Mar 7 - Exodus 3:11-12

But Moses said to God,

"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,

and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

God said, "I will be with you."Exodus 3:11-12

These verses are not the only time in Exodus 3 that the words "am" and "I" are used in the same phrase.

• Here, of course, Moses uses them, saying, "Who AM I?"
• A few verses later, God uses "am" and "I" saying, "I AM who I AM."

"Who am I?" is a common human lament. We search for identity. We long for significance. We struggle with weakness. "Who am I?" "What's wrong with me?" "Do I matter?"

Meaning, significance, identity, and hope are restored in our lives when we replace our AM I's with God's I AM.

• He defines who we are. Loved, Blessed. Forgiven. Disciples.  
• He gives us purpose. Love others. Bless others. Forgive others. Disciple others.  
• He gives us freedom ... when we come to the cross
• He gives us hope ... when the empty tomb opens our hearts
• He makes us wise ... when we rely on his truth
• He gives us power ... when we trust in his strength
• He makes us strong ... when we bow humbly to wash others feet

In Christ's Love,

Wait ... who am I?

I am I AM's!

Mar 6 - Isaiah 54.4

Do not fear, for

you will not be ashamed.

Isaiah 54:4

What do we normally fear? Death.

• We're afraid of heights because we might fall and die.
• We're afraid of air flights because we might crash and die.
• We're afraid of spiders and snakes because they're just plain creepy. (And they might bite us and we'd die.)

Shame is a different kind of death. It's a little death.

• Someone says something shameful about us -- gossip -- and it kills our good name.
• We do something embarrassing, and it kills our credibility.
• Past indescretions are made public, and we're so ashamed that we want to die. 

In Isaiah 54, God is talking about restoring Israel. They've been sinful. They've been conquered. They've been scattered. Their former glory is now a pitance. They are beaten, bloodied, exiled, and ashamed. 

God is saying, When I forgive you, restore you, and bring you home, "4 you will forget the shame of your youth." In fact, he says, I will be "5 your husband ... your redeemer ... 8 with everlasting love I will have compassion on you."

No matter how many little deaths and shames and indiscretions you have made, when you turn to God, he will bless you. Through his grace "4 you will forget the shame of your youth." In fact, he says, I will be "5 your husband ... your redeemer ... and 8 with everlasting love I will have compassion on you."

Do not fear.

In Christ's Love,

Captain Invincable

(I've died with Christ,

now the world can't harm me)

 

Mar 5 - Deuteronomy 11.16

Take care, or you will be

seduced into turning away,

serving other gods and

worshipping them.

Deuteronomy 11:16

"Seduced" is a word we usually associate with sexuality.

Indeed, with the ease and prevalence of pornography on the internet, we have a major problem with lust in our society today. (According to statistics I looked up for this, there are about 10,000 women accessing pornography every second in America. Women! And men access it at about twice that rate.)

In recent sermons I've talked about Baal. That's the name that evil used among the Canannites and in Old Testament times. But even though we might call it by different names today, evil, carnal excess, and depravity haven't left us.

Deuteronomy covers the end of the Exodus. God and Moses are trying to prepare the people to cross over into and thrive in the promised land. "Seduced" in this context isn't a sexual word, it's a devotional word. When we worship the flesh and go along with the world, we are "turning away" from the God of Heaven and worshiping the gods of the world.

Don't let this world seduce you away from the true God and true grace.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to be wooed

by God and grace

Mar 4 - Mark 8.36

For what will it profit them

to gain the whole world

and forfeit their life?

Mark 8:36

I remember going to the stores with my kids when they were young. They constantly said, "I NEED some more Legos." "I NEED a coke from a vending machine." "I NEED a new batman action figure." 

Stores always seemed a good time for vocabulary lesson. "You may NEED a drink, but no, you don't NEED a Coke. You simply WANT your drink to be a Coke." 

It's tempting to laugh at our kids and think that we as adults are above confusing wants and needs.

We aren't, of course. One of things that Jesus talks about most in this world is money. Why? Because we constantly confuse wants and needs. We also fear -- will it be enough? To take care of our family at an artificial standard that our society sets, we work harder and harder and never see the family we're supposedly working for.

Jesus asks, "What will it profit [you] to gain [even] the whole world, and forfeit [your] life?"

What do you need to forfeit, so you can start living more fully again? Workaholism? Fear? A bad vocabulary that confuses wants and needs?

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to gain

a whole life

Mar 3 - 1 Peter 5.7

Cast all your anxiety on him,

because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

You have made

the Lord your refuge.

Psalm 91:9

I've told you before that currently my scripture verses are sent to me in pairs. I couldn't decide which to pick for today ... because they actually fit perfectly together.

Fear is one of the most debilitating emotions in our lives. The voice of heaven in scripture tells us not to fear or worry. Here, of course, Peter tells us to "cast all [our] anxiety on [God]."

Why? Because if God created this whole wide world, he's more than big enough to handle whatever you might consider to be big. He loves, forgives, helps, heals, and blesses.

That's a good verse ... but it's better when paired with Psalm 91.

This Psalm doesn't say that God is our refuge -- although he certainly is. Rather it says that peace and protection come when "you have made the Lord your refuge."

It's like a farmer in olden days. An enemy army appears over the horizon. The farmer can stay and fight with his shovel ... or he can run to the castle and seek refuge behind fortress walls and with the king.

As the good king welcomes the streams of peasants into the castle, he says, "You have made [king and castle] your refuge. Cast all your anxiety on [me]."

God says the same to you, of course. Are you making him your refuge and trusting him with your burdens?

In Christ's Love,

a poor begger 

in the glorious castle

of the true and only king

Mar 2 -- 2 Corinthians 12.10

Paul wrote:

Whenever I am weak,

then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

What does Paul mean by that?

I remember talking to a parent once. I asked, "When did you feel closest to God."

The parent answered, "When my child was in the hospital."

By human reasoning, how odd. But think about it. At this moment in time, this parent was at their most vulnerable. They couldn't fix the problem in their child. In other words, they'd reached the end of themselves. They had to let go of control ... and let God be in control. That's why they were closest.

That was my story too. As a 25-year-old father, I was unemployed and then underemployed. I wasn't supporting my family. I wasn't controlling my own destiny. I'd reached the end of myself. I had to let go ... and let God.

I believe that's what Paul is saying in today's verse. Whenever I [reach the end of myself], then I [allow God to work] strong[ly]."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who needs to be

weaker and less self-sufficient

Mar 1 - Psalm 116.8

You have delivered

my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

Psalm 116:8

Sometimes I work ahead -- way ahead -- on these devotions. The day I'm writing this devotion happens to be Ash Wednesday.

For my Ash Wednesday sermon, I'm contemplating the judgmental finger that some people point at God. They say, "I can't believe in a god who casts people into hell." (Have you ever heard that one?)

Do you hear the sense of entitlement in that statement? "We all deserve to be in heaven and it's only an angry God who would cast people into hell."

That statement leaves many Christians tongue-tied ... because it sounds logical. And suddenly we're the ones who are on the defensive. Many conflicting sentiments running through our brains ...

• We know God is loving.
• We also know what the Bible says -- "unless you believe" (Jn 8:24).
• Does God cast people into hell?

Lent -- especially Ash Wednesday -- is a good time to remind people of our "default setting."

Our default setting is death. It is ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

There are many definitions of hell. Without getting too specific, it is the absence love, joy, peace, hope, and blessing. At its core, hell is the absence of God.

Dust has no life in it, that means without God's resurrecting love, death is absence, ashes, necrosis, hell, and decay. God doesn't cast people into hell, he invites us to come to him and live.

In our verse for today, the Psalms sing of this hope: "You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling."

The next time that someone says, "I can't believe in a God who ...," remind them of their default position.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who doesn't

point his finger at God,

a guy who instead

raises his hands in thanksgiving  

Feb 29 - Ecclesiastes 3.1-9

 For everything there is a season,

and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to throw away stones,

and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-9

Happy Leap Day!!!

You can look at today as just another Wednesday. Or you can view it as a bonus day.

That's my challenge to you today: Do something that makes you (or those around you) ... laugh ... or dance ... or embrace ... or gather in ... or heal ... or love ... or seek ... or cherish ... or listen ... or sow peace ... or be born again.

View today as a bonus day ... and do something extraordinary!!!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's on the beach

with his bride of 25 years today 

Feb 28 - Malachi 1.6

A son honors his father.

If then I am a father,

where is the honor due me?

says the Lord.

Malachi 1:6

Most of God's prophets spoke for the Lord in times of rebellion.

God is saying, "Israel, you are rebelling like a thankless son. I have given you life. I have promised you a future, and lots of blessings. So where is the honor due to me?"

Do you remember failing to honor your mom and dad? We disobeyed. We said yes  -- but didn't pretend to do what we promised. We lied about big things and even little things. We constantly bent rules. We sneaked around like they didn't know what we were up to. We dishonored them.

And yet after a few years, what happened in most of those relationships? Usually two things: 1) they forgave us and 2) we matured.

In most cases, because of a parent's love and patience, the teenage years are behind us and a right relationship has been restored. (That's true in our relationship with God too. Because of his love and patience, nothing delights him more than for us prodigals to come back home and for a right relationship to be forged.)

But I want to look at the second thing that happened in those relationships: "We matured." What a marvelous gift to our parents when we mature!

That's true in our relationship with God too. We're not supposed to remain spiritual children forever. Yes, we hope to always have the trusting faith as a child, but we also want to keep learning, growing, and maturing.

Think about it. We don't want to remain in the place where our faith needs to be continually mothered. We want our relationship with God to turn into more of a friendship.

In Christ's Love,

an ever-maturing child

Feb 27 - Romans 8.30

And having chosen them,

he called them to come to him.

And he gave them

right standing with himself,

and he promised them his glory.

Romans 8:30

Have you chosen God?

That's usually the direction we focus in. Even when we don't mean to, we tend to think of faith as our action, our initiative, and our work.

It's not.

Turn it around: God has chosen you.

In context, it's proper to insert you name into this passage:

"[God has chosen you.] And having chosen you,

God called you to come [closer and closer] to him.

[In fact] he has given you right standing with him.

[In spite of your sins, he's forgiven you and declared you just.]

[Even better,] he has promised you his glory, [meaning,

one day you shall stand with him in heaven in light.]

Quit making faith your work. Stop. Relax. Breathe deep. And say, "Thank you God for loving me, choosing me, and setting me free."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's practically glowing

(I'm blessed that he's chosen me

and is giving me his glory)

Feb 26 - Revelation 1.17-18

Do not be afraid;

I am the first and the last,

and the living one.Revelation 1:17-18

I think they must have a class in Angel School where they say: "When you meet a human, the first thing you have to say is 'Do not be afraid.'"

An angelic presence and the glory of heaven tended to drive people to their knees.

How much more so if you met Jesus!

That was John. He'd been exiled to the prison island of Patmos. "10 On the Lord's day [he] was in the Spirit" when the Son of Man appeared to him. John "fell at his feat as though dead."

It was probably Jesus himself who taught the cherubim at Angel School, so he knew what to say, "Do not be afraid."

The key, however, is that this message isn't just for John. It's for everyone who reads Revelation ... and more importantly, wades into "9 persecution" on account of Jesus' name. "Do not be afraid." Jesus was here from the beginning (he is the first). He'll be there to welcome us home at them (he is the last). And in the meantime, he is "the living one" who gives us hope.

So kneel down for a minute in awe and thanksgiving. But then stand up because Christ makes us victorious.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's standing

on his tip-toe because

if God is for us, who

can be against us

-- Rom 8:31

Feb 25 - Isaiah 40.28

Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:28

The end of Isaiah 40 is one of my favorite places in the Bible. In a verse of two, we will be reminded that God will lift us up on wings like eagles. We are reminded that God want us to soar.

It's not hard to guess the context of Isaiah 40.

The persecution had come, and the people were weary. But Isaiah assured them that "the Everlasting God" "does not faint or grow weary."

Their situation probably seemed unexplainable, but Isaiah reminded them that "the Creator of the ends of the earth" had a full "understanding" and we need not worry because "his understanding is unsearchable."

My favorite part of this, though, is the first two quick sentences in this passage.

In the time of Isaiah -- for most of the next 2000 years -- most people didn't read. Most Bibles were on scrolls and copied by hand. If you heard the scriptures, they were read to you -- chapter after chapter. For anyone who's attention span was waning, God -- through Isaiah -- screamed: "HAVE YOU NOT KNOWN? HAVE YOU NOT HEARD? PAY ATTENTION!!! THE EVERLASTING GOD KNOWS AND CARES."

Indeed, the everlasting God knows and cares about you.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's often weary

and is glad he lay his burdens

on a God who isn't

Feb 24 - 2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best

to present yourself to God

as one approved by him,

a worker who has no need

to be ashamed,

rightly explaining

the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

My first job was in fast food. They called me "Fast Eddie." They were being sarcastic. I was a deliberate thinker more than a speedy doer. After the Christmas rush, it was a good time to down-size "Slow Edward."

Paul calls us to be good workers for the kingdom. And it has nothing to do with speed. Rather, there a two powerful, positive characteristics of honorable work in the kingdom.

• First, we are to base our lives on "the word of truth." Workers in the kingdom, says Paul, are to rightly explain the word of truth. That means that we are called to understand it ... and then apply it ... and then teach it to others.
• Second, good workers in the kingdom are to live honorably -- which means living without shame and being ashamed. A moment ago, I said we are to apply the word then teach it. More accurately, "applying the word through the way we live" means that we are naturally "teaching the word through the witness of our daily lives."

"Fast Eddie" wasn't good at fast food. But life is more than chicken sandwiches. I'd rather be "Honorable Ed." I'd rather witness to the word of truth.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's best job in fast food

would probably be wearing

the chicken suit and

standing on the corner

as a living billboard

Feb 23 - 1 Corinthians 15:19

If for this life only

we have hoped in Christ,

we are of all people

most to be pitied.

1 Corinthians 15:19

Maybe it was different in Paul's day. But in our day, it's the opposite of 1 Corinthians 15:9.

In Paul's day, it appears that people let Christ encourage their daily life, but didn't hope much for heaven. Maybe that was an old holdover from the days of the Sadduccees. They were sad-you-see (say it out loud) because they taught fervently against life everlasting. So maybe in Corinth, people let Christ encourage their daily life, but didn't hope much for heaven.

In our day it's the other way around. As an African exchange student at an American seminary said to his classmates, "I can't figure you American's out. You all want to spend eternity with God in heaven, but you're all too busy to give him five minutes in a normal day."

Maybe our modern translation of 1 Corinthians 15 ought to say: "If for the next life only we have hoped in Christ, we are most to be pitied."

God wants to transform your life today! Why not spend a few extra minutes with him ... right now.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's too often

too busy