April 5, 2025

Ephesians 4: 25, 28 Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully . . . He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (NIV)

Good habits are easier to quit than bad ones.*

Often, people who are trying to break the cigarette habit find that they are more successful when they replace the bad habit with a good habit. It is important to find a positive behavior rather than turn to another addiction – like food or alcohol. The same is true of sinful behavior. It’s not enough to quit lying; instead you must fill the void with speaking the truth. Paul says that the one who steals must stop stealing and work for a living – which has the added benefit of allowing him to share with those in need. In fact, every sinful practice should be exchanged for the “contrary virtue.”*

Of course, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Smoking isn’t just a bad habit – nicotine is an addictive substance. Withdrawal may be painful and medical assistance may be required. Likewise, for a new Christian, sin isn’t just a bad habit – it’s a lifestyle. Overcoming a sinful past may require giving up old friends (and finding new ones); looking for new places to hang-out (like church); and learning what the Bible says about right and wrong. Indeed, as one commentator suggests, a conscience has to be “created,”* and the Holy Spirit is the indispensable component in the process.

If you are a new follower of Christ, replacing your sinful behavior with a Christian lifestyle will not be easy. You will have setbacks but you will be forgiven. Avoid bad company and seek good influences; pray without ceasing; listen to wise counsel; and search scripture daily, allowing the Spirit to direct your path.

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15: 57)

A continual awareness of God’s presence in the midst of our daily activities can keep our thoughts and actions habitually righteous.*

April 4, 2025

Isaiah 40: 1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (NIV)

Broken lives break the heart of God.*

God loves us. He loves us because he is love and because it’s the right thing to do. But his love for us goes beyond duty. He could be brisk and businesslike in his treatment of us and still fulfill his loving obligations, but he speaks tenderly as he opens up his heart to us. He feels us.

In this passage, God offers double comfort to Jerusalem, but the message continues (in verse 5) with words of hope for all generations: “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.” As God’s spokespersons, our interactions with the lost should be more than just dutifully sharing the gospel. The good news consists of facts and information, but at the heart of it is the heart of God.

Effective witnessing requires knowledge of the gospel but more important is knowledge of the Savior. Do you know him - or do you have a relationship with him? Is your heart touched by what touches his? Are you prepared for the risk of caring that much?

If we don’t care, how will we convince them that God cares?

God’s comfort is not a hollow, positive-thinking, “There’s-a-silver-lining-behind-every-cloud” kind of message. God always gives His people reasons for comfort.*

April 3, 2025

Jonah 4: 2 “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (NIV)

God is always consistent with Himself in His actions.*

In the wrong mouth, even the truth can be misused. This verse contains the words of Jonah – uttered in a prayer. They are a true and accurate depiction of the character of God. And clearly Jonah believed what he said because he confesses that he fled to Tarshish for this very reason. He knew that God would be merciful to the people there if they repented - and he was vehemently opposed to the idea.

In the words of Oswald Chambers, “A person’s own idea of God and His attributes may actually be used to justify and rationalize his deliberate neglect of his duty.”* In other words, we recreate God in our own image so that we can neutralize our sin. Have you ever heard someone claim that “God would want me to be happy” as they justify an affair and destroy their marriage?

But often, like Jonah, we misapply God’s true character. A quote, which supposedly was delivered by a man on his deathbed, sums up the attitude of many believers: “God will forgive me. It is his job.”* It is true that God forgives; and it is also true that we can never deserve or earn his forgiveness; but the forgiveness process requires some participation on our part. We can’t just ignore God until we’re ready to lie down and die and count on one facet of his nature to save us. As another writer observes: “We cannot isolate his attributes without creating a false god.”*

Man’s opinion of God does not define God; God defines God.*

April 2, 2025

Psalm 39: 1-3  I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth . . .” But even when I was silent and still . . . my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue. (NIV)

A closed mouth gathers no feet.*

Often, when I read the Psalms, it feels like David lives inside my head. Like David, I have been in volatile situations where I have prayed, “Lord, help me to keep my mouth shut.” And then, suddenly and unexpectedly, out spews words that should not have been spoken by me, at that moment, with that attitude. What went wrong? Why didn’t God answer my prayer to suppress my unwise speech?

First, a reminder about God: he hears and answers prayers, but he doesn’t override our free will. I may have prayed for restraint but I didn’t really want it. In my heart, I knew that the people responsible for my frustration really needed to hear what I had to say. And my heart was wrong.

Of course, you have had similar experiences. What can we do to avoid a repeat performance? Don't wait until the heat of the moment to pray. Pray for wisdom and discernment: wisdom to know what to say; discernment to know when to say it. And pray for a pure heart. Because sometimes you should keep your mouth shut, and sometimes you shouldn’t. There will be rare occasions when you are the right person to deliver the message in that time and place – and you certainly don’t want to miss your chance!

I wonder how many times God was armed and ready to do battle on my behalf and I sabotaged his miraculous deliverance with my own mouth?*

April 1, 2025

Luke 14: 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?” (NIV)

When we commit our lives to Christ, we are opening ourselves up to the most radical reconstruction possible.*

A few years ago, our church embarked on a building project for which we solicited pledges from the members of the congregation. Because those who committed to the project came through 100%, we were able to proceed with the plans. Another church began a similar campaign but had to scale back on their plans because the members were unable to pledge the goal amount. They knew it would be foolish to start a construction project without first securing the funding.

Jesus reminds us (in verses 26 and 27 of Luke 14) that following him is an expensive project. It could cost us our family or even our life. It may be daunting to think that we must be willing to give up everything in order to be his disciple – but even more so when we face the fact that everything is not enough.

Have you ever received a credit card bill that shows that you don’t owe anything this month? That in fact, your account has been overpaid and they owe you money? What if someone else had paid that balance for you? That is what Jesus does for us. If we are willing to give everything to him, he will pay off everything that we owe. Our everything may not cover the minimum monthly payment, but his everything pays our debt in full.

Count the cost. Then carry your cross and follow him. 

Jesus doesn’t ask us to choose him over the worst things in life. He asks us to choose him over the best things in life.*