“He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Moses used to spend hours and hours in the Tent of Meeting in the presence of the shekinah glory. As a result, when he exited the tent, his face was glowing brightly. The light on his face came from God’s glory. When people saw it they were afraid. Then, gradually the glory light would fade from the face of Moses, and that created a greater fear for the people. The light on his face represented hope and connection to the people, so when it faded, that represented the loss of hope and connection. This was so unsettling that the people went so far as to have Moses cover his face so they would not see the fading of God’s glory.
Paul referred to this in his letter to the Corinthians and used it as a launch point to teach a New Covenant truth: We now have the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in us, the light in the face of Jesus Christ, which never fades. The Holy Spirit now dwells in us, and the glory of God is, therefore, in us now. Invisible, yes, but nonetheless there. And this is permanent. No fading. Thus, because of Christ in us we now have an unfading hope.
Lord, You are our hope, and Your light now shines in us. Help us to let the light out, so others may find their way to You through us. Amen.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Spirit Freedom
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)
The most significant functional reality of life may well be the freedom that comes from knowing the Lord. We could easily point to other realities that are extremely important to us, but knowing the Lord and living in liberation from the tyrannical power of sin provides a release that is humanly indescribable. The Holy Spirit produces this freedom, wherever He is, and when He dwells in us, that is one of the results.
This freedom of the Spirit is a freedom of relationship, a freedom of enlightenment, and a freedom of transformation. We are free to walk with God and with one another. We are free to grow in our understanding and knowledge of God. We are free to become the men and women God always intended for us to become. Could anything be greater?
The Lord reached through the veil of our spiritual blindness and removed it, so that we could see His light. He welcomed us into His kingdom with open arms, though we did nothing to deserve it. He is transforming us by the radiance of His glory.
Lord, For all this we give thanks to You. Lead on, and we will follow. Amen.
The most significant functional reality of life may well be the freedom that comes from knowing the Lord. We could easily point to other realities that are extremely important to us, but knowing the Lord and living in liberation from the tyrannical power of sin provides a release that is humanly indescribable. The Holy Spirit produces this freedom, wherever He is, and when He dwells in us, that is one of the results.
This freedom of the Spirit is a freedom of relationship, a freedom of enlightenment, and a freedom of transformation. We are free to walk with God and with one another. We are free to grow in our understanding and knowledge of God. We are free to become the men and women God always intended for us to become. Could anything be greater?
The Lord reached through the veil of our spiritual blindness and removed it, so that we could see His light. He welcomed us into His kingdom with open arms, though we did nothing to deserve it. He is transforming us by the radiance of His glory.
Lord, For all this we give thanks to You. Lead on, and we will follow. Amen.
Monday, July 12, 2010
“I Could Never Do That!”
“He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)
“Oh, I could never do that!”
A missionary colleague once decried how it seemed that he heard that statement or one like it over and over, and he was tired of hearing it. This particular missionary went regularly into some of the remotest regions of our world to some of the remotest unreached people of our world. He waded through leech-filled rivers and climbed high mountains to get to his people. His stories genuinely amazed people, so that nearly every time he spoke, people would come up to him later and say, “Oh, I could never do what you do.” His response became nearly automatic. He said, essentially, “Sure you can. Anybody can do what I do.”
Obviously, some folks have physical limitations that would not permit them to do what he did, but this missionary understood a basic truth that we sometimes need to be reminded of: The work of God’s kingdom is not so much dependent on our skills or competencies but on the competency give to us by the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is make ourselves available to God, trust ourselves to His will, and He will then make us competent for any task He assigns us. This is what then brings glory to God.
Lord, Indeed there is much we feel we could never do, but we also understand that if You call us to a task, You will make us competent to complete it. Amen.
“Oh, I could never do that!”
A missionary colleague once decried how it seemed that he heard that statement or one like it over and over, and he was tired of hearing it. This particular missionary went regularly into some of the remotest regions of our world to some of the remotest unreached people of our world. He waded through leech-filled rivers and climbed high mountains to get to his people. His stories genuinely amazed people, so that nearly every time he spoke, people would come up to him later and say, “Oh, I could never do what you do.” His response became nearly automatic. He said, essentially, “Sure you can. Anybody can do what I do.”
Obviously, some folks have physical limitations that would not permit them to do what he did, but this missionary understood a basic truth that we sometimes need to be reminded of: The work of God’s kingdom is not so much dependent on our skills or competencies but on the competency give to us by the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is make ourselves available to God, trust ourselves to His will, and He will then make us competent for any task He assigns us. This is what then brings glory to God.
Lord, Indeed there is much we feel we could never do, but we also understand that if You call us to a task, You will make us competent to complete it. Amen.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Opportunity Lost
“The Lord responded, ‘I have pardoned them, as you requested. Yet as surely as I live and as the whole earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, none of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tested Me these 10 times and did not obey Me, will ever see the land I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have despised Me will see it.” (Numbers 14:20-23)
The Lord told Moses to choose 12 men, one from each of Israel’s tribes, and send them to spy out Canaan. The 12 returned, and 10 of them said the land was great but filled with fortified cities and giants. They said they felt like grasshoppers in comparison, and their conclusion was that entering Canaan was impossible. Caleb and Joshua, however, said the land was great, and that Israel could enter and take over the land because the Lord would give it to them. The people accepted the majority report. Fear blazed through the camp, like an electric shock. There was talk of choosing a new leader to lead them back to Egypt. There was talk of stoning Moses and Aaron for getting them into this mess. The appearance of the Lord’s glory, however, prevented that, and then came the judgment of God – one year in the wilderness for each day the spies were in Canaan. They would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until that generation all died. Opportunity was lost.
The failure to act in faith often results in the loss of opportunity. God’s patience may endure for a time, but eventually a refusal to obey the Lord’s command or direction can lead to the loss of the opportunity the Lord provided. All people have left then is their thoughts of “what could have been.” Some might call that “tragic.”
The Lord gives us “timed opportunities.” We need to follow Him in faith and obedience in His timing if we want to live the opportunities He provides rather than having to reflect back on what might have been.
Lord, Help us to be perceptive to Your leading and responsive in Your timing in all the opportunities You give us. Amen.
The Lord told Moses to choose 12 men, one from each of Israel’s tribes, and send them to spy out Canaan. The 12 returned, and 10 of them said the land was great but filled with fortified cities and giants. They said they felt like grasshoppers in comparison, and their conclusion was that entering Canaan was impossible. Caleb and Joshua, however, said the land was great, and that Israel could enter and take over the land because the Lord would give it to them. The people accepted the majority report. Fear blazed through the camp, like an electric shock. There was talk of choosing a new leader to lead them back to Egypt. There was talk of stoning Moses and Aaron for getting them into this mess. The appearance of the Lord’s glory, however, prevented that, and then came the judgment of God – one year in the wilderness for each day the spies were in Canaan. They would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until that generation all died. Opportunity was lost.
The failure to act in faith often results in the loss of opportunity. God’s patience may endure for a time, but eventually a refusal to obey the Lord’s command or direction can lead to the loss of the opportunity the Lord provided. All people have left then is their thoughts of “what could have been.” Some might call that “tragic.”
The Lord gives us “timed opportunities.” We need to follow Him in faith and obedience in His timing if we want to live the opportunities He provides rather than having to reflect back on what might have been.
Lord, Help us to be perceptive to Your leading and responsive in Your timing in all the opportunities You give us. Amen.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Beyond Our Strength
“For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in the province of Asia: we were completely overwhelmed – beyond our strength – so that we even despaired of life.” (2 Corinthians 1:8)
Sometimes God leads us into life experiences that take us beyond our strength. We might describe some of these with the word “affliction” because that is how it feels. We should probably distinguish, though, between those that are of God and those that are of our own doing. Affliction that is the result of our own wrongdoing is clearly not of God, unless by judgment. Peter warned us about these. He suggested that suffering for doing wrong has no benefit to us, while suffering because of some good we do does have spiritual benefit to us.
These afflictions that Paul writes about are afflictions we go through as a result of our walk with God, when we find ourselves “in over our heads” so to speak. The task is far beyond our ability to carry out. The endurance is beyond our personal capabilities. The suffering is beyond our personal strength. As a result, the only option we have is to rely on Him, to trust Him, to cast ourselves upon Him and His care and power.
If we follow Christ seriously, eventually we end up in this place. We must remember that the way He went led to a cross, and if we follow Him we need to be prepared for such. Sooner or later, we will be in a situation that is beyond our strength. But that actually becomes the time when we can be the strongest, because in our weakness we must rely on His strength. And to Him will go the glory.
Lord, We thank You that we do not have to depend on our strength for those experiences that are beyond us. Amen.
Sometimes God leads us into life experiences that take us beyond our strength. We might describe some of these with the word “affliction” because that is how it feels. We should probably distinguish, though, between those that are of God and those that are of our own doing. Affliction that is the result of our own wrongdoing is clearly not of God, unless by judgment. Peter warned us about these. He suggested that suffering for doing wrong has no benefit to us, while suffering because of some good we do does have spiritual benefit to us.
These afflictions that Paul writes about are afflictions we go through as a result of our walk with God, when we find ourselves “in over our heads” so to speak. The task is far beyond our ability to carry out. The endurance is beyond our personal capabilities. The suffering is beyond our personal strength. As a result, the only option we have is to rely on Him, to trust Him, to cast ourselves upon Him and His care and power.
If we follow Christ seriously, eventually we end up in this place. We must remember that the way He went led to a cross, and if we follow Him we need to be prepared for such. Sooner or later, we will be in a situation that is beyond our strength. But that actually becomes the time when we can be the strongest, because in our weakness we must rely on His strength. And to Him will go the glory.
Lord, We thank You that we do not have to depend on our strength for those experiences that are beyond us. Amen.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Birds
“The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s power limited? You will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you.’” (Numbers 11:23)
What the Lord promised in the verse above was meat for his people. They had complained to Moses about having none. All they had was “this manna” every day. So Moses took their complains to the Lord, and the Lord promised to give everyone a 30-day supply of meat.
Remember – they are out in the desert. The terrain is rocky and barren in all directions, and not all that suited for supporting animal life. Moses mentioned that they had 600,000 foot soldiers. If you factor in a wife and children for each, you can guess that there were more than 3 million people here to feed. So, Moses was thinking “impossible.” And basically, that’s what he said to God. Thus, the Lord’s response, “Is the Lord’s power limited?”
The Lord indeed fulfilled His promise. Tons and tons of quail suddenly landed right beside their camp. Everyone then had meat. Promise fulfilled.
Moses learned two lessons that day: 1) Never question the Lord’s power in any realm of life, and 2) What the Lord promises He will fulfill. What may seem impossible to us requires only a decisional action from the Lord in relation to His promise.
Maybe we need to apply these truths to our lives as well.
Lord, Help us to live this day recognizing the possibility of the impossible, simply because of who You are. Amen.
What the Lord promised in the verse above was meat for his people. They had complained to Moses about having none. All they had was “this manna” every day. So Moses took their complains to the Lord, and the Lord promised to give everyone a 30-day supply of meat.
Remember – they are out in the desert. The terrain is rocky and barren in all directions, and not all that suited for supporting animal life. Moses mentioned that they had 600,000 foot soldiers. If you factor in a wife and children for each, you can guess that there were more than 3 million people here to feed. So, Moses was thinking “impossible.” And basically, that’s what he said to God. Thus, the Lord’s response, “Is the Lord’s power limited?”
The Lord indeed fulfilled His promise. Tons and tons of quail suddenly landed right beside their camp. Everyone then had meat. Promise fulfilled.
Moses learned two lessons that day: 1) Never question the Lord’s power in any realm of life, and 2) What the Lord promises He will fulfill. What may seem impossible to us requires only a decisional action from the Lord in relation to His promise.
Maybe we need to apply these truths to our lives as well.
Lord, Help us to live this day recognizing the possibility of the impossible, simply because of who You are. Amen.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Recognition
"But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)
Something in us appreciates recognition. It somehow seems to validate us. It leaves us with a sense of satisfaction and gratification. We feel appreciated. Recognition can serve good purposes, and it can genuinely encourage people.
The need for recognition can, however, become a negative, a detractor if it becomes a driving force in our lives. Demonstrating a particular behavior to others so that we can gain their recognition reveals a need for acceptance, a need for someone to provide a validation of one’s life. If we thus serve for the recognition that is given, once it is given that is all the reward we will receive, because the eternal factor was ignored.
Serving, giving, and otherwise helping others can have eternal rewards. It offers an eternal recognition from the Father. It is His recognition that provides us with the greatest of rewards. But that recognition is lost, along with its reward, if we serve, give, or help in order to be recognized by other people. So says Jesus.
Father, May our actions serve first to honor and glorify You always. Amen.
Something in us appreciates recognition. It somehow seems to validate us. It leaves us with a sense of satisfaction and gratification. We feel appreciated. Recognition can serve good purposes, and it can genuinely encourage people.
The need for recognition can, however, become a negative, a detractor if it becomes a driving force in our lives. Demonstrating a particular behavior to others so that we can gain their recognition reveals a need for acceptance, a need for someone to provide a validation of one’s life. If we thus serve for the recognition that is given, once it is given that is all the reward we will receive, because the eternal factor was ignored.
Serving, giving, and otherwise helping others can have eternal rewards. It offers an eternal recognition from the Father. It is His recognition that provides us with the greatest of rewards. But that recognition is lost, along with its reward, if we serve, give, or help in order to be recognized by other people. So says Jesus.
Father, May our actions serve first to honor and glorify You always. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)