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