Past Devotions

Monday was supposed to be a great day.  We were entering the final stretch after weeks of dealing with the mitigation and reconstruction following the water damage under our kitchen sink.  The flooring crew arrived early, moved the fridge and stove out of the kitchen into the living room and began ripping up the old flooring. The superintendent showed up with the new flooring. All that was going to be left after this was a little bit of painting and we were home free!

Didn’t happen. When the old flooring was ripped up, more damage and mold was discovered under the fridge. So, they moved my kitchen table into the living room, moved the fridge where the kitchen table resided and re-set the stove. Then they left leaving me to deal with the insurance company – was this something that could be added to the old claim or was it something that would require a new claim to be investigated (with another deductible). As it turned out, it was neither, everything will be out of our pockets.

We have been dealing with this since April 29. It’s June 21 and it still isn’t settled. Life is taking its toll on my living!  But nothing like the toll life is taking in the living of our friend and his family. “It’s back” is a terrible message after eight years cancer free. “This time we need to be more aggressive in treatment” is what he’s going to be walking through in the months ahead.

Our problems are minimal, I’m sure whatever happens God will provide for us to handle this financially – even if it means I go back to a secular job for a time. I’m also sure that “It’s back” did not take God by surprise either and He will provide the support, the love, the comfort our friends need as they walk through this difficult time.

Those words first spoken to Israel, then repeated to Joshua, and referred to again in the Book of Hebrews are often quoted, but it is at times like this that they become more than words … they become our very lifeline.  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  [Deut 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5-6]

I have had very little quiet since the reconstruction on our kitchen began.  It started with the mitigation of the water damage and has continued through the replacement process.  Craftsmen with saws, hammers, drills and all kinds of noise-making tools and equipment have invaded my dwelling.  That, of course had me thinking about quiet.

Paul commands us to make it our ambition to live quiet lives.  “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” [1 Thess 4:11-12 NIV]

The recent Father’s Day turned my attention to my dad. When my brother and I were youngsters I would not have described my dad as quiet. He had a temper and could often shout his displeasure. But as my father came to know Jesus in a more personal experience, his temper quieted. In his last decades, he lived the life Paul describes above.

He had a strong work ethic, and always shouldered the responsibility of providing for his family. His love for people increased as he aged. When people remember him, they tell me they never heard him speak a bad word against anyone, that he always had a smile and a hug for them along with a word of encouragement. They remember him with respect.

He may have had very little in the way of material things, but in his quiet way he won the respect of “outsiders” and possessed the love of his family.  He left a good legacy and a good testimony for Christ. I pray I can do likewise.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  [John 11:25-26 NKJV]

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” [Rev 1:17-18 NIV]

The Apostle John was with Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus when He heard Jesus first claim to be the resurrection and life. It was to the Apostle John that the Glorified Christ Jesus uttered the declaration that He once was dead but is now alive for ever and ever, and that He holds the keys of death and Hades.

I can imagine that John was confused outside the tomb of Lazarus.  Lazarus had been dead for four days and was already putrefying when Jesus declared that He was the resurrection and life. He might have wondered why they waited so long to go to Lazarus after they first heard he was sick. I’m sure he was stunned when Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb and saw Lazarus do just that.

John, however, was even more stunned when the Glorified Christ appeared to him on the aisle of Patmos. John recounts that he fell on his face as though dead when He saw Jesus in His Glorified Nature.  I am sure he believed the words Jesus spoke this time … I hold the keys of death and Hades. 

Father, thank you for sending Your Son to be The Resurrection and Life. Amen.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”  [John 10:26-30 NIV]

Don’t you love the picture this verse paints? It’s a picture of eternal confidence. Listen to those words … I know [my sheep].  I give them eternal life. They shall never perish.  No one can snatch them out of my hand.  No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Look at those wonderful words one more time.  Know. Eternal. Never. No one can …. No one can!

I’ve known some people who are so anxious that they think they can “lose” their salvation by turning the wrong way off the freeway. They are afraid that God has forgotten them or will forget them. They doubt that their salvation is real, or that it is strong enough to hold them in the tough times.

Well, beloved, Christ knows you … He has given you eternal life and you shall never perish. He paints a picture of one hand covering another, one palm up, one palm down, clasped together tightly. It is His Hand and the Father’s Hand and you are safely tucked away between them. Of course, we also have a part, we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and we follow Him.  But the confidence is found not in our ability but in His ability to keep us tucked safely in His care.

With that in mind, “Let the eternal life within thee express itself in confident rejoicing.” [Spurgeon’s Daily Devotions, June 16]

Every morning I get an email with a “Word of the Day” from Merriam-Webster. A lot of the time I am familiar with the word, but occasionally I get one I’ve never seen before.  Thursday’s was such — “defenestration.” It was defined as 1) a throwing of a person or thing out of a window, and 2) a unusually swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office).

I like big words and to expand my vocabulary, but somehow, I don’t think I’d ever describe throwing something out of my window as “defenestration.” I’d probably just say something like … “I threw it out the window!”

There are a lot of big words in Christian theology. I’m partial to propitiation, soteriology, and theophany myself. We are going to be studying three of the biggest words and their meaning this morning in Sunday service.  They are, Lord, Jesus, Christ. If you want big words with big meaning for your life, these three words are the biggest!

 When we call Jesus Lord, we join Thomas in his declaration after the resurrection of Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” That declaration is a recognition of His Deity. It is also an acknowledgement of our submission to Him.  [John 20:28]

When we say the name Jesus, we are using the name given Him by the angel. (Yeshua in the Hebrew, Iesous in the Greek, and Jesus in the English.) One day, at the name given Him by the angel, every knee shall bow and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:10-11]

And finally, He is the Christ. Christ is from the Greek word Christos, meaning anointed one or chosen one. It is the equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, and is a title signifying that Jesus was sent from God to be King and Deliverer. He is the one who fulfills all the Old Testament prophecies, the Chosen Savior who came to rescue God’s fallen creation.  And He is the King of kings who coming back again.

You want big words?  They don’t come any bigger than Lord, Jesus, Christ. Amen.

It’s been a very busy week with the kitchen reconstruction. Wednesday, so far, was the worst. Three different craftsmen worked on three different parts of the reconstruction. The front door was left open so they could run in and out, which meant we had a house full of flies by evening. There were all kinds of power saws in our front yard and driveway for both wood, laminate and tiles. Tools were scattered all over the kitchen, and then there was the abundant aroma of glue that permeated everything. That day left me with a headache and feeling really ragged by nightfall.

We still aren’t done. Laminate flooring and painting, staining cabinets, carpet cleaning etc., still need to be finished. Probably more noisy saws and more smelly glue. There is also a layer of wood and laminate dust on every surface, from our bedding and furniture to wall hangings and ceiling fans. Everything I touch is gritty. I foresee days of cleaning.

I know there’s a plan behind all this. I saw it outlined on five single sheets of paper. Who knew (well at least I didn’t) that the plan to make all things right would create such chaos before it culminated!

God has a plan also.  We read of its culmination in Revelation. “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.’” [11:15 NIV]

As you read the Book of Revelation, you’ll notice that while the declaration of the culmination of God’s plan (which He had before the world’s creation) occurs in chapter 11, there’s a whole lot of chaos that follows. There are plagues and bowls of judgment, the destruction of Babylon, and chaining of the great dragon and false prophet, just to name a few.

Still, no matter the chaos, God’s plan is sure.  The kingdom of this world is the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ … and He will reign forever and ever.

As I sit here this morning someone is pounding away in my kitchen, nail guns are going off, power saws are running, reconstructing my kitchen. And I am lovin’ every moment. I will soon have my kitchen back, water damage mitigated, new cabinet, flooring, countertops. I will even have a change that I have wanted to make since we moved in, the reduction of the eating bar countertop that hung over into the living room.  Always hated that countertop.  Now it is gone, soon to be replaced by a much smaller one that doesn’t invade the living room space.

What appeared to be a disaster and left us initially wondering what to do is turning out to improve our house. Worn flooring will be gone and new installed. Countertops are new and more modern. And we didn’t even have to pay for it, insurance covered the cost (all but a deductible).

As I have listened to the noise in my kitchen for days, I have thought about that Scripture in Romans–that “all things” scripture found in chapter 8, verse 28.  “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” [Christian Standard Bible]

The NIV changes that verse just a little … “And we know that in all things God works for the good….”

We need to understand that “all things” working together doesn’t happen randomly.  It takes an initiating and sustaining power to make all things work together for good. My kitchen is not becoming better, newer, all by itself.  I can put all the wood, nails, countertops and flooring in there, but if a skilled craftsman doesn’t arrange them as they need to be, it isn’t going to happen on its own.  In the same way, the “all things” of our life work out for the good because our Father God, through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, ordains them to do so!

Thank you, Father, for the skilled craftsman in my kitchen – and thank you Father for the skilled craftsman, Your Holy Spirit, working all things together for good in me. Amen.

Bob got a Papa Murphy pizza the other day to bring home and bake. I reminded him as he left for the store that we wanted the “De-Lite” crust, the ultra-thin, lower carb version.  It’s the only kind of pizza I can eat on my diabetic diet. And truthfully, I have grown to delight in the “De-Lite” crust.

Delight. The dictionary tells us that delight means a high degree of gratification or pleasure, joy, and extreme satisfaction.  The NIV translates a word in 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) as delight. It’s a word the NKJV translates as rejoice.

 “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”  [verse 6 NIV]

“[Love] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” [verse 6 NKJV]

The Greek word for delight and rejoice in the first half of that verse is chairo (khah’-ee-ro); a primary verb which means to be cheerful, calmly happy or well-off. The Greek word for rejoices in the second half of the verse is a form of that word, but slightly different, and both the NIV and NKJV use “rejoices.”

Delight.  Love takes no gratification or pleasure in evil, in sin. Love finds no joy or satisfaction there.  Love’s satisfaction comes from a different source, the truth. That is true even though the truth is often difficult, often goes against our nature and our desires. The truth just plain hurts at times! Yet, love finds its cheer and well-being in the truth.

Beloved, evil is not something to rejoice in, it is something about which to mourn. Let us always find our delight, our joy, our cheerfulness in the presence of the truth.

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast!  And when I run I feel his pleasure.” –Eric Liddell

Watching the moving “Chariots of Fire” always inspires me to run my race with more vigor. Liddell’s quote above also reminds me that we each have a God-given purpose in life.  Liddell’s purpose that he refers to, of course, was his mission for Christ to China. He ran races, and he was fast, but his purpose was to spread the Gospel to his second homeland, China.

Paul reminded Timothy of his own purpose shortly before he died. “And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle-I am telling the truth, I am not lying-and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.” [1 Tim 2:7 NIV]

We all need a God-given purpose.  Suicide is on the rise in every state in our union, from 1% in Nevada to 43% in other states. Without knowing our God-given purpose in life, it can be extremely difficult to persevere through the bad times.  The enemy knows how to shout in our ear that we are worthless, useless and that no one cares whether we live or die.

We are not worthless, unworthy yes, but God was willing to pay a high price to redeem His creation.  We are not useless, no matter our age or physical ability, God can and will use us if we allow Him. He will not spurn a willing heart. And may I be so bold as to say that God cares whether we live or die. He wants us to live abundantly in Him until He calls us home.

Beloved, never, ever, let the enemy of your soul tell you that are worthless, useless or that no one cares! You have a God-given purpose!

Saturday, I watched “Chariots of Fire” for probably the 10^th time. There are a few scenes and quotes in the movie which touch my heart. Perhaps the most famous and the one I really like is the one toward the end of the movie, the one sub-titled, “Honors God.”

Eric Liddell, Scottish missionary, was a sprinter who ran in the Olympics before returning to his mission in China. When he found out that the trials for his race were on a Sunday, he refused to run. He lived the commandment to “keep holy the Sabbath.” Through the kindness of a teammate, he was given the opportunity to run in a distance race, a race he had never run before. Just before the race, an American runner, also a Christian, handed him a note with a quote from the Old Testament, “He who honors God, God will honor.” [1 Samuel 2:30]

Of course, Eric Liddell wins the race and walks away with the gold. One of Liddell’s quotes is repeated in the movie as he runs this race.  “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”

Eric Liddell’s sister Jenny, and the man who handed him the Scripture before the race, Jackson Schultz, were key contributors to the movie “Chariots of Fire.” I read that it was difficult for the actor portraying Liddell to run the way he did, head back facing the sky, smiling, arms churning. To run that way is counter-intuitive. I think, however, for Liddell, to run that way is a testimony to the pleasure he knew from God.

May we all run that way, head back facing the heavens, smiling, arms churning through the air, sensing God’s purpose and pleasure. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwyltmUR3MU