Not of This World - November 30, Readings: Hosea 6-7, 1 Peter 2, Psalm 135:8–14, Proverbs 29:12–13

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"This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing though."

Those of the words of an old country gospel song - not my favorite form of music but those words teach a truth we need to hear. Too many Christians are too tied to this world - its riches, its pleasures, its ambitions and achievements - and do not understand how the Bible describes the church of Jesus in this world. Look at 1 Peter 2:11.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Peter described us as "sojourners" and "exiles." We are not of this world. We were born as part of this world and its ways, but we were born again, adopted into the heavenly family. Our spiritual citizenship was changed and we are no longer first and foremost citizens of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven, Paul said (in Philippians 3). We now live in a world we are not a part of.

In this world, people live for self, for selfish ambition, for achievement and ambition and power; but we (are supposed to) live for the glory of God and the good of the kingdom. The world defines people by the money and possessions they have; we define ourselves by the rich treasure of grace which Christ bestowed on us by his death. The world seeks pleasure in whatever way possible; we live for the pleasure of the one who redeemed us and our pleasure is serving him. Granted, we don't always live out these ideals, but that is who we are - citizens of a different kingdom.

And we are only here for a short time. We are living here for a few years, awaiting the glory that will be revealed in us, the glory of heaven - which will last for all eternity. Because this world is a short time and eternity is, well, eternal, we ought to devote our lives to treasures in heaven more than on earth, to seeking first God's kingdom and its righteousness.

That is why we do battle against our fleshly desires. My heart, in its natural condition, desires this world and its things. But I do battle against the flesh, in the power of the Spirit. I abstain from those sinful desires that distract me from God's work.

Father, thank you for saving me out of this world of sin and its destructive desires. Fill my heart with Christ that I might do battle against the desires of my flesh, and help me remember I'm just a stranger here, and it's only for a short time. 

Venting Folly - November 29, Readings: Hosea 4-5, 1 Peter 1, Psalm 135:1–7, Proverbs 29:9–11

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"You can't keep your anger bottled up inside of you or eventually you will explode." I've heard that a million times (well, a lot of times anyway!). Counselors tell us that holding our anger in, keeping it to ourselves and not venting it on other people is unhealthy; damaging to the body and to the psyche.

And it is certainly a difficult thing to hold in anger when someone provokes you. Our sinful flesh wells up and simply demands that we answer back, that we defend ourselves, that we settle the score and tell the other person precisely what a terrible human being he or she is. It is an almost uncontrollable urge.

According to Proverbs 29:11, it is also the act of a fool.

A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a wise man holds it in check. 

A fool is someone who makes wrong choices that bring destructive consequences on his life. A wise person makes the choices that bring the blessing of God. In this verse, the one who vents his anger, who follows the worldly advice to let it all out, is a fool. They choose to express the anger they feel and perhaps even feel a little better afterward. But the consequences eventually fall on them. Hurt feelings. Damaged relationships. And, strangely enough, a bitter spirit. Venting anger tends to make one more angry and produce a bitter spirit, instead of actually getting rid of anger as the pop psychologists promise.

The wise man holds his anger in check. He does not say the hurtful things he is thinking, but controls his tongue (remember James 3?) and keeps it to himself. This, according to Solomon, leads to blessing.

The wise man knows where to take his anger, his hurt and his pain. He doesn't pour it out on others, but he takes it to the One who can heal the pain. Job was devastated by tragedy, and after the foolish advice of his friends, he was furious. He took his pain to God and called out for answers. God revealed himself to Job, who learned to trust the Father even when he did not understand. Habakkuk couldn't understand how God in is justice could allow what was happening in sinful Israel and he told him so! God revealed his plan and Habakkuk's heart trusted him.  Jeremiah cried to God in sorrow over Israel's plight and God ministered grace to him.

Venting our anger to others brings no true healing to our hearts and wreaks havoc on those around us. But when we take that anger to God, when we are honest with him about it all, not only do we find the help we need in our suffering, but we become agents of God's blessing on the world around us.

Father, I do not always understand you and sometimes life not only baffles me, but it also frustrates me. I seek your wisdom and your healing. I reject the folly of the world that says I need to vent my anger on others regardless of the damage that does. 

I am Gomer - November 28, Readings: Hosea 1-3, James 5, Psalm 133–134, Proverbs 29:7–8

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The prophets did some weird things to demonstrate the anger of God against sin and the love of God for his people. One wore ill-fitting undergarments to show how irritating Israel's sin was. But Hosea's story is perhaps the most graphic of all.

God commanded him to marry a woman who would illustrate Israel's sin (Hosea 1:2). When she strayed back into her life of sin, God sent Hosea to reclaim her and bring her home. This story is a verbal painting of the love of God - nothing sweet, syrupy or sentimental, but a gritty love, the kind that sticks around through the good times and the bad and changes lives.

Israel was a rebellious and spiritually adulterous nation, one that had left fidelity to the One True God and was chasing after the gods of the Canaanites. But God's grace was greater even than their infidelity. He told Hosea to illustrate that faithful love. The Old Testament is a record of two things - the constant infidelity of Israel and the even greater faithfulness of God who love never fails.

Sin is never a minor thing, but God's love overcomes that. As he did with Israel, which sinned and failed repeatedly, God renews and restores us when we sin. He seeks and he saves. We are Gomer, wayward people who tend to drift into sin and away from God. We mimic the wayward wife, but the faithful God of Israel continues to overcome our sins today. By the powerful blood of Christ he cleanses every stain and brings us back to the place of renewal, of purity, and full fellowship with God.

Father, I thank you that your blood washes away every stain, and that when I fail, you are there to restore me and renew me. You are a good God - better than this Gomer deserves. 

An Adulterous Bride - November 27, Readings: Daniel 11-12, James 4, Psalm 132:13–18, Proverbs 29:4–6

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On August 27, 1978, I stood in front of a preacher (who doubled as my father) and made promises to God and to the woman standing next to me. I promised to stick with her for better and worse, richer and poorer, in sickness and in health. But along with those positive promises I also made a negative commitment.

"Forsaking all others."

Marrying one woman meant that I had to give up all the others. Saying yes to Jenni meant saying no to every other woman in the world. A positive commitment to one woman implies a negative commitment to all others.

We sometimes forget that as the "Bride of Christ" a similar commitment is required of all of us. We are to declare our love and commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He is to be the primary passion of our lives. What we sometimes forget is that our positive commitment to Christ also requires a negative commitment to all others.

James spells this out in chapter 4, verses 4-5.

Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?

Verse 4 starts with a harsh accusation, "Adulteresses!" The Bride of Christ is cheating on the Savior, refusing to be faithful to its marriage vows. Then, verse 4 identifies the other man, the one with whom the church was committing adultery. They were engaged in a "friendship with the world" and friendship with the world is by definition hostility toward God. When you cheat on the Savior with this world - its pleasures and passions - it makes us enemies of God. In verse 5 we see that it even arouses jealousy.

There is an old saw, "we are in this world but not of this world." It is true, but it is also the greatest challenge ever. We are not called to live as hermits, to separate completely from this world. We live our lives here and are even allowed to enjoy that life. But we are never to love this world or the things in the world. Our hearts must belong to God, as a husbands' must belong solely to his wife.

We must seek that balance every day as we live in this wicked world. We live, love, eat, drink, work and play in this world, but our heart must belong to Christ. He must be the one we love, the one we seek to please, and the one whose interests we serve. We must be loyal to Christ above all.

Forsaking all others, I must keep me only unto him, so long as I shall live!

Father, help me to be faithful, to keep my heart set on Christ above all things. 

Taming the Tongue - November 26, Readings: Daniel 9-10 , James 3, Psalm 132:6–12, Proverbs 29:1–3

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When I look back on my 5 decades of Christianity, I would surmised that the highest percentage of my sins have been sins of the tongue. I avoided most of the "big" sins that sidetrack so many in their earlier years, and I would have to confess to more that a few sins of the mind - lust, anger, pride and such. But when I've gotten into trouble it's usually been my big fat mouth that started it all. I guess that ought not be a huge surprise. My life, my work, my ministry - it's all about words, whether written or spoken. I preach. I counsel. I discuss. I strategize.

And all too often I sin. Angry words. Gossip. Backbiting. Inappropriate jokes. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, Jesus said, and my mouth has too often reflected the sin in my heart.

That is not unusual, though. According to James 3, the hardest part of the body to control is the tongue. Verse 2 spells it out.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.

One of the best signs of Christian maturity is when our mouths come under the control of the indwelling Spirit and we no longer say every foolish thing our hearts devise. There are many wonderful truths found in the next few verses. Permit me just to spell some of them out. 

• Like a bit in a horse's mouth or a ship's rudder, the tongue, though small, has a huge effect on our lives, for good or ill.   3-4
• The tongue is like fire, which can set an entire forest ablaze. Our tongues, out of control, are the most destructive force on earth. When a family falls apart or a church divides, out-of-control tongues are always at the root.  5
• The tongue is "set on fire by hell." Satan means "the accuser." The word "devil" is the Greek word slanderer. When we let anger and bitterness flow from our lips we are doing Satan's work. The fuel of the uncontrolled tongue is hell itself! 6
• The tongue is the most uncontrollable force on earth. We can tame wild animals but we cannot tame the tongue. 7-8
• Too often, the tongue is like a poisonous snake bite - it injects destructive venom into the souls and minds of others, wreaking devastation in lives. 8
• We cannot praise God and curse men with the same tongue. If my lips are used to backbite, to gossip, to slander, to inject verbal venom, all my words of praise and affirmations of my devotion to Christ are empty and hollow. 9-12

If I had a recording of every word you had spoken in the last week, what would it tell me about you? Would I know that you truly love God because the praises of the Creator are on your lips and those same lips are used to encourage others in his name? Or would I see inconsistency and duplicity? Do you try to speak both the love of God and hurtful words toward others, even though Scripture says it is not possible. Would I hear vileness, abuse, viciousness? What would your words say about you? 

Jesus told us that the tongue is a gauge of the heart. What is in your heart shows in what comes out of your mouth. What does your tongue say about you? 

Father, forgive me for my failure, too often, to control my tongue by the power of your Spirit. Give me a tongue filled with praise, with grace, with gentleness and kindness, a tongue that glorifies you with every word. 

Saved by Works? November 25, Readings: Daniel 7-8, James 2, Psalm 132:1–5, Proverbs 28:27–28

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"He went forward when he was a boy. He was never very religious after that, but 'once saved, always saved' so we know he is with Jesus."

Every pastor has heard some form of this testimony when he visits with a family after a loved one has died. Someone answered a call to trust Christ many years ago and "believed" in Jesus. There was no evidence of the reality of that in the person's life, but we are saved by faith, not works, right? So, even though the person never gave evidence of any real fruit we can hope that he was saved by faith even though that faith produced no works.

Those who say such things believe they are relying on the theology of Paul, but they are really relying on a twisting of Paul's theology - one that would horrify the Apostle. Some have seen a divergence between Paul's teaching of salvation by grace through faith alone and what James says in James 2:17. Paul would given a loud amen to what James said.

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

James says in verse 21 that Abraham was justified by works when Paul maintained that Abraham was justified by faith, apart from works. That confuses many. Was James arguing against Paul's message? Does his teaching contradict the gospel proclaimed by Paul?

No. They are approaching the same truth from different directions. Paul says many of the same things in Romans 6 and 7. Every biblical truth has to be held in balance with another biblical truth - as the Trinity balances God's unity with his existence in three distinct and co-equal persons. Jesus is both man and God. God's sovereignty and human responsibility. The Bible is all about "truths in tension."

Remember the old story of the blind men who all touched an elephant? One grabbed the tail, another the trunk, another a leg, another a tusk, and another simply placed his hand on the elephant's side. They were all touching the same elephant, but they gave very different descriptions of the creature.

Paul was holding on to the truth of salvation by the grace of God, through faith alone. No one is able, by the works of the Law to earn a place in heaven. But Paul did not denigrate good works, he just maintained their proper place. After saying that we are saved "by grace through faith" in Ephesians 2:8-9, he says that we were "created in Christ Jesus to do good works." We are saved by grace to do good works.

That is exactly what James is saying here. He is not maintaining that anyone can perfectly keep the law and earn a place in glory. He is emphasizing that true faith produces good works. His thought is clear in verse 18.

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Faith, real faith, faith that is a gift from God and saves us, also produces in us a radical life change that is reflected in the way we live. Someone who professes faith in Christ but is not changed by Christ has every reason to doubt the genuineness of his or her conversion. Faith that does not produce new works is dead. There is without a doubt a difference in language and expression between Paul and James. But at the root they are saying the same thing - if my faith does not produce fruit in the way I live my life then it is not real. Salvation changes us. Grace is all-consuming.

Salvation by faith does not excuse us from living for Christ, from doing good works; no, it empowers us to live lives that glorify God, that are pure and holy, that serve others in Christ's name.

Father, may my life reflect the kind of works that are appropriate for one who has been saved by Christ. 

When Miracles Happen - November 24, Readings: Daniel 5-6, James 1, Psalm 130:5–131:3, Proverbs 28:25–26

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Wouldn't it be great if we could see the kind of miracles today that were seen in Daniel's day?  Three men thrown into a fiery furnace who come out unharmed; a hand that writes a message to a pagan king on the wall; a man survives in a den of hungry lions - God did many great works. And I'd love to see things like that in this day.

But none of these works of power was done for entertainment value. They were performed in the lives of people who had risked their lives in obedience to God's Word. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood against an entire culture and refuse to bow the knee to an idol. They were called before the king who demanded they acquiesce to his demands, but refused. They were thrown into a fiery furnace that was intended to kill them. It was then - when they had risked their lives to the point of death in obedience to God - that God stepped in to act in power.

In Daniel 6, Daniel is an old man but still a loyal servant of the king. Darius trusted him and gave him great responsibility, which created jealousy and hatred among others in the palace. They conspired against him to bring him down. These schemers manipulated Darius to sign an edict that only he should be worshiped for 30 days, knowing that Daniel would violate that rule and continue to worship the One True God. Daniel ended up in a den with hungry lions because of his obedience and faithfulness. And God acted in power to preserve the life of the man who acted in faithful obedience to him.

We would all like to see the kind of power God displayed in biblical days, when God performed miracles that would leave his people in awe and his enemies in terror. But those miracles were never curiosities. They were performed to accomplish great works and used obedient people who put their very lives at risk to serve God and obey him.

God's great miracles are acts of war in the great cosmic battle and they are witnessed by those who are on the front lines of that conflict! It is in the fiery furnace that God's presence is experienced. It is in the lion's den that God's power is released.

Would you like to see the might power of God at work in your life? You will not see it sitting in your easy chair. God doesn't do miracles through spiritual spectators! Present your body to Christ as a living sacrifice and give yourself fully to him and his kingdom's work. When you are on the front lines of the kingdom conflict, you will see the power of God in ways you never will in places of comfort and peace.

Father, I want to be on the front lines, not on the sidelines, so that I can see your mighty hand of power at work in me. 

Into the Fire - November 23, Readings: Daniel 3-4, Hebrews 13:20–25, Psalm 130:1–4, Proverbs 28:22–24

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It is one of my favorite stories in the Bible and has been since my youth. It has drama and tension and intrigue - everything that makes a story grand.

It begins in the mind of a megalomaniac named Nebuchadnezzar, who constructs a 90 foot high golden idol and demands that everyone in his kingdom bow down before it when the music sounded. Babylon was filled with captives, people from all over the world who still worshiped their own gods. The king didn't care about that as long as they kowtowed to his demands and when the instruments played demonstrated their loyalty by bowing before his god.

But there was a problem, one that was fairly easily identified, and one that Daniel 3:8-9 tells us was reported to the king. If when the music sounds everyone falls on their faces, it becomes pretty hard to hide the fact that three young Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were not bowing down. They were faithful servants to the king, but they refused to bow to his gods. When Nebuchadnezzar heard about their refusal, he hit the roof. In verses 14-15 he offered them one last chance to bow down and to save their hides, but their response was forceful (verses 16-18).

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

They would serve him. They would honor him. They would seek to please him any way they could. But they would not bow down to his gods. There was a limit to their submission. They faced the king in faith and confidence, believing that the God they worshiped was stronger than the most powerful man on earth, but they were also willing to face torture and death rather than serve the false gods of Babylon. 

This infuriated the king. He ordered the fire in the furnace heated to a temperature seven times its norm. He was going to show these impudent Jews what happened to dissenters and make an example out of them to everyone. No one would defy him! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were bound and carried to the fire to be thrown to their deaths. It was so hot that that the soldiers who threw them in were incinerated - a tragedy, to be sure, but at least Nebuchadnezzar had gotten his message across. 

But, wait! He looked into the fire to see to satiate his wrath and see the three young men writhing in agony, but he saw something very different. He saw the men who had been cast into the fire walking around, unbound, and there was another being with them, one he described as "like a son of the gods." I have a theory about who that might have been, but I'll let you guess that on your own! 

He called to the men and they walked out of the fire, unharmed, without even a whiff of an odor of smoke on them. Suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar knew the truth. There is a God in Israel, one unlike any other god. This God is real, not an idol. He's not some impersonal force to whom supplication is made to receive favors. He is a real God, a powerful God, a miracle-working God. 

How Nebuchadnezzar's attitude had changed. He may not have been "converted" but he suddenly had an amazing respect for the God these men worshiped. 

This all happened because three young men believed God enough to obey him, even at great cost, at the threat of their own lives. But because they believed, a wicked man saw the power of a mighty God. May we believe God and obey him that the world may see his power and tremble!

Father, may I live in faith and obedience to you in such a way that the world may see your power and tremble before you!

Moral Courage; Evil World - November 22, Readings: Daniel 1-2, Hebrews 12:18–13:19, Psalm 129, Proverbs 28:20–21

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Daniel is one of the truly great men of biblical history. He is one of the few characters of the Bible's story without a major flaw or a sinful failing. From his boyhood in captivity until his older years in the lion's den and through all the visions God gave him, he is an example of spiritual courage and moral excellence.

As we face life in a land that has abandoned and disdained our values, we can gain much from observing how Daniel and his friends took their stands.

On the one hand, they were uncompromising and firm in their beliefs, in Daniel 1 and in future events such as those that led his friends into a fiery furnace and him into a lions den. Daniel and his friends were young men taken from their homes and families, likely teens who knew that their families were dead and their nation lay in ruins. They had every reason to "go along to get along." "When in Rome, do as the Romans." But they did not. They refused to compromise their convictions.

I am not sure why Daniel refused to eat the meat served to him - nothing in the Jewish law demanded vegetarianism. It is likely that the meats that they were served were "unclean" and not permitted under Jewish law. The point is that he refused to eat that which dishonored God. He lived by his convictions.

But he was not belligerent, insulting or confrontational about it. He spoke privately to his overseer and worked to strike a compromise, giving them 10 days to prove that they would be okay eating the food they desired to eat. He did not protest or call fire from heaven down on Ashpenaz, threatening him if he did not submit. He was pleasant and tactful, and Ashpenaz was favorable toward him.

Of course, there is a time when a Christian has to take a confrontational stand. John the Baptist was willing to lose his head. Stephen confronted the religious leaders of Israel in strong terms and was stoned to death for it. But when possible, the people of God should live in peace with those around us. We should seek to be more like Daniel and his friends.

Their actions demonstrated an enormous faith in God. They were going to obey God no matter what, believing that God would watch over them - in this situation, in a furnace, in a den with hungry lions - and God always did.

Our calling to be faithful and obedient to God in all things. We ought to do this tactfully as much as possible, without being obnoxious or unnecessarily confrontational. We must trust that the God of Heaven will bless and use our obedience with his mighty hand of power.

Father, help me to walk in humble obedience to you, to trust that your will is always best, your way is always right and your word is always true. 

And the Crowds Cheer - November 21, Readings: Ezekiel 47-48, Hebrews 12:1–17, Psalm 128, Proverbs 28:17–19

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It is one of my favorite metaphors for the Christian life. Having been a marathon runner (slow and steady doesn't win the race, but it gets to the finish line!), I find the words of Hebrews 12:1-2 meaningful.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

In my first marathon (December 1981), I was quite sure I was going to die over the last 5 miles of the race. My feet hurt. My toenails had cut into my toes and they were bleeding. My arm muscles were cramping. I had run the middle miles of the race in close to an 8 minute per mile pace (mile 10 to 21) and then I hit the wall. Hard. Smack. I walked. I jogged. I cried out to God in pain. Then, as I neared Dallas' White Rock lake, I began to hear the crowds that lined the finish. My pace picked up a little as I neared the end. I remember when I passed the 26 mile mark. That meant I had 385 yards left. Now, crowds lined the street we ran on and they were cheering. FOR ME! I did something I would have sworn I couldn't have done a few miles earlier. I sprinted (to be honest, it felt like a sprint - not sure what it looked like.) I crossed the line and collapsed. I must have looked as bad as I felt. Famed aerobics doctor Kenneth Cooper was at the finish line and he came up to me to check on me!

It was the cheering of the crowds that gave me the energy to go on when I thought I had to quit! These people helped me make it to the end. Hebrews 12:1 builds on chapter 11, the Hall of Faith, describing the heroes of the OT who walked by faith, not by sight. They are the cloud of witnesses who surround us and encourage us to continue our walk of faith and obedience with Jesus Christ. They are not just observers or cheerleaders, but much more. Their lives testify to us that the life of faith is worth it, that those who depend on God and obey, even in the worst of times will never be dismayed!

• When I feel the weight of the guilt of my sins holding me back, when I wonder if my sins can ever really be washed away, I can listen to the witness of Abel who tells me, "The Father is pleased by a sacrifice of blood, especially that of the Son." 
• When I don't understand God's ways or his commands, I can listen for the voice of Noah telling me to trust and obey, even if it takes a long time. 
• When God's promises do not seem to be coming true, I hear the witness of Abraham who shouts for me to wait, to be patient, and that eventually God's promises will be fulfilled. 
• When I fear for my family, I can hear the testimony of the Patriarchs who speak of the faithfulness of God from generation to generation. 
• When you are faced with a task that is bigger than you, that is beyond your abilities, listen for Moses. God is bigger than your task. Obey God and he can empower you to face Pharaoah and deliver the people. Moses will remind you that we serve a Mighty God. Whatever the obstacles, whatever the challenges or disappointments or struggles of life, these witnesses remind us that the life of faith is a life of power, a life in which the glory of God is revealed. 

So I pick up the pace and press on. I don't give up and I run to the finish line. I lay aside those worldy weights that hinder me - passions, habits, anything that competes with Christ for my affections - and I run with perseverance the race he has set before me. I keep my eyes focused on  Christ, on the finish, looking forward to that day when I cross the finish line and see Jesus face to face. Yes, that will be glory beyond words.

Run to Jesus. The race is not easy. It can be painful as you pursue Christ in this world. But Jesus is worth it. Every morning when you get up, renew your commitment to Christ and your desire to serve him. Day by day, week by week, year by year, pursue Christ. Run with perseverance until the day the race is over and you hear the Savior say, "Well done."

Father, strengthen me to run the race today, to seek Jesus and to serve him with my whole being. I long for that day when faith becomes sight and I see Jesus face to face. 

If I Only Had Faith - November 20, Readings: Ezekiel 45-46, Hebrews 11:15–40, Psalm 127, Proverbs 28:15–16

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Imagine what you could do if you just had more faith!

That's what the spiritual shysters tell you. Work up a little more confidence, positive confession, words of affirmation, or however they define faith and you can have whatever  you want. Faith, defined as they define it, is a guarantee of a positive outcome. You will get all you want, have your hopes and dreams fulfilled! All you have to do is have faith.

But those who think this haven't read Hebrews 11. Frankly, they haven't read the Bible, except for a few verses they have lifted out of context, but we will focus on Hebrews 11 for today. In yesterday's readings, we learned a little about the nature of faith. Faith, which verse 6 tells us is essential - without it we cannot please God, is living on the basis of what God has said, even when you cannot see it as true. Look at verse 1.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

The "Hall of Faith" passage goes on to talk about man after man who did what God told him to even though the circumstances of the world made it look like God's word could not possibly be true. Abraham, Moses, and many more are commended for walking by faith and not by sight. Faith isn't about working up some kind of confidence or wishful thinking so that you can get what you want from God. It is about walking in obedience to God in spite of circumstances.

But wait, someone says. Verses 33-35 describe people of faith in glowing terms.

"...who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection."

Look at that! Faith enabled them to win great wars, conquer lions, escape the sword and fire, gain strength and become mighty. Women even received their loved ones back from the dead. That's what I'm talking about! That's faith. You believe well enough, hard enough, big enough, and you get what you want.

But we need to read on. Yes, sometimes obedience to God enables us to win great victories. Sometimes we stand at the top of the mountain in glory because of what God has done and it is our faith in God that has enabled us to get there. But verse 35 continues, and through verse 37 reveals a very different outcome of faith.

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated...

No great victories for these folks. These were the ones who knelt on the beach, refusing to renounce their faith while they were beheaded! The "sawn in two" refers to a tradition about Isaiah and how he died, but it speaks of myriad of faithful men who died rather than compromise their faith. These men wore animal skins, were destitute and mistreated.

Evidently they didn't understand how positive confession works?

That's the point here. Both groups were people of faith. By faith some won victories. By faith others died as martyrs. By faith some succeeded. By faith others failed! By faith some got rich; by faith others lived in poverty. Faith is not about guaranteeing an outcome, but about believing God and walking in obedience to him, no matter what comes.

May we be men and women of faith - whether we succeed by faith or suffer in faith. May we trust God and walk in him!

Father, I want to be a man of faith, trusting you and walking in you, no matter what. If I succeed, I trust. If I fail, I trust. 

A Look in the Mirror - November 19, Readings: Ezekiel 43-44, Hebrews 11:1–14, Psalm 126, Proverbs 28:12–14

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"Christians need to be more positive, to spend less time focusing on sin and judgment and more time focusing on God's love, acceptance and grace."

It's sounds great, doesn't it? I don't like to think about my own failures and the guilt of my sins. Just as I don't like to look at myself in the mirror first thing in the morning, I don't much like it when God's word holds a mirror to my soul and I see the filth and wickedness within. Of course I'd rather think about the good things. I'd love to ignore my sin and only ponder the positives.

But there is a problem with that attitude which is so prevalent today. According to Proverbs 28:13, if we ignore sin we can never receive the blessings of God.

The one who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

We can never prosper or grow spiritually by ignoring our sins or hiding them. It is only as we honestly look at them, confessing renouncing them before God, that we find mercy and grace. Hidden sin is never healed. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, but there is no blessing for those who fail to face and admit their sin, either. 

The first step on the path of blessing is confession, repentance - taking a long, hard look at myself in the mirror of the word and admit the reality of my depravity. The pretense, denial, self-justification and rationalization must go as pride melts away. It is by wandering through the darkness of confession and repentance that we find the light of forgiveness. 

Today, as you pray, let the Spirit examine you and show you your heart - no artifice, no denial, just an honest look at the depths of your sin. Through that painful pursuit lies the path to joy, to hope, to forgiveness and to God's merciful bounty. This is not morbid. It is beautiful! It reminds you that it's not you, it's HIM! It's not works, it's grace! It's not earned, it's a gift. You will be filled with gratitude and moved to worship and to walk in holiness. 

Father, show me my heart, that by repentance I might know your mercy more fully every day. 

The Holy of Holies - November 18, Readings: Ezekiel 41-42, Hebrews 10, Psalm 125, Proverbs 28:10–11

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It was hard to get to God in the Old Testament era. One had to travel to Jerusalem (or wherever the tabernacle was in the pre-temple days) and secure a sacrifice. That sacrifice was taken by the priests and put on the altar. But to enter the Holy of Holies - that was even more difficult. No one could go there, where the presence of God dwelt; no one except the high priest and then only once a year. On that day he would enter the holiest place on earth to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat and make intercession for the sins of all Israel.

But that all changed one day on a hill just outside the gates of Jerusalem, where a man hung on a cross. He was not just a high priest, but a Great High Priest. Having shed his blood, he ascended and went through the heavenly curtain to make final intercession for us, purchasing our redemption and atoning for our sins.

But he did something else that day. He opened a new path to heaven, to the presence of God.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22.

Now, because of Christ, it is no longer difficult to enter the presence of God. We can walk through the curtain boldly in the name of Christ into the heavenly Holy of Holies. We have a new and living way to God. 

And we are enjoined, in verse 22, to take advantage of this, to draw near to God in faith, knowing that it is opened to those who are in Christ. The redeemed must choose daily to take advantage of this blessing God has granted us, and walk boldly through the curtain, drawing near to him. 

Father, what a shame that your Son opened this new and living way into your presence and yet so often I fail to seek you with full assurance. Today, I draw near to you because of Christ. 

Payment Demanded - November 17, Readings: Ezekiel 40, Hebrews 9, Psalm 124, Proverbs 28:7–9

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There is no doctrine more precious or abused than that of the love of God. It is glorious beyond words that God loves me and has acted by his grace to save me. Praise God! But the doctrine is twisted and perverted as well into the idea that God has no standards, that he doesn't care care about our sin. God's love does not abrogate his holy standards. In fact, God's love properly understood exalts both God's love and his holiness.

There are two facts we must never forget. First of all, someone has to pay for our sins. God will not, by his holy nature he cannot simply look the other way and ignore our sins. His righteousness cries out against sin and demands payment, demands atonement. "The wages of sin is death," Paul said in Romans. Here, the author of Hebrews makes a bold assertion.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22

Because of sin, blood had to be shed. The Old Testament sacrificial system required that offerings be made. It is not that God is cruel, but that sin is such an offense, such a violation of God's creation, of God's holy character, that a sacrifice must be made. But the Old Testament sacrifices never completely conquered sin. They had to be offered repeatedly and did not eternally cover sin.

But Jesus offered "better sacrifices than these" which permanently and eternally paid for our sins. That is the second fact, "Jesus paid it all." His one sacrifice did what all the levitical sacrifices in Israelite history could not do, he completely atoned for all our our sins.

That is how the love of God is demonstrated. God doesn't just ignore our sin - because of his holiness, he cannot do that. But he loved us so much he sacrificed his Son to pay for our sins. No greater love has ever been seen in this world.

Thank you for your love, Father, which paid the debt for my sins by the once-for-all sacrifice of your Son. I am loved eternally, completely and radically. All I can say is thank you, and give myself completely to you. 

War with Hell - November 16, Readings: Ezekiel 38-39, Hebrews 9:1–10, Psalm 123, Proverbs 28:5–6

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"I guess you know, this means war!" 

Bugs Bunny's famous words remind us of an important truth about the Christian life.

I am afraid that we, as American Christians, have developed a skewed idea of the nature of Christianity. We are used to living at ease, at peace, to being in comfort. We have devised a theological framework in which health, wealth, peace, ease, comfort and prosperity are the norm for those who are walking in the faith. But such is not the case very often in the word of God. Yes, God is good and he provides joy to his people. But the peace that he gives is not the absence of conflict or enemies, but the calm assurance that no matter how fierce our foes, no matter how awful the things are that come against us, God is bigger than our enemies and he will see us through.

In fact, throughout Scripture, the people of God always had enemies - powerful enemies, scary, imposing, life-threatening enemies. When they walked in obedience to God they were able to defeat those enemies - Pharaoh, the Canaanites, the Philistines, the Moabites and Midianites. When they disobeyed God, they fell under the dominion of those who came against them.

Ezekiel 38-39 describe (at least according to my end-times perspective) the greatest battle of all, the great conflict at the end of time. But without delving into the details of who God and Magog are or trying to identify all the details of the battle, this prophetic story reminds us of some very important truths.

1. There will always be enemies coming against the people of God. 

In the Garden, Adam and Eve were living in peace and minding their own business. Along came the Serpent, slithering in with his lies to derail the paradise of God. Since that initial confrontation, when our first parents chose the dark path of sin, enemies have come against us. Sometimes, they simply lied to lead us astray. Sometimes it is more blatant, as with Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar, who tried to destroy God's people completely. So it will be right up until the end, when the army described in Ezekiel 38 will come against the restored Israel.

The moment you trust Christ you become part of the great cosmic conflict and you can assume that until the day that you go to Jesus or he returns for us that conflict will continue. He will lie and will seek to undermine all that God is doing. We are at war and we must be prepared to live as such. Thus it always has been. Thus it always will be. Thus it is today. Count on it.

2. God fights the enemies of his people. 

That could strike fear in us, but it should not. The testimony of Scripture is clear, that God consistently and eternally fights for his people. This powerful enemy will sweep down from the north against Israel, but 39:3-6 tells us that God is still on his throne.

Then I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. You shall fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

It is not God's people who will fall, but the enemies who come against them. Pharaoh's armies drowned in the Red Sea. The Midianites fled from 300 Israelites. Goliath fell. Elijah called down fire. God is able to defeat his enemies who come against his people, no matter how overwhelming they are. Never fear. Trust and obey.

3. God does this to display his glory.

Verse 7 goes on to explain exactly why God defeats his enemies. His purpose is twofold.

And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.

He wants to make is name holy among his people and glorious among the nations. He wants his own people to know him, honor him, and remember who wonderful he really is. He is determined to use them to make his glory known among the nations, to prove that Yahweh alone is the true and living God of heaven, the one God to be feared and honored in all the world. 

This is what happened at the beginning, it will be happening at the end. And it is happening today. We are at war and our enemies are powerful. But our God is more powerful. All we need to do is trust him and walk in obedience and he will establish us, protect us and use us to declare his glory among the nations!

Father, help me to remember that I am a soldier in your army, that I am here to serve you. May I also remember that your glory is great and that the battle is yours! The victory is yours. Praise your powerful name. 

'Dem Dry Bones - November 15, Readings: Ezekiel 37, Hebrews 7:11–8:13, Psalm 122, Proverbs 28:2–4

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It is the greatest miracle of all. The Bible records many wondrous works done by God. He parted the Red Sea and stopped the flow of the Jordan. He made the walls of Jericho come tumbling down and sent fire down on Elijah's sacrifice. Jesus walked on water, fed the crowds, made the lame walk and the blind see. But there is one miracle that is greater than all others. It was the miracle that God previewed when Elijah raised the Widow of Zarephath's son, when Jesus interrupted the funeral in the Jezreel Valley, and when he spoke to his friend Lazarus, calling him from the grave after four days. And it is the ultimate miracle of history, which God performed on Jesus early on the morning of the first day of the week, raising him from the dead.

Death from life. Something from nothing. This is not art, not renovation, it is creation.

It is that kind of miracle that Ezekiel speaks of in chapter 37 of his prophecy, the vision of the dry bones. He saw a valley of nothing but dry bones - death and decay had done its complete job. This was not a sickness, it was death. A doctor can treat sick people, but there is nothing can be done for dry bones. But God can do the impossible - he can raise the dead.

People, think about that. We don't just serve a God who can do a few little things for you. He can take dry bones and make them live! Doesn't that problem that is bothering you seem kind of small in comparison? If God can make dry bones come to life, do you think the thing that is stressing you out is going to stress HIM out?

This prophecy is a vision of the resurrection of a nation. God has destroyed Israel because of their sin. The nation lay in ruins, the people were in exile and the future looked bleak. There was little hope in any human effort or ability for the nation in its condition. But that did not stop what God intended to do. He would sweep through the dry bones in power, they would shudder to life and form sinews and tissues. God would do what no one else could do. The prophecy came true in history and its ultimate fulfillment awaits in the future when God will restore the nation to its full glory.

It is the same thing that he did in my life. I was, according to Ephesians 2:1, dead in my sins, without any hope of fixing the problem on my own. My soul was a valley of dry bones - nothing but death - hopeless death. But God did not leave me in that condition. He worked a miracle - his greatest. As he had raised his Son from the dead, he also raised me to new life and gave me eternal hope.

I have eternal life and hope today because God works miracles, because he raises the dead, because he took "dem dry bones" in my soul and knit them together in new life. I have been given life in Christ. More than that, I have been loved in Chtist. Eternally and ultimately. What an amazing privilege it is to serve a God who makes dry bones live!

Thank you, Father, for the life I have because of you, and you alone. 

Entering God's Presence - November 14, Readings: Ezekiel 35-36, Hebrews 7:1–10, Psalm 121, Proverbs 28:1

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The trek would start at the Pool of Siloam, at the lower end of Jerusalem, the City of David. As the pilgrims would come to worship, they would ascend on a wide road up past the ancient city, past the king's palace, toward the Temple Mount. They would walk up the steps in the picture here to the gate that led into the Temple area, to bring their offerings, worship God and make atonement for their sins.

And as they walked up the street, as they ascended the steps, they would sing psalms that declared the goodness of God. These are called the "Songs of Ascent" and they are found in Psalm 120-134.

The City of David is on a ridge below the Temple Mount and it is surrounded by hills all around. As the Israelites walked up Mt. Moriah, burdened with fears and cares, struggles and trials, they could gaze at those mountain peaks all around and they could ask:

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

They reminded themselves of the grace and mercy, the goodness and kindness of the God they worshiped. Whenever they had turned to them, no matter how great the need, he had been their help. The Creator was also their Savior. 

David's city was positioned among these mountains for protection and provision. Inside this southern slope of Mt. Moriah was the Gihon Spring, which would provide water for Jerusalem, even in times of drought or when enemies surrounded. The hills around the city were designed to protect them as well. Jerusalem provided natural protection and provision. But the Psalmist did not forget where the real help came from. 

Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side. Psalm 121:4-5

Hills can help, but God is the real shelter, the real protector. And as the Israelites walked up the mountain with the hills surrounding them, they reminded themselves of this. 

They were utterly dependent on the Lord. Sometimes they forgot that and suffered for it. But the Psalms of Ascent were designed to remind Israel that they had a good God, one who cared for them and one who would never leave or forsake them. 

The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever. Psalm 121:7-8

We don't ascend the steps into the church singing psalms (maybe we should - a little pre-service spiritual preparation couldn't hurt), but we, like Israel, must remind ourselves daily that our God is good, faithful and that his love is everlasting. 

Father, I thank you for your goodness and grace, displayed every day. May I never forget who you are and what you have done for me. 

Grow UP! November 13, Readings: Ezekiel 33-34, Hebrews 5:11–6:20, Psalm 120, Proverbs 27:24–27

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My granddaughter, Johannah, is the cutest thing. She has just entered her "terrible twos" - with both feet! She is testing her limits, demanding her way, pouting, and throwing tantrums. We used to call her Hurricane Johannah - she could leave a swath of destruction behind her wherever she goes. A while back, one of her favorite things was to unroll the toilet paper (thank goodness that "adorable" hobby has passed.) When she eats, ends us strewn about the room. She can be loving one minute and angry the next. Happy. Sad. It's like riding a roller coaster!

But it won't be so cute in 15 years if she behaves the same way. What is cute in a toddler is annoying in a child and intolerable in a teenager. Johannah is normal - that is how two-year-olds behave. But if she is still behaving the same way when she is 18, there won't be anything cute about it. She will begin to hear those fateful words that parents often say to their children - GROW UP!

That is what the author of Hebrews was saying to his readers in Hebrews 5:12.

Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. 

What was the problem? They should have been mature, leading others in the ways of Christ, and training them to follow him, but they were not. They were still having to learn the basic lessons of life. They have remained on a diet of milk instead of going on to eating the solid food they need to grow. 

We sometimes wonder why the church is in the kind of mess that it is in today. The problem is what the author diagnosed here in this passage. American Christians live on a baby's diet, refusing to dig into the meat of the Word and staying with the pablum, or worse, living on a diet of junk food - but that's another devotional altogether. Too often we find believers who have been saved for 20 or 30 years still behaving like they are in their terrible twos.

There is a simple solution to this problem. We need to grow up, to mature in Christ, to grow in him. We need to deal with the sicknesses that prevent spiritual growth, by repenting of our sin and seeking God. We must get a consistent diet of high-nutrition solid spiritual food, by reading studying and obeying God's Word. As we turn from our growth-stunting sins and feast upon God's Word, we will grow and leave behind childish behavior. 

Father, build your character into me. May I grow strong in you through your Word. 

Our True Sabbath Rest - November 12, Readings: Ezekiel 31-32, Hebrews 4:1–5:10, Psalm 119:173–176, Proverbs 27:22–23

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Most of us live lives of stress and of tumult. Even when we lay our heads down on the pillow at night, our brains continue to race - thinking about money or relationships or job stress or life circumstances or whatever else life has thrown at us. Rest comes hard. Relaxation isn't always easy.

But in Hebrews 4 we find out about a different kind of rest, the kind that God gives to those who repent of their sins and believe in his Son. Verse 1 makes an assertion and gives a warning.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 

God promises us that there is rest - his rest, perfect rest. But he is talking about far more than just a good night's sleep, more than relaxation or unwinding from the stresses of life. God's rest is a life of complete trust in God, a life lived by faith instead of the stress and strain of good works. We cease to depend on ourselves to achieve righteousness and to please God and trust in the finished work of Christ - that true rest.  

This is our true Sabbath rest as believers, a rest from our own works. As God rested from his works, we are to rest from ours. Consider verses 9 and 10. 

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

We are not talking about taking a break from holiness, but living the life that God wants by faith, not by our own effort. It is about total dependence on God and not on a set of rules or on my own efforts. I am redeemed because of what Christ did - I simply trusted my life to him. And I am made holy by the work of Christ as well, trusting fully in his presence and power, his Spirit and his finished work. 

But there is a warning attached to verse 1. This perfect rest that God has provided for us, this Christ-purchased and Christ-provided rest is not automatic. Many of God's people miss it. Instead of living in dependence on the Christ who gave all for them, they stress and strain to make it on their own, depending on themselves and their own resources instead of on God. And it is such a waste. Verse 11 sums it up. 

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Now that's a strange statement, isn't it? "Strive to enter that rest." Work hard to rest? But that odd wording demonstrates an important point. We must daily put our faith in God, renounce dependence on our own works and our own abilities and rest fully in him. Every single day. It is a constant battle, one that is accomplished by dependence on God, but it is a battle nonetheless.

May be battle every day, working hard to rest in Christ. Coming to understand that conundrum may not be easy, but it is one of the secrets of understanding Christian living. 

Father, I rest in you and trust in you. When I've trusted in myself, I have lived in fear and stress, and I have failed. But when I walk in faith, you are faithful. Thank you for your wonderful rest. 

Making God Mad? November 11, Readings: Ezekiel 29-30, Hebrews 3, Psalm 119:169–172, Proverbs 27:19–21

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In Hebrews 3, we are warned to avoid the sin that Israel committed, the one that "provoked" God and upset him to the point that he sent Israel wandering in the desert for 40 years. Had to be something big right? Something awful. Something immoral or perverse. Had to be one of the big sins.

But it wasn't. It was something much simpler and, unfortunately, more common, that aroused God's divine pique. The story starts in verses 1-6, when the author regales us with the goodness, glory and works of Jesus as our great high priest.

Jesus is faithful as our high priest, bringing us into right relationship with the Father and serving our true spiritual needs. Jesus Christ was the Son who served God faithfully by fulfilling his mission - to die for our sins and bring redemption and renewal to us. As God was faithful to Israel in the Old Testament, Christ was faithful to his people by bringing them out of bondage into the freedom he purchased for us at the Cross.

But Israel was never grateful for that work that God did through Moses. Instead of trusting the God who had been so good, they hardened their hearts, turned from him, complained about everything, walked in their own ways instead of God's and tested his patience and forbearance.

Their terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad sin? Unbelief! They failed to trust the God whose faithfulness was beyond contestation, whose goodness was overwhelming and whose power was irresistible.  When trouble came, they murmured and complained, but did not trust the God who had displayed his glory among them.

Are you kidding me? Unbelief? That's all? Failing to believe God and trust in his goodness is such a horrible sin that it provokes God and arouses his discipline?

Yes, my friend, it does. When God has done as much for us as he has, when he has worked in us and through us with his mighty hand of power, when he has demonstrated grace, when he has given his Son to suffer and die for our sakes, when he has raised his Son back to life, when he has poured out his Spirit in us to empower us and when he has daily, even hourly displayed such amazing mercy and grace to us, it is an affront and an insult to him when we do not trust him fully.

What more does God need to do to earn our trust?

Yet so often we hold back, we refuse to give our lives over to him and place ourselves completely in his hands. We fail to obey him and follow his will. Why? Because we do not fully trust God and his plan for us.

It may be a common human response, but we must remember that precisely that sin, the sin of unbelief, was the one that provoked God's anger and caused his hand to fall upon Israel. And that is why the author of Hebrews warns us against that in verse 12.

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

God is good and faithful, and he deserves our trust - fully, unreservedly and eternally. He has earned it and we must not turn back from it. 

Father, too often I've shrunk back in unbelief, like Israel. As the man said to Jesus, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief." Forgive me for when I have failed to trust you fully and strengthen me by your Spirit to trust you in everything. 

Slip Slidin' Away - November 10, Readings: Ezekiel 27-28, Hebrews 1–2, Psalm 119:161–168, Proverbs 27:17–18

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I used to love body surfing, back in my Florida days. I'd go out into the Atlantic when the waves were right, dive and catch the wave at just the right time and see how far I could ride it up the beach. Out and back. Time and again. But I had to be careful. Most of the time, at the beaches I frequented, there is a side current that will cause you to drift up or down the beach. If you didn't pay attention, you could find yourself a long way from way you were supposed to be.

The writer of Hebrews (I think it might have been Apollos, though no one really knows) was concerned about something similar. He observed people who came to faith in Christ but were drifting back into legalistic Judaism. In Hebrews 2:1, he said,

Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.  

As I had to pay attention on the beach not to drift away, Christians must be careful that we do not drift away from our walk of faith in Christ. Fortunately, our salvation is kept by Christ and is secure. I cannot lose my salvation because Christ holds it for me. But I can drift away from my walk of holiness back into the ways of the world. I can drift from a walk of faith back into living by sight. My passion can wane and I can drift back into the love of the world and that which is in it. I can drift from Christ's call to die to self back into a life of self-centeredness and indulgence.

Henry Blackaby said that we have a natural (sinful) tendency to drift away from God. Hebrews is written to warn us not to allow that to happen. We must continue to focus unwaveringly on Christ, walk in obedience and live in the power of the Spirit God has given us. We must daily fan the flames of passion for Christ through the Word and prayer.

We have an inborn and constant struggle to resist, in God's power, the natural tendency of our hearts to drift from our rightful passion for Christ. Time and again, the writer of Hebrews warns of this.

But the solution is found in Hebrews 1, along with the rest of the book, which exalts Jesus Christ. The more we exalt him in our lives, the more he is the center, the focus, the passion of our lives, the greater our resistance to our tendency to drift away.

Father, fill my heart with a zeal for Christ that my zeal for him might never wane and that I will never drift away. 

Human Walls Fall - November 9, Readings: Ezekiel 25-26, Philemon, Psalm 119:153–160, Proverbs 27:14–16

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Fate determined that Philemon and Onesimus would stand on opposite sides of life's railroad tracks. Philemon was wealthy, successful, a man who was able to have a slave. Onesimus was that slave. Evidently, from what Paul said in Philemon 11, he was a "useless" slave, one who did not do the work he was assigned and who eventually ran away from Philemon.

Then, something happened. Onesimus, while he was on the lam, met a man named Paul, who introduced him to Jesus Christ. Coincidentally, Paul had also met Philemon and introduced him to Christ. And when the two men met Jesus, everything in their lives changed, including their relationship to one another. Those human walls which divided them began to crumble in Christ.

Our human differences mean a lot to us. Republican. Democrat. Hawkeye. Cyclone. Cornhusker. Hobby preferences. Likes and dislikes. White. Black. Brown. Rich. Poor. We are diverse and these differences matter to us. Division seems to come naturally to us.

But when Jesus Christ gets hold of our lives, the human differences become lesser in importance and our unity in Christ becomes what matters most. Paul reminded Philemon that Christ had fundamentally changed the relationship between the slave and the owner. Now, they were in much more than an economic relationship, they were in an eternal family. They were brothers in Christ. The injuries of the past faded in comparison to the new reality of Christ.

Knowing Christ does not immediately or permanently remove all human differences. Some of us are rich and some are poor. We come from different backgrounds and have different skin colors. We remain men and women. These things don't change when Christ saves our souls. But when we are in the family of God, those human differences, still real, just become less significant.

It will only be in heaven, I suppose, that we find out "the rest of the story" concerning Onesimus and Philemon. Did they reconcile? Did Onesimus receive both forgiveness and freedom? Paul seemed confident, in verse 22, of a positive outcome.

But when we walk in Christ, those human things that divide us no longer need to build walls. Jesus Christ tears down walls and builds unity among us.

Father, may I focus on Christ and his work that brings unity, not on the human things that divide. 

Meditation that Matters - November 8, Readings: Ezekiel 23-24 , Titus 3, Psalm 119:145–152, Proverbs 27:12–13

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When I say the word meditate, what comes to your mind? I'm guessing that you think of some kind of eastern mystic  sitting with legs crossed chanting "om" - something like that. There is no where in the Bible that commands or recommends that kind of practice.

But we are told to meditate. Psalm 119:148 speaks of this practice.

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,

    that I may meditate on your promise.

There's nothing transcendental about that kind of meditation. When the Bible speaks of meditation, it simply means to stop and think deeply about the Word, chewing on it until you understand it thoroughly and have applied it comprehensively.

We are a hurried people, rushing around from commitment to commitment with little time to stop and think. And we are a noisy people, with phones going and music playing and iPods, iPads, tablets and smart phones to distract us always. In a world like this, stopping to think is not a common event. But i is essential to spiritual growth. We must take time to chew on the Word of God, to consider all of its deep claims, to carefully apply the Word to our lives.

If your Christian life is stuck in neutral, gunning the engine might not be your best strategy. Stop. Pray. Think. Medidate. Spend time with God - much time. Slow down and focus your mind on the the things which are above until your mind aligns with the mind of God and your heart beats with his.

It is a great thing to read the Bible daily and to pray through lists of prayer needs. But we must also be careful to stop and think deeply about what it says, letting the Spirit take the truths deep into our souls and accomplish his amazing work of transformation in us.

Father, help me to slow down - in mind as well as body - to take the time to consider your Word in all its glory and power. 

The Sweetness of Friendship - November 7, Readings: Ezekiel 21-22, Titus 2, Psalm 119:137–144, Proverbs 27:9–11

Links to Today's Readings

I read an article by another pastor about the intense loneliness that he goes through in his ministry. It was moving and struck a cord of familiarity with me. Even though we are "connected" through social media many of us live solitary lives. We feel cut off and isolated. Once, it was not unusual for people to die in the same home they were born in, to live their entire lives around the same small group of people in the same community - all of their lives. They were rooted! They knew who they were. But now we are tumbleweeds, rolling through life from place to place, relationship to relationship, church to church, job to job. Is it any wonder people feel as if they do not have the kinds of friends they want to have?

It brought emphasis to the truths that Solomon was focusing on in Proverbs 27:9-10. Friends, true friends, are one of the greatest treasures of life.

I got a call recently from one of the closest friends I ever had. During my first pastorate he had been both a friend and a mentor, a sounding board and a counselor. I'd probably shared more of my heart with that man than any other person I've known outside my family. When I moved to Iowa we lost touch - busy lives and ministries.

Then, out of the blue he called and we talked for an hour. When you have that kind of friend even nearly 25 years doesn't really tarnish things and we went right back to talking about our lives. I'll never forget one of the things he told me. "I'm in great health." It was ironic, because the next day I got a Facebook message telling me that he had died suddenly of a heart attack.

Friends are too great a treasure to forget or to ignore. We must nurture friendships and tend them with the kind of care we would a garden!

Verse 9 speaks of the "sweetness of a friend." Of course, God is our strength, our fortress, our source of hope. But friends are essential to life, providing the "oil and incense" of joy to the human heart. They are a treasure.

Because of that, Solomon instructs his sons to be good friends. Often, when we are lonely, we fail to focus on the right thing. If you want to have good friends you must be a friend. Our focus in loneliness is usually on how others treat us, but if we want friendships we have to be friends, we must focus on how we treat others. We must be friends - loyal, sacrificial, kind, and faithful in our relationships.

The most important goal in life is to love God. He is the one we need. But as we love him and serve him in this world it helps to have great friends to walk the road with us, to lift us when we fall, to strengthen us when our hands grow weak. And to have friends we must focus on being a friend.

Father, I thank you for friends you have given me through the years. Help me to be a friend every day.

Fond Farewells - November 6, Readings: Ezekiel 19-20, 2 Timothy 4:9–22, Titus 1, Psalm 119:129–136, Proverbs 27:7–8

Links to Today's Readings

The noose was tightening and Paul knew it. It is generally believed that 2 Timothy is the last of Paul's letters, written not long before he was put to death by the Emperor of Rome. These are Paul's last words, and powerful words they are. The section we read today is a series of greetings and our tendency might be to simply pass over these as we move on to more "important" passages with didactic focus. But if you understand the dynamics of what is said here, there are some powerful lessons that we can take away.

1. It's not how you start, it's how you finish. 

Two names are mentioned here - one a sad story and one a triumph of redemption. Verse 10 tells the story of Demas who was one of Paul's young assistants. As time went on and the going got rough, Demas lost his "first love" for Jesus and fell back in love with this present world. John makes in clear in 1 John 2 that you can't both love God and love the world. Demas is example #1 of this. Loving the world he abandoned Paul in his need. We don't know much about the future of Demas' life, but it is a sad commentary.

On the other hand, verse 11 mentions Mark who is "useful" to Paul. In the last days of his life only Luke, the writer of the Gospel and the book of Acts is with him, but he wants to see Mark. This is quite a turnaround because back in Acts 15 he came into sharp dispute with Barnabas over this same man. But John Mark turned it around and got things straightened out. The momma's boy who ran crying home is now so useful to Paul that in his last moments on earth his desire was to see him one more time. Permit me to draw two more principles from that.

2. Keep stoking the flame. 

Just because you are loving and serving Jesus today is no guarantee you always will. We must continue to seek him and fan the flames of our passion for Christ. Demas let that love fade and found his love for the world renewed.

3. When you fail, don't quit. 

Mark blew it...bad. He messed up so bad that Paul didn't want anything to do with him and the partnership between Paul and Barnabas broke up. But he didn't quit and eventually God worked in him and he became a man useful to Paul - a key ally in his ministry - trusted, significant, and loved. When you fail, the worst thing to do is to quit. Jesus is in the business of restoration, renovation, and renewal.

4. In life, it's all about the people along the way.

Paul's last thoughts were not about grand ideas but about the people he worked with along the way - friends, fellow-laborers in the cause of Christ. One of the most remarkable things about Paul was how he trained the next generation of leaders in the church as he walked through his ministry. Don't get so wrapped up in the busy-ness of life that you forget that the highest priority is people.

Father, thank you for your grace and for those you have put in my life along the way. May my priorities be your prirorities. 

Finishing the Race on a Tough Course - November 05, Readings: Ezekiel 17-18, 2 Timothy 3:1–4:8, Psalm 119:121–128, Proverbs 27:4–6

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I don't set dates for the Lord's return because the Bible tells me not to do it. Will Christ return in my lifetime? In a hundred years? A thousand? I don't know. You don't either and we should not speculate.

But it is clear that the world is becoming much more like the world Paul described, in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, that would mark the last days. It is a spot-on prophecy of the world we live in. Is any of this NOT true in our world, even in the Christian world?

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

We have exalted the love of self over the love of others, though Christ called us to join him at his Cross. Can anyone argue that it is unfair to describe Americans as "lovers of money" or that we tend to love pleasure more than we love God? Of course, these qualities are part of the sinful human nature and have always been present, but these trends have escalated dramatically in my lifetime. 

Not only are people boastful and proud today, but we are encouraged to be so - self-assertion and self-adulation are part of a "healthy self-image" according to many. Again, children have always disobeyed their parents, but now the very concept of parental authority is often undercut. Our culture demonstrates a distinct lack of love for what is good, especially in entertainment. 

The last line is one that haunts me. Religion abounds in America, but I often wonder how much of it is simply a form of godliness - going through the motions of Christianity - without really living in the power of God through his Holy Spirit. 

Again, I don't know what the Lord's time schedule is. Today? Tomorrow? 3015? Who knows? But I know we are living in the kind of wicked world Paul described to Timothy. 

What should we do? Despair? Stand by and complain about the wickedness of this world, shaking our heads in judgment? That was not Paul's response. He pointed Timothy to the inspired scriptures (in 3:16) and told him they were useful for dealing with life in a sinful world. In fact, they were able to make one "complete, equipped for every good work." 

In the next chapter (remember, those chapter divisions are not part of the inspired text), he reminded Timothy to preach the word and persist in it (4:2) in spite of those who would reject the truth and gather lying teachers around them. 

What is the point? We live in a wicked world. Maybe the end is near, maybe it is not. I don't know and neither do you. What we do know that is that the Word of God is powerful, inspired and  useful. It can change lives as we proclaim the message of Christ. 

It was by continuing to proclaim Christ faithfully in a sinful world that Paul was able, just before his death, to say, in 4:7,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

We may live in an awful world - sinful, fallen, broken, brutal. But we have an awesome God who has given us a powerful Word by which to live. We must not be discouraged by the wickedness of the world, but must continue to persistently proclaim God's truth, knowing that the power of God works through the preaching of his word.

This is a tough world. Whether Jesus is coming back or not during our lifetimes we will be living in a world like the one that will usher in the Antichrist, one in which godly values are disdained and wickedness is elevated. We are running a race on a tough course, one with obstacles and hills and a hostile crowd that wants to see us fail. We must run with perseverance to finish the race until we see Jesus at the finish line!

Father, may I never despair at the wickedness of this world, but may I rest and hope in your sovereignty and the power of your Spirit to change hearts. 

Why the Church Won't Die - November 04, Readings: Ezekiel 15-16, 2 Timothy 2, Psalm 119:117–120, Proverbs 27:1–3

Links to Today's Readings

Skeptics have been proclaiming the death of the church and of Christianity for a long time. Have you ever watched a science fiction movie in the future in which a vibrant, faithful church still existed? I've been told by more than one person that Christianity is doomed to dwindle into insignificance - and quickly at that.

And, of course, as much as we mess up the church of Christ with our fleshly behavior, our division, our human traditions and all our failures, you'd think the critics were right. We do everything we can, at times, to give our enemies reason to gloat and to hope in the demise of the church.

But the church is God's creation and will exist until Christ returns. No power, no enemy, no amount of skepticism, not even the failures of the Christians who populate the church, can stop the work of God in his church.

But there is one key to the success of the church that we must not forget. It must be a constant focus in all we do. Paul described it to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1.

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

 First, we must remember that we stand in grace - the church is a supernatural work of God through Jesus Christ. We will fail, but he will not. We will tremble, he will stand. We must remember to stand strong in grace, remembering that our lives are his work!

But verse 2 is key as well. In this verse, Paul describes how he taught Timothy the things of God - both the way he modeled the grace of Christ and how he taught the truths of the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul "discipled" Timothy to be a great leader for the church. But it didn't end there. Timothy then found other "faithful men" to whom he could pass on that which Paul gave to him. These faithful men were able to teach others also. 

As I write this, I'm battling another virus, one of the 300 or so that are out there in Siouxland trying to make people like me miserable. They spread by person-to-person contact (well, sometimes mosquito-to-person, but let's ignore that for now). That's how the gospel works. It is only when we involve ourselves in the lives of others that they catch the "disease" that infects us - a love for Jesus Christ and a passion for the kingdom. (Of course, this assumes we are infected first). Then, those we infect pass the disease on to others. 

As long as there is one passionate, Christ-centered, gospel-preaching, God-loving Christian around, the church will not die. He will infect another with the Christ-virus and that one will pass it on to another. Until Jesus comes, we will continue passing this precious virus on. The enemies of the church and the enemies of the Cross will continue to gleefully predict the demise of the church, and they will continue to be wrong!

Father, infect me with a contagious love for Christ. May I pass that on to others who will pass it on to others - until Jesus returns!

My Biggest (and Dumbest) Sin - November 03, Readings: Ezekiel 13-14, 2 Timothy 1, Psalm 119:109–116, Proverbs 26:27–28

Links to Today's Readings

I've never been a big sin kind of guy. I've never cheated on my wife, never robbed a bank or committed a felony. I've shot my mouth off way too often, saying things I came to regret. I've grown angry and struggled with bitterness at times - pretty normal stuff. My sins have primarily been of the heart, of the mind, and of the mouth.

But as I read scripture, there is one sin that has probably been my greatest (worstest?). I think of what Samuel said when he was giving his farewell to the people of Israel when they had selected a king. "God forbid that I should sin against you by failing to pray for you." He identified prayerlessness, especially for the people of God placed in his care, as a great sin.

That verse came to mind when I read 2 Timothy 1:3.

...as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 

Timothy was Paul's spiritual son, one into whom he poured a lot of time and effort. Timothy went with him on many of his journeys, was one of his most trusted assistants and was left by Paul to do serve the churches that Paul had planted on his missionary journeys.

And Paul prayed for him constantly. Night and day. Unceasingly and passionately, Paul poured out his heart to God begging God to work in Timothy's life and through him in the life of the church.

It's not like I don't pray. I do. But not with the kind of passion and fidelity that Paul indicates here and in other places in his writings. He called out to God for the people he had led to Christ and for the churches he had founded. He was consistent, forceful and fervent in his prayers.

To fail to pray is not only sinful, it is also foolish. Why would I work as a pastor and not call out to the God who can pour out his power on my labors? Why would I raise my children and not call out to God to guide, protect and empower them? Why would I fail to seek the power of the God who can make my labors fruitful?

It is folly, but it is an all-too-common folly in my life.

Father, forgive me for prayerless days, when I walk in my own power and fail to seek yours. I ask for your power and grace in my family, in my church, and on my labors.