I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (Jn 14:12)
How convicting! I’m hard-pressed to think of any “greater things” that I have done. Of course I know that Jesus was speaking to his disciples and they ultimately worked many miracles and brought many to salvation. But he is also speaking to us: “anyone who has faith in me”. In this age God is advancing his Kingdom through the Body of Christ – the Church. As a finger or a toe or whatever, I am a part of the Body of Christ. Am I doing my part? Am I pulling my share of the load? Lord, help me to be faithful to my calling. Show me my part and guide me to fulfill it. I want to be part of the “greater things” your Church is doing in this age. Amen.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Loving Like Jesus
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (Jn 13:34)
Why did Jesus say this was a new command? Lev 19:18 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself” and Jesus even quoted that verse. What’s new here is the standard of love Jesus sets for us. It’s hard enough to love my neighbor as I love myself, but how much harder is it to love my neighbor as Christ loves me? Jesus spoke these words to his disciples as he gave them his final instructions on the night before his death. Pressing in on him was the magnitude of the ordeal he was about to endure. He knew full well what it would cost him and his heart was deeply troubled by it, but he pressed forward with a determination born of his incredible love for us. And in that hour he commanded us to love one another as he has loved us. What a tall order! That is a kind of love I do not possess in my own nature. It can only come from God. With the Spirit of God in my heart I can love like that, but it is still a hard choice, as it was for Jesus. Would I expend myself for my brothers in Christ? Would I give all that I have for them? Only by truly surrendering to the Father’s will, as Jesus did. Lord, give me a heart to love as you love.
Why did Jesus say this was a new command? Lev 19:18 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself” and Jesus even quoted that verse. What’s new here is the standard of love Jesus sets for us. It’s hard enough to love my neighbor as I love myself, but how much harder is it to love my neighbor as Christ loves me? Jesus spoke these words to his disciples as he gave them his final instructions on the night before his death. Pressing in on him was the magnitude of the ordeal he was about to endure. He knew full well what it would cost him and his heart was deeply troubled by it, but he pressed forward with a determination born of his incredible love for us. And in that hour he commanded us to love one another as he has loved us. What a tall order! That is a kind of love I do not possess in my own nature. It can only come from God. With the Spirit of God in my heart I can love like that, but it is still a hard choice, as it was for Jesus. Would I expend myself for my brothers in Christ? Would I give all that I have for them? Only by truly surrendering to the Father’s will, as Jesus did. Lord, give me a heart to love as you love.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday Christians
My people come to you as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. (Ezek 33:31)
Ezekiel had quite a following among the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He was evidently well known, and could draw a crowd whenever he had a word from the Lord. You can even imagine that they lined up to shake his hand at the door. “Good sermon today, brother.” “Great word! You are so anointed!” “Thank you, pastor. I needed to hear that.” Fine words, but then they stepped out into the rest of their week and their lives were no different than the week before. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We faithfully show up for church, we say the right things, but God knows our hearts. And, too often, what is in our hearts does not reflect the image we like to project on Sunday. Lord, when I come to worship you in church may I truly be broken before you. Convict me of the gap between my words and my deeds. May I drink your word deep into my soul and be restored by it. May I focus less on the outward activity of Sunday morning and be sensitive to the inner work you desire to do in me. Then may my heart be truly yours. Amen.
Ezekiel had quite a following among the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He was evidently well known, and could draw a crowd whenever he had a word from the Lord. You can even imagine that they lined up to shake his hand at the door. “Good sermon today, brother.” “Great word! You are so anointed!” “Thank you, pastor. I needed to hear that.” Fine words, but then they stepped out into the rest of their week and their lives were no different than the week before. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We faithfully show up for church, we say the right things, but God knows our hearts. And, too often, what is in our hearts does not reflect the image we like to project on Sunday. Lord, when I come to worship you in church may I truly be broken before you. Convict me of the gap between my words and my deeds. May I drink your word deep into my soul and be restored by it. May I focus less on the outward activity of Sunday morning and be sensitive to the inner work you desire to do in me. Then may my heart be truly yours. Amen.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Patience and Mercy
Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezek 33:11)
Many people mistakenly draw a distinction between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. They say, the God of the Old Testament is vengeful and cruel, but the God of the New Testament is loving and kind. These people have completely misunderstood the Bible. God is a God of both love and justice. They are both essential parts of his character, and they are both on full display in both Testaments. It is true that much of the Old Testament is the story of Israel’s continual rebellion against God, which leads to God’s judgment on them. However, this beautiful verse from Ezekiel makes clear that God never enjoys bringing judgment. His desire is that all would be saved. He yearns for the wicked to repent. And, in fact, a more careful reading of the Old Testament will show God’s great long-suffering and patience, as he withholds his wrath for generation after generation of the people’s rebellion. Who else do you think can hold their temper for centuries?!
God is patient with us as well. He is patient to give us years to come to salvation. He is patient with us for years afterward as we slowly mature and leave behind our evil ways. Thank you, Lord, for your great love, which you demonstrate in your patience with me. Amen.
Many people mistakenly draw a distinction between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. They say, the God of the Old Testament is vengeful and cruel, but the God of the New Testament is loving and kind. These people have completely misunderstood the Bible. God is a God of both love and justice. They are both essential parts of his character, and they are both on full display in both Testaments. It is true that much of the Old Testament is the story of Israel’s continual rebellion against God, which leads to God’s judgment on them. However, this beautiful verse from Ezekiel makes clear that God never enjoys bringing judgment. His desire is that all would be saved. He yearns for the wicked to repent. And, in fact, a more careful reading of the Old Testament will show God’s great long-suffering and patience, as he withholds his wrath for generation after generation of the people’s rebellion. Who else do you think can hold their temper for centuries?!
God is patient with us as well. He is patient to give us years to come to salvation. He is patient with us for years afterward as we slowly mature and leave behind our evil ways. Thank you, Lord, for your great love, which you demonstrate in your patience with me. Amen.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Praying for the Lost
I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-4)
It’s bothered me for some time that I don’t see the Bible talking much about praying for the lost. I pray every day for lost loved ones. I desperately want to see them be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Verses 3 and 4 in this passage are well known, and because of them I understand that God, too, desires my loved ones to be saved. But I had never connected these verses in context to verse 1 before. People always quote verses 1 and 2 together to illustrate that we should pray for government leaders. And they quote verses 3 and 4 together to show that God doesn’t want to send anyone to hell. But verse 2 is a qualifier on verse 1; it says that not only should we pray for everyone, we should pray for rulers specifically. When you leave it out and skip straight from verse 1 to verse 3 it reads like this:
It’s bothered me for some time that I don’t see the Bible talking much about praying for the lost. I pray every day for lost loved ones. I desperately want to see them be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Verses 3 and 4 in this passage are well known, and because of them I understand that God, too, desires my loved ones to be saved. But I had never connected these verses in context to verse 1 before. People always quote verses 1 and 2 together to illustrate that we should pray for government leaders. And they quote verses 3 and 4 together to show that God doesn’t want to send anyone to hell. But verse 2 is a qualifier on verse 1; it says that not only should we pray for everyone, we should pray for rulers specifically. When you leave it out and skip straight from verse 1 to verse 3 it reads like this:
I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone... This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1, 3-4)
Now you see the completion of the main thought, which is that we should pray for everyone because God desires that everyone be saved. So not only is it Scriptural for me to be praying for my loved ones, I should also be praying for everyone else I know who is not saved. Lord, thank you for this affirmation of my heartfelt prayers. Thank you for the reminder that you do love everyone, and have no desire to see anyone miss out on eternal life. I lift them up to you and pray they would realize that you are real and you love them unconditionally. Open their eyes so they can see that they need you and the free gift of salvation you offer to everyone. Amen.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Our Top Priority
Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything – so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (Titus 2:9-10)
If you were a slave you would think your top priority would be gaining your freedom. Paul is under no illusions about the hardships of slavery. Elsewhere (1 Cor 7:21) he tells slaves that if they have a chance to gain their freedom, they should do so. But Paul’s instruction here makes clear that the top priority of every slave should be to live in such a way that the Gospel becomes attractive to their master! Every other purpose in life, even one this pressing, is subordinated to the Great Commission. Paul instructs slaves that the salvation of those around them should be their top concern. How much more, then, should that be my greatest goal in life? At work, is my top concern to live such a godly life, to serve my bosses with such excellence, that they will be attracted to the Gospel? Lord, help me be that kind of employee.
If you were a slave you would think your top priority would be gaining your freedom. Paul is under no illusions about the hardships of slavery. Elsewhere (1 Cor 7:21) he tells slaves that if they have a chance to gain their freedom, they should do so. But Paul’s instruction here makes clear that the top priority of every slave should be to live in such a way that the Gospel becomes attractive to their master! Every other purpose in life, even one this pressing, is subordinated to the Great Commission. Paul instructs slaves that the salvation of those around them should be their top concern. How much more, then, should that be my greatest goal in life? At work, is my top concern to live such a godly life, to serve my bosses with such excellence, that they will be attracted to the Gospel? Lord, help me be that kind of employee.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
A Better Country
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Heb 11:15-16)
Abraham left his home in Ur, and God promised that his descendants would one day possess the entire land of Canaan. Yet all their lives Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tents without any land to call home. They could have gone back to Ur if they wanted, but they did not. They were looking ahead to what God had promised. The author of Hebrews holds them up as examples of faith. We, too, have left the country of our birth and long for a new home in the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. I was born into the kingdom of the world, under the domain of the prince of this world, Satan. But God rescued me from darkness and made me a new creature in him. Now I am a citizen of God’s Kingdom. My eternal home is there, but for a while my tent is still pitched in this world. This passage prompts me to ask myself, where does my heart live? Am I longing for the new country or the old? Lord, help me to keep my heart firmly set on you and your Kingdom. I am here on this earth as your ambassador. One day you will claim it all again for your own. When that day comes I hope I will have led as many people as I can into your Kingdom, to live forever with you in your heavenly realm.
Abraham left his home in Ur, and God promised that his descendants would one day possess the entire land of Canaan. Yet all their lives Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived in tents without any land to call home. They could have gone back to Ur if they wanted, but they did not. They were looking ahead to what God had promised. The author of Hebrews holds them up as examples of faith. We, too, have left the country of our birth and long for a new home in the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. I was born into the kingdom of the world, under the domain of the prince of this world, Satan. But God rescued me from darkness and made me a new creature in him. Now I am a citizen of God’s Kingdom. My eternal home is there, but for a while my tent is still pitched in this world. This passage prompts me to ask myself, where does my heart live? Am I longing for the new country or the old? Lord, help me to keep my heart firmly set on you and your Kingdom. I am here on this earth as your ambassador. One day you will claim it all again for your own. When that day comes I hope I will have led as many people as I can into your Kingdom, to live forever with you in your heavenly realm.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Living With Integrity
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. (Pro 11:3)
It seems like every month we hear of some new ethics scandal of a Congressman or prominent pastor. Someone who had been held in such high esteem turns out to have been cheating on his wife or embezzling or not paying his taxes. How many fall into the trap of thinking, “No one will ever know?” But then they are found out, and their duplicity destroys not only their own lives but those of their families as well.
How often am I tempted by the same thought? “No one will ever know.” It is a lie. God knows from the very beginning. Our lives are an open book to him. But if we give in to temptation anyway, no matter how small the transgression, we have stepped onto the path of destruction. I imagine each of those failed leaders started small. No one wakes up one day and says, “I think I’ll have an affair today” or “I bet I could steal a million dollars from my company and no one would notice.” It begins with an attitude of entitlement. “Why shouldn’t I enjoy the benefits of my position?” And of course, the deadly, “No one will ever know.” But one wrong step is soon followed by another, and one day we wake up to realize our lives are a shambles.
Lord, make me wise not to fall for this lie. Keep me on the path of the upright. I will be truthful to you and all those around me. My life is an open book to you. May it please you and honor you in every detail. Amen.
It seems like every month we hear of some new ethics scandal of a Congressman or prominent pastor. Someone who had been held in such high esteem turns out to have been cheating on his wife or embezzling or not paying his taxes. How many fall into the trap of thinking, “No one will ever know?” But then they are found out, and their duplicity destroys not only their own lives but those of their families as well.
How often am I tempted by the same thought? “No one will ever know.” It is a lie. God knows from the very beginning. Our lives are an open book to him. But if we give in to temptation anyway, no matter how small the transgression, we have stepped onto the path of destruction. I imagine each of those failed leaders started small. No one wakes up one day and says, “I think I’ll have an affair today” or “I bet I could steal a million dollars from my company and no one would notice.” It begins with an attitude of entitlement. “Why shouldn’t I enjoy the benefits of my position?” And of course, the deadly, “No one will ever know.” But one wrong step is soon followed by another, and one day we wake up to realize our lives are a shambles.
Lord, make me wise not to fall for this lie. Keep me on the path of the upright. I will be truthful to you and all those around me. My life is an open book to you. May it please you and honor you in every detail. Amen.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
God Yearns for the Lost
Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him, declares the Lord. (Jer 31:20)
No matter how long the children of God stray or how far, God still loves them and yearns for them. The previous verse (v19) speaks of repentance after a misspent youth. “After I came to understand, I beat my breast.” This could be my testimony, too. The fact is that God rescues many in later life who strayed when they were young. Lord, I pray for my loved ones who are lost, that they will come to understand your love for them and their need for you. I know that may take a while but I pray it will not be too long. Guard them as they stray and open their eyes to your truth. I trust them into your hands. Amen.
No matter how long the children of God stray or how far, God still loves them and yearns for them. The previous verse (v19) speaks of repentance after a misspent youth. “After I came to understand, I beat my breast.” This could be my testimony, too. The fact is that God rescues many in later life who strayed when they were young. Lord, I pray for my loved ones who are lost, that they will come to understand your love for them and their need for you. I know that may take a while but I pray it will not be too long. Guard them as they stray and open their eyes to your truth. I trust them into your hands. Amen.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Everlasting Love
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jer 31:3)
The Lord spoke these words to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah after Babylon had conquered Judah and carried off its people into captivity. In such a dark time God gave these words of hope. These words remind us of the certain hope that we have, because God’s love never fails. He has drawn us to himself, and he will never abandon us. At such times do I trust my feelings or do I stand on his promises? He has loved me with an everlasting love! No one is more faithful than God. I will stand on his promises.
The Lord spoke these words to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah after Babylon had conquered Judah and carried off its people into captivity. In such a dark time God gave these words of hope. These words remind us of the certain hope that we have, because God’s love never fails. He has drawn us to himself, and he will never abandon us. At such times do I trust my feelings or do I stand on his promises? He has loved me with an everlasting love! No one is more faithful than God. I will stand on his promises.
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