Saturday, July 22, 2006

Title: The Love Connection / Topic: Obedience

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 36; Isaiah 37; Psalm 76; 1 Peter 1

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart

Observation: I love the first chapter of Peter's first letter! There are so many really great truths here. This particular verse gives us a progression of life that produces a character of sincere love. Let's look at it. First, there is a purification process that is engaged by obedience to the truth. Of course, you can't obey what you don't know, so the prerequisite to this is an awareness of the truth. This requires making yourself available to be taught and open to receive what is taught, submitting yourself to the truth. Once you have received and believed the truth, then you must obey it -- consistently, sincerely, humbly. This habitual obedience to God's truth has a purifying effect on our lives (of course it would since there is a ongoing grappling with the flesh when you seek to follow the Word). And one result of this purification process is the ability to love others sincerely.

Application: No wonder we have so many unloving Christians! (At least they call themselves Christians.) The true and sincere kind of love that Peter is referring to is not an emotion but it is a commitment based on conviction -- the result of a process that requires dedication, humility, and consistency exercised over a long period of time. There are several proofs of a life lived in surrendered obedience to God's truth. Sincere love is one of them.

Prayer: Lord, help us to plug into this process and stay with it. The long-term commitment required produces fear in the hearts of many. Help Your people to put aside those fears and to embrace the promise of Godly character which is only produced through Godly living. Lord, purify Your church so that the fruit of love is not only present, but is the primary characteristic of Your people. May people say of us, "o how these Christians love one another!"
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Title: The Power Of Sharing / Topic: Body Life

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18; 2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5

Scripture: James 5:13-16
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Observation: This is all about sharing whatever is going on in our lives with others in the church. This sharing enables others to be involved in both the good times and the bad times. In the good times, we can be encouraged and encouraging to one another and prompt each other to be thankful for God's blessings. In the bad times, we can encourage and be encouraging to one another and prompt each other to be faithful to pray and trust in God for His provision or deliverance. And great ministry comes from the others who pray for me, whether it be the elders of the church or an ordinary sister or brother who is able to help me through prayer and a good word.

Application: As a pastor, I am so sad to see people isolate themselves and close themselves off from others. Many people are ashamed or embarrassed to share what is really going on in their lives with a brother or sister.
Of course, the root of these kinds of feelings is pride. This pride is deadly because the person who isolates himself is easy prey for the enemy. And like a straying sheep, the isolated Christian is often attacked and even defeated by our enemy.
The solution is simple. Stay in the center of the fellowship and open your life so others can see. Share what's going on so others can give you input, point out dangers you may have missed, and assist you when you need help.

And notice all the kinds of help listed in these verses:
verss 13: instruction to pray when you're in trouble and to sing when happy;
verse 14: instruction for what to do when you are sick with specific details about who, what, and how to pray;
verse 15: a special note regarding sin-related sickness;
verse 16: instruction for accountability and openness regarding personal sin and receiving prayer; and an encouraging word affirming the power of intercessory prayer.

All this is available as we plug our lives fully into the body life of our church family.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You have placed us in a vibrant and healing organism called the church. I thank You that in our church family You have instilled gifts and blessings that we can give and receive and which build us up and grow us closer. Help Your people to truly enter into the kind of deep sharing that enables the full flow of Your life to have its full effect in blessing us and healing us.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Title: Right Away / Topic: Spritual Action

Today’s Reading: Chronicles 29; 2 Chronicles 30; 2 Chronicles 31; James 4

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 29:1-3
1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.
3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them...

Observation: Hezekiah did not waste any time in getting to work on restoring the worship of God in Jerusalem. In the very first month in the very first year he began the work by opening the doors of the temple.

Application: If we want to see God open doors on our behalf, we need to start opening some doors of our own. And we need to get started right away. Hezekiah didn't say "some day." He said "today" and "now" and "git-r-done!" Nothing will ever be accomplished unless we begin. And today is a great day to get started.

Prayer: Lord, help us to act today to do the BIG things that You want us to do. Help us to put aside or excuses and fears and get started. And Lord, give us courage, wisdom, and power to accomplish much good in all we do.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Title: Fortress God / Topic: Protection

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 28; Psalm 46; James 3

Scripture: Psalm 46:1, 6-7, 9-11
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble...
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress...
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Observation: This Psalm once again reminds me of the truth that the people of Israel have had to rely on God for their protection from enemies for as long as they have been a nation. And God has been faithful to them -- and we see it still today! I was just viewing a news update which stated that a total of only 25 people have been killed in Israel in the attacks by Hezbollah. That's an amazingly small number when you consider that several hundred missiles have been launched against Israel over the past several days! God is indeed their fortress.

Application: I love verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am God." How important it is to find that place of rest and trust in the Lord and abide in it. The psalmist who wrote these words lived in a nation at a time of war. If he can find that quiet place, how much more should we be able to find it? We must seek for and find places to be quiet in the presence of Almighty God. It may be difficult with all the noise that surrounds us these days. But it is worth it to simply be still and know that He is God.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You draw us into that place of quiet solitude and intimacy with You. Forgive us for being too busy to stop and spend that quiet time in Your presence. Help us to recognize the priority of putting our distractions aside to be with You. May we grow in the experience of investing our time with You.

And Lord, we ask that You protect the people of Israel from their foes. Be a shield to them and bring them victory over their hateful enemies. And we pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Title: Parade Of Fools / Topic: God's Values

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 32; Isaiah 33; Isaiah 34; Isaiah 35; James 2

Scripture: Isaiah 32:5 No longer will the fool be called noble
nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

Observation: This verse reminded me of our popular culture and all the fools that are celebrated. Just take a look at People magazine or Entertainment Tonight or Extra on TV. It's a parade of fools and scoundrels! The ridiculous attention given to the celebrity "coupling" or wedding du jour makes me laugh. "Aren't they the perfect couple?" -- until they split (next year or next month). It's pathetic. But there will come the day when what is highly regarded by our pop culture and our ungodly media will be unmasked for the unmitigated hogwash that it is.

Application: Don't get sucked into what the world values. Keep your eyes on Jesus, your hope in heaven, and your thoughts on Godly things. Don't be in step with the world but keep in step with the Spirit and with your church family.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You lead us in the stuff that matters both now and for all eternity. Thank You for the substance You build into our lives as we focus on You. And thank You that true love is defined by this statement "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" and not by Hollywood. May we live in Your value system and demonstrate to our world what it truly means to be loving and giving people.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Title: "Tell Us Lies" / Topic: Character

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 29; Isaiah 30; Isaiah 31; James 1

Scripture: Isaiah 30:9-11, 15
9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
11 Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!"...
15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

Observation: "Stop confronting us!" That's how the people responded to Isaiah's message. They didn't want the discomfort of confrontation. "Tell us pleasant things!" was their demand.

Application: In yesterday's message at church we focused on the passage I wrote on in my blog this past Thursday.

(Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.)

In this scripture we are instructed to "spur one another on" and not only to do it but also to plan and strategize how best to do it. "Spurring" is not comfortable -- it is a kick in the side with a sharp object. Ouch!!! Isaiah's people didn't want any more spurring. They wanted comfort more than character. Instead of the spur treatment, they wanted the spa treatment. "Don't tell us what is right. Tell us something that makes us feel good." They actually preferred lies rather than the truth! "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions."

But God has a different value system. He honors character and doesn't place too much importance on comfort. That's because our Lord wants to bless us. And the root concept of bless is be happy. As in "blessed are the people whose God is the Lord" = "happy are the people whose God is the Lord." And people are happy when their character is good. People of bad character are never truly happy. Their flawed character infects and corrupts their environment and their lives become miserable. So even though we think that comfort will make us happy, the truth is this: for us to be happy, we have to be good.

[By the way, that's the reason you have to be saved to get into heaven. Even the nicest unsaved person has flaws. And if God were to let flawed people into heaven, they would mess it up and it wouldn't be heaven any more. So everybody in heaven has to come through Jesus because He is changing us throughout our lives and completes the transformation at the time of transition from this life to the next. Without that change, we would have no place in heaven. We need a radical makeover and that's what being a Christian is all about. We submit to God and let Him do what He wants to with our lives. We give up our right of self-determination and give ourselves completely to God through faith in Him. And that means that we let Him work on us which brings us back to today's topic.]

Are you willing to let God do whatever He wants to do with You? Whatever, whenever, however, through whomever? Are you really? Isaiah's people were unwilling and this was a rejection of God. If I am to become what God wants me to be, I must be open to the spurs. (And remember, the spurs used on us are worn by other Christians. And if we are wise, we will invite them to use the spurs to help us. It is not easy, but it is wise.)

The Lord says,
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength..." (vs. 15)
  1. repentance: positive radical change
  2. rest: ceasing to strive and struggle -- taking a posture of reliance in God
  3. salvation: rescue from peril and destruction
  4. quietness: a calm place where you can hear the still, small voice of God
  5. trust: an attitude of faith and dependence upon God instead of self
  6. strength: a resource of power to accomplish great things
The sad postscript to the affirmative instruction of God to His people in verse 15 is: …"but you would have none of it." Let us be sure that our Lord would have no cause whatsoever to say that of any of us.

Prayer: Lord, we want You to have Your way in our lives. We want to abide in that place of faith, openness, and humility that lets You be the Sovereign Lord, and keeps us submitted to Your wisdom, love, and power. Help us, Lord, to endure and even embrace the spurs for the sake of the beautiful character that You are putting into us through the spurring. Thank You for loving us in Your perfect way.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Title: Israel's Victory Foretold / Topic: Prophecy

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 25; Isaiah 26; Isaiah 27; Isaiah 28; Hebrews 13

Scripture: Isaiah 25:6-10
6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled under him
as straw is trampled down in the manure...

Observation: The words of Isaiah's prophecy relate to the times we are living in. This day the nation of Israel is under attack as hundreds of katyusha rockets rain down on northern Israeli neighborhoods. Hezbollah terrorists have an unholy alliance with all nazi-like islamic-extremist terrorists dedicated to the extermination of Israel and the Jewish people. But the LORD is the Lord of hosts -- He is the Commander of vast forces -- invisible yet invincible forces. In Isaiah's day, the nation was destroyed by invading armies yet Isaiah foresaw a day in which God would deliver His Chosen People and the nation would rise again from the ashes and "this mountain" (Mount Zion, the location of Jerusalem) would stand secure and victorious while Israel's enemies (represented here by Moab) were destroyed.

Application: We have an obligation to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in their time of need. We have an obligation as Americans to stand in support of freedom with the only Democracy in the region. And we have an obligation as Christians to stand in prayer for righteousness and justice to prevail and to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

Prayer: Lord, we pray that You will come to the aid of the Jewish people and the Nation of Israel as they are under relentless attack. Give them success in successfully recovering their kidnapped soldiers and in bringing an end to the terrorist aggressors. Lord, unmask evil for what it is. And bring to an end the reign of hateful violence and death. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And we pray for courageous leaders who will stand, speak, and take action for truth and justice.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.