Saturday, October 31, 2009

Life Journal 10-31-2009

Pretending

(S) Scripture
6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
   " 'These people honor me with their lips,
      but their hearts are far from me.
 7They worship me in vain;
      their teachings are but rules taught by men.'[a]
8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
Mark 7:6-8 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Jesus challenges the Pharisees with their hypocrisy. The Pharisees were condemning the disciples for not following the traditions of the faith. Jesus uses a quote from Isaiah to describe them. They "honored with their lips but their hearts were far from God. You have let go of the commands of God and hold to the traditions of man." What an indictment. This is the height of hypocrisy. This is quite a condemnation of these men and their faith practice.

(A) Application
Actors pretend to be someone they are not. "Actor" and hypocrite" come from the same root word. I wonder how many folks are pretending in their faith. How often do we hear people who talk a good game but whose actions are not consistent with their words. How many fall into this place that Jesus described;  " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

How many of the things we hold "sacred" are traditions and teachings of man and have little or nothing to do with the commands of God? I cannot think of anything worse than to have Jesus look at me and say, "you honor me with your lips but your heart is far from me." I do not want to be a pretender or hypocrite. Today I will check my heart and make sure it is close to God and that my lips honor God out of that heart.

(P) Prayer
Lord, thank you for forgiving my sin and allowing me to be close to you. Fill me with the oly Spirit and let me walk close to yu today. Let me words and life honor you. Amen

 

Friday, October 30, 2009

Life Journal 10-30-2009

Staying With Jesus

(S) Scripture
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Mark 5:18-20 (NIV)

(O) Observation
The man Jesus healed wanted to stay with him. He wanted to be with Jesus and to go wherever Jesus went. Jesus did not allow that rather he had a mission for the man to do. He was to go to his family and tell them what Jesus had done for him. His testimony was powerful and amazed those who heard it. Had he gone with Jesus those people would not have heard his testimony.

(A) Application
Many times I have found myself wanting to stay at a place where I have experienced a spiritual mountaintop experience. Whether it was at the WV Baptist at Camp at Cowen during my school years or at Campus Crusade for Christ Conference or retreat as a college student or at a retreat or conference now, it does not matter. When Peter asked to stay on the mountain after the transfiguration the answer was, "NO". The mission was not on the mountaintop but rather off the mountain and where the people lived. The mission and ministry remain the same for us. As much as we would like to stay on the mountaintop our mission and ministry is off the mountain and with the people. What are we to do? Tell them how much the Lord has done for us. Simple instructions and a simple message. Why do we make it so complicated? Lord today I will tell people the simple story of what you have done for me.

(P) Prayer
Lord, help me to get the mission and message right. Help me today to share the simple truth of all you have done for me and that you want to do the same for others. Amen

 

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Life Journal 10-29-2009

Good Ground

(S) Scripture
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
Mark 4:8 (NIV)

Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
Mark 4:20 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Jesus is teaching and uses the parable of sowing seeds. He describes four types of ground that seed can fall on. Many did not understand what he meant and so he gave an explanation to his disciples. He encouraged them to be sure that their lives were "good ground." He wanted their lives to be productive for the sake of the gospel.

(A) Application
What does it take to be "good ground"? How can I be sure that my life is "good ground" in which God's word can grow and flourish and produce much fruit? I must continually be in fellowship with the Lord. I must not be harboring unconfessed sin in my life. I must be walking by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. I need to be investing time in reading the Bible and prayer. I need to have conversations with other Christians that challenge me and hold me accountable for my spiritual growth. All these things and others are necessary for me to be sure that my life is fertile ground in which the seed of God's Word can grow and multiply.

(P) Prayer
Lord, break up the fallow ground in my heart so that the seed of your word can take root and grow and flourish in me. Help me to teach others to do the same. Amen

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Life Journal 10-28-2009

Immediate Obedience

(S) Scripture
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:16-18 NIV

(O) Observation
When Jesus called Simon (Peter) and Andrew to follow him they immediately followed. They didn't hesitate or ask for time to inform their families or to take care of getting substitute workers. They just immediately followed.

(A) Application
Too often I want to bargain with God about what he is asking me to do. I want to negotiate a more convenient time or opportunity. I am convicted by the immediate nature of the disciples' response. Today I will seek to be immediate in my obedience and following of Jesus. I want to be faithful and so I must practice instant obedience.

(P) Prayer
Lord, thank you for your patience with me when I think I have a better way or when I delay in responding to your call in my life. Make me aware of my delay and give me the courage and strength to follow immediately wherever you might lead. Amen

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Life Journal 10-27-2009

A Personal Note: During the past few months I had gotten away from blogging my daily devotion. It is easy to neglect this when life gets so busy and schedules get hectic. I want to thank "my Bud" for the gentle but pointed reminder that I have not blogged in a while. I did not realize how much I had missed this until I started again yesterday.

An Important Daily Prayer

(S) Scripture
"'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'
Acts 28:26-27 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Paul has reached Rome and is speaking to the Jewish Leaders there. As he teaches them about faith in Christ some believe and others do not. He uses a passage from Isaiah to explain their unbelief. In that explanation is the core of a prayer we should express daily. The passage is an indictment against them. It reveals their closed eyes, ears and hearts to the truth of God. How sad to miss what God has for you because of a stubborn spirit.

(A) Application
It is the indictment from Isaiah through Paul that should give us the core of a prayer to pray daily. I do not want to have my eyes, ears and heart closed to what God has for me. I do not want to miss God's healing touch in my life because of a closed spirit. In a DMin class the professor, John Guest, an Anglican Priest, suggested that we begin each Sunday message with this prayer on behalf of the people. "Lord open our eyes, ears and hearts so that we might clearly see, hear and understand what you have for us today. Give us the courage and will to act on the message we receive from you." I have used this prayer often since then with the congregation on Sunday. It has become a more important prayer for me to use each day as I invest this time in my daily devotion. "Lord, open my spiritual eyes, ears and heart so that I can see, hear and understand a clear word from you today. Energize my will with the courage to act on what you say to me." Today I am renewed.

(P) Prayer
Lord, open my spiritual eyes, ears and heart so that I can see, hear and understand a clear word from you today. Energize my will with the courage to act on what you say to me. Don't let me miss what you want to do in me today. Amen

Monday, October 26, 2009

Life Journal 10-26-2009

Proving My Repentance

(S) Scripture
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Acts 26:20 (NIV)

(O) Observation
In his defense before King Agrippa, Paul recounts his life before and after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. He is being falsely accused by the Jews but has already appealed to Caesar. In his defense he explains the content of his preaching. In that explanation is this gem, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Each person is to prove their repentance by what they do.

(A) Application
This admonition is so simple it is profound. "Prove your repentance by your deeds." What a novel concept in our world. I know many who voice repentance but their deeds do not change. They voice a change of heart but it is not followed by appropriate actions. How often do we ask forgiveness for a sin and then keep right on repeating the same sin over and over. Forgiveness is God's part but changing my behavior is my part. I know that I cannot change apart from the power of the Holy Spirit working in me. I must give control of my life to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide my actions. My deeds must prove my repentance or maybe it wasn't really repentance at all. Maybe I was just trying to avoid consequences or outcomes of my behavior and thought I could get God to let me off the hook. Never happens. For repentance to be real and effective it must be seen (proved) by my change of deeds.

(P) Prayer
Lord help me to be authentic and honest when I pray. Help me to show the depth of my repentance by my changed life and actions. Amen