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Showing posts from August, 2012

Walking with Jesus

August 31: Walking with Jesus Luke 24:13–53 Imagine encountering Jesus on the road to Emmaus. It would be a surreal experience. You’re walking to the next town, and you start a conversation with a man beside you, only to find out later that you’ve been talking with the resurrected Son of God . Even more surreal, the topic of conversation up to your moment of discovery has been the death of the man walking with you ( Luke 24:13–35 ). I have often wondered what it would be like to meet Jesus face to face—to have Him explain to me how He exists in the biblical text from Moses, in all the prophets, and in all Scripture ( Luke 24:27 ). How different would my life be after that experience? Would I rethink everything I had known and heard—perhaps everything I do? Asking these questions is not only healthy, it also turns on our spiritual GPS . Are we on the path God has called us to? Have we strayed in one direction or another? Are we caught in some odd roundabout where we’re explain

Small Talk

August 31 Small Talk “So, are you taking over Dan Coker’s church?” It was the day after we accepted the call to become the next pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of the Monterey Peninsula. We were getting information to enroll our youngest son in school when the clerk at the school asked me the question. The question hit me wrong for a couple of reasons. I didn’t like the phrase, “taking over.” It made me feel like a corporate raider acquiring a business. I prefer the terminology we use, “to accept the call.” A pastor doesn’t “take over,” he accepts a call that is issued from God and from a church to become their pastor. The second part of that question bothered me too. It sounds like the pastor “owns” the church. This church never belonged to Dan Coker and it will never belong to me—it is God’s church . People can start to believe they own the church. Maybe they’ve been members a long time, have contributed a large sum of money, or they hold important offices

August 31 ONLY ONE LIFE Avis B. Christiansen, 1895–1985 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15) Find your purpose and fling your life out into it; and the loftier your purpose is, the more sure you will be to make the world richer with every enrichment of yourself! —Phillips Brooks How tragic it is to see the great number of talented young people who waste their lives on transient things instead of investing them in that which is eternal. Yet this choice must be made by every individual: Will I commit my life to the highest and best—God and His service—or will I settle for that which is self-seeking and cheap? The results of these two styles of living are obvious; merely observe the difference between the quality of life of those who have engaged in self-indulgent, useless living and those who have spent their time faithfully serving God with a concern for the spiritual and physical needs of others. One leads to disillusionment and the other to contentment. Since it was published in 1937, this thoughtful hymn by Avis B. Christiansen and Merrill Dunlop has been widely used of God to challenge scores of young believers with the importance of committing their lives completely to God’s glory and service. Both Mrs. Christiansen and Mr. Dunlop have made other notable contributions to gospel hymnody with their many fine hymns. These words reinforce and amplify the oft-quoted statement: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” Only one life to offer—Jesus, my Lord and King; only one tongue to praise Thee and of Thy mercy sing; only one heart’s devotion—Savior, O may it be consecrated alone to Thy matchless glory, yielded fully to Thee. Only this hour is mine, Lord—May it be used for Thee; may ev’ry passing moment count for eternity; souls all about are dying, dying in sin and shame; help me bring them the message of Calv’ry’s redemption in Thy glorious name. Only one life to offer—Take it, dear Lord, I pray; nothing from Thee withholding, Thy will I now obey; thou who hast freely given Thine all in all for me, claim this life for Thine own to be used, my Savior, ev’ry moment for Thee. For Today: Matthew 10:39; Luke 12:15, 34; Romans 12:1, 2; Philippians 1:20, 21; 3:8 Seriously ponder: Do I really have something beyond myself that gives real meaning and purpose to my life? Is that something God and His service? Breathe this musical prayer— Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1996). 262.

August 31 ONLY ONE LIFE Avis B. Christiansen, 1895–1985   And He died for all , that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. ( 2 Corinthians 5:15 )   Find your purpose and fling your life out into it; and the loftier your purpose is, the more sure you will be to make the world richer with every enrichment of yourself! —Phillips Brooks How tragic it is to see the great number of talented young people who waste their lives on transient things instead of investing them in that which is eternal. Yet this choice must be made by every individual: Will I commit my life to the highest and best— God and His service —or will I settle for that which is self-seeking and cheap? The results of these two styles of living are obvious; merely observe the difference between the quality of life of those who have engaged in self-indulgent, useless living and those who have spent their time faithfully serving God with a concern fo

Dawning of a New Era

August 30: Dawning of a New Era Luke 23:26–24:12 Jesus’ resurrection brings a new era. Although Jesus told His disciples and loved ones that He would suffer, die, and be raised on the third day ( Luke 9:22 ), they didn’t fully comprehend His promise. The women preparing fragrant spices and perfumes for a burial ritual fully expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb. Instead, at the dawn of the first day of the week, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. The women were perplexed by their discovery, but the angels challenged them, reminding them of Jesus’ promise: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men who are sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise?” ( Luke 24:5–7 ). Jesus’ resurrection presents new hope for the disciples and those who believe in Him . It also shows that He pro

“I Swear”

August 30 “I Swear” You’re aiming for the 16 penny nail, instead you hit the thumb nail, what happens? xozijdahfouerkha! The guy in front of you cuts you off, what happens? xozijdahfouerkha! Your teacher chews you out in front of the whole class, what happens? xozijdahfouerkha! None of us enjoy other people’s foul language, yet, most of us have used xozijdahfouerkha before. Why do we swear? Swearing is an attempt to bring control to an uncontrollable situation. We like to think we have it all under control; sometimes life’s circumstances remind us that we don’t. Those moments cause a knee-jerk reaction. Swearing is a bad habit. People begin swearing to shock their peers and get attention; it really shows a lack of basic intelligence. Some folks don’t know how to express themselves without expletives. Swearing shows who you serve. You can’t turn on the radio, television, or go shopping without exposure to foul language. The other day I was thumbing through a magazine at th

I SURRENDER ALL

August 30 I SURRENDER ALL Judson W. Van De Venter, 1855–1939   Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ( Matthew 10:38 , 39 ) The Bible teaches us that brokenness is a prerequisite to blessing and usefulness. No one ever achieves spiritual greatness until he has fully surrendered himself to God . Victorious living comes only as we abandon ourselves to the Lordship of Christ , becoming His loving bond slave . God’s best for our lives is not the result of struggle. Rather, it is simply the acceptance of His perfect will and the recognition of His authority in every area of our lives.   Higher than the highest heaven,   Deeper than the deepest sea,   Lord , Thy love at last hath conquered:   Grant me now my supplication,   None of self and all of Thee . —Unknown Judson Van De Venter wrote this text after surrendering his many talents to his a ll-w

Becoming a Saved People

August 29: Becoming a Saved People Isaiah 60:1–62:12 ; Luke 22:63–23:25 For Luke, Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah’s message. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, according to Luke, Jesus opened the Isaiah scroll in a synagogue and proclaimed that the words in Isaiah 61 are about Him ( Luke 4:17–19 ): “The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me, he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and liberation to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor, and our God’s day of vengeance, to comfort all those in mourning” ( Isaiah 61:1–2 ). This moment defines what Jesus’ life would mean—and He was immediately persecuted for claiming the authority rightfully given to Him by God ( Luke 4:20–30 ). Luke’s message—an extension of Isaiah’s—is played out further near the end of Jesus’ life. Jesus’ claim to authority resulted in His being sentenced to dea

Get Connected

August 29 Get Connected Romans 1:11 “For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;” Philip. 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.” 1 Thes. 3:6 “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,” 2 Tim. 1:4 “longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.” I don’t mean to do any one of these verses a disservice by lumping them all together, because each of them carry a powerful meaning when they stand alone, but I wanted to read them together because I wanted for us to see the strength of Paul’s longing to connect with fellow Christ ians. A longing God recognized when he created us. Throughout the creation narrative, God pauses to admire what He’s done, several tim

Survivor

August 29 Survivor As we are finalizing our plans to vacation in the mountains of Colorado, I only have one concern, can I survive without Survivor? Yes, I’m addicted. Right now I’m developing some strategies to make it without my weekly Wednesday night fix. For instance, instead of going shopping at the Safeway in Gunnison, we can try to live off the land. We could bonk a chipmunk upside the head, or throw a rock at one of the birds. I’m sure there are some grub worms under one of those rocks. Also, we could make a spear out of aspen branches and try our hand at spear fishing. We could have contests to see who gets the last cupcake or gets to use soap when they shower. And every three days we could have a tribal counsel and vote one of the members of our family off the mountain. If somebody doesn’t pull their weight, we’ll snuff out their torch, and send them packing. What is it about that show that it has America watching? Is it the “real TV” aspect? Not for me, with th

PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND

August 29 PRECIOUS LORD , TAKE MY HAND Thomas A. Dorsey, 1899–1993   For I am the Lord, your God , who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.” ( Isaiah 41:13 ) Out of a broken heart after his wife and newly born son had both died, Thomas Dorsey cried to his Lord to lead him “through the storm, through the night” In doing so, he created lines that have since ministered to others in an unusual way. This tender song, written by a black gospel musician in 1932, has since been a favorite with Christ ians everywhere. Thomas A. Dorsey grew up in Georgia as a “preacher’s kid.” As he began to be successful as a composer of jazz and blues songs, however, he drifted away from God . After it seemed to him that he was miraculously spared in brushes with death, Dorsey came back to the Lord . As his life dramatically changed he began to write gospel songs and to sing in church services. It was during a revival meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, that h

Miracles Happen!

Miracles Happen! Tuesday, August 28, 2012 Matthew13:58 And he did no miracles there because of their unbelief “Miracles come in moments; be ready and willing!” Wayne Dyer Today does not have to be the same as yesterday. You can make it better. Just because you’ve  been in a negative pattern does not mean that you have to stay in that pattern. You can change it. f the day has gotten off to a bad start, it doesn’t have to end that way. You can turn it around. When life has been disappointing, you don’t have to continue to be disappointed. You can make  positive changes. A miracle is just around the corner. Though there’s nothing you can do to change the past, it is now over. The future is yours to  create, beginning right now. Life is filled with possibilities from this point forward. You can  choose, and you can follow, the very best. Do you believe in miracles? They happen! You can persist through every discouragement and when you do, anything is wi

Meaningless Maxims

August 28: Meaningless Maxims Job 13:1–12 “Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay” ( Job 13:12 ). There were bits of truth in the words spoken by Jobs’ friends, Eliphaz , Bildad , and Zophar . Between their blundering interpretations were words that expressed God’s majesty, justice, and sovereignty. Unfortunately, they pieced together their bits of truth and applied them incorrectly to Job’s life. Job quickly saw through their packaged solution. However, not all those struggling with loss can handle an onslaught of helpful Christians with easy answers. When people go through difficult times and ask for advice—or even if they don’t—it’s tempting to deliver our responses based on our own experiences. Eliphaz argued this way: “Just as I have seen, powers of mischief and sowers of trouble will reap it” ( Job 4:8 ). The way we interpret and respond to events in our lives is often Scripture -based and Spirit -led. Though we should readily provide enc

A Summer Christmas

August 28 A Summer Christ mas My Youth Sunday School teacher would start the Christmas season the same way every year: “This year, we need to learn about the real meaning of Christ mas.” She got my attention the first year she said that, but by the third year I said to myself, “Haven’t we already done that.” It might be impossible to get to the real meaning of Christ mas, because we always have Christ mas during the Christ mas season. Don’t get me wrong; Christ mas is a wonderful time of year. The main complaint I have about Christ mas is that I’m always too busy with the Christ mas season to enjoy Christ mas. Whether it is activity at the church or family responsibilities, something usually keeps me busy. I look for Christ in Christ mas, but the tree, wrappings and lights block my view. This year, I’ve decided to have my Christmas before the season. I want to caress the truth that God loved me enough to send His Son to earth to face hardships, temptations, and the cross

ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME

August 28 ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME Fanny J. Crosby, 1820–1915   For this God is our God forever and ever ; He will be our guide even to the end. ( Psalm 48:14 ) Often we become discouraged because we cannot see God’s long range plan of guidance for our lives. We need to remember that God has promised to guide our steps, not the miles ahead. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord ” ( Psalm 37:23 ). This beloved hymn came from the grateful heart of Fanny Crosby after she had received a direct answer to her prayer. One day when she desperately needed five dollars and had no idea where she could obtain it, Fanny followed her usual custom and began to pray about the matter. A few minutes later a stranger appeared at her door with the exact amount. “I have no way of accounting for this,” she said, “except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money. My first thought was that it is so wonderful the way the Lord leads me, I immed
August 27: My [Mommy] Done Tol’ Me Isaiah 55:1–57:21 ; Luke 21:25–22:23 I went through a phase when I was obsessed with the Blues. Something about the soul was at work in the music—a genre created late at night while reflecting on hard times. The music was written more for the songwriter than the audience because the audience had usually gone home by the time these songs were sung. The Blues express raw, uncut emotions. The same can be said of the OT prophets. A Blues singer can turn a common phrase into something profound. The idea that “I knew better, but I made the mistake anyway” becomes the Blues refrain “my momma done tol’ me,” complete with chord structure and growling voice. And “I’m struggling—everything is falling apart” becomes “my dog done died.” The prophets likewise use mundane things like water and food to describe emotional and spiritual struggles. They explain the root of the problem—the cause of our ills: “Ho! Everyone thirsty, come to the waters! And whoever

“Strike 3, Take your Base”

August 27 “Strike 3, Take your Base” In Cuba, nothing is bigger than baseball, not even the cigars. Nothing, that is, except Castro. Recently, the 74-year-old dictator, grabbed an aluminum bat and walked to the plate in an exhibition game against Venezuela. When Castro approached the batter’s box, the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez left his first base position to take the mound. His first pitch didn’t even reach the plate and Castro kept his bat on his shoulder. The next pitch was a strike, but Castro missed. A couple more balls and an attempted bunt later, the two heads of state were locked into a full count. Castro watched the 3–2 pitch blaze through the middle of the strike zone and listened as the umpire called him out. “No,” Castro said, “That was a ball.” And he took first base. No one argued. President Chavez said nothing. The opposing team said nothing, and the umpire said nothing. Later Castro joked that “Today just wasn’t his [President Chavez] day.”

LORD, I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN

August 27 LORD , I WANT TO BE A CHRIST IAN Spiritual   He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desire. ( 2 Peter 1:4 )   A CHRIST IAN IS …   A mind through which Christ thinks ;   A heart through which Christ loves ;   A voice through which Christ speaks ;   A hand through which Christ helps . —Unknown “Sir, I want to be a Christ ian.” The text for this spiritual song is thought to have been an outgrowth of this remark made by a Negro slave to a minister, William Davis , sometime during the mid 18th century. How would you have replied to this request? Many people today use the term Christian simply to mean someone other than a pagan, Buddhist, or Hindu. Or they equate it with a person who is a church member or perhaps someone who has a strong humanitarian concern for others. The word Christ ian was first used with the people of Antio

GOD PROMISED TO BE WITH US

August 26 Lesson 13 GOD PROMISED TO BE WITH US DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 23 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 34 EZEKIEL 34:23–31 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. 25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served t

Jezebel

August 26 Jezebel 1 Kings 21:1–4 “So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry, because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my fathers’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and didn’t eat any food.” ( HCSB ) What a pretty picture this is! Ahab, the King of Israel is reduced to a pouting child who goes to bed without his supper. What was the catastrophic event that could possibly have this type of impact on him? He made an offer on a piece of land adjacent to his own that was turned down. Verses 1–3 say, “Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. [ 2 ] So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.” [ 3 ] But Naboth said to Aha

Riddle Me This

August 25: Riddle Me This Isaiah 50:1–51:23 ; Luke 20:1–40 Jesus’ enemies regularly attempted to make Him look foolish or to disprove His authority. The absurd questions they concocted to discredit Him are rather amusing. The Sadducees posed one of the most preposterous questions about the resurrection of the dead and its relevance to divorce ( Luke 20:27–33 ): If a woman has been married seven times, whose wife will she be when the dead are resurrected? This scene is especially humorous in light of rabbis’ habit of playing mind games to outsmart (or “outwise” ) one another and the Sadducees’ belief that resurrection does not exist. Jesus’ opponents thought they had rigged the game: Any answer to their riddle would be incorrect. It was an attempt to trap Jesus into agreeing that the resurrection of the dead is a myth. Jesus , however, offered an answer that put them in their place ( Luke 20:34–40 ). His response made the Sadducees look even more foolish in light of larger bi

Stress

August 25 Stress The alarm clock screams at you at an ungodly hour. Your kids can’t find their socks, won’t look for them and expect you to know where they are. The milk and your husband have something in common … they are both spoiled. He’s upset because he wants to hear “snap, crackle and pop” while he reads the paper. If he mentions the milk one more time you’re fully prepared to give him “snap, crackle and pop!” It won’t be in his cereal bowl. You look at your watch, “oh no late again.” You rush through your routine, get dressed as fast as you can. “I can’t be late again.” Oh No! Your last pair of hose just got a run. Isn’t that the way it always is? Dressed in your best jeans, you turn the key in the car. NOTHING ! Your car won’t start. What a day, your hose runs and your car won’t! There’s a note on your desk when you finally arrive to work, the boss wants to see you. “Great, what now?” Sound familiar? How does a vacation sound to you right now? Where can you fi

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

August 25 TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE Frances R. Havergal, 1836–1879   So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God . ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ) In this day of self-centered living and pleasure-oriented lifestyle, the total commitment to God of body , mind, and possessions portrayed in this text is difficult for many Christ ians to achieve. Even though we realize that we have nothing we have not received and that we are only stewards of the good gifts God has entrusted to us, we often fail to apply this basic truth to our daily lives:   The gold that came from Thee , Lord , to Thee belongeth still ;   Oh, may I always faithfully my stewardship fulfill. —Unknown It was said of Frances Ridley Havergal, author of this text, that the beauty of a consecrated life was never more perfectly revealed than in her daily living. She has rightfully been called “The Consecration Poet.” “These little couplets that chimed in my heart one after another”
August 24: Who Is Trustworthy? Luke 19:11–48 We might get sidetracked when reading the Parable of the Ten Minas . Businessmen aren’t sympathetic characters in our modern world. In movies and sometimes in life, they’re often flat, miserly characters who take advantage of naïve individuals and community values. Although there is often an element of truth to some stereotypes, it can be too easy to take sides. And we’re forced to take sides in this parable. Whose view is correct—the people of the city who hate the nobleman, the fearful servant, or the nobleman and his faithful servants? The response of the masses seems unjustified. The two servants entrusted with minas are faithful characters, but not the focus of the parable. When the final servant is summoned, we expect an interesting turn of events. Will we sympathize with him? We’ve already heard that the citizens hate the nobleman, and the final servant seems to confirm this: “For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe

Stephanie

August 24 Stephanie “Actions,” the saying goes, “speak louder than words.” Ungodly actions can muffle the sounds of righteous words. That’s what happened in Stephanie’s home. Stephanie grew up in church and regularly heard the claims of the gospel, but never experienced a life transformation until she was eighteen. She didn’t just need to hear the gospel, she needed to see it. She couldn’t see it, at least not at home. During the week, her Mom went from one man’s bed to another, but on Sunday she would get dressed up and sit in church, pretending to be something she wasn’t. Personally, I’m glad Stephanie’s Mom attended church-that’s where she needed to be. Sinners need to hear the gospel. But I don’t think that was Stephanie’s point of view. Unfortunately, Stephanie made a choice to emulate the Mom she saw at home-the real Mom-not the Mom she saw at church. Stephanie’s promiscuity wasn’t her only problem, she became rebellious and starting running away from home and spe

O TO BE LIKE THEE!

August 24 O TO BE LIKE THEE ! Thomas O. Chisholm, 1866–1960   For we are God’s workmanship , created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ( Ephesians 2:10 )   Great Master , teach us with Your skillful hand ;   Let not the music that is in us die!   Great Sculptor , hew and polish us; nor let   Hidden and lost, Your form within us lie! —Horatius Bonar The Bible teaches that God’s goal for His people is that they “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ ” ( Ephesians 4:13) . We are to daily “put on Christ ” — His love and character—even as we put on our garments ( Romans 13:14 ). Christ -likeness is more than a religious profession or a weekly visit to church. It must become our total way of life. The Scriptures further teach that we are to carry the fragrance of Christ wherever we go—to unbelievers, the smell of death and to fellow believers, the fragrance of life ( 2 Corinthians 2:14–16 ). Ou