devotional - Trinity Fitness HQ

"Building Strength,
Endurance and
a Love for
"
GOD
DEVOTIONAL
J a s o n
P a l m i s a n o
“Physical training is of some value,
but godliness has value for all things…”
—I Timothy 4:8
JASON PALMISANO
Copyright © 2009 by Jason Anthony Palmisano
Published by Trinity Fitness
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Holy
Bible: New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan
Publishing House. All rights reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, recorded, photocopied, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except by a
reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-0-9675680-5-8
Contents
Introduction ................................................................................11
1. It’s in the Packaging .................................................................13
2. The Passover ............................................................................18
3. Strange Fire .............................................................................23
4. Walking in Humility ...............................................................27
5. Remembering God ..................................................................31
6. Achan’s Sin ..............................................................................35
7. Reaping What You’ve Sown .....................................................39
8. Kinsman Redeemer .................................................................43
9. Facing Giants ..........................................................................47
10. The Crippled One .................................................................52
11. A Righteous Request .............................................................56
12. You Are Not Alone ................................................................60
13. Broader Boundaries ...............................................................64
14. A Life for God .......................................................................68
15. Complete the Work ...............................................................73
16. God Stirs the Heart ...............................................................77
17. For Such a Time as This ........................................................81
18. This is Only a Test .................................................................85
19. The Great Shepherd ..............................................................89
20. Trusting the Shepherd ...........................................................94
21. The Main Thing ....................................................................98
22. A Picture of Love.................................................................102
23. Taking It to God .................................................................106
24. Shaped for Purpose..............................................................110
25. Faithfulness in Purpose ........................................................114
26. The Face of a Follower.........................................................118
27. Undefiled ............................................................................122
28. Don’t Forget God ................................................................126
29. Making Up for Lost Time ...................................................130
30. Measuring Up .....................................................................134
31. Pride Before the Fall ............................................................138
32. Running From God ............................................................142
33. What Does God Want? .......................................................146
34. What Do Others Say?..........................................................150
35. Time in the Tower ...............................................................154
36. A Spiritual Checkup ............................................................158
37. Now is the Time ..................................................................162
38. Robed in Righteousness ......................................................166
39. Bring Your Whole Heart .....................................................170
40. Making Judgments ..............................................................174
41. Take Care of Your Roots ......................................................179
42. No Excuses ..........................................................................184
43. Happy Are Those Who Serve ..............................................188
44. Unfolding the Plan ..............................................................192
45. Mold Your Mind .................................................................196
46. Running the Race................................................................200
47. Choose Your Yoke Wisely ....................................................205
48. Sowing Wisely .....................................................................209
49. Right Battles, Right Armor..................................................213
50. Being Content .....................................................................217
51. Fulfilling Your Purpose ........................................................221
52. Markers for Maturity...........................................................225
53. Doing Right ........................................................................229
54. Shipwrecked ........................................................................233
55. Staying Focused...................................................................238
56. Changed by Grace ...............................................................242
57. Charge That to Me ..............................................................246
58. Running a Great Race .........................................................250
59. Sanitize Your Speech ............................................................254
60. Preparing for Action ............................................................258
61. Nothing Lacking .................................................................262
62. Laying Down Your Life .......................................................266
63. Truth and Love ....................................................................270
64. Building Your Reputation....................................................274
65. Know What You Believe .....................................................278
66. Red Hot for Jesus ................................................................283
Conclusion ................................................................................287
Dedicated to:
My Savior, Jesus Christ, who I desire to honor.
My loving wife, Wendy, who I esteem greatly.
My children, Haley, Michael, Joshua and Samuel,
who I cherish.
Introduction
M
ore and more fitness centers and gyms are opening all
the time. Diet and nutrition programs are prevalent.
A myriad of new books and articles on health and fitness
are published monthly as well as social media messages that
are designed to give you strategies to stay motivated. This
is all good news because it means more people are engaged
with their physical health.
While giving time and attention to your physical body
is important, your spiritual side may be out of shape. How
fit are you spiritually? You need to ask yourself that question because the physical you might exist for seventy to
ninety years, and then you will step into eternity where the
spiritual you will live forever. That’s where
can help you.
is all about developing both the physical and spiritual side of you. The Word of God is alive and
it feeds the spiritual side of you, but you have to be willing
to exercise it. Let’s face it, when life gets tough and throws
you a curve ball, a barbell or kettle bell can’t help you, but
your faith in God will.
helps people build
strength, endurance and a love for God.
Like Maximus Decimus Meridius said in the movie
Gladiator, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” The
time you invest in building your physical body fades rather
quickly, but what you do spiritually lasts for all eternity.
That being said, you should give priority to being spiritually fit by “working out” your relationship with Christ and
allowing the Word of God to grow and guide you during
life’s journey.
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By the time you complete
- Building Spiritual
Strength and Endurance, you will have studied every book of the Bible,
from Genesis to Revelation. You will have been challenged to look
introspectively and answer some tough questions. Most importantly,
you will have developed spiritual strength and endurance. Enjoy your
journey.
READ GENESIS 3:1-7
W
hat comes to your mind when you hear the word
“serpent?” More than likely, you picture a reptilian
looking creature crawling around on its belly.
How could Adam and Eve be fooled by such a hideous,
ugly creature? Why didn’t they turn and run at the first
sight of such a lowly beast slithering along the ground?
Simple: there was no first sight of slithering. The
serpent was not cursed to crawl on its belly and eat dust all
of its days until verse 14. Rather, in its pre-cursed state, the
serpent was extremely beautiful.
“You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and
perfect in beauty. Every precious stone adorned you. You
were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were
created till wickedness was found in you.” These verses are
taken from Ezekiel 28:11-19 which gives an insightful,
metaphoric rendering of Lucifer’s beauty.
It was this very beauty that the serpent used to deceive
Adam and Eve. Often, we think of Lucifer or Satan as the
guy in the red suit with horns and a pitchfork looking for
trouble, but Paul tells us in II Corinthians 11:14, “For
Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
It’s all in the packaging. Satan’s number one weapon in
causing the fall of humanity is still his number one weapon
today – deception. He is an advertising genius with a
doctorate in marketing. He uses his craft of deception to
package sin in such a way that many fall.
Let’s take a closer look at the disastrous choice that
Chapter
It’s in the Packaging
1
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caused chaos in the DNA of mankind. Satan’s first jab comes in the
subtle form of a question that puts God’s Word on trial. “Did God
really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
The subtlety is not in the question itself, because the answer was
an obvious, “No!”
In fact, God had said the opposite of what Satan’s question was
suggesting. “The Lord God commanded man, ‘You are free to eat
from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil’” (Genesis 2:16). God gave permission to eat from any and every tree except one. That is very different
from not granting permission to eat from any tree at all like Satan
was suggesting.
Missing the subtlety and trickery, Adam and Eve entered into a
conversation with the enemy. The packaging was just right to engage
Eve to go further. But remember, Adam was at her side.
Now that Satan had them engaged in conversation, deception
was bound to deepen. How? Being a master deceiver, Satan is an
expert at masking the consequences of sin until you are in it – jab
number two. The enemy knows if He can get you to believe that
there are no consequences, or at least not ones that are lasting and
costly, He’s got you.
Adam and Eve had heard God clearly and correctly. They knew
the consequence of disobeying God would be death, both spiritually
and physically. But that old enemy took what God meant for protection and provision and made it seem to Adam and Eve that He was
holding back something good from them. Satan packaged sin in such
a way that to Adam and Eve disobeying God seemed good, pleasing
and desirable.
That’s the same thing He does today. He engages you in conversation. We’ve all been there. It is the conversation of justification.
Despite what God’s Word says, you talk to yourself about why the
Word does not apply to you in a particular situation. You might use
justifications like, “I’ll do it just this once.” Or, “No one will ever
know” and “It’s okay as long as my wife and kids don’t find out.” The
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conversation of justification may sound appealing at the time. It may
even sound rational.
Make no mistake about it and don’t be fooled by it, sin always
leads to disappointment, sorrow and regret. Satan packages sin,
whether it is pornography, emotional affairs, greed, overeating, lust,
anger, selfishness, jealousy, etc., in such a way that it looks good,
pleasing and desirable to you, and in the midst of it, He hides the
consequences.
Often, we take the bait. Satan disguises, lies and deceives, but the
one thing he cannot do is make the choice to sin for you. That’s up
to you.
Two jabs by the enemy, subtly with conversation and hidden
consequences, and a knockout blow is on the way.
The knockout blow for Adam and Eve was
their lack of faith in the Word of God, which Make no mistake
about it and don’t
caused them to give in and take action against be fooled by it, sin
God’s command. God spoke to them directly, always leads to
“But you must not eat from the tree of the disappointment,
knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat sorrow and regret
of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Adam
and Eve discarded the protection of God’s
Word and bought into the lie. In that moment, they lost faith in the
Word and ate of the fruit.
You also have the Word of God written and sitting right before
you. God speaks to you clearly and correctly through His Word.
When you are tempted in any way, take time to see through the
packaging, the lies and the deception. If one would consider and
think through the true severity of the consequences; some of which
include: wrecked marriages, hurt relationships, financial ruin, lost
credibility, failed business, broken fellowship with God, blessings
forfeited; I believe one would not be so easily fooled by the enemy
and his smoke screens. Trust the Word of God. Keep it not only in
your head, but in your heart. His truth is the greatest weapon you
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have to see through the enemy’s deceptive ways so that you may walk
in holiness.
Be on guard. Satan’s mode of operation in the garden is the same
mode of operation He uses today. First, He subtly engages you in the
conversation of justification. Second, He packages sin in such a way
that the consequences are hidden, making sin look appealing. Last,
He uses deception to cause your faith in God’s Word to fail.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 10:12,13, Hebrews
4:14-16, I John 1:8,9.
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SELF EVALUATION
1. List some ways to arm yourself against the enemy’s deceptive
schemes.
2. How have you seen the enemy’s mode of operation in the
garden used against you?
PRAY
Chapter
The Passover
2
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READ EXODUS 12
I
magine an event so significant it would change the way
you measure days, weeks, months and even years, so
monumental that it would erase history’s current calendar.
From that day forward, everything would be different and
new, granting you a fresh, clean start to your life.
I can think of only two such events so pivotal: one
being the Passover (as detailed in Exodus 12) and the
second being the birth of Jesus Christ.
After the Passover, which was roughly 1,500 years prior
to the birth of Christ, the calendar changed for the first
time. This history-altering event began when God, using
Moses, brought about the plagues to Egypt. Pharaoh’s heart
hardened a little more after each plague, leading to one
final, catastrophe: the death of every first-born male.
Next, the Passover ensued. In Exodus 12:2, God
changed the calendar, stating that the month the Passover
took place would now signify the first month of the year.
This external change became a symbol of freedom from
slavery, providing a fresh start for the Israelites.
If you are not careful, you can read through Exodus
Chapter 12 as quickly as you skimmed the above two paragraphs, and when you are done, you may conclude this to be
nothing more than an inspiring story. Yet the Passover has
significant meaning to your life, whether Jew or Gentile.
Let’s imagine this more vividly… Verses 3 through
11 give the instructions. Put yourself at the scene of the
Passover. You’ve selected a lamb for your family. Your preparations are done and it is time to kill the animal. The knife
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is raised and your firstborn son comes to you and asks, “Dad, why
does the lamb have to die?”
Your response is piercing to your boy: “Son, it’s either the lamb
or it’s you.”
This analogy is not a stretch. That is how significant the blood of
the lamb was back then and still is today.
Continue on with the image… As your son
watches you apply the blood from the slain lamb Just as the innocent
lamb took the boy’s
to the door posts of your house, you explain that
place in death, so
the death of the lamb symbolizes the penalty Christ took your place
for your family’s sin. The blood represents the on the cross.
sacrifice made by the lamb to forgive those sins.
You further explain that while God’s wrath and
judgment were once on you and your family through the sacrifice of
the lamb, God’s wrath will pass over your family and be placed on the
lamb. As a result, you will be forgiven and set free. The long tyranny
of slavery will be complete and you will have a brand new start so real
and so vivid that the calendar of time will be reformed.
Sound familiar? While the Passover occurred in the Old
Testament and may not seem applicable to you, there is a more recent
and parallel event which was entirely life changing: the birth and
death of Jesus Christ.
Before the birth of Jesus Christ, time was measured in B.C. or
Before Christ. After the birth of Jesus, the calendar changed from
B.C. to A.D. or “anno domini,” which is Latin for “The year of our
Lord.” There was a reason for this dramatic change…
Jesus Christ is your Passover lamb. He was slain for you so that
you could be set free from the penalty and reign of sin in your life.
The Passover lamb in Exodus 12 became the Calvary of the Old
Testament. The wooden doorpost stained with lamb’s blood is a
picture of the cross of Christ in the New Testament. Just as the innocent lamb took the boy’s place in death, so Christ took your place on
the cross.
Your life in Christ symbolizes a “calendar” change for you. B.C.,
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before Christ in your life, you were stuck in your sin headed for hell.
The price was paid on Calvary, and when you accept that gift, you
become A.D., living in the year of your Lord. You are free with a new
start. Your time on this earth has essentially started over, with the
penalty of your sins paid for by Christ.
How do we continue to remember these life-changing events to
make them real in our lives? The Israelites were told to “commemorate” the Passover day for generations to come. The memorial
includes the eating of matzah bread and wine. The matzah bread,
made without yeast, is flat to represent how hastily the Israelites left
Egypt, with not enough time to wait for the bread to rise. The wine is
used to symbolize the lamb’s blood which brought forgiveness. Bread
and wine!
Jesus, the Lamb of God, also took bread on the night of the
Passover supper and broke it saying, “This is my body, which is for
you; do this in remembrance me.” He took wine and said, “This cup
is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in
remembrance of me” (I Corinthians 11:24,25).
The Passover of the Old Testament was a preview of the coming
of Christ as savior. Communion of the New Testament celebrates
Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb who came to take away the sins
of the world. Every time you partake in communion (the bread and
wine), you are thus remembering that Jesus Christ is your Passover
Lamb.
While the lessons learned may seem so universal that they could
not possibly apply to each of us, please remember that Jesus came to
take away your sin specifically. Just as the blood of the lamb needed
to be applied to the door post of each Israelite’s home, the blood of
Christ needs to be applied to the door of your very own heart in order
for you to be spared from damnation, and to be granted the freedom
of forgiveness. The blood of the Savior is applied to you for salvation
when you, “confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Romans 10:9).
So now I will ask you the life-changing question… Has there
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ever been a time when you confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior and believed with all your heart that God raised Him from the
dead for you? If so, I invite you to reconsider the significance of this
event, and reflect on the grace that resides in your heart, cleansing
you and guiding you to a life of future fruit.
If you have not experienced the Passover in your own heart, I
invite you to make that most important decision right now by prayer.
“Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to die on the cross for my
sins. I know that Your blood was shed for me. Right now by faith, I
open the door of my heart and ask You to come in and be my Lord
and Savior. Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace. Help me to
live to glorify You. Amen.”
If you prayed this along with me, there is great news: the blood
of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, was just applied to your life for forgiveness
and salvation!
Other Scriptures to Consider: Isaiah 53:4-12, Romans 5:8,
Romans 6;23, Romans 8:1.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Take some time to reflect on and write about what your life
was like B.C. and the changes that God has brought about in
your life now that you are A.D. What are some areas of your
life you need to ask God’s help to work on?
2. Knowing that it was Jesus’ love for you that held Him to the
cross and that His innocent blood was shed for you, how does
that affect your lifestyle?
PRAY
READ LEVITICUS 9:23-10:3
T
wo of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, were called
into ministry and serving as priests. No doubt they
were well known throughout the community. They were
leaders filled with passion and enthusiasm, but they made
a presumption in the priesthood that cost them dearly. The
presumption that cost Nadab and Abihu their lives is the
same presumption that will render you “burned out” and
ineffective as a follower of Jesus Christ.
“Presumption” is defined as arrogant or offensive
behavior – a great description of how the Lord viewed
Nadab and Abihu’s actions. Sacrifices were made to the Lord.
God looked favorably on the offerings and consumed them
with fire, signifying His acceptance and pleasure. When
the Israelites saw that the Lord was pleased with their gifts,
their spirits were raised and they gave a shout of celebration.
The Lord was present, ministry was happening and Nadab
and Abihu seized the opportunity to seek celebrity status
among the people. By their own authority, they picked up
their incense pots, added their own fire, approached the
altar and presented it to the Lord for all to see.
Throughout Leviticus, a book devoted to holiness, God
gave very specific instructions to the priests concerning
the manner in which offerings were to be made. Fire was
always to be taken off the altar from which the sacrifices
were made because that fire was from the Lord and not
manmade. As priests, Nadab and Abihu knew that well,
but they presumed they could add their own fire to the
mix. That is, they acted independently from God and
Chapter
Strange Fire
3
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called attention to themselves. The Word calls that unauthorized
or strange fire. The NKJV calls it “profane fire,” profane meaning
secular. The implications are that Nadab and Abihu wanted recognition and prominence from the people. The result? Nadab and Abihu
were toast, literally.
As a follower of Christ, you too are called to the ministry if you
are a follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us in John 15:16, “You did
not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear
fruit – fruit that will last.” Christ Himself chose you and set you
apart for ministry. You may not have the title of pastor or clergy or
priest or elder, but you are ordained nonetheless to go and bear fruit
that will last. This may manifest itself in your work, the contribution
you make to your family, the way you keep your home, the friendships you maintain, or a host of other ways.
Your approach in this “ministry” should be to live your life in such
a way that God always receives the glory. All that you do in serving
should point to Jesus. Your sin nature will naturally want to receive
some pats on the back, some recognition for a job well done. There is
nothing wrong with receiving some recognition, but when prominence
and significance become your motive for serving, you are in danger
of adding “strange fire” to what God is doing. When prominence
becomes your goal, you will begin to act independently from God to
achieve your mission. Your ego will take over, and when that happens,
the result is always destruction to the soul, and often the body.
I can relate to Nadab and Abihu’s actions from my earlier days
of ministry. I accepted a position as a youth pastor and arrived at the
church with only two things soaring higher than the staff ’s expectations of me: my pride and arrogance. Armed with my personality and
enthusiasm, teens and youth leaders quickly gathered. Numbers were
up! Things were happening. I arrogantly continued in ministry with
my ideas, employing my own abilities, relying on my personality
and all the while bucking authority to see results achieved. Before
long, I left a trail of the walking wounded behind me. Relationships
were hurt, ministry was shallow, and the Spirit of God was gone. I
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moved too fast to give any meaningful consideration to how God
might be directing me as a leader. My own wisdom, wit and strength
amounted to strange fire before the Lord. The situation resulted in
much the same way as Nadab and Abihu. I was thoroughly burned
out and so was everyone around me.
The enemy has repackaged “strange fire” with a fancy name called
self-reliance and fooled us into thinking it is actually something to
strive for. Self-reliance is nothing more than saying, “God, I can do
this apart from you.” Well meaning Christians have even come up
with slogans like, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”
Be careful. Jesus said in John 15:5, “Apart from me, you can do
nothing.” Apart from Christ working in your life there is nothing of
eternal value that you have to offer anyone.
You too need to be aware of this human tendency to want to “get
the job done” in your own strength and abilities. Whether you are
a teacher, principal, home maker, entrepreneur, doctor, bus driver,
office assistant, engineer, doctor, lawyer, construction worker, etc.,
you are in ministry. As a follower of Christ, your business is to be that
of walking with and depending on the Holy Spirit. True success in
life is slowing down enough to rest in God’s peace and presence and
allowing Him to direct your steps. Anything else is strange fire to the
Lord, and as you’ve seen, He does not honor that.
God does honor humility. He honors repentance and He honors
those who realize their need for and dependence on Him for their
very breath. Whatever line of work you’re in, make it your business
this day and every day to walk with and depend on the Holy Spirit.
God does not place this command upon you to restrict you to live a
life of deprivation, but rather to free you to move in His manner. When
you do, you will be blessed in ways beyond belief. It might not be in
the manner you envisioned, but it very well may be in an even greater
manner. Therefore, may there never be “strange fire” in your life, but
may you be consumed by surrender to Him in your ministry.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalms 23, Proverbs 11:2,
Matthew 11:28-30.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Describe some instances in your life when you know you have
acted presumptuously without waiting on the Lord. Are you
in one of those times right now?
2. In what areas of your life are you most tempted to add your
own “strange fire?”
PRAY
READ NUMBERS 14:1-11
C
hapter 14 begins with the sounds of whining, weeping
and complaining. Those are always the sounds that
come when we act out of sin and a lack of faith. You see,
in the previous chapter, the Israelite spies were in sharp
disagreement in the final analysis of, “Can we take the
Promised Land or can’t we?” Ten out of the twelve spies
sinned against God by spreading a bad report concerning
the land, and their lack of faith caused the Israelites to miss
out on God’s promise and blessing. Hence, we hear the
sounds of defeat instead of victory.
In your work place, in your church, on your team, and
in your circle of friends, you will have challenges, obstacles,
problems and disagreements much like the Israelites. You
would do well to follow Moses’ example in responding to
such circumstances. The Israelites were not only whining
and complaining, they actually wanted to stone Moses, get
a new leader and go back to Egypt – return to slavery!
“Then Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the
whole Israelite assembly gathered there” (verse 5)… Face
down! Were Moses and Aaron engaging the Israelites in a
spontaneous game of hide and seek? Were they so scared
that they were trying to crawl under a rock? Of course not.
Realizing the deep void of failing faith they were dealing
with, they made themselves low to gain access to the Most
High. They took the situation straight to God through
prayer.
When Moses faced opposition of any kind, he often
wisely fell facedown and sought counsel from God in this
Chapter
Walking in Humility
4
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manner. The few times he didn’t, he found himself disciplined by
God. Scripture describes Moses as the most humble man to walk on
the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). He knew better than anyone
that prayers offered in a spirit of humility would either change the
circumstances or change him.
Moses also understood that the real battle
The spiritual battles
was not against the Israelites, but rather against
are only won as we
something deeper. The Israelites’ lack of faith
get on our knees in
had opened the door for the enemy to come
humility.
in and cause division and rebellion among the
people. Moses recognized this supernatural
battle going on. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms” (Ephesians 6:12). That’s why Moses fell facedown. The spiritual battles are only won as we get on our knees in humility.
As much as I admire the faith and leadership skills of Joshua and
Caleb and how they stood their ground against the other ten spies,
they too needed to learn this lesson of humility from Moses. Did you
catch verses 6-9? Joshua and Caleb bowed up and fought this battle
verbally. They argued with the people.
I am so quick to do this myself. If somebody wrongs me or treats
one of my family members unjustly, my temper flares its ugly head
and I think about some choice words I want to deliver or some action
I ought to take. There is absolutely nothing humble about that, and
frankly God does not respond to it. Notice similarly that God did
not respond to Joshua and Caleb, but He did respond to Moses.
Verse 11 begins with, “The Lord said to Moses…” and then what
followed was a dialogue of prayer between God and Moses that lasted
until verse 35 and ended with a solution!
How many times have I missed, “The Lord said to Jason…?” How
many times have you missed God’s solution because you were caught
up in anger and in retaliation mode instead of humility mode? Let
the Lord fight your battles. Did you catch how the people responded
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to Joshua and Caleb’s tongue lashing? “But the whole assembly talked
about stoning them” (verse 10).
Isn’t that the case with us? Whenever you fight anger with anger,
unforgiveness with unforgiveness, word for word, tooth for tooth and
eye for eye, the situation always escalates beyond where it ever should
go. Go to the Lord humbly. Pray. Seek His guidance and counsel.
“That won’t work!” you say. Or “That’s not practical!” you shout.
Where is your faith? Instead of focusing on getting even physically or
verbally, focus on growing more spiritually. You’ll be blessed for it, at
peace with it and God will see and honor your humility.
Even if you’re the only one in your workplace, family, team, club
etc. that sees the battle as supernatural as Moses did, keep bringing it
before the Lord. He’ll either change you or He’ll change the circumstances around you.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians
4:6,7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What situations are you currently facing that you need to “fall
facedown” and give to God in prayer knowing that your battle
is not against flesh and blood, but rather against an enemy we
cannot see?
2. Do you think there have been times when you’ve missed God
speaking to you and wanting to work in your life because
you’ve been bent on retaliation? When?
PRAY
READ DEUTERONOMY 8
G
od has made an unconditional promise to those whose
faith and trust is in Him. That promise is righteousness: the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You cannot earn
that forgiveness and you cannot merit eternal life on your
own. All the conditions of your forgiveness and for your
eternal salvation were met by Jesus Christ on the cross. All
the conditions: His sinless life, His agony in the garden, the
thorns, the nails, the cross, His separation from the Father,
the tomb, and the resurrection, were all conditions that you
and I could never meet. Yet Christ met them all and holds
your salvation secure in His righteous right hand.
That being said, Deuteronomy 8 speaks not of an
unconditional promise, but of a conditional one made by
God; and this promise has to do with blessing after salvation. The Israelites received the unconditional promise
of salvation when God saved them from the bondage of
slavery in Egypt; but notice they didn’t have anything to
do with their own deliverance. God sent His messenger
Moses. God sent the plagues. God parted the Red Sea. God
brought them out of slavery. All the conditions were met
by God for their salvation; to be blessed and experience
all that the Promised Land had to offer, the people simply
needed to walk in obedience to God’s commands. That was
the only condition placed on them throughout their lives.
In essence, God said, “If you remember me and obey me,
I will bless you.”
Conversely, at the end of the chapter, God said, “If you
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fail to remember me and are not obedient to the commands I’ve
given, you will not be blessed” (Verses 19,20).
Beyond your salvation and beyond being made righteous by
God, you also have that conditional promise from God. If you are
obedient to the Lord and His commands, He will bless you. Through
obedience, you will experience all that the Promised Land has to
offer. Your “promised land” is the spirit-filled life. What’s that, you
ask? The spirit-filled life is where you are so in touch with and in
tune to the Lord that the Holy Spirit is empowered to operate within
you in ways that were foreign to you previously.
“If you remember me
Some examples might be: you boldly share your
and obey me, I will
faith with someone you hardly know with such
bless you.”
effectiveness that it cannot be anything else but
God. Or you share spiritual wisdom, perhaps
a word of knowledge to someone that speaks specifically to their
situation without any prior information. Or you face an unbelievably tough time with such incredible peace that it is amazing even to
you. Instead of worrying, pacing the floor and experiencing sleepless
nights, you are at peace. Even still, you see and sense God’s hand in
everyday life and you walk right in step with Him. You are spiritually
connected to the Father and your relationship with Him positively
and supernaturally affects everything you do. That’s the spirit-filled
life.
“How do I get that?” you ask. Through obedience to His
commands!
The Bible contains 613 commands. While 248 are positive
commands like, “Be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
365 are negative commands like, “You shall not steal” (Exodus
20:15).
If obedience means following all the commands God has for you,
it would seem that trying to memorize, learn and live out 613 of
them would be incredibly frustrating and defeating. Jesus mercifully
narrows down the 613 commands to just two when, in Matthew
22:37-39, He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
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with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as
yourself.” Those 613 become narrowed down to just two.
You can obey these two and I can also. These two commandments are so monumental that Jesus went so far as to say in verse 39
that, “All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Experiencing the spirit-filled life hangs on your obedience to
these two commandments.
How can you ensure that your life is lining up in obedience to
these two monumental commandments? I believe it is very simple.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus gives us three key components of faith
to practice regularly. In Matthew 6:2, He says, “When you give…”
In Matthew 6:5, He says, “When you pray…” In Matthew 6:16,
He says, “When you fast…” That’s it. I have personally found in my
life that when I’m giving regularly, praying consistently and fasting
frequently, I am filled with the Holy Spirit, enjoying all that God has
for me in this life. When I take these three components as commandments and not mere suggestions by the Lord, I find myself loving
God and loving people more and more every day. I believe you will
find the same as well.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Deuteronomy 11:26-28,
Matthew 6:1-18, I John 5:2,3.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Write about a time when you know you heard from God and
you acted in obedience on what He instructed you to do.
How were you blessed?
2. How are you doing with your giving, praying and fasting?
Which of the three do you struggle with most? In the space
provided, set some goals in regularly making these three
commands a routine part of your journey with the Lord.
PRAY
READ JOSHUA 7
T
he Israelites were on the heels of a great and miraculous
victory at Jericho. What seemed to be a highly improbable and very impractical battle plan proved to be God’s
way of showing once more that nothing is too difficult for
Him. Not combating Pharaoh, not parting the Red Sea,
not providing food and water through the desert, and not
shattering the walls of the great city of Jericho: no challenge
is beyond God.
…So the walls crashed down and God’s people took
the city. It would seem that the battle was over and God’s
people were victorious. At least they would have been,
except for one man’s disobedience. Sin always has a way of
finding a person out.
God’s specific instructions as to the riches of Jericho
differed from that in other cities previously defeated. In
fact, throughout Scripture, the Israelites were allowed to
plunder the riches of their enemies as long as they did not
take any idols or false gods. Remember Egypt? God allowed
the Israelites to plunder all of Egypt as they left. They were
allowed to take the gold, silver and bronze. It was that
plunder that helped fund their wilderness experience.
The victory at Jericho, however, was different. The
Lord gave specific instructions to “keep away from the
devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own
destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will
make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring
trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of
bronze and iron were sacred to the Lord and must go into
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his treasury” (Joshua 6:18,19). That was pretty clear. The Israelites
were not to take anything, but instead to dedicate those items to
God.
In the very next battle, the battle of Ai, they were supposed to
win without much difficulty, but instead were shamefully routed as
thirty-six men died because Achan deliberately disobeyed God by
taking some of the dedicated items from Jericho. Why didn’t God
just punish Achan? That’s not the way sin works. Sin never affects
just one person. Adam and Eve’s sin affected all of mankind. If a
spouse is unfaithful in marriage, that sin affects the other spouse, the
children, the grandchildren to be, the extended family, friends, the
other person in the act of unfaithfulness and their entire family, not
to mention the body of believers observing.
Achan’s act of disobedience thus affected
Your sin affects all of
the entire Israelite community. It was because of
your relationships.
this one man’s sin that God removed His favor
from the Israelites and they were overpowered
by an enemy that had no business defeating them. As a result, not
only did thirty-six men needlessly lose their lives, but “the hearts of
the people melted and became like water” (Joshua 7:5b).
Furthermore, when Joshua fell facedown to seek the Lord after
the embarrassing defeat, notice what the Lord said, “Israel has sinned;
they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep”
(Joshua 7:11 emphasis added). Achan’s sin was charged to the whole
community. The Lord did not say, “Achan sinned.” He said, “Israel
has sinned.”
When you sin, when you do not listen to the Lord and follow
Him, your whole family suffers. Your whole family is affected. Your
sin affects all of your relationships. Sin is serious business. Just as
Achan’s sin found him out, so will your sins. There is no getting away
from the consequences of sin.
To further understand what constitutes sin, let’s take a look at the
process by which Achan sinned. There is a very definite progression
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to Achan’s sin noted in verses 20 and 21. Achan said, “When I saw…
I coveted…and took them.”
Sin all starts with your eyes and your ears. If you do not guard
your eyes and if you allow narcissistic thoughts to linger too long,
you will begin to covet. To covet is to have a strong desire for an
object. That is to say, left unchecked, those things you see and hear,
if they are flashy and soothing to the ego, you will develop a strong
urge to possess. Coveting leads to action: you take what you want.
First you rationalize that it is okay, and tend to convince yourself that
you deserve whatever it is that would make you feel good. Once you
have convinced yourself, sin fleshes itself out in your life. Be astutely
aware of this process. As Paul says, “Make no provision for your flesh”
(Romans 13:14 KJV).
The account of Achan’s sin does not have a good ending. Sadly,
Achan, his wife, his sons and daughters, and his livestock were all put
to death and buried along with the gold, silver and clothing that he
stole.
Again, sin always affects more than just the sinner. One might
think God went too far in wiping out the whole family. Was God
being an extremist in this case? On the contrary, God’s actions display
the seriousness of sin. God would rather have one family wiped out
than have that sin of disobedience infiltrate and infect the whole
Israelite community. God in His mercy removed Achan and his
family to protect the community of believers. After the sin and those
articles that were taken in disobedience were purged from the Israelite
community, the Lord’s favor and blessing once again returned.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Acts 5:1-11, Romans 13:14, II
Corinthians 10:5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Sin is serious business and it affects everyone in your house.
Take inventory! Do you have any items in your house that
ought not to be? Just as Joshua took and burned those items,
I challenge you to do the same. Purge your household of
anything that would grieve the Holy Spirit. Record your
thoughts and actions below.
2. Take note again of the progression of Achan’s sin. “When I
saw…I coveted…I took them.” How do you see this progression working in your life?
PRAY
READ JUDGES 1:1-7
T
he book of Judges is a sad account of God’s chosen
people embarking in a time period of frequent rebellion
followed by sorrowful repentance. This process is characterized by a sequence of open rebellion, God’s discipline, the
people’s repentance and return to faith, and repeats itself
seven times in Judges.
Why? The answer may lie within leadership. In Joshua
1:1, God spoke to and directed Joshua as the leader next in
line after Moses. Moses, who was an all-time great leader,
invested time and energy in developing and mentoring
Joshua. Great leaders always train the next generation
because great leaders know their time is limited.
Now compare Joshua 1:1 to Judges 1:1 which reads,
“After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord,
‘Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the
Canaanites?’” Interestingly, after Joshua died, there was no
obvious leader to take his place. Joshua, as great of a leader
as he was, apparently did not take the time to invest and
mentor another leader as Moses had done with him. As a
result, the people waffled and see-sawed in their faith for
roughly 350 years.
Even the term “Judges” refers to specific leaders that
God used during those 350 years to help direct the people
in righteousness. Some of those judges did a good job and
some did a poor job, but the very last verse in Judges sums
up that time period: “In those days Israel had no king;
everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 21:25).
Let’s take a closer look at the first seven verses of Judges.
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Adoni-Bezek, a certain king, apparently had a ruthless practice of
cutting off the thumbs and big toes of the kings he defeated in battle.
Cutting off one’s thumbs totally eliminated the effectiveness with
which one could hold and handle a weapon. If you cut off a king’s
thumbs, he would not have the ability to lead his troops ever again.
Cutting off one’s big toes strips that person of his or her capability to
navigate and maneuver skillfully.
This had to be utterly humiliating for the defeated kings which
evidently numbered around seventy. “Seventy kings with their
thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table”
(Judges 1:7a). Seventy kings were stripped of their manhood.
There is one principle that Adoni-Bezek did not take into consideration: the principle of reaping and sowing. That is to say, what a
man sows, he shall also reap. Adoni-Bezek’s actions returned to him
when he was captured by the clan of Judah. By his own admission,
Adoni-Bezek says, “Now God has paid me back for what I did to
them” (Judges 1:7b). It is as if he is saying, “Hey, I deserve every bit
of this. Just as I did this to so many others, now it is being done to
me!”
You would do well to remember the prinYou must take
ciple of reaping and sowing in your dealings
responsibility for the
with others. The golden rule applies well here.
spiritual direction and
“Do unto others as you would have them
leadership of your
do unto you.” Why? Because with whatever
home.
attitude, whatever words, whatever actions,
whatever integrity and whatever generosity you sow with, of that
same quality and quantity you will reap.
That not only applies in this life practically, but for all eternity
spiritually. Sometimes I hear people say, “I don’t feel like anyone
is reaching out to me,” or, “I don’t feel welcome,” or, “I don’t feel
encouraged.”
My response is, “How many people are you reaching out to or
welcoming? How many people are you encouraging? You will reap
what you sow.”
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That principle holds true not only for individuals, but for households, communities and countries. Moses sowed into Joshua and
Israel reaped the benefits. Joshua did not sow into a successor and
Israel reaped the consequences. “In those days, Israel had no king;
everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 21:25). With no leadership, the
people rebelled against God. When God rose up a judge to direct the
people, they repented.
Your household will be the same way. You must take responsibility for the spiritual direction and leadership of your home. Your
spouse, your kids and all those under your roof will reap the benefits of
your strong, spiritual leadership. If you do not take this privilege and
responsibility seriously, your household will suffer the consequences.
Your household will waffle and seesaw spiritually because there will
be no awareness of the presence of God serving as a compass for your
family.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Proverbs
11:25, Galatians 6:7-10.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How have you experienced the principle of sowing and
reaping in your own life?
2. How are you doing spiritually leading your own life? What
changes do you need to make?
PRAY
READ RUTH 4
I
magine that a powerful and oppressive dictatorship-style
government came into power in the United States. This
new government requires that a family member (for the
sake of this analogy, imagine that family member being
your one and only son) must be dedicated to the government into service, preventing you from having any contact
with him. He, along with all the other sons taken, would
not be permitted to marry nor have any children of their
own.
In addition to this heartbreak, you and your spouse
are not able to have any more children. If you are a father,
perhaps you are thinking of exercising your right to take
your son’s place in service. The governmental law will allow
this, but you have your wife and young daughters to look
after. You do not want to abandon them leaving your family
prey to this oppressive governmental system. You are left
feeling overwhelmed at the loss of your son and devastated
at the realization that your family name and legacy will end
upon your death.
Embittered by this oppressive governmental system,
you are determined to leave the United States. Legally, the
only place they will allow you to relocate to is your ancestral homeland. (For me, that would mean Italy.) What
about you?
No longer able to bear the distress of your enslaved
son, you escape to your homeland. Your family experiences
freedom there, but shortly after arriving, you find yourself
riddled with guilt for leaving your son. You can’t return to
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Kinsman Redeemer
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the United States and even if you could, there is no way to contact
him. He does not even know you left in the first place.
As you are sharing your grievous plight with a new-found friend,
you are overheard by a gentleman nearby who seems to be somewhat
familiar with the changes taking place in the United States. This man
approaches you asking for more details. In the course of the conversation, you both realize that you are of the same lineage. Indeed, you
are distant relatives.
As the conversation progresses, your memory is jogged concerning
a particular law made by the dictatorship government. It is a law that
you did not give much credence to previously because in your mind
you could not see how this law would be of any help. It is the law
of the Kinsman Redeemer. This law states that any male kin of an
enslaved son can take that son’s place in slavery forever setting that
son free.
Throwing caution and unease to the wind,
The book of Ruth is
you ask your distant relative if he has heard of
an incredible picture
the Kinsman Redeemer law. Your kinsman not
of redemption and
only states the law word for word, but he tells
a foreshadowing of
you that God has been speaking to his heart for
what Christ would do
for you.
some time that he is to be a kinsman redeemer.
He’s been troubled and puzzled because
he thought he had no relatives to redeem and was confused as to
whether he was really hearing God or not. Your fellow kinsman not
only agrees to redeem your son, but is relieved to do so because of his
obedience to Christ! Wow! What once seemed an impossible situation, God has made possible. Through your kinsman redeemer, your
son is returned to you.
To redeem means to regain possession of something that was
lost. The book of Ruth is an incredible picture of redemption and a
foreshadowing of what Christ would do for you. In a short span of
time, Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, and her two sons died. Naomi
was left with her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. There were
no other males in the family. Naomi no doubt felt alone and hopeless
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as she exclaimed, “No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than
for you, because the Lord’s hand has gone out against me!” (Ruth
1:13). Little did she know that the stage was now set for God to do
something wonderful and amazing in their lives. Naomi encouraged
Orpah and Ruth to go back to their homeland and remarry because
Naomi had nothing else to offer her daughters-in-law. Orpah turned
back and journeyed to her homeland, but Ruth faithfully pledged to
stay with Naomi until death. The two of them traveled to Bethlehem
and were met by God’s incredible grace.
There in Bethlehem, they met their kinsman redeemer, Boaz.
Boaz was a gracious man related to Elimilech, Naomi’s late husband.
As a kinsman, Boaz was in a position to bring Naomi and Ruth back
into the family line and he willingly and mercifully accepted this
responsibility. In doing so, Boaz is a picture of Christ, the redeemer
of mankind. Incredible! Ruth met her redeemer in the small town of
Bethlehem. Christ, your redeemer, was born in Bethlehem. Without
Boaz’s grace, there was no hope for Naomi and Ruth. Had it not been
for Jesus Christ, there would be no hope for you.
God so delicately and miraculously preserved the Lord as your
kinsman redeemer through Rahab. Although Rahab lived a promiscuous life, she had a husband named Salmon. Together they had a
son named Boaz, the same Boaz who redeemed Ruth. Ruth and Boaz
had a son named Obed. Obed in turn had a son named Jesse who
was the father of King David and on down the line to the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Isaiah 11:10-11, Romans
15:12.
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SELF EXAMINATION
Spend some time reflecting on and thinking through the significance of Jesus Christ as your kinsman redeemer. Record your thoughts
below.
PRAY
READ I SAMUEL 17:1-51
T
he scene unfolded in a stadium-like setting as opposing
armies faced off on two hills with a valley in between.
God’s people, the Israelites, encamped on one hill while the
Philistines, the pagan army, were entrenched along the other.
No doubt, adrenaline was pumping, hearts were pounding
and minds were racing as war seemed imminent.
The Philistines showcased what they thought to be their
“ace in the hole,” Goliath. They were wise to do so, for the
Bible describes Goliath as being a champion. Up until this
point, he had never been defeated. Standing over nine feet
tall, he was a true giant and sported the best of armor. The
tip of his spear alone weighed roughly sixteen pounds. That
is about the weight of a grown man’s bowling ball!
Not only was he intimidating physically, but verbally
he was the king of trash talkers, boldly defying and cursing
God and the Israelites for forty days in a row. “…Goliath,
the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his
lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.
When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in
great fear” (I Samuel 17:23, 24).
Unfortunately for the Israelites, they were unknowingly
engaged in two battles at the same time. The obvious battle
was staring at them from the opposite hill. The unseen,
veiled battle was raging within each Israelite man. It was
the battle of faith verse fear and fear was hugely winning.
One day, David was present while Goliath ran his
mouth, and David reacted differently to Goliath’s vulgar,
verbal abuse. While other men shrunk in fear, I believe the
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hair on the back of David’s neck stood up when he heard the audacity
of Goliath talking about his God in such a demeaning way.
Fear causes one to cower in the face of adversity while faith generates courage to propel one through adversity. Goliath was a giant, but
David had giant-like faith.
THREE KEYS TO GIANT-LIKE FAITH
1. Remember. In verse 33, King Saul told David, “You are not
able to go.” He did not say, “Don’t go,” “You can’t go,” or
“I won’t let you go.” Saul looked at David’s appearance and
surmised in his own mind that David would not be successful
against Goliath because he was just a boy. Saul did not take
into account that all things are possible with God. David, on
the other hand, remembered God’s faithfulness in the past,
and how God gave him victory over a lion and a bear, so he
trusted God’s leadership. You will face seasons of adversity
all your life. During those times, remember God’s faithfulness to you. Remembering and recalling His faithfulness will
build faith in your life that you will need to overcome larger
adversities.
2. Believe. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the
lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of
this Philistine” (verse 37). The fact that David brought back
to his memory God’s faithfulness caused him to believe God
for another miracle. David did not just believe God could
help him, he believed God would help him right then and
there against Goliath. Notice, David did not say, “God could
deliver me.” He said, “God will deliver me.” David believed
God with all his heart. In the same way, believing God to
work in your life opens the door for miracles to happen.
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3. Steadfastness. As David moved to the front of the battle line
to face Goliath one on one, Goliath engaged in an all-out
verbal assault. Every time Goliath cursed God and threatened David, David responded with steadfast faith. Can you
picture the scene? A giant is standing in the middle of a valley
eyeballing a kid with five stones and a sling. The Israelite
army is taking cover behind some boulders on the hillside.
As David faced the giant one on one, the situation escalated
and the adversity deepened. But, David remained steadfast
in his faith. He never backed down, doubted or cowered. It
is one thing to believe God at the onset of adversity, but no
matter how bad things looked outwardly, no matter how loud
Goliath got, and no matter what the odds appeared to be,
David never quit believing and trusting in God. He remained
steadfast. When adversity lingers in your life, remain steadfast. God is drawing a deeper faith out of you, developing
a stronger relationship with you and He will be faithful to
deliver you.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:6,
James 1:2-8.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Obviously you know not all “giants” are big, ugly Goliaths
carrying spears. “Giants” can be times and seasons of adversity that you face. They may come in the form of tragedies,
disappointments, obstacles, conflicts, relationships etc. What
“giants” have you faced in your life and how has God brought
you through that adversity?
2. What “giants” are you facing right now?
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3. Read Ephesians 6:12,13. How do these verses give you a clue
into gaining victory over “giants” in your life?
PRAY
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READ II SAMUEL 9
O
n March 21, 2001, my wife and I got the news. We
were sitting in the doctor’s office for what we thought
was a routine sonogram appointment for our fourth child
to be. After taking several repeated measurements of the
baby in utero, the doctor exited the room. My wife and I
sat there for what seemed like an eternity when the doctor
reentered and said, “We need to talk.” He then went on to
explain that our baby boy, Samuel, was not developing like
a “normal” baby boy should. He pointed to the sonogram
image which indicated two birth defects, spina bifida and
hydrocephalous. In short, spina bifida occurs when one
or more of the vertebrae do not close all the way and the
baby’s nerves grow outside the spinal cord. The result is
permanent nerve damage which affects where the opening
in the vertebrae occurred and downward from there. Spina
bifida is often accompanied by hydrocephalous which is an
excess of fluid build-up in the cranium due to the abnormal
spine formation. This fluid puts a lot of pressure on the
brain.
Having had the birth defects explained to us, I turned
to the doctor and asked, “What should we expect?” The
doctor proceeded to spew out a list of ramifications that
would follow: two major surgeries within the first twentyfour hours of his life, many surgeries to follow, possible
brain damage, life-long bowel and bladder issues, mobility
limited to a wheelchair, paralysis from the knees down on
both legs; these were the majors. In short, our boy would
be crippled!
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Samuel was born on July 31, 2001. As of this writing, he has had
8 surgeries. He has two shunts in his head which continually drain
the fluid from around his brain down into his abdomen where it gets
reabsorbed into his body. As for the brain damage, Sam has excelled
through first grade, and after completing a series of tests, has qualified for the gifted program. Concerning wheelchair confinement,
Samuel will have nothing to do with that. He started with a walker
and then went to two canes. Within a few weeks, he threw one cane
down and went with just one.
Today, Samuel walks aided merely by braces on both legs. He is
truly a gem of God’s grace. Samuel has overcome more obstacles in
his young life than I have in all of my years. Watching him has caused
me to ask, “Who is really crippled?”
The story of Mephibosheth is an incredible picture of God’s grace.
Just the fact that Mephibosheth was allowed to live was amazingly
gracious. Back in this time period, when a new king took the throne
it was customary for the surviving family members of the previous
king to be wiped out. Why? They were considered to be a threat to the new king in power. Watching him has
Saul was the previous king and Mephibosheth caused me to ask,
was Saul’s grandson. In II Samuel 4:4, we are “Who is really
crippled?”
told that the news of the death of King Saul and
of his son Jonathon (Mephibosheth’s father)
reached the nurse of Mephibosheth. Knowing the custom of wiping
out the family members, the nurse, in a panic, took little five-yearold Mephibosheth and fled. In her panic to leave, she dropped
Mephibosheth and his feet became crippled.
Years passed. The Lord firmly established David on the throne.
Then one day, out of the blue, King David called for Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth must have been thinking, “That’s it. King David has
finally discovered me. I’m doomed.” Amazingly, quite the opposite
happened.
David is a picture of God’s mercy and grace while Mephibosheth
is a picture of you and me. We are all crippled in some way. You
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and I may not have physical limitations as my boy Samuel or as
Mephibosheth had, but we are all crippled by the fall. When Adam
and Eve “fell” in the garden, sin entered our DNA. Had it not been for
God’s grace and mercy, we too would have been wiped out, destined
to spend eternity apart from God because of our crippled sin nature.
Two thoughts to consider:
1. God sought you out. Just like David asked in verse 3, “Is
there no one still left in the house of Saul to whom I can
show God’s kindness?” God is eager to show you mercy and
kindness. David gave Mephibosheth so much more than life.
He gave him abundant life. David invited Mephibosheth to
eat at his table. This meant that Mephibosheth would never
go hungry. All his needs would be more than met. God seeks
you out because He loves you. He wants to bless you and give
you a full life.
2. God invites you to His table just as you are. Mephibosheth
did not have to figure out how to walk upright without a
limp before he came to David’s table. He enjoyed the blessing
of the King while he was yet crippled. You don’t have to try
and “figure life out” or try to “get your life together” before
coming to God’s table. He invites you as you are to come and
enjoy His presence and blessings. “But God demonstrates his
own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Other Scriptures to Consider: Luke 14:15-24 and Hebrews
4:14-16.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what ways can you identify with Mephibosheth?
2. Read II Samuel 9:13. Substitute your name for Mephibosheth’s
and using contemporary language rewrite that verse.
PRAY
Chapter
A Righteous Request
11
READ I KINGS 3:4-15
W
hen you were growing up, did anyone ever ask you,
“If you had three wishes, what would you wish
for?”
I remember saying things like, “A million dollars” and
“A big castle.” Of course on the third wish, like every other
kid, I wished for a thousand more wishes!
I don’t know about you, but as I reflect back on all
the answers, no matter who gave them, the responses all
centered on personal wealth, and bigger and better stuff
with which to get even with the neighborhood bully. Even
as an adult, my human nature or flesh wants to “one up”
the other guy, to be recognized publicly, or to have bigger
and fancier stuff.
That’s why I’m so fascinated with Solomon’s response
to God’s generosity. Though Solomon was young, this was
no little kid fairy tale dream he was living… God really,
actually said to Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me
to give you.” As king, Solomon could have asked for the
biggest castle, the largest army, all the wealth in the world
or the death of all his enemies.
Surprising to me, he did not ask for any of these things
– not even close. He gave the most unselfish, righteous
response possible, “Give your servant a discerning heart to
govern your people and to distinguish between right and
wrong.” Out of all the things Solomon could have asked
for, he asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. Incredible!
Most theologians agree that Solomon was around the age of
twenty at that time. I don’t know about you, but when I was
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twenty, asking for wisdom was not at the top of my list! God was so
pleased with Solomon’s response that He honored Solomon’s request
for wisdom and gave him the wealth, fame and honor besides.
There are three notable character traits that King Solomon
possessed that should be applied to your life as you follow Christ.
1. Honest Humility. Solomon did not think more highly of
himself than he ought (Romans 12:3). Solomon’s description
of himself in verse 8 is insightful in seeing how he actually
viewed himself. “But I am only a little child and do not know
how to carry out my duties.” He expressed his own awareness
of his weaknesses. He was young and inexperienced. He was
overwhelmed and not too prideful to know he needed help
from God. My tendency at twenty would have been, “My dad
chose me to be king. That means I must have all the qualities
necessary to lead people. I’m the boss and what I say goes.
Everyone must follow me.” I would have been outraged if
anyone had questioned my leadership. Learn from Solomon
and realize that you need to be aware of your weaknesses and
have an accurate perception of who you are in Christ. True
humility expresses your need and dependence on the Savior
daily.
2. Mental Maturity. Though young and inexperienced,
Solomon had the mental maturity to ask for what was most
important. He had a supernatural ability to distinguish
between needs and wants. Oh how people need this today.
Sure Solomon wanted wealth. Of course honor appealed to
him. Yes the death of his enemies crossed his mind; but none
of those things were of the utmost importance. He may have
wanted those things, but his mental maturity allowed him
to think through the wants to what was really needed. The
great need was to lead God’s people in righteousness. God
honored Solomon then and He will honor you today for the
same decision making. Many more Christians would be debt
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free or at least free to give more if they would display the
mental maturity to distinguish between needs and wants.
Many families would be closer, marriages would be stronger,
churches would be thriving and Christians would be empowered if they would have the mental maturity to focus on true
needs and needs of others instead of allowing mere wants to
cloud their minds.
3. Willing Worship. I love the fact that this passage begins with
willing worship by Solomon at Gibeon and ends in verse 15
with Solomon worshipping in Jerusalem. It is important to
note that God spoke to Solomon right after he worshipped.
God will speak to your heart during and after worship. Why?
When you willingly engage in worship, your heart is prepared
to receive the spiritual truth, direction and encouragement
through worship. Solomon’s willing worship expressed
his desire to seek the will of God. The will of God was to
have a king that was passionate about leading His people in
righteousness. When you willingly worship you are more
accurately able to discern the heart of God and follow Him
fully. That is a life God blesses.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God
who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given
to him.” I know I lack wisdom in so many areas. As followers of
Christ, you and I would do well to ask of the Lord often for the
wisdom we need in our lives.
Like Solomon, I encourage you to foster three character traits in
your life: honest humility, mental maturity and willing worship. God
is faithful to lead you in all wisdom.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 11:2, Matthew
22:37-40, John 4:23,24, I Peter 5:5-7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what areas of your life do you particularly need God’s
wisdom right now?
2. Which of the three character traits listed do you struggle with
the most and why?
PRAY
Chapter
You Are Not Alone
12
60
READ II KINGS 6:15-17
E
lisha was being pursued heavily by the king of Aram
(Syria). At this time, the king of Aram was sending
out raiding parties throughout Israel, most likely to pillage
the people. Elisha heard from God and was able to discern
where the Aramean raiding party would strike next and
thwart the plans of the king by warning the people to defend
themselves. This happened time and time again to the point
that the king thought one of his own company was secretly
leaking out the plans of attack. One of the king’s advisors
let it be known that Elisha was able to perceive what the
king’s plans were and so warned the people. Hence, the
king of Aram eagerly and angrily pursued Elisha.
Early in the morning, Elisha’s servant went out of the
house where he and Elisha were staying and found that they
were completely surrounded by the king’s army. This was no
longer one of those small raiding parties sent to intimidate
Elisha. The king sent a powerful force of horses, chariots
and fighting men to kill Elisha. Can you picture the servant
of Elisha? He was panicked! The town of Dothan where
they were staying was completely surrounded by enemy
forces to strike down Elisha and his servant. “Oh, my lord,
what shall we do?” The servant was terror stricken.
Elisha came out and sized up the situation. He took
spiritual inventory of the state of affairs in Dothan that day.
Elisha then turned to his servant and said in what appeared
to be a casual way, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us
are more than those who are with them” (verse 16).
Elisha lived his life in the supernatural. He saw things
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as they really were spiritually, not as things appeared to be naturally.
His faith in the Lord enabled him to see and experience this incredible perspective. There was no panic in Elisha’s voice. There was no
elevation of his pulse rate. No beads of sweat dripping from his forehead as he pondered how to get out of this certain death situation.
Elisha’s servant on the other hand only saw part of the picture,
half of reality. He only saw the part that I most often see – only what
the physical eye can monitor. What was Elisha seeing that his servant
wasn’t? Who was Elisha talking about when he said, “Those who are
with us are more than those who are with them?” The key to any
“man of God’s” life is prayer.
As Elisha prayed for his servant’s eyes to be opened, the servant
saw spiritually not just naturally. The reality was that though Elisha
and his servant were surrounded by a powerful army, that very army
was surrounded by the ALL POWERFUL army of God. The heavenly
hosts showed up in great numbers and in force and easily handled the
circumstances that initially appeared so difficult to the servant.
Hebrews 13:5b-6 says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake
you. So we can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not
be afraid. What can man do to me?”
So often we pray, “God please be with me” or “God please go
with me.” He has already promised in Hebrews that He will never
leave us. As a believer, God is always with you. Why do we pray for
something that is already taking place?
Instead, I believe our prayer ought to be, “God allow me the
ability to sense your presence in my life and may your presence
increase my faith and ability to trust you in all things.”
That was the difference between Elisha and his servant. Elisha’s
servant did not sense God’s presence and so lived in fear. Elisha knew
God was with him. He knew God was faithful. Psalm 46:1 says, “God
is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
As a believer, you don’t have to panic. You don’t have to pace the
floor with an elevated heart rate wondering what will become of your
situation. God is in control and fully aware of your plight. Be it your
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current employment situation, finances, marriage, family, school, a
big decision you have to make or a poor choice you’ve already made,
God is in control. You can go to your heavenly Father and “cast all
your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). There is
great freedom in knowing that your future is held in the almighty
hands of God. Nothing is too big for Him to accomplish or handle.
Have faith and trust. See the supernatural. God is with you.
God only asks one thing, “Observe what the
Have faith and trust.
Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and
See the supernatural.
keep his decrees and commands, his laws and
God is with you.
requirements, as written in the Law of Moses,
so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the Lord may keep his
promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they
walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never
fail to have a man on the throne of Israel’” (I Kings 2:3,4). In short,
walk with the Lord. Honor God and He will honor you right back
throughout your whole life!
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Samuel 2:30, Psalm 23,
Proverbs 3:5,6, Romans 8:28.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What circumstances are you facing that have you troubled
and worried?
2. Do you find yourself reacting to situations more like Elisha
or more like Elisha’s servant? List an example. Read Hebrews
5b,6. How can the truth of these verses change how you
perceive what’s going on around you?
PRAY
Chapter
Broader Boundaries
13
64
READ I CHRONICLES 4:9,10.
I
and II Kings, the two books prior to I Chronicles, account
for the rule and reign of all the kings in Israel (the northern
kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom). Sadly, Israel
did not have even one king who honored God, and Judah
had only a few.
God’s words were clear. In I Kings 2:1-4, David was
about to die and he was passing the baton to his son
Solomon who he instructed, “I am about to go the way
of all the earth. So be strong, show yourself a man, and
observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his
ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and
requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you
may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that
the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants
watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me
with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a
man on the throne of Israel.’”
God wanted so much to bless His people. All they
needed to do was faithfully walk with Him. Instead, as
their forefathers had done since leaving Egypt, they
worshipped false gods and engaged in evil practices. A
couple of the kings went so far as to sacrifice their own
children in the worship of false gods. All but a few kings
over Judah (Asa, Jehosaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Azariah,
Jotham, and Hezekiah) turned away from the Lord and led
the people in great sin. The faithful kings, however, experienced everything that Jabez prayed in I Chronicles 4:9,10.
That is, God blessed them abundantly with provision for
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all the people. Their territory was enlarged. Their boundaries were
broadened as they regained land lost previously due to the unfaithfulness of prior kings. God’s hand was most definitely with them as they
reestablished God’s laws and places of worship. God kept them from
the harm of their enemies and kept them from causing harm to
others. Those particular kings did what was right in the sight of God.
Most importantly, God used those kings to preserve the lineage
through which the savior would be born – the Lion from the tribe of
Judah. You can definitely deduce from this message that God indeed
enlarged their territory and broadened their boundaries.
The same can be said of your life and anyone
who chooses to live in wholehearted devotion As you sow
and faithfulness to the Lord. Galatians 6:7 says, faithfulness to
God and keep His
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A commands, you will
man reaps what he sows.” As you sow faithfulness reap God’s blessings in
to God and keep His commands, you will reap every area of your life.
God’s blessings in every area of your life. Your
relationship with your spouse will be enhanced.
Your relationship with your kids will deepen. Your relationships at
work and with others in general will be enriched. As you determine
to walk with the Lord your God regardless of what the rest of society
is doing or where the current culture is heading, you will be blessed.
The Lord will indeed enlarge your territory, expand your horizons
and increase your influence. Why? “…That they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). It all goes
back to motive. The prayer of Jabez is not a rabbit’s foot or some sort
of ace in the hole to mystically and magically increase your bottom
line. The prayer of Jabez is the law of reaping and sowing in action. If
you sow faithfulness with a pure heart and right motives (that others
will see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven), God is
faithful to bless you.
It is not mystical or magical, but rather spiritual. God is a good,
gracious heavenly Father who wants to bless you and give you every
good thing. He simply asks you to do the same thing that He asked
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King David, King Solomon and all the other kings to do: “To walk in
his ways, and keep his decrees and commands…” (I Kings 2:3).
As God does bless your life, you will find new opportunities,
challenges and greater responsibilities. You will no doubt want to
remember the third part of Jabez’s prayer, “Let your hand be with
me.” As you walk in faithfulness, God will increase your territory and
He will stretch your faith, but He will not give you more than you
can handle. His hand will be with you to keep you from falling. You
need only ask for it.
Lastly, Jabez prays to be “kept from harm so that I will be free
from pain.” A more accurate rendering is the NKJV which reads, “…
That You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” This
is a righteous prayer.
There is so much evil in this world that can easily capture you.
The evil today is not much different than that which ensnared the
unfaithful kings of old: idolatry, adultery, greed, lust, hate, envy etc.
It’s all there readily available for you to dabble in and get spiritually
shipwrecked by. You would do well in this day and age to pray regularly that God would keep you from that evil and therefore keep you
free from the pain it causes in the lives around you, not to mention
your own.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 1, Jeremiah 17:7,8, I
Timothy 1:18,19, James 1:22-25.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In examining your life, what can you change to walk more
fully and wholeheartedly with the Lord your God?
2. How would you like to see the boundaries of your life
expanded?
PRAY
Chapter
A Life for God
14
68
READ II CHRONICLES 7:12-18
T
his section of Scripture is most often referred to when
leaders rally and motivate their congregation or “flock”
to pray for the repentance of our nation or people group.
That is, for example, if the people of the United States of
America, as a nation, would humble themselves, pray, seek
God and repent of their wicked ways, God would restore
His abundant blessing to this country. While I wholeheartedly believe that to be true, I want you to apply this
passage of Scripture not so much in a national way, but in
a personal way.
When God says in verse 14, “If My people, who are
called by My name…” who is He referring to? Who are
His people? Without question, God is referring to the
Israelites, the Jewish nation. However, if you are a Gentile,
a non Jew, you too get to be included in the glorious plan
of salvation.
Romans 10:12 and 13 tells us, “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of
all and richly blesses all who call on him, for ‘everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Great news!
Through faith in Christ, God graciously grafts us into His
family. God transplants you into His Kingdom. Through
faith in Christ, you now are counted among the chosen,
have access to the grace of God, are numbered as one of His
family members and are a co-heir with Christ.
It is in this light that I want you to look at, think about
and reflect on this passage of Scripture. That is, not nationally, but rather personally and for your family.
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In verse 13, God says He will do three things to bring people
back to a right walk with Him. The first of the three is, “Shut up the
heavens so that there is no rain.” Have you ever felt that your finances
are drying up? Or that you can’t seem to make ends meet? Ever feel
that whenever you start to catch up or get ahead something breaks or
goes wrong and you are right back where you started? That is very
frustrating to experience. It is like the “heavens were shut up from
you.”
Second, God says, I will “command locusts As you walk in God’s
to devour the land…” That “land” meaning ways, you will walk in
your life and the life of your family. This is when His blessings.
you experience times wherein nothing seems
to go right. Your plans are often undercut or
thwarted, family members rebelling, spousal relationships strained,
lack of peace and joy in your life, you can’t seem to catch a break.
Third, God says He will alternatively “…send a plague among
my people…” This could mean times of depression over your circumstances, fatigue and exhaustion of trying to make things happen on
your own, physical sickness because of worry over life or the plague
of bitterness and anger because of life’s circumstances.
God did not cause these disastrous circumstances to plague the
Israelites so that He could get kicks out of watching them squirm and
suffer in the laboratory of life. Rather, in His mercy He allowed them
to happen in hopes of restoring the people back to a time of blessing
after they failed to honor Him as they should have.
That’s always God’s plan. That’s always the heart of the Father.
He wants to bless you and your family. He simply requires you and
your family to walk in His ways. As you walk in God’s ways, you will
walk in His blessings.
For example, many Christians complain of not having enough
money. “Things are always so tight,” I often hear.
But how many Christians actually walk in God’s ways when He
says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be
food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if
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I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Malachi 3:10).
Bring the whole ten percent to the Lord. Give more than ten
percent. Be generous. Why? Does God want to tighten the financial
screws and make you miserable? NO! He wants to bless you so much
that you won’t even have enough room for the blessing. You might be
thinking, “Jason, you don’t know all the bills I have. You don’t know
how little I make.”
Two thoughts: 1. Lots of people do have many bills, many of
which are from careless, impulsive spending on items that were not
needed or could not be afforded in the first place. Do not add to that
sin by robbing God of what He requires. 2. An old adage says, “If you
will not tithe according to your income, may God make your income
according to your tithe.” Note: this is the only place in Scripture
where God says to test Him. Are you giving to the Lord?
Finances are just one area you need to be diligent in honoring
God. Honor Him also with your devotional life. Lead your family in
prayer and devotions. No longer allow or stand for certain programs
to be watched on TV or the movie screen. Be careful of the music and
the lyrics you and your family are listening to. Be ever so conscious
where your kids are going and who they are with. Give attention to
see that your family is walking with the Lord. Why? Is God going to
hunt you and your family down if you are not? No. He wants to bless
you. He wants to forgive you and restore your “land.”
If you find yourself in a season of life that is plagued in a way
described above, it does not necessarily mean that you are actively
sinning, but it should cause you to reflect on the spiritual condition
of your life and the life of your family. There are four very practical
action steps you and your family can take to walk more closely with
the Savior. They are found in verse 14.
1. Humble yourself. Acknowledge your need for God’s help,
guidance and wisdom in your life.
2. Pray. As an individual and as a family, regularly and frequently
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kneel to pray. Kneeling is not the only position to pray in, but
it is a posture of humility and submission as you pour out
your heart to the Lord.
3. Seek His face. Be diligent about involving God and seeking
Him in everything you do big and small. He is not just Savior;
He is Lord. Allow Him to have His proper place in your life
as Lord.
4. Turn from your wicked ways. Anything that you are allowing
in your life or in the life of your family that is not honoring
to God, get rid of it. Deal with it with a holy violence and rid
yourself and your family of that sin. You will never regret it!
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 2:1-11, Philippians
4:8,9, I John 1:8,9
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SELF EXAMINATION
Reflecting on today’s devotion, what are some life-altering
changes you can make to walk more closely with your Lord?
PRAY
READ EZRA 4-6:12
J
eremiah the prophet warned the Israelites time and time
again to repent of their evil ways and return back to the
Lord. The Israelites, however, did not listen to Jeremiah.
God showed patience and restraint for 40 years while
Jeremiah faithfully delivered God’s warnings. Finally, God
sent His judgment to Israel by way of King Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon who burned the temple and destroyed Jerusalem.
The Israelites were carried off into captivity to Babylon for
70 years.
After seventy years, God raised up King Cyrus of Persia
to overpower the Babylonians and to take control of the
land. God stirred King Cyrus’ heart to show favor to the
Israelites and he allowed them to return to Jerusalem to
rebuild the temple and reestablish worship. God is and
always has been into rebuilding lives and reestablishing
faith.
At this point in history, the book of Ezra began. King
Cyrus granted permission to Zerubbabel to take as many
Israelites who wanted to go and who were able to go to help
restore the temple and rebuild Jerusalem. 49,000 Israelites
chose to go back and rebuild. As the Lord’s work began,
opposition arose.
That’s how it is today in the lives of those who choose
to go about the Lord’s business. It might seem at times
that the enemy has the upper hand or that the work you
are called to do is derailed, but make no mistake about it,
when God’s hand is in a task, His purposes will prevail.
Chapter
Complete the Work
15
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The enemy surfaced on several fronts as God’s work of rebuilding
the Temple began.
First was the attempt to sabotage. The enemy tried to join in
the work in an attempt to thwart the efforts from within. Ezra 4:1,2
says, “When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles
were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to
Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, ‘Let us help you
build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing
to Him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us
here.” The leaders were able to see through the enemy’s false motives
and refuse their help.
When God calls you to a task, the enemy will attempt to thwart
your efforts from the inside. How? The enemy would love nothing
more than to get inside your thoughts and put doubts in your mind
about what God has called you to. The enemy is the king of deception
and He is good at tricking God’s people into believing they cannot be
the spiritual leader, parent, spouse, professional, minister or teen who
they were created to be.
Remember, all things are possible with God. God will never call
you to a task and not provide you with the resources to accomplish
it. Never let the enemy inside your head. “Take every thought captive
to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:5).
Second was the attempt to ambush. When the enemy cannot
get inside to sabotage, He will attempt to destroy from the outside by
way of ambush. “Then the people around them set out to discourage
the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They
hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans
during the entire reign of Cyrus King of Persia and down to the reign
of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:4,5). If the enemy cannot get inside
your mind to sow seeds of doubt, He simply changes tactics to bring
others to spread seeds of discouragement and fear. Do not stop the
work or veer off course. Remember, “The one who is in you is greater
than the one who is in the world” (I John 4:4).
Third was the attempt to attack from the top. If the enemy
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cannot sabotage from within or ambush from without, He will try to
usurp all authority and attack from the top. This tactic was attempted
three times in this passage and nearly succeeded the second time. After
King Cyrus was gone, the enemies lodged a formal accusation against the
people with King Xerxes in verse 6. Nothing else is mentioned about the
complaint, but it is the first time the enemy goes to the new King. The
second attempt was much more successful. A formal letter (verses 9-16)
was written and submitted to King Artaxerxes. After receiving the letter,
the King immediately enforced a “cease and desist” order and all work
on the temple came to a screeching halt for ten years! Had it not been for
God’s prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them to be strong
and start building again, the work may have never continued. After ten
years off, the work continued and we see the third attempt to attack from
the top to thwart the plans of God. The enemies formulated a second
letter to appeal to King Darius questioning whether King Cyrus had ever
ordered the temple to be reconstructed in the first place. A search for the
original work order was made, and to the surprise of the enemies, the
document was found. Hidden away for safe keeping by the sovereignty
of God was the original document signed and sealed by King Cyrus. The
tables were turned on the enemy and the temple was rebuilt and worship
restored.
When you are walking in righteousness, honoring God with your
life and following His will, there is no sabotage, ambush or higher
authority that can thwart what God has in store for you. It may look
for a season like the enemy has the upper hand, but do not give in or
lose hope or forfeit your faith. Don’t look elsewhere for answers or
stop work. Keep pressing on and persevering. “If God is for us, who
can be against us?” Romans 8:31b. God is for you and is working all
things out for your good even as you read this. His ways are higher
than your ways and His thoughts higher than your thoughts. Trust
Him.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 55:8, 9,
Romans 8:28, Philippians 1:6.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How have you seen the enemy at work in your life trying to
thwart the plans that God has for you?
2. How have you seen God at work in your life through those
difficult and trying times?
PRAY
NEHEMIAH 1:1-4 AND 2:4,5
I
n the book of Ezra, we saw how God stirred Zerubbabel’s
heart to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and to bring the
Jewish people back to their homeland. In addition, God
stirred Ezra’s heart to lead the people back into holiness and
a right relationship with the Lord. In the book of Ezra, the
temple was rebuilt and worship restored.
Yet there was more work to be done. Jerusalem was
left vulnerable to its enemies because the walls and gates
around the great city were still left in ruins.
When God sees a need, He stirs the heart of His
believers to meet that need.
When Nehemiah heard the walls and gates around
Jerusalem were in ruins, he wept, mourned, fasted and
prayed for days. God stirred and prepared his heart to meet
a great need of the Jewish people. The walls of Jerusalem
needed to be restored and Nehemiah knew God was calling
him to the task. Yet, Nehemiah showed incredible restraint
in his obedience.
When God stirs my heart to a task, my tendency is to
jump in impulsively. I don’t know about you, but many
times I start tackling the “what” without hearing the “how.”
It’s not only important for you to hear what God wants you
to do, but how He wants you to do it.
Nehemiah showed great self control, which, by the
way, is one of the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians
5:23. When Nehemiah first heard the news that the walls
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were in ruins, what did he do first? Did he weep? Mourn? Fast? Pray?
No. “When I heard these things, I sat down” (verse 4).
That is great advice. When God is stirring your heart to a task,
before you do anything, sit down. Meet with God. Hear the how.
This model prevents you from operating in the flesh and in the realm
of your own self sufficiency.
After Nehemiah heard from God, he shared
When God sees a
his thoughts with the king. He went through the
need, He stirs the
proper channels. Can you imagine what would
heart of His believers
have happened if Nehemiah acted impulsively
to meet that need.
to the news that the walls were in ruins? He may
have skipped town without permission from the
king to go tackle the task using the justification that he “heard from
God.” He would have ruined his testimony and his witness before
the king. The king then would have hunted Nehemiah down and
placed him in prison or killed him.
Be careful not to use the justification of “I heard from God” to
act impulsively. Honor God and those around you by going about
the “work” properly. Even after he gained permission from the king
to carry out the task, Nehemiah showed great restraint.
My tendency would have been to go to Jerusalem with the attitude, “What’s wrong with you people? Come on, fix theses walls!
Why did you leave them in ruins?” Nehemiah did not say anything.
Nor did he let anyone know what he was doing at first. He simply
went and took “inventory” of the wall. When the time was right, he
rallied the people and work on the wall began. Again, that’s great
advice. Hear from God, take inventory, allow God to work a plan in
your heart and then start the task. This method prevents you from
acting like a bull in a china shop in the name of God’s work while
damaging lives along the way.
Another lesson that can be learned from Nehemiah is he did not
pass the buck. God stirred Nehemiah’s heart to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem. He did not stir Haggai’s, Jeremiah’s, Zachariah’s, or Ezra’s
heart in the same way. Be careful of the temptation to transfer what
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God has called you to do to someone else’s life. Not only is that not
fair to the other person, but it is disobedience on your part. This
tendency in the believer’s life may be due to fear, laziness or insecurity. You can be sure that if God is calling you to a task, He will
also provide for you the means to carry it out and the power of His
presence to see you through. There is great joy and blessing in obedience. When God calls you to a task it is because He not only wants
to stretch you, but bless you.
Last, many believers ask, “What is God’s plan for my life?” or
“What is God’s will for me?” Both are valid questions, but many
times you may not hear from God on these questions simply because
you have not been obedient to the last thing He told you. God does
not operate in the same way the world system does. At work, your
to-do list may get real long. Your email inbox may be overloaded
and hard to keep up with. Others around you may heap large loads
of stuff to do on your plate. God is not like that. He is not going to
overload you. In His mercy, He gives you one or two things to do at
a given time. When you have been obedient to accomplish that, He
will direct you in other ways, but God is not going to keep putting
stuff in your spiritual “inbox” if you have not been obedient to the
last thing He told you. If you want to hear clearly from God, give
attention to the last thing He put on your heart.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Ecclesiastes 8:5,6, Jeremiah
29:11-14, John 14:23,24, Romans 12:1,2.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Has God stirred your heart to a certain work or task? If so,
what is it?
2. Are you struggling with hearing God’s will in a certain matter?
If so, what was the last thing He told you to do? Make plans
now to fulfill that.
PRAY
READ ESTHER 2:17-18, 3:5-11, AND CHAPTER 4
T
he book of Esther is an incredible picture of God’s
faithfulness to preserve the Jewish race. The account
of Esther is believed to have occurred between the period
of time when Zerubbabel led the first return of the Jewish
people back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1-6),
and the time when Ezra returned to Jerusalem to restore
worship (Ezra 7-10).
Sadly, when King Cyrus of Persia allowed Zerubbabel
to lead the Jews back to Jerusalem, only about fifty-thousand out of roughly two-million chose to return. Some of
the people understandably were too young, too old or too
ill to make the trip. Others however, were apathetic, lazy,
or had grown too comfortable in the Babylonian culture.
Many no doubt established businesses in the land and were
doing quite well financially.
As a result, not many were willing to forfeit their financial gain to return back to their spiritual heritage. The
people, for the most part, were in a back-slidden state when
the events of Esther were taking place.
To highlight this fact, a reading of Esther reveals
no mention of God, Satan, heaven, hell or even prayer
throughout the entire book. At the same time, however, it
is obvious to the believer that God’s grace, providence and
faithfulness are the driving forces throughout the account.
In chapter 2 of Esther, King Xerxes found himself
looking for a new queen. A careful search was made of
the finest young women and Esther was chosen. Esther,
at the advice of her elder cousin, Mordecai, did not reveal
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her Jewish heritage to the king. In the meantime, Haman, the king’s
right-hand man, hated the Jewish people. Haman’s hatred stemmed
from Mordecai’s refusal to bow down and honor him.
In chapter 3, this cruel, brutal, self-righteous Haman plots to
have all the Jews killed on one particular day in history. His plot
began to solidify when He had King Xerexes issue a decree to allow
this slaughter to take place. When Mordecai learned of the decree, he
“tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the
city, wailing loudly and bitterly” (Chapter 4:1).
As the new queen, Esther was positioned magnificently by God
to intercede on behalf of the Jewish race. Mordecai solicited Esther
to speak to the king, but she was understandably reluctant to do so.
In that culture, if anyone approached the king without being called,
that person was to be put to death unless the king stretched out his
golden scepter towards him or her, signifying his approval.
King Xerxes had not summoned Esther. If Esther approached the
king as Mordecai had suggested, she could very well pay with her life.
Mordecai’s statement at the end of verse 14 was prophetic for Esther
and I believe is for your life too: “And who knows that you have come
to royal position for such a time as this?” (verse 14b).
Everything does happen for a reason. The events in your life are
not the result of random happenings or chance, but rather God is in
your life orchestrating events to work out the plan and purpose He
has for you.
Look at Esther’s life. Both her parents were
With God, there are
killed when she was younger. Perhaps their lives
no wasted situations
were snuffed out in the Babylonian invasion. She
or circumstances.
was raised by her elder cousin, Mordecai, while
in captivity. Jewish tradition has it that when
King Xerxes was looking for a new queen, Mordecai tried to conceal
Esther, but her beauty was so well known she could not be concealed.
She gained favor from the eunuch in charge of King Xerxes’ harem.
Out of a great number of young girls, it was Esther who was chosen
to be queen. Why? It was as Mordecai said, “…for such a time as
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this.” It was Esther who had the opportunity to intercede on behalf
of the Jewish race because she herself was Jewish.
It is highly unlikely that Esther understood why events such as
these occurred in her life. However, God allowed these events to take
place to shape her into the woman He needed her to be. God allowed
hard times as well as favorable times to shape her character for that
specific time in which He would use her to save the Jewish race. God
raised her up for “such a time as this.”
Likewise, the events in your life are not accidental or coincidental. That time you were let go at work, when the relationship did
not work out the way you thought, a business deal fell through or
panned out perfectly, the diverse positions you’ve held, the people
who have crossed your path and even the choices you have made are
not wasted in God’s economy. With God, there are no wasted situations or circumstances.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of
those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”
(Romans 8:28). God is able to take every experience you’ve been
through and use it for His glory for such a time for you to glorify His
name with your life. Be confident that even the disappointments and
frustrations you go through have a purpose. In God’s economy, they
have great value to shape and direct your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 3:5, 6, I Peter 5:6, 7,
Philippians 2:12, 13.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What situations or events have you been through that were
difficult to understand at first, but in the end you saw God’s
purpose for them?
2. What situations are you facing right now that cause you not
to understand why things seem to be turning out the way
they are? Use this time as an opportunity to trust God by
faith that He will work all things out for your good.
PRAY
READ JOB 1 AND 2
A
lthough the book of Job is located more towards the
middle of the Bible, the events that took place occurred
much earlier than their recording. In all likelihood, Job was
a contemporary of Abraham and the story of Job took place
in the Abrahamic time period making the events of Job
some of the oldest in the entire Bible.
The predicament Job found himself in is as old as the
Bible itself and is common to every human being who has
ever lived. The predicament is one of testing.
The difference with Job was that he was tested to a
depth that was surpassed by only one other – Jesus Christ.
I am so thankful the events in Job’s life were recorded for
us because they can really bring some encouragement and
hope for all of us when we go through periods of testing
and trials.
The events of Job unfolded with the cosmos looking
in. “One day the angels came to present themselves before
the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to
Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the
Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back
and forth in it’” (Job 1:6, 7).
The implication by Satan is that while roaming the
earth, he took careful notice of those who professed to have
faith in God. To which God responded, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he
is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns
evil” (Job 1:8).
Satan then shared his opinion to God which can be
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summarized as something like this (and I’m paraphrasing here):
“Those who claimed to have saving faith only possessed such faith
because their lives were going well and You had blessed them, but
take away Your blessing and protection and You wouldn’t have one
single follower.” Not only did Satan attack the motives of man’s faith,
but more significantly He attacked God’s honor.
God in His sovereignty thus granted Satan permission to assail
Job with a series of calamities as the cosmos watched in wonder for
the outcome of Job’s faith and God’s honor. With that, the testing of
Job began.
Job’s life was devastated as his livestock,
Nothing mattered to
servants and family members (with the excepJob except honoring
tion of his wife) were wiped out in a single day.
God.
Shortly after these events, Satan inflicted Job
with excruciatingly painful sores from the top of
his head to the tip of his toes. In all of these calamities and afflictions,
Job maintained his integrity and solid faith in God. In the chapters
that followed, three of Job’s friends brutally attacked him with verbal
assaults on his character and integrity. Yet Job clung to his faith and
to his love for God.
Satan was relentless in His attack. Yes, there were times Job
showed his frustration. There were times his lack of understanding
discouraged him. His three friends wrongly and brutally accused him
and almost got the best of him, but in Job 13:15, Satan is shown once
and for all that he was wrong about Job’s motives and about God’s
honor. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (verse
13:15).
Remember, Job did not understand why he was being tested. He
did not have chapters 1 and 2 to read like you do. Yet his faith and
trust in God’s plan was such that even if God killed him, his faith
and trust would still be in Him. At that moment, Satan might as well
have packed His bags. He was defeated. Nothing mattered to Job
except honoring God.
No doubt there have been and will be definite times of testing in
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your life as well. How have you come through? How would you like
to come through? In times of testing, have you ever asked, “Why?”
Job never knew why? He knows now because he is in heaven. I guarantee you, he has no regrets of living by faith.
Though we may ask, “Why?”, the answer may never come on
this side of eternity. Still, here are a few possibilities for the “Why:”
1. God allows tests and trials in your life so that He can use you
as an effective minister in someone else’s life who is going
through similar trials.
2. Often, it is when you are going through periods of testing
that you draw nearer to God in greater intimacy, and experience His grace in a deeper way. Sadly, human tendency is,
when things are good, we neglect our walk with the Lord.
3. Through your trials and tests, God’s power can be displayed
in your life.
4. Your faith in God is built up to greater levels as you trust in
Him to see you through.
5. The devil’s voice is deadened when He stands before God to
accuse you and you are faithful in your test period.
6. Only God knows!
Whatever the reason may be, the fact is, tests do come our way. Be
encouraged by Job. Trust in God. Have hope. Your heavenly Father
loves you and has your best interests in mind. Like Job, you will never
regret having walked in faithfulness when you get to heaven.
Other Scriptures to Consider: John 9:1-3, Romans 8:28, I
Corinthians 10:13, James 1:2,3, James 5:11.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. List some key tests you have been through and how they have
affected your faith.
2. What is more important than understanding the “Why”
when God allows a test to come into your life?
PRAY
READ PSALM 23
I
n your previous devotion, you read about a man named
Job who underwent a tough testing period in which his
three friends accused him of sin. They reasoned that God
would not punish the righteous in a way that Job was
experiencing unless Job sinned in a mammoth way. After
chapter 2 of Job, what ensued was a saga of accusations and
questions between Job and his three friends in which God
Himself was being questioned by Job. This went on for
thirty-five chapters, at the end of which God fired back at
Job with some seventy inquiries of His own. In the midst of
God’s questioning, Job realized he was out of line. He had
spoken amiss as he replied, “I am unworthy – how can I
reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once,
but I have no answer –– twice, but I will say no more” (Job
40:4,5).
Job came to the very practical realization that he was
not as wise as he thought he was. He did not have life
figured out like he once thought. In fact, left to himself he
was still wanting.
This is a key understanding as you spend time in Psalm
23. David says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in
want” (verse 1). The king of the holy city, the one who was
so highly esteemed, the leader of Israel, grasped the idea he
needed a shepherd. Not just any shepherd, but God the
Father, the one true shepherd. David’s forefathers chose at
times to follow false shepherds. For example, there was
Baal, the god of the intellect. There was Molech, the god of
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success and prosperity. There was Mammon, the god of money. There
was also Astoreth, the goddess of sexuality.
Each and every time the Israelites strayed from God and
worshipped these false gods, these false shepherds, they were left
wanting. When these false gods were lifted up, the Israelites were
emptied and devoid of fulfillment and purpose. Their enemies
attacked and carried them into captivity. King David stressed a
glorious truth when he proclaimed the Lord as his shepherd: with
the Lord God as your shepherd you shall not want. That is, in Christ,
you will be and are fulfilled. In Christ, your needs are met. In Christ,
you are a new creation filled with purpose and destiny.
Like Job, you don’t know everything. I don’t know everything.
Which of us can figure God out? “As the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than
your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).
Like King David, you need a shepherd. Here
In Christ, you are a
is an awesome truth: God does not begrudgingly
new creation filled
agree to be your shepherd. God the Father very
with purpose and
much desires to take on that role in your life.
destiny.
As you allow the Lord to shepherd you through
your journey of life, the rest of Psalm 23 takes
on great application. Green pastures represent provision and blessing
while quiet waters represent rest and refreshment for you spiritually,
emotionally, physically and mentally. As the “Great Shepherd,” not
only does God provide for you, but He guides you by giving direction
in every area of your life. He wants what is best for you and because
He is true to His name, He generously provides all that you need.
Though life may be unsure and you may face periods of discouragement, God won’t allow you to remain stuck in the valley. Instead, He
walks you through the valley to the other side.
As a believer, you are anointed. God has chosen you to be a part
of His family. As you pause to take note of your life and all that God
has done for you, you come to the realization that your cup is overflowing. God has and will continue to bless you abundantly. God is
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good. He is the author of love. As you resolve to follow Him as your
shepherd, your days will be filled with goodness and love.
Finally, the best is yet to come. As a believer, you are going to
heaven. You will literally dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I encourage you to keep that perspective. It is true, for those who
do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, this world is as good as it will
ever get. But for the believer, this world is the worst it will ever be!
With the Father as your shepherd, you’ve got a lot to be thankful for
and a lot to look forward to.
One final thought: the false shepherds that led many of the
Israelites to foreign and grievous pastures are the same false shepherds
that lead many astray today. Beware of the false shepherds of money,
intellect, success and sexuality. They will most certainly not lead you
into green pastures and quiet waters. They will only bring torment to
your spirit and emptiness to your soul.
There is only one true shepherd: God the Father. He is the only
one proven worthy to follow. Why? Because He loves you so much
that He gave His only Son as a ransom for your soul.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 11:28-30, John
10:10-14, Philippians 4:19, I Peter 5:4.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Which verse of Psalm 23 is most meaningful to you and
why?
2. Of the four “false shepherds” listed, which is of the greatest
temptation to you? In what ways are you tempted most?
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3. Read II Peter 1:3. According to this verse, God has given you
everything you need for godliness. List people and resources
etc. that God has brought into your life to help you avoid
these “false shepherds.”
PRAY
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READ PROVERBS 3: 5-8
W
hen King Solomon penned these particular Proverbs,
he seemed to echo the heart of his father, King David,
when David composed Psalm 23. David, though far from
perfect, was quick to seek forgiveness and was sincere in
his repentance. Solomon gleaned from David the need to
follow the “Great Shepherd” in his own life as was evident
throughout Proverbs. No doubt Solomon saw his father’s
love for the Lord and how the Lord continually proved
faithful in David’s life. Solomon knew he could trust in
God with his whole heart.
God granted Solomon wisdom and understanding in
measures greater than anyone ever possessed previously and
anyone would possess after him (I Kings 3:7-14). Solomon
was the wisest man to walk the face of the earth. He loved
wisdom and cherished understanding. Kings and queens
came from afar just to sit and listen to Solomon’s words. He
was greatly esteemed by all. Yet in Proverbs 3:5b, Solomon
encourages you not to lean on understanding, that is, your
own understanding. Why? Do you remember Job? During
Job’s period of testing, he proceeded to question God
and make accusations based on his own knowledge and
understanding. God responded to Job in chapter 38:2 by
saying, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words
without knowledge?” In essence, God is saying, “Job you
do not know what you are saying. You are speaking without
knowledge, without wisdom. You do not know my ways or
my thoughts.”
The same can be said of us. You do not see the big
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picture as God sees it. Nor do you know the final outcome of a matter
like God does. The wisest counsel you could receive is “lean not on
your own understanding.”
Instead, if in every opportunity, decision, and endeavor, you seek
counsel and instruction from God, He will work every matter out for
your good.
There have been many times I wished I would have slowed down
long enough to heed this advice. Employment opportunities that
seemed promising, business deals that looked to be a “sure thing” etc.
etc. have come across my path and sadly, I have relied on my own
wisdom and understanding. Yes, I sought God. Yes, I prayed about
things, but I was not patient enough to wait on His timing and His
response.
Human nature has a tendency to be impulsive and impatient.
The dollar sign has potential to blur ethics and advancement has the
capability of skewing values when left to our own wisdom. I have
learned that if I am not hearing clearly from
God on a matter or an opportunity, no matter I prayed about things,
how grand and glorious it appears, do not take but I was not patient
the plunge. It may not make business sense or enough to wait on
His timing and His
worldly sense or common sense, but it will make response.
spiritual sense, and in God’s economy, that is all
that matters.
I have found this to be extremely freeing in my life. The Lord is
my shepherd and I will trust Him in all matters. Our heavenly Father
knows best. You do not have to manipulate situations, finagle your
way, promote yourself or hobnob with the “big wigs.” God is bigger
than all that stuff. You do not have to try and sell your ideas and
reasoning to God. He truly knows best and has your best in mind.
I have found that when I get away from the truth of these passages
and once again fall back on yours truly for the victories, health in my
body diminishes. My joy is replaced with worry. My confidence is
exchanged for doubt. My peace is traded for a restless spirit. This is
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the result of one who shepherds his own life. That is not the will of
God for you.
Again, as we have discussed in the previous devotion, God does
not begrudgingly agree to be your shepherd. He willingly and lovingly
desires that role because He wants to bless you. He has created you
with certain gifts, talents and abilities. Therefore, He knows just where
you will be the most successful and productive for His Kingdom.
Solomon lived out Proverbs 3:5,6… for most of his life. He
was running a good race and fighting the good fight of faith, but
the ending of his life saddens me. What happened to him? “King
Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s
daughter – Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.
They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites,
‘You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn
your heart after their gods.’ Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to
them in love, He had seven-hundred wives of royal birth and threehundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew
old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not
fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father
had been. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord…” (I Kings
11:1-4, 6a).
Sadly, Solomon compromised by “leaning on his own understanding” and failing to acknowledge the Lord in all his ways. That
is a great lesson for you and for me: do not compromise the truth of
Proverbs 3:5-8 in your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 37:3-6, Jeremiah 9:23,
24, Romans 9:33, I John 5:3.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. When and how have you been tempted to act impulsively and
lean on your own understanding?
2. Are there ways in which you are compromising your faith
in God right now? How? Use this time to repent and return
wholeheartedly to the Lord.
PRAY
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READ ECCLESIASTES 12:13-14
O
ut of the three books of the Bible that Solomon wrote,
the Song of Solomon was written when he was a
young man, Proverbs when he was a middle-aged man and
Ecclesiastes in his older years. As an older man, Solomon
was one who had lost his devotion and intimacy with God,
and the book of Ecclesiastes, which is a word that means
preacher, chronicles the depth of Solomon’s backslidden
condition.
The old adage is true, experience is a great teacher, but
it does not have to be your experience. That is, we don’t
necessarily have to make all of our own mistakes. I am
so glad that Solomon chronicled this portion of his life
because it allows us to learn from his experiences. You do
not have to experience the same heartaches that Solomon
did. You can gain great insights on a rich, fulfilling life
without suffering the same mistakes that he did.
If you choose to read through Ecclesiastes in its entirety,
you will find both a word and a phrase repeated frequently.
The word is “meaningless” or “vanity” and the phrase is
“under the sun.” Meaningless refers to the emptiness and
senselessness that Solomon discovered in certain activities.
Under the sun denotes one’s pursuit of happiness, contentment and satisfaction apart from God.
The question is why was Solomon, a man once filled
with passion and devotion for the Lord, now in a backslidden state as an older man? Solomon was blessed by God
with extraordinary wisdom and understanding throughout
his whole life. How could he now be lukewarm for God?
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The answer is simple and very applicable to your life. In verse 13,
Solomon stated his conclusion to all of life, “Fear God and keep his
commands.”
Through the years, however, Solomon lost sight of his own statement of wisdom. His reverence for God faded and he lost his focus
on keeping God’s commands. Just how did this occur? Look back at
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 which gives careful instructions for kings.
Among the instructions are three specific things that a king must not
acquire in great numbers for himself. These three things are horses,
wives and silver and gold. What three things did Solomon gather
unto himself in great numbers? First on the list were horses. Solomon
possessed twelve-thousand horses and four-thousand stables (II
Chronicles 9:25). Furthermore, his horses were imported from Egypt
which Deuteronomy 17:16 forbade. Second on the list were wives of
whom Solomon acquired a mere seven-hundred and an additional
three-hundred concubines (I Kings 11:3). Notice also in verse 3,
“… and his wives led him astray.” Third, a king was not to acquire
much gold or silver for himself. Again, II Chronicles 9:13-28 records
Solomon’s splendor which included a collection of twenty-five tons
of gold per year! In verse 27 of the same chapter, we are told that in
Solomon’s kingdom, silver was as common as stones. Solomon thus
exceedingly broke the commands of God.
Yellowstone National Park basically rests in a one-hundred mile
wide volcanic crater. Magma, which is still actively forming underneath the surface of that crater, stirs Old Faithful and causes many
other pockets of scalding hot water to surface throughout the park.
As a result, there are many signs and warnings cautioning visitors not
to wander off the path.
Of course, over the years, some have not heeded the warnings
and have been seriously injured. Those cautions and warnings are
not there to prevent visitors from enjoying the park, but rather so
travelers can enjoy the park to its fullest extent without getting hurt.
The same can be said for God’s commands. God is not heaping
commands on you to rob you of a fulfilling life, but rather His
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commands are for protection and provision. For example, in Matthew
6:19, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…”
because He knows that deep joy and fulfillment will not come from
a fancier kitchen, a bigger house, the dream car, a larger paycheck or
an abundance of things. Jesus is not against storing up treasure; He
simply warns against storing it up in the wrong place. Be heavenly
minded.
The Word also says in II Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be yoked
together with unbelievers.” That command is for your protection.
The Word is full of God’s loving commands that guide, direct and
provide for you as you journey with the Savior through life.
As Solomon approached the end of his life,
The Word is full
he recognized the world was full of distracof God’s loving
tions and disillusionments from what was most
commands that guide,
important and from what brought real satisdirect and provide for
faction. After experiencing it all and denying
you as you journey
himself nothing his eyes desired, his conclusion
with the Savior
through life.
was simple, freeing and practical not only for his
life, but also for your life: “Fear God and keep
his commands.” That means every decision you make, the motives
of your heart, how you handle relationships and day to day activities,
are all done with a mindset of honoring God.
Jesus summed it up like this, “Love the Lord your God with all
of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind”
(Matthew 22:37). Live your life to honor the Lord and to put a smile
on His face, and unlike Solomon, you will have no regrets.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 6:33, Matthew
11:28-30, I John 5:3.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What is distracting you from loving the Lord with all your
heart, soul and mind? What changes do you need to make to
follow the Lord more fully?
2. In what ways can you relate to Solomon? In your own words,
rewrite Ecclesiastes 12:14.
PRAY
Chapter
A Picture of Love
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SONG OF SONGS 1:1–6
W
e are told in I Kings 4:32 that Solomon wrote 1,005
songs throughout his lifetime, but the Song of Songs
is the only one that the Lord saw fit to record in the Bible.
You could say that this was Solomon’s number-one hit
album on top-forty charts. It truly was the Song of Songs.
Of the three books that Solomon wrote, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs, more than likely the
Song of Songs was written first and in his younger years. It
is a love story between Solomon and his first wife. This was
before he began accumulating the other 699 wives, while
his heart was still fully seeking the Lord.
Throughout the years, the Song of Songs has been
interpreted in a few different ways. Some call it a marriage
manual because it speaks of two lovers feverishly involved
with one another in a God-honoring way. The book speaks
of such passion that Orthodox Jewish men were not allowed
to read the Song of Songs until the age of thirty. Others
believe this book is an illustration of the love that God,
Jehovah, has for the nation of Israel. Still others believe
Solomon to be a picture of Christ and the maiden is the
church or the believer. In this light, the book would be a
picture of how Jesus Christ loves His bride, who is you and
I as believers.
While arguments can be made for all three, I am more
inclined to read through and meditate on the Song of
Solomon knowing that it is a real life love story between
two people, while also realizing that it is a powerful picture
of how much Jesus Christ is in love with you and me.
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In verse two, the maiden declares, “Let him kiss me with the kisses
of his mouth – for your love is more delightful than wine.” I have four
kids. I love them more than words can express, yet I cannot kiss all four
of them at the same time. You can’t kiss more than one person at a
time. This verse speaks of total commitment to the Lord.
Practically for you as a child of God, do not be distracted by other
loves. You might have hobbies, passions, things of interest to you, but
nothing in this world should take the place of Jesus Christ in your life.
He rightfully should have the passion of your heart. Solomon found
this to be true as he sought many loves and lovers. “As Solomon grew
old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not
fully devoted to the Lord his God…” (I Kings 11:4).
This verse also speaks of intimacy. God is calling you to a deeper
relationship with Him, for you to know Him more fully. Why? His
love is more delightful than wine. Nothing will satisfy you or bring
such deep joy into your life other than knowing Jesus Christ in a
deep, personal way.
Verse 4 speaks of the maiden’s desire to be swept up by the king.
A more literal translation is to be drawn away by the king. It’s true,
no one can come to the Lord and experience forgiveness and salvation unless that Holy Spirit draws him in. “No one can come to me
unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).
The maiden is captivated and drawn in to
You might have
the king just like you were or are being. In this
hobbies, passions,
verse, she both recognizes and submits to his things of interest to
kingship and authority over her as she says, “Let you, but nothing in
the king bring me into his chambers.” Submit this world should take
your life to the King wholeheartedly and inti- the place of Jesus
Christ in your life.
macy with the King will follow.
She then comes into the presence of the king
and notices something about herself: she is dark. Evidently she had
been working at length outside in her parent’s vineyard and she had
acquired quite the tan. Although being tan in our day is sought after
and looked upon as an attractive trait, in Solomon’s day being tan
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was taboo. When you look at yourself in light of Jesus Christ, your
sin becomes very evident. You have a dark side too.
She then goes on in verse 6 to rationalize her darkness. She
explains that she was forced to work outdoors because her brothers
were angry with her and this was why she was dark. Human tendency
is to explain away or rationalize our sinfulness. We make excuses as
to why we fell short or did not come through. Resist the temptation
to do that. Do not blame others or your past or your present circumstances. Just admit you are dark. You have sin in your life and the
King is working on you. You are under construction. He is working
things out in you and placing His grace on you.
As you keep reading in the Song of Solomon you will notice
something extraordinary. The king never says a negative word to or
about the maiden. He just loves her incredibly and graciously. He
never says, “I love you, but you are kind of dark” or “You are lovely,
but you lack this or that.” Your King never says anything negative
about you either. Nor does He think negative thoughts towards you.
His banner over you is love. “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Enjoy your relationship with
the Lord and be encouraged with how the Lord views you as His
bride. The King loves you and is in love with you!
Other Scriptures: Psalm 36:7, Psalm 63:1-5, Isaiah 6:5, John
15:15, Romans 8:38, 39.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How does knowing that Jesus is deeply and intimately in love
with you change your thoughts about yourself?
2. Do you find yourself attempting to justify or rationalize your
sin at times? How can you break this habit or tendency?
PRAY
Chapter
Taking It to God
23
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READ ISAIAH 36-37:20
A
ssyria was a vicious world power back in Isaiah’s day.
History records the brutal tactics of the Assyrians
when they overtook their enemies. It was the Assyrians who
perfected the proficiency of skinning people alive. When
the Assyrians completely destroyed a city, they would often
put wooden stakes in the ground around those cities and
then place the heads of women and children on them as
a warning and method of intimidation to other people,
groups and cities. They were vicious. It was the Assyrians
who led their captives away naked with fish hooks in their
jaw. It was this Assyrian army that was marching up to face
King Hezekiah in Isaiah 36.
At a point when Judah was in a rebellious and backslidden state, Hezekiah became king at the ripe old age of
twenty-five. King Hezekiah was one of the godliest kings
ever to rule in Judah. He immediately cleaned out the
temple, removing idols and restoring worship in Judah.
Right after Hezekiah purified the temple, reestablished
worship and united Judah back to the Lord, the Assyrians
came knocking.
Sometimes we think, “I’m going to walk closely with
the Lord and honor Him and in doing so I won’t have to
face tough times.”
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But
take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Troubles, obstacles, frustrations, disappointments are all
part of life. Throughout your life, the “Assyrians” will
come knocking. Your “Assyrian” might be bills you are
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having trouble paying, a strained relationship you are trying to work
through, a broken heart over a rebellious son or daughter, a person
that is damaging your reputation, pressure at work, a tragedy you
are trying to overcome etc. etc. Seeing King Hezekiah’s response to
this crisis situation is crucial for you to experience the peace of God
through the storms of life.
The Assyrians were knocking, threatening, and camping out so to
speak by the city walls of Jerusalem. The Assyrian field commander in
a loud voice with Hebrew tongue proceeded to belittle King Hezekiah
and mock God. My tendency would be to shout back some choice
words of my own. “He’s not going to treat me like that,” I might
reason. The people got it right though. In verse 21 we read, “But the
people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had
commanded, ‘Do not answer him.’” That’s great advice. Remember,
the temple had been cleaned out and purified. True worship had been
restored. These people were walking with God.
When your temple is purified and you are honoring God with
your life, it does not mean the Assyrians won’t come, but it means
God will fight and intercede on your behalf if you invite Him to. You
don’t have to try and make a defense for yourself. The Lord is your
defender.
The people remained silent and Hezekiah prayed. When
Hezekiah’s men reported the threats to him, he went straight to God
in prayer as we are told in 37:1. He did not rise up and say, “I’ll show
those Assyrians!” Rather in humility, he put on sackcloth and sought
the Lord’s counsel through the prophet Isaiah. Meanwhile,
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, sent a threatening letter to Hezekiah
letting him know that he was next on the list to get thrashed. Again,
Hezekiah’s response to this letter is a real key to your peace and joy as
you are walking with the Lord through life. Verse 37:14 says,
“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then
he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the
Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord…” This is real practical
advice when you are facing a tough situation. Take your circumstance
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and spread it out before the Lord. You don’t have to pace the floor or
go into panic mode. You don’t have to sweat bullets or fester with
anxiety. Lay out your “Assyrian” before the Lord and pray in faith for
God to work it out.
Hezekiah’s prayer is worthy of attention.
Sometimes God is
He first recognized that God is almighty. He
greater glorified when
is all powerful and the one true God. God is
your situation does
God and we are not. Then he spread out the
not work out in the
threat and his concerns, before God in confiway you thought it
dence. Last, he laid his request before the Lord
should.
which was to be delivered from the Assyrian
attack. Notice his motivation for deliverance. It
was not for his own elevation or promotion or to build a name for
himself or to establish a greater position in Jerusalem. Rather, deliver
us Lord “so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O
Lord, are God.”
Ultimately what is most important is that the Lord be glorified,
that He work your situation out for His glory. Sometimes God is
greater glorified when your situation does not work out in the way
you thought it should. That may be hard to handle, but you must
realize, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 6:25-33, Philippians
4:6, 7, I Peter 5:6, 7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What “Assyrian” type situations are you faced with right
now? How are you handling the situation and do you need to
refocus on the Lord to see you through the circumstances?
2. Examine your temple. Is there anything in your life, including
some attitudes you may have, that must be cleaned out so you
can wholeheartedly be devoted to the Lord?
PRAY
Chapter
Shaped for Purpose
24
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READ JEREMIAH 18:1-6
A
reality TV show called Dirty Jobs captures everyday
people having to perform some of the nastiest, smelliest
and most disgusting jobs. As a prophet, Jeremiah did not
have the smelliest job, but he must have had the toughest.
Nicknamed the weeping prophet, Jeremiah certainly
had cause to shed a few tears. For starters, he faithfully
preached God’s message for more than forty years with
not one conversion, not one positive response. Instead, he
was beaten, put in stocks, mocked, thrown in prison and
his family and friends ridiculed him. Why? Nobody liked
his message. Jeremiah pleaded with the people to repent
of their immorality and idolatry. Some of the kings were
sacrificing their own children to false gods. The people’s
wickedness was exceedingly great. God sent Jeremiah to
warn the people of impending judgment. His message was
a tough warning and it was not heeded.
In 586 B.C., the Babylonians swept down and burned
up Jerusalem, taking God’s people captive for seventy years.
Jeremiah 18:1-6 is a passage of Scripture that once again
captures the heart of God for His people. What an incredible visual God gave Jeremiah of a lump of clay spinning
round and round on the wheel and the potter, a masterful
craftsman, shaping and molding it with fantastic purpose.
Although the clay was marred, instead of the potter coldly
discarding it, he patiently reshaped the clay into a vessel
of great usefulness and purpose. In verse 6, God asks, “O
house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?”
God is the potter, you are the clay and the wheel
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represents day to day life. Sometimes you can find yourself just
spinning round and round on the wheel of life not feeling like you
are getting anywhere or achieving anything worthwhile. Jeremiah
probably felt like that as a profit. Forty years of preaching and no
conversions! I’m glad God does not judge us on the merit of success,
but rather faithfulness. When I find myself feeling like I’m caught
up in the grind of life, just sort of spinning around with not much
purpose, it usually means I’ve lost some of my focus and God is using
that to call me back to a deeper level of faithfulness. As the potter,
God never gives up on you, but rather is always ready and willing to
place His loving hands on you to continue shaping your life.
I do have some pottery experience. Before traveling as a chalk
artist, I used to travel and work with clay in front of audiences. I still
have my Shimpo pottery wheel in the garage. The most important
pottery principle is this one: you cannot shape a vessel of any kind
until the lump of clay is first perfectly centered on the wheel. A piece
of clay that is not centered on the wheel wobbles and pulsates so
that nothing of usefulness or beauty can be shaped. Not until the
clay submits to the potter’s touch and pressure does the clay become
centered and suitable for shaping.
If you are in a season of wobbling spiritually or you feel stale
towards the things of God, perhaps due to the daily grind of life
pulling your focus off the Lord, humbly confess that to God and ask
Him to place His nail-scarred hands on you and begin to work again.
Return your focus back to the Lord and His Word.
Notice also that the clay was marred in the potter’s hands. Yet the
potter did not refuse to work with the clay. He did not thoughtlessly
discard it believing it to have no value, but rather he took the clay
with its imperfections and “formed it into another pot, shaping it as
seemed best to him.”
That’s the Father’s heart towards you. The heavenly Father
created you, but you are marred with sin and imperfections. Not
because God made mistakes in you, but through Adam and Eve, sin
entered your DNA.
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Additionally, you chose at times to go your own way and do your
own thing instead of choosing obedience to the Father. You are in
God’s hands as a marred piece of clay and the Father sees you as a
beautiful vessel filled with potential. You are! Not because clay is
pretty or because clay by itself has great value. It’s not and it doesn’t.
The potential comes in who the potter is. When you are submitted
to the Father, He then shapes you as seems best to Him. That is
where your purpose comes from regardless of what you are doing
professionally. God is able to bring purpose to the everyday grind of
life. Even if you think what you are doing is
mundane and tedious, the Father finds great joy
You are in God’s
hands as a marred
when you “…work at it with all your heart, as
piece of clay and the
working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians
Father sees you as a
3:23).
beautiful vessel filled
I believe if you keep your perspective on
with potential.
faithfulness and not success, you will find yourself wobbling a whole lot less on the wheel of
life. You might retort, “If I’m not viewed as
successful, I’ll be fired.” Remember, the potter must apply pressure to
the clay as it spins in order for the vessel to be shaped at all. The clay
pot is not worth anything or ready for service until it has been fired in
the kiln. After the heat has been applied and the pot goes through the
fire, the vessel comes out beautiful and useful and ready for service.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 139:13-18, Romans 9:20,
21, Ephesians 2:10.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Is there anything in your life that is pulling your focus off the
Lord causing you to “wobble a bit on the wheel?” What can
you do today to get centered once again on God?
2. Ask God to show you how you can better honor Him in
where He currently has you positioned vocationally and/or
academically. Record you answer below.
PRAY
Chapter
Faithfulness in Purpose
25
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LAMENTATIONS 3:21-26
J
eremiah sat on a hillside and watched and wept as
Jerusalem went up in smoke. The temple was being
burned, houses destroyed, women raped, men were being
hung on the city walls and children carried off into slavery.
What Jeremiah prophesied previously was now being
fulfilled as the holy city came crashing down. Jeremiah had
warned them for forty years, but no one heeded the message.
Instead he was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shunned, and
forsook by family and friends.
Incredibly, Jeremiah did not sit on the hillside and say,
“You people are getting what you deserve! Get them God.
Teach them a lesson.” Instead, he sincerely lamented for
the Hebrew people. Jeremiah preached and prophesied
with great integrity. He never once changed his message
from the need for repentance and impending judgment.
He never let up despite brutal beatings and horrific happenstances. How was he able to carry on in such faithfulness
and perseverance?
I believe verse 24 gives us the key insight as to how
Jeremiah was able to live out such faithfulness in dire times.
Verse 24 reads, “I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” The word “portion” implies
that the Lord is Jeremiah’s all in all. The Lord is everything
to Jeremiah. Jeremiah discovered that his significance was
not derived from or generated by his success as a prophet.
His joy was not found in the victories of changed lives
because of his preaching. Frankly, there were no changed
lives because of his preaching. Jeremiah’s confidence did
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not come from rubbing elbows with the big wigs. He had access to
“hang out” with his contemporaries Habakkuk, dubbed the praying
prophet, and Zephaniah, known as the preaching prophet. In addition, Jeremiah’s father was a priest. With his lineage, he had a real
“in” with those held in high esteem. Yet his self assurance was not
found in earthly relationships, but rather it was deeply seeded in a
heavenly relationship. It was because of this that he was able to endure
all things and remain passionate with purpose throughout his entire
life.
As you discover that same truth, “The Lord is my portion…,” the
need for earthly significance will lose its grip on you. The way you
measure success will no longer be determined by victories and defeats,
deals gained or lost, popularity and pats on the back, comparisons to
others, but rather by simple obedience and faithfulness to walk with
the Father. The Lord is your portion. He is everything you need in
this life. Until you understand this truth, you will always be restless
at heart. Have you ever noticed the tendency
in people to always want just a little more? It’s You will always have a
true; people spend money they don’t have to restless heart until you
buy things they don’t need to impress others find your rest in the
Lord.
they don’t even like. It’s crazy. We live in a world
where self worth is measured by the elegance of
one’s home, the model of one’s car, the size of one’s paycheck and the
elevation of one’s position. In God’s eternal economy, none of those
things count for anything.
In John 4:1-26, Jesus had an intriguing conversation with a sinful
woman. Within the conversation, Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks
this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give
him will never thirst.” This woman’s real need was not physical (the
water), but rather spiritual. It was the living waters of the Holy Spirit
that she needed for true peace, joy and satisfaction.
You will always have a restless heart until you find your rest in the
Lord. You’ll always want just a little more until you find your more
in the Lord.
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In John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes
to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be
thirsty.” Jesus did not say the bread is in aisle twelve of the supermarket. There is plenty there if you’ve got enough money. Jesus is the
bread you need. In Christ, the spiritual you is never left wanting. In
John 8:12, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Again, Jesus does not say if you need light go to the home furnishing
section of Wal-Mart because you’ll find great deals there. He is light.
He gives guidance so you won’t stumble through life making poor
choices.
Continuing on in John 14:6 Jesus declared, “I am the way and
the truth and the life.” He did not say truth is found in Jay Leno or
Dr. Phil or Oprah. He is truth. His Word is truth. Jesus doesn’t say
if you want real life it is found in relationships with this girl or that
guy. Real life is not found in an impressive bank account or stock
portfolio, but rather Jesus is life. Life, in every sense of the word, is
found in Jesus Christ. He is the way, not just a way.
Finally, in John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the
branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from Christ, not
only can you do nothing of eternal significance, but apart from
Christ there is no life eternal at all. You cannot experience a rich,
meaningful life apart from the vine of Jesus any more than a branch
cut off from an orange tree can fulfill its purpose. Why? You were
created by God to fulfill the purposes of God and as you are faithful
with that purpose you will find true life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 27, Philippians 4:12, 13,
Philippians 4:19.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What areas of your life need to change so that the Lord alone
will be your portion?
2. Which one of the “I Am” statements made by Jesus means the
most to you and why?
PRAY
Chapter
The Face of a Follower
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EZEKIEL 1:4-10
A
s a prophet, Ezekiel had it tough. It is always tougher
when you have to be a living example of what you are
preaching. Jeremiah had a tough message to deliver to the
people and it was difficult for him to watch his brethren
suffer due to their lack of repentance. Although Jeremiah
was a good man and a godly prophet, he did not have to
live out his prophetic messages in the way Ezekiel did.
Ezekiel was instructed by the Lord to lie down on his side
for 390 days as a symbol of bearing Israel’s sin. Then he had
to lie down of his other side for over forty days to bear the
sin of Judah. Ezekiel was instructed to cook a meal using
cow dung. He had to dig a hole in the wall of his house
and bring his furniture out through it. Ezekiel had to cut
his hair and beard and throw it up in the wind. He had to
walk around with a sack over his head. All these things the
Lord instructed him to live out as a warning to the nation
of Israel of what would happen if they did not repent.
Ezekiel also saw many visions, the first of which is in
the text today. As you read about four living creatures with
four faces, you might think Ezekiel is a character who is not
all there. However, in Revelation chapter 4:6-8, John the
Apostle sees the same vision hundreds of years later.
I would like to suggest as a great point of application
for your life that the four faces represent four different
Christ-like character traits that you should possess, work
on and grow in as a believer.
First, recognize and acquire the face of a man. Jesus
Christ was God, but He was also man. He was God in the
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flesh to relate better to us. In Jesus’ humanity, He was hungry. He did
get tired. Jesus was tempted yet in His deity was without sin. In the
gospels, we read how Jesus often awoke early and went off to a solitary place to pray. Why? In his humanness, He needed to stay
connected to the Father. You need to remember your humanness,
your frailties. Having the “face of a man” means you know your
weaknesses. You know that you are vulnerable. It is the face of a man
which keeps you humble and depending on the Father for your
strength, hope and endurance. Remember, Jesus said, “I am the vine;
you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will
bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Second, acquire the face of a lion. Revelation 5:5 describes
Jesus as the Lion of Judah. The lion stands for
bravery and courage. The lion’s roar is bold. You If you want to make a
too would do well to have the faith of a lion. tremendous impact for
Not roaring at lost people wherever you go, but the Kingdom, be ready
having bold faith. Having the “face of a lion” and available to serve
others.
means standing up for your faith and living out
your faith wherever you are. You do not have to
be afraid to open your mouth and share the good news or to turn and
walk away when you are getting into a compromising situation. This
world could use more lions and I hope you will be one for Christ.
Third, don the face of an ox. The ox is a beast of burden. That
is he is built for service, to carry the load. Jesus said, “…just as the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). As a follower of Christ,
you need to be ready to serve. I believe you are most like Christ when
you are serving. You also see Christ more clearly when you are serving
others with a pure heart. The greatest among us is not the one who
has the deepest prayer life or the one with the most sincere worship.
The greatest among us is not the one who wins the most souls for
the Kingdom. Rather, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant.” If you want to make a tremendous
impact for the Kingdom, be ready and available to serve others.
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Fourth, capture the face of an eagle. Eagles are special birds and
there is much that sets them apart from other birds. Eagles do not fly
in flocks or follow each other, but rather eagles stand alone. Eagles fly
higher and farther than any other bird. Eagles are the only bird able
to look directly into the sun because of a protective film over their
eyes. These characteristics among others set the eagle apart.
Jesus was also set apart as the Son of God to be sacrificed for your
sins. I Peter 1:15 says, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be
holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” The
word holy means to be set apart. Having the “face of an eagle” means
that you are to be set apart, holy. Your faith, the way you conduct
yourself, your attitude and your lifestyle, is not dependent on the
culture, the society you live in or what others are doing, but rather on
the Word of God. As you live by faith and walk in obedience to your
Savior, you will be living set apart, having the “face of an eagle.”
Other Scriptures to Consider: Isaiah 40:28-31, Matthew
20:25-28, Hebrews 4:14-16.
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SELF EVALUATION
1. Which of the four faces are you like the most and why?
2. Which of the four faces do you need to work on the most to
be more Christ-like?
PRAY
Chapter
Undefiled
27
122
READ DANIEL 1
H
ave you ever tried one of those diet and workout
programs? Body for Life, The Six Weeks Abs Diet,
South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers, and Jenny Craig are
just a few of the more popular ones. I’ve tried a few of
these myself and have had some success…until I stopped
the regiment. Inevitably, I slacked off or got sidetracked
and slipped back into a less disciplined lifestyle.
Daniel was not that way. In 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar,
the king of the Babylonian empire, swept down and
besieged Jerusalem. This was the first of three Babylonian
invasions. The last one in 586 B.C. ended in the total
destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple.
This initial conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians
resulted in many of the sacred items being stolen out of
the temple. Jehoiakim, king of Jerusalem, was now subject
to Nebuchadnezzar, and many of the young Israelites of
nobility, notoriety and royalty were taken captive back to
Babylon. Daniel was one of those taken. It was not the
Babylonian way to utterly destroy people they conquered
unless the people were rebellious against the Babylonians.
Instead, the Babylonians would instruct and indoctrinate
all those they defeated into the Babylonian lifestyle. That
was a lifestyle of idol worship, false gods and paganism.
This worked because Babylon was an incredibly attractive
empire. There was wealth, fine clothes, plenty of food and
provision and business opportunities. All this was accessible if one would fit in with the Babylonian way.
These young men taken in the initial conquest were to
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be trained for three years in Babylonian history, literature, language
and customs. After three years, they would then enter into the king’s
service. As part of the training and indoctrination process, their
names would be changed. For example, Daniel’s name, which means
God is my judge, was changed to Belteshazzar, which means Bel
protect the king. Bel was the name of one of the more prominent
pagan gods of Babylon. As part of the training process, they were also
to partake in certain food and drink. The food given to these men
was the meat offered to the pagan gods of Babylon. Those who ate
that meat were making a personal life statement that they forsake
their former faith and now believed in the god to whom the meat was
sacrificed. Daniel would have none of it. Daniel purposed in his
heart, and “he resolved not to defile himself in this way” (verse 8).
I love this about Daniel. He really challenges
me. Babylon is a type of world system that has It is the little
everything to offer except genuine faith in the compromises in
true God. Though many young Israelite men what you watch,
were taken, it is Daniel who made a courageous, listen to, look at, and
bold stand for the Lord. Daniel would not allow conversations you
have that will ruin the
his pure faith to be poisoned and polluted by
fruitful vineyard of
Babylonian food, thought, worship, attitudes your faith.
and lifestyle. He was a guy who in every way
stood for the Lord. There was no compromise
in Daniel.
We need more of that today. The Bible mentions, “The little
foxes that ruin the vineyards” (Song of Songs 2:15). It is the little
compromises in what you watch, listen to, look at, and conversations
you have that will ruin the fruitful vineyard of your faith. Be careful.
Take inventory and see if there is any “Babylonian” culture that you
have allowed to poison, pollute and defile your faith.
As Daniel made a great stand, he was honored greatly by God.
There was a supernatural favor and anointing on Daniel’s life that
made him stand out and stand up. He was unique in his abilities,
steadfast in his stand and fervent in his faith. Oh, how our world
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today needs Daniels. You can be one. In your school, on your sports
team, in your work place, with your family, in the midst of your
community, you can be one that is undefiled. Undefiled in speech, in
morals, in ethics and in attitude.
“What do you mean ‘in attitude?’” you may ask. Attitudes like: if
I can just have a little more, I’ll be okay, or, when I get to that level,
I’ll be happy, or, if I could just be with that person, I’ll be content
etc. etc. A little more money, one more material possession, greater
stature, a more prestigious company are all Babylonian attitudes that
are rooted in greed and covetousness. Steer clear. Change directions.
Your joy and contentment in life comes from a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ. He alone gives you real meaning and purpose in
life. As you purpose in your heart to walk with Him in holiness (not
perfection) and not to allow yourself to be defiled by worldliness, He
will honor you and the things you partake in. Walk with the Lord
and see: His anointing will be with you. Have faith that as you take
a real stand against the poison and pollution of this world that God
will bless you and give you favor.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Habakkuk 2:4, Acts 17:28,
Romans 1:17, II Corinthians 10:5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what ways have you taken a stand, as Daniel did, to not
allow yourself to be defiled by the world?
2. In what ways are you struggling right now with allowing the
pollutants and poisons of the world to affect your walk with
the Lord?
PRAY
Chapter
Don’t Forget God
28
126
HOSEA 13: 4-9
T
he Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburg Steelers and the San
Francisco 49ers. The Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls and
the Los Angeles Lakers. The New York Yankees, St. Louis
Cardinals and the Oakland Athletics. These are all professional sports teams that have won the most championships
in their given sports. At times, these teams have been so
dominant that they were considered sports dynasties.
Though the list above may seem lengthy to some, those
who follow sports know that to be considered a dynasty is
to be in elite company with a select few. There are dozens
and dozens and dozens of other teams who have managed
to win a championship or two over the past several decades
and a myriad of others who have yet to accomplish such a
task as to rise to the top.
Since the first World Series in 1903, there have only
been two teams in all of baseball to win three championships in a row. They are the New York Yankees and the
Oakland Athletics.
The first NBA Championship was played in 1947.
Since then there have only been three teams in basketball
to win three or more championships in a row. They are the
Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago
Bulls.
Since 1967, the first Super Bowl, there has never been
an NFL team to win three championships in a row.
The Boston Celtics Basketball team and the New York
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Yankees Baseball team are thus the only two professional sports teams
in history to win four or more championships in a row.
Why is it so difficult for a team to continue on in greatness year
after year after year? Is it the pressure? Is it because all the other teams
play harder wanting to dethrone the champ? Is it because key players
retire? While these reasons may be contributing factors, I believe the
main reason has to do with one’s mindset. That same mindset is also
why many people’s walk with God is more like a roller coaster ride
rather than a steady incline of growth and intimacy.
When teams reach that top level of success, there is such an
emotional high and sense of accomplishment that when that feeling
wears off and the attention dissipates, the tendency is to let down
their guard a bit. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the athlete
or team is susceptible to not training with the same intensity and to
not being as disciplined as they once were before earning the championship title. Hence, most often the team that won the championship
the year previously is not the same team that will win it again the
following year.
You have to be real careful with this mentality
in your walk with the Lord. It is when you are In short, we have
a vulnerability to
doing well, money is rolling in, your needs are forget God when we
being met, your prayers are being answered, rela- are sailing smoothly
tionships are thriving, your marriage is vibrant through life.
that the tendency is not to pursue the Lord like
you once did when you were in need. The truth
is you are still in need of God working in your life in all those areas,
but because things are going smoothly, you may not realize that need
so readily. Therefore, you do not pray as diligently, seek direction as
desperately or involve the Lord as intimately in day to day activities.
In short, we have a vulnerability to forget God when we are sailing
smoothly through life.
God said the Israelites were guilty of this very attitude. “When I
fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became
proud; then they forgot me” (Hosea 13:6). When God blesses you,
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be careful not to let your heart become proud. Sometimes after the
blessings, we look around and think, “Life is great. Things are working
out wonderfully. Look what I’ve achieved or made for myself.” We
subtly take some credit for what God has done. It is during those
times of blessing, abundance and answered prayer that you are most
susceptible to this kind of backsliding.
Verses 7-9 may sound like the Lord is responding harshly to the
Israelites’ pride and forgetfulness, but in actuality, God is saying I
love the Israelites so much that I am willing to do whatever it takes
to get them back where they need to be spiritually. It is the Lord’s
desire for His people to walk in His blessing. God knows that sin will
destroy your life and He is willing to do whatever it takes to bring
you back to a position of dependence upon Him once more. He is
willing to allow hard times and circumstances to come into your life
if that is what it will take to keep you walking in humility and dependence upon the Father.
My hope and prayer is that you will seek the Lord with much
fervency and urgency in all seasons of your life. Enjoy the blessings by
thanking God in them and learn to enjoy the unpleasant experiences
as God uses those times to draw you to a deeper level of intimacy. In
Christ, you can be a champion year after year after year by walking
with Him in all faithfulness during every season of your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Proverbs
16:18, Micah 6:8, I Peter 5:5-7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Have you seen this tendency in your life to not pursue the
Lord quite as much during times of blessing? How so?
2. What are some ways God has gotten your attention and
turned your heart back towards Him when you have forgotten
Him?
PRAY
Chapter
29
130
Making Up for Lost Time
READ JOEL 2:25-27
H
ave you ever gone through a season of life and thought,
“That part of my life was a waste?” Or, “If only I had
followed the Lord’s leading I would not have squandered so
much time.” The choices you make in life are a great indicator of how strong your faith is in the Lord. When poor
choices are made, much time is squandered.
For example, in 1997 I felt strongly that God was
leading me to start my own ministry as an inspirational
speaker. This was something that I began doing as a high
school student and dabbled in throughout college and
beyond. I’ve always enjoyed it and felt well used by the
Lord.
However, when the Lord led me to pursue this “life
calling” full time, I cowered with a lack of faith. I had my
list of excuses, “I have a young family and I don’t know
how to get insurance for them. How will I get started? No
one knows who I am! What if I stink and no one calls me
back? How will I make ends meet?” On and on my list of
excuses went. One might say those were all valid concerns
and I agree, but concerns should never hinder you from
following God in the life He has called you to. I made a
poor choice based on a lack of faith and put off the plan of
God for my life for four years. It was not until 2001 that
God allowed me to grow so discontent with what I was
doing that I finally took that leap of faith. By waiting, not
only did I squander those four valuable years, I now had
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three young children instead of just one and it seemed even more of
an inconvenient time to launch out with my own ministry.
When God calls you, chances are it will not be convenient for
you! Life is not about you. It is about serving the Master. Even though
I responded late, God was faithful to provide our young, growing
family with every single need.
Now, several years later, sometimes the enemy plagues me with
thoughts like, “If you would have been obedient from day one God
would be using you more. You squandered those four years. You are
not a real man of faith. A real man of faith would have responded
immediately.” I have learned that one of the most gracious acts of
God towards those who love and trust Him is that He repays and
restores lost time. God works within His own economy.
The book of Joel is about God’s judgment and grace towards
Israel. The name Joel itself means “Jehovah is God,” and Joel is
believed to have been written around 830 B.C. Joel prophesied
about the coming judgment and devastation on Israel because of the
Israelites’ choice to follow false gods. Locusts came and completely
annihilated the land. The devastation was so absolute that every tree,
every field, every crop, every blade of grass was eaten. All the water
was gone. There was not a grape to be found in the whole land to
make even a drop of wine. The economy collapsed. Starvation was
rampant. Sounds of weeping and wailing filled the land. The locusts
were utterly brutal leaving God’s people, the Israelites, desolate.
You might argue, “If God is so loving and good, why would He
allow this to come upon His people?” Not only did God allow this
to happen, but He caused it to happen. The latter part of chapter 2
verse 25 says, “The great locust and the young locust, the other locust
and the locust swarm – my great army that I sent among you.” It was
God who sent the locust! Not out of meanness, but because He is
loving and good. The children of Israel were self destructing in their
own wickedness, poor choices and lack of faith. They were in essence
wasting years and years of God’s time. God warned them for years,
but they would not listen. Instead of doing nothing, God did what
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it took to get their attention. Left to themselves, the Israelites were
not only self destructing, but headed for damnation. God used the
locusts to get their attention and bring them back to real faith and a
genuine relationship with the Father.
God loves you so much that He will do whatever it takes to get
your attention. He does not want your life to be filled with regrets
over squandered years.
Here is the great part. When you return to the Lord in humility
and sincere repentance, He does more than give you a fresh start.
According to verse 25, God actually repays or restores all the lost
time you managed to chalk up. All the days, months and years that
were once considered a waste, God gathers that time in the grip of
His grace and restores it back to you. Professionally, relationally, with
your family, no matter what it is, when you walk with the Lord in
all sincerity and your hope is in Him, He is faithful to make up for
your lost time. In Luke chapter 15, the prodigal son discovered this
truth. The son disrespected his father, disregarded his provision and
went his own way. After he wasted much time and money he came to
his senses and in humility and repentance returned to the father. The
father ran to his son, wrapped his arms around him and kissed him.
The father then put the best robe on him, a ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. They proceeded to have a feast to celebrate the
son who came back home and lived to honor his father. The father,
with the robe, ring, sandals and feast restored all lost time. What a
beautiful picture of how God deals with you and me.
You might feel discouraged or depressed over choices you made or
time that has been squandered, but take hope. God, in His economy,
is able to restore and pay back all things lost as you walk faithfully
with Him.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Luke 15:11-32, II Corinthians
5:7, Hebrews 11:1 and 6.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Do you feel there have been times or seasons of your life
wasted? If so, how?
2. How has today’s devotion given you encouragement for today
and hope for tomorrow?
PRAY
Chapter
Measuring Up
30
134
READ AMOS 7:7-8
A
mos was a common man from the tiny town of Tekoa
on the outskirts of Judah. He was a fig farmer and
herdsman by trade. If Amos were alive today perhaps he
would be a hard working roofer, construction worker or
tile guy. There was nothing particularly special or distinctive about Amos’s life. He was rather quite ordinary except
God’s hand was on him and God’s favor was with him.
God was getting ready to send this common worker from
a small town in Judah to prophesy to the intellectuals of
the ten tribes of Israel. It really seemed like a misfit, but
“God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the
wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong” (I Corinthians 1:27).
Amos headed to Israel and began to pronounce judgment on seven nations that were the enemies of Israel.
I’m sure the intellectuals of that day were enthusiastically
adding their amens as he prophesied against each nation.
Their enemies were being judged.
However, as Amos continued prophesying, something
interesting happened. Each time Amos moved on to another
nation, he got closer and closer to Israel. Amos finished up
with the first seven and then landed on the nation Israel.
At this point in Israel’s history, they were enjoying
times of peace and prosperity. Life was very good for the
nation of Israel, but like so many times before, when life
was good, God was forgotten. This illustrates how during
seasons of blessing and prosperity, people are susceptible to
forgetting about God.
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The Israelites were caught up in immorality, breaking God’s laws,
taking bribes, selling the poor into slavery, worshipping idols and on
and on. Amos spoke truth into their lives, but they did not want to
hear it. They were fine when Amos rebuked other nations, but they
would not receive rebuke for their own sin. I see this trend in contemporary Christianity as well. We might be quick to join in the judgment
of another’s sin, but when the correction comes our way, defenses and
fences seem to go up. Be aware of that tendency and remain open to
hear from your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Amos then moved into a series of five visions. Today’s devotion is
on the third vision that Amos saw. “This is what he showed me: The
Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with
the plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, ‘What do you
see, Amos?’ ‘A plumb line,’ I replied. Then the Lord said, ‘Look, I am
setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no
longer’” (Amos 7:7,8). A plumb line is a string
with a weight attached to the bottom of it. It God’s plumb line
was used in construction to test if a beam or wall is His Word
was perfectly vertical. In short, plumb lines test
whether a structure is perfectly straight up and
down. Today, levels are much more common. In Amos’ vision, the
Lord was standing by a wall that was built true to plumb. That is, the
wall was perfect and the plumb line was accurate. It was God’s people
that had strayed off course with their idol worship and wickedness.
God’s plumb line is His Word which is absolutely true and
unchanging. Many today believe that truth is relative. “If the wall
looks straight to you then it is straight.” Or, “If it seems right to you
then do it,” and “If it feels good then it must be right.” All these are
statements of relative truth that lead to a life and culture thrown way
out of plumb.
For example, let’s say gas prices soared, but diesel fuel remained
relatively low. So, to save money, I decided to fill up my Nissan
Altima with diesel fuel because it seemed best to me. No matter how
much money I thought I was saving or how right it seemed to me to
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put diesel in my fuel tank, the bottom line is that my car would not
drive! My car was not built for diesel fuel.
God wants you to see that His Word acts as the plumb line for
your life. What His Word has to say about relationships, parenting,
finances, choices etc. needs to be the plumb line for your life. Why?
Is God trying to restrict you? No, He is trying to protect you from a
world full of hurts and heavy consequences. Father God loves you.
He loves your family and wants the best for you; His Word is there as
“a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
A pitfall that Christians and people in general seem to get hung
up on is comparisons. People have a tendency to compare themselves, their faith, their clothes, their house, their car, their income
and their toys to what others around them have. Obviously this leads
to discontentment in many ways. Christians compare their walk with
the Lord, spirituality, marriages, relationships and abilities to those of
other Christians. Depending on whom you are comparing yourself
to or measuring yourself against you will either feel inadequate or
exceptionally proud of your progress. Both are dangerous and inaccurate. The only true measuring stick for your life is Jesus Christ and
His Word. Measuring your life against Christ and His Word will
not only be a constant reminder of your need for Him, but also that
God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Take the pressure off. Enjoy your relationship with the Lord and
stop trying to compare or measure up to someone else. That’s what I
love about Amos. He was a fig farmer and herdsman, just a common
man. He did not try to be something he wasn’t and God used him
mightily.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 1:25-31 and
Galatians 6:3-5.
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SELF EVALUATION
1. In what ways do you struggle with comparing yourself to
others?
2. God used Amos just the way he was. How does this encourage
you in your faith?
PRAY
Chapter
Pride Before the Fall
31
138
READ OBADIAH 1-4
W
hen I was a kid, we had a bully named Kevin who
lived in our neighborhood. Kevin was one of the
older boys and by far the biggest. I was the youngest boy
and for sure the smallest. That being the case, I was an
easy target for Kevin’s shenanigans. One day my older sister
and I were out riding our bikes throughout the neighborhood when suddenly Kevin jumped out in the middle of
the street like a lion waiting in the thicket. He grabbed
the handle bars of my bike and began to shake me around
like a rag doll. I did all I could to stay on the bike. Too
afraid to do anything about it, I just sat there while Kevin
pummeled me with his words.
My sister, Lisa, who was about half the size of Kevin,
had seen and heard enough of this character picking on her
little brother. Before I knew it, she threw down her bike
and gave Kevin the hardest two-handed shove to the chest I
had ever seen. Kevin did not know what hit him. The blow
staggered him back two steps and he stood there with his
jaw hanging wide open. No one had ever stood up to Kevin
before, especially a girl.
Before he could say or do anything, my sister got up
in his face and said, “Don’t you ever pick on my brother
again!” That was it. We got back on our bikes and rode
away. That was the last day Kevin ever picked on me again.
Kevin was thought of as unbeatable. Neither Greg nor the
Franko brothers or any of us kids in the neighborhood even
thought of crossing him until my sister brought him low.
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Up until that day, Kevin thought of himself as the supreme ruler of
the neighborhood and he led as an absolute monarchy.
Obadiah prophesied to a people group called the Edomites who
were much like Kevin. The Edomites were descendants of Esau. If
you remember, God promised Abraham that his descendants would
be as numerous as the sand on the sea shore. Abraham had a son
named Isaac. Isaac had twin boys that fought from the time they
were in the womb. Their names were Jacob and Esau. God’s promise
to Abraham was fulfilled through his grandson Jacob while Esau’s
descendants grew bitter, rebellious and for a short time, powerful.
The Edomites were violent towards Israel. They were glad to
see the destruction of Israel and rejoiced over it. Though they were
related to Israel, they enjoyed watching Israel come to ruin and did
nothing to help. Now, God brought Obadiah to the Edomites to
prophesy their destruction. God told them that they were going to
reap what they had sown.
At the time Obadiah had prophesied this message of destruction,
the Edomites were a powerful and intelligent people group. They
were living in the rock city of Petra which they literally carved out of
the mountainside.
Petra still exists today and is located in what is now the southwestern part of Jordan between the Gulf of Aquabah and the Dead
Sea. Magnificent dwellings, incredible theaters and superb monuments can be seen to this day. It is said that Petra was so enormous
and well built that one million people could live there in its heyday.
Its aqueduct system was incredible and the place was thought to
be impenetrable due to its narrow passageways into the city with
towering rock walls on each side. Enemies were an easy target to pick
off from atop the rock cliffs.
The Edomites flourished in that time and, much like Kevin, they
thought themselves to be invincible. It was their pride and arrogance
that caused them to sin greatly against God and His people Israel. It
was their pride and arrogance that made them a stench to a Holy
God. God said, “I will make you small among the nations; you will
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be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you
who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’”
That is exactly what happened. The Romans came through under
the Emperor Titus and annihilated the Edomites. They really were
utterly destroyed. Nothing at all was left in the city of Petra except
the carved rock structures themselves.
That is a great lesson to be reminded of today. God sets His face
against the proud person. God says, “I hate pride and arrogance”
(Proverbs 8:13). Pride leads one to live an independent life from
God.
Be careful because pride creeps in subtly and can grow quite
rapidly. Pride can be evidenced in your life in two ways. First is a
lack of prayer. Things are happening, life is good and prayer is not
on your mind. You can make things happen on your own. Pride is
creeping in.
I used to say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” That is foolishness. It is
prideful and believe you me, God brought me low in those times.
Second, pride is evidenced by a lack thankPride leads one to live
fulness and gratefulness. When people are
an independent life
prideful, they take credit for what God has done
from God.
in their lives. Watch out, the fall is coming. God
will not allow you to take credit for what He is
doing. Be very careful in your life to keep your dependence on God
and not your bank account, business, portfolio, personality, earthly
relationships or your own abilities, as the Edomites did. God is the
giver of all those things. Be sure to have a thankful heart towards the
Lord for what He is doing in your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 11:28, 16:18, 28:26,
Daniel 4:37, Romans 9:33.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what areas of your life are you most tempted to be
prideful?
2. How has God dealt with pride issues in your life? What has
He taught you through them?
PRAY
Chapter
Running From God
32
142
READ JONAH 1:1-5
G
od said, “Go.”
Jonah said, “No.”
We can all relate to that. At some time or another, we have
all been asked to do something that we were not really
excited about doing.
Not only was Jonah adamant about not going to
Nineveh, but he headed for Tarshish which was in the
exact opposite direction. What was his excuse for running?
Was it because of the Assyrians, of which Nineveh was the
capitol city? The Assyrians were extremely brutal towards
those they captured. They were known for leading their
captives away with big hooks in their mouths. They did not
think twice about decapitating women and children and
putting their heads on display as a message of dominance
and intimidation to those who passed by. The Assyrians
developed methods of skinning their captives alive as a
cruel means of torture. These tactics only scratched the
surface of Assyrian brutality.
You can bet that when God said to Jonah, “Go to the
great city of Nineveh,” Jonah was not real excited about
obeying. However, it was not facing the Assyrians that
kept Jonah from going, but rather it was the grace of God.
Jonah knew if he preached to the Assyrians there would be
the possibility for them to receive forgiveness. In Jonah’s
opinion, the Assyrians were not worthy of the grace of God
or His forgiveness because of their brutality.
Excuses for running and disobedience are found
throughout the Bible. When God asked Adam about
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eating the fruit, he blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. God
told Moses to go to Pharaoh to set the Israelites free. Moses came up
with reasons why God should choose someone else. The twelve spies
went up to spy out the promise land and ten came back with a list of
excuses why they could not take it.
Jesus turned to many and said, “Follow me,” but some wouldn’t
because of great wealth. Another would not because he wanted to
receive his inheritance first. Still others made excuses like, “I just
purchased a field” and “I bought five new oxen,” and “I just got
married.” Each has his excuse why not to follow the Lord as fully as
he ought when the Lord beckons them to come.
If you choose to run from what God is instructing you to do,
know the consequences are costly. Verse 3 reads, “But Jonah ran away
from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa,
where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he
went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.” Jonah
paid the fare. It has been said that following Jesus is costly, but not
following Him will cost much more. Jonah wasted money, time and
energy going in the opposite direction from where God wanted him.
He also encountered a storm in his life causing stress and anxiety
that was unnecessary. Do you think Jonah enjoyed running from
God? Was he having a good time? Far from it. Running from God
zaps your joy and sabotages your purpose. Not only that, but Jonah’s
sin affected everyone else on the boat. Those other sailors now had
to risk their lives to deal with a storm that otherwise they would not
have had to face.
Your sin never affects just you. Sin affects
everyone around you and all have to deal with If you choose to
the consequences. If one of my children walks run from what God
is instructing you
in disobedience, it will affect everyone in the
to do, know the
house, and the same is true for your life.
consequences are
Running from God not only has conse- costly.
quences, but it has a final result that you can
bank on. The last sentence of verse 5 reads, “But
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Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep
sleep.” Jonah was wiped out. Running from God is exhausting! You
can never run far enough, long enough, or hard enough to escape
the hand of God. No matter where you run to, He is already there.
Many have the attitude, “It’s my life. I’ll run it my way.” Okay, but
you will wear yourself out in miserable disobedience. In Matthew
8:23, another storm was raging on the sea. This time, it was Jesus,
not Jonah, who was asleep. However, Jesus’ sleep was one of peace
and refreshment through the storm. When you submit your daily life
to the Lord and make God’s agenda your agenda, peace comes even
when there are storms raging.
If you choose to read through Jonah you will also see that God
gave Jonah a second chance to go to Nineveh, and the second time,
Jonah obeyed. God is a God of second chances. He never gives up on
you or loses hope in you. You might think your faith is a bit weak,
but God’s faith in you is strong. God believes in you and wants to use
you incredibly whether you are at school, work, home or traveling.
Submitting to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in your life is a path
that you will never regret. Sin is costly, but the rewards of obedience
are wonderful.
Perhaps you find yourself today having trouble discerning God’s
will for your life. Have you been obedient to the last thing God has
told you to do? God will not overload you. He will give you instruction and direction; as you are obedient to those things, He will give
you more.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 32:1-6, Matthew 11:28-30,
I John 5:3, II John 6.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Is there an area of your life in which you are running from
God? What is it and what excuses are you making not to be
obedient?
2. How has running from God or disobedience cost you in the
past? Was it worth it to you?
PRAY
Chapter
What Does God Want?
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READ MICAH 6:6-8
M
icah is unique among the prophets in that he was the
only one to minister to both Israel and Judah. In the
first part of chapter 6, the Lord presents His case against
His people. Verses 6 and 7 are the people’s response to God
which can be summed up by one question: What does God
want from me?
In my younger days, I have asked that question, at least
on an intrinsic level when talking with my parents, coaches
and even friends. Sometimes you get to a point in life where
you ask, “What does this person want from me?”
Have you ever felt like that towards God? Maybe you
are putting forth effort, trying to do what is right, making
attempts to please God, and in the end, life just does not
unfold in the way you thought it should. In a bout of frustration, you cry out to God, “What do you want from me?”
Minus the “trying to do what is right” part, God’s people
found themselves in this situation when Micah was on the
scene prophesying.
Another way the children of Israel could have phrased
the question was, “What will it take to please God? Do we
need to bring a thousand rams? Do we need to offer lots
of expensive oils? Will He be satisfied if I sacrifice my own
child? Will that appease God?”
The people worshipped their false gods in these ways,
but in the midst of their idol worship they also made
attempts to worship Jehovah. Their worship was superficial at best and left them in a frustrated condition asking,
“What does God want from me?”
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Micah’s response in verse 8 is wonderful and so very practical for
me and you. First of all, Micah says, “He has showed you, O man,
what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?” God has
already revealed to His people what He wanted and desired of them.
God is not trying to pull one over on His people. He is not trying to
trick them or trip them up in their faith. Rather, God has made plain
to His people prior to this prophecy what He desired. I Samuel 15:22
says, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much
as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” In addition, Hosea 6:6
reads, “For I desire mercy not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God
rather than burnt offerings.”
The very question, “What does God want from me?” is indicative of an unhealthy relationship with the Lord. The underlying
attitude of that type of question stems from a belief that you need to
please God by your works. That belief system of doing good works,
giving to the poor, fasting and praying etc. to stay in the good graces
of God is a trap set by the enemy. The enemy would love nothing
more than for you to get so caught up in doing, doing, doing for
God that you do not slow down long enough to seek and hear the
voice of God. You can run yourself into the ground trying to please
God and not take the much-needed time to heed His voice. “Doing”
for God should never take the place of spending quiet, private time,
seeking the Lord. Please hear me on this. I’m not saying do not do
good works in serving the Lord. I’m not saying do not pray, fast, and
give. What I am saying is this: God desires for you to spend regular,
private, meaningful time with Him. He desires for you to seek His
will and pray about things that are impacting your life more than He
desires you to run around trying to “do” things to please Him. You
must understand that God is already pleased with you if you have
acknowledged and received His Son Jesus Christ into your life. As
you spend regular time with the Lord, allowing Him to pour into
your life through the Word, His Holy Spirit empowers you and leads
you to do acts of righteousness, to give and to serve.
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One should not do these things to try and earn God’s favor, but
rather out of an attitude of thanksgiving to the Lord. Mature believers
want to serve the Lord simply as an overflow from what God is doing
in their hearts and not because they feel they have to. There is a huge
difference in motive between the two.
Micah concludes verse 8 with what God wants from you, “To
act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” In
other words, God wants your heart more than He wants your sacrifices of service and good works. “To act justly” is simply to do what is
right. In all matters big and small, do what is right. Do not compromise your integrity, morals or Christian values for anything.
“To love mercy” is to be rich in compassion and kindness towards
others. How merciful has God been with you? Now go and do likewise to others. As a believer, your life should be marked by mercy.
People are quick to judge others by their actions and themselves by
their intentions. You would do well to turn the tables and judge yourself by your actions and others by their intentions. Love mercy.
“To walk humbly with your God” is to
God wants your
not think of yourself more highly than you
heart more than He
ought. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “Apart from
wants your sacrifices
me you can do nothing.” You would do well
of service and good
to remember that the talents, abilities and gifts
works.
that you possess come from God. Without
Christ working in your life, you having nothing
of lasting value to offer anyone. All that you are and all that you have
is because of the grace of God. You show humility by remembering
that truth which leads to a lifestyle of prayer, dependence and gratefulness towards God.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 51:17, Matthew 9:9-13,
Hebrews 13:15,16.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. There is a big difference between serving the Lord out of
gratitude and serving Him because you feel you must earn
His love and grace. Which motive is more your tendency?
How does your motive impact your relationship with your
heavenly Father?
2. According to Micah 6:8, the Lord desires you “to act justly
and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Which one of these do you struggle with the most? Why?
PRAY
Chapter
What Do Others Say?
34
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NAHUM 3:18,19
J
ust 150 years after Jonah prophesied his very short eightword message, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overturned,” Nahum delivered another message from the
Lord. Although Jonah’s message sparked the greatest revival
in history, Nahum’s message declared God’s imminent
destruction to the same people in the same city. Why? Over
time, the Assyrians, of which Nineveh was the capitol city,
reverted back to their old idolatrous, wicked and brutal
ways. This is a great reminder for any believer that if you
do not continually guard your heart you can very easily slip
back to your old ways. Now through Nahum, which is the
sequel to Jonah, God revealed His judgment on the great
city of Nineveh.
God’s judgment would be final towards the Assyrians
to which Nahum spoke the words of the Lord, “Nothing
can heal your wound; your injury is fatal” (verse 19a).
Nahum prophesied that the city would be destroyed with
an overwhelming flood (Nahum 1:8). Sure enough, in 612
B.C., the Tigris River overflowed, destroying enough of
Nineveh’s city walls to allow the Babylonians in to overtake
the city.
Like the Titanic, the Assyrians thought Nineveh to be
unsinkable, unbeatable. The great city with walls reaching
a hundred feet high and an army so fierce that people raised
the white flag just at the rumor of them coming was now
bound for destruction. Who would come to Nineveh’s aid?
No one! How would others respond when they heard of
the Lord’s wrath poured out on Nineveh? Would they be
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sympathetic? Not a chance! The name Nahum means “comforter.”
Indeed the surrounding nations and people groups were greatly
comforted to hear of Nineveh’s imminent destruction. As a matter of
fact, Nahum says, “Everyone who hears the news about you claps his
hands at your fall” (3:19).
When others hear about you, what are they saying? At work,
around the office, in school, throughout the church, what do others
think when they see you coming? Do they rejoice more at your coming
or at your going? When your name comes up, what do others say?
You might argue, “I don’t care what other people think of me or
what they are saying about me.”
While there is some freedom in that, it needs to be balanced with
what Jesus says you should be. “You are the salt of the earth. But if
the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no
longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by
men” (Matthew 5:13).
You are to be salt in this world. What characteristics of salt does
Jesus want you to be like? First, salt is sprinkled on food to enhance
flavor. As salt, Jesus wants you to be flavorful to those in the world.
That is, your personality, your demeanor should allow others to feel
comfortable when they are around you. As salt, you are approachable. Your life is welcoming to others.
Second, salt creates thirst. When you eat
When others hear
potato chips or popcorn, no doubt that the salt
about you, what are
thereupon makes you thirsty. As you live out they saying?
your faith day by day staying consistent in your
walk with the Lord regardless of the trials you
may be facing, others tune in spiritually and notice a difference in
you. Your genuine faith in Christ naturally creates a thirst for Christ
in others.
Third, salt is a preservative which hinders corruption. As you
are following Christ, your faith and the Word of God act as salt
preserving you from the pollution of sin and the corruption of a
worldly culture. The purity of your life and the humility with which
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you carry yourself then stands out as unusually refreshing to those
around you.
In light of Jesus saying, “You are the salt of the earth,” every
believer ought to care yet not be obsessed with what others are
saying about them, because what if salt loses its saltiness? If a believer
loses his or her saltiness, he or she is no longer flavorful to others.
This person would not be creating a spiritual thirst for the Lord in
anyone’s life. Corruption and worldliness would infiltrate instead. In
short, this person would be no different than those who do not have
a relationship with the Lord and his or her life would be ineffective
for the Lord.
Can salt ever be too salty? Have you ever over salted corn on the
cob or a juicy steak? Yuck! Too much salt not only ruins the food but
curbs your appetite from wanting another bite. In the same way you
can be overly salty to others when you lack the sensitivity to understand what they are going through or why they have the current
belief system they have, sometimes believers can be so enthusiastic
about sharing Jesus that it comes across as overbearing and pompous.
As a general guide, the better and the longer you’ve known someone,
the more boldly you may be able to share Christ than you would to
someone who is fairly unfamiliar to you.
As salt of this earth, your focus should always be to love on people
and leave the results to God.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 9:19-23 and
Matthew 25:34-46.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Is there anyone in your sphere of influence who would view
you as one from Nineveh and clap his hands at your departing?
Why?
2. How can you better be salt in your sphere of influence?
PRAY
Chapter
Time in the Tower
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HABAKKUK 2:1-4
T
he times of Habakkuk marked a pivotal point in Judah’s
history. Josiah, a righteous, young king who rediscovered the law, remodeled the temple and brought about
much spiritual reform was killed by Pharaoh Neco. Josiah
was the last good king who would reign in Judah. After him
came Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, all who did evil
in the eyes of the Lord.
However, the Lord did not give up on His people. “The
Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through
his messengers again and again, because He had pity on his
people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked God’s
messengers, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets
until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people
and there was no remedy” (II Chronicles 36:15-16).
Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Zephaniah
were those messengers who were all contemporaries encouraging and warning the people to return to the Lord. The
people would not turn away from their wickedness and
repent. God raised up the Babylonians as an instrument of
judgment against Judah.
Did the prophets fail? I say no way. Remember, your
responsibility as a follower of Christ is to walk in obedience. You can share the Word and explain the gospel, but
it is not your job to convert the soul. That is only for the
Holy Spirit to do. Those five messengers were obedient and
therefore successful in their ministries.
Habakkuk was different from the other prophets of his
day in that he came out with guns blazing not against the
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people but rather at the Lord. Habakkuk knew the people were stiffnecked and in sin, but the Babylonians were much more wicked than
the Jews so he could not wrap his mind around why God would use
the Babylonians as that instrument of judgment to destroy Jerusalem
and pass sentence on Judah.
As a result, chapter one of Habakkuk is a conversation between
God and Habakkuk. In chapter two, you see Habakkuk’s wise reaction to the Lord’s response concerning his complaint. “I will stand at
my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what
he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint”
(verse 2:1). The idea of a “rampart” is a tower built into a wall of
defense, sort of like a lookout station. In essence, Habakkuk determined to spend time in the tower seeking God and desiring to hear
from Him.
What a great lesson to live by! No doubt you’ve gone through
periods of pondering, times of testing and persistent probing not quite
understanding all that God wants to accomplish in your life. Times
like these can be confusing and frustrating, but how you respond
during these times will be a real key to your spiritual maturity. Most
often your tendency might be to go ask two or three or four other
people for their opinions on the matter or to act impulsively in some
way. Instead, resolve to spend time in the tower seeking God for
direction and answers.
Two crucial components marked Habakkuk’s determination for
tower time with the Lord. First was anticipation. Habakkuk fully
anticipated and expected the Lord to speak to him. “I will look to see
what the Lord will say to me.” There are no maybes or what ifs in
Habakkuk’s faith, only the word “will.” When you seek God and
desire to hear from Him, fully expect and anticipate that God will
speak to you providing the peace and guidance you need. As you read
verse three, understand that patience and waiting might be part of
God’s plan and answer, as it was with Habakkuk’s situation. Just
because God does not give you an immediate yes or no does not
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mean that He is not hearing and answering you. Habakkuk was
patient as he waited.
Not only anticipation, but separation is significant to tower time
with the Lord. Separate yourself from the things that will distract
you while you are spending time with God. Get away from the TV
for awhile. Turn off your cell phone or whatever communication
device you are using so you can listen and speak more deeply with
the Savior. Get up earlier, stay up later, carve out extended blocks
of time, whatever works for you. But determine to get in the tower,
whatever it takes.
Habakkuk 2:4 is a significant verse that is
Spending time in the
quoted three times in the New Testament. “…
tower seeking the Lord
But the righteous will live by his faith.” You
is the best way to
will not always understand what God is doing
build your faith.
in your life or why things happen the way they
do. That is why following Christ takes faith. By
faith you know that God is working all things out for your good. By
faith you know that God will meet all your needs according to His
glorious riches in Christ Jesus. By faith you know you are set free
from the power of sin and death and are given new life. Your walk
is by faith and not by sight. Spending time in the tower seeking the
Lord is the best way to build your faith.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Jeremiah 29:12-14a, II
Corinthians 5:7, I John 5:14,15.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What is your greatest obstacle in spending tower time with
God? How can you take steps to overcome this obstacle?
2. What do you need to seek God for right now in your life?
When will you determine to spend time in the tower with
God?
PRAY
Chapter
A Spiritual Checkup
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ZEPHANIAH 1:4-6
I
f you want to keep a pulse on how you are doing physically, you would be wise to have regular physical exams.
These exams are crucial for discovering possible health
problems in the early stages, increasing and lengthening
your quality of life. That old adage is true, “An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.” However, no matter
how well you take care of yourself and no matter how many
physical exams you have, the inevitable is sure to happen.
The physical “you” will die. It is true. Statistically, ten out
of ten people die. The life expectancy of people in the
United States is currently 77.7 years. Seventy-seven years
compared to all of eternity is as the Bible says, “a vapor.”
Since the spiritual “you” will go on forever, it is much more
important to give yourself spiritual checkups.
The people of Judah would have done well to give
themselves regular spiritual checkups. The warning signs
were there. The writing was literally on the wall. Prophet
after prophet faithfully delivered the message of repent
or judgment is coming, but the people would not listen.
Zephaniah was God’s last messenger to Judah before judgment would come. The consequences were brutal. King
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians swept down and
destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple and took the
people away to captivity.
Pat Morley, in his book, Man in the Mirror says, “The
unexamined life is not worth living.” Examination and
evaluation are essential for staying on course in any area
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of your life, especially spiritually because that is the part of you that
lasts forever.
Unfortunately, spiritual examination or spiritual checkups are
taken the most lightly and this will lead to much regret just like in the
time of Zephaniah. Due to the lack of spiritual checkups, the people
fell into three categories that Zephaniah mentions in verses 4-6.
First, God said, “I will cut off from this place every remnant of
Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests…” Unchecked
over time, these priests grew more and more wicked to the point
where they were no longer believers of the one true God. They were
classified as pagan priests, implying they were involved in demonic,
occult activities. They gave themselves to Baal who was the Canaanite
god of fertility. The people of God struggled with this temptation all
the way back from the book of Numbers.
Left unchecked, the enemy will win. It is easy for a person to sit
back and say, “I would never do that,” or, “I would never go there.”
Without regular spiritual checkups, you too are subject to spiritual idolatry. Make sure that nothing is taking first place in your life
other than God. It is amazing how far off course
you can get from where God wants you to be It is amazing how far
off course you can
when you don’t check up often.
Second were those who committed spiritual get from where God
wants you to be when
adultery (verse 5). Remember the first and second you don’t check up
commandments? “You shall have no other gods often.
before me. You shall not make for yourself an
idol in the form of anything in heaven above or
on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Exodus 20:3,4). These
were people who worshipped God, but also had a thing going on the
side with astrology, worshipping the stars and heavenly bodies. These
people would give glory to God in one breath, but bow down to
Molech, the pagan god of pleasure, in the next breath. These people
were making gods for themselves in many other images and giving
their lives over to these false gods.
Before you are quick to judge, you must examine your own life.
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Many are given to the horoscope today, bowing down to Pisces,
Aries, Gemini, etc. How about the god of the remote control? Many
forsake their family in the name of the TV god. Today we have the
god of money, pornography, pride, overeating and overindulgence
just to name a few. Without regular spiritual checkups, the first two
commandments slowly but surely get fuzzy and forgotten and then
you are the one committing spiritual adultery.
Third were those found in verse 6 and included “those who turn
back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire
of Him.” At first, this group of people had some faith in the Lord.
They began to grow in the Lord, but they allowed themselves to
become distracted perhaps by those who were in the first two groups.
Maybe they did not give themselves over to the occult or the worship
of astrology, but they no longer sought or prayed to the Lord. They
lost their first love, so to speak, and decided to do life on their own
apart from God. All three groups were about to be judged by God.
Just as airline pilots are constantly doing course adjustments
while in the air due to winds, the earth’s rotation and air traffic, so
you too should have times of regular spiritual checkups to stay on
course spiritually. What is a spiritual checkup? It is a time when
you humbly go to God and ask Him, “Is there anything in my life
that is not pleasing to You? Is there any unconfessed sin in my life?
What about my life do you want me to change?” Take some time and
listen to God answer those questions in your life. Thank God for His
forgiveness and grace and ask Him to give you strength and courage
to make the necessary changes. Spiritual checkups, in my opinion,
should be done very frequently, at least once a week or more.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 4:23, Psalm 139:23,24,
II Corinthians 13:5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Which of the three groups of people, if any, do you have a
tendency to fall into?
2. Put this devotional into regular practice and give yourself
a spiritual checkup. Record what the Lord reveals to you
below.
PRAY
Chapter
Now is the Time
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HAGGAI 1:1-6
I
n 1988, the Nike Corporation more than turned the tables
on their arch rival, Reebok. A blistering ad campaign titled
“Just Do It” resonated with people worldwide and Nike
skyrocketed to a much higher level of success. That slogan
spoke to and screamed at one of the weaknesses people
seemed to be plagued with, PROCRASTINATION. No
more excuses. No more, “I’ll work out tomorrow.” Instead,
Nike says, “Just do it!”
Long before Nike was on the scene, Haggai the prophet
proclaimed the same message quite powerfully. The Jews
were held in captivity for seventy years by the Babylonians
under King Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. After seventy years, the
Medes and the Persians conquered the Babylonians and
King Cyrus of Persia, as prophesied by Isaiah one hundred
years earlier, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem to
rebuild the temple. The first wave of roughly fifty thousand Jews returned and immediately began rebuilding the
temple.
When God calls you to a work, oftentimes the enemy
attacks in various ways. The Jews found this to be the case.
As they began work on the foundation of the temple, bickering broke out from within and discouragement came from
without as some of those living in the land verbally intimidated the Jews. They managed to complete the foundation,
but became so frustrated they stopped the work for sixteen
years. Instead of completing God’s house, they focused on
building their own “paneled houses” while weeds grew up
over the foundation of the Lord’s house. The term “paneled
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houses” suggests that the walls and ceilings were covered with cedar
which was only found in wealthier homes. Yet one of the excuses
the people used for not building the temple was that they lacked the
resources. Their priorities were off. They lost sight of what was most
important and walked away from what God was calling them to do.
If you are not careful, if you don’t guard your heart, the same can
happen to you. There is nothing wrong with having a nice house in
and of itself, but be careful. There is a tendency to always want more,
bigger, better stuff. God will call you to do a work, serve in ministry,
go on a mission trip, open up your home for Bible study, help out
at church in some way and excuses can roll in. “After I remodel my
kitchen, I’ll open up my home. When I get my raise, I’ll go. When
life settles down a bit, I’ll start serving.” There will always be excuses
of why the time is not right. That’s where the Jews were.
The prophet Haggai came on the scene and in essence proclaimed,
“Just do it. Build the temple!”
The people, no doubt discouraged, said, “It is not time to build the
Lord’s house.” That is, the enemy very subtly suggested that building
the house could be done, but starting tomorrow. Procrastination set
in and the results of their disobedience can clearly be seen in verse 6.
“You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never
have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes,
but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with
holes in it.”
The lesson learned here is that true contentment in life only
comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ and obedience to His
will. These people worked hard, but received little. They had food
and drink, but it never seemed to last. Though they had clothes, they
were still cold. I love the last line of verse 6, “You earn wages, only to
put them in a purse with holes in it.” As quickly as money flowed in,
it seemed to flow out. It’s like that old saying, “Too much month at
the end of the money.” Procrastination and disobedience to the Lord
will bring the same results to your life.
The people’s response to the prophet Haggai was unusual in the
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sense that they really listened. They got fired up and back to work
when Haggai proclaimed now is the time. Just do it. Build the temple.
Twenty-three days after Haggai’s initial message, the Jews mobilized
themselves, gathered materials and started building. So many other
times with other prophets, the Jews would not listen and change their
ways, but they got Haggai’s message.
The result of their obedience was awesome. In chapter 2:4b,
the Lord said to His people, “For I am with you.” In chapter 2:9a,
the Lord declared, “The glory of this present house will be greater
than the glory of the former house.” Finally, in
Whatever God
chapter 2:19b, the Lord proclaimed, “From this
is asking of you
day on I will bless you.” When they got their
or calling you to
priorities back in line and started working on the
complete, now is the
task God had given them, God started blessing
time. Just do it.
them and His glory was with them again.
The same is true for your life. You might
have walked closely with the Lord in days past, but perhaps in recent
days you’ve slipped away a bit. Seek the Lord once again and His
glory and presence in your life will be greater than that of years past.
As you set your eyes on Him and are obedient to what He is asking
of you, from that day on He will bless you. No more procrastination!
Whatever God is asking of you or calling you to complete, now is the
time. Just do it.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Samuel 15:22,23, Matthew
6:33, Colossians 3:23.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How has the enemy worked in your life to discourage you
from obedience and cause you to procrastinate?
2. What have you been putting off that the Lord has called you
to do? Renew your commitment to the Lord now in carrying
out that task and record it below.
PRAY
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Robed in Righteousness
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ZECHARIAH 3:1-5
H
aggai and Zechariah were on the scene at the same
time motivating the people to reprioritize their lives
and follow through with building the temple. Though
they both had the same mission, their methods were very
different. Haggai, as you already saw, was short and to the
point. Just do it, get it done now, was his mantra. Zechariah,
on the other hand, was much more mystical as he spoke in
visions to the people. The neat part was that both methods
were effective, which really encourages me. God is able to
use us thoroughly with the gifts that we have when our
heart is in the right place.
In today’s verses, Zechariah has yet another vision. It
is an amazing heavenly scene which gives us great insight
into the affairs of Satan and the business of Jesus Christ
and Father God. Joshua the high priest was standing before
Jesus Christ and Satan was at his right side accusing him of
failing to lead the people. No doubt Satan brought up his
disobedience, weaknesses and unworthiness to be a high
priest. The people gave up on building the temple and let
the project sit dormant for sixteen years while weeds grew
up over the foundation. Satan must have had a field day
with Joshua’s mind and emotions.
In the first chapter of Job, there is a very similar scene
as Satan came before God. God asked, “’Where have you
come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming
through the earth and going back and forth in it’” (Job
1:7).
Revelation 12:10 shares additional insight into the
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affairs of Satan, “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them
before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” Satan goes
throughout the earth all day, every day, and all night, every night,
accusing believers of sin and wrong doing. He constantly brings up
charges against you before the Father.
The wicked part is that Satan tempts you to sin and if or when
you fall, he brings that very sin before the Father and attempts to
condemn you for it! What he tempts you with, he condemns you
for.
I love the Father’s response on Joshua’s
behalf. “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, “Joshua belongs to
who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not me. You can accuse
him all you want, but
this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”
he is covered by my
(Zechariah 3:2). Yes, Joshua failed in leadership. grace.”
Yes, he let the people get off track; but ultimately
his life was marked by faith in the Lord and God
covered him in grace for it. Satan could accuse him all he wanted,
but it would be to no avail because the Lord prevailed in Joshua’s life.
Joshua’s sin and shortcomings were deserving of the fire of judgment,
but through faith God snatched him out and covered him with new
clothes. What Father God was saying in His rebuke to Satan was,
“Joshua belongs to me. You can accuse him all you want, but he is
covered by my grace.”
The high priest’s garments were normally beautiful, exquisite and
attractive, but next to the Lord they appeared as filthy clothes. The
Father therefore removed Joshua’s filthy clothes and replaced them
with rich garments.
Also notice God said, “I have taken your sin away.” So it is with
you. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our
righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Your righteousness
cannot save you against Satan’s accusations. Your righteousness next
to Christ is as filthy rags. When you understand what Jesus Christ
accomplished on the cross, which His shed blood and sacrificed life
paid the price for your sin, and when you by faith place your trust
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in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, you belong to Him. Satan can
and will accuse you day and night, but none of his arguments hold
any water now that you are in Christ. The Father has taken your sin
away.
It is important for you to recognize your position in Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has
gone, the new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17). And, “Therefore,
there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”
(Romans 8:1).
Although you belong to Christ, Satan will deliver an onslaught
of accusations against you trying to paralyze your faith, leaving you
feeling guilt ridden, worthless and condemned. Satan will bring your
past failures and inadequacies to light, but in Christ you are a new
creation. The old you who was once a slave to sin is now clothed in
righteousness. The Father does not see your shortcomings, only the
righteous robe He has placed on you through Christ.
Not only are you made new, but there is no condemnation for
your past as Satan would have you believe. Father God chooses not to
remember the sin and again only sees you as positioned in Christ…
totally forgiven.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 32:1-6, Isaiah 1:18,
Lamentations 3:22,23.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What from your past does Satan frequently remind you of
to make you feel unworthy and condemned? How does this
affect your walk with God and relationship to others?
2. Though Satan accuses you, in Christ you are a new creation
robed in righteousness and there is no condemnation for you.
How does this fact free you up to be all that God has intended
you to be?
PRAY
Chapter
Bring Your Whole Heart
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READ MALACHI 3:8-12
T
hough this passage of Scripture deals directly with
money, the underlying issue is one of the heart. God is
always more concerned with your heart than anything else.
People have a tendency to get defensive and uptight when
money is discussed, but I think it is interesting to note
the following: There are 450 verses on faith in the Bible
and 560 verses dealing with prayer. Incredibly, there are
more than 2,100 verses having to do with money, giving
and possessions. Jesus taught on the subject of money more
than any other and one out of every ten New Testament
verses deals with money, giving or possessions. Why such
an emphasis on money? Jesus told us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus
does not need your money, but He does want your whole
heart. The warning is this: You think you have money, but
if you’re not careful, money will have you.
In Malachi’s day, the people of Israel had been living
unfaithfully and one of the many ways this was fleshed out
was through their lack of giving. The people were robbing
God. Not giving back to the Lord is more than withholding
money; it is an act of thievery towards God. Malachi 3:10 is
the only place in the entire Bible in which God says, “Test
me in this.” In essence, God dares you to give faithfully and
then to watch and see what He will do in your life. You can
never give more than God can give back. God will never
have to write you an I.O.U. slip because He always has
more than sufficient resources to bless you.
I was trying to expound upon this truth to my children
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while eating breakfast at a Cracker Barrel restaurant recently. I was
explaining that as kids, if they give back to God a part of what He
blesses them with, God will always find a way to give back more. My
two older kids were getting it, but my two younger ones were still
struggling. They could not wrap their minds around how God could
reach down from heaven and put money in their pockets and piggy
banks. I shared with them that God does not always give back with
money, but rather there are lots of ways God could choose to bless
them for their faithfulness. Right at that moment, our waitress came
by with a bag from the Cracker Barrel store. She said, “A person who
wishes to remain anonymous wants your family to have this bag.” We
opened up the bag to find it filled with toys for the kids from the
Cracker Barrel store. God’s timing was perfect and I was able to use
that as an example of how God can give back to them for faithfully
giving. God is so creative. He can bless you in so many ways.
Again, the main issue is not money, but rather your heart.
Human tendency is to grip your money with clenched fists and claim
the money as your own, but Psalm 50:12 says, “The world is mine
and everything in it.” Everything is God’s. You might say, “Wait! I
worked hard for my money. I earned it.” Deuteronomy 8:18 says,
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the
ability to produce wealth…” Even your ability and the ideas you
have to produce wealth come from God. Father God knows that if
your treasure lies in possessions, material things and stuff then that is
where your heart will be and that will ultimately lead to great disillusionment and deep disappointment. Giving is
the ultimate antidote for materialism. Regular Again, the main issue
giving makes sure that money does not possess is not money, but
rather your heart.
you. Remember, God wants you to give so He
can “open the floodgates of heaven and bless
you.”
How much should I give? The word tithe literally means tenth.
The first tenth of your income should go back to the Lord and the
other ninety percent is to live off of. Even though the apostle Paul
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says in II Corinthians 9:7 that, “Each man should give what he has
decided in his heart to give,” a great place to start is at ten percent.
“Yeah, but tithing is an Old Testament principle found in the law.
I’m now living in New Testament times under grace,” someone might
argue. It’s important to note that tithing came before God established
the law. After God gave Abram (Abraham) victory over four kings in
Genesis 14, verse 18 says, “Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Furthermore, Jesus in the New Testament endorsed tithing.
Mathew 23:23,24 says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill
and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of
the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced
the latter, without neglecting the former.” The religious establishment of Jesus’ day was so legalistic that they were counting out their
spices making sure that ten percent of even the grains of spice went to
God, but they were neglecting the more important ministry of mercy,
justice and loving people. Jesus reminded them that they should get
back to what was more important without neglecting their tithing.
For the people in Malachi’s day, the issue was not their lack of
tithing necessarily. Instead, their lack of giving was the evidence of a
deeper problem. The people’s hearts were far from God. God desires
you to give to Him so your heart will be in His hands and your treasure will be in heaven. Giving is for your good and protection against
materialism.
Other Verses to Consider: Matthew 6:19-24, Mark 12:13-17,
II Corinthians 9:6-11.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How does understanding that God wants you to give so He
can bless you change the way you view giving?
2. How are you doing in the area of giving? What is the condition of your heart?
PRAY
Chapter
Making Judgments
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174
READ MATTHEW 7:1-6
I
f I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times, “You
should never judge others.” A quick reading of this
passage may lead you to believe that adage, but that is not
what Jesus was communicating in these verses. It sounds
noble. It sounds righteous. It even sounds holy, but it is
precisely because of holiness that you need to exercise judgment. Holy means to be separate or to be set apart for the
purposes of God. Without exercising godly judgment, you
could never live a holy life.
With that said, Jesus gives you three guidelines before
exercising judgment. Without these guidelines in place,
judgments are often with an attitude of self righteousness,
legalism and with the intent to fault find. The three guidelines are as follows:
1. Boomerang Guideline (verses 1,2): People seem to
judge others much more harshly than they judge
themselves. Judging is like a boomerang, what you
throw out in judgment comes right back at you. Not
only that, but with the same measure or mentality
you judge others, boomerangs fly right back at you.
We’re all human. We all make mistakes. The next
time you find yourself quick to judge, display double
the grace. You never know what that person just
went through. Maybe they just experienced great
loss, family struggle, financial failure, relational rift
or a host of other obstacles that may have tainted
their actions and attitude. Make it your practice
to extend double the grace and watch God’s grace
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boomerang back to you. It is truly liberating. The boomerang
guideline breaks the chain of self righteous judgment.
2. Plank Guideline (verses 3-5): Many people lack self awareness. While often we do not have an accurate assessment of
our own weaknesses, we are very astute in and quick to analyze
the faults and actions of others. The plank guideline is meant
for our own spiritual protection. It is a safeguard against fault
finding. It’s interesting that Jesus uses the analogy of a plank
and a speck of saw dust. Usually we see a huge plank of weakness in someone else’s life and only a speck of sawdust in our
own. Jesus reverses our natural instincts
Without exercising
by encouraging us to view ourselves with
godly judgment, you
the plank and deal with it accordingly could never live a holy
and view others with the speck of life.
sawdust. Be harder on yourself and more
lenient with others and in so doing you
will be leading by example and allowing the Holy Spirit to
bring about conviction and change in the other person’s life.
The plank guideline protects us from playing the role of the
Holy Spirit.
3. Pearls and Pigs Guideline: It is within the context of this
guideline that Jesus not only condones, but encourages us
to use godly judgment. As a believer, you have been given
valuable pearls, namely: God’s grace, forgiveness, mercy, love,
the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts you were given at salvation. Along with those pearls comes a charge to let the light
of Christ shine brightly in you to point others to Christ. As
you live out this charge, no doubt you will come across those
people who want to endlessly argue and debate the truths
of God. As they continue to engage you in pointless debate,
not only will your energy be drained, but you will miss other
fertile soil and softened hearts that will respond positively to
the truth of God’s grace. There needs to be a point when you
exercise wise judgment and share the pearls God has given
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you with those who will receive them. Otherwise, you will be
spending precious time spinning your spiritual wheels, getting
frustrated, while making little impact for the Kingdom. Be
wise with how you invest your time. This doesn’t mean you
take on a harsh, cold spirit towards those who are not open
to the Lord, but instead, pray for the Holy Spirit to soften
their hearts. Until the Holy Spirit does His work, you will be
casting your pearls to pigs.
This type of discerning judgment is biblical. We not only see it in
this passage, but also in Galatians 6:1 where Paul instructs believers
to judge sin with the intent of restoring the person. We also see it in
Matthew 13:58, where Jesus discerns the people’s unbelief and does
not perform miracles in that place lest He cast the pearls of miracles
to “pigs.” Yet again, we see it in Romans 16:17 where Paul exhorts us
to use wise judgment when dealing with those who cause divisions.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 13:58, Romans 16:17,
Galatians 6:1-7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what situations and with what people do you find yourself
most susceptible to judging others?
2. Have you ever judged someone unfairly only to find out later
that the circumstances were not what they seemed? Explain.
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3. Is there a situation in your life in which you sense God leading
you to exercise godly judgment and separate yourself in some
way? How do you feel He is leading you to respond?
PRAY
READ MARK 11:20, 21
I
n Matthew 21:18,19, Jesus and the disciples were
walking back to Jerusalem in the early morning hours. As
they came upon a certain fig tree, they discovered it to be
a fake, a phony. The tree gave every indication outwardly
that it was fruitful, but in reality it was unproductive. Jesus
used the opportunity to teach the disciples and us to go
beyond the shallow, outward expressions of religiosity to a
deeper, more fulfilling and productive walk with Him. He
cursed the fig tree saying, “‘May you never bear fruit again!’
Immediately the tree withered” (Mathew 21:19b).
Mark’s gospel picks up the episode the very next
morning as Jesus and the disciples are passing by the same
spot. I’ve got to wonder, did Jesus purposely take the
disciples by the same spot so they could see the results of
hypocrisy? Matthew’s account uses the word “immediately,”
suggesting the tree withered instantaneously as Jesus cursed
it. Yet as we read Mark’s account, it sounds like the tree was
withered by the next morning. Matthew gives a condensed
version of the episode while Mark shares a few more details.
Either way, for a large tree to wither within a twenty-four
hour period is considered immediate.
There is one particular detail that you need to give
careful attention to. Verse 20 reads, “In the morning, as
they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the
roots.” Withered from the roots! This is monumentally
important to your spiritual growth. The most important
part of any living organism is what is unseen. We love to see
gigantic redwood trees, many of which are twenty feet
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Take Care of Your Roots
41
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across, three hundred feet tall and a few thousand years old. However,
it is the unseen root system that supports and keeps these incredible
trees standing strong.
The same can be said for houses and buildOnly what’s done for
ings. The most important part of your home
Christ will last.
is the foundation – the part you cannot see.
Without a strong foundation, none of our homes
or buildings would stand very long. Without a strong spiritual root
system, you will topple over when temptation rears its ugly head,
having very little substantial faith to sustain you, very little hope to
nourish your soul, and very little genuine love to give of yourself to
others. The most important part of you is the unseen, spiritual you.
That’s the you that lives forever. If the root system of your life is not
wrapped around the cross of Christ and intertwined with the Holy
Spirit, then what is the source that drives you? What are you living
for? Is it your own ambition? Financial gain? Fame? Significance?
Respect? Recognition? These things will fade away along with your
life. “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ
will last” (C.T. Studd).
Only what’s done for Christ will last. That speaks of the spiritual
you, your root system. The fig tree’s purpose (to bear fruit) went
unfulfilled because the root system was diseased. If you’re not careful,
if you do not stay spiritually in tune to the Holy Spirit, your ambitions and your desires for financial gain, fame, significance, respect,
recognition, etc. etc. will disease your root system. Those things are
not sin in and of themselves, but left unchecked, those are the tools
the enemy uses to lure us away from our sole purposes. Never lose
sight of your purpose which is to “love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with
all your strength” and to “love your neighbor as yourself ” (Mark
12:30,31).
Right now, by spending time in God’s Word, you are taking care
of your root system. Good job. As you spend more and more time
with God in prayer, in worship, and in His Word, your root system
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will continue to grow deeper and stronger. As a result, fruit will begin
to pour out of your life to the flavor of loving, caring for and serving
others, sharing the good news of the gospel with others, increased
measures of faith in your life, hearing God’s voice more clearly, good
deeds, holiness and godliness. As you care for your root system, you
will be a productive vessel for the Savior, which lasts forever.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 5:13-16, Ephesians
2:10, Ephesians 4:22-24.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Describe the “health prognosis” of your spiritual root
system.
2. Currently, what is the driving force of your life? What motivates you? Are there changes that need to be made? If so, what
are they?
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3. Rewrite C.T. Studd’s quote, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past;
only what’s done for Christ will last,” in your own words.
PRAY
Chapter
No Excuses
42
184
LUKE 14:16-24
I
love this parable. It starts with a generous invitation to a
fantastic banquet. The guests have all been invited and
were told, “Come, for everything is ready.” The guests did
not have to make preparations, earn their way in or add to
the process. They just had to accept the invitation.
So it is with you. Many people have the mindset
of following Jesus after they get their lives together or
somehow accomplish enough good works to feel worthy in
God’s presence. There is nothing that you can do to add to
what God has already done through His Son, Jesus Christ.
The only thing left to do is accept His invitation to eternal
life, that great banquet that He has prepared for us.
Surprisingly, many of the ones invited made lame
excuses as to why they could not come. The first said, “I
have just bought a field, and I must go and see it.” Who
buys property without looking at it first? Though the exact
time of the banquet is not given, it would have been in
the evening, making it too dark to survey the property
anyway. This was a lame excuse and people use similar
excuses today. The field represents investments, money and
material possessions. These things can be a real distraction
from following Jesus. “I’m out on my boat” or “waxing my
new car” or “fixing up my new investment property” are all
excuses for not having time for God.
The second guy said, “I have just bought five yoke of
oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out.” Would you ever
buy a car without test driving it? This is another foolish
excuse! Oxen were used for work and you can get so
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wrapped up in your work that it too becomes a real distraction from
allowing Jesus to be Lord of your life. People work hard during the
week and when Saturday night or Sunday morning rolls around they
say, “This is my time. I don’t want to have to be anywhere. I just want
to do my thing.” As you go to church and worship the Lord, He
refreshes your inner being and spiritual self, like nothing else can.
Have you ever crashed down on the couch to watch a movie or
game, just to relax and refresh? What happens when it’s over? You
feel even more tired and lethargic. But spending time with the Lord
in worship and Bible study is refreshing and beneficial for the whole
family. Don’t skip church for the golf game or because the waves are
really rolling in or because you want to do “your thing.”
The third guy said, “I just got married, so I can’t come.” One
thing I can say with all authority, if you just got married, you better
make time for Jesus! This is another idiotic excuse. Just bring your
wife to the banquet. Some commentators argue
that it was not customary for women to attend People work hard
banquets in that time and day. Okay, leave her at during the week and
home and go. Attend the banquet. In life, some- when Saturday night
or Sunday morning
times spouses can pull one off track, distract and
rolls around they say,
even discourage the other spouse from serving “This is my time. I
the Lord. Relationships can be a real distraction, don’t want to have to
but it is foolish to allow any earthly relationship be anywhere.
to hinder your heavenly relationship with the
Savior.
I love what Joshua declared in Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my
household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua declared that nothing was
going to distract him from what was most important in life. There
would be no excuse making in his house.
I love the response of Father God when those who made excuses
would not accept His invitation to the banquet. He told the servant
to bring in all the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Even
then there was still more room. The servant then went outside the
town to the countryside to “make” people come to the banquet. That
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word “make” in the Greek means to compel or persuade, but not
with force. That is to urge people, persuade them to come, for they
will be truly blessed; but don’t use force in your invitation. Why
persuade them in such a way? “So that my house will be full.” That is
the heart of God. His will is that none would perish, but all come to
repentance (II Peter 3:9). The Father wants all to share the blessing
of forgiveness and eternal life. Unfortunately, many will make foolish
excuses.
Why invite the poor, crippled, blind and lame? One day I drove
my three boys to the library to check out some books and movies.
I pulled into the handicap spot because Sam, who was four at the
time, is crippled. He has spina bifida and hydrocephalous. Mike and
Josh (seven and six years old respectively) flung the door open and
ran into the library without waiting for me. Sam, on the other hand,
slowly climbed out of the van and approached the six-inch curb that
separated the parking lot from the sidewalk. That six-inch curb is
like climbing a mountain to Sam. Without saying a word, he just
looked up at me and grabbed my hand because he knew he was in
need. Mike and Josh could not check out books without me, but they
forgot about their need. The Father invited the poor, crippled, blind
and lame because they knew they were in need.
Do not forget your need. You might be well off financially. You
might be in great shape physically and locked in with job security.
The real issue is spirituality. Sin has crippled you and you are in need
of a Savior. The Father invites you daily to spend time with Him.
How will you respond to His invitation?
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 19:16-22, John 4:
13,14, John 7:37,38.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Do you find yourself making excuses not to go to church,
attend Bible study, or spend time with the Lord in prayer and
reading the Word? What are they?
2. Who do you identify with most – the crippled or the excuse
makers? Why?
PRAY
Chapter
Happy Are Those
Who Serve
43
JOHN 13: 1-17
O
n a Wednesday morning, as my wife was leaving the
house, she called out, “I’ll clean the kitchen when I
get back.”
I concurred by saying, “Okay, Honey.”
The door closed and the Lord spoke, “Why don’t you
clean the kitchen for her?” I was quick to tell the Lord about
the studying and message preparation I was working on for
my next speaking engagement, hoping He would see things
my way. Again, the gentle whisper of the Lord spoke, “Do
you just want to study about me or do you want to live
your life like me?”
“Oh Lord,” I replied, “You know I want to live my life
like you.”
“Then clean the kitchen,” came His reply. So I cleaned
the kitchen that morning, and as I did, the Lord continued
sharing with me that the reason He wanted me to serve my
wife is so He can bless my life. That’s it! When you serve,
you are blessed by God. That’s why the Lord said in Acts
20:35, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.” When
you give or serve there is a three-fold blessing that takes
place. The person you serve or give to is blessed, you are
blessed and the Lord is blessed. When you are the recipient
of a gift or act of service, you are blessed and that’s it.
The cross that was before the Lord was the ultimate act
of sacrifice, but just hours prior He modeled the ultimate
act of servanthood by grabbing up a towel and washing the
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disciples’ dirty, smelly feet. Luke’s account of this scene gives additional insight into the atmosphere of the moment. Apparently in the
Upper Room that evening, an argument broke out among the disciples concerning which one was the greatest. The Lord redirected their
thoughts when He said, “The greatest among you should be like the
youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke
22:26).
Today, we may think the greatest Christians are those who win
the most souls for the Kingdom. Or the greatest are those who have
the sincerest worship. Even still, we imagine that the greatest are those
who have the deepest prayer lives. The Lord
did not mention any of those things though all The Lord did not say
are important in following Christ. Instead, He to think about or
study about serving,
points out that the greatest among you will be
but rather to do as He
the one who serves the rest. Why? It is when you had done.
are serving that you see Christ more clearly and
hear from Him more readily. Most importantly,
when you serve you are most like Christ. That is the example He
set for you. “You call me ‘Teacher,’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for
that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed
your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an
example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:13-15).
The Lord did not say to think about or study about serving, but
rather to do as He had done.
There are many ways to “wash feet” today: encouraging words,
random acts of kindness, anonymous giving, etc. Perhaps one of the
most down to earth ways to serve is to meet a practical need in someone’s life. Does your neighbor’s grass need cutting? Does her house
need cleaning? Can you watch someone’s kids while she goes out
with her spouse? The list is only limited to your imagination and
your joy only as deep as your willingness to follow through. For Jesus
said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do
them” (John 13:17). In other words, happy is the person who serves
others out of love for God. God really wants to bless your life and
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He will do that as you humble yourself in serving others. Sometimes
you might have the blues. You might be feeling down and out. A true
cure for the blues is to serve someone else. Take the focus off of you
and your problem and focus your energies in doing well for someone
else. Part of the blessing is God places a very real and very deep joy
in your heart.
There is a tendency that could arise in all of us to nitpick, be
critical or cynical and fault find with those around us. A good challenge for anyone is unless you are willing to humble yourself and
“clean the dirt off people’s feet,” don’t open your mouth. The temptation is there to stand at a distance and point out faults and issues
in another’s life. Unless you are willing to roll up your sleeves, put a
towel around your waist and give the person some real practical help,
don’t say anything.
Finally, you are free to humble yourself and serve only when you
are secure in who you are in Christ. “Jesus knew that the Father had
put all things under His power, and that He had come from God
and was returning to God” (John 13:3). Jesus knew the Father, came
from the Father, and was going back to the Father. He was secure in
His relationship with the Father.
When you are secure in your relationship with the Lord, and
understand that you don’t have to serve to gain or earn His approval
or love, and you realize your value as a person comes from Him
adopting you into His family, you are truly free and willing to wash
feet. Like Jesus, you know where you came from and where you are
going.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 20:26-28, Philippians
2: 3-5, III John 11.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Who do you have a hard time serving? Why?
2. What are some practical ways you can serve others today?
This week? Make sure you are not just studying about Jesus,
but really living your life like Jesus.
PRAY
Chapter
Unfolding the Plan
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ACTS 9: 1-17
C
hristians were being killed. Families were being split
apart and people were being thrown into prison all in
the name of God. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me” (John 14:6). Saul, zealous for God, thought he was
being productive for the Kingdom by persecuting people
who belonged to this “way.”
Then, on the road to Damascus, Paul met Jesus. He
fell to his knees when an overwhelming bright light shown
on him and around him. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute
me?” Jesus asked. This is a great lesson for all believers. You
may not be throwing people in prison and splitting families apart, but when you speak ill of a brother or sister in
Christ, when you damage his or her reputation, you are
persecuting Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has taken up residency in every believer. When you attack them you attack
Christ. Be very mindful of this truth.
What about a heathen who treats me horribly? Can
I get back at him? Remember, though he does not have
Christ in his life, Christ died for each person, including the
heathen, because He loves him or her. Jesus instructs you
also to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you” (Matthew 5:44).
Jesus grabbed hold of Saul and his soul was converted.
Why? Jesus had a plan for his life. After Saul met Jesus,
Jesus had some instructions for him: “Now get up and go
into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (verse
6).
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I love this because although Jesus had great plans for Saul, He
did not overwhelm Saul by unfolding the whole plan all at once.
Sometimes believers get over anxious and want to know what God is
up to. We want to know the whole plan all at once. We want to know
the final outcome before we take the first step of faith.
God lovingly protects you by unfolding His plan piece by piece
so that you are not overwhelmed. What if God said, “Saul, get up
and go into the city. You are going to travel all over the countryside starting up new churches, leading people to faith, encouraging
believers everywhere. By the way, you will be heavily persecuted.
You’ll be stoned, put in prison, whipped, beaten with rods, left for
dead, shipwrecked and abandoned at sea. Oh yeah, the whole time
you are sharing the truth, others will come along after you sowing
seeds of lies and deception. Ultimately Paul, you will be beheaded
for your faith.” Saul would have been paralyzed in his faith before he
even started. The same is true for you. God lovingly and graciously
unfolds His plan for your life in His perfect timing one step at a
time.
The unfolding of God’s plan for your life in steps also serves a
great purpose. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7,8, “Ask and it will be given
to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will opened to
you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him
who knocks, the door will be opened.” In the Greek, the idea given
in this passage is keep on asking; keep on seeking; keep on knocking.
It is not because the squeaky wheel gets the oil. It is not whoever bugs
Jesus the most gets what she wants. Rather, Jesus wants you to engage
in a relationship with Him in which you continually go to and rely on
Him to meet every need you have. As you earnestly seek the Father,
He unfolds a bit of His plan for your life. As other needs, frustrations
and challenges arise, He desires you to spend time with Him seeking
answers, help and direction. This whole process is because the creator
of the universe wants to spend time with you. He wants you to get to
know Him because He is preparing you for eternity.
Psalm 37:23 in the New King James Version says, “The steps of
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a good man are ordered by the Lord…” Your steps, your days, your
ways are already ordered or planned out by God. He knows your
future. As you walk with Him in obedience, you can be sure that He
will uphold you. Yet the tendency for us humans is to take our eyes
off the Lord and focus on what the next step is or what the next part
of the plan is. Don’t get wrapped up in the next step; get wrapped
up in the creator of the step. He already has your steps ordered out.
When you trust God with each step, you are walking by faith and it
takes faith to please God.
In Acts 9:1-17, Jesus called out to two men. The way they
responded initially gives real insight into their relationship with God.
Keep in mind that at this time Saul thought he was doing God a
favor by persecuting Christians.
First, Jesus called out to Saul and Saul responded, “Who are you,
Lord?” in verse 5. Saul called Jesus Lord only because he was terrified.
He still had no idea who it was that was speaking to him. Saul asked,
“Who are you?” because he did not recognize the voice speaking to
him. There was no relationship or intimacy at all, just dead religion.
Second, Jesus called Ananias to which Ananias responded, “Yes,
Lord,” in verse 10. Ananias knew the Lord and he recognized his
voice because he was in the habit of walking with the Lord. Ananias
had real intimacy with the Lord that Saul would soon develop too.
You may not understand all that is going on in your life, but
remember, God sees all the steps and as you walk with Him, He
has your best in mind. He has you in the palm of His hand which
sets you free to walk by faith and enjoy your relationship with the
Father.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 84:11, Proverbs 16:9, II
Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 11:6.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How can you see an attitude of continuous asking, seeking
and knocking benefit you in your walk with the Lord?
2. In what ways have you struggled with taking your eyes off the
Lord and focusing on what the next step is? Can you see how
God wants you to walk by faith?
PRAY
Chapter
Mold Your Mind
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ROMANS 12:1-3
P
rior to chapter 12, Paul’s letter to the Romans is filled
with doctrinal issues like faith, grace, law, righteousness and salvation. With chapter 12, comes the practical
and reasonable response that ought to flow out of every
believer’s life as a result of what Paul shares in the first
eleven chapters.
When I think of the phrase “reasonable response,” I
often think of my own children and how they sometimes
respond to my requests for a lending hand. I love my children and in my opinion they are really well provided for.
Aside from having the essentials like shelter, food, clothing,
love and having more than enough “stuff ” to entertain
themselves and their friends, they also have much of my
time which we spend playing, wrestling and sharing life
together. With so much provided for them, both tangibly
and intangibly, I would think that after the third game of
foosball or after the great dinner out or after telling stories
out by the fire pit that when I say, “Guys, I need you to
straighten up your rooms” or “I need some help pulling
these weeds,” that my children would say, “No problem,
Dad! We are glad to help out. That’s reasonable.”
If you are a parent, you know that is not the way it
goes. Sacrifice usually comes with a bit of drudgery. “Do
I have to? You mean I have to clean all that?!” is a more
accurate description of how the scene unfolds.
Yet if we’re not careful, we could be guilty of responding
the same way to our heavenly Father. God is incredibly
merciful with you. He does not give you what you truly
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deserve. Rather His graciousness covers you as your sins are not only
forgiven, but forgotten. God the Father sent His one and only Son to
pay the price for your sin so that you can spend eternity in heaven.
Not only that, but He promises to “meet all your needs according
His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Now in view
of that, what should your response back to God be?
Paul, astutely aware of the depth and impact of God’s mercy,
urges or strongly pleads with his brothers and sisters and you and me
to join him in responding to the Lord by offering our bodies, our
lives as living sacrifices. What does this mean? You have to be willing
to give up your life, your wants, ideas, plans, and your will and say,
“God, this life is not about me. I know that I was created by You and
for Your purpose and pleasure. So, take my life and use me however
You best see fit.”
I can think of some others who offered themselves as living
sacrifices. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego offered themselves up
without resistance to be thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing
to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel refused to stop
praying knowing the consequences would mean the lion’s den and he,
without resistance, was thrown in. Isaac was a living, willing sacrifice
placed on the altar. Of course Jesus, The Living Sacrifice, willingly,
even joyfully, went to the cross setting the example by saying, “Father,
not my will, but yours be done.”
I find it interesting that Isaac, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
and Jesus were all bound, but when they laid their lives down, the
things that bound them were loosed or burned away.
There are things in this world that bind you. Sinful thoughts and
attitudes, certain actions and habits, but as you give up your life as
a living sacrifice to the Lord, those things that bind you are broken
and you are set free to be all that God created you to be. Not only
were the things that bound them broken, but heaven was opened.
Isaac and Abraham heard clearly from God. Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego were walking around in the fire with Jesus Christ. Daniel
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spent all night in the lion’s den with the pre-incarnate Jesus. Jesus was
glorified by the Father at the resurrection.
As you lay down your life, heaven will be opened to you as well.
That is, you will hear from God more plainly. You will sense His presence in your life more powerfully and you will see Him more clearly.
You will know what His will for your life is. Perhaps that is, at least
in part, what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Whoever wants
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find
it” (Matthew 16:25).
How do you present your body as a living sacrifice? The answer
lies in not conforming any longer to the patterns or molds of this
world, but being transformed by the renewing of your mind. Mold
your mind to God’s patterns.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus called His first disciples (Peter, Andrew,
James and John) to follow Him, the response was unanimous. They all
immediately dropped their nets, left their boats and followed Jesus. In
other words, their priorities changed. The things that once concerned
them and consumed them were now transformed by a relationship
with the Savior. Instead of mending nets, they would be mending lives.
Instead of catching fish, they would fish for men. Everything about
them would be transformed to fulfill a heavenly purpose.
Jesus taught them not to be conformed to worldly things like
bottom-line profits, saying, “What good will it be for a man if he
gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul” (Matthew 16:26).
“Guys,” Jesus would say, “Don’t be distracted by doubts, worries
and fears. Give careful attention to your thought life and how you
treat others, be Kingdom minded in your pursuits and whatever you
do, do as you are doing it for Me.” All these life lessons and many
more were counter cultural to that day and ours as well. By following
them, the disciples found themselves transformed and I know you
will too.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 16:24-27, Philippians
4:5-9, James 1:22.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How do you need to change the way you respond to God
when He prompts you to action?
2. What priorities in your life need to change in order to conform
to Christ instead of to the world?
PRAY
Chapter
Running the Race
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I CORINTHIANS 9:24-27
T
he city of Corinth was known for many things. Among
them was its commerce. Corinth was the capital of the
Roman province of Achaia and it was conveniently positioned in the midst of the Roman Empire’s most heavily
traveled route. As a result, Corinth naturally had many
people traveling through and conducting business in it.
Second, Corinth was known for its corruption. Because
the city of Corinth was so heavily traveled and visited, that
brought with it a diverse number of ideas, philosophies,
false gods and sin. The Corinthian motto was, “Let us
eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” With that type of
mentality, corruption infiltrated every level of society, even
the church at Corinth.
Third, the city of Corinth was known for the Isthmian
or Isthmus games. These games were extremely competitive
and taken very seriously as part of the Corinthian culture.
They were second only to the Olympic Games which at the
time were held in Athens, Greece. Athletes would come to
live in Corinth as much as a year in advance of the Isthmian
games to train for their events.
Due to the tremendous influence of these games on the
Corinthian culture, the people identified well with Paul’s
athletic analogies to spiritual truths. As we read through
these verses, the first question we can ask ourselves is,
“What is this race we’re running and who are we running
against?”
When a person places faith and trust in Jesus Christ in
a commitment to live for the Lord, he or she enters the race.
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A believer’s race is to become more Christ-like every day. Therefore,
your race is not against other believers, but rather it’s against yourself
while your enemy, Satan, constantly tempts you to run off course.
So often, believers have this mindset in the race, “I’m winning
more people for the Kingdom than you.” Or, “I’ve been serving in
ministry longer than that person.” Or, “I pray longer, do more, attend
church with greater frequency etc. etc.” This type of comparison is
unhealthy, unproductive and unbiblical. It is not the race Paul is
referring to. You and I are running against the person who stares back
at us in the mirror. Remember, your race is to become more and
more like Christ every day, understanding that some days will be
more challenging than others. Nonetheless, we race.
Instead of asking, “Am I more spiritual than that person?” we
should ask, “Am I growing closer to the Lord? Am I more like Jesus
today than I was six months ago or a year ago? Am I in the Word
more today than earlier in my Christian journey? Is my love for the
Lord and desire for holiness increasing?”
If you can answer yes to these questions
then you are “running in such as way as to get A believer’s race is to
the prize” (verse 24). If you are unsure of your become more Christanswer, perhaps you need to “go into strict like every day.
training” (verse 25). Can you imagine those
Isthmian or Olympic athletes training with a mindset to come in
second or third? No way! They took their training seriously so as to
obtain the prize, but other than gaining temporary bragging rights,
the prize was only a crown of leaves that faded away rather quickly.
Paul says that as a Christian, our crown “lasts forever.” How
much more seriously should we take our training, our race? Those
athletes trained daily and so should we. Spiritual training consists
of many things, but none of them should be done out of a spirit of
legalism, drudgery, or guilt. Instead, out of a yearning to be more like
our Savior, out of love for the one who ran the race to the cross for us,
out of a longing to be productive and useful with the gifting, talents
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and abilities the Master runner has given us, out of a desire to receive
the crowns/rewards that He has for us, this is why we train.
Some examples of spiritual training consist of prayer, fasting,
meditation on the Word, reading the Word, worshipping, fellowshipping with other believers, memorizing Scripture, and sharing
our faith verbally and through our actions. Training is a mindset
of wanting to please my Lord and Savior and love Him more and
more. Therefore, I choose to make spiritual training the number one
priority of my life so I won’t have the mindset of coming in second
or third – mediocre Christianity – or of letting the Lord take second,
third or fourth place in my life – lukewarm Christianity.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Galatians 6:4, Hebrews 12: 1,2.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Read I Timothy 4:8. Two types of training are compared in
this verse. What are they and which one is more valuable to
you? Why?
2. Do you have a habit of comparing yourself to others? How
does this affect your race for the Lord?
Please understand that comparison is not from the Lord, but
rather a tool used by the enemy in an attempt to make you
feel useless and ineffective.
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3. How is your spiritual training going? Have you taken it as
seriously as you should? What are some things you would like
to start doing to train spiritually?
PRAY
II CORINTHIANS 6:14-18
R
ecently I had some ceramic tile flooring put down in
a rental house that our family owns. Two guys, I’ll
call them Rob and Phil, were the partners I hired for the
job. I arranged to meet them at the house one Wednesday
morning to discuss the details of the job. Rob pulled up
right on time so I started walking him through the project.
Phil, arriving twenty minutes late, walked into the house
complaining about how bad the traffic was. Without saying
hi or introducing himself, he proceeded to list a handful of
excuses of why he was late. As I explained the job to the
guys, Rob listened intently while Phil felt the need to share
his wealth of knowledge on how to best complete the job,
pointing out a myriad of other things I should have him
work on as well.
Daily, I stopped by the house to see the progress being
made. The job took the guys ten days to complete yet I only
saw Phil two or three times in that span of time. Perusing
through the house, I noticed some of the tile cuts were very
sloppy around a few of the key transition spots. I asked Rob
who made those cuts and put the tiles in place. Not surprisingly, it was Phil. Rob asked Phil to redo the work, but Phil
said he would just caulk over it. Rob knew it was unacceptable, and he wound up redoing the work himself.
As Rob finished up the cuts in the closets, Phil began
to grout the tile throughout the house. If you’re not familiar
with ceramic tile, grout is what fills in the lined grooves
between all the tiles and can be very messy if the one
installing it isn’t careful. Phil was not careful! Grout was
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Choose Your Yoke Wisely
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overlapping the tile in many places. It was unevenly spread in the
grooves. A messy haze blanketed the floors from the grout residue not
being sufficiently mopped up.
Again, the substandard workmanship was done by Phil who
was nowhere to be found. Rob informed me that to Phil, that was a
completed job and he would not be returning. That put Rob in an
awkward situation as he had to decide if he would yet again pick up
the slack and redo his partner’s work to keep me happy, or finish his
part and call it quits. Finishing Phil’s portion meant an extra day and
a half for Rob with no extra pay. I had a feeling Rob would do the
right thing and finish strong. He did, and I paid him extra for his
good character. However, that gave me a great opportunity to talk to
Rob about being unequally yoked with his partner.
“Rob,” I said, “You know you are unequally
Father God knows
yoked with Phil don’t you? The both of you are
that ultimately you
so far apart in your workmanship and ethics.
will be hurt, frustrated
If you continue on in this business relationand disillusioned by
ship not only will you lose money, but you will
being yoked with an
become extremely frustrated.” Rob was gracious
unbeliever relationally
to listen and he understood some tough changes
or professionally.
needed to be made.
A yoke was a tool or piece of equipment used
to join two or more oxen together for plowing. Can you envision the
dysfunction that would take place if the oxen went in different directions or at different speeds? The work would be very inefficiently
completed if at all. The oxen would be in jeopardy of getting hurt
and suffering.
Father God thus says lovingly to you, “Do not be yoked together
with unbelievers.” God is not slamming unbelievers or trying to stifle
you relationally. He is trying to protect you. Father God knows that
ultimately you will be hurt, frustrated and disillusioned by being
yoked with an unbeliever relationally or professionally. The charge
from the Father is not to be intimately involved relationally or intricately intertwined professionally with those who are headed in a
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different direction spiritually. Ultimately you will suffer pain or loss,
or both. God wants you to be linked with, yoked with, only those
who are like minded. Relationships are tough enough even when two
are on the same page, let alone when unequally yoked.
Notice the five comparisons and contrasts that Paul makes in
these verses: righteousness and wickedness, light and darkness, Christ
and Belial (pagan false god), believer and unbeliever and temple of
God verse idols. These things simply do not match up. They cannot
coexist harmoniously. It is impossible for them to parallel each other
in the journey of life. If you are yoked in this way, you can add your
name and the other person’s name to the list. It will not be comfortable for you to exit the relationship, but verse 17 provides advice that
needs to be heeded, “Therefore come out from them and be separate.” There needs to be a separating that takes place for your own
spiritual good and not in a snobbish way, but rather in a righteous
way.
Perhaps the one exception is in marriage. Divorce is not God’s
will. When you say, “I do,” that becomes God’s will for you. Obviously
if you are being abused and endangered you need to take necessary
steps to protect yourself, but that is not for this devotion.
Again, see the heart of Father God. His desire for you is to experience love, joy and peace in your relationships. His commands are for
your good and protection. Don’t be deceived by thinking your situation is different or that you can change someone. You are not God
and God knows best. This word is for you. If you heed it you will be
spared much heartache and headache. I pray that your love for God
and His Word will overpower your inclination to get involved in or
remain in an unequally yoked situation.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Deuteronomy 22:10, I
Corinthians 5:9-13, James 4:4,5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Are you currently engaged in an unequally yoked situation
either relationally or professionally? What effects have you
felt? Do you see the need to exit?
2. Write in your own words why God would not want you to be
yoked with an unbeliever.
PRAY
GALATIANS 6:7-10
I
n Chapter One of Genesis, God said, “Let us make man
in our image, in our likeness…”
The “our” in that verse is the first reference to the
Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Being created in God’s likeness, you in a sense were created
as a triune being with a body, soul and spirit.
You can sow or make deposits in each of these areas of
your life. Sowing is a farming term that relates to planting.
In the most elementary of terms, if you sow or plant orange
seeds, you will reap or receive back a crop of oranges in
proportion to how you’ve sown.
This principle is also true for all areas of your life
including giving, relationships, work ethics, study habits,
athletics etc. However, those are just subparts of the three
major areas in your life to which you must sow wisely to
glorify God fully. Those three areas are your body, soul and
spirit.
Your body is the physical you that not only relates to you
bodily, but to others relationally. Paul says in I Corinthians
6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received
from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a
price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”
You only have one body that God has given you. Be
a good steward of it. Take care of it so that you can do all
that God has planned for you. Be careful what you put
into your body including food consumption. Sow wisely
into your body. Be mindful of how you treat your body. I
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Sowing Wisely
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hear people often complain about not having energy. Have you ever
sat on the couch to watch TV thinking, “If I just relax and watch
a little TV I’ll get some rest and have more energy?” When you’re
done watching TV, you feel even more lethargic. That’s because the
principle of reaping and sowing applies to the physical you as well.
If you want to feel better and more energetic, you must sow energy
into your body. Go for a walk or a run. Get some exercise and change
your nutrition.
The same is true in how you relate to others. How you treat
others will come back on you. Again, sow wisely.
You were also created with a soul, that part of you that deals with
your mind and emotion. This is the part of you that often deals with
temptation, moral issues and thought life. Emotions left unchecked
can often leave you feeling like you’ve just rode the Hulk roller coaster
at Universal Studios.
All of us have faced times of discouragement and frustration that
leave us feeling borderline depressed. David, a man after God’s own
heart, often went through periods like these. I Samuel 30 tells of a
time when the Amalekites invaded Judah and many family members
were taken along with the spoils. David and his men returned heartbroken. They wept until they could not weep anymore.
Then in verse 6 of chapter 30 (KJV), we read how David sowed
wisely into his mind and emotion: “…David encouraged himself in
the Lord.” I love how David did not go to his friends or advisors, but
rather in his time of trouble he went straight to the Lord and was
encouraged by that. All that was lost was restored to God’s people.
Jeremiah was another one who when faced with a very discouraging moment said, “I will say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.’”
Both David and Jeremiah had reason to complain and lose faith
and they would have if they let their mind and emotions run wild.
Instead, they chose to sow good thoughts and encouragement in the
Lord. They reaped what they sowed as both men were encouraged
greatly in the Lord.
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Last and most important is the spiritual side of you. It is most
important because it is the part of you that lives forever. Paul recognized this when he said in I Timothy 4:8, “For physical training is of
some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for
both the present life and the life to come.” Yes, physical training has
value and you should take care of yourself. Yes, your mental health is
important and you should take great care in seeking the Lord in that
area. However, godliness or the spiritual you has value for all things in
all times. The things you do for God, acts of kindness, sharing your
faith, serving and encouraging others, teaching the Word, worship,
etc. bring Him pleasure and you will be rewarded for eternity. The
spiritual is what matters most. Those things which are done for the
Kingdom to further the Kingdom and build the Kingdom lead to a
rich, rewarding life. Your motive for your actions should be to sow
to please the Spirit. Everything you do should be done with eternity
in mind. Keeping this perspective will help you invest your time on
earth instead of spending it.
The first two areas, body and soul, are often easier grasped when
related to reaping and sowing because the benefits of what you sow
can be seen almost immediately. For example, if I change my diet
and work out regularly within a week, I will start seeing noticeable
differences. When it comes to my mind and emotions, if I were to be
very careful and pay particular attention to the things I’m watching,
listening to and partaking of, I will quickly see a noticeable difference
in clarity of mind and ability to hear from God.
The spiritual, however, is often different. Verse 9 encourages you
not to tire of doing good. Your harvest will come at the appointed
time. Much of what you sow spiritually you may not see the results
of until you get to heaven. But the Lord is faithful in all three areas.
Therefore, sow wisely with your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 11:18, Hosea 10:12,13,
II Corinthians 9:6-8.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How have you seen the principle of reaping and sowing at
work in your life?
2. How can you sow more wisely in each of the three areas
discussed?
PRAY
EPHESIANS 6:10-18
H
Chapter
Right Battles,
Right Armor
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ave you ever found yourself butting heads with and
being angry at someone at school, work or in your
family? How about at church? Sure, we all have. Church
members might quarrel over the style of worship or methods
of outreach. At work and at school there will be personality conflicts among coworkers and peers that could lead
to back biting, arguments and rumor spreading. Among
those we love the most, family, often words are taken the
wrong way or hurtful things are said that cause tension and
division. Who is behind all the misunderstandings, battles
and division? No doubt that it is the enemy. Unfortunately,
many times we get hung up on the physical battle and forget
that all the while the enemy has been meddling behind the
scenes and at the root of every misunderstanding trying to
steal, kill and destroy.
As Paul comes to the close of his letter to the Ephesians,
after he reminded the people about grace and unity and
gave instructions for the family, he said, “Finally…” In
other words, after all is said and done, remember this one
thing …And then he mentioned where the real battle lies
and what the effective armor and weapons are.
First you are to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
power.” When battles are waging and arguments formulating, be careful not to be strong in you. You can really fuel
the fire by having attitudes like, “I’ll handle this myself. Don’t
they know my background, who I am and what I’ve
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accomplished? How dare they? I’ll show them.” We have a tendency to
want to give people a piece of our minds and to show how strong we
are only to make matters much worse. You do not need to be strong in
self-help books and worldly wisdom. Be strong in the Lord
Second, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your
stand…” Paul does not say, “You might want to try putting on the
armor of God” or “May I suggest to you that putting on God’s armor
would be helpful.” No! “Put on the full armor of God” is something
that you must do to win the battles. Notice the word “full.” Not part
of or half of, but all of the armor. Fully put it on. There is specific
armor Paul references that is crucial to every Christian’s daily dealings
in the world if you are to stand against the enemy.
Third, your battle is not against flesh and
blood or other people! Your battle, fight, and
You do not need to
be strong in self-help
struggle are never against others. You must
books and worldly
realize that Satan is behind the scenes constantly
wisdom. Be strong in
stirring the pot of conflict in every area of your
the Lord.
life. Perhaps this is the most difficult part to
grasp because battles can get and often do get
emotional. When your emotions are stirred and your buttons pushed,
you want to be strong in yourself. Watching my children interact with
one another is a constant reminder to me of how unproductive it is
to bicker, fight and argue with flesh and blood. Nothing good comes
from it. Instead, you must see past the physical and into the spiritual because the battle is “against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenly realms.” Your battle is always against Satan and
His dastardly demons. Remember, according to John 10:10, Satan’s
plan is to steal, kill and destroy you and every relationship you are
involved with. It is a real key for your spiritual well being to fight the
right battles with the right armor.
Fourth, Paul lists a specific set of armor that Christians are to
put on in full. In prison, he was probably chained to a Roman guard
and inspired by the Holy Spirit, reminding him that his struggle was
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not against that guard. He then used the guard’s armor as a spiritual
analogy so that believers could have an effective visual and a way to
be victorious in the real battles being fought in the spiritual realms.
• The Belt of Truth: that your life would be buckled tight with
honesty, truthfulness and godly character in all occasions.
• The Breastplate of Righteousness: as you walk in a right
relationship with the Lord, your heart would be pure and
protected from evil and wickedness.
• Feet Fitted with the Readiness that Comes from the Gospel
of Peace: that you are not walking over people, but quick to
be a peacemaker.
• Shield of Faith: your faith in Christ is what strengthens you
to stand firm and protects you from the enemy’s schemes
when Satan comes at you.
• The Helmet of Salvation: remembering it is by God’s grace
that you are saved and by His grace He will protect your mind
in the battle.
• Sword of the Spirit: the only offensive weapon mentioned.
The enemy cannot stand against the Word of God for it is
powerful and effective. Use it.
Paul closes out this very practical and essential battle plan with a
command to pray. Battles are not won by throwing words like rocks.
Battles are won by prayer. Remember, your battles are never against
other people no matter how much they seem to be. Your battle is
always against Satan who continually schemes against you. So you
must fight your battles in the spiritual – pray.
Other Scriptures to Consider: II Chronicles 32:7,8, Isaiah
54:17, II Corinthians 10:4,5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what instances have you struggled fighting the wrong
battles with the wrong armor?
2. What situations in your life do you need to start battling in
prayer?
PRAY
PHILIPPIANS 4:10-13
A
few years ago while serving on a mission trip in Costa
Rica, I saw a great picture of contentment. Our team
was high up in the mountains working and witnessing in
the town of San Isidro. After each work day, the people in
that town would sit together in front of their homes with
family and friends just to hang out. It was a big part of their
culture. After several days of seeing this, I mentioned to
Maria, who was a native and serving as my translator when I
had opportunities to speak, that the people there had much
less than we did in America, yet they seem to have more
time and are happier. Maria responded, “We don’t have any
more time than Americans do. But in our culture we place
a higher value on family and friends than we do on money
and possessions. In America, it is the other way around.”
She said she would rather stay there with much less than
live in America and not be as happy. Though the people
have much less materially and financially, their houses are
a great deal smaller and their clothes are not branded with
high-end labels, they possess much more happiness and
contentment in life than most Americans I’ve come across.
The key to contentment lies in what you value most and
it is a learned thought process. Paul said, “I have learned the
secret of being content in any and every situation, whether
well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” In
Paul’s past, when he was a well-known religious leader in the
Jewish community, he was sort of well-to-do. He had everything he needed and wanted. Yet he was restless. That is why
he sought after believers and tried to destroy Christianity.
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When he met Jesus (Acts 9), his value system shifted radically from
earthly to heavenly. Although there were times when he had abundance, there were also times when he had nothing. At times, he had
more food than he could eat. Other times, he was shipwrecked, left
floating at sea for a day and night, or was beaten, stoned and imprisoned. Yet his contentment did not rest in his circumstances, but rather
his contentment rested in his relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pascal, a mathematician and philosopher who lived in the early to
mid 1600s, said it like this, “Every person was born with a God-shaped
void that can only be filled with God.” In other words, there is a hole
in your soul that can only be filled with Jesus. You can try to stuff
and cram a huge house, bigger boat, larger paycheck and fancier car
in that hole, but it won’t get filled. You can vary your vocation and
revolutionize your relationships by leaving one person for another,
but that won’t take care of the hole in your soul. True satisfaction and
contentment in life only come through a personal relationship with
Jesus Christ. God was not being mean when He created you with a
God-shaped void. He created you in that way so that you would seek
after and long for Him. Why? Because God knows that everything else
will leave you feeling restless, disappointed and a bit frustrated. Peace
comes through Jesus Christ.
On December 23, 2007, Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New
England Patriots, was interviewed on 60 Minutes. Kroft, the gentleman
interviewing Brady, asked, “You have just led the Patriots to a 16-0
undefeated season, you have three Super Bowl rings, how does it
feel?”
Tom Brady responded, “I don’t know. I feel like there has to be
something more for me in this life. Like there is something else out
there.”
“What do you think that is?” asked Kroft.
“I don’t know,” responded Brady.
Tom Brady, like you and like me, has a hole in his soul that no
amount of Super Bowl rings can fill. No amount of fame, popularity
and fortune can fill that spot.
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A person will always have that sense of restlessness in himself until
he finds his rest in Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 7:37,38, “If anyone
is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the
Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
Kroft’s last question to Brady was, “Out of your three Super Bowl
rings, which is your favorite?”
Tom Brady smiled and said, “The next one.”
There is a subtle deception in life that happiness comes with the
next one. I will be happy when I’m with that guy or that girl. When
I get my raise, I will be content. If I can just have that job or that
income, I’ll be satisfied. If I can drive that kind of car or live in that
house, I’ll be on top. Not so! The grass is not always greener on the
other side. The enemy just wants you to think it is. Hence, affairs are
taking place, divorces are happening, families are being left behind and
children neglected for the almighty dollar. Yet there is a growing restlessness in every person’s soul who is trying to fill that hole apart from
Christ.
Perhaps that is why Paul says contentment is a secret. So few people
are really finding it. If you are going from one thing to the next trying
to discover contentment, the secret is in Christ Jesus. How? “I can
do everything through him who gives me strength.” The word “do”
literally means handle. The word strength also means energy. Through
Jesus Christ, you will have the strength and energy to handle any and
every situation and circumstance that comes your way in life. It is
because of this promise that you can really rest in the Lord and not
be anxious about relationships, bills, vocation and your future. God
has your future in the palm of His hand. Right now He is working
all things out for your ultimate good if you love Him and are seeking
after Him.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 30:7-9, I Timothy
6:5,6, Hebrews 13:5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what ways are you trying to fill the hole in your soul? How
do you need to change?
2. In what ways do you relate to Tom Brady?
PRAY
COLOSSIANS 1:15-20
S
ome people ask, “What is God like?” You need only to
look at the life of Jesus Christ in the gospels to know
what God is like. Colossians 1:15 says, “He (Jesus) is the
image of the invisible God…” The word image means an
exact reproduction.
A story is told of a child who sat down at the kitchen
table with a large piece of paper and a box of crayons. The
child began to draw intensely. One of the parents walked
into the kitchen and asked, “What are you working on?”
“I’m drawing a picture of God,” the child responded.
“That’s impossible! No one knows what God looks
like,” the parent replied.
The child paused and thought for a moment, “They
will when I’m done with this picture.”
I like the assuredness of that little child. You too can be
confident of what God looks like in character and attributes
by studying Jesus in the gospels. Jesus Christ was fully God,
yet fully man. He was and is the image of God.
When Paul wrote that Jesus is God’s firstborn over all
of creation, it is important to understand that Paul is not
referring to chronological time. I have four children. Haley
is my oldest, the firstborn in my house. That is chronological time. Paul’s use of “firstborn” refers to priority and
position. That is, Jesus Christ is the number one, Chief,
Supreme Being in the universe. He is over all. He does
not exist to bring you pleasure. On the contrary, you were
created by God for His pleasure. When your motives for
action are to glorify God, you are living for His pleasure.
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Fulfilling Your Purpose
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You are fulfilling your purpose. Fulfilling your purpose in life starts
when you submit your life and will to God and allow Him to have
His rightful position of Chief, Supreme Being over you.
“If God is the Chief, Supreme Being, then why do I have the
power to allow Him to be my top priority? Why doesn’t He just take
His rightful place in my life?” Good questions. God desires you to
love Him, but love must always include a choice. Love cannot be
forced. I can’t make my children love me. If I could, that would be
forced love and not love at all. But if I love my children and have
their best interests in mind and they in turn love me back of their
own free will, then that is true love.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for
us to do.” Workmanship literally means masterpiece. You are God’s
masterpiece. You have the fingerprints of God on your life and soul.
Does a piece of art say to the artist, “If I do this, then I want you to
do that?” Does the painting manipulate the painter? Does the piece
of clay say to the potter, “Don’t shape me into a plate because I would
be happier as a mug?” No way! Yet so many try to strike deals with
God, the Master Artist. We try to manipulate the painter. We think
we know what’s best for our lives. God knows what is best for you
because He created you. God not only created you, but He created
you with certain gifts and abilities which line up with the good works
He prepared for you to do before the foundations of the earth. You
are fulfilling your purpose in life when you are using your God-given
talents, abilities and gifts to accomplish those good works He has for
you. You will never be happier and more content than when you are
living in that way for God.
While Mother Theresa was still alive doing her amazing, selfless
work among the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India, she was
visited by a certain teenager participating in a mission trip. This teenager was deeply moved by the impact Mother Theresa was making
not only in Calcutta, but around the world. Upon arriving back
home, the teenager wrote Mother Theresa a letter expressing
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gratefulness and appreciation for the impact she was making. The
teenager closed the letter with a question, “Mother Theresa, how can
I make my life matter like your life matters?”
It was quite some time before a response came back, but finally
there was a letter in the mail from Calcutta, India. The teenager tore
open the envelope to find only four words written on the page, but
the four words were in direct response to the question, “How can I
make my life matter like your life matters?”
The four words read, “Find your own Calcutta.”
God has a “Calcutta” for you which matches the gifts, abilities
and talents He has placed in you. As you allow God His rightful position in your life as Chief, Supreme Being and as you allow His will
to take top priority, you will be living and working in the “Calcutta”
the Master Artist has for you.
One final thought in verse 20 as you close out
today’s devotion: “…And through Him (Jesus) God has a “Calcutta”
for you which matches
to reconcile to himself all things…by making
the gifts, abilities and
peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” talents He has placed
Reconcile means to make right and to patch up. in you.
It is God who makes right and patches up the
relationship between you and Him through the
sacrifice of His Son on the cross. That relationship leads to peace in
your life. In Christ, you are no longer separated from God because of
sin, but rather at peace with God because of Christ.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 139:13-16, Isaiah 45:9,
Jeremiah 29:11-13.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Have you ever asked God to be the Chief, Supreme Being
over your life? If you desire to now, express it through a short,
written prayer below and date it.
2. At this point in your life, what is your “Calcutta?” If you are
not sure, ask God to show you over the next days and weeks.
Record your answers below.
PRAY
I THESSALONIANS 5:12-22
I
n the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Barbossa launched
a coup d'état against Captain Jack Sparrow to take over
that highly enviable ship, The Black Pearl. Barbossa was
persuasive and successful in turning Jack Sparrow’s crew
against him and the revolt was successful. Although Captain
Jack was far from perfect, none of his actions warranted an
overthrow of his leadership. At one point in the trilogy, he
regained control of The Black Pearl, but his former crew
remained cursed and Jack’s reputation with them lay in
ruins.
Unfortunately, hostility towards leadership is not solely
limited to the actions of unruly pirates on the big screen.
Sadly, many pastors and church leaders have been and
continue to be undermined and wounded by crew members
of churches who have a coup d'état mindset as they sail
along. Fortunately, most are not as blatant as Barbossa and
his crew. Subtle, negative words are spoken and thoughts
are shared secretly among crew members as the captain’s
authority and reputation are trampled under tongue. Even
if one repents, the damage is done.
May this not be you. Paul encourages you to respect,
uphold and uplift those leaders who are advancing the
gospel and helping you and others grow spiritually. An
attack on them is an attack on Christ who put them in that
position of authority. No, they are not perfect, but no
leader is save the Lord Jesus Christ. Most pastors and
church leaders are simply trying to hear from the Lord and
implement what they believe God is instructing them to
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do. A major mark of spiritual maturity in your life will be when you
are able to sincerely love, encourage and pray for those in spiritual
authority over you even though you may not understand or agree
with the direction they are sailing.
A second major mark of spiritual maturity
As you live for the Lord is to love others enough to come alongside them
and seek to please
with the appropriate action. In verse 14, Paul is
Him with your life, you
clear concerning those actions, “Warn those who
will still face difficulties
are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be
and experience
patient with everyone.” Idle literally means
disappointments.
unruly and refers to those believers who are not
conducting themselves “in a manner worthy of
the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). If a believer’s actions give
the appearance of ungodliness and are causing others to stumble, you
are instructed to, in love, warn him or her to repent. Give correction.
You are to graciously encourage those who are timid or fearful in
their walk with the Lord.
To those brothers and sisters who are not as strong in their walk
with the Lord, you are to uphold them and support them in the
Lord. Hold their hand at times in a spiritual sense until they can walk
on their own. With all, unbelievers included, be patient. Aren’t you
glad the Lord is patient with you? As an imitator of Christ, be patient
with others.
In Paul’s markers for maturity, he addressed attitudes toward
leaders, actions with believers, and third admonishment for you
personally, in verses 16-18. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus.” As you live for the Lord and seek to please Him with your
life, you will still face difficulties and experience disappointments.
However, as you “conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel
of Christ,” you can rest assured “that in all things God works for
the good of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). You may have a hard time being
joyful at the circumstance, but with Christ you can rejoice in the
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circumstance because Jesus is Lord over it and is working in your life
for your ultimate good.
Not only be joyful always, but you should pray continually. Paul
is speaking of an attitude, a mindset of prayer. As you go through your
day, no matter what you are doing, you can be communicating with
the Father. Prayer should not be viewed as an activity or an event you
do at a certain time of day, but rather as an open dialogue between
you and God that is continuous. You might have some breaks in the
conversation, but you remain tuned in and open to hearing from and
speaking to God throughout your entire day every day. This will help
you keep a heavenly perspective which will aid you immensely with
the first two markers for maturity.
The last admonishment Paul gives to you personally as a marker
for maturity is to “give thanks in all circumstances.” This admonishment is directly linked to being joyful always. How can you and why
should you be thankful for all circumstances both good and bad?
Because they are all good! The Lord right now is not only preparing
a heavenly place for you, but He is preparing you for that place.
He is preparing you to spend eternity with Him. As you follow the
Lord and trust Him, He uses good circumstances and perceived bad
ones for your good and spiritual development. Since He is using all
circumstances to draw you into a closer relationship with Him and
preparing you to enjoy heaven, how can you not be thankful in all
things?
Other Scriptures to Consider: Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 4:5,6,
James 1:2-5.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Paul gave three markers for maturity: Attitude towards spiritual leaders, Actions with believers and Admonishments
personally. Which of the three maturity markers do you need
to develop the most and why?
2. Is there a circumstance in your life right now that you are
having trouble rejoicing in? What is it? Write out a short
prayer that God would grant you peace in the midst of it.
PRAY
II THESSALONIANS 3:13
T
he Church family at Thessalonica was growing numerically and spiritually despite undergoing times of
persecution. They were now also confused in their faith
and for good reason. False teachers had come in after Paul’s
visit and sowed seeds of a bogus doctrine saying that the
rapture had already taken place. They used the fact that
the Thessalonians were being persecuted as proof that the
rapture had already occurred. That is why a good chunk of
Paul’s second letter deals with end times.
After words of great encouragement and reassurance
to the Thessalonians, Paul gave them a charge that is just
as practical today in your faith journey as it was for them
in the first century. “And as for you, brothers, never tire of
doing what is right.”
Before examining the context of doing what is right, let’s
take a look at the reason the Thessalonians were becoming
tired and some even lazy not willing to work.
In Matthew 24:42-51, Jesus compares and contrasts
a faithful servant with an unfaithful servant. This section
of Scripture is about the end times and the rapture. It is
because we do not know the day or the hour that we are to
keep watch.
Watch does not mean to casually sit back and observe
what is going on around you, but rather to be actively
involved in Kingdom activities. The wise servant lives with
an expectancy of the Lord coming back at any time. If you
really believed that Jesus Christ was coming back within
the next few hours, how would that change the way you
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relate to your spouse, children, co-workers, etc.? Living with the hope
and expectancy that Christ could come back at any moment will
change your perspective on life. It will truly cause you to be Kingdom
minded.
The unwise servant, on the other hand, says, “‘My master is staying
away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and
to eat and drink with drunkards.’” The difference between these two
servants is one lived with a real hope and expectancy of the Lord’s
return and the other did not.
The Thessalonians grew weary and some a bit lazy in their faith
because they lost their hope and expectancy. They thought the rapture
had already happened and they missed it. It is interesting that as Paul
began his first letter to the Thessalonians, he commended the people
for their faith, love and hope (I Thessalonians 1:3). As he addressed
the same people in II Thessalonians 1:3, he commended them only
for their faith and love. Why? They lost their hope and their spiritual
lives reflected that.
Jesus Christ is coming back. You have not missed it. Be watchful.
Be hopeful. Live with a great degree of expectancy. Never tire of
doing what is right. In the context of II Thessalonians, what is doing
right? Paul gives three directives in doing right: 1. Stand firm. 2. Pray.
3. Be productive.
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to
The difference
the teachings we passed on to you, whether by
between these two
word of mouth or by letter” (II Thessalonians
servants is one lived
2:15). In these last days, stand firm to the truth
with a real hope and
of God’s Word. Be in church with other believers
expectancy of the
taking in the Word. Spend time daily with your
Lord’s return and the
other did not.
Bible open and a pen in hand ready to receive
from the Lord. The enemy will entice you with
worldly ambitions and relationships that are seemingly more important than the Lord, but do not be swayed off course. Do not allow
your life to be watered down by the culture in which you live. It is
right to stand firm in the Word of God.
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“Finally, brothers, pray…” Paul says in II Thessalonians 3:1. Paul
was asking for prayer that the gospel message would spread quickly.
The practice of prayer in your life is right and necessary. Life is hard.
Life is frustrating and living for the Lord can be a challenge. You need
to pray continually. That is, your heart, soul and mind need to be
connected, engaged and tuned in to the Father throughout your day.
No matter if you are at work, driving, or recreating with your family
you can be in conversation with God. This is not something that you
have to force or make happen. Rather, it should come very naturally
to you as you move throughout your day with an increased awareness
that Christ could return at any moment. Living with that expectancy
and hope will cause you to talk to and listen to your heavenly Father
more and more.
Last, be productive for the Kingdom. “‘If a man will not work,
he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle. They are not
busy; they are busybodies” (II Thessalonians 3:10b-11).
Notice Paul says, “If a man will not work,” not “if a man cannot
work.” There is a big difference. Those who are lazy in life not using
their God given talents and abilities for God’s glory have a tendency
to be nosy. They are distracted by things that do not concern them. In
so doing, they cause dissension and bickering in the body of Christ.
It is good for man to work, to be productive for the Kingdom.
Living with an expectancy of the Lord’s return will help you never
tire of doing what is right. You will stand firm in the truth, actively
pray and be productive for the Kingdom.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Matthew 25:14-30, Galatians
6:9, II Thessalonians 5:17.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How would living with an intense expectancy of the Lord’s
return change your life?
2. Which of the three directives in doing right do you find yourself tiring of the most? Pray that God would renew and refresh
your perspective.
PRAY
I TIMOTHY1:18-20
P
aul knew well the devastating consequences of being
shipwrecked. Up to this point, Paul had been on seven
sea voyages (that are recorded) and three of them ended
in shipwrecks. A fourth shipwreck, Acts 27, which records
Paul’s journey to Rome, had not yet occurred. One of the
shipwrecks was so devastating that Paul states, “I spent a
night and a day in the open sea” (II Corinthians 11:25).
Lives were lost, many were injured, precious cargo gone.
How many wives and children, said goodbye to their
husbands and fathers, perhaps never considering that it
would be their final farewell?
Although Paul knew well the devastating effects of shipwrecks, he also knew that not all shipwrecks occur at sea.
According to Paul and to the Word of God, it is possible to
shipwreck your faith and the consequences are far greater
because the ramifications are not in the physical realm, but
the spiritual. As you know, the physical is temporary, but
the spiritual lasts forever.
What does it mean for one to shipwreck his faith?
First of all, this passage does not deal with unbelievers.
Unbelievers have no faith in Christ to shipwreck. Rather
this text is dealing specifically with those who have placed
their faith in Christ, but for various reasons have gone astray.
I’m not referring to a rebellious stage of sin that one might
go through in the teenage years. Nor am I referring to the
daily battle of our spirit versus flesh that we all face continually. There might be a certain sin that you are wrestling
with right now that frankly you’ve wrestled with for several
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years. As a result, you are not as effective or fruitful for the Kingdom
as you could be. That is not the same as being shipwrecked.
Shipwrecking one’s faith is willfully and knowingly continuing in
sin against God and others without any desire to repent. When one
is heading for a “faith shipwreck,” not only is there an absence in a
desire for repentance, but there is an aggressive, willful advancement
or continuation of that life in sin. You know you are heading for a
shipwreck when you ignore the Lord’s leading and guiding and in so
doing you “grieve the Holy Spirit” in you. You ignore the warnings
and correction of others. You can even search the Scriptures to find
justification for your sin. Your heart begins to harden towards the
truth of God’s Word and eventually you cannot hear His voice or
sense His presence in your life. Not only have you walked away from
God, but you are nowhere near God and you are okay with that.
That is a faith shipwreck.
Hymenaeus and Alexander were two in
Although Paul knew
Paul’s day who shipwrecked their faith. Both
well the devastating
these men were a part of the church at Ephesus.
effects of shipwrecks,
At some point, they started spreading false teachhe also knew that not
ings causing division and much confusion in the
all shipwrecks occur
at sea.
church. We are not told why or when these men
started this, but they were persistent in their
efforts to destroy the solid foundation that had
been laid by Paul and was then being carried on by Timothy. Also
reference II Timothy 2:15-19 and II Timothy 4:14,15.
What does Paul mean when he says, “I have handed them over to
Satan?” Did Hymenaeus and Alexander lose their salvation? No, but
Paul did remove them from the fellowship of the church. The harm
that they were causing was so great and their hearts so hardened by
their sin that Paul literally disassociated them from the fellowship
of the church. As a result, these men were no longer in the realm of
God’s blessing or under the protection of the church. Their salvation,
however, was still covered by the grace of God. His grace is truly
amazing, as seen in Romans 8:37-39.
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Over time, habits of pornography, drugs, alcohol abuse, pride,
greed, anger and lust are all rocks which will shipwreck your life and
faith if you don’t deal with them with a holy violence. Shipwrecks
do not have to be final. There is restoration and rebuilding through
the grace of God.
As true followers of Christ, we need to make sure our hearts stay
sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit
that we are fed, led and empowered. Prayer, devotions, and fellowshipping with other believers are just some of the ways to stay sensitive
to the Holy Spirit. Fasting, Scripture memory and meditating on the
Word are additional ways. “Do your best to present yourself to God
as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and
who correctly handles the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs
27:17, Ephesians 3:20.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Are you knowingly and willfully dabbling in any sins that if
not dealt with will shipwreck your faith? What are they?
2. Pause and ask, “Lord, what about my life do you want me to
change so that I will be more pleasing to You?” Record what
the Lord lays on your heart.
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3. What are some specific steps you can take in your life
beginning today that will help you draw nearer to God and
sense His presence in your life? Is God’s presence important
to you? If so, be serious about the steps you list below.
PRAY
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II TIMOTHY 2:1-7
P
aul knew he was rapidly approaching the end of his life.
He had been a great spiritual father to young Timothy
who was often timid and emotional. Here again, Paul was
not only pointed in his writings, but picturesque as well. He
paints the picture of what the Christian life is like by using
three analogies. The soldier, the athlete and the farmer all
carry traits that you must implement in your journey if you
are to battle, compete and harvest for the Lord.
First is the analogy of the soldier. “No one serving as
a soldier gets involved with civilian affairs – he wants to
please his commanding officer” (verse 4). This speaks of
distraction. Soldiers have marching orders. They are on a
mission and lives depend on their ability to carry out the
orders and complete the mission. What if soldiers become
distracted? For example, let’s say a group of soldiers was
assigned to do some reconnaissance across enemy lines and
the information they gathered would prove to be strategic
for allied forces. Along the way, they become hungry and
want more than just their MREs (meals ready to eat). So,
they agree to put the mission on hold to hunt for wild boar.
They then prepare a barbeque pit and have a pig roast. It
is delicious and the group is satisfied and well fed, but the
mission fails because they are distracted. In this case, they
are distracted by their own personal wants and comforts.
Jesus has a plan and purpose for your life as He moves
you towards eternity. There is a time and a place for fun and
barbeques along the way, but stay focused on your mission,
what Christ has called you to do and be.
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In the early to mid 2000s, the Florida real estate market was
skyrocketing. I saw it as a means to supplement my ministry income
and better provide for my family. What wound up happening is I
became distracted from my purpose of traveling and speaking. Before
long, I was dealing with tenants who were not paying rent, broken air
conditioners and leaky pipes. I allowed myself to get caught up in
civilian affairs.
There is great freedom in knowing your mission and sticking
with it. Be content and steadfast with what God has called you to be
and do. If the mission changes, your Commanding Officer will make
that clear.
Second is the analogy of the athlete which
Paul uses more than any other. “Similarly, if There is great freedom
anyone competes as an athlete, he does not in knowing your
mission and sticking
receive the victor’s crown unless he competes
with it.
according to the rules” (verse 5). This speaks of
disqualification. Marion Jones, once the most
celebrated female athlete in the world for her three gold medals and
two bronze in the 2000 Olympics, turned out to be an embarrassment as she admitted using steroids and then lying about it. This
pains me to say not because I am a former UNC Tarheel athlete
myself, but because she forfeited all she could have been and disillusioned all those looking up to her as a role model. The judge ruling
over the case had this to say, “She made two willing choices. The
choice not to play by the rules was compounded by the choice to
break the law.” The consequences for Marion Jones’ choices were
the maximum sentence of six months and eight hundred hours of
community service. Not to mention she was stripped of her medals
and defamed for life.
As a believer, you too will receive crowns. Not laurel wreaths or
gold medals, but your spiritual crowns have to do with your position
in heaven as it relates to serving your Master Coach. The crowns
you receive on earth are for obedience in following the Coach as you
“compete” His way. As Paul says many times throughout II Timothy,
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“Do your best…” not to disqualify yourself from any crowns due to
sin in your life.
Third is the analogy of the farmer. “The hardworking farmer
should be the first to receive a share of the crops” (verse 6). This
speaks of diligence. A farmer’s work is year round, not seasonal as
some might suppose. When the crops are harvested, new ground
must be prepared, tilled and planted. Those seeds must be cared for
while yet other ground is being prepared. Farmers must be hardworking, conscientious of what they are doing and attentive to the
circumstances in their fields. As Paul said later in II Timothy 4:2, “Be
prepared in season and out of season…”
As a believer, you too must be diligent in your walk with the Lord.
Satan never takes a day off. He is always scheming and conniving
ways to distract and disqualify you spiritually. Even if you took Satan
out of the picture, which is impossible while on earth, you are still
left with a world filled with temptation, distraction and potential
disqualification. Satan’s role is simply to deceive you into believing
that the consequences won’t apply to you. Diligence in your faith, in
the Word and in your prayer life will help you be a soldier, athlete
and farmer that is neither distracted nor disqualified in your walk
with the Lord. Two antonyms for diligence are careless and lazy. To
be an effective soldier, a victorious athlete and a productive farmer,
you simply cannot be careless or lazy in your faith, Bible study time
and prayer life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 9:24-27,
Philippians 1:27.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Which analogy, the soldier, the athlete or the farmer, do you
identify with most? Why?
2. How have you been distracted spiritually? How can you guard
against distraction?
PRAY
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Changed by Grace
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TITUS 2:11-15
T
he first Friday night after I turned my life over to Jesus
Christ, Larry Gully walked into my room in Carmichael
Dorm on the campus of the University of North Carolina.
He was dressed up and ready to go. Every Friday night,
Gully and I, along with some others, would go down to
Franklin Street for some drinks or to find a party. Franklin
Street was the main drag through campus where students
gathered and hung out. I was still in my shorts and T-shirt
that night, so Gully asked, “What are you doing? Why
aren’t you ready?”
I told Gully that I wasn’t going down to Franklin Street
that night nor any other night. I told him about my decision for Jesus Christ.
Gully replied rather defensively, “So now you think
you are better than everyone?” That gave me an open door
to share Christ with Gully as we sat in my dorm room
and talked about the Lord for a couple of hours. Around
11:00p.m. that night, Larry Gully also gave his life to Jesus
and neither one of us ever went back to Franklin Street to
party.
My lifestyle did not change because of the law of God,
but rather because of my love for God. Larry and I turned
away from Franklin Street not because we feared the gallows
of sin but rather we were in awe of the grace of God. We
understood that our greatest need in life was for forgiveness
and that by God’s grace freely extended to us through Jesus
Christ, we were saved.
Paul wrote to Titus in verse 11, “For the grace of God
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that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” It is grace and grace
alone that brings salvation to a person’s life. It is true that Jesus will
never force His way into anyone’s life, but it is also true that you
cannot force your way into heaven by amassing good works, trying to
live a pure life or giving money to the poor. Jesus said in John 6:44,
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…”
How does God draw you to Himself? It is by His Spirit and that is all
grace. Just like Jesus won’t force His way into your life, you cannot
force or earn your way into God’s life. It is only by His undeserved
grace extended to you that you are the recipient of such incredible
blessing and spared from the penalty of your sin.
It was also God’s grace that taught me to say “No” to the Franklin
Street lifestyle. The law demands people to live righteously, but grace
sets a person free to choose to live righteously. As a believer, you are
not under the law, but rather you are under grace. The law requires
perfection and carries with it a list of rules, regulations and religion.
Grace carries with it a relationship with a living Savior that sets you
free to say no to a life of sin, sorrow, emptiness and regret. When
you fully understand where you were headed
without the saving grace of Jesus Christ in your The law demands
life, that you were literally snatched up from people to live
the fires of hell and instead made a co-heir of righteously, but
heaven with Christ Jesus, you want to express grace sets a person
free to choose to live
your gratitude to that grace with a lifestyle of
righteously.
living for the Lord. You will want to do this not
because the law says you have to, but because
grace says you get to.
Grace not only brings you to salvation and teaches you to say
“No” to sin, but grace allows you to look ahead, “while we wait
for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ” (verse 13). Jesus Christ is coming back. He is
going to take you to heaven. The wise servants are those who wait
and watch for His return. Those “wait” and “watch” verbs are not
passive, but active. Those words denote an anticipation of what is to
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come. When you anticipate an event, you not only look forward to
it, but you prepare for it. There simply is no other event in your life
more significant than the day you are taken to heaven.
“What about the day I gave my life to Jesus?” you ask. That was
not an event, but rather an ongoing lifestyle you live. In heaven,
“each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
Everything you ever did, said or thought will be judged. By grace,
your sin is washed away and you will receive rewards or have rewards
taken away by how you lived while on earth.
Grace is the correct motivation to please your loving Savior. True,
Jesus set up a rewards system, but that system is for your blessing, not
to serve as your main motivation. My children know that if they are
obedient to the things I ask, they will be blessed. I will reward them. I
get a kick out of rewarding them. But I want my children to obey not
only for rewards, but first and foremost because they love me as their
father. Grace and love are much deeper motivations than rewards. It
is because Jesus gave everything for me and is so on fire for me that I
want to live every moment for His glory and pleasure. Grace sets me
free to do that as I “wait” and “watch” for His return.
Grace, not works, brings you to salvation. Grace teaches you to
say, “No,” to ungodliness and worldly passions. Grace causes you to
look ahead with joyful anticipation at the coming of your Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Romans 6:11-14, Ephesians
2:8,9, Hebrews 4:13.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. What should be your main motivation for pleasing God?
Why?
2. Is there anything in your lifestyle that is not pleasing to God?
Make a commitment to God not to grieve the Holy Spirit by
continuing in that lifestyle. Thank God for grace and pray for
His power to work through you for victory.
PRAY
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Charge That to Me
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PHILEMON 8-21
A
friend of mine had a couple of extra tickets to an
Orlando Magic basketball game and invited me and
one of my sons to go along with his son and him. We
pulled into a vacant lot where a man was charging a few
bucks for parking. My son was so excited to see the game
that he opened the car door right into a black Mercedes
that had just pulled up beside us. No one knew that my son
dinged the Mercedes except for him and me. My friend and
the owner of the Mercedes were paying the parking fee and
neither one saw what happened. As the man returned to his
black Mercedes to put the parking stub on his dashboard,
I told him the situation and said, “Whatever the cost to
repair the ding, I’ll pay it.” My boy’s blunder was going to
be charged to my account.
That is the story before us in Philemon. Philemon
came to faith in Christ through Paul’s ministry and the two
of them were friends and linked by Christ. Onesimus, a
slave of Philemon’s, stole some money from his master and
fled to Rome. While hiding out there, Onesimus, by divine
appointment, met the much-aged and imprisoned Apostle
Paul. Paul led Onesimus to faith in Christ and Onesimus
evidently told Paul why he was hiding out in Rome. One
of the great lessons of this short book is that although you
may have gotten into debt or wronged someone during
your unsaved years, that does not excuse your responsibility
to make matters right. Even though Onesimus proved to
be of great encouragement and help to Paul, Paul knew the
right thing to do was to send him back to Philemon.
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Onesimus returned to Philemon accompanied by Tychicus and
this letter written by Paul. Philemon, under the law, could have had
Onesimus put to death. The law always leads to death, but Paul had
other plans. “If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything,
charge it to me” (verse 18). Onesimus was guilty. He did wrong and
was indebted to Philemon. Onesimus had the same problem my son
had when he dinged the Mercedes car door. Neither one could have
possibly paid the debt they owed. So Paul, in essence, said, “Charge
his sin debt to my account.” Paul, because of his spiritual leadership,
mentorship and friendship to Philemon had the means to absorb
Onesimus’ debt. Philemon no doubt understood Paul’s picture of
grace.
This is a beautiful personification of what
Jesus Christ did for every single person. Paul said We are all doomed
in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” unless someone
We all have a sin debt that we cannot pay. Your charges our sin to
sin leads to death as the law demands. We are their account. Good
all doomed unless someone charges our sin to news! Jesus Christ is
that someone.
their account. Good news! Jesus Christ is that
someone. “God made him (Jesus) who had no
sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21). Just as Paul said in referring to
Onesimus’ debt, “I will pay it back,” Jesus Christ absorbed my sin
debt and your sin debt as He was nailed to the cross of Calvary.
Paul was confident that Philemon would do even more than
forgive Onesimus’ wrong, but that he would set Onesimus free.
Christ not only forgave you through the cross, but set you free to be
all that He created you to be as you live for Him and use your gifts,
talents and abilities for His glory.
That was Onesimus’ story. The very name Onesimus means profitable or useful. This slave was once unprofitable and useless to his
master. Now that he was in Christ he was a new creation, a masterpiece “created in Christ Jesus to do good works…” (Ephesians 2:10).
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In Christ and as a new brother in faith, he would live up to his name
for his master.
That is your story also. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the
branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). You and I have
nothing of eternal value to offer anyone apart from the saving work
Jesus Christ did and continues to do in us. You were created in Christ
Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to
do, but without first being in Christ, it is impossible to do the works
God has for you. Once you are in Christ, the abundant, fruitful life
comes from abiding in Him, not running from Him. Hebrews 11:6
says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” You can be a
good person. You can give to a myriad of charities, help your neighbors and provide people the shirt off your back. But without Christ,
your sin is still charged to your account, and without faith in Christ,
it is impossible to please God.
Paul, as an apostle and as Philemon’s spiritual father, could have
demanded that Philemon forgive Onesimus and set him free, but
instead he appealed to Philemon on the basis of love: the mutual love
and respect between Paul and Philemon, Paul’s love for Onesimus
and Christ’s love for all. This allowed Philemon the freedom to make
the right choice on his own. Remember, true love must always have
a choice. Christ could make you abide in Him, but day by day He
allows you to make that choice for yourself.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 32:1,2, Romans 5:1,2,
Colossians 2:13,14 and 3:13.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Are you abiding in Christ day by day? What areas of your life
do you need to give to God?
2. Is there anybody you need to forgive as Christ has forgiven
you?
PRAY
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Running a Great Race
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HEBREWS 12:1-4
H
ebrews 12 begins with an athletic analogy of which
I am a big fan. The race is under way. The “great
cloud of witnesses,” those saints who have gone on before
– Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Job, and Noah – along
with a host of others who have already run their race, are
now cheering you on in the stadium of life.
“Wait a minute!” you might shout. “I hate running.”
Good news if that is your feeling about running. The race
is not you signing up to run the next 5k around your town.
It is not you physically lacing up your running shoes and
hitting the pavement. Rather, the race is spiritual.
“Well then, who am I running against?” might be your
first question. Your competition might not be against who
you would suspect. You are not racing against your brothers
and sisters in Christ. Every time you compare yourself spiritually to someone else, you slip into that competition trap.
When you compare your service to the Lord with what
someone else is doing and gauge your effectiveness as a
follower of Christ based on the outcome, you are running
the wrong race. The following are a few mindsets that will
let you know you are in the competition trap and running
the wrong race: If I could just have a prayer life more like
that guy and if my worship was as sincere as his… Why
isn’t she in her Bible more like I am? Why am I the only one
leading people to Christ? I wish I had a heart for missions
like that person. And on and on it goes. Again, your race
is not against other believers. The race is not against your
enemy, Satan. It is futile to try and compete against Him.
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In the stadium of life, you are racing against yourself. The race is
for you to become more Christ-like every day. Your race is to answer
that challenge as Jesus calls out, “Follow Me.” Your path with Jesus is
going to flesh out differently than that of many of your brothers and
sisters in Christ because you have different gifts, talents and abilities,
and God has a race specifically marked out for you. Your spiritual
race is what you do with those gifts to bring God glory. As you do,
you are following Christ.
This passage gives you three great race strategies to help run an
effective race for Christ throughout your lifetime. Those race strategies are: 1. Throw off things that hinder. 2. Run
Your race is to answer
with perseverance. 3. Fix your eyes on Jesus.
Race strategy number one is to “Throw off that challenge as Jesus
calls out,
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
“Follow Me.”
entangles…” Though your race is not against
Satan, it is Satan who tirelessly tries to trip you
up with a myriad of temptations while you are running. As you are
effective in using your gifts for God’s glory, pride can seep in and you
can begin taking credit for the results of running well. As God blesses
you for being faithful, greed can infiltrate your heart and soon you
will find yourself wanting more and more. Or, maybe you worked
hard in serving the Lord, but the results were not at all what you
expected and Satan plants seeds of failure and discouragement to
knock you out of the race. He will use lust, greed, pride, bitterness,
anger, frustration and a host of other manipulatives to hinder and
entangle you in your race. A main key to throwing off those things
that are potentially hindering and entangling is to be aware that the
enemy is continually strategizing to make you less like Christ.
Race strategy number two is, “Let us run with perseverance the
race that is marked out for us.” Webster’s II defines perseverance as,
“To persist in or hold to a course, belief etc. in spite of obstacles.” If
there were no obstacles to your faith race there would be no need for
perseverance. You have a formidable enemy who will not quit trying
to trip you up from becoming more like Christ. Without a strong
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determination and perseverance, it will be impossible for you to run
a good race.
Notice also that you have a race that is marked out for you. This
underscores the fact that you will be ineffective if you believe your
race is to compete against and compare yourself to other believers.
You have your own set of gifts, talents and abilities and God has
a plan for your life that does not involve competing against and
comparing with other believers.
Strategy number three is, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the
Author and Perfector of our faith.” How can you throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles? How can you
maintain perseverance through the obstacles? How can you become
more Christ-like? It is by fixing your eyes on Jesus. To become like
Christ you must keep your eyes on Christ. You will become like what
you are focusing on most in life. Consistently staying in the Word;
talking; and more importantly, listening to God; worshipping; and
receiving communion; are a few key ways to “fix your eyes on Jesus.”
As you are active in these things, your awareness of God’s presence,
God’s will and God’s direction will increase in your life. As a result,
you will move in obedience to becoming more Christ-like, which is
the race you are called to run.
Other Scriptures to Consider: I Corinthians 9:24-27, James
1:3, 4, II Peter 1:5-11.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Do you struggle with competing against or comparing yourself spiritually with other believers? How so?
2. Which of the three race strategies do you need to work on the
most? In what ways?
PRAY
Chapter
Sanitize Your Speech
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JAMES 3:2-12
T
he power of the spoken word is incredible. As a matter
of fact, Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power
of life and death.” Your tongue can shape someone else’s
destiny – for good or bad. One of the most significant
ongoing choices you make is how you choose to use your
words. The following story is one that I heard somewhere
and have never forgotten because of the impact one person’s
words played in the life of another.
A woman spread a rumor around town about a particular man. As the rumor spread from person to person, it
utterly destroyed the man’s reputation. His family, his job
and his integrity were all devastated by the rumor mill. He
finally had to leave town — a ruined and defeated man.
Later, this woman who passed the gossip along discovered that the rumor was totally false. She had helped
annihilate an innocent man with her tongue. She went to
her pastor and confessed the story. "I have ruined a man
with my words,” she said. “I am so sorry — how can I
make the situation right?"
The pastor explained to the woman that this was not
so simple and told her to take a bag of feathers and place
a feather on the doorstep of every house in the town.
She thought this was a strange request, but she really
wanted to make things right; so she followed her pastor’s
instructions.
At last, she came back to the pastor and said, "I’ve done
all that you asked; has the wrong I committed been made
right?”
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“Not yet," the pastor replied. "Now, you must retrace your steps
and bring back every feather you placed in the town."
The woman protested, "But I could never do that—the wind has
blown the feathers away!"
"Yes," the pastor said, "And in like manner, you cannot recover
your careless words.”
Careless words are reckless words. “Reckless words pierce like a
sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18).
We’ve all been on the receiving end of both reckless words and the
tongue of the wise. Oh what a difference words
make. I almost never became an inspirational You may not be able
speaker based on the words of two older men to control what others
say about you, but
in my life. One was my boss and the other a
you can control what
mentor. My boss told me I did not have the gifts, and how you say
talents or abilities to be a speaker. My mentor things to others.
told me that it would be an impossible situation
for me to travel and speak. Had it not been for
my incredibly encouraging wife, my loving, supportive parents and
friends who had the tongue of the wise, I never would have been
healed of the hurts caused by those two men. John Maxwell says, “It
takes nine encouraging comments to balance out one negative.” That
is a great statistic to remember when speaking to others, especially
family members.
You may not be able to control what others say about you, but
you can control what and how you say things to others. Control
is the key word. James 3:8 says, “No man can tame the tongue.”
However, you can work on controlling it by sanitizing your speech.
Sanitize, as defined by the Random House unabridged dictionary
is, “To make less offensive by eliminating anything unwholesome,
objectionable and incriminating.” What if you were to eliminate
from your conversation any information concerning others that was
even remotely unwholesome, objectionable and incriminating? What
if that part of the conversation was replaced with “the tongue of the
wise that brings healing?”
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This is not as easy as it seems because in the moment human
emotion can cause us to be extremely impulsive with our words. Not
to mention our own insecurities often put us on the defensive rather
quickly. Our insecurities tell us, “If the gossip, slander and idle talk
are focused on someone else, you remain safe and seen in a good
light.”
However, this will only feed our insecurities and continue to foster
a habit that James says, “Is set on fire from hell.” On the surface, we
could try our hardest to change the way we talk to and about others.
We can force ourselves to keep our mouths shut to slander and our
ears closed to gossip and rumors. The problem is we will get worn
down and eventually revert back to the unruly ways of the tongue.
The issue of the tongue must be addressed at the core to be
controlled throughout your lifetime. The core is your heart. “May
the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing
in your sight” (Psalm 19:14). Those things on which you meditate,
think on and take into your heart fuel your words. As you take more
of Christ in through worship, prayer and the study of His Word,
your heart is sanitized from the dirt you were once ready to spread
around about others.
“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew
12:34). That which you are allowing into your life and those things
you are focusing on impact your heart – your core. Whatever is in
your heart naturally overflows out of your mouth. Therefore, the
tongue cannot be totally tamed because we are not perfect, but it
can be controlled by what you are taking in. It is not a matter of
you working hard not to gossip and slander. That will wear you out.
Rather it is a matter of you taking in more of Christ which will naturally overflow through your words. That is not you working, but
rather being transformed at your core through the grace of God.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Proverbs 26:20, Ephesians 4:29,
Titus 3:1,2.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what situations do you most struggle with in controlling
your tongue? Why?
2. In the space below, write a pledge to God that with His help
you will take in more of Him to make sure the words that
come out of you are beneficial and encouraging to others.
PRAY
Chapter
Preparing for Action
60
258
I PETER 1:13-16
T
he more I study the Word, the more I see how the
messages of Paul and Peter parallel one another. Though
writing to two different audiences, Paul to the Gentiles and
Peter to the Jews, the Holy Spirit weaved powerfully and
effectively in them the same message. Paul and Peter were
both action guys using many verbs in describing the faith
journey. Just as Paul told those at Corinth to “run for the
prize” and Timothy to “fight the good fight” and those at
Thessalonica to “be busy not busybodies,” so Peter encourages the Jews who are scattered about to “prepare your
minds for action.”
Your faith should be action oriented. James said, “Faith
without works is dead” (James 2:17). You are not saved by
works, but rather for works. God has a plan for you and
He wants to make a difference through you. “Therefore,
prepare your mind for action” because if you are sold out
for the Lord you will be living an adventure.
Peter challenges us to be self-controlled. The pathway
of sin is always traveled when self-control is absent. No
matter what sin it is, all sin enters your life through lacking
self-control. Be it greed, pride, gossip, laziness, anger, lust,
or gluttony, any and all sin is due to lack of self-control.
That is why both Peter and Paul speak of self-control often
and adamantly, encouraging believers everywhere to have
it. On this earth, you will be tempted often and in a variety
of ways. Without self-control, not only will Satan have a
field day with you, but you will be ineffective in your faith
journey.
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Peter encouraged these Jews who were scattered about because of
persecution and tribulation by saying, “Set your hope fully on the
grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
The believers Paul dealt with in Thessalonica were also suffering
through tribulation and they began to wane in their faith. Why? They
lost their hope of Jesus Christ coming back. False teachers came in after
Paul and persuaded the believers that Jesus Christ had already come
back. As a result, the believers lost the hope and expectancy of the
Lord’s return, so they began to struggle. Peter, echoing Paul, reminds
believers to set their hope on Christ’s return. The
fact that Christ is coming back for you, and that The pathway of sin is
always traveled when
this precious and monumental moment could
self-control is absent.
occur at any time, is powerful stimulation to be
living in obedience and holiness.
Just as Paul admonished the Christians in Rome to “not conform
any longer to the pattern of this world…” (Romans 12:2), so too
Peter instructs these believers “not to conform to the evil desires
you had when you lived in ignorance.” Peter, like Paul, encouraged
believers, including you and me, not to live in the same manner and
mindset we had as unbelievers. We are not to be living as though
we belong to the world, but rather as those who are called out from
the world to shine with Christ-like character. Specifically, we are to
embody the character trait of holiness.
Holiness in your life is of the utmost importance. Hebrews
12:14 says, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Leviticus, a
book dedicated to holiness says, “Consecrate yourselves and be holy,
because I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and follow them.
I am the Lord who makes you holy” (verses 7 and 8).
Holy does not mean perfection, but rather to be set apart. As
a believer, you are set apart for the purposes of God. Ephesians 1:4
says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in his sight.” For you as a believer to refuse God’s
progressive work of holiness in your life is to walk away from the very
reason why you were created.
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It is important to understand that holiness carries with it two
aspects which are both seen in Leviticus 20:7,8. The first aspect of
holiness is the part that God alone plays. You are a person fatally
poisoned by the deadly disease of sin. There is no way you can cure
yourself. Without holiness, you will not see God. You cannot conjure
up or create your own holiness by any means of good deeds or way
of living. The cure must be pure and come from God alone. Jesus
Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection is that cure. God Himself
makes you holy in Christ Jesus. Leviticus 20:8 says, “I am the Lord,
who makes you holy.”
The first aspect of holiness is this: in Christ you are made holy
in your standing before God. That has nothing to do with what you
did or are doing, only with what God did for you through His Son
Jesus Christ.
The second aspect of holiness is your obligation. Once you are
made holy through the finished work of Christ and the Cross, it is
your responsibility to “consecrate yourself and be holy… Keep my
decrees and follow them.”
The first aspect of holiness is an event in your life whereas the
second aspect of holiness is a day to day process of being conformed
into the likeness of Christ. You have to prepare your mind for action,
exercise self-control, not conform to the sinful patterns of your past
and live in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life. As you
live consecrated in this way, God will empower you to progress in
holiness, for that is His desire for your life.
Other Scriptures to Consider: II Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians
5:3, II Timothy 1:9.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In your own words, describe the two aspects of holiness.
2. In the second aspect of holiness, what changes can you make
to progress in holiness?
PRAY
Chapter
Nothing Lacking
61
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II PETER 1:3-8
I
n A.D. 66, Peter sat chained in a dingy, Roman prison
cell literally waiting to die. It was there that he penned II
Peter, a book written to minister to the suffering churches
throughout Rome. Two years earlier, a vicious persecution
on Christians broke out at the hand of Caesar Nero. Nero
was brutal, making human candles out of Christians by
which he would illuminate his gardens and ride his chariot
naked as he watched Christians burn alive.
Soon, the executioner would be unlocking Peter’s cell
door where he would be led away to crucifixion. Peter, once
impulsive, arrogant and self-assured was so transformed
through his relationship with Christ that he now thought
himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. At his
request, he was crucified upside down.
Peter, knowing his days were numbered, said, “I think
it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent
of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside,
as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me” (II Peter
1:13,14). While he was still alive, he wanted to remind
those early Christians that they already possessed everything needed for life and godliness.
The same is true for you. As a believer, you lack nothing
that would prevent you from living a God-honoring, effective life in Christ. When you asked Jesus Christ into your
life, He did not just partially come in, nor does He give you
what you need little by little. No. The Holy Spirit took up
residence in you and you now have access to all that you
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need to resist the enemy, stand firm through storms and be empowered for good works.
When my daughter, Haley, was born, she was tiny. She only
weighed six pounds and two ounces. With her head resting in the
palm of my hand and her body nestled on my forearm, her miniature
sized feet only reached my elbow - petite package indeed. Although
we did not know how God would use her or what His plan was
for her, she already possessed in that tiny package of a body all she
needed for growth. Her only requirement now was to grow steadily
day by day.
Many Christians view their lives in Christ as a recipe with a list of
ingredients to gather and mix together for effectiveness. The perception is that as long as you are lacking these ingredients, you will not
be as productive and fruitful for the Lord as you could be.
This analogy is only half correct. There are some ingredients
or godly characteristics that every believer needs to possess to lead
a productive, effective life in Christ, but as a believer you already
possess the ingredients. If you do not understand that God has
already placed in you everything you need for life and godliness, you
will live in fear, confusion and spiritual impotence.
Peter went on to list the ingredients for life and godliness: “Add
to your faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.” Though every believer possesses
these qualities in Christ, they may be lying dormant within you. You
do not have to search for or work to possess these qualities. If you
try to force these qualities out of yourself or stir up these ingredients
within you, your efforts will not last. You might be able to make
yourself have self-control for a short time. You can study the Word
and appear knowledgeable. You can show some wonderful kindness.
But, if these qualities are to be genuine and a lifestyle for you they
must be surfaced through “His divine power,” and not your own
desire.
If these qualities need to be surfaced by Christ’s divine power,
then why does Peter say, “For this very reason, make every effort to
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add to your faith?” (verse 5). Remember my daughter, Haley? When
she was born she possessed everything she needed, but she was far
from all that she would or could be. Her responsibility was and still
is to grow.
The same is true for you. God has given you all you need. Your
responsibility is to “make every effort” to grow in your faith. The
believer must be steadfast in reading the Word, persistent in prayer
and participate in worship. As you seek God by making this effort,
“His divine power” adds to your faith. Pastor and author John
MacArthur has this to say about the semantics of “adding to your
faith:” “‘Add’ is to give lavishly and generously. In Greek culture, the
word was used for a choirmaster who was responsible for supplying
everything that was needed for his choir. The word never meant to
equip sparingly, but to supply lavishly for a noble performance. God
has given us faith and all the graces necessary for godliness. We add
to those by our diligent devotion to personal righteousness” (The
MacArthur Study Bible).
Jesus Christ fleshed out perfectly all these qualities. Your goal as
a believer is to be more like Christ every day. As you seek the Lord
through prayer, study and worship, He brings, through His power,
not yours, these qualities out of you in increasing measure. Again,
He does not place them in you when you pray harder, study deeper
and sincerely worship, but rather draws them out of you and displays
them to the world for His glory. The more time you spend with the
Lord, the more these qualities will come out from you. The more
these qualities come out from you, the more time you will want to
spend with the Lord and the more fruitful and productive you will
find yourself living.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:20,
James 1:2-8.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In your own words, rewrite II Peter 1:3 using the first
person.
2. What is the difference in possessing these qualities in your
own strength and “His divine power?”
PRAY
Chapter
Laying Down Your Life
62
I JOHN 3:16-18
T
he level of Christian commitment has changed much
over time. In the first century, many who identified
with Christ, when given the choice to recant their faith or
face execution, chose execution. For early Christians, their
personal faith was intertwined with family, work and all
activities big and small. They were Christians first and foremost and husbands, wives, parents, farmers, tent makers,
etc., second. Their identity came not from what they did
or where they lived, but in who they believed in. Their faith
was real, radical and life changing. It needed to be because
the cost for their faith was often profound sacrifice.
It seems that in America, a much more nonchalant
faith is prevalent among many. We are a far cry from those
early Christians and even from our founding fathers who
used the Word of God and their faith as the foundation to
build America.
A little over one hundred years ago, it was unheard of
not to teach the Bible as part of public school curriculum.
The Ten Commandments were commonplace in the public
arena. Faith in Christ marked a man’s life with high ethical
and moral standards.
In recent days, something has happened to the potency
and persona of what it means to be a Christian. The Barna
Research Group has made the following findings:
•
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Only fifty-six percent of those who attend a
Christian church say they are absolutely committed
to the Christian faith.
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Only eighteen percent of adults living in the United States
say, “Completely understanding and carrying out the principles of their faith” is the highest priority in their lives.
What has taken the place of commitment and taken priority over
God? Could it be that we are more passionate about our personal
hobbies than our personal relationship with Christ? Are we more
interested in comfort than availability? Do we desire happiness over
holiness? In today’s culture, average Christians will serve as long as it
is convenient. They will give as long as it is not sacrificial. For many,
church is the place to go simply because it is Sunday and with that
comes a slight guilty feeling that says, “I need to attend church to put
myself in good standings with God.”
It seems the “realness” of Jesus has worn off. For a great majority,
today’s faith is superficial in its compassion for the lost, shallow in
depth of commitment and void of any personal intimacy with a
living, loving Savior. Much of modern day Christianity has lost its
capacity to influence because many who claim to be Christian fail to
follow Christ fully.
What is the answer? As believers, we need to get back to
following the example Jesus Christ set for us. “Jesus Christ set so
many examples. How can I possibly follow Christ and not feel like
a failure at the end of every day?” one might argue. I John 3:16-18
gives three powerfully practical key life examples that Jesus intended
every believer to follow. I believe Jesus’ entire ministry and everything
He did and stood for can be summarized and characterized by these
three key life examples.
Key life example number one: Lay down your life. “Jesus Christ
laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our
brothers” (I John 3:16). Laying down your life simply means you
no longer see yourself as number one or most important. The world
says, “Look out for number one.” The Word says, “Do nothing out
of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others
better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own
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interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3,4). Laying
down your life means putting others’ needs, interests and welfare
before your own (assuming those needs are in line with God’s will
and commands, of course). Not only that, but Jesus laid down His
life willingly and joyfully, not hesitantly and begrudgingly. To truly
follow Christ is not only to follow his example in deed, but in attitude as well.
Key life example number two: Show mercy. “If anyone has
material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on
him, how can the love of God be in him?” (I John 2:17). There are
needs around you every day. Ask the Lord to open your spiritual eyes
and physical doors for you to be the hands and feet of Christ to the
people around you. The other day I witnessed an elderly woman who
I know is a Christian take a homeless lady to Subway for a meal. I
thought, “That is real Christianity.” The need may be food for one
but a listening ear for another. It may be yard work for an elderly
couple and babysitting for a young couple. When showing mercy,
both a willing spirit and a joyful heart are fundamental to being like
Jesus.
Key life example number three: Take action. “Dear children,
let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (I
John 2:18). It is true, talk is cheap. Follow is an action word and true
Christianity is action oriented. I’m afraid modern day Christianity
has watered its way down to a mere multiplication of words without
action. James 2:17,18b says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is
not accompanied by action, is dead. Show me your faith without
deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” You are not saved
by good works. You are saved for good works. God has placed in you
gifts, talents and abilities. How you use them is your gift back to
God. Being action oriented in your faith is putting substance in the
words you speak. Do not just talk about faith in Christ, live it out.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Micah 6:8, John 15:12,13,
Hebrews 13:16.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate your “followership” of Jesus? Why?
2. Which of the key life examples comes easiest to you? Which
is hardest? Why?
PRAY
Chapter
Truth and Love
63
270
II JOHN 1-3
J
ohn and his brother James were called the sons of
thunder. Luke 9 records the account when Jesus set out
for Jerusalem and sent messengers to a Samaritan village to
prepare the way. The Samaritans did not prepare the way or
welcome them. The Samaritans were only half Jewish and
were despised by the full blooded Jews living in Jerusalem.
The Samaritans in turn detested the full blooded Jews for
thinking themselves a better, holier breed.
Jesus always traveled through Samaria, however. His
love for people always overrode ethnic differences. On
this occasion though, the Samaritans did not welcome
Jesus and the disciples. “When James and John saw this,
they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from
heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked
them (James and John), and they went to another village”
(Luke 9: 54-56). These guys had a violent side to them
when opposed.
James, the first apostle to be martyred, was beheaded in
Rome in A.D. 43. John, in contrast, was the only apostle
who was not martyred. He was boiled in oil, but escaped
and died at the age of ninety-five.
John’s life was transformed by Christ over time.
Although John became known as the disciple of love, it was
speaking truth and “calling down fire” that came naturally
to him at first. Love, on the other hand, as Jesus consistently modeled, was something that John had to learn.
Truth is correcting someone for his or her own good.
As people, we have blind spots. We need others to come
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alongside us in honesty and share the “hard” truth. “Let the wise
listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance”
(Proverbs 1:5).
Love, on the other hand, is genuinely caring for and having
compassion on another person. If truth is shared without love, it will
come across as cold, condemning, hurtful and harsh.
Like a see-saw, there needs to be a balance, a tension between
truth and love that must be actualized to effectively deal with and
minister to people. Again, truth without the proper balance of love
will leave people feeling discouraged and defeated.
For example, at one particular church where I was a staff member,
our senior pastor was real big into “truth telling.” “Just tell people
how it is. Don’t tell them what they want to hear; tell them what they
need to hear,” were his mottos. This attitude of leadership left a wake
of hurting people behind. As it continued, the church diminished
and the pastor moved on.
My son just completed his first season
Like a see-saw, there
of tackle football. It was the rookie division
needs to be a balance,
of mostly eight-year-olds so for ninety-nine a tension between
percent of the boys, it was their first experience truth and love that
with the sport. One coach in particular had no must be actualized
issue with sharing truth. The problem was there to effectively deal
was never any love in the sharing. There was no with and minister to
truth-love tension or balance. As a result, many people.
boys, including my son, left the field in tears,
discouraged, defeated and not wanting to play football again.
Parenting is the same way. Perhaps this is the most important
arena in which one must have a healthy balance between truth
and love because the effects last a lifetime and carry over into the
child’s personal relationships as they grow. The results of an imbalance between truth and love can be seen more dramatically in this
arena than any other. If a parent shares truth, truth, truth, correction,
correction, correction without a loving embrace, the child becomes
cynical and will have a negative view of life and others. It is easy to
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bombard a child’s life with, “Clean up your mess, turn off your light,
pick up your room, do it right the first time, don’t look at me like
that, don’t talk to him/her that way, don’t hang out with those kids,”
etc. etc. Be careful. How we communicate shapes young lives and
affects all those around us profoundly.
While truth without love is devastating, love without the proper
balance of truth is just as harmful. If the same pastor in the previous
example never confronted sin, but rather just loved people, a casual
indifference towards sin would have developed in the congregation
and the church would have been filled with lukewarm believers. If
the coach just loved the kids without sharing truth, the players would
never be pushed or challenged to reach their full potential. Not to
mention, practices and games would be chaotic. If parents only
loved their children without the proper balance of truth, the children
would grow up with no boundaries and no doubt would run wild.
Both truth and love need to be expressed and shared in dealing with
all people, young and old.
John, once ready to call down fire at the drop of a hat, learned
the importance of truth and love as a follower of Christ. John wisely
sandwiched gentle correction between love and encouragement to
this “chosen lady” who was not identified, probably because of the
potential for persecution. This woman, hosting a church in her home,
unwisely opened the door for some false teachers to come in among
them. John did not beat the lady up with words or come down on her
heavy handedly, but instead showed her grace, mercy and peace just
as Jesus had dealt with John and deals with you today.
Other Scriptures to Consider: II Timothy 3:16, 17, II Timothy
4:2, I John 4:19-21.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. How has an imbalance of truth and love affected your life?
2. In what arenas of your life do you need to better balance truth
and love? How so?
PRAY
Chapter
Building Your Reputation
64
274
III JOHN
T
hough only a short snippet of a book, III John gives us
an accurate snapshot into the personalities of people
in early church life. John discussed three men in his brief
letter, all of whom we can easily identify with. Two were
not only superb guys that you would love to be around, but
their personality types were essential for encouraging those
around them in ministry. The third, on the other hand, was
like a wet blanket in the middle of winter; though cold and
in need, the wet blanket only made matters worse. These
three men, whose reputations were built over time, were
known by many.
With each day that passes, you are building your reputation. In light of Jesus’ challenge to be salt and light, your
reputation matters greatly. With that in mind, let’s examine
these three men…
The first is Gaius, whom John described as a dear friend
not once, not twice, but three times within five verses. Over
several years of ministry, I have come to appreciate how
precious and valuable “dear friends” who are also fellow
servants can be. Gaius was a true friend who John could
vent to without receiving a ten-point sermon on grace
and patience in return. The Gaius types are great listeners,
wonderful encouragers and enormously hospitable. They
are the kind of people who we all love to be around and
should seek to emulate as we follow Christ.
In addition, John described Gaius with the following
two phrases: “faithful to the truth” and “how you continue
to walk in the truth.” Gaius was dependable in his walk
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with the Lord over time. He was persistent in his faith regardless
of the good times, bad times and frustrating times. With the Gaius
type, you know you are dealing with solid character that is proven
over time. The Gaius type is a rare find. Seek to be one and also treasure that type of relationship when you find it in a fellow servant.
Second is Diotrephes. No doubt you have seen this type and
perhaps have worked alongside or walked on eggshells around him:
that person who seeks preeminence, the desire to be superior above
everyone else around them. Commodus, in the blockbuster hit
movie, The Gladiator, is a great example. His voracious desire to be
Emperor of Rome and ruler of the people drove him to murder his
own father, Marcus Aurelius, hold captive his young nephew, Lucius,
and emotionally torment his sister, Lucilla. Types like Commodus
are controlling and insecure. They view those around them as a threat
to their authority and become defensive when questioned.
Diotrephes, the character John had to deal with late in his ministry,
was a Commodus sort of guy. He was a church leader, a pastor, who
felt very much threatened by John’s authority and anyone associated
with John. John described Diotrephes as one, “who loves to be first,”
implying that Diotrephes sought control over the people and desired
greatly to be viewed as the man in charge. The Diotrephes type of
person seeks their significance and self worth from being the top dog.
Diotrephes’ elevated ego caused him to be so insecure and controlling that he maliciously gossiped against John, refused to welcome
anyone associated with John, and evidently disregarded the first letter
John wrote.
This behavior is typical when dealing with “Diotrephes” types,
because their quest for control and attention mixed with their insecurity causes an insatiable desire to want to be seen in the best light
by others. In order to elevate themselves, the Diotrephes types put
others down no matter what the cost. These are dangerous folks who
seek self promotion rather than Christ promotion.
Third is Demetrius. Though not much is recorded of Demetrius,
his good reputation preceded him. “Demetrius is well spoken of by
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everyone – even by the truth itself ” (verse 12). Demetrius was not
only well spoken of by John and other believers, but his life, when
compared to the truth of God’s Word, measured up.
Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, outlined specific qualifications for those who desired to be in Christian leadership. The first
qualification listed is to be “above reproach” (I Timothy 3:2). To be
above reproach does not mean one is sinless, but
It is only as we seek
rather there are no conflicts or strained relationJesus and abide in
ships left unresolved. It means no one has cause
Him that we take on
to blame you or find fault with you.
the character of Jesus
Demetrius was respected and held in high
and not Diotrephes.
esteem as one who was above reproach. He was
a blessing to be around as he served selflessly and
wholeheartedly, putting the body first and himself second. What a
difference between Demetrius and Diotrephes!
Our sin nature naturally induces us to be more like Diotrephes.
It is only as we seek Jesus and abide in Him that we take on the character of Jesus and not Diotrephes. Both the church and the world
have enough self-seeking Diotrephes types. As a believer, seek to
build your reputation as a Gaius and a Demetrius.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Galatians 6:10, Philippians
2:1-5, I Peter 3:8,9.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what ways do you see yourself as a Diotrephes?
2. In what ways do you see yourself as a Gaius and Demetrius?
PRAY
Chapter
Know What You Believe
65
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JUDE 1-25
A
lthough Jude was a half brother of Jesus, he identified himself as a brother of James and a servant of
Jesus Christ. I believe he did this out of humility. You see,
Jude and James grew up as Jesus’ half brother, but they
did not believe in Him as Messiah until after the resurrection. James and Jude must have been blown away to have
watched Jesus be brutally crucified and then placed in a
tomb only to see Him alive and well three days later. It
was an event that etched in their hearts once and for all
that their half brother, the kid they grew up with, was in
fact Messiah. Jude’s personal conviction of not believing in
Jesus until after the resurrection led him to identify himself
as a brother of James and a bondservant of Jesus.
While James addressed his letter to the Christian Jews
who were scattered, Jude wrote to Christians everywhere,
Jew and Gentile alike. When Jude picked up his pen, he
intended to encourage believers concerning the common
salvation they shared: that glorious fact that no matter what
they were going through on this earth, one day they would
be in heaven with the Lord.
The Holy Spirit, however, inspired Jude to change
directions and pen a powerful warning for believers not
to be deceived or pulled off track by false teachers sharing
bogus doctrines. Jude sensed and saw a battle beginning
to rage. It was the battle Peter prophetically made known
when he wrote, “But there were also false prophets among
the people, just as there will be false prophets among you.
They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even
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denying the sovereign Lord who bought them…” (II Peter 2:1,2).
The future false teachers Peter spoke of had arrived in Jude’s day.
There were two main destructive doctrines that began to spread
like a cancer in the early church. The first was licentiousness, a word
stemming from license. False teachers crept in among the early
churches and “changed the grace of our God into a license for immorality…” (verse 4). This is the line of thinking that says, “I am free
to do whatever I want because I am covered by the grace of God.”
The American Heritage Dictionary defines licentious behavior as,
“Lacking moral discipline, especially in sexual conduct. Having no
regard for accepted rules or standards.”
Paul addressed this very issue in Romans 6:1 when he asked the
rhetorical question, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning
so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we
live in it any longer?”
The grace of God is precious. Grace is not a license to disregard
or abandon godliness and holiness to live a lifestyle that feeds your
sinful nature. For those who abuse grace in this manner, it is highly
questionable as to whether they know the Lord in a personal way at
all.
The second form of destructive doctrine had to do with the word
heresy itself. The word heresy implies both adding to and subtracting
from what is already there. “They are godless men, who… deny Jesus
Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (verse 4). False teachers came in
to the church back then, as they still do today, to say, “There is more
to salvation than faith alone in Christ alone.”
Paul said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts
16:31).
In addition, Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must
be saved” (Acts 4:12).
For some reason, people love to complicate the simple gospel by
adding to it their own works and righteousness or subtracting from it
Christ’s finished work on the cross. Revelation 22:18,19 cautions us,
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“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:
If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues
described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this
book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree
of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
Be it adding the Book of Mormon to the Word of God, subtracting
from the truth that Jesus is the Son of God as the Jehovah’s Witnesses
do, or teaching that Jesus was merely another prophet as the Koran
does, these are all dangerous heretic teachings. Perhaps the most
dangerous though is when you think you have to add to what Jesus
Christ did on the cross for your sins to be forgiven.
When Jesus Christ hung on the cross and said, “It is finished,”
He meant the gap between you and God was bridged by His death.
His death brought about your forgiveness. If God could grant you
forgiveness based upon things you could do; for example, giving
money, helping the needy, going to church, fasting, etc.; then He
never would have needed to send His Son to die brutally on the cross.
Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection paid your sin debt in full.
Rest in His grace and forgiveness. Good works should be done by
every believer, but out of gratitude for what Christ did on the cross
and not as an attempt to earn heaven. That is futile.
The Word challenges us as Jude urged believers in his day to
“contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”
(Jude 3b). That is, fight for and hold to these basic truths of the
faith:
•
•
•
Everyone is sinful. “For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Sin leads to a spiritual death called hell. “For the wages of sin
is death” (Romans 6:23).
Salvation is a gift of God that cannot be earned by man. “For
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so
that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
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Forgiveness of sin and salvation comes from faith in Jesus
Christ alone. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved” (Acts 16:31).
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 14:1, Romans 4:3, Titus
3:4-7.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. Do you see either one of these false doctrines at play around
you today? How so?
2. Have you placed your faith in Christ alone for salvation? If
not, express that through prayer right now. Lord Jesus, I
believe that you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying
on the cross for me. Right now, by faith, I place my trust
in you for the forgiveness of my sins. Thank you for your
grace in my life. Help me to follow you all of my life.
Amen.
Pray a Prayer of thankfulness.
REVELATION 3:14-22
R
evelation was written by John, the last, living apostle
around 95 A.D. After failing to kill him by boiling
him in oil, Domitian, the new Roman Caesar, banished
John to the Island of Patmos. Revelation literally means
the unveiling and revealing of truth. John experienced
deep fellowship, encouragement and hope when he was
banished on Patmos. We have a tendency to resist hard
times and disappointments, but it is exactly through these
times that God reveals Himself to us in a deeper way. Paul
wrote in Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the
power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in
his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” Knowing
there is great fellowship with Christ through difficulty, we
can embrace the tough times that are sure to come.
John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, directed chapters
two and three to seven churches that he ministered to
previously. Though these were first-century churches, the
issues the Lord addressed with each church have practical
relevance for Christians today. Remember, the church was
not and is not simply a building made of brick and stone,
but rather a family of people aiming to live for and honor
Jesus Christ.
With that thought in mind, let us take a look at the
seventh church, Laodicea, in which the Lord exposed two
areas of sin. The first area had to do with the very name
Laodicea. Laodicea literally means “ruled by the people.”
Early church leaders such as Paul, Peter, James (the half
brother of Jesus) and John always established new churches
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by appointing godly men as leaders, overseers and shepherds of the
people. I Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 are just two examples the
Bible gives for the setting in place of the qualifications for leaders to
shepherd the people.
The Laodicean church, however, no longer submitted itself to
come under the guidance of godly leaders nor the authority of
Scripture. These people were not ruled by the Spirit of God, but
attempted to rule the church themselves apart from divine direction
Practically, as a Christian, be careful not to slip into the
Laodicean mentality of “I’ll run my own life apart from God’s guidance.” Include God in your decisions. Seek His will for your life in
all matters. Continually submit your life to the
You and I have
Father even as Jesus did in the garden when He
no business being
prayed, “Father, not my will, but Yours be done.”
lukewarm for Jesus
Consulting God in your decisions, having a
when He is red hot
vibrant prayer life, and feeding on the Scriptures
for us.
regularly are all indications that you are living
under the lordship of Jesus Christ and resisting
the tendency to live with a Laodicean mentality.
The second area the Lord addressed was the lukewarm condition
of the people’s faith. What a word picture this must have been!
Hieropolis was a nearby city which had wonderful hot springs.
Laodicea partnered with Hieropolis to construct an underground
aqueduct to pipe in this hot water. The problem was that by the time
the boiling hot water reached Laodicea it was only lukewarm.
Hot water has many uses as does cold water which is very
refreshing, but the demand for lukewarm water is nil. If you observe a
Starbucks’ menu, you will see coffee served in almost more ways than
you can count, but one way you definitely do not see coffee offered is
lukewarm! Lukewarm coffee or tea is gross, and for a believer to have
lukewarm faith is sickening to Jesus.
If you are hot for the Lord, He can really use you. If you are
cold in your faith, God can deal with you. However, being in a lukewarm state is dangerous because you are numb, desensitized to your
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need for Christ. You and I have no business being lukewarm for Jesus
when He is red hot for us.
Laodicea was well known for its wealth, wool and medicines,
particularly eye salve. These three areas made the people prosperous
and self sufficient which led directly to their lukewarm state.
The Lord used those three areas of industry to speak spiritual
truth to the people. The biblical account states, “You say, ‘I am rich; I
have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize
that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation
3:17). Get “white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful
nakedness” (verse 18). This was in reference to their famous wool
which came from black sheep; the people needed to be clothed in
white wool symbolizing righteousness and purity. You need “salve to
put on your eyes, so you can see.”
What an accusation against the people. All these things they had
in physical form, but they lacked what was most important: spiritual
wealth and righteousness. Their own prosperous condition blinded
them of their need for Jesus. Hence, they were lukewarm at best.
In America, it is easy to slip into this Laodicean mentality. We are
a blessed people. Did you know that if you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change in a dish some place, you are among
the top eight percent of the world’s wealthy?
Yet if you are not walking with the Lord, being led by the Spirit
and growing in your relationship with Jesus, God would say you are
pitiful, poor, blind and naked and you do not even know it.
America is much like Laodicea. Friend, be careful that your walk
with the Lord is deeper, richer and fuller than those of that ancient
city.
Other Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 1, Proverbs 30:7-9, John
15:1-8.
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SELF EXAMINATION
1. In what areas do you battle being Spirit led and wanting to do
your own thing?
2. Do you sense yourself slipping into a lukewarm state? How
so?
PRAY
Conclusion
C
ongratulations! You did it. I trust you are blessed to
have studied through the Word of God. My hope is
this devotional has caused you to be better acquainted with
the Savior and my prayer for you is that you will continue
to love and serve the Lord passionately for the rest of your
life – that you build Spiritual Strength and Endurence.
What do you do now? Stay on the adventure. Continue
on through the Bible. Pick a small section to study back in
Genesis and work your way to Revelation again. Most of
all, enjoy your journey with the Savior… It goes by quickly.
May God bless you each and every day on your journey.
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