Life Journal 07-09-2009

Maturing

(S) Scripture
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
Hebrews 6:1 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Here the writer is not saying to abandon the basics but rather to build on to them with the deeper things of God. The believer is not to be content with only an elementary understanding of the things of God.

(A) Application
This is a call to maturing in Christ. It is unnatural not to grow and yet I know many Christians who are at the same maturity level years after their conversion. In my undergraduate degree I had a field education assignment at the local state hospital. My degree was in Rehabilitation Counseling and this was at a mental hospital. One particular patient at the hospital was in her mid-thirties, lay curled up in a fetal position, and had never grown from her early childhood size. She was a pitiful sight because she had never grown. I think of her and how unnatural her state was when I encounter Christians that have never grown in their relationship with Jesus. Being a baby Christian is fine in the beginning but it is not natural to stay in that condition. I want to grow in my understanding and commitment to the Lord. I want to become more and more mature as each day passes. I do not want to be content where I am today. I want to grow each day. In this passage I am reminded that maturing in my relationship with Jesus is the natural thing and it is also what God desires.

(P) Prayer
Lord, don't let me be complacent in my relationship with you. Let me move each day toward more maturity in you. Help me to help others mature in you. Amen

Life Journal 07-08-2009

Come With Words

(S) Scripture
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
Hosea 14:1-2 (NIV)

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Psalm 100:1-2 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Hosea and David both tell us to use words with God. God speaks to us and expects us to speak back to Him. Words mean things and we are to use them with God. We are to express our repentance in words. We are to confess our sins with words. We are to worship and joy with words. God wants to hear from us.

(A) Application
It is appropriate to "be still" when I am contemplating the majesty and greatness of God. There are times when I am to be vocal and to remain silent is not acceptable. In the verses I chose for today I am to be vocal in my confession. That means that sins have names and I need to be specific when I confess. It is easy to be general and ask for general forgiveness but when I confess specifically I experience a specific sense of forgiveness. I am to use words when I worship, sing joyful songs. As I read these passages this morning I was reminded of my devotion on July 4. On that day I wrote about having a God that speaks to us. And here that God wants us , commands us, to speak to Him. We express our faith, worship, commitment and love for God with words. Today I will use words as I confess and worship.

(P) Prayer
Lord, I love you and want to be fully devoted to you. Teach me how to speak to you in ways you desire and in ways that draw me closer to you. Hear my prayer, grant me a sense of your presence today. Amen

Life Journal 07-07-2009

Confidence With God

(S) Scripture
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)

(O) Observation
We are to hold firm to our faith in Jesus, the high priest. Jesus is able to sympathize with us because he has been tempted in every way that we have been tempted and yet unlike us, he is without sin. Where we give in to temptation, he never did. Because of his work and our faith in him we are to come before God with confidence.

(A) Application
It is like the confidence I have when speaking to my mom. I know she wants what is best for me and will do whatever she can to bring that to pass. I do not have the same confidence speaking to someone else's parent because they may or may not want the best for me. My confidence is rooted in my relationship with God. I come as his child. As his child I have access that another may not have. This dispels the myth of the "fatherhood of God". God is the creator of all things but he is father to those who are his children by faith in his Son, Jesus. Because of my faith in Jesus I have confidence before God and can receive mercy and grace from God. That is where I want to live today, experiencing the mercy and grace of God.

(P) Prayer
Lord, I again profess my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord. I thank you for receiving me into your presence and listening to my prayers. I thank you for your mercy and grace, they always arrive just when I need them. Teach me to trust you more and more each day. Amen

Life Journal 07-06-2009

Encourage

(S) Scripture
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)

(O) Observation
The writer is warning against unbelief and gives a command to encourage one another each day. This encouragement keeps us from being hardened by sin.

(A) Application
This statement seems to say that encouragement is good for both the encourager and the one being encouraged. It is important to see to urgency in this command. We are to do this "Today" and not wait until tomorrow. We only have today and that is what we are to be about. I think maybe you can delay your criticism but encouragement is to happen each and every day. We are not to delay in our encouragement. Today I will seek to encourage those I meet. I will practice this command. I want to be known as an encourager and so I will be about that today.

(P) Prayer
Lord, make me aware of how best to encourage those around me today. Give me a heart that is sensitive to the needs of people and let me offer a good word for them today. Amen

Life Journal 07-04-2009

God Speaks to Us

(S) Scripture
¹In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

(O) Observation
The Writer begins this letter with a statement about our God and His Son. The writer tells us that God has spoken to us and now it is through his Son who is heir of all things and superior to all things.

(A) Application
We have a God that has spoken to us. He did not create the world and then leave us to our own devices. He has spoken to us to reveal Himself and to let us know what He expects of us. The Son has also spoken to us and tells us what God expects and demands. We have a God that is deeply involved in our lives and world. Whoo Hoo. I am so thankful that God did not leave me to figure things out for myself but He has spoken and told me what He desires. His Word, the Bible, is therefore my most important resource. It lets me know what God has said so I can act on it. Today I will thank God for speaking so that I could follow Him. I would not know how to be saved had He not spoken. Today I commit again to this daily time of reading and meditating on the Bible. Today we celebrate the birth of America nad the freedom we have living in America. God speaks of being really free in Jesus. I am so thankful for both.

(P) Prayer
Lord, thank you for not leaving us in the dark but for speaking clearly and directly to us. Let me hear and understand what you have said and let me obey it. Amen

Life Journal 07-03-2009

Look for God

(S) Scripture
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Isaiah is recounting his own call to ministry and how God spoke to him. It begins with a sense of seeing God and then hearing what He says.

(A) Application
One activity of our Bible School was to "look for God" in ordinary things each day. Each one that was reported was represented by a firefly placed on one of the shacks at Crocodile Dock. By the end of the week the shacks were covered. I wonder when the last time I could say with Isaiah and the kids at our church that I had a God sighting. Isaiah saw God high and lifted up. The kids saw God in many small acts done by others or in nature. I must ask myself when the last time I honestly looked for God and when did I last see Him. IT is easy to get so busy doing God's work that you forget to look to spend time with Him or to see Him in the common and ordinary things around you. Today I will "Look for God". I will focus on seeing Him and not ignoring His work in my world or in the actions of others.

(P) Prayer
Lord, let me see you today. Let me see you in Your Majesty and also in the common around me. Amen

Life Journal 07-01-2009

Slander

(S) Scripture
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,
to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
Titus 3:1-2 (NIV)

(O) Observation
Paul tells Titus to remind the people to live godly lives. He gives a number of ways in these verses. Submit to the governing authorities, be obedient and ready to do good. Be peaceable, considerate and humble toward others and do not slander. Tall orders for people that are stuck on themselves or who only look out for themselves.

(A) Application
There is so much here for me but I chose to think today about slander. I am not trying to find the legal definition but rather just what is Paul getting at for me. Slander is assigning actions and words to someone that were not theirs. It always goes to attacking a person's character, like calling a person a liar to cause people to distrust them. In recent years the political rhetoric in our country has gone from honest disagreement and argument to assigning inflammatory motives to what people are saying. We find this has spilled over into our everyday conversations. Rather than simply stating what a person has said we must also assign a negative motive to it. That to me is slander. It violates most of what is contained in these verses. Even though I might disagree with some of the policies of the Obama administration, I am tired of those who disagree assigning sinister motives to his decisions. We can disagree without the personal attacks. When we condone that in our discussion of national policies it is easy to allow it in our personal disagreements and church conflicts, too. We are always better served by dealing with the issue rather than resorting to personal attacks. The kingdom of God is not served when we stoop to slander to get our way or to win an argument. Today I commit to dealing with issues without personal attacks. I will refuse to slander. I do not need to assign motives to others I must simply make sure mine are honoring to the Lord.

(P) Prayer
Lord, keep me off the high horse of pride. Let me deal with the issues and let me act with humility toward all people. Let my life reflect you. Amen