Feb 18 - Isaiah 11:1

A shoot shall come out

from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow

out of his roots.

Isaiah 11:1

When I get my verse each day, they often come two at a time. Isaiah 11:1 was the first one for today.

This verse is usually a Christmas verse. Writing a few hundred years after the reign of King David, Isaiah wasn't pointing backward, remembering that Jesse was the father of David. Rather, he was pointing forward to the coming of Messiah. Isaiah was predicting that from the stump of Jesse and the line of David would come the Messiah.

The second verse was John 15:5. Before talking about abiding in him and bearing much fruit, "Christ says, 'I am the vine, you are the branches.'"

Watch the pattern. From the stump of Jesse comes David. From the roots of David comes Jesus the Messiah. From the vine of Jesus comes you and me.

God's been planting, sewing, weaving, and growing all of creation so that you can be his treasured branch and bear sweet and glorious fruit for his kingdom.

So notice the pattern. From Jesse's stump comes David. From David's roots come Jesus. From Jesus' vine comes you and me. From you and me come whom?!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who doesn't want

to break the chain

Feb 17 - Acts 4:29

Lord, grant to your servants

to speak your word with all boldness. Acts 4:29

The church was just beginning.

The Holy Spirit had just come down.

Peter and John had helped a lame man walk.

And when they told how -- "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk" -- they were dragged before the authorities.

Two pages after Pentecost, the persecutions had already begun. What had also begun was the prayers! "Lord, grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness."

The entire book of Acts is a testimony to human boldness ... and even more so, to Holy Spirit power.

If you don't have either boldness or Holy Spirit power, it's time to start praying this prayer. Stick it on your mirror. Tape it on your dashboard. "Lord, grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who prays "more, Lord, more"

-- more Spirit, more power, more boldness

Feb 16 - Psalm 26:8

O Lord, I love

the house in which you dwell,

and the place where

your glory abides.

Psalm 26:8

I've lived in some pretty nice houses.

I've also lived in some houses that have seen better days.

In seminary, we lived way below the poverty line ... with two tiny boys ... and with two big dogs. I remember pulling up to the house that the seminary was renting to us. It looked smaller than our U-Haul truck!

That was one of our favorite houses ever!

It wasn't because it was big or fancy. It was because love lived there.

David was saying the same thing in Psalm 26. Since the temple was not built in the days of David, God's presence didn't live in a "house" -- at best, he "lived" in the tent and tabernacle. But I don't think David was talking about loving even a grand tent.

I think David was simply saying that he loved any place where God was. I think he treasured any spot where God's glory shined.

Why? Because love lived there!

And whereever love lives, David was willing to call "home."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who has lots of places

that he can call home

(because I've seen lots of

love and glory)

Feb 15 - 1 Corinthians 4:2

It is required of stewards

that they be found trustworthy.1 Corinthians 4:2

When most church folks hear the word "steward," they think "money."

"Steward" started, however, as the manager of a household. Shepherding the staff and managing the money, the steward was "entrusted" with literally everything in the house. Therefore, being "trustworthy" was absolutely "required."

When Joseph -- son of Jacob -- was sold into slavery by his brothers, he gained the trust and admiration of a home owner and rose to become chief steward of Potiphar's house. Unfortunately, Mrs. Potiphar admired Joseph too. She wanted to admire him straight into the bedroom.

But Joseph was trustworthy. He ran from his master wife. Unfortunately, the scorned bride blamed Joseph. Prison was Joseph's destination for being trustworthy to his job.

Paul spent time in prison because of his trustworthiness to his calling too.

Peter and John also spent time in prison. Why? Because they too were trustworthy stewards.

Stewardship is not just about money. It is being trustworthy with all the resources entrusted to us -- including our faith. How might you learn to view stewardship in terms of the faith, courage, and commitment you can share?

In Christ's Love,

a guy who views his calling

as stewardship

Feb 14 - Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst ...

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will renew you in His love

as on a day of festival.

Zephaniah 3:17

Do you ever remember being Charlie Brown? It's Valentines Day. Did your heart ever yearn for some form of acknowledgement from "that someone special." My mailbox was empty on many a Valentines day.

Lonliness is at epidemic levels in our culture. We move away from family and roots. People isolate themselves in individual technologies. Connections are more superficial over phone lines and computer screens. One of humanity's greatest needs is belonging, and we are increasingly alone.

God has an answer for lonliness. "The Lord your God is in your midst."

Imagine the shepherds in the fields. Sheep were hardly company. The nights were long and lonely ... unless you remembered that "the Lord your God is in your midst."

When we're feeling isolated and discouraged, we need to remember that "[God] rejoice[s] over [us] with gladness."

When we're feeling alone and unappreciated, we need to remind ourselves to celebrate a little "as on a day of festival." Why? Because "[God] will renew you in His love" everyday.

In Christ's Love,

Snoopy

(as opposed to Charlie Brown,

if I'm fed, I know I'm loved.)  

Feb 13 - Mark 4:39

Jesus woke up

and rebuked the wind,

and said to the sea,

"Peace! Be still!"

Then the wind ceased,

and there was a dead calm.

Mark 4:39

Have you ever encountered a moment of dead calm?

That's how people describe the eye of a hurricane. For hours, violent winds have been lifting roofs and snapping trees. And then there's suddenly an eerie hush. The skies clear. The winds stop. The barometric pressure drops. And there is a dead calm.

Have you ever been in a conversation when someone says something ... and everything stops.

That can happen when someone says something profound. More often it happens when someone says and does something offensive. Suddenly, the barometric pressure will drop, a chill will descend, and an eerie hush will fall over the room.

When Jesus said, "Peace! Be still!" I don't think it was only the weather that entered a state of eerie silence. I think the disciples in that boat encountered a moment of dead calm too. Here was a man who could -- gulp! -- make the wind and waves obey him. As it says in Mark 16:8 of the resurrection, "terror and amazement had seized them." Dead calm! 

Have you ever encountered a moment of a dead-calm-spiritual-awakening? A moment when the barometer drops and you know God is there? Some do. Some don't.

I pray regularly for spiritual revival. I pray regularly that God will break into our lives -- and into our world -- in ways that silence the doubts, calm the storms, and usher in a new era beyond the troubled seas. I invite you to join me in that prayer.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is not dead,

a guy who is not always calm,

but a guy who's praying for dead calm!

Feb 12 - Ephesians 2:20

You are built upon the foundation

of the apostles and prophets

Ephesians 2:20

What kind of building would you call your faith?

Would it be a house of bricks, a home of sticks, or a hut made out of straw?

Indeed, when the harsher winds of life blow -- with the same bad breath as the big bad wolf -- how solidly are you standing?

Paul tells us that our foundation ought to be the apostles and prophets.

And how can we literally hear the voice of the prophets a few thousand years since they last drew earthly breath? That's easy. We can hear Micah and Matthew, Jeremiah and Peter, Isaiah and Paul, every time we open the scriptures.

Our spiritual house is made more and more solid with mortar and brick each time we open God's word and when we make -- as the verse continues -- "Christ Jesus himself [our] cornerstone."

In Christ's Love, 

a mighty fortress

Feb 11 - Isaiah 58:10

If you extend your soul to the hungry

and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light shall dawn

in the darkness.

Isaiah 58:10

The first thing I had to do with this passage is figure out who "you" is.

1. If "you" is God, then Isaiah is saying, "God's light isn't shining anymore, but it can shine again if and when God feeds the hungry -- in body and soul." Do you think that's it?
2. But what if Isaiah is talking to an individual person? If we care for the hungry, is he saying that it's our own personal light that will shine?" Do you think that's it?
3. The third possibility is that Isaiah is talking to a nation. If this is the case, Isaiah is saying that Israel is not caring for the needs of the physically hungry nor the spiritually hungry. Indeed, Isaiah would be saying that a nation's light can't truly shine unless both bodily hungers and spiritual needs of its citizens are nurtured. Do you think that's it?

Before I look up the context, which do you think it is?

And the answer is ... Isaiah has been told by God to "Announce [all of this] to [God's] people ... to the house of Jacob" ... in other words, to the nation as a whole.

Meaning: God is saying that a nation's light will cease to shine if fails to nurture both the bodily and spiritual needs of its people.

So where does that leave our nation in 2012? See this US News and World Report evaluation.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's tired of

living in the dark

Feb 10 - Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore approach

the throne of grace with boldness,

so that we may receive mercy

and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

Do you remember the story of Dorothy and the Tin Man? Do you remember how the Cowardly Lion jumped, screamed, and fled the first time they encountered "The Wizard of Oz"?

What changed the second time they met the Wizard and Toto pulled back the curtain?

They discovered that the great and powerful wizard was just an ordinary human being. Now even the cowardly lion could approaching him with a measure of boldness.

God has pulled back the veil.

On the one hand, he is holy and mighty. Infinitely more powerful than wizards in Oz.

But God is also gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. He sent Jesus as his living picture of his love and approachability. Yes, we ought to fear him (in terms of honor), but he tells us that we need not fear him (in terms of terror).

Indeed, scripture invites us to approach him with boldness.

Why? Because he sits on a throne that is named "grace."

In Christ's Love,

a guy who gets

as rusty as the tin man

when he comprehends

God's grace

Feb 9 - Mark 13:26-27

At that time

men will see the Son of Man

coming in clouds with great power and glory.

And he will send forth his angels

to gather together his chosen ones

from all over the world -- from the

farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

Mark 13:26-27

This is a passage of comfort.

Why? Because of the harrowing predictions that come before it.

Jesus predicts that the end of the age will be filled with trials and tribulation, abominations and sacrilege, earthquakes and wars, tragedy and fear.

When we see this kind of turmoil in our lifes and in our world, we're supposed to look up.

One day, Jesus promises that he will return victorious in the clouds, and he promises that his angels will not rest until they find you. So when you face trials, look up! 

But what if your trials are not THE trials that signal the end of the age? Then like every Christian who's gone before us, you were still looking up! You were still gaining comfort from the king who reigns on high. You were still holding confident that his angels will guard you, protect you, and in the end, guide you home.

In Christ's Love,

a guy with a kink in his neck

(it's sore from looking up)

Feb 8 - Romans 11:17-18

If you, a wild olive shoot,

were grafted in to share

the rich root of the olive tree,

do not boast over the branches.

If you do boast, remember that

it is not you that support the root,

but the root that supports you.

Romans 11:17-18

In John 15:15, Jesus famously says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit."

That's the part that we know. But we forget the last few words of this verse -- "because apart from me you can do nothing."

We forget these words because most of us really argue with these words. "I can too do things on my own!!!"

Intellectual Christians will say, "That statement's false because lots on non-Christians do lots of good things."

Pious Christians say, "We can surely do more with God's help. But it's up to us to choose good or bad. And I strive to do good."

Paul, however, agrees with this statement. He echoes Jesus. In fact, he says that on our own, we are untamed, barbarous, primative, uncivilized, and wild. Indeed, the Apostle calls us wild shoots that Jesus has grafted onto the rich taproot of life. And like Jesus in John 15, he tells us "not [to] boast" of our own accomplishments.

Why? According to Paul, it's because the root supports us ... We don't support the root. According to Jesus, fruit is not fruit unless it comes from him.

For example, say that we feed the poor. That's a good human work, right? And good people can do that without even knowing God, right? But who created the food. God! Feeding the poor is simply sharing God's abundance. (And unfortunately that's very necessary in a world that robs the poor and hoards earthly resources.) But we only call this good because too many people don't share. It's good in comparison to other sinners, but we are the ones who create the scarcity anyway.

So if even feeding the poor is not "good," what is the fruit that we're called to bear ... and share? It's connecting others to the branch, to the root, to the tree, to the cross, to the Savior. (And that's what we absolutely cannot do without God!)

Think about this ... Even if we save someone from starvation, they'll still eventually die, and then where will they be? Jesus wants to send out laborers into the eternal harvest.

BUT lest we quit feeding the hungry, food (and other forms of physical help like medical care) are a great way to gain access to a person's heart. We love them (and feed them) until they ask us why!!!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who doesn't

want to be "good"

(just godly)

Feb 7 - Isaiah 59:1-2

See, the Lord's hand

is not too short to save,

nor his ear too dull to hear.

Rather, your iniquities have been

barriers between you and your God.

Isaiah 59:1-2

I'm a cartoonist at heart. Can't you almost see the silly drawing in pen and ink ... God's hand reaching down from heaven -- straining, stretching, and still ending up six inches too short. "Sorry," cries the voice from the clouds, "I just can't reach."

The prophet says, "No! The Lord's hand is not too short to save."

But that, of course, is not your worry.

You didn't believe that cartoon, anyway. 

Neverthless, I bet you have wondered about the next line. We pray and pray, and situations aren't resolved in the exact time and precise way that we'd like. And so we wonder, "Does God really hear?"  

Isaiah 59 gives the shortest clearest answer to this that I've ever heard. He says, "Friend, it's not God's hearing aid that needs fixed. It's your sinfulness that needs to be fixed. It's your sins that are the barrier between you and God."

God's not the barrier. We are.

Now ... please understand ... it's not just us and our own personal sins that keep us from God and grace. We live in a world shattered by sin. Hurts abound. We don't want to wait for heaven for peace. We want it now. So we pray and pray, and when the answers don't come, we blame God's deafness rather than the world's rebellion.

We can't fix the world.

But ... we can seek to remove the "barriers" that we personally erect between ourselves and God. Pride, anger, doubt, selfishness, and sin. These are just a few of the barriers that keep us from hope, joy, and peace.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who believes that

God has a very long wing span

(and a guy who's ready to quit

using his own wingspan

to keep pushing God away)

Feb 6 - John 10:6-7

Jesus used

this figure of speech with them,

but they did not understand

what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said ...

John 10:6-7

John 10 is full of great verses. Great analogies. But as a person who likes to speak in analogies, though, it's comforting that even Jesus was occasionally misunderstood!

Misunderstandings aside, in this chapter Jesus made several critical points that we dare not miss ...

First, he was predicting his own crucifixion: "11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

Second, by calling himself a "good shepherd" and by showing his willingness to give his life, he was reflecting his committed care and compassion for each of us, his sheep. 

Third, he wanted us to know that we are vulnerable -- "12 wolf coming."

Fourth, he wanted us to know that there are forces in and around us that can do us harm.

• Some are inattentive "12 hired hands." (What worldly "shepherds" do you know that are inattentive?).
• Some are "1 bandits" who intentionally -- or even unintentionally -- preach a false gospel and as a result rob us measures of hope and joy.
• One -- Satan -- is an outright "10 thief [who] comes only to steal and kill and destroy."

Fifth, Jesus is teaching us that he is "the [one] way" to heaven, saying, "9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved."

Sixth, Jesus invites us to give our lives to him by becoming his sheep. In fact, how do we know if we're living as sheep? Jesus says, "4 [His] sheep follow him because they know his voice." Nowadays, we know his voice best when he know his word.

Seventh, once we're Christ's sheep, we can quit worrying so much, because Jesus says, "27 My sheep ... 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand."

Which of those did you need to hear most today?

In Christ's Love,

Baaaah

Feb 5 - Psalm 111:10

The fear of the Lord

is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it

have a good understanding.

Psalm 111:10

In the Wisdom Literature of the Bible, this is a common principle. Job, Psalm, and Proverbs like "fear" and "wisdom."

It's not just any "fear," however. "The fear of the Lord" is also translated, "Reverence for the Lord" NLT, "honor[ing] the Lord" GNT, and -- my favorite -- "respect for the Lord" NCV.

After telling us again that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," Proverbs 1:7, shows us the opposite, saying, "fools despise wisdom and instruction."

My favorite example of this is: "How come if only five guys on the planet can throw a 97-mph fastball over the bottom outside corner of the plate ... and all of them have old guy coaching them who can't even see the plate anymore?! How come?

There are a good many more who can throw that hard, but these five are the ones who accepted "wisdom," coaching, and "instruction"! Our verse today says, "[in life]all those who practice it have a good understanding." In baseball, "all those who practice it" make $14-million a year!

God is our coach ... and more than our coach. He is the author of life. He leads, protects, and guides. He shows us the way we should go -- if we'll let him. And those who fear, reverence, honor, and respect him, are infinitely richer than a $14-million pitcher!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's more of

a knuckleball pitcher,

but I'm in the show

and rich indeed

Feb 4 ----

Read yesterdays! I sent two for Feburary 3, and

come to our healing service on Saturday, February 4, 8:30am

Feb 3 - take 2 - Isaiah 38:16

You can count this as your February 4 devotion,

but I hope you'll read it on Friday and

come to our healing service on Saturday, February 4, 8:30am

O Lord, restore me to health

and make me live.

Isaiah 38:16

There are many types of hurts in life.

The three major categories are physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Our body hurts. Our heart hurts. Our mind is overloaded. And our soul is weighed down.

All of these hurts keep us from "liv[ing]" fully. That's why the psalmist asks to be "restore[d]." Why? So he can "live" -- fully, wholly, wonderfully, and completely live.

God also invites us to unite our prayers with his power. He wants to heal. He wants us to live.

I hope you'll join us for our Healing Service at 8:30 on Saturday morning, February 4. We'll address many of the false hopes, needless worries, and guarded expectations when praying for healing. We'll also pray with expectation, hope, confidence, and power. Why? Because God wants to heal. He wants us to live.

Note: The healing service started three days early!!! Some of us have been at the hospital praying for Lesley -- a teenager from the youth group who was recently diagnosed with a rare form epilepsy. Even with surgery, she was looking at a life of seizures, medications, and partial blindness. PRAISE GOD, she's been healed. If she has any lingering effects, they appear to be minor.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who can't wait

to see how God shows up

on Saturday!

Feb 3 - Ephesians 4:15

Speaking the truth in love,

we must grow up in every way

into him who is the head, into Christ.

Ephesians 4:15

Nowadays, people don't stand for truth.

We're taught, "What's right for me is right for me, and what's right for you is right for you." It's demanded that we never judge. All things, it is said, are relative.

And after a generation of permissiveness, what's left of our standards.

Paul tells us ...

1. There is truth.
2. God knows what is right and wrong.
3. And you and me are called to stand for true and right.
4. But ... we are not called to do it in an angry, bullying way.
5. We are called to speak the truth in love.

Do you know the truth? Do you fight for it? And do you do it with love?!

In Christ's Love,

a loving fighter 

Feb 2 - Mark 9:24

"I believe;

help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:24

Jesus offered to heal a man's son.

Oddly, though, Jesus gave the man a condition. The Savior demanded faith, "All things can be done for the one who believes."

The father cried, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

That's a powerful statement. "Jesus, I'm not 100% of the way there ... but I want to be. Take whatever measures I have and keep drawing me further along. I believe, help my unbelief."

Read correctly, that should inspire deeper faith. God rejoices in the direction we're pointing, not the distance we have traveled.

Sadly, I've heard too many people use this as an excuse for smaller amounts of faith. "I believe enough," is one winking reply. Others say, "See, God blesses doubts and imperfections"; and thereby they excuse their lack of discipline.

Both of those are at best half-truths. More truthfully, God honors honesty, and he honors those who actively pursue him. That's what this father did. On behalf of his son, this man pursued Jesus. In faith, he cried out for healing for his boy. In honesty, he confessed his imperfection. Then he begged for more.

This isn't a story about enough. It is a story of pursuit. It is the hunger for more.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who daily cries,

"I believe ... Help ..."

  

Feb 1 - Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do, in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

What does it mean to do something in Jesus' name? Let me illustrate with a story ...

In one of my favorite Andy Griffith episodes, Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife tries to run off a peddler. The man is tough and angry ... and twice Barney's size. He furls his brow, sticks his finger in Barney's chest, and says something like, "Oh yeah. Make me."

Barney scampers away, and spends most of the episode viewing himself as a failure and considering whether he should quit. Andy finds out the reason for Barney's hesitation, and when the peddler returns, the sturdier sheriff volunteers to run the peddler off.

Barney finally discovers his resolve. Though scared to death, Barney confronts the peddler. The bully grabs him by the collar, promising to pummel him. But Barney says, "Go ahead. You're bigger than me. You can easily pound me into the dirt. But do you see this?"

Barney points to his badge, saying, "This badge is a symbol. When you fight me, you're fighting all the people who stand behind this badge. You can't beat all of them. If you beat me, they'll send another and another. This badge stands for something bigger than you and me both."

That's what doing something in the name of Jesus means. It doesn't mean praying with a formula or saying, "In the name of Jesus" forty times in every prayer. It means standing where Jesus would stand if he were here.

You may be a 120-lbs weakling, but when you make a God-honoring stand in the name of Jesus, all the power behind the badge -- all the power in his name -- will be there to back you up.

That's what "power in the name" means. Stand for him and he'll stand beside you.

In Christ's Love,

a guy named Barney,

weak on my own,

strong in the name.

Jan 31 - Genesis 13:8

Abram said to Lot,

"Let there be no strife

between you and me, and
between your herders

and my herders;

for we are kindred."

Genesis 13:8

"We are family!" cheers Abram to his nephew Lot. So why does he also have to say, "So ... let's not have any strife between us"?

Why? Because some of the deepest hurts in life come from family. (How sad.)

Families live very close together, giving lots of opportunities for friction. Family knows us best, giving lots of opportunties to learn which buttons to push. Furthermore, we love them most, meaning wounds from them cut deeper than wounds from mere acquaintences. It's probably too simplistic to imagine, then, that we can just say, "Let's have no stife between us," and have that magically happen.

That leads to what I believe is perhaps the most important function of family: It teaches us to forgive. We can't live that close to people for that long a period of time without learning to forgive!

Actually, we can refuse to forgive! It just makes us a fraction of the person we're designed to be.

Who do you need to forgive? Discover the freedom and the peace!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's made others

learn to practice a lot of forgiveness

(in other words, I've caused

more than my fair share of friction,

and I appreciate their grace)

Jan 30 - 1 Pet 1:13

Set all your hope

on the grace that

Jesus Christ will bring you

when he is revealed.

1 Peter 1:13

The meaning of this verse is focused past, present, future, and back to the present.

Past tense: Peter says, "3 By his great mercy [God] has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

What has God already given to us: New birth! Living hope! How? Through a powerful past tense action -- "the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Present tense. Peter says, "8 Although you have not seen [Christ], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy."

Even though we have not ever seen God visibly, we nevertheless love him (presently), we believe in him (present tense), and we rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy (don't you want more and more of this in every moment's present tense?!!!).

Future tense: Why can we "13 hope"? Because Christ will be "13 revealed"!

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul says, "now we see through the glass, dimly, but [through the second coming (or through our own death and trip to heaven before the second coming)] then we will see face to face." 

Back to the Present: Why, then, can we hope -- right now, present tense? We can have hope if and when we "8 believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy."

Why? Because in hoping and believing, "9 you are receiving [the present, active] outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

As Jesus said to doubting Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (John 20:27,29).

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to go

Back to the Present

(A movie like that might not sell

as many tickets as Back to the Future,

but I want present, active Hope and Faith)

9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, 11 inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look! 13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. 15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. 22 Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever." That word is the good news that was announced to you.

Jan 29 - Hebrews 10:24-25

Let us consider how to

provoke one another

to love and good deeds,

not neglecting to meet together,

as is the habit of some.

Hebrews 10:24-25

"Provoke" is a provocative word.

It's also, usually, a bad word.

When someone provokes us, it's usually to anger. They push and push and push until a line is crossed. And then we blame our bad behavior on them.

I love that Hebrews encourages us to provoke others -- to provoke them, indeed, to love and good deeds. We are called to push and push and push one another until there is an explosion of love and service and blessing.

Pay attention to the whole verse, though. There's a context for this wonderfully provocative behavior. It's within the community of "meet[ing] together."

Hebrews isn't inviting us to provoke strangers. Rather scripture invites us to 1) meet together, 2) make family, and 3) nurture family. And whenever a family member seems to be rolling away like the tide, we're called to be provocative. We're called to call them back. And we're called to prompt them toward  God's glorious standard.

In Christ's Love,

a provocateur

(Go love! Go faith!

Go good deeds!)

Jan 28 - 2 Kings 5:17

Naaman said,

"Your servant will no longer offer sacrifice

to any god except the Lord."

2 Kings 5:17

Naaman was a foreign general. He was also a leper. Wanting his general back, Naaman's king sent him to Israel to find a true man of God and a true healing.

Through Elisha, God healed Naaman. But pride almost kept the general from it.

Elisha gave Naaman a simple task of obedience, a humble task of submission. Generals don't like to submit. They like to give orders rather than obey. So do we.

God could have healed Naaman immediately without any water from the Jordan. But it was the permanent condition of Naaman's heart -- rather than the temporary condition of leperous and rotting body -- that God was most concerned about.

In humbling himself, Naaman found physical healing. He also found spiritual healing. When he cried, essentially, "There is no other God except the Lord," he was externally healed and eternally free.

In Christ's Love,

a four star general

(I too often want to go my way 

than submit to God's)

Jan 27 - Acts 12:8

The angel said to Peter,

"Fasten your belt and

put on your sandals."

He did so.

Acts 12:8

Whenever it's time to go somewhere, parents are constantly telling their children to "fasten their [seat] belt" and "put on their [shoes]."

If you had kids, what percentage argued? My kids weren't arguers; they were dawddlers. It often took a half hour to get out the door, in the car, and on the road.

Why is it important for children to obey their parents? Because it's practice for obeying God. 

The role of a good parent is to teach discipline. And good parents don't have to be harsh disciplinarians to do this, but they do have to insist on obedience. Why? Because hearts supple to their earthly father's authority (whom they can see), are more likely to be open to the heavenly Father's authority (whom they can't see).

When Peter was in prison, God said, "Jump!" Heaven said, "Peter, fasten your [seat] belt and put on your [shoes]." If the Apostle's heart hadn't been ready and obedient, he would have remained in prison.

God has somewhere for you to go. It's time! Freely obey and discover God's blessings ... instead of remaining in your self-imposed prison of willfulness.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who has his shoes on

and is ready for an adventure

(Strap me in and send me out)

Jan 26 - 1 Timothy 1:15

Christ Jesus came into

the world to save sinners

-- of whom I am the foremost.

1 Timothy 1:15

Today's lesson introduces us to two sources of power ...

The first is the power of the truth.

• Sin is dark enough to die for. (That's what Christ's sacrifice on the cross is all about).
  
• At the same time, you are valuable enough to die for. (That's what the cross is all about too! For God so loved ... you!)

When we walk the balance beam between the horror of sin and the wonder of grace, we experience, power, freedom, and grace. 

• Respecting the horror of sin keeps us away from too much sin and too much drama ... and thereby reduces our exposure to some of the sting caused by our own sin.
  
• Simultaneously, the wonder of grace releases us from too much guilt and shame. (Now ... a little guilt and shame is healthy. It's a check on our dastardliness. But too much guilt is a prison. Christ has set you free!)

The second source of power in this passage is the gift of humility. Why was Paul such an effective evangelist? Because he was honest about his own weaknesses and sin. (And he was a Saint!!!) If we're honest with ourselves, we're not perfect "saints." Confessing our sins keeps us humble. Confessing our sins also keeps us from judging others. 

If you want to create a barrier between yourself and God, start judging others. As soon as you start judging, your life becomes either proud or futile, either "I'm better" or "I'm helpless."

Discover the power along the balance beam between the horror of sin and wonder of grace. So that you don't judge others, start confessing that you're the "foremost" sinner. And then rejoice magnificently that you are loved, forgiven, and saved.

In Christ's Love,

a gymnast

(I want to walk the balance beam,

but I don't want to try

to bend over backwards anymore.

How young do you think I am?!)

 

Jan 25 - Exodus 33:7-19

Moses used to take the tent (of meeting)

and pitch it outside the camp ...

And everyone who sought the Lord

would go out to the tent of meeting ...

Whenever Moses went out to the tent ...

the pillar of cloud would descend

and stand at the entrance of the tent,

and the Lord would speak with Moses

... face to face ... and Moses said

"Show me your glory, I pray." 

And [God] said, "I will ..."

Exodus 33:7-19

I love two words and phrases from this passage:

• "[God,] show me," and
  
• "[They] sought the Lord."

Do you hear the hunger?! Moses and the people of Israel wanted God to "descend." They sought his presence. They wanted to see his glory.

The question is: Do you?!

Today's devotion is simple. If you want more power, glory, blessing and light: Pray for it ... Chase after it ... Get hungry and hungrier.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who might as well be from

Missouri -- "the Show Me State."

I want to be a "God, Show Me" kind of guy

  

Jan 24 - Psalm 42:1-2a

As the deer longs

for the waterbrooks,

so longs my soul for you, O God.

My soul is athirst for God.

Athirst for the living God.

Psalm 42:1-2a

I can to the scriptures thirsty this morning. My soul was a little parched. I felt like faith was my work. Psalm 42 reminds me of God's "preventient" work in blessing my faith.

I know. I know. "Prevenient" is a weird, old-fashioned word. It means essentially that God is graciously intervening in my faith and life pre- (before) I ever do.

To put that another way, God acts before I act, in matters of my faith. Indeed, God is more thirsty for a relationship with me than I am for a relationship with him.

• He created the deer.
  
• He created the need and the deer's thirst.
  
• He also created the stream -- the answer to the deer's desperate prayer.

God is acting preveniently in our lives too ...

• He created you (and me) as his precious children.
  
• He created our spiritual need and thirst.
  
• He also created the answer to our most desperate prayers -- meaning, hope, joy, pardon, and purpose.

God provides for you and me a river of life which bubbles up into a fountain of joy. Are you as thirsty for that as I am?!

In Christ's Love,

a thirsty deer with

how many points on his antlers

(I'll say it before you do:

I usally don't have a point)

Jan 23 - Ecclesiastes 7:29

God made human beings straightforward,

but they have devised many schemes.

Ecclesiastes 7:29

I love that verse ... and the obvious question is:

• Are you straightforward?
  
• Or is your heart a little crooked?

I almost said, "Are you a little twisted?" But "twisted" has earned an almost positive reputation. In modern advertising, "twisted" means brash, bold, unexpected, and wonderfully unconventional.

Have you ever been attracted to "twisted"? It's an axiom in theater that the evil character is much more fascinating than the bland good guy. That's true in high schools too. Dangerous is intriguing.

A better question today is ...

• Who makes us straightforward?
  
• Who twists our hearts?

Since God is the first answer, we might assume that the anti-god, Satan, is the second answer. It's not. Scripture says it's you and me that devise schemes. Yes, we may get tempted, but it's us how acts.

If you want a more straightforward, honest, blessed, and productive life, draw closer to the one who is level, straight, and true.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to be

less of a pretzel

Jan 22 - Mark 1:15 part 4

 "At last the time has come!"

[Jesus] announced.

"The Kingdom of God is near!

Turn from your sins

and believe this Good News!"

Mark 1:15 NLT

The first two actions in this verse belong to God -- 1) at last he brings his plans to fulfillment and 2) he draws nearer and nearer to each of us. The final two actions, however, belong to us.

Yesterday, I addressed "the easier" of the two. In actuality, a vitality of faith may or may not be easier than repentance, but to a new believer, it probably sounds easier. Belief sounds like intellectual assent -- "yes, I acknowledge God" -- but repentance demands that we do something. Indeed, it demands that we change (and most of us don't like change).

I very purposefully chose the New Living Translation for today's reading of this verse. In Matthew's version of this same first sermon, Jesus says, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near" (Mt 3:2 NLT).

Turn from your sins

and turn to God.

I love that translation of "repentence." And logically, repentence absolutely belongs before belief. We can't believe in God, before we turn to him. And we can't fully turn to him, until we've turned away from sin, darkness, and the ways of the world. 

The problem is that most of us dabble. We dabble in faith; we dabble in sin. We dabble in the world; we dabble in church. And then we wonder why we lack power, purpose, focus, and direction.

Do you want something bigger and better? Go back to the first line, "At last [your] time has come."

This can be your time.

Turn away from the world and turn to God.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's like an old record player

(I want to turn and turn and turn ... to him)

Jan 21 - Mark 1:15 part 3

Jesus said,

"The time is fulfilled, and

the kingdom of God is at hand!

Repent, and

believe in the Good News."

Mark 1:15 HNV

For the third day in row, we're focusing on Mark 1:15.

Notice who acts to accomplish phrases one and two: God!

• All time belongs to God. Therefore, when God's prophecy is fulfilled, it is God who is bringing his owns plan to completion.
  
• Secondly, when Jesus says, "the kingdom of God is at hand," he's saying that God is making himself available to us.

Now look at phrases three and four. Who is called upon to act now? Us

• Jesus calls us to repent.
  
• He invites us to believe.

Today we're going to focus on the fourth phrase -- "believe." Jesus is inviting us to believe that 1) the time is indeed fulfilled, and that 2) God presence and power really are at hand.

But it's more than that. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus is inviting the world to believe everything that will be revealed through his ministry ...

• He wants us to believe in his power -- he healed the sick and raised the dead. 
  
• He wants us to follow his wisdom, taking all of his teachings to heart.
  
• He wants us quit being legalistic like the Pharisees and show compassion to the poor and outcast and sinners.
  
• The King who knelt down to wash dirty human feet, wants us to serve rather than be served.
  
• He wants us to confess our sins, as we contemplate sin's real horror as it led to the blood-stained cross.
  
• He wants us to believe in the freedom that comes from his resurrection.

God's action is love. In mercy and grace, our Lord stepped off the throne, came humbly to earth, died for your sins, and rises in victory. Our action is simply to accept his love, grace, and sacrifice.

That's what belief is. It's more than believing that he did certain wonderful things; it's forging a relationship and trusting that he still acts in power and grace.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who sings old Monkees songs

(get it? I'm not singing "Last Train to Clarksville,

but "I'm a Believer.")

Jan 20 - Mark 1:15 part 2

Jesus said,

The time is accomplished and

the kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe the gospel:

Mark 1:15 RHE

Yesterday we focused on the first phrase of Mark 1:15. Using the NIV translation, I ask if your "time has come," if your moment for deeper faith has been sparked?

The next phrase is a simple assurance:

When you're ready,

the Lord is ready too.

His "kingdom is at hand." It's right here. It's waiting for you. Do you see it?

We often don't see it. Why? Because we're looking for the wrong thing. We're looking for a neon sign ... a change of fortune ... or a tingling feeling. The kingdom is not energy, events, or emotions. The kingdom of God is a person -- Jesus Christ. Seeing the kingdom comes from establishing a relationship.

When young people date, they say, "I'm seeing John" and "I'm seeing Mary." Seeing implies a relationship. In fact, John and Mary might live on two different continents. They may only "see" each other once every six months, so why do they say they're seeing each other? It's because they have a committed relationship.

If you want to see the kingdom that is truly hand -- barely a half inch away -- it begins with a relationship. When you're ready, the Lord is ready too.

In fact, the whole reason Jesus came to earth was to ask you on a date. He wants to see you. And he wants you to see him.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's seeing someone

in addition to his wife

-- and wants to see more