"Light from Heaven" July 7 Readings: 2 Chronicles 31-32, Acts 9:1–25, Psalm 79:1–8, Proverbs 16:30–31

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 31-32, Acts 9:1–25, Psalm 79:1–8, Proverbs 16:30–31

Devotional - Light from Heaven

 In my youth, I was often jealous of those people who had the amazing testimonies of God's saving power. Drug addicts. Gangsters. Criminals. Forgiven and delivered from sin. I was raised in a Christian home, saved at age 6, and most of my sins were either sins of the heart or sins of my big, fat mouth. I have come to believe for a variety of reasons that "raised in a Christian home and saved at an early age" is a great testimony of God's saving power, but that is another story for another time.

Acts 9 records one of the most dramatic stories of conversion in the Bible - more than that, in church history. Saul of Tarsus left Jerusalem breathing out murderous threats against those who were later called Christians, carrying with him letters from the high priest authorizing him to arrest followers of Christ. By the end of the chapter, those same authorities that granted Saul permission to terrorize the Christians were scheming to kill him because he was now a powerful advocate for Jesus Christ.

What a difference a few verses make!

How encouraging this passage is, giving us hope that even the hardest hearts, the angriest spirits, the most determined enemies of Christianity can be brought to faith by the power of God. No one would have believed that Saul would be God's chosen apostle (9:15) to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. No one. Ananias certainly didn't. He recoiled from his assignment to go and speak to Saul when God came to him in a vision. Petrified at the prospect, he went to visit Saul. But he found that the words of God were as true as always. Saul was no longer breathing murderous threats but was a broken man, a humbled man, a changed man.

What made that difference? Simple. Light from heaven.

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. (9:3)

It was a little more dramatic in this case, but there is only one way that any sinner can be turned from darkness to light, from death to life. It takes the light from heaven. God must reveal himself, by his Spirit, to the sinner, convicting him of sin and calling him to repentance. For Saul, this calling was physical. For the rest of us, it is spiritual, an inner work of the Spirit. But only when the light from heaven shines on us will we be drawn to Christ.

What does that mean for your evangelistic efforts? Three truths rise to the surface here. First, no one is beyond hope. Saul would have been voted, "Least Likely to Be Redeemed" in any poll taken in the church. But God shined the light on him and he was saved. There is no heart so hardened, there is no soul so sinful, there is no mind so skeptical that the saving grace of God cannot reach into it. Keep praying. Keep ministering. Keep loving. Keep going.

Second, remember that it takes the work of God to save. We can proclaim the truth of the gospel. We can speak the truth. We can live the life of Christ in front of sinners. But only God can save. Only God can bring conviction to the sinner's heart. We need to proclaim Christ and entrust the work of conviction to the Spirit alone.

Finally, we must remember that God shines his light through us - through our testimony and our lives that bear witness to the reality of that testimony. In this story, God's light was more direct, but that is an exception and not the rule. God uses people to accomplish his work. We are the moon, reflecting the glorious light of his Son.

Father, I thank you for shining the light of heaven on my soul. Through me, shine it in others' lives and in this 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?

Are you praying for a "Saul" - someone hopeless? Remember that God is able to save even the hardest cases. Do not give up and trust the power of Christ to reach even those we view as beyond hope.

"Microwave Revival" July 6 Readings: 2 Chronicles 29-30, Acts 8:26–40, Psalm 78:68–72, Proverbs 16:27–29

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 29-30, Acts 8:26–40, Psalm 78:68–72, Proverbs 16:27–29

Devotional - Microwave Revival 

Hezekiah was one of the best kings of Judah, one of only two who were compared favorably with David himself (later, Josiah will be the second). Almost as soon as he ascended to the throne, and having seen the devastation that sin brought to the northern kingdom of Israel, he decided to lead Israel back to fidelity to God.

He started by cleansing the temple and taking all the idolatrous mess that defiled the temple into the Kidron Valley to be burned. He reinstituted proper worship in Jerusalem and reorganized the priests and Levites to reassume their proper roles. Everything had to be done in accord with the commands of God.

It's a pretty familiar pattern for revival. It begins with repentance by God's people and a willingness to put away anything which draws our attention and affection away from God. We must return to worship him as we ought. Fortunately for us, the sacrifice for our sins was made once and for all by Jesus Christ, but we must renew of love and devotion to him.

But there is another element to true revival that escapes American Christianity. Somewhere along the line, someone convinced us that a worship service should only be one hour long. All the prayers, singing, giving, sharing and preaching of God's Word must fit neatly into a 60-minute package. There's no way we can do what we really need to become all God wants us to be in a 60-minute worship service once a week.

Look at 2 Chronicles 30. Hezekiah called all of Israel together to celebrate the Passover, the remembrance of God's great saving act on Israel's behalf. It was supposed to be celebrated every year, but Israel had ignored it for decades, perhaps centuries. So, they gathered and celebrated Passover for 7 full days. Seven full days of worship before God. When's the last time anyone did that?

But here is the kicker, at the end of those 7 days, guess what they did? Verse 23 tells us.

The whole congregation decided to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy.

After 7 days of thanksgiving, they decided to devote seven days more to God. Fourteen days. Verse 26 tells us the result of all of that.

There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.

Judah drew near to God and for the first time since the days of Solomon and the result was joy, what we might call a revival. Judah returned to God. And, according to verse 27, God heard the prayers. 

Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.

God responded to his people's genuine, heartfelt worship. He heard their prayers and restored their land.

No, maybe we do not need to spend 14 straight days in the presence of the Lord to find personal revival, but it takes time. We cannot fit God into the corner of our busy lives and hope for good things. Anything that produces spiritual fruit takes time. It takes time to grow in Christ, to build godly character, to draw near to God. 

You cannot microwave spiritual renewal. The process of revival is a slow bake. If you try to rush it to fit into your busy schedule, the work of God in us suffers.

Father, thank you that through Jesus we can draw near to you. May I take the time necessary to do that 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?

There is no magic formula for time with God, but we can heat our hearts quickly. Spiritual formation takes time - we do not become like Christ overnight.
So, take time in God's word. Take time to pray. Seek him.

"Following My (Deadly) Heart" July 5 Readings: 2 Chronicles 27-28, Acts 8:1–25, Psalm 78:61–67, Proverbs 16:25–26

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 27-28, Acts 8:1–25, Psalm 78:61–67, Proverbs 16:25–26

Devotional - Following My (Deadly) Heart 

Follow your heart. If it comes from within you, it can't be wrong. Only you can decide what is right for you. Steve Jobs is famous for this quote.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

This is the relentless message of our culture. Don't listen to dogma (for instance, the teachings of God's Word) but instead listen to yourself and your own inner voice. Does this sound familiar? Isn't that exactly what the serpent told Adam and Eve in the Garden? Didn't he tell them not to listen to what God said, but to listen to their own hearts and desires and that if they did all their hopes and dreams would come true. They would become like gods themselves instead of having to obey God himself!

Satan has been telling the same lies since Creation and they have been working pretty well for him. Our world has bought into this idea with abandon - that right and wrong are what I feel they are and that what is best for me is what my heart tells me to do.

But Solomon had a very different view of life, based on wisdom that came from God. Peruse Proverbs 16:25.

There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.

This is not an isolated verse, but a common theme throughout the book of Proverbs. The fool is the one who trusts in himself and listens to his inner voice to guide him. The wise admit that their own understanding is flawed and do not lean on it. Instead, they trust in the Lord and obey him. In this verse, Solomon tells us that a man can be convinced that his path was absolutely right and good, but it is still the way of sin and the path of destruction. Only when we obey God's Word can we be sure that God will make our paths straight.

The bedrock of wisdom is the decision to trust God and obey him instead of trusting self and following our hearts. It is no accident that the enemy pushes this destructive lie so hard in this world. He is pleased when people follow their hearts, knowing that will put them on a path of self-destruction. We must be in God's Word so that we can walk in his ways and experience all of God's blessings.

Father, my heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. I choose to trust in you not in my own wisdom.

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 by your own instincts and desires, or according to the word of God?
It is easy to convince ourselves that our feelings and thoughts are actually God's. It is important to be led of God and by the word!

"Unpalatable Truth" July 4 Readings: 2 Chronicles 25-26, Acts 7:41–60, Psalm 78:54–60, Proverbs 16:22–24

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 25-26, Acts 7:41–60, Psalm 78:54–60, Proverbs 16:22–24

Devotional - Unpalatable Truth

Their anger against Stephen exploded. They plugged their ears (like children) so that they could not hear his words anymore and gnashed their teeth in wrath. Screaming at him, they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Stephen became the first Christian martyr that day.  

Why? The answer is simple. The religious leaders did not like the sermon he preached. Throughout Acts 7 he reminded them of the faithfulness of God in Israel's history. That was the good part. But he also reminded them of the incessant sin, rebellion, and idolatry of Israel and they didn't like that too much. Verses 51-53 record the offending words that sent the leaders into a vengeful lather. 

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

How could anyone get offended by that, right? It's not hard to see that the religious leaders might find those words harsh and react to them with pique. Being called stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts is likely to offend. 

But the words were true. Stephen spoke the truth, even though it was not popular. Israel had been and still was walking contrary to God's revelation. They had created their own system of religion based on human ideas instead of God's revelation. They claimed to follow God's Law but it was actually one of their own creation and their hearts were not right with God. Stephen was in the process of speaking truth and would have no doubt gotten to the story of Jesus and the gospel of salvation through him. He did not make it that far. 

Stephen did what many modern preachers will not do, he forcefully confronted the sin of his hearers and he called them to repent. That is why he died. 

We, perhaps, do not have to be as direct or as confrontational as Stephen was that day every time we share Christ. But we can learn from this story that there is a choice that each of us has to make as we go out into this world. Either we will be faithful to the Word and to the truth, thereby incurring the wrath of the sinful world, or we will compromise the truth and proclaim truths that massage egos, tickle ears and evoke positive emotions but do not accurately reflect the Word of God. You cannot both be faithful to God's truth and preach a popular message to a sinful world. It's one or the other. 

In this election year, as we think about the spiritual condition of the USA, let us remember that compromise and the search for popularity and acceptance by the world will never win the day. That spiritual compromise that we see so much of today, which seeks to gain the favor of man and other the world more than the pleasure of God, will never actually change anything. Only as we put ourselves under God's authority and faithfully call our family, friends, and neighbors to repent and to submit fully to God's Word in all things. 

Father, help me to be faithful to you and your Word, regardless of the cost or consequences. 

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 stand for righteousness and truth regardless of its popularity or how people respond?

Or do you hide the truth to avoid offending or having people angry with you?

"Losing My Father's Faith" July 3 Readings: 2 Chronicles 23-24, Acts 7:19–40, Psalm 78:47–53, Proverbs 16:20–21

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 23-24, Acts 7:19–40, Psalm 78:47–53, Proverbs 16:20–21

Devotional - Losing My Father's Faith 

I faced something of a spiritual crisis as I entered adulthood. I was raised by Christian parents; my dad was a Bible-preaching pastor who gave me a grounding in the Word that many people never get. I trusted Christ as a child but as I graduated high school and was ready to leave to go out on my own, I faced a challenge.

My faith was more my father's faith than my own.

I knew Jesus and I think I was saved, but in many ways, I lived to please my dad and to do what he expected of me. But I had to come to the point where I was not serving my father's God, but where I was serving the God I loved.

I don't have the time, the space, nor do I imagine you have the interest, for me to recount the entire process of me coming to hold my own faith, not just my father's, but it was a turning point in my life. We talk about children abandoning the faith or "losing their faith" in college. But in reality, I think that many children never develop anything more than an appreciation for their parent's faith and when they get out on their own it is not real to them. They are actually losing their parents' faith, one that never became real to them.

King Joash's father was dead, but he had a wise paternal figure, a mentor named Jehoiada. Jehoiada protected him from his evil grandmother who was attempting to kill the entire royal family so that she could usurp the throne for herself. Joash, as a baby, was taken into protective custody until he was seven years old. Then Jehoiada did away with the idolatrous usurper Athaliah and put Joash on the throne. And as long as Jehoiada lived, Joash was a faithful servant of Yahweh, a good king. 2 Chronicles 24:2 makes this point.

And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

But eventually, Jehoiada's life was over and Joash was left on his own. Unfortunately, the faith he practiced had never become his own. He respected his mentor and followed his ways, but when the mentor was gone, the faith dissipated. Look at verses 17-19.

Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

Powerful men came and led Joash astray. He never developed an independent faith, a faith that was his. He lived by the convictions of other people and that was not enough. It is never enough to walk with someone who walks with God. A relationship with God is never secondhand.

Great suffering and pain came to Judah as a judgment on Joash's sin. They were defeated by an inferior army because of God's judgment. Joash himself died.

I am grateful for the faith of my parents, for the home I was raised in. We tried to provide a Christian home for our children. But it was not enough for me to experience the faith of my parents; it had to become my faith, my commitment. It is not enough for my children to respect my faith. God must be their God as well.

There is no such thing as secondhand faith. You cannot prosper spiritually on someone else's walk with God. Each of us must come to God through Jesus Christ on our own and experience the life of Christ personally and individually.

Father, I thank you that you brought me to faith - not just my dad's faith, but mine!

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 confident that the faith you profess is yours, not just that of your family, your culture?
As you raise children, make sure that they come personally to faith in Christ.

"A Wasted Life" July 2 Readings: 2 Chronicles 21-22, Acts 7:1–18, Psalm 78:40–46, Proverbs 16:17–19

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 21-22, Acts 7:1–18, Psalm 78:40–46, Proverbs 16:17–19

Devotional - A Wasted Life

Have you ever thought about what you want on your tombstone? Is there some brief, pithy statement that encapsulates your life? People want their lives to matter, their obituaries to be meaningful, their tombstones to be significant.

Ecclesiastes tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts. We have a deep, inborn, innate desire for our lives to matter, to do something that makes a difference, so that when we are gone we will be remembered and that the impact and effect our lives will continue.

But all too often our desire for eternal significance is squandered by our devotion to the things of this world - materialism, self-centeredness, lust, devotion to pleasure - or our lives of unholiness and sin. There are many, even among the redeemed, who fail to live their lives for the glory of God.

There is a troublesome verse in 2 Chronicles 21:20, concerning the death of King Jehoram of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat. His father was a very good king who made an unfortunate alliance with evil King Ahab of Israel. He even allowed his son to marry Ahab's daughter. To no one's surprise, Jehoram followed the ways of the kings of Israel and did not serve Yahweh as his own father had. After 8 years as king, he died. Here is what was said of him.

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Wow. He died "with no one's regret." Jehoram was an evil king who did evil things and when he was gone it was to "no one's regret." No one cared. They were glad he was gone. His life was wasted. 

Jehoram was an extreme case, of course, and usually, even the most pointless life is met with someone's regret. But we must invest our lives in eternal things so that they will leave a lasting legacy of spiritual effect. 

I was only a boy when my grandfather died. He was a pastor, seminary professor, and Baptist leader. I remember at his funeral how person after person came up to my mom and dad and spoke of what a difference grandpa had made in their lives. He died in 1965 but his life did not end there. It went on in the lives of those he influenced. 

That is the kind of life I want. I don't much care what is on my tombstone, but I want my life to impact others who will carry on the work of Christ when I am gone. 

Father, may my life be used for your glory and the purposes of your eternal kingdom!

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?

If they wrote an obituary about you today, what would it say?
Would it speak of the eternal, significant, Christ-honoring aspects of your life?
We ought not to live morbidly, but we ought to constantly remind ourselves that this world is temporary and eternity awaits.

"Better than Gold" July 1 Readings: 2 Chronicles 19-20, Acts 5:32–6:15, Psalm 78:33–39, Proverbs 16:15–16

Today's Readings - 2 Chronicles 19-20, Acts 5:32–6:15, Psalm 78:33–39, Proverbs 16:15–16

Devotional - Better than Gold

What would you do for a brick of gold bullion? Would you walk a marathon? (I'd sure try!)  Would you give away the family's secret cookie recipe? Would you move? Change jobs? Take on a dangerous task? I would not compromise my moral or spiritual values for gold, but there are a lot of things I'd do, or attempt to do, for several pounds of gold.

There are few things more valuable than gold. As of this writing, an ounce of gold is worth nearly 1400 dollars. You can buy a lot of things with a pound of gold, right? A brick of gold? Hard to even calculate it!

And yet Solomon says it has little value compared to Wisdom! Look at his bold and startling assertion in Proverbs 16:16.

Get wisdom—

how much better it is than gold!

And get understanding—

it is preferable to silver.

Wisdom is the ability to choose what is right and good, to make the choices that bring good consequences and the blessing of God. Understanding, often translated discernment, is the ability to choose between the right path and the wrong path, to read life's map.

Solomon asserts that these abilities are better than gold and silver. He knows what he is talking about because when God offered him whatever he might want, he chose discernment and wisdom over anything else. He realized that knowing right from wrong and choosing the path of God is the key to all the blessings life as.

Our relationship with God is based on the grace of God and was purchased for us on the Cross. We are saved by God's mercy. But it is as we choose what is right and good, by God's wisdom and power, that we experience all the blessings God has for us in this world. Those blessings are worth far more than anything gold can buy.

This is important to remember as we walk through this world, where someone has switched the price tags. Money and the things that it buys are often seen as the highest value. Or entertainment. Or popularity. Or power. Or whatever! But God's word says that the highest value is the ability to choose what is right and walk in the blessing of God.

Father, may I remember what is of real worth in this world. May I choose your wisdom and your grace. 

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?

As you examine your life, are you valuing the things God says are of highest value? Or are you investing in the temporal instead of the eternal?
If your life continues in the direction it is headed, will it be eternally significant?