. God blessed the world with these people who seemed to have limited potential but whom God blessed with amazing abilities.
Don’t underestimate your value to God. Don’t look past the potential that others may have. Just because a person is lacking on one area of life doesn’t mean that God can’t use their talent or change their circumstances. Though you may have a checkered past or a fear of public speaking, that does not mean that God cannot use you to accomplish extraordinary things.
Paul was a wonderful carpenter. He was able to shape wood to make beautiful decorative furniture. He could match a piece of wood in a damaged piece of furniture so artfully that you could not tell the piece of furniture was reclaimed. Paul was also a strong Christian man.
For many years, Paul desired to do something for God. His brother was a pastor of a large church, and Paul wanted to do something special for God as well. However, Paul was afraid to speak in public. He also would shake when in front of large groups. For these reasons, Paul felt ill-suited to God’s work. Then, one day, Paul’s brother came to him with an urgent need. A severe thunderstorm had poured many inches of rain upon the church. There was flooding damage in multiple rooms. Several pews were soaked. The narthex wall started to fall apart. The insurance wouldn’t cover all the damages. The people feared that the church would be closed temporarily for repairs. Paul’s brother begged for help. Paul vowed to give it his best.
For weeks, Paul worked day and night. The walls were shored up. The damaged plaster was reworked. The pews were dried out and refinished. In a month, everything was back to normal. The church gave Paul a standing ovation one Sunday. From that time on, everything changed for Paul.
Over the years, Paul helped struggling churches to stay open. He did structural repairs and repainted many a wall. He fashioned cribs for a nursery in an inner-city church that was growing too fast to afford amenities. He unclogged toilets and oiled furnace blower bearings. He kept several churches open when they should have closed. God did great things with Paul over the years.
If it had not been for the flooding emergency, Paul may never have begun to work in all those churches. Places of worship may have closed if not for people seeing Paul’s potential. God placed Paul in the position to bring greatly needed help to some struggling parishes. He was perfect for the job.
Don’t be surprised if God doesn’t see your potential long before you do. Don’t be amazed when God does beautiful things by placing you among the people who need you. Don’t overlook what God may do when inspiring the faithful. Amazing things happen when God gets involved!
Look for God’s potential in the persons and places around you. Work with what God gives you to multiply the blessings. That man in our scripture was overlooked for thirty-eight years before becoming an example of Jesus’ power to heal. I wonder who or what God may use in your life to show amazing grace!
October 4
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12, ESV)
You will encounter many problems in life if you fail to see another person’s point of view. If you are biased in your understanding, you may never understand why some things happen. It’s a matter of perspective. Too many people lack the ability to see things from other perspectives, from other points of view. If you fail to see alternate points of view, you may become judgmental, stuck in your ways, self-absorbed, narcissistic, or close-minded. You could also betray God.
Imagine trying to reach out with the gospel to another person. If you don’t understand that person’s perspective, it may be difficult to find the words that will explain the gospel adequately. If you can’t understand why a person would cheat on a spouse, it may be difficult to offer mercy or forgiveness to a friend who made such a mistake. When things go wrong in your life, you may not understand what God is doing. You might be limiting your viewpoint because of your own bias or sinful position. Spiritual maturity involves the ability to see beyond your own perspective to God’s point of view and the human condition.
“A research organization asked several thousand people, “What are the most serious faults of executives in dealing with their associates and subordinates?” The fault cited most often (by 68%) was the failure to see the other person’s point of view. It was mentioned nearly twice as often as the next one.” (Bits & Pieces, January 5, 1995, p. 22). When an executive cannot understand the perspective of an employee, it is difficult to understand what that employee needs or how to respond faithfully.
Recently, a church went through a loss of its entire youth ministry staff. The schism started out small. One of the youths in the church brought a cell phone into a meeting and was found texting during the Bible Study. In response, one of the youth leaders asked that young man to turn the cell phone off so that everyone could concentrate on the discussion. An hour later, the parent barged into the meeting to complain that her son’s phone was turned off. She was worried that he had skipped out of the youth gathering to go off with friends. When the parent found out that the son was told to turn off the phone (which had a tracker on it), she became enraged. She phoned the senior pastor and chastised his leadership and the handling of the youth. Then, she went to the Church Board. The Board proposed changes in the use of cell phones that went against what the youth leaders thought appropriate. The ensuing arguments caused the youth ministry volunteers to all quit. The paid youth pastor quit a month later.
Throughout this church disagreement, many lost perspective. The youth thought the parents were being unreasonable and could not understand the rules that were initiated. The volunteer youth leadership were so frustrated because they were not allowed to give their opinion on the matter that they all quit. The youth minister was resentful that the board would not work with him on the rules to be set down. He felt the rules proposed were draconian and not good for any of the youth or leaders. The one who was completely at a loss was the mother of the youth who started the whole church fight. She would not trust her son to make a good decision. She would not rely on the youth leaders to monitor her son’s attendance at the youth meetings. And, she ultimately did not care that her actions caused the entire youth program to suffer devastating consequences.
You’ve probably met people who could not see past their own attitude, bias, or anger. A person who is suffering from grief often cannot understand how a loving God can justify death in this world. A woman who was abused by her husband may not feel any sympathy or forgiveness toward a man who cheated on his wife. When a mother thinks her child has been wronged, it may be difficult to keep a lid on her anger or resentment. If you have been wounded, it may be impossible right away to see past the need for vengeance on the one who hurt you. I don’t care how long you have been in a relationship with God, it is possible for you to lose your perspective and suffer because of your limited ability to see life from another’s point of view.
The scripture for today from the book of Proverbs is a warning from God. The scripture speaks to the danger of being caught up in your own bias, perspective, or point of view. Sometimes, your perspective IS the problem. Proverbs 14:12 teaches that there may be a time when “a way seems right to a man”. In effect, a person can decide that a certain viewpoint is the only “right” way. However, that perspective may be wrong in God’s eyes. That can only lead “the way to death”. Be careful when you are dead set on a certain viewpoint and unable to see from God’s perspective. That lack of vision often will bite you in the end.
To keep a godly perspective is not easy. First, you must know God! Second, you must endeavor to find God’s point of view through prayer and the knowledge of scripture. Third, you need to understand your own weaknesses and biases. Fourth, listen to others and discover their point of view. Fifth, work out your response to all the points of view from God’s perspective. Seek God’s understanding. Find the words and actions that are appropriate for God’s will to be done.
Is there an area of your life where you lose perspective? Is there an emotion that raises your hackles and limits your ability to be honest or fair? Has a traumatic event in your life colored your view of the world? Learn your weaknesses. Be careful you don’t lose perspective. Understand that you can never know everything about a given situation. Humbly evaluate your situation from God’s point of view. A wrong perspective about something in your life, especially your spiritual life, can have tragic results.
Imagine trying to reach out with the gospel to another person. If you don’t understand that person’s perspective, it may be difficult to find the words that will explain the gospel adequately. If you can’t understand why a person would cheat on a spouse, it may be difficult to offer mercy or forgiveness to a friend who made such a mistake. When things go wrong in your life, you may not understand what God is doing. You might be limiting your viewpoint because of your own bias or sinful position. Spiritual maturity involves the ability to see beyond your own perspective to God’s point of view and the human condition.
“A research organization asked several thousand people, “What are the most serious faults of executives in dealing with their associates and subordinates?” The fault cited most often (by 68%) was the failure to see the other person’s point of view. It was mentioned nearly twice as often as the next one.” (Bits & Pieces, January 5, 1995, p. 22). When an executive cannot understand the perspective of an employee, it is difficult to understand what that employee needs or how to respond faithfully.
Recently, a church went through a loss of its entire youth ministry staff. The schism started out small. One of the youths in the church brought a cell phone into a meeting and was found texting during the Bible Study. In response, one of the youth leaders asked that young man to turn the cell phone off so that everyone could concentrate on the discussion. An hour later, the parent barged into the meeting to complain that her son’s phone was turned off. She was worried that he had skipped out of the youth gathering to go off with friends. When the parent found out that the son was told to turn off the phone (which had a tracker on it), she became enraged. She phoned the senior pastor and chastised his leadership and the handling of the youth. Then, she went to the Church Board. The Board proposed changes in the use of cell phones that went against what the youth leaders thought appropriate. The ensuing arguments caused the youth ministry volunteers to all quit. The paid youth pastor quit a month later.
Throughout this church disagreement, many lost perspective. The youth thought the parents were being unreasonable and could not understand the rules that were initiated. The volunteer youth leadership were so frustrated because they were not allowed to give their opinion on the matter that they all quit. The youth minister was resentful that the board would not work with him on the rules to be set down. He felt the rules proposed were draconian and not good for any of the youth or leaders. The one who was completely at a loss was the mother of the youth who started the whole church fight. She would not trust her son to make a good decision. She would not rely on the youth leaders to monitor her son’s attendance at the youth meetings. And, she ultimately did not care that her actions caused the entire youth program to suffer devastating consequences.
You’ve probably met people who could not see past their own attitude, bias, or anger. A person who is suffering from grief often cannot understand how a loving God can justify death in this world. A woman who was abused by her husband may not feel any sympathy or forgiveness toward a man who cheated on his wife. When a mother thinks her child has been wronged, it may be difficult to keep a lid on her anger or resentment. If you have been wounded, it may be impossible right away to see past the need for vengeance on the one who hurt you. I don’t care how long you have been in a relationship with God, it is possible for you to lose your perspective and suffer because of your limited ability to see life from another’s point of view.
The scripture for today from the book of Proverbs is a warning from God. The scripture speaks to the danger of being caught up in your own bias, perspective, or point of view. Sometimes, your perspective IS the problem. Proverbs 14:12 teaches that there may be a time when “a way seems right to a man”. In effect, a person can decide that a certain viewpoint is the only “right” way. However, that perspective may be wrong in God’s eyes. That can only lead “the way to death”. Be careful when you are dead set on a certain viewpoint and unable to see from God’s perspective. That lack of vision often will bite you in the end.
To keep a godly perspective is not easy. First, you must know God! Second, you must endeavor to find God’s point of view through prayer and the knowledge of scripture. Third, you need to understand your own weaknesses and biases. Fourth, listen to others and discover their point of view. Fifth, work out your response to all the points of view from God’s perspective. Seek God’s understanding. Find the words and actions that are appropriate for God’s will to be done.
Is there an area of your life where you lose perspective? Is there an emotion that raises your hackles and limits your ability to be honest or fair? Has a traumatic event in your life colored your view of the world? Learn your weaknesses. Be careful you don’t lose perspective. Understand that you can never know everything about a given situation. Humbly evaluate your situation from God’s point of view. A wrong perspective about something in your life, especially your spiritual life, can have tragic results.
October 6
““When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”” (Luke 11:24–26, ESV)
“Sarah was rich. She had inherited twenty million dollars. Plus, she had an additional income of one thousand dollars a day. That’s a lot of money any day, but it was immense in the late 1800s. Sarah was powerful. Her name and money would open almost any door in America. Colleges wanted her donations. Politicians clamored for her support. Organizations sought her endorsement. Sarah was rich. Well known. Powerful. And miserable.
Her only daughter had died at five weeks of age. Then her husband had passed away. She was left alone with her name, her money, her memories…and her guilt. She bought an eight-room farmhouse plus one hundred sixty adjoining acres. She hired sixteen carpenters and put them to work. For the next thirty-eight years, craftsmen labored every day, twenty-four hours a day, to build a mansion. The design had a macabre touch. Each window was to have thirteen panes, each wall thirteen panels, each closet thirteen hooks, and each chandelier thirteen globes. The floor plan was ghoulish. Corridors snaked randomly, some leading nowhere. There were trap doors, secret passageways, and tunnels. This was no retirement home for Sarah’s future; it was a castle for her past.
The making of this mysterious mansion only ended when Sarah Winchester died. The completed Winchester estate sprawled over six acres and had six kitchens, thirteen bathrooms, forty stairways, forty-seven fireplaces, fifty-two skylights, four hundred sixty-seven doors, ten thousand windows, one hundred sixty rooms, and a bell tower….And the visitors came each night. A legion of phantoms. You can see this poltergeist place in San Jose, if you wish. You can tour its halls and see its remains.
How many Sarah Winchesters do you know? How far do you have to go to find a soul haunted by ghosts of the past? Maybe not very far. Maybe Sarah’s story is your story.” (Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, pp. 193-195)
There are many people who are tortured by spirits. Some are ghosts from the past. Some are memories that continue to play out in the mind of the sufferer. Some are evil spirits intent on destroying the body and soul of the individual. It does not matter what foreign invader, or thought, or memory takes over the mind and heart and soul of the individual. When God is not there to end the occupation, cleanse the person from sin and guilt and pain, free the soul from evil spirits, there is nothing to keep that person from suffering from these demonic entities until the day they die and long after. If you do not let God into all those areas of your life, heart, mind, memory, and soul, you too might find a thought or memory or demon controlling your every living moment. You won’t even be able to escape these torturous entities in your sleep. There, nightmares and fears will captivate and control your dreams. God never wants you to suffer such a fate.
In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus spoke about the intent of evil or unclean spirits. Their sole purpose is to invade and ruin a life. Jesus mentioned that when a person is cleansed from an evil thought or spirit, that person is able for a while to “put in order” his or her life (Luke 11:25). You see, as long as an evil spirit is involved in a person’s life, it will bring chaos and self-destruction and ruin to that person. Evil spirits, evil thoughts, evil intentions will always serve to destroy what is right, wreck what is good, shipwreck love, bury joy, erase peace. In Jesus’ own words, an evil spirit will always seek to return to the person who is not filled with God’s Spirit. When an evil spirit finds a soul that does not have the Holy Spirit to protect it, it easily moves in. It also will find likeminded evil beings and thoughts and intentions to add to itself. In the end, the person is overrun with negativity, self-destruction, and ruinous ambitions. The person will never find peace, happiness, or wholeness ever again… as long as the evil spirits or thoughts or intentions remain. “And the last state of the person is worse that at first” (Luke 11:26).
Do not underestimate the power of an evil spirit to ruin your life. Do not for a moment think that evil spirits won’t fight you in this world. So many Christians see evil spirits as myths and legends, but not as demonic entities or controlling specters. They fail to see that sometimes the only way a person will ever make things right is to let go of any evil in heart, soul, and mind. He or she must give it over to God. THEN, that person must invite God’s Spirit in for protection, for peace, for wholeness. Even if an evil spirit is exorcised from a person, that person is vulnerable for a return of an evil spirit. Jesus’ words in the scripture for today are ample proof.
Be aware that evil spirits, thoughts, and intentions can begin very innocuously. They can begin with a simple misunderstanding, a small hurt, a regret, a mistake, a failure. Over time, that small little error can grow to control a person’s life. It can destroy body and soul. It can imprison the person’s every waking moment. It can haunt dreams.
Keep God’s Holy Spirit close. Work out small and large issues with God. Invite God to every area of your heart, soul, and mind. If a past event or issue keeps returning to haunt you, take it immediately to God in prayer. If it gets a toehold and you begin to experience problems in other areas of your life, seek professional SPIRITUAL help. Find a pastor or friend who is strong in God’s Spirit and knowledgeable about spiritual things. Then, work through it together.
If you let something eat away at your heart, soul, or mind for too long, you will suffer the same fate as Sarah Winchester. You will find no joy even if with millions of dollars. There will be no respite, save for faith in Jesus. You do know that Jesus had complete and utter control over all demons, right? Who better to sanctify and pacify your deepest and most secret memories? The Heavenly Father awaits your prayers today. God’s Spirit is ready to fortify and cleanse your soul and mind. If you ever want peace and joy, only the arms of Almighty God will provide them. God’s arms are open and waiting…..
Her only daughter had died at five weeks of age. Then her husband had passed away. She was left alone with her name, her money, her memories…and her guilt. She bought an eight-room farmhouse plus one hundred sixty adjoining acres. She hired sixteen carpenters and put them to work. For the next thirty-eight years, craftsmen labored every day, twenty-four hours a day, to build a mansion. The design had a macabre touch. Each window was to have thirteen panes, each wall thirteen panels, each closet thirteen hooks, and each chandelier thirteen globes. The floor plan was ghoulish. Corridors snaked randomly, some leading nowhere. There were trap doors, secret passageways, and tunnels. This was no retirement home for Sarah’s future; it was a castle for her past.
The making of this mysterious mansion only ended when Sarah Winchester died. The completed Winchester estate sprawled over six acres and had six kitchens, thirteen bathrooms, forty stairways, forty-seven fireplaces, fifty-two skylights, four hundred sixty-seven doors, ten thousand windows, one hundred sixty rooms, and a bell tower….And the visitors came each night. A legion of phantoms. You can see this poltergeist place in San Jose, if you wish. You can tour its halls and see its remains.
How many Sarah Winchesters do you know? How far do you have to go to find a soul haunted by ghosts of the past? Maybe not very far. Maybe Sarah’s story is your story.” (Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, pp. 193-195)
There are many people who are tortured by spirits. Some are ghosts from the past. Some are memories that continue to play out in the mind of the sufferer. Some are evil spirits intent on destroying the body and soul of the individual. It does not matter what foreign invader, or thought, or memory takes over the mind and heart and soul of the individual. When God is not there to end the occupation, cleanse the person from sin and guilt and pain, free the soul from evil spirits, there is nothing to keep that person from suffering from these demonic entities until the day they die and long after. If you do not let God into all those areas of your life, heart, mind, memory, and soul, you too might find a thought or memory or demon controlling your every living moment. You won’t even be able to escape these torturous entities in your sleep. There, nightmares and fears will captivate and control your dreams. God never wants you to suffer such a fate.
In Luke 11:24-26, Jesus spoke about the intent of evil or unclean spirits. Their sole purpose is to invade and ruin a life. Jesus mentioned that when a person is cleansed from an evil thought or spirit, that person is able for a while to “put in order” his or her life (Luke 11:25). You see, as long as an evil spirit is involved in a person’s life, it will bring chaos and self-destruction and ruin to that person. Evil spirits, evil thoughts, evil intentions will always serve to destroy what is right, wreck what is good, shipwreck love, bury joy, erase peace. In Jesus’ own words, an evil spirit will always seek to return to the person who is not filled with God’s Spirit. When an evil spirit finds a soul that does not have the Holy Spirit to protect it, it easily moves in. It also will find likeminded evil beings and thoughts and intentions to add to itself. In the end, the person is overrun with negativity, self-destruction, and ruinous ambitions. The person will never find peace, happiness, or wholeness ever again… as long as the evil spirits or thoughts or intentions remain. “And the last state of the person is worse that at first” (Luke 11:26).
Do not underestimate the power of an evil spirit to ruin your life. Do not for a moment think that evil spirits won’t fight you in this world. So many Christians see evil spirits as myths and legends, but not as demonic entities or controlling specters. They fail to see that sometimes the only way a person will ever make things right is to let go of any evil in heart, soul, and mind. He or she must give it over to God. THEN, that person must invite God’s Spirit in for protection, for peace, for wholeness. Even if an evil spirit is exorcised from a person, that person is vulnerable for a return of an evil spirit. Jesus’ words in the scripture for today are ample proof.
Be aware that evil spirits, thoughts, and intentions can begin very innocuously. They can begin with a simple misunderstanding, a small hurt, a regret, a mistake, a failure. Over time, that small little error can grow to control a person’s life. It can destroy body and soul. It can imprison the person’s every waking moment. It can haunt dreams.
Keep God’s Holy Spirit close. Work out small and large issues with God. Invite God to every area of your heart, soul, and mind. If a past event or issue keeps returning to haunt you, take it immediately to God in prayer. If it gets a toehold and you begin to experience problems in other areas of your life, seek professional SPIRITUAL help. Find a pastor or friend who is strong in God’s Spirit and knowledgeable about spiritual things. Then, work through it together.
If you let something eat away at your heart, soul, or mind for too long, you will suffer the same fate as Sarah Winchester. You will find no joy even if with millions of dollars. There will be no respite, save for faith in Jesus. You do know that Jesus had complete and utter control over all demons, right? Who better to sanctify and pacify your deepest and most secret memories? The Heavenly Father awaits your prayers today. God’s Spirit is ready to fortify and cleanse your soul and mind. If you ever want peace and joy, only the arms of Almighty God will provide them. God’s arms are open and waiting…..
October 8
“But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Mark 8:33, ESV)
“He was graduated from the finest four-star Christian college. The product of a distinguished evangelical church, he had a good personal grasp of the Scriptures. From a strong Christian family, he was a personable and handsome green shoot -- the whole nine yards! Like many in his league, however, he was riding rather than building on his background. At seminary he was acceptable, certainly not outstanding. He suffered from a severe case of the blahs, turning in papers that would make better kindling than academic projects. He generally frittered away his time.
Toward the end of his four-year tour of divine duty, I had developed an excellent personal relationship and I called him into my office. “Bill, I’m disappointed in you.”
“Really, Prof, why?” His eyed widened and blinked.
“Well, I could be wrong but my evaluation of you is this: you are a ten-cylinder man operating on about three, and comparing yourself with others who have only two.”
The atmosphere electrified. He flushed, stifled internal anger, and left. Apparently, he felt he had been misunderstood and our friendship bond weakened.
In time our rapport was mended. Bill went on to become a military chaplain, serving with distinction and impact. One of the cherished letters in my file is from Bill, thanking me for caring enough to face him with my convictions.” (Howard Hendricks, Footprints, p. 40)
There will come a time in your life when someone sent by God will put you in your place. That person will discipline you or correct you with good intention. That person will not doing be it for personal gain or for spiteful vengeance. Out of care or concern or love for you, the person will challenge a weakness or sin or failure in your thinking. That person will endeavor to get you back on track or going in the right direction. It may be difficult for you to do, but you must not get defensive. You should not cut that person off, become mired in anger, or feel defeated. That person who is sent by God to change your direction or false way of thinking will need to be heard. His or her words will need serious contemplation. You will need to work through your feelings and emotions with your Lord. You will need to carefully re-examine your motives and plans and attitude.
One fateful day, as the disciples were doing ministry near Caesarea Philippi, Jesus told them that He was going to suffer and die for the faith. Peter could not stand to hear such words. He became angry with Jesus (Mark 8:32). Jesus “rebuked Peter” with the words, “Get behind me Satan! …you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mark 8:33). These were harsh words coming from Jesus. No other disciple in the recorded gospels was treated as harshly. Peter could have become angry and defensive. He could have deserted Jesus’ side. He could have retreated into depression. Instead, Peter continued to mull things over. He continued in ministry, taking Jesus’ words as loving advice from a gracious master.
Many people today are so thin skinned that they fall apart or seek retribution at the slightest offense. Even when someone is right, they will fuss and fume and get defensive over the truth. In the heated exchange between Jesus and Peter, there was every opportunity for Peter to be offended and storm off as other followers of Jesus had done. In John 6, Jesus teachings caused such a stir among His followers that Jesus stated, “Do you take offense at this?” (John 6:61). Some were greatly offended. They left Jesus’ ministry offended at His words (John 6:66). I’ve witnessed this same thing occurring many times in my ministry. During one sermon, I spoke on what the Bible said about divorce. A previously divorced woman became so upset that she left the church. When I spoke in a Bible Study on what the Bible says about the sanctity of life, another member caused me to lose my job. Throughout history, many have taken offense at the truth of the gospel. Many have rejected God’s word.
Peter did not leave Jesus’ side, despite the harsh criticism found in the scripture for today. He remained faithful to Jesus until death. Though seriously rebuked by Jesus, Peter was humble enough to take Jesus’ words to heart. He changed his ways. Because of his faithful responses, Peter became one of the greatest of all the disciples.
If God sends someone to you who speaks the gospel truth, do not take offense where none is due. Do not punish those who speak righteous words to you. Do not show hate or derision toward those who speak the truth in love. It might be that very person who is delivering God’s message directly to your ears. It might be that very person who is going to save your soul. God’s messages come in a variety of forms. At times, God’s message may be hard to swallow but critical for your salvation. Taking offense at the person speaking for God might be the worst thing you could do.
Toward the end of his four-year tour of divine duty, I had developed an excellent personal relationship and I called him into my office. “Bill, I’m disappointed in you.”
“Really, Prof, why?” His eyed widened and blinked.
“Well, I could be wrong but my evaluation of you is this: you are a ten-cylinder man operating on about three, and comparing yourself with others who have only two.”
The atmosphere electrified. He flushed, stifled internal anger, and left. Apparently, he felt he had been misunderstood and our friendship bond weakened.
In time our rapport was mended. Bill went on to become a military chaplain, serving with distinction and impact. One of the cherished letters in my file is from Bill, thanking me for caring enough to face him with my convictions.” (Howard Hendricks, Footprints, p. 40)
There will come a time in your life when someone sent by God will put you in your place. That person will discipline you or correct you with good intention. That person will not doing be it for personal gain or for spiteful vengeance. Out of care or concern or love for you, the person will challenge a weakness or sin or failure in your thinking. That person will endeavor to get you back on track or going in the right direction. It may be difficult for you to do, but you must not get defensive. You should not cut that person off, become mired in anger, or feel defeated. That person who is sent by God to change your direction or false way of thinking will need to be heard. His or her words will need serious contemplation. You will need to work through your feelings and emotions with your Lord. You will need to carefully re-examine your motives and plans and attitude.
One fateful day, as the disciples were doing ministry near Caesarea Philippi, Jesus told them that He was going to suffer and die for the faith. Peter could not stand to hear such words. He became angry with Jesus (Mark 8:32). Jesus “rebuked Peter” with the words, “Get behind me Satan! …you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mark 8:33). These were harsh words coming from Jesus. No other disciple in the recorded gospels was treated as harshly. Peter could have become angry and defensive. He could have deserted Jesus’ side. He could have retreated into depression. Instead, Peter continued to mull things over. He continued in ministry, taking Jesus’ words as loving advice from a gracious master.
Many people today are so thin skinned that they fall apart or seek retribution at the slightest offense. Even when someone is right, they will fuss and fume and get defensive over the truth. In the heated exchange between Jesus and Peter, there was every opportunity for Peter to be offended and storm off as other followers of Jesus had done. In John 6, Jesus teachings caused such a stir among His followers that Jesus stated, “Do you take offense at this?” (John 6:61). Some were greatly offended. They left Jesus’ ministry offended at His words (John 6:66). I’ve witnessed this same thing occurring many times in my ministry. During one sermon, I spoke on what the Bible said about divorce. A previously divorced woman became so upset that she left the church. When I spoke in a Bible Study on what the Bible says about the sanctity of life, another member caused me to lose my job. Throughout history, many have taken offense at the truth of the gospel. Many have rejected God’s word.
Peter did not leave Jesus’ side, despite the harsh criticism found in the scripture for today. He remained faithful to Jesus until death. Though seriously rebuked by Jesus, Peter was humble enough to take Jesus’ words to heart. He changed his ways. Because of his faithful responses, Peter became one of the greatest of all the disciples.
If God sends someone to you who speaks the gospel truth, do not take offense where none is due. Do not punish those who speak righteous words to you. Do not show hate or derision toward those who speak the truth in love. It might be that very person who is delivering God’s message directly to your ears. It might be that very person who is going to save your soul. God’s messages come in a variety of forms. At times, God’s message may be hard to swallow but critical for your salvation. Taking offense at the person speaking for God might be the worst thing you could do.
October 10
“One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly….” (Proverbs 14:17, NRSV)
Does it come to you as a surprise that people who are quick-tempered, who get angry too quickly, often do foolish things? Anger makes you respond, at times, with unthoughtful vehemence. A quick temper causes hasty and poor reactions. Have you ever gotten so angry that you responded in momentary abandon? Did you regret your response when things cooled down?
Joseph Hunter is known for a statement of wisdom he gave long ago. These are his words: “My life is in the hands of any fool who makes me lose my temper.” When someone pushes your buttons to the point you respond with a quick temper, your reactions may be poorly chosen and ill-timed. You may overreact or regret your words. If a person is able to taunt you to such an extreme, that person is in control of your reactions. That person can make you look the fool.
In our scripture for today from the wisdom of Proverbs, there is mention of an especially important result of a quick temper. When your anger gets red hot and you respond all too quickly, your actions may be very foolish indeed. Proverbs 14:17 states clearly that the person “who is quick-tempered acts foolishly”. There is a direct correlation between a quick temper and acts of foolishness. In essence, losing control of your anger will result with you acting the fool.
“Jim Taylor in CURRENTS tells the following story about his friend, Ralph Milton: One morning Ralph woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, “pounding its little brains out on the metal pole.”
Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember -- too late -- that he was still in his bare feet.
Uncontrolled anger, as Ralph leaned, can sometimes be its own reward.” (C. Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 332)
Ralph Milton was so put out by this woodpecker, his quick-tempered response caused damage to both his car and his toes. He responded in anger without thinking. His foolishness caused hundreds of dollars in damage and several painful days of healing.
“When Abraham Lincoln had to write a letter to someone who had irritated him, he would often write two letters. The first letter was deliberately insulting. Then, having gotten those feelings out of his system, he would tear it up and write a second letter, this one tactful and discreet.” (John Luther in “Bits and Pieces”, Oct 1990). Lincoln understood that a quick and hasty response when full of anger often carried dire consequences. A quick temper will get you into trouble.
When you find your temperature rising and your temper beginning to boil, don’t succumb to the first thing that comes to your mind. Like Lincoln, let out your anger in a safe manner and then choose your response. Words used in anger will often intensify a conflict. Acts of vengeance done while the blood is still boiling will often increase the risk of harm. Do you want to be remembered for the rest of your life for one hasty decision made in anger?
While attending a class for pastors, I noticed an older gentleman in the back of the room. He was in his sixties, wore very distinguished clothing, and studiously considered the leader at the front of the room. Later, I was introduced to him and we became close friends. He was easy to talk to and had a warm smile. On the third day of our class together, he opened up to me during a lunch break. He told me that he had an affair with a woman from his church five years previous and had been brought before a ministry committee for censure. He admitted his guilt and was put on ecclesiastical probation and required counseling. His wife divorced him, and he lost his job. It took him years to rebuild his life. We talked about how it happened. He told me… “My wife and I had a nasty fight. I was so angry. I vowed to make her pay. I knew there was a woman in the congregation who had been making advances toward me, so I called her and went out for coffee.” They spent that night together. Several months of sex in hotel rooms followed. After the guilt settled upon his soul and he could take it no longer, he told his wife. In anger, she turned him in to the regional committee who oversaw pastoral indiscretions. He was brought up on ecclesiastical charges. Their divorce was a long, drawn out affair and very ugly.
What caused the affair to occur? This pastor’s quick and unbridled anger at his wife brought his guard down. The first tryst occurred within hours. One moment of extreme anger and this pastor’s affair was the result. It has affected his family and church interactions ever since. He must live with his shame.
Never underestimate how dangerous a quick temper can be! In the least, it can cause you to say things you will regret later. At its worst, a poor response to anger can forever affect your every waking moment. The writer of Proverbs wanted you to think before you respond in anger. He knew that a quick temper too often leads to foolish actions and unwanted regrets.
Joseph Hunter is known for a statement of wisdom he gave long ago. These are his words: “My life is in the hands of any fool who makes me lose my temper.” When someone pushes your buttons to the point you respond with a quick temper, your reactions may be poorly chosen and ill-timed. You may overreact or regret your words. If a person is able to taunt you to such an extreme, that person is in control of your reactions. That person can make you look the fool.
In our scripture for today from the wisdom of Proverbs, there is mention of an especially important result of a quick temper. When your anger gets red hot and you respond all too quickly, your actions may be very foolish indeed. Proverbs 14:17 states clearly that the person “who is quick-tempered acts foolishly”. There is a direct correlation between a quick temper and acts of foolishness. In essence, losing control of your anger will result with you acting the fool.
“Jim Taylor in CURRENTS tells the following story about his friend, Ralph Milton: One morning Ralph woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, “pounding its little brains out on the metal pole.”
Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember -- too late -- that he was still in his bare feet.
Uncontrolled anger, as Ralph leaned, can sometimes be its own reward.” (C. Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 332)
Ralph Milton was so put out by this woodpecker, his quick-tempered response caused damage to both his car and his toes. He responded in anger without thinking. His foolishness caused hundreds of dollars in damage and several painful days of healing.
“When Abraham Lincoln had to write a letter to someone who had irritated him, he would often write two letters. The first letter was deliberately insulting. Then, having gotten those feelings out of his system, he would tear it up and write a second letter, this one tactful and discreet.” (John Luther in “Bits and Pieces”, Oct 1990). Lincoln understood that a quick and hasty response when full of anger often carried dire consequences. A quick temper will get you into trouble.
When you find your temperature rising and your temper beginning to boil, don’t succumb to the first thing that comes to your mind. Like Lincoln, let out your anger in a safe manner and then choose your response. Words used in anger will often intensify a conflict. Acts of vengeance done while the blood is still boiling will often increase the risk of harm. Do you want to be remembered for the rest of your life for one hasty decision made in anger?
While attending a class for pastors, I noticed an older gentleman in the back of the room. He was in his sixties, wore very distinguished clothing, and studiously considered the leader at the front of the room. Later, I was introduced to him and we became close friends. He was easy to talk to and had a warm smile. On the third day of our class together, he opened up to me during a lunch break. He told me that he had an affair with a woman from his church five years previous and had been brought before a ministry committee for censure. He admitted his guilt and was put on ecclesiastical probation and required counseling. His wife divorced him, and he lost his job. It took him years to rebuild his life. We talked about how it happened. He told me… “My wife and I had a nasty fight. I was so angry. I vowed to make her pay. I knew there was a woman in the congregation who had been making advances toward me, so I called her and went out for coffee.” They spent that night together. Several months of sex in hotel rooms followed. After the guilt settled upon his soul and he could take it no longer, he told his wife. In anger, she turned him in to the regional committee who oversaw pastoral indiscretions. He was brought up on ecclesiastical charges. Their divorce was a long, drawn out affair and very ugly.
What caused the affair to occur? This pastor’s quick and unbridled anger at his wife brought his guard down. The first tryst occurred within hours. One moment of extreme anger and this pastor’s affair was the result. It has affected his family and church interactions ever since. He must live with his shame.
Never underestimate how dangerous a quick temper can be! In the least, it can cause you to say things you will regret later. At its worst, a poor response to anger can forever affect your every waking moment. The writer of Proverbs wanted you to think before you respond in anger. He knew that a quick temper too often leads to foolish actions and unwanted regrets.
October 13
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18, ESV)
When Carrie turned seventeen, her grades in school began to slip. She became quieter and more aloof. Carrie’s parents didn’t like this phase she was going through. Then, late one night Carrie’s parents found her room empty. Carrie had slipped out of her window and left during the night. Worried, her parents watched a video from a camera facing the yard that showed Carrie running toward the sidewalk with a young boy. Her parents were furious. When Carrie came back home, her father was waiting. He immediately grew angry. Despite her pleas that she didn’t do anything really wrong because she “wasn’t grounded or anything”, her father forbade her from going anywhere but school and church for weeks. For a long time after, Carrie and her parents struggled with Carrie’s need to grow up and her desires to undertake risky ventures like attending late-night parties, dating good-looking boyfriends, and wearing very provocative outfits. It was a difficult time not only for Carrie’s parents, but for Carrie herself.
Every age in life carries inherent dangers and risky behaviors. Youth, like Carrie, struggle to deal with social situations while adolescent hormones are raging inside their bodies and messing with their thoughts. These hormones cause youths to make rash decisions and result in risky situations. Young adults and newly married people have to grapple with sexual urges, insecurities, and social stigmas. They may try drugs or alcohol to cope with insecurities or to fit-in socially. They may risk contracting venereal disease or AIDS, developing eating disorders, or dating the wrong kinds of people. The risks don’t end if a person decides to marry. Psychological disorders and medical emergencies can develop in a person’s twenties and thirties. Bad behaviors from childhood and adolescence may become ingrained by that time. A person may also take on large debts from student loans or from buying a first home. Then, there are the risks of having children of your own. Even later in life a person may suffer from risky behaviors ingrained from younger days. They may develop debilitating medical issues or struggle with the strain of financial pressures. Job insecurities, social upheavals, accidents, and traumas can derail all one’s hopes and dreams. The death of a loved one can initiate a bad habit or develop a psychological or spiritual complication. There will never be a time when you won’t have risks or fall under temptations.
The Apostle Paul wrote Romans, found in the New Testament of our Bible. Most scholars believe that he wrote this letter later in life, maybe even in his last days. As Paul was looking back upon his life, he recognized moments when his worldly attitude and fleshly desires resulted in sin. Some of these sins caused great heartache. To prevent others from making the same mistakes, Paul wrote the verse for today written above. In Romans 7:18, Paul warned faithful Roman Christians that even he knew that “nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh”. When push came to shove, Paul may have had “the desire to do what is right”, but all too often, he lacked “the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:16). In essence, Paul knew what was right but the worldly part of him took control. Instead of doing what was godly, Paul did what was wrong. Sin was the result.
You too may find that despite a desire to do everything right, you will succumb to temptation. Your mind and body may sway you in worldly directions. You must learn to fight those worldly, fleshly urges. They will inevitably throw you into risky situations or initiate risky behaviors. They will usually lead you to sin. When that occurs, it is best that you throw yourself at the mercy of God and deal with the fact that you aren’t perfect. Your faith can be swayed. Some things have the power to manipulate your desires. You need to come to terms with your sin. When reeling from failure, rush to God’s arms. Repent and return to God’s side. Learn from your mistakes. Understand your lusts and desires. Realize your need for God’s saving grace.
A woman in her twenties asked to speak with me. We set up an appointment in my office. When Caroline arrived, I could tell she was down. I could see the aftermath of tears. After a few moments, she told me about her life. Caroline was always a strong Christian. Growing up in another state, she only missed worship or Sunday School when she was ill. She loved God and endeavored to do everything right. Even during her college years, she remained a virgin and refrained from all the usual college temptations. She graduated from college, moved near my church, and then joined within weeks. She had seemingly done everything right.
As Caroline paused in her story, I asked her why she was there. If she had done so many things right in her life, why were tears building behind her eyes? It was then that Caroline confessed to falling for the wrong man. Steven came into Caroline’s life a year previous. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. Steven knew all the right things to say. Caroline was smitten. They began to have sex. Then, they began to live together. Soon, Caroline was pregnant. A month before coming into my office, she found out that she was eight or nine weeks along in the pregnancy. I asked her how she was doing. Breaking down, she explained that Steven had left when he found out she was pregnant. He didn’t want children. He didn’t believe in marriage. Everything in Caroline’s life was falling apart. The girl who had done everything right in her life didn’t know how to handle a series of bad choices. She felt estranged from God and too afraid to tell her parents what she had done. She felt utterly abandoned and alone.
Over the following months, Caroline and I worked through her issues. We dealt with each obstacle together. Several of Caroline’s friends in the church were there through the difficult days of pregnancy. Her best friend in the church stood by her side all through childbirth. Through all the decisions and issues caused by her risky and sinful behavior, Caroline’s Christian friends stood faithful. I was there to pray with her and hear her confessions of guilt and pain. God was there with mercy. God’s love shone brightly.
Today, Caroline is married to Chris. They have a wonderful relationship. After learning from her mistakes and risky behavior, Caroline is now a volunteer counselor for girls who are pregnant. She’s a great Christian leader, a trusted confidant. Caroline had to work through her own spiritual and moral and physical weaknesses and needs. She had to face the consequences of her sin. Like the Apostle Paul, the more that she learned of her own insecurities and issues, the more she wanted to help others to face their own shortcomings and temptations. I am so glad I have her as a resource. I am thrilled that God is so very powerful in her life.
Your urges will push you constantly to take risks and make dangerous decisions. Satan will inevitably egg you on to succumb to temptation. God is fighting for your soul, determined to keep you faithful, hoping you remain true no matter the consequences or situation. You are not perfect. You are not above feeling the pull of temptation. You may even know everything that is right and yet decide to do wrong. You will need God along the way. You will need grace. You need to resist temptation. At times, you may have to make faithful choices that all involve difficult or expensive consequences. Life is messy. Being faithful is incredibly difficult. Satan has stacked the deck in his favor with worldly temptations. You need to see through your pain, past your insecurities, despite your weaknesses, to the path God sets before you. But, like a fall day where leaves are covering the pathway, God’s way may be obscured or difficult to discern. God will help you find the path. If all else goes wrong, God will show you a way back to the path. You can bank on that.
Are you struggling with an insecurity or temptation? Do you need help to overcome it? God is your strength. Faithful people can help. What risky behaviors has Satan dangled over you? What desires can captivate your mind? Learn to deal with your shortcomings. Trust fully in God’s mercy. Failure will come. Let it not defeat you. Overcome with your eyes fixed on the mercy and love of the Lord.
Every age in life carries inherent dangers and risky behaviors. Youth, like Carrie, struggle to deal with social situations while adolescent hormones are raging inside their bodies and messing with their thoughts. These hormones cause youths to make rash decisions and result in risky situations. Young adults and newly married people have to grapple with sexual urges, insecurities, and social stigmas. They may try drugs or alcohol to cope with insecurities or to fit-in socially. They may risk contracting venereal disease or AIDS, developing eating disorders, or dating the wrong kinds of people. The risks don’t end if a person decides to marry. Psychological disorders and medical emergencies can develop in a person’s twenties and thirties. Bad behaviors from childhood and adolescence may become ingrained by that time. A person may also take on large debts from student loans or from buying a first home. Then, there are the risks of having children of your own. Even later in life a person may suffer from risky behaviors ingrained from younger days. They may develop debilitating medical issues or struggle with the strain of financial pressures. Job insecurities, social upheavals, accidents, and traumas can derail all one’s hopes and dreams. The death of a loved one can initiate a bad habit or develop a psychological or spiritual complication. There will never be a time when you won’t have risks or fall under temptations.
The Apostle Paul wrote Romans, found in the New Testament of our Bible. Most scholars believe that he wrote this letter later in life, maybe even in his last days. As Paul was looking back upon his life, he recognized moments when his worldly attitude and fleshly desires resulted in sin. Some of these sins caused great heartache. To prevent others from making the same mistakes, Paul wrote the verse for today written above. In Romans 7:18, Paul warned faithful Roman Christians that even he knew that “nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh”. When push came to shove, Paul may have had “the desire to do what is right”, but all too often, he lacked “the ability to carry it out” (Romans 7:16). In essence, Paul knew what was right but the worldly part of him took control. Instead of doing what was godly, Paul did what was wrong. Sin was the result.
You too may find that despite a desire to do everything right, you will succumb to temptation. Your mind and body may sway you in worldly directions. You must learn to fight those worldly, fleshly urges. They will inevitably throw you into risky situations or initiate risky behaviors. They will usually lead you to sin. When that occurs, it is best that you throw yourself at the mercy of God and deal with the fact that you aren’t perfect. Your faith can be swayed. Some things have the power to manipulate your desires. You need to come to terms with your sin. When reeling from failure, rush to God’s arms. Repent and return to God’s side. Learn from your mistakes. Understand your lusts and desires. Realize your need for God’s saving grace.
A woman in her twenties asked to speak with me. We set up an appointment in my office. When Caroline arrived, I could tell she was down. I could see the aftermath of tears. After a few moments, she told me about her life. Caroline was always a strong Christian. Growing up in another state, she only missed worship or Sunday School when she was ill. She loved God and endeavored to do everything right. Even during her college years, she remained a virgin and refrained from all the usual college temptations. She graduated from college, moved near my church, and then joined within weeks. She had seemingly done everything right.
As Caroline paused in her story, I asked her why she was there. If she had done so many things right in her life, why were tears building behind her eyes? It was then that Caroline confessed to falling for the wrong man. Steven came into Caroline’s life a year previous. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. Steven knew all the right things to say. Caroline was smitten. They began to have sex. Then, they began to live together. Soon, Caroline was pregnant. A month before coming into my office, she found out that she was eight or nine weeks along in the pregnancy. I asked her how she was doing. Breaking down, she explained that Steven had left when he found out she was pregnant. He didn’t want children. He didn’t believe in marriage. Everything in Caroline’s life was falling apart. The girl who had done everything right in her life didn’t know how to handle a series of bad choices. She felt estranged from God and too afraid to tell her parents what she had done. She felt utterly abandoned and alone.
Over the following months, Caroline and I worked through her issues. We dealt with each obstacle together. Several of Caroline’s friends in the church were there through the difficult days of pregnancy. Her best friend in the church stood by her side all through childbirth. Through all the decisions and issues caused by her risky and sinful behavior, Caroline’s Christian friends stood faithful. I was there to pray with her and hear her confessions of guilt and pain. God was there with mercy. God’s love shone brightly.
Today, Caroline is married to Chris. They have a wonderful relationship. After learning from her mistakes and risky behavior, Caroline is now a volunteer counselor for girls who are pregnant. She’s a great Christian leader, a trusted confidant. Caroline had to work through her own spiritual and moral and physical weaknesses and needs. She had to face the consequences of her sin. Like the Apostle Paul, the more that she learned of her own insecurities and issues, the more she wanted to help others to face their own shortcomings and temptations. I am so glad I have her as a resource. I am thrilled that God is so very powerful in her life.
Your urges will push you constantly to take risks and make dangerous decisions. Satan will inevitably egg you on to succumb to temptation. God is fighting for your soul, determined to keep you faithful, hoping you remain true no matter the consequences or situation. You are not perfect. You are not above feeling the pull of temptation. You may even know everything that is right and yet decide to do wrong. You will need God along the way. You will need grace. You need to resist temptation. At times, you may have to make faithful choices that all involve difficult or expensive consequences. Life is messy. Being faithful is incredibly difficult. Satan has stacked the deck in his favor with worldly temptations. You need to see through your pain, past your insecurities, despite your weaknesses, to the path God sets before you. But, like a fall day where leaves are covering the pathway, God’s way may be obscured or difficult to discern. God will help you find the path. If all else goes wrong, God will show you a way back to the path. You can bank on that.
Are you struggling with an insecurity or temptation? Do you need help to overcome it? God is your strength. Faithful people can help. What risky behaviors has Satan dangled over you? What desires can captivate your mind? Learn to deal with your shortcomings. Trust fully in God’s mercy. Failure will come. Let it not defeat you. Overcome with your eyes fixed on the mercy and love of the Lord.
October 15
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
It is shocking to me how much emphasis church people place on “busy-ness”. I have heard pastors brag about how many hours they serve the church. I have seen ads where churches bluster about the number of programs they support. A mission committee gloats about how much money they send overseas each quarter. A man proudly proclaims, “I haven’t missed a Sunday service in four years!” Sadly, all these people have made a huge mistake. They have replaced godly work for the Kingdom of God with worldly measures of how active they have become. Does God determine your place in heaven based on how many Sunday Worship services you attended? Did all that mission money save any souls? Was that overworked pastor who spends sixty hours every week doing God’s best work or just keeping busy? Busy-ness doesn’t equate to godliness or righteousness or goodness or faithfulness. Got it?
Dr. Charles Swindoll once wrote: “Busyness rapes relationships. It substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities. Many a church boasts about its active program: “Something for every night of the week for everybody.” What a shame! With good intentions the local assembly can create the very atmosphere it was designed to curb.” Why do people mistake busy-ness for holiness?
For centuries, it used to be that a man’s character was what defined him. Once the Industrial Revolution came about, that seemed to change. No longer was a man’s character most important. What became most important was what a man “accomplished”. Sadly, over the last century, a man’s accomplishments often became intertwined with the amount of one’s work or effort. In essence, instead of one’s character being godly, one’s work had to be godly. Instead of one’s soul being important, one’s actions became more important. Soon, when someone wanted to determine your worth, they didn’t look at your character or soul. They looked at the amount of money in your bank account, the size of your church building, the number of members in your pew, the number of friends in your social media circle, or the number of likes or followers online. One’s worth left the depths of the soul and became intricately aligned with one’s appearances.
The Bible has little good to say about appearances. Jesus warned his disciples not to judge people based on appearances alone (John 7:24). God explained to the prophet Samuel, “…the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV). Churches have become worldly. They look at shallow appearances to determine worth. God does not view people in such a manner. Faithfulness, righteousness, truth, holiness, and justice matter to God. Appearances and busyness and other worldly attributes count for little.
A few years ago, I spoke with a woman pastor. For her worship service, she had changed the lines of an old hymn replacing every masculine pronoun with a gender neutral one. She even took out the word, “Lord”, in the hymn. I asked her why. She pronounced that she did not want her congregation to think God was in any way a man. I told her, “Jesus was a man”. Her response was classic, “That’s a shame, isn’t it?” Then, she smiled. She thought she was being funny, but her attitude was obvious. Being a feminist; she didn’t like that Jesus was a man. It bothered her. To give the appearance to her congregation that she was a good feminist, she changed the appearance of the hymn by changing the words. In doing so, she thought she was being so very faithful. But how many souls did she save by changing the words of that hymn. She changes every hymn in her church that way. How many people were brought closer to God by her actions? She might think she is very righteous for making the church “more accepting of women and people of other genders” (her words). I am deeply concerned that she is more concerned with being politically correct than saving souls for Jesus.
In the scripture for today, Jesus reminded his disciples to keep on task. Their goal was not to look good, to keep up appearances, to be nice to the Jewish leaders, or to even heal the sick. Their ultimate goal was to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33). They were to “live righteously” by making the Kingdom of God their ultimate motivation. If the disciples strived to keep the Kingdom of God first and foremost, God would “give them everything they need” for their ministry.
This Bible Study meditation is not meant to claim that appearances mean nothing. It is not to say that pastors and church leaders should not be hard at work. I believe that today’s scripture is a reminder that outward appearances and busy-ness and activities and programs and seminars and classes are not our main goal. Our place in this world is to seek the Kingdom of God above all else and make it present. The Kingdom of God doesn’t place a great emphasis upon busy-ness and appearances. One’s righteous character and service to God are of much greater importance. We desire “God’s Kingdom to come”. To do that, we need to share the gospel more than eat donuts. We need to reach out rather than sit around and congratulate ourselves. We need to do true missionary work, not be proud of missionary budget amounts. We need to pray for the salvation of others, not act the pious Christian.
How much of your time do you devote to BEING faithful rather than looking faithful?
Dr. Charles Swindoll once wrote: “Busyness rapes relationships. It substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities. Many a church boasts about its active program: “Something for every night of the week for everybody.” What a shame! With good intentions the local assembly can create the very atmosphere it was designed to curb.” Why do people mistake busy-ness for holiness?
For centuries, it used to be that a man’s character was what defined him. Once the Industrial Revolution came about, that seemed to change. No longer was a man’s character most important. What became most important was what a man “accomplished”. Sadly, over the last century, a man’s accomplishments often became intertwined with the amount of one’s work or effort. In essence, instead of one’s character being godly, one’s work had to be godly. Instead of one’s soul being important, one’s actions became more important. Soon, when someone wanted to determine your worth, they didn’t look at your character or soul. They looked at the amount of money in your bank account, the size of your church building, the number of members in your pew, the number of friends in your social media circle, or the number of likes or followers online. One’s worth left the depths of the soul and became intricately aligned with one’s appearances.
The Bible has little good to say about appearances. Jesus warned his disciples not to judge people based on appearances alone (John 7:24). God explained to the prophet Samuel, “…the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV). Churches have become worldly. They look at shallow appearances to determine worth. God does not view people in such a manner. Faithfulness, righteousness, truth, holiness, and justice matter to God. Appearances and busyness and other worldly attributes count for little.
A few years ago, I spoke with a woman pastor. For her worship service, she had changed the lines of an old hymn replacing every masculine pronoun with a gender neutral one. She even took out the word, “Lord”, in the hymn. I asked her why. She pronounced that she did not want her congregation to think God was in any way a man. I told her, “Jesus was a man”. Her response was classic, “That’s a shame, isn’t it?” Then, she smiled. She thought she was being funny, but her attitude was obvious. Being a feminist; she didn’t like that Jesus was a man. It bothered her. To give the appearance to her congregation that she was a good feminist, she changed the appearance of the hymn by changing the words. In doing so, she thought she was being so very faithful. But how many souls did she save by changing the words of that hymn. She changes every hymn in her church that way. How many people were brought closer to God by her actions? She might think she is very righteous for making the church “more accepting of women and people of other genders” (her words). I am deeply concerned that she is more concerned with being politically correct than saving souls for Jesus.
In the scripture for today, Jesus reminded his disciples to keep on task. Their goal was not to look good, to keep up appearances, to be nice to the Jewish leaders, or to even heal the sick. Their ultimate goal was to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33). They were to “live righteously” by making the Kingdom of God their ultimate motivation. If the disciples strived to keep the Kingdom of God first and foremost, God would “give them everything they need” for their ministry.
This Bible Study meditation is not meant to claim that appearances mean nothing. It is not to say that pastors and church leaders should not be hard at work. I believe that today’s scripture is a reminder that outward appearances and busy-ness and activities and programs and seminars and classes are not our main goal. Our place in this world is to seek the Kingdom of God above all else and make it present. The Kingdom of God doesn’t place a great emphasis upon busy-ness and appearances. One’s righteous character and service to God are of much greater importance. We desire “God’s Kingdom to come”. To do that, we need to share the gospel more than eat donuts. We need to reach out rather than sit around and congratulate ourselves. We need to do true missionary work, not be proud of missionary budget amounts. We need to pray for the salvation of others, not act the pious Christian.
How much of your time do you devote to BEING faithful rather than looking faithful?
October 17
“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you ...” (Deuteronomy 28:47–48, ESV)
The first five books of the Bible are known as the Books of Moses, the Law, or the Torah. In these books, God and Israel came to an understanding of what God’s law was and how to follow that law. Within the pages of the Torah, God developed a relationship with God’s people. God also made clear what was expected of the faithful and what would happen to the sinner. Nestled in the final book of the Torah was a warning should Israel choose to love worldly things more than God. Moses wrote these words of God in Deuteronomy 28: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you…” (Deuteronomy 28:47-48). These words were given to impress upon God’s people that they should never give ultimate importance to worldly possessions. To do so would show a willingness to worship them, i.e., to “serve” them. God would punish such behavior.
Throughout history, human beings have failed to heed this warning. At various times, people have worshipped “things” rather than the Creator. They have fought and killed to acquire “things of this world” in order to acquire status. Failing to remain faithful, they worshipped affluence and wealth, status and power. They gave earthly things spiritual power and ultimate importance. In doing so, they sinned before Almighty God.
The dictionary defines “affluence” as a state of abundant wealth. The word sounds descriptive of a condition where one has been blessed. However, when a person longs for affluence, when one lives and breathes to acquire wealth to become affluent, there is a serious spiritual problem. The love of affluence or wealth changes a person. The person who grows to love “possessions” will think nothing of sacrificing their morals, values, and even family to acquire them. It is a form of idolatry. When wealth becomes more important than God, all sorts of human sins and atrocities will be the result.
Karen grew up poor. As a child, she resented not having the possessions that the other children in her class thought were normal. While other little girls were making cupcakes in their “Easy Bake Ovens”, Karen was forced to clean houses with her mother to make ends meet. In eighth grade, Karen stayed home from her first school dance, because she didn’t have a “real” dress to wear. The older she got; the more Karen hated her mother for being poor. Her situation became intolerable. To satisfy her lust to no longer be poor, Karen excelled in school, received multiple awards and scholarships, and graduated from college at the top of her class. A few years later, she married a wealthy man and bought the most expensive house in her hometown. Karen seemed to have it all.
However, somewhere along the line, an evil spirit overtook Karen. Consumed with her lust for affluence, she wore only the most expensive clothes. She raised her daughters to only acquire influential or wealthy friends. She always drove the newest cars, bought her girls the trendiest outfits, and threw the most lavish of parties.
Because few knew Karen’s maiden name, they had no idea where Karen came from or even that she grew up in poverty. One day, Karen and a friend were passing a dilapidated business in an old section of town. Her friend pointed to an old woman who was wearing a beat-up old jacket and dirty scarf. The friend said, “I would never, ever dress like that even if I was old!” The two laughed as Karen looked upon the old woman to discover to her horror that the woman was her mother! For years, Karen had not contacted her mother, despite living in the same town. The poor woman was barely scraping by. Instead of being touched by the sight of her mother’s clothes, Karen hurriedly crossed the street before her mother saw her or acknowledged her presence. How would Karen explain that to her friend? The worst bit of all? Karen proudly calls herself a Christian.
It is not known who said this, but this adage still rings true today: “The trouble is that too many people are spending money they haven’t yet earned for things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.” That is what the sin of affluence does to a person. It makes them live to acquire wealth to enjoy the power of spending that wealth. It causes a desire to impress others. The sin of affluence skews one’s values and morals. The love of affluence may be found in rich and poor alike! You don’t have to have money in order to worship wealth!
Beware the subtle influences that can cause you to lose your connection with God due to “the abundance of things”. Long before Scrooge ended up a miserly and miserable fool, he was a man of honor and love. The sin of affluence has that effect on a person. It can turn a loving child of God into a selfish sinner who is stingy not only with money but with godly love.
Do you know what helps greatly to tamp down the power of the sin of affluence? The scripture for today hints at the answer. Replace your love for “things” or wealth with the desire to serve God with joyfulness and gladness of heart. Go on a godly mission. Give gifts of love. Help the needy. Humbly reach out to the poor. Make Jesus’ love shine through you as you give selflessly of time, talent, and treasure.
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”” (Mark 10:21, ESV)
Throughout history, human beings have failed to heed this warning. At various times, people have worshipped “things” rather than the Creator. They have fought and killed to acquire “things of this world” in order to acquire status. Failing to remain faithful, they worshipped affluence and wealth, status and power. They gave earthly things spiritual power and ultimate importance. In doing so, they sinned before Almighty God.
The dictionary defines “affluence” as a state of abundant wealth. The word sounds descriptive of a condition where one has been blessed. However, when a person longs for affluence, when one lives and breathes to acquire wealth to become affluent, there is a serious spiritual problem. The love of affluence or wealth changes a person. The person who grows to love “possessions” will think nothing of sacrificing their morals, values, and even family to acquire them. It is a form of idolatry. When wealth becomes more important than God, all sorts of human sins and atrocities will be the result.
Karen grew up poor. As a child, she resented not having the possessions that the other children in her class thought were normal. While other little girls were making cupcakes in their “Easy Bake Ovens”, Karen was forced to clean houses with her mother to make ends meet. In eighth grade, Karen stayed home from her first school dance, because she didn’t have a “real” dress to wear. The older she got; the more Karen hated her mother for being poor. Her situation became intolerable. To satisfy her lust to no longer be poor, Karen excelled in school, received multiple awards and scholarships, and graduated from college at the top of her class. A few years later, she married a wealthy man and bought the most expensive house in her hometown. Karen seemed to have it all.
However, somewhere along the line, an evil spirit overtook Karen. Consumed with her lust for affluence, she wore only the most expensive clothes. She raised her daughters to only acquire influential or wealthy friends. She always drove the newest cars, bought her girls the trendiest outfits, and threw the most lavish of parties.
Because few knew Karen’s maiden name, they had no idea where Karen came from or even that she grew up in poverty. One day, Karen and a friend were passing a dilapidated business in an old section of town. Her friend pointed to an old woman who was wearing a beat-up old jacket and dirty scarf. The friend said, “I would never, ever dress like that even if I was old!” The two laughed as Karen looked upon the old woman to discover to her horror that the woman was her mother! For years, Karen had not contacted her mother, despite living in the same town. The poor woman was barely scraping by. Instead of being touched by the sight of her mother’s clothes, Karen hurriedly crossed the street before her mother saw her or acknowledged her presence. How would Karen explain that to her friend? The worst bit of all? Karen proudly calls herself a Christian.
It is not known who said this, but this adage still rings true today: “The trouble is that too many people are spending money they haven’t yet earned for things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.” That is what the sin of affluence does to a person. It makes them live to acquire wealth to enjoy the power of spending that wealth. It causes a desire to impress others. The sin of affluence skews one’s values and morals. The love of affluence may be found in rich and poor alike! You don’t have to have money in order to worship wealth!
Beware the subtle influences that can cause you to lose your connection with God due to “the abundance of things”. Long before Scrooge ended up a miserly and miserable fool, he was a man of honor and love. The sin of affluence has that effect on a person. It can turn a loving child of God into a selfish sinner who is stingy not only with money but with godly love.
Do you know what helps greatly to tamp down the power of the sin of affluence? The scripture for today hints at the answer. Replace your love for “things” or wealth with the desire to serve God with joyfulness and gladness of heart. Go on a godly mission. Give gifts of love. Help the needy. Humbly reach out to the poor. Make Jesus’ love shine through you as you give selflessly of time, talent, and treasure.
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”” (Mark 10:21, ESV)
October 19
“Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.” (John 8:14, ESV)
The definition of “aimlessness” is “a condition of being in which a person has no clear sense of intentions, purpose, or direction”. There are many people in the world who wander aimlessly in their spiritual life. Some do not take notice to spiritual things. They ignore spiritual road signs and markers. When significant things happen in life, they do not see its spiritual implications. Even Christians, who have a definite set of spiritual goals and aims as set down by Jesus, often wander aimlessly in their spiritual walk. Instead of remaining firm in their convictions with a strong intent to be faithful until the Kingdom of God comes, they meander through spiritual fads and blindly follow popular cultural myths. Their eyes tear up when singing Christmas carols but only as a romantic reliving of past moments instead of a longing for the day when Jesus will come again into this world. Many of the spiritually aimless got caught up in worldly pursuits. Some have rejected God’s authority. Some just don’t care. The spiritually aimless are not only those who have no God, but also those who have lost their true faith along the way.
Bradley used to be a very faithful young man. After being raised by loving Christian parents who brought him to church every week, it was at church camp that Bradley finally accepted Jesus Christ into his heart. His next few years were filled with many spiritual moments. He went on several mission trips. He served as a Christian camp counselor. He prayed with people. He read the Bible. He even memorized dozens of scriptures as a gift to God. Bradley, who had a great talent for music, was a wonderful singer. When he sang about Jesus, others were amazed at his ability and his spiritual insights. He was often invited to sing at other churches. Young Christians sought to be just like him.
Five years after Bradley’s conversion, he met a young girl at a music festival and the two fell madly in love. Jessica was not only attractive, but a talented singer in her own right. She had a beautiful voice and was much sought after by talent scouts. Bradley relished accompanying her in duets on stage. However, as Jessica’s career took off, something changed in Bradley. He enjoyed singing more and more but enjoyed Christian music less and less. Today, he no longer attends worship or even calls himself a Christian. When asked by an old friend about his spiritual life, he responded that he just doesn’t think that way any longer. Bradley’s spiritual life is all but deceased. Spiritually, he has no goal nor direction. He loves his music and Jessica, but little else. I wonder how long it will be before he realizes that he left something crucially important behind on the road to fame.
Lately, I have perceived that more and more people are spiritually aimless. They are going through life bouncing around from one inspirational speaker to another, from one belief to another, or from church to church. Somewhere along the line, they lost their way. They left the path God set them on and wandered off. Now, they are listless. They doubt God’s power. Their worship life is chaotic or nonexistent. Some have even forgotten how to pray.
In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice comes to a junction in the road that leads in different directions, she asks the Cheshire Cat, “Cheshire-Puss...would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to go to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where,” replied Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.” (Daily Walk, May 31, 1992).
Too many Christians face a fork in the spiritual road and don’t know or care which path to take. They’ve lost their way. Not knowing the reason for their spiritual malaise, they blandly recite appropriate religious words or sing the proper hymn for the occasion. However, there is no longer any joy in their spiritual actions. Heart and soul are wandering through dry spiritual spells. Their passion for Jesus is gone. Their spiritual strength and joy are all but nonexistent.
I bet you’ve met a Christian who roams on aimlessly in his or her spiritual life. There is the Catholic woman who recites her novena or rosary every few days but hasn’t had a spiritual insight in years. How about the man who was baptized after a crusade, but who hasn’t darkened a church in years? Maybe it’s the Christian who grew up in the church but who cares more about the social events than saving souls. Then, there’s the guy who grew up in the church but doesn’t participate any longer. One woman, whose last moment in church was when she got married twenty years ago, hasn’t thought about her future in Heaven for more than fifteen years. Could it be the divorcee who blames God for her abusive marriage and has shut off herself from any meaningful spiritual relationship? Or is it the crabby old church lady who consistently complains about nitpicky things but who has not experienced a joyful moment in decades? Spiritual aimlessness is all too common inside and outside the church. It was ever-present in Jesus’ time as well.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of John, Jesus was speaking with a group of Pharisees. The Pharisees were upset at how Jesus dealt with a sinful woman. They were agitated that Jesus offered her grace and mercy despite her serious sins. The Pharisees were so caught up in following the letter of the religious law, that they could not see the possibilities if the woman were forgiven. They lacked the spiritual insight to understand that the woman needed God’s mercy and grace. Despite being very religious, these Pharisees lacked a clear spiritual direction in how to deal with this woman. All they could envision was punishment where God envisioned a renewed relationship. Instead of perceiving their own spiritual apathy, they attacked Jesus’ spiritual clarity. To that, Jesus responded: “I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going” (John 8:14). The Pharisees were spiritually blind to Jesus’ purpose, aimlessly pursuing their own punitive agenda.
If you feel yourself slipping away from a close relationship with God, work tenaciously to seek God’s presence. Do not let religious fads or earthly pursuits distract you on your spiritual journey. Understand the spiritual path on which you are traveling. Follow God’s voice. Remain close to God. Pray without ceasing (Ephesians 6:18). Preserve your relationship with God. Keep your eyes continually focused on the eternal prize.
Does aimlessness describe any part of your spiritual life?
“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25–27, ESV)
Bradley used to be a very faithful young man. After being raised by loving Christian parents who brought him to church every week, it was at church camp that Bradley finally accepted Jesus Christ into his heart. His next few years were filled with many spiritual moments. He went on several mission trips. He served as a Christian camp counselor. He prayed with people. He read the Bible. He even memorized dozens of scriptures as a gift to God. Bradley, who had a great talent for music, was a wonderful singer. When he sang about Jesus, others were amazed at his ability and his spiritual insights. He was often invited to sing at other churches. Young Christians sought to be just like him.
Five years after Bradley’s conversion, he met a young girl at a music festival and the two fell madly in love. Jessica was not only attractive, but a talented singer in her own right. She had a beautiful voice and was much sought after by talent scouts. Bradley relished accompanying her in duets on stage. However, as Jessica’s career took off, something changed in Bradley. He enjoyed singing more and more but enjoyed Christian music less and less. Today, he no longer attends worship or even calls himself a Christian. When asked by an old friend about his spiritual life, he responded that he just doesn’t think that way any longer. Bradley’s spiritual life is all but deceased. Spiritually, he has no goal nor direction. He loves his music and Jessica, but little else. I wonder how long it will be before he realizes that he left something crucially important behind on the road to fame.
Lately, I have perceived that more and more people are spiritually aimless. They are going through life bouncing around from one inspirational speaker to another, from one belief to another, or from church to church. Somewhere along the line, they lost their way. They left the path God set them on and wandered off. Now, they are listless. They doubt God’s power. Their worship life is chaotic or nonexistent. Some have even forgotten how to pray.
In Alice in Wonderland, when Alice comes to a junction in the road that leads in different directions, she asks the Cheshire Cat, “Cheshire-Puss...would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to go to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where,” replied Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.” (Daily Walk, May 31, 1992).
Too many Christians face a fork in the spiritual road and don’t know or care which path to take. They’ve lost their way. Not knowing the reason for their spiritual malaise, they blandly recite appropriate religious words or sing the proper hymn for the occasion. However, there is no longer any joy in their spiritual actions. Heart and soul are wandering through dry spiritual spells. Their passion for Jesus is gone. Their spiritual strength and joy are all but nonexistent.
I bet you’ve met a Christian who roams on aimlessly in his or her spiritual life. There is the Catholic woman who recites her novena or rosary every few days but hasn’t had a spiritual insight in years. How about the man who was baptized after a crusade, but who hasn’t darkened a church in years? Maybe it’s the Christian who grew up in the church but who cares more about the social events than saving souls. Then, there’s the guy who grew up in the church but doesn’t participate any longer. One woman, whose last moment in church was when she got married twenty years ago, hasn’t thought about her future in Heaven for more than fifteen years. Could it be the divorcee who blames God for her abusive marriage and has shut off herself from any meaningful spiritual relationship? Or is it the crabby old church lady who consistently complains about nitpicky things but who has not experienced a joyful moment in decades? Spiritual aimlessness is all too common inside and outside the church. It was ever-present in Jesus’ time as well.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of John, Jesus was speaking with a group of Pharisees. The Pharisees were upset at how Jesus dealt with a sinful woman. They were agitated that Jesus offered her grace and mercy despite her serious sins. The Pharisees were so caught up in following the letter of the religious law, that they could not see the possibilities if the woman were forgiven. They lacked the spiritual insight to understand that the woman needed God’s mercy and grace. Despite being very religious, these Pharisees lacked a clear spiritual direction in how to deal with this woman. All they could envision was punishment where God envisioned a renewed relationship. Instead of perceiving their own spiritual apathy, they attacked Jesus’ spiritual clarity. To that, Jesus responded: “I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going” (John 8:14). The Pharisees were spiritually blind to Jesus’ purpose, aimlessly pursuing their own punitive agenda.
If you feel yourself slipping away from a close relationship with God, work tenaciously to seek God’s presence. Do not let religious fads or earthly pursuits distract you on your spiritual journey. Understand the spiritual path on which you are traveling. Follow God’s voice. Remain close to God. Pray without ceasing (Ephesians 6:18). Preserve your relationship with God. Keep your eyes continually focused on the eternal prize.
Does aimlessness describe any part of your spiritual life?
“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25–27, ESV)
October 22
“If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern what the end would be.” (Deuteronomy 32:29, NRSV)
There is a saying among many young people today. It is common to see it written on a bulletin board on a college campus. Some young people have shortened it to LFTM, “Live for the Moment”. This saying invites you to let go of all history and stop looking ahead to the future. Instead, you should just live for today. This saying is a call for people to let go of responsibilities and do what they want in the present, making the most of one’s time each day. There is one problem with this saying. If you do not take time to look back and look ahead, you may find yourself in a place both unwanted and unfruitful. Living for the moment or living for the day lacks foresight. Without foresight, one is apt to make big mistakes. Sometimes, it is necessary to plan ahead with serious conviction and dedication.
A young photographer wanted desperately to take pictures of the wilds of Alaska. He saw the Alaskan wilderness as a place with rare and unequaled beauty. “His adventure began in the spring of 1981, when he was flown into the desolate north country to photograph the natural beauty and mysteries of the tundra. He had photo equipment, 500 rolls of film, several firearms, and 1400 pounds of provisions. As the months passed, the entries in his diary, which at first detailed his wonder and fascination with the wildlife around him, turned into a pathetic record of a nightmare. In August he wrote, “I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I’ll soon find out.” He waited and waited, but no one came to his rescue.
In November he died in a nameless valley, by a nameless lake, 225 miles northeast of Fairbanks. An investigation revealed that he had carefully mapped out his venture but had made no provision to be flown out of the area.” (Our Daily Bread, October 25, BIBLE.ORG).
This young photographer made tons of arrangements, bought many supplies, but had no plan for extraction from the wilderness. He thought he could just hike back to civilization. He prepared no contingency plan for emergency situations if he lost contact with civilization. As the winter weather closed in, he was unable to extricate himself from the challenges of the environment. He paid for this mistake with his life.
When you do not take the time to plan ahead, to make arrangements, or look at the possible outcomes of your situation, it can bite you in the end. Foresight is crucial in preserving one’s life. It is also critical for one’s spiritual life. Spiritual growth takes planning. It takes preparation. You cannot grow in Christ without some amount of foresight or groundwork. Salvation or forgiveness or repentance can be given to you without any preparation. However, deep spiritual growth and a relationship with Christ involves purposeful foresight. Even one’s prayer life should reflect that desire to look ahead.
While cutting the lawn one late-spring day, my neighbor hailed me. He only did that when he wanted to talk. Karl knew that I was a pastor. Sometimes, he wanted to talk about spiritual things. Sometimes, he just wanted to borrow one of my tools. Gladly, I turned off the mower and walked over to the fence. Karl surprised me with the topic of the conversation. Without any pretense, he began to describe a recurring dream that had bothered him for some weeks. In the dreams, he died and was looking back on his life. I know that Karl wanted me to tell him that it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He was shocked when I said, “Karl, maybe God’s trying to tell you to make things right in your life.” At first, he shrugged this off. It sounded too religious for his tastes. He hadn’t belonged to a church since he was young. This couldn’t be true, could it?
Rather than dismissing the dream, Karl began to attend worship. He was baptized and attended every Sunday worship service for months. His wife thought he was off his rocker for taking the dreams seriously. However, she was shocked when he died two years later at the age of only fifty-three. I’ve often thought about Karl’s return to worship and renewed relationship with God. Karl didn’t care if people thought his actions irrational. He had the foresight to place his life fully and completely in God’s hands before he died. Through dedicated planning, prayer, worship, and other actions, Karl was making arrangements for the afterlife. He wanted to be right with God. He saw the dreams as God’s way of getting him ready for the next chapter in his life.
Deuteronomy 32 contains not only our scripture reading for today, it is full of God’s warnings and denunciations for the way that Israel was living during the last days of Moses. Despite God’s rescue from Egypt and care in the wilderness, many Israelites dabbled in fertility cults and secretly worshipped other gods. They broke holy laws. They did not look ahead to the Day of Judgment. They did not take into consideration that they were angering Almighty God. Moses wrote down in Deuteronomy 32:29 God’s warning: “if they were wise…. they would discern what their end would be.” With these words, God was reminding the Israelites that their sinful lifestyles would come back to haunt them in the future. Their end would not be a good one.
Have you ever thought about your exit from life? What kind of spiritual arrangements have you made for the future? Are there some things you have left undone that God wants completed? Throughout His time on this earth, Jesus constantly talked with his disciples about the future. He talked about His crucifixion and resurrection, though the disciples had a hard time comprehending it. He talked about Heaven and Hell, though some did not believe it. Jesus wanted His disciples to be ready for what was to come. Would Jesus want anything different from you?
You have today. What can be done about your future today? What does God need from you today? What shouldn’t wait past today? You never know when it may be too late…..
O Lord, You’d have us ponder this,
One truth You’d have us see--
It’s in this life we chart our course
For all eternity.
-D.J.D.
A young photographer wanted desperately to take pictures of the wilds of Alaska. He saw the Alaskan wilderness as a place with rare and unequaled beauty. “His adventure began in the spring of 1981, when he was flown into the desolate north country to photograph the natural beauty and mysteries of the tundra. He had photo equipment, 500 rolls of film, several firearms, and 1400 pounds of provisions. As the months passed, the entries in his diary, which at first detailed his wonder and fascination with the wildlife around him, turned into a pathetic record of a nightmare. In August he wrote, “I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I’ll soon find out.” He waited and waited, but no one came to his rescue.
In November he died in a nameless valley, by a nameless lake, 225 miles northeast of Fairbanks. An investigation revealed that he had carefully mapped out his venture but had made no provision to be flown out of the area.” (Our Daily Bread, October 25, BIBLE.ORG).
This young photographer made tons of arrangements, bought many supplies, but had no plan for extraction from the wilderness. He thought he could just hike back to civilization. He prepared no contingency plan for emergency situations if he lost contact with civilization. As the winter weather closed in, he was unable to extricate himself from the challenges of the environment. He paid for this mistake with his life.
When you do not take the time to plan ahead, to make arrangements, or look at the possible outcomes of your situation, it can bite you in the end. Foresight is crucial in preserving one’s life. It is also critical for one’s spiritual life. Spiritual growth takes planning. It takes preparation. You cannot grow in Christ without some amount of foresight or groundwork. Salvation or forgiveness or repentance can be given to you without any preparation. However, deep spiritual growth and a relationship with Christ involves purposeful foresight. Even one’s prayer life should reflect that desire to look ahead.
While cutting the lawn one late-spring day, my neighbor hailed me. He only did that when he wanted to talk. Karl knew that I was a pastor. Sometimes, he wanted to talk about spiritual things. Sometimes, he just wanted to borrow one of my tools. Gladly, I turned off the mower and walked over to the fence. Karl surprised me with the topic of the conversation. Without any pretense, he began to describe a recurring dream that had bothered him for some weeks. In the dreams, he died and was looking back on his life. I know that Karl wanted me to tell him that it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He was shocked when I said, “Karl, maybe God’s trying to tell you to make things right in your life.” At first, he shrugged this off. It sounded too religious for his tastes. He hadn’t belonged to a church since he was young. This couldn’t be true, could it?
Rather than dismissing the dream, Karl began to attend worship. He was baptized and attended every Sunday worship service for months. His wife thought he was off his rocker for taking the dreams seriously. However, she was shocked when he died two years later at the age of only fifty-three. I’ve often thought about Karl’s return to worship and renewed relationship with God. Karl didn’t care if people thought his actions irrational. He had the foresight to place his life fully and completely in God’s hands before he died. Through dedicated planning, prayer, worship, and other actions, Karl was making arrangements for the afterlife. He wanted to be right with God. He saw the dreams as God’s way of getting him ready for the next chapter in his life.
Deuteronomy 32 contains not only our scripture reading for today, it is full of God’s warnings and denunciations for the way that Israel was living during the last days of Moses. Despite God’s rescue from Egypt and care in the wilderness, many Israelites dabbled in fertility cults and secretly worshipped other gods. They broke holy laws. They did not look ahead to the Day of Judgment. They did not take into consideration that they were angering Almighty God. Moses wrote down in Deuteronomy 32:29 God’s warning: “if they were wise…. they would discern what their end would be.” With these words, God was reminding the Israelites that their sinful lifestyles would come back to haunt them in the future. Their end would not be a good one.
Have you ever thought about your exit from life? What kind of spiritual arrangements have you made for the future? Are there some things you have left undone that God wants completed? Throughout His time on this earth, Jesus constantly talked with his disciples about the future. He talked about His crucifixion and resurrection, though the disciples had a hard time comprehending it. He talked about Heaven and Hell, though some did not believe it. Jesus wanted His disciples to be ready for what was to come. Would Jesus want anything different from you?
You have today. What can be done about your future today? What does God need from you today? What shouldn’t wait past today? You never know when it may be too late…..
O Lord, You’d have us ponder this,
One truth You’d have us see--
It’s in this life we chart our course
For all eternity.
-D.J.D.
October 24
“And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.”
(Mark 15:20, NIV84)
(Mark 15:20, NIV84)
Young children can be cruel to one another. They tease. They jest. They mock. On every playground in every section of the globe, children encounter mild to severe forms of mockery. One child is teased for being dirty. Another is chided for wearing hand-me-down clothes. When they can’t tease you for your looks, the children will often resort to teasing about other things like who your family is, your dialect, your lisp, your grades, your lack of money. Everyone endures mockery of some sort from childhood on through the years. Adults have their own forms of teasing, put-downs, and slams. Despite being cruel in intent, mockery is all too common a part of our world.
In the ancient world, things were no different. Teasing and various forms of mockery were often used to shame people into following certain behaviors and even enforcing the state religion. It was not uncommon for early Christians to endure such belittling from others. “Archaeologists digging in the remains of a school for imperial pages in Rome found a picture dating from the third century. It shows a boy standing, his hand raised, worshiping a figure on a cross, a figure that looks like a man with the head of an ass. Scrawled in the writing of a young person are the words, “Alexamenos worships his God.”
Nearby is a second inscription: “Alexamenos is faithful.” Apparently, a young man who was a Christian was being mocked by his schoolmates for his faithful witness. But he was not ashamed; he was faithful.” (Leighton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, p. 78)
Despite being the brunt of a joke for his belief in Jesus, despite his peers drawing pictures of Jesus that were meant to incite anger and shame, Alexamenos remained faithful. He would not let the taunts and jeers of his fellow pages deter him from dedication to Christ. Proudly, despite the mockery, Alexamenos was committed to God. He endured the shame for the sake of Jesus.
Jesus, too, endured shame and suffering at the hands of others. The scripture printed above from the gospel of Mark is certain proof. In Mark 15:20, Jesus was “mocked” by the Roman guards who oversaw the crucifixion. They used a purple robe and crown of thorns to make sport of Jesus. When they had thoroughly reviled Jesus’ person, they led Him out to the gallows. Their goal was to humiliate Jesus in both body and soul. It did not work. Jesus did not fight back. He remained faithful.
When you are faced with mockery and teasing and suffering for Jesus’ sake, your aim is the same. You, too, are to remain faithful. You are not to fight back, seek vengeance, or swear up a storm. When enduring mockery for your beliefs, follow Jesus’ example. Keep the faith. Show your faithfulness. Your faithfulness will bring shame upon the others…. someday. One of those same Roman guards who made fun of Jesus responded just a few hours later with a statement at the cross: “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).
“During China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground. Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot. Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free. But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad. Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad.” (“Today in the Word”, Feb. 1989, p. 17)
Mockery of true Christians is ever-present. This week, actor Chris Pratt endured massive amounts of criticism for his being a Roman Catholic. In 2016, Pratt dared to erect a crucifix in his yard to commemorate Easter Week. Entertainment Weekly called him “Worst Hollywood Chris”. Also this week, the woman chosen to be the next Supreme Court judge, Amy Coney Barrett, was deemed by many in Washington to be unworthy of the office due to her belief in Jesus. Sen Dianne Feinstein told Barrett during official hearings, "The dogma lives loudly in you. And that's a concern." Her words were meant to question if a true Christian can even be a serious candidate for the Supreme Court.
When will the mockery end? It won’t. What are you to do about it? Remain faithful, just like Jesus.
In the ancient world, things were no different. Teasing and various forms of mockery were often used to shame people into following certain behaviors and even enforcing the state religion. It was not uncommon for early Christians to endure such belittling from others. “Archaeologists digging in the remains of a school for imperial pages in Rome found a picture dating from the third century. It shows a boy standing, his hand raised, worshiping a figure on a cross, a figure that looks like a man with the head of an ass. Scrawled in the writing of a young person are the words, “Alexamenos worships his God.”
Nearby is a second inscription: “Alexamenos is faithful.” Apparently, a young man who was a Christian was being mocked by his schoolmates for his faithful witness. But he was not ashamed; he was faithful.” (Leighton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, p. 78)
Despite being the brunt of a joke for his belief in Jesus, despite his peers drawing pictures of Jesus that were meant to incite anger and shame, Alexamenos remained faithful. He would not let the taunts and jeers of his fellow pages deter him from dedication to Christ. Proudly, despite the mockery, Alexamenos was committed to God. He endured the shame for the sake of Jesus.
Jesus, too, endured shame and suffering at the hands of others. The scripture printed above from the gospel of Mark is certain proof. In Mark 15:20, Jesus was “mocked” by the Roman guards who oversaw the crucifixion. They used a purple robe and crown of thorns to make sport of Jesus. When they had thoroughly reviled Jesus’ person, they led Him out to the gallows. Their goal was to humiliate Jesus in both body and soul. It did not work. Jesus did not fight back. He remained faithful.
When you are faced with mockery and teasing and suffering for Jesus’ sake, your aim is the same. You, too, are to remain faithful. You are not to fight back, seek vengeance, or swear up a storm. When enduring mockery for your beliefs, follow Jesus’ example. Keep the faith. Show your faithfulness. Your faithfulness will bring shame upon the others…. someday. One of those same Roman guards who made fun of Jesus responded just a few hours later with a statement at the cross: “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).
“During China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground. Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot. Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free. But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad. Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad.” (“Today in the Word”, Feb. 1989, p. 17)
Mockery of true Christians is ever-present. This week, actor Chris Pratt endured massive amounts of criticism for his being a Roman Catholic. In 2016, Pratt dared to erect a crucifix in his yard to commemorate Easter Week. Entertainment Weekly called him “Worst Hollywood Chris”. Also this week, the woman chosen to be the next Supreme Court judge, Amy Coney Barrett, was deemed by many in Washington to be unworthy of the office due to her belief in Jesus. Sen Dianne Feinstein told Barrett during official hearings, "The dogma lives loudly in you. And that's a concern." Her words were meant to question if a true Christian can even be a serious candidate for the Supreme Court.
When will the mockery end? It won’t. What are you to do about it? Remain faithful, just like Jesus.
October 26
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1, ESV)
Throughout more than thirty years of ministry, I have seen many Christians who were afraid to do something crucially important for the life of the church and the salvation of souls. My bet is that at some point you may have been guilty of this very thing. What is it that so many Christians shy away from or are afraid to do? Prophesy; speak a message God has given; pass on a word from God that was meant to be shared.
When God has given you an important spiritual insight about a person that the Holy Spirit is pushing you to pass on, don’t neglect that calling. It may be God’s way of saving that person’s soul. Don’t couch God’s message in politically correct language. It may stifle the message. Don’t say it softly, in fear it might not come to pass. Pass it on boldly, knowing that God has made the message important and crucial for that moment. You are not to judge if that message is relevant. Your job is to pass the message on to another. You never know how your words may affect another soul.
“When Charles Spurgeon was pastor at New Park Street in London, God used his words to bring about amazing changes in the lives of people. A man who was on his way to get some gin saw the crowd at the church door and pushed his way in to see what was going on. At that moment, Spurgeon turned and faced the man and said that there was a man in the gallery who had a gin bottle in his pocket and had come with no good motive. The startled man listened to the rest of the message and was converted. One evening a prostitute, on her way to Blackfriars Bridge to commit suicide, stopped at the church, hoping to hear some word that would prepare her to meet her maker. Spurgeon was preaching from Luke 7:36-50, the story of the prostitute who wiped Jesus feet with her tears. His text was verse 44; “Seest thou this woman?” As Spurgeon preached, the woman saw herself but also saw the grace of God and trusted Christ.” (Wayne Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 231).
If the Holy Spirit speaks to you, don’t be surprised if you are given a word of warning, a word of grace, the right word to say at a critical juncture. It is God’s word that is coming to you. Some people make the mistake of waiting to confirm the word of God before speaking it, thus weakening the message. Some people ignore the words, not wanting to be criticized for being incorrect in that moment. Some fear the teasing that will result should they sound religious while delivering the message. Rather than thinking about how you will be received by the other person, just deliver the message. Let God take care of what happens next. Have faith in God’s ability to follow through even when you cannot see all the connections.
When writing to the Corinthian Christians, Paul spoke strongly about the gifts of the Spirit, especially in 1 Corinthians, chapters twelve and fourteen. Today’s scripture focuses on the first verse of chapter fourteen. Paul begins by telling the faithful to “pursue love”. Love is not something that is easily found nor seen. It must be actively pursued. While in that pursuit, the Christian should also “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts”. After mentioning the spiritual gifts, Paul singles out one gift that should be actively desired: “prophesy”. Paul hopes that all Christians especially may prophesy, or speak a word about God to the future. Paul doesn’t see prophesy as optional in the church or in the Christian life. Paul sees it as essential, even crucial.
Every now and then, God will show you things that are to come in the future. The Holy Spirit will give you a glimpse of something that is coming. When this happens, do not ignore God’s insight. You will be given this vision in order to do something about it. God will want you to respond to that prophesy in some way. You might be called to share that prophesy with someone meant to hear it. You might be given that prophesy (like Joseph in Genesis) in order to do something important. God might be getting you ready for some future event (like Peter before the cock crowed!). God might be warning you of danger ahead. No matter what the prophesy, just realize that you are meant in some way to respond or act. Knowing something in the future is coming, God will want your active participation in some way in the present.
It is not easy to foresee the future. It can be frightening. It can be traumatic. Some people get a glimpse of their own death. Some see salvation. Stephen, in the book of Acts, saw Heaven. Jesus saw the cross and the resurrection. John of Patmos saw the end times. You never know what God will let you see of the future. Just know for sure that if God wants you to see something coming soon, God will want you to do something about it. Will you?
When God has given you an important spiritual insight about a person that the Holy Spirit is pushing you to pass on, don’t neglect that calling. It may be God’s way of saving that person’s soul. Don’t couch God’s message in politically correct language. It may stifle the message. Don’t say it softly, in fear it might not come to pass. Pass it on boldly, knowing that God has made the message important and crucial for that moment. You are not to judge if that message is relevant. Your job is to pass the message on to another. You never know how your words may affect another soul.
“When Charles Spurgeon was pastor at New Park Street in London, God used his words to bring about amazing changes in the lives of people. A man who was on his way to get some gin saw the crowd at the church door and pushed his way in to see what was going on. At that moment, Spurgeon turned and faced the man and said that there was a man in the gallery who had a gin bottle in his pocket and had come with no good motive. The startled man listened to the rest of the message and was converted. One evening a prostitute, on her way to Blackfriars Bridge to commit suicide, stopped at the church, hoping to hear some word that would prepare her to meet her maker. Spurgeon was preaching from Luke 7:36-50, the story of the prostitute who wiped Jesus feet with her tears. His text was verse 44; “Seest thou this woman?” As Spurgeon preached, the woman saw herself but also saw the grace of God and trusted Christ.” (Wayne Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 231).
If the Holy Spirit speaks to you, don’t be surprised if you are given a word of warning, a word of grace, the right word to say at a critical juncture. It is God’s word that is coming to you. Some people make the mistake of waiting to confirm the word of God before speaking it, thus weakening the message. Some people ignore the words, not wanting to be criticized for being incorrect in that moment. Some fear the teasing that will result should they sound religious while delivering the message. Rather than thinking about how you will be received by the other person, just deliver the message. Let God take care of what happens next. Have faith in God’s ability to follow through even when you cannot see all the connections.
When writing to the Corinthian Christians, Paul spoke strongly about the gifts of the Spirit, especially in 1 Corinthians, chapters twelve and fourteen. Today’s scripture focuses on the first verse of chapter fourteen. Paul begins by telling the faithful to “pursue love”. Love is not something that is easily found nor seen. It must be actively pursued. While in that pursuit, the Christian should also “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts”. After mentioning the spiritual gifts, Paul singles out one gift that should be actively desired: “prophesy”. Paul hopes that all Christians especially may prophesy, or speak a word about God to the future. Paul doesn’t see prophesy as optional in the church or in the Christian life. Paul sees it as essential, even crucial.
Every now and then, God will show you things that are to come in the future. The Holy Spirit will give you a glimpse of something that is coming. When this happens, do not ignore God’s insight. You will be given this vision in order to do something about it. God will want you to respond to that prophesy in some way. You might be called to share that prophesy with someone meant to hear it. You might be given that prophesy (like Joseph in Genesis) in order to do something important. God might be getting you ready for some future event (like Peter before the cock crowed!). God might be warning you of danger ahead. No matter what the prophesy, just realize that you are meant in some way to respond or act. Knowing something in the future is coming, God will want your active participation in some way in the present.
It is not easy to foresee the future. It can be frightening. It can be traumatic. Some people get a glimpse of their own death. Some see salvation. Stephen, in the book of Acts, saw Heaven. Jesus saw the cross and the resurrection. John of Patmos saw the end times. You never know what God will let you see of the future. Just know for sure that if God wants you to see something coming soon, God will want you to do something about it. Will you?
October 28
“Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:7–8, ESV)
The Bible is full of terms that may be difficult to understand. One of those terms is used in our scripture today. It is the word, “righteousness”. Most people today do not understand what the words righteous or righteousness mean. They are not commonly used in literature or social media. During the 1960’s, the word “righteous” meant something unique or interesting. That is not its Biblical meaning. Some Christians believe that the word righteous means to “be right”. That’s close, but not quite correct. Even wrong people feel they are right. Even sinful people think their way is right. Proverbs 21:2 mentions this by stating, “every way of a man is right in his own eyes”. So then, if the scripture for today claims we must practice righteousness, just how do we do that?
The New Testament uses the word “righteousness” no less than 228 times. In the book of Romans, it is used by Paul in various forms over 40 times. Obviously, the term was meant to be understood by any Christian reader of the New Testament. So, what does the word really mean? To understand that, let’s look at the original Greek word for righteousness in the New Testament. This word, righteous, in Greek means to “move in a straight line”. Morally, it means to live in a right way, traveling through life on the straight and narrow road doing good and living justly. The Word in Life Study Bible tells us that the scriptural meaning of “righteous” means “living or acting in the right way” (pp. 538-539). What is the right way? It is God’s way. In order to practice righteousness, first you have to understand what God wants so that you can follow His way.
The spiritual meaning of righteousness is further explained in the scripture for today. After John explains that practicing righteousness is the main goal of the faithful children of God in 1 John 3:7, he mentions in the very next sentence that the opposite of practicing righteousness is “practicing sinning” (1 John 3:8). He calls this practice of sinning “of the devil”. It is what Satan wants. John ends the discussion by noting that the Son of God, i.e. Jesus, “appeared to destroy the works of the devil”. Jesus was adamant about proclaiming the practice of righteousness of God as opposed to the practice of sinning.
If you want to be righteous in Biblical terms, you need to do things God’s way. You need to follow God’s precepts and purpose for your life. Sinning will put you on a path you do not want to be. Sinning negates your ability to practice righteousness. It not only weakens or destroys your relationship with God, it brings you closer to Satan. Jesus was sent to show you how to practice righteousness. Satan endeavors you enjoy the practice of sin.
There are so many ways to get off that straight and narrow path of righteousness that keeps you close to God.
A woman, small in stature but strong of heart, named Geraldine Largay wanted to trek the Appalachian trail in 2013. Because of her anxiety issues, she wanted to do it alone. Friends told her not to attempt the journey as it was hazardous for a 66 year-old, let alone someone younger. She persevered. Being a nurse, she believed in her ability to handle any medical issues that might crop up. The Appalachian trail is over 2100 miles long. It follows the mountains in the Eastern part of the United States. It is quite an achievement to hike the entire trail and even impressive to tackle any portion of it. Geraldine desired greatly to accomplish this feat. She set out undeterred.
Somewhere in Maine, Geraldine lost the trail. She wandered into an area so wild that it is utilized for military training. She lasted a month on her own until all her supplies ran out. They found her body two years later. It is a terrible tragedy. It saddens me to realize that Geraldine’s husband and daughter didn’t even have a body to bury or know what happened to her for two years. However, Geraldine’s death serves as a warning to those who lose their way on the Appalachian Trail. It is a dangerous trek. It is even more dangerous to go at it alone.
There are many people who spiritually lose their way in life. The results are also tragic. They wander off the straight and narrow path of righteousness and soon find themselves mired in Satan’s briars. Without knowing how or desiring to return to the path God has set before them, they end up alone on a path that leads to spiritual death. God never wishes for you to go at it alone. The Heavenly Father sent Jesus to bring you back, save you, deliver you. It is God’s hope that in your darkest hour you may find your feet back on the path of righteousness, headed in the “right” direction, “right” where God wants you.
Today, do you feel you are headed in the right direction? Has sin’s lure pulled you off the path to righteousness? Are you where God needs you to be? Are you doing what is right by God? Our world will suffer greatly with every loss of life because someone left the path of righteousness. Every soul that gets lost along the way makes our world a little less hospitable, a little more cruel. It is my hope that you may be a beacon of hope for those who have lost their way. My prayer is that God may use your faith to inspire others to find their way to our home in Heaven.
Whenever the path to righteousness becomes unclear, send up a flare to God. Pray fervently (James 5:16). In Christ, you will find your way back. Hold Jesus’ hand and the way will soon become clear again. So too, search for those who have lost their way. Be a member of God's Search and Rescue team!
The New Testament uses the word “righteousness” no less than 228 times. In the book of Romans, it is used by Paul in various forms over 40 times. Obviously, the term was meant to be understood by any Christian reader of the New Testament. So, what does the word really mean? To understand that, let’s look at the original Greek word for righteousness in the New Testament. This word, righteous, in Greek means to “move in a straight line”. Morally, it means to live in a right way, traveling through life on the straight and narrow road doing good and living justly. The Word in Life Study Bible tells us that the scriptural meaning of “righteous” means “living or acting in the right way” (pp. 538-539). What is the right way? It is God’s way. In order to practice righteousness, first you have to understand what God wants so that you can follow His way.
The spiritual meaning of righteousness is further explained in the scripture for today. After John explains that practicing righteousness is the main goal of the faithful children of God in 1 John 3:7, he mentions in the very next sentence that the opposite of practicing righteousness is “practicing sinning” (1 John 3:8). He calls this practice of sinning “of the devil”. It is what Satan wants. John ends the discussion by noting that the Son of God, i.e. Jesus, “appeared to destroy the works of the devil”. Jesus was adamant about proclaiming the practice of righteousness of God as opposed to the practice of sinning.
If you want to be righteous in Biblical terms, you need to do things God’s way. You need to follow God’s precepts and purpose for your life. Sinning will put you on a path you do not want to be. Sinning negates your ability to practice righteousness. It not only weakens or destroys your relationship with God, it brings you closer to Satan. Jesus was sent to show you how to practice righteousness. Satan endeavors you enjoy the practice of sin.
There are so many ways to get off that straight and narrow path of righteousness that keeps you close to God.
A woman, small in stature but strong of heart, named Geraldine Largay wanted to trek the Appalachian trail in 2013. Because of her anxiety issues, she wanted to do it alone. Friends told her not to attempt the journey as it was hazardous for a 66 year-old, let alone someone younger. She persevered. Being a nurse, she believed in her ability to handle any medical issues that might crop up. The Appalachian trail is over 2100 miles long. It follows the mountains in the Eastern part of the United States. It is quite an achievement to hike the entire trail and even impressive to tackle any portion of it. Geraldine desired greatly to accomplish this feat. She set out undeterred.
Somewhere in Maine, Geraldine lost the trail. She wandered into an area so wild that it is utilized for military training. She lasted a month on her own until all her supplies ran out. They found her body two years later. It is a terrible tragedy. It saddens me to realize that Geraldine’s husband and daughter didn’t even have a body to bury or know what happened to her for two years. However, Geraldine’s death serves as a warning to those who lose their way on the Appalachian Trail. It is a dangerous trek. It is even more dangerous to go at it alone.
There are many people who spiritually lose their way in life. The results are also tragic. They wander off the straight and narrow path of righteousness and soon find themselves mired in Satan’s briars. Without knowing how or desiring to return to the path God has set before them, they end up alone on a path that leads to spiritual death. God never wishes for you to go at it alone. The Heavenly Father sent Jesus to bring you back, save you, deliver you. It is God’s hope that in your darkest hour you may find your feet back on the path of righteousness, headed in the “right” direction, “right” where God wants you.
Today, do you feel you are headed in the right direction? Has sin’s lure pulled you off the path to righteousness? Are you where God needs you to be? Are you doing what is right by God? Our world will suffer greatly with every loss of life because someone left the path of righteousness. Every soul that gets lost along the way makes our world a little less hospitable, a little more cruel. It is my hope that you may be a beacon of hope for those who have lost their way. My prayer is that God may use your faith to inspire others to find their way to our home in Heaven.
Whenever the path to righteousness becomes unclear, send up a flare to God. Pray fervently (James 5:16). In Christ, you will find your way back. Hold Jesus’ hand and the way will soon become clear again. So too, search for those who have lost their way. Be a member of God's Search and Rescue team!
October 30
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26, ESV)
Alyssa J. Howard wrote on her web site the following words: “Have you ever been emotionally drained or tired? As the mom of two preschoolers, I’ve been there. (And if I’m being honest, the phrase “emotionally tired” is often a serious understatement!) Going to God for strength is something I need to do on a daily basis. But if I have learned anything, it’s that He is ALWAYS faithful! I am so thankful to serve a God who will exchange my weaknesses for His strength.” (from Aug 17, 2016)
I am sure you can commiserate with her sentiment. You will find yourself emotionally drained at various points in your life. It may occur when you are cramming for a test at school. That kind of tiredness might settle upon your soul when you are up for the fourth time in one night with a very sick child. That emotional weakness might settle into your muscles and joints as you deal for too long with an accident or traumatic event. Planning a wedding? Moving? Having a child? Dealing with COVID-19 stay at home orders? Home-schooling? Putting up with a co-worker who is belligerent or demeaning? There are thousands of times in your life when you will endure some kind of challenge that will leave you emotionally bled out.
What many people do not realize is that a period of tiredness or an emotionally trying time WILL affect your spiritual life. It will tax your soul. To compensate with the stress and baggage and lack of sleep and everything else during trying times, humans use coping mechanisms. Some of those coping mechanisms are not healthy like emotional eating and binge-watching tv for days. Some coping mechanisms are dangerous like illicit drug use and risk-taking behaviors. Emotionally taxing times may cause you to overspend or make rash decisions. They may push you to lash out or become spiteful. Sadly, most Christians do not utilize godly methods for coping. These include increased prayer time, seeking the prayers of others, leaning on a faithful friend, shedding tears in your conversations with God, and meditating on scripture. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways you can lean on God when life becomes overwhelming. Do you know which of these ways work best for you?
“According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity. Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies.”
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.” (“Our Daily Bread”, June 6, 1994)
If you feel pulled taught with stress and pressures and worry and fear and inner-turmoil for too long, you will break. Like the bow in Aesop’s parable, your heart and soul and mind need to relax, especially at crucial times. You need to stop playing God, asking a thousand “what-ifs”, and playing through scenarios in your head over and over ad nauseum! To be faithful, you must learn that it’s OK to let God run the universe while your soul heals up and your mind calms down!
In the scripture for today, the writer Asaph is speaking of emotional and physical exhaustion. He wrote about the possibility of how “flesh and heart may fail”. This is an apt description of the tiredness that can grip you. It is indicative of a person who is being pushed too far. However, Asaph did not leave you without hope in these situations. He gave you a remedy. In the last half of the verse, Asaph clarified that when one is faltering and failing, “God is the strength of my heart and portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). When emotionally drained and weak, it is the perfect time to rest on the strength of God.
How do you rest your heart and soul in the strength of God?
First, let God run the universe! Don’t try to fix everything. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Don’t pine away with scenarios running amok in your mind. For some things, you have to let God have control. You need to give God the authority HE deserves in your life. You need to step back from your desire to play judge and jury, to order everything around you, to be in control. So often, we think we can control things that we cannot. We think we can force another person to do the right thing or make the right decision or change for the good. You can’t fix everything in life. In fact, there are few things in life you can even influence perfectly. God is in control; you are not.
Since God is “the strength of the heart” according to Asaph, you need to reconnect with God. Spend more time in prayer. If your mind is so jumbled that you cannot concentrate enough to pray, go for a walk and chat with God along the way. Go to a quiet place and meditate on God’s greatness and love for you. Visit with a person who can help you spiritually heal. Don’t hide your pain; release it in faithful ways. Instead of going to a spa, go to a spiritual retreat with leaders who know God. If your mind is tired, do something physically healthy like exercise your body. While doing that, open your mind and heart to godly thoughts. Pull back from the things that cause stress and spend that time reading a good book of meditations or force yourself to sit in a chair and talk with God! Find ways to reconnect with Jesus! Write a poem. Paint a picture of Jesus loving you. Find a church that is open and just sit in a pew in quiet reflection for an hour or two! Let Jesus have your frustrations and fears.
Finally, be honest with yourself. Is there something in you that is making the situation worse? Are you too pushy? Do you allow others manipulate you? Do you have depression? Are there symptoms? Do you need to speak with a doctor? Do you need to ask a pastor for guidance? Some have more drama in life because of the lies they tell themselves or the wrong attitudes they bring to the table daily. Are you part of the problem? How might God humble you, show you the truth, or heal you?
As I end this meditation, I want you to realize that some of the VERY BEST insights in the spiritual life come when a person is in the deepest of valleys. In the midst of an emotional turmoil might be the perfect time for God to reach deep into your soul with a message HE’s been hoping you perceive! Don’t get down about your emotional or physical weakness, celebrate God’s amazing strength and overwhelming love!
I am sure you can commiserate with her sentiment. You will find yourself emotionally drained at various points in your life. It may occur when you are cramming for a test at school. That kind of tiredness might settle upon your soul when you are up for the fourth time in one night with a very sick child. That emotional weakness might settle into your muscles and joints as you deal for too long with an accident or traumatic event. Planning a wedding? Moving? Having a child? Dealing with COVID-19 stay at home orders? Home-schooling? Putting up with a co-worker who is belligerent or demeaning? There are thousands of times in your life when you will endure some kind of challenge that will leave you emotionally bled out.
What many people do not realize is that a period of tiredness or an emotionally trying time WILL affect your spiritual life. It will tax your soul. To compensate with the stress and baggage and lack of sleep and everything else during trying times, humans use coping mechanisms. Some of those coping mechanisms are not healthy like emotional eating and binge-watching tv for days. Some coping mechanisms are dangerous like illicit drug use and risk-taking behaviors. Emotionally taxing times may cause you to overspend or make rash decisions. They may push you to lash out or become spiteful. Sadly, most Christians do not utilize godly methods for coping. These include increased prayer time, seeking the prayers of others, leaning on a faithful friend, shedding tears in your conversations with God, and meditating on scripture. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways you can lean on God when life becomes overwhelming. Do you know which of these ways work best for you?
“According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity. Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow implies.”
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make. Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.” (“Our Daily Bread”, June 6, 1994)
If you feel pulled taught with stress and pressures and worry and fear and inner-turmoil for too long, you will break. Like the bow in Aesop’s parable, your heart and soul and mind need to relax, especially at crucial times. You need to stop playing God, asking a thousand “what-ifs”, and playing through scenarios in your head over and over ad nauseum! To be faithful, you must learn that it’s OK to let God run the universe while your soul heals up and your mind calms down!
In the scripture for today, the writer Asaph is speaking of emotional and physical exhaustion. He wrote about the possibility of how “flesh and heart may fail”. This is an apt description of the tiredness that can grip you. It is indicative of a person who is being pushed too far. However, Asaph did not leave you without hope in these situations. He gave you a remedy. In the last half of the verse, Asaph clarified that when one is faltering and failing, “God is the strength of my heart and portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). When emotionally drained and weak, it is the perfect time to rest on the strength of God.
How do you rest your heart and soul in the strength of God?
First, let God run the universe! Don’t try to fix everything. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Don’t pine away with scenarios running amok in your mind. For some things, you have to let God have control. You need to give God the authority HE deserves in your life. You need to step back from your desire to play judge and jury, to order everything around you, to be in control. So often, we think we can control things that we cannot. We think we can force another person to do the right thing or make the right decision or change for the good. You can’t fix everything in life. In fact, there are few things in life you can even influence perfectly. God is in control; you are not.
Since God is “the strength of the heart” according to Asaph, you need to reconnect with God. Spend more time in prayer. If your mind is so jumbled that you cannot concentrate enough to pray, go for a walk and chat with God along the way. Go to a quiet place and meditate on God’s greatness and love for you. Visit with a person who can help you spiritually heal. Don’t hide your pain; release it in faithful ways. Instead of going to a spa, go to a spiritual retreat with leaders who know God. If your mind is tired, do something physically healthy like exercise your body. While doing that, open your mind and heart to godly thoughts. Pull back from the things that cause stress and spend that time reading a good book of meditations or force yourself to sit in a chair and talk with God! Find ways to reconnect with Jesus! Write a poem. Paint a picture of Jesus loving you. Find a church that is open and just sit in a pew in quiet reflection for an hour or two! Let Jesus have your frustrations and fears.
Finally, be honest with yourself. Is there something in you that is making the situation worse? Are you too pushy? Do you allow others manipulate you? Do you have depression? Are there symptoms? Do you need to speak with a doctor? Do you need to ask a pastor for guidance? Some have more drama in life because of the lies they tell themselves or the wrong attitudes they bring to the table daily. Are you part of the problem? How might God humble you, show you the truth, or heal you?
As I end this meditation, I want you to realize that some of the VERY BEST insights in the spiritual life come when a person is in the deepest of valleys. In the midst of an emotional turmoil might be the perfect time for God to reach deep into your soul with a message HE’s been hoping you perceive! Don’t get down about your emotional or physical weakness, celebrate God’s amazing strength and overwhelming love!