January 2nd Devotion

Ephesians 2:3 says that we are born “with an evil nature.” In other words, we are naturally concerned primarily for ourselves. Through the prophet, Jeremiah, God revealed that the human heart is “most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (17:9) Such, is the result of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. We see the impact of the human heart very early in the Bible. When the first two boys grew up, Cain “brought to the Lord a gift of his farm produce, while Abel brought several choice lambs from the best of his flock” (Genesis 4:3&4). Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God while Cain’s wasn’t. Abel’s sacrifice represented the best of what he had while Cain thought he could appease God with a token gift from some of his leftovers. Abel’s sacrifice required faith while Cain’s sacrifice didn’t (Hebrews 11:4). When Cain saw how his brother’s sacrifice pleased God and his didn’t, Cain became angry. Now, God tried to warn Cain of the consequences if he didn’t get his anger under control (see James 1:19&20), but Cain didn’t listen. Cain’s envy resulted in Cain taking the life of his own brother (Genesis 4:6-9) and God punished him for doing so. Evil has a way of infecting others and spreading like yeast in dough (I Corinthians 15:33; Matthew 16:6,11&12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1; Galatians 5:9). By the time of Genesis 6:5, people had become so bad, the Bible says, “Now the Lord observed the extent of the people’s wicked-ness, and He saw that ALL their thoughts were consistently and totally evil.” That is a horrible indictment, but it is the result of man’s evil heart. The only hope for mankind is the promise of a new heart (Jeremiah 24:7; Ezekiel 11:19&20; 36:26; II Corinthians 5:17), made available to us because of Jesus Christ. It is absolutely essential that the lives of those who have new hearts in Jesus, look totally different from the lives of those still being influenced by their old hearts.

January 1st Devotion

The Bible opens with these words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1). In fact, the Bible tells us that God simply spoke creation into existence. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (1:3). “And God said, ‘Let there be space between the waters, to separate water from water.’ And so it was.” (1:6&7a). “And God said, ‘’Let the waters beneath the sky be gathered into one place so dry ground may appear.’ And so it was” (1:9). “Then God said, ‘Let the land burst forth with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant. And let there be trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. The seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.’ And so it was” (1:11). And God said, ‘Let bright lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs to mark off the seasons, the days, and the years. Let their light shine down upon the earth.’ And so it was” (1:14&15). “And God said, ‘Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind” (1:20). “And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal - - livestock, small animals, and wildlife.’ And so it was” (1:24). Then God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves” (1:26). Without a doubt, the crowning achievement of God’s creative work was and still is, human beings (Psalm 8:3-8). And when God made human beings, Genesis tells us, “God created people in His own image; God patterned them after Himself; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27; 5:1&2). Two questions? Who is the “us” in vs.26? And, what does it mean to be made in “God’s image”? The “us” in vs.26 is the earliest indication of the Godhead. Within the One God, there exists and has always existed three personalities; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As we read through scripture, we will see each of these three personalities described in more detail. Even though it is hard for humans to comprehend how three persons can comprise one person, it is a biblical truth and the Bible account reveals that truth right from the beginning. Since “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24), and since a “spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39), then it is obvious that human beings are not made in God’s physical image because God doesn’t have a physical image. If we were all made in God’s physical image, we would all look the same. We are all made in God’s spiritual image. God has breathed into human beings, “the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7), which is His spirit. Because that is true, human beings have the ability to reason, to think, to feel emotions, and the freedom to choose. And because Adam and Eve used this freedom to believe Satan’s lies (Genesis 3:1-7; John 8:44) instead of God’s truth, they disobeyed God by committing sin. The consequences of their sin for all mankind are described in Genesis 3:16-19, but the consequence for the sin each of us commits, is described in Romans 6:23.

Week 52 Devotions

December 24 - - The best evidence when trying a criminal case in a human court is always an eye witness. Circumstantial evidence is helpful in supporting the eyewitness testimony, but it is much more difficult to come to a conclusion of innocence or guilt based solely on circumstantial evidence. The apostle John outlived all the other of Jesus’ apostles. During his lifetime, there were those who tried to say that Jesus was only a figment of people’s imaginations, that he had never really lived or existed. John was able to say without hesitation that he had seen Jesus with his own eyes. He had even touched Jesus and everything he had seen and heard of Jesus proved to him beyond a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God and the Word of Life (I John 1:1-4). Now, one of the major teachings of Jesus was that we love one another (John 13:34&35). In fact, John repeats over and over that our inability to love others is proof that we haven’t truly come to love Jesus (I John 2:9-11; 3:10-20,23; 4:7-21). When asked by the Pharisees what the greatest commandment was in the Law of Moses, Jesus replied without hesitation, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31). IF we truly love God, we will love those created in God’s image. And IF we love those created in God’s image as God loves those created in His image, we really don’t need any other laws. In fact, no other laws we create mean anything unless we do have love for God and love for God’s creation. Jesus summed up the law of love in this one command: “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14). December 27 - - The end of each year is usually a good time to take inventory in our lives and evaluate whether we are accomplishing for God all He has equipped us to do. We would be wise to do the same as congregations of believers in Jesus Christ, as well. In Revelation 2&3, Jesus has a message for seven different churches located in Asia. Interestingly enough, many modern day congregations can usually see themselves in one of these seven churches. Like the church at Ephesus (2:1-7), some churches do many right things, but they seem to have lost their momentum. They have forgotten why they exist and need to remember the mission and purpose given to them by Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Like the church at Smyrna (2:8-11), some churches are going through great persecution because they are doing what Christ has called them to do, very well. Jesus assures them to keep going for he will be with them and they will overcome. Like the church at Pergamum (2:12-17), some churches have remained loyal to Christ in spite of intense persecution and pressure, but they are tolerating teachings within their congregations that are leading many faithful from the truth. Jesus says they need to root out the false teachers if they expect to ultimately be victorious. Like the church at Thyatira (2:18-29), some churches do many things well, but they permit evil to exist within their congregations, that threatens to influence the entire congregation like leaven, if they don’t deal with it. Like the church at Sardis, (3:1-6), some churches have a lot of activities going on and many would think they are alive and active, but in reality, their activity masks their spiritual deadness. Jesus says those churches need to concentrate on their spiritual growth instead of their outward programs. Like the church at Philadelphia (3:7-13), some churches are doing exactly what Jesus has called them to do and consequently, he promises to continue opening doors to them for further witness to him. And like the church at Laodicea (3:14-22), some churches are doing nothing more than going through the motions of looking like a church. They aren’t on fire, but neither are they totally ineffective. Jesus is nauseated with lukewarmness and promises to bless those churches prayerfully asking for his blessings. Which congregation does your church look like?

Week 51 Devotions

December 17 - - The writer of Hebrews tells us that God chose to reveal Himself to the world “many times and in many ways” (1:1). God would speak through the Patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. He would also speak through angels. And each time God spoke, He would reveal a little more of His character. But, all of that was simply a prelude to His final revelation; His Son. The Hebrew writer tells us, “The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly” (1:3). The apostle Paul adds, “For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body” (2:9), and, “God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ” (1:19). The apostle John also adds, “the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father” (John 1:14). “No one has ever seen God. But His only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about Him” (John 1:18). In Jesus Christ, God wanted us to understand His self in terms we could relate to. “Because God’s children are human beings - - made of flesh and blood - - Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form” (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus showed us how God wants us to relate to people, how God wants us to view suffering and temptation, how God wants us work and play, when God wants us to be serious and when God wants us to enjoy humor. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). But, another major point we sometimes miss is that the Hebrew writer brings to a close any new revelations. “In these final days, God has spoken to us through His Son” (Hebrews 1:2). God’s Holy Spirit gives us insight into the truths He has already revealed through His Son and in His Word. God’s Holy Spirit helps us apply the truths He has already revealed to our own lives. But, to think that God is still revealing new truths that apply to all of mankind means that any well-meaning person could say, “God told me........”, and who of us could question that? Since, “God is not a God of confusion” (I Corinthians 14:33), it was necessary that He be the One responsible for Divine revelations and not ourselves. It was necessary that God let us know any universal revelations from Him would cease in the person of Jesus Christ. December 20 - - There are many “Hall of Fame’s” that exist today. There’s one for Rock N’ Roll, Country Music, the International Drum Corps, Baseball, Basketball, Football, NASCAR, Wrestling, Volleyball, etc. You get the picture. Each of them recognizes individuals who have outstanding achievements in their respective fields. Christians are to “walk by faith, rather than by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7). What does that mean? It means our hope is based not on the rewards of this world, but on the rewards to come (Philippians 3:12-14, 20&21). It means our decisions are determined not by what we can humanly do on our own, but on what God enables us to do (Philippians 4:13). It means some-times moving forward on projects or goals that others ridicule and make fun of us for, because they don’t possess the same vision or power that we do in Christ. The Bible contains some great names of people who made it into the Bible’s, “Faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 12. These people are examples to us of courage, vision, persistence, trust, and loyalty. They are also an inspiration to Christians today who want to lead a life that also “pleases God” (Hebrews 11:6). Perhaps, the best tribute to all of them is this phrase, “they were too good for this world” (11:38), or as the NIV reads, “the world was not worthy of them.” And while there many named in this Faith Hall of Fame, the author acknowledges there are many others too numerous to name. That would have been true in all of the time prior to the writing of Hebrews, as well as the nearly 2,000 years since Hebrews was written. After naming these great people of faith in Hebrews 11, the author then challenges us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish” (Hebrews 12:1&2a). We should not, cannot, and must not forsake the truth that has been passed down to us. It would be a sin to trample on the memories of those who have sacrificed greatly of their own lives that we might have this truth today. With the power and presence of our Lord, and the encouragement of all the people of faith who have preceded us, we must also “run with endurance the race that God has set before us”, whatever that race may bring our way. May people someday say of us, “the world was not worthy of them.”

Week 50 Devotions

December 10 - - Paul wrote the letter to his Christian brother, Philemon, while he was imprisoned in Rome (Acts 28:30&31). Philemon was living in Colosse so this letter was probably penned about the same time he wrote the Colossian letter and both were delivered at the same time. Paul was obviously a close friend of Philemon’s, having been instrumental in his conversion to Christ (vs.19). Apphia is probably the wife of Philemon and Archippus their son. Having been at the home of Philemon before, Paul might have known some of Philemon’s slaves. One of them, Onesimus, has escaped and fled to Rome. We don’t know the timing of Onesimus’ trip to Rome. Did he know that Paul was there and so he purposely went to meet with Paul in Rome? Or, was Onesimus already in Rome and he sought a meeting with Paul when he heard Paul was a prisoner in that city? Or, was Onesimus in Rome and he and Paul had a chance meeting? What we do know is this; when God begins His work of redemption and transformation in us at our invitation, He aims to finish what He’s begun no matter where we go and no matter what we do. “I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again” (Philippians 1:6). In this process of changing our character so that it resembles the character of Christ himself (Phil.3:12-14; I John 3:2; II Corinthians 3:18), God will use many people, many unusual circumstances, and the power of His Word to mold us and shape us as He wills. We have the promise that “all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). God’s plan for our lives simply will not be deterred, no matter what turn our lives take, and regardless of whether we always make the right decisions or not. God had begun a good work in the life of a slave named, Onesimus, in the city of Colosse. We don’t know whether Onesimus was a Christian before he was purchased to be a slave in Philemon’s house or if Onesimus found Jesus while employed by his Christian master, Philemon. What we do know is that God aimed to complete His project in Onesimus, regardless of where this slave went or what he did. If God took such careful consideration to bless Onesimus and help him find the Lord, than God would also take care to make sure that Onesimus grew in his relationship with the Lord. “Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else (we need to live and grow)?” (Romans 8:32). The answers God gives to all His promises, confirm the answer to this questions is a resounding, ‘yes’! What is true of Onesimus, is also true of us. God has a plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11-14). He has predetermined that when we begin searching for spiritual answers to our lives, we will find Him (Deuteronomy 4:29; Matthew 7:7&8; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 8:29). And when we find the Lord and commit our lives to Him, He begins a transformation in us that will ultimately be completed when we leave this life for the one beyond. December 13 - - The largest war began somewhere in the heart of one person. “What is causing quarrels and fights among you?” James asks (4:1). It’s wanting something we don’t have. It’s when we are jealous of someone and desire something that doesn’t belong to us. And in our selfishness, we determine to get what we want, whatever the cost to anyone else. That’s how wars begin. And then we convince others to help us in our quest. We need to realize that if there is something we legitimately need, then we should begin by asking the God who is able to supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19). He is the God who freely gives to His children because that’s just the way He is (1:17; Matthew 7:7-11). Part of our problem is that we’ve never truly gone to our Father in faith and asked, believing that He could and would grant our requests (James 4:2). And part of our problem is that our motive in what we are asking for is purely selfish and wrong. A good parent is not going to supply everything his/her child asks for because the parent is wise enough to know that some things a child asks for would be a disaster for them to receive. That is where trust comes in. We have to believe that the God who created the entire Universe, the God who knows our every need because He knows everything about us, is the same God who will supply everything we truly need and withhold those things He knows we don’t need. Prayer is powerful because it accesses the very riches and powers of heaven. Prayer touches the divine power which is able to heal people physically (James 5:13-15). Prayer can change the outward conditions around us (5:16-18) and prayer can change the inward conditions of the heart that result in people finding their way to God. So, consider carefully what you ask for. Some things aren’t nearly as important bringing before our Father as we think, and other things should be brought before the Father that we think are too trivial to bother Him with.

Week 49 Devotions

December 3 - - It is sad how religious ignorance and pride can cause a hatred so strong that people will do evil to one another. Paul was originally arrested because some Jews accused him of taking Gentiles into the Temple. Nobody had actually seen Paul do this, but they had seen Paul walking with a Gentile earlier in the day so they assumed Paul had taken this Gentile into the Temple (Acts 21:27-29). How true the saying, “we see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear.” Because some Jews already hated Paul, they assumed he had done something wrong that he really hadn’t. As a result, Paul almost lost his life when a mob overcome with anger tried to kill him (21:30-35). When Paul was allowed to speak to the crowd and explain who he was, they attentively listened until he told them the Lord had commanded him to, “Leave Jerusalem, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!” (22:21). Again, because Jews hated the Gentiles so much, they went into a frenzy. With one voice, the whole crowd shouted, “Away with such a fellow! Kill him! He isn’t fit to live!” (22:22). When Paul was taken to the Jewish Sanhedrin, he was once again allowed to speak. Now, the Sanhedrin was composed of Pharisees who believed there is a resurrection of the dead and the Sadducees who did not share that belief. Knowing this, Paul identified himself as a Pharisee who was on trial because of his hope in the resurrection of the dead (23:6-10). The two sides began arguing, shouting, and even physically pulling on Paul so violently that a Roman officer had Paul removed from the proceedings to protect his life. Because of their so-called religious beliefs (which were in fact totally misguided), more than forty Jewish men bound themselves to an oath neither to eat or drink until they had killed Paul (23:12-22). It is one thing to feel so much hatred toward another person that we wish them dead, but it is an insult to God to actually attempt to kill someone else in the name of a person’s religion. The Bible is filled with plenty of warnings not to take the life of another human being in anger or for revenge (Genesis 4:3-12; Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-26; 43-48; James 1:19&20). Having said all that, there is a time and a place, even for anger (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). But, our anger must be for the right reasons and channeled into the right actions. When our anger results in us doing things to others or saying things about others that are not right, we have sinned and scripture clearly forbids us from letting our anger result in sin (Ephesians 4:26). May we, as children of God, be compelled by God’s love for us to show God’s love to others (II Corinthians 5:14) as often as we possibly can and in as many ways as we possibly can. It is not always possible to live in peace with everyone because some people are so blinded by their anger and their ignorance they refuse to see or live in the truth. But, when possible, we should do our “part to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-21). December 6 - - Listen to Paul’s description of our spiritual position before we committed our lives to Jesus Christ. “Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else” (Ephesians 2:1-3). “In those days you were living apart from Christ....you did not know the promises God had made......You lived in this world without God and without hope” (2:12). Here’s the good news: “But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved.....God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (2:4-9). A good friend lost her father, whom she said was not a regular church attender. Just a few days before he died, she asked him about his spiritual state and his belief in Jesus Christ. He responded that he did believe, but I sensed within her voice that she still wasn’t sure. I told her that whether we come to know the Lord early in life or later in life, we are all saved by God’s grace and nothing we have specifically done (Ephesians 2:4-9). Salvation isn’t a gift God gives only to those who live a righteous life. None of us can ever live up to God’s high and holy standards. We can’t possibly be good enough to earn our ticket to heaven. The Christmas season is a reminder that salvation is an undeserved gift from God no matter who we are or how good we may think we are. The good works we do, and the Christlike, unselfish life we should live, are not for the purpose of earning our salvation. None of us can ever be that good (Isaiah 64:6). Our righteous life is simply our way of saying, ‘thank you’ to God for the gift of salvation He has given us (Ephesians 2:10). The great bonus is that when we live according to the pattern Jesus set for us, we will discover that his way of living is not only the right way to live, but the only way to live (Romans 12:2). We are God’s masterpiece. His signature is all over us and He is changing our character on a daily basis to more resemble His (II Corinthians 3:18). Let us strive to do our Father proud in the way we bring glory to Him (John 17:1-5,13-19).

Week 48 Devotions

November 26 - - “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows,” Jesus promised (John 16:33). Most of us would agree without any debate that Jesus was right on. Trials and sorrows come in all shapes and sizes, but they are an inevitable part of life. Why? Because God is trying to punish us? No, Paul tells us that all of creation was thrown into chaos following Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. “Against it’s will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse” (Romans 8:20). “All creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering” (vss.22&23). Christians have a promise from God to encourage, comfort, and strengthen us in the midst of our sufferings. “Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (8:35,38&39), and as a result, “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ” (8:37). God’s love for us is so wide, long, high, and deep (Ephesians 3:18) that He “causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (8:28). God has predestined that everyone who believes in Him will “become like His Son” (8:29). We will someday possess the same character as our brother, Jesus. And in ways that only God knows, even the trials and the troubles of this life play a major role in shaping us and molding us into Christ’s character. We need to keep this truth in mind, “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later” (8:18). “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever” (II Corinthians 4:16-18). Don’t forget this promise, “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9). When God says, “my gracious favor is all you need”, He assures us that “my power works best in your weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9). God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20). And, “if God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31). This life is only the introduction to the real life which is beyond what we presently see with our human eyes and experience with our human senses. We simply need to trust God when He says that He has something far better planned for us after our present human existence is over (John 14:1-3). November 30 - - Giving to others does not come naturally. We are not born with a chromosome that results in some people being more generous than others. The nature we are born with is selfish (Ephesians 2:3). We often covet that which belongs to someone else, even though we know doing so is wrong (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21; 7:25; Romans 7:7; 13:9). When we want something we don’t have, we will even scheme and fight to get it (James 4:1-3). Selfishness is natural. Unselfishness is supernatural. As the embodiment of unselfishness, Jesus Christ is our physical example of what unselfish-ness looks like. “Though he was very rich (when he lived in heaven), yet for your sakes he became poor (coming to earth and living as a pauper among us), so that by his poverty he could make you rich (giving us the opportunity to some day live in heaven with him)” (II Corinthians 8:9). The human heart we are born with, “is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9). But, it is possible for goodness and even unselfishness to be displayed by people who aren’t Christians. When these traits are seen in non-Christians, it is usually a direct result of the influence of godly people. Christians living like Jesus most definitely have a significant influence and impact on the way non-Christians live. Even then, sometimes these traits are used for selfish reasons, to gain something in return. Totally unselfish people are those who have received a new heart from Jesus (II Cor.5:17). They are people who want to be like Jesus and look like Jesus. The Christians in Macedonia were commended by Paul for giving way beyond what they should have been able. And why were they able to do that? Because, their “first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord” (II Cor.8:1-5). Jesus willingly gave his life for us. No one forced him to do so (John 10:18; Matthew 26:53). Consequently, our Lord does not want us giving as a response to peer pressure or because we think we have to. When we give, Jesus wants us to do so willingly and “cheerfully” (II Cor.9:5-8). It is important as we teach Christian stewardship, not just of our finances but also of our time, talents, and opportunities that we don’t use worldly tactics in achieving our ends. For even though “we are human, we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God’s mighty weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ” (II Cor.10:3-5). Saturate yourself with the truth. The truth will set us free to live as Christ wants us to, which is the best way and the only way to live (John 10:10). So, how would others classify you? Selfish? Or, unselfish?

Week 47 Devotions

November 19 - - When talking about various examples of evil in the peaceful town of Mayberry, Barney Fife used to tell Andy they needed to take action against that evil. His words were specifically, that we need to, “Nip it. Nip it in the Bud!” In other words, whenever crime was committed, it needed to be dealt with right away before it got a toehold in Mayberry and infected others who would then follow suit. In I Corinthians 5, Paul addresses an ugly situation in the church at Corinth. A stepson was living in sin with his father’s wife (vs.1). Sadly, no one in the church was doing anything about it. Everyone conveniently looked the other way and said nothing to the individual. Not only were this young man’s actions sinful, but Paul contends that allowing sin to remain among them would have a terrible influence on the rest of the body. “Don’t you realize that if even one person is allowed to go on sinning, soon all will be affected? Remove this wicked person from among you so that you can stay pure” (vss.6&7). Elsewhere, Paul had written, “bad company corrupts good character” (I Cor.15:33). And, “It takes only one wrong person among you to infect all the others - - a little yeast spreads quickly through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9). The Proverb writer agreed, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (27:17). Good people can either influence their friends to do good, or bad people will influence their friends to do evil. That is why Jesus cautioned his disciples to, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6; 12:1). He knew the hypocritical lifestyles and teach-ings of these so-called religious teachers could adversely affect his followers if they were not careful. So, Paul takes to task the Corinthian Christians for allowing this man to get away with his sin without confronting him on it. Apparently, Paul had written an earlier letter (vs.9) in which he told the Corinthian Christians not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. He clarifies his earlier remark by saying that he was not referring to non-christians. If that was the case, we would all have to go into a monastery and live in total isolation. “What I meant was that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler” (vs.11). God will judge those outside of Christ, but it our responsibility to judge and hold accountable those who claim to belong to the family of Christ (vss.12&13). For, if we don’t keep each other accountable, who will? If we don’t hold one another to the higher standards set by Christ, who will? To be sure, our speech, even in confrontation should be “full of grace and seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:15; John 1:14), but love demands that we expect righteous living from those who claim to be righteous. November 23 - - On March 3, 1991, Rodney King led Los Angeles police on a high speed pursuit. After driving through several red lights and stop signs, King finally pulled over. A video taken by a private citizen shows police officers beating King and the footage was televised over and over so that nearly everyone in America saw the beating taking place. Four of the officers were charged with using excessive force. When only one of the four was convicted on April 29, 1992, the acquittal of the other three triggered four days of massive riots. By the time the police and the United States Army, Marines, and National Guard restored order, the property damage totaled over $1 billion. More than 3,100 businesses were damaged. There were 7,000 responses to fires by the Fire Department. 55 people had died and there were nearly 2,400 people injured. A mob of people takes on a personality all of it’s own and it is usually ugly and evil. Individual personalities are consumed by the personality of the mob. People forget their personal moral code as they are caught up in the immoral anger of the mob. We see an example of that in Ephesus in Acts 19. Some of the local businessmen felt the preaching of Paul was resulting in the loss of revenue as the demand for idols decreased. Lies were used to incite people. Shouting ensued. Confusion reigned, and the mob was ready to take somebody’s life. Fortunately, reason eventually prevailed and the crowd dispersed before any-one was hurt. But, there are other stories in scripture of mobs out of control that did not end so peacefully (Acts 7:52-8:1; 14:19&20; 21:27-22:25). It does not take long for lies and anger to work it’s way through a crowd of people like yeast in bread (I Corinthians 5:6-8). Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16) and he was prepared to rush in and defend the truth (Acts 19:30&31). But, as the writer of Ecclesiastes reminded us, “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven......a time to be silent and a time to speak” (3:1,7). Sounder minds prevailed and convinced Paul this was a time for him to remain silent and let the situation work out itself. As God’s chosen people (Colossians 3:12; I Peter 1:2), we will all be faced with times when we can choose to participate in the mindless meanderings of a mob. In that moment, we can refuse to belong to the mob, or we can stand for truth and try to bring sense to the mob (Acts 5:33-40; 19:35-41). But, “whatever we do or say, we are to do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17), with “our conversation gracious and effective so that we will have the right answer for everyone” (Col.4:6).

Week 46 Devotions

November 12 - - None of us can imagine the tremendous power Jesus had to heal, or the wisdom and charisma with which Jesus spoke. Jesus clearly understood where he had come from, why he was here, and the source of what he did, and who he was (John 13:3). With all the people he healed, all the people who hung on his every word, and all the nice things those people said about him, Jesus never lost sight of his purpose. “My food, my nourishment, that which really gets me going, is doing the will of God and completing what God gifted me to do” (Jn.4:34). “I have no desire to glorify myself” (Jn.8:50). “I do what the Father requires of me” (Jn.14:31). “I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do” (Jn.17:4).Should our lives be any different from that of Jesus? Whatever natural talents, advantages, opportunities, spiritual gifts, intelligence, or abilities God has blessed us with (John 19:11; I Cor. 4:7; Deuteronomy 8:18), He did so in order that we might bring glory to Him. Herod thought his privilege and riches were all because of what he had done. He refused to give God the glory for his life and as a result, he suffered terribly (Acts 12:21-23). On the other hand, Paul and Barnabas healed a man who had been crippled from birth (Acts 14:8-10). When the crowd saw this miracle they wanted to give glory to Paul and Barnabas. But, Paul and Barnabas reacted totally opposite from the way Herod did. Instead of accepting the people’s praise unto themselves as Herod had done, they gave glory to God. “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings like yourselves. We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God....” (Acts 14:15). God has gifted and empowered each of us for the purpose of bringing Him glory (Matthew 5:16; Genesis 12:1&2). Will we be like Jesus and use what God has given us for God’s glory (John 13:15), or will we selfishly use them for our own glory? In other words, will we respond to God’s grace and be like Herod, or will we respond to God’s grace and be like Paul and Barnabas? God will continue blessing those who rightly understand their privilege in the light of their responsibility (Matthew 25:21,23). Do you? November 16 - - As a pastor, it is easy to wonder at times if what we are doing is having any effect or impact on people’s lives. Most businesses can easily measure success or failure by sales, production, inventory, etc. In the church, however; conversion numbers, attendance numbers, and even stewardship numbers don’t always adequately reflect change in a person’s character. Success in ministry isn’t always as easy to see or measure as it is in the business world. That is why it is so encouraging when someone will say, “Hey, I just talked to a member of your congregation and they are really on fire for their faith.” Or, “I’ve got to tell you the neat thing someone in your congregation did.” Such good reports are sent by God at just the right time to encourage those who faithfully labor and live for Him (I Corinthians 15:58). The apostle Paul must have often wondered what kind of impact his ministry was having. Rarely, did he spend much time in any one place so he couldn’t see for himself whether people’s lives were changing or not. He often had to rely on the reports he received from others. When the church at Thessalonica encountered severe suffering, they faced it with a joy that could only come from the Holy Spirit. When Paul heard what was happening, he couldn’t help but write them and encourage them, even as he had already been encouraged by what he heard about them. “You, yourselves became an example to all the Christians in Greece. And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Greece, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God” (I Thessalonians 1:7&8). When we “let our light shine” for God (Matthew 5:16), when we “express our faith” through acts of love we do for others (Galatians 5:6), and when we demonstrate in our character, the evidence, or fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives (Gal.5:22&23), we are a HUGE encouragement to many, many people. We have no idea the impact our faithfulness has not only on unbelievers, but also upon those who introduced us to Jesus Christ, those who have faithfully prayed that we might find Christ and grow in Christ, those who have taught us in the faith, and most importantly, we are a huge encouragement to God. Paul put it another way in his letter to the Corinthian Christians: “Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it - - not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives - - and we publish it. We couldn’t be more sure of ourselves in this - - that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation” (II Cor.3:2-4; The Message) Let us commit ourselves to be “living sacrifices for Christ” (Romans 12:1) and in the process, not only bring praise and glory to God, but a good report and encouragement to others.

Week 45 Devotions

November 5 - - Jesus made no secret about the fact that he would bodily resurrect on the third day after being placed in a tomb (Luke 9:22; 24:5-8; Matthew 16:21; 28:6; Mark 8:31). His disciples knew it. The women who followed him knew it. Even the Jewish religious leaders knew it. In order to make sure that no one stole Jesus’ dead body and then tried to lie and others that he had resurrected from the grave, the religious leaders had a request for Pilate. “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will be raised from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he came back to life!” (Matt.27:63&64). So, Pilate placed some of his guards at the disposal of the religious leaders to be posted at the tomb and prevent such an event from happening. But, when God proposes to do something, there is nothing man can do to prevent it. When an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled the stone away, these brave, highly-trained, very-powerful soldiers “shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint” (Matt.28:4). When the women came to the tomb early on the first day of the week to finish embalming Jesus, “they found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. So they went in, but they couldn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:2&3). While they were trying to imagine what could have possibly happened to Jesus’ body, two angels appeared to them and asked, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead!” (Lk.24:4&5: Mk.16:5&6; Matt.28:5&6). The fact that Jesus had bodily risen from the tomb seemed too good to be true when it first happened. When the apostles first heard it from the women, they didn’t believe it because the story sounded like nonsense (Luke 24:10&11; Mark 16:10&11). Even after the disciples saw Jesus alive for themselves, they still had questions. The same is true for us today. We have not had the privilege of actually seeing Jesus alive following his death and burial, as Jesus’ disciples did. Thomas didn’t believe the other disciples when they told him they had seen Jesus alive. And Thomas said he wouldn’t believe their story unless he saw Jesus for himself (John 20:25). To be sure, when Jesus did appear to Thomas, the doubting disciple proclaimed Jesus as Lord (20:28). But, as Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (20:29). Like Thomas, we have not had the privilege of seeing Jesus alive. But, we have seen his resurrection power at work in our lives (Philippians 3:10). There have been miraculous answers to our prayers, unexplainable changes in our lives and the lives of others, and unusual occurrences in our lives that have all confirmed a power greater than we can understand at work. The question for us, is, will we live our lives expecting Christ’s resurrection power to show up on a regular basis? Or, will we continue in our skepticism to downplay that truth and the power of Christ’s resurrection? The choice is ours, but so are the consequences. November 9 - - The Bible tells us, “But, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Acts 7:55). As the song, “I Can Only Imagine” asks, “Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing ‘hallelujah’, will I be able to speak at all?” When Andrew met Jesus, he was compelled by his experience to bring his brother, Simon, to see Jesus, as well (John 1:41&42). When Philip met Jesus, he was compelled by his experience to bring his friend, Nathaniel, to see Jesus, as well (John 1:45&46). Later, some curious Gentiles approached Philip with a request to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). It seems that everyone who sees or meets Jesus Christ, is forever changed by that experience. Our knowledge of Jesus Christ is only a partial glimpse of all there is to know about him. But, what we do know of him and what we have seen of him should be more than sufficient for us to want to know more and see more of the One, who is called the Christ. The Bible promises that those who put their faith in him now, will see him and know him fully in heaven. “Now we see things imperfectly, as though looking in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now” (I Corinthians 13:12) John adds this magnificent hope: “Yes, dear friends, we are God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (I John 3:2). What will that be like? We can only imagine. No, it is in truth, beyond our imagination (I Corinthians 2:9).

Week 44 Devotions

October 29 - - Christians are oftentimes called upon to humble themselves and do acts of compassion and kindness others simply will not do; whether it’s Mother Teresa and her fellow servants meeting the needs of the poor in Calcutta, someone cleaning the physically disabled, etc. Jesus showed how and why a Christian would be willing to be so kind. It was the last night of his life here on earth. Jesus is about to share the last meal with his twelve closest disciples. He “knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love” (John 13:1). It was the custom for first century Jews to provide a slave to wash the feet of one’s guests and visitors. Obviously, there were few roads and most were not paved. People wore sandals and by the time they arrived somewhere, their feet were dirty. But, even after spending over three years with Jesus, his disciples still debated between themselves as to who would receive the prominent seats of position beside Jesus in his coming kingdom (Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 20:20-28). And while everyone knew their feet were dirty, none of them thought of serving the others. So, Jesus did what the others were not willing to do. And, in humbling himself, he not only gave them “an example to follow” (13:15), but he also gave us an example to follow. Jesus was doing more than showing them the necessity of washing each other’s feet. He was showing them the importance of serving one another. Here’s how Jesus was able to do what no one else did. “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority and that he had come from God and would return to God” (13:3). In other words, Jesus knew where he had come from, where he was going, and why he was here. His worth was found in knowing those three things and not in what everyone else around him thought of him. And, when we understand, like Jesus, where we come from, where we are going, and why we are here, we will be able to do for others what Jesus has done for us, and what Jesus would do for others. We are created human beings, fashioned in the Divine image of the Almighty God. We are not the products of billions of years of evolution with our immediate ancestors being some monkeys. We were placed by God here on earth for the express purpose of reflecting His light and in the process bringing Him the glory all creation should give Him. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, which was the ultimate act of unselfish humility, we now have a place in heaven secured and prepared for us by Jesus (John 14:1-3). When we know where we’ve come from, why we are here and where we are going; we will also be able to do for others as Jesus has done for us. November 1 - - There are some truths in scripture we really don’t know the full meaning of and probably won’t ever know the full meaning of, until God reveals them to us in heaven (I Corinthians 13: 11&12; Deuteronomy 29:29). For instance, does anyone truly understand the concept of the Trinity, and how God can be three persons and yet only be One? God knew that our finite minds could never comprehend His infinite truths. Another difficult truth to wrap our minds around is the idea that Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God at the same time. There are times as God, when Jesus knew things that were going to happen before they ever actually took place. For instance, John tells us that Jesus already knew who would believe in him and who wouldn’t. Jesus also knew from the beginning of time which disciple would betray him (John 6:64, 70&71; 13:11). Jesus knew when he came to earth that while he inhabited this planet, the Father had given him authority over everything; that he would be able to command the waters to be still, the deaf to hear and the lame to walk (Matthew 28:18). Jesus also knew where he had come from and where he was going to (John 13:2). And as God, Jesus knew ahead of time, the horrors and the pain which awaited him during his trials and crucifixion. John writes, “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him” (18:4). We also see that Jesus is fully human by his reaction to what he knew was soon going to happen to him. As he went to the Garden of Gethsamane to pray, he told Peter, James, and John, “my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He left them to pray for him while he went a little farther to pray by himself. We are told that during this time, “he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). And in that moment, Jesus prayed, “if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.” Jesus was asking his father to accomplish our redemption any other way than what he knew lie ahead for him. Nevertheless, Jesus was willing to accept whatever the Father deemed necessary. “Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36; Matthew 26:39). Jesus knows what lies ahead for each of us in our lives, as well. And if he wants, he can send thousands of angels to protect us at any time (Matt.26:53). Sometimes he will and some-times he won’t. We must have the same faith in him that he had in his Father. God gives each of us the freedom and the privilege to ask anything we want in Jesus’ name (John 14:13&14; 16: 23&24,26; James 4:2). But, faith implies trust in the One who already knows what we need and when we need it and being able to honestly say, “Yet I want your will, not mine,” even as Jesus did. Are we able to do that in all situations?

Week 43 Devotions

October 22 - - A blind man named Bartimaeus, is sitting beside a road when he hears a crowd approaching. When Bartimaeus learns that Jesus is in the crowd, he cries out for mercy. And even though those in the crowd told him to shut up, Bartimaeus shouted even louder. He had heard the many stories about Jesus; how he healed those with leprosy, cast out demons from those who were possessed, enabled those who were lame to walk again, and, given sight to the blind. Jesus was near! Jesus was here! This opportunity to see may never come his way again. He must get the attention of Jesus! If only Jesus knew Bartimaeus’ condition, Jesus could help! So, he shouted all the more louder. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard Bartimaeus shouting among the whole crowd, the two had a brief conversation. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. Could it be? Was this too good to be true? “Teacher, I want to see!” “You may go. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly, the man could see (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43). Contrast his attitude with that of James and John. They, who had been with Jesus nearly three years also had a favor to ask. But, it was far different from that of Bartimaeus. “Teacher, we want you to do us a favor.” “What is it?” Jesus asked. “In your glorious Kingdom, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left” (Mark 10:35-37; Matthew 20:20&21). Like ourselves, there were so many things the disciples didn’t understand (Luke 18:34). Unlike Bartimaeus, James and John did not immediately receive what they had requested of the Master. Jesus still asks of us the same question today, “what do you want me to do for you?” When our request comes from our faith in him, and when our request will honor and glorify him (Colossians 3:17,23; I Corinthians 1:31; 10:31), and when our request is made with the right motive (James 4:3&4), our answer will be the same as that of Bartimaeus; and not like the one received by James and John. So, what is it you want the Lord to do for you? October 25 - - As Jesus’ time of death drew near, his stories became very pointed. Whereas, there were times earlier in his ministry when neither the crowds or his disciples understood the meaning of his teachings, Jesus made sure they knew exactly what he was saying in his final days on earth. Jesus told a story about two sons, one with good intentions who didn’t keep his promise to his father, and the other who did help his father in spite of his initial refusal to do so (Matthew 21:28-32). In another story, Jesus told of a vineyard owner whose tenants horribly treated his servants sent to collect their rent, even killing some, including the owner’s son (Matt.21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19). And in a third story, Jesus told of a king ready to throw a great banquet. But, those who were initially invited, shamefully treated the servants sent to invite them, even killing some (Matt.22:1-14). The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. God had been sending prophets to the Jews for centuries and they continuously beat those prophets and even killed many. Finally, God sent His Son and they were plotting even then to also kill Jesus. There was no doubt about Jesus’ meaning in his teachings. So, in order to justify arresting Jesus and doing to him what he prophesied they would do, the religious leaders tried to trip Jesus up with questions about religious law. If they could entice him to give an answer the people disagreed with, they could also justify arresting him. In their first question, they brought some “supporters of Herod” along. “Should we pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” If Jesus replied that Jews should not pay taxes, then he would alienate the Roman officials. But, if Jesus said that Jews should pay taxes then he would upset the Jews who hated the Roman taxation. Jesus said there is a time and a place to render unto the government what the government asks and a time and method for giving to God what belongs to Him (Mark 12:13-17; Matt.22:15-22; Lk.20:20-26). Those who heard his answer were completely amazed. When the Sadducees, who did not believe in a Resurrection of the dead, tried to trap Jesus with a hypothetical example that was so far-fetched it could never happen, Jesus exposed their ignorance with his answer (Matt.22-23-33; Mk.12:18-27; Lk.20:27-40). Not only were the crowds impressed by what Jesus said, but so were the Sadducees who asked the question. The Bible says, “that ended their questions, no one dared to ask any more” (Lk.20:40). The apostle Peter writes, “if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way” (I Peter 3:15). Peter had watched how Jesus dealt with difficult people and difficult questions. May God grant us the grace to be as wise, as clear, and as bold as Jesus was when people ask us why we believe what we believe.

Week 42 Devotions

October 15 - - Even though biological children have different parents from their adopted brothers and sisters, most adoptive parents view all their children; biological or adopted, in the same way. They live under the same roof, eat of the same food, and are subjected to the same set of rules. In fact, if parents have anything to leave as an inheritance, all their children are entitled to mom and dad’s estate, regardless of whether they were biological or adopted children. What is true physically is also true, spiritually. When we become “children of God through (our) faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), we become heirs of all God’s promises made to our spiritual ancestors, including our spiritual father, Abraham (3:29). Because of Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s own child. And since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you” (4:7). And what all does God have? Everything. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1; I Corinthians 10:26; Ps.50:10&11; Haggai 2:8). God doesn’t need anything from us because everything belongs to Him (Acts 17:24-26; I Cor.4:7). But, as God’s children, we have access to all of His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). If, we as earthly parents will take care of our physical children, how much more does God know how to take care of His spiritual children (Luke 11:11-13; Matthew 7:9-11)? We have a choice whether to be the spiritual children of Satan or the spiritual children of God, the Father. “Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t,” Jesus told one of his audiences, “it proves you aren’t God’s children” (John 8:47). The fact is, Jesus wasn’t even accepted among many of those who shared the same physical ancestry, the Jews (John 1:11). “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan - - this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12&13). And Jesus assured us over and over, “anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” (John 8:51; 5:24; 11:25&26). We all have a choice. We can listen to the words of Jesus Christ, obey those words, be adopted as one of God’s children, and gain access to His glorious riches both in this life and in the life to come, OR, we can do nothing and we will be the children of the Devil. He is a “liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). He does not care for us, but actually hates us. So, choose carefully. A lot is riding on whether you make the proper choice. October 18 - - There is something within all of us that likes to root for the underdog. We all love a good story where the poor climb out of their poverty, the oppressed discover their liberty, and those used to losing taste victory. Maybe, that inner desire comes from our heavenly Father. Scripture spends a lot of time honoring the character trait of humility (Numbers 12:3; Proverbs 3:34; Ephesians 4:2), while condemning the character trait of pride (Isaiah 13:11; James 4:6). Because a proud person thinks of himself better than others, he will expect to sit in the place of honor when he attends to a banquet. In a proud person’s mind, anything less would be demeaning and disrespectful to him/her. On the other hand, Jesus said that a humble person is one who sits at the foot of the table. The host of any party has the prerogative of moving people from one position at the table to another. Jesus says that most of us would prefer being moved to a better place at the table than we would the embarrassment of being moved to a less prominent place at the table. A humble person is one who immediately sits at the foot of the table. If they remain at that place, they are okay with it. If they are moved to a more prominent place at the table, they are okay with that, as well. “The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored” (Luke 14:11). He also said that at the judgment, some “who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then” (Luke 13:30). The world uses a different standard for measuring worth and success than God does. The world looks at the outward signs of success; awards won, degrees achieved, salary earned, possessions owned, etc. On the other hand, God looks at the state of a person’s heart (I Samuel 16:7). In fact, God wants to bless those whose heart is fully sold out to Him (II Chronicles 16:9). All too often, we care more about how the things we do will benefit ourselves in the long run or how what we do appears to the rest of the world. Jesus encourages us to do things the rest of the world would not honor us for, but God would (Luke 14:12-14). It is interesting that even though Jesus was the Son of God, rarely did he draw attention to himself. Jesus did not go around patting himself on the back. Jesus was humble in heart (Matthew 11:28-30; Philippians 2:3-11) and expected us to be the same. Are we?

Week 41 Devotions

October 8 - - The apostle Paul wrote that Christians are people who “live by believing and not by seeing” (II Corinthians 5:7). Christians recognize that a life lived for God involves trusting in His promises even if we can’t comprehend how He will keep them, rather than walking in the comfort of things we can already see and understand. Thomas was only expressing what most of us would have naturally felt when his fellow disciples informed him they had already seen Jesus resurrected bodily from the dead. “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25). Not until Jesus appeared to Thomas so that he could see, did Thomas then acknowledge Jesus as, “my Lord and my God!” (20:28). Jesus then pointed out the difference between walking by faith and walking by sight. “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (20:29). The fact is, “it is impossible to please God” without this kind of childlike faith and trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6). Those who do walk by faith in God have a confidence that He is able to do, “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask of Him or hope that He could do” (Eph. 3:20; Proverbs 3:5&6). These bold individuals will be blessed for their faith, while those who walk by sight in only what they can understand and comprehend with their human mind, will miss out on the blessings of God. When two blind men followed Jesus, they dared to impose upon the Master with a request. “Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 9:27). Jesus asked them whether they were men who walked by faith in God or by sight in what they could understand. “Do you really believe that I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord, we do.” So Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen” (9:28&29). Just like that, the two men were able to see. Contrast their attitude and the subsequent results, to that of the people living in Jesus’ home-town of Nazareth. When Jesus taught, he did so with a wisdom and an authority never observed before in the Jewish religious teachers (Matthew 7:28; Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32; John 7:46). So, when Jesus began teaching in the synagogue of his hometown, people were astonished. They asked, “where did Jesus get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He’s just a carpenter’s son. We know Mary, his mother. And we know his brothers and sisters. What makes him so great?” (Mark 6:1-4; Matthew 13:53-57). Many of these people had watched Jesus grow up. While they had to acknowledge that he was an exceptionally nice boy, it was still hard to comprehend someone coming from among them who knew and did so much. One of the saddest statements in the Bible appears in this portion of our text. “And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matt.13:58; Mk.6:5&6). What about you? Do you see Jesus doing many miracles around you? If not, maybe it has to do with the size of your faith, or the lack thereof. Jesus said that faith as tiny as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Have you moved any mountains lately? Why not? October 11 - - It is amazing to read about Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, and still have over twelve basketfuls of food left over (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). And as if the people had not seen enough, he fed over 4,000 on another occasion with only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. And that time there were seven large baskets of leftovers (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). When the people saw Jesus do what he did the first time, they readily exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” (John 6:14). The Gospels record miracle after miracle after miracle that Jesus performed. When Jesus healed a man who was both deaf and mute and in doing so, enabled him to hear and speak, he “told the crowd (who witnessed the miracle) not to tell anyone. But the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news, for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, ‘Everything he does is wonderful.’” (Mark 7:36&37). On another occasion, “a vast crowd brought him the lame, the blind, crippled, mute, and many others with physical difficulties, and they laid them before Jesus. And he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking around, and those who had been blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel” (Matt.15:30&31). And yet, in spite of all these miracles, most of which were done right before their eyes, most of the Pharisees and Sadducees refused to believe in Jesus. They preferred arguing with Jesus to dialoguing with him. They would rather have believed that Jesus was sent from Satan than accept that he was sent from God (Matt.12:22-30; Mk.3:20-30). On more than one occasion the two groups asked Jesus for a sign to prove he was from God (Matt.16:1-4 & Mark.8:11-13; Matt. 12:38&39 & Mk.8:11&12; Luke 11:14-16). How true it is that we see what we are prepared to see and we hear what we are prepared to hear. How often do we find ourselves still asking Jesus for some kind of proof that he exists or that he cares when he has in fact proven himself over and over? Are we like the common people who praise Jesus because we see him at work in our lives on a daily basis? Or, are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees who refuse to see Jesus at work no matter what he has already done?

Week 40 Devotions

October 1 - - “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,” was God’s command to His people (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12). God had completed His creation work in six days and then rested the seventh day, not because He was tired, but as an example that human beings should follow (Genesis 2:1-3). How does one keep the Sabbath holy? In His commandment given through Moses, God said, “Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then He rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy” (Ex.20:9-11; Deut.5:13-15). When the people of God left Egypt and needed food, God provided them manna that appeared fresh on the ground every morning. God told the people not to keep any of the manna overnight because it would be full of maggots and stink by the next morning. God wanted His people to trust Him every day. But, on the sixth day, the Israelites were to gather twice as much manna so they would be able to observe the Sabbath as a holy day and not have to work. God preserved their manna on the sixth day, unlike the other days (Exodus 16:14-31), so it would be edible on the Sabbath. By Jesus’ day, the religious leaders had come up with a long list of things they defined as work so people would know what they could and could not do on the Sabbath. These regulations were not given to humans by God, but by man. These religious leaders were more concerned with being “keepers of the Sabbath” than they were in personally “keeping the Sabbath.” They loved being moral police more than they did pointing people to God. When Jesus came, he did not question the importance or the value of the Sabbath. But, he did question the legalistic list the Pharisees had comprised. Because their definition had not come from God, but from man, Jesus looked right at these religious hypocrites and asked, “If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than sheep! It is morally right to do that which is good on the Sabbath.” And then he healed a man with a deformed hand (Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11). “Is the Sabbath a day to save life or to destroy it?”, he asked them (Mark 3:4). Jesus was concerned that God’s people understand the purpose of the Law as it relates to the Sabbath and observe it as best they could so their hearts could be close to God. He wasn’t as interested in people obeying man-made rules and regulations with hearts that were far from God. “I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28; Matt.12:8; Lk.6:5). For, “the Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). God didn’t establish people so they could worship the Sabbath. He established the Sabbath as a benefit to people. We would all be wise to give God honor and worship every day of the week, but especially on the Sabbath. October 4 - - Four hundred years before the time of Jesus Christ, God spoke these words through the prophet, Malachi, “I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (4:5&6). Malachi was the last prophet to speak to God’s people before a prophet, like Elijah, would enter the scene and prepare God’s people for the Messiah’s coming. John the Immerser had been preaching a message of repentance, declaring that people needed to turn from their sins and turn to God (Mark 1:4-8; Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:2-14). When Jesus did arrive, he asked to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness, to do the right thing, and to set an example for others (Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21&22). At that time, John began to point his disciples and anyone else who would listen, to Jesus (John 1:19-28). John even declared Jesus to be, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Even though John continued his ministry, fewer people gathered to listen to him because more and more were being drawn to Jesus. When John’s disciples showed concern over this trend, John assured them, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30). John knew he had been sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. And John also knew the satisfaction of being successful in his mission. Rather, than feel sorrow because more were following Jesus, John drew delight in knowing he had completed what God had sent him to do. Having said all that, there must have been a little sliver of doubt yet, in John. While in prison because he dared to also preach against Herod’s sins, John sent disciples to inquire of Jesus if he really was the Messiah. The scene is reminiscent of the father who brought his demon-possessed boy to be healed by Jesus. Jesus told the father, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” And the father replied, “I do believe, but help me not to doubt!” (Mark 9:23&24). It also reminds us of Christ’s disciples after Jesus had resurrected from the dead. He had already appeared to them on several occasions and yet, just before he prepared to ascend into heaven, “some of them still doubted” (Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:41; John 21:12&13). Jesus’ disciples were sure this resurrected person they saw was really Jesus, but it was such a tremendous miracle, there was still a little doubt. So, Jesus assures John’s disciples that he really is the Messiah (Matt.11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). And then Jesus teaches the people a tremendous truth about the Kingdom of God. “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!.....if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 11:11-15; Luke 7:24-28). As great a man as John was, Jesus promised that the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven was more privileged than even John. Are we listening to what Jesus is telling us? Or, are we so busy that we miss a message intended for each of us? Do we now believe this great truth or do we still doubt?

Week 38 Devotions

September 17 - - Great leaders are rare. They are people who not only have their own act together, but people who are able to inspire others to also get their act together. Ezra and Nehemiah were just such leaders. When they observed the sorry state of their people, they did something about it. First of all, they didn’t accept the moral decline of the Jews as inevitable and irreversible. They didn’t turn a deaf ear to Israel’s condition. They were appalled and stunned at what had happened (Ezra 9:1-4; Nehemiah 1:4). Then, they mourned, fasted, and prayed. And in their prayers, they didn’t place blame on everyone else. They accepted responsibility for the moral decay of their countrymen. They confessed their own sins, as well as the sins of their people (Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11). And with God’s help, they formulated a plan for their people returning to God (Ezra 10:1-17; Nehemiah 2:1-18). Both believed that God had always been faithful to His promises and still would be if God’s people repented. The example of faithfulness of these two great men had a positive impact on the rest of God’s people. In Ezra’s case, he was able to convince those who had married pagan wives to separate themselves from those wives. In Nehemiah’s case, he was able to convince the people of Jerusalem to help him rebuild the walls. Our world and our society cries out for leaders like these two. Our moral decay demands that someone step into the vaccuum created by sin. Where will those leaders come from? What will those leaders look like? Unless God’s people step to the plate and be the moral leaders they should be in their homes, in their churches, in their schools, in their communities, and in their nation, Satan will certainly fill that void with ungodly leaders who will lead with ungodly methods. The Bible clearly states, “When the wicked take charge, people hide” (Proverbs 28:28). “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (29:2). “When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding” (28:12). “The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the godless die” (11:10). “Kings and rulers make a grave mistake if they give foolish people great authority, and if they fail to give people of proven worth their rightful place of dignity” (Ecclesiastes 10:5&6). Either we accept the God-given call to be spiritual and moral leaders in any and every sphere of influence God has placed us in, OR we are destined to reap the results of immoral and ungodly leaders whose primary concern is themselves and no one else. What is your choice? It would certainly be no insult for people to compare us to men like Ezra and Nehemiah. September 20 - - “The Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of His love. And He chose you, their descen-dants, above every other nation, as is evident today. Therefore, cleanse your sinful hearts and stop being stubborn” (Deuteronomy 10:15&16). “God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now He commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to Him” (Acts 17:30). “Unless you repent, you will perish” (Luke 13:3,5). “Heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7). For, “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents” (Luke 15:10). Offering up sacrifices to God without an accompanying worship of Him from our heart means nothing to Him (I Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11-20). What God desires from us is a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 34:18; 51:17). When God’s people seriously study the Word of God and see for themselves how far they have strayed from God’s desired will in their lives, it always leads to either a personal and/or a national repentance from sins. Earlier, both Nehemiah and Ezra had confessed their own sins, as well as the sins of their people (Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:4-11). Eventually, the people them-selves would follow suit and also confess their sins (Nehemiah 9:2,33). What had started with Ezra and Nehemiah eventually spread to the whole nation. After devoting themselves to reading God’s Word and repenting of their sins, the people of God made a series of solemn promises to do what God’s Word told them to do (9:38), in the areas of: marriage (10:30), the Sabbath (vs.31), care of God’s Temple (vss.32-34), the giving to God of the firstfruits He deserves (vss. 35-37a), and the giving to the Levites a tenth or tithe of “everything our land produces” (vss.37b-39). It is one thing to make a promise and it is quite another to keep a promise. The next few years would determine how serious they would be. How do you see yourself before God? As a pretty fine individual much more righteous than many of the people around, or as one who at your best is nothing more than filthy rags compared to our Holy God (Isaiah 64:6)? Just remember, it’s not a proud and haughty heart God searches for, but a broken and humble heart.

Week 37 Devotions

September 10 - - One of God’s timeless promises was expressed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Keep on looking and you will find......(for) everyone who seeks, finds” (Matthew 7:7&8). That promise appears at other places in scripture, and at other times in history (Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:11-14). The Hebrew writer identifies this persistent pursuit to know God more deeply as a vital part of the definition of faith. “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who comes to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). God gave to Daniel very unusual abilities that in part, were a reward for Daniel’s diligent pursuit to know God more deeply. When Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, he refused to defile himself by eating food and drinking wine given to him by King Nebuchadnezzar (1:8). Daniel’s faith and convictions were formed long before he was exiled to Babylon. So, when the temptations came to compromise those convictions far away from home, Daniel refused to do so. Daniel was given the ability to interpret dreams from God, that no one else could understand (2:16-19,45-48; 4:4-9,19, 24-26). When King Darius later conquered Babylon, he elevated Daniel to an even higher responsibility within his government. “Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and princes. Because of his great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and princes began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his responsibilities, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize him for. He was faithful and honest (6:4&5). King Darius was later tricked into issuing a decree forbidding the worship of any god, but himself. Daniel refused to obey the edict. But, Daniel quietly continued to kneel down in his upstairs room with it’s windows open toward Jerusalem and pray three times a day, giving thanks to God (6:10). Daniel and God were tight. Consequently, God gave to Daniel, abilities and visions that God gave to no one else (10:2-19). What was true for Daniel is also true for us. We should not seek God simply so we can have abilities, dreams, or visions that no one else has. Our motive for seeking God would be wrong and selfish and God will not honor selfish motivations (James 4:3). But, God knows when we are seeking Him with a pure heart. And His promise still holds true today: “Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 4:31). The wicked cannot understand the things of God. Their minds are blinded by Satan because he does not want people to see the truth that will set them free to really enjoy life (II Corinthians 4:4; John 8:44,32; 10:10). “The wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it (God’s Word and prophecy) means” (Daniel 12:10). And those who are “wise” according to God’s Word, have been promised they “will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever” (12:3). So, let us be about the task of seeking God and pointing as many people as possible to Him. September 13 - - Human beings are constantly trying to prepare for the future without including the Lord into their equation. Even though Jesus said, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), and even though the apostle Paul said, “I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need” (Philippians 4:13), more often than not, we plan our lives as though the only one we can depend upon is ourselves and not the Lord. As Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, the Lord specifically spoke through Moses that when Israel cried out for a king, “the king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt’” (Deuteronomy 17:16). And yet, we see Israel disregarding God’s commands time and again. Through the prophet, Isaiah, God said, “Destruction is certain for those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their cavalry and chariots instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel......God will rise against those who are wicked, and He will crush their allies, too. For these Egyptians are mere humans, not God! Their horses are puny flesh, not mighty spirits! When the Lord clenches His fist against them, they will stumble and fall among those who are trying to help. They will all fall down and die together” (Isaiah 31:1-3). No man and no nation can ever stand against the power and the fury of the Lord. “The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31). Even though God would often allow Israel’s enemies to conquer her for a season, those enemies would eventually be judged by God, as well. The city of Tyre had built it’s defenses and in human terms, the city was impenetrable. But, no city can withstand the power of the Lord and the Lord promised Tyre’s destruction (Zechariah 9:2-4). “The Lord will rescue His people, just as a shepherd rescues His sheep” (Zech.9:16). “The pride of Assyria will be crushed, and the rule of Egypt will end. I will make my people strong in my power, and they will go wherever they wish by my authority. I, the Lord, have spoken” (10:12). “I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will blind the horses of her enemies” (12:4). “The Lord will defend the people of Jerusalem; the weakest among them will be as mighty as King David.....For my plan is to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (12:8&9). Why is it that we foolishly try to live in the weakness of our own strength? Why is it that we fail to see how strong we are when we place our confidence and our trust in the Lord instead of in ourselves? Is history not a brilliant enough teacher? Is our own experience not sufficient for us to know the truth? Why must we make the same mistakes over and over again? May the Lord give us the wisdom to totally place our confidence in Him, and not in ourselves.

Week 36 Devotions

September 3 - - Funny how pride is easier to spot in other people than it is in ourselves. How many of us have read the story of Pharoah’s stubbornness as he refused to let the Hebrew people leave Egypt and wondered what in the world he was thinking of? Why after three plagues didn’t Pharoah realize who he was dealing with? Why did Pharoah still not get it after six plagues? Or, eight? Was it really necessary that it take ten plagues before Pharoah finally figure it out? Does pride really blind us that much? Even though he didn’t realize it, King Nebuchadnezzar had been used by God to bring down punishment upon the people of Judah. The same had been true of the king of Assyria when he conquered the kingdom of Israel. “Assyria will enslave my people, who are a godless nation. It will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath it’s feet. But the king of Assyria will not know that it is I who sent him. He will merely think he is attacking my people as part of his plan to conquer the world” (Isaiah 10:6&7). We need to remember that, “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; He turns it wherever He pleases” (Proverbs 21:1). Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and Daniel interprets the dream for the king. Daniel warns the king that God will soon take his kingdom away from him and he will live like a cow for seven years (Daniel 4:10-17). Daniel pleads with the king to turn from his pride so he would not be judged (4:19-27). God gave Nebuchadnezzar a full year to humble himself, but the king still took pride in all that he had done (4:28-30). So, God fulfilled His promise and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from his throne. Why did it take Nebuchadnezzar even two years to realize how foolish he had been? Why didn’t he realize his foolishness after four years? Why in the world would it take him seven years to come to his senses? Nevertheless, the king’s sanity returned when he finally “looked up to heaven” (4:34). It took seven whole years of living like a cow before Nebuchadnezzar finally realized that God “is able to humble those who are proud” (4:37). And yet, while we shake our heads at the king’s pride, how many times does God shake His head at us wondering why we don’t learn from the examples of others or even from our own personal experiences? Why is it we insist that we know better than God and stubbornly refuse to turn in complete obedience to Him? How true it is that, “pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), regardless of who we are. Pride really isn’t restricted to royalty, is it? September 6 - - Water is one of the absolute staples of life. Plant life needs water to grow. Most animals, including humans, are largely comprised of water and need constant nourishment and refresh-men from water to continue living. It is no accident that Jesus calls himself, “living water” (John 4:10). Jesus “created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make (I Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16&17; Hebrews 1:2). Life itself was in him” (John 1:3&4). Jesus is the “author of life” (Acts 3:15) and he “came to bring us life” (John 10:10). While it is true that Jesus created every physical thing that exists, it is also true that until human beings really know Jesus they are only existing. They are not living. We see this analogy of water giving life in both the Old Testament before Jesus Christ was born and again, after Jesus ascended into heaven (Revelation 7:17). The Dead Sea has nothing living in or around it because the water contains so much salt. But, through the prophet, Ezekiel, God pointed to that day in the future when trees would grow along both sides of the Jordan River running to the Dead Sea (Ezekiel 47:6-9). Fish would live in the river and everything that touches the river would also live. In fact, this living water would also heal the waters of the Dead Sea and fishermen would fill their nets there as surely as they did from the Sea of Galilee (47:10-12). If you’ve seen the Dead Sea, that hardly seems possible. Even now, the size of the Dead Sea continues to shrink because of the abundant amount of salt in it’s waters. But, nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). God will bring life where God chooses to bring life. He will heal that which is sick or broken. The picture of God bringing life to the Dead Sea is both a prophecy of future events, but also a promise of present healing. There are times in each of our lives when we feel spiritually dead. There are seasons when hope is not even a mirage we think we can see. God simply wants us to know that He not only has the power to bring life where He wishes and to whom He wishes, but He also has the desire to do both. The “author of life” is faithful. He knows our needs. He knows our sorrows. He knows our weaknesses. And he will never fail us (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20; I Peter 5:7). Never!

Week 35 Devotions

August 27 - - “Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume His enemies......It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26&27, 31). The apostle Paul tells us that God allows us to keep on living in our foolish disobedience if that is what we choose. “God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired” (Romans 1:24). “God abandoned them to their shameful desires” (1:26). “When they refused to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done” (1:28). God is wise enough to know that forcing us to follow Him is not really a relationship at all. A relationship exists when two people feel a mutual connection and commitment to one another, and not when one does while the other doesn’t. Jerusalem’s destruction was not simply a result of God’s fury and anger. The leaders of the Hebrew nation, “deprived people of their God-given rights in defiance of the Most High. They perverted justice in the courts. Do they think the Lord didn’t see it?” (Lamentations 3:34-36). A lot of the burden of what happened to Jerusalem fell on the shoulders of Israel’s leaders. “Your ‘prophets’ have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not try to hold you back from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false pictures, filling you with false hope” (2:14). The fact is, “the unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day.....The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him” (3:22-25). When we know from the lessons of the past and from our own personal experience that God is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him, and when we know from the lessons of the past and from our own personal experience that God is angry with those who refuse to acknowledge their sin, why would we even think about remaining in our sins? August 30 - - “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness. We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way” (James 3:1&2). Teaching is a respected and honored profession. Those who teach have a powerful influence on those whom they teach. This responsibility should not be taken lightly; whether it’s in the church, school, home, work, or wherever. Many were the times when the problems of Israel could be traced to her problematic teachers or shepherds. Ezekiel was commanded to give the shepherds of Israel this message: “Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks” (Ezekiel 34:2). God’s shepherds were concerned only for themselves and neglecting their flocks. “So, my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd” (34:5). “You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve....”, therefore, “I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, along with their right to feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey” (34:9&10). God promised to one day send a Good Shepherd (34:11-24). Through this Good Shepherd, God would wash His people’s sins away. “I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command” (36:26&27). This Good Shepherd would place the desire within God’s people to want to follow God; not because they had to, but because of their love for Him, they wanted to (II Corinthians 5:14). It would be this Chief Shepherd’s sacrifice and example that would guide God’s new shepherds in leading and shepherding God’s flock (I Peter 5:1-4). How blessed we are to know Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. With the new heart he gives us (II Cor.5:17), may we teach and lead those around us in a way that pleases God.

Week 34 Devotions

August 20 - - Our God is a just and a fair God (Psalm 7:11;11:7; 33:5). He has all the facts before Him. He knows what we think. He knows what we will say before we say it (Psalm 139:1-4). And because of His knowledge, God does not make mistakes when it comes to His judgment. He is always right and He is always just. When God said that He would “punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations” (Exodus 20:5), He was not suggesting that one person will receive the penalty for another person’s sin. He was reminding us that some people will end up suffering the consequences of other people’s actions, sometimes for three and four generations. This is further defined for us in Ezekiel 18. “All people are mine to judge - - both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: ‘The person who sins will be the one who dies’” (vs.4). “The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins” (vs.20). God does not take delight in seeing anyone perish (vs.23; II Peter 3:9; I Timothy 2:4). His desire is that everyone turn from their wickedness and follow Him. If a father loves God and obeys God, but has a son who does all kinds of evil, the son will perish because of his own sins and not because of anything the father has done wrong. The son will have no one to blame but himself. Likewise, the father will not be punished for his son’s sins (vss.5-13). On the other hand, if a son sees the wickedness of his father and determines not to follow in his father’s footsteps, he will live because he has done the right thing when he follows God (vss.14-18). “The one who sins is the one who dies. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own goodness, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. And if wicked people turn from all their sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done” (vss.20-22). The bottom line is this: it does us absolutely no good to try and point the finger of blame for something we have done or for the way we have lived, at anyone else. The One who knows everything cannot be fooled by our lies. The sooner we accept responsibility for our actions, the quicker we can overcome them and change. August 23 - - God works through the lives of unbelievers, as well as believers. He also uses unbelieving rulers, as well as believing rulers; and pagan nations, as well as godly nations to accomplish His purposes. “From one man God created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand which should rise and fall, and He determined their boundaries” (Acts 17:26). The Babylonian nation was a world power for a long time. One of Babylon’s greatest kings was Nebuchadnezzar. When Nebuchadnezzar conquered a nation, he allowed it’s people to retain their gods and idols. Since none of these gods were real, they were no threat to Nebuchadnezzar or to Babylon. But, when God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah, the king soon discovered that Jehovah was not just a wooden idol. Nebuchadnezzar found out first hand the power of God. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, he looked for anyone who could not only interpret the dream, but someone who could actually tell him what his dream had been. Only Daniel was able to do this, and he gave credit for his ability to God (Daniel 2:17-23). When Nebuchadnezzar built a ninety foot golden statute and demanded that everyone bow down and worship it, three Hebrew men refused to do so. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace and came out alive without even so much as a single hair singed from the heat, the king once again saw the power of God and gave praise to God (Daniel 3:19-30). But, the lessons the Babylonian king learned were soon forgotten. Pride is a spiritual cancer and when Nebuchadnezzar gloated on all he had done and all he had accumulated, God taught him a valuable lesson. For seven years, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to live like an animal, having “the mind of an animal instead of a human” (4:16). Only when he turned to God did Nebuchadnezzar regain his sanity (4:34). “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All His acts are just and true, and He is able to humble those who are proud” (4:37). What is true of individuals is also true of nations. Those nations which ignored God and afflicted God’s people were eventually punished and humbled by God. Even Judah was spared from God’s judgment for a long time. But, whether it be Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, or even Judah and Israel, God’s mercy will eventually give way to God’s justice. Nations, like individual people, who pat themselves on their own back for the prosperity and power they have accumulated, will eventually find themselves living in the cesspool of their sins and their pride (Luke 15:11-19).