February 28, 2023

Romans 12: 6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (NIV)

Sometimes the Lord calls us to do tasks that are far beyond our “giftedness” – jobs that will stretch our faith and force us to use some unfamiliar spiritual muscles.*

Paul took a risk when he made this list. There is a tendency among humans to think every list is all-inclusive. We might look at this catalogue of gifts and think, “I’m not gifted in any of those areas. I guess I have nothing to offer.” And we would be missing the point.

If you’re like me, you may be a little cloudy on the difference between gifts and talent. Maybe you aren’t sure if you have either. So, what can you do? Paul says that our gifts are a matter of the grace given to us. What better way to show your gratitude for that grace than by just doing what you do and doing it to the best of your ability? You might discover your giftedness, or you might just learn that the more you do something, the better you are at it. Perhaps God gave you the gift of persistence! (Not on the list, by the way.)

I read something that speaks powerfully to the gift-impaired: “Excusing yourself from evangelism because it’s not your ‘spiritual gift’ is like watching a child drown because you’re not [a] lifeguard.”* Don’t wait until you have discovered and perfected your gift before you offer your service to the Lord. Glorify him with all your actions and others may identify your spiritual gift before you do. Just because you don’t know what to call it doesn’t mean you don’t have it! Use it or lose it!

We hold our spiritual gifts on the terms of using them.*

February 27, 2023

Mark 4: 3-8 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path . . . Some fell on rocky places . . . Other seed fell among thorns . . . Still other seed fell on good soil. . . .” (NIV)

Failure in evangelism is to be expected. Not everyone will see the point.*

After telling the parable of the seed and the sower, Jesus took the Twelve aside and explained to them the meaning of the story. The seeds represented the word, and the ground they fell upon stood for the condition of the hearts of the hearers of the word. It seems the seeds were sown liberally and randomly. Some of those randomly scattered seeds fell on good soil; some didn’t fare as well. Because Jesus called the man a farmer, it is safe to assume that he would also have been deliberate about planting most of his seeds in a properly prepared garden.

Our attempts at sharing the word can look a lot like this farmer’s work. We aren’t surprised that sowing liberally and deliberately would have good results, but have you ever considered the effectiveness of the randomly scattered seed? I recently heard a woman share the story of how she came to know the Lord. It began in WalMart when she overheard two other women talking about church. How random is that??

As in farming, proper preparation and effective methods are important in sharing the gospel, but sometimes we stress so much about strategy that we neglect to sow our seeds liberally. As for those randomly scattered seeds – those occur naturally when we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Some seeds may be eaten by birds or choked by thorns but some will fall on soil that has already been plowed by another. We must learn to leave the bountifulness of the crop to the Lord. Our job is just to keep scattering those seeds!

My part is to share the gospel and God’s part is to make the gospel effective in the heart.*

February 26, 2023

Psalm 1: 1-6 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked . . . (NIV) 

You’re the average of the five people you associate with the most.*

There is a lesson for us in every verse of the first Psalm. Let’s look. 

1. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. People come into our lives uninvited and unwelcome. We don’t get to choose our family members or our co-workers or our fellow church-members. We do have freedom of choice when it comes to whose advice we listen to, whose company we keep in our leisure time, and whose behavior we emulate. 

2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. Reading God’s word should not be just an item on our to-do list. If we delight in it, we will make it a priority. Read it, meditate on it, own it. 

3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. A tree growing on the river bank is always close to its source of refreshment. When we remain in the refreshment of God’s word, we will be spiritually fruitful and healthy – success on God’s terms. 

4. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. The wicked have no roots and thus no connection to the source of sustenance and strength. 

5. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. If not there, where will they be? Alone. 

6. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. The way of the righteous lasts; the way of the wicked doesn’t. 

Choose your companions wisely. Delight in and meditate on the word of God. Stay on the path that leads to everlasting life. Be prosperous!

God’s Word reveals the right road.*

February 25, 2023

Acts 8: 21-23 “You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (NIV)

God knows the heart of man and He will not accept outward forms in place of genuine repentance.*

Peter’s harsh words are addressed to Simon the Sorcerer, who liked to be known as “The Great Power.” Simon and his followers heard the gospel from Philip, believed, and were baptized. Simon was so impressed with the signs and miracles that Philip performed that he began to follow Philip everywhere he went. But when he saw that the apostles had the power to bestow the Holy Spirit by placing their hands on people, he wanted in on the action.

I don’t know how much time had passed between Simon’s initial conversion and this incident but it is safe to say that Simon was still a novice Christian. There is no reason to doubt that his conversion was genuine, but he had a lifetime of bad influences to overcome. Even so, Peter was right to reprimand him for thinking he could purchase the power that would allow him to grant the Holy Spirit to other people. If Peter could see that Simon was full of bitterness and captive to sin, then of course God could see it, too. Simon clearly needed to repent of more than mere ignorance. Peter may have sounded doubtful of God’s willingness to forgive Simon, but it wasn’t God’s power to forgive that he doubted. He was skeptical of Simon’s readiness to repent.

New Christians often face the same dangers that afflicted Simon. Their lack of understanding of the Christian life is understandable. But seasoned believers are not exempt from the same temptations – to covet another’s gifts, to worship money and to use it to try to buy power and respect. God’s power cannot be bought. His power draws us to himself, not to things or selfish ambition.

If your heart is not right with God because of some wickedness, he will forgive you if you follow Peter’s advice to Simon: Repent and pray to the Lord.

There must be sorrow over sin if there is going to be genuine change of heart.*

February 24, 2023

Psalm 16: 5, 6 Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (NIV)

How much of our security and peace is the outcome of the civilised life we live, and how much of it is built up in faith in God?*

Some people have more than their fair share of trouble. Some of us have less trouble than seems equitable. Much of the world’s population is born into misery and hopelessness, while people like me enjoy lives of opportunity and prosperity. Is it a matter of good luck or bad luck? Does God love some of us more than he loves others?

In these verses, David seems to imply that God has given him the best things in life. If you know anything about David’s story, you realize that things did not always go smoothly for the "man after God’s own heart." Did he write this psalm at a particularly peaceful and prosperous time in his life or was he speaking figuratively?

“The boundary lines” refers to property that has been divided into portions, as for one’s heirs, perhaps. David finds his allotted property to be a pleasant place. Literally speaking, not everyone is pleased by the same places. Some prefer mountains over the seashore; some prefer where they are over a place they have never been. If you are happy with the boundary lines of your portion, perhaps it’s because you have chosen to have the right attitude about your circumstances. David says that the Lord has assigned his portion and cup – in other words, good or bad, it’s the lot he’s been given. Then he adds, “You have made my lot secure.” Any follower of Jesus can make the same claim. Our lives on earth may be full of trouble but we can rest in the promise of a secure, eternal future.

I don’t know why life isn’t fair, but each of us should endeavor to recognize the pleasant places in our lives and to be grateful for them. No matter your current situation, look ahead to better days. The psalmist says we have a delightful inheritance awaiting us.

People who don’t look forward to the future don’t enjoy the present either.*

February 23, 2023

Colossians 1: 10, 11 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.

The despair of attempting to please a God who is never satisfied and always demanding more results in rebellion, not joyful service.*

I had a friend who was the epitome of a “backslider.” He was once very active in the church, serving as an elder, Bible school teacher, and church treasurer. When he was facing a personal crisis in his new churchless life, his wife asked me to pray for him. I said, “I will. But he probably won’t like what I’m going to ask for.” I prayed about the condition of his soul, not just about his physical concerns. 

When Paul prayed for his friends, he prayed for the stuff that matters. For the Colossians, he prayed that they would live a life worthy of the Lord and that they would please him in every way. Do you think they were happy to hear that? 

What comes to your mind when you think of what pleases God? You might think of external factors such as: 

1. Certain spiritual experiences. 
2. Absence of certain vices. 
3. Holding the right position on certain theological and social issues.* 

But Paul doesn’t mention anything from this list. He has a list of his own. To please God in every way, he says we need to: 

1. Bear fruit in every good work. 
2. Grow in the knowledge of God. 

The writer of Hebrews adds that it pleases God when we do good and share with others (Hebrews 13: 16). Perhaps pleasing God is not as complicated as we tend to make it. Pleasing God is not a matter of checking items off of a to-do list and expecting a pat on the head. Perhaps pleasing God is as simple as wanting to please him. When you set out to live a God-pleasing life, you will begin to see a change in your values, and others will start to see changes in your behavior* as you are strengthened with all power according to his glorious might.

We don’t bear spiritual fruit in order to get right with God. Rather, when we are right with God, we will bear spiritual fruit.*

February 22, 2023

John 7: 17 “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” (NIV)

A lifetime of studying the Bible is of no avail if a man’s will and desire is out of harmony with God’s will.*

Ever heard someone referred to as an “educated fool”? This is a person who knows a lot of stuff but doesn’t know how to do anything. And in the case of the Jewish rulers in Jesus’ audience, they weren’t even interested in putting their vast knowledge to work. They were content with their big heads and flabby spiritual muscles. Jesus’ doubters were right to question his authenticity, but they were not interested in proving him right. Their concern about God’s will went no further than their knowledge of scripture.

If we choose to do God’s will, we will endeavor to find out for ourselves whether another person is speaking truth. This doesn’t mean that if we sincerely wish to do God’s will, we will mysteriously and automatically receive deep spiritual understanding. Jesus tells us that if seeking God’s will is our true desire, we will be proactive in searching his word. When you get into the word, the Holy Spirit does his work in you, revealing truth and providing direction and wisdom.

Spiritual understanding is not produced solely by learning facts or procedures, but rather it depends on obedience to known truth.*

February 21, 2023

Luke 13: 2, 3 Jesus answered, “Do you think these . . . were worse sinners . . . ? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (NIV)

In times of tragedy, the most important question is not who caused it or why, but how will we respond.*

In this passage, we find Jesus using the big news stories of the day as a teaching opportunity. We don’t know much about the first incident except that Pilate had caused the slaughter of some Galileans as they were performing their sacrifices, causing human blood to mingle with that of the animals on the altar. The second event involved an unfortunate accident in which a tower fell on and killed eighteen people. Jesus presented the people with the thought-provoking question, “Did these people die this way because they were worse sinners than anyone else?”

It seems logical and fair that the punishment should fit the crime. In a civil justice system, that’s the way it should be. If sin were judged according to the same standards, it would stand to reason that bad things wouldn’t happen to good people.

Jesus redirected the focus from, “Why did this happen?” to, “What does this mean to us?”* He wanted his listeners – and us – to understand that life isn’t fair. Not every bad thing that happens is retribution for bad behavior, nor is good fortune an indication that an individual is a good person. His point was not that the people who had died were innocent but that they were not more guilty than anyone else.*

Paul echoed Jesus’ point when he wrote in Romans 3: 23 that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Everyone is guilty therefore everyone should repent. Everyone dies and most are taken by surprise by it. And unless you repent of your sins, your fate is worse than death. Repent, Jesus said. Don’t live in fear of dying, and don’t be afraid that you will get what you deserve!

The ultimate disaster is carrying your sins to your casket.*

February 20, 2023

Matthew 27: 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. (NIV)

The silence of the Lamb of God still speaks volumes.*

Jesus’ accusers had never heard of the “Miranda Warning,” but Jesus knew that anything he said could and would be used against him in a court of law - although what he faced could hardly be described as legal proceedings. There was no evidence presented, no testimony by sworn witnesses, no justice, and no mercy.  And he was not there to entertain the crowd. He was there to fulfill prophecy and to accomplish his mission.

Jesus wasn’t always silent. When he spoke, people listened and were amazed. His words transformed lives and changed the world. The temple guards who were sent to capture him came away empty-handed, declaring, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” (John 7: 46) But when there was nothing to be said, he said nothing.

I doubt if any of us could have controlled the urge to defend ourselves against such vicious and false accusations. I’m not even sure if there is a lesson in this for us. Very few – if any – of my readers will ever face a situation at all similar to this one, so we won’t need his example of stoicism to carry us through such an ordeal. What’s important is that we remember that he did face it, how he faced it, and why. He did it because someone had to pay the price for our sins and he was the only one who could stand before his accusers in complete innocence. He is the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. What else could he have said?

Jesus wasn’t silent because he had no answer. Jesus was silent because he was their answer.*

February 19, 2023

Matthew 6: 6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)

We must become so quiet of heart and spirit that we can sense His presence.*

If we tried to understand this verse alone and apart from any other of Jesus’ words or actions, we would be sure to misinterpret what Jesus was telling his disciples. Previous to issuing this command, Jesus warned his listeners about the dangers of doing your “acts of righteousness” before men. He was not pronouncing a prohibition against praying out loud in public, just against showing off. Indeed, in the gospels, we find Jesus praying both privately and publicly. And he didn’t own an actual closet himself - so what did he mean?

Prayer is a conversation with the Father, and just like human conversations, there are variations in methods and purpose. We tend to use prayer as a means to ask God for stuff and there are human interactions that follow similar patterns. Public prayer is like the conversations that occur in a group – the subject matter tends to be more general in nature in order to connect with the majority of the people. The best conversations are the personal, private, one-on-one encounters with a good friend. Without face-time, the friendship becomes weak from neglect.  And the best prayers are the ones that deepen our relationship with the Father.

Jesus didn’t establish any rules about when and how often we should enter into this prayer closet. If he had, the legalists among us would follow the rules to the letter and be judgmental of those who didn’t. And we would miss the point of praying. We must be intentional in maintaining any relationship, but who wants a friend who spends time with us according to a strict schedule? Is it a friendship or is it a duty? Where is the spontaneity? Where is the joy in each other’s company?

Jesus said that the Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us. He doesn’t specify what that reward is but the clues point to this: getting to know God. There is nothing more rewarding than spending time with him, learning to talk to him without asking for anything except for the joy of his company. After all, Jesus said that the Father knows what we need before we ask him (Matthew 6: 8), so why not move on to the next level in your relationship with him?

“I have wonderful things in store for your life but first you must seek my heart.”*