September 2
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4, NIV)
Every now and then, it is very healthy to do a bit of self-evaluation. Examine how you think, spiritually and emotionally. Scrutinize your motives. Are they godly? What are you thinking? What psychological pressures are you experiencing? Are there any sticking points in your mind or heart?
When I do a bit of self-evaluation, I may find myself thinking too worldly. When someone doesn’t agree with me about something I feel strongly about, I may get frustrated or angry. When a person is being self-destructive, it bothers me that I can’t stop their downward spiral. If I see a person in dire need, I’m upset when they won’t accept my help. All these are worldly thoughts. It is not my job to save people; that’s God’s job. My call is to reach out. I should not get upset when others don’t see their faults or need my help. I can’t solve every problem. I am not God. As human beings, we often default to human or worldly thinking. We take offense instead of being full of grace. We get defensive when we should be more loving. We hold things in that God wants us to share. We get frustrated and impatient when things don’t flow smoothly or go our way.
Today’s scripture is a reminder that our work in this world is not of a worldly nature. We are children of God sent on a mission by God to accomplish God’s work. We are to use godly methods not worldly practices. We are commanded to think and reflect and react in a godly manner, yet we often default to worldly thoughts and manipulations. 2 Corinthians 10:3 is a corrective reminder. It explains that Christians “live in the world” BUT “do not wage war as the world does”. What does this mean?
The world is often controlled by power and manipulation and earthly desires. Worldly people employ tried and true methods of military and political power to control others. They also use propaganda, social media, rumor and suggestion, and other worldly methods to manipulate others to fall into line. They might use sexual or monetary desires to twist the mind or form public opinion. They always have a worldly agenda. Spiritual folk like you and me are not to use worldly methods to accomplish our goals. We understand that behind many worldly goals are sinful desires. We use spiritual warfare like prayer and exhortation and praise and love and encouragement and other methods to extol God’s values and standards. God has given us spiritual gifts (see Galatians 5!) to accomplish godly works. Though today’s scripture reading discourages using “weapons of the world” to advance the gospel, sadly, some Christians chose to use worldly methods instead.
Sandra grew up in the church. She was raised by very faithful Christian parents. She was comfortable in her church. She enjoyed the camaraderie. She had many friends in the pews. When Sandra turned thirty-two, her daughter Paula was born. Paula was Sandra’s only child. Sandra loved her daughter dearly and was very protective of her.
When Paula’s Sunday School class was slated to help with the Christmas program, Paula was chosen to be an angel. Sandra was not happy about it. She wanted her daughter to play Mary. Sandra went to the director of the program and asked for Paula to play the part of Mary. When the director explained that an older child was slated to play Mary, Sandra became upset. She argued with the director. Not getting her way, Sandra then went to the Christian Education Director, then to the Pastor, then to her friends in the church. She made such a stink that by the time everything was said and done, her daughter had the part of Mary. However, due to Sandra’s tactics, the director of the play, two teachers and several people on the Christian Education Committee all quit their jobs. Sandra thought she had won.
What Sandra didn’t realize was that she used worldly tactics to achieve her goals. She used power and manipulation and coercion and propaganda and many other worldly methods to accomplish her goal. This not only tainted Sandra’s personal life but it also taught Paula that she too should use worldly tactics in the church to accomplish what she wanted. To this day, Sandra is a leader in her church not because she is a godly woman but because she wields a lot of worldly power. People are afraid of her. How godly does that sound?
I have met dozens of Christians who used worldly tactics to accomplish their spiritual and worldly goals. In every case, it caused these Christians to become much more worldly. They were not respected in the church for their faithfulness but feared for their ruthlessness. Not content to use godly ways to do what was right, they were more than willing to resort to worldly tactics to manipulate any situation. They inspired all kinds of evil in their church.
The Bible lists dozens of seemingly faithful people who resorted to worldly methods to accomplish evil goals. Miriam and Aaron spoke out against Moses because of his Cushite wife. Korah and dozens of others rebelled against God’s choices in the wilderness. Ananias and Saphira withheld money from mission work. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities. These are just a few of the people who used worldly methods to damage God’s authority. What I find interesting is how ALL OF THEM suffered and/or died because of their misguided actions.
When you use worldly methods to accomplish your goals, it will often backfire. Like Haman, who used politics in an attempt to kill faithful Jews in the days of Queen Esther and was himself killed on the gallows he himself erected for his enemies, God’s anger is poured out upon all those who employ worldly attitudes and manipulations. When a person of faith dares to use worldly tactics, God’s wrath will be unleashed. When a church is rife with worldly actions and people, God’s Spirit will be removed (see Revelation 2:5). When that happens, a church will usually fall apart; consumed with earthly desires and worldly fights.
For today, do a little self-evaluation. Is there an area of your life that is tainted by worldly thoughts or desires? When are you tempted to use worldly tactics to accomplish your goals? How might you utilize God’s Spirit to accomplish holy deeds in a godly fashion? Are you prone to impulsive or impatient or selfish reactions? Let God show you a better way to battle issues! God has the power to “demolish strongholds” of evil around you (2 Corinthians 10:4) if you are willing to fight God’s fight in God’s way!
When I do a bit of self-evaluation, I may find myself thinking too worldly. When someone doesn’t agree with me about something I feel strongly about, I may get frustrated or angry. When a person is being self-destructive, it bothers me that I can’t stop their downward spiral. If I see a person in dire need, I’m upset when they won’t accept my help. All these are worldly thoughts. It is not my job to save people; that’s God’s job. My call is to reach out. I should not get upset when others don’t see their faults or need my help. I can’t solve every problem. I am not God. As human beings, we often default to human or worldly thinking. We take offense instead of being full of grace. We get defensive when we should be more loving. We hold things in that God wants us to share. We get frustrated and impatient when things don’t flow smoothly or go our way.
Today’s scripture is a reminder that our work in this world is not of a worldly nature. We are children of God sent on a mission by God to accomplish God’s work. We are to use godly methods not worldly practices. We are commanded to think and reflect and react in a godly manner, yet we often default to worldly thoughts and manipulations. 2 Corinthians 10:3 is a corrective reminder. It explains that Christians “live in the world” BUT “do not wage war as the world does”. What does this mean?
The world is often controlled by power and manipulation and earthly desires. Worldly people employ tried and true methods of military and political power to control others. They also use propaganda, social media, rumor and suggestion, and other worldly methods to manipulate others to fall into line. They might use sexual or monetary desires to twist the mind or form public opinion. They always have a worldly agenda. Spiritual folk like you and me are not to use worldly methods to accomplish our goals. We understand that behind many worldly goals are sinful desires. We use spiritual warfare like prayer and exhortation and praise and love and encouragement and other methods to extol God’s values and standards. God has given us spiritual gifts (see Galatians 5!) to accomplish godly works. Though today’s scripture reading discourages using “weapons of the world” to advance the gospel, sadly, some Christians chose to use worldly methods instead.
Sandra grew up in the church. She was raised by very faithful Christian parents. She was comfortable in her church. She enjoyed the camaraderie. She had many friends in the pews. When Sandra turned thirty-two, her daughter Paula was born. Paula was Sandra’s only child. Sandra loved her daughter dearly and was very protective of her.
When Paula’s Sunday School class was slated to help with the Christmas program, Paula was chosen to be an angel. Sandra was not happy about it. She wanted her daughter to play Mary. Sandra went to the director of the program and asked for Paula to play the part of Mary. When the director explained that an older child was slated to play Mary, Sandra became upset. She argued with the director. Not getting her way, Sandra then went to the Christian Education Director, then to the Pastor, then to her friends in the church. She made such a stink that by the time everything was said and done, her daughter had the part of Mary. However, due to Sandra’s tactics, the director of the play, two teachers and several people on the Christian Education Committee all quit their jobs. Sandra thought she had won.
What Sandra didn’t realize was that she used worldly tactics to achieve her goals. She used power and manipulation and coercion and propaganda and many other worldly methods to accomplish her goal. This not only tainted Sandra’s personal life but it also taught Paula that she too should use worldly tactics in the church to accomplish what she wanted. To this day, Sandra is a leader in her church not because she is a godly woman but because she wields a lot of worldly power. People are afraid of her. How godly does that sound?
I have met dozens of Christians who used worldly tactics to accomplish their spiritual and worldly goals. In every case, it caused these Christians to become much more worldly. They were not respected in the church for their faithfulness but feared for their ruthlessness. Not content to use godly ways to do what was right, they were more than willing to resort to worldly tactics to manipulate any situation. They inspired all kinds of evil in their church.
The Bible lists dozens of seemingly faithful people who resorted to worldly methods to accomplish evil goals. Miriam and Aaron spoke out against Moses because of his Cushite wife. Korah and dozens of others rebelled against God’s choices in the wilderness. Ananias and Saphira withheld money from mission work. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities. These are just a few of the people who used worldly methods to damage God’s authority. What I find interesting is how ALL OF THEM suffered and/or died because of their misguided actions.
When you use worldly methods to accomplish your goals, it will often backfire. Like Haman, who used politics in an attempt to kill faithful Jews in the days of Queen Esther and was himself killed on the gallows he himself erected for his enemies, God’s anger is poured out upon all those who employ worldly attitudes and manipulations. When a person of faith dares to use worldly tactics, God’s wrath will be unleashed. When a church is rife with worldly actions and people, God’s Spirit will be removed (see Revelation 2:5). When that happens, a church will usually fall apart; consumed with earthly desires and worldly fights.
For today, do a little self-evaluation. Is there an area of your life that is tainted by worldly thoughts or desires? When are you tempted to use worldly tactics to accomplish your goals? How might you utilize God’s Spirit to accomplish holy deeds in a godly fashion? Are you prone to impulsive or impatient or selfish reactions? Let God show you a better way to battle issues! God has the power to “demolish strongholds” of evil around you (2 Corinthians 10:4) if you are willing to fight God’s fight in God’s way!
September 4
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6, NRSV)
Humility is not just something that God notices. It is a virtue that God extols. It is a character trait that God not only sees as fitting for a faithful person but is blessed. While God sees humbleness in such a positive light, the world sees the exact opposite. In the world you are told such things at “never back down”, “put yourself out there”, and “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”. Each of these worldly sayings promotes the notion that you need to be not only noticed but openly pointing constantly to yourself and your accomplishments to get ahead.
The church and church people often fall into a similar worldly view that humbleness is a weakness. In interviews with pastoral candidates, churches will often choose the pastor who seems more accomplished, polished, and open. They see pastors who are quiet and capable as weaker or less prominent. I have even heard pastoral committees tell me that a pastor should not “waste time” in “too much prayer”. They saw the pastor who was popular in the community as the best pastor. They saw the pastor who was a “go-getter” as a real worker. A pastor who prayed earnestly was seen as lacking professional muster.
The scripture for today sets up a different standard for all the faithful with regards to humility. Peter wrote that the godly need to “humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.” They must be willing to give God the credit for HIS work. They do best to show honor and reverence to the Almighty. You might think this is “normal operating procedure” for Christians. Not in many cases! I’ve seen Christians who lauded their work on church committees for the success of a project. They have promoted church projects in the community more than promoted God. Many have extolled workers in the church who “got the job done” even if the workers were only doing God’s will. Humility means not taking the credit for God’s work. It denotes a lack of self-promotion, self-importance, and pridefulness. I find it very curious that this scripture mentions that when one humbles him or herself under God’s mighty hand, “in due time” they are exalted by God. It may take time for humble ones to receive God’s blessing for their humility. BUT you can be sure, God notices the presence of their humble character.
In a small church in rural Nebraska, the people had a difficult time making the budget each year. The church community was made up mostly of farmers, farm hands, and small-town workers. In truth, there was only one well-off family in the church. Sometimes, that family would give a little extra so the church would meet its budget or so that a mission work could be accomplished. After several years, the pastor grew to appreciate that wealthy family and their generosity.
Four years into that pastorate, the sound system began to falter. Some Sundays, the amplifier wouldn’t turn on. During several special occasions, the speakers hissed when the speakers changed. At one funeral, the system squealed so loud it interrupted the flow of the worship. The sound system was thirty-five years old and due for replacement.
The worship committee of the church researched replacements for the sound system but found out that the investment in new equipment would come to roughly eighteen thousand dollars. The committee debated for months what kind of equipment might be needed, how to raise the money needed for replacements, and what upgrades might be helpful. After spending no less than five months debating the issue, the committee decided to drop the purchase of new equipment. Why? For some inexplicable reason, the sound system stopped acting up. A few people in the church surmised that the wealthy family had purchased some new equipment or paid to have someone fix it. The pastor was convinced that something had happened but chocked it up to God’s blessing. The church would not have to go into debt to replace the system!
After ten flawless years of operation, the sound system began to act up anew. The worship committee took up the task to find a replacement system all over again, working out how to raise the funds, and exploring what upgrades might be needed. At one committee meeting, the pastor explained how well the system had been functioning for the past ten years. He told the committee that it was a blessing that God had taken care of the problem. One member of the committee then said, “And that blessing from God came in the form of one John H. Hunter.” What the pastor nor any other member of the church or committee knew for the past decade was that John Hunter, who used to be a Navy Technician during the Korean War, took it upon himself to rebuild and revamp the sound system ten years before. John Hunter saw it as his contribution to the smooth running of the church. The only reason that the sound system started acting up again was that John had died the previous summer.
For ten years, John H. Hunter took care of his church’s sound system flawlessly. He saved the church thousands of dollars. He made worship services enjoyable again. People could hear the pastor’s sermon so much more clearly. The Christmas program never sounded better. It was due to John’s hard work and dedication. But only one person knew it! John didn’t do it for the accolades. He did it for the Lord. He didn’t do it so that people would owe him or give him a pat on the back. He did it as a gift of love. When the new sound system was installed just before Christmas that year, a small plaque was affixed to the wall nearby in dedication to the “love and devotion of a beloved member who made sure that everyone could hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ” in that church. By the way, the plaque was given anonymously! Sounds like another in that church is willing for God to get the glory!
There are Christians who have made an art form out of being extolled for their accomplishments in the church. Their gifts or work will often come with strings attached that require they get due recognition for their work. Jesus called people who “loved to be seen” for their accomplishments, “hypocrites”. In Matthew 6:5, Jesus explained that those who love to be seen publicly for their religious devotion “have received their reward”. Others have noticed! Today’s scripture mentions that the humble will receive their reward “in due time”. Others may not notice the work of the humble, but God will bless it greatly.
Do you like to be noticed for your good works? Lay aside that desire! It’s the humble that God notices and blesses. Don’t seek to be noticed by others for your deeds. Give the glory to God where the glory belongs! Your reward will come one day soon. Today’s scripture promises that God will remember your efforts completed in all humility. God will remember when HE got the credit. A book in heaven is right now recording such efforts done in humility (Revelation 20:12). This book is with God in Heaven. Its words will last forever. Its secrets will one day be revealed.
The church and church people often fall into a similar worldly view that humbleness is a weakness. In interviews with pastoral candidates, churches will often choose the pastor who seems more accomplished, polished, and open. They see pastors who are quiet and capable as weaker or less prominent. I have even heard pastoral committees tell me that a pastor should not “waste time” in “too much prayer”. They saw the pastor who was popular in the community as the best pastor. They saw the pastor who was a “go-getter” as a real worker. A pastor who prayed earnestly was seen as lacking professional muster.
The scripture for today sets up a different standard for all the faithful with regards to humility. Peter wrote that the godly need to “humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.” They must be willing to give God the credit for HIS work. They do best to show honor and reverence to the Almighty. You might think this is “normal operating procedure” for Christians. Not in many cases! I’ve seen Christians who lauded their work on church committees for the success of a project. They have promoted church projects in the community more than promoted God. Many have extolled workers in the church who “got the job done” even if the workers were only doing God’s will. Humility means not taking the credit for God’s work. It denotes a lack of self-promotion, self-importance, and pridefulness. I find it very curious that this scripture mentions that when one humbles him or herself under God’s mighty hand, “in due time” they are exalted by God. It may take time for humble ones to receive God’s blessing for their humility. BUT you can be sure, God notices the presence of their humble character.
In a small church in rural Nebraska, the people had a difficult time making the budget each year. The church community was made up mostly of farmers, farm hands, and small-town workers. In truth, there was only one well-off family in the church. Sometimes, that family would give a little extra so the church would meet its budget or so that a mission work could be accomplished. After several years, the pastor grew to appreciate that wealthy family and their generosity.
Four years into that pastorate, the sound system began to falter. Some Sundays, the amplifier wouldn’t turn on. During several special occasions, the speakers hissed when the speakers changed. At one funeral, the system squealed so loud it interrupted the flow of the worship. The sound system was thirty-five years old and due for replacement.
The worship committee of the church researched replacements for the sound system but found out that the investment in new equipment would come to roughly eighteen thousand dollars. The committee debated for months what kind of equipment might be needed, how to raise the money needed for replacements, and what upgrades might be helpful. After spending no less than five months debating the issue, the committee decided to drop the purchase of new equipment. Why? For some inexplicable reason, the sound system stopped acting up. A few people in the church surmised that the wealthy family had purchased some new equipment or paid to have someone fix it. The pastor was convinced that something had happened but chocked it up to God’s blessing. The church would not have to go into debt to replace the system!
After ten flawless years of operation, the sound system began to act up anew. The worship committee took up the task to find a replacement system all over again, working out how to raise the funds, and exploring what upgrades might be needed. At one committee meeting, the pastor explained how well the system had been functioning for the past ten years. He told the committee that it was a blessing that God had taken care of the problem. One member of the committee then said, “And that blessing from God came in the form of one John H. Hunter.” What the pastor nor any other member of the church or committee knew for the past decade was that John Hunter, who used to be a Navy Technician during the Korean War, took it upon himself to rebuild and revamp the sound system ten years before. John Hunter saw it as his contribution to the smooth running of the church. The only reason that the sound system started acting up again was that John had died the previous summer.
For ten years, John H. Hunter took care of his church’s sound system flawlessly. He saved the church thousands of dollars. He made worship services enjoyable again. People could hear the pastor’s sermon so much more clearly. The Christmas program never sounded better. It was due to John’s hard work and dedication. But only one person knew it! John didn’t do it for the accolades. He did it for the Lord. He didn’t do it so that people would owe him or give him a pat on the back. He did it as a gift of love. When the new sound system was installed just before Christmas that year, a small plaque was affixed to the wall nearby in dedication to the “love and devotion of a beloved member who made sure that everyone could hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ” in that church. By the way, the plaque was given anonymously! Sounds like another in that church is willing for God to get the glory!
There are Christians who have made an art form out of being extolled for their accomplishments in the church. Their gifts or work will often come with strings attached that require they get due recognition for their work. Jesus called people who “loved to be seen” for their accomplishments, “hypocrites”. In Matthew 6:5, Jesus explained that those who love to be seen publicly for their religious devotion “have received their reward”. Others have noticed! Today’s scripture mentions that the humble will receive their reward “in due time”. Others may not notice the work of the humble, but God will bless it greatly.
Do you like to be noticed for your good works? Lay aside that desire! It’s the humble that God notices and blesses. Don’t seek to be noticed by others for your deeds. Give the glory to God where the glory belongs! Your reward will come one day soon. Today’s scripture promises that God will remember your efforts completed in all humility. God will remember when HE got the credit. A book in heaven is right now recording such efforts done in humility (Revelation 20:12). This book is with God in Heaven. Its words will last forever. Its secrets will one day be revealed.
September 7
“But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.” (Psalm 3:3–5, NLT)
In the opening for Psalm 3, there included a bit of context. It tells us when this Psalm of David was written. Some Bibles do not include this opening. Many do. The RSV version of the Bible included this introduction of Psalm 3: “when David fled from his son, Absalom”. This period of David’s life was full of upheaval.
When David fled from Absalom, David’s life was very tumultuous. David was getting older. His years as a soldier were winding down. His sons mostly took over the defense of the armies and land. Absalom, being an older son, was highly adept as a warrior. He also was prideful and arrogant. Absalom wanted the throne badly, even willing to steal it before David died. When this psalm was written, David no doubt perceived the extent to which Absalom would go to oust David or even kill him.
Absalom manipulated things behind the scenes. He played politics at the highest level. In seeking to steal the throne of Israel, Absalom sent his agents throughout the kingdom to announce his own coronation at the sound of trumpet signals. David was forced to flee to Mahanaim (2 Samuel 15). Not simply content to simply admit his political maneuvering worked, Absalom took ten of King David’s concubines as his own. It was an incredibly provocative act. However, while pursuing David, Absalom’s head was caught in an oak tree (how ironic for a prideful son!). He was killed by David’s general Joab and his body thrown into a forest pit.
When this psalm was written, though, King David was in the midst of Absalom’s rebellion. Nobody knew for certain what would happen. Absalom was younger, stronger, and adept at being a warrior. David was aging and not up to a fight with an enemy who knew him well. Still, Psalm 3 tells us that while David’s life was threatened, he felt God’s “shield” protecting him (Psalm 3:3). He felt secure in God’s almighty arms. David was so confident in God’s protection that he slept deeply, and “woke up in safety” knowing that “the Lord was watching over him” (Psalm 3:5).
In the midst of a rebellion, surrounded by thousands of Absalom’s followers (see Psalm 3:6), and on the run, David still was content to sleep soundly. Why? He knew God was watching over him while he slept. The battle was waging all around David and still he was able to sleep soundly. David’s faith in God’s security and God’s promises was unyielding.
There should come a time in your spiritual journey when your confidence in God’s strength and power are secure. You will be certain of God’s authority over the events of this world. You will rest easy knowing that God is in control. Some Christians never get to this stage. They are never fully secure in God’s authority. They do not fully trust that God will protect them. They doubt God will come through no matter what. If you are like these Christians, you will never fully be at peace, able to sleep restfully in the night, knowing that God is in control. You might find your mind racing at night as you work through all the “what-ifs” in the days ahead. You might work through a problem over and over in your mind while lying in bed unable to sleep soundly. The lack of faith that God will give you the right answer in the right time will cause anxious days and sleepless nights as you try to figure out every possible outcome or possibility.
I saw Harold for the last time at the hospital. He had cancer. Harold had been a farmer his whole life. Because of this, his body was very athletic despite his age. The many years working hard in the sun had wrinkled his skin, but his strong demeanor was still there. The cancer had weakened him, but it didn’t take away all his strength. Harold was dying but he was still stronger in body and mind than most people his age.
My visit to Harold’s bedside was an unusual one. I never saw a weakness in Harold before. Whenever I saw him, he was either at work in the field or working on some project at our church. He could swing a hammer with the best of them. He threw around 2x4 pieces of wood and 4x8 foot sheets of plywood like they were matchsticks. But now, Harold was weakened by cancer. He sat up in bed when I walked in, but that was even a little difficult now. As we talked, Harold’s voice was not as full. His normal strong handshake was absent.
Near the end of the hospital visit, we prayed. As I turned to walk out, saying my goodbyes, Harold stopped me with one sentence: “Pastor Dave, how do I know what will happen after I die. I mean, I read my Bible, but how do I know?” With these words, I knew Harold was sensing his impending death. No doubt he was starting to worry. He couldn’t fix his death with hard work, a hammer and nails, or a good piece of farm machinery. Harold was a genius at fixing things, but he couldn’t “fix” what happened next. He was worried. I knew. I turned to Harold and said, “Harold, you and I prayed to God in Christ, sang hymns in His honor, and spent many an Easter talking about Jesus’ resurrection. We’ve shared Bible studies about the book of Revelation and the end times. You know what happens after you die. You’ve been preparing for this your whole faith life.” He nodded his agreement. Then, I continued, “I have devoted my life to our faith. I believe Jesus rose from the dead. You made promises to Jesus. I’ve heard them. Now, it’s time you trust Jesus with your whole heart. God’s got this. Jesus proved it.” That was the assurance Harold needed. He nodded his head. He laid back in the bed. I could hear his breathing settle. He had a smile on his face. He was ready to meet his Maker. Harold died that very night.
There comes a time when you need to let God have control over your life. You need to quit “fixing” things your way and let God handle it. You know God is real. You know God is omnipotent. You know Jesus has your back in life and in death. There comes a time when you need to let go of the reins in your life and let God have His way. You need to sleep peacefully, assured in the knowledge that God is in control and has you covered. God’s watch doesn’t end when you fall asleep or die. God is forever vigilant in HIS protection for you. Got it? Are you sure?
When David fled from Absalom, David’s life was very tumultuous. David was getting older. His years as a soldier were winding down. His sons mostly took over the defense of the armies and land. Absalom, being an older son, was highly adept as a warrior. He also was prideful and arrogant. Absalom wanted the throne badly, even willing to steal it before David died. When this psalm was written, David no doubt perceived the extent to which Absalom would go to oust David or even kill him.
Absalom manipulated things behind the scenes. He played politics at the highest level. In seeking to steal the throne of Israel, Absalom sent his agents throughout the kingdom to announce his own coronation at the sound of trumpet signals. David was forced to flee to Mahanaim (2 Samuel 15). Not simply content to simply admit his political maneuvering worked, Absalom took ten of King David’s concubines as his own. It was an incredibly provocative act. However, while pursuing David, Absalom’s head was caught in an oak tree (how ironic for a prideful son!). He was killed by David’s general Joab and his body thrown into a forest pit.
When this psalm was written, though, King David was in the midst of Absalom’s rebellion. Nobody knew for certain what would happen. Absalom was younger, stronger, and adept at being a warrior. David was aging and not up to a fight with an enemy who knew him well. Still, Psalm 3 tells us that while David’s life was threatened, he felt God’s “shield” protecting him (Psalm 3:3). He felt secure in God’s almighty arms. David was so confident in God’s protection that he slept deeply, and “woke up in safety” knowing that “the Lord was watching over him” (Psalm 3:5).
In the midst of a rebellion, surrounded by thousands of Absalom’s followers (see Psalm 3:6), and on the run, David still was content to sleep soundly. Why? He knew God was watching over him while he slept. The battle was waging all around David and still he was able to sleep soundly. David’s faith in God’s security and God’s promises was unyielding.
There should come a time in your spiritual journey when your confidence in God’s strength and power are secure. You will be certain of God’s authority over the events of this world. You will rest easy knowing that God is in control. Some Christians never get to this stage. They are never fully secure in God’s authority. They do not fully trust that God will protect them. They doubt God will come through no matter what. If you are like these Christians, you will never fully be at peace, able to sleep restfully in the night, knowing that God is in control. You might find your mind racing at night as you work through all the “what-ifs” in the days ahead. You might work through a problem over and over in your mind while lying in bed unable to sleep soundly. The lack of faith that God will give you the right answer in the right time will cause anxious days and sleepless nights as you try to figure out every possible outcome or possibility.
I saw Harold for the last time at the hospital. He had cancer. Harold had been a farmer his whole life. Because of this, his body was very athletic despite his age. The many years working hard in the sun had wrinkled his skin, but his strong demeanor was still there. The cancer had weakened him, but it didn’t take away all his strength. Harold was dying but he was still stronger in body and mind than most people his age.
My visit to Harold’s bedside was an unusual one. I never saw a weakness in Harold before. Whenever I saw him, he was either at work in the field or working on some project at our church. He could swing a hammer with the best of them. He threw around 2x4 pieces of wood and 4x8 foot sheets of plywood like they were matchsticks. But now, Harold was weakened by cancer. He sat up in bed when I walked in, but that was even a little difficult now. As we talked, Harold’s voice was not as full. His normal strong handshake was absent.
Near the end of the hospital visit, we prayed. As I turned to walk out, saying my goodbyes, Harold stopped me with one sentence: “Pastor Dave, how do I know what will happen after I die. I mean, I read my Bible, but how do I know?” With these words, I knew Harold was sensing his impending death. No doubt he was starting to worry. He couldn’t fix his death with hard work, a hammer and nails, or a good piece of farm machinery. Harold was a genius at fixing things, but he couldn’t “fix” what happened next. He was worried. I knew. I turned to Harold and said, “Harold, you and I prayed to God in Christ, sang hymns in His honor, and spent many an Easter talking about Jesus’ resurrection. We’ve shared Bible studies about the book of Revelation and the end times. You know what happens after you die. You’ve been preparing for this your whole faith life.” He nodded his agreement. Then, I continued, “I have devoted my life to our faith. I believe Jesus rose from the dead. You made promises to Jesus. I’ve heard them. Now, it’s time you trust Jesus with your whole heart. God’s got this. Jesus proved it.” That was the assurance Harold needed. He nodded his head. He laid back in the bed. I could hear his breathing settle. He had a smile on his face. He was ready to meet his Maker. Harold died that very night.
There comes a time when you need to let God have control over your life. You need to quit “fixing” things your way and let God handle it. You know God is real. You know God is omnipotent. You know Jesus has your back in life and in death. There comes a time when you need to let go of the reins in your life and let God have His way. You need to sleep peacefully, assured in the knowledge that God is in control and has you covered. God’s watch doesn’t end when you fall asleep or die. God is forever vigilant in HIS protection for you. Got it? Are you sure?
September 9
“He [the Righteous person] does not fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:7, NET Bible)
Charlie faced his first semester finals. It was mid-December. He was a college freshman who made it into college with the help of several scholarships. In High School, he averaged an A-. In most classes, he usually achieved superior grades. But Charlie had a problem with failure. He was afraid of making mistakes or messing up. He was also very insecure, constantly worried about his grades, fearing that he wouldn’t fare well. He stressed himself out entirely, overstudying for most tests.
On the third day of his first semester finals, Charlie looked pale and weak. His hair was matted and sticking up in all directions. His clothes were wrinkled and smelled. Charlie’s roommate spotted Charlie’s appearance and commented, “What is wrong with you? You are doing great this semester. You know you are doing well on your finals.” Charlie replied quickly, “I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know I’m gonna blow something. It’s all been too easy so far. It shouldn’t be this easy. I think I must’ve forgotten to study something!”
Like Charlie, there are Christians who live with similar insecurities and fears. They walk on eggshells, “waiting for the other shoe to drop”. Even their down time is filled with anxiety. When things are going well, they are even more fearful of something being forgotten or some unknown looming doom. God never meant the righteous to live this way.
Today’s scripture is a reminder that the righteous person is supposed to be steady and trustworthy and calm, even in the face of unknowns. Psalm 112:7 claims that the righteous person “does not fear bad news”. He or she is not afraid of what MIGHT happen or what COULD go wrong. The righteous person knows that no matter what might occur, God is trustworthy. God will be there to carry him or her through. Thus, the righteous person is “confident” in the Lord.
On September 11, 2001, as the terrorists struck America by crashing planes into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, one of the people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time was a man named Carl. Carl saw the plane hit the World Trade Center. He was on a lower floor and felt the building shake at the moment of the crash. At the time, he didn’t know what was happening. He figured there had been an accident, not a terrorist attack. While others in his building ran for the stairs, screaming and crying and in shock, Carl went up the steps to a higher floor to assist the wounded. He helped dozens escape the Trade Center that day.
Later, Carl’s family members asked why he didn’t get out of the building as soon as possible. His response was adamant, “I felt God calling me to get up there and help. I felt this calm come over me and knew I had to do something.” Carl’s son was angry for a long time at his father for putting his life in danger for others. Carl could have died that day! But, for Carl, it was a time to calmly follow God’s leading. His life was in God’s hand that day as it was every day. He was not going to let God down. He was not going to let the plane crash keep him from doing God’s will in that moment.
I have seen situations like Carl’s play out over and over among faithful people. While others fall apart when things turn ugly, these faithful people shine. Where some people might shake with fear or be overcome with insecurities, these people feel a calm demeanor. They feel God’s hand guiding them. They feel the presence of God’s Spirit giving them strength and guidance and purpose and peace. It seems amazing that they can feel peace when everything around them is falling apart, but it is a common theme I have witnessed time and again. The righteous are often given a special dose of God’s Spirit when the situation calls for it. They are calm as a cucumber in the most stressful or dangerous of moments.
The scripture for today gives us some indication why the righteous Christian is strong at a time when others are falling apart. They have “confidence” in the Lord. They “trust” in God’s strength. They know that God watches over them. They are sure of their relationship with God.
If you find that your fears and insecurities are becoming overwhelming, it may be time to take stock in your relationship with God. Don’t you trust in God’s strength? Are you afraid God won’t come through for you? Even death should not make you shake with fear. For while those of this world do not know where they will end up, the righteous person KNOWS with certainty that Heaven awaits.
There are literally hundreds of scriptures that encourage the faithful to have strength in the Lord. These scriptures, like today’s meditation, are a constant reminder that those who live by true faith in Jesus Christ need not fear for the future. God will be there for you on every tomorrow. You can trust in that fact.
So, have faith dear friend. Even the hairs on your head are numbered and known by God (Matthew 10:30). Your life has great value to our Savior (Luke 12:7). Your future is secure. Nothing can happen to you outside God’s will. Nothing can separate the truly faithful from God’s love, God’s peace, God’s protection, God’s security (Romans 8:35-39).
On the third day of his first semester finals, Charlie looked pale and weak. His hair was matted and sticking up in all directions. His clothes were wrinkled and smelled. Charlie’s roommate spotted Charlie’s appearance and commented, “What is wrong with you? You are doing great this semester. You know you are doing well on your finals.” Charlie replied quickly, “I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I know I’m gonna blow something. It’s all been too easy so far. It shouldn’t be this easy. I think I must’ve forgotten to study something!”
Like Charlie, there are Christians who live with similar insecurities and fears. They walk on eggshells, “waiting for the other shoe to drop”. Even their down time is filled with anxiety. When things are going well, they are even more fearful of something being forgotten or some unknown looming doom. God never meant the righteous to live this way.
Today’s scripture is a reminder that the righteous person is supposed to be steady and trustworthy and calm, even in the face of unknowns. Psalm 112:7 claims that the righteous person “does not fear bad news”. He or she is not afraid of what MIGHT happen or what COULD go wrong. The righteous person knows that no matter what might occur, God is trustworthy. God will be there to carry him or her through. Thus, the righteous person is “confident” in the Lord.
On September 11, 2001, as the terrorists struck America by crashing planes into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, one of the people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time was a man named Carl. Carl saw the plane hit the World Trade Center. He was on a lower floor and felt the building shake at the moment of the crash. At the time, he didn’t know what was happening. He figured there had been an accident, not a terrorist attack. While others in his building ran for the stairs, screaming and crying and in shock, Carl went up the steps to a higher floor to assist the wounded. He helped dozens escape the Trade Center that day.
Later, Carl’s family members asked why he didn’t get out of the building as soon as possible. His response was adamant, “I felt God calling me to get up there and help. I felt this calm come over me and knew I had to do something.” Carl’s son was angry for a long time at his father for putting his life in danger for others. Carl could have died that day! But, for Carl, it was a time to calmly follow God’s leading. His life was in God’s hand that day as it was every day. He was not going to let God down. He was not going to let the plane crash keep him from doing God’s will in that moment.
I have seen situations like Carl’s play out over and over among faithful people. While others fall apart when things turn ugly, these faithful people shine. Where some people might shake with fear or be overcome with insecurities, these people feel a calm demeanor. They feel God’s hand guiding them. They feel the presence of God’s Spirit giving them strength and guidance and purpose and peace. It seems amazing that they can feel peace when everything around them is falling apart, but it is a common theme I have witnessed time and again. The righteous are often given a special dose of God’s Spirit when the situation calls for it. They are calm as a cucumber in the most stressful or dangerous of moments.
The scripture for today gives us some indication why the righteous Christian is strong at a time when others are falling apart. They have “confidence” in the Lord. They “trust” in God’s strength. They know that God watches over them. They are sure of their relationship with God.
If you find that your fears and insecurities are becoming overwhelming, it may be time to take stock in your relationship with God. Don’t you trust in God’s strength? Are you afraid God won’t come through for you? Even death should not make you shake with fear. For while those of this world do not know where they will end up, the righteous person KNOWS with certainty that Heaven awaits.
There are literally hundreds of scriptures that encourage the faithful to have strength in the Lord. These scriptures, like today’s meditation, are a constant reminder that those who live by true faith in Jesus Christ need not fear for the future. God will be there for you on every tomorrow. You can trust in that fact.
So, have faith dear friend. Even the hairs on your head are numbered and known by God (Matthew 10:30). Your life has great value to our Savior (Luke 12:7). Your future is secure. Nothing can happen to you outside God’s will. Nothing can separate the truly faithful from God’s love, God’s peace, God’s protection, God’s security (Romans 8:35-39).
September 11
“Seek his [God’s] will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:6, NLT)
One morning, a father watched his son play in the garden. The boy loved the outdoors, couldn’t wait to play outside, and was as carefree as a bird. Many a time, the father would sit in his patio chair and watch his son play in the sandbox or run after a butterfly or fly like an airplane across the backyard. The boy’s carefree attitude usually brought a smile to the father’s face.
That morning, as the father sipped his coffee and watched his son play in the backyard, he noticed movement near the boy. The son saw the movement as well and sought to investigate. As the son walked toward the movement in the tall grass at the edge of the yard, the father bolted from his patio chair to get there before his son. The boy was just about to reach into the tall grass when the father yanked him back. Looking down, the father saw what he had feared, a poisonous snake slithering through the grass. The father said to his son, “Are you alright? That snake will hurt you. Stay away from those snakes. Don’t pick up any animal you don’t know about. Some can hurt you. You must stop and think before you do things, OK?” The boy nodded his affirmation. The father began to breathe again, fear still coursing through his veins.
The father’s warning to his son carries much wisdom. That young boy needs to learn to stop and think before he does something. Because he didn’t think about the snake and didn’t understand the situation, the boy could have died. This same wisdom that the father applied to his son also applies to you, not only in everyday life but in your spiritual life. When you are in a situation, especially an unfamiliar one, you need to stop and think. It would be wise to consult your heavenly Father about what direction to take. Don’t impulsively react. Don’t overreact. Don’t be foolish. It is very wise to consider God’s wisdom especially when making important decisions in your life.
You would think that Christians would instinctively seek God’s wisdom often. Since God knows everything and is thus omniscient, it would be wise for any Christian to seek God’s direction consistently. On the contrary, many Christians seek God’s advice only after messing up, after becoming mired in a sinful habit, or when the consequences become apparent. Seeking God’s direction after the fact might be too late!
Proverbs 3:6 contains wise words on this very topic. This verse of the Bible dispenses the direction you should take when making your decisions in life. This verse contends that you should “seek God’s will in ALL that you do”. Why? Because God will “show you which path to take.” Don’t just look for God’s direction when you have big decisions or are mired in a big problem. It might be that you got yourself in hot water for not considering what God wants you to do in the small decisions leading up to that big problem. In small and big decisions, God will know which path you should take. Your way may be unclear. Your own thinking may be clouded by emotion or fear or regret. God knows which direction is best for you. You need to seek God’s wisdom to find out.
You might find God’s wisdom coming through as you study the Bible. God’s direction might come to you during prayer. In the midst of worship, inspiration might become apparent as God’s Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and mind. God’s answers can come from many places. The best course of action might become clear as you talk to a faithful friend. No matter which method God communicates with you, the direction is what you need. God is ready to provide that direction IF you only seek it.
Candice and Steve were engaged to be married. They were in the process of setting up wedding plans. They had already picked out their vows, chosen a caterer, gone through marriage counseling, and acquired a place for their reception. Dozens of other small and big plans were already made. Everything seemed to be going splendidly. Then, just one week before the wedding a storm hit their area. The building for their wedding reception was damaged. Repairs would take weeks. The owner of the building informed Candice and Steve that the building would not be ready for the wedding. Candice cried all day at the news. Steve tried his best to comfort her but knew they had no backup plans for a reception. They considered cancelling the wedding.
With everything falling apart, Steve approached his pastor. Steve informed the pastor of the situation. Instead of giving up and just cancelling everything, Steve instead asked the pastor what to do. The pastor gave some good wisdom, “Why don’t we ask God?” The two prayed together for direction. The prayer time helped Steve tremendously. His stress did lift to some extent. Still, he wondered what to do, how to cancel plans, where to go from there. Despite all the decisions to be made, the pastor’s words kept coming to Steve’s mind, “Why don’t we ask God?” This got him thinking. Steve began to think of new options for their wedding.
A few hours later, Steve looked up to heaven and said, “God, I think you want me to do this wedding next week. How can we do it?” Steve’s mind was a blank, yet he went about his business. That evening, while talking to his best man, Steve discovered that an event scheduled for the restaurant at the golf course nearby was cancelled. On a hunch, Steve went to the restaurant and inquired if they could host the wedding at the restaurant with a reception outside on the adjoining golf course property. The owner was thrilled at the prospect, especially after the previous event had been cancelled. Steve and Candice talked it over, prayed about it, and booked their wedding. Within days, everything fell into place. The wedding was beautiful, the day a success all around.
It wasn’t until Steve talked to his pastor that he remembered to ask God for direction. Many Christians go through life without seeking enlightenment from God. They make big and small decisions without stopping to think about the will of God. They forget to pray about their needs. They do not talk to other people of faith about what is right. They impulsively act out of emotion or fear. Their reactions do not reflect their faith in God. They too often relegate God to the worship hour or seek God’s voice only when they are out of options. You would be wise to seek God’s counsel often!
Is there something special you need to “ask God” today? Are there some decisions or directions that would benefit from God’s enlightenment? Remember to seek God’s will in “ALL that you do”. God knows the best path to your success and is right now ready to share that information with you. Just take some time to stop and think and seek HIS wisdom.
That morning, as the father sipped his coffee and watched his son play in the backyard, he noticed movement near the boy. The son saw the movement as well and sought to investigate. As the son walked toward the movement in the tall grass at the edge of the yard, the father bolted from his patio chair to get there before his son. The boy was just about to reach into the tall grass when the father yanked him back. Looking down, the father saw what he had feared, a poisonous snake slithering through the grass. The father said to his son, “Are you alright? That snake will hurt you. Stay away from those snakes. Don’t pick up any animal you don’t know about. Some can hurt you. You must stop and think before you do things, OK?” The boy nodded his affirmation. The father began to breathe again, fear still coursing through his veins.
The father’s warning to his son carries much wisdom. That young boy needs to learn to stop and think before he does something. Because he didn’t think about the snake and didn’t understand the situation, the boy could have died. This same wisdom that the father applied to his son also applies to you, not only in everyday life but in your spiritual life. When you are in a situation, especially an unfamiliar one, you need to stop and think. It would be wise to consult your heavenly Father about what direction to take. Don’t impulsively react. Don’t overreact. Don’t be foolish. It is very wise to consider God’s wisdom especially when making important decisions in your life.
You would think that Christians would instinctively seek God’s wisdom often. Since God knows everything and is thus omniscient, it would be wise for any Christian to seek God’s direction consistently. On the contrary, many Christians seek God’s advice only after messing up, after becoming mired in a sinful habit, or when the consequences become apparent. Seeking God’s direction after the fact might be too late!
Proverbs 3:6 contains wise words on this very topic. This verse of the Bible dispenses the direction you should take when making your decisions in life. This verse contends that you should “seek God’s will in ALL that you do”. Why? Because God will “show you which path to take.” Don’t just look for God’s direction when you have big decisions or are mired in a big problem. It might be that you got yourself in hot water for not considering what God wants you to do in the small decisions leading up to that big problem. In small and big decisions, God will know which path you should take. Your way may be unclear. Your own thinking may be clouded by emotion or fear or regret. God knows which direction is best for you. You need to seek God’s wisdom to find out.
You might find God’s wisdom coming through as you study the Bible. God’s direction might come to you during prayer. In the midst of worship, inspiration might become apparent as God’s Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and mind. God’s answers can come from many places. The best course of action might become clear as you talk to a faithful friend. No matter which method God communicates with you, the direction is what you need. God is ready to provide that direction IF you only seek it.
Candice and Steve were engaged to be married. They were in the process of setting up wedding plans. They had already picked out their vows, chosen a caterer, gone through marriage counseling, and acquired a place for their reception. Dozens of other small and big plans were already made. Everything seemed to be going splendidly. Then, just one week before the wedding a storm hit their area. The building for their wedding reception was damaged. Repairs would take weeks. The owner of the building informed Candice and Steve that the building would not be ready for the wedding. Candice cried all day at the news. Steve tried his best to comfort her but knew they had no backup plans for a reception. They considered cancelling the wedding.
With everything falling apart, Steve approached his pastor. Steve informed the pastor of the situation. Instead of giving up and just cancelling everything, Steve instead asked the pastor what to do. The pastor gave some good wisdom, “Why don’t we ask God?” The two prayed together for direction. The prayer time helped Steve tremendously. His stress did lift to some extent. Still, he wondered what to do, how to cancel plans, where to go from there. Despite all the decisions to be made, the pastor’s words kept coming to Steve’s mind, “Why don’t we ask God?” This got him thinking. Steve began to think of new options for their wedding.
A few hours later, Steve looked up to heaven and said, “God, I think you want me to do this wedding next week. How can we do it?” Steve’s mind was a blank, yet he went about his business. That evening, while talking to his best man, Steve discovered that an event scheduled for the restaurant at the golf course nearby was cancelled. On a hunch, Steve went to the restaurant and inquired if they could host the wedding at the restaurant with a reception outside on the adjoining golf course property. The owner was thrilled at the prospect, especially after the previous event had been cancelled. Steve and Candice talked it over, prayed about it, and booked their wedding. Within days, everything fell into place. The wedding was beautiful, the day a success all around.
It wasn’t until Steve talked to his pastor that he remembered to ask God for direction. Many Christians go through life without seeking enlightenment from God. They make big and small decisions without stopping to think about the will of God. They forget to pray about their needs. They do not talk to other people of faith about what is right. They impulsively act out of emotion or fear. Their reactions do not reflect their faith in God. They too often relegate God to the worship hour or seek God’s voice only when they are out of options. You would be wise to seek God’s counsel often!
Is there something special you need to “ask God” today? Are there some decisions or directions that would benefit from God’s enlightenment? Remember to seek God’s will in “ALL that you do”. God knows the best path to your success and is right now ready to share that information with you. Just take some time to stop and think and seek HIS wisdom.
September 13
“It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions.” (Jude 19, NRSV)
Everywhere you look today, there are divisions that have formed around things like gender, race, politics, economics, global warming, and so much more. Social media and news organizations love to promote these divisions in order to sell advertising. Activists promote an “us vs. them” mentality to drive up support for their causes. Rival groups in the public realm rally their troops around one ideal or another. Feminist groups ignore domestic abuse situations where women abuse men but lobby for funding for the “poor suffering women” who are abused by men. Unions lobby for workers’ rights and pay raises displaying all business owners as greedy charlatans. Conservative pundits lambast liberal counterparts as pie-in-the-sky idealists. Liberal pundits label conservatives as racists, misogynistic minded white supremacists. Some believe all this name-calling, division endorsing, and button pushing will end up in a civil war. Certainly, there have been recent examples of these worldly tactics causing social upheavals in the Middle East, France, the United States, Columbia, Mexico, and elsewhere.
The scripture for today highlights the fact that “worldly people” cause “divisions” (Jude 19). Being “devoid of the Holy Spirit”, they use emotions and propaganda and manipulations and social media to promote these divisions in the world. These people do not care if their words and manipulations cause death and destruction or ruin whole societies. They have a worldly agenda that trumps every notion of what is right and wrong. Their worldly agenda is self-serving. It separates people into friends and enemies, good and bad, right and wrong. Unwilling to compromise or see any situation to be complicated, they have simplistic answers and use hard-headed ideals to beat others into submission.
Recently, an unusual example of this need to force others to comply to an ideal came to play in the news media. It was reported that a teacher in Las Vegas taped a face mask on a little boy in order to force the boy to wear a mask in the classroom. It was reported later that five other students had masks taped to their faces as well. The particulars of why this was done have not been reported. The teacher has not been given the chance to explain herself. Those involved have gone to news media and social media sources and lawyers to promote their agendas, cover up their liability, and argue for or against those involved. All in all, the truth is getting lost in all the politics, maneuvering, and propaganda being force fed to the world. There are several worldly examples of divisions in this story. If the teacher did do this heinous thing, she was causing a child to look poorly to the others, causing a division among the students. There are also groups arguing for and against the use of face masks in the classroom among healthy children. Teachers’ unions and school boards are facing off on the issue. Politicians have jumped on the bandwagon to enter their opinions. In the end, one alleged wrong may be multiplied a thousand times over by those who like to promote divisions in the world.
These worldly divisions have found their way into the church as well. Denominations have been formed around worldly divisions like social issues and cultural norms. Mainline protestant denominations have developed “missionaries” who promote public policy issues in political forums. There are transgender and LBGQ groups that meet in many denominations promoting their own views of gender and marriage and sexuality and family. Denominational leaders suggest that voting a certain way at the polls is tantamount to being faithful or going to heaven. Church leaders may also get caught up in doing the same locally. I bet you could name those people who promote a worldly cause among committees and groups at your local church. At the same time, these groups will libel and shame all those who dare speak against their cause.
There is a real danger that you may get caught up in a worldly division in your own spiritual life. You might promote an agenda in your own church around a particular issue without acknowledging that those on the “other side of the aisle” may be partially right in their different stance on that issue. You might find yourself unwilling to associate with those in your church who believe something slightly different or see the other side of an argument. You might stubbornly hold to your opinion on some issue, unwilling to hear that you may be wrong. You might lie to yourself about some sin you have committed in order to justify your own worldliness. There are many ways that worldly divisions can sink their teeth into your heart and soul. You must be wary of that happening. It will cause your love for others to fade and hardness of heart to infiltrate your being.
When Moses approached Pharaoh with his sin of enslaving the Israelite people, the Bible explains that the reason for Pharoah’s sin was that his heart was hardened against the Israelites (Exodus 9:34-35). When worldly thoughts and divisions take hold in your mind, your heart will also harden against others. Then, you will blindly sin against Almighty God. Worldly divisions are the source of much suffering in the world. They are also a common source of sin among all people. Worldly divisions will not only cause walls to be erected against individuals and groups, but they also inevitably cause walls to appear in your relationship with God.
Has your heart been hardened by a worldly division? Are you too quick to take sides for or against a person or group without seeing all the issues involved? Do you cause divisions to appear due to your own “us vs. them” mentality? Don’t let worldly divisions damage your faith. Don’t let them drive a wedge between you and God. Be careful you remain aware that worldly divisions caused by worldly desires bring about not only fights and wars of the worldly kind (James 4:1), they also are the basis of many spiritual fights and wars as well.
The scripture for today highlights the fact that “worldly people” cause “divisions” (Jude 19). Being “devoid of the Holy Spirit”, they use emotions and propaganda and manipulations and social media to promote these divisions in the world. These people do not care if their words and manipulations cause death and destruction or ruin whole societies. They have a worldly agenda that trumps every notion of what is right and wrong. Their worldly agenda is self-serving. It separates people into friends and enemies, good and bad, right and wrong. Unwilling to compromise or see any situation to be complicated, they have simplistic answers and use hard-headed ideals to beat others into submission.
Recently, an unusual example of this need to force others to comply to an ideal came to play in the news media. It was reported that a teacher in Las Vegas taped a face mask on a little boy in order to force the boy to wear a mask in the classroom. It was reported later that five other students had masks taped to their faces as well. The particulars of why this was done have not been reported. The teacher has not been given the chance to explain herself. Those involved have gone to news media and social media sources and lawyers to promote their agendas, cover up their liability, and argue for or against those involved. All in all, the truth is getting lost in all the politics, maneuvering, and propaganda being force fed to the world. There are several worldly examples of divisions in this story. If the teacher did do this heinous thing, she was causing a child to look poorly to the others, causing a division among the students. There are also groups arguing for and against the use of face masks in the classroom among healthy children. Teachers’ unions and school boards are facing off on the issue. Politicians have jumped on the bandwagon to enter their opinions. In the end, one alleged wrong may be multiplied a thousand times over by those who like to promote divisions in the world.
These worldly divisions have found their way into the church as well. Denominations have been formed around worldly divisions like social issues and cultural norms. Mainline protestant denominations have developed “missionaries” who promote public policy issues in political forums. There are transgender and LBGQ groups that meet in many denominations promoting their own views of gender and marriage and sexuality and family. Denominational leaders suggest that voting a certain way at the polls is tantamount to being faithful or going to heaven. Church leaders may also get caught up in doing the same locally. I bet you could name those people who promote a worldly cause among committees and groups at your local church. At the same time, these groups will libel and shame all those who dare speak against their cause.
There is a real danger that you may get caught up in a worldly division in your own spiritual life. You might promote an agenda in your own church around a particular issue without acknowledging that those on the “other side of the aisle” may be partially right in their different stance on that issue. You might find yourself unwilling to associate with those in your church who believe something slightly different or see the other side of an argument. You might stubbornly hold to your opinion on some issue, unwilling to hear that you may be wrong. You might lie to yourself about some sin you have committed in order to justify your own worldliness. There are many ways that worldly divisions can sink their teeth into your heart and soul. You must be wary of that happening. It will cause your love for others to fade and hardness of heart to infiltrate your being.
When Moses approached Pharaoh with his sin of enslaving the Israelite people, the Bible explains that the reason for Pharoah’s sin was that his heart was hardened against the Israelites (Exodus 9:34-35). When worldly thoughts and divisions take hold in your mind, your heart will also harden against others. Then, you will blindly sin against Almighty God. Worldly divisions are the source of much suffering in the world. They are also a common source of sin among all people. Worldly divisions will not only cause walls to be erected against individuals and groups, but they also inevitably cause walls to appear in your relationship with God.
Has your heart been hardened by a worldly division? Are you too quick to take sides for or against a person or group without seeing all the issues involved? Do you cause divisions to appear due to your own “us vs. them” mentality? Don’t let worldly divisions damage your faith. Don’t let them drive a wedge between you and God. Be careful you remain aware that worldly divisions caused by worldly desires bring about not only fights and wars of the worldly kind (James 4:1), they also are the basis of many spiritual fights and wars as well.
September 15
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,…” (Jude 20, ESV)
There are many ways to “build yourself up in your most holy faith” (Jude 20a). Reading and studying your Bible helps greatly. Meditating (thinking deeply or pondering) on the depths of scripture helps you to discover all the wonderful nuances of a relationship with God in Christ. It is surprising how the scriptures can speak to you at different times in different ways. Worship helps encourage your soul to not only sing but to be strengthened by the fellowship of others. That is why Hebrews 11:25 says, “Don’t neglect to meet together…”. There is one more great part of your spiritual life that can build up your faith to incredible levels. That is prayer. Prayer is conversation between your heart, mind, and soul and God Almighty. However, the scripture for today emphasizes that you, being beloved of God, must pray a certain way. You must “pray in the Holy Spirit”. Not every Christian who graces the pews on Sunday is capable of this. You better be!
In order to pray in the Holy Spirit, you need to have the Holy Spirit in your life. The disciples were very different men before and after the Holy Spirit entered in their lives. Before the Holy Spirit filled them on Pentecost, one disciple betrayed Jesus, another denied Him, and the others fled in fear when Jesus needed them the most. After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples were unafraid to speak about Jesus in public places even when it was dangerous. They were open to the Holy Spirit leading them (see Acts 8:39 for example). They followed the direction of the Spirit. They preached and taught while “in the Spirit” (see Acts 20:22). They healed people with the power of the Spirit. They also fought spiritual forces of evil. Romans 8:9 teaches that you can only be in the Spirit “IF IN FACT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU”. You can only pray in the Spirit if the Holy Spirit lives in you right now.
What is it like when the Holy Spirit dwells in you and empowers your prayers? As shown in the last paragraph, the disciples were more bold in their faith. They were unafraid to face risks. They stepped out in faith when other might cower or falter. Also, when filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples’ ability to heal others was greatly increased. They stood up against demonic powers and faced down spiritual threats. The Spirit led them, guided their steps, and gave them powerful words of wisdom when preaching or teaching.
Before the Holy Spirit comes into their lives, followers of Jesus are more timid and reserved and fearful and less equipped for spiritual battles. When filled with the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus are bold and powerful and spiritually adept. They are passionate preachers and teachers. When following the direction of the Spirit, they end up at the right place at the right time to apply their God-given abilities.
In my early years of ministry, I met a young man at a Christian youth gathering. Cabe grew up in the church. His mother taught Sunday School classes, and his father was active in the Men’s group. Cabe went to church almost every week but never really seemed enthused about his faith. He’d rather be out hunting on a Sunday morning than sitting in a pew. He would rather be driving around with his friends than stuck at a Christian youth gathering. I could tell Cabe lacked passion in his faith. Because of this, I figured that the Holy Spirit had not yet entered his life.
On the last night of the Christian youth gathering, Cabe approached me. He looked upset. Something was bothering him. You could see it in the pull of his brow and the taught lips. I wondered if someone had said something hurtful. Instead, I was surprised by the moment. Cabe told me that his prayer and study time all weekend bothered him. He didn’t feel right. He grew more and more antsy as he described the shame of his not taking God seriously. He asked me what to do about it. I told him that we should pray together that the Holy Spirit enter him and cleanse him and ready him for the next part of his life.
Cabe wasn’t sure what that all meant, but he desired greatly to do something for God that weekend. When we finished praying together, he described for me a feeling such as a weight coming off his back. He told me that he felt stronger yet lighter than air. During the prayer, he felt God telling him to do a few things. Cabe committed himself to doing those things for God.
Over the next year, I got to see Cabe again on a few occasions. Each time, we looked for each other. Each time, he told me about new things he was doing for God. By his descriptions and explanations, I could tell that the Holy Spirit had entered Cabe the weekend of the youth gathering. I could see his spiritual life was growing by leaps and bounds. He was no longer “going through the motions” while worshipping or reading his Bible. Everywhere he looked it seemed that God wanted to show him new things and give him new avenues of growth.
Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit enter your life? Do you remember the feeling of the presence of God’s Spirit coming to you? Have you experienced that feeling of being ready to face some challenge because of Spiritual encouragement? Do you know what it’s like for the Spirit to guide you or open your eyes to a new understanding of some scripture? Do you even have the Holy Spirit? Chances are that you have some of the Holy Spirit in you because you sought out this meditation. Now, what is the Holy Spirit telling you today about the next steps of your faith journey? Go ahead, pray about it! But make sure to pray IN THE SPIRIT!
In order to pray in the Holy Spirit, you need to have the Holy Spirit in your life. The disciples were very different men before and after the Holy Spirit entered in their lives. Before the Holy Spirit filled them on Pentecost, one disciple betrayed Jesus, another denied Him, and the others fled in fear when Jesus needed them the most. After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples were unafraid to speak about Jesus in public places even when it was dangerous. They were open to the Holy Spirit leading them (see Acts 8:39 for example). They followed the direction of the Spirit. They preached and taught while “in the Spirit” (see Acts 20:22). They healed people with the power of the Spirit. They also fought spiritual forces of evil. Romans 8:9 teaches that you can only be in the Spirit “IF IN FACT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU”. You can only pray in the Spirit if the Holy Spirit lives in you right now.
What is it like when the Holy Spirit dwells in you and empowers your prayers? As shown in the last paragraph, the disciples were more bold in their faith. They were unafraid to face risks. They stepped out in faith when other might cower or falter. Also, when filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples’ ability to heal others was greatly increased. They stood up against demonic powers and faced down spiritual threats. The Spirit led them, guided their steps, and gave them powerful words of wisdom when preaching or teaching.
Before the Holy Spirit comes into their lives, followers of Jesus are more timid and reserved and fearful and less equipped for spiritual battles. When filled with the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus are bold and powerful and spiritually adept. They are passionate preachers and teachers. When following the direction of the Spirit, they end up at the right place at the right time to apply their God-given abilities.
In my early years of ministry, I met a young man at a Christian youth gathering. Cabe grew up in the church. His mother taught Sunday School classes, and his father was active in the Men’s group. Cabe went to church almost every week but never really seemed enthused about his faith. He’d rather be out hunting on a Sunday morning than sitting in a pew. He would rather be driving around with his friends than stuck at a Christian youth gathering. I could tell Cabe lacked passion in his faith. Because of this, I figured that the Holy Spirit had not yet entered his life.
On the last night of the Christian youth gathering, Cabe approached me. He looked upset. Something was bothering him. You could see it in the pull of his brow and the taught lips. I wondered if someone had said something hurtful. Instead, I was surprised by the moment. Cabe told me that his prayer and study time all weekend bothered him. He didn’t feel right. He grew more and more antsy as he described the shame of his not taking God seriously. He asked me what to do about it. I told him that we should pray together that the Holy Spirit enter him and cleanse him and ready him for the next part of his life.
Cabe wasn’t sure what that all meant, but he desired greatly to do something for God that weekend. When we finished praying together, he described for me a feeling such as a weight coming off his back. He told me that he felt stronger yet lighter than air. During the prayer, he felt God telling him to do a few things. Cabe committed himself to doing those things for God.
Over the next year, I got to see Cabe again on a few occasions. Each time, we looked for each other. Each time, he told me about new things he was doing for God. By his descriptions and explanations, I could tell that the Holy Spirit had entered Cabe the weekend of the youth gathering. I could see his spiritual life was growing by leaps and bounds. He was no longer “going through the motions” while worshipping or reading his Bible. Everywhere he looked it seemed that God wanted to show him new things and give him new avenues of growth.
Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit enter your life? Do you remember the feeling of the presence of God’s Spirit coming to you? Have you experienced that feeling of being ready to face some challenge because of Spiritual encouragement? Do you know what it’s like for the Spirit to guide you or open your eyes to a new understanding of some scripture? Do you even have the Holy Spirit? Chances are that you have some of the Holy Spirit in you because you sought out this meditation. Now, what is the Holy Spirit telling you today about the next steps of your faith journey? Go ahead, pray about it! But make sure to pray IN THE SPIRIT!
September 17
“In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry… The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them…. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.” (2 Samuel 22:7-8, 14-15,17–18, ESV)
When Gwen was going through a rough patch with her daughter’s health, she prayed desperately. As the scripture details above, she “called upon the Lord”. She asked God to give her strength. She asked for the wisdom to make life and death decisions for her daughter. She needed God’s help. Gwen’s daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of a stomach disease. The disease had decimated the child’s stomach and intestinal linings. This resulted in the child becoming sick, malnourished, and susceptible to illness. As the doctors at the Children’s Hospital put her daughter into a special room for immune-compromised patients, Gwen had to make supremely important decisions like which types of treatments to use, whether an experimental drug protocol would help, and who was allowed to be in her daughter’s room. Day after day, Gwen gowned up and entered the sterilized room afraid she would make a mistake would end her daughter’s young life. To fight the stress and fears and emotional turmoil, Gwen leaned on God’s strength and wisdom and protection.
When King David’s life was threatened, he too turned to God for strength and wisdom and protection. Our scripture for today from 2 Samuel 22 contains some of the very words David wrote when confronted with his life and death situation. Like Gwen, David knew that one wrong decision would imperil those he cared about. He turned to God. 2 Samuel 22:7 records that “in his distress”, David “called upon the Lord”. David believed that not only did God “hear his voice”, God responded with thunder (“the heavens trembled” as “the Lord thundered from heaven”-2 Samuel 22:14-15). God’s wrath came up against David’s enemies, who dared to attack God’s chosen one. God attacked David’s enemies and “routed them”. God “rescued” David from enemies that “were too mighty” for David to tackle alone (2 Samuel 22:17-18).
From the time David cried out to God until God’s wrath attacked his enemies was almost instant. For David, this was a clear sign that not only was God listening attentively to David’s prayers, but God was also more than willing to act in his defense. God didn’t wait for months to answer the prayer. God knew David needed help immediately. God came to David’s aid without hesitation. Because of the relationship between David and God, there was no hesitation on God’s part.
When your relationship with God is strong, not only will God listen attentively to your prayers, God will know what you need when you need it. God will act accordingly. God will not hesitate or ignore your prayer. God will act decisively and purposefully. At times, God waits to answer a prayer for a faithful person. Usually, this is due to unforeseen circumstances to which the person is unaware. God may not act right away in order to teach the person patience or so that the perfect circumstances may come about. However, when one of God’s children is in desperate need immediately, according to David’s experience and Gwen’s experience, God acts swiftly and surely.
You may think at times that God isn’t listening to your prayers, because your prayers aren’t being answered in the manner in which you thought would happen. That’s because God can see far down the road. God knows that answering all your prayers immediately does not help you to grow spiritually. It does not teach you patience or perseverance. Answering your prayers the way you would wish may at times be shortsighted or disastrous from God’s eternal perspective. God will answer you in the perfect way and at the perfect time.
In David’s situation, God needed to act immediately and with great power. Quickly, God responded with thunder and lightning and wrath and distress upon the enemies of David. Because David’s enemies were absolutely in the wrong, God was not going to let the evil continue upon His anointed. God answered swiftly, beating back David’s foes. There will be times when God will wisely wait to answer your prayers. However, if you have a great and immediate need, God will come through for you swiftly. You may not see it initially, but the signs will be there. God ALWAYS hears the cries of the faithful. God ALWAYS knows their situation. God ALWAYS wants the best for them. God ALWAYS loves them through.
When you need God, don’t hesitate to call upon Him. As a faithful believer, God will come through. You may not see it at first, but you can believe that God will act swiftly when needed and decisively when appropriate. God may wait to answer a prayer if the circumstances are not yet right. God may hold off on defeating your enemies if you need to face some test or trial. But throughout it all, God will be paying close attention to your situation. God will already have a plan in place the moment you call upon Him.
If you want God to act swiftly to your cries, remember the following things about the scripture for today…
David was close to God. He was called God’s chosen or God’s beloved. Even when David sinned, he made things right with God.
David called upon God when he had a need. He didn’t wait and try to fix it himself first.
David knew that when he called upon God, God would hear his cry. He knew for certain that God was that close.
David looked for God’s signs of action among his enemies. When David prayed, he expected God to answer. He knew God was Almighty. He knew God stands up for the innocent.
David didn’t tell God how to act. He only cried to the Lord. Don’t expect God to answer your prayers in the way you would will it. God will always have a better way to answer your prayer.
When David cried to God, he wasn’t afraid. He knew God would come through somehow.
David was awed and thankful at God’s response, ready to tell others of God’s faithfulness.
David was completely convinced that God would act. He knew God would closely monitor his prayers. It is supremely important that you have a strong and intimate relationship with God. It is crucial that you and God are close. That way, when you most need God, God will be there in a powerful way acting swiftly on your behalf.
When King David’s life was threatened, he too turned to God for strength and wisdom and protection. Our scripture for today from 2 Samuel 22 contains some of the very words David wrote when confronted with his life and death situation. Like Gwen, David knew that one wrong decision would imperil those he cared about. He turned to God. 2 Samuel 22:7 records that “in his distress”, David “called upon the Lord”. David believed that not only did God “hear his voice”, God responded with thunder (“the heavens trembled” as “the Lord thundered from heaven”-2 Samuel 22:14-15). God’s wrath came up against David’s enemies, who dared to attack God’s chosen one. God attacked David’s enemies and “routed them”. God “rescued” David from enemies that “were too mighty” for David to tackle alone (2 Samuel 22:17-18).
From the time David cried out to God until God’s wrath attacked his enemies was almost instant. For David, this was a clear sign that not only was God listening attentively to David’s prayers, but God was also more than willing to act in his defense. God didn’t wait for months to answer the prayer. God knew David needed help immediately. God came to David’s aid without hesitation. Because of the relationship between David and God, there was no hesitation on God’s part.
When your relationship with God is strong, not only will God listen attentively to your prayers, God will know what you need when you need it. God will act accordingly. God will not hesitate or ignore your prayer. God will act decisively and purposefully. At times, God waits to answer a prayer for a faithful person. Usually, this is due to unforeseen circumstances to which the person is unaware. God may not act right away in order to teach the person patience or so that the perfect circumstances may come about. However, when one of God’s children is in desperate need immediately, according to David’s experience and Gwen’s experience, God acts swiftly and surely.
You may think at times that God isn’t listening to your prayers, because your prayers aren’t being answered in the manner in which you thought would happen. That’s because God can see far down the road. God knows that answering all your prayers immediately does not help you to grow spiritually. It does not teach you patience or perseverance. Answering your prayers the way you would wish may at times be shortsighted or disastrous from God’s eternal perspective. God will answer you in the perfect way and at the perfect time.
In David’s situation, God needed to act immediately and with great power. Quickly, God responded with thunder and lightning and wrath and distress upon the enemies of David. Because David’s enemies were absolutely in the wrong, God was not going to let the evil continue upon His anointed. God answered swiftly, beating back David’s foes. There will be times when God will wisely wait to answer your prayers. However, if you have a great and immediate need, God will come through for you swiftly. You may not see it initially, but the signs will be there. God ALWAYS hears the cries of the faithful. God ALWAYS knows their situation. God ALWAYS wants the best for them. God ALWAYS loves them through.
When you need God, don’t hesitate to call upon Him. As a faithful believer, God will come through. You may not see it at first, but you can believe that God will act swiftly when needed and decisively when appropriate. God may wait to answer a prayer if the circumstances are not yet right. God may hold off on defeating your enemies if you need to face some test or trial. But throughout it all, God will be paying close attention to your situation. God will already have a plan in place the moment you call upon Him.
If you want God to act swiftly to your cries, remember the following things about the scripture for today…
David was close to God. He was called God’s chosen or God’s beloved. Even when David sinned, he made things right with God.
David called upon God when he had a need. He didn’t wait and try to fix it himself first.
David knew that when he called upon God, God would hear his cry. He knew for certain that God was that close.
David looked for God’s signs of action among his enemies. When David prayed, he expected God to answer. He knew God was Almighty. He knew God stands up for the innocent.
David didn’t tell God how to act. He only cried to the Lord. Don’t expect God to answer your prayers in the way you would will it. God will always have a better way to answer your prayer.
When David cried to God, he wasn’t afraid. He knew God would come through somehow.
David was awed and thankful at God’s response, ready to tell others of God’s faithfulness.
David was completely convinced that God would act. He knew God would closely monitor his prayers. It is supremely important that you have a strong and intimate relationship with God. It is crucial that you and God are close. That way, when you most need God, God will be there in a powerful way acting swiftly on your behalf.
September 20
“When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”” (Mark 2:17, NLT)
The scripture above is known by some as the “Parable of the Great Physician”. It describes Jesus as a physician who heals sick souls, who helps the sinner to heal and become whole. Just as people benefit greatly from a good physician who can heal the body using perfectly prescribed medications, Jesus is the perfect source of healing for the hurting and sick soul. I find it interesting that almost everyone has the belief that a good physician who can heal the body is a necessity in life, yet believe a spiritual physician is optional! I believe every soul would benefit from a visit by Jesus as the Good Spiritual Physician.
On a medical drama I recently watched, the doctors tried frantically to save a man from death. He was throwing up blood. His nerves became inflamed. He developed a rash. Then, his kidneys failed. Finally, in a desperate measure, they tried a cure for a rare disease. It worked. The man was healed. He left the hospital the next day. The doctors were thrilled that they could heal the man.
What the doctors did not realize was that the man was not “healed”. They may have diagnosed and treated his physical ailments, but the man was far from whole. The day after the man left, the FBI came to the hospital to arrest the man. It seems that the man, who the doctors had pronounced cured, was a serial killer who had been on the run for years. The doctors looked at the man’s physical symptoms and pronounced the man “cured”. However, his moral, psychological, and spiritual illnesses were far from cured. The man was a walking, talking maniac of the worst sort. You can heal a person’s body beautifully, but that doesn’t make a person “whole” or “cured” or even “well”. A physically healthy person can be seriously damaged in mind, soul, psyche, ethically, morally, or emotionally.
There are many people walking around today who are not as sick in the body as they are sick in the soul. They are not in need of a physician at an emergency room. The only ones who can help the spiritually sick are those who know how to heal the soul. They often look to Jesus for their strength. I have met many who suffered in the soul while being perfectly healthy physically. They may have passed any number of tests at a hospital, but they never felt “whole”. They suffered, not because of a physical ailment, but because of a spiritual one. For many of these, their spiritual sickness ended up causing diseases of mind and body. However, the illness started off as a spiritual one that mutated into other areas of the person’s life.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of Mark, Jesus was speaking. As Jesus sat at table with the disciples and some tax collectors and other “sinners”, Jesus began to teach (Mark 2:15). Mark 2:17 records Jesus as saying, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor”. In the absence of any form of sickness, a healthy person can easily go through life without a visit to a doctor or a need for medicine. Sick people need a doctor and/or medicine. Jesus then goes on to explain that spiritually righteous people don’t need a spiritual physician who can heal their soul. Spiritually sick “sinners”, however, need a spiritual physician like Jesus, who can heal the body with the soul. In essence, they do not need surgery of the body to feel whole. They need surgery of the soul.
Can you imagine what it would be like if you had a broken leg and never went to get medical treatment? You could end up with an amputated leg or even die from infection! You would need quick medical treatment to stop something worse from befalling you. In like manner, when a person is spiritually or morally sick, they too have need of spiritual help. If they do not get it, they will suffer some spiritual, moral, or ethical dilemma in the future that could not only result in spiritual death but physical death as well.
When I was a chaplain at Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, I visited with a man in a locked ward named Cary. After a few minutes of conversation, I learned that Cary was brought to the hospital because he was suicidal. After the death of his wife in a car accident, Cary began to drink alcohol and use drugs. His downward spiral continued until he attempted to kill himself. Before the bottle of sleeping pills could stop his heart, he was rescued by police who brought him to the hospital. They pumped his stomach and stabilized his condition. While recovering in the hospital, Cary looked back on what he did. He told me that he still wanted to kill himself. He claimed that he just didn’t want to live in this world any longer as it was too painful.
Cary was the perfect picture of health. He was a long-distance runner. He had a perfect physique. He was young and vivacious at only thirty-two years of age. But Cary was far from healthy - spiritually. He felt guilty that his wife had died in the car accident while driving to pick him up from a bar. He blamed himself for her death. He couldn’t live with his culpability in her accident. Cary was in desperate need for a “spiritual emergency room” with a great spiritual physician. He needed Jesus, and I was there to bring Jesus to his battered soul.
With conversation, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit, Cary healed while in the hospital. Day by day, I could feel God’s presence in and around him. At first, Cary resisted Jesus’ help. Later, he found forgiveness at the foot of the cross. It took a long time for Cary to heal spiritually from the death of his wife. It took many hours at the feet of the Master for Cary to realize that he was loved, that suicide was not the answer for his problems, and that love and life still existed for him. While drenched in tears, Cary recommitted his life to Christ and found a reason to live again.
Every now and then, you are going to need some spiritual doctoring. Jesus is the perfect healer. Faithful followers of Jesus Christ can help you heal. You may try to find balm for your soul in secular places, but you will never find true healing. Sometimes, you just need your Master’s touch. Sometimes, you need to open your heart to the Great Spiritual Physician who is ready to examine your hurting soul.
On a medical drama I recently watched, the doctors tried frantically to save a man from death. He was throwing up blood. His nerves became inflamed. He developed a rash. Then, his kidneys failed. Finally, in a desperate measure, they tried a cure for a rare disease. It worked. The man was healed. He left the hospital the next day. The doctors were thrilled that they could heal the man.
What the doctors did not realize was that the man was not “healed”. They may have diagnosed and treated his physical ailments, but the man was far from whole. The day after the man left, the FBI came to the hospital to arrest the man. It seems that the man, who the doctors had pronounced cured, was a serial killer who had been on the run for years. The doctors looked at the man’s physical symptoms and pronounced the man “cured”. However, his moral, psychological, and spiritual illnesses were far from cured. The man was a walking, talking maniac of the worst sort. You can heal a person’s body beautifully, but that doesn’t make a person “whole” or “cured” or even “well”. A physically healthy person can be seriously damaged in mind, soul, psyche, ethically, morally, or emotionally.
There are many people walking around today who are not as sick in the body as they are sick in the soul. They are not in need of a physician at an emergency room. The only ones who can help the spiritually sick are those who know how to heal the soul. They often look to Jesus for their strength. I have met many who suffered in the soul while being perfectly healthy physically. They may have passed any number of tests at a hospital, but they never felt “whole”. They suffered, not because of a physical ailment, but because of a spiritual one. For many of these, their spiritual sickness ended up causing diseases of mind and body. However, the illness started off as a spiritual one that mutated into other areas of the person’s life.
In the scripture for today from the gospel of Mark, Jesus was speaking. As Jesus sat at table with the disciples and some tax collectors and other “sinners”, Jesus began to teach (Mark 2:15). Mark 2:17 records Jesus as saying, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor”. In the absence of any form of sickness, a healthy person can easily go through life without a visit to a doctor or a need for medicine. Sick people need a doctor and/or medicine. Jesus then goes on to explain that spiritually righteous people don’t need a spiritual physician who can heal their soul. Spiritually sick “sinners”, however, need a spiritual physician like Jesus, who can heal the body with the soul. In essence, they do not need surgery of the body to feel whole. They need surgery of the soul.
Can you imagine what it would be like if you had a broken leg and never went to get medical treatment? You could end up with an amputated leg or even die from infection! You would need quick medical treatment to stop something worse from befalling you. In like manner, when a person is spiritually or morally sick, they too have need of spiritual help. If they do not get it, they will suffer some spiritual, moral, or ethical dilemma in the future that could not only result in spiritual death but physical death as well.
When I was a chaplain at Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, I visited with a man in a locked ward named Cary. After a few minutes of conversation, I learned that Cary was brought to the hospital because he was suicidal. After the death of his wife in a car accident, Cary began to drink alcohol and use drugs. His downward spiral continued until he attempted to kill himself. Before the bottle of sleeping pills could stop his heart, he was rescued by police who brought him to the hospital. They pumped his stomach and stabilized his condition. While recovering in the hospital, Cary looked back on what he did. He told me that he still wanted to kill himself. He claimed that he just didn’t want to live in this world any longer as it was too painful.
Cary was the perfect picture of health. He was a long-distance runner. He had a perfect physique. He was young and vivacious at only thirty-two years of age. But Cary was far from healthy - spiritually. He felt guilty that his wife had died in the car accident while driving to pick him up from a bar. He blamed himself for her death. He couldn’t live with his culpability in her accident. Cary was in desperate need for a “spiritual emergency room” with a great spiritual physician. He needed Jesus, and I was there to bring Jesus to his battered soul.
With conversation, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit, Cary healed while in the hospital. Day by day, I could feel God’s presence in and around him. At first, Cary resisted Jesus’ help. Later, he found forgiveness at the foot of the cross. It took a long time for Cary to heal spiritually from the death of his wife. It took many hours at the feet of the Master for Cary to realize that he was loved, that suicide was not the answer for his problems, and that love and life still existed for him. While drenched in tears, Cary recommitted his life to Christ and found a reason to live again.
Every now and then, you are going to need some spiritual doctoring. Jesus is the perfect healer. Faithful followers of Jesus Christ can help you heal. You may try to find balm for your soul in secular places, but you will never find true healing. Sometimes, you just need your Master’s touch. Sometimes, you need to open your heart to the Great Spiritual Physician who is ready to examine your hurting soul.
September 22
[Samuel said to all Israel, including Saul]...“If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.” (1 Samuel 12:14, ESV)
“Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” (1 Samuel 15:24, ESV)
“Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” (1 Samuel 15:24, ESV)
If you read very closely the two scriptures above, they contain a very important message for you to carry in your everyday activities. This important message will determine not only the effectiveness of your faith but the success of your life. Many people fail to follow the directions set forth by God for dealing with fear and peer pressure that come into play in this scripture and in everyday life. To remain faithful and successful in God’s eyes, the interplay between what you fear along with outside pressures will determine God’s view of your level of faith. If you fail miserably at this interplay, you may end up ruining everything just as did Saul in the scriptures for today.
In 1 Samuel 12:14, Samuel explicitly warns the people of Israel that if they and their King Saul do not “serve God and obey His voice” by not “rebelling against the commandment of the Lord”, things would “go well” in Israel. Samuel saw the weakness in both Israel and in King Saul to ignore the commands of God in order to pursue political power or self-promotion. For Israel to function well, its leader and the people needed to keep God’s commandments front and center, not to relegate them to worldly powers and pressures. Politics and the pressures from groups of people should not determine how you live your life. God’s commandments should be your impetus for action. If you set aside God’s commands in order to follow a political or social agenda, chances are you will not only ruin the social fabric of society but your own relationship with God.
1 Samuel 15:24 lists what happened soon after Samuel gave his warning to Israel. Going contrary to the Samuel’s wisdom, King Saul did the opposite of what had previously been warned. Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.” What did Saul do? Instead of respecting God and obeying God’s voice (1 Samuel 12:14), Saul “feared the people and obeyed their voice”(1 Samuel 15:24). Saul did the opposite of what Samuel had warned. Saul wanted to look good to the people in the land. Therefore, when push came to shove, Saul set aside God’s commandments to follow the will of the people. In doing so, he sinned. Only then did Saul see clearly that in fearing and obeying the people instead of God, Saul had not only disrespected God, Saul was endangering the social fabric of Israel while ruining his own relationship with Heaven.
Don’t for one moment think this doesn’t happen every day with ordinary Christians. Every single Christian has the same danger of fearing people and obeying their voice while setting aside the commandments of God. Many Christians struggle with looking good to other people so much so that they set aside following God’s ways in order to be admired or idolized by other people. This is seen in obvious form in social media today. Some people are so enamored by getting likes or pokes or views or accolades on social media that they gladly set aside their ethics for self-promotion. In the workplace, Christians can be so pressured to be socially accepted that they set aside their obedience to God by focusing on being politically and socially correct first and foremost. Some Christians even change their faith-views in order to be accepted by others.
As an example of this, let me point to Cassandra. I have changed her name but not her circumstances. Cassandra began a social media presence a decade ago. She started on My Space, then transferred to Facebook, branched out into doing YouTube videos, then to Twitter, Instagram and more. Along the way, she garnered millions of views and thousands of subscribers.
On one Youtube video, Cassandra wore a shirt that just had the word “FAITH” emblazoned on the front. After airing the video, a dozen people complained that she must be a “wacko Christian”, and they urged others to stop watching the videos. Maybe a dozen people unsubscribed to her YouTube channel. Cassandra was so distraught at losing a dozen people, so worried about “looking bad” to her viewers, that she took down the video and reshot it without the shirt. Since that day, she has never talked about her faith publicly, has made a determined effort to hide any evidence of her faith in videos, and even refuses to be photographed at her church. In essence, to please her viewers and in fear of repercussions, Cassandra has abandoned any public expression of her faith. 99% of her fans don’t even know she is a Christian. Some even think she is an atheist!
For fear of looking weak before the people of Israel, Saul sinned before the Lord. Afraid of how they might appear to others, many people make the same mistake today. You need to decide if you are going to “fear the people and set aside your faith” or “fear the Lord and obey HIS commandments”. You might think this decision would be easy. However, when people start to put pressure on you to do things that go against your faith in God, you might find it easy to go with the flow and follow the crowd. You might be surprised how easily or quickly people set aside their faith in order to look good to the adoring public or to their friends or to their constituents. Many a politician has abandoned his or her faith in order to save face in the public sphere.
I guarantee you that there will be many times in the days ahead when you will have to choose between looking good and being faithful. I just hope you make godly choices on those days. No doubt God will be watching. Today’s scripture warns you against the same mistake that made Saul stumble. I hope in your day of trial, you don’t stumble as well.
In 1 Samuel 12:14, Samuel explicitly warns the people of Israel that if they and their King Saul do not “serve God and obey His voice” by not “rebelling against the commandment of the Lord”, things would “go well” in Israel. Samuel saw the weakness in both Israel and in King Saul to ignore the commands of God in order to pursue political power or self-promotion. For Israel to function well, its leader and the people needed to keep God’s commandments front and center, not to relegate them to worldly powers and pressures. Politics and the pressures from groups of people should not determine how you live your life. God’s commandments should be your impetus for action. If you set aside God’s commands in order to follow a political or social agenda, chances are you will not only ruin the social fabric of society but your own relationship with God.
1 Samuel 15:24 lists what happened soon after Samuel gave his warning to Israel. Going contrary to the Samuel’s wisdom, King Saul did the opposite of what had previously been warned. Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.” What did Saul do? Instead of respecting God and obeying God’s voice (1 Samuel 12:14), Saul “feared the people and obeyed their voice”(1 Samuel 15:24). Saul did the opposite of what Samuel had warned. Saul wanted to look good to the people in the land. Therefore, when push came to shove, Saul set aside God’s commandments to follow the will of the people. In doing so, he sinned. Only then did Saul see clearly that in fearing and obeying the people instead of God, Saul had not only disrespected God, Saul was endangering the social fabric of Israel while ruining his own relationship with Heaven.
Don’t for one moment think this doesn’t happen every day with ordinary Christians. Every single Christian has the same danger of fearing people and obeying their voice while setting aside the commandments of God. Many Christians struggle with looking good to other people so much so that they set aside following God’s ways in order to be admired or idolized by other people. This is seen in obvious form in social media today. Some people are so enamored by getting likes or pokes or views or accolades on social media that they gladly set aside their ethics for self-promotion. In the workplace, Christians can be so pressured to be socially accepted that they set aside their obedience to God by focusing on being politically and socially correct first and foremost. Some Christians even change their faith-views in order to be accepted by others.
As an example of this, let me point to Cassandra. I have changed her name but not her circumstances. Cassandra began a social media presence a decade ago. She started on My Space, then transferred to Facebook, branched out into doing YouTube videos, then to Twitter, Instagram and more. Along the way, she garnered millions of views and thousands of subscribers.
On one Youtube video, Cassandra wore a shirt that just had the word “FAITH” emblazoned on the front. After airing the video, a dozen people complained that she must be a “wacko Christian”, and they urged others to stop watching the videos. Maybe a dozen people unsubscribed to her YouTube channel. Cassandra was so distraught at losing a dozen people, so worried about “looking bad” to her viewers, that she took down the video and reshot it without the shirt. Since that day, she has never talked about her faith publicly, has made a determined effort to hide any evidence of her faith in videos, and even refuses to be photographed at her church. In essence, to please her viewers and in fear of repercussions, Cassandra has abandoned any public expression of her faith. 99% of her fans don’t even know she is a Christian. Some even think she is an atheist!
For fear of looking weak before the people of Israel, Saul sinned before the Lord. Afraid of how they might appear to others, many people make the same mistake today. You need to decide if you are going to “fear the people and set aside your faith” or “fear the Lord and obey HIS commandments”. You might think this decision would be easy. However, when people start to put pressure on you to do things that go against your faith in God, you might find it easy to go with the flow and follow the crowd. You might be surprised how easily or quickly people set aside their faith in order to look good to the adoring public or to their friends or to their constituents. Many a politician has abandoned his or her faith in order to save face in the public sphere.
I guarantee you that there will be many times in the days ahead when you will have to choose between looking good and being faithful. I just hope you make godly choices on those days. No doubt God will be watching. Today’s scripture warns you against the same mistake that made Saul stumble. I hope in your day of trial, you don’t stumble as well.
September 24
“But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7, ESV)
You will spend a lot of your life waiting for different things. You probably will spend hours every month waiting for paint to dry, waiting for the red light to change to green, waiting for dinner to finish cooking, sitting in waiting rooms, whiling away the time, or waiting for a plant to ripen. How often have you heard a child say, “Are we there, yet?”! Waiting is a normal part of life. What is surprising is that people do not like to wait. Waiting is a good way to learn patience. It is healthier to wait while vegetables and fruits ripen. When waiting for the doctor to see you, it would be a good time to say a prayer, read something thoughtful, meditate on something important, or work through your plans for the day. In a sense, waiting gives you time to focus on something else. Sadly, modern people don’t like to focus on other things. They are used to busy-ness and a hurried lifestyle. Some people even get the feeling that if they are waiting for something, they are being unproductive or worthless. Sometimes, it’s the distractions while waiting that are the impetus for great ideas!
During the 1970’s, Liam Sternberg was a songwriter with a few good songs to his credit. One day, while thinking about song lyrics, Sternberg was forced to take a break. He had to take the ferry. For most people, taking the ferry implies a waste of time when you are waiting for the ferry to fill, waiting for the lines to be cast off, and waiting for the slow ferry to cross the waters to its destination. It just so happened that the ferry hit rougher waters and winds that day. As it crossed the water, Sternberg watched people swaying quickly with the movement of the ship. He laughed to himself the way people threw up their arms to catch themselves when the ship rocked quickly in the waves. He mused to himself that the people looked like Egyptians in the carvings along the Nile as they did this. While smiling at the unbalanced passengers, Sternberg was hit with the idea to write a song about people who “walk like Egyptians”. His lyrics were accepted by the group Bangles and became a #1 hit and international sensation. Even now, almost forty years later, Sternberg’s lyrics are played often on radio stations. When did Sternberg come up with the idea? While waiting for the ferry to finish its crossing.
In your spiritual life, waiting will always occur. Even now, you are waiting for Jesus’ second coming! Zach Schlegel wrote this about spiritual waiting: “…trusting God in a fallen world often involves waiting. Abraham waited for twenty-five years before seeing the fulfillment of God’s promise of a child (see Gen. 12:4; 21:5). God didn’t part the Red Sea until the last minute, after the Egyptians had the Israelites surrounded and all hope seemed lost (see Ex. 14). The Christian waits for Christ’s return (see Rev. 22:20) and for the redemption of our ailing bodies (see Rom. 8:23).” (Fear Others: Putting God First, p. 21). Waiting for the Lord is an important concept to master. If you hurriedly act when God wants you to wait for the right time, things won’t go well.
The scripture for today is from the prophet, Micah. Micah lived in a tumultuous time in the history of Israel. During his lifetime, he warned against the sin of the people of Israel before the great defeat and exile of 722/721 BC. He saw Israel’s leaders as corrupt and evil. Micah prophesied for years. Along with Isaiah and Jeremiah, he continuously urged the people to repent and return to God. In the midst of all this turmoil, Micah wrote about the coming of Jesus (Micah 5:2). He also gave us the words of scripture for today. In the midst of the looming battle and war with the Assyrians, Micah wrote that he would always “look to the Lord” while “waiting for the God of Salvation to act” (Micah 7:7). Micah was convinced that when the time was right, God would act. God would not only hear Micah’s prayer but respond at the perfect time.
The reason why many Christians lack the patience to “wait upon the Lord” is that they lack faith that God will act at the right time in the right way. Too many Christians want God to act quickly, take care of the problem yesterday, and lack the ability to see things from God’s perspective. They want God to act when they want it and how they see it. God is WAY BIGGER than that! Imagine if a child determined how everyone should act as it suited her desires! Can you see how this might end up with shortsighted fixes and band-aid types of remedies? Children, lacking patience and experience, usually do not see how things would work out in the long term or with certain variables. In the same way, even now, there are variables at work that God sees but you do not see. If God answered your prayers or granted wishes based on your small point of view, can you imagine what could go wrong? You need the faith to accept that God will answer prayers and follow through when the time is right and in the way that is perfect.
How good are you at “waiting on the Lord”? Do you waste the time God gives you while waiting? Are you an impatient person? I can only hope that your faith is big enough to handle those important times when God has you wait!
During the 1970’s, Liam Sternberg was a songwriter with a few good songs to his credit. One day, while thinking about song lyrics, Sternberg was forced to take a break. He had to take the ferry. For most people, taking the ferry implies a waste of time when you are waiting for the ferry to fill, waiting for the lines to be cast off, and waiting for the slow ferry to cross the waters to its destination. It just so happened that the ferry hit rougher waters and winds that day. As it crossed the water, Sternberg watched people swaying quickly with the movement of the ship. He laughed to himself the way people threw up their arms to catch themselves when the ship rocked quickly in the waves. He mused to himself that the people looked like Egyptians in the carvings along the Nile as they did this. While smiling at the unbalanced passengers, Sternberg was hit with the idea to write a song about people who “walk like Egyptians”. His lyrics were accepted by the group Bangles and became a #1 hit and international sensation. Even now, almost forty years later, Sternberg’s lyrics are played often on radio stations. When did Sternberg come up with the idea? While waiting for the ferry to finish its crossing.
In your spiritual life, waiting will always occur. Even now, you are waiting for Jesus’ second coming! Zach Schlegel wrote this about spiritual waiting: “…trusting God in a fallen world often involves waiting. Abraham waited for twenty-five years before seeing the fulfillment of God’s promise of a child (see Gen. 12:4; 21:5). God didn’t part the Red Sea until the last minute, after the Egyptians had the Israelites surrounded and all hope seemed lost (see Ex. 14). The Christian waits for Christ’s return (see Rev. 22:20) and for the redemption of our ailing bodies (see Rom. 8:23).” (Fear Others: Putting God First, p. 21). Waiting for the Lord is an important concept to master. If you hurriedly act when God wants you to wait for the right time, things won’t go well.
The scripture for today is from the prophet, Micah. Micah lived in a tumultuous time in the history of Israel. During his lifetime, he warned against the sin of the people of Israel before the great defeat and exile of 722/721 BC. He saw Israel’s leaders as corrupt and evil. Micah prophesied for years. Along with Isaiah and Jeremiah, he continuously urged the people to repent and return to God. In the midst of all this turmoil, Micah wrote about the coming of Jesus (Micah 5:2). He also gave us the words of scripture for today. In the midst of the looming battle and war with the Assyrians, Micah wrote that he would always “look to the Lord” while “waiting for the God of Salvation to act” (Micah 7:7). Micah was convinced that when the time was right, God would act. God would not only hear Micah’s prayer but respond at the perfect time.
The reason why many Christians lack the patience to “wait upon the Lord” is that they lack faith that God will act at the right time in the right way. Too many Christians want God to act quickly, take care of the problem yesterday, and lack the ability to see things from God’s perspective. They want God to act when they want it and how they see it. God is WAY BIGGER than that! Imagine if a child determined how everyone should act as it suited her desires! Can you see how this might end up with shortsighted fixes and band-aid types of remedies? Children, lacking patience and experience, usually do not see how things would work out in the long term or with certain variables. In the same way, even now, there are variables at work that God sees but you do not see. If God answered your prayers or granted wishes based on your small point of view, can you imagine what could go wrong? You need the faith to accept that God will answer prayers and follow through when the time is right and in the way that is perfect.
How good are you at “waiting on the Lord”? Do you waste the time God gives you while waiting? Are you an impatient person? I can only hope that your faith is big enough to handle those important times when God has you wait!
September 26
“Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’” (Luke 14:16–20, NLT)
In this parable above, taught by Jesus, everyone gives excuses. Many pastors, in preaching on these verses, expound on the excuses people give to one another and to God. Today, I see these verses telling me something slightly different. There are three excuses recorded in the scripture as to why people can’t come to the feast. One can’t come because he has a field to expect. One needs to work his new oxen in the field. The last just got married and can’t attend. While most Christians focus on these excuses, I see something else at work in these people who couldn't come to the feast. For each, their lives were spread so thin that they couldn't make time for the event. They were so busy with worldly responsibilities, even if they were important, that they had no time to attend the banquet.
With this scripture being a parable of Jesus, the earthly story is set forth. There are excuses. The people don’t have time. Each is burdened by worldly pressures and a life too busy to make the banquet. The excuses seem normal in modern times. People today are burdened by everyday pressures and responsibilities. Sometimes, our lives are spread rather thin. We are pulled in all kinds of directions with all kinds of responsibilities. That’s where I see that this parable has a warning for you and me. What is its heavenly meaning? If we are so saddled with worldly responsibilities and busy-ness that God’s invitations are turned down, how will we ever take the time to fulfill godly obligations?
Kurt was a hard worker. He was a very responsible man and unselfish father. When Kurt was in his twenties, he had one full-time job and two part-time jobs. He was also very active in community projects. Kurt was constantly praised for his work ethic. His employers raved about his abilities and how he came through for the team at work. The mayor even offered up his name for a special award. However, over the years, Kurt’s family began to suffer. His wife enjoyed the good income. She loved the way Kurt was viewed by company executives and community leaders. But his sons had to learn how to play baseball from their grandfather. His one daughter had to deal with the fact that her father never had time to attend her gymnastic events. His wife always had to go to events alone. Kurt didn’t have time for parent-teacher conferences. When he got really busy during the holidays, Kurt didn’t have time to decorate the Christmas tree or attend the Christmas program at church. Kurt even worked on Christmas Day so that his friends could be with their families.
After years of Kurt’s working outside the home, his wife and children began to resent Kurt’s obligations. One son grew rebellious and was put on suspension at school twice during eighth grade. Kurt’s daughter spent more and more time in her room, eventually becoming depressed and moody. Kurt’s wife felt overwhelmed, as if she was raising the kids alone. Because everyone in the community praised Kurt’s hard work and company leaders praised his abilities, his family knew not to say anything negative about their father to anyone. This caused them to feel even more isolated and neglected by Kurt. The marriage became rocky. The family fights and problems escalated.
The heavenly meaning of Jesus’ parable for today points to the fact that the three who were invited to God’s feast didn’t have time. They had other obligations. They were too busy in their lives to make time for a feast. Their lives were spread too thin to attend. When your values get skewed, and you become overly-busy, important things in your life will often be overlooked. Things that are important to God will become less important to you. I have met many busy people who did not have time for godly things. Some of them even felt too busy to read the Bible or take the time to pray. Sadly, they thought they were exceptional Christians. They surmised that their busy lives were a sign to their being important or being needed. However, their accomplishments were worldly in nature. They overlooked things important to God. They neglected spiritual aspects to life. They consistently were too busy to make time for what is holy.
C.S. Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters. This book describes Satan’s gathering of a worldwide group of demons who attempted to shipwreck Christians, to mess with their spiritual life, to get them to pull away from God. In the book, Satan’s most effective works involved getting people busy. By doing that, people would get distracted with worldly obligations. Satan told his followers, “We can’t keep Christians from going to church…. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth”. Instead, Satan and his demons devised plans to steal time from people. Satan encouraged his minions, “Keep them (Christians) busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds… Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow….Persuade parents to go to work for long hours….Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day…” In doing so, many Christians began to pull away from the Savior. Families began to fracture. The scheme worked. Faithfulness declined significantly.
Too many Christians find their spiritual life stunted by the encroachment of busy-ness and worldly obligations. When your life gets spread too thin, what suffers? Does your prayer time flounder? Does your mission work dry up? So often, the interruptions of a busy life upon the spiritual life don’t register until its too late. It is not until a person is told they have an inoperable brain tumor that she realizes all the missed spiritual opportunities. It is not until a parent loses a child in an accident that he realizes all the important things left undone or the loving words left unspoken. Even now, as you look back on your life, are there godly things that were left on the back burner due to being too busy? Are there spiritual aspects of your life being neglected? Have you lost sight of something valuable? Have you elevated worldly obligations to be more important than they really are? Have you been too busy to attend to God’s invitations?
This meditation wasn’t meant to make you feel guilty for all the obligations and responsibilities that face you every day. It was meant to help you evaluate what is important, holy, and worth keeping front and center.
With this scripture being a parable of Jesus, the earthly story is set forth. There are excuses. The people don’t have time. Each is burdened by worldly pressures and a life too busy to make the banquet. The excuses seem normal in modern times. People today are burdened by everyday pressures and responsibilities. Sometimes, our lives are spread rather thin. We are pulled in all kinds of directions with all kinds of responsibilities. That’s where I see that this parable has a warning for you and me. What is its heavenly meaning? If we are so saddled with worldly responsibilities and busy-ness that God’s invitations are turned down, how will we ever take the time to fulfill godly obligations?
Kurt was a hard worker. He was a very responsible man and unselfish father. When Kurt was in his twenties, he had one full-time job and two part-time jobs. He was also very active in community projects. Kurt was constantly praised for his work ethic. His employers raved about his abilities and how he came through for the team at work. The mayor even offered up his name for a special award. However, over the years, Kurt’s family began to suffer. His wife enjoyed the good income. She loved the way Kurt was viewed by company executives and community leaders. But his sons had to learn how to play baseball from their grandfather. His one daughter had to deal with the fact that her father never had time to attend her gymnastic events. His wife always had to go to events alone. Kurt didn’t have time for parent-teacher conferences. When he got really busy during the holidays, Kurt didn’t have time to decorate the Christmas tree or attend the Christmas program at church. Kurt even worked on Christmas Day so that his friends could be with their families.
After years of Kurt’s working outside the home, his wife and children began to resent Kurt’s obligations. One son grew rebellious and was put on suspension at school twice during eighth grade. Kurt’s daughter spent more and more time in her room, eventually becoming depressed and moody. Kurt’s wife felt overwhelmed, as if she was raising the kids alone. Because everyone in the community praised Kurt’s hard work and company leaders praised his abilities, his family knew not to say anything negative about their father to anyone. This caused them to feel even more isolated and neglected by Kurt. The marriage became rocky. The family fights and problems escalated.
The heavenly meaning of Jesus’ parable for today points to the fact that the three who were invited to God’s feast didn’t have time. They had other obligations. They were too busy in their lives to make time for a feast. Their lives were spread too thin to attend. When your values get skewed, and you become overly-busy, important things in your life will often be overlooked. Things that are important to God will become less important to you. I have met many busy people who did not have time for godly things. Some of them even felt too busy to read the Bible or take the time to pray. Sadly, they thought they were exceptional Christians. They surmised that their busy lives were a sign to their being important or being needed. However, their accomplishments were worldly in nature. They overlooked things important to God. They neglected spiritual aspects to life. They consistently were too busy to make time for what is holy.
C.S. Lewis wrote The Screwtape Letters. This book describes Satan’s gathering of a worldwide group of demons who attempted to shipwreck Christians, to mess with their spiritual life, to get them to pull away from God. In the book, Satan’s most effective works involved getting people busy. By doing that, people would get distracted with worldly obligations. Satan told his followers, “We can’t keep Christians from going to church…. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth”. Instead, Satan and his demons devised plans to steal time from people. Satan encouraged his minions, “Keep them (Christians) busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds… Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow….Persuade parents to go to work for long hours….Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day…” In doing so, many Christians began to pull away from the Savior. Families began to fracture. The scheme worked. Faithfulness declined significantly.
Too many Christians find their spiritual life stunted by the encroachment of busy-ness and worldly obligations. When your life gets spread too thin, what suffers? Does your prayer time flounder? Does your mission work dry up? So often, the interruptions of a busy life upon the spiritual life don’t register until its too late. It is not until a person is told they have an inoperable brain tumor that she realizes all the missed spiritual opportunities. It is not until a parent loses a child in an accident that he realizes all the important things left undone or the loving words left unspoken. Even now, as you look back on your life, are there godly things that were left on the back burner due to being too busy? Are there spiritual aspects of your life being neglected? Have you lost sight of something valuable? Have you elevated worldly obligations to be more important than they really are? Have you been too busy to attend to God’s invitations?
This meditation wasn’t meant to make you feel guilty for all the obligations and responsibilities that face you every day. It was meant to help you evaluate what is important, holy, and worth keeping front and center.
September 28
“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT)
Zach Schlegel explained a problem plaguing his Christian friend: “My friend launched an internet company in Washington D.C. but found the job led to unbearable worry. What if the company failed to deliver on a project and a client canceled? How could they replace a key employee leaving the company? What if they ran out of money and went out of business? Worry filled his mind as soon as he woke up. Before he left his room each morning, he felt defeated.
This went on for years—until one day, he decided to actively bring his worry to God. Each morning, he began taking walks to rehearse biblical truths and pour out his concern to God in prayer. Before long, hope returned, not because the challenges disappeared, but because he was changed. God had begun to heal him of his crippling fear of failure.” (Fearing Others, pp. 29-30)
When your heart, soul, or mind take on a worldly demeanor, you will often find yourself having worldly thoughts. When you fear failing, the worry can be crippling. When you are afraid of what others will think, your emotions will get caught up in the rollercoaster ride of people-pleasing. If you find yourself full of anxiety due to worldly pressures, your days will be filled with nervous tics and your nights will be mired in sleeplessness. For the true Christian, there is only one remedy for this onslaught of earthly emotions: a deeper faith in God.
As you grow in your relationship with God, there will be moments when you will learn to give up your worldly fears and insecurities and emotions to God. You need to put your trust and faith in God’s hands and spend your time doing HIS will instead of fretting about all the possibilities or things that could go wrong. Being faithful makes you must be willing to submit to God’s control, leaving the future in God’s hands. For most of us, this change in attitude comes about when we submit to God’s leadership and control. For it to work, you will need a complete change of heart.
The scripture for today contains words of God given in the days of Ezekiel the Prophet. These words were given at a time when the people of Judah and Israel had fallen to sin. They had succumbed to worldly pressures. They were worshipping other gods, causing the poor to suffer, taking advantage of other people, living sinful lives, and relying on worldly powers instead of God’s power. These huge mistakes inevitably resulted in a degenerating social structure and spiritual life. It ended in war. In the midst of their callous disregard for the sovereignty of God, the words of scripture above gave a needed prescription for what was required to save their souls. They needed a change of heart. Through Ezekiel, God told the House of Israel that to save them God would “give them a new heart” with “a new spirit”(Ezekiel 36:26). This change would inspire the people of Israel to get rid of their callous disregard for God and human life and result in a heart that was “tender” and “responsive” to faithfulness. The “stony, stubborn heart” of the people at the time would never bring them close to God.
In the Christmas Classic, “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. Each of these ghosts examine Scrooge’s life; past, present, and future. Because Scrooge’s heart had grown cold and callous over time, his future looked dim. However, the glimpse into Scrooge’s lifetime changed him. Scrooge’s heart was softened by memories of the love he had lost and the compassion that had all but disappeared. In the end, Scrooge was a changed man. No longer would his riches control his life. From then on, his life would become filled with love and compassion.
I believe that each of us needs at times to look inside the heart to see what is there. Does God rule in your heart, or do cynicism and anger and insecurity plague it? Is your heart contentedly filled with God’s Spirit or have you lost your strong love of God you once had? Over time, the Israelites fell away from God. By the time Ezekiel was called to be a prophet, their faith was ruined. Their hearts were no longer filled with faith, love, and compassion. Instead, the Israelites were driven by lusts and greed, power, and a callous disregard for human life. Their dabbling in other religions had brought doubts in the power of God. They didn’t know what they believed. They didn’t practice righteousness.
When your heart isn’t right with God, all kinds of sinful things will slowly creep into your heart to fill that void left by the absence of God. You will replace faith with doubt, assurance with insecurity, contentedness with worry, and forgiveness with anger. Instead of respecting God, you will fear failure. Instead of feeling joy in the presence of the Spirit, you will feel an onslaught of emotions such as anxiety and regret and jealousy and malice. The only remedy when this occurs is a change of heart. You need to let God give you a heart transplant, where your callous heart is replaced with the faithful, loving, and tender heart of the true believer.
Why don't you let God give your heart a check-up today?
This went on for years—until one day, he decided to actively bring his worry to God. Each morning, he began taking walks to rehearse biblical truths and pour out his concern to God in prayer. Before long, hope returned, not because the challenges disappeared, but because he was changed. God had begun to heal him of his crippling fear of failure.” (Fearing Others, pp. 29-30)
When your heart, soul, or mind take on a worldly demeanor, you will often find yourself having worldly thoughts. When you fear failing, the worry can be crippling. When you are afraid of what others will think, your emotions will get caught up in the rollercoaster ride of people-pleasing. If you find yourself full of anxiety due to worldly pressures, your days will be filled with nervous tics and your nights will be mired in sleeplessness. For the true Christian, there is only one remedy for this onslaught of earthly emotions: a deeper faith in God.
As you grow in your relationship with God, there will be moments when you will learn to give up your worldly fears and insecurities and emotions to God. You need to put your trust and faith in God’s hands and spend your time doing HIS will instead of fretting about all the possibilities or things that could go wrong. Being faithful makes you must be willing to submit to God’s control, leaving the future in God’s hands. For most of us, this change in attitude comes about when we submit to God’s leadership and control. For it to work, you will need a complete change of heart.
The scripture for today contains words of God given in the days of Ezekiel the Prophet. These words were given at a time when the people of Judah and Israel had fallen to sin. They had succumbed to worldly pressures. They were worshipping other gods, causing the poor to suffer, taking advantage of other people, living sinful lives, and relying on worldly powers instead of God’s power. These huge mistakes inevitably resulted in a degenerating social structure and spiritual life. It ended in war. In the midst of their callous disregard for the sovereignty of God, the words of scripture above gave a needed prescription for what was required to save their souls. They needed a change of heart. Through Ezekiel, God told the House of Israel that to save them God would “give them a new heart” with “a new spirit”(Ezekiel 36:26). This change would inspire the people of Israel to get rid of their callous disregard for God and human life and result in a heart that was “tender” and “responsive” to faithfulness. The “stony, stubborn heart” of the people at the time would never bring them close to God.
In the Christmas Classic, “A Christmas Carol”, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. Each of these ghosts examine Scrooge’s life; past, present, and future. Because Scrooge’s heart had grown cold and callous over time, his future looked dim. However, the glimpse into Scrooge’s lifetime changed him. Scrooge’s heart was softened by memories of the love he had lost and the compassion that had all but disappeared. In the end, Scrooge was a changed man. No longer would his riches control his life. From then on, his life would become filled with love and compassion.
I believe that each of us needs at times to look inside the heart to see what is there. Does God rule in your heart, or do cynicism and anger and insecurity plague it? Is your heart contentedly filled with God’s Spirit or have you lost your strong love of God you once had? Over time, the Israelites fell away from God. By the time Ezekiel was called to be a prophet, their faith was ruined. Their hearts were no longer filled with faith, love, and compassion. Instead, the Israelites were driven by lusts and greed, power, and a callous disregard for human life. Their dabbling in other religions had brought doubts in the power of God. They didn’t know what they believed. They didn’t practice righteousness.
When your heart isn’t right with God, all kinds of sinful things will slowly creep into your heart to fill that void left by the absence of God. You will replace faith with doubt, assurance with insecurity, contentedness with worry, and forgiveness with anger. Instead of respecting God, you will fear failure. Instead of feeling joy in the presence of the Spirit, you will feel an onslaught of emotions such as anxiety and regret and jealousy and malice. The only remedy when this occurs is a change of heart. You need to let God give you a heart transplant, where your callous heart is replaced with the faithful, loving, and tender heart of the true believer.
Why don't you let God give your heart a check-up today?
October 29
“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.” (Proverbs 31:10–11, NKJV)
I have always been a strong advocate for equal rights for all people. I feel that equal work deserves equal pay, no matter who does the work. However, in the last decade or two, I've seen equality slip, not because a lot of people don't believe in equal rights and equal pay. It's slipped because people who don't deserve equal pay demand it. Instead of equal rights, we've ended up with "anti-oriented" groups and "pro-me" groups. Feminists of today often advocate for women's rights instead of human rights. I've seen and heard women advocate that men are the problem of everything bad in the world. Our world is filled with a "victimization attitude", where everyone else is at fault for me not getting what I think I deserve. We've moved away from a selfless love and concern for others to a demand to be heard. We've moved away from unselfish servant-hood to the mantra that people have a right to do what "they want" and to "live their life however they please". Of all the groups of people on this earth, modern worldly attitudes and beliefs have affected women more negatively than any other group.
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
Marriage rates are the lowest ever. Unwed mothers proliferate. More and more children grow up in poverty. Men don't want responsibility. Women are taught by society to be entitled. Women are taught that they "deserve" equal pay because of a "glass ceiling", even when they are not doing an equal job for that equal pay. Respect for women in society has decreased significantly. Groups like "Men Going Their Own Way" have proliferated, believing that "modern" women are no longer worth marrying and carry too much baggage. Society lies to women, saying they can have it all when that is impossible. Can you imagine the burden of a woman working full time, fully invested in her career, with five kids, a husband, a house, high pay, a college degree, at every PTA meeting, never missing her children's events and present at every high point of development, involved fully in her church and social life, and totally independent??????? I can't say that I know one woman who fits this model, and yet this is what the world teaches women about how to live. It's insanity.
The Bible has a very different view of feminism. It's found in Proverbs 31, an entire chapter of the Bible devoted to defining the perfect woman or wife. It's words show a model woman as a teacher (Proverbs 31:1), one who does "good and not harm" (Proverbs 31:12), a hard worker (Proverbs 31:13,19,24), a wise investor (Proverbs 31:16), strong yet dignified (Proverbs 31:17,25), a giving and caring soul (Proverbs 31:20) who is good for her husband and children (Proverbs 31:10,21,27,28). She is wise and yet kind (Proverbs 31:26). She is a provider. She is trustworthy (Proverbs 31:11). You can count on her. As the scripture above contends, a good wife is not only hard to find, but worth a great deal!
The Biblical view of a woman and wife contrasts greatly to the worldly view of a woman or wife seen today. Women today are taught to be demanding. The world says they should spend their time "demanding" equal pay, "pushing" for abortion and women's rights, "standing up" for themselves and other women, and to "expect" special treatment. Where the Proverbs 31 woman is trustworthy, dignified, and strong, the worldly woman tends to be demanding, pushy, independent to a fault, and concerned more about looks than character. Honestly, how many women do you know who ascribe to a Biblical model and how many fight tooth and nail for a worldly set of values? I have found very few women who care about being a "Biblical woman", and thousands who would rather be a "modern woman" or "raging feminist". The Biblical woman deserves absolute respect. God expects this of you. It's even in print (Proverbs 31:30, 31)! As for the "modern woman", I think she is an impossible, selfish, weak, worldly, and destructive person. Where the Biblical woman will bless those whose lives she touches, the worldly woman usually destroys relationships and values.
The scripture for today says, "Who can find a virtuous wife/woman?". Men are dying to find her. She is disappearing. We need her in the world. You are blessed by her presence in your life. Virtuous women have been some of my greatest teachers, best friends, and most trustworthy of companions. Why don't you let a few of those virtuous "biblical" women in your life know that you appreciate them and God does, too? If you are a woman reading this, I ask one final question: "Is God blessed by your virtuous life?"
October 30
“And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:9–10, RSV)
Some things in life are related. If you affect one, it will affect the other. If you change one, you will change the other. There are millions of examples of this. If you change out dead batteries in a toy for new ones, the toy will come to life again. If you move the thermostat setting up two degrees, the house will warm as the furnace kicks in. When you take the fall leaves out of a blocked gutter, the water should be able to flow through it again. In your spiritual life, there are also related elements that affect one another. Our scripture for today shows some of these elements and how they work together to mold a person into a more effective and beloved child of God.
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
Colossians 1:9 mentions Paul's intention to pray for the Colossian Christians. He was a founding leader of their church and cared deeply about their connection with God. In the letter of Colossians, Paul wrote that his prayers include the desire that God fill the Colossian Christians with "all spiritual wisdom and understanding". With spiritual wisdom and understanding, Paul knew that the faithful in that church would begin to "lead a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:9). If this spiritual wisdom was God-inspired, Paul knew that the people would then "please God". Then, they would bear spiritual "fruit" by both doing "good works" and "increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). There is a spiritual progression dependent on the connections in these two verses. By growing in spiritual wisdom and an understanding of God in Jesus Christ, you then will begin to live a life "worthy of the Lord". This worthy life when continued will "please God". In response to God's blessing, you will then bear fruit in service and worship, increasing in the knowledge of God. Do you see the progression here?
The first step to pleasing God and growing close to God involves increasing your wisdom and knowledge about spiritual things. This is where a few things come into play. Worship is important to help you grow in the knowledge of God's will and purpose in the world. By saying prayers, you connect with God. Learning about the Bible and God's commands and promises, you will grow in a spiritual understanding about life. Through faithful interactions that develop with time, you will grow to understand your spiritual journey in life and God's purpose for the world. You will increasingly become familiar with spiritual feelings, the knowledge of the Bible, and an understanding of your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God should strengthen. In response, you will please God. Then, with the blessing and help of God, you will move out to do good works and grow more deeply in your faith. All these elements found in Colossians 1:9-10 come into play. They are related. One affects the other.
Jane and Timothy wanted to get married. Coming from Christian families, they decided to have Jane's pastor do their wedding. Neither was close to Jane's pastor, but it was traditional in both families to get married in a church. It seemed the right thing to do, and it was. However, Jane's pastor was not very motivated. He was laid back and rather forgetful. He didn't require any pre-marital classes or any kind of reflection on their marriage as it relates to God and scripture. He just went through a "normal" wedding service, told them where to stand and what to say, and set the date. In the entire process, there was little interaction and no genuine conversation about faithful marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the couple thanked the pastor for the service, and went about their lives, never to darken the door of the church again.
What went wrong is that the pastor and church never really took the first step found in our scripture today. The pastor never helped the couple explore their spiritual knowledge. He never imparted God-given wisdom. He just went through the motions, said the appropriate words, and went back to his study to sign the civil documents. In many churches today, spiritual knowledge and wisdom are not imparted. Thus, many people are not making those important connections with God. Ultimately, they never please God, participate in good works, or grow in the knowledge of God. The relationship never blooms between many people and God, because those who have the spiritual wisdom aren't imparting it. Those who have grown in spiritual knowledge aren't putting that knowledge to work in actions of faith. God is never pleased. Spiritual depth never occurs. The connections with God wither on the vine.
Where are you on this spiritual progression? Are you still at the initial stages where you are still trying to grow in spiritual wisdom and faithful knowledge? Have you pleased God by growing closer to HIM? Are your good works increasing? Is your connection with God growing stronger? These things all affect each other. This spiritual progression is crucial if you ever want to grow close to God. Most of you have progressed to the point of great works and a great depth of Spirit. Some of you are still just starting out and have yet to please God. A good share of you not only please God, but you are taking your first steps into committed faithful works and Spiritual growth is growing. The Bible is becoming more alive for all of you. Your prayers will be increasingly deep and meaningful.
No matter where you are in this spiritual progression, I KNOW your life will always be better the farther along in this godly journey you are. God will not only be fully active in your life, you will learn the depths of love and compassion and repentance and salvation. This Spiritual walk will define your life and bless those around you. Of that, I have no doubt!
October 31
“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
(1 John 4:1–3, NLT)
When you make a commitment to God through Jesus Christ, you become a Christian. As you live out the promises and obedience given that relationship, you become a faithful and true Christian. The basis for the word "Christian" is Christ, the Messiah. Thus, when you live for Jesus' sake, you become a "Christian" through that relationship with Jesus. An "Serbian" owes a commitment to Serbia. A "Mohammedan" is an ancient term for one who follows Mohammed. A "Christian" owes his or her life to Christ. That relationship should be the center of one's life and form the crux of who you are.
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!
After becoming a true Christian with a deep relationship with Christ, it is important to follow the scripture above. 1 John 4:1 warns us "not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit". There are many spiritual and religious people in the world, but not all of them are of God. Not all of them have a true commitment to Christ. In the days in which this scripture was originally written, there were people who claimed to believe in Jesus as the Christ, but they did not believe he was "born of Mary". He did not suffer and die on a cross. He was a spiritual being, but not a physical one. These people were mostly Gnostics. They believed they knew Jesus, but they could not accept his real death on a cross. When John wrote the words above, he asked the real Christians to "test" others who spoke about our faith. John wanted them to make sure that the "spirit they have comes from God" (1 John 4:2). He even targets the Gnostics by writing: "if a person claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God" (1 John 4:2-3). In verse 2 above, the false prophets (Gnostics) denied Jesus had a "real body". Thus, they were not of God. They were from the "Antichrist" (1 John 4:3), sent to mess up the connection with the believer and the real Christ Jesus.
According to the scripture above, you can have a "Spirit of God" or you can have the "spirit of the Antichrist". Your job is to "test the spirits". An important aspect of being faithful to Jesus Christ involves checking to make sure that those you trust spiritually are those who have the Spirit of God. From priests to pastors to spiritual mentors and friends, you need to spiritually steer clear of those who do not have the "Spirit of God" in them. They can be friends, but not Christian friends. They can give advice, but not godly advice. God can work through them, but God is not in them.
Carolyn was always a spiritual person. She grew up attending worship in a Catholic Church. During her teens, she drifted away from the Catholic Church, remaining a Christian in name only. She was a wonderful person who was well liked by her friends. She had lots of friends. In her early twenties, Carolyn fell in love with a Peter, whom she met at a concert. The two hit it off and became inseparable. They married in 1969 and began a beautiful life together.
Seven years into the marriage, Carolyn and Peter began to have marriage problems. They fought the same old fights over and over. Wondering what to do, Carolyn expressed her frustration to her closest friend. This friend stated that men are born to cheat. They aren't wired like women. She talked about men being biologically antithetical to marriage. Can you tell her best friend was divorced? Carolyn began to drift away from her husband, spending more time with her best friend. After divorcing her husband, Carolyn began to get involved with an Eastern Meditation group. They taught that life was all spiritual and the purpose of life was to become one with "the spirit". The group met together regularly, some even moving in together in a large commune. Carolyn loved her new life, and highly respected the gurus who taught the group.
Ten years later, Carolyn's life was a mess. After her closest friend died, she began to question her life choices. She was poor and desperate. All her time and money was spent supporting the spiritual group she had migrated into. Desperately seeking some help, she visited a Catholic mission not far away. There, she met a priest who took her under his wing. He helped her find housing. A congregation helped her re-acclimate to her new life. A husband and wife stopped in often to check on her. For the first time in a long time, Carolyn felt spiritually connected again. To this day, she is very active in her parish in California.
There were many spiritual voices in Carolyn's life. Some weren't from God. Some were. Sadly, she wandered away from the people sent by God. She took spiritual advice and counseling from those who were not bearing the "Spirit of God". Many years of her life were wasted because of those who did not have a connection with Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular thinking, all religions and spiritual groups are NOT the same. True Christianity saves lives. I thank God for the priest who gave Carolyn a connection with God, for the people from her parish who took her in, for those who showed her love, and for Christ who redeemed her.
If you listen to spiritual advice from those who do not have the "Spirit of God", you will find yourself drifting away from God. Your life will suffer for the loss of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You were meant to be godly. You were meant to rely on the "Spirit of God". God ordained your life to have a relationship with Jesus. God sends HIS Spirit to comfort and direct you. Before you make your choices in life or listen to spiritual advice, you NEED to find those who have the "Spirit of God" in them. The person with the "spirit of the Antichrist" is always ready to give spiritual advice and lead you down the wrong paths in life. According to this scripture, you need to figure out which spiritual people are trustworthy in Christ Jesus.
I celebrate the Spirit of God that is in you and brought you to reading this. I'm excited about what wonderful additions you will bring to God's work and world. God will bless you and protect you as you walk this spiritual walk of life. Just be wise in taking advice. You want the advice to come from God, not from somewhere else!