January 17, 2014

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. - Matthew 6:14-15

I can truly say that I didn't want to discuss this topic today.  For the past four days the Marriage Devotional that Julie and I read and discuss together has been pelting us with the topic of forgiveness to the point of we have to fight and push ourselves to keep reading it.  Then today it wasn't on forgiveness and we were pretty excited that it was over, but now this Uncommon Devotional from Tony Dungy discusses it today.  Aaahhh!

I believe that Tony makes a valid point in his writings, at least as this topic relates to me, so I am going to republish a good bit here. "I can't help but wonder sometimes if I don't have trouble forgiving others because I don't want to forgive myself for all the stuff I've done.  ...  I mean, it seems as though sometimes the baggage we carry isn't really something  we want to carry around, but we do it anyway.  Either we enjoy the misery and want the self-imposed pity parties we're throwing to continue, or more likely, we simply can't forgive ourselves for all the times we have fallen short of God's standard.  So, we turn around and don't forgive others.  And our hearts begin to harden not only toward others, but toward ourselves."

Get off my toes, Bro!  Yikes. 

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”  Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. - Philippians 2:14-16

Oh man!  Got it.  Time to forgive myself, get over my pity parties and forgive others.  And do it without grumbling or arguing.  But I like grumbling and if I argue it delays the time to have to do it, right?  My kids do this all the time.  If they can "engage" in a conversation or change the subject maybe just maybe we'll forget about that directive or charge we just gave them.  It doesn't work for them, why do I think it'll work for me?

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. - 2 Corinthians 5:20

Apparently this is REALLY important for me to do because I am an ambassador of Christ.  Ummm, I really don't think God has thought this out too well.  He really should look somewhere else, I mean, I would and I'm not nearly as wise as He.  Obviously, He believes in me much more than I do.

January 16, 2014

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. - 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 (NKJV)

These verses are hard to understand fully.  If I read the whole chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, the first 8 verses and verse 13 all talk about love and how it is more important to have love over all else.  Yet these 3 1/2 verses between 8 and 13 all talk about things being partial, incomplete, and not clear, but will become full, complete, and clear when we are face-to-face with God.  I am having trouble putting the two together.

Dungy comments on these verses, "One day you will stand before the Hope of the world and see things clearly.  But you don't have to wait to ask for His clarity on matters you are dealing with now.  He is accessible."  This is a very hopeful commentary. 

I do find that I ask "Why" a lot these days.  "Why did I have to endure this or that while I was young?"  "Why did this have to happen?"  "Why was I made this way?"  "Why .... (fill-in-the-blank)?"  I guess one day I'll see things clearly when I meet Jesus, but something tells me I won't even care then as I'll have left this world behind.  I suppose that I can approach Jesus today, as Dungy suggests, with these questions.  But then, I sort of don't know if I want to know the answers.  I think most of the answers have to do with my absence of courage, my inability to overcome myself, my lack of understanding, my lack of belief and strength in faith, and other lacks and failures within myself I haven't even thought of yet.

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

May this God cover me today.

January 15, 2014

"But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” - Matthew 12:36-37

I am reminded of the saying I posted some days earlier, "May I think before I speak, but may I pray before I think."  I must be careful in what I say to others.  My speech is to be encouraging and for building up of the saints. (Romans 14:19, Ephesians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:11).  It is not to be used for the tearing down and cursing of men.  James 3:2-12 describes how we should not use our tongue and the danger it poses to our being:

If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.  Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.  Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.  Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Dungy says, "Think twice before you say idle [empty] words, even if you think they are justified.  Someday, we'll all be asked to account for what we say."  Not only am I going to be accountable for what I say, the words I say might steer my life and lives of those around me.  Therefore, it is very important to keep my heart close to God and to be focused on His character. 

Jeremiah was being mocked for his ministry and his sermons.  When he brought the word of the Lord to the people they derided him daily.  They watched for his mistakes and for him to stumble.  They wanted to take revenge upon him for these words of God.  Yet Jeremiah when he considered not speaking the words of God reflected this, But if I say, “I will not mention His word or speak anymore in His name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.  I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9)

May I also be as Jeremiah, so filled with God's Word and Spirit that I cannot speak in any other way but to edify others and build up those whom God created in His image.  May I seek to contribute to another's life, a life Jesus had on His mind when He died on the cross.  And may I be so filled that I can't keep it inside.

January 14, 2014

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. - Luke 17:6

Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. - Matthew 17:20

Faith is an interesting thing and it is something I do not understand fully.  I used to think that you either had faith or you didn't, it was on or off.  And I still believe that you either believe in Jesus or you don't.  But I also think you can be a great man full of faith, a man with some faith, or a man with little faith.  It seems to me that my faith can be encouraged and grown.

An elder preacher was returning to his hotel room one night and as he got off the elevator and proceeded down the hall to his room a young man moved quickly in front of him with a gun to rob him.  He told the preacher to hand over his wallet and watch or he'd kill him.  The preacher replied, "You can't scare me with heaven!"  And then he proceeded to witness to the young man.

I feel fairly certain that if I was in that same scenario, my instinctive response would not be one of a great man full of faith.  Dungy comments, "Sometimes we want to get our finite brains around an infinite God and understand things without having to do it on faith alone.  ...  And usually those times are when we need to have faith even more."  This is where I fall the most.  I say, "I hear you Lord, but why?  That doesn't make sense and I don't feel like it."  And I'm slow and sluggish to move. 

Dungy reassures me by saying, "The disciples had their moments of doubt, and Jesus was standing there, right in front of them."  Everyone has had their moments of doubt.  Sometimes that moment is truly a moment of minutes and sometimes that moment is a few years.  The answer is always a decision of faith.  Will I believe, while not understanding why, while not knowing what the outcome will be, while not feeling it, and do what He says do simply because that is what He says?

Dungy's challenge today is, "Christ doesn't' call us to understand it all, ... Instead He wants us to have just enough faith in Him to continue to follow Him day by day on the path He has set before us."

Duck Commander Devotion

There is a comment by Martin in today's Duck Commander Devotional.  He says, "If we are still living on planet Earth, we get the opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and when we die we get to spend eternity with Him!  Talk about a no-lose situation!"  I pray that I would have this optimism each day for the opportunity to live and spread the good news of redemption in Christ!

January 13, 2014

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. - Proverbs 16:3

This term "commit" might mean to roll your cares and concerns from yourself onto Him; to put the purpose of your work into the hands of God; to do what you believe He is directing you to do only; or to purposely and consciously organize your work so it is aligned with God's Word.  It also might mean all of these.

Dungy comments, "God calls us to be available and faithful to His ways and His Word.  The result [of our works] is up to Him; the impact and influence in the world and for His Purposes happens in His timing, by His hand - and ultimately for our good and His glory.  ...  If we commit to Him, our plans will succeed, as success is defined by Him."

Dungy also asks the questions: "What standard of success are you following?" and "Will that success always be considered success in the world's eyes?"

I am reminded of the story of the missionary couple returning by ship from 40 years of service to small tribes in South America.  He and his wife are standing at the railing as the ship is docking.  They see much fanfare and excitement for President Theodore Roosevelt who is also on this same ship and is returning from a hunting trip in South America.  There is much press and interviews and photographs and such for the President while the missionary couple quietly exits the boat without so much as a single person noticing as they disembark.  The man is angered by this and says to his wife, "So many years of service to God for the people in South America and there isn't a sole to notice our return!"  To which his wife answers, "Let's not be exasperated now, we're not home yet!"

What is the measure of my success?  It must be finding my God-given purpose and doing it.  Even the most dedicated Christians among us get it confused on occasion.  Sometimes this is a very difficult thing to know and sometimes it is right before me.  I have to pray and look and follow.  My measure of success can only be doing what I know I must do in accordance to the direction God gives me in Spirit and by what His Word says - no matter how difficult that may appear to be to do.  And I have to know that the world will condemn that work and call it wasted.

In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  A loving God who is planning a prosperous future for me with hope will not give me actions and purpose contrary to that future.  I must Trust in His success and in His plan.  

January 12, 2014

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. – James 1:23-24

I think this is one of the best devotions I have read in a long time.  Dungy entitled it “Facing Reality” and I think that is something we rarely ever do.  I can count on one hand the number of times where I felt I had a true sense of my reality of innumerable faults, self-worth, and position under Christ.  There is a peace there, but it is hard to stay there.

Dungy comments, “To develop a good game plan in life, we need to know who we really are – not how others perceive us, not the image of who we want to be or who society says we should be, but our true selves.  …  We need to know our strengths and weaknesses and how they fit into the big picture.”

He continues, “We must occasionally stop and take stock of who we are and what our goals are.  And we need an objective standard to do that, not just our personal opinions.  When we measure ourselves, our thoughts, our actions, and our goals by our own standards, we may end up missing the mark.  Our perceptions aren’t always accurate.  But if we measure these things by God’s Word, we are basing our lives on reality, not perceptions.”

If a doctor told you that he suspected you had cancer and wanted to do an MRI to look and see, would you turn it down?  Of course not!  You’d get an MRI as soon as possible and then follow with treatment for the disease as soon as you could get it.  However, we don’t apply that same sense of urgency to our spiritual and character flaws and they are much more important.

A preacher once said that when the song leader asked everyone to stand and sing “Standing on the Promises” everyone politely obliges, but what they all were really doing was sitting on the premises.  I need to be careful that I take the time to ask God to show me my true ugly self so I can get to that spiritual hospital and get it treated.  Then I can take that step from sitting on the premises to standing on the promises.

January 11, 2014

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” – Mark 1:35-37

Dungy asks, “Do you have moments in your life when you feel like everyone is demanding a piece of you, looking for you everywhere, armed with all their urgent requests and deadlines?” I don’t think I know anyone who would not answer yes to this questions.  In the passages prior to this one, we read where Jesus had been performing many miracles of healing sicknesses and casting out many demons not just through the day but well into the night.  So much that the whole city was gathered at the door where He was staying.

Jesus doesn't take a late morning rest, He instead gets up before everyone and goes off to be alone to pray and dwell closely in spirit and thought with His Father.  This is certainly an example that I need to follow.  It is a sad demonstration of my life in time management and priorities when the only time I am to be alone with my own thoughts is in the bathroom.  I must make time for more reflection and sincere prayer than that.  My wife and children need me to take more time to be in prayer than that.

The world will yell at me, but God will not.  He will speak to me in that still small voice.  If I am constantly surrounded from sun rise to sun set with the world yelling at me, how can I hear God’s voice?  And unless I am in a practice of listening for His voice, how can I hear amongst all the other noises?  It is crucial to my growth to be in the practice of knowing God’s voice and in the restoration of my spirit by stopping and being in an intentional conversation with God.

In the Duck Commander Devotional for today, one of the lines of the prayer is, “Lord, help me to think before I speak and pray before I think!”  This is an awesome way of thinking.  May I retreat to be alone with God before each day starts so I am praying before I am thinking.

Jan 10

1 Samuel 18 Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself. (NASB)

Nothing has taught me more about love than having children of my own.  I fully realized the power of agape when they were born and I couldn't help but love them unconditionally.  I found as they grew and at times deeply disappointed me, my agape for them never diminished in the least.  Furthermore as I contemplate what God did for us by sending himself to us in the form of his Son, I can only begin to fathom the depth and breadth of the agape it took to sacrifice Him for people who in some cases deny and outright hate Him.  As I've had the opportunity to watch and parent them through relationships, I've found it necessary on a routine basis to help them begin to sort through the differences in agape, phileo, and eros.  Categorizing love has helped us both sort through how to properly enter into and remain in relationship with others. 
As a teenager I clearly recall as a sophomore in HS getting my drivers license well ahead of my peers.  Suddenly I was one of the most popular people at my HS with something to do all the time.  By my 17th Birthday, however, I wondered where all my "friends" had gone.  They had chosen to enter into a brief relationship based on what they could get out of me.  I had learned how fleeting, simple, and shallow phileo can be. This doesn't help those of us who are introverted "put ourselves out there" by the way.  Later in life, however, through church, I've met and am friends with some incredible people who can overlook my quirks, annoying habits, and general introverted nature and genuinely agape me as well as enjoying a phileo relationship.  What a blessing from God!  I've learned much from those relationships, especially what God meant when he said:
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13).  I've learned that this doesn't mean I have to physically die to be a friend although it could, I've learned that it means to be willing to put my own agenda aside in the interest of others.  Jonathan clearly demonstrated this agape love for David. 
Lord may my life always be available to you for the sake of others and your kingdom. 

January 10, 2014

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. - 1 Samuel 18:1

Jonathan and David had a very close friendship.  I have always found it remarkable on behalf of Jonathan.  His character has always impressed me greatly.  He was the son of the king and he stood in line to receive the kingdom.  Yet he made a covenant with David (vs 3) and would gladly let David be exalted, instead of working alongside his father Saul, to kill him.  I personally believe that Jonathan was close to God and his discernment led him to know that God was with David and so Jonathan loved him as he loved himself.

Dungy makes some statements that point at me too directly.  "Friendship is meant to have mutual benefits for both people, but we often evaluate others by how they might benefit us."  I have to raise my hand here and admit that I lived far too much of my life as that kind of friend.  At least I feel that way because I feel as though I don't think about what I can do for my friends often enough.  My wife shows me over and over simply through her natural actions and concern for others how I am supposed to be thoughtful towards everyone, especially my friends.

Dungy continues and says, "If you choose your friends simply for the sake of friendship - two-way, mutual benefit - you'll not only have more of them, but the ones you have will mean more to you."  It is important for our kids and ourselves to not get caught up in purposely being friends with someone because of their status or wealth.  Become friends with someone because they are an interesting person and there is a kinship between you.  However, although I like this thought, I am confronted by Jonathan once again.  To what mutual benefit was he seeking in the friendship?  I don't think that is what drove him.  I believe he found someone with a like spirit.  And I believe that this is the most important part of a friendship.

January 9, 2014

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  -  Romans 8:38-39

Dungy says "Times get tough, things look bleak, the clouds roll in, and the sunshine rolls out.  And yet there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ.  ...  Do you feel separated from God today because of your fears or worries?  The apostle Paul says, 'Don't be!  The God who loves us will take care of those things.'  Whether you're aware of it or not."  He then challenges us to write down what we think could separate us from God's love.  Then draw a cross covering everything we listed. 

I am reminded of missionaries who depend upon God to do something that only God can do almost every day.  They are in a foreign land seeking to teach, instruct, demonstrate, and lead others to God's love.  They are opposed by many, ignored by most, and unappreciated by the rest.  There can be no doubt about whether or not God's love is with them.

I am reminded of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who lived in Germany during the Nazi emergence.  A Christian pastor who opposed the Nazis, worked to keep the church focused on God, started his own schools to teach young teachers and pastors the things of God when the church folded into the Nazis, wrote and spoke in opposition to the church in an effort to save it, was arrested by the Gestapo and executed by hanging while imprisoned at a Nazi concentration camp.  I have read nothing that suggested that he had any doubt about whether or not God's love was with him.

I am reminded about the three Hebrew children refusing to bow down to the golden image.  About to be thrown into the fire, they had no doubt that God's love was with them or about the plans He had for them.

Dungy entitles today's lesson, "Nothing means nothing".  Indeed!

Jan 9

Romans 8:38-39

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (NASB)

I guess being raised in a solid Christian home by loving parents and having a stable family myself makes this verse easy to understand, comprehend, and accept.  I've never really had this challenged.  I've had difficult jobs that required much prayer to get through each day.  I've experienced the loss of loved ones.  I've disappointed myself and been disappointed in others close to me, but I've never questioned God's love or plan.  I really don't know if this is a deep an abiding faith or simply naivety on my part, but I do have a hard time relating to and witnessing to those that do feel distant from God's love.  Regardless, its a blessing to rest in assurance.  The question is, does my life, my actions, my words truly reflect this assurance?  Am I a positive testimony to the fact of this verse or invisible and irrelevant?  What can I do to better reflect assurance to others?