Read Acts 8 - 14
Today's Devotion - Acts 12:11-15
Context: James, the apostle, has been killed. When Herod saw that the death pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter and put him in prison with the intent to try and kill him after the Passover feast. The night before his trial, Peter was waken and released from his chains by an angel who escorted him out of the prison.
Text: 11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"
15"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." (NIV)
taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/
It has been at least a year since Jesus died and rose again. Christians are being persecuted, but we don't have a record of any of the apostles or leaders being hurt (since Stephen was stoned) until now. There has been a great celebration, apparently, that James was killed, and Herod sees Peter's impending death as a way to tie his political agenda more closely to that of the Jews.
The text tells us that the believers were together praying, but what exactly were they praying for? They were so shocked that Peter was released that I imagine they were only praying half-heartedly for his release. Most likely they prayed for Peter, then spent more time praying that they, as Christians, would be spared from death and further persecution. Herod was so bent on a public execution that they presumed it was a done deal.
Have you ever prayed for something even though you really didn't believe God would give you the answer that you prayed for? A minister friend of mine from another church told a story about his prayers for an elderly woman who had fallen very ill. He prayed that God would spare her life if it was his will, then he spent much more effort praying that she would have a peaceful, painless transition to heaven and that her family would receive strength during their time of sadness.
To everyone's surprise, the woman made a miraculous recovery. My friend was reminded that God has the power to do whatever He wants, and that we should never presume His will. He says that he will never minimize his efforts to pray for healing again!
When you pray, do you really believe that God will respond? I know there are many times when he doesn't grant our requests -- even for significant things like healing. However, I wonder what he thinks when we pray as if we don't believe he wants to give us what we request?
If we ABSOLUTELY knew God would answer our prayers for healing, salvation for others, financial help through a tough time, or for a prodigal, would our prayers sound different?
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Acts Day 1 - The Believer's Prayer
Whoa, guess I'm not in the swing of things yet -- I forgot to do the devotion yesterday!
This week we are in the book of Acts. There are a lot of chapters but if you read every day you can make it through without too much trouble. If you want to make it through on the weekdays, though, we have to read 7 chapters a day!
Today's reading Acts 1-7
Today's devotion -- Acts 4:23-31
This section of text is called the 'Believer's Prayer'. It occurs right after Peter and John healed a crippled man and had to justify their actions in front of the Sanhedrin. They had been jailed over night and were told not to preach in the name of Jesus again. Instead of giving in to the authorities, they pray that they can speak God's word with great boldness!
How often do we actually speak about God's love and Christ's salvation to others who are not Christians? I know that I don't do that often. There is a time to be silent, but I know that I'm silent probably 99% of the time. It probably ought to be the other way around! I want others to know that God is good, and that he is responsible for all good things. That he loves each of us more than we can imagine and that he holds the only promise of an eternal life of glory.
Why don't we talk about Christ more? I know that I am really hesitant to push people away -- for years before I became a Christian I was very put off by those who pushed their religion (and I didn't realize the difference between religion and relationship). I'm also concerned about how I might answer tough questions that come up about God -- those like "Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people?"
I want my life to reflect God's love, but if I don't let my words also speak about it, will others realize what I'm trying to reflect? I'm sure Satan is thrilled when others think that Christians are 'good people' who do nice things for others...without a link to God's love and power.
Pray with me today that God will 'enable his servants to speak his word with great boldness.' If all the Christians in the world today would pray that (and act upon it) for just one month, imagine how the world could change!
This week we are in the book of Acts. There are a lot of chapters but if you read every day you can make it through without too much trouble. If you want to make it through on the weekdays, though, we have to read 7 chapters a day!
Today's reading Acts 1-7
Today's devotion -- Acts 4:23-31
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reportedtaken from www.biblegateway.com
all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this,
they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said,
"you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You
spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain? 26The
kings of the earth take their stand and the
rulers gather together against the Lord
and against his Anointed One. 27Indeed Herod
and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in
this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They
did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord,
consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great
boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and
wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they
prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (NIV)
This section of text is called the 'Believer's Prayer'. It occurs right after Peter and John healed a crippled man and had to justify their actions in front of the Sanhedrin. They had been jailed over night and were told not to preach in the name of Jesus again. Instead of giving in to the authorities, they pray that they can speak God's word with great boldness!
How often do we actually speak about God's love and Christ's salvation to others who are not Christians? I know that I don't do that often. There is a time to be silent, but I know that I'm silent probably 99% of the time. It probably ought to be the other way around! I want others to know that God is good, and that he is responsible for all good things. That he loves each of us more than we can imagine and that he holds the only promise of an eternal life of glory.
Why don't we talk about Christ more? I know that I am really hesitant to push people away -- for years before I became a Christian I was very put off by those who pushed their religion (and I didn't realize the difference between religion and relationship). I'm also concerned about how I might answer tough questions that come up about God -- those like "Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people?"
I want my life to reflect God's love, but if I don't let my words also speak about it, will others realize what I'm trying to reflect? I'm sure Satan is thrilled when others think that Christians are 'good people' who do nice things for others...without a link to God's love and power.
Pray with me today that God will 'enable his servants to speak his word with great boldness.' If all the Christians in the world today would pray that (and act upon it) for just one month, imagine how the world could change!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Warning!
by Brad Kibler
If you haven't finished Joel, go ahead and do that today, otherwise you can read Obadiah.
Joel and Obadiah both gave warnings to the people they were sent to. How well do you respond when someone tries to give you a warning? If you're like me, it can depend on who is giving the warning, and how it is being delivered. If it is someone I know and trust then I am usually more receptive. Or if someone takes me aside to talk to me about something, I usually respond to that better than if someone is aggressive in their communication style.
How many warnings do we get everyday? If you watch the news or read the paper with any regularity, journalists barrage us with warning messages about what foods to not eat, what not to waste our money on, and what we need to do to avoid or prepare for a possible calamity. You get warning labels on food, medicine, toys, electronics, and other items we use everyday. When you drive, you are warned to stop, to yield, that there may be pedestrians crossing, children playing, bicyclists, upcoming traffic or construction.
But, how often do we get warnings about our relationships?
Warning: You are making this decision without considering what God would have you do.
Caution: This may distract you from spending quality time with your family.
Beware: You may think you can handle this, but you won't be able to on your own.
Watch Out: Your friend has something that is eating away at them that they are scared to share with anyone, be extra-attentive and pray for the right words to say.
U-Turn Ahead: You may be making plans right now to go a certain direction with your life, but you need to focus on what's of eternal importance since your present plans will soon come to an end.
Yield: Your quiet time is about to be interrupted by your child wanting to ask a seemingly unimportant question. Take the time for the latter without neglecting the former.
The Spirit that indwells us can tweak our conscience to not do something or it can prompt us to consider doing something we wouldn't normally do. The more we commune with God the better we get attuned to his warnings and prodding. Sometimes we get a prophet screaming of upcoming doom, sometimes we get a still small voice. Let's pay attention to God's warnings in whatever form they take today.
If you haven't finished Joel, go ahead and do that today, otherwise you can read Obadiah.
Joel and Obadiah both gave warnings to the people they were sent to. How well do you respond when someone tries to give you a warning? If you're like me, it can depend on who is giving the warning, and how it is being delivered. If it is someone I know and trust then I am usually more receptive. Or if someone takes me aside to talk to me about something, I usually respond to that better than if someone is aggressive in their communication style.
How many warnings do we get everyday? If you watch the news or read the paper with any regularity, journalists barrage us with warning messages about what foods to not eat, what not to waste our money on, and what we need to do to avoid or prepare for a possible calamity. You get warning labels on food, medicine, toys, electronics, and other items we use everyday. When you drive, you are warned to stop, to yield, that there may be pedestrians crossing, children playing, bicyclists, upcoming traffic or construction.
But, how often do we get warnings about our relationships?
Warning: You are making this decision without considering what God would have you do.
Caution: This may distract you from spending quality time with your family.
Beware: You may think you can handle this, but you won't be able to on your own.
Watch Out: Your friend has something that is eating away at them that they are scared to share with anyone, be extra-attentive and pray for the right words to say.
U-Turn Ahead: You may be making plans right now to go a certain direction with your life, but you need to focus on what's of eternal importance since your present plans will soon come to an end.
Yield: Your quiet time is about to be interrupted by your child wanting to ask a seemingly unimportant question. Take the time for the latter without neglecting the former.
The Spirit that indwells us can tweak our conscience to not do something or it can prompt us to consider doing something we wouldn't normally do. The more we commune with God the better we get attuned to his warnings and prodding. Sometimes we get a prophet screaming of upcoming doom, sometimes we get a still small voice. Let's pay attention to God's warnings in whatever form they take today.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Harvest Time in Context (Joel 3)
by Brad Kibler
Before jumping in to today's devotion, let me remind you that this week's lesson will be about Joel and Obadiah. Monday's devotion mentioned Joel 2:13 and Tuesday's mentioned Joel 2:28-32, but I didn't spell out a specific section to read. If you haven't read Joel yet, go ahead and read at least chapters 1 & 2 today. Obadiah is only one chapter, so you can read that either Thursday or Friday depending on whether you choose to finish Joel today (it is only 3 chapters) or split it up and do chapter 3 tomorrow.
Harvest Time in Context (Joel 3)
In Joel 3, we see a picture of the last days: "In those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat" (1-2a). That leads me to ask, what is the Valley of Jehoshaphat?
There was a king of Judah named Jehoshaphat who was being threatened by Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir in 2nd Chronicles 20. He prayed "O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but out eyes are upon you" (12). God answered Jehoshaphat's prayer by having the enemy armies slaughter each other and leave the people of Judah unharmed. Not only did Judah not lose lives, but it took them three days to collect all the plunder left in the valley of the battlefield. Jehoshaphat's prayer for judgment on God's enemies got answered in a mighty way in a specific valley, and his name literally means "the Lord judges", so any way you look at it the Valley of Jehoshaphat it appears to be a reference to God's judgment.
Joel 3:2, goes on to say, "There [in the Valley of Jehoshaphat] I will enter into judgment against them..." If we skip down to verse 12, he comes back around to that point: "Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness." We don't swing sickles very often in our society, so that reference may be lost on us as well. We see the sickle occasionally as the implement held by the grim reaper in pop culture, but we don't actually see it used to harvest grain. That leads me to ask, what does this harvesting symbolism mean?
Jesus gives us a similar picture in the parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13:24-30. He says that a man sowed seed in his field but that his enemy sowed weed seeds among his good seeds. The servants came to the man and asked if the man wanted them to pull up the weeds, but he said no, "because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest" (29-30). Jesus later explains the symbolism to his disciples: "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age" (37-40)" This brings more clarity as to what exactly is being referred to with the harvesting symbolism. If Joel and Jesus both use this, that leads me to ask, is this symbolism used elsewhere that I might have missed?
John alludes back to the Joel 3 passage in Revelation 14:14-20: "I looked, and there before me... was one 'like a son of man' with... a sharp sickle in his hand. Then [an] angel came out of the temple and called... to him... 'Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So he... swung his sickle over the earth and the earth was harvested.... Another angel came out... and he too had a sharp sickle Still another angel... called... to him who had the sharp sickle, 'Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe.' The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city and blood flowed out of the press..." To a reader unfamiliar with the harvest symbolism used by Joel of the sickle and the winepress, this could easily be misunderstood. Indeed, there are other times when Jesus spoke of a plentiful harvest, and the workers were too few, and this usually meant an evangelistic harvest rather than one of judgment (Mat 9:27, Luke 10:2, John 4:35). Still other Biblical writers; Paul, the Hebrew writer and James, all speak of a "harvest of righteousness" (2 Co 9:10, Heb 12:11, Jas 3:18) which is also unrelated to the harvest of judgment.
Can you get a full grasp of Joel's meaning without familiarizing yourself with the story of Jehoshaphat? Does Jesus' explanation of his use of symbolism bring clarity to how Joel used similar symbols? Can you get the full import of John's meaning without knowing that he is making a reference to the symbolism used by Joel? God's Word is woven together like a beautiful quilt. There are things we can see close up in the fine details that become better understood as we step back and look at the context.
Now when you read Joel 3, today or tomorrow, I hope you'll have a head start as to some more of the extended context.
Before jumping in to today's devotion, let me remind you that this week's lesson will be about Joel and Obadiah. Monday's devotion mentioned Joel 2:13 and Tuesday's mentioned Joel 2:28-32, but I didn't spell out a specific section to read. If you haven't read Joel yet, go ahead and read at least chapters 1 & 2 today. Obadiah is only one chapter, so you can read that either Thursday or Friday depending on whether you choose to finish Joel today (it is only 3 chapters) or split it up and do chapter 3 tomorrow.
Harvest Time in Context (Joel 3)
In Joel 3, we see a picture of the last days: "In those days and at that time when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat" (1-2a). That leads me to ask, what is the Valley of Jehoshaphat?
There was a king of Judah named Jehoshaphat who was being threatened by Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir in 2nd Chronicles 20. He prayed "O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but out eyes are upon you" (12). God answered Jehoshaphat's prayer by having the enemy armies slaughter each other and leave the people of Judah unharmed. Not only did Judah not lose lives, but it took them three days to collect all the plunder left in the valley of the battlefield. Jehoshaphat's prayer for judgment on God's enemies got answered in a mighty way in a specific valley, and his name literally means "the Lord judges", so any way you look at it the Valley of Jehoshaphat it appears to be a reference to God's judgment.
Joel 3:2, goes on to say, "There [in the Valley of Jehoshaphat] I will enter into judgment against them..." If we skip down to verse 12, he comes back around to that point: "Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow – so great is their wickedness." We don't swing sickles very often in our society, so that reference may be lost on us as well. We see the sickle occasionally as the implement held by the grim reaper in pop culture, but we don't actually see it used to harvest grain. That leads me to ask, what does this harvesting symbolism mean?
Jesus gives us a similar picture in the parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13:24-30. He says that a man sowed seed in his field but that his enemy sowed weed seeds among his good seeds. The servants came to the man and asked if the man wanted them to pull up the weeds, but he said no, "because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest" (29-30). Jesus later explains the symbolism to his disciples: "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age" (37-40)" This brings more clarity as to what exactly is being referred to with the harvesting symbolism. If Joel and Jesus both use this, that leads me to ask, is this symbolism used elsewhere that I might have missed?
John alludes back to the Joel 3 passage in Revelation 14:14-20: "I looked, and there before me... was one 'like a son of man' with... a sharp sickle in his hand. Then [an] angel came out of the temple and called... to him... 'Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So he... swung his sickle over the earth and the earth was harvested.... Another angel came out... and he too had a sharp sickle Still another angel... called... to him who had the sharp sickle, 'Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe.' The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city and blood flowed out of the press..." To a reader unfamiliar with the harvest symbolism used by Joel of the sickle and the winepress, this could easily be misunderstood. Indeed, there are other times when Jesus spoke of a plentiful harvest, and the workers were too few, and this usually meant an evangelistic harvest rather than one of judgment (Mat 9:27, Luke 10:2, John 4:35). Still other Biblical writers; Paul, the Hebrew writer and James, all speak of a "harvest of righteousness" (2 Co 9:10, Heb 12:11, Jas 3:18) which is also unrelated to the harvest of judgment.
Can you get a full grasp of Joel's meaning without familiarizing yourself with the story of Jehoshaphat? Does Jesus' explanation of his use of symbolism bring clarity to how Joel used similar symbols? Can you get the full import of John's meaning without knowing that he is making a reference to the symbolism used by Joel? God's Word is woven together like a beautiful quilt. There are things we can see close up in the fine details that become better understood as we step back and look at the context.
Now when you read Joel 3, today or tomorrow, I hope you'll have a head start as to some more of the extended context.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
What's the best way to spread the Word?
by Brad Kibler
What is your first thought when someone mentions the Holy Spirit? This third member of the trinity definitely doesn't always get the publicity that the Father and the Son get, but His work should not be overlooked. Often, when you do hear about the Spirit, there are folks who swing the pendulum far to the other side and focus so much on speaking in tongues or healing that they can cause us in the 'mainstream' to steer away from any discussion of Him at all for fear of being associated with snake handlers and give-to-get televangelists.
Jesus, upon his departure promised "power from on high" (Luke 24:49) and earlier spoke about the promise of the "Counselor, the Holy Spirit," who will "teach you all things and and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26) We may not be able to walk in the garden of Eden with the Creator, but to have his power and wisdom always with us is amazing, and something I too often take for granted.
The Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament, but not everyone, and not in a 'permanent' presence. Moses even remarked to Joshua at one point, when the Spirit came upon the elders for a time, "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" (Nu 11:29) Not until Acts 2 do we see the permanent coming of the Spirit. We're told it came with "a sound like the blowing of a violent wind and filled the whole house" (2) and they saw "what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and cam to rest on each of them" (3) Just in case the disciples had any doubt this was Him, they were treated to a little audio-visual stimulation to mark this historic event. The sound of the spirit coming was loud enough that a crowd gathered outside to see what the commotion was about (6). The crowd was from at least 15 different regions, but they could all hear the Galilean disciples in their native tongues (6-12).
With the crowd gathering, Peter gives his first Spirit-filled sermon and about 3000 people converted that day. To start off his sermon, Peter chooses to quote Joel 2:28-32 where the prophet foretold "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people... and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" The Spirit was no longer going to be reserved for special prophetic words or tasks, it was no longer a select few for a temporary time, and it wasn't just going to be for the Jews. Just think, Joshua would be jealous of you! How much more can God work in our lives than that of the Old Testament icons? The sky is the limit! It all rests on our willingness to give God control. Jesus taught in the parable of the Talents, that if we use the gifts He's given us wisely and to the Master's glory that the Master is faithful to provide us even more to use in His service.
Stepping back for a moment, I am sometimes tempted to second guess God's methods for reaching the world. Jesus was active as a carpenter for more years than he was active as a traveling teacher. In that time, if I were God, I think I would have had Jesus invent the printing press. Couldn't the word have been spread farther and quicker had this invention hit the scene a few centuries earlier? It's not like it was way outside their technological grasp. Even going further along those lines, couldn't Jesus just as easily been raised by a metalsmith and then invented the techniques that would allow for the steam engine or the combustion engine? Wouldn't those have provided the means to reach the world so much faster? And if the Holy Spirit can instantly grant us knowledge of languages we never learned, why do missionaries have to struggle for years with tedious and difficult translation work?
I think the answer to my postulation is found in Romans 1:19-20: "...what may be known about God has been made plain to [godless men], because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." God doesn't need documentation or advanced technology to prove His existence or tell of His glory. He has all of creation. If we respond to the light of truth we are given in creation, then God is faithful to provide us more truth, and He is more than able to do so in whatever means possible, and is not hindered by the limitations of mankind's advancement. God does all He can do to draw all men into a relationship with Himself. He doesn't have to use you and me, but He wants to. Don't take this blessing of the presence of the Holy Spirit for granted. Be still and listen to the Spirit's promptings as you walk through today.
What is your first thought when someone mentions the Holy Spirit? This third member of the trinity definitely doesn't always get the publicity that the Father and the Son get, but His work should not be overlooked. Often, when you do hear about the Spirit, there are folks who swing the pendulum far to the other side and focus so much on speaking in tongues or healing that they can cause us in the 'mainstream' to steer away from any discussion of Him at all for fear of being associated with snake handlers and give-to-get televangelists.
Jesus, upon his departure promised "power from on high" (Luke 24:49) and earlier spoke about the promise of the "Counselor, the Holy Spirit," who will "teach you all things and and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26) We may not be able to walk in the garden of Eden with the Creator, but to have his power and wisdom always with us is amazing, and something I too often take for granted.
The Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament, but not everyone, and not in a 'permanent' presence. Moses even remarked to Joshua at one point, when the Spirit came upon the elders for a time, "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" (Nu 11:29) Not until Acts 2 do we see the permanent coming of the Spirit. We're told it came with "a sound like the blowing of a violent wind and filled the whole house" (2) and they saw "what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and cam to rest on each of them" (3) Just in case the disciples had any doubt this was Him, they were treated to a little audio-visual stimulation to mark this historic event. The sound of the spirit coming was loud enough that a crowd gathered outside to see what the commotion was about (6). The crowd was from at least 15 different regions, but they could all hear the Galilean disciples in their native tongues (6-12).
With the crowd gathering, Peter gives his first Spirit-filled sermon and about 3000 people converted that day. To start off his sermon, Peter chooses to quote Joel 2:28-32 where the prophet foretold "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people... and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" The Spirit was no longer going to be reserved for special prophetic words or tasks, it was no longer a select few for a temporary time, and it wasn't just going to be for the Jews. Just think, Joshua would be jealous of you! How much more can God work in our lives than that of the Old Testament icons? The sky is the limit! It all rests on our willingness to give God control. Jesus taught in the parable of the Talents, that if we use the gifts He's given us wisely and to the Master's glory that the Master is faithful to provide us even more to use in His service.
Stepping back for a moment, I am sometimes tempted to second guess God's methods for reaching the world. Jesus was active as a carpenter for more years than he was active as a traveling teacher. In that time, if I were God, I think I would have had Jesus invent the printing press. Couldn't the word have been spread farther and quicker had this invention hit the scene a few centuries earlier? It's not like it was way outside their technological grasp. Even going further along those lines, couldn't Jesus just as easily been raised by a metalsmith and then invented the techniques that would allow for the steam engine or the combustion engine? Wouldn't those have provided the means to reach the world so much faster? And if the Holy Spirit can instantly grant us knowledge of languages we never learned, why do missionaries have to struggle for years with tedious and difficult translation work?
I think the answer to my postulation is found in Romans 1:19-20: "...what may be known about God has been made plain to [godless men], because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." God doesn't need documentation or advanced technology to prove His existence or tell of His glory. He has all of creation. If we respond to the light of truth we are given in creation, then God is faithful to provide us more truth, and He is more than able to do so in whatever means possible, and is not hindered by the limitations of mankind's advancement. God does all He can do to draw all men into a relationship with Himself. He doesn't have to use you and me, but He wants to. Don't take this blessing of the presence of the Holy Spirit for granted. Be still and listen to the Spirit's promptings as you walk through today.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Going Through the Motions?
by Brad Kibler
What do you remember from yesterday morning? It's only been about 24 hours, so it should still be fairly fresh. I remember running late, and being disappointed that I missed the songs at the beginning of worship, and walked in right at the close of the prayer. I could probably name several of the ministries that Dennis and the round table discussed, but probably not all of them. I could give you examples of themes from Luke's writing and supporting passages, but to be honest, that probably sunk in more because I was being more attentive to my mid-week readings in preparation for these devotionals.
How about the week before this? Or last month? Ideally, I've been able to involve the principles and truths into my ever-maturing world view, but if I'm pressed for specifics, I'd have to refer to my notes to have any hope of a good response. I've gone to church hundreds of times in my life, and pulling out specific examples is difficult. It's like a tradition: you do something in almost the same way time after time and the details of one specific time can fade.
The good thing about traditions is that as you keep doing the same things over and over, the message can become more deeply rooted. On the flip side, once you've participated in a tradition a number of times, the temptation is there to 'tune out' and just go through the motions.
Let's look at songs as an example: When you first hear a song, it can be difficult to focus on the meaning of the words, since you're focusing on remembering the tune, rhythm, and the words themselves. There comes a point at which you've sung a song enough times that remembering the words and tune are no longer your focus, and you can sing the words from your heart like a prayer. You can recall the words and apply their truths even when you're not in corporate worship. It is at this juncture that you can also 'coast'. If we sing that song in worship that you've sung so many times in the past, you may get off-focus onto a new harmony you haven't tried, or the person singing next to you, or even to your mental to-do list.
In Joel, we're not given much specificity as to what they were doing wrong to deserve the punishment they were getting. The only hint we get is "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!" (1:5a) where it refers to drunkenness. Of course, the prophet started that lyrical pattern with "Hear this, you elders..." (1:2) and it goes on in that pattern to say "Despair, you farmers..." (1:11a) "Put on sackcloth, O priests..." (1:13a). Since not all in the audience were elders, farmers, or priests, I think it is safe to say they weren't all drunkards either. Perhaps it was obvious to them what their sin was. Perhaps Joel told them, but it's just not recorded. In any case, how many times do we read stories of Israel intermarrying with the heathen and then worshiping the pagan gods, and God calling his wrath on them. That sounds so foreign to us. Not too many of us have a daily struggle with our spouse wanting us to pray to Allah or Vishnu. But when the sin is unspecified, it is easier for me to apply the principles involved to today.
One powerful principle God tells his people through Joel is found in 2:13: "Rend your heart and not your garments..." 'Rending your garments' is just a fancy way of saying 'tearing your clothes', which is what the Jews did to show their mourning and repentance. Another way to say it would be: "I want you to follow me with your heart, not just your outward actions." Or, "Don't just go through the motions." Or, "Don't coast." Perhaps the people of Joel's day got lukewarm. Maybe it wasn't some huge outward sin that caused God's army of locusts, drought, and fire to be called forth as punishment. Maybe they had simply tuned out and got distracted with their daily lives.
Whatever you do today, put your heart into it. Don't let your to-do-list run your life today, decide to be passionate in pursuit of God's will today. His will may indeed be that you get through your to-do-list, but it will be to his glory if we are doing it out of a heart of worship.
What do you remember from yesterday morning? It's only been about 24 hours, so it should still be fairly fresh. I remember running late, and being disappointed that I missed the songs at the beginning of worship, and walked in right at the close of the prayer. I could probably name several of the ministries that Dennis and the round table discussed, but probably not all of them. I could give you examples of themes from Luke's writing and supporting passages, but to be honest, that probably sunk in more because I was being more attentive to my mid-week readings in preparation for these devotionals.
How about the week before this? Or last month? Ideally, I've been able to involve the principles and truths into my ever-maturing world view, but if I'm pressed for specifics, I'd have to refer to my notes to have any hope of a good response. I've gone to church hundreds of times in my life, and pulling out specific examples is difficult. It's like a tradition: you do something in almost the same way time after time and the details of one specific time can fade.
The good thing about traditions is that as you keep doing the same things over and over, the message can become more deeply rooted. On the flip side, once you've participated in a tradition a number of times, the temptation is there to 'tune out' and just go through the motions.
Let's look at songs as an example: When you first hear a song, it can be difficult to focus on the meaning of the words, since you're focusing on remembering the tune, rhythm, and the words themselves. There comes a point at which you've sung a song enough times that remembering the words and tune are no longer your focus, and you can sing the words from your heart like a prayer. You can recall the words and apply their truths even when you're not in corporate worship. It is at this juncture that you can also 'coast'. If we sing that song in worship that you've sung so many times in the past, you may get off-focus onto a new harmony you haven't tried, or the person singing next to you, or even to your mental to-do list.
In Joel, we're not given much specificity as to what they were doing wrong to deserve the punishment they were getting. The only hint we get is "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!" (1:5a) where it refers to drunkenness. Of course, the prophet started that lyrical pattern with "Hear this, you elders..." (1:2) and it goes on in that pattern to say "Despair, you farmers..." (1:11a) "Put on sackcloth, O priests..." (1:13a). Since not all in the audience were elders, farmers, or priests, I think it is safe to say they weren't all drunkards either. Perhaps it was obvious to them what their sin was. Perhaps Joel told them, but it's just not recorded. In any case, how many times do we read stories of Israel intermarrying with the heathen and then worshiping the pagan gods, and God calling his wrath on them. That sounds so foreign to us. Not too many of us have a daily struggle with our spouse wanting us to pray to Allah or Vishnu. But when the sin is unspecified, it is easier for me to apply the principles involved to today.
One powerful principle God tells his people through Joel is found in 2:13: "Rend your heart and not your garments..." 'Rending your garments' is just a fancy way of saying 'tearing your clothes', which is what the Jews did to show their mourning and repentance. Another way to say it would be: "I want you to follow me with your heart, not just your outward actions." Or, "Don't just go through the motions." Or, "Don't coast." Perhaps the people of Joel's day got lukewarm. Maybe it wasn't some huge outward sin that caused God's army of locusts, drought, and fire to be called forth as punishment. Maybe they had simply tuned out and got distracted with their daily lives.
Whatever you do today, put your heart into it. Don't let your to-do-list run your life today, decide to be passionate in pursuit of God's will today. His will may indeed be that you get through your to-do-list, but it will be to his glory if we are doing it out of a heart of worship.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Roadside Assistance (Luke 24:13-35)
by Brad Kibler
What about those fuel prices? And how long is that construction going to last? And where did all those bad drivers come from? When you're driving as part of your daily routine, these are likely some of the thoughts that come to mind. Our society has grown in such a way that we can now travel in seclusion, each of us in our own compartment. We may have passengers with us, but they are the ones we started our trip with, we don't usually pick up folks along our route. It wasn't always that way. When you walked or rode from place to place, it was much safer to travel in a group. Even as recently as America's westward expansion, you would have been considered a risk taker to go out too far with a lone stagecoach. You can't circle a single wagon.
So, the afternoon of our story, Cleopas and his friend go out for a trip that will take them more than an hour, maybe two depending on their pace. As they were going along they were discussing the latest news about Jesus' recent crucifixion. A stranger comes up and asks what they're talking about. "You must not be from around here!" was basically their response (Luke 24:18). They then explained to the stranger about Jesus' power and how they'd hoped he was the redeemer, but that he had been killed. "But, the strange thing was that some of the women said they saw angels that told them he was alive. Some of our friends went to look for themselves, and saw the empty tomb, but no angels." (22-24)
The stranger responds with "Why are you so slow to believe? Isn't that what Jesus said would have to happen?" (25-26). Then the stranger went through and explained to Cleopas and his friend how the scriptures predicted all those things about Jesus. (27) It's around supper time when they get to their destination, but they want to continue the conversation, so they offered the stranger a meal and a place to stay (29-30). After the prayer for the meal, it hit them that the stranger was Jesus! And with that realization, he disappears! (30-31)
Wow! It's one thing to read this when we know how it ends, but can you imagine living through this? Cleopas isn't mentioned by name anywhere else in the Bible. Mark alludes to this story, but doesn't go into the detail that Luke does. It's one thing for Jesus to appear to the women who were close to him that wanted to honor his memory, or for him to his chosen apostles, but why Cleopas? And why appear to Celopas before John, the disciple Jesus loved, or James or Peter who were also among the closest to him? We can only guess, but it sounds like Cleopas was a reliable witness. Luke, ever the historian, gives readers his name so that the story can be verified. Dissenters could say that if Jesus only appeared to those closest to him that it was all made up, that they conspired to steal the body to promote their agenda.
Cleopas had the details of how Jesus fulfilled the various prophesies explained to him by Jesus himself before anyone else 'got it'! Can you imagine that privilege! He apparently didn't have a problem sharing the story of Jesus with strangers, since that is what he tried to do even before he had it all explained to him He immediately went back to Jerusalem to tell the group there. I'm sure his pace was quicker on the way back! Cleopas was still there with the Eleven when Jesus appeared again to that group (35-36), so he got to hear the explanation again. (44-46).
Are we open to conversation with strangers? Would we have allowed Jesus to step into our conversation, or would we have shut him out? Were there others that Jesus appeared to, that never did "get it"?
Let's not miss any opportunities! We don't have to immediately dive into 'religious' topics of conversation, but even just talking about current affairs will allow us to bring our worldview and God's truth in to the mix. I find personally, that folks tend to have a preconceived notion of 'what Christians think' about things. We have Christian organizations that warn us not to let our kids watch certain movies or TV shows, read certain books, listen to certain music. I am all for protecting my kids, and I find those warnings useful to that extent. That being said, I purposefully went out and read the Harry Potter series, watched the Golden Compass, and listen occasionally to controversial popular music. And in each of those cases, I've been able to have conversations with folks at my workplace about those topics. If I had completely shunned these things, would the same doors have been open? I think, too, of Paul's speech in the Areopagus: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: To An Unknown God…." (Acts 17:22-23) Paul 'looked carefully' at the culture and was able to use it as a stepping stone to proclaim the truth (Acts 17:24-31). The church is not to be a cloister, completely separated from all things 'worldly'. What use is light if it never shines into darkness?
See if you can find a way to use current events or cultural media to share God's truth today. Maybe you can start a conversation with someone at the gas station or in the elevator or in line as you wait to transact your business. The easiest place to start is with the world around us.
What about those fuel prices? And how long is that construction going to last? And where did all those bad drivers come from? When you're driving as part of your daily routine, these are likely some of the thoughts that come to mind. Our society has grown in such a way that we can now travel in seclusion, each of us in our own compartment. We may have passengers with us, but they are the ones we started our trip with, we don't usually pick up folks along our route. It wasn't always that way. When you walked or rode from place to place, it was much safer to travel in a group. Even as recently as America's westward expansion, you would have been considered a risk taker to go out too far with a lone stagecoach. You can't circle a single wagon.
So, the afternoon of our story, Cleopas and his friend go out for a trip that will take them more than an hour, maybe two depending on their pace. As they were going along they were discussing the latest news about Jesus' recent crucifixion. A stranger comes up and asks what they're talking about. "You must not be from around here!" was basically their response (Luke 24:18). They then explained to the stranger about Jesus' power and how they'd hoped he was the redeemer, but that he had been killed. "But, the strange thing was that some of the women said they saw angels that told them he was alive. Some of our friends went to look for themselves, and saw the empty tomb, but no angels." (22-24)
The stranger responds with "Why are you so slow to believe? Isn't that what Jesus said would have to happen?" (25-26). Then the stranger went through and explained to Cleopas and his friend how the scriptures predicted all those things about Jesus. (27) It's around supper time when they get to their destination, but they want to continue the conversation, so they offered the stranger a meal and a place to stay (29-30). After the prayer for the meal, it hit them that the stranger was Jesus! And with that realization, he disappears! (30-31)
Wow! It's one thing to read this when we know how it ends, but can you imagine living through this? Cleopas isn't mentioned by name anywhere else in the Bible. Mark alludes to this story, but doesn't go into the detail that Luke does. It's one thing for Jesus to appear to the women who were close to him that wanted to honor his memory, or for him to his chosen apostles, but why Cleopas? And why appear to Celopas before John, the disciple Jesus loved, or James or Peter who were also among the closest to him? We can only guess, but it sounds like Cleopas was a reliable witness. Luke, ever the historian, gives readers his name so that the story can be verified. Dissenters could say that if Jesus only appeared to those closest to him that it was all made up, that they conspired to steal the body to promote their agenda.
Cleopas had the details of how Jesus fulfilled the various prophesies explained to him by Jesus himself before anyone else 'got it'! Can you imagine that privilege! He apparently didn't have a problem sharing the story of Jesus with strangers, since that is what he tried to do even before he had it all explained to him He immediately went back to Jerusalem to tell the group there. I'm sure his pace was quicker on the way back! Cleopas was still there with the Eleven when Jesus appeared again to that group (35-36), so he got to hear the explanation again. (44-46).
Are we open to conversation with strangers? Would we have allowed Jesus to step into our conversation, or would we have shut him out? Were there others that Jesus appeared to, that never did "get it"?
Let's not miss any opportunities! We don't have to immediately dive into 'religious' topics of conversation, but even just talking about current affairs will allow us to bring our worldview and God's truth in to the mix. I find personally, that folks tend to have a preconceived notion of 'what Christians think' about things. We have Christian organizations that warn us not to let our kids watch certain movies or TV shows, read certain books, listen to certain music. I am all for protecting my kids, and I find those warnings useful to that extent. That being said, I purposefully went out and read the Harry Potter series, watched the Golden Compass, and listen occasionally to controversial popular music. And in each of those cases, I've been able to have conversations with folks at my workplace about those topics. If I had completely shunned these things, would the same doors have been open? I think, too, of Paul's speech in the Areopagus: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: To An Unknown God…." (Acts 17:22-23) Paul 'looked carefully' at the culture and was able to use it as a stepping stone to proclaim the truth (Acts 17:24-31). The church is not to be a cloister, completely separated from all things 'worldly'. What use is light if it never shines into darkness?
See if you can find a way to use current events or cultural media to share God's truth today. Maybe you can start a conversation with someone at the gas station or in the elevator or in line as you wait to transact your business. The easiest place to start is with the world around us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)