"Feeding the Fire" October 31 Readings: Ezekiel 7-8, 1 Timothy 4, Psalm 119:89–96, Proverbs 26:20–21

Today's Readings - Ezekiel 7-8, 1 Timothy 4, Psalm 119:89–96, Proverbs 26:20–21

NOTE: If all goes well in my travel plans, I will be in Oussouye, Senegal today, beginning a pastor training session, after which I will be doing village evangelism in the Essing villages I've visited 8 times before. I would greatly appreciate your prayers. 

Devotional - Feeding the Fire 

Nothing like a good campfire in the chilled fall air, is there? A group of friends and family sitting around the crackling fire talking and roasting marshmallows to make smores. Makes for a great night. Of course, if you want to keep the fun going, you have to constantly add wood to the fire. The logs burn away and turn to dust, and if you don't feed the fire, it goes out.

Solomon told us that the same thing happens with gossip and quarrels. Look at the vivid pictures he draws in Proverbs 26:20-21.

Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.
 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

He differentiates between two options on how to respond to quarrels. We all get upset, have spats, and argue. That quarreling is part of our fleshly nature and the Spirit works to replace it with love, patience, and kindness. But it is still a reality in our lives. But how we respond to those quarrels is the key.

When a quarrel blazes to life, there is a simple solution. Don't feed it. The fuel for a fire is wood. The fuel for a quarrel is gossip. When we involve others in the quarrel, when we spread rumors, gossip, and slander concerning the issue, when we take sides, we add fuel to the fire. A small flame can then become a conflagration that destroys families, divides churches and hurts people. That's what happens when you let gossip fuel the fire.

Better to just let it go, let it die. The Spirit of God can give the redeemed the power to do that, to turn our hurts and griefs over to him instead of spreading them around with gossip and slander. Blessed are the peacemakers, Jesus said. A large part of peacemaking is simply not to share gossip and fuel the fires of anger.

Father, help me to be a peacemaker, not one who feed fires with my tongue. May the Spirit control my tongue and may it praise you and bless the Body of Christ. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Are you a gossip - one who spreads information about others?
Is your tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit?

"Trapped by Sin" October 30 Readings: Ezekiel 5-6, 1 Timothy 3, Psalm 119:81–88, Proverbs 26:17–19

Today's Readings - Ezekiel 5-6, 1 Timothy 3, Psalm 119:81–88, Proverbs 26:17–19 

Devotional - Trapped by Sin

"I never thought it would happen to me."

How many Christians who have fallen into sin have uttered those words? They were sure that the foibles and failings that had taken others over the edge would never tear them down. But they did. I remember sitting in my office talking to a man, a spiritual leader, a pastor, who had compromised his marriage, his ministry, and his integrity. I asked him how it happened, what the warning signs were. He was befuddled. Never in his life did he ever imagine that he would make the kind of a mess of things that he ended up making.

That is the nature of sin. I don't know who the first person to say this was, but I've heard it all my life.

Sin takes you farther than you want to go.
It keeps you longer than you want to stay.
It costs you more than you want to pay. 

People start out thinking, "It's no big deal - just a small compromise. I can handle it." Then suddenly, like the fish who nibbles at the lure, he is suddenly hooked and unable to get away.

Ezekiel 5 discusses the judgment of God on Jerusalem in a passage like dozens other. God's people have turned from him to live like the nations around them and even done greater wickedness (verse 6) than those nations - likely because as the people of God who had the law they were held to a higher standard. God was about to bring his judgment down on them for their wickedness.

When I read verse 10, it slapped me in the face. It is a disgusting thought which reveals the depths to which sin can take us.

As a result, fathers will eat their sons within Jerusalem, and sons will eat their fathers. 

It doesn't get much worse than that, does it? Cannibalism. Family cannibalism. Despicable and disgusting - something none of us would ever want to even imagine. And it is something no one in Israel ever considered doing. They were decent people, not perverts. This kind of unnatural act was not on the radar.

But that is the nature of sin. You start out sticking your toe in. Nothing big. Then, you go in a little farther. Another step. Then another. Pretty soon you are up to your neck and you are paddling for all you are worth to keep your head above water. Then, you are sinking into the depths. Sin takes you farther than you ever imagined you could go. That is why it is never worth it to dabble in sin. Maybe you will never dig to the depths that God prophesied these Israelites would go, but you will go farther than you want, and the price will be higher than you can imagine.

Jesus Christ went to the Cross so that you could be not only forgiven for your sin but freed from slavery to it, so that you and I could live in victory over the hold of sin. Why would we wander the paths of sin, risking the sad slavery of sin when Christ came to break the grip of sin?

Father, may I never accept less than the victory over and freedom from sin's power than you sent your Son to give me day by day. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you compromise and play games with sin and temptation?
Is your walk with Christ marked by careful holiness?
Can you remember a time in your life when you played with sin and got trapped?

"One Mediator" October 29 Readings: Ezekiel 3-4, 1 Timothy 2, Psalm 119:73–80, Proverbs 26:15–16

Today's Readings -  Ezekiel 3-4, 1 Timothy 2, Psalm 119:73–80, Proverbs 26:15–16

Devotional - One Mediator

It is an awesome thing to stand on the ancient steps of the Temple in Jerusalem, one of the few places where the original stones that Jesus walked on are still in place. There, you can imagine people for hundreds of years walking up those stairs into the Temple courtyard to offer sacrifices day after day, week after week, year after year.  Hebrews 10 tells us that those sacrifices revealed the fundamental flaw in the system - they could remind people of their sin and their need for salvation but could not provide a permanent solution for them. They could not truly wash away sin, but they were a foreshadowing of the sacrifice that God would send one day to deal with sins for real and forever.

At the perfect time, God sent Jesus into this world as his permanent, "once for all" solution to our sin problem. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says,

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

There is only one God - the Creator and Ruler of the world, the one against whom we have sinned and from whom we are separated. Our sins built a wall between us and God and prevent us from experiencing the life he intended for us. But there is a mediator, One who stood between God and man, who gave himself for us and for our sins, to make peace with God and to make us fit to dwell in God's presence forever. He was the only truly unblemished sacrifice ever, perfect, sinless holy. One sacrifice paid the entire price for all the sins of all those who believe in Christ. Once and for all the way was opened for us.

Every day of my life I will be grateful that the God against whom I sinned, the God who had every right to send me to eternal hell, instead sent his Son as the mediator to reconcile me to God by giving his own life as a sacrifice for mine. Because of his sacrifice, no other sacrifice is needed - ever.

Thank you Lord for sending your Son as my mediator, who paid my ransom that I might live. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Thank God today that he sent one mediator who in his once-for-all sacrifice paid eternally for your sins.

"Solomon's Self-Esteem" October 28 Readings: Ezekiel 1-2, 2 Thessalonians 3, 1 Timothy 1, Psalm 119:65–72, Proverbs 26:12–14

Today's Readings - Ezekiel 1-2, 2 Thessalonians 3, 1 Timothy 1, Psalm 119:65–72, Proverbs 26:12–14

Devotional - Solomon's Self-Esteem

He may have been the wisest man who ever lived, but Solomon failed completely to understand the wisdom that has come to dominate the mindset of the American educational, sociological, and psychological mindset. "Believe in yourself. Trust your instincts. No one else can tell you what is right or wrong; that is something that only you can decide for yourself. You have to make your own rules, trust your own wisdom, seek your own path, and do it your way." In this world, it's all about self - self-confidence, self-esteem, self-direction.

Solomon's wisdom moved in a different direction. He told us that the beginning of wisdom was not self-esteem and self-reliance, but humility and the fear of the Lord. Folly, he told us, is bound up in the heart of a child and must be driven away by wisdom, discipline, and the correction of the Lord. We are flawed by inborn sin and natural folly and need the wisdom and correction of God. That is why he spent much of the book of Proverbs admonishing his sons to listen to wisdom and not to lean on their own understanding. Look at Proverbs 26:12.

Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

This is just one of the commands of Proverbs. In 28:26, we read, "He who trusts in himself (his own mind) is a fool." That slaps the mindset of the world right in the face. The false theology of human goodness says that we are innately good and wise and if we follow our instincts everything will be okay. Listen to your heart. Do what you feel inside. Nonsense. Balderdash. Poppycock. Solomon says that is folly and wickedness - the path to a life that is destroyed.

Of course, one of the most well-known portions of this book is Proverbs 3:5-6. You know it, right? Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Trust God's wisdom. His intelligence. His Lordship and direction. In case you don't understand exactly what that means, he follows that up with the second statement. Do not lean on your own understanding. Solomon makes it very clear. Don't trust yourself. Don't listen to your heart. Don't decide for yourself what is right and wrong. You can't handle that. Trust God and obey his word! Don't trust your instincts - they are flawed and sinful. Don't trust your own ability to figure things out, you will just mess up. Obey God and follow the word.

We have two ways we can walk. We can trust our own understanding or we can walk in obedience to God and his word. One path leads to trouble and the other to the blessing of God. Solomon, in Proverbs 26:12, makes it clear which way he thinks is right. Don't listen to the snake oil that Satan sold to Adam and Eve and that he's been peddling ever since. Listen to God and walk in humility, submission, and obedience to him.

Father, I am flawed. My wisdom is not enough. My strength is not enough. I need your wisdom and your strength to get through. I trust in you and not in myself. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you trust in your own intelligence, common sense, and wisdom?
Or do you recognize that sin has marred your reason and you need the wisdom of God?

"Embracing Darkness" October 27 Readings: Lamentations 4-5, 2 Thessalonians 2, Psalm 119:57–64, Proverbs 26:10–11

Today's Readings - October 27 Readings: Lamentations 4-5, 2 Thessalonians 2, Psalm 119:57–64, Proverbs 26:10–11

Devotional - Embracing Darkness 

In these devotionals, I do not delve often into the end times. There are two reasons for that. Those who read this come from different perspectives on the end times and there is no reason to unnecessarily focus on that topic. The other reason is similar, but a bigger concern. Some people develop an unhealthy and morbid curiosity about the end times.

In today's passage, 2 Thessalonians 2, we see great truths and one that is often misunderstood. I believe this principle is pretty much universal regardless of your view of the end times. 2 Thessalonians 2 describes the rise and reign of the Antichrist, the one who comes to stand against the work of Christ and lead the world against him. There is a perception about the Antichrist which is seen in some of the fiction that has been produced attempting to depict the events of the tribulation. The Antichrist schemes his way to power and brutally represses and oppresses the people of the earth. By crushing people into submission, he unites the world under his evil rule.

That is not the idea that is given in this passage. Look at verses 9-12.

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This last great work of Satan is in accord with all the works of Satan. He did not force Adam and Eve into sin. He lied to them and they willingly embraced the deception. They believed the lie and took pleasure in unrighteousness. Thus it was and thus it always has been. Yes, at times Satan possesses sinners in extreme circumstances, but it is not his normal strategy. He lies. When men are deceived they willingly and enthusiastically embrace the unrighteous wickedness that will be their destruction. Human beings always celebrate the sin that brings them low.  

The Antichrist will not conquer the world, he will be carried to the throne on the shoulders of those he will one day crush. The world will believe the lie because it wants to; because it rejoices in the victory of wickedness. Mankind refuses to love truth and instead takes pleasure in unrighteousness. Yes, one day the Antichrist will pull back the cloak and reveal himself for the man of evil he is. Men will regret their choices when it is too late. But he will rise to power celebrated by sinners who hail him as the hope of the world. 

Satan lies and deceives and the sinful world cheers those lies. That is why the truth is so important. The greatest thing we can do in this dark and darkening world is to shine the light of Jesus Christ. The prescription for the lie is the truth. Jesus is truth. God's truth. And he blows the lies of Satan out of the water. 

We look at this wicked world and see the encroachment of evil. It bothers us, stresses us, even causes us to quake and fear. But it need not. The lie cannot stand in the presence of the truth. Darkness flees when the light shines. And in his coming, Jesus will bring low all the works of the Antichrist and the forces of darkness with him. Jesus will reign supreme. 

And so, Paul tells the Thessalonians (and us), in verse 15, to stand firm. Isn't that interesting? That's what he always says in passages about the future. Not panic, or develop a morbid interest, or set dates, or develop charts. Stand firm. Just keep serving Jesus, proclaiming the truth, and shining the light until the trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ rise first!

Father, thank  you that the light of Christ dispels all the enemy's lies. Help me to walk in your truth every day.  

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Are you struggling to stand firm in Christ? Are life's problems mounting?
Remember the ultimate victory of Christ and his provision of victory for us.
Also, refuse to listen to Satan's lies as you pore over God's word and inculcate its truths daily into your life.

"The Last Laugh" October 26 Readings: Lamentations 2-3, 2 Thessalonians 1, Psalm 119:53–56, Proverbs 26:7–9

Today's Readings - Lamentations 2-3, 2 Thessalonians 1, Psalm 119:53–56, Proverbs 26:7–9

Devotional - The Last Laugh

Have you watched any of the videos of atrocities committed against Christians in the Middle East in recent years? (Actually, there has been a fairly lively debate as to whether Christians ought to watch such awful videos. Some say we need to educate ourselves to the realities of the wicked world; others counter that such evil will only pollute our minds.) Christians have been put to death in the most gruesome ways because they would not deny Christ. Here in our land, there are constant reports of the basic rights of Christians being denied in our increasingly secular and seemingly hostile world.

It would be easy to conclude that the enemy is winning, wouldn't it? But anyone who makes that conclusion is completely, totally and 100% wrong. In this sinful world, the powers of darkness are having their day. They do their evil and it seems they get away with it. But we need to remember...the rest of the story.

Paul wrong to the Thessalonians, people who knew a level of suffering most of us here in America know absolutely nothing about. That church was forged in the fires of suffering and became a people used to being persecuted for their faith,. Paul commended them for their endurance in suffering, repeatedly.

But he also gives them an important assurance in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10.

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

God's judgment may be delayed but it will not be denied. It is certain and unavoidable. He will "repay with affliction those who afflict you," as he grants relief to the saints who are afflicted. God turns the tables in a power, dramatic and eternal way. Those in power who think they can treat God's children with disdain or cruelty, who think there is no God in heaven whom they need fear, who think they can act with impunity and without fear of judgment - they will find one day that God protects his children. He loves us and he will watch over us. 

For those who know Christ, there is glory awaiting at the end of this life of suffering. For those who scorn Christ and afflict his people, there is judgment. God is just and he will act! We need not fear or panic. Even if suffering comes our way we can know that our God is in control, that in the end, he will dispense a justice that is both eternal and perfect. 

So, when you see things happening in this world that are disconcerting, don't get angry. Don't panic. Don't fall apart. And don't be afraid. Remember the God you serve. He is mighty and powerful and he will protect his people. 

Father, thank you for being a God of might and power who will comfort his people and bring justice to those who afflict and persecute us. We can trust you in all things and that is comforting in this sinful world. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Remember today that even when things are hard, there is a day more important than today. Jesus is coming again to bring complete justice and to reward those who serve him. He will also punish those who persecute or mistreat us. Remember this and rejoice in Christ.

"Like a Thief in the Night" October 25 Readings: Lamentations 1, 1 Thessalonians 5, Psalm 119:49–52, Proverbs 26:5–6

Today's Readings - Lamentations 1, 1 Thessalonians 5, Psalm 119:49–52, Proverbs 26:5–6

Devotional - Like a Thief in the Night

Jesus could come today.

Well, he could!

No, I'm not predicting it. In fact, I'm sick to death of the crazies who ignore the Scriptures that promised us that no one would know the day or the hour and keep embarrassing the church (and those of us who believe in the imminent return of Christ) with their ill-informed, anti-biblical predictions.

Paul made it pretty clear in 1 Thessalonians 5 that Jesus would come "like a thief in the night." They seldom phone ahead and set an appointment.

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

It is going to be a big surprise, that fateful day when God's end times work begins and the judgment of God is poured on in the terrible "day of the Lord." 

But Paul says something strange in the next verse (4) that is confusing. 

 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. 

Wait a minute. The day is coming like a thief in the night, but we are not to be surprised as by a thief? Huh? The solution is simple. Paul was not confused. He was making an important point. You are never going to know when the end is going to come. The Early Church expected it every day, but its now been two thousand years and no Jesus. But that doesn't matter. I am supposed to live today, tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that in constant watchfulness, readiness, waiting for Jesus and living my life to the fullest. We are not to sleepwalk through life, but should be living daily in the fullness of the Spirit walking in his power. Look at verses 5 and 6. 

 For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. 

Keep the lights on. Be awake. Be sober. Be ready. It may be today. It may not. But when that day comes when the trumpet sounds, don't let it catch you napping. Live each day in Christ. 

Paul finishes his book with a long series of short admonitions. They seem to be separated from the previous passage, and usually have a separate heading. But what if they are not completely separated? Maybe these admonitions are also a template for living in readiness in an evil world? Maybe verses 14-22 are an instruction sheet for "thief preparations" - getting yourself ready for that day when the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 

And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

That's a pretty good way to live every day as you wait for the heavens to open, the trumpet to sound, the dead in Christ to rise, then we who are alive and remain to be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air!

Father, what a day that will be! Help me to be ready every day for that day. That great and glorious day. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you live your life with an eye toward the Blessed Hope of Christ's coming?
If Christ were to return today, would you be ready or filled with regret?

"Finding God's Will" October 24 Readings: Jeremiah 51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4, Psalm 119:41–48, Proverbs 26:2–4

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4, Psalm 119:41–48, Proverbs 26:2–4

Devotional - Finding God's Will 

"I just don't know what God's will is for my life. I'm praying and trying to seek his will and find it."

That is a noble goal, and I believe that God, by his Spirit, will lead each of us where he wants to be and to do what he wants us to do, as he guided Paul throughout Acts. But sometimes we get so focused on seeking these individual leadings that we fail to see some specific things that the Bible reveals are most definitely the will of God for you. It is not healthy to seek to know the specific will of God if you are ignoring God's revealed and eternal word and what it tells us about the will of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (which we will read tomorrow) tells us that God's will is that we give thanks in everything. Couldn't be clearer. If I am not giving thanks, I am not following God's will. There are several verses that indicate that God's will for our lives is to endure with joy and strength even through intense suffering.

Our first priority is to do God's will as revealed in God's Word before we seek specific direction from the Spirit.

In this passage, part of God's will is revealed unequivocally, but it is a command that is increasingly difficult to obey in the world in which we live. Look at verses 3 through 5.

For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body[b] in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. 

What is God's will for my life? Plain. Clear. Not debatable - that I abstain from any form of sexual immorality and that I live in control of my body not giving in to the lustful desires of the flesh. I don't really need to pray about this. I don't need to ask God what his will is on the matter. He's made that abundantly clear.

• I am to remain absolutely faithful to my wife - not just "technically" in body, but also in my soul and in my spirit. 
• I am to control my body in honor. It is the dwelling of God and I should not defile it with trash, with smut and filth. When Jesus died for me and saved me, he gained ownership rights over my body (1 Corinthians 6) and I lost the right to indulge the flesh. 
• If someone monitored what I watch on TV and where I go on the internet, they should see that I honor God and that I do not indulge the flesh. 
• I must resist the relentless attack of pornography on my mind and heart. 
• I must guard my heart and my thoughts, not indulging lustful fantasies. 
• I must guard my tongue, that I do not speak the kind of filth I would not act on. 

These are not options. This is God's will for my life, as plain as could be. And the good news is that the power of the Spirit dwells within and because of that, we can rely on God to empower us to accomplish his will. He can strengthen us to say no to temptation, cleanse us from sin, purify our hearts and minds, and give us the zeal to follow the will of God.

Father, I thank you for you power at work in me through Christ to purify me. I testify that my body belongs to you and I ask for your power to obey your will and abstain from immorality, impurity and every form of uncleanness - of the body, of the  mind, of the mouth, of the soul. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Are you walking in purity or do you have a secret life of sin?

"On the Tightrope" October 23 Readings: Jeremiah 49-50, 1 Thessalonians 2–3, Psalm 119:33–40, Proverbs 26:1

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 49-50, 1 Thessalonians 2–3, Psalm 119:33–40, Proverbs 26:1

Devotional - On the Tightrope

I watched with wonder and some sense of disbelief as Nik Wallenda walked across the Grand Canyon back in 2013. One thing is certain, a man needs to avoid straying either to the right or the left when he undertakes a task like that. It doesn't much matter whether he falls to the left or to the right, the effects are pretty much the same.

Throughout the New Testament, there is a constant balance being struck between two sides of the character of God. He is good and loving and he is holy. God's holiness demanded a payment for sins and God's love moved him to redeem and forgive us. His solution, of course, was Christ. Jesus paid the price for our sins so we could experience the love of God.

Now, as God is, so must we become. The church and its people must be holy, walking in purity day by day. The church that tolerates sin does not honor God. But it is also called to be a place of love, where people are accepted with their faults and loved in their imperfections. We must be a people who balance grace and holiness.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 Paul prayed for the people of Thessalonica, and his prayer was that they would walk the tightrope carefully.

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Paul prayed that their love would increase and abound for one another - for a man as prickly and sometimes harsh as Paul, he emphasized love and unity as much as anything in his writings. But it was not a squishy love, one that ignored truth or holiness. It was a unity built on a common experience of war! Joining together on the battlefield in the cause of Christ, the church needed to love one another. 

But they also needed to walk in holiness. He asked the Lord to establish their hearts as "blameless in holiness" even to the coming of the Lord. 

This is a constant struggle. Love will sometimes move us to be overly permissive, to ignore God's holiness and his righteous standards. Holiness can sometimes cause us to be harsh and judgmental, superior and condescending. We must avoid both faults as we seek to love one another and grow in holiness. 

The good news is that we are not Nik Wallenda walking the tightrope across the Grand Canyon. One slip and he would have been dead. I've slipped often - sometimes this way, sometimes that. But God catches me, restores me and then renews my walk. 

Thank you, Lord, for constantly helping me to balance those competing qualities of love and holiness. May my walk and my ministry be a representative of both your love and your purity. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you tend to fall to one side or the other in this? Do you tend to stray toward permissive love or judgmentalism?

Think and pray through what it means to find the balance between love and holiness.

"in the Dust" October 22 Readings: Jeremiah 47-48, 1 Thessalonians 1, Psalm 119:25–32, Proverbs 25:25–28

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 47-48, 1 Thessalonians 1, Psalm 119:25–32, Proverbs 25:25–28

Devotional - In the Dust 

"I'm lower than a snake's belly."

Ever felt that way? You are down, discouraged, perhaps even depressed - not the medical kind, the kind but the kind that comes as a result of overwhelming life circumstances. One thing after another has piled up on you until you have been ground into the dust. It is just as the Psalmist described in Psalm 119:25.

My life is down in the dust.

That about sums it up, doesn't it? Dry. Lifeless. Everything feels as if it about to blow away. Life has turned to dust.

He changes to a different metaphor to say something similar in verse 28.

I am weary from grief.

The heat, the pressure, the sadness of life has worn down the man's soul, it is melting away to nothing. These two metaphors have two things in common. First, they describe a life in pain, in sorrow, in distress. A man lying face down in the dust. A man whose soul is melting away.

Be honest - have you ever felt that way? Life 1 - You 0? You've been chewed up and spit out by the world. Maybe it was a horrible tragedy, or relentless hardship, or the betrayal of a friend, or maybe it was death by a thousand paper cuts - a series of little stresses that pile upon one another until you just can't take it anymore.

There is something else these two metaphors share - a solution. In verse 25, what ought one do when his soul clings to the dust? Seek "life according to your word." Verse 28 gives the solution to the person whose soul is melting away.

Strengthen me through your word.

Reading and studying the word of God is not a religious duty we perform to please God or earn brownie points with him. We seek the word because in it we meet God, learn of Christ, and find our souls strengthened by immersing ourselves in God's word. It's not a religious exercise; its how your soul renews and rebuilds!

God's Spirit uses the word to work within our spirits to rebuild, renew, strengthen, and reinvigorate us.

Thank you, Father, for your life-giving word, which the Spirit uses to renew and strengthen me when I am low, when my spirit is dry or sorrowful 

Think and Pray

When you are discouraged, do you seek strength in God and in his word?
Where do you go for encouragement and help?

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

"Past and Future" October 21 Readings: Jeremiah 45-46, Colossians 3:18–4:18, Psalm 119:17–24, Proverbs 25:23–24

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 45-46, Colossians 3:18–4:18, Psalm 119:17–24, Proverbs 25:23–24

Devotional - Past and Future 

Have you ever known someone who started their Christian life well, with commitment, conviction, and passion, but then fizzled like an Alka Seltzer? Perhaps you've known someone else who failed miserably and fell hard into sin but didn't stay there. This person sought God's forgiveness and restoration and eventually returned to effective service and fellowship. Some surprise you with their growth and some disappoint you with their failure. People surprise us.

Many of Paul's books end with a series of personal greetings and instructions; Colossians is no different. Some of those identified are unknown beyond their mentions in Paul's notes. Others are significant. In Colossians 4:10-17 there are two fascinating stories at work, stories that demonstrate the ebb and flow of Christian ministry. One man with a failure in the past demonstrates he's made a comeback, while another looks promising, but will eventually fall on his face.

In verse 10, Paul references a man named Mark.

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him)... 

It seems insignificant, but it's not, if you remember reading Acts 15. Mark (also called John) went with Barnabas and Saul on their first journey, but he chickened out. Later, after the Jerusalem Council, as Paul and Barnabas were planning their second trip, they disagreed sharply over whether Mark should come with them. Barnabas wanted to give him a second chance but Paul was having none of it. They ended up going their separate ways because of this disagreement.

But now, Mark is with Paul and is helping him. The bad blood is gone, reconciliation has come and all is well. In fact, in 2 Timothy 4:11, as Paul faces his imminent death, he asks for Mark to be sent to him, because "he is useful to me." Mark may have failed early, but his tide rose and he became a valuable ministry assistant to Paul.

Not so Demas. He is a man we know little about, except that he was a co-worker of Paul's. He is mentioned here, in verse 14, giving his greetings to the Colossians. In Philemon 24, Paul lists him as a coworker. But Demas is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 4, just before Paul's commendation of Mark. But his reference to Demas in verse 10 is anything but a commendation.

For Demas has deserted me, because he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica.

As he sat in the dungeon awaiting his execution, Paul remembered Demas' ministry with sadness, because he had deserted both Paul and the ministry of Christ. His love for Christ waned and his love for the things of the world grew within him. He left serving Christ to seek mammon - he chose the wrong master. Did Demas ever return? No one knows. I hope so. But his faith failed and he abandoned Paul. 

This gives us both encouragement and a warning. Have you failed? A lot of Christians live with sorrow and pain because they have failed the Father and other people. They live with shame. But for the believer, there is always forgiveness and restoration. We ought never to use that as an excuse to sin - there may be consequences that we have to deal with for a long time. But God always forgives and always restores. Don't let your past failures destroy your present or your future. 

But also remember that each of us has within us the tendency to drift from our first love and lose our passion for Christ. You can't live on your previous spiritual successes. God's mercies must be renewed in you daily. You need to seek Christ daily and experience his daily work of grace. Do not rest on your spiritual laurels. Demas never would have believed that he would fall away until he did. 

Your past does not define your future. If your past is full of failure, the grace of Christ can cover it and you can be restored. And just because you have great spiritual victories in your past does not guarantee future success. Ask Jonah. Ask Elijah. Seek Christ daily and rest in his love. 

Father, may I walk with you daily. I cannot live in my past - neither my successes nor my failures. I can only walk daily with you as I face the future - one day at a time. 

Think and Pray

Do you live with the guilt of past sin and failures? Remember Mark, who failed miserably but became a valuable part of Paul's ministry.
But also heed the warning of Demas' life. We all must beware of the dangers of our own hearts, lest the things of this world capture our eye.

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

"A Christian Life Primer" October 20 Readings: Jeremiah 43-44, Colossians 3:1–17, Psalm 119:9–16, Proverbs 25:20–22

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 43-44, Colossians 3:1–17, Psalm 119:9–16, Proverbs 25:20–22

Devotional - A Christian Life Primer 

Colossians 3:1-17 may be one of the best descriptions of the necessities of Christian living in the Word of God. In it are twelve dynamics of successful Christian living, presented in a significant sequence.

The first two steps have to do with setting our hearts and minds on the things that matter. Verse 1 tells us to "seek the things that are above," speaking to our hearts, our priorities. Instead of living for the world's pleasures, we must seek the things of God. Then, in verse 2, we must set our minds on things above, not on the things of this earth. These first two dynamics speak of our purpose, our focus, our passions. Are your mind and heart set on the things of God or are you focused on this world?

Once we have set our minds and hearts, the next step is to deal with the negatives of our sinful condition. Some things have to be put to death, just plain killed! We cannot dabble in sexual immorality and impurity or even materialistic covetousness. These are destructive sins that must be dealt with severely - they have no place in the life of a Christian. There are other behaviors that we must put away from ourselves  - anger and all of its cousins. Anger may be among the most common and destructive sins we have in our lives. We must put those things away - anger is spiritual poison. Also, the devil is a liar, God's people should not be. We must put away all forms of lying from our lives. We cannot go forward in Christ until by the Spirit's power we face our dark sides and deal with them. Thank God, through Christ he has given us victory.

As we put away the works of the flesh, we also put on the new clothing of Christ. We must let the clothing of kindness and compassion replace the old, dirty clothing of anger that we put away. We must bear with one another's aggravations, But more than that, we must forgive when offended, in the same way Christ has forgiven us. Love must be the primary motive in all we do.

Paul ends with a series of admonitions about our attitudes and motivations. We are to allow the peace of Christ to rule our hearts instead of stressing out and being worried. We must be thankful in all of life's circumstances. We must let the word of Christ dwell in us, filling us with God's Spirit. Finally, all that we do, we do in the name of Jesus Christ. That means that we access all the resources and power that is ours because of what Jesus does in us. His power and his strength.

Father, may my mind and heart be focused on you. May I deal with my own dark side, letting the grace of Christ overcome the sin in my heart. And may I put on the righteous clothing you have provided for me. 

Think and Pray

Look over these twelve steps and analyze your Christian life.
Are you on track? Are you faltering?
What is the biggest area in which you need to improve?

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

'Nothing Trivial" October 19 Readings: Jeremiah 41-42, Colossians 1:24–2:23, Psalm 119:1–8, Proverbs 25:17–19

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 41-42, Colossians 1:24–2:23, Psalm 119:1–8, Proverbs 25:17–19

Devotional - Nothing Trivial 

It is the answer to a commonly asked Bible trivia question: What is the longest chapter of the Bible? If you attended the Sunday Schools or VBSes that I did, you know the answer - Psalm 119. It is 176 verses long. It is very close to the center of the Bible. It is a well-known and wonderful chapter.

But it is much more than the answer to a trivia question!

It is one of the most carefully constructed chapters of scripture. It is an acrostic poem. Have you ever noticed that it is divided up into 22 sections of 8 verses each, and that each of those sections has a strange word at the beginning? Our reading today starts with the word "Aleph." That is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the 8 verses in this second begins with the letter aleph. The next section will be headed by the word, "Beth," and each of the verses in that section begins with the letter beth. You get the picture, I'm sure. Each of the 22 sections has eight verses each of which begins with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

But there is only one topic. Each of the 22 sections, each of the 176 verses; all of them focus on the same thing - the power and glory of the Word of God. In the days this Psalm was written, the focus was on the Law of God - specifically the Books of Moses, but generally referring to all of the Old Testament writings. The principles here apply to all of scripture, even those that were written a thousand years later.

As you read this chapter for most of the next month, look for what it says about this wonderful and powerful Bible you are reading. It is a light to our feet. When we hide it in our hearts, it helps us not to sin. It is the food that feeds our souls. The longest chapter of the Word is an ode the awesome power of God's word to accomplish God's purposes in God's people.

The first two verses of the psalm set the theme for the entire chapter. While "happy" is a common translation, I prefer the more traditional "blessed." It speaks to our standing under the favor and blessing of God - a result of obedience to God's word.

How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
 Happy are those who keep his decrees
and seek him with all their heart.

God's Word is not just a storybook, a good read meant to entertain us. It is the story of God's plan of redemption and his call to us to repentance, faith and to a life lived under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is meant to be obeyed, and it is those who learn and live by all that is revealed in the Word of God who experience God's blessings.

Father, may your word be my law! Thank you for Jesus who is revealed there and the life that he gives. May I walk in obedience to every word. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you walk in obedience to God's word?
Do you seek to know God's word and follow its teachings, or do you walk in the wisdom of the world or in your own "truth?"

"King of the Hill" October 18 Readings: Jeremiah 39-40, Colossians 1:1–23, Psalm 118:25–29, Proverbs 25:15–16

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 39-40, Colossians 1:1–23, Psalm 118:25–29, Proverbs 25:15–16

Devotional - King of the Hill

Did you ever play "King of the Hill" when you were a kid? We'd find a pile of dirt or rocks and one guy would stand on top, declaring himself the king. Everyone else would try to scramble and scrape their way to the top, throwing down anyone who stands in the way.

In this world, this giant hill of dirt, there is a king already established - seated firmly on the throne. There is no threat to that throne, no one who can dislodge him from his place. The one who is king of the hill today will be tomorrow and for all time.

His name is Jesus.

Colossians 1:15-20 describes the greatness and glory of Christ, exalting him as preeminent over all things on this earth - the king of this entire hill. And because he is the king, he is the one our lives are supposed to be about. He is our "hope of glory" (1:27).

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.16 For everything was created by him,in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible,whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.18 He is also the head of the body, the church;he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,so that he might come to have first place in everything.19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself,whether things on earth or things in heaven,by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Something had happened in Colossae and people had forgotten that. They were focused on other things - festivals, rituals, myths, arcane teachings. But they'd forgotten Jesus and that was a mistake that Paul did not want anyone to make because everything was about him, the world exists for him, and he is the one who has done everything needed for our lives both eternally and temporally.

He is not only the king of the hill, he is the king of love, mercy, and grace.

Father, thank you for your Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is supreme not only over the entire universe but also over my heart. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Read through Colossians 1:15-20 and write down all the character qualities and great works of Christ. Spend time in praise of the glory and greatness of our Savior.

"I Can Do All Things" October 17 Readings: Jeremiah 37-38, Philippians 4:2–23, Psalm 118:18–24, Proverbs 25:12–14

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 37-38, Philippians 4:2–23, Psalm 118:18–24, Proverbs 25:12–14

Devotional - I Can Do All Things

"I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me. " 

What a wonderful verse - and one that is much used in this world. I can hit a home run or score a touchdown through Christ who strengthens me. I can succeed in business through Christ who strengthens me. I can achieve this personal goal through Christ who strengthens me. I can stick to my diet through Christ who strengthens me.

We have turned Philippians 4:13 into a motivational mantra, a motto to be hung on the wall and to be remembered as we go through this world attempting to reach our goals, achieve our potential, find happiness and success and be all that we have hoped to be. And certainly, this verse has a wide application. God can empower us to do all that he calls us to do.

But the common motivational uses of this verse are not exactly what Paul intended when he wrote it (under the Spirit's inspiration).  Verses 11 and 12, which (obviously) immediately precede this favorite verse, provide the context.

 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

Paul was commending the Philippians for the generosity to him but clarified in these verses that his purpose was not just to seek money from them. He had learned to be content whatever happened to him. Paul had experienced both abundance and lack. Sometimes, he had all that he needed, sometimes he did not. His goal was not the accumulation of possessions, but contentment in Christ.

When he says, "I can do all things through Christ," he is talking about handling anything this world throws at him. If he abounds, he will abound for the glory of God. If he is in need, he will continue to glorify God and serve him. His life was about doing all things for God's glory regardless of what happened to him. Facing plenty or hunger, he could do it all through the strength that Christ gave him.

And that is the key here. Paul was not saying that we should set our goals and appeal to Christ to be our source of strength as we reach them and do as we please. He was living in the will of God and accepting whatever God had for him. This verse is not about getting what I want or achieving my goals, but about living in God's will wherever that takes me.

It is a beautiful verse, of course, but it is a verse that must be set in its appropriate context, not ripped from that context and made to say what it doesn't say.

Father in heaven, may I accept your will and live in the peace that passes understanding and the contentment of Christ no matter what, knowing that whatever comes, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you use your faith as a means of success, or rely on Jesus no matter what comes?
Are you content in Christ and in his power?

"Jesus Is Better" October 16 Readings: Jeremiah 35-36, Philippians 3:1–4:1, Psalm 118:11–17, Proverbs 25:10–11

Today's Readings - Jeremiah 35-36, Philippians 3:1–4:1, Psalm 118:11–17, Proverbs 25:10–11

Devotional - Jesus Is Better

"I like myself just the way I am."
"Don't try to change me."
"I am who I am and you shouldn't judge me."
"This is the way I was raised - my heritage."

In America's self-centered and self-affirming culture, we place a greater value on being ourselves than on becoming what God wants us to be.

Paul had no such issue. In Philippians 3:4-6 Paul catalogs his identity before Christ appeared to him on the Damascus Road.

If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

Paul was a loyal Hebrew, a Pharisee and one who closely observed the law. He attempted to follow the law as carefully as he could and was so passionate about his faith that he even persecuted the church.

But when Paul came to Christ, he did not cherish his culture, prize his heritage, hold on to traditions or insist on affirming himself the way he was. Instead, he turned his back on all of these things that once made him so proud and considered them loss, even garbage. They no longer meant anything to him because of his passion for Jesus Christ as he makes clear in verses 7 and 8.

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 

Nothing that was part of Paul's past, his culture, his heritage, his former life was of great value to him anymore because of the exceedingly wonderful value of knowing Jesus Christ. 

He had a new goal. It was not to seek his own way or to "be all he can be." No, his new purpose, in verses 9 and 10, was:

…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death.

Now it was all about knowing Christ, experiencing the power of his resurrection and serving him sacrificially in both his life and if necessary, by his death. 

Father, may I be like Paul, who left behind everything to pursue the knowledge of Christ. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Are you willing to give up everything you are and have and value to gain Christ?
Are you willing to press on, leaving everything else behind?