Category: Devotions

Embarrassed?

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Have you ever been embarrassed to talk about Jesus? Have you ever felt funny about including Bible verses in regular conversation? Let’s now take this up a notch . . . Have you ever felt weird about including Jesus or His words in a get-together with another Christian? I have been in all three situations.

The world in general is largely opposed to Jesus Christ but comfortable with religion. The culture may even accept the idea of the Bible’s existence, but the world certainly deems it odd to ponder the Bible’s contents over coffee. And what about the church in general? Even among Christians, conversation and activity often swells around topics of little eternal significance. A person can find himself frowned upon for making Jesus or the Word of God a central part of thought and interaction. This should not be, my friends. But so it is.

Our own sin in this area should sicken us. Here is the straightforward deal spoken by Jesus Himself, “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in an adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38, ESV). This truth is both hard-hitting and not difficult to comprehend. If we are ashamed of Him and His Bible, He will be ashamed of us. But, take notice of the details. Jesus makes no excuses for our embarrassment just because the world is “so wicked.” He tells us we are not to be ashamed even in the midst of sinfulness and adultery. The adultery He seems to speak of here is people’s spiritual unfaithfulness to their Creator. The unsaved world is very sinful, and the church is often unfaithful. Still, the lover of Jesus is to proudly speak of Him and His Word. We are to allow no hostile situation or the lukewarm attitudes of friends or family stop us from centering our thoughts, words, and actions on the Person of Jesus Christ and the Bible.

If we choose to continue in the sin of being ashamed as we walk this difficult path in a sinful world, then Jesus will be ashamed of us in the light of His glory – surrounded by angels. Yes, I am called to stand firm and love Him and promote Him as my very life – no matter what. If some Christians think I am crazy for obsessing over Jesus and His Word, so be it. If unbelievers become malicious in word or deed, so be it. One day – if we remain faithful – our Jesus will be proud to call us His own when everything is finally made right. Stand up for Him and His words in a harsh and evil world, and He will stand up for you in a new and glorious world! The other option . . . well, I don’t even want to think about that.

The Verse AFTER the Favorite Verse

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As if Bible verses had sensitivity, I feel badly for Romans 8:29. It must be one of the most underrated Scriptures in the Bible. I am sure other verses are quoted just as infrequently, but Romans 8:29 happens to follow one of the most often recited verses. And so, for the next sentence to be commonly overlooked is both odd and unfortunate. Perhaps the less popular nature of Romans 8:29 in comparison to the preceding verse speaks to our human tendency to cling to what seems to make us feel good, rather than to what is true but difficult for a season. All Scripture should be read and taught in context, and this is also true of Romans 8:28.

Hear the resounding words of God spoken by Paul, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV). This truth is real comfort to us, as it ought to be. Omnipotent God is able to force each circumstance of a Christian’s life to conform to an unbelievable standard: our good. With God, nothing is wasted or given over to evil in the Christian’s life. Though the stream of circumstantial working may flow here and there – around mountains and in unexpected ways – each twist and turn takes the path that empties all the waters of life into the ocean of good. When God speaks of our good here in Romans 8:28, the Greek root means “useful, pleasant, excellent, upright, and joyful.” Everything I face will work towards a pleasant and excellent outcome. The question is, just exactly what is that outcome?

Enter the much overlooked Romans 8:29. Here, we find the answer to what genuinely brings joy. We discover precisely the target for which God aims when He carefully instructs each event to do its work for our good. What is the bull’s-eye on which God sets His sights? There is no doubt; the target is my conformity to the likeness of Jesus. Listen to the Word of God: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29, NIV).

If I go through the Christian life quoting Romans 8:28, but wrongly believe that “my good” can be defined any way I choose; I will be gravely disappointed. But, if I apprehend God’s right goal in this miraculous working together of all conditions of my life, I will be both free and satisfied. God’s good for my life is not so small as my wealth, prestige, and health. God’s good is my likeness to Jesus! This makes logical sense, for Jesus is the sinless Son of God. It is sin which delivers pain, heartache, disappointment, and death. We long for Heaven because sin cannot abide there – only our God and His glory. We long for that sinless residence, knowing its eternal status is joy and excellence! (Recall this is the essence of the Greek root for “good” in Romans 8:28.) Similarly, we ought to aspire to be like Jesus! It is God’s “good goal” for us. As more and more of His people conform to the image of Jesus, we will sense what is truly upright and pleasant while we await our conclusive good – Heaven.

When the situations of your Christian life do not seem to fulfill wrong assumptions about Romans 8:28, quote boldly the next verse. Know that God allows pain, discomfort, and factors we cannot understand – all in the process of making us more like Jesus. God’s bull’s-eye is so much greater than temporal comfort. God’s target is the glory of Jesus in my life.

When the Walls Come Crumbling Down

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Speaking about the enemies of God, Isaiah writes, “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust” (25:12, ESV). These words strike me as I read them, for how can “unassailable” fortifications be assailed? By God! His strength supersedes the combined forces of evil. No enemy of His stands a chance when God decides to bring vengeance and deliver HIs own people from tyranny and affliction.

Isaiah is writing prophetically during a time when godless Assyria is threatening Israel and Judah. Isaiah lived long enough to see the northern kingdom of Israel conquered by Assyria and taken captive. Isaiah continued to plead with Judah concerning their sin, knowing they, too, would suffer the same consequence if no change took place. Nonetheless, God prompted Isaiah to speak forth the ultimate victory of the Lord and His remnant of followers. Assured God would one day destroy Assyria and Babylon – and bring His people back to their land – Isaiah proclaims that God’s enemies who have carefully built high strongholds would eventually come to ruin. Though they invested strength and wealth in their own protection, it would not prove to be enough when God Almighty steps into the action of His wrath.

Typical of Isaiah’s style, he projects past the immediate future to the glorious hope we shall all witness at the close of history. Our God will utterly destroy every enemy. That which we struggled against so long – all the heinous work of the devil and his minions – will crumble before our eyes. As a very high wall tumbles and breaks into particles of dust, so will everyone and everything that held its veritable fist to the face of God and His children. No longer will sin’s cruel outcomes be unassailable. Not high enough to avoid God’s “bringing down” are the walls of injustice and evil. Back to the granules from which the strong walls were fashioned, they will return. Though evil men and hideous Satan work assiduously to build their bastions of sinister deeds, none shall stand a chance when the Maker of earth turns all this disgusting work back to dust. God will bring down evil and pulverize its effects to powder, so that His New Heaven and Earth stand rightly – springing forth at the end of time. And we, His people, shall tread this new land, trampling the bits and pieces of the evil that used to be.

What once loomed high and threatened our undoing will effectively be undone. We get glimpses of that ultimate victory each time the gracious Lord defeats sin’s destructive power in our lives. In every single instance of God’s divine protection from harm or demise, we peer into the mysterious realm of the grand future yet to be revealed. He is with us now, though many of the “unassailable” citadels yet stand. Just remember, “unassailable” is a relative term to God when it comes to the evil we battle. He turns things inside out. The high fortifications will be brought low – even to the dust. Our God wins.

So, when you look up and see that incredible wall that threatens your well-being and your future, say with Isaiah to the enemy, “The unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust”!

Plunging Up Through a Mound of Dirt

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The kingdom of God is both unstoppable and mysterious. Jesus likened it to seeds scattered on the ground that slowly, methodically, and automatically grow.

Have you ever actually watched a plant grow (without the benefit of time lapse photography)? We could sit with eyes fixed steadily upon the seed for hours, days, and weeks to observe any progress – and still our human eyes could not catch the “movement.” Rather, we plant a seed and go about our days. We do what we can to water and fertilize, but the earth itself does the work. God has programmed this planet to make plants grow; and the Lord consistently sustains all the energy, processes, and products necessary for the curious work of cultivation and harvest.

We humans plant a seed and do exactly as Jesus said, “[We] sleep and rise night and day.” (Mark 4:27, ESV) In other words, we persevere through the stuff of life. We lay our heads down on the pillow at night and arise to a new day. We live out that day, and the next, and the next . . . all the while “the seed sprouts and grows,” though we “know not how.” (Mark 4:27, ESV)

This parable of the growing seed is a comforting one to us. God is at work behind the scenes, even as we continue on through the regularity of life! His kingdom is growing, even if the naked eye cannot grasp its movement. The seed we faithfully planted is sprouting and getting larger, even if we go on sleeping and rising.

Be faithful to spread the Word of God. Be faithful to plant the news of Jesus wherever God has asked. Though your days may seem ordinary, God is growing the seed. How He actually works in a human heart is as incomprehensible as the earth’s toiling with a little seed. Against the force of gravity and plunging up through a mound of dirt comes the sprout. So comes the beginning of God’s kingdom in a human heart once the seed of Truth is planted. Through seasons of sun, rain, cold, and heat grows the plant until the fruit appears. Likewise, the fruit of our investment in the proclamation of the Gospel arises despite obstacles and discouragement. Count on God to grow the kingdom as you plant the seed. Sleep at night knowing He is on the move. Wake in the morning assured growth is taking place. Scatter seed and let God work.

As Jesus promised, one day “when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:29, ESV) The final gathering of all that’s been planted and grown will take place and bring to light that which developed in such an unfathomable way. Suddenly, we shall realize just how majestic and impenetrable is this kingdom of God. The mysterious working of God in souls we touched with his Word will shine forth.

Keep scattering seed. Continue letting God work – faithfully and in an often unseen manner – as we go about our days in obedience.

Which Fire?

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Let’s focus on two instances in the Bible where God speaks to us about a “fiery furnace.” Though both situations are ominous, they are infinitely different. One leads to a closer relationship with Jesus, and one leads to eternal damnation. A night and day difference is clear. The question is: of which fire will you be a part?

At one point in his book, Erasing Hell, Francis Chan contemplates the day-to-day implications of the reality of Hell. After discussing the conflict he undergoes while considering the destinies of passers-by, Mr. Chan explains about Hell,

    This is not just about doctrine; it’s about destinies. And if you’re reading this book and wrestling with what the Bible says about hell, you cannot let this be a mere academic exercise. You must let Jesus’ very real teaching on hell sober you up. You must let Jesus’ words reconfigure the way you live, the way you talk, and the way you see the world and the people around you. (p. 72)

Obviously, Francis Chan believes (as I do) that our Bible teaches a non-negotiable reality of a just God – Hell. Jesus once told the “Parable of the Weeds” to crowds of listeners. Later, the Lord took his disciples aside and explained the parable. Jesus made clear that the sower of the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, and the good seed represents true Christians. The weeds, however, are the sons of the devil. When the close of this world occurs, angels will gather in the “harvest.” Jesus soberly proclaimed in Matthew 13:40-42 (ESV), “Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Certainly, God is communicating through His Word a truth many would rather ignore. Nonetheless, it is apparent throughout Scripture that evildoers (without the redemption that comes through Jesus Christ) will be going to a place of misery. In the New Testament, we find Hell described as a place of fire, darkness, weeping, and unimaginable regret. In Matthew 25:41 (ESV), Jesus describes hell as a place of “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” In this context, Jesus explains that unrighteous people will go to this place of punishment; though it was originally designed as the final abode of the most wicked one.

Okay, so very sadly we discover that there is a fiery furnace to be endured by those who reject God’s salvation through Jesus and continue on in their sinfulness. This fiery furnace is one where pain is felt to a degree currently unknown to us. Crystal clear is the fact that this fire is one of which we do not want to be a part. We are given no hope in Scripture of assistance or comfort there.

Travel back to the Old Testament book of Daniel. Three young men – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – refuse to give in to the wicked decree of King Nebuchadnezzar, demanding that all people bow down to a golden idol he had built. These men decided to remain faithful to the one, true God. Knowing the punishment for disobedience was to be thrown into a fiery furnace; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego obeyed God still. Furious at their refusal to do his bidding, Nebuchadnezzar had the furnace overheated so that the flame of the fire killed even the men who took Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the furnace! Even so, the righteous young men were bound and thrown in.

Contrast what happens next to the description of Hell we have discussed already. In astonishment, King Nebuchadnezzar quickly rose and observed what was happening in the fire. In Daniel 3:24-25 (ESV) we read, “[King Nebuchadnezzar] declared to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ He answered and said, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.'” Later, in verse 27 we discover, “The fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.”

Unbelievable! THIS fire did no harm to the lovers of the true God. In fact, Jesus Himself appeared in the fire with them! This was a furnace of testing – meant to refine and draw men closer to God – not to destroy them. We note particularly that the fire had no effect on their physical bodies, so that not a hair was singed, nor did even a faint smell of smoke arise. In this furnace, God is with us. This fire is not OUR end or THE end; it is part of the process of learning to trust Him. We come out of this one unharmed . . . and more confident in our God!

Of which fire do you want to be a part? The one of punishment and separation from God? Or the one of testing and drawing nearer to God? One continues on in hopelessness and suffering untold. The other is one in which Jesus walks with us and protects us. We come out to a glorious end! I think this fire is the one of which the prophet Isaiah spoke in 43:2-3 (NIV), “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

If you choose the fire of testing and drawing nearer to God, you must choose Jesus. He is the only one who can cover your sin, because He took the payment for your wickedness at Calvary. Call on Him, and He will surely deliver you from Hell, and walk with you through the temporary, testing fires of this life.

Reference: Francis Chan, Erasing Hell (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2011)

The Paradox of Life

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Even if you appear to be “losing” according to the standards of culture, you may – in fact – be gaining everything. If you sacrifice your time, your passion, your money, and your reputation for the sake of Jesus; you will be given back more than you can ever imagine.

It is the paradox of all paradoxes. This life inversion is one the world cannot wrap its collective mind around. Working contrary to everything this world system understands, the biblical principle of “losing to save” truly turns things upside down for the faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Although the general world philosophy under an antichrist mindset instructs us to do all we can for ourselves – looking out for the health and well-being of number one – God makes clear it is only in sacrificing me to His will that I gain anything at all. No wonder Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest and pantheistic “inner divinity” take root so easily. All of Hell stands against the truth of God, and Jesus Himself proclaimed how narrow and difficult is the way of truth and life (Matthew 7:13-14).

But Hell shall not triumph! God’s truth – of which the ultimate end has not yet been seen – will prevail. This is what God has spoken in two contexts in one Gospel. First, Luke 9:24 (NASB): “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” The Greek root for “save” has a rich meaning, including: keep safe and sound, rescue from danger, restore to health, and preserve from destruction. The root for “lose” is shamelessly direct: destroy, abolish, kill, render useless, perish, and be lost. Okay, so whoever seeks to preserve his own life for any reason at all will ultimately lose his life. Work, scrape, continue on in your futile attempt to preserve your life from destruction; but your end is determined. Building up a large reserve of cash, visiting the gym five days a week, stockpiling for nuclear disaster, accumulating a list of good deeds done, and sheer self-will cannot preserve your life. In the end, all will be lost.

Paradoxically, if we lose our life for one particular reason – for the sake of Jesus – we will save it! Right! If I abolish my own life for the cause of Christ, I save my life. Remember that “save” here is a wonderful and all-encompassing word. My life will be rescued from danger, I will be restored to wholeness and health, I will see no destruction come upon me, and I will be safe and sound! Amen! The fullness of the promise is not realized in a world awaiting full redemption, but this salvation will be completely released on me one glorious day!

The woman who loses her life for Christ is the one who yields her time and affection to her Savior. Perhaps she is the one willing to choose investment in proclamation of the Gospel over investment in things that glitter. Maybe she is the one taking time to love the forgotten instead of seeking ways to be admired. She chooses to pray instead of indulge, for Jesus bids her come. The man who allows his life to be lost for Jesus’ sake is the one who dedicates His strength to things eternal. He does not grasp what he has with a tight fist, but He gives of himself that others might really know God’s love through him. He values the Word of God more than the musings of man or the entertainment of the world.

We see Jesus’ second declaration of the greatest paradox in Luke 17:33 (NASB). The context here is the end of this age; Jesus is clearly speaking of the future and His return. He now says in a most straightforward manner, “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Here the selfish word is “keep,” and it can mean “make to remain for oneself” or “get for one’s self; purchase.” In other words, the person who is clutching to all he can for selfish gain will find himself with nothing in the end – not even peace at death. However, the one who loses her life for Jesus will preserve it! The Greek for “preserve” is glorious . . . “to bring forth alive, to give life.” Not even death can stop the power of God in the life of a person who has yielded his being, his possessions, his time – his everything – to Jesus. God will bring that person forth in vibrant, perfected life one day!

In mathematics, we call a function that “undoes” a given function an inverse function. The inverse literally produces the opposite effect of the original. The graphs of inverse functions are mirror images of one another about an axis. Picture this: giving your life away to Jesus will literally be “undone” by God. What you gave will be gained! What you lost will be found! If you are discouraged because all you now see is the loss you suffer for the cause of Christ, picture on the other side of the “axis” a point exactly opposite of where you are. Pain becomes joy. Loss of time becomes gain of eternity. Ridicule becomes honor. Poverty becomes riches. Weariness becomes strength. Clearly – oh, so clearly – he who loses will find!

Regular Miracles

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“Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.” – Leviticus 25:18-21 (ESV)

God clearly directed His people to acknowledge Him as the Provider and to allow the land to rest every seventh year. Though an agricultural people – depending on the field and the vine for sustenance – the Israelites were to cease from sowing and pruning every seven years (Leviticus 25:1-5). The continual cycle of six years of work followed by one year of rest demonstrated at the most basic level of life that God’s will is the number one priority.

Knowing some of the Israelites would ask the same question I would ask, God preempts their doubt with this stunning statement, “And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives” (Leviticus 25:20-22, ESV). Yes, God knew many of His people would question the practicality of the plan. How would they have enough to eat if no planting or harvesting happens for an entire twelve months? (Remember, the Israelites had no Wal-Mart!) The resounding answer comes back, “God is both the Giver of the harvest and the Grower of the crops.”

Living for the Lord is not for the faint of heart – for those who do not grasp God’s sovereignty over the very essence of reality. Psalm 24:1 (ESV) comes to mind, “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” If we believe this basic premise of God’s rightful ownership of all creation, the corollary follows that He can, therefore, dictate creation’s path. In other words, the Lord is fully able to require the land to yield three years of crop for one year of planting. He made the earth, and He sustains it. The land must follow the voice of God.

The question becomes, “Why?” Why would God require the land to yield a supernatural crop in the sixth year? Why would He faithfully provide sustenance during a season when no sowing occurred? This continual, rhythmic cycle of provision for the seventh year took place because of the continual, rhythmic obedience of those who love God. Leviticus 25:18 (ESV) makes clear, “Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely.”

God reveals to us a right and productive way to operate. He knows “the land” best. He knows our lives best. He understands the way things ought to function. Moreover, He has the power to interject regular miracles into the flow of life. With obedience comes the consistent provision of God. As we trust the Lord enough to obey Him – even when it does not appear to make sense – God persistently offers His miraculous intervention in the daily stuff of our lives. To the Israelites, food and drink were basic and necessary (as they are with us!) The Lord consistently provided – even in the seventh year following a season without planting. The rational man without belief in God cannot see how this would naturally happen. However, the man of faith and rationality who trusts in God can see this as a reaction of God to His child’s obedience. God moves heaven and earth for His people!

We may not always realize this rather rhythmic provision, but the Lord is giving us breath, food, love, sanity, and hope. Even in the Old Testament, God promises consistent miracles with consistent obedience. Can you imagine His provision fully realized in Jesus Christ? I am given opportunity to be God’s child through Jesus, and I am given the strength to obey by His Spirit. Let us seek to regularly obey and regularly watch God work supernaturally!

The Cup and this Pitiful Creature

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After sharing the Passover meal, Jesus instituted with His disciples the Lord’s Supper. Toward the end of that event – after sharing the cup – Jesus proclaimed, “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29, ESV). The following poem is based on that profound and comforting statement of Jesus Christ.

Your promise to them
Is Your promise to me;
We will dine together
When my sorrow does flee.

Though burdened so greatly
With the task just ahead,
You demonstrated by simple cup
I have nothing to dread.

The fruit of the vine
You drank on that day
Is a weighty reminder –
God gets His way.

For though you would leave
Soon after the cup,
You said you’d come back
As I keep looking up.

And Your loving heart realized
What I needed to know:
This special communion
Would not end, but grow.

So as you started down
Your dark road to Calvary,
You spoke words I treasure
In the deepest part of me:

“I won’t drink again
Of this fruit of the vine
Until the day we sup together
And your hand is in mine.”

Jesus, how I love you
For saving the purest wine
For the day without suffering
When together we dine.

In the Father’s kingdom
So exceeding mortal comprehension,
We will talk and share together
When of sin there is no mention.

Surely we will have joy and life
And eating and friendship beyond the veil,
For your promises are true
And your plan can never fail.

The banquet of the Messiah;
How I long for that day!
When I will get to hug you
For the life you gave away.

Why are you waiting
To drink again the cup with me?
Oh, how special to you, Jesus,
This pitiful creature must be!

The Operative Word

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Christian, do you pray as much as you should? Are there situations left untouched and quandaries floating about because you refuse to pray as God desires? Prayer is necessary. God works mightily through prayer. For the child of God, prayer is not an option or a task resorted to when things look bleak. Prayer is powerful, delivering answers derived in a world currently unseen to us.

Luke, the disciple, was a physician in his day. He clearly understood, however, that health of spirit, emotion, and body comes ultimately through God. In Luke 18:1 (NASB), he instructs, “Now [Jesus] was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” Luke reminds us that God is unequivocal in His demand that we pray. In a culture of “quick fixes,” shallow relationships, and mitigated perseverance; God desires that we press into His heart by prayer. How does that sit with you? Does your heart respond, “Yes! I know the experience and wonder of pouring myself into prayer!” Or, does your heart answer, “No. I am not there. My prayer life is quite flat, and I realize my need to heed the call.”

The apostle James proclaims in James 5:16 (NASB), “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” The Greek root here behind the words effective and accomplish is a word that means “to be operative.” It is the same Greek root behind the word works in this glorious verse, “Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11, NASB). Imagine, the power of God working in our prayer life is related to the power of God working everything in the universe for His purpose! When we truly pour ourselves into seeking and petitioning our Lord, God operates on our behalf. He accomplishes things. No longer dormant lie the possibilities. Prayer is the “operative word”!

Unique about prayer is the inherent relationship between the physical and spiritual realms. When I speak to God with my voice (using the physical body and brain He has given me), I am functioning in the spiritual realm with God. He, in turn, may produce results back in the physical world. It is the intersection of Heaven and Earth, if you will. Prayer is the place where we are instructed to lay hold of heavenly things and blessed to see outcomes of both a spiritual and material nature.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prayed to God in Heaven, and God answered by protecting their physical bodies from seemingly inevitable consumption by fire. Prayer wrought tangible results. Of course! This is God’s will – that His children pray! Do you set aside with marked intention minutes and hours of your days for intense seeking of your God? Is your heart rising to Him on a regular, deliberate, and serious basis? Is He hearing you petitions? There is not shortcut to the effects only prayer can bring. It is God’s will. We must pray.

What if the Sun Went Dark?

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We count on the rising of the sun. We take for granted that the moon will shine at night. We expect the stars to stay in place, twinkling through the darkness. Though humans may never ponder exactly why we hold these assumptions, the clear answer is the created order of our God. The Creator “gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night . . . the LORD of hosts is his name” (Jeremiah 31:35, ESV). Yes, He is the Lord of hosts! He is the Master of that which goes forth, including angelic beings and heavenly bodies.

Precisely because the order of the heavens is so regular and very much taken for granted, the words of Matthew 24:29 (ESV) ring forebodingly in our ears, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Imagine it. Whether we take these words of Jesus literally, figuratively, or as a combination of the two, Christ means for us to know that He is going to shake things up in a way as never before. The natural ordinances on which we had depended will suddenly evaporate, as God Almighty displays His power for judgment, accountability, and newness. The Boss of the sun and stars will demand the heavenly bodies change their course and usher in a cataclysmic shift to a new order. As radically as Jesus Christ can make a person’s spirit new by the power of His blood, so will he radically recreate the cosmos.

Make no mistake about it; the beginning of the miraculous change is marked by fundamental, unexpected feats and by a judgment that will shock unbelievers at their core. Matthew 24:30 (ESV) goes on to instruct, “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Notice the word “mourn.” People from every part of the earth will wail as they realize – once and for all – that Jesus changes everything. Sadly, unbelievers will then know that God will be recognized for who He is, whether willingly in the present, or by mandate in the future. All the world will ultimately realize what believers now know – Jesus is in charge!

On that day, the clouds of heaven will not float peacefully against a blue sky. Rather, the clouds will escort the very Son of Man to the earth He has created. With power and glory untold, Jesus will begin the necessary task of judging wrong and rewarding right. He will return to do what He has promised – deliver His people from a twisted existence to enjoy Him forever.

Are you ready for the essential, inexplicable change about to occur in the heavens? When you see Jesus, will you grieve because you have not responded to His forgiveness, or will you rejoice in that power and great glory which will materialize just as He promised?

The shakeup is coming. The next time you stand in the light of that old sun, or dream upon a star, or delight in the moon’s glow; think about the words of Jesus Christ. He means what He says.

Do My Eyes Deceive Me?

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“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.” – Proverbs 16:2, ESV

Dependence on God goes far deeper than trusting Him for physical sustenance. Dependence on God is continual and necessary at the level of the unseen motives of the heart. We mortals are inclined to think we are doing right when, in fact, we may be wrongly motivated. Made in the image of God, but seriously falling short of His glory (Romans 6:23), humans depend on God to weigh the spirit within.

Our eyes can be funny things. They can deceive us into thinking that a particular selection is good simply because of its “appropriate” appearance. Recall the Lord instructing Samuel when the priest was tempted to choose the strongest looking brother in David’s family, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7, ESV). Recall Eve in the Garden of Eden on the brink of rebelling against God, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, . . . she took of its fruit and ate, . . .” (Genesis 3:6, ESV). In both historical accounts, a person’s eyes saw something that the heart interpreted as good. However, what was seen needed to be filtered by the Lord. Whether the man looked tall and strong or the fruit looked delightful was not the real issue. The vital component was the Lord’s view of the choices. As Proverbs 16:2 proclaims, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.”

Recently I had to reject some options that mere eyes may view as good and prosperous. However, God made clear to me that what “looked right” was not His will. For many years, I have prayed for God to weigh the motivations of my heart. I have asked Him to never let me be led astray – even sincerely so. Though we fail Him, He will be faithful to show us the “measurement” of our spirit after He carefully weighs our motivations. At that moment, we must make a critical decision to abide by God’s assessment rather than what at first appears pure to our eyes.

Please take time today to pray this Proverb. We ought to request that God weigh our spirit and show us the truth beyond what the eyes observe at first glance. Quite purposefully, God’s admonition to check our heart before responding with our eyes is followed directly by a favorite verse of many Christians, “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3, ESV). The first step in committing any plan to the LORD is to be sure it is His plan. What our physical or emotional eyes may see notwithstanding, it is God’s will that matters. He establishes our plans when we trust Him above our own – often failing – instinct. We are not animals living solely by our inclinations, we are God’s image-bearers, living by His direction, for which we plead each step of the way.

Dear Lord, please get out the scale and weigh my spirit!

Leaving Space

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“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.” – Leviticus 19:9-10 (ESV)

Leave a margin. Do not hold on with a tight fist to every last bit of resource. Strive to give room for the needs of others. Do not depend on every last minute of time or ounce of strength just to make it through the day. God would have us live in such a way that others can glean from the surplus of our lives.

Even in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, we see clearly the heart of God. The biblical principle behind this command given to an agricultural people 3,500 years ago is timeless. The Lord made clear that when His people harvested their own crops, they were to leave the edges or the corners for the poor and the sojourners. In other words, His people should insure that a margin of their intake was available to those who needed food due to poverty or lack of residency. One implication is clear: the Israelite family should be able to live on the main portion of the harvest, without having to cling to the edges of it.

Similarly, our God’s desire is that we thrive beneath our means if possible – on less than we need financially, physically, emotionally, and in regards to time. When we are able to function on just a portion of the harvest, we are joyfully able to contribute to the well-being of others. In all societies, poor people and sojourners will exist; God wants His people to be part of the provision for them. In the same way, people deficient in hope and those wandering in emotional deserts exist with us always. God’s will is that His people are living in such a way as that we can give to them.

The question becomes, “Have I stripped my vineyard bare?” Is there currently no room in my life to give to the spiritual, emotional, or physical needs of others? Have I given in to the cultural lie that grabbing everything I possibly can for myself is a critical element in the pursuit of “happiness”? Perhaps we do not need to be involved in every activity or have all the latest gadgets. Perhaps we should leave grapes in our vineyard for others. Do I have strength to concentrate and hear the hurts of others? Do I have the emotional resources to stretch beyond my own needs? Do I have money with which to bless someone for whom a blessing will demonstrate the love of Christ?

Crystal clear is the reason behind God’s directive of margin: “I am the LORD your God.” Let us make absolutely sure we understand this precept – God is the only reason I have anything. Providing a portion of my crop for others reminds me that whatever I possess comes from God through grace. The book of Exodus precedes Leviticus, and God proclaimed in Exodus 6:8 (ESV), “I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.” Here we realize that our possessions are really God’s possessions, granted to us by an all-powerful God of grace. When I share of my joy, my physical presence, my wisdom, or my money, I am only sharing what ultimately belongs to God. He kindly allows us to manage these belongings for the glory of His name and the growth of His kingdom. When I have “room to give,” God is exalted and I am blessed because I am following His design for life.

Inherent also in God’s directive for margin is the recognition – even under the Old Testament law – that people will be needy in a world currently operating in anticipation of God’s future redemption of all things. This cosmos simply is not right. At times, we will harvest a crop, and at times we will need someone’s crop shared with us. Our loving God understands this, and He is not ashamed to require His people to be givers; for that is what He is! God is the greatest Giver! When we are called to create a buffer of resources, time, and energy for others; we ought to recall the sacrifice of God. Owing to no one – and answering to not a soul – God gave His own Son for our redemption and future inheritance of all the unimaginable wonder of Heaven.

Wonderfully, we recall that Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David and ancestor of Jesus Christ, was a woman who benefitted from the margin of a good man named Boaz (Ruth 2:2-3). Imagine, Ruth is in the lineage of Jesus, and she found provision because of the righteous perimeters of another person.

God asks us to leave space so that we may help others. Since both the core and the margin of all we have come from Him, freely giving the edges makes sense.