Of Mice and Men...

Todays devotion comes from a dear saint of Spirit of Grace Church. Thank you Verna for reminding us of a wonderful Savior!!

MICE AND MEN
By Verna Anderson

It was already a crazy day and it was only 8 am. I was running around, making a shopping list for last minute items prior to the preschool Christmas party.

Then, I remembered that I needed to wrap the little truck that Noah picked out to give to another boy in the class. All the wrapping paper was still in the garage in a huge box that remained unopened after our summer move. The box sat just outside the mudroom door, needing to have the packing tape cut so that I could get to the contents. As I stood next to the box, realizing that I had no way to cut the tape, I could hear some rustling over by the deep freezer.

The sound was easily recognizable to me because I knew Keith had been catching mice out there, probably hungry little ones who had found our buckets of corn that we had planned to use to feed squirrels. Yes, I knew that was a mouse, caught in the trap, struggling to get free. I said to myself, that’s fine but just stay over there. I’m not a fan of mice. They are cute but I always think of the times people have had them crawling in their clothing—sends shivers up my back.

I went back into the house to get the paring knife to cut the packing tape. As usual, I got distracted. It happens often. Children need dressing. Lists need one more item added. Those things got me sidetracked and a bit of time passed before I noticed the still unwrapped truck. Must get that knife and dig out the paper and get that done. Once again I went into the garage, this time ready to open the box holding the wrapping paper.

Much to my surprise, the little mouse had made the long trek from the freezer to the mudroom step. The poor little guy stuck by only his front paw. He was working frantically to pull free. Yuck, was my first thought. Keith would kill him and toss him in the garbage but I hate killing things. As I looked down at him, my gaze met his beady brown eyes, his fur was silky smooth and he was actually quite cute, as mice go. In and instant, I decided that I could not kill him. I would set him free but how? I definitely did not want to pick up the trap for fear that he would flip around and crawl on me.

I went back into the house, this time to get a tongs. Then, back out into the garage to pick up the trap with the tongs, walk to the end of the driveway and free our little intruder. He struggled the whole time. How would you feel if you were trapped in a vice and a giant picked up the vice, dangling you in the air? Must have been terrifying. When I set the trap down, he tried again to run away, pulling the trap with him. I caught the trap with the tongs and released him, jumping back to keep away, still thinking of a mouse running up my pant leg. He ran onto the snow and for a moment seemed to head toward the garage. The thought came to mind that he would return to the garage, which would mean his rescue was a total waste of time. Thankfully, he turned and headed toward the flowerbed. The last I saw him, he was hiding in a deep footprint in the snow, catching his breath and contemplating his next move.

My day went on from there, kids to school and party time and even a bit of shopping. I forgot about that mouse until my husband asked why the trap was on the mudroom step. I didn’t tell him I had let the mouse go. He would have thought I was crazy.

I thought of that mouse again this morning and realized that his story was similar to so many of us. We spend our days just living life; not realizing we need a Savior. Then, we get into a spot we should not be and sin traps us. If we are lucky, it does not kill us. We struggle to get free. The fight is hard. The trap is tight on us. We drag the weight of our sin all around our world. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a giant comes and picks us up. Who is this giant? We fight some more because we are afraid of this giant. We don’t know him. Will he kill us? What are his intentions? Thankfully, that giant is a loving God who reaches down and sets us free from our sin. He watches us carefully to see what we will do with our freedom. Will we return to sin or will we set out on a new course? If we are wise, we will take the new path and always remember what he has done for us. We will desire to stay free and out of sin.

Where are you today? Are you wandering around in search of something? Have you strayed into sin, getting caught in its trap? If so, a giant God is waiting patiently for you to look up from your trap, into his loving eyes and accept his gift of freedom.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Loving Obedience

Read Deuteronomy 5:23-33

Thankfully, I have had only one speeding ticket in years. This one was about twelve years ago and it was because I was going twenty-nine in a twenty-five school zone. Can you believe that? Speed was such a concern for one mother in Colorado that she would go and sit in her car in front of an elementary school every weekday afternoon and point a hair dryer out her window at passing vehicles. Many drivers mistook the hand-held dryer for a radar gun and slowed down. Mission accomplished! The speed limit is posted in the school zone but it often takes the threat of punishment to make drivers obey the law.
Now, think about how you discipline or disciplined your child. Often, it is the threat of punishment that keeps us straight. I have been labeled a “goody-goody” when I was growing up. I was. I was that way, not because my sense of right and wrong was perfect. I wasn’t that way because I loved God so much that I never wanted to disappoint Him. I was that way because my dad has big hands and an even bigger belt. I was not one that needed several reminders of the pain inflicted to my hind parts in discipline. My cousin Dan – not so much – he was a little stubborn. Me, I was a wimp. I avoided punishment at all cost!!
Now, think about you and God. That's a sobering picture of us all, even in our relationship with God. Instead of an inner willingness to follow God, it may take the force of difficult circumstances to turn us toward Him. But that's not how our heavenly Father wants it to be. The Lord has always longed for His people to obey Him from their hearts. When the Israelites were poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments and then told them God's response to their intention to keep His law: "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" (Deuteronomy 5:29).
God doesn't want us to obey Him just because we're afraid of punishment. He will honor obedience at whatever level, but He really longs for loving obedience that comes from our hearts. How about it? Are you trying to serve God just because you are afraid of His punishment because, like my dad’s love, He will chasten us from time to time, or do you obey because you love? Take a moment right now and measure your love for Him. As the old song says, “I keep falling in love with Him, over and over again.”

“The greatest blessing of our democracy is freedom. But in the last analysis, our only freedom is the freedom to discipline ourselves.”
- Bernard Baruch

True Joy

Read Philippians 4:4

If you know me, I am not the most emotional person. Sentimental, yes. Emotional, not very. People that are constantly bouncing off walls irritate me as well as people always in the doldrums of life. Would you find a happy medium and just stay there!! No, really, I do not get very excited about too many things, but I am a happy person. I do have an abundance of joy. I just show it with a smile, not a jump and a dance.
I read a story of an eighty year old lady that had kept a joyful spirit throughout her life. During World War II, in spite of dangers and separations, she and her husband were still able to laugh together at home. She recalls a summer when their laughter was overheard by a cynical neighbor. "What on earth do you two find to laugh about?" she grumbled.
Author Colleen Townsend Evans has an idea about why some can maintain joy, while others can't. "This kind of tough joy can irritate those who might want it very much but, not knowing how it comes, choose to scoff instead." Evans continues, "Joy is okay, the world seems to say, if we have some excuse for it. Like when your favorite team wins or you get a raise in pay. If we have no obvious reason for our joy, we're likely to be judged."
For all of us, joy is a decision that we must make to possess. Everyone has cares in life. I heard one preacher say it this way, “If you have a mailbox, you have cares.” Isn’t that true? The Bible doesn't say joy is a fruit of circumstance; it clearly states that joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). To live a joy-filled life, we must "walk in the Spirit" (v.25). Then we can rejoice in spite of our circumstances. Paul was in prison when he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
Unfortunately we have made the Christmas season a time of stress, headaches, traffic jams and worry. What we spend today, we will have to pay for months. Guilt for not being able to supply a good Christmas to families drives many into depression and condemnation. In fact, a while ago in Kansas City, the two “all the time” Christmas music stations were trying to get people to help to give some things to those families that do not have.
I am thankful that the joy of the Lord is not predicated on my situation, but that His joy is evidenced in my life in the midst of my situation. Your choice to rejoice may irritate some, but it will encourage others and glorify God. In fact, see how many people ask you how it happens that you can smile and rejoice in the middle of chaos, and you can share with them, “Joy comes from the Lord who lives within us, not from what's happening around us.”

“Let my name stand among those who are willing to bear ridicule and reproach for the truth's sake, and so earn some right to rejoice when the victory is won.”
- Louisa May Alcott

Who Do You Look Like?

Read Galatians 5:1-6

It is interesting when a child is born. One of the first comments from anyone is that the baby looks just like so and so. One day, they might look like mom, dad, aunt or uncle. I remember (as of December 2, 15 years ago) just after my niece was born we were walking her in a stroller. Someone that should have known came up to us and asked my wife and I if we were walking our son. We told him that no, not only was it not our son, but it was my sisters GIRL. It just so happened that my niece looked a little like me when she was born. My oldest son favored me at first and now he is almost a picture of what my wife was at that age. My youngest son is an exact replica of his grandfather (Oh, NO!).
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Philippians 2:5-11. I find the underlying themes of all of biblical doctrines are the fact that we desire to be like Christ. The British novelist J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "Sheep get to be like their Shepherd, it is said, but slowly." The renewal of the inner person, becoming Christ-like, is not accomplished in a moment but a lifetime.
Augustine (354-430) observed that this process is like healing from a near-fatal wound. "It's one thing," he said, "to remove the spear, but quite another to heal the wound by long and careful treatment." This healing occurs gradually as our old ways of thinking and living are erased, and we become more like our Savior as we are renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). This renewal takes place not by self-effort alone but by faith. It involves reading, meditating on, and obeying God's Word. We must also fix our minds on the character of Christ and ask God to make us like Him.
Then we must wait, confident that God is working in us to accomplish His purposes. Every day has its mishaps and memories of something we should have done or not done, but we must not be impatient. Though incomplete, we are in process. Sin may frustrate us for a day, but God is at work—and on ahead lies perfection, which is "the hope of righteousness" (Galatians 5:5).
I don’t know about you, but there are days when I really wonder if I am being very much like Christ. The only consolation is that He understands and will, every day, take some time to mold and form me again. I also can live with the hope that one day I shall be like Him for I shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

“To become Christ-like is the only thing in the whole world worth caring for, the thing before which every ambition of man is folly and all lower achievement vain.”
- Henry Drummond

The Solid Rock

Read Matthew 7:15-27

The house that I grew up in started as a cabin and gradually my grandfather, uncle and dad added to it. I remember there was an opening as you went downstairs that led to a dirt foundation over the kitchen. If you spilled something in the kitchen it would roll downhill. Thankfully, dad waited until I had moved away to dig out the foundation and replace it with a strong foundation. I love that house and it is still in the family today. Now, my sister and brother-in-law will see that it stays standing.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, some people in the US are building houses stronger than ever before. Hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes have caused billions of dollars in property damage in states across the nation. So, at the urging of businesses, government, and hard-pressed insurance companies, some builders are constructing fortress-like homes with windows that can withstand 130 mile-per-hour winds, roof nails so strong they can only be cut off, and framing material that can weather the tremendous forces faced by a supersonic jet. In Bolingbrook, Illinois, a community damaged by a tornado in the 1990s, a company is constructing such a “fortified” house in hopes that the idea will catch on.
We who know the Lord Jesus realize that when it comes to building our spiritual foundation, it must be strong and secure. In today’s Scripture, Christ made it clear what that foundation must be when He referred to “these sayings of Mine” (Matt. 7:24), which included His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7). When we receive by faith Christ’s words and His work on our behalf, our spiritual lives are “founded on the Rock,” Christ Jesus. No matter what you accomplish in this life, eventually your foundation will be tested and when that test comes, what will you have built your life upon? I challenge you today that in order to survive the storms of life, be anchored to the Rock of Ages.

Cast Your Worries

Read Philippians 4:6-7

Let’s find out today how we go about worrying about nothing.
The key to finding peace in anxious times is to - pray about everything. In other words, instead of worrying about it, pray about it. That is how we release our worries, relieve our stress and put our trust in God. Turn your anxious thoughts into prayer requests. In so doing, you turn your eyes off the problem and on to God, who is the problem solver. Remember, “When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works.” When you pray about it you are taking your problems out of your hands and placing them in God’s hands.
I heard about a guy who worried all the time. He worried about his checkbook, his investments, his wife, his mortgage payments - he worried about the fact that he worried so much. Finally, one of his friends hit him with a question and said, “Man, why do you worry so much – you’re always so agitated?” “Not anymore,” the man replied. “How’s that?”, the friend inquired. The fellow explained, “I hired somebody to worry for me - I put an ad in the newspaper and offered $10,000 a week to somebody qualified to make me worry-free by doing all my worrying for me.” The friend laughed, “And how do you think you’ll pay him?” The man shot back, “Hey, that’s his worry!”
Don’t you wish it were that easy? Actually it is and we don’t have to hire anyone. We have a God that wants to handle our problems for us. I Peter 5:6-7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Giving God your worry, anxieties and cares is an act of humility. You are saying, “Lord, I can’t handle it, but you can.” A corollary verse can be found in Psalm 55:22. It says, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you.” Cast your burden on the Lord literally means to throw them down or slam them down on God. The way you do that is in prayer. In other words, whenever a worry filled, anxious thought comes to mind, instead of sitting and stewing on it, pray about it. Through prayer you can slam down your worries.
Try this exercise. Take several pieces of paper crumpled up with these words written on them; “family problems,” “health problems,” and “financial problems”. Let me show you what that looks like. An anxious thought comes, “My teenager has been acting rebellious.” “Well Father, you gave me that child and I have committed him to you. I took him to Sunday school, I pray for him daily, and I trust him into your hands. I’m not going to worry about it, he’s your responsibility.” (Crumple the paper and slam it down). “Yes, there have been layoffs at the plant but you’re the God that supplies all of my family’s needs according to your riches in glory. I’m going to continue to be the best employee I can be, pray for for my boss and company, and trust you. Even if I do get laid off, you’ll provide for me, maybe through another job. But I refuse to worry about it; I give it over to you.” (Throw the next paper). “The doctor’s report wasn’t good but it’s not my responsible to worry about. I’m going to take good care of myself, follow the doctor’s instructions, and claim the Bible’s promises of divine healing. Lord, I trust you with my health, in Jesus name, Amen.” (Repeat).
That seems to sound easy, and in principle it is. Now, pick one of those pieces of paper back up. Do you notice how quickly it came back? That’s because it’s your paper. Once you cast them on the Lord, don’t ask for them back by setting your mind on them again. If you do, He’ll give them back to you, because they’re your problems. So once you cast them on him, let Him handle them and don’t take them back. There are too many that spend the time casting them through prayer into the lap of the Lord but are yet determined to take them back and worry over them again. Once you place it in His hand, leave it there and the way to do that will come tomorrow.

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

Good/Evil

Read John 14:1-31

Thomas Carlyle said, “In the huge mass of evil as it rolls and swells, there is ever some good working toward deliverance and triumph.”
You can see it in every book, newspaper, magazine and television. You can hear it in every conversation, interview, radio station and documentary. What is it? It is the ancient and contentious battle of good and evil. From Hollywood to Washington D.C., people are constantly discussing, oftentimes without realizing it, good and evil.
However, in our day of shadows, relativism and compromise, what is evil? What is good? Evil predates human sin as goodness predates human existence. Both lived before the creation and fall of mankind. Before humanity could offer their definitions, good and evil simply were. “What is good” existed in submission to God. “What is evil” existed in rebellion to God. The first reflected God’s character. The later incurred God’s wrath.
Today, very few people agree on what is absolutely evil and absolutely good. We live in a world of relativity, that is, the truth of good and evil depends entirely upon the circumstance in which one finds themselves. Yet, in a world of ever-expanding shades of gray, we can lose confidence in our ability to distinguish where light ends and darkness begins. God, however, still sees clearly. His faithful Spirit will navigate us through the troubled waters of culture. He promises to guide us into all Truth. When John wrote the fourteenth chapter of his gospel, he realized that trouble would constantly be in the world, and yet, God offered the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost to watch over us.
In the place of decision, we must first look to God’s Word: what does scripture say about this decision specifically or in principle? It may be helpful to also ask ourselves a simple question: Can I picture God smiling over this choice? Can I experience God’s pleasure in this decision/attitude/ relationship/action? There is still such a thing as “black and white, right and wrong, good and evil”. It is for this reason that we must, in the midst of our dark shadows of doubt, know the voice of God. He will whisper in the time of storm and you will know which path leads to good and which path leads to evil. God’s peace will follow us in this shadowy world as we follow the faithful voice of God through His Word and His Spirit. The battle of good and evil will continue, but our Commander knows without hesitation the Way that leads to Life.

“If we don't believe in moral absolutes and then we get into a cultural-political debate, how are we going to win?”
- Randall Terry

Thankful

Read Hebrews 13:1-16

We are entering one of my favorite times of the year. Fall will turn into winter, thanksgiving will turn into Christmas, and I will be happy. I believe that the month of November may be God’s favorite month as well. Why? It is probably the one month where thanksgiving is offered by people that do not do so daily.
One of the most popular syndicated newspaper columns in recent history is "Dear Abby." Started in 1956 by Abigail Van Buren, the advice column is written today by her daughter Jeanne Phillips. In a recent edition, she included this Thanksgiving Prayer written many years before by her mother:

O Heavenly Father:
We thank Thee for food
And remember the hungry.
We thank Thee for health
And remember the sick.
We thank Thee for friends
And remember the friendless.
We thank Thee for freedom
And remember the enslaved.
May these remembrances
Stir us to service.
That Thy gifts to us may be used
For others. Amen.

The words of this prayer echo the clear teaching of Scripture. Our thanksgiving to God should always be accompanied by thinking of those in need. "Therefore," said the writer to the Hebrews, "by [Jesus] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Hebrews 13:15). There is more to it, however, than thankfulness. We are to put actions behind our gratitude. "Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (v.16).
God truly desires that the emotions and the thought processes of this great month would transition to every day of the year. Sometimes we can become so unthankful that we fail to realize what God has done in our lives. It is important this month, and every day henceforth, to be thankful for God's many blessings, but be sure to remember those who have less. Serving others is a way of thanking God.

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.”
- Henri Frederic Amiel

Why Worry?

Read Psalm 23

Sickness. Future. Heartache. Broken down car. Leaking faucet. Job. Family. Weather. Friends. School. Love. Finance. Children. No children. Parents. Grandparents. Retirement. Ego. Pride.
What do all of these have in common? Very simply, the opportunity for worry. When was the last time that you worried about your health or a loved one? How about your future or any of the others that I mentioned above? Everyone worries occasionally, but I know people that occasionally do NOT worry. I read a story about a person who was once a "professional worrier." Their daily preoccupation was mulling over their worries, one by one.
Then one day this person had to face an uncomfortable medical test, and was frantic with fear. Finally they decided that during the test they would focus on the first five words of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd." This exercise in meditation not only calmed that person, but they gained several fresh insights. Later, as they slowly meditated through the entire psalm, the Lord gave them more insights.
If you're a worrier, there's hope for you too! Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, wrote: "When you think about a problem over and over in your mind, that's called worry. When you think about God's Word over and over in your mind, that's meditation. If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate!"
The more we meditate on God's Word, the less we need to worry. In Psalm 23, David meditated on his great Shepherd instead of worrying. Later, God chose him to be the shepherd of His people (Psalm 78:70-72). God uses those who can honestly say, "The Lord is my shepherd."
Stop for a moment right now and identify your greatest worry. Ask yourself this question, “Can God take care of it?” If your answer is yes, then ask yourself this question, “Then why worry?” Next, stop and take His hand that is outstretched and let Him direct your path. If He is trustworthy, and He is, why not let Him worry about things.
There was a Sunday school teacher asking her children what they would do if the devil came knocking at the door. After several typical answers, a little girl stood up and said, “When the devil comes knocking at my door, I just ask Jesus to answer it.” What a thought. Who is going to answer the knocks in your life today?

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”
- Corrie Ten Boom

Written on Paper

Read Genesis 12:1-4

Calendars are an interesting thing. We plan, schedule and cajole our time so that we are able to meet the demands of our responsibility. I hate to be late for anything. I was raised that if you are supposed to be somewhere at a certain time, that meant you were at least five minutes early. I still live by that principle (much to my wife’s chagrin). However, invariably something goes wrong. Some time ago, we were scheduled to fly out of Kansas City at 6 a.m., which meant that we needed to be at the airport by 5 a.m. However, my alarm clock went off at 4:15 instead of 3:15. Our airport was forty minutes from my home. Needless to say, we barely made it. You see, life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Our lives are subject to detours and corrections that we never expected or imagined.
Abraham and Sarah could testify to that. They were planning for retirement when life "happened" to them. God adjusted their agenda. He told Abraham, "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). So this old couple packed up the tent and headed out to only God knew where. When Alexander the Great had completed his conquest of Persia, he headed east. Author Halford Luccock said the general "marched off his maps." That happened to Sarah and Abraham. God gave them marching orders without a map. They needed only enough faith to begin the journey, and they headed out to unknown territories and unimagined adventures. God never told them He would turn them "every which way but loose" before fulfilling His promise of a son who would become a great nation.
The lesson in all of this is very simple. Make your plans, but write them on paper, not in concrete. Use a pencil instead of a pen. God and life have a way of intruding and leading you on a journey that you might not have anticipated in your wildest dreams. Solomon said it just perfect, “A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".”
- Erma Bombeck

Love Revealing God

Read I Corinthians 13

Today is the last day I will talk about this passage. What we have talked about the last few days about love can seem to be an insurmountable task. How can we ever get to the point of loving like Paul is admonishing us to love? In truth, we never will. It is the reason why I have tried to show that this passage is really a revelation of God. Only God can be patient with us like this passage declares. Only God possesses the kindness this passage reveals. When you get a glimpse of love, you really see God.
Having said that, I believe we all possess the ability to love. I see it in myself when I see my sons. It doesn’t matter how many times I have told them to do something and they doesn’t do it, I still love them. I enjoy showing them kindness. I want the best for them. However, I have also learned that love doesn’t happen overnight. After reading the last few days, you might be thinking – “Man, how can I ever live up to this stuff – I might as well give up.” Remember what Paul says – “When I became a man I put away childish things.” Growing up in love is a process as we mature. It takes time and experience – don’t beat yourself up, just know that this is the direction you should be heading if you have a vibrant relationship with the Lord.
While love is an action, it is not a fireworks display. Let’s not make the mistake that the Corinthians did, for that matter, the Pharisees, made. Showing love means an attitude and actions – but true love is more often a very quiet, unobtrusive affair. We don’t need to broadcast the depth of our love and the amount of our selflessness to the whole world. Don’t expect fireworks to go off as you show and grow in love. We need to expect lives to begin to grow and heal and change – that’s the pay off.
Remember, needing and asking for things isn’t bad. Acting in love doesn’t mean you take a vow of poverty. James said “you have not because you ask not.” Jesus said (Matthew 7:7) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” The problem isn’t with the asking – it’s with the motivation. James goes on to say: (James 4:3) “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” We err when we seek to fulfill our desires from the wrong source – or we ask God for things for the wrong reasons. So search your heart – then ask – then wait for God to respond to what you really need. How about it? Are you ready to see God, and love?

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”
- Mother Teresa

Love

Read I Corinthians 13

I will spend today and tomorrow closing out my thoughts on this passage of scripture. I hope you are enjoying this because even as I write this, personally I am seeing God through a whole new light.
Yesterday we showed how Paul used things that love didn’t do so that we could see the opposite of what love does. In this passage he once again reverts to telling us what love does. Love rejoices in the truth. This is interesting because the word “rejoice” is a compound word – part of it is the same word used in “delight in evil.” When put together with the other word it means “to sympathize with gladness.” When you delight in evil you are holding yourself apart from the other person – glad they are suffering and you aren’t. Rejoicing in the truth means you are drawing close to someone as they come to know the truth of God and about sin, come to know the love of God, or have something good happen to them. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. This is really neat – these four words form a related pattern. “Protects” means to “roof over,” “trusts” means to “put your faith in” something, “hopes” means “to confide in” and “perseveres” means “to stay under.” These are all things God does for us – and things we should do for others – throwing a protective blanket, physically, emotionally – over someone else; being willing to put our faith in someone else – be real, confide in them – know that God will work good in their lives – then stick it out with them to see the love of God change their lives.
You see all this business of love isn’t some magical, rose-colored-glasses kind of “feeling.” It’s actually very specific: love and trust God no matter what, seek the best for and the best in those around you – then help benefit their lives as they draw closer to God. That’s love! So this begs the question – why does Paul put this in here – smack dab in the middle of a section on spiritual gifts? (Remember a couple of days ago I mentioned the placement of this chapter between chapters 12 and 13) It has application far beyond a discussion of spiritual gifts but it speaks directly to an attitude that believers can have, especially when they start talking about how God has gifted them – that they speak God’s words and bring about miracles.
If you reached out your hand and someone was healed it might happen to you too – you start to feel pretty special about yourself. Instantly the focus moves off of the real purpose of the gifts – to see others benefited and drawn close to God, even if it means you get hurt or get less in the process. We as humans are basically selfish. Paul is telling us that God is basically unselfish and will bring about good in others lives even if it hurts Him in the process – and we should be like Him! So to further illustrate this – Paul says “look – all this neat stuff you are experiencing is going to go away, but the need to love unselfishly will never go away.
Paul is saying that love is the supreme thing. (Reread verses 8-12) We seek to know the deep mysteries of God and think by our knowledge we are better. We seek to do mighty miracles, thinking that we must be more favored. But in reality – when you are really being a mature Christian, what you find is that love is the ultimate expression of who God is – selfless, other-focused, always giving, and love. Paul says – when you start to see who God really is, what maturity really is about, you see that it isn’t about you after all – it’s about what God does through for others. “13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
These three ideas were favorites of Paul – the “essentials” to life. Faith in Jesus as God and Savior, hope of the good things He is doing in our lives and is going to do – but love is the greatest – it is the driving force for everything. Remember? God so “loved” the world that …

“Who, being loved, is poor?”
- Oscar Wilde

Opposites

Read I Corinthians 13

I was watching a Leap Frog video a while back (no, I have not gone back to elementary school) with my son. There were letters and sounds that those letters make along with the concept of picking out things that don’t fit with the rest of the list and things of that nature. We came upon something that was called opposites. The opposite of dark is light. The opposite of up is down. Do you get the picture? Oh, I have one more for you, the opposite of God is? Did you say the devil? If you did, you’re wrong. There is no opposite of God. God does not have an opposite, He is all in all. Just thought I’d throw that in for free. Back to our devotion Paul uses to opposite approach to reveal what love, and thus, God is. He strings eight things together that love does not do. We can see what love is by carving away what it is not – and when we find ourselves acting in these ways we know we are not acting in love.
The first thing Paul says love does not do is envy. It comes from the word “to boil.” It’s kind of the bolstered idea of “what’s in it for me,” in the sense of “it’s all about me.” When we become so self focused that anything anyone else has that we don’t have makes our blood boil and is the opposite of wanting to benefit another. Envy is when we only want to benefit ourselves at the expense of others.
According to Paul love does not boast. Boasting is really a corollary of envy – “if you’ve got it flaunt it – even if you don’t have it, pretend like you do.” The Greek word has the connotation of “play the braggart.” Oftentimes boasting is playing a part, or acting – something we are not but want to be or think we are. Boasting goes hand in hand with the next thing that love does not do. Love is not proud. This is the same word Paul uses in chapter 8 – “knowledge puffs up.” It means to inflate – like a bag of hot air – no substance but a lot of fluff. It’s increasing your sense of self importance well beyond your hat size.
Love is not rude. The word here is “unshapely.” You could say “not pretty to look at.” Do people have a hard time being around you because you do things that are unpredictable or embarrassing or unbecoming? That’s rudeness. It does not just mean crass. It is rude do act in ways that causes embarrassment to others. Time and again in scripture we are admonished to act soberly or self-controlled. Rudeness breeds the next thing that love is not. Love is not self-seeking. This could be rendered “worship you.” How many times have you been around someone that thinks they have all the answers and everything revolves around them? That is self worship. It also carries with it the aspect of not being teachable. Tied to this concept is the concept of love not being easily angered. It means to “exasperate.” The Greek word can translate “to sharpen alongside.” This is really the opposite of patience.
Love also does not keep record of wrongs - The suggestion from the original here is thinking poorly of someone else – or really pondering and dwelling on someone else as evil. The old story goes that Santa Claus keeps a list of who is naughty and who is nice. Sometimes we keep those lists too. How quick are you to forgive? Love does not delight in evil. This means to be happy when an injustice or wrong occurs. In a sense this is the ultimate form of “anti-love.” We want, we get, we hurt others to get it – and we’re happy that we stomped over them to get what we really deserve in the first place.
It is important to note that all these things that love does not do focus on us – what we want, who we are, how bad everyone is in comparison to us, what bad things people are always trying to do us – me, me, me! This is the opposite of love. Has the Lord convicted you today through His word about your love? Find a place to contact Him and allow His love to wash over you so that your love will reach out to someone else.

“Do all things with love.”
- Og Mandino

Love is Patient

Read I Corinthians 13

I would like to look at love today (and for a few more days, probably). So now let’s look at the character of this love. If you ever get a true glimpse of what love really is, you will see God. Scripture reveals to us that God IS love. If you want true love in your life, what you really desire is to have God in your life. This is why this passage is so important, it reveals God to us.
Paul defines for us what agape means. By doing so, he is telling us who God is. He does it in terms of what it is and what it is not. There are 8 things it does, 8 things it does not do. (Reread verses 4-8 again) The 8 things love is: Patient, Kind, and Rejoices in truth, Protects, Trusts, Hopes, Perseveres, Never fails. The 8 things love is not: Envy, Boasting, Pride, Rudeness, Self seeking, Anger, holding grudges, delighting in evil.
Over the next few days I would like to look at these on an individual basis. First, love is patient. I am known to be fairly patient. It is part of my personality so I am blessed in that regard. However, I have a friend (who will remain nameless to protect the innocent) that at one point in his life did not possess much patience. In fact, when he was engaged and things didn’t seem to be going so well he threw the engagement ring in the middle of a field. We spent hours with a metal detector trying to find it. Thankfully, we did. I said that to say this; patience (and thus, love) can be a learned behavior. My friend today, has grown greatly in patience and not coincidentally has become more for God because of it. The concept of patience comes from two Greek words: “long” and “tempered”. Vine’s expository dictionary says patience is “self restraint in the face of provocation … the opposite of anger.”
Do you have a short fuse? Do you get easily frustrated when things don’t go your way or don’t happen fast enough? Do you retaliate easily and quickly against those that hurt you? That’s the opposite of patient. Remember, this is a revelation of God. How patient has He been? Ask yourself this question, how long ago was Adam and Eve in the garden? I think that states it plainly. Patience means you wait out trouble and you don’t strike out against adversity.
I like how Peter describes it in his letter: I Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” You wait under God’s hand – you don’t run to trouble or run from God. Certainly God is patient with us, isn’t He? That’s love.
The second revelation of God as love is kindness. The Greek word for “kind” means “to show one self useful.” Taking patience one step further – not only are you long tempered against trouble, but you actually reach out with a benefit to someone else. It comes from a root word that means “employed.” Today, not only has my friend gained patience, but he is full of kindness. He has so much kindness in his heart that he has started a home mission’s church in order to serve others, and bring them true love.
It reminds me of something Paul emphasizes over and over in this letter: I Corinthians 10:33 “For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” Most of the time we think about “what’s in it for me.” But kindness thinks, “What can I do to benefit you?” That’s love.
How about you today? Have you found true love in someone’s patience or kindness? Has your parents demonstrated that to you? Even if they haven’t, there is a heavenly Father that has. Why don’t you crawl up into those arms and let Him embrace you in that love today?

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”
- Saint Augustine

A Call to Worship

Read Psalm 66:2, John 4:24

In regards to society, A.W. Tozer stated, “We have lost the art of worship. We are not producing saints. Our models are successful businessmen, celebrated athletes and theatrical personalities. We carry on our religious activities after the methods of the modern advertisers. Our homes have been turned into theatres, our literature is shallow, our hymns border on sacrilege and scarcely anyone seems to care. Christianity is little more than objective truth, sweetened with song and made palatable through religious entertainment, and we call them to have fun in His name. Christ calls men to carry a cross.”
I am glad that I do not belong to a church that is that far gone as to their worship, but we are living in a religious age when people are forgetting what worship is all about. To most people today, worship is an action that is performed within the confines of a sacred service like the thousands that take place each Sunday. Worship is three choruses, a couple of hand waves and maybe even a little shout. However, worship is not fulfilled by momentary bursts of energy that is produced by the beat of a drum or the chord of the piano. Worship is not predicated upon feeling. It is predicated upon the acknowledgment of who He is.
Jesus declared that God is looking for true worshippers. So to say you are a worshipper identifies you, not as an outgoing person in church, but as an individual whose life attracts the glory of God. To worship is to experience reality, to touch life. It is to know and experience the resurrected Christ in the midst of the gathered community. It is breaking into the Shekinah of God, or better yet, being invaded by the Shekinah of God.
You see, the worship of the sanctuary is wholly meaningless and without any real value if it is not preceded by and prepared for by the worship of the life. God is seeking men and women that are ready to truly worship Him. If there is any shortcoming to the true Apostolic church, it is the failure to realize what true worship is, and so I would like to spend a day or two on what worship is all about. If God is looking for them then I want to become a true worshipper, how about you?

“An authentic life is the most personal form of worship. Everyday life has become my prayer.”
- Sarah Ban Breathnach

The Real Thing

Read Romans 3:21-26

I lived on the East Coast for five years. We were about 10 minutes from the Delaware Bay and 30 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. Where we lived was just a couple hour drive to New York City, Washington D.C. and Baltimore. I remember a time when we took our chorale to New York and a friend of ours thought he was getting a great deal on a video recorder that he bought off the street. When he opened the box, however, there wasn’t a recorder even in the box. You can walk all over the city and find places where you can buy great products at great prices, but you can also get ripped off.
A Rolex watch is one of the finest timepieces made. Many people would jump at the opportunity to own one. That’s why there are some people who pick up a few of them to give to their children as souvenirs. Souvenirs? Yes. You see, these watches were "knockoffs"—imitations of the real thing easily passed off to tourists at ridiculously cheap prices.
In today’s world, there are few things of value that are inexpensive. Fewer still are free. However, salvation—the most important gift of all—is free. Unlike the imitation Rolex, salvation is of infinite value. Yet it is free because, as one hymn reminds us, "Jesus paid it all." No one can earn salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). There is a price for your salvation, but it was paid by another.
It’s a paradoxical truth that while salvation is free, its cost was great. Oswald Chambers wrote, "Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at Calvary." The word free doesn’t mean you will never have to pay something for it, it means there is nothing you have whereby you could earn it. You see, your salvation will cost you everything. It will cost you your old thoughts, your old attitudes, your old lifestyle, but that is the beauty of the cross – He paid the price for you to get a new life. You just have to exchange it for your old one.
There are too many people settling for “knock-off” salvation. I cannot tell you how to be saved, and your friends cannot tell you how to be saved, nor can your religious leaders tell you how to be saved, but He can tell you how to be saved. His Word very clearly states in John 14:6 where Jesus said, "I am the way..." Instead of trying so hard to get to heaven based on something someome else has taught us, why do we not just get to Jesus and let Him lead the way. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved! Jesus is the real thing - authentic, pwoerful, God manifest in flesh and our ever loving Savior that came to seek and to save that which was lost! I know that most readers of this devotion have already experienced this great exchange, but remember this today, you cannot settle for the “knock-off” life when the real thing is staring you in the mirror.

“Ours is the age of substitutes: instead of language, we have jargon: instead of principles, slogans: and, instead of genuine ideas, bright ideas.”
- Eric Bentley

When God Shows Up...

Read Isaiah 6:1-8

Have you ever just wanted to see God? It just burned in you to wonder if you really knew when God showed up on the scene of your life. Was it just the “goose bump syndrome” that took place when you started to sing or praise? If it was just the goose bump syndrome, God shows up in my life when I see or listen to the last 10 seconds of the 1980 Olympic hockey game between Russia and the United States. I don’t think God cared too much about who won, and every time I see the replay of the game, even though I’ve seen it a million times, I get goose bumps, so that is not God showing up for me.
When God shows up in my life, I grasp some feature of his CHARACTER. Isaiah wrote, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim, each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
While going about his priestly duties Isaiah saw God. I hope you notice that it was a shock to him. God pulled back the thin veil between our physical realm and spiritual reality and Isaiah saw the big picture. I’m sure his mind could not conceive what God was up to while he was going about his ordinary ministry in the Temple. Sure, he knew God was present in that holy place, but he probably never imagined it was more than mere symbolism. The veil was pulled back and he saw the Seraphim surrounding the throne of God. Kind of blows your image of angels doesn’t it. They’re not cute little cupids. Neither are they beautiful women as so many pictures depict them. These particular angels have three sets of wings. They only fly with one pair. The others are used to cover their feet and faces. Why. They are in the presence of a holy God.
This is the feature of God’s character that Isaiah clearly sees; holiness. Here’s God in all his pure, undefiled and total majesty. In this case the seraphim even call out the attribute that they want Isaiah to see. “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!”
When God shows up we grasp some feature of his character. When the band plays a song you may become aware of a number of God’s attributes, his righteousness, his justice, his faithfulness, his mercy. You just have to pay attention. When the Bible is read you have to do the same thing. Look and listen for what God is revealing about himself. Features of his character display themselves all the time in the prayers of others, in testimonies, in dramas and videos, in images and symbols. You have to look for them. You don’t even have to be in church to discover them. Just picture in your mind any individual that you may seem to think has some shortcoming, or scar or sickness and abnormality. Then picture that person as your child. As you realize that such flaws in that person would make no difference to you, and that you would love that person anyway you will get a glimpse of the character of God. Allow God to break into your thought process. The impression of that thought may be God saying, “You love that child despite their flaws. I love you even more despite your own.” God steps into the room. It becomes a holy moment. As the emotions of that realization come pouring into your spirit you will begin to understand something profound about the heart of God. His love is enormous. His love is for you and me. When you come into contact with a feature of God’s character, you can be certain that God has shown up.

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
- Abraham Lincoln

Covenant Relationships with God

Read I Samuel 18:1-4

The first step in making a covenant with someone is found in the exchange of the robes or garments. "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle."
The robe was a garment worn over a tunic by men of rank, or a garment of the High Priest. What Jonathan was saying in effect to David was, "I’m giving you my life; all that I am and all that I have." Jonathan was the Crown Prince, son of King Saul, destined for the throne. From birth he had been trained, schooled, and groomed for Kingship. He had everything to live for, possessions beyond our imagination, money, prestige, and a future to be envied. However, he was ready and willing to give it all away.
God, in his humanity, Jesus Christ wants to exchange robes with us today. He would like to take your sinful flesh and attach it to the cross and give you a new robe or garment. He left the indescribable beauty and the unspeakable glory of heaven to manifest, or robe himself in our filthy humanity in order to give to us His Robe of Righteousness.
Isaiah 61:10 states "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness," Ephesians 4:24 declares, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:24 is written in covenant language which the Jews understood far more deeply than we generally do today. Paul was emphasizing that there had been an Exchange of Life. We are now to walk in another man’s garment, taking on His Identity, reflecting His Nature, manifesting His Goodness. You and I do not carry the weight of our own identity, but we carry the identity of Jesus Christ. Our names were changed. In biblical times you were known as Joseph ben Jacob or as you and I would say, Joseph, the son of Jacob. Well, when I entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus, my name went from Tim ben Frank to Tim ben Jesus. That is why it doesn’t matter who your earthly father is, if you enter into covenant with Him, you take on his garment. This was what Jesus had in mind when He said: John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
How about you today? Are you willing to exchange your filthy flesh for the glorious robe of Jesus Christ? He is standing at your door and knocking to begin that covenant relationship. Now, will you go answer the door?

“I was born in the fire, and I dare not sit in the smoke.”
- Unknown

Read I Samuel 18:4

Have you ever said something to someone in secret and they let the cat out of the bag? How did it make you feel? Were you hurt, upset and defensive? That is how we often respond to the hurts from a friend, but in covenant relationships, we must give that up. When we get hurt, the first thing we usually do is build up walls that will not let anyone else in. Covenant goes through the walls to the exact place of our vulnerability.
The second step in creating a covenant is found in the exchanging of the belts, or the weapons. "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle."
By giving up his personal weapons of defense, Jonathan was surrendering his ability to defend himself against attack. His entire defense was now in the hands of his "Covenant Friend". He deliberately made himself vulnerable. He also rendered himself incapable of hurting his "Covenant Friend" it was a commitment of utter loyalty holding nothing back. A Covenant does not depend upon the faithfulness of the other person. David could have broken that relationship by turning and attacking Jonathon with those weapons that he just gave up, but the principle of covenant is that you make yourself totally vulnerable to that other person.
Ephesians 6:13 demands, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” I Samuel 17:45-47 shares, “Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” Deuteronomy 20:4 says, "For the LORD your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."
As our covenant partner, God Himself, is committed to fight our battles, to be our defense, and preserve us to everlasting life. It is tragic that many born again children of God are unacquainted with this provision of our covenant with God. We continue to live as though we must fight our own battles. I am amazed at how easy it is for us to have the hairs on our neck raise up and we want to go to battle for something that, in all actuality, God is taking care of. I wonder how many times our situations become so much worse because we try and fix the situation without letting our covenant-friend take care of the circumstance.
Will you become vulnerable today? Will you place all of your “weapons” in God’s hands and let Him fight for you and protect you? Here’s the hardest question, do you trust Him enough to place all of your defenses in Him? It is my suggestion that you do everything possible to enter that aspect of the covenant today.

“When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.”
- Madeleine L'Engle

In Covenant...

Sorry that I have disappeared for a while, but I'm back and in the saddle!!

Read Genesis 2:24

I would like to talk over the next couple of days about covenants. We are people of covenants. Covenants are not contracts. Contracts can be broken; covenants are designed to be permanent. When you enter into covenant with someone or something, it is until death. Contracts are time sensitive and if one party does not fulfill their side of the contract, the contract is null and void. Covenants are binding whether or not one party fulfills their particular responsibility. For instance, Jesus Christ made a covenant with all mankind that He would pay the penalty for our sins. His blood was shed and it does not matter whether you and I respond to that shed blood, it was shed nonetheless.
In literal terms, covenant means “to cut”. It is a solemn agreement, negotiated or unilaterally imposed that binds parties to each other in permanent, defined relationships with specific promises, claims and obligations on both sides. There are two types of covenants: “Parity” covenants, which are among equals and negotiated mutually, or covenants of “sovereignty” which is among non-equals; the greater party sets the conditions and the lesser either accepts them; or rejects them; non-negotiable.
God is a covenant God when he created man He made a covenant with Him in Genesis (Edenic). We are created in God’s image and are therefore created for covenant. Adam and Eve were in covenant relationship. Genesis 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Matthew 19:5 “and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” Being joined basically means "cling to" or "stick to," the same word is used in Deuteronomy 11:22 when the Jews were commanded to "stick to" or "hold fast to" the Lord. This was part of their covenant with God. If you remember, when God gave them the Ten Commandments, they made a vow and said, "Yes, we want you to be our God, we’ll do whatever you say." So it was a covenant. Both parties agreed to do what they promised. God promised to take care of them and make them prosper, and they promised to obey him. So when we read here that the husband is to cleave to his wife, it suggests the idea of a covenant. When you take your wedding vows, it’s a covenant. It’s a promise. It’s a deal. You can’t go back on your word. In God’s eyes it’s permanent. You’re stuck with and to each other. Once you realize that, you’ll be much more willing to work on your marriage than to just give up when it gets difficult.
Among friends, Jonathan and David were covenant friends. I Samuel 18:1-4 “Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.”
Jonathan recognized Gods call on David, and so he made a covenant of love with David. By doing so, he gave up his own position to usher David into his purpose. Jonathon legally had the right to the throne of his father Saul, but loved David and God enough to realize that the covenant he would make with David would usher in an everlasting kingdom. For David’s part, he fulfilled the covenant with Jonathon after Jonathon had been killed by taking in Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth as his own family.
It is imperative that we develop a covenant relationship with God, and with someone that we love dearly. I think it is quite obvious why we should be in covenant with God, but because we are created in Him image, we must find those people in our life, either marital spouses and/or friends that will help us stand in the last days when everything else seems to be falling apart.
The question becomes, how do you establish covenants? I am so glad that you asked. Over the next couple of devotions, I would like to share with you the nine biblical steps in making a covenant.

“A covenant made with God should be regarded not as restrictive but as protective.”
- Russell M. Nelson

Walk in Peace

Read Ephesians 6

My brother had a habit when I first got married. Every time he came to visit us he would wear the worst shoes he owned and played on my wife’s heartstrings to go buy him new ones. My wallet was a little lighter every time he visited. Having said that, today we will look at the armor of the sandal, or the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. It is often said the peace is not the absence of trouble, but the strength to pass through the trouble. To a certain extent that saying is fairly accurate. In biblical times warfare was obviously not carried out with missiles that could travel thousands of miles. It was carried out in hand-to-hand battle.
What I believe Paul was trying to say was that even though you stand in the midst of the battle, if you had prepared in the gospel of peace, you would stand strong. Peace, in the Greek, means ‘a harmonized relationship between God and man”. The gospel simply means “good news”. Paul is saying that it is good news to have your relationship harmonized with God before you go into battle. I have often said that the thing that is most lacking in churches and saints today is the lack of confidence in the personal relationship of an individual and God. All too often, men and women worry about what someone else is doing, saying or how they’re being used. Too often we compare ourselves to someone else. God did not design us originally to be a horizontal people. He designed us for himself, which must be a vertical people.
Satan wins every time he gets us to look on a horizontal venue. When we begin looking at each other or even when we spend most of our time looking at ourselves, he wins. No matter how ‘spiritual” someone is, they are still human, and there is not one person better than another. Everyone has the same opportunity to reach God. The people that don’t think that they are worth anything are the people that spend the majority of their time focused on themselves or others instead of God. When your relationship is right with God, it doesn’t matter what others think, say or do because you know exactly where you belong. No matter what storm arises or what battle is raging, you have peace because you’ve prepared to walk in that personal relationship with Him.
The warriors of that day had no time to think once the battle began. They basically fought on instinct because things would move so fast and any step could be their last one. Paul is telling us that when we go into battles have your feet, or your mode of transportation, where God is taking you, wrapped up in that harmonized relationship between you and Him. I believe there are a great deal reading this today that would do a great deal of conquering if you just had confidence in your relationship between you and God. You have walked in trepidation because you feared what someone else may say or do and you have dodged the battle that needed to be waged because your travel was not done in confidence. The only way to become confident is to spend time with each other and listen to each other. I pray that every person reading this would become so strong in his or her relationship with Him that when he spoke we jumped. We remove the worry of who is watching. We erase the doubt of talent. We get rid of the thought that we aren’t qualified to do something. Listen; when God asks you to do something, you better believe that He trusts you. Why don’t you trust Him? Most likely it is because you have not prepared the gospel of harmonized relationship on your mode of travel.

“The feet of the humblest may walk in the field Where the feet of the Holiest trod, This, then, is the marvel to mortals revealed.”
- Phillips Brooks

Read Ephesians 6

We have entered, or about to enter, yet another year of school. Children all around are entering or have just begun a new year. This means that there will be new challenges, new pressures and new battles. It is imperative that our children are equipped with the tools necessary to stand in these last days. All adults everywhere need to be prayerful for each person entering the doors of our schools.
I remember a young man that was a few years younger than me that was raised in the truth. His father was a preacher, and his family was strong in the faith. This young man went to Bible College and then went on to a university. It was at the university that he was bombarded with false doctrines and mistaken philosophies. It is a sad story to see men and women that sat on the pew but never received for themselves the tools to withstand the onslaught of hell. Needless to say, this young man became entangled in all these false ideas to the point that he began to question whether there really was a God. I do not know where that young man is today, but I do know that he represents thousands of young men and women that once held to the principles of the Bible and did not possess the tools to withstand in the heat of battle.
The armor that Paul writes about can be obtained by falling in love with Jesus Christ. When we really fall in love with Him, He places the tools necessary for the fight at our disposal. The only thing we need to do is to pick them up. It reminds me of my grandmother. I spent an entire week with her and her sister at my uncle’s cabin. We had a blast. She showed us how to use an old fashioned sickle. After that week I was glad to have that battery powered hand clipper!! In the midst of showing us how to use this old farm tool she made a statement that I remembered while writing this devotion. She said, “Tim and Jeffy (my cousin), the only way to get something done is to do it. Use whatever you can and you will be able to finish the project.”
What about you? Are you like thousands of others that have the tools at their disposal, but you fail to pick it up? This week we are going to look at these different tools God provided for us, but like Grandma Cele said, “You have to pick it up to make it useful.”

“In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.”
- Mark Twain

August 10-12

Read I Corinthians 9:24-27

This passage is written with the backdrop of the Isthmian games - the equivalent of our Olympics. This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. These games brought people from every part of the Mediterranean to compete or just watch. It was the sporting event of the year - drawing the empire’s best talent. Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. They would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery.
Winners received a lifetime exemption from paying taxes and serving in the military. They would also receive free tuition at one of their universities. Statues of themselves would be erected along the road that led to the site of the games. But the real prize was the celery wreath, awarded to the winner at the end of the games.
The last key to running in life is persistence. Verse 27 stated, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” The word “discipline” is the Greek verb “hupopiazo”, and literally means, “to strike under the eye” and gives the connotation of giving someone a “black eye.” We need to literally have the Self-Control that makes us black and blue on our bodies. I’m not talking about sacramental scourging, but I am talking about beating our flesh so that our human nature is unable to lead us. Without discipline, one is sure to fail. An athlete’s strength comes from discipline.
I want to tell you a story about the strength of the first marathon runners, which is where the NIKE company derives its name. The battle of Marathon was fought around 490 B.C. when king Darius launched an attack on Athens. Since the surrounding city-states would offer little support to the Athenians, the Persians outnumbered them. Although the Athenians were outnumbered, they caught the Persians by surprise by running the full length of the plain and catching the Persians unorganized. The Athenians were able to defeat the Persians by not only striking from the front, but they also flanked the Persian army from the sides. Because of this sudden attack the Persian troops broke ranks and fled back to their ships. Since the Athenians won they wanted to send word back to Athens to tell of victory so the city could prepare for the Persian fleet attack from the sea.
So Miltiades sent his best runner Pheidippides to take word to Athens. He ran the whole distance, about 26 miles, and when he arrived he was able to say one word . . . and then he died. What was the one word that Pheidippides was able to say before he died? It was “Nike!” He cried “victory!” The Athenians ran the whole distance of the plain of Marathon, which is some 26 miles. This could not have been accomplished without hard training and discipline.
What aspects of our lives do we need to discipline? We need to discipline our minds. We need to train ourselves to think properly. II Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We also need to discipline our bodies. We need a disciplined moral character. Many leaders with many talents have been “disqualified” because they didn’t discipline their moral character. The word “disqualified” carries the connotation of being rejected. We need to discipline our appetites. Let your moderation be known to all men. We also need to discipline our speech. James 1:26 says, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” No matter how self-controlled you are; if you haven’t bridled your tongue, you’ve still got a way to go. You may have a disciplined mind, a disciplined body, and a disciplined will; even disciplined appetites, but a loose tongue will get you in a lot of trouble. Oftentimes it is best just to keep your mouth shut. We need discipline in arranging our priorities. There are a lot of things that pull at you every day. You must decide what is important. God has given us victory over sin. However; we must not let our guard down. We must use the strategies of God to defeat the power of Satan.
If we stay on course we will finish the race. I believe that persistence is stubbornness with a purpose. We must be consistent to win the race. We can never quit striving to do more and be more for God. To win the race requires that we never give up. Paul is calling the children of God to remain steady no matter what the cost. The goal we have is heaven and we can never give up on it. I’ve read where Winston Churchill rose to give a speech, and everyone thought it would be an amazing oratorical rendition. He just rose to the podium and said, “Never, never, never give up!” And they won the war.
I hope these keys over the last week will help you in the race for glory, and I look forward to meeting you at the finish line.

“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”
- Bill Bradley

August 11

Read Genesis 22:1-18

The old man stopped walking. It had been a long day and he was tired. To look into his eyes though, you would have realized that it wasn’t his body that was tired, but his spirit. The place of sacrifice was getting closer. He had wrestled with the matter in his heart a thousand times since God had spoken. As he was thinking, his servants ran up and suggested a time of rest. The sun was extremely hot and the old man agreed to stop for a while. The animals were tied down and the servants both laid down under a tree for a nap. Beside him, one other figure was still standing; a young male that bore a striking resemblance to the old man. To take a look at the two of them, you would have surely thought it was the man’s great-grandson. It wasn’t. “Isaac my son,” the old voice spoke out, “Come sit with me for awhile.” Isaac, after making sure the animals really were secure, came and sat next to his father. The heat had made him tired and he quickly fell asleep. Abraham turned his eyes toward his son Isaac. A tear began to roll down his face as he realized what must take place in just a few short days. Part of him wanted to pick up Isaac and run away. The other part knew he had to go. The old man never closed his eyes. While everyone else slept, his eyes never left his son.
God surely gives Isaacs. Isaac was a special gift from God to Abraham, and you and I have received gift upon gift from God throughout our life. It is true that God gives Isaacs to our lives.
It is also true that Isaac can become almost a god to us. Consider this, what did God ask Abraham to sacrifice? I don’t read anywhere in the text that God asked Abraham to sacrifice Sarah, or sacrifice one of his servants, or sacrifice his wealth (give it away), or even sacrifice himself. God asked Abraham to sacrifice the one thing that had an opportunity to become another god in his life. For Abraham, that was Isaac, his gift. It would have been very easy to do. Isaac was a special child. He was the son that was going fulfill the promise of God. From this son, his descendants were going to multiply. It must have been so easy for Abraham to begin trusting in Isaac more than He was trusting God. Whenever you begin to trust in something more than you trust God, that thing whatever it may be, will become your god.
Isaac had to die. Whenever we have an Isaac that we have lifted up, God will eventually ask that we sacrifice it. We cannot have two gods. I tell you the truth today; it’s not easy to loosen the clenched fist that restrains your Isaac. Your Isaac will often be the thing you trust in dearly and it’s hard to be asked to willingly give it up. God comes though and asks us to trust in Him, not in the gifts He’s given us. Sometimes we don’t realize how tough it was for Abraham. He was going to kill everything that God had promised and given to him. Yet, he was still willing to trust God. Can you be the same? Will you allow God to point out Isaacs in your life to be sacrificed? Moreover, will you obey?
I’m sure there are people that read this story and walk away believing God to be a beast that requires human sacrifice. God never wanted to see Isaac physically sacrificed. He wanted Isaac to be sacrificed in Abraham’s heart. Once God knew that Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, God stepped in and stopped it. Truly, the sacrifice had already been made. God steps in though and provides a ram to be offered in place of Isaac. Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide. Are you willing today to place all He has given on the altar of sacrifice and allow Him to provide a way?

“He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much; he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”
- James Allen

August 12

Read John 7:37

Have you ever been thirsty? I do not mean the average thirst where a drink of water sounds good after a long walk or after working in the garden on a hot summer day. I mean really -- really thirsty…where your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth and you have to peel your lips off of your teeth and all you can think about is water.
I am not talking about H2O. We come to church… surrounded by the ocean of “Living Water”. Americans can buy Pink Bibles, Women Bibles, Devotional Men’s and Teen Bibles and we are thirsty. We can buy Christian bumper stickers, t-shirts; go to cool and trendy Christian bookstores and we’re still thirsty. We come to church and sing the songs that quench our souls, listen to the Scripture that hydrates our lives and we still are thirsty! We are walking through a Gatorade culture of opportunity with a Sahara desert soul? Why? Why can’t we drink from the well that never runs dry? Why are our souls shriveled and dehydrated?
The story is told of a young student who went to his spiritual teacher and asked the question, "Master, how can I truly find God?" The teacher asked the student to accompany him to the river, which ran by the village and invited him to go into the water. When they got to the middle of the stream, the teacher said, "Please immerse yourself in the water." The student did as he was instructed, whereupon the teacher put his hands on the young man’s head and held him under the water. Presently the student began to struggle.
The master held him under still. A moment passed and the student was thrashing and beating the water and air with his arms. Still, the master held him under the water. Finally, the student was released and shot up from the water, lungs aching and gasping for air. The teacher waited for a few moments and then said, "When you desire God as truly as you desired to breathe the air you just breathed -- then you shall find God."
It is when we get as thirsty for God that the young student was for air that we will begin to sense the thirst of our souls to dissipate and be quenched. Are you thirsty today? Jesus told us that if we thirst to go to Him. Will you run to Him right now?

“He that has satisfied his thirst turns his back on the well.”
- Baltasar Gracian

August 8 & 9 (Sorry!)

Read I Corinthians 9:24-27

This passage is written with the backdrop of the Isthmian games - the equivalent of our Olympics. This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. These games brought people from every part of the Mediterranean to compete or just watch. It was the sporting event of the year - drawing the empire’s best talent. Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. They would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery.
Winners received a lifetime exemption from paying taxes and serving in the military. They would also receive free tuition at one of their universities. Statues of themselves would be erected along the road that led to the site of the games. But the real prize was the celery wreath, awarded to the winner at the end of the games.
Today’s key for running the race of life well is Purpose, or get energized. In our passage today, verse 26 says, “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.” This makes it very clear that we should not practice for an event without a goal. Paul said that he did not run without having a reason. Many people today run for fitness, which is a goal. Have you ever noticed that many professional athletes give up running, biking, or whatever sport they were doing when there are no more prizes to win? Why run if you cannot obtain a prize?
Paul asked why in the world someone would fight if they were just going to swing at the air. What is the point of shadow boxing if you are never going to fight? Whatever sport we choose to participate in, or whatever resolution we chose to make… we must not just go through the motions. We need to set a goal before us. Any race that we run, we should aim for the finish line. Do not enter an event; do not enter a resolution, do not live your life or walk your walk without having the goal of finishing.
Another thing to point out is that too many times we focus more on the task than the outcome. There’s a true story of a man who approached a laborer who was laying bricks and asked him, “What are you doing?” The laborer said, “Can’t you see I’m laying bricks?” The man then walked over to another bricklayer and asked, “What are you doing?” And the workman answered with pride, “I’m building a cathedral.” Both were physically doing the same thing, but the first laborer was occupied with the present task, and the other was concerned with the ultimate goal. If we forget the outcome of our task, we will become bogged down in what we are doing. One translation of verse 26 is… “Do not run like a man running aimlessly”. If we want to win in life we must strive towards our purpose. A life without purpose is like a race without a finish line.
Understanding the need for purpose is easy. Defining purpose is difficult. To win the race requires knowing our purpose. Paul tells the Corinthian church that they are to run this race with divine aims and purposes. We are to move through life with purpose and direction. When we know our purpose in life it creates energy for us. A Peace Corps Commercial makes an interesting statement, “If you’re not doing something with your life, it doesn’t matter how long it is.”
Paul knew where the finish line was. He wasn’t shadowboxing. His opponent was real and he fought “not as one who beats the air.” It is interesting to note that Paul stopped using the word ‘we’ in this verse and started using ‘I’. He was trying to let us know that at some point in our walk with God, each individual must become responsible for the way one lives. I can’t save you and you can’t save me. Also, if I am unable to save you, I am also unable to lose you. The only way for someone to be lost is to stop running or fighting. They become fighters that shadow box or beat the air.

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”
- Mitch Albom

August 9

Read I Corinthians 9:24-27

This passage is written with the backdrop of the Isthmian games - the equivalent of our Olympics. This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. These games brought people from every part of the Mediterranean to compete or just watch. It was the sporting event of the year - drawing the empire’s best talent. Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. They would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery.
Winners received a lifetime exemption from paying taxes and serving in the military. They would also receive free tuition at one of their universities. Statues of themselves would be erected along the road that led to the site of the games. But the real prize was the celery wreath, awarded to the winner at the end of the games.
Today we will talk about Produce, get fruitful. Some of the most frustrating people are those that always talk big, but never accomplish anything. Those that live by the motto, “Do as I say, not as I do”, are especially irritating. I believe that unless you produce something that is meaningful, you have really wasted your time. I have often heard it said that if you were just faithful to the house of God everything would be all right. My friend, part of being faithful is producing when you have the opportunity. Even if you fail, you are producing. Like Einstein once said after one of his many failures, “Well, at least I know it doesn’t work that way.” If you fall flat on your face, you then know you have to try it a little different. Nevertheless, in order to be successful in this race, you must produce.
I once heard it states that on a gravestone it is not the dates that are important, but the dash in between. You will be remembered by what you produced in this life. How is your “dash” today?

“What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions.”
- Aristotle

Get Focused...

Read I Corinthians 9:24-27

This passage is written with the backdrop of the Isthmian games - the equivalent of our Olympics. This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. These games brought people from every part of the Mediterranean to compete or just watch. It was the sporting event of the year - drawing the empire’s best talent. Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. They would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery.
Winners received a lifetime exemption from paying taxes and serving in the military. They would also receive free tuition at one of their universities. Statues of themselves would be erected along the road that led to the site of the games. But the real prize was the celery wreath, awarded to the winner at the end of the games.
Today we will deal with another key to running this race called life effectively. It is to Perceive or get focused. Again in verse 25, “Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
We do this to receive a crown that will last forever. If we want to run the race you must know where we are going. Our finish line is heaven. Heaven is our goal and we must be heavenly minded. All of us have heard the phrase “They are so heavenly minded they are no earthly good.” That should not pertain to any of us reading this today. Our goal is heaven but we continue to live balanced lives here on earth. To win the race requires us to be focused on the goal. The prize we seek is not temporal or earthly. The things of this earth will pass away. Our focus should be on that which will remain – the imperishable crown.
We are a reward driven people. We do our best if we know that there is a reward waiting for us. We are taught at a very young age that rewards are at the end of the journey. I remember when I was a kid and I wanted to go outside and play football or something. My mom’s response almost always was, “Is your room cleaned up?” You see, when I got my room cleaned up, I was able to have the reward of going out and playing.
God knows us so well that he created in us a desire to receive the reward of rewards. In every human being is a drive to earn rewards. While we cannot earn our heavenly crowns, we can run the race with the reward in view. I remember seeing my first pig race at the state fair. They would line the pigs up and place some food at the end of a stick and those pigs would chase that food all around without taking their eyes off that food. We need to live with the reward of heaven in front of us and not take our eyes off of that reward for one second.
The winner who received the crown only did so after much endurance. His crown was a perishable crown - BUT OURS IS IMPERISHABLE. It will last forever. Since these athletes did so much training for a perishable crown - how much more should we strive for an imperishable crown.

“Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.”
- Greg Anderson