Past Devotions

I wrote yesterday about having a plan. Nothing sinks our goals faster than not developing a plan to achieve them. God had one for our salvation. We should have one for growing and maturing in our faith and worship, becoming more like Jesus in our character.

The first part of every plan is knowledge. We want to be more like Jesus. That’s a great goal but what does it mean to “be more like Jesus.”  What was Jesus like? We want to grow and mature in faith. Great – but what does mature faith look like?  To find out we need to study.  We need to immerse ourselves in the life of Jesus in the Gospels. We need to read what determines mature faith in the Epistles.  Want to learn how to worship, then read the psalms, sing them even. Want wisdom, head for Proverbs.

The plan begins with knowledge. Dig into the word. Set aside a time each day to read a few Scripture verses. Check out commentaries and read what others have found in those same verses.  It doesn’t have to be giant blocks of Scriptures. Pick a paragraph or chapter that’s relevant to your life at the moment and determine to focus on that for a few days or a week. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.” [Col 3:16 NIV]

Moses laid out a plan for the children of Israel to learn what God required of them so that they could grow and become mature.  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” [Deut 6:4-9 NIV]

Now that’s a plan!

I open my online news page each morning. Always like to find out what the world considers important. Among the political headlines I learned that the 20-year-old man who won $451M in the lottery “retired.” (Did anyone really expect him not to?) Someone discovered a spider that looks like a pelican. (Oh joy!) I also learned a fan was ejected for yelling obscenities at an NBA star and why it makes more sense to rent than buy.

The only one that really interested me was the slide show on “Why you can’t stick to your New Year’s resolutions.” There were 15 different reasons why, things like your goal is weight loss or one you don’t really want to do or your motivation is negativity. Out of the 15 the one that caught my eye was “you don’t have a plan.”

“You don’t have a plan.” How often have people told me that they want to grow more in the Lord, become more like Jesus, become more fervent in their faith or worship. I wonder what response I would get if I asked them if they had a “plan” to accomplish their goals? Too often our spiritual goals are vague. We kind of know where we want to go, but have no plan to get there.

God is a planner.  He set His goal and then made a plan to get there. It says so right in Ephesians 1. “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will….”   (vs 11 NIV]

God purposed by His will to save His people and He made a plan to do just that. If we want to be more like Jesus, more fervent and mature in our faith or worship, shouldn’t we also have a plan?  More on that tomorrow.

My husband is getting the itch to go fishing.  He’s anxious for spring so he can load up his rods and reels and head out to some lake or pond. Bob has loved to fish for as long as I’ve known him.

Last year at this time he was waiting for shoulder replacement surgery, which happened on February 6. His right shoulder had been bothering him for a long time, but it wasn’t until it affected his ability to fish that he finally gave up and sought medical help. He could no longer cast his line out to the water.

In 1 Peter 5:6-7, Peter tells us we are to “cast” all our cares upon our Mighty God. “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” [NKJV]

The Greek word for “cast” means to “throw upon.” As a fisherman throws his line upon the water we are to throw all our cares upon our Mighty God. We can do that because we know our Mighty God cares for us. He’s proven that over and over and over again in the mercies He has bestowed upon us and the promises He has made to us – all of which are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus.

The one problem we have, however, is that too often while we cast our cares like a fisherman casts his line, we also tend to “reel” them back in!

Father, I want to cast all my cares upon You, and I want to leave them with You! By the power of your Spirit help me to do just that! Amen.

Merriam-Webster.com defines humble as not proud or haughty: not arrogant or assertive.  I think humble is one of the hardest words to define. I think even Merriam-Webster found it difficult to define because they simply tell us what being humble is not.  It’s not pride nor arrogance. So, what is it?

I’ve heard being humble defined as “not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”  That helps a little, but perhaps being humble is best defined with an example.  And the best example is found in John 13: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”  [Vs 2-5 NIV]

Jesus knew … He knew that all power in heaven and earth was given to Him. He knew He had come from God and was soon returning to God. He knew who He was, the Son of God, the Almighty Creator of all things. So, what does He do? He performs for his disciples the task of the lowliest slave in that society, that of washing dirty feet.  He then tells them that He is giving them an example of what true humility is.  “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” [Vs 15-17 NIV]

We are not to ignore or discount who we are, or the talents or abilities we possess.  We are not to “pretend” to be anything other than what we are. We are, however, to use everything we are and everything we have in order to serve others … even performing the lowliest of tasks … and in that we will find true blessings.

Thursday did not turn out at all as I had planned. I didn’t feel well, so postponed my luncheon and shopping. Bob was gone in the morning taking the cat to the vet, and again in the afternoon for an emergency dentist appointment. I was alone, and it was quiet for much of my day. It was probably the quietest day I have had in months.

I read Psalm 46 in the morning. We are probably all familiar with that often-quoted verse 10: “Be still and know that I am God.” 

Would it surprise you to learn that still does not mean to be quiet and not talk? The word is raphah, and it means “to cast down, let fall, to let hang down (especially the hands).” It is used in the sense of not making any effort or putting forth any exertion.  It carries the idea of ceasing all struggle and leaving everything in God’s Hands.

Read Psalm 46 and notice how God is portrayed. Our refuge, strength, ever-present help. He is the LORD Almighty, our fortress. He works among us; bringing desolations and causing wars to cease and defeating enemies. It doesn’t matter if the very mountains fall into the sea or quake mightily … our God is mightier than anything and as verse 11 points out … He is “with us.” It is only in knowing our God after that fashion that we can cease all struggles, be still, and leave everything in God’s Hands.

Father, the struggles I face are nothing in comparison to Your greatness. You are my fortress and strength, my ever-present help. By Your Spirit, enable me to be still today and know beyond all doubt that You are God and You are with me. Amen.

I read recently that Americans have three idols, size, noise and speed. We like things big and loud and fast!  Unfortunately, those seem to have invaded the American church as well. We want our churches big, we want them loud, and we want everything to move fast to hold our attention.

As a young woman I worked in an office not far from a large cathedral. Sometime on my lunch break I would walk over, go inside and just sit. Everything was still, so quiet that a whisper could be hear across the expanse. I always found peace for my soul in that silence.

Elijah, after his monumental success against the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, fled from the threats of Jezebel. He ended up in a cave. After a while God told Elijah to go stand at the mouth of the cave and wait for the Lord to pass by. You can read the story in 1 Kings 19.

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” [vs 11-12 NIV]

Big, loud, and fast. A big, powerful, fast wind … an earthquake … and a fire. And the LORD was not in them. It was that gentle whisper that finally brought Elijah out of the cave and into a conversation with the Lord.

Big, loud, and fast may be the way of the world. Big, loud, and fast may also be the way of the modern church. But I think I prefer the gentle whisper of His voice as I remove myself from the big, loud, and fast idols of our society.

As I was preparing for Sunday message I received an ad from a company that is geared to pastors.  It informed me about “Five Sermon Killers.” As I read through them I realized that I’ve done all five at least once, but probably more.  I’m a pastor; I’m not perfect.

I must admit though that it’s difficult to be less than perfect when you have the spiritual lives of others as part of your responsibilities. It’s called “shepherding.” Peter defined it this way: “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock….” [1 Peter 5:2-3 NKJV]

Preaching and teaching are part of pastoring, but so is caring for the flock.  That means disciplining and watching out for enemies and dangers. Good shepherds protect the sheep; bad ones expose them to famine, disease and death.

Perhaps the most important part is summed up in Peter’s words, “being examples to the flock.” I’ve heard it said that everyone serves as some sort of example, either a good one for what is right to do, or a bad one for what not to do!

I need to be a good one. It’s one thing to kill an occasional sermon with one of those “Five Sermon Killers.” It’s quite another to be a bad example, a bad shepherd and expose God’s flock to famine, disease or death.

Father, guard my ways. Holy Spirit keep my ways pure before You, holy and a good example to those You have placed in my care. Amen.

Ah, I have been waiting for this day! I completed my four-month temporary assignment yesterday. I don’t have a commute this morning or afternoon, Praise God. I’m going to lunch with a friend and don’t need to worry about keeping it to an hour. I’m going to go pick up ribbon to finish a baby blanket. And, I’m going to stay up late tonight since I don’t have to get up tomorrow at 4:30 AM.

What I’m looking forward to most of all though is the unrushed mornings when I can sit for as long as I want and think about sermons and devotions, converse with my Lord, read my Bible just for pleasure. I can also go for a worship walk in the afternoons when it warms up.  How I have missed those times.

Last week as my temp assignment was ending, I received a few compliments by the department management that my work was high quality and that my smile, joy and sense of humor were appreciated during this stressful work period.  I left a good impression, mightily important since they knew I was a Christian and a pastor.

If you ever get an email from me, you will notice a Scripture verse after my signature. It’s one I truly try to live by. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” [Col 3:16-17 NIV]

Whether working in a secular setting or behind a pulpit, it is vitally important that we leave a good impression … because that impression of us will be transferred to our Lord Jesus. If we claim to be of Christ, we better honor Him in all we do.

It’s National Peculiar People Day!  If you are peculiar, this is your day to shine. The website said that Peculiar People are described as un-ordinary, extraordinary, unusual, strange, odd, uncommon, intriguing, different, abnormal and quirky.  I know a bunch of people that would fit any one of those descriptions.

One of the first Scriptures I learned was 1 Peter 2:9-10; I even learned it in the King James!  “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”  [KJV]

The newer translations changed peculiar people to special people, which is what Peter was saying. We are a special people purchased by the blood of Christ and called to be God’s own. Yet, somehow, eliminating that word peculiar lost a little something for me.

The fact is the world doesn’t see believers as special, it really thinks we are peculiar–applying the descriptions of odd, different, abnormal. After all, we are called to a much different lifestyle, serve rather than be served, give to receive, die to live. We talk of picking up crosses and things like humility and wisdom. We are to seek eternal rewards rather than recognition. Yep, odd, different, peculiar!

So brothers and sisters in Christ, God’s special treasure, we are a peculiar people indeed!  Celebrate—today is our day!   Amen.

The prophet Micah asks the profound question we all must ask.  “With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?”

Then he goes on and lists many things he could bring … burnt offerings of calves a year old, thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil. He even wonders if he should offer his firstborn for his sins and transgressions, hyperbole for the most extreme offering imaginable.

None of that is what the Lord requires of us and Micah goes on to admit that.  “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” [Mic 6:6-8 NIV]

Justice, Mercy, Humility. I am reminded that if we strive to act justly in this unjust world, and walk in humility amid the proud and arrogant, we are certainly going to need to love mercy!  Mercy is God’s loving kindness and favor toward us that we also show toward others.

I must love and cling to God’s mercy for me because there is nothing resident in me, apart from His mercy, that will enable me to be just and humble.  It doesn’t take much more than one 5 PM rush hour 30-mile commute after a long workday to prove that I need a constant infilling of God’s mercy.

Father, fill me anew with Your mercy so that I might also show Your loving kindness and favor to others. Amen.