Read Psalm 25
"We Learn More In Our Valley Experiences Than On Our Mountaintops"
Adversity, anguish, trial, tribulations, and heartaches operate as lessons in the school of experience. They bring us to a place of new insight and understanding; they can alter our perception of the world and of God, and lead us to change our behavior. The Lord, of course, is the ultimate Teacher. He is the One to whom we must look for the meaning of any lesson related to adversity.
God allows adversity for different reasons:
God uses adversity to get our attention
The Lord uses a wide variety of methods to gain our attention when necessary; adversity is one of them. One of the best responses I know to adversity that strikes us suddenly---and yet obviously---with a God-intended message is to turn to Psalm 25 and make it our personal prayer:
1 O Lord, I give my life to you.
2 I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
4 Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,
which you have shown from long ages past.
7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
for you are merciful, O Lord.
Psalm 25:1-7
Don't delay in responding to the Lord when He moves to get your attention. Respond quickly and humbly. Hear what He has to say to you.
Adversity leads to examination
At times God sees fit to allow adversity into our lives to motivate us to self-examination. The winds of adversity blow away the surface issues and force us to cope with things on a deeper level. Adversity removes the cloak of what we are supposed to be reveal the truth of who we are. The "real us" shows through.
We are to regularly examine both our faith and ourselves. Paul encouraged the Corinthians, "Let a man examine himself" (1 Cor. 11:28). In other words, "Take an inquisitive look inside and discover what is driving you, motivating you, and enticing you."
Devotional written by Jim Runkle (parts adapted from Charles Stanley's In Touch Ministries -Part 2 of 2 will be available next week)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
By Faith
Read Colossians 2:6-7
When so much can be said with so few words there's something to be said about the power of the point being made. Colossians 2:6-7 points out probably the most powerful words we've ever heard.
Paul, writing to the Colossians says just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him. There it is! We receive Christ as the forgiver of our sins and the leader of our lives by faith. So just as we received him Paul writes continue by faith to walk in Him. Simple message, difficult to accomplish. But only difficult to accomplish if we try and go it alone. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper, a comforter who will come and live within us (that's why Jesus said it was better for us that He goes so that the Spirit may come and indwell us). And as we walk by faith in relationship with Christ the Holy Spirit will enable us with His power and guidance and correction and instruction to rooted and built up and strengthened in our faith.
There's no other way for followers of Christ to continue in faith than by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to walk with us as we desire to be in relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our God gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1) so we are fully capable with His provision to live in a powerful relationship with our Creator and Sustainer God. His plan is that by faith we'll walk with Him, talk with Him, enjoy Him, be with Him and give glory to Him. This week be reminded that our walk of faith begins and continues with this simple plan of God - that we would trust in our Almighty God every step of every day of our lives.
When so much can be said with so few words there's something to be said about the power of the point being made. Colossians 2:6-7 points out probably the most powerful words we've ever heard.
Paul, writing to the Colossians says just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him. There it is! We receive Christ as the forgiver of our sins and the leader of our lives by faith. So just as we received him Paul writes continue by faith to walk in Him. Simple message, difficult to accomplish. But only difficult to accomplish if we try and go it alone. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper, a comforter who will come and live within us (that's why Jesus said it was better for us that He goes so that the Spirit may come and indwell us). And as we walk by faith in relationship with Christ the Holy Spirit will enable us with His power and guidance and correction and instruction to rooted and built up and strengthened in our faith.
There's no other way for followers of Christ to continue in faith than by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to walk with us as we desire to be in relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our God gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1) so we are fully capable with His provision to live in a powerful relationship with our Creator and Sustainer God. His plan is that by faith we'll walk with Him, talk with Him, enjoy Him, be with Him and give glory to Him. This week be reminded that our walk of faith begins and continues with this simple plan of God - that we would trust in our Almighty God every step of every day of our lives.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Holding or Folding?
Read Judges 2:1-13
So much of life is held in the balance between holding on and folding. We tend to wrestle with this tension so much that we don't even pay it much attention because we just accept it as the way things are. This tension exists in many areas of life but I think it exists especially when we consider what one generation passes on to the next.
When we think about it we find that we're one generation removed from so many things being obsolete. And this is so true when it comes to our faith. Read Judges 2:1-13 and you'll see this generational tension existed back in the days of the Judges.
The issue Israel faced was as soon as Joshua and his generation had passed away, along with those elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel, the next generation slid right back into evil practices. They began forsaking God because they "knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." Friends, that's one generation away from some pretty amazing history of God working in the lives of the Israelites and their faith folded like a tent. Is this possible in our lifetime? Is it possible that if we're not careful the generation that follows us won't be holding on to their faith but folding like Israel?
Jesus made it very clear He expects us to be men and women of faith who "go and make disciples." So who are you discipling? Think about it, pray about it and be about it! That's what we're here to do - so go and make disciples so the next generation will hold on and pass on our faith for generations to come.
So much of life is held in the balance between holding on and folding. We tend to wrestle with this tension so much that we don't even pay it much attention because we just accept it as the way things are. This tension exists in many areas of life but I think it exists especially when we consider what one generation passes on to the next.
When we think about it we find that we're one generation removed from so many things being obsolete. And this is so true when it comes to our faith. Read Judges 2:1-13 and you'll see this generational tension existed back in the days of the Judges.
The issue Israel faced was as soon as Joshua and his generation had passed away, along with those elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel, the next generation slid right back into evil practices. They began forsaking God because they "knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." Friends, that's one generation away from some pretty amazing history of God working in the lives of the Israelites and their faith folded like a tent. Is this possible in our lifetime? Is it possible that if we're not careful the generation that follows us won't be holding on to their faith but folding like Israel?
Jesus made it very clear He expects us to be men and women of faith who "go and make disciples." So who are you discipling? Think about it, pray about it and be about it! That's what we're here to do - so go and make disciples so the next generation will hold on and pass on our faith for generations to come.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Returning Home
Read Ruth 1:1-18
Everyone loves a good story. In the book of Ruth that's exactly what we get. But it doesn't start out that way. It starts with what appears to be a young family in Bethlehem living at a time when they are experiencing a famine. So this family moves to Moab. The husband, Elimelech who was Naomi's husband dies leaving her with two boys in a foreign land. Her sons marry Moabite women but themselves die after living in Moab for about ten years. Now she's left alone as a widow, in a foreign land, without a husband and without her boys. However, she now has two daughters-in-law.
Naomi finds herself as they used to say in the old days, in a pickle. She's in a bad situation. She sees that she has nothing left, her husband and then her sons are all gone. And she's away from home. So she hears the famine in Bethlehem is over and she makes the decision to return home. Her decision affects her daughters-in-law. Orpah decides to stay in Moab but Ruth was determined to go with Naomi. In fact, she tells Naomi "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Think about that! I believe there was something about Naomi's faith that showed itself to Ruth so that Ruth was more than willing to go with Naomi to her home rather than stay where she was originally from. When Ruth says your God will be my God that is a huge statement we should always consider.
Question - when people see your life, when they see my life would they respond like Ruth saying your God will be my God? If yes, way to represent! If no, why not? Let's be men and women who are about representing God with our lives so that others would see our Great God in us and through us!
Everyone loves a good story. In the book of Ruth that's exactly what we get. But it doesn't start out that way. It starts with what appears to be a young family in Bethlehem living at a time when they are experiencing a famine. So this family moves to Moab. The husband, Elimelech who was Naomi's husband dies leaving her with two boys in a foreign land. Her sons marry Moabite women but themselves die after living in Moab for about ten years. Now she's left alone as a widow, in a foreign land, without a husband and without her boys. However, she now has two daughters-in-law.
Naomi finds herself as they used to say in the old days, in a pickle. She's in a bad situation. She sees that she has nothing left, her husband and then her sons are all gone. And she's away from home. So she hears the famine in Bethlehem is over and she makes the decision to return home. Her decision affects her daughters-in-law. Orpah decides to stay in Moab but Ruth was determined to go with Naomi. In fact, she tells Naomi "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."
Think about that! I believe there was something about Naomi's faith that showed itself to Ruth so that Ruth was more than willing to go with Naomi to her home rather than stay where she was originally from. When Ruth says your God will be my God that is a huge statement we should always consider.
Question - when people see your life, when they see my life would they respond like Ruth saying your God will be my God? If yes, way to represent! If no, why not? Let's be men and women who are about representing God with our lives so that others would see our Great God in us and through us!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
What If...
Read Titus 1:10-16
What if we took Jesus' command to follow Him seriously? What would that look like for us as a church? What would that mean for you and I personally? Would we live differently than we do right now?
Think about it - when Jesus called His first disciples He called them to a new life, a new way of living. They left their old ways and started living according to a new way - Jesus' way.
If we were to honestly evaluate our lives could we honestly say we are following the words and ways of Christ Jesus? Listen most of us can say we believe in Jesus - in His words and ways. But have they affected us to the point of touching our heart to the extent that it actually changes the way we live? We're not talking about behavior modification; we're talking about a change of heart where our greatest desire is to live for Him in every single way possible.
The apostle Paul said in Titus 1:16 that many claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. Wow! That is quite an indictment about the heart condition of so many in Paul & Titus' day. And I believe it's still quite true in our day.
So what are we to do? I think it all comes down to two things. First it's about making a decision that we will do everything within our power to follow Jesus' call to Follow Him. And second, that begins with submitting to the power of the Holy Spirit. When we choose to follow it begins by responding to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let's make that decision today - to live and love God by fully following Him with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
What if we took Jesus' command to follow Him seriously? What would that look like for us as a church? What would that mean for you and I personally? Would we live differently than we do right now?
Think about it - when Jesus called His first disciples He called them to a new life, a new way of living. They left their old ways and started living according to a new way - Jesus' way.
If we were to honestly evaluate our lives could we honestly say we are following the words and ways of Christ Jesus? Listen most of us can say we believe in Jesus - in His words and ways. But have they affected us to the point of touching our heart to the extent that it actually changes the way we live? We're not talking about behavior modification; we're talking about a change of heart where our greatest desire is to live for Him in every single way possible.
The apostle Paul said in Titus 1:16 that many claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. Wow! That is quite an indictment about the heart condition of so many in Paul & Titus' day. And I believe it's still quite true in our day.
So what are we to do? I think it all comes down to two things. First it's about making a decision that we will do everything within our power to follow Jesus' call to Follow Him. And second, that begins with submitting to the power of the Holy Spirit. When we choose to follow it begins by responding to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let's make that decision today - to live and love God by fully following Him with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Games People Play
Read Galatians 6:1-9
Everyone plays games. Games are fun, engaging, challenging and exciting. From the age of a toddler up to retirement age, everyone enjoys a good game. From peek a boo to gyn rummy and other card games we all like games. However, there are games people play that aren't acceptable before God. These games are games we play because we want things our way. They're games we play because we think we know better. And they're games we play because we lack respect for the will of God.
Probably the biggest of all the games people play is the game of playing God. Growing up I remember the game - king of the mountain where you'd find a hill and whoever was on top was the king and all others were trying to knock the "king" off the hill so he/she could become the king of the hill. The truth is we play this game with our faith more often than we should.
Galatians 6 gives us some instruction about how to avoid playing games like this. If we know someone is in sin we're told to restore them gently. This means speaking to them kindly about God's truth. Paul says we're to carry each other's burdens and at the same time carry our own load. This means we're responsible for ourselves as well as helping others in following Christ. And then the warning he gives is we're not to play games - don't be deceived he says because God will not be mocked. We will reap what we sow.
God desires from all His children that our walk match our talk. He wants our faith to be filled with His grace, truth and mercy. Yet so often we hedge our bets and try to justify our behavior even when it opposes the word and will of God. Listen, God is the One and Only Justifier. So we have to heed his commands and obey. Jesus said it best - if you love me you will obey my commands. And this is only possible when we've decided to live a Holy Spirit-led life and not a self-led life.
Everyone plays games. Games are fun, engaging, challenging and exciting. From the age of a toddler up to retirement age, everyone enjoys a good game. From peek a boo to gyn rummy and other card games we all like games. However, there are games people play that aren't acceptable before God. These games are games we play because we want things our way. They're games we play because we think we know better. And they're games we play because we lack respect for the will of God.
Probably the biggest of all the games people play is the game of playing God. Growing up I remember the game - king of the mountain where you'd find a hill and whoever was on top was the king and all others were trying to knock the "king" off the hill so he/she could become the king of the hill. The truth is we play this game with our faith more often than we should.
Galatians 6 gives us some instruction about how to avoid playing games like this. If we know someone is in sin we're told to restore them gently. This means speaking to them kindly about God's truth. Paul says we're to carry each other's burdens and at the same time carry our own load. This means we're responsible for ourselves as well as helping others in following Christ. And then the warning he gives is we're not to play games - don't be deceived he says because God will not be mocked. We will reap what we sow.
God desires from all His children that our walk match our talk. He wants our faith to be filled with His grace, truth and mercy. Yet so often we hedge our bets and try to justify our behavior even when it opposes the word and will of God. Listen, God is the One and Only Justifier. So we have to heed his commands and obey. Jesus said it best - if you love me you will obey my commands. And this is only possible when we've decided to live a Holy Spirit-led life and not a self-led life.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Living at Peace
Read Romans 12:18
This one little verse is so important to understanding our responsibility when it comes to living at peace. For many, living at peace seems so elusive, almost impossible to be sure. But when we come across Romans 12:18 in God's word we're reminded of our role in the peace process.
Paul writes 'if it is possible.' There's an implication that comes with this instruction. The implication is peace isn't always possible. But the command is 'as far as it is possible live at peace with one another.' This provides a second implication - that we have a responsibility up to a certain point to do what we can to live at peace with others.
Friends the truth is some people just don't want to make peace. For whatever reason, they choose to live in conflict. Maybe it's pride or maybe it's anger or maybe it's just this desire to make others pay for whatever pain they've experiencing. The truth is hurt people hurt people. Yet God doesn't want us willfully taking part in that process. He wants His children representing Him by living at peace with one another as far as it depends on us because this represents exactly who He is. God never asks us to do anything He's unwilling to do Himself. He is the ultimate peacemaker - doing everything possible to ensure we have access to peace with Him.
Listen, life is all about relationships. Our relationship with God and our relationship with one another. And since we're created to live at peace with God and each other, let's consider the peace we have with each. If you have never come into a peace relationship with God please consider Jesus. He is God's perfect expression of His love and peace for all of us. And what Jesus asks is that we make a decision to follow Him because without Him we're unable to experience a right and peaceful relationship with God the Father. For those of us who have peace with God, maybe for us we're at odds with someone else. So for us it's time we take this relationship to God in prayer asking Him what and how He wants us to do so that if it is possible, as far as it depends on us we can live at peace with one another.
This one little verse is so important to understanding our responsibility when it comes to living at peace. For many, living at peace seems so elusive, almost impossible to be sure. But when we come across Romans 12:18 in God's word we're reminded of our role in the peace process.
Paul writes 'if it is possible.' There's an implication that comes with this instruction. The implication is peace isn't always possible. But the command is 'as far as it is possible live at peace with one another.' This provides a second implication - that we have a responsibility up to a certain point to do what we can to live at peace with others.
Friends the truth is some people just don't want to make peace. For whatever reason, they choose to live in conflict. Maybe it's pride or maybe it's anger or maybe it's just this desire to make others pay for whatever pain they've experiencing. The truth is hurt people hurt people. Yet God doesn't want us willfully taking part in that process. He wants His children representing Him by living at peace with one another as far as it depends on us because this represents exactly who He is. God never asks us to do anything He's unwilling to do Himself. He is the ultimate peacemaker - doing everything possible to ensure we have access to peace with Him.
Listen, life is all about relationships. Our relationship with God and our relationship with one another. And since we're created to live at peace with God and each other, let's consider the peace we have with each. If you have never come into a peace relationship with God please consider Jesus. He is God's perfect expression of His love and peace for all of us. And what Jesus asks is that we make a decision to follow Him because without Him we're unable to experience a right and peaceful relationship with God the Father. For those of us who have peace with God, maybe for us we're at odds with someone else. So for us it's time we take this relationship to God in prayer asking Him what and how He wants us to do so that if it is possible, as far as it depends on us we can live at peace with one another.
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