Friday, May 25, 2007

Title: Slavery Benefit? / Topic: Choices

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 10; 1 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 9; Romans 6

Scripture: Romans 620-22
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Observation: "You gotta serve somebody," goes the old Bob Dylan song and it is true. The Apostle Paul points out that the most basic choice is between serving sin and serving God. Serving sin makes you "free from the control of righteousness" but brings no tangible benefit. In fact this "freedom" results in death. When I make choice to become a slave to God, I become "set free from sin" and that freedom gives a great benefit. It "leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."

Application: Holiness, in and of itself, is a great benefit. I define holiness as the awareness of belonging completely to God. This awareness brings a kind of seasoning to every aspect of life -- thoughts, actions, attitudes, desires, words, loves, hopes -- that involves God through and through. I am so grateful that God is in everything I do. Even if I do wrong -- acting selfishly or unwisely -- God is still there, correcting me, encouraging me to do better, and enabling me to improve. "Eternal life" is not just about heaven -- it is about really living a full, good, and happy life in the now.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the fullness of you in the now. I have chosen to be your slave and I thank you for the productive and blessed life you have given me as a result. Assist me in leading thousands of people to this same kind of blessed life.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Title: Holy Confusion / Topic: Consecration

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Psalm 136; Romans 5

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 8:11
11 Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, "My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the LORD has entered are holy."

Observation: Solomon has taken Pharaoh's daughter as his wife. (This is apparently more of a political alliance than a romantic one.) But the reason he gives for building a separate palace for her grabbed my attention. She is a gentile, not a Jew, and as a result, she is unclean. And Solomon doesn't want her around David's palace in Jerusalem because the ark has been in an about it. Solomon regards not only the ark as holy but also asserts, "the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy." So he is unwilling to let Pharaoh's daughter be in those places. But what about Solomon himself? Isn't he holy? He is the anointed king of Israel. Why would he be willing to compromise himself, in this most sacred of relationships, and his body, in the most intimate of acts, in being married to this person that he considers unclean and unworthy? Strange that he thinks the ark is holy but he is not. Holy confusion here.

Application: Many people compartmentalize God in their lives. God gets the following: Sunday morning, a moment before each meal, and a few seconds before going to bed. That time is holy. "The rest of the time is mine," they think. So God stays in his compartment. As long as he stays there, everything is fine. But God cannot be confined in a box. (If we have successfully confined our god to a box, what is in that box is not really God at all.) God is bigger than our boxes, no matter how big we may make them. I assert that God cannot be a part of our lives. We can be a part of God's life. The word that comes to mind in this regard is consecration. It is a word that describes the full and total giving of myself to God. I give my entire life and being to God and I live in him. Had Solomon understood this correctly, seeing himself as holy and consecrated to God, he would not have married Pharaoh's daughter, would not have worshipped idols and other gods, and would have left a legacy of faithfulness that would be a blessing to his descendants, instead of a curse.

Prayer: Lord, I belong to you. All of me. I am consecrated to you. Keep me from anything that violates that.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Title: Father Of Faith / Topic: Faith

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 6; 2 Chronicles 7; Psalm 135; Romans 4

Scripture: Romans 4:18-24
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Observation: What a great man Abraham was. I love the fact that his faith did not require the kind of psyche out that so many believe in today. He did not have to use some special secret to believe his body could produce life. He "faced the fact that his body was as good as dead" yet he maintained solid belief in God. He didn't chant "I can do it. I can do it." over and over to produce results. He left that up to God and simply was "fully persuaded that God would do what he said he would do. And I love the fact that we also can get the same kind of credit for righteousness if we will likewise hold faith in God.

Application: Be thankful. God has given us so much to be thankful for. Think of Abraham and his lonely walk of faith. He did not have the example of the scriptures or others to follow. He set out on his own in obedience to the voice of God.

Prayer: Lord, lead on. May I be a bold follower of you by faith.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Title: Insightful Prayer / Topic: Solomon's Understanding

Title: Insightful Prayer / Topic: Solomon's Understanding

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; Psalm 99; Romans 3

Scripture: 1 Kings 8:27, 38-39, 46, 61
27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- 39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)...
46 "When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin...
61 But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time."

Observation: I was really impressed with Solomon's prayer. There are so many deep insights expressed throughout his prayer. Above are a few highlights. First, his understanding of the fact that God cannot be housed in the temple. In fact, Solomon declares that even "the heavens, the highest heaven, cannot contain you." Next is his statement that a truly repentant person starts with his own sin, "each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart..." In verse 39 Solomon states that God alone knows the hearts of all men. In verse 44 he points out the universality of sin in every person. And in verse 61, he instructs the people that 100% commitment is required on an ongoing basis for the nation to succeed long term. Great insights!

Application: Leaders must have insight into God. This comes from two things: study and time spent with God. Unfortunately for Solomon, later in his reign he got away from God, mainly due to his obsession with women which lead to his many wives and concubines. But at this time he was a great role model for leaders. So there is an example of what to do and something to beware of.

Prayer: Lord, I want to be wise and filled with insight into your will and ways. Help me to devote myself to knowing you better and better that I might lead well.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Title: The Inner Work / Topic: Holiness

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2

Scripture: Romans 2:29 ...circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.

Observation: The work of transformation is on the inside not on the outside. It is performed by the Spirit, not by following the law.

Application: This speaks to the fact that growing in holiness is a function of relationship -- allowing God to live in and through our lives. Learning the Bible is important, but knowledge is not enough. We must allow the Holy Spirit to live and rule in our hearts -- to follow his divine leading and listen to his voice. Through this process, he performs the circumcision, the removal of offending and unclean flesh, of our hearts.

Prayer: Lord, I want your Spirit's work to be fully performed and completed in my heart. I desire the full inner work of holiness to be done in me. Help me to walk in the Spirit and allow him full reign in my life. Do your work in me, o Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.