Spiritual bodybuilding

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Jude 1-25; Psalm 39

TO CHEW ON: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20-21

Jude, the brother of James wrote the short letter of Jude. It's a letter of warning to an unnamed church or churches. False teachers were the problem.

Jude talks of the havoc these teachers had created by comparing them to Bible characters. They acted in the spirit of:
Cain: destruction. Cain murdered his brother instead of caring for him (Genesis 4:8).

Balam: greed. Balam was a prophet who consented to try to curse Israel for King Balak in return for money (Numbers 21:1-22:41).

Korah: rebellion. Korah led a rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16:1-24).

How can the people resist these teachers? Jude says by "building yourselves up on your most holy faith."

The phrase "building yourselves up" brings to mind the gym. There people do multiple repetitions of exercises (sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts, bench presses, cycling, etc.) to build up different parts of the body. What would a spiritual workout look like? It could consist of reading, studying and memorizing the Bible, praying in the Holy Spirit (praise, thanksgiving, petition, intercession, worship), and singing.

The crowd of runners we pass on our way to church Sunday morning have tapped into another effective way to work out physically. They do it together for companionship, accountability, even safety. In our spiritual workout program, this would compare to being part of a faith community — a church, home group or Bible study group. (Of course Jude's letter, written out of the need to warn church members about false teachers within tells us that such togetherness also has its hazards.)

We know that in order for a physical workout program to accomplish what we want it to, it has to be consistent. That's where we get tested. For no matter how exciting a fitness program is at the beginning, it's hard to stick with it. Doing the same exercises over and over can get boring. Sometimes we're tired and don't feel like exercising. We may not notice any difference in our body and wonder if it's actually making us stronger.

Sticking with a spiritual fitness program is just as challenging. Some parts of the Bible are hard to understand. We may wonder if our prayers are making any difference. We may get discouraged by the spiritually immature tendencies we still see in ourselves and feel disheartened when temptations still trip us up. But just like sticking with a physical fitness program eventually brings about changes in our bodies, so sticking with regular routine of spiritual fitness will strengthen us spiritually.

Do you work out spiritually? If not, decide to make such a program a part of your routine. Life is full of challenges. You'll want to face them with a well-toned faith.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for being my teacher and trainer. Help me to be as devoted to developing my faith as I am to caring for my body. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 39

The Bible Project VIDEO: Jude (Read Scripture Series)



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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Don't let your spirit wear out with your body

Smiling elderly man  - RGBStock.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Corinthians 3-4; Psalm 150

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore we do not lost heart. Even though our outward man is perishing yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16

At our home group meetings we typically hear one prayer request after  another for healing and better physical health (our group is made up of seniors). It illustrates how, after a certain age, the body wears out and falls prey to a variety of diseases and malignancies. Our "outward man is perishing."

But we are not to lose heart in this. Why? Because our "inward man is being renewed day by day."

But is it? Despite failing physical systems, a slower pace, loss of vitality, energy, brain power and drive, are we being renewed? How does this happen?A collection of verses under the heading "New Person" in my Bible gives some ideas of how this comes about.


Renewed day by day:

1. It starts with confession of and turning from sin on our part and a work of God's grace in our hearts - Ezekiel 18:30-31; Psalm 51:10.


2.By faith we accept that God is doing something in us - Philippians 2:13.

• A little further on in our 2 Corinthians reading Paul reminds us: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation—old things have passed away, all things have become new" - 2 Corinthians 5:17.

• There may be other evidences too. For Saul there were new powers of prophecy. Samuel promised him he would be "turned into another man" - 1 Samual 10:6.

3. But we don't just sit by waiting for ourselves to be magically changed. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He prompts us to live differently.

• We spend time with God. Isaiah talks about waiting on the Lord to renew strength (Isaiah 40:31).

• We cut away old habits and practices of sin and in this way identify or mark ourselves as God's possession. Paul refers to this in Colossians 2:11 as the "circumcision of Christ."

• We refuse to be defined by and conformed to our former lusts - 1 Peter 1:14.

• We put on the new man - Colossians 3:10.

4. We persevere despite physical failings and weakness.

• Our focus verse (2 Corinthians 4:16) reminds us not to lose heart despite the fact that  physically we're wearing out.

• Philippians 1:6 reassures us that "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

So, if our bodies are failing us and the state of our affairs is deteriorating rather than improving, we need to remind ourselves this is happening only in the physical, earth realm. In the meantime, our spiritual renewal can and should continue day by day till we pass from this life to the next.

PRAYER: Dear God, I pray that the day by day renewal Paul talks about here will happen in me. Help me to rise above the trials of a wearing out body and cooperate with You in this process. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 150

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Persistent children

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 7:1-14

TO CHEW ON: " ' Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened.' " Matthew 7:7,8


If you've ever lived with a child determined to get his or her way, you'll have experienced a bit of what these verses talk about from God's point of view.  "Mom, please. Why not? You said…Please? When?"

My Bible's commentary says about the grammatical construction: "The Greek imperatives ask, seek and knock (vs. 7) are in the present tense suggesting continued petition" - J. Lyle Story, commentary on Matthew, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1302.

However, prayers that take a long time to be answered are much more than our attempts to convince God that it's answer time. Persevering prayer:

• proves to God and us our deep desires.

• reminds us of our ignorance of God's timing.

• focuses us on what is really important enough to stay on our prayer list year after year.

• may have us searching our lives for hindrances to God answering our prayers,

• while at the same time living alert to ways God is working and the part He may want us to play in bringing about the answers.

Daniel Henderson, in his book Transforming Prayer says about prayer generally:

"He has ordained prayer as a means by which we depend on and trust in Him. He answers our prayers to give us what He knows we need to bring Him glory. … We often pray to escape our difficulties rather than embrace discipleship" Daniel Henderson, Transforming Prayer, p. 79.

About the parallel passage to this one (Luke 11:9-13) Henderson says:

"Jesus clarifies His focus on the good things we should expect with these words: 'How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!' (Luke 11:13). The life spring of all the good things the Father wants to give us is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit" - Ibid, p. 81.

So we can and should keep up our persevering ways in prayer, knowing that the answer—whatever it is, whenever it comes—will be good.


PRAYER: Dear God, please keep the burden heavy on me over the things You want me to continue to pray for. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hope for quitters

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 15:36-41

TO CHEW ON: “Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.” Acts 15:37,38

A disagreement over taking John Mark with them (Paul and Barnabas) on Paul’s second trip resulted in a split. Paul went with Silas to Syria and Cilicia while Barnabas and his cousin John Mark sailed to Cyprus.

We might view this as a blot on the church’s history. It’s what so easily happens when leaders have different styles and they clash. Barnabas’s style was encouragement. He had launched Paul himself into ministry. Paul seems to have been more idealistic (You never quit) and practical (We don’t want quitters on this trip!).

But it seems that it all worked out for the good. Though Barnabas is never again mentioned in Acts, Paul’s letters speak of John Mark as a co-worker, testimony to the wisdom of giving him this second chance (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24). In addition, John Mark went on to write the Gospel of Mark (scholars date its writing sometime after the deaths of Peter and Paul—65-70 A.D.).

My Bible’s introductory notes to Mark’s Gospel make this observation about the book:

“Mark’s Gospel teaches that the life of discipleship means following Jesus along the same path of misunderstanding and rejection that He encountered. For followers of Jesus in all ages the warning and promise are sure: ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it’ - Mark 8:34,35)” - J. Lyle Story, Introduction to Mark, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1347 (emphasis added).

Perhaps Mark’s emphasis on Jesus’ self-denial message was birthed by his disappointment in himself when he refused to deny himself and quit. Sometimes our most positive life lessons begin with a negative experience.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for using even the bad things on our resumés by redeeming them for good (Romans 8:28). Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Faith that dries tears

"Eli thought she was drunk" - 1 Sam. 1:13

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 1:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "And she said, 'Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.' So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad." 1 Samuel 1:18

The yearly religious trip to Shiloh was a particular trial to Hannah, it seemed. For not only did she have to watch as husband Elkanah gave portions to Peninnah and all her brood and receive a double portion from him herself (something that only made Peninnah's razzing and pestering of Hannah over her barrenness worse), but it was also a reminder that God appeared to dislike her too. For why had He not allowed her to conceive?

On this particular day, Hannah could take no more. So she went alone to the house of the Lord (the tabernacle) to pour out all her frustration and desperation to God. She prayed. She wept. She made a big promise. And then Eli came up to her and accused her of being drunk!

Oh no, she said, I'm just so sad. Then she went on to explain her situation.

Of course Eli saw her genuineness then and said a wonderful thing to her: "… the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him" - 1 Samuel 1:17.

Hannah reacted (went away happy) as if God Himself had spoken. But why? Nothing had changed had it?

Not yet. But she believed it would. Her happiness was the result of FAITH, that considered what God promised through Eli as good as done.

For what do you and I need faith today?

• Wisdom?  (see James 1:5.)

• Big prayer requests? (See Matthew 17:20 & 21:21.)

• Healing? (See James 5:15.)

• A shield against discouragement, temptation and other Satanic darts? (See Ephesians 6:16.)

• Perseverance for whatever situation we're in? (See Hebrews 11:1-40.)

I love the Bible's definition of faith as much as any. It explains so well why Hannah could leave the tabernacle with her tears all dried up and why when we can also leave our stuff with the Lord and go away lighthearted:

"Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality—faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses" - Hebrews 11:1 AMP (emphasis added).

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to leave my issues with You as completely as Hannah did, knowing that You can and will handle things. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

God keeps us

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 17:1-11

TO CHEW ON: " ' Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.' " John 17:11

How wonderful to hear Jesus pray for us—because this prayer was not only for the disciples present but also " ' … for those who will believe in Me through their word' " John 17:20. He prays that God will keep us. the need for such a prayer signals a danger of which we need to be aware: the possibility we could lose faith.

A short sweep through the Bible shows us some of the ways.  God keeps us:

• Wherever we go. Like He was with Jacob, God is with us - Genesis 28:15; Proverbs 2:8.

• Physically. The psalmist expresses it: "He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken" - Psalm 34:20.

• Always. He never sleeps - Psalm 121:4.

• Through His name. What does it mean to be kept "through His name"? The Amplified Bible expresses John 17:11: " 'Holy Father, keep in You name [in the knowledge of Yourself] them whom You have given Me' " - John 17:11 AMP. I understand it as getting to know the breadth and depth of His essence (His name) and seeing how capable He is of whatever we need.

• As we lay our anxieties on Him. He then guards our hearts and minds with His peace - Philippians 4:6,7.

• From the evil one - 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

• ...and what we have committed to Him - 2 Timothy 1:12. If we have committed our lives, His power can keep us through our lifespan until we see our salvation - 1 Peter 1:5.

• From stumbling, so we will be able to stand in His presence with joy - Jude 1:24.

• From the extreme test of end-time events, the "...  the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth" - Revelation 3:10.

When we feel we are on precarious footing in our faith—perhaps after going through a test of sickness, bereavement, family troubles or whatever, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus prayed for us to be kept. We can trust Him to make a way for us, through the difficulties, back to a firm footing of faith.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your keeping power. When my grip on faith in You is weak, please send an answer to Jesus' prayer for me. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

What feeds you?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 4:21-42

TO CHEW ON: "Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.'" John 4:34

Here, using the metaphor of food, Jesus states His life purpose.

Much in life is simplified if we know our life's purpose. Here are some worthwhile ones from the Bible for us to consider:

• Serving the right master: "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.... as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord" - Joshua in Joshua 24:15 (NLT).

• Seeking the right kingdom: "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides" - Jesus in Matthew 6:33 (Amp).

• Finishing the job: "I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do" - Jesus in John 17:4 (Msg).

• Finishing joyfully: "But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy)" - Paul in Acts 20:24 (Amp).

• Winning the "heavenly prize": "I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward"- Paul in Philippians 3:13-14 (Amp).

It is one thing to say we have a certain purpose, quite another to live it. To discover our actual purpose, we can ask ourselves, what captures our attention? What do we find ourselves daydreaming about? What absorbs our interest? What feeds us? May it be something that, in the end, lasts into eternity.


PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to God-centered and single-purposed, like Jesus was. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Love—it begins between the ears

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 2:31b-3:13

TO CHEW ON: "Love … believes all things, hopes all things …" 1 Corinthians 13:7


Today is Valentine's Day when we demonstrate our love with all kinds of loving actions like sending cards, gifting chocolates, and taking our loved one out for dinner. It's a day when 1 Corinthians 13—the Love Chapter—is the perfect reading. But have you noticed how many of the attributes of love listed in it are rooted in thoughts and not actions at all.

Let's make a list. (I've referred to the Amplified along with the NKJV):

Love refuses to think thoughts of:

• envy, jealousy, vainglory or self-exaltation (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• violated rights, self-promotion, resentment, the evil done to it (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Love encourages thoughts of:

• patience, kindness (1 Corinthians 13:4).

• truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

• perseverance—bearing up under anything and everything, the best about the loved one, hope (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Whatever kind of love we celebrate today—the love of parent to child, friend to friend, or lovers—let's remember that how it begins and whether it stays strong are dependent on the thoughts we feed it. If your love for someone is anemic, take a look at your thoughts about that person. And love-friendly thoughts not only nourish love but also give integrity to all those actions of love we perform today—and every day.

PRAYER: Dear God, please make me sensitive to thoughts that destroy love—like envy, jealousy, and resentment. Help me to make a habit of thinking the best of every person. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pilgrim attitudes

Detail of "Visit of the Wise Men" from 
The Bible in Pictures © 1922

 TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 2:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy." Matthew 2:10

Four attitudes jump out at me from this amazing story of these eastern pilgrims on their quest to find the King of the Jews.

Perseverance
I've always wondered, where exactly is the East? Did these men travel far?  Over difficult terrain? When they got to Jerusalem and found no knowledge whatever of this king, did they wonder if they'd got it wrong? Feel like turning back? Through all this, they persevered to their satisfying destination.

Joy
I love the description of them rejoicing with "exceedingly great joy." I imagine  the reappearance of the star as they were leaving Jerusalem felt like a divine seal of approval on this quest they had undertaken with a sense of 'this is what we were destined to do.' Now they knew—No, we didn't get it wrong! We're in the right place at the right time.

Worship
Jealous Herod introduced the idea when he sneakily asked them to report back to him so he could worship too. Worship is what the wise men did when they found Jesus, and fell down before the young Child. "Fell down" (used in the NKJV, Amplified, and ESV versions) is interesting. We would expect a more controlled action, like "bowed down" perhaps (which is how it's translated in the NIV and NLT).  I like "fell down." I wonder if here, in the presence of Jesus, they were overcome by the power and glory of deity so that their limbs gave out and they literally fell down?

Generosity
What gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh—signifying the best of earth's treasures, entirely suitable for a King! These wise men gave them with abandon, not flinching for a moment at the humble surroundings or the ordinary-looking mom.

I want these attitudes of perseverance, joy, worship and generosity to characterize my relationship with Jesus. What about you?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to seek You with perseverance, find You with joy, worship You with all of me, and give You my best. Amen.

MORE: Epiphany

Today is the day the church celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany. The liturgy for the day begins with this Collect:

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Some things life has taught me

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Philippians 4:10-23

TO CHEW ON: "I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Philippians 4:12 (emphasis added)

As an elderly, life-worn man, Paul was schooled by a variety of experiences and states. So are you. So am I. Here are some of the things life has taught me:

1. What you fill your mind with is important.

This principle is always important and is underlined for me each time I am bedridden by illness or sidelined with an injury. Years ago during a difficult pregnancy, I spent many hours on the living room couch and found myself immersed in a Christian book about dealing with the occult. A pastor who came to pray for me saw the book and gently admonished, "That might not be the best reading material for you right now."

A few months later, when I was again out of commission, I determined to read something more uplifting. J. I. Packer's Knowing God proved to be the perfect mind food for someone longing to understand God during a difficult event. I still recall that time as one of intimacy with God and spiritual growth. Philippians 4:8 contains a list of wholesome mind-fillers.

2. Do things now, not later.

If you're prompted to work ahead on assignments with a distant deadline, don't put it off with "There's still lots of time." You have no idea how much time you really have.

What happened in the spring of 2014 before I went to visit family members in northern B.C. reinforced that for me. Before I left home, I worked ahead on all the deadlines I knew about. Then halfway through my time away I broke my hip. Was I ever glad I had obeyed those promptings to work ahead! "… these things do, and the God of peace will be with you" - Philippians 4:9.

3. Remember, "No condition is permanent."

I mull over these words of a former pastor whenever I am in a stressful, uncomfortable, wish-this-were-over place. In the meantime, I try to practice contentment - Philippians 4:11.

4. It is important to finish jobs.

I've learned this from quitting difficult things a few times. The instant gratification of quitting is never worth the long-term erosion in self-esteem and self-confidence. Rather, I need to continue to take Philippians 4:13 as my motto: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

What has life taught you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live by the principles of Your word and to recognize Your grace for me in each circumstance. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Four reasons to stay the course

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Malachi 3:13-4:6

TO CHEW ON: "'Your words have been harsh against Me,' says the Lord,
'Yet you say, "What have we spoken against You?"
You have said, "It is useless to serve God;
What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance
And that we have walked as mourners,
Before the Lord of Hosts?"'" Malachi 3:13-14


Have you ever thought - what's the point of living for God? Does God even know that I alter my lifestyle to please Him? Does He care? That seems to have been the thinking of Israel, especially of the faithful few that resisted the nation's general backsliding during Malachi's time.

We don't have to understand all the prophetic details in God's reply to catch the gist of encouragement to His disheartened followers. Let's listen in and get hope for our lives from the four reasons He gives them to stay the course.

1. You are remembered.

"So a book of remembrance was written before Him

For those who feared the Lord

And who meditate on His name." Malachi 3:16

How comforting to know that God writes about us in His book. One can't help but think of other references to such books — the book of our days from Psalm 139, or the Book of Life with our names written in it, mentioned in Revelation.

2. You are His treasure.

"They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts

On that day when I make them my jewels." Malachi 3:17

Treasure (segullah) means personal property, special treasure. My Bible explains: "Malachi 3:17 speaks of the people God will regard as His 'jewels.' Man's treasure is material objects, but consistently in Scripture, God's treasure is human beings" ("Word Wealth" - New Spirit Filled Bible [NSFLB], p. 262).

3. You will get justice.

"Then you shall again discern

Between the righteous and the wicked

Between one who serves God

And one who does not serve Him." 3:18

This is a reassurance to those of us tempted to question God's fairness while unbelieving friends and neighbours prosper even as they flaunt behaviours that our consciences won't allow. "Sometimes believers tend to be spiritually nearsighted. We face the same temptation today as did God's people in Malachi's day; the temptation to look at ungodly circumstances around us and question God's integrity and character. We must not mistake God's patience for apathy" ("Truth-In-Action Through Malachi - NSFLB, p. 1274).

4. You will be healed.

"But to you who fear my name

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise

with healing in His wings." Malachi 4:2

Healing (marpe) means restoration of health, remedy, cure, medicine, tranquility, deliverance, refreshing. "Salvation is God's rescue of the entire person, and healing is His complete repair of that person" - NSFLB p. 1273.

God's eternal vision sees eternal outcomes. So let's stay the course of loyalty to Him, knowing that the outworking of all that comes our way is good.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for these assurances for those who are Yours. Help me to live my life with this eternal perspective in mind. Amen.

MORE: "When He Cometh"

The song "When He Cometh" is based on Malachi 3:17. William O. Cushing wrote it in 1856 and George F. Root wrote the music in 1866. Cyberhymnal tells an interesting story about it with a Canadian connection.

Hear it sung at a Gaither gathering with Joni Erickson Tada in this YouTube rendition.



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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Endure

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure." 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Paul had himself recently experienced the "persecutions and tribulations" he talks about. He and his companion Silas had found an active synagogue in Thessalonica. For three sabbaths Paul "reasoned with them from the Scriptures," trying to persuade the Jews that Jesus was indeed Messiah.

Some Jews believed, along with Greeks and prominent women. But the ones who didn't gathered a mob and attacked the house of Jason where they thought Paul and Silas were staying. The mob never found them, but later that night, the believers sneaked them out of the city. It's all in Acts 17:1-10.

So, in this letter, probably only weeks to months later, Paul is encouraging those believers, telling them that the patience and faith they are exhibiting is cause for him to boast about them in other churches he visits.

"That's fine for you," I can just hear the Thessalonian Christians say, as they read Paul's letter. "You could just leave. But we have to stay here and live with this."

God could, of course, have caused that persecution to stop. But here, throughout church history, and still around the world today the need for endurance in persecution, in sickness, and in personal trials, continues. What is the purpose of it?

Paul mentions three pluses of of toughing out persecution in these verses:

1. It grows faith.

2. It cements love (note also 1 Corinthians 13:7)

3. It is a source of inspiration for others (note also 2 Timothy 2:10).

Other Bible passages show us still more advantages of having to endure.

4. It proves we are God's sons and daughters when He deals with us like a parent does with a child (Hebrews 12:7).

5. It toughens us as Christians, giving us focus and developing strength (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

6. Paul implies that it might be the new normal and what one should expect when involved in ministry (2 Timothy 4:5).

7. Enduring puts us in the select company. Abraham (Hebrews 6:15), Jesus (Hebrews 12:3), and Paul (1 Corinthians 4:10-13; 2 Timothy 1:8) are all characterized for their endurance.

8. Endurance assures our salvation (Matthew 10:22). Only the ones who endure will receive the crown of life (James 1:12).

Are you living in endurance-challenging territory right now? Be encouraged. You are not unique or alone.

For us whose lives are going along relatively smoothly, let's pray for people who need endurance while we keep our expectations realistic. The need for endurance will come. Let's be ready!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to endure the small trials and tribulations that come my way. Please make me aware of people whose endurance is being challenged, so I can pray for them. Amen.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Persistent pray-ers

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 18:1-8

TO CHEW ON: "'Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes will He really find faith on the earth?'" Luke 18:8 NKJV

"'However, when the Son of man comes will He find (persistence in) the faith on the earth?'" Luke 18:8 AMP


This little story Jesus tells teaches us, using contrast, a bit about God and our prayers.

God's counterpart in this parable is a rogue judge who doesn't respect God or people. A woman keeps pestering him about getting justice for her situation until, in exasperation, he gives in, judging in her favor not because of the injustice but to get a little peace and quiet for himself.

Jesus' point: If this self-centred judge does the right thing (even if for the wrong reason), how much more will God, who is just and perfect, do the right thing for those who cry out to Him?

But:

• It may not happen fast enough for us. There seem to be two perceptions of time here. "'Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf?'" Jesus poses this question and answers, "'I tell you, He will defend and protect and answer them speedily'" - Luke 18:7-9 AMP. But to the pray-er who continues to "'cry out day and night'" it seems to be taking a long time.

• God values our persistence. Jesus again: "'However, when the son of man comes will He find (persistence in) the faith on earth?'" (Luke 18:8 AMP). The question implies that that's what He is looking for.

"George Mueller prayed fifty-two years for an unsaved loved one, but it wasn't until some time after he died that his loved one came to know Jesus Christ as Saviour. I believe our prayers go right on living and working even after we die" - Hope Macdonald.

"According to Jesus, by far the most important thing about praying is to keep at it" - Frederick Buechner.

"Many a man asks in April a gift of divine fruit that will be ripe only in June" - Anonymous.

(All quotes taken from Prayer Powerpoints, p. 166.)

PRAYER: Dear God, may I be an answer to Your search for persistent pray-ers. Amen. 

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Focus, Rules, Perseverance

Image: pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 2:1-13

TO CHEW ON: “You, therefore must endure hardship…” 2 Timothy 2:3


Paul here is addressing Timothy, a church leader, likening the hardship of endurance he must exercise as a leader to the roles of  the soldier, the  athlete, and the farmer. Each image adds a layer of understanding of the role, not only of church leaders, but all of us “kings and priests" (Revelation 1:6).

Soldier:
If we haven’t been soldiers ourselves, we’ve seen film clips of military training and battle and don’t need to be convinced that soldiers face hardship and need endurance. Soldier-type endurance is highlighted here for its focus. It’s a singular attention to battle, not distracted with everyday life (2 Timothy 2:3,4).

Athlete:
The recent Olympics remind us of the endurance of the athlete. Most Olympic-level athletes have endured the hardship of countless hours of training and carefully controlled what they ate and drank. But they also need to be aware of another angle of endurance—the rules of the game. Those hours of work won’t win them success if they break the rules of competition and are disqualified (2 Timothy 2:5).

Farmer:
The farmer’s hardship is one of patience and perseverance as he nurtures his crop through the cycle of seasons and the vagaries of weather. If he sticks with it, though, he’ll be the first to experience the reward of his work (2 Timothy 2:6).

These three aspects of hardship also apply to us.

Focus: It’s easy to become distracted from the task Paul describes as his (and ours): “…so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory.” - 2 Timothy 2:10 MSG.

Rules: What would these be for the Christian? Some things that come to mind: Personal holiness, as in living a life that won’t stumble others, and ministry and message integrity as in speaking the message of the gospel—not wealth, or success, or salvation by works.

Perseverance: If we are faithful and patient and persevere, the fruit of our ministry may surprise us with reward at the most unexpected times, not to speak of the heavenly reward we look forward to when we see Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, I need the mentality of the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. Please deliver me from softness. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

In for the long haul

TODAY'S SPECIAL: James 5:7-20

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore be patient, brethren … Establish your hearts … You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" James 5:7,8,11

If there's anything we moderns find hard it's exercising patience. Our fast-paced world of instant communication has us drugged on speed.

We keep our phones constantly on our persons so we see text messages and alerts milliseconds after they're sent and can respond.

Satellite communication has us witnessing events across the globe practically in real time.

Want an update on a news event or sports score? Check Twitter and you'll probably have your answer long before the information hits a bona fide paper.

James makes a plea to his readers for patience which we do well to heed. He presents it from several angles.

1. We need to follow the example of the patient farmer who works in the realm of nature. The "fruit of the earth" needs time and rain (James 5:7).

2. We need to "establish" our own hearts ("strengthen and confirm them in the final certainty" - James 5:8 AMP). I understand this to mean give our faith time to grow both in understanding and experience.

3. We need to follow the example of the patient prophets who were God's obedient mouthpieces during their times. James doesn't say it be we know that most of them never saw their words fulfilled. They had faith and patience that extended past their own lifetimes (James 5:10).

4. We need perseverance—"the perseverance of Job"—who saw his trial through to the other side, to 'the end intended by the Lord," and so proved God's love and mercy - James 5:11.

Today I speak to myself more than anyone:

• Be patient.

• Establish your heart.

• Persevere—through personal, career, family, church, community, national, international challenges and issues. Persevere in faithfulness to God and prayer (James 5:13-18)—and I (you too) will see "the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."

PRAYER: Dear Father, I confess that I am often impatient. Help me to learn patience as I trust in You and grow deep in You through time and the challenges of my life.
 
MORE: "Deliver us from the quick fix" - an article by Ed Cyzewski you might enjoy.


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Persistent, overbold, shameless asking

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 11:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "'So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.'" Luke 11:9-10


If you saw my monthly prayer list, you would know that I take these words of Jesus seriously. Many of the items keep reappearing month after month, even year after year. In some ways, the fact that they are still there is a "yes" answer. In the case of ill family members and friends, that they're still on my list means they're still alive to be prayed for.

It's good to know that instead of resenting our persistence (which can also be translated importunity, overboldness, and shamelessness) God encourages it.

A little footnote in my Bible explains it this way:

"Jesus teaches persistence in prayer along with a sense of urgency and boldness. He does not suggest that we must overcome God's reluctance to respond to our requests but that we must be earnest and wholehearted in prayer. The persistence is necessary for our benefit, not God's." New Spirit Filled Life Bible p. 1409.

For what do you continue to ask? What do you keep seeking? What doors remain closed? Whether your requests are for yourself or others, pester God about them. He doesn't mind. Instead, He invites bulldog prayer habits.


PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this invitation to persist in prayer. Today it encourages me to pray with new energy for the things that have been on my prayer list a long time. Amen.

MORE:Prayer Lists
Do you use a prayer list? For years I have gone back and forth between using one and not. In 2008 I invented a form that I can fill in weekly (though I have been doing it monthly). It has a space for answered prayers. I describe it here.


How do you keep track of things to pray for?

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Sifted

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Amos 9:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "For surely I will command,
And I will sift the house of Israel among all nations
As Grain is sifted in a sieve;
Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground." Amos 9:9


My earliest memories of sifting are from when I was a little girl and learning to bake. Mom taught me to make sure I always sifted the flour before putting it into anything. That was because beetles sometimes got into the large kitchen bin where we kept the 100 lb. quantities of flour we bought. I'm sure if I found beetles in my flour now, I'd throw out the whole lot. But not then. We'd simply remove the wriggling black interlopers and carry on, mixing the bread, cookies or whatever.

The act of sifting ("To pass through a sieve in order to separate the fine parts from the coarse") is referred to in the Bible at various times. It is God's way of revealing the covered or hidden things that shouldn't be there (e.g. Proverbs 20:26). The intention is to get rid of them.

However, the purpose of sifting is also to separate out and preserve what is good. Unlike the Ethiopians, Philistines and Syrians, which God says He will destroy, He will sift Israel so that he can preserve the "house of Jacob" (Amos 9:7-9). He'll separate out the bad stuff to preserve all that is good (down to the "smallest grain").

The process of sifting, when it affects our lives, is never fun. Just as the physical act of sifting disturbs every bit of the sifted product, so God's sifting of us is uncomfortable, painful, even life-shaking. Job is one man I think of when I think of the sifting of a life. Nothing he had was left untouched.

In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Satan asking to sift Peter. Though at first Peter failed the sifting test, Jesus told him that the sifting would eventually work toward him strengthening others (Luke 22:31-32).

Are you being sifted? All kinds of things can serve as sifters, from the normal tensions of work and family life to the unusual stresses of accidents, crimes, natural disasters, disease, unemployment, etc. If you feel like you are being sifted, remember the purpose of the process—to reveal what shouldn't be there so you can deal with it now, and to separate out what is worth preserving.

Peter speaks of the end result of such a purifying and separating process in 1 Peter 1:6-7 (using the metaphor of purifying gold in fire). "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to realize that problems in my life may be part of Your sifting and purifying process in me. Help me to endure so my life will glorify You. Amen.

MORE: Paul Baloche sings "Shaken"





Paul Baloche tells the story of writing the song "Shaken" in this 1.5 minute video.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

Are you a quitter?

Barnabas & Paul disagree - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 13:13-26

TO CHEW ON: "Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John departing from them, returned to Jerusalem." Acts 13:13

Have you ever been a quitter? I have. It's not a good feeling when you're in the middle of it, and the fact that you've quit can come back to bite you.

Here Luke slips into his story, almost like an aside, the fact that John (John Mark - Acts 15:37) leaves their ministry party at this time—no reason given. Later, how significant a fact it becomes when, on the next missionary jaunt Barnabas wants to take John Mark with them again but Paul refuses (Acts 15:37-38).

Both dig in their heels, a rift develops, and one missionary team becomes two as Barnabas takes Mark and they sail to Cypress while Paul finds Silas to accompany him through Syria and Cilicia.

The Bible isn't kind to quitters. Some things it says to those with such an attitude:

• Jesus says the person "…having put his hand to the plow, and looking back…") is not fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

• In another place He talks about how impossible it is to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

• Paul describes those driven by doubt as "tossed to and fro and carried about…" (Ephesians 4:14).

• James uses the same sea metaphor and calls doubters "double-minded" (James 1:6,8).

So what if we've quit. Have we blown our whole lives?

Not necessarily. There was another chance for John Mark. In the end, the fallout between Paul and Barnabas resulted in two missionary parties going out. And this was the Mark who later wrote Gospel of Mark.

We may not be able to undo our giving up but we can learn from it:

- The importance of perseverance.

- The importance of relying on God and not ourselves when we're tempted to give up (James 4:8).

- The fact that with God in the equation, nothing is too hard: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

PRAYER: Dear God, please alert me to attitudes that precede quitting, like self-pity, comparing myself to others, laziness… Help me to remember that with You I can do anything You ask. Amen. 

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Church report card - 3 (D- to A+)

Image: extrabrandt / pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 3:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:6,13.



We are in the middle of reading messages to seven early churches from Jesus via the Apostle John.  If we look at them as if they are report cards, we can gain understanding about what God expects of the church that is still Christ's body on earth.

The church at Sardis had a reputation of being alive, but it was actually dead. (Would we call that a D- in report card lingo?) Jesus only commends the faithful few “who have not defiled their garments.”

The church at Philadelphia has the best report so far. It existed in a place of opportunity—an "open door." It was hard-working, persevering and obedient and was promised a place in God’s presence, destined to live with Him forever.

What can we learn about the church and God’s standards for her from Sardis and Philadelphia?



1. God expects us to be watchful and guard our relationship with Him. When we fall, we need to repent (Revelation 3:2,3).

2. God keeps a Book of Life in which He records our names. How we spend our lives on earth will have repercussions in heaven (Revelation 3:4,5).

3. Christ’s ideal for the church is purity. Again and again this purity is pictured as special clothes. Often these are clothes or robes of white (Revelation 3:5, Isaiah 61:10; Revelation 7:9).

4. Some seasons and places are more spiritually fruitful than others. We need to be alert to doors of opportunity that God opens for us (Revelation 3:8).

5. God values our overcoming. Perseverance has an eternal reward (Revelation 3:10-12).

Applying these things to ourselves, we might ask:

• Are we developing our own relationship with God, or depending on others—our pastor and his Sunday sermon, TV messages, and internet podcasts for spiritual food? Those things are good, but nothing substitutes for getting to know God personally through reading the Bible and prayer.  (I was at the funeral of an old saint yesterday, who was known for his saying: "Get to know God for yourself.")

• Are we sensitive to the Spirit, and quick to repent when He points out where we've sinned? What do we do when He convicts us, in our reading, watching, thinking, that we're getting tolerating impurity?   

• Are we alert to opportunities to share Jesus with those around us—the "open doors"?

• Are we persistent overcomers, or do we find ourselves giving up, giving in, in the face of our society's continued drift from the beliefs and standards we cling to?
  




PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I wonder what a letter from You to my church would contain. Help me, as an individual church member, to warrant praise from You and not a warning. Amen. 


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Conditions for "Yes"

image by freeimageslive.co.uk - Prawny

Praying Hands stained glass

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 John 5:13-21

TO CHEW ON: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14


I love the way John describes the attitude to prayer here. The one who prays does it in "confidence." It's the same word used to describe how the disciples spoke following Peter and John standing up to the Jewish council and their prayer for boldness—translated "boldness"—in Acts 4:31.

[Confidence - parrhesia. This is outspokenness, unreserved utterance, freedom of speech, frankness, candour, cheerful courage. … exhibiting spiritual power and authority - Dick Mills, Word Wealth, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible p. 1497.]

• But there is a condition to this kind of bold prayer—or any prayer for that matter—being answered. It is prayer "according to His will."

Other places in the New Testament give more conditions to God answering our requests with "yes":

• We ask in Jesus' name - John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23,24.

• We abide in Him and His words abide in us - John 15:7.

• We have faith - Matthew 5:22; James 1:6.

• We are righteous in life and fervent in prayer - 1 John 3:21,22; James 5:16.

My Bible's commenter on 1 John (where I got the above list of conditions and scriptures) makes this sum-up statement about prayer:

"One who abides in Christ, and whose words abide in Him, who prays in the name of Jesus, that is, in accord with His character and nature, and is full of faith and righteousness is not inclined to pray anything contrary to His will. … Genuine prayer is not an attempt at precise means of getting God to meet our desires and demands; but rather in subordinating our will to His, we open the doorway to His fullest blessings being released in our lives" - Peter E. Prosser - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1789,90 (emphasis added)

Before I pray I don't, and I'm sure you don't ether, check myself and my prayers against a list like the one above to see whether they qualify. I just pray.

However, such a list is a good one to refer back to from time to time, especially when we puzzle over why the answers to some prayers take so long in coming. And if we and our prayers are meeting the conditions, we keep up our confident praying.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to persist in prayer for people, circumstances, and issues in my own life that need Your intervention. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.