Thursday, November 26

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015

Daniel 2:24–3:30

1 Peter 4:7–5:14

Psalm 119:81–96

Proverbs 28:15,16

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  For what or whom may you give thanks today?  How could you spread this attitude through the other days of this year?

 

Today, we read two passages about suffering for righteousness, and it may seem strange that the Scriptures encourage us to “rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13)  In Daniel 3, we find a fiery furnace for Daniel’s three friends, who had committed the crime of failing to idolize Nebuchadnezzar.

 

Why might we rejoice even in these sorrows?  The Bible explains that, in some way, our worldly struggles help us to identify with and even unite with our living Savior.  In the Book of Hebrews, we found this encouragement to press onward:  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

 

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ faced the same opposition and challenges – and much more powerfully – than we have.  He remained committed to serving God’s Kingdom purposes, even to the point of an undeserved death on the Cross to the pay the penalty that we rightly deserved.

 

The “secret” of living in such undivided devotion to our Lord God lies in counting everything as loss.  This decision of the will does not mean that we devalue this earthly life; rather, we must see it in right perspective vis-à-vis the eternal.  In other words, why sacrifice the eternal good for a temporal gain – that really isn’t that great after all?  In this light, Kingdom matters rise in importance, high above earthly matters.  The change in perspective, revealed through God’s Word and by His Holy Spirit, brings the truly important into focus.

 

Daniel’s three friends recognized that they could not allow their earthly commitments to Nebuchadnezzar and their service in Babylon to overtake their eternal commitments to serving God.  They reasoned that God would remain faithful to them, even if they persisted in their “disobedience” to Nebuchadnezzar.  While they most likely didn’t anticipate rescue from the fire – and God’s clear intervention therein – they trusted in God’s provision.  Their faith relates closely to Abraham’s, where he submitted even to the death of the son of God’s promise.

 

According to 1 Peter 4, there appear to be rewards for those who persevere through trials, both in this earthly life and the eternal.  He mentions that those who “are insulted because of the name of Christ” receive the blessings of the “Spirit of glory… rest[ing] on you.” (1 Peter 4:14)  The revelation of God’s glory in the Second Coming of Christ will bring great joy to those who have suffered, to those who have committed to following God.  Therefore, Peter concludes that “those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:19)

 

In this last verse, we understand the truth behind counting everything as loss.  We must see and trust in God’s faithfulness to His promise.  Since He will not abandon us, we cling to Him in the midst of adversity, knowing that He planned it for us.  Our good Father will carry us through challenging moments and transform us more into the likeness of His Son through them.  And, like Daniel’s three friends, we may be able to stand together in this trust, spurring one another on towards love and good deeds.

 

Thank you for loving and serving the living God.  May you be encouraged today to continue running the race with perseverance, as you experience God’s loving presence and trust in His promises.  You might find it edifying to read Romans 5:1–5; Hebrews 12:4–13; and James 1:2–5.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for Your goodness to us.  We remember with thanksgiving all the great people that You have placed into our lives who have helped us to know You better.  Thank You for the freedom to serve and honor You.  Thank You for Your rich blessings by providing food, shelter, and clothing.  Thank You for an awesome church family who loves You and one another.  Thank You for our cities and towns, that they are places of opportunity for us.  Thank You for Your Word, that instructs, guides, and corrects us.  Thank You for Your loving presence in our lives.  We desperately need You and want to know You more.  Help us to bless others by demonstrating Your love.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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Nov. 25

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.

On our Women's Retreat we talked about "being a fool" for God and taking risks because of our faith that might not make sense to "the world".  We all ask the Lord to give us opportunities to witness and share our faith but when that opportunity presents itself are we ready to take the risk, show the grace, or be the witness with a heavenly mindset and let our actions or words give the answer for the hope that we have?  We left the retreat refreshed and recommitted, filled with our hearts set apart for Christ.  Today's passage reminded me of how I felt when I left the retreat.  We are being encouraged to remember not only of our love for Jesus, but His love for us which sets Him apart in our hearts.  He is the reason for our hope and we should always be ready to share our story of the love and grace we received.  We've all got a story.  As we get ready for Thanksgiving and the Christmas season, I pray for all of us that we get a chance to share the reason for our hope with our hearts set on Christ, with His love and His grace.



Randi

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Saturday, November 21, 2015

[by Keesha Sullivan]

"Hey...Keesha?" cried my friend over the phone. "Hey!" I exclaimed slightly surprised. I hadn't spoken with this friend in years. She sounded frustrated and slightly disheveled. "Um...I need prayer. I know you pray, so I figured I'd call you," she explained in an exasperated tone. She went onto explain her situation. It was quite dire. My eyes welled up with tears. She was in trouble and desired to go to God. I couldn't believe my ears, but I was so happy. I knew that God would touch. I wasn't sure how or what He exactly would do, but I knew something would change.

When we are in serious trouble as people, many times no matter what we believe, we know that we need prayer. We know we need God; we need something bigger and more powerful than us. We realize that we can no longer handle the situation in our own power. It will only be by the grace of our Almighty God that we will come out on the other side.

In our reading from today in James 5:16, it says, "16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." By praying for one another, we get to see the hand of God move. The reason that a righteous person's prayer is powerful and effective is because they have a powerful and effective Father backing them. The righteous know that their righteousness comes from the blood of Jesus. They know the Source of every good and perfect gift.

Prayer brings comfort, peace, and it always brings change. Although the circumstance might not change in the way that we are quite looking for it to change, God intervenes and helps us. That day as I prayed with my friend she encountered the Holy Spirit. As we finished talking and praying, she exclaimed, "I already feel better. I feel so peaceful." God had brought about immediate change. I don't remember whether her exact prayer request was answered in the way she wanted, but I know that she came to me in tears and left with peace and joy.

Lord help us to pray more. Help us to remember that our prayers are powerful and effective because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. We are covered in the blood of Jesus as we enter Your courts and come before Your throne. There is nothing that is too hard for You! Thank you, thank you, thank you for always being there. Thank You for always hearing our prayers and bringing about change. We love you so, so much! We are so grateful that no matter how bad our circumstances are that we can always go to You. Help us to remember to share that gift of prayer that You have given us with others. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

November 20

James 4

We are as close to God as we choose to be.

"Come near to God and he will come near to you.." James 4:8

 

A few questions for today…

 

Who is responsible for the closeness of my relationship with God?

If God seems distant to me, I wonder who has moved.

Am I a robot that God controls or am I culpable for my actions?

What are the consequences of my actions when it comes to my relationship with God?

 

James says loud and clear that I am responsible. I must act. I must exercise my volitional muscles. I must choose godliness. I must decide to move nearer to God. If I sit back and expect God to do it all I will never experience his closeness.

 

God does want to come near to us but he will not force himself upon us. He is waiting for us to become seekers. To seek hard after God is the way to experience the nearness of God.

 

When we link up with God then his redemptive power flows through us. So the prayer should not be this, "Lord, come near." The prayer should be, "Lord, help me to want to be near to You. Lord, help me to overcome my reluctance, help me to overcome my love of the world. Lord, help me to have the heart of a seeker."

 

Jerry Bridges in his book "The Pursuit of Holiness" puts it this way, "We are 100 percent responsible for the pursuit of holiness, but at the same time we are 100 percent dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us in that pursuit."

 

The pursuit of holiness is not a pull-yourself-up-by-your-own bootstraps approach, it is a realization that our hearts don't naturally seek after God. We no more seek after God than a robber seeks after a policeman. But as Christ followers we want to seek after God and so we need his help each step of this journey. So today take the necessary steps to draw closer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and desire to seek the Lord. Our responsibility is to ask, God's responsibility is to supply.

 

 

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, November 19

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015

Ezekiel 39:1–40:27

James 2:18–3:18

Psalm 118:1–18

Proverbs 28:2

 

 

Today’s reading from James continues the teaching of this practical exposition on the Christian life.  Written by the Lord Jesus Christ’s brother, James expounds on the truth from the Sermon on the Mount and touches upon key elements of living as a Christ-follower.

 

James reminds us consistently to tie our practice of faith to our profession of faith.  This practice of faith means living out the Word of God and reaping a harvest of blessing:  “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  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.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (1:22–25)

 

In Chapter 2, James helps to resolve a crucial question on the nature of faith.  The world often calls faith “blind.”  The implicit message from this definition concludes that faith involves a passive assent to some observations or even mere wishful thinking.  In contrast, James confidently declares that “faith without deeds is useless.”  As evidence, Abraham’s “faith and… actions were working together” in showing his trust in God, even with the pending sacrifice of the son of promise, Isaac.  Abraham received God’s commendation as “righteous” on the basis of this active faith.  Only active faith represents true faith.  The natural outgrowth of coming into relationship with the living God is a transformed heart, intent of honoring and serving Him.

 

He then presents an excellent example of this active faith:  making peace with others through a spirit of humility.  With God’s having purchased peace with Him through the shed blood of Christ, we may focus on taking a different path than the world.  James recognizes that the worldly perspective includes “envy and selfish ambition,” which promote “disorder and every evil practice.”

 

James then describes godly “wisdom” as breeding harmony through its active qualities:  “first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The fruit of wisdom emerges in a peace-making spirit.

 

 

 

Thank You, Father, for sharing these truths through Your Word.  Give us strength to honor You through an active faith.  Show us what this active faith means for each of us on a daily basis.  Thank You for your awesome character of faithfulness and grace to us.  We love You so much and give You praise this day.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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Nov. 18

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

If I were leading one of my students in a guided reading group and we came upon that verse my first inclination would be to ask them to find in the text what the Word says to do.  The answer is in verse 2:8 "Love your neighbor as yourself".  That's an answer we originally read in Leviticus 19:18.  We can all agree that loving our neighbors is not that easy, especially those where extra grace is required.  One of the most anchoring thoughts is that we are not required to "do" anything on our own because God knows we can't.  We read yesterday "don't be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17-18)  Jesus is our Perfect Gift. Keeping Jesus at the center of everything we do is how we can be "doers" -  showing love to others because we have received love first and that Perfect Gift is what enables us . Everything we do flows from our relationship with Jesus.  Today's reading brought to mind a song we often sing -  I've attached the You Tube link for Jesus At The Center of it All.


Blessings,
Randi



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQspvrTBd6E

November 16: Of Binary Questions, Futility and Trust

Ezekiel 33:1-34:31
Hebrews 13:1-25
Psalm 115:1-18
Proverbs 27:21-22

Heb:13:5-6 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

At our church, we've just concluded a series on "How to Be Rich" - not "how to get rich" but rather, in case one wakes up and finds themselves wealthy, how to be rich. And my take of the three sermons our pastor preached is that, at the core of it all, it comes down to a question: "Do I trust God or not?"

The more I reflect on that question, the more I come to believe and to realize it is a binary question, where there are two mutually exclusive answers. The answer is either a yes or a no; it cannot be a "yes, but..." or a "yes, when...". If it isn't an unequivocal yes, it is most definitely a no. At best, the only other thing one could say is "I don't know."

I am going to be honest. I do know. And for the most part, as I look back on my life, the answer has been a resounding "no". I've put my trust in money, in success, in hard work (the Martha Syndrome), in education and relationships and all these things besides God. And I've justified such thinking "carried away by all kinds of strange teachings" - like, "if God didn't want me to rely on money, He would not have created it" or some other such nonsense.

Here's the funny thing, though: if you are like me, when you put your trust in things other than God, you find yourself needing more and more of it. When I put my trust in money, I find I am always looking for more. When I put my trust in relationships, I find myself trying to build more and more of them. And when I put my trust in hard work, I find myself working increasingly, to the detriment of other aspects of my life. Putting my trust in these things I find I never have enough. One word comes to mind: "futility".

How sad is my embrace of such futility? Well, if my answer to the question above was an unstinting "yes", I would be under the care of One who "will make a covenant of peace and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety...I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land."

Call me crazy, but it didn't say anything about having to kill myself working just there...I pray we get to know Him, and lead lives that manifest a clear, unequivocal trust in our God.