Devotions

De-fense! De-fense! De-fense!

While in California we attended our grandson’s last Junior Varsity football game. There was a light crowd, we cheered and encouraged the team. No cheerleaders were present, just parents, grandparents, some other family and friends yelling and encouraging. They won and won big!  It was a fun game sitting in the bleachers. Then Junior Varsity left the field and the Varsity filed in. It was senior night, to honor those playing in their final games before they graduate.

The stands rapidly filled up. People came wearing school colors, some had megaphones, others cowbells. The cheerleaders showed up. The noise level rose dramatically. I was across the aisle from a rather animated parent with a cowbell. Bob was sitting right behind me and there was another person with a large bell behind him. Every time the other team had the ball, the people in the stands yelled, shook their bells, stomped their feet.  Their cry? De-fense! De-fense! De-fense!

My hearing aids were on overload, and I think the guy with the bell behind Bob could have been in mortal danger if Bob was a bit younger and more agile!

De-fense! I have heard that the best defense is a good offense.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matt 28:19-20 NKJV]

So, is the church today on offense or defense? Maybe it’s time we figured that out!

What are you taking with you?

I overpacked for this last trip … again. I always have a contingency of supplies, a bit of water and food, a couple books, my Bible and computer, of course. I also grabbed my Kindle, the travel coffee pot, some blankets, my crocheting for those long stretches when I wasn’t driving. Oh, and my pillow because I know I won’t sleep well on some other one. I packed my backpack which I take to work daily instead of a purse, but then I thought about going into restaurants and games, so I also packed my mini-purse. Did I forget anything? Oh yes, medications, hearing aid batteries, strips for my glucometer …. There, I think I have it all.  Oh wait, I forgot the lunches I packed for Thursday!

What are you taking with you?

While at my grandson’s last Junior Varsity football game, my son took a picture with five of the young men who were on the team.  He posted it on Facebook with the comment that he had coached these five strapping young men (all now taller than him) since they were little tykes. These boys have stayed together, decided to stick together and go to high school together. They are not perfect kids and as with all children, growing up isn’t always easy. But these five boys, standing there in their dirty uniforms with my son are a treasure.

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  [Matt 6:21]

That means where your heart rests—that is your treasure. When we stand before the LORD one day, our treasures will be openly displayed. I’m looking at my son, his treasure can be found in all the young boys and young men into which he has invested his life.

What are you taking with you? 

I am a child of God. Let me say that again. I am a child of God. Read it out loud – I AM A CHILD OF GOD.

Listen to John 1:12 from different translations:

KJV:  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

NIV: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

CSB: But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God.

Power. Right. The word is exousia. It’s a wonderful word. There are two words often used for power in the New Testament. Exousia is one of them. The other is dunamis, the word from which we get our word dynamite. I heard a speaker once explain these two “power” words this way: Two men meet outside a bank, one a robber, the other a police officer. Each holds a gun; each have dunamis–Power. But only one has a badge, he has the authority, the right to use the power; that’s exousia.

John wrote that to all who receive Christ, who have placed their faith in Him, He gave them the right, the power, the exousia to become sons and daughters – children of God.

I am a child of God. The absolute wonder in that statement takes the breath away. You are a child of God if you have come to Christ, knelt before His cross, embraced His resurrection and now live by faith in the One who died for You. We are children of God!

God is good. All the time. All the time. God is good.  I’ve heard that declaration and response cited many times. We say it, but do we think about what it says? Do we believe it? Is God good? Is He good when the circumstances around us are not? Is He good when illness strikes? Is He good all the time? Or is He good only during the times all is going well?

Do you know that what you think or know about God will either invite you to know Him more or it will become a wall to knowing Him at all?  What do I mean by that?

Remember the Parable of the Talents? You can find it in Matthew 25. Jesus told the story of a master who called three servants into his presence before he went on a trip. He gave one five talents, another two talents and the last one talent. When the master returned he called each back into his presence. The first with the five talents had doubled them and returned ten to the master, the second with the two had also doubled his and returned four talents to the master. The master’s response, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” [vs 21-22]

The last servant however, had not done anything with his. He simply buried his talent and gained nothing to give back. This servant viewed the master differently. The first two saw him as a good master, one who would reward them for their faithfulness.  The third viewed the master as a hard, demanding man, so he did nothing to please him. He gained nothing, returned nothing, and ultimately received nothing.

Our view of our Great and Almighty Master will determine whether we gain or lose, whether we pursue or ignore Him. So, is God good?  All the time?  For me, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”

I am not a fan of Halloween. I never have found anything delightful in this commercially-energized holiday. I hate the gore, the occultic proclamations of witches, demons and devils that too often take a front row seat.  I find no beauty, nor goodness, nor grace in this day. There is enough evil in this world without dressing our children in it.

Whenever this date rolls around I think about what Paul wrote. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” [Phil 4:8-9]

I love those words … true … noble … right … pure … lovely … admirable … excellent … praiseworthy. I don’t see many of those words in this day. I sometimes wonder if those words have even become archaic in our day and age. We no longer talk about true … we talk about relevant. We don’t call out noble or right, we lift success and power. As for lovely, admirable or excellent, we highlight defiance, opposition and failure. Praiseworthy? I’m not sure we even see that much in our churches.

It’s time, beloved, to focus on Paul’s words again, not the words we see touted in media and networks. If I am going to think about anything this day, I want it to be defined by one or more of those words.  Today, it’s the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy that will capture my attention and thanksgiving.

I came across this devotion from a few years ago and decided to repost it … I love this baby turtle story!

A baby turtle was standing at the bottom of a large tree and with a deep sigh, started to climb. About an hour later, he reached a very high branch and walked along to the end. He turned and spread all four flippers and launched himself off the branch. On landing at the bottom in a pile of soft, dead leaves, he shook himself off, walked back to the bottom of the tree and with a sigh started to climb.

About an hour later, he again reached the very high branch, walked along, turned, spread his flippers and flung himself off the branch. Again, he landed in the leaves, shook himself off, went to the bottom of the tree, sighed and started climbing.

Watching these proceedings from the end of the branch were two little birds. Mommy bird turned to Daddy bird and said, “Don’t you think it’s time we told him he was adopted?” *

There are those days when I feel a bit like that baby turtle-bird! I know I am supposed to fly – and not just fly but soar on wings like eagles. Instead all I seem to have are a bunch of flippers that won’t function like wings. I’ve been adopted into the family of God, I am being conformed to the image of His Dear Son, but I’m just not there yet!

So, I keep climbing up, and I keep crawling out, and I keep launching myself off in faith … and one of these days, these old earth-bound flippers will be wings and I will soar!

Isa 40:31: But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. [NIV]

*Taken from “Encouragement-Wired,” by Tom Reid.

Toward the very end of the Sermon on the Mount recorded in the Gospel of Matthew are some of the most terrifying words ever uttered or heard.  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” [7:21-23]

I have heard many a sermon on the Sermon on the Mount, given a few of them myself. I’ve studied and read commentators thoughts on what Jesus said. I’ve heard people worry about whether they would be included in the dire warning given here. I remind people often that if they are worried about their inclusion, they are probably not included.

“…but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” is the foundation of Jesus’ warning. If you do the will of the Father, you do not need to be warned. If you, however, do not do the will of the Father, you should stop and heed the warning. And what is the will of the Father about which Jesus is talking?  “[The LORD is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9 NKJV]

It is not our abilities to prophesy or drive out demons or perform miracles that matter, it is the condition of our hearts. It is the knowledge of our Lord and Savior and coming to Him in repentance, that will keep us from ever hearing the most terrifying words ever uttered … “I never knew you. Away from me ….”

O LORD keep my heart right before You. May I live a life of repentance. May I seek Your face and know You. Amen.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:1 that “knowledge puffs up.” And Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:5 that we are to “add to our faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge.”

It sounds contradictory, but it isn’t. Peter wants us to add the knowledge of God who called us by His glory and goodness. He urges us to add the knowledge of our Savior and LORD Christ Jesus. When we add that kind of knowledge to faith we find ourselves well grounded.

Paul understood that also. Look at the admonition that follows his declaration that knowledge puffs up. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.” [1 Cor 8:1-3]

For Paul, knowledge and love are combined. The goal of knowing God is loving God and loving God means God knows us.  God knows us!  God doesn’t just know about us, He knows us – to the very depths of our being. His knowledge of us is wonderful.  Remember what He said to Jeremiah? “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” [1:5]

I need never put on a mask when I approach my LORD. He knows me, knows all about me, knows what is behind that mask that I often wear around people to hide my true self. To Him, my true self can be displayed, in all its vulnerability, because I know His knowledge of me is greater than even my knowledge of myself. And it is always, in every way, cloaked in the love that is so deep He sent His very own Son to ransom me from sin and slavery.

Know me, Father! Amen.

I am working in the same department as a temp this year as I did last year. I’m doing just about the same work. It was a lot easier to get up to speed this year than last. Last year I knew nothing at all about what I was supposed to do. I knew so little, in fact, that I didn’t know enough to even ask the right questions. Knowing what question to ask is vitally important in all of life.

Peter, in his second letter, gives us a list of virtues in that first chapter that we are to add to our faith. The first one was arete, goodness.  The second one—knowledge.  We are to add to our goodness, knowledge.  But what knowledge do we need? We must know what we need to know before we can ask the right questions and pursue the acquiring of knowledge.

And wait, didn’t Paul tell us that knowledge “puffs up” in 1 Corinthians 8:1? So, who do we believe? Paul, who says that knowledge puffs us up, turns us into arrogant know-it-all’s? Or Peter, who tells us to add knowledge to our faith?

We believe both.  Peter is specific on the kind of knowledge we need.  Verse 2, “…through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Verse 3, “…knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Verse 8, “…knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 We are to know God in all his glory and goodness. We are to know Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD. We are to know Him in increasing measure. This knowledge will never puff us up if it grounded in goodness and in the One Who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

I want to know you LORD! In all Your goodness, glory and grace. I want the knowledge of You to permeate every part of my life!  Grant my plea, O God. Amen

Col 4:2:  Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. [NIV]

Devote, or as the King James says, continue.  It means to be earnest towards, persevere in, be constantly diligent, or to adhere closely.  We are to be all those things in prayer.  Scripture is abundantly clear that God’s people are to pray – to come to Him confidently.

I love to hear the voices of the people I love.  Family can call me and I recognize their voices immediately.  Friends call, and I can tell with the first hello just who is on the line.  When I hear their voices, I am instantly attentive to them.  My thoughts don’t wander and my focus doesn’t shift.  I love the voices of those I love.

God is that way with us.  We need not identify ourselves as if he has forgotten whom we are.  We don’t have to re-introduce ourselves, cite our spiritual history or remind Him about the time we were saved.  He isn’t going to confuse us with someone else.  He knows us.  I love the verse found in 2 Tim 2:19:  Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his.”  [NIV]

It is vitally important that we pray earnestly.  We must persevere in prayer and be diligent to it.  God certainly will not forget our voice; in that we can be assured, but we can so easily forget His.  In fact, the goal of the world, flesh and devil is to drown out God’s voice.  The enemies of our soul want us to fail to pray so that across time we fail to recognize the voice of our Father when He speaks to us. Being devoted to prayer enables us to zero in on His voice amidst the many who speak to us.

Beloved, let us be diligent in our prayer life.  Let not a day go by without our coming to our Father God in prayer.  Let us stay so attuned to Him that even the softest whisper from Him is recognized and trusted.