Whose Mess?
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Posted:Jul 29, 2015 4:46 am
Last Updated:Jul 30, 2015 3:16 pm 33458 Views
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Read: Matthew 15.7-21
Bible in a Year: Psalms 49–50; Romans 1
Out of the heart come evil thoughts . . . . These are what defile a person.
Matthew 15:19-20
“Could they not carry their own garbage this far?” I grumbled to Jay as I picked up empty bottles from the beach and tossed them into the trash bin less than 20 feet away. “Did leaving the beach a mess for others make them feel better about themselves? I sure hope these people are tourists. I don’t want to think that any locals would treat our beach with such disrespect.”
The very next day I came across a prayer I had written years earlier about judging others. My own words reminded me of how wrong I was to take pride in cleaning up other people’s messes. The truth is, I have plenty of my own that I simply ignore—especially in the spiritual sense.
I am quick to claim that the reason I can’t get my life in order is because others keep messing it up. And I am quick to conclude that the “garbage” stinking up my surroundings belongs to someone other than me. But neither is true. Nothing outside of me can condemn or contaminate me—only what’s inside (Matt. 15:19-20). The real garbage is the attitude that causes me to turn up my nose at a tiny whiff of someone else’s sin while ignoring the stench of my own.
Forgive me, Lord, for refusing to throw away my own “trash.” Open my eyes to the damage that pride does to Your natural and spiritual creation. May I have no part of it.
Most of us are farsighted about sin—we see the sins of others but not our own.
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Pensil Battle
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Posted:Jul 28, 2015 4:14 am
Last Updated:May 3, 2024 6:14 am 30002 Views
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Read: Judges 2:11-22
Bible in a Year: Psalms 46–48; Acts 28
They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
Judges 2:19
As I learned to write my letters, my first-grade teacher insisted that I hold my pencil in a specific way. As she watched me, I held it the way she wanted me to. But when she turned away, I obstinately reverted the pencil to the way I found more comfortable.
I thought I was the secret winner in that battle of the wills, and I still hold my pencil in my own peculiar way. Decades later, however, I realize that my wise teacher knew that my stubborn habit would grow into a bad writing practice that would result in my hand tiring more quickly.
Return to the Lord; He is gracious and merciful.
rarely understand what is good for them. They operate almost entirely on what they want at the moment. Perhaps the “ of Israel” were aptly named as generation after generation stubbornly insisted on worshiping the gods of the nations around them rather than the one true God. Their actions greatly angered the Lord because He knew what was best, and He removed His blessing from them
(Judg. 2:20-22).
Pastor Rick Warren says, “Obedience and stubbornness are two sides of the same coin. Obedience brings joy, but our stubbornness makes us miserable.”
If a rebellious spirit is keeping us from obeying God, it’s time for a change of heart. Return to the Lord; He is gracious and merciful.
Heavenly Father, You are loving and gracious, and eager to forgive when we return to You. May we pursue you with our whole heart and not cling to our stubborn tendency to want things our way.
First we make our habits; then our habits make us.
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The Checkup
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Posted:Jul 27, 2015 5:15 am
Last Updated:Jul 27, 2015 5:15 am 27190 Views
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Read: Psalm 139:17-24
Bible in a Year: Psalms 43–45; Acts 27:27-44
Search me, O God, . . . and see if there is any wicked way in me. —Psalm 139:23-24
It’s that time of year when I go to the doctor for my annual physical. Even though I feel well and I’m not experiencing any health problems, I know that routine checkups are important because they can uncover hidden problems that if left undiscovered can grow to be serious health issues. I know that giving permission to my doctor to find and remedy the hidden problems can lead to long-term health.
Clearly the psalmist felt that way spiritually. Pleading for God to search for hidden sin, he prayed, “Search me, O God, . . . and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24). Pausing to give God the opportunity for a full and unconditional inspection, he then surrendered to the righteous ways of God that would keep him spiritually healthy.
So, even if you are feeling good about yourself, it is time for a checkup! Only God knows the true condition of our heart, and only He can forgive, heal, and lead us to a cleansed life and productive future.
Lord, You know me better than I know myself. Search the deepest parts of my heart for anything that is displeasing to You. Cleanse me of my wandering ways and lead me in Your good and righteous way.
God’s work in us isn’t over when we receive salvation—it has just begun.
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Speak Up
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Posted:Jul 24, 2015 3:38 am
Last Updated:May 3, 2024 6:14 am 26169 Views
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Read: Luke 22:54-65
Bible in a Year: Psalms 35–36; Acts 25
Having arrested [Jesus], they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. —Luke 22:54
When I hear stories about young people who have been bullied, I notice there are always at least two levels of hurt. The first and most obvious comes from the mean-spirited nature of those actually doing the bullying. That’s terrible on its own. But there’s another, deeper hurt that may end up being even more damaging than the first: The silence of everyone else.
It hurts the one being bullied because they’re stunned that no one will help. That often makes bullies more brazen, leading them to intensify their meanness. Worse, it heightens the embarrassment, false shame, and loneliness of the victim. So it is imperative to speak up for others and speak out against the behavior
(see Prov. 31:8a).
While others may not understand fully, Jesus does.
Jesus knows precisely what it feels like to be bullied and to be left to suffer completely alone. Without cause, He was arrested, beaten, and mocked (Luke 22:63-65). Matthew 26:56 says that “all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Peter, one of His closest friends, even denied three times that he knew Him
(Luke 22:61). While others may not understand fully, Jesus does.
When we see others being hurt, we can ask Him for the courage to speak up.
Make us brave, Lord, for those who need our courage. Help us to speak for others and show them that You know their hurt and loneliness.
The voice of a courageous Christian is an echo of the voice of God.
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Miracle Material
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Posted:Jul 23, 2015 2:58 am
Last Updated:Jul 23, 2015 2:59 am 26110 Views
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Read: Isaiah 46:1-10
Bible in a Year: Psalms 33–34; Acts 24
To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? —Isaiah 40:25
CNN calls a derivative of graphite a “miracle material” that could revolutionize our future. Only one atom thick, graphene is being hailed as a truly two-dimensional material in a 3-D world. One hundred times stronger than steel, it is harder than diamond, conducts electricity 1,000 times better than copper, and is more flexible than rubber.
In and of themselves, such technological advances are neither moral nor evil. But we are wise to remember the limitations of anything we make for ourselves.
Isaiah spoke to a generation who found themselves carrying into captivity gods they had made with their own hands. The prophet wanted the Israelites to see the irony of needing to care for the silver and gold idols they had crafted to inspire, help, comfort, and protect them.
What was true of Israel holds true for us as well. Nothing we have made or bought for ourselves can meet the needs of our heart. Only God, who has been carrying us “from the womb” (Isa. 46:3-4), can carry us into the future.
Father, thank You for the miracle of relationship with You. Help us not to rely on our own efforts, strength, or possessions but instead sense Your loving care for us.
An idol is anything that takes God’s rightful place.
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An Exchange
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Posted:Jul 22, 2015 3:05 am
Last Updated:Jul 23, 2015 2:52 am 26019 Views
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Read: Psalm 32
Bible in a Year: Psalms 31–32; Acts 23:16-3
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. —Psalm 32:5 niv
Jen sat on her patio pondering a scary question: Should she write a book? She had enjoyed writing a blog and speaking in public but felt God might want her to do more. “I asked God if He wanted me to do this,” she said. She talked with Him and asked for His leading.
She began to wonder if God wanted her to write about her husband’s pornography addiction and how God was working in his life and their marriage. But then she thought that it might publicly disrespect him. So she prayed, “What if we wrote it together?” and she asked her husband Craig. He agreed.
While he didn’t say what sin he committed, King David engaged in a public conversation about his struggles. He even put them into song. “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away,” he wrote (Ps. 32:3 . So he said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” (v. 5). Not everyone should go public with their private battles. But when David confessed his sin, he found peace and healing that inspired him to worship God.
Craig and Jen say that the process of writing their deeply personal story has brought them closer than ever. How like God, who loves to exchange our guilt, shame, and isolation for His forgiveness, courage, and community!
Do you need to make an exchange with God of guilt for forgiveness? He is listening.
God forgives those who confess their guilt.
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Be Near
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Posted:Jul 21, 2015 4:27 am
Last Updated:Jul 21, 2015 4:27 am 26182 Views
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Read: Psalm 34:4-18
Bible in a Year: Psalms 29–30; Acts 23:1-15
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.
—Psalm 34:18
My friend was going through some difficult challenges in her life and family. I didn’t know what to say or do, and I told her so. She looked at me and said, “Just be near.” That’s what I did, and later on we started talking about God’s love.
Many times we don’t know how to respond when others are grieving, and words may do more harm than good. Serving others requires that we understand them and find out what they need. Often we can help by meeting practical needs. But one of the best ways to encourage those who are suffering is to be near—to sit beside them and listen.
God is near to us when we call out to Him. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles,” the psalmist says. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit”
(Ps. 34:17-18
By putting ourselves in the shoes of others and allowing our hearts to feel compassion, we can help those who are hurting. We can be near them as God is with us and sit close to them. At the right time, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say, if they are needed.
Who needs my help or for me to sit alongside them this week?
The best way to encourage others may be to just be near.
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Faithful Service
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Posted:Jul 20, 2015 5:48 am
Last Updated:Jul 20, 2015 5:49 am 25996 Views
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Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-10
Bible in a Year: Psalms 26–28; Acts 22
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:3
Having served in World War I, C. S. Lewis was no stranger to the stresses of military service. In a public address during the Second World War, he eloquently described the hardships a soldier has to face: “All that we fear from all the kinds of adversity . . . is collected together in the life of the soldier on active service. Like sickness, it threatens pain and death. Like poverty, it threatens ill lodging, cold, heat, thirst, and hunger. Like slavery, it threatens toil, humiliation, injustice, and arbitrary rule. Like exile, it separates you from all you love.”
The apostle Paul used the analogy of a soldier suffering hardship to describe the trials a believer may experience in service to Christ. Paul—now at the end of his life—had faithfully endured suffering for the sake of the gospel. He encourages Timothy to do the same: “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”
(2 Tim. 2:3).
Serving Christ requires perseverance. We may encounter obstacles of poor health, troubled relationships, or difficult circumstances. But as a good soldier we press on—with God’s strength—because we serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who sacrificed Himself for us!
Dear Father, help me to be faithful in my service to You. Thank You for the strength You provide to help me persevere through suffering.
God’s love does not keep us from trials, but sees us through them.
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Tears Of A
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Posted:Jul 17, 2015 4:04 am
Last Updated:Jul 17, 2015 4:04 am 25702 Views
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Read: Romans 9:1-5
Bible in a Year: Psalms 18–19; Acts 20:17-38
I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. —Romans 9:2
As I sat with four teenagers and a 20-something homeless man at a soup kitchen in Alaska, I was touched by the teens’ compassion for him. They listened as he talked about what he believed and then they gently presented the gospel to him—lovingly offering him hope in Jesus. Sadly, the man refused to seriously consider the gospel.
As we were leaving, one of the girls, Grace, expressed through her tears how much she didn’t want the man to die without knowing Jesus. From the heart, she grieved for this young man who, at least at this point, was rejecting the love of the Savior.
The tears of this remind me of the apostle Paul who served the Lord humbly and had great sorrow in his heart for his countrymen, desiring that they trust in Christ (Rom. 9:1-5). Paul’s compassion and concern must have brought him to tears on many occasions.
If we care enough for others who have not yet accepted God’s gift of forgiveness through Christ, we will find ways to share with them. With the confidence of our own faith and with tears of compassion, let’s take the good news to those who need to know the Savior.
Is there someone you need to talk to about Jesus today?
Sharing the gospel is one person telling another good news.
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Given A Name
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Posted:Jul 16, 2015 3:45 am
Last Updated:Jul 16, 2015 3:46 am 25633 Views
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Read: Matthew 1:18-25
Bible in a Year: Psalms 16–17; Acts 20:1-16
She will bring forth a , and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. —Matthew 1:21
Most families have their own family stories. One in our family has to do with how I got my name. Apparently, when my parents were in the early days of their marriage, they disagreed about what to name their first . Mom wanted a named after Dad, but Dad wasn’t interested in naming a “Junior.” After much discussion, they reached a compromise, agreeing that only if a was born on Dad’s birthday would he be given Dad’s name. Amazingly, I was born on my dad’s birthday. So I was given his name with a “Junior” attached to it.
The naming of is as old as time. As Joseph wrestled with the news that his fiancée, Mary, was pregnant, the angel brought him insight from the Father about naming the Baby: “She will bring forth a , and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Not only would Jesus be His name, but it would also explain the reason for His coming into the world: To take on Himself the punishment we deserve for our sin. His redemptive purpose behind the manger is wrapped up in the perfectly given Name above all names.
May our heart’s desire be to live in a way that honors His wonderful name!
Thank You, Father, for sending Your to rescue us from sin and bring us into relationship with You.
Jesus: His name and His mission are one and the same.
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