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

Today's Readings - Isaiah 11-12, 1 Corinthians 3, Psalm 103:10–16, Proverbs 21:24–25

Devotional 

My precious granddaughter has a habit of getting into fights and throwing fits when she plays with her cousins. They fight over toys. They grab and get upset. That is the nature of small children. They bicker. It is also the nature of toddler Christians. Unfortunately, many Christians never move beyond the toddler phase.

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. 

Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, because you are still fleshly.

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 since there is envy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers? For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,” are you not unspiritual people?

Envy. 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. 

Think and Pray

 Do your relationships with other believers exhibit more maturity - unity, kindness, humility - or more of the schismatic, bickering, self-centeredness that marks baby Christians? 

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

Today's Readings - Isaiah 9-10, 1 Corinthians 2, Psalm 103:1–9, Proverbs 21:21–23

Devotional 

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. 

Think and Pray

Thank God for the inner work of the Spirit who gives you the ability to understand the things of God. 

What are the signs that God is at work in someone and that they are ready to receive God's word? 

"Not Many Wise" August 29 Readings: Isaiah 7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18–31, Psalm 102:24–28, Proverbs 21:19–20

Today's Readings -  Isaiah 7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18–31, Psalm 102:24–28, Proverbs 21:19–20

Devotional 

Wouldn't it be great if LeBron James got saved? Or Angelina Jolie? Or Derek Jeter? 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, business - 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 around 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.

Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one may boast in his presence. 30 It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order 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 of 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 makes his reasons for this clear as well, listing two reasons that are actually sides of the same coin. He designs things so that we, his redeemed, are left totally without cause for boasting. I am nothing except what God makes me and can do nothing except that which he empowers. Why would I boast? It all comes from God and he deserves the praise. 

But boasting should take place in the lives of the redeemed - boasting 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.

Think and Pray

Do you judge people on human terms or as Jesus did, on the basis of Christ's work?
Do you boast in yourself or the work of Christ in you?

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

Today's Readings - Isaiah 6, 1 Corinthians 1:1–17, Psalm 102:17–23, Proverbs 21:16–18

Devotional 

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 always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in him in every way, in all speech and all knowledge. 6 In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with 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. 

Think and Pray

Do you treat people critically, or with the grace of Christ?
Do you see them as "under construction" - holding on to the faith of what God will make them?

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

Today's Readings - Isaiah 4-5, Romans 16, Psalm 102:10–16, Proverbs 21:14–15

Devotional 

We live in a culture that is a 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 substitute darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who substitute 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.

Think and Pray

How do you deal with the "moral negative" in which we live?
Do you despair? Become critical and condemning?
Or do you, in the power of Christ, shine the light of truth?

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

Today's Readings - Isaiah 1-3, Romans 15, Psalm 102:1–9, Proverbs 21:11–13

Devotional 

The words seem kinda strange to our modern ears.

Each one of us must please his neighbor his good, to build him up. For even the Messiah 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. 

Think and Pray

Have you bought into idea of that you live to please yourself, or have you, like Paul and Jesus, decided to please the Lord and live to serve others?

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

Today's Readings - Song of Songs 7-8, Romans 14, Psalm 101:5–8, Proverbs 21:9–10

Devotional 

We tend to want everything spelled out black and white. Right and wrong. Good and bad. Acceptable
and unacceptable. But there are not clear biblical mandates for every activity, every decision we have to make. But not in real life, Even for the committed Christian there are gray areas. Paul addresses those in Romans 14.

• Are there dietary laws that a Christian should follow? 
• Ought we to observe Sabbath days? 
• In other passages, Paul discusses whether a Christian ought to eat meat that had been previously sacrificed to an idol god. 

We still argue today over what Christians should eat or drink, whether we should observe a sabbath day and other related questions. We do not struggle with the topic of meat sacrificed to idols, but we face many similar issues - how much can we enjoy things in this world without becoming of this world and falling into sin.

Paul has a very simple set of principles for making decisions on such issues. 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 me and 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.

Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal 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 over anyone else. That doesn't mean we can do anything we please. 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 considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must 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, even if our decisions are not identical. 

In all things, we must, according to verse 19, "pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another." We must be peacemakers, those who seek unity in all these things. 

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

Think and Pray

Are you willing to live according to your conscience and allow other believers to do the same, or do you try to impose your conscience on others?

Do you understand the Lordship of Christ in your life and accept it in the lives of other believers?

"In a Pagan World" August 24 Readings: Song of Songs 5-6, Romans 13, Psalm 101:1–4, Proverbs 21:6–8

Today's Readings - Song of Songs 5-6, Romans 13, Psalm 101:1–4, Proverbs 21:6–8

Devotional 

It has never been this bad before, right?

Wrong.

Actually, as bad as we think things are they are not nearly as bad for us as the conditions the early church lived under. They lived in a truly pagan culture that often overtly and forcefully persecuted them. They were outsiders, weirdos, outcasts - hated by many and tolerated by a few. We have far more influence, even in this depraved American culture, than the early church had in their world.

But to the church in Rome, to the church in the capital of the empire, where the Caesar's throne was, where immorality, perversion, and corruption abounded, Paul wrote these words,

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1

Consider the mouthful that Paul spoke in this passage. First, Paul commanded believers to live in obedience to the authorities that were in power. Many Americans resist this when there is someone in office we don't like. We enjoy the privilege of opposing and seeking to vote out our government, which complicates things. And many have used the ungodly actions of leaders to justify disrepect and disobedience. But our government is no worse than the Roman empire. We must walk under governmental authority (unless it commands us to disobey God) and be respectful. 

It was important that, while Christians would never give their oath of allegiance to Rome, they always walked in obedience and were productive members of society - hardworking, law-abiding, and peaceable. 

Paul also tells us that ultimately it is God who establishes authority and sets them in power. This does not mean we shouldn't be faithful as citizens, or that we should stay home on election day and just assume God will do his will. Human responsibility is a biblical reality as well as divine sovereignty. But God is in charge and we need to remember that. 

I'm disgusted right now at the American people and the choices they've made. We've picked badly time and again. But God is still in charge and he is working out his will. In the end, whatever happens, we can walk in confidence knowing that God is in control and his power will be displayed. 

Father, help me to remember, even in this election year, to be respectful and obedient and to trust your sovereign control. 

Think and Pray

Do you walk under the authorities of the "powers-that-be" or are you rebellious and difficult?

Think and pray through the balance of being a good citizen but remembering that authority is established by God.

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

Today's Readings - Song of Songs 3-4, Romans 12, Psalm 100, Proverbs 21:4–5

Devotional 

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. 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

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 but 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 by 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 countercultural, 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. 

Think and Pray

Stop to consider the great love, to amazing gift of Christ.
Have you given the appropriate sacrifice in response? The only appropriate response is your body as a living sacrifice. Have you given that? 

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

Today's Readings - Song of Songs 1-2, Romans 11:11–36, Psalm 99, Proverbs 21:1–3

Devotional 

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 a while, God would bring them back in revival, but soon after whoever 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 and in you! 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. The amazing, unbelievable, inexhaustible, incomparable, and inexpressible faithfulness of God carries me even when my knees tremble and my faith falters.

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

Think and Pray

Thank God for his eternal faithfulness and grace.
Consider the constant faithlessness and sin of Israel. If God did not give up on them, can you trust him to continue to show his grace to you? 

"Eternally Faithful" August 21 Readings: Ecclesiastes 11-12, Romans 11:1–10, Psalm 98, Proverbs 20:29–30

Today's Readings -  Ecclesiastes 11-12, Romans 11:1–10, Psalm 98, Proverbs 20:29–30

Devotional 

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 a while, God would bring them back in revival, but soon after whoever 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 and in you! 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.

Think and Pray

Thank God for his eternal faithfulness and grace.
Consider the constant faithlessness and sin of Israel. If God did not give up on them, can you trust him to continue to show his grace to you? 

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

Today's Readings - Ecclesiastes 9-10, Romans 9:30–10:21, Psalm 97:8–12, Proverbs 20:26–28

Devotional 

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 or 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 the 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!

Think and Pray

Do you live under the mistaken idea that serving God guarantees a certain outcome in all of life's struggles - that life will always be fair, neat, and easy?
Remember that we live in a broken world. It is right to serve God and good to serve God, and blessings will come, but these blessings do not prevent all hardship and sometimes, they wait until eternity.
Reflect on this today.

"In the Potter's Hands" August 19 Readings: Ecclesiastes 7-8, Romans 9:1–29, Psalm 97:1–7, Proverbs 20:24–25

Today's Readings - Ecclesiastes 7-8, Romans 9:1–29, Psalm 97:1–7, Proverbs 20:24–25

Devotional 

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. 

Think and Pray

Remember today who you are and who HE is.
Are you allowing yourself to be shaped by the Potter according to his design, or are you willfully seeking to live by your plans and ambitions? 

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

Today's Readings - Ecclesiastes 5-6, Romans 8:18–39, Psalm 96:7–13, Proverbs 20:21–23

Devotional 

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.  

Think and Pray

Are you going through hard times?
Do you find yourself looking at the pain, the sorrow, the hardships?
Remember what lies ahead and persevere, knowing that "it will be worth it all!"

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

Today's Readings -  Ecclesiastes 3-4, Romans 8:1–17, Psalm 96:1–6, Proverbs 20:19–20

(I feel as if I should be examining Ecclesiastes - at least in part - but Romans is JUST SO GOOD! If I had to name a "Best Chapter in the Bible" it would be Romans 8.)

Devotional 

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. 

Shall we 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!

  There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel's vein, 
  And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose ALL their guilty stain!

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

Think and Pray

Take time today to not only confess sin, but to glory and rejoice in the fact that your sins are covered by the blood of Christ, that you bear them no more! Thank God for his saving grace through Christ.

As you read through Romans 8, write down all the great blessings you find. 

"EneME" August 16 Readings: Ecclesiastes 1-2, Romans 7, Psalm 95, Proverbs 20:16–18

Today's Readings -  Ecclesiastes 1-2, Romans 7, Psalm 95, Proverbs 20:16–18

Devotional 

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

Ever felt that way when you were listening to a preacher and suddenly it's 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 wrong 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 in 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. 

Think and Pray

Do you use the grace of God as an excuse for careless living? Repent and ask God's strength to walk in the new life God prepared for you.
Remember that Jesus Christ gives us victory as we walk in him and he can and will give us the strength we need in this battle with our own inner, "wretched man." 

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

Today's Readings - Job 41-42, Romans 6, Psalm 94:20–23, Proverbs 20:14–15

Devotional 

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 to use that as an excuse to sin. We ought never allow sin to reign over us - Christ has broken its grip, its 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. 

Think and Pray

Do you ever use the grace of God and your security in Christ as an excuse for sin, for careless Christian living?
Meditate on this passage and what Paul asserted here about our freedom from sin.

"While a Sinner" August 14 Readings: Job 39-40, Romans 5, Psalm 94:13–19, Proverbs 20:11–13

Today's Readings - Job 39-40, Romans 5, Psalm 94:13–19, Proverbs 20:11–13

Devotional 

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. 

Think and Pray

Thank God that he loved you while you could not help yourself and that his love changes you. If you are in Christ, give thanks for your salvation and your eternal standing. If you are in Adam and have never trusted Christ, repent of your sins and believe. 

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

Today's Readings -  Job 37-38, Romans 4, Psalm 94:6–12, Proverbs 20:9–10

Devotional 

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. 

Think and Pray

Do you insist on understanding everything God is doing, or are you willing to trust him, even when you cannot see what is happening?
We must walk by faith even when our sight fails us.