“You have honored your own sons more than Me…” (1 Samuel 3;29b CSB)
Eli was the priest at the Tabernacle in Shiloh. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas assisted him as priests, and they were a lecherous pair. They were wicked men. Eli spoke to them about the evil they were doing, but he took no action to remove them and no action to restrain them, with the result that they simply continued.
God sent a prophet to announce to Eli that God was removing the priesthood from Eli and his family. He told Eli that Hophni and Phinehas would both die on the same day. The short of it was simply that Eli had honored his sons more than he had the Lord God, and for that he would receive God’s judgment on his family.
This story serves to remind us that as Christians we need to honor God first of all. God wants us to honor our families as well. He does not want us to neglect them or to dishonor them in any way. But as believers we are to honor God above all others and all else. Beyond that we are to honor our families and then others.
In fact, the Ten Commandments are set up this way. The first four commandments deal with how we are to honor God, followed by the fifth commandment where we are to honor our parents. Beyond that we are to then honor our families and others. It is possible to make your family your “god” so to speak. But we need to remind ourselves that we are to honor God above all others, including our families. That is what serves to keep our lives ordered before the Lord.
Father, Help us to carry out on a day to day basis our desire and need to honor You above all others, so that all of our other relationships will take on the priority that is needed. Amen.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Floods
“The Lord sat enthroned at the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever. The Lord gives His people strength; the Lord blesses His people with peace.” (Psalm 29:10-11 CSB)
Most people have probably seen pictures of a flood. Probably very few, comparatively speaking, have actually experienced one. A flood touches everything in its path. Nothing is left unscathed. Floods are massive, and, interestingly, they are both destructive and constructive at the same time. They sweep some things away. They also provide avenues for new growth. They are as natural as rain, and trying to control one is a significant undertaking. Most of us just have to look for ways to survive them.
The psalmist spoke of the majesty of God and especially the voice of the Lord in Psalm 29. Because of this majesty those who worship Him all cry, “Glory!” That is when the psalmist adds that God sits enthroned over the flood. That means God is sovereign over such experiences we go through, and throughout the experience He gives us strength and blesses us with peace. Strength and peace from God become our traveling companions through the floods of life when we come to God in faith.
There are days when it feels like a flood of one sort or another has overwhelmed us.
One flood we may go through is loss. Sooner or later we all experience some kind of loss. A child’s pet may die. A man or woman may lose their means of financial support. Someone may lose health with the progress of age. A husband or wife may lose a spouse, or a father or mother a child or vice versa. Loss can be a flood that devastates everything. But God, in His sovereignty, is also the God of redemption who can still use a loss to provide an avenue for something new. And He will strengthen and bless His people with peace.
Another flood we may go through is responsibility or task. It would not seem so until we think about it, but sometimes we can be overwhelmed with “things to do.” Having a great deal of responsibility and more tasks to handle than there is time in the day can produce a great sense of frustration. It can feel the same as a flood. Even in this however, the sovereign Lord can strengthen His people and bless us with peace.
Lord, We thank You that whatever flood we may experience in life, You are able to strengthen us and bless us with peace in spite of it. We ask You to continue strengthening and blessing us. Amen.
Most people have probably seen pictures of a flood. Probably very few, comparatively speaking, have actually experienced one. A flood touches everything in its path. Nothing is left unscathed. Floods are massive, and, interestingly, they are both destructive and constructive at the same time. They sweep some things away. They also provide avenues for new growth. They are as natural as rain, and trying to control one is a significant undertaking. Most of us just have to look for ways to survive them.
The psalmist spoke of the majesty of God and especially the voice of the Lord in Psalm 29. Because of this majesty those who worship Him all cry, “Glory!” That is when the psalmist adds that God sits enthroned over the flood. That means God is sovereign over such experiences we go through, and throughout the experience He gives us strength and blesses us with peace. Strength and peace from God become our traveling companions through the floods of life when we come to God in faith.
There are days when it feels like a flood of one sort or another has overwhelmed us.
One flood we may go through is loss. Sooner or later we all experience some kind of loss. A child’s pet may die. A man or woman may lose their means of financial support. Someone may lose health with the progress of age. A husband or wife may lose a spouse, or a father or mother a child or vice versa. Loss can be a flood that devastates everything. But God, in His sovereignty, is also the God of redemption who can still use a loss to provide an avenue for something new. And He will strengthen and bless His people with peace.
Another flood we may go through is responsibility or task. It would not seem so until we think about it, but sometimes we can be overwhelmed with “things to do.” Having a great deal of responsibility and more tasks to handle than there is time in the day can produce a great sense of frustration. It can feel the same as a flood. Even in this however, the sovereign Lord can strengthen His people and bless us with peace.
Lord, We thank You that whatever flood we may experience in life, You are able to strengthen us and bless us with peace in spite of it. We ask You to continue strengthening and blessing us. Amen.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Don’t Simmer
“Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity.” (Ephesians 4:26-27 CSB)
Anger is as normal a human emotion as any other emotion is. Even God gets angry. Anger is the state of thought where expectation crosses swords with frustration, resulting in an explosion of emotion. Anger happens when an “oughtness” fails to occur when expected.
The problem with anger is not in getting anger, but it the way we handle it. Some of us try to ignore it as it standings behind us snarling like a dog. Some of us try to bury it, but like a zombie it keeps coming back to life. Some of us think we ought to embrace it, only to have it strike us like a snake. And some of us tend to just spew it out all over everybody, because somebody told us we shouldn’t hold it in.
Probably none of the above works very well. At least not for long. It may be that one of the biggest problems many of us have is that we do not handle our anger very well.
Here are a few facts to remember: 1) anger is normal, 2) anger can be expressed, 3) expressions of anger should be more about how I feel than who you are, and 4) anger needs to be resolved, and quickly.
In the verse above, Paul first quoted from the Old Testament, “Be angry and sin not.” That means it is not a sin to be angry about something. That means it’s ok. Some things that happen, or some actions others take can make us angry, and it’s truly ok for us to be angry when that happens.
The real problem comes when we fail to resolve anger and let it set up its tent with us, to camp out with us. Holding on to anger certainly cannot get back at the person who made us angry, and it certainly can just hurt us (and generally nobody else). What this means is that it is to our best advantage to get rid of anger and not let it dwell with us. When Paul said, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” he simply meant that we need to try to handle it immediately. We don’t want to let it simmer on the stove, because it won’t just simmer; it will ultimately boil over and mess up everything.
To handle anger, first remember that it is an emotion, and emotions – all of them – do ultimately subside. It just takes a little time. Second, let anger be released in a controlled fashion. In other words, don’t stick a pin in the balloon, but rather, let the air out in a controlled way. Third, let anger be what it is; let it be more about how you feel than about what you think about the person who caused it. The emotion belongs to you, and it is yours to handle. Fourth, as the emotion begins to subside, think about how gracious God, in His anger toward you and your sin, actually forgave you, so that you can begin to work toward the forgiveness of the one who offended you.
Lord, We recognize that anger is part of our lives as human beings, and You have given us this emotion. Help us to be good stewards of our anger. Amen.
Anger is as normal a human emotion as any other emotion is. Even God gets angry. Anger is the state of thought where expectation crosses swords with frustration, resulting in an explosion of emotion. Anger happens when an “oughtness” fails to occur when expected.
The problem with anger is not in getting anger, but it the way we handle it. Some of us try to ignore it as it standings behind us snarling like a dog. Some of us try to bury it, but like a zombie it keeps coming back to life. Some of us think we ought to embrace it, only to have it strike us like a snake. And some of us tend to just spew it out all over everybody, because somebody told us we shouldn’t hold it in.
Probably none of the above works very well. At least not for long. It may be that one of the biggest problems many of us have is that we do not handle our anger very well.
Here are a few facts to remember: 1) anger is normal, 2) anger can be expressed, 3) expressions of anger should be more about how I feel than who you are, and 4) anger needs to be resolved, and quickly.
In the verse above, Paul first quoted from the Old Testament, “Be angry and sin not.” That means it is not a sin to be angry about something. That means it’s ok. Some things that happen, or some actions others take can make us angry, and it’s truly ok for us to be angry when that happens.
The real problem comes when we fail to resolve anger and let it set up its tent with us, to camp out with us. Holding on to anger certainly cannot get back at the person who made us angry, and it certainly can just hurt us (and generally nobody else). What this means is that it is to our best advantage to get rid of anger and not let it dwell with us. When Paul said, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” he simply meant that we need to try to handle it immediately. We don’t want to let it simmer on the stove, because it won’t just simmer; it will ultimately boil over and mess up everything.
To handle anger, first remember that it is an emotion, and emotions – all of them – do ultimately subside. It just takes a little time. Second, let anger be released in a controlled fashion. In other words, don’t stick a pin in the balloon, but rather, let the air out in a controlled way. Third, let anger be what it is; let it be more about how you feel than about what you think about the person who caused it. The emotion belongs to you, and it is yours to handle. Fourth, as the emotion begins to subside, think about how gracious God, in His anger toward you and your sin, actually forgave you, so that you can begin to work toward the forgiveness of the one who offended you.
Lord, We recognize that anger is part of our lives as human beings, and You have given us this emotion. Help us to be good stewards of our anger. Amen.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
New Skins
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new win will burst the skills, it will spill, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine should be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine, wants new, because he says, ‘The old is better.’” (Luke 5:37-38 CSB)
The lesson above has nothing to do with wine. Wine and wineskins is not the subject of the lesson but are simply tools Jesus used to teach something important.
A question came from the Pharisees and their scribes, having to do with fasting. John the Baptist and his disciples fasted, as did the Pharisees and their scribes. So, Jesus, how come Your disciples do not fast? Jesus responded metaphorically that wedding guests don’t fast as long as the groom is with them, but only when he is taken away.
Jesus then used two examples. You don’t sew a new cloth patch on an old garment. If you do, the new cloth will tear the old cloth, making the hole even bigger. And you don’t put new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will destroy the old skins, and you lose the skin and the wine. Instead, you put new wine in new wineskins. Even so, everybody likes the older wine better.
These examples have to do with Jesus, His purpose, His methodologies, and His leadership. They deal with change. They relate to old and new, tradition and innovation, the established and the new work. Jesus represented something new and fresh. He was not bent on the destruction of tradition per se, and He seems to have respected it, based on this example. But Jesus also knew that the crucifixion and resurrection and the Church was coming, and that these would constitute something entirely new. They were the plan of God. But God’s intent was not so much to take away as it was to add to. Change was necessary, but the effective way to bring that change about was not by destroying the old but by giving birth to the new.
What is the most effective means of bringing about change? It is not through a destruction of the old but by adding the new.
Lord, Help us to see the truth of what You taught, so that we may become effective change agents. Amen.
The lesson above has nothing to do with wine. Wine and wineskins is not the subject of the lesson but are simply tools Jesus used to teach something important.
A question came from the Pharisees and their scribes, having to do with fasting. John the Baptist and his disciples fasted, as did the Pharisees and their scribes. So, Jesus, how come Your disciples do not fast? Jesus responded metaphorically that wedding guests don’t fast as long as the groom is with them, but only when he is taken away.
Jesus then used two examples. You don’t sew a new cloth patch on an old garment. If you do, the new cloth will tear the old cloth, making the hole even bigger. And you don’t put new wine in old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will destroy the old skins, and you lose the skin and the wine. Instead, you put new wine in new wineskins. Even so, everybody likes the older wine better.
These examples have to do with Jesus, His purpose, His methodologies, and His leadership. They deal with change. They relate to old and new, tradition and innovation, the established and the new work. Jesus represented something new and fresh. He was not bent on the destruction of tradition per se, and He seems to have respected it, based on this example. But Jesus also knew that the crucifixion and resurrection and the Church was coming, and that these would constitute something entirely new. They were the plan of God. But God’s intent was not so much to take away as it was to add to. Change was necessary, but the effective way to bring that change about was not by destroying the old but by giving birth to the new.
What is the most effective means of bringing about change? It is not through a destruction of the old but by adding the new.
Lord, Help us to see the truth of what You taught, so that we may become effective change agents. Amen.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Purpose versus Need
“When it was day, He went out and made His way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said to them, ‘I must proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.’ And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.” (Luke 4:42-44 CSB)
Jesus went to Capernaum and preached in the synagogue and after that healed a man. He went home with Simon Peter and healed his mother in law. Then, crowds who heard of what He could do made their way to Simon’s house, bringing their sick and demon possessed friends and family members, and Jesus healed them on into the night. Early the next morning He went to a secluded place in the desert area outside the town to pray. When people found Him they tried to persuade Him to stay there, but Jesus simply told them He had to move on to other towns to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom, since that was His purpose in coming.
This event in the life of Jesus points us to a very important truth: purpose trumps need. Certainly, Jesus responded to the needs of people wherever He went. He healed people and cast out demons. On occasion He even raised the dead. There was never a shortage of people with needs. But Jesus knew and said that the purpose of His coming had to take priority.
It is important that we always be in touch with what we see as the purpose of our lives. We find it all too easy to fall into a “needs-response” mode, where we respond to one need after another, only to become distracted from the main purpose of who we are and what God has called us to do. When we spend time with the Lord and seek His face, however, He keeps our purpose at the forefront and reminds us of it.
As we journey through this day, may each of us stay focused on our overarching purpose while serving the needs of others as we are able.
Lord, Thank You for showing us how to focus on purpose and still minister to needs along the way. Help us to follow Your example. Amen.
Jesus went to Capernaum and preached in the synagogue and after that healed a man. He went home with Simon Peter and healed his mother in law. Then, crowds who heard of what He could do made their way to Simon’s house, bringing their sick and demon possessed friends and family members, and Jesus healed them on into the night. Early the next morning He went to a secluded place in the desert area outside the town to pray. When people found Him they tried to persuade Him to stay there, but Jesus simply told them He had to move on to other towns to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom, since that was His purpose in coming.
This event in the life of Jesus points us to a very important truth: purpose trumps need. Certainly, Jesus responded to the needs of people wherever He went. He healed people and cast out demons. On occasion He even raised the dead. There was never a shortage of people with needs. But Jesus knew and said that the purpose of His coming had to take priority.
It is important that we always be in touch with what we see as the purpose of our lives. We find it all too easy to fall into a “needs-response” mode, where we respond to one need after another, only to become distracted from the main purpose of who we are and what God has called us to do. When we spend time with the Lord and seek His face, however, He keeps our purpose at the forefront and reminds us of it.
As we journey through this day, may each of us stay focused on our overarching purpose while serving the needs of others as we are able.
Lord, Thank You for showing us how to focus on purpose and still minister to needs along the way. Help us to follow Your example. Amen.
Friday, May 2, 2008
A Non-Gentile Gentile
“Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts.” (Ephesians 4:1 CSB)
When is a Gentile not a Gentile? Answer: When the Gentile is a Christian.
The Jews saw two basic groups of people: Jews and all others. The “all others” group they called “Gentiles.” But now, by faith we have departed from the world of the Gentiles and have entered into the kingdom of God by faith. We have become God’s children. Because that is true, we are to no longer live the way the Gentile world lives. The Gentile life is the way of futile thinking, thinking that is focused on promiscuity, on the worldly life. Their thinking is darkened – as we know all too well – by two major influences: ignorance of God and His ways, and hardness of heart.
Entering into this faith-based personal relationship with Jesus Christ has led us to put away the old nature and put on the new nature. By faith, we decided to take off the “old clothes” of corruption and to put on the “new clothes” of spiritual renewal. We have come to the truth of Jesus.
By faith we have chosen to live by the truth of Jesus, and that translates into several practical applications. We have replaced lying with speaking the truth. We have replaced anger with compassion and forgiveness. We have replaced dishonesty with honesty and sharing. We have replaced hostility toward God with a desire to no longer grieve Him but to please Him instead.
Lord, Guide us this day to live according to this new nature and to no longer allow the world and its values to influence our thinking. Amen.
When is a Gentile not a Gentile? Answer: When the Gentile is a Christian.
The Jews saw two basic groups of people: Jews and all others. The “all others” group they called “Gentiles.” But now, by faith we have departed from the world of the Gentiles and have entered into the kingdom of God by faith. We have become God’s children. Because that is true, we are to no longer live the way the Gentile world lives. The Gentile life is the way of futile thinking, thinking that is focused on promiscuity, on the worldly life. Their thinking is darkened – as we know all too well – by two major influences: ignorance of God and His ways, and hardness of heart.
Entering into this faith-based personal relationship with Jesus Christ has led us to put away the old nature and put on the new nature. By faith, we decided to take off the “old clothes” of corruption and to put on the “new clothes” of spiritual renewal. We have come to the truth of Jesus.
By faith we have chosen to live by the truth of Jesus, and that translates into several practical applications. We have replaced lying with speaking the truth. We have replaced anger with compassion and forgiveness. We have replaced dishonesty with honesty and sharing. We have replaced hostility toward God with a desire to no longer grieve Him but to please Him instead.
Lord, Guide us this day to live according to this new nature and to no longer allow the world and its values to influence our thinking. Amen.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Body Life
“But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head – Christ. From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” (Ephesians 4:15-16 CSB)
The human body is a remarkable entity. It is an extremely complex unit that requires careful and constant coordination in order to function properly. It is composed of numerous systems: circulatory, respiratory, sensory, nervous, digestive, connective, reproductive, skeletal, and immune systems, for example. Within each system are a multitude of parts, each with its own function. In some cases, a part by itself may seem only to exist, but put that part where it belongs and let it function as it is intended, and you will contribute to the welfare of the body, whether in large portion or small. All the parts of the body have value. The little toe would not seem to have a great deal of value, but kick it real hard into an unseen table, and it will tell you how important it is. A ligament that holds a knee together seems to just be there, but put some intense pressure on it, as in a football game injury, and you will learn quickly how important it is.
The church, the body of Christ, is likewise extremely complex. For the church to be what God wants it to be, to grow in the way God wants it to grow, and to serve in the way God wants it to serve, all of the parts need to first be there, and then they need to each actually function. That is when body life takes place, and that is when the church not only exists but grows. Each believer, working individually but also in cooperation with all the other believers in the body, serves to take care of the body and build it up.
Lord, Help each of us function today in Your body, the church, as You have intended. Help us to never conclude that our function is not really important or crucial to the work of the body, and help us instead to simply and faithfully carry out the tasks you have assigned us, for Your honor and glory. Amen.
The human body is a remarkable entity. It is an extremely complex unit that requires careful and constant coordination in order to function properly. It is composed of numerous systems: circulatory, respiratory, sensory, nervous, digestive, connective, reproductive, skeletal, and immune systems, for example. Within each system are a multitude of parts, each with its own function. In some cases, a part by itself may seem only to exist, but put that part where it belongs and let it function as it is intended, and you will contribute to the welfare of the body, whether in large portion or small. All the parts of the body have value. The little toe would not seem to have a great deal of value, but kick it real hard into an unseen table, and it will tell you how important it is. A ligament that holds a knee together seems to just be there, but put some intense pressure on it, as in a football game injury, and you will learn quickly how important it is.
The church, the body of Christ, is likewise extremely complex. For the church to be what God wants it to be, to grow in the way God wants it to grow, and to serve in the way God wants it to serve, all of the parts need to first be there, and then they need to each actually function. That is when body life takes place, and that is when the church not only exists but grows. Each believer, working individually but also in cooperation with all the other believers in the body, serves to take care of the body and build it up.
Lord, Help each of us function today in Your body, the church, as You have intended. Help us to never conclude that our function is not really important or crucial to the work of the body, and help us instead to simply and faithfully carry out the tasks you have assigned us, for Your honor and glory. Amen.
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