October 6
Every one of us has a high calling that we may not begin to recognize until the moment in God’s great scheme of things when it is to be implemented. The story of Esther in the Old Testament is a profound evidence of this truth. She was an ordinary girl who had no idea of the significant role she was to play in the saving of her people the Jews from annihilation. (See the Book of Esther in the Old Testament.)
Like her, we go about our ordinary tasks as we engage with ordinary people in our ordinary lives—until God brings us to the point where we may invest ourselves for His purposes and accomplish the ends that will reveal His glory. We may not receive any recognition, but when we are truly on God’s errand, we desire only that He be glorified in us.
This is not merely an Old Testament concept. Romans 9:17 reiterates the fact that God’s intention for our lives transcends our own, whether for good or for ill, depending upon our willingness to surrender to His purposes. If we allow ourselves to be used as Esther did, He will magnify His name through our surrender.
But, Paul says of Pharaoh, who positioned himself against God, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of displaying My power in you, so My name may be proclaimed throughout the earth.” If we don’t allow our good works to glorify Him, the Lord is perfectly capable of evidencing His majesty by the destruction that we pull down upon ourselves through our rebellion.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
October 5
When you have the Lord, you have it all. When you don’t have Jesus, no matter what else you may have, you have nothing. Oh, it may not appear to those around you that you have nothing. You may have wealth that approximates that of Midas, but neither your wealth nor your possessions, nor the talents that enabled you to attain them constitute true wealth.
True wealth transcends what you have. If you have little, you trust the Lord to provide what you need. If you have much, you hold it lightly, you scatter it among those whose blessings do not approximate yours, you ask the Lord to show you how He would have you to generously share—and you give with a cheerful heart when He does.
When you are able to do that, then you become like David who said in Psalm 4:7-8, “You have put more rejoicing in my heart than when the wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. In peace will I lay me down and sleep, for You Lord, alone, make me to dwell safely.”
If all you have is temporal wealth, you fret about it. When your wealth transcends earthly possessions, you have great joy that exceeds the delight you once took in the success of your endeavors—and—you rest peacefully at night. You have no fear of the thief, for you gladly disburse the spiritual treasure you possess.
When you have the Lord, you have it all. When you don’t have Jesus, no matter what else you may have, you have nothing. Oh, it may not appear to those around you that you have nothing. You may have wealth that approximates that of Midas, but neither your wealth nor your possessions, nor the talents that enabled you to attain them constitute true wealth.
True wealth transcends what you have. If you have little, you trust the Lord to provide what you need. If you have much, you hold it lightly, you scatter it among those whose blessings do not approximate yours, you ask the Lord to show you how He would have you to generously share—and you give with a cheerful heart when He does.
When you are able to do that, then you become like David who said in Psalm 4:7-8, “You have put more rejoicing in my heart than when the wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly. In peace will I lay me down and sleep, for You Lord, alone, make me to dwell safely.”
If all you have is temporal wealth, you fret about it. When your wealth transcends earthly possessions, you have great joy that exceeds the delight you once took in the success of your endeavors—and—you rest peacefully at night. You have no fear of the thief, for you gladly disburse the spiritual treasure you possess.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
October 4
Did you ever hear the saying, “God don’t make no junk”? We’ve all complained about how we are—how we look or what we’ve achieved (or haven’t achieved) and some well-meaning friend has admonished, “God don’t make no junk.” Cute. Felt really great about yourself once you heard that. Or not?
Flip little quips don’t traverse the span in our minds that is a great gulf between our reality and the hopes and dreams we have for ourselves. Even those who have attained great things with their lives, who have received the accolades of men, still have a gnawing hunger within themselves for something more.
Ephesians 2:10 gives us tremendous insight into the root of our dissatisfaction and the remedy for it. Here we are told, “We are God’s handiwork, born anew in Christ Jesus in order that we may do the good works God has ordained for us to do and walking in the path He has set before us.”
No matter how brilliantly we go through life, no matter how successfully we overcome all life’s challenges, until we have put our feet on the course that leads to the accomplishment of those things in the spiritual realm that the Lord who designed us for eternity desires that we do, we will feel unfulfilled.
Did you ever hear the saying, “God don’t make no junk”? We’ve all complained about how we are—how we look or what we’ve achieved (or haven’t achieved) and some well-meaning friend has admonished, “God don’t make no junk.” Cute. Felt really great about yourself once you heard that. Or not?
Flip little quips don’t traverse the span in our minds that is a great gulf between our reality and the hopes and dreams we have for ourselves. Even those who have attained great things with their lives, who have received the accolades of men, still have a gnawing hunger within themselves for something more.
Ephesians 2:10 gives us tremendous insight into the root of our dissatisfaction and the remedy for it. Here we are told, “We are God’s handiwork, born anew in Christ Jesus in order that we may do the good works God has ordained for us to do and walking in the path He has set before us.”
No matter how brilliantly we go through life, no matter how successfully we overcome all life’s challenges, until we have put our feet on the course that leads to the accomplishment of those things in the spiritual realm that the Lord who designed us for eternity desires that we do, we will feel unfulfilled.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
October 3
We tend to compare ourselves even though the Bible admonishes that this is not wise (II Corinthians 10:12). Someone is always going to be better looking, in better shape, richer, more successful. Where does it end? It ends in our frustration at falling short of the image of who we want to be that’s in our head.
We are told in Hebrews 13:5 that we should be content with what we have—and that is followed by the promise that Jesus will not fail or forsake us. Often our concern regarding what we have or who we are is rooted in the fear that we will fall short, that we won’t ‘make it’ in life.
The reality that we will not be failed or forsaken by the One who loves us most and gave His life for us negates that fear. If we stand on the totality of that assurance, we will rejoice in Him, no matter what we have or what we lack. Does that mean we shouldn’t strive to attain worthy pursuits? Not at all.
However the One to whom we should compare our efforts is not another frail occupant of a tabernacle of flesh. We should compare ourselves to Jesus and seek after His goals. Ephesians 4:12, 13 says, “He desires that we attain full maturity in Christ, attain our completeness in Him.” Nothing excels that goal
We tend to compare ourselves even though the Bible admonishes that this is not wise (II Corinthians 10:12). Someone is always going to be better looking, in better shape, richer, more successful. Where does it end? It ends in our frustration at falling short of the image of who we want to be that’s in our head.
We are told in Hebrews 13:5 that we should be content with what we have—and that is followed by the promise that Jesus will not fail or forsake us. Often our concern regarding what we have or who we are is rooted in the fear that we will fall short, that we won’t ‘make it’ in life.
The reality that we will not be failed or forsaken by the One who loves us most and gave His life for us negates that fear. If we stand on the totality of that assurance, we will rejoice in Him, no matter what we have or what we lack. Does that mean we shouldn’t strive to attain worthy pursuits? Not at all.
However the One to whom we should compare our efforts is not another frail occupant of a tabernacle of flesh. We should compare ourselves to Jesus and seek after His goals. Ephesians 4:12, 13 says, “He desires that we attain full maturity in Christ, attain our completeness in Him.” Nothing excels that goal
Friday, October 2, 2009
October 2
In II Timothy 3:16, we are shown the logical progression of our drinking in the Living Water that is Christ, of partaking of the Bread of Life through the Word of God. Jesus is the Living Word that we take unto ourselves when we study His truth.
In this beautiful passage Paul says to his pupil, “Every scripture is God-breathed for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction and for discipline in obedience and training in righteousness in conformity to God’s will. Where are we on these stepping stones to His will?
When we have accepted that the Holy Bible is indeed His inerrant word, do we then allow it to instruct us? In it are the lessons of life if we will but receive them. It is our reproof when we are wrong—it cuts to the quick of our being and convicts us of our sins of omission and our sins of commission. It is our schoolmaster that corrects us by teaching us the way we should go.
Then it takes us beyond mere knowledge of what our right course should be and instructs us in righteousness to make us like Jesus! Though we cannot attain perfection while in this tabernacle of flesh, we can progress toward it; we can reflect Jesus and those who look upon us may see His likeness in us. Where are we in this progression? Where are you? Where do you want to be?
In II Timothy 3:16, we are shown the logical progression of our drinking in the Living Water that is Christ, of partaking of the Bread of Life through the Word of God. Jesus is the Living Word that we take unto ourselves when we study His truth.
In this beautiful passage Paul says to his pupil, “Every scripture is God-breathed for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction and for discipline in obedience and training in righteousness in conformity to God’s will. Where are we on these stepping stones to His will?
When we have accepted that the Holy Bible is indeed His inerrant word, do we then allow it to instruct us? In it are the lessons of life if we will but receive them. It is our reproof when we are wrong—it cuts to the quick of our being and convicts us of our sins of omission and our sins of commission. It is our schoolmaster that corrects us by teaching us the way we should go.
Then it takes us beyond mere knowledge of what our right course should be and instructs us in righteousness to make us like Jesus! Though we cannot attain perfection while in this tabernacle of flesh, we can progress toward it; we can reflect Jesus and those who look upon us may see His likeness in us. Where are we in this progression? Where are you? Where do you want to be?
Thursday, October 1, 2009
September 30
If we were to take a poll and ask just one question—“What does it take to be happy?”—the answers we would receive would traverse a wide gamut of people’s perception of what constitutes happiness. The poor would answer that having wealth would make them happy.
The wealthy would contend that having riches simply makes the trials of life more comfortable. People with undiscovered talent would contend that getting their ‘big break’ would make them happy. Those thwarted in their ambition would be sure that getting the promotion they deserved would make them happy.
The Bible has a different answer entirely. In Psalm 128:1 we are told, “Blessed is the man who fears and worships the Lord, the man who walks in His way and lives according to His commandments.” Though the things that happen in our lives can impact our existence for good or for ill, it is only our relationship with the Lord that can make us truly blessed.
And note, the blessings that follow those who are committed to Jesus are set in motion by the man himself! By walking as the Lord would have him to walk, by worshipping Jesus in the beauty of holiness, by obeying His righteous dictates, a man assures himself of the blessings that transcend his circumstances and extend beyond this mere mortal realm and tap into eternity.
If we were to take a poll and ask just one question—“What does it take to be happy?”—the answers we would receive would traverse a wide gamut of people’s perception of what constitutes happiness. The poor would answer that having wealth would make them happy.
The wealthy would contend that having riches simply makes the trials of life more comfortable. People with undiscovered talent would contend that getting their ‘big break’ would make them happy. Those thwarted in their ambition would be sure that getting the promotion they deserved would make them happy.
The Bible has a different answer entirely. In Psalm 128:1 we are told, “Blessed is the man who fears and worships the Lord, the man who walks in His way and lives according to His commandments.” Though the things that happen in our lives can impact our existence for good or for ill, it is only our relationship with the Lord that can make us truly blessed.
And note, the blessings that follow those who are committed to Jesus are set in motion by the man himself! By walking as the Lord would have him to walk, by worshipping Jesus in the beauty of holiness, by obeying His righteous dictates, a man assures himself of the blessings that transcend his circumstances and extend beyond this mere mortal realm and tap into eternity.
October 1
God doesn’t want us to be quitters. In all things, He expects us to follow His own example and He sticks with a project, no matter what. We know that He created the earth and looked upon it and said that it was good. He fashioned it to be good, but He barely got past the first couple of pages in Genesis before things began to go awry.
The people He had fashioned for fellowship with Himself, the epitome of His creative handiwork had succumbed to the wiles of a subtle foe and had disappointed the One to Whom they owed their beauty, their intellect, their all. At that point in time, God could have destroyed everything He’d made.
He could have at least given mankind up as an unprofitable venture. But He didn’t. He stuck with His errant creation. He devised a plan that would redeem us from the destruction we had brought upon ourselves. Here we are, several thousand years later—still resisting Him—still finding Him reaching out patiently to us, still holding out a lifeline to save us from the destruction we’ve brought upon ourselves.
When we have grasped the magnitude of our salvation, when we have realized the Gift He has bestowed upon us and we have appropriated it for ourselves, He wants us to reach out to others as steadfastly as He reaches out to us. In Romans 2:7 it says, “To those who by patient persistence in well-doing seek glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life.” Don’t give up! Keep seeking! Keep believing! Keep sharing! Your labor is not in vain.
God doesn’t want us to be quitters. In all things, He expects us to follow His own example and He sticks with a project, no matter what. We know that He created the earth and looked upon it and said that it was good. He fashioned it to be good, but He barely got past the first couple of pages in Genesis before things began to go awry.
The people He had fashioned for fellowship with Himself, the epitome of His creative handiwork had succumbed to the wiles of a subtle foe and had disappointed the One to Whom they owed their beauty, their intellect, their all. At that point in time, God could have destroyed everything He’d made.
He could have at least given mankind up as an unprofitable venture. But He didn’t. He stuck with His errant creation. He devised a plan that would redeem us from the destruction we had brought upon ourselves. Here we are, several thousand years later—still resisting Him—still finding Him reaching out patiently to us, still holding out a lifeline to save us from the destruction we’ve brought upon ourselves.
When we have grasped the magnitude of our salvation, when we have realized the Gift He has bestowed upon us and we have appropriated it for ourselves, He wants us to reach out to others as steadfastly as He reaches out to us. In Romans 2:7 it says, “To those who by patient persistence in well-doing seek glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life.” Don’t give up! Keep seeking! Keep believing! Keep sharing! Your labor is not in vain.
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