On Guard

Lk. 12:13-15

 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

The man made what sounded like a reasonable request of Jesus. However, the request had nothing to do with Jesus' ministry or His mission which his initial response revealed, but His second reply was what Jesus was all about, revealing the true heart condition. From a human standpoint, the man was desiring his fair share, yet Jesus saw a heart full of covetousness. His words to the man were to be on guard. Watch out because covetousness is sly. It can overwhelm a person in an instant in something as simple as comparing ourselves to another person, a family member, a friend, or even an enemy. It is in the seemingly accepted patterns of life, that our guard is relaxed. When the guard is relaxed, covetousness creeps in. The principle that Jesus is teaching is that life is not in possessions even though the world says it is. It is easy to separate ourselves from the world and those who have many possessions, but when a family member or a fellow Christian has an abundance of possessions, it gets hard. Perhaps it's hard because I try and overcome in the flesh, in my own strength instead of going to Jesus for the grace that I need. Perhaps it is hard because my spiritual life is lacking so my eye wanders to other areas. For whatever reason, the remedy is the same: Be on Guard. Live a life based in spiritual truths and rewards not fleshly possessions.
 
Father,
Take my eyes off what the world has and keep them focused on You. Make me strong in a life that values You above all else.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Outside and Inside

Lk. 11:39-41

 And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

What a great temptation this still is! Certainly it is so easy to appear one way and to be another way on the inside because man is naturally duplicitous. Our pride is so great that we will unintentionally offend God to preserve our image with other people. Jesus is exposing this sin in self-righteous people, people whose lives are wrapped up in the outer appearance. But sadly, even with people who want to please God and want to live holy lives, Satan tempts in this same way. How many times do I have unholy thoughts that I share with no one? It makes me see how very strong my pride is, my desire to appear one way and hide those parts of me that are secretly sinful. No wonder James says, Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. I think it is in this confessing to others that I am exposing those sins that I normally keep hidden. Even though God should be the person I am most concerned with, confessing to Him seems to be less painful than confessing to others. Why??? Could it be because my relationship with God is not as important to me as my relationships with others? Or is it because I am assured of God's love and not so much of other's love? Or is it just sin, plain and simple?
 
Father,
Help me to be inwardly and outwardly the same. I so love You and desire to obey You. Give me Your grace and strength to do this. Convict me when I am letting sins slide or when I am not even aware of them.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Pure Words

Ps. 12:6-8

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.  You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

What are pure words? Certainly, they are words of truth with no artifice or treachery, words that are unchanging, words that a life can be built upon. Obviously, these words can not come from any human source, but must be divine, the very words of God. Their purity is like refined silver with no element of dross or impurity. Such words as these are the very substance of God's faithfulness to mankind. Not only that but His words are a guard for the souls of man from the wicked and evil forces of this world. What a treasure are these words! Surely they must be in high demand and sought after above all else, but sadly this isn't true. Even though God gave us His Son, the Logos, the living Word to reconcile us to Him, and  reached down in the greatest love imaginable, man still prefers the lying words of the world. What is the attitude of my heart toward His words? Are they my life and my joy?

Father,

Thank You for Your saving and sanctifying words. Deepen my love for Your words and my understanding of You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Good Portion

Lk. 10:38-41

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

How many times have I chosen the good portion? How many times am I so caught up in the menial tasks of this life that I have squeezed out the most important thing? Why do I do this? It is not because I don't know what the good portion is or that it is the best thing to chose. Could it be because sitting at the feet of Jesus is a relationship not just an action, and relationships take time and wholehearted involvement. They can not be accomplished with a list, a meal plan, or a detailed schedule. Sitting at His feet is being so in love with Jesus that I give up my schedule and all the things that I want to accomplish. Perhaps that is the secret, the I. The struggle is always between my I and Jesus. Martha let her I get so out of control that she became troubled and anxious. It was even too much for her to handle. All the while Mary was sitting peacefully and adoringly at the feet of Jesus. All Martha's concerns were not eternal and eventually would be of no consequence, but what Mary had was eternal. She had invested in the Jesus not Martha Stewart. How this speaks to my heart! What am I investing in? Why do I sacrifice the the meaningful for the menial?
 
Father,
Teach me to invest in You and not be consumed with this world. Refine my desires and tune them to You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Blamelessly Walking

Gen. 17:1-3

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." Then Abram fell on his face.

God desired Abraham to walk before Him continually and blamelessly. Since 'blameless' is the term used for a sacrificial animal, he would be a person without blemish. How was this possible for Abraham? The answer was faith! Abraham walked by faith and believed what God said to him. In faith, he believed that God could make him righteous and blameless just as he believed that God could give him a son and make him the father of many nations. Even though Abraham was highly favored by God, he did not respond in pride; instead he fell on his face before God. His response was one of humility and awe. 

God has made a similar covenant with me, one that is based on faith and faith alone.  I too am to walk blameless, yet this walk is not my effort but is of the Spirit and through the grace of God. The result of this walk is blessings multiplied. In Abram's situation it was a child, a child that drew him closer to God. At one point God asked for this child as an offering. Abraham did not waver, but knew that if God took the life of his son, He would provide a way to bring him back to life. Abraham did not doubt the power of his God in any circumstance of his life. For me, I must trust in a similar way. I must believe in the sovereign power of God in every detail of my life. All my circumstances are to draw me closer to Him; whether positive or negative. As I see God work in my life, am I falling on my face in humility? Do I value and even comprehend His great power to save and sanctify?

Father,

Keep my faith strong as I walk with You. Help me see You in every detail of my life and humbly receive all circumstances as blessings from Your hand.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Cost

Lk. 9:62

Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Sometimes words are easily said that result in short-lived commitments. Jesus illustrated this principle when he talked with His disciples. First, He began by telling what it would be like to follow Him because as He lived so must they live. Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Jesus was not at home in this world, not even as much as the foxes or birds. Even though this was true, he was not homeless, without anchor or purpose, but instead He was of another world. He was passing through this world with a specific purpose. He and His followers were and still are sojourners, strangers and aliens.

Jesus called some to follow Him which sounded like a simple request that would invite a response from many! But the issue was not the response but the quality of the response. Some said to Jesus, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said instead to let the dead bury their own dead; of course, this would be the spiritually dead burying the physically dead. Although this example sounded harsh and uncaring, Jesus was showing the depth of commitment that He demanded. It must supersede all other relationships and obligations.  When the believer leaves his relationships and obligations, he is to proclaim the kingdom of God. He is to invest in this kingdom with all that he does, thinks, and feels. It is all consuming! Others responded with, I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home. They realized that they must leave their homes, but they wanted to go back just for a moment to say goodbye. Perhaps we should call this the Lot's Wife Syndrome. What are the  results of this thinking? Jesus gave strong words.  No One (and that means NO ONE) who puts his hand to the plow ( that says he will follow Jesus) and looks back (wants to say good bye yet one more time) is fit for the kingdom of God. Or in the case of Mrs. Lot, she became a pillar of salt, salt that is no longer good for anything. The cost of following Jesus is high. The words, I will follow, can only mean one thing, total and complete commitment and surrender.

Father,

Loosen my grip on the world so that I am following You wholeheartedly. Teach me what it means to invest in Your kingdom.

In His name,

Amen 

A Majestic God

Ps. 8:1-4

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

How majestic is God from creation to salvation! His glory is above all that He has made, and His power above any enemy. The distance between man and God is so great that man cannot begin to understand God. Yet even with this great distance, God made him lower than the angels and gave him glory and honor as a crown. He gave him dominion over all things under his feet. In fact, He made him to rule over the earth, but the irony is that the world and all that it includes rules him. He loves this dominion so much that he has worshiped the created things over the Creator. He has put a value so high on the world and its system that his conception of God is lacking, but for the man who remembers and worships God, he has only one response, O Lord, how majestic is Your name.
 
Father,
Keep my eyes on You so that You are foremost in my thoughts and the world is my mission not my ambition.
In Jesus name,
Amen