My Warrior God - January 31 Readings: Exodus 15-16, Matthew 20, Psalm 18:19-25, Proverbs 3:34-35

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One of the best reasons to read the Bible through is to learn who God really is as he is revealed in the Word. There are times that God is confusing and his actions baffling. But we must encounter the real God, the God of the Bible, and conform our lives to him. We must not seek to make God fit into our preconceptions. 

Americans who get their ideas from popular culture and opinion will find Exodus 15:3 to be very strange. This verse is a part of the song of victory which Moses and the Israelites sang after God crushed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea. Think about that for a second. God caused thousands of men to be drowned at the bottom of the Red Sea! Does that fit with modern ideas about God?

We like to emphasize God's love and mercy, and well we should. God's love motivated him to provide a path of salvation and forgiveness for sinners like you and me. He does not treat us as our sins deserve, but seeks and saves the lost. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! But we cannot look at God's love alone and pretend that there are not more aspects to the character of God. He is love, but his love is only understood and appreciated when you understand the panoply of God's character.

Exodus 15:3 reveals another side of God, one we must not forget.

"The Lord is a warrior. Yahweh is his name."

God is a warrior. He fights, does battle, goes to war. If that seems strange to you, then perhaps your understanding of God has been shaped by something other than the Word. Our God is great and mighty. He makes war against his enemies and he destroys them. When Pharaoh hardened his heart, God brought plagues on Egypt, plundered them for the good of his people, then deposited his army at the bottom of the sea.

Our God makes war against his enemies, those who stand against him, and he utterly defeats those enemies. Satan set himself against God and one day will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever. He may roam this earth seeking whom he may devour but our Warrior God has triumphed over him and settled his destiny. Nations have stood in opposition to God's purposes in the earth and have crumbled. :Evil men have thought they could rule and force their will on God's world, but he brings them down to the dust.

But God has also gone to war against my sinful flesh. God created me, and my body, to give glory to him and to serve his purposes. My sinful flesh lives in rebellion against those divine purposes and is constantly drawn to the ways and things of this world. My fleshly mind so easily succumbs to Satan's lies and my body seeks the pleasures of sin instead of the things of God. 

But God has defeated my flesh. Like Satan, my flesh still lives and it still opposes God. But just as Satan's destiny was settled when Jesus went to the cross, so was the destiny of my flesh. Jesus died not only so that I could be forgiven of my sin, but so that I could be freed from its dominion. One day, my redemption will be complete and my sin will be forever destroyed. Today, God's Spirit is at work in me, doing battle against Satan's lies and my body's desires, to produce the righteousness of Christ in me. 

My God is a warrior, strong, mighty and victorious. Nothing can stand against him. Satan tried and has utterly failed. Human beings can oppose God but they cannot defeat him! And God also has engaged in battle with the sin that plagues my life and will utterly destroy it. 

My God is a WARRIOR!

Father, may I come to understand you as the Word reveals you. You are love, but you are also a God of holiness and purity. You are a God who has set himself against all sin, including the sin in my life. I long for your victory to be complete. Today, may your victory over my sin be a reality in my life moment by moment. May I live in the victory you provide. 

When Jesus Evangelized - January 30 Readings: Exodus 13–14, Matthew 19:16–30, Psalm 18:12–18, Proverbs 3:32-33

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The story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19) has been used to make some very wrong conclusions. No, it does not teach that we are saved by following the rules encoded in the law. And no, we do not have to give away everything we own to come to Jesus. In fact, this passage does not even teach that God loves poor people more than rich people. None of those common ideas are the point of this passage. 

But it does make some important conclusions, ones that we need to remember as we come to Christ and as we lead others to him. 

First, we cannot hold on to our idols as we come to Christ. The problem with the rich young ruler was not that he was rich, but that he loved his riches. He wanted to be right with God, but not enough to give up his wealth and privilege. Money was his idol, and Jesus confronted that. 

When you come to Christ, you repent of your sins and yield your life to Christ. You cannot open your arms to Christ while continuing to hug your idol! Christ becomes Lord of our lives when we trust him, and there is no room for the god Ego (worship of self), or Mammon (devotion to money and things money buys), or Venus (love of pleasure, of sex) or any other modern version of the pagan gods. 

Second, it is important to note that Jesus was strict in his evangelization of the rich young ruler. This young man came to him wanting to have eternal life, but Jesus would not discount the gospel to gain a convert. He held the line. If you would come to me, Jesus said, you must leave behind the false gods you have worshiped. We err when we offer people God's salvation while they continue their devotion to other things, other gods. Jesus let this young man walk away - sorrowful perhaps, but not repentant. 

In my recent trip to Senegal, I saw this illustrated clearly. The people with whom we shared Christ were almost uniformly positive toward Jesus. They liked him and they liked the stories about him. But most were not willing to give up the "bashin" - the false gods of animism that they worshiped. To follow Christ is to reject the bashin, both in West Africa and in Sioux City!

Finally, salvation is of God, not of works or human effort. In the long run, we all fall short. Rich or poor. Black or white or any shade in between. Male or female. Whatever language or tribe or nation. Salvation is impossible in and of ourselves. Fortunately, with God, all things are possible (19:26). 

That verse is badly misapplied and misused as a personal motivational tool. "I can do whatever I want to do because with God, all things are possible." While it is true that God empowers and enables everything he calls us to do, this passage is not about motivation or attaining our personal goals. It is about salvation. 

Salvation is impossible for all of us because of the idols that hold our hearts. Love of self, of money, of pleasure, of power, of success. But God can take our sinful hearts and overwhelm them with his love. He can free us of these impure passions so that we may put our faith wholly in him. 

With God, it is possible!

Father, I thank you that you saved a sinner like me. Forgive me for those times I try to return to the idols of this world when you deserve all of my worship. But I thank you that not only is your saving power sufficient for me, but it is sufficient for every man or woman on earth, no matter how sinful, hardened or self-righteous they might be. I thank you that the Great Commission task you have given us is possible because of your power and grace. 

Death, Life and the Passover - January 29 Readings: Exodus 10-12, Matthew 19:1-15, Psalms 18:5-11, Proverbs 3:30-31

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There are few places where foreshadowings of the work of Christ are clearly seen than in the Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. There is so much in the story of the death angel passing over that directly prophecies Jesus' Passion - his death, burial and resurrection and their effect on us. Today, I am simply going to list some of those truths. 

1. 11:1 The last and the greatest of the plagues was death. The greatest enemy we face is death, both physical death and spiritual/eternal death. Not only does physical death destroy life, separate families and end hope, but it is symbolic of spiritual death with ends life and hope for all eternity. Death is the greatest plague on all humanity. 
2. 11:4-5 Death affects all people, high to low, rich and poor, regardless of wealth, talent or other human issues. It is appointed to each of us to die once. All of us are under the same sentence of death. No one can escape it. 
3. 11-12 God has made a way of salvation for us. The distinction between those who live and those who die is whether they follow the way of salvation God gives. 
4. 11:9 God displayed his wonders in Egypt through the salvation of Israel while he poured out judgment on Egypt. Nowhere is God's glory and power more fully displayed than in the salvation of the lost by his love and power. 
5. 12:1 Israel's calendar was to begin at the Passover. Life only really begins when Jesus Christ redeems us from our sins. Death is the last plague. The Passover is the beginning of life. 
6. 12:1-7 A blood sacrifice was required to shield the Israelites from death. Jesus died as our Passover Lamb, bearing our sins and dying in our place. There is no salvation, no forgiveness outside of the blood of Christ, our eternal sacrifice. 
7. 12:5 The sacrifice must be unblemished. Only the sinless Son of God was able to atone for our sins, since he had none of his own to die for. 
8. 12:7 The blood must be applied to the house to be effective. It was not enough that the sacrifice was made, the blood must be applied. Yes, Christ died for our sins, but that blood must be applied when, by repentance and faith, we come to Christ for salvation. It is not enough that Christ died for all. It is not even enough to believe that Christ died for you. I must repent and believe in Jesus that the blood might be applied to my "house." 
9. 12:10 The Israelites were to consume all of the sacrifice; no leftovers. We receive Christ as Lord of all. Jesus is not to be a part of our lives, but to be life itself! We cannot take a little of Christ, or a part of him. We receive all of him!
10. 12:13 The distinguishing mark between those who would die and those who would live is the blood on the doorposts. We are not better than others - self-righteousness has no place among the saved. We are different only because of the Blood applied to our lives!
11. 12:14-16 The Passover was to be continually and faithfully memorialized among God's people. We ought to continually celebrate what Jesus has done for us by his death, burial and resurrection. Glory to God for his Son our Savior!
12. The blood WORKED. There is no record of a single death among Israel. Those who are covered by the blood live. We can rejoice that Jesus saves, he transforms and he never casts us away. Those of us covered by the Blood of Christ live!

There are so many points that could be made. These are just some highlights.

We praise you, our Father, that you were willing to give your Son as the sacrifice for our sins; that you were willing to apply his blood to us so that the death angel might pass over us and we might live; that you have given us a path of salvation to free us from what our sins deserve. You are worthy to receive all praise!

Refusing Forgiveness - January 28 Readings: Exodus 8-9, Matthew 18, Psalm 18:1-4, Proverbs 3:27-29

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Every day, millions upon millions of Christians attempt to prove that the Bible is not true. Oh, no, they would never question whether God made the world or whether there was a flood. They would affirm that Jesus walked on water and healed the sick. But there is one teaching of Scripture that many millions want to ignore and attempt to prove its message false.

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant is just one place where this principle is taught. It is found in the Sermon on the Mount and many other places in Jesus' teachings. The truth is reiterated by Paul. Simply put, those who wish to receive the forgiveness of God must be willing to extend that forgiveness toward those who have sinned against them.

I'd love to know what situation prompted Peter to ask how many times he had to forgive his brother, but he was feeling magnanimous when he offered to forgive his as many as seven times, in Matthew 18:21. Forgiving someone seven times? That's nothing to sneeze at! But Jesus raised the stakes on forgiveness. No, he said, in verse 22. We do not just forgive 7 times, but seventy-seven times. (There is some question whether he meant 77 times, or 70 times 7.) The point is that our forgiveness of others needs to reflect the forgiveness of Christ - unmerited, unstinting, and limitless.

Jesus told the story of the man who was forgiven a massive debt by the king, approximately 20 years worth of wages. How did this forgiven man celebrate his freedom? He found a man who owed him a day's wages and demanded payment. Forgiven twenty years of debt, he demanded full payment of one day's wage. He physically assaulted the man and had him thrown in prison when he could not pay up. When the king heard about this he was furious. How could a man to whom he had shown such kindness be so greedy and selfish? His forgiveness was revoked and he was imprisoned until he could pay the entire debt.

Parables are told to make a point. This one makes a very simple point. You cannot ask God to forgive your sins while holding grudges and refusing forgiveness to those who have sinned against you. God's grace cannot be received if it is not also passed on.

And every day, millions of Christians bow their heads and try to prove that God's Word is not true. They pray that God would forgive their sins while holding grudges against those who have hurt and injured them. They ask for grace while refusing to pass it on.

• But you don't understand what he (or she) did to me. 
• Surely God didn't mean to include a sin like this one when he made this rule. 
• God may forgive him (or her) but I never will. 
• How can God ask me to overlook what that person did to me? 

Forgiveness is fundamentally unfair. That person did you wrong. He hurt you. She cheated you. They owe you a debt. But your trespasses and debts have been forgiven by God. You have sinned against him and the blood of his Son has paid the price so that your sins could be forgiven. Your debt is paid. As you did wrong against God and he forgave you, you must forgive those who have wronged you.

You have a choice today. You can hold a grudge. You can hate. You can harbor anger and ill will against those who have hurt you. On a human level, perhaps, you have every right. But what you cannot do is receive God's forgiveness and refuse it to someone else. I cannot say, "God forgive me" while also saying, "I will not forgive."

When you refuse to forgive, you are refusing God's forgiveness. The Bible makes it absolutely clear that we can't have it both ways. It says so here, in this parable. It says so when we pray, "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to forgive others "as God in Christ has forgiven us."

Matthew 6:14-15 states this principle clearly.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

There is nothing more supernatural than forgiveness. It is an amazing act of God's grace when we are forgiven, but it is also a mighty work of God's power when we pass that forgiveness on to those who have wronged us. 

Father, I thank you for the forgiveness that you have given me in Christ. Remind me today that forgiveness received must also be forgiveness given. Bring to my mind those who have wronged me, against whom I have anger and bitterness. As you have freed me from the debt of my sin, help me to free them today, forgiving as I have been forgiven. 

When Everything Goes Wrong - January 27 Readings: Exodus 6–7, Matthew 17:14–27, Psalms 17:7–15, Proverbs 3:25-26

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What we do when things don't work out makes all the difference in the world.

In Exodus 7, Moses demonstrated the secret to significance in the Kingdom of God. He had been sent down to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Hebrew people. And that is exactly what he did. He marched into Pharaoh's presence and delivered the message of God.

But things did not work out as Moses had expected. Pharaoh did not yield to God's authority and issue an immediate release to the Israelites. No, he was infuriated by Moses' hubris and issued a decree to make the Hebrews work harder than it had been.

Moses was quickly the most hated man in Goshen.

But what he did next made all the difference. He persevered. He continued to obey God even when it was hard. God had called him to free Israel and he would not give up on God's purposes. He was discouraged, frustrated and angry - mostly at God. But he turned to God and received encouragement.

Perseverance is the key to Kingdom success. We seem to believe that the Christian life ought to be easy and simple, that no opposition or difficulty should arise. Nothing could be further from the biblical truth. God's work is always hard. It is always opposed. It is always perilous. But the man or woman of God who wishes to do great things in God's kingdom must continue in spite of the hardships.

Moses went to Pharaoh with this promise from God.

Now you are going to see what I will do to Pharaoh: he will let them go because of My strong hand; he will drive them out of his land because of My strong hand. Exodus 6:1

Today, the work of God goes forward. It is going to be hard and you can count on the opposition of Satan and the sinful world. They will not give up ground easily. But God is still  on the throne and has promised to those endeavoring to obey the great task he has given us, "I will be with you always." The only hope of success in a task as big as ours is that we would persevere through every hardship and struggle until God's displays his power.

Lord, may we persevere through every hardship and trial, as Moses did, until you accomplish your work in us and display your power to us. 

"Get Someone Else" January 26 Readings: Exodus 3–5, Matthew 17:1-13, Psalm 17:1–6, Proverbs 3:23-24

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In Exodus 3, Moses saw something that no one in the history of humanity has seen except him - a bush that was engulfed in fire but was not being consumed. It was the presence of God and Moses knew it, taking off his shoes as God demanded and hiding his face in a fearful awe. Then, God spoke to him out of the fire.

I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Israelites’ cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. (Exodus 3:7-9) 

Moses could not have been happier as he heard the Lord himself reveal his purposes. He had heard the cries of suffering of his people Israel and was moved by them. The rescue of the people of God was imminent; they would be freed from slavery in Israel and taken the Promised Land that was God's gift to them. This was great news for Moses. He cared about his people, even if he had messed things up completely 40 years earlier as he had tried to do something about it. It is likely that during the forty years of shepherding in Midian he carried a great burden of failure and guilt over his botched attempt at being a deliverer. Now, God was telling him that the time had come and Israel would be delivered.

Moses was thrilled with God's purpose, but he was not so happy about God's personal call on his life. God's speech continued in verse 10.

Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

Suddenly, everything got real.

It was great that God was going to deliver Israel from its slavery, but the part God wanted him to play in the deliverance was most definitely not good. Moses spent the rest of chapter 3 and all of chapter 4 giving God one excuse after the other why he was not the right man for the job, why God should choose someone else. But God was undeterred and finally, Moses acquiesced and agreed to do the job that God had set before him.

The problem was simple. Moses was thrilled with what God was doing, but was not thrilled that God wanted him to be an integral part of that plan.

Sound familiar? Are you happy that God saves sinners from their wickedness? Of course you are. But are you thrilled that God has called you to be the one who shares that message with your family, friends, neighbors and others? Are you happy that there is great openness to the gospel around the world? I bet you are. But are you willing to give sacrificially to aid that process. No, more than that, are you ready to go if God calls?

We are thrilled with the purposes of God, but often we want God to work those purposes through someone else as we remain at ease and in comfort.

 "Do your work, God, just do it through someone else." 

But God's great plan of redemption in this world involves a call to each and every one of us to die to self daily, to take up our cross and to follow Christ. We are not just saved to enjoy Christ, but to make him known in this world.

Father, I thank you for what you are doing in this world. Forgive me for those moments in which I have mimicked Moses, making excuses for my non-participation in your work. Use me, Lord, in your work, according to your purpose and plan. Wherever you want me to go. Whenever you need me. Whatever you call me to do. 

The Gates of Hell - January 25 Readings: Exodus 1–2, Matthew 16, Psalms 16, Proverbs 3:21-22

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In October of 2013 I was privileged to visit Israel with a group of pastors from around the US, led by Dr. Frank Page. One of the more interesting portions of that trip was our visit to Caesarea Philippi, about 25 miles north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee. It was a Roman city, full of pagan shrines. 

T

The dark area at the back of this picture is the opening to the Temple of Pan, a cave from which flows a spring that flows into the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. This was the most important of the shrines in the area (the town was called Baneas or Paneas after the Temple of Pan). The picture below is some of other pagan shrines in Caesarea Philippi. 

In Matthew 16:13, Jesus and his disciples were walking through the Caesarea Philippi area. For Jews who were offended by pagan temples, simply being in "Baneas" with all its shrines must have been intimidating and overwhelming. And there was no subtlety to this town - it was given over wholeheartedly to the worship of the false gods of the Romans. 

It was here that Jesus made one of his most argued statements. It was an exchange with his disciples, especially Peter. He asked them, in verse 13, 

'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

The disciples answered him, 

“Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Then Jesus got to the heart of the matter, 

“But you, who do you say that I am?”

That is when Peter took over and spoke some powerful words. Peter is best known for putting his foot in his mouth, blustering, speaking without thinking. But this time he said the best thing he could possibly say.

“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”

 It is what Jesus said next that has been the subject of debate, and perhaps of misinterpretation, throughout church history.

Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the (gates) of Hades will not overpower it. (16:17-18)

What was the "rock" on which Jesus would build his church? The Catholic church has held that this was Peter's appointment as the first pope, but I believe that Jesus was speaking of Peter's clear confession of Jesus. The church is built on Jesus Christ and the work of God through those who clearly profess and confess him. 

But it is the next phrase I wish to focus on. Jesus said that he would build his church and the gates of hell would not overpower it. What did he mean in that passage? 

What I Learn at Caesarea Philippi

The pagan Romans believed that the gods lived in the Underworld, and the spring at the Temple of Pan was celebrated as a gateway from the Underworld to our world. It was a place where the Roman gods were believed to spring forth to do their work in this world. 

The Temple of Pan was known as "The Gates of Hades (or Hell)." 

If that is true, what might Jesus have meant when he told his disciples that he would build his church and the gates of hell could not stand against it.?  Right there in the center of paganism, Jesus was proclaiming his superiority and supremacy over all of the gods that the Romans honored. He was King of kings, Lord of lords and God of gods. The world might reject him and resist him, but they could never stop him. His work would go on! He will build his church and all the false ideas and false religions will be helpless against him. 

Many are predicting today the end of the church,  the demise of Christianity. They gloat that many are rejecting Jesus, turning away from Christianity and embracing doubt. They are right about that. The last 30 years, especially in America, have shown a massive abandonment of God's authority, God's Word and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

But skeptic, do not get your hopes too high about the end of Christianity. Jesus Christ is Lord over doubt and skepticism. There are still those who confess Christ and he is still building his church. You may rage and scoff, but one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Adherents of false religion, know that Jesus Christ is Lord whether you believe him or not. He has risen from the dead and he is Lord! 

Professing Christians who deny the truth of God's Word, the doctrines of the faith, the reality of Christ's miracles and that Jesus is the only way - your disbelief does not change the fact that it is on THIS rock and this rock alone that God is building his church. 

Jesus' affirmation at Caesarea Philippi was a shot across the bow of false religion, paganism, doubters and scoffers. This itinerant preacher from Nazareth was claiming that the church he would build would be victorious over all, no matter the strength of the opposition or the force of the lies that would flow. 

Know this, my Christian friend. The forces of doubt and disbelief may be strong. They laugh at us, discount our beliefs, scoff at the Word and its teachings. But Jesus is building his church and nothing they do can stand against him. They can rant, but they cannot win. They can doubt, but their doubt does not lessen the power of Christ a bit. 

Jesus is Lord, and there is nothing anyone can do about that. The "gates of hell" can spew forth darkness, and doubt, and lies and evil and perversion to come against the power of Jesus. But Jesus will prevail against all of them and stand supreme as Lord over all. 

It is a sick and sinful world, no doubt about that. But we ought never be afraid or intimidated. We have to deal with their sin, but they have to deal with our Lord! And in every such battle, Jesus reigns supreme. 

We praise you, Lord Jesus, for your power. We stand in awe of you. Millions have doubted you but none have defeated you. Many have denied you, but still you stand supreme. So, we stand with Peter to confess you as Messiah, the divine Son of God sent to save us. And we glory in the victory you have won, waiting expectantly to see the work you will do to build you church, rejoicing in the fact that there isn't a single thing the forces of darkness can do about it. 

Enslaved by the Past - January 24 Readings: Genesis 49–50, Matthew 15:10–39, Psalm 15, Proverbs 3:19-20

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It was a time of grief as they buried their father, but for Joseph's brothers it was also a time of stress and fear. They carried with them the memory of a terrible wrong they had committed against their brother, imprisoning him and selling him into slavery in Egypt. And now their brother was the second most powerful man in the world. 

And dad was not around to protect them anymore!

They were afraid that now that Jacob was gone Joseph might use his power to exact vengeance against them for what they had done to him. Who could blame him, after all? To save themselves, they concocted a lie that Jacob had asked Joseph to show mercy to his brothers. Such a scheme was unnecessary, for Joseph had learned one of life's most important lessons. He told his brothers not to fear him and assured them that he had no intent to rob God's right of revenge. Then, he made an amazing statement of faith in God (in Genesis 50:20). 

You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result.

He believed in the goodness of the God who rules the world, and even though he knew that his brothers had willfully sought to harm him, the power of God changed man's evil into good. He was not holding a grudge or dwelling on the evil that had been done to him. He was dwelling on the goodness of God and the good the he had done in spite of it all. 

There is much in Joseph's response that is worthy of imitation. He dwelt on God's goodness instead of the real (or imagined) hurts from people. He trusted God's sovereign power to bring good out of evil. He refused to usurp God's right to respond to evil. 

But there is one more thing he did that I would like to point out. It is something that many of us do not do - to our own great spiritual harm. 

Joseph put the past in the past!

Too many Christians are living in the past. Some are stuck on mistakes they made in the past and cannot seem to receive the forgiveness God gives. Some are fixated on injuries and hurts, holding onto the bitterness and anger that saps spiritual joy and leaves people in bondage. Some may think that their spiritual successes in the past were enough to carry them through today. 

The past shapes us, gives us memories of both joy and pain. But the past must never control us. Jesus Christ died to free us from the sins of the past - both those we committed and those that were committed against us. Once we come to Christ, we are given the Spirit to renew us day by day, to give us joy, peace, power, victory and grace every day. We must live in God's grace today and not be enslaved by the past. 

Lord, I thank you for every blessing and every challenge of the past, but I thank you that I do not have to be a slave to it. You have broken the chains of sin, you have freed me! May I walk in your grace daily.  

Lip Service to Jesus? January 23 Readings: Genesis 47–48, Matthew 15:1–9, Psalms 14:4–7, Proverbs 3:13-18

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"Jesus is my homeboy!"

Have you seen that t-shirt? Or perhaps you have seen it in a Facebook status. People today are quick to announce their loyalty to Christ, or at least that they think Jesus is cool. Can you remember back to children and youth camps when someone started a chant on one side of the cafeteria to be mimicked on the other side. "We love Jesus, yes we do. We love Jesus, how 'bout you?"

It is great for those who are followers of Jesus to announce their love for him in any way they can. But in Matthew 15:8 Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah as he analyzes the spiritual standing of the people of Israel.

"These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." 

In context, this refers to people who give preferences to the traditions of man over the actual commands of God. But there is a universal principle at work behind this instance. God is more concerned with our inner devotion to him that our outward words.

It is great to honor Christ with our tongues, to sing his praise, to proclaim his goodness, but that is not enough. We must honor him with more than just our lips. He demands that we honor him with our hearts.

Frankly, it is a lot easier for me to SAY I love Jesus than it is to truly love him with a pure and unadulterated devotion. It is easy to sing praises with my voice than it is with my heart. But God is never impressed with empty words that come from impure hearts.

True spiritual change, true spiritual growth; it comes from a work of Jesus that begins on the inside. The process is spelled out in Romans 12:1-2.

God is at work to transform us. He doesn't just want to help us break a few habits, go to church a little more or be a nicer person. He wants to radically change us, to make us like Jesus Christ. He wants to break the hold of sin and cause the righteousness of Christ that has been given to us through the work of Christ in our hearts to be displayed in our lives daily.

He does that through the "renewing of (our) minds." It's not about behavior modification, but about changing the way we think, the way our minds work. How do our minds change? The most important aspect there is the inculcation of the Word of God into our sinful minds.

The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to do the Work of God in the People of God. 

So, when the Spirit of God takes the Word that we read and study, and renews our minds to be like Christ's, then we are changed, no longer conforming to the ways of the world, but being transformed to be like Christ.

There is nothing easy about the process, but it is not a mystery either. Get into the Word of God and seek him in prayer. As you do that, over time, God will bring changes to your thinking that will transform the way you live.

Father, keep me in your word, that your Spirit might remove the lies of the evil one from my thought process and replace it with your truth. Make me more like Jesus every day, so that I will praise you not just with words, but with a pure heart!

When Bad Things Happen - January 22 Readings: Genesis 45-46, Matthew 14, Psalms 14:1–3, Proverbs 3:11-12

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It was one of the more despicable acts of history. John the Baptist was a man of God and a man of courage. He identified sin and called people to repentance - even powerful men like Herod Antipas. Believing he was above both human and divine law, this sinner had taken his brother's wife (Herodias) and committed adultery with her. Neither Herod nor Herodias were going to put up with such hubris - no one was going to call attention to their sin and get away with it!  And they made sure that he did not.

It was Herod's birthday and Herodias sent her own daughter (Herod's niece and step-daughter) out to do a dance that would please him, and likely arouse his passions. Is there anything lower than using your own daughter in such a way? And Herod, who cared little about right and wrong and more about satisfying his desires, fell for it. He offered the young girl any reward she wanted for her dance. With her mother's manipulation, she asked for the Baptist's head on a platter. Herod gave her exactly what she asked for and John was put to death.

There are two sides to this story, of course. On one side you have a man of God who does everything right, who lives with conviction and demonstrates courage. On the other side you have depravity, adultery, whiffs of incestuous lust, scheming and manipulation, and murder. You just can't get any lower than Herod and Herodias, can you?

And they won, didn't they?

The good guy, the man of God, died at the hands of the wicked schemers. They got their way and they got away with it.

That shakes our sensibilities a little bit, doesn't it? We like to think that "what goes around comes around." If you do good things, good things will happen to you. Yes, the Bible says that we will reap what we sow, and that eventually the Righteous God of heaven will dispense perfect justice to all. But the Bible also makes this truth clear:

Very bad things can happen to people, even though they are doing exactly what God called them to do. 

Jesus never sinned, and was brutally crucified on Calvary's tree. Peter, James, Stephen, Paul and every other apostle except for John died martyr's deaths according to tradition. Church history is filled with stories of people who loved God and still suffered horribly for their faith.

The common idea that serving God will guarantee that only good things will fill your life is not from God or his word. We do not serve God as some kind of insurance against any bad thing that happens to us. We serve God because he is God, because he redeemed us from our sins and because it is the right thing to do. Yes, God blesses and he rewards, but he does not guarantee that his servants will escape all earthly pain and suffering.

We are called to obey and to serve the purposes of God, even if that leads to sacrifice and suffering. We are blessed by the presence and power of God, but godliness is no guarantee against suffering. In fact, the world will hate us as it hated Christ. Don't be shocked in a sinful world, child of God, when the world strikes back. And do not be discouraged. The blessing comes to those who persevere to the end.

Know this, though John was killed, he is living today in glory. Though Herodias' scheme succeeded, she now regrets it eternally. To worldly eyes it appeared as if she had won, but eternity changes that perspective.

Doing what is right is no guarantee of worldly success or protection from suffering. But serving God produces an eternal reward that makes any suffering we encounter worth it all.

Lord, forgive me for my deceitful heart that sometimes serves you for selfish reasons - thinking that I can gain worldly reward or avoid suffering for walking in your ways. Instead, let me serve you simply for your glory and for the sake of the Kingdom. If you bless me with good things, I will glorify you. If you bring suffering to me, may I still glorify your name. 

"Because of Their Unbelief" - January 21 Readings: Genesis 43-44, Matthew 13:44–58, Psalms 13, Proverbs 3:9-10

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There are many mysteries in the Word of God, but perhaps the greatest is the juxtaposition of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. If God is in control how can our choices possibly matter? The Bible makes it clear that God is the Author of history and that this world is governed by him. But the Bible also makes it clear that our choices matter and that God somehow responds to what we do, how we act and how we pray. Remember the story of Jonah? God announced impending judgment on Nineveh, but when they repented of their sins, God "changed his mind" about destroying them. Such stories abound in Scripture.  

I am not going to wade into that enigma. This is a devotional, not a theological treatise - if I wrote a thousand pages I could not answer all the questions. I just want to make one simple point. You do not have to deny the sovereignty and authority of God to assert that our prayers matter, our choices matter and that our responses to God's Word and our commitment to the Kingdom matter!

Look at Matthew 13:58. Jesus was at the height of his popularity when he went back to his little village of Nazareth, nestled in the hills of Galilee, to proclaim the same message that was gaining traction everywhere else. But at Nazareth, the people who knew him as a little boy had a hard time accepting him as the Messiah. He was just the son of Joseph and Mary; nobody special and certainly not the Son of God.  

And because of this, because of their lack of faith, because of their rejection of Jesus...

"He did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief."

Because they did not have faith Jesus did not do miracles. Our faith matters. I don't understand how it works, but it is clear that this is true. James 4:2 says, "You do not have, because you do not ask." Does that not clearly teach that there are blessings that each of us would have received if we had taken the time and made the effort to ask God? 

The sovereign God of glory responds to our faith. When we fail to ask, we fail to receive. When we ask, we receive. Of course there are theological depths we cannot plumb here, complexities we cannot explore and might not be able to fathom if we did. Life is a complicated thing! But don't let those complexities and conundrums cause you to miss the key point of this text.

Our prayers matter. Our faith matters. Our choices matter. 

We ought not be like the people of Nazareth who doubted Jesus and missed out on the blessings they might have observed. We must be men and women of faith who pray aggressively and expectantly that God will change lives and hearts all around us. Siouxland needs to see the power and glory of God that is displayed in response to the faithful prayers and hopeful dependence of his people!

Lord, I shudder to think of the blessings I've missed out on because of my lack of faith, my failure to pray and my independence from you. But I now pray in faith that you will do a mighty work at Southern Hills Baptist Church and through us (and other churches and their people) in all of Siouxland. Demonstrate your power, Lord!

When God Seems Deaf - January 20 Readings: Genesis 41-42, Matthew 13:18–43, Psalms 12, Proverbs 3:7-8

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Joseph’s story is both tragic and glorious.  He was Jacob’s favorite son, and that bred jealousy among his brothers.  They sold him into slavery in Egypt – a teenage boy betrayed by his family.  He became a slave to Potiphar, who grew to love him.  Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife also had feelings for him – the wrong kind.  Joseph resisted her advances, but that did not stop Mrs. Potiphar of accusing him of assault.  Joseph ended up spending many years in an Egyptian dungeon.  When he interpreted the dream of Pharaoh’s cupbearer, he had a moment of hope, but that was snuffed as the cupbearer forgot about him for two whole years.

Then, it all changed in one day.  Joseph awoke one morning as a slave and went to bed that night as the second most powerful man in the world.  Pharaoh had a restless night, dreaming about cows and ears of grain.  The dreams troubled him.  As he discussed them, the cupbearer suddenly remembered Joseph, who interpreted his dream.  Joseph was summoned, interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, and advised Pharaoh about how to handle the lean years that were to come.  Pharaoh decided that because of Joseph’s wisdom, he would be the perfect man to be Egypt’s second-in-charge.  What a day for Joseph.

But to get to that wonderful day, Joseph had to go through thirteen years of struggle and hardship. it might have seemed to him that God was deaf to his prayers and had forgotten him, but he had not. Joseph continued to serve God faithfully until the answer came. 

I am often frustrated by how long struggles continue, how slow the victories are to come or my prayers are to be answered. It is easy to look in the mirror and despair, to give up hope, to lose enthusiasm for the battle.  But we must not do that.  We cannot.  God is in charge, and where he is at work there is never any justification to abandon hope. God may be slow but his timing is perfect. 

Remember this: every circumstance in Joseph's life screamed that God's promise was not going to come true; that the visions of his youth would fail. But God was at work even when Joseph couldn't see it or feel it. God was preparing Joseph for the work he had before him. When the time was right, God's plan was revealed.  

God is at work all around us. Often we fail and are uncooperative with that work, but God's work continues. Circumstances may tell you to despair of God's promises, but a man or woman of God learns to live by Gd's word and to serve him faithfully, regardless of what is happening in the world.

God, I trust you.  Sometimes I cannot see what you are doing and I struggle to understand. But like Joseph I want to keep serving you and wait for your timing to reveal your power. Help me to trust you and walk in confidence in what you can do in me!

Believe in Yourself? January 19 Readings: Genesis 39-40, Matthew 13:1–17, Psalms 11, Proverbs 3:5-6

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• Believe in yourself. 
• If you can believe it, you can achieve it. 
• Follow your heart. 
• Trust your conscience.
• You create your own reality. 
• No one can tell you what is right for you - only you can decide that for yourself. 

Whether it is the advice of Yoda or the message of a Disney movie, this is the relentless drumbeat of our culture. The best way - no, the only way - to live life is to believe in yourself, to trust your own instincts and to follow your own heart. This teaching has even been baptized and found its way into the church in recent years, from Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller to modern "therapeutic moral deism" in the pulpit, many have adopted this life philosophy of self-reliance, self-esteem, self-assurance and self-confidence. 

There is no doubt it is a popular one today. We want to hear that we create our own reality, that it is all up to us. I want to be the "master of my fate" and the "captain of my soul." The problem with this is that is runs afoul of the revelation of Scripture - badly so. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a well-known and familiar passage, so much so that we can fail to realize how stark and forceful the message is. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.

This passage speaks of how we are to live our lives, how we choose the paths on which we walk - that is the message of all of Proverbs. But the Word of God gives very different answers than the world does. You will search long and hard from Genesis to Revelation to find anything that even hints of advice to believe in yourself, follow your heart or decide for yourself what is right and wrong. Instead, you find reams of truth more in line with this passage. It makes three assertions followed by one conclusion. 

First, we are to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. To trust means to believe in and rely on, to depend upon. If I am trusting in God, it means that I am living my life based on his resources, his power, his provision and his guidance, not my own. I cannot both believe in myself and believe in God at the same time, no matter how many motivational gurus call me to do so. A Christian must place his faith and trust, his very life, in the hands of the Father in heaven and live in dependence upon him. 

In Hebrew parallelism, Solomon drives home that point by making the opposite point. We must, as we trust in God, not lean on our own understanding. That word is based on the Hebrew root word "between" and has the idea of judging between options, picking between right and wrong. To trust in God requires that I not trust myself or in my own ability to figure out what is right and what is wrong. I am a sinner, and sin has broken my conscience so that my own ability to figure things out and to decide what is right. If I rely on my own conscience and decide right and wrong for myself, I will continually make wrong choices that will lead my life astray. 

The third assertion is that in all my ways I must acknowledge him. I must consciously acknowledge the right of God to have authority and control over every area of my life, over every choice that I make, over everything that I do. He is Lord and I am not. I don't run my own life, but I acknowledge his supreme authority over all. 

When I do these things, when I trust God with all my heart instead of my own understanding and conscience, when I acknowledge his Lordship over every area of life and follow him in obedience, he will "make my paths straight." That doesn't mean it will always be easy. No one can read the Bible and with a straight face say that a Christian has the expectation that life ought to be easy for a follower of Christ. But it does mean that God will guide and direct me in my life so that I can walk in his ways and according to his will. 

That is the life that I want. But it requires that I give up living according to my own wisdom and will, that I reject my own conscience and that I refuse to "believe in myself." I trust in him instead and follow him in all things, then he will direct my paths. 

Father, forgive me for the many times I have followed my own wisdom instead of yours. I trust in you, recognizing that my own wisdom is so flawed and sin-skewed. I acknowledge your right to rule everything in my life. Guide me in your ways as I trust in you.