Bickering Babies! August 31, Readings: Isaiah 11-12, 1 Corinthians 3, Psalm 103:10–16, Proverbs 21:24–25

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Okay, I've got a problem here today. My job is to find a nugget or passage or thought from the Scriptures to focus on every day. Often something jumps out at me. Sometimes its a real stretch. But today there are two points that need to be made and I'm not going to choose between them!

The Greatest Verse in the Bible!

Of course, that is a silly statement since there are so many great verses throughout God's Word. But for a person like me, so prone to sin and failure, Psalm 103:10 is about as good as it gets.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

    nor repay us according to our iniquities.

The last thing anyone ought ever demand is that we be treated as we deserve. We are sinners who stand in rebellion against the authority of God and the wages of such sin is death. Physical death. Eternal death. Separation from God and an eternity under God's wrath. To "get what I deserve" from God would be a horror beyond words. 

That is not what God does. He does not deal with us as our sins deserve, but in Christ he grants us grace. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so that we could live in forgiveness and experience the goodness of God instead of his terrible justice. 

It just doesn't get any better than that!

The Mark of Maturity

What is it that marks a mature Christian? Is it a deep knowledge of the Bible and theology? It is a conformity to a certain set of lifestyle guidelines? Can it be measured by a level of activity in the church - leadership positions, teaching, service? Of course each of these has its place. A knowledge of the Bible is foundational to all Christian growth. We should be conformed to Christ and live in obedience to him. We ought to be devoted to the people of God. But Paul had something else in mind when he spoke of spiritual maturity, in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. 

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh.

After leading off with encouragement in chapter 1, Paul said some harsh things to the Corinthians about their sinful attitudes. Here he accused them of being immature Christians who lacked spiritual patterns of thinking. We are born with a mind bound to the flesh and to sin. Christ comes in and begins to reprogram us, to give us "the mind of Christ" so that we think biblically, spiritually, in accord with the character and purposes of God. 

That had not yet happened in the Corinthians. They were still immature in their thinking, unspiritual, fleshly. But what was the marker of that immaturity? Paul makes that clear in verses 3-4. 

For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

Jealousy. Strife. Division. Dissension. Schism. Immature Christians tend to divide over secondary issues, especially personalities. I like this preacher. I like that. I'm into this teaching. I'm into that. I'm loyal to this. I'm loyal to that. Some of the Corinthians were followers of Paul. Some followed Apollos. Paul identified this as immaturity. 

Let me make this as plain as I can. A divisive, angry, schismatic spirit is a marker of spiritual immaturity. Mature Christians seek unity with other believers, even those with whom they disagree, who have different backgrounds, loyalties and preferences. The tendency for schism comes from the flesh and is evidence of spiritual immaturity. 

It is one of the most amazing moments in history, as Jesus looked down from the cross at the soldiers who had nailed him there and were now casting lots to divide his garments. "Father, forgive them," he prayed. Jesus, even in his pain, was about forgiveness and mercy.

Mature Christians mimic the grace of Jesus Christ. They seek to love and forgive and serve. They do not let little things, secondary issues, personal loyalties or preferences to become points of division in the Body of Christ. 

Father,  thank you for dealing with me on the basis of grace and not according to my own works. I have received life I didn't deserve instead of the death I did. May I also live in maturity, seeking unity in the Body of Christ instead of schism. 

Why Can't They Hear? August 30, Readings: Isaiah 9-10, 1 Corinthians 2, Psalm 103:1–9, Proverbs 21:21–23

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Why can't he understand? Why won't she listen?

Have you ever beat your head against the wall wondering why someone you love can't seem to get the beauty of your faith in Jesus Christ? You share the gospel and they either just don't get it or they think it is some kind of fairy tale. To you, it is everything - Jesus is life and hope and joy. And he is very real. But for this person you love and care about, nothing seems to sink in.

There is a reason for this, one that Paul explained in detail in 1 Corinthians 2. The message we share, the gospel we preach, the truth we proclaim from the Word we believe - it is "God's hidden wisdom." (Verse 7) We are not talking about some kind of gnostic secret only known to the initiated. This wisdom has been publicly proclaimed and it is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. But God reveals these things by the Spirit (verse 10) and only those who have received the Spirit (verse 12) can understand and process this truth from God.

It is not that we who believe are smarter or more noble than those who do not believe. That was made clear in chapter 1. The difference is that we have received the Spirit of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the Spirit has opened our minds to the truth of God.

He is the Spirit of Truth, the one who reveals the things of God to the people of God. The disciples went everywhere with Jesus but never understood him. They were constantly falling all over themselves in confusion, saying foolish things and misunderstanding even Jesus' simplest teachings. Then, at Pentecost, the Spirit fell on them and suddenly they understood it all. Peter, the disciple voted "Most Likely to Say Something Stupid" three years running, suddenly stood up before the hostile crowd, delivered the gospel with clarity and power and 3000 souls were saved.

It is not that your lost friend or family member will not listen and believe. The minds of the unbelieving have been blinded by Satan and are in slavery to his lies. It is only when the Spirit of God opens our minds and hearts that we are able to understand the truth, believe God and follow his word.

Our job is to proclaim God's truth clearly, consistently, and comprehensively. We must tell everyone the truth of Jesus Christ. We must love them with the love of Christ and live in the power of Christ that they might see. But ultimately, we cannot coerce or even convince people. Only the Spirit of God can open the sinful mind. We preach and then we pray, "Lord, may your Spirit convince them of your truth."

Father, thank you for your Spirit who guides us into all truth. May he not only teach me that truth, but use me to proclaim that truth as he opens the eyes and hearts of those who need you. 

No Boast but Christ - August 29, Readings: Isaiah 7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18–31, Psalm 102:24–28, Proverbs 21:19–20

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Wouldn't it be great if LeBron James got saved. Or Taylor Swift. Or Tom Brady. Or Bill Gates. Somehow, it makes us feel better when the rich, the famous, the talented or the powerful come to Christ. And it would be great.

But it is not the way that the kingdom of God works. Yes, God has saved some important people - politicians, celebrities, athletes, businessmen - and has used them in his work. But that is not his usual mode of operation.

He is a redeemer, not a talent scout. God does not go looking for the best and the brightest who can do great things to help him. God selects ordinary people and does extraordinary things through them - by his grace and for his glory.

In one of my favorite passages of Scripture, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, and it spells out exactly who God chooses for his kingdom, and why.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

It was really not a great compliment to the Corinthians, but it is an important point. Not many among them were highly educated or intelligent. God wasn't looking for college professors to populate his kingdom. Not many were powerful. God has all the power the kingdom needs and ours is irrelevant to him. God did not choose many among the nobility. Human distinctions tend to lead to pride and that hinders the work of God. 

No, God chose the foolish things to make the smart look stupid. He chose what is weak so that he could demonstrate his power through them. He chose that which the world disdains as insignificant and used them to bring the rich and influential to their knees. 

He states his reasons for doing things this way; two reasons that are actually two sides of the same coin. God works so that the redeemed are left with absolutely no reason to boast. I am nothing without my Savior - he is everything. I can be only that which he makes me and do only that which he empowers. It all comes from God and he deserve the praise. 

Oh, but we do boast! The redeemed boast in Christ and about Christ. It borders on the blasphemous for me to boast in myself, but it is also wrong to fail to brag on the amazing work of Christ's grace. 

The kingdom of God is not about us, our talents, abilities and efforts. It is about God and what he can do in us and through us. 

Father, it is all about your Son! He paid for my sins and gave me life. You chose me for your glory, to doing your work in me. For that I praise you today.

Under Construction - August 28, Readings: Isaiah 6, 1 Corinthians 1:1–17, Psalm 102:17–23, Proverbs 21:16–18

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Paul started a lot of churches. He had great churches like Philippi and Ephesus that brought him constant joy, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit and a passion for the gospel. He had the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what he preached was true. He started churches in Thessalonica, Galatia and all over the Roman world. Each one was important and precious to him.

And then there was Corinth, the dysfunctional family of God. We can deduce that Paul wrote 4 letters to Corinth, two in addition to two we have in the New Testament. One he referred to as his "painful letter" - which is amazing because 1 and 2 Corinthians were hardly Hallmark Cards.

But in his greeting, which opened the letter of 1 Corinthians, Paul made some amazing statements about the Corinthian church.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Paul spent the rest of the book confronting the sin of the church at Corinth.

• He confronted the disunity and schism that was so prevalent among the Corinthians in chapters 1-4. 
• Chapter 5 addressed the immorality that was not only permitted, but even prized. They were so full of "grace" they arrogantly accepted unrepentant sinners into their fellowship. 
• They brought shame to Christ by taking one another to court, in chapter 6. 
• In the same chapter Paul returned to the embrace of sexual immorality within the church. 
• Chapter 7 discusses problems in their views of marriage and chapters 8-10 talk about their attitudes toward disputable issues. 
• In chapter 11, Paul discusses both the impropriety in worship at Corinth, especially in regard to gender roles and he also gives a powerful rebuke about their how they profaned the Lord's Supper. 
• Chapters 12-14 delve into their dysfunctional appropriation of spiritual gifts, focusing on self-aggrandizement instead of building up the Body of Christ. 
• Chapter 15 regales the importance of the resurrection in the face of the fact that Corinth was tolerating those who denied this fundamental truth. 

1 Corinthians is all about correcting problems in the church. But in verses 4-9, he affirmed them and the work that God was doing in them. He was thankful for the grace God had given them, which had enriched them in every way. Every problem they had was solvable, not because of their potential but because of the riches of God's grace at work within them. He was confident that they had the spiritual resources that they needed and that God would be faithful and would strengthen them in every way.

Is Paul lying? Is he just flattering these people? Or was he confident that God was going to work in them? It seems that even as he rebuked them he determined to encourage them. His intent was not to disdain or savage them, but to help them to take a step toward what was better. Encouragement is always the foundation for rebuke and criticism. con

When I arrived in Tequesta, Florida, for my first ministry position, the church was in the middle of a building project. The new sanctuary was under construction and it was a complete mess. It was filthy and debris was strewn around everywhere. There was a sunken area in the front of the sanctuary and water had collected there - it was dirty brown with nasty stuff floating in it.

But never once did anyone walk into the sanctuary and complain about the mess. "Wow, this is going to be beautiful when it is done." They saw it in terms of what it would be when it was finished, not simply according to the mess that was there. As they continued to process of construction, everyone had their eyes focused on the finished product.

That's how Paul did it. He saw the Corinthians in terms of what they would be when Christ was finished with them, even as he performed the necessary spiritual construction tasks.

That is how we ought to treat one another. The process continues as God works on us to make us like Christ and make the church what it is supposed to be. But in the meantime, we look for the best in one another. Love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  We look at what God can do; no, what God will do!

Father, help me to see other believers in terms of what you are doing in them and what they will be when you are finished. 

The Moral Negative - August 27, Readings: Isaiah 4-5, Romans 16, Psalm 102:10–16, Proverbs 21:14–15

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America is a “Culture of the Moral Negative.” 

I am not talking about “negativity,” the bogie-man of the new age.   Actually, I am convinced negativity can be honorable.  Of God’s ten laws, eight of them are stated in the negative.  “Thou shalt not.”  That is an 80% negativity rate.  Flawed human beings need limits to inhibit our sinful behavior. Negativity is not all bad. 

I am talking about the kind of negative you develop a picture from (back in the old days before these new-fangled digital cameras took over).  On the photographic negative, dark colors appear as light and light looks dark.  The image is reversed.  A moral negative exists when right and wrong, good and bad, moral light and dark are reversed.  There have always been people with morally negative consciences.  The culture of the moral negative develops when this kind of conscience becomes prominent in a society.  

In Isaiah 5:20, God spoke through the prophet and said, 

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. 

Woe to the culture of the moral negative. 

Is America such a culture?  Need I even argue the point? Our Supreme Court regularly issues decrees that turn biblical morality on its head. The evil today is not to do evil, but to call evil evil! We’ve watched in horror as one video after another has been released displaying for all to see the unspeakable wickedness of Planned Parenthood, and people defend it as “Women’s health.” We’ve seen the release of stolen data from Ashley Madison evil site, where married people went to have affairs. The shame is just beginning to descend. Evangelism is called hate speech, tolerance of evil is seen as a virtue, and our government leaders have begun to restrict many of our most precious freedoms. Dark is light and light is dark. We have become a nation of the moral negative.

A couple came into my office asking if I would do their wedding at our church. We talked for a while and I figured out that they were not living their lives in accordance with the Scriptures – not even close. I said that I didn’t think I could perform their marriage unless they were willing to submit themselves to Christ and to the word of God. There was not a hint of shame or sorrow for sin in them. Not a bit. There was a lot of anger. How dare I call their lifestyle and choices into question? “We are good people,” she declared. Think about it. They came into a church to ask a favor and were angry that the church would not compromise its beliefs and convictions for their benefit. They were not willing to bow to Christ, but wanted the church to bow to them. A moral negative.

America has always had its issues. We’d like to see it as a Christian utopia in days gone by, and there is much that has been admirable about our land, but our history with race and the treatment of minorities (blacks, the native peoples) makes the claim of Christian utopia impossible. We’ve always been sinners, in one form or another.

But in recent years, moral depravity has taken us to the brink. Who is to blame? Shall we decry the liberals, the pornographers, the traffickers, the abortionists? Of course, their deeds are evil! But God’s word lays the blame elsewhere. Never blame the darkness for the darkness. We are the light of the world, responsible to reflect the light of Christ into the dark world. We are the salt of the earth. We ought to look within and ask if we are shining the light of Christ and letting the salt of Christ inhibit decay.

Are things hopeless?  Not at all.  Israel, at the end of the period of the Judges, had embraced debauchery in a way that might have made Hugh Hefner blush.  They were a culture of the moral negative.  But, Israel’s greatest days were only about 50 years in the future. 

How did things change?  One man, a prophet named Samuel, gave himself to God and his ways.  He led Israel and proclaimed truth for many years.  He anointed a king who was “a man after God’s own heart.”  David led Israel to its greatest days of glory. 

Nothing is hopeless in this world.  When the Colonies had turned to Unitarianism, skepticism, and spiritual apathy, God visited us with a Great Awakening.  He did it again after the Revolutionary War.  The amazing Welsh revival swam the Atlantic and revived our land at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. 

Will God do it again?  I don’t know.  But we will get nowhere by cursing the negative.  We must recommit ourselves to being the salt and light we were called to be; to proclaim the life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Oh, Father, develop my life into a print of your glory. May your light shine through me and may the salt of Christ never lose its saltiness through me.

 . 

You Mean It's NOT about Me? August 26, Readings: Isaiah 1-3, Romans 15, Psalm 102:1–9, Proverbs 21:11–13

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The words seem kinda strange to our modern ears.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself.  (Romans 15:2-3)

Wait a minute! I thought I was always supposed to live to please myself. Isn't that what we are told? God's word confronts the selfishness and vanity of our world's commonly accepted teachings. When we are bought with the price of Christ's blood we lose the right of self-determination, of self-centeredness, of living to please ourselves above all.

First and foremost, we must live to please the Father in heaven. Our lives are for his glory. He is the audience of our lives and we must seek his applause and his alone. We do not live to please ourselves. In that sense, we do not even live to please others. The applause and appreciation of man is a fickle thing. We live for God's glory alone.

But as we live for the glory and pleasure of God, we also live our lives in the service of others. This is not to say that we make ourselves slaves to the opinions or approval of others, but that as Christ laid down his life for us, so we lay down our lives for others. We serve them. We bless them. We seek to lead them to Christ and help them grow in his grace.

We are servants first of God and then of other people.

In this specific context, Paul is talking about the way we express our freedom in Christ. In chapter 14, he talked about how each of us has the freedom to live by our conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and that it is okay for us to have different beliefs and convictions about items like diet (personal preferences) and Sabbaths (observance of OT laws).

But Paul wants to make it clear that he is not saying we should simply live to please ourselves, do what we want and disregard others. No, we are to be more concerned about the spiritual health of others than we are about the freedom of our own conscience. If it hinders the spiritual growth of a fellow-believer, Paul says, he will give up just about anything, even food and drink (fairly necessary things). The spiritual prosperity of others meant more to him than his own freedom!

Father, may I live my life for you and give myself for the growth and health of others in the body of Christ, not just my own pleasure. Make my life a blessing. 

Sabbaths, Diets, and Jesus as Lord! August 25, Readings: Song of Songs 7-8, Romans 14, Psalm 101:5–8, Proverbs 21:9–10

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We love to have everything spelled out in black and white. Right and wrong. Good and bad. Acceptable and unacceptable. As a Christian I can do this but I cannot do that. Unfortunately, there are a lot of life's activities and decisions that we must make without such absolute mandates. There are gray areas, disputable issues. Paul addresses these in Romans 14.

• Are there rules for what we can eat and drink (like the rules in the OT Jewish law? 
• Do we have to observe Sabbath days? 
• The big issue in Paul's day seemed to be where a Christian should eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol god.  

We still have these arguments today. Oh, we don't argue about meat sacrificed to idols, but we have dozens of similar issues. Should a Christian read this? Watch that? Go here? Enjoy that? There are many who wish to impose their rules on what we eat and drink. How much and what kind of activities should we participate in on Sunday? It all boils down to this question - how much of this world can we enjoy without becoming worldly? Where is the line between being in the world and being of the world?

Paul has a very simple set of principles for making decisions on such issues. The rules are simply, but in my experience, Christians have a hard time following them.

First, we must remember that every believer already has a Lord. No, that doesn't quite get at the heart of it. Every believer has a Lord who isn't you. Jesus is the rightful Lord of all and our decisions about right and wrong must be made to please him. Verses 9 and 10 spell this out.

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to earn the right to be the Lord over those he redeemed. That removes from us the right to sit in judgment on one another in these kinds of disputable issues. It is wrong for us to attempt to assert Lordship and control over anyone else. That doesn't mean we can do anything we please. It means Jesus is Lord of each of us and we are not to try to lord it over one another. We will stand before God's throne to give account of our lives and must lead them carefully. But we must remember who the Lord is and live for him.

The second key principle is found in verse 5. 

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

Each of us, under the Lordship of Christ, must decide these matters according to our redeemed consciences and then allow other believers to make their choices, even if they are different than our own. I must be convinced in my own mind and allow you to be convinced in your mind. Will we always agree? No. But we can respect one another even when we disagree.

There is a third principle in this passage, one that reflects the love of Christ. As a Christian, my first goal is not the expression of my own freedom and the enjoyment of life, but the good of others in the Body. We must, according to verse 19, "pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding" We must be peacemakers, those who seek unity in all these things. I may be free to do many things that I choose not to do for the good of others.

As I walk through life, I must remember that my life is to be lived not under rules, whether the Jewish Law or man-made rules, but under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to whom I will give account. He died to be my Lord and he is the only one worthy of that honor!

Father, help me to be a peacemaker, to let Christ rule in my life and also in others'. 

On the Song, and On Our Focus - August 24, Readings: Song of Songs 5-6, Romans 13, Psalm 101:1–4, Proverbs 21:6–8

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The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, or the Canticles, is one of the harder books of the Bible to interpret and understand. Frankly, I'm not sure how to do a devotional from the book, other than to say that it teaches us something pretty important about the marital relationship - that it is holy to God who created it. 

The fact is that the wording of the Song is so vivid, so sensual, that many through the years have taken to interpreting the Song as an allegory. For many of the rabbinic Jewish interpreters, the song was an illustration of the love between Israel and God. Many Christian interpreters have allegorized this Song to make it speak of Christ and the church. 

That is simply not what the text says and is an unfortunate misreading of the intent of the book. If we fail to understand the important message of the book, and the approach of the church toward sexual and moral matters is skewed. Too often, evangelical Christians have had negative attitudes toward sex - as if it is something dirty, shameful and ungodly. The Song reminds us that it was God who created us male and female and called his creation very good. Within the boundaries of marriage, sex is holy and sacred, a beautiful gift of God. It is only when God's intent for marriage - one man and one woman for life - is forgotten that sex becomes sinful. 

Having said that, there may not be a plethora of devotional material in this book - the Song needs to be chewed on and studied. But there is a devotional gem in Psalm 101:3 that I would call the reader's attention to today.

I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. 

Might not be a bad verse to inscribe on our televisions, iPads and other electronic devices, right? David had no idea when he wrote that Psalm about the visual temptations that would assault us in the 21st Century. But even in his day there was plenty to turn his head and divert his mind from the things of God. And he was determined that he would not allow his mind and heart to be turned aside from their devotion to God and his glory.

Worthless. Vain. Empty. This speaks to those things that are of no eternal value. Something may be worthless and have great monetary value. It may be fun, beautiful, provide laughs, but it does not bring us toward God or cause us to love him more. David determined that such things would not be the focus of his mind and heart.

This is a tricky thing for us as believers. God has never minded that we would enjoy the world he created. In fact, he made it with beauty and laughter. God is not more pleased by somber, joyless saints who never smile. We can enjoy his world, but we must not love the world or the things that are in it. We cannot give our lives to the pursuit of earthly pleasure, worldly success, or live for the applause of man. Our citizenship is in heaven and our reward is there as well. We must love God and serve him fully.

And so, we must say with David, those things that are worthless, useless, that have no eternal value - they are not going to dominate our minds and hearts!

Lord, please help me to have my life dominated by you and by your glory and not by the pretty baubles of the world that tempt my eyes to turn from your beauty! 

Because of God's Mercy - August 23, Readings: Song of Songs 3-4, Romans 12, Psalm 100, Proverbs 21:4–5

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Romans 1-11 is all about the amazing salvation God won for us through the work of Christ on the cross - the righteousness that he achieved that becomes ours through faith, not by works. Romans 1-3 plumbs the depths of human sin and concludes that there is no hope of righteousness for anyone - Jew or Gentile - by their own works. We are all under sin and facing God's just judgment. But starting in the middle of chapter 3 and going through chapter 5 he details the glories of our justification, how God demonstrated his love for us in the death of Christ and how his righteousness comes to us through faith. In chapters 6-8 the effects of a righteousness received by faith on the life of the one who receives it. It is a glorious life free of slavery to sin and the condemnation it brings, one in which we are more than conquerors over all of that which comes against us. Finally, Romans 9-11 explores God's eternal purposes in Israel and the church. It all ends with a glorious song of praise in the last few verses of chapter 11. 

It is an amazing story of love and redemption, truly the "greatest story ever told." And it is a story that demands a response. We cannot simply receive this great gift from God then continue in life as if nothing has happened. Such would be unthinkable, evil, and an insult to the work of Christ. 

But what must we do in response? How do we react to "so great salvation" as God has given us through Christ. Romans 12:1 makes that clear. It tells us what to do "by the mercies of God." In other words, in the light of all that has gone on in the first 11 chapters, in the light of the mercy of God displayed in justification by faith, here's how you respond. Verses 1 and 2 explain the response. 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are called in these verses to respond in two ways. First, we are to present our bodies to Christ. He doesn't ask for my money, or some of my time, or even a measure of my loyalty. He wants me. My whole body - yielded to him and his service. You cannot respond to the amazing grace of Christ with anything less than the complete surrender of myself - body, soul, and spirit - to him. 

The final verse of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" says it so well. If I owned the whole earth, it would be a present far too small to respond to the grace of God. Instead, the writer says, 

"Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." 

Nothing else come complete surrender will suffice.

But a surrendered life is also a transformed life. No longer can we simply drift with the tide of this world, going along with its ways, succumbing to its standards and imitating its behaviors. We must instead be transformed through the renewing of our minds which is accomplished in us by the work of the Spirit, primarily using the power of God's word.

Christians must be counter-cultural, living as citizens of God's kingdom in the kingdom of man, listening to him instead of following others or even our own hearts, being shaped by the Spirit's work and not anything else. We must submit to God and seek him, resist the devil, reject sin and walk in the power of the fullness of the Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul says it clearly and directly. "You do not belong to yourselves. You were bought with a price." When someone does for us what Christ did for us, we are obligated to respond appropriately. The only appropriate response to God's love and mercy is a body surrendered fully to him and a mind renewed by his word!

Father, take all of me. Renew my mind with your word and my heart with your love. 

When I Fall - August 22, Readings: Song of Songs 1-2, Romans 11:11–36, Psalm 99, Proverbs 21:1–3

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Israel was given the Law of God and called to obey it. They were chosen as God's people so that they would bring a blessing to the world. But they failed in every way - time and time again. They departed from God and delved into idolatry and wickedness. Once in awhile God would bring them back in revival, but soon after whomever led the people back to God was gone, they wandered back into sin.

If ever God was going to give up on someone, to turn his back once and for all on them, it would have been Israel. They deserved it. They were unfaithful far more than they were obedient. They tested God's patience beyond what anybody could be expected to endure.

But God never gave up on his people. Romans 11 examines the faithfulness of God. In verse 11 Paul asks a question.

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means!

There was no way that God was going to give up on his chosen people no matter how they tried his patience or tested his limits.

Back in chapter 6 and 7, Paul made it clear that no person redeemed by Christ ought to ever use his salvation as an excuse for sin. God's faithfulness does not authorize our worldliness. But it is a comfort to sinful people like to know that God is a faithful God. I sin, I fail, I fall, but his love endures and his grace restores.

Romans 11 tells us that even though Israel fell so far that God would set them aside for a time while the full number of Gentiles was brought into God's kingdom, it was still his plan to restore them. "All Israel will be saved" he promised in verse 26.  God would completely revive his people and fulfill his purposes in them.

He will do the same in me. Even though I am often a spiritual failure, he continues to work in me by his grace and determines to finish the work of transformation he began.

Father, I thank you for your faithfulness and grace. Reform me, restore me, revive me, renew me.

A Remnant of Grace - August 21, Readings: Ecclesiastes 11-12, Romans 11:1–10, Psalm 98, Proverbs 20:29–30

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I was preparing to graduate from college in 1978 when I began to hear rumblings about a fiery preacher from Lynchburg, Virginia and the new Christian political organization he was advocating - the Moral Majority. Who knew at the time what a political force Jerry Falwell and the religious right would become. Ronald Reagan and his revolution. The pro-life movement. The culture wars. The last 35 years have been a unique time in the history of the church.

Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that those with biblical values are likely not the majority in this land. Poll after poll tells us that our morality and values have been roundly rejected by the culture at-large. We are learning to live as a prophetic minority. That has been a real struggle for a lot of Christians who are used to having the upper hand in political matters, but in reality, what is happening is that the church in America is simply reverting to its natural state.

The church was born as a small minority. On the day of Pentecost there were 120 disciples gathered to worship the Risen Lord. The church was always a small minority, often neglected and ignored, sometimes repressed, and even persecuted. But the church of Jesus Christ did not know what it was like to live as a cultural majority for more than 300 years after the time of Christ. But that small minority, that faithful remnant of followers of Jesus Christ turned the world upside down in 30 years. God has never needed a majority to accomplish his work. He's never needed a large army. He sent Gideon into battle with 300. The Israelite slaves defeated Egypt's powerful chariots. David defeated Goliath. One Elijah was all it took against hundreds of false prophets.

Romans 11:5 mentions the concept of the remnant. After talking about Elijah and his sense that he was all alone, God told him that there was a faithful remnant of 7000 in Jerusalem which had not bowed the knee to Baal. A remnant. A faithful remnant. That is all God needs. Look at verse 5.

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 

We are Americans and we are used to majority rule. Get out and win the vote. But this verse reminds us that our God doesn't work that way. When Abraham prayed, God was willing to save Sodom if there was a faithful remnant of only 10 people. Ten. I don't know how big Sodom was but that is a small percentage, a small remnant in that wicked town. But God said that if he had a remnant he could do marvelous things.

God doesn't need an army, he just seeks a remnant of grace. A small group of blood-bought believers who will put themselves in his hands and serve him with all their heart and soul and strength. He doesn't need a majority, he just desires fidelity. The Bible is filled with stories of amazing things that God did through one person or a small band of ordinary folks who were willing to serve God faithfully. It's the remnant principle.

Folks, we don't have to bemoan the loss of the moral majority in America. We just have to be willing to be part of the faithful remnant. God doesn't need majorities to do miracles!

Father, thank you for you amazing power through ordinary folks like me. 

Cynical Solomon - August 20, Readings: Ecclesiastes 9-10, Romans 9:30–10:21, Psalm 97:8–12, Proverbs 20:26–28

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What is Solomon's problem?

In Proverbs, Solomon sets forth clear teachings of wisdom, explaining that life is choices and choices have consequences, and that the path to wise living is to make wise choices that bring God's blessing. Proverbs has its dark moments, but it is encouraging and positive about what happens to the man ow woman who walks in God's will.

It is strange, then, to see pessimism and even cynicism in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon now catalogs the things that he has observed going wrong in world. In Ecclesiastes 9:3, he laments the fact that everyone faces the same fate - both good and evil. We all die. In verse 11, he catalogs some of the inequities and injustices in the world. Bad "luck" seems to happen to people who deserve better. In verse 12 he describes how life sometimes "traps" people in evil situations. In 10:6, Solomon observes that sometimes the wrong people get to the top and people who deserve better end up at the bottom. Throughout chapter 10 he mentions example after example of unfairness and injustice in this world.

Solomon has come face to face with a truth - this is one messed-up, sinful world. Bad stuff happens. He has realized how unfair life can be. So, is he changing his mind about the wisdom he taught in Proverbs? Does he no longer believe what he taught about wisdom?

No, Solomon here still calls on people to walk in wisdom and in obedience to God. But he also has come to realize that just because you do the right thing does not guarantee that everything will work out okay. It is always better to live God's way, but in a sinful world, bad things can still fall even on the wise.

What's the lesson here? It certainly isn't cynicism or pessimism. God doesn't want us to be angry and bitter. But we must realize that the world can still throw curve balls at us even when we are walking in careful obedience. Our goal is to serve God for his glory and because it is right, not simply to guarantee a desired outcome.

We serve God because he is God. We serve God because he is good. We serve God because we believe that the way he commands is the best way to live life. We serve God to please him. We serve God because it is always better to serve God than to serve sin.

But we do NOT serve God to guarantee a life of comfort, ease and freedom from hardship. Oh, that will come - it is called heaven! But in this messed up world, we cannot avoid the consequences of the curse. Tornadoes don't wind through a town picking out the homes of drug dealers, adulterers and perverts to destroy. Life happens, and serving God is no guarantee of protection against life.

But Solomon's assertion throughout Ecclesiastes is this - even in a messed up world, even without guarantees, even when things go wrong, it is still better to serve God.

Father, may I serve you faithfully and for the right reasons!

I Am Clay - August 19, Readings: Ecclesiastes 7-8, Romans 9:1–29, Psalm 97:1–7, Proverbs 20:24–25

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Sometimes, I just need to remember who I am, and who God is. According to Romans 9:21 I am clay. God is the potter. The clay does not determine his own future, his own shape, or his own use. The Potter decides that. He shapes the clay according to his wishes. He molds it into what he wants it to be and then makes use of it according to his desires.

I am the clay. Too often, I try to determine my own shape or give advice and direction to the Potter on what he should do. Make me like this. Make me like that. Sometimes, I even act as if I can shape myself. Can you imagine that? Clay trying to mold itself, shape its own existence? It is ridiculous.

Romans 9 is a difficult passage with lots of heavy truths that theologians argue over and will continue to argue over as long as the Lord tarries. One devotional does not provide an opportunity to weigh in on these deeps truths. I'm not even going to try.

But I will remind myself and the reader of this conclusion. Be yourself! No, I'm not talking about being who you want to be or think you are or ought to be. Be yourself. You are clay. The only way that clay can become something useful or beautiful is if the master potter shapes it well. God is the potter, the one in charge, the one who shapes the destiny of the world according to his sovereign power.

I might as well rest in his hands and let my life be shaped for his glory. He is the Potter. He knows what I am supposed to be, where I am supposed to go, what shape my life should take. So, it is best if I just submit to his masterful hand and let my life be shaped by his will, for his glory, and according to his plan.

I'm clay. All I can do by trying to live for myself is make a big mess of my life. If my life is going to take shape and become a masterpiece of God's grace and glory, I must remember daily exactly what I am. Clay. In the hands of the Potter.

That is not a bad thing to be when the Potter is as skilled as our God!

Father, you are the Potter. Shape me. Make me what you want me to be. Help me to remember who I am, who you are, and trust your sovereign hand to shape my life. 

It Will Be Worth It All! August 18, Readings: Ecclesiastes 5-6, Romans 8:18–39, Psalm 96:7–13, Proverbs 20:21–23

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All of God's Word is inspired, inerrant, God-breathed and useful to teach, correct, and train us in righteousness. It's all God's and it's all good. But there are still certain mountaintops among the passages of God's Word. If there is a Mt. Everest in the Bible, it is Romans 8. Starting with the affirmation that there is no condemnation in Christ, through the promise that all things work for the good of those who love him, and ending with the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We could do a year of daily devotions from this passage and not exhaust its glories. Today, though, I'd like to focus on one of my favorite verses.

I've had some challenges and frustrations in my life recently, but nothing I've experienced compares to the suffering, hardship and persecution that was a daily reality in the life of the Apostle Paul. He was rejected, lied about, beaten, pressured, hounded, and harassed on a daily basis. I am afraid that I would crumble after a day or so of the kind of suffering that man went through. 

And then he goes and says something amazing like Romans 8:18!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

That was in no way intended to belittle or deny the extreme suffering that Paul was going through. It was real, and painful. But he was asserting that heaven is so glorious, so wonderful, that it makes all of our troubles and trials seem like nothing in comparison. 

Think about that. Heaven will be so amazing that all of the sufferings of life will seem like nothing in that moment in which we join Jesus there. 

Paul uses a vivid illustration of how all of creation longs for heaven's rest, in verse 22, where he talks about creation groaning as with labor pains. What a fit illustration of our lives on this earth, as we serve Christ. 

I have been present for the birth of four children, but have not experienced anything like birth pains. From what I understand, the pains are no fun, and as the moment draws nearer, they get more and more intense. Finally, just before the blessed moment of birth, they can be excruciating. But the moment you hold that precious baby in your hands, you are filled with joy. Yes, the pain was real and you can remember it. But it was worth it to hold this little bundle of blessing in your arms. 

That is life for the believer. Birth pains. We await that glorious moment in which our suffering is over and we are in the presence of Jesus Christ. Sometimes the pains come and life is hard and harsh. Then the pain goes away for a time and all is well. The pain returns. It grows more intense, more frequent. But one day, the pain gives way to glory as we are (if you will) again born again!  We pass from this world into the next and we receive all the blessings promised to us in Christ and because of his death. 

At that moment, at that very moment, all the pain is gone and all that is left is joy. We are there, in the presence of the Savior - home at last. 

And at that moment, regardless of how hard life might have been at times, we will say with the Apostle Paul, "our sufferings were not worth comparing to this glory!" 

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Father, help me to hold on to the hope of glory when I life in this world seems tough, to remember that one glimpse of the Savior's face will erase the memories of pain from this world of sin.  

No Condemnation - August 17, Readings: Ecclesiastes 3-4, Romans 8:1–17, Psalm 96:1–6, Proverbs 20:19–20

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There will be a fearful day, spoken of in Revelation, when the sinners of all time gather before the Great White Throne of God and receive their judgment; their just condemnation for all the sins they have committed. The wages of sin is death and that will be payday. Those who have died in their sins will be cast in the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels to receive the punishment their sins deserve.

It is horrible to even imagine this, but the God of Heaven is holy and the day of judgment is real. But there is one bit of good news for me.

I won't be there!

Well, at least I won't be on the receiving end of the fateful words, "Depart from me, you who are cursed..." I will be standing with my Savior, already transformed into his image and with nothing facing me but an eternity of glory.

Why? Because of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:1-2 makes this absolutely clear.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

No condemnation. None. Not even a little. I face none of God's judgment against sin. And it's not because I'm not guilty. I am. In one form or another I've broken all of God's laws. But according to this passage, the Spirit's law of life has set me free. Through Christ's death and resurrection and through the work of the Spirit in me I am forgiven - once and for all. 

I put other things ahead of God and tried to create gods to my own liking. I broke the law and I deserved death. But the law of life freed me from the law that revealed my sin and brought condemnation. No condemnation now exists. 

I have failed to take time for God and used his name in vain. But there is no condemnation for me, because of the law of life at work in me. I disobeyed my parents, walked in anger (murder of the heart), lusted (adultery of the heart), spoke lies, took what did not belong to me, and coveted what was not mine. Were I to stand before the Throne to be judged for those sins, the law would convict me and God would judge me. I would be without hope. 

But for me, there is no condemnation because Jesus Christ paid it all. The Spirit's law of life has set me free from the law that reveals my sin and would send me to death. Through Christ, there is no condemnation. Do I deserve judgment? Yes, but Jesus set me free. Could I earn heaven? No, but Jesus earned it for me? Could I defeat sin on my own? No way, but Jesus forgave me because of his finished work. 

Anyone want to sing the Doxology right now? 

It is the greatest truth in the world - guilty sinners are set free by the blood of Christ and face no condemnation through him. Regardless of my spiritual struggles, failures and sins, there is no condemnation because I am in Christ - redeemed, sealed, secured and free!

Father, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I deserved death, but in you I have life. Thank you. 

Wretched...Victorious - August 16, Readings: Ecclesiastes 1-2, Romans 7, Psalm 95, Proverbs 20:16–18

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Hey, who has been reading my diary? That's not right! 

Ever felt that way when you were listening to a preacher and suddenly its like he is talking directly to you, like he knows your heart and life? That's how I feel when I read Romans 7, especially verses 13-24.

(NOTE: Theologians debate this passage as to who Paul is talking about - many doubt that some of Paul's statements could apply to the redeemed. That is silly to me. Every Christian I've ever known is both redeemed AND struggling - just like Paul's testimony here. Sometimes theologians perhaps theologize too much for their own good?)

In those verses, Paul describes the inner struggle that Christians go through between the work of God's Spirit within them, drawing them toward righteousness and holiness and the power of the sinful flesh that remains in each of us. Verses 22-23 say, 

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 

Paul admitted being torn between the inner work of grace and the remaining power of sin. It was a constant and lifelong struggle, even for the redeemed. And Paul often felt trapped in this struggle. He wanted to do what was right, to follow the ways of God, but sin continued to lay its appeal before him. Verses 18-21 explain the conflict. 

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

That's me in a single paragraph. I want to do right. I want to break bad habits and build new ones. I want to say yes to God and no to sin. I really do want to, but sin is still there. I do not do what I want to do and what I want to do I do. Evil is right there ready to fight against the work of God in me. 

I wish a day would come when the struggle would be over, when my flesh would no longer draw me toward sin, when the Spirit's work in my soul would be complete and my life would only be righteous. I wish. And it will be like that one day. It's called heaven. Glory. But here on this world we have to live with the struggle. 

But we do not have to lose the struggle. We may lose battles along the way, but Jesus Christ died and rose so that sin would not control us or enslave us. Observe verses 24-25. 

Wretched man I am! (Anyone else feel that way from time to time?) Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Some days I want to give up on myself because of my fleshly failures, but thank God, it's not about me! Jesus Christ has delivered me from the penalty of sin. He will one day deliver me from the very presence of sin. And today, day by day, Jesus Christ is working to deliver me in this lifelong, intense, often challenging and discouraging, battle against the power of sin. He strengthens me! Thanks be to God that Jesus does for me what this wretched man cannot do for himself - to battle sin and win. 

I thank you, Father, that through your Son I have hope. I get so frustrated with myself, but you are patient and powerful. Father, fill me with your Spirit today that I may walk in the victory over sin you have given me. 

Saved to Sin? NO! NO! NO! August 15, Readings: Job 41-42, Romans 6, Psalm 94:20–23, Proverbs 20:14–15

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I've been saved by grace so it really doesn't matter if I sin, right?
Forgiving my sin brings glory to God, so I might as well sin so that he can be glorified in forgiving me, right?
We aren't under the Old Testament Law anymore, right? So I can live any way that I please!

It is amazing how many ways people have found through the years to distort and pervert the teaching of the greatest truth ever - salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In Romans 6, Paul begins of his teaching on "righteousness by faith" that would continue through chapter 7, dealing with the common objections to the teaching and excuses people might give for living shoddy lives after receiving God's grace.

His basic premise, in Romans 6:1-14, is that the idea of sinning as a result of grace is just ridiculous when you examine the life that God saved us for. He summarizes that in the verse I quote every time I do a baptism, verse 4.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

I wasn't saved just so I could go to heaven one day when I die. I wasn't saved simply to forgive me of my wins and wipe them away. I was saved for these reasons, but also for more. Jesus died on the cross that I might die with him to my life of sin and be raised with him to a new life that is lived by new standards. A new life in Christ.

Since this is true, verses 12 and 13 explain clearly how we ought to live.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Those who have been given a free salvation, won by Christ's work and not our own works, ought not use that as an excuse to sin. We ought never allow sin to reign over us - Christ has broken it's grip, it's mastery over us - but instead we ought to offer ourselves completely to God and every part of our existence to him for his use.

It is the only fitting response to so great a salvation as ours.

Father, may I never treat your grace as an excuse to sin or an authorization for a spiritually sloppy life. Your son died and rose so that I could live a new life. May I see that more every day. 

Unworthy but Loved - August 14, Readings: Job 39-40, Romans 5, Psalm 94:13–19, Proverbs 20:11–13

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I was out working in the yard and I needed badly to get cleaned up. There was my shower - hot water, shampoo, soap - all the things I needed. If only I could find a way to get myself clean enough to be worthy of getting into the shower. It was so clean I just wasn't sure if I would ever find a way to work my way up to shower-readiness.

Absurd, right? You don't clean up to get into the shower, you get in the shower to clean up. We instinctively know that when it comes to getting clean. But when it comes to life and to our relationship with God, we revert to the same absurdity.

"One of these days I'm gonna clean up my life, start going to church, and get my life right with God." 

We have a fundamental tendency to believe that our relationship with God is based on what we do, on our activity and merit. We have to do enough, be enough, become enough to earn God's favor and gain a place in his kingdom.

But Romans 5:8 gives the lie to that idea.

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God does not ask us to clean ourselves us, get our lives in order or make something of ourselves. While we are still in our sin - messed up, broken, dirty, and depraved - Christ died for us. That is how God showed us his love. He took the first step, reaching down to sinners who couldn't help themselves. That is an amazing love. 

It is one thing to show love to someone who can help you, who can enrich you, or give you something you desire. That's not what God did. He loved the unlovely, those who were enslaved to sin. You and I do not have to earn God's love, it is a free gift in Christ. 

So, our job is not to live to earn the love of God, but to simply revel in its blessings day by day. 

Thank you, Father, for showing me your love through Jesus Christ, when I didn't deserve it and couldn't earn it. 

You Can't Handle My Job! August 13, Readings: Job 37-38, Romans 4, Psalm 94:6–12, Proverbs 20:9–10

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We live in a seriously messed up world. Sin. Perversion. Racism. A justice system that is often a travesty. War and terrorism. It is a sad, sick, sorrowful world that our sin and rebellion against God has created.

And in the middle of this, many ask the question, "Where is God?" Why does he allow this to happen? Why does he permit that injustice? This tragedy? Why do the evil prosper and the righteous suffer? This world defies explanation.

But sometimes there is an even more personal question we ask. "Where were you, God, when I needed you?" Why did you stop this? Why did you let that happen? We know that God is both sovereign and good, but our circumstances often make it appear impossible for both to be true.

These were the kinds of questions Job was asking throughout his story. After God allowed Satan to take away everything precious in Job's life, he was confused. Why did God let this happen? His friends chimed in and told him it was karma, his own fault. What goes around comes around. Job got increasingly angry at them, and life, and even God, as he protested that view. He had done nothing that would necessitate God stepping in with such extreme judgment. In the middle of their argument, Elihu showed up and proclaimed the truth of God's glory, justice and goodness. He did not try to explain all that God had done, but he did defend the righteousness of God. It helped - the proclamation of truth is always the beginning of healing.

But it is chapter 38 when the real healing begins. That is when God stepped in. God spoke directly to Job and the entire situation changed. It is when we have a direct encounter with God that our lives begin to change. This encounter continues in tomorrow's reading (chapters 39-40) and even into the next day in chapter 41.

What is interesting is that God makes no attempt to explain himself. He has listened as Job has challenged his goodness and his justice. Now, he says, the tables are turned and he is going to ask the questions.

Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

His message is simple. He questions Job. Can you create? Can you manage creation? Do you know what is going on in this world at all times? What is God saying? He is reminding Job that there is a God and Job isn't him. God has a strength and power we cannot understand.


God is not bullying Job, saying, "I'm bigger than you. Shut up and do as I say." No, God is reminding Job that he is big and strong and powerful, that he knows what Job does not know and can do what Job never could. His message to Job is simple:

I am God. Trust me. I know what I'm doing even when you don't understand my works. 

In chapter 40, he challenges Job, in verses 7-9.

“Dress for action like a man;

    I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Will you even put me in the wrong?

    Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?

Have you an arm like God,

    and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Do not demand to be God if you can't handle the job. And you can't handle the job! This world would be an utter mess if I were in charge. God is God. My job is not to tell him what to do or how to do it. My job is to submit to him, serve him, glorify him and seek him. 

That was the message of God to Job. Job, you can't see it, you don't understand it, but I'm still on the throne. I've got it under control. I'm handling it! I will glorify myself and produce your ultimate spiritual good through this. Just trust me. Don't try to figure out my sovereign plan, just trust me. Don't tell me what to do, just trust me. Don't question my justice, just trust me. 

Father, help me to trust you always, even when I do not understand your actions. 

A Proud Christian? Bah. Humbug! August 12, Readings: Job 35-36, Romans 3:21–31, Psalm 93:1–94:5, Proverbs 20:6–8

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I can remember the bumper sticker clearly. "Proud to be a Christian." That is an oxymoron. You can be proud. And you can be Christian, but you cannot be both. A proper understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely, totally and eternally precludes any boasting on my part. I understand that the person with the bumper sticker may have had something else in mind - that he was not ashamed of his (or her) faith, that he would not apologize for his convictions. Perhaps. But it is a crucial point. Pride is the opposite of Christianity!

Paul made this clear in Romans 3:27.

The what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. 

Paul devoted chapters 1-3 to stating our utterly helpless position before God. We have all sinned and are guilty, Jews and Greeks. And in verses 21-26 he spelled out the real theme of the entire book of Romans. Now, God has revealed to us a righteousness that is not based on our works, our ability to keep the Law, or our merit. It is now based on God's grace and comes to us by faith.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

And that, Paul concludes, leaves no room for boasting. I am no better, no more worthy, in no better standing before God (on my own) than are the despicable sinners of this world. I am as incapable to save myself as the lowest low-life on the planet. Anything I might be, anything I might become, any merit or good in me is a product of the grace of God.

Boasting about it just makes no sense!

There is a great scene in Revelation in which the saints who have earned crowns come and lay them at the feet of Christ. How appropriate. My place in heaven was secured by Christ's death on the Cross, not anything I have done. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who is at work to make me holy, to conform me to Christ. If anything good happens, it is the work of God and any rewards I might earn belong to him!

So, why wait? One day we will lay our crowns at the feet of Christ. Why not do so, at least symbolically, today? Humble yourself before the God and Heaven and thank him for all he has done for you. Give credit where credit is due. Thank him for everything!

Father, I am nothing without you. My soul is redeemed by the blood of your Son, my destiny is settled by his resurrection, my life is powered by your Spirit. It is all you, God. Forgive me for any moment when I have taken credit myself for the work that you have done. 

But I'm a Good Person! August 11, Readings: Job 33-34, Romans 3:1–20, Psalm 92:11–15, Proverbs 20:4–5

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"I believe people are basically good." It is established as truth beyond contestation in popular culture. Politicians flatter people by trumpeting the innate goodness of man. Educational systems are designed around the assumption that people, given the opportunity and resources, will make choice that are wise and good. Parents tell their children over and over again how good they are. Your heart will never lead you astray. Do what you think is right. Trust your feelings!

The problem with all of this is Romans 3! It presents a very different picture of the human condition. It will tell us in tomorrow's reading that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. Today's reading is the foundation for that conclusion. In verse 9, Paul gives his preliminary conclusion, that Jews and Gentiles are united in sin and are thus equally under the wrath of God. He then, in verses 10-12, gets specific about this sin.

“None is righteous, no, not one;

    no one understands;

    no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

    no one does good,

    not even one.”

Doesn't leave much room for debate, does it? If that isn't clear enough, then look at verses 19-20.

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Standing before God, every mouth is shut, because in his presence there is no self-justification, no excuse or explanation, no wiggle room. No one is justified by their own works and all are declared sinful and subject to God's judgment. 

Not a pretty picture!

But that is not the end of the story. We are all under sin, but there is hope. Jesus did not leave us in our sin, but he worked to redeem us through his blood. Where sin abounded, grace super-abounded. We may start our lives in sin and under judgment, but we do not have to end them there. The rest of Romans 3 though chapter 11 describe this righteousness that God brings through faith in Jesus Christ.

But this conclusion, that all are under sin and judgment, is fundamental to a proper view of humanity and of life. We are not, as popular culture says, good on our own. We cannot trust ourselves, our feelings or our own convictions. We must trust Christ. When we follow our hearts they will lead us astray. 

We have been broken by sin and must be fixed by God. You won't get popular in America by preaching this, but it is true nonetheless. Our lives are marred by our general sinful condition and the specific sins we have chosen and we must be corrected, must be restored. First, we need redemption from Christ and his work on the Cross. Then we need the constant ministry and work of the Spirit inside us battling sin and producing the character of Christ. 

The fact is that sin is a reality in all of our lives and that without Christ, it will produce death and hell. But the greater fact is that through Christ, we have redemption and the power of sin is broken. Sin is real but it is not the final reality. The righteousness of Christ is. 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Father, thank you that in Christ my sins have been forgiven and by the Spirit I can walk in victory over sin. 

We Are God's Favorites, Right? August 10, Readings: Job 31-32, Romans 2, Psalm 92:4–10, Proverbs 20:1–3

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God chose the Hebrews to be his very own people and he demonstrated his love to them over and over again, by blessing them, by disciplining them as a father would his errant children, by forgiving their sin and restoring and renewing them when they had turned from him to idols. But there was one part of being the chosen people of God that the Jews never quite got. They loved their special place in God's heart and in his plans, but they did not understand one simple truth. 

All of God's blessings are designed to be passed on to others.

God told Abraham that he would bless him (with a nation of descendants) and through that nation he would bless all the nations. Israel chose a different path. They became inwardly focused and thought themselves superior to others. They forgot that God chose them as an act of grace, not because of any merit on their part, and they became convinced of their own moral and spiritual superiority. 

Romans 2 is written to disabuse the Jewish people of the notion of their moral superiority. Paul is, in Romans 1-3, plumbing the depths of human sin. In chapter 1, he delineated all the disgusting sins of the pagan world. But in chapter 2 he turns his attention to the spiritual standing of the Jewish people, who looked down on and judged the pagan sinners Paul mentioned in chapter 1. 

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

 These verses, 1-3, make it clear that no one is beyond the judgment of sin. We are sinful people touched by the grace and mercy of God. Jew or Gentile. Male or female. Rich or poor. We are all guilty before God. And none of us is less guilty than anyone else. Look at verse 11.

There is no favoritism with God. 

Too often, we judge people based on outward appearances or other human factors. That is what the Jews did. They thought that because of their heritage, they were better than other people, less guilty before God, favored by him. But there is only one kind of human being in this world - sinners who stand guilty before God and need salvation from Christ. 

Imagine two men walk into the church. One is dressed in smart business attire, clean-shaven, and respectable-looking in the eyes of man. The other is pierced, tattooed, dressed in dirty jeans and biker's gear. If the church treats either differently, then we are falling into the sin that Paul was trying to expose in Romans 2. If we think that we are better, than people who are like us are somehow more acceptable to God, we are missing the point. If we judge and show favoritism based on human differences, we fail to understand Paul's point. 

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

We are all, alike, under the judgment of sin and we all have only one hope, the work of Jesus Christ. A conservative, white, clean, neatly dressed person is no more worthy, no more righteous, no more free of God's judgment than a person of color, a street person, a criminal, a punk. 

As long as we play favorites based on human factors, we will never truly be the church of Jesus Christ we were meant to be!

Father, forgive me when instead of calling on you for mercy, I have sat in judgment on others. 

Slaves, Sons, and Saints - August 09, Readings: Job 29-30, Romans 1, Psalm 92:1–3, Proverbs 19:28–29

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Donald Grey Barnhouse was the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia for decades. He spent many of those years preaching verse by verse through the Book of Romans and compiled a wonderful set of commentaries on the book.

This raises a crucial problem as we begin reading through Romans. Chapter 1 has so much depth, I could do devotionals from this chapter for a month and not run out of topics. It starts with some introductory personal greetings, then Paul sets his theme. "I am not ashamed of the gospel." "The righteous will live by faith." We relate to God not on the basis of our own works, but by God's grace, by the righteousness Christ won for us at the cross.

Having set that theme, Paul begins to systematically develop that theme - righteousness by faith. He begins by explaining human sin and depravity, the reason we need a righteousness from God. He will go on to teach the glories of our salvation and of the Christian life, all the way through the end of chapter 11.

If it took Dr. Barnhouse 30 years and several volumes of commentary to teach Romans, I am certainly not going to do it justice in these devotionals.

But I saw something simple today that I thought was encouraging, something about Paul and his attitude toward others. In verse 1, Paul describes himself.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.

A slave. A common household servant - a position of humility, even humiliation that no Roman wanted to accept. The Romans viewed being a servant as intolerable and awful. But Paul embraced it. Serving Jesus was not humiliating, it was glory. He embraced the concept of devoting his life fully to the service of Jesus Christ.

But when it came to describing other believers, he focused on something completely different, in verse 7.

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.  

When speaking of others, he emphasized their position in Christ, their high status. They were loved by God, adopted into the heavenly family and recipients of the glorious love of God. He also mentions that they are saints, made holy by the work of Christ, set apart for God.

The Roman Christians were also servants of God. Paul was also loved by God and called as a saint. But when he spoke of himself, he focused on his own humble place in the economy of God. He was a lowly servant, the chief of sinners who has been redeemed and brought into the service of Jesus Christ. He chose to honor the Romans believers, emphasizing their exalted place in Christ. He humbled himself and honored his readers.

What a great lesson that is for all of us. Our normal, human tendency is to lift ourselves up and often to put others down in the process. He did the opposite. He imitated the humility of Christ during his earthly ministry, who came not to be served, but to serve others, to seek and to save the lost.

You want to build a biblical "self-image?' Base it on these truths!

Father, may I imitate the humility of Paul who imitated the humility of Christ. May I honor others and serve them in Christ's name. 

Without Hindrance - August 08, Readings: Job 27-28, Acts 28:17–31, Psalm 91:7–16, Proverbs 19:25–27

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Volumes have been written about the ending of the book of Acts.  Acts tells the story of the spread of the gospel in the early days of the church, in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  The book ends with Paul sitting under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial on charges of treason.  Luke tells us that Paul preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ “boldly and without hindrance.”

“Without hindrance” is one word in the original Greek language (akolutos), an adverb.  It is the very last word in the Greek text of Acts.  Paul preached with great boldness, “unhinderedly”.  And the book stops.  It is such a strange ending that some scholars have theorized that the last page or two of Acts may actually be missing, or that Luke was not able to finish the book for some reason.

It is also a strange ending when you think about Paul’s life situation.  He had nothing but hindrances in his attempts to preach the gospel of Jesus.  We read in 2 Corinthians 11 of Paul’s arrests, persecutions, opponents and hardships.  His ministry was one gigantic hindrance! Satan seems to have even taken a personal interest in stopping the work of God through Paul.  At the end of Acts, Paul in Roman custody – clearly a hindrance to gospel work.  Yet, Luke says, he preached without hindrance.

There is, I believe, another reason why Luke claimed that Paul preached without hindrance.  Yes, Paul faced many unbelievable obstacles to his ministry, but he never let obstacles hinder the work of God.  Noah faced obstacles when he obeyed God’s command to build an ark, but he was not hindered from obedience.  Moses was called by God and immediately had to face the king of the most powerful nation on earth and his mighty army.  David was anointed king, but Saul stood in his way, as did Goliath.  Each man faced great obstacles, but was unhindered in accomplishing the work of God.

Hardships are normal in God’s work, and they are usually bigger than we are able to overcome by ourselves.  Too often we assume that obstacles are God’s way of closing a door, as if God would never call us to do anything hard.  Obstacles do not tell you that God is not in your work.  They are not an indication that God wants you to give up.  They are the hurdles over which God empowers you to leap as he accomplishes his work through you.

I have known many Christians, even Christian leaders, who assume that God’s work is supposed to be easy and enjoyable.  When things do not go exactly as they imagined, or when times get hard, they give up and move on.  Every time I face an obstacle, I want to quit (too often with great amounts of whining and complaining accompanying).

But when we are doing God’s work and depending on God’s powers, even the biggest obstacles fail to prevent the powerful work of God.  He will strengthen us to endure, to overcome, to grow. Even big obstacles cannot hinder the work of an Almighty God.  Let us do the work of Jesus boldly, knowing that no force on earth can stop him. 

Father, help me to remember that my life is a product of your grace and is lived by your power. It is you who are working in me and no scheme of the enemy can stop the work that you are doing.