Day 12 – The Burdens Of Others

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ...”
–Ephesians 6:2

We live in a very egocentric culture today. A lot of the time our culture operates from an individualistic perspective. For example many ask these types of questions frequently: How do I see myself? Where do I fit in? What makes ME Happy? Will this change affect ME? And the truth is our culture is ruled by how “I” feel. This can spiral into a very self-indulged, selfish worldview where one throws a fit if one does not get their own way and they simply cannot be burdened by the needs of others.

Paul reminds us and the early Church that the needs and burdens of others are to be shared. This is certainly counter-cultural to what society teaches us. But even the ancient world struggled with self-importance and individuality. Do you recall the parable of the good Samaritan? There was a Priest who came by, saw the beaten and bloody man and walked on the other side of the road. Then there was a Levite who did the same thing. Both were too consumed with their own needs and busy schedules to stop and tend to this injured man (who was of their culture and race). Finally the Samaritan man passed by, saw this man’s needs and tended to them.

Our Busyness
It would be easy to say that we would respond like the Good Samaritan in Jesus’ story, but is that really true sometimes? When we have deadlines to meet, appointments to keep, miles of road to drive to get to those “responsibilities” – would we stop what we were doing to lend a helping hand? How important are the burdens of those around us? Can we even see past the issues that we face in order to see the needs of others? It is far easier to put our noses back into our busyness, say “Oh I’m way too busy”, and never look around us. It is far easier to think “I’ll just let someone else take care of that person’s needs”…but what if God holds us accountable for those moments that we never cared or simply passed that responsibility onto “someone else”? Would that change how we look at others? What if God placed those burdens of others in our path so that we could help, but we didn’t lift a finger…could we really be called Christ-followers then? “For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink…” Matthew 25:42.

Jesus even prayed for His disciples that they would be one – united in effort and mission.
I believe the message is so much stronger when we share each other’s burdens and stand united together in love. So today, here’s a challenge for you: do one thing that makes you go out of your way for someone in need. It might be something small like buying someone a cup of coffee, or helping a person load their groceries into their car, or offer a meal to someone who appears in need of food. Don’t judge or second guess their intentions, just give.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to see others today. Despite my busy schedule, I am called to be your hands and feet – show me what that looks like. Forgive me when I have been the Priest or the Levite and walked passed someone in need. Help me to serve with and not to seek out my own self-importance. Lead me Lord today in this. -Amen.

January 12, 2017 0

Day 10:Finding Hope In The Lord!

Whether it is because of gloomy days, or circumstances in life, there are times when we become worn out and run down. Because of this, our attitudes and even perspectives on life can become bleak or distorted. Rest assured that you aren’t alone in these feelings. We all face difficulties, frustrations and even opposition in this life – this is nothing new.
Before David became king of Israel, we find him on the run and afraid for his life. King Saul was jealous of David and sought to kill him. He was perceived to be a threat to King Saul because David was a war hero and highly revered in all of Israel. Imagine having all of those accolades and notoriety but still having to run for your life?! You would think that because of those circumstances David’s perspectives on life would have become bleak and gloomy, but they didn’t. He remained steadfast even while in hiding. Even amidst David’s trials he managed to have this perspective:

^“God! Look! Enemies past counting!
Enemies sprouting like mushrooms,
Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery:
“Hah! No help for him from God!”

^3-4But you, God, shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to God,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.” (Psalm 31-4 The Message Version)

Regardless of what you might be facing today, there is hope!
Shout to God.
Cry out to Him.
He will hear you!
He will be your shield on every side of you as well!
No matter how dark your day might seem, God’s light can shine on you and bring you hope and peace! Cling to this! Seek Him out, and He will lift your head!

Prayer: Dear Lord, there are days when the gloom and stress of it all encompass me. Remind me of your very real presence in my life today. Shine your light on these sometimes dark circumstances around me. Strengthen me and be my shield. In You, Oh Lord do I put my trust and in Whom do I find my joy and hope! My Your will be done in my life today! In Christ’s name I pray these things. -Amen.

January 11, 2017 1

Day 9: Fecal Of The Mouth…

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Do you remember getting your mouth washed out with soap?
Perhaps you do, and I would imagine that soapy taste still lingers to this day. Parents would do this to try and instill wholesome verbal skills in their children.

But this fecal of the mouth doesn’t end with the use of profanity, it continues into all of the negative comments we might make in an average day. We might complain about things. We might constantly criticize without any kind of constructive counterpoints. All we are doing is essentially spewing verbal fecal matter around us. That sounds disgusting doesn’t it? Well it is.

No one wants to hang out with a negative person all the time do they?
They tend to bring the party down. As Christians we are called to be set apart from how the World tells us to live. This passage goes way beyond using swear words, and reminds us of the necessity to build each other up instead of tear each other down. So when Paul says “let no unwholesome words come out of your mouth”, he is reminding Christ-followers to be mindful of what they say – which becomes their testimony to the rest of the world around us. The words we choose can be the very words of Christ, or they can be the words of Satan. That sounds harsh, but the reality is that words can cut deeper than any blade, and words can maim or encourage beyond what we could ever see. Words are that important! And how we choose to use them can either bless or curse the souls of those around us.

So How About You?
How are your speech patterns?
Are there areas in your life that you find difficult and you end up catching yourself speaking with fecal, unwholesome speech? Do you constantly have to fight against going negative. Does this permeate your entire outlook on life and on others around you? If so, how can you change this pattern of unwholesome talk? We can blame other people and situations, that would be the easy way out…but only when we take responsibility for our own speech and rein in our thoughts, will we ever seen measurable spiritual growth. It begins with you, it begins with me.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me with my tongue today.
Remind me that I am set apart for you. Cleanse me of malice and negative thinking that seems to bleed out into my speech. I want to be a kingdom builder, not one who tears down. Show me what it means to be edifying and encouraging to others. Help me with the words I choose to speak. My the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, Oh Lord my Strength and my Redeemer. -Amen

January 9, 2017 0

Day 8: The Full Court Press…

“Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Philippians 3:12

Let’s face it, none of us are perfect, and we all struggle from time to time.
But there ought to be some reassurance in knowing the Father – who sent His one and only Son for us. Although we fail from time to time, we have a Savior who doesn’t fail us. In fact He picks us up when we fall flat on our faces and helps us back on our feet, that is our faith on this spiritual journey.
Here’s a caution for all of us though, just because we are not perfect does not mean that we cannot be made Holy by God’s divine presence. The Holy Spirit longs for us to become what we were always created to be – Christ’s very image here on earth. And so He prods us, reminds us, convicts us of the things we have yet to surrender to Him. Sometimes we might have deep dark places in our hearts that we think aren’t forgiveable or redeemable, and so we hide them away and never talk about them. We think God will just forget about them, but the truth is if we never confront them, we will never full realize the image of Christ in us – it will always remain blurred and seemingly far away.

Press On!
So we have to put on the full court press in our lives.
We have strive to be disciplined in our personal conduct and in our thought processes.
We are made for something so much more than this and we ought not settle for being “just okay”…we can live Christ in every facet of our lives. Paul reminds us that he isn’t even there yet, but that doesn’t get him down, he just presses onward. This is what we are to do as well. Admittedly, we aren’t there yet…we still have a ways to go, so don’t quit, become frustrated or exhausted – keep going!

How is your spiritual journey going so far?
Has your journey been wrought with set backs, failures, heartbreaks and hurts?
If not perhaps you aren’t trying hard enough…and if it has, don’t quit and don’t surrender – keep pressing onward! Without this forward progress within us, we will wither, become stale and ultimately fail. Ask important questions. Challenge spiritual concepts. Tackle the rough things in your life, and with the Holy Spirit’s help we will overcome! Do you believe it? I mean do you REALLY believe it?

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I confess that I am not there yet.
I am often imperfect and I struggle in my spiritual disciplines.
Help me to overcome. Grant me your strength to press onward.
Make me holy Lord, so that my thoughts are your thoughts; my heart your heart.
I long to finish this race with strength and power, and not simply end by the skin of my teeth. Help me to thrive along the way! In Your name I pray all of these things. -Amen!

January 8, 2017 1

Day 7: Which God Do You Serve?

“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5

When asked this question, most of us would say “I serve God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son…this is the God I serve!” But I would like to challenge you on this today, and in this challenge I hope we might recognize a very real and present danger in our lives right now. What is that danger you ask? Money – riches, fame, glorification of lifestyles that are not acceptable to God.

This pursuit of recognition on the world’s stage is wrought with sacrifices that will hollow us out and leave us mere shells of who God knows us to be. It is interesting that longing for wealth and recognition isn’t just the pursuit of money, but it is the pursuit of acceptance and accolades from the world itself. The trap can be – “What does the world tell me I should be” or, “How can I impress the world with my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook accounts?” We have a lot of people who have become internet famous in our world today, it seems easy to do…and so an entire generation is growing up longing to have that fame and fortune as well.

In Jesus’ day, Pharisees were sort of Ancient world “internet famous” – they performed good deeds in the street so that people might see how good they were. People looked up to them, and they lived an elevated lifestyle amongst the common folk. Jesus said of their public activities: “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, asthe hypocrites do in the synagogues and on thestreets, to be praised by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their reward.” (Matthew 6:1-2)

Serving those around us so that others might see our good deeds in not serving God…it is idol worship and we have built self-serving gods in our name. Be aware of this trap. Recognize it for what it is, and reject the notion that in order to be a Christian we have to publicly show our goodness and prove our worth. This isn’t true worship of God, this is showmanship and does not bring honor to God. Instead, serve God even if no one sees you. Love others even if it is not reciprocated. Allow those silent, unobserved spaces to become your sanctuary to the Most High…may it be only for Him! When we shift our focus from self to God, we realign what worship is, and in Whom we worship.

Prayer:
Lord forgive me when I have not worshiped you, but elevated my status and ego.
I recognize that I must decrease and you must increase in my life. Help me to serve you regardless if I ever receive credit for it on this earth. May the words of my mouth and the actions of my heart be acceptable to You, Oh Lord my strength and my Redeemer. -Amen.

January 7, 2017 0

Day 6: Listening to the noise…

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper…” 1 Kings 19:12

This is one of my favorite verses in the bible…Elijah is worn out, frustrated and afraid for his life. He seeks refuge in the mountains because God told him to do this. As he waits for God, a bunch of noise happens around him. First an earthquake, then a fire…and it says that God was not in those things. I wonder how long Elijah waited on God. It doesn’t say, I would speculate that God’s arrival to him was not immediate…there was a waiting period involved here.

The Noise
There is so much noise around us today, so much distraction. We might blast our favorite songs on the radio in the car, I sure do. We flip on the t.v. to catch our favorite hour long show – guilty again. We check our social media accounts more often than we’d care to admit. The distraction of noise, both auditory noise and visual noise, is all around us! It seems as if we cannot escape it’s grasp on our lives.

With all this distraction around us, when do we carve out the time to wait on God?
Do we sometimes forget Him amidst the distraction of the noise? It would be very easy to do in our culture today. We are seemingly immersed in the noise and there is virtually no where to run from it. But thankfully we serve a mighty God who is capable of breaking through that noise! In Elijah’s case, God showed up in a gentle whisper. Elijah recognized it and stepped out there to encounter Him. He recognized the moment for what it was…

Do We Recognize our Moments With God?
When the noise of life crashes in, like it frequently does, will we recognize the gentle whisper of God? Are we focused and in tune with Him? Do we wait expectantly for God to show up (which He will)? Whatever your distractions and noise might be, rest assured that God can break through for you, just be prepared and listening for Him!

Prayer
Dear Lord, my life is noisy and often I become distracted by it.
Many times I am consumed by it. Help me to find the gentle whispers in my life. Allow me the patience and attention to hear your voice amongst the noise. Be with me today. Remind me of this communion with You, that I desperately need your divine presence with me. Let me fellowship with you! In Your name I pray these things. Amen.

Nooma- Noise

January 6, 2017 2

Day 5 – All Things New

“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.'” -Revelation 21:5

It snowed here today.
Snow is not uncommon, but our community is not properly equipped for snow fall. There are not enough snow plows and other equipment here to handle such things. Thus, unsurprisingly, we received an early morning phone call from our children’s schools – School was canceled. There is something sweet about telling our children that there would not be any school as they thrust fists into the air and then nestled deep down into their blankets once more to catch a few more slumber hours…especially the smelly teenagers in our house.

Looking out our windows today, there is a small, pure white dusting of snow on the ground, just enough to make things look clean, crisp and white. It got me thinking – This is what our Heavenly Father does for us when it comes to forgiveness. He wipes our slates clean. He purifies us, and all of the hopes and possibilities become visible again because we do not have to focus on all of the guilt and shame any longer. Of course the consequences are still there, like ripples in a pond…but forgiveness comes (through Christ alone) to make all things new within our hearts. Everything that we cannot change…everything that we still feel guilt over…everything that we regret…everything that weighs us down and, with seemingly unbreakable chains, holds us captive…EVERYTHING is washed away, wiped clean the moment we receive and accept this gift of forgiveness from God.

The amazing thing is, that we will often need to go back to the source of forgiveness and grace, and we can receive it. This, of course, doesn’t mean that we treat it like a get out of jail free card from monopoly, but we can still receive forgiveness when stumble along the way.

So how about it?
Are there moments right now in your life that require this cleansing once more?
Are you bogged down by the weight of sin and guilt? It doesn’t take much to soil this cleansing – a few words of malice; entertaining impure thoughts; actions that are not God-honoring…these daily temptations come rushing in at us because we still live in this fallen world.

But hear the still small voice of God himself who says to us – Behold, I will make all things new. This isn’t just at the end of all things, this is also true in your life today, at this very moment. Just whisper a prayer to Him and He will glad cleanse you once again. Our goal? Becoming the very reflection of Christ in our living…this can only be done by consciously allowing His holy presence to guide, restore and change us…We must linger moment by moment in the Master’s presence in order to fully realize this reality in our lives.

Prayer:
Lord I long for you to make all things new in my life right now.
Forgive me of these sins that creep up in my life and weigh me down.
Cleanse me once more, make my heart and mind vessels for you and you alone. I long to be the reflection of Christ in all that I do and all that I say. In your name I pray these things, Amen.

January 5, 2017 0

Day 4: What Good Am I? God’s Talent.

“When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business...” Luke 19:15

Remember yesterday day when we evaluated what kind of fruit we were baring, and whether or not it was good fruit or bad? Well, it matters. Your life matters. What you choose to do every day – This very day…it all matters!

Jesus tells this parable about the talents, and what those entrusted with the nobleman’s riches did with the investment. Two of them multiplied the original investment, while the last person simply hid it away and never attempted, never risked…

I have to be honest with you, when I was a little child I used to think that the last person was pretty smart. He had kept his master’s treasure hidden, safe and sound. What’s so wrong with that? He can just give it back, and it will still be the same talent he was given. Now that I’m older, I understand what this means (at least for me). God gives us these amazing tools to use in our lives. Some have been blessed with amazing voices. Others with great intelligence. Still others the inquisitive and creative mind…and on it goes. That little seed has been planted in us. More than that, God’s truths have also been given to us. He gives these talents to us and He desires us to use them, not hide them away. God longs for us to take risks. He wants us to venture out of our “bubbles” and connect with humanity. He desires our faith that extends beyond our comfort zones and protective barriers. The saddest, most disappointing thing that we can do with our talents is hide them away and never use them – such a waste!

How about you?
Are you struggling to figure out what exactly God has given you to use?
Do you grow weary of the investment?
Or do you risk much and venture out far and wide?
Where do you see yourself within this parable of Jesus?
How can you multiply or even triple His original investment in you?
Don’t forget that the purpose of the investment is to give praise to God and then reach out to humanity through His love! This is the ultimate extension of His wonder and His grace!
Prayer:
Lord help me to see why you invested in me.
I sometimes struggle with my insecurities and doubts.
I long to serve you with everything that I have. Help me to see others the way you see them. Guide me today so that I might be an instrument of your peace to those around me. Help me also to see the investment and talent that you have given me, and in so doing, allow me to use it for your glory! May your will be done in my life today! -Amen!

January 4, 2017 0

Day 3 – Are You Picking Rotting Fruit?

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit…” Matthew 12:33

Have you heard the phrase “garbage in garbage out?” It describes the results of bad living – whatever we consume – we become. If we determine to look at everything that comes our way today through the lenses of doom and gloom – that is what we shall become. Our perspective on things can, in some ways, dictate the outcomes we eventually face.

What kind of fruit are you picking?
In this new year, you have a choice to make: will you conscientiously strive to consume the spiritual fruit that brings you growth, depth and life, or will you settle for picking rotten fruit, which leads to more than rottenness in your life? It all comes down to your choice in the matter. It sounds easier than it really is, this I know all too well. Many times I have eaten this rotten fruit in my life and suffered the effects of such decomposition.

Context:
Jesus had some harsh words for the Pharisees of His day.
He even calls them a brood of vipers in the very next verse (34).
I would be afraid of what He might say to us sometimes, when we look around at others and attempt to cast judgement all the while forgetting to focus on our own trees and the fruit we are bearing. I would hope that in sobering moments, His Holy Presence would bring conviction and even chastisement. This is a bitter thing to consider, but better to be confronted with our own areas to work on than consume more bitter, rotting fruit that we have produced.

So how about it?
What kind of fruit is your tree producing right now?
Is it sweat, ripe and pleasing to God?
Or is there room to grow and improve?
This is a very personal devotional thought today, one I would guess we shy away from…but don’t shy away from this. Take a long sobering look at your life right now – can you declare unabashedly that you are a fine fruit-producer for Christ? If you come to the conclusion that you still have work to do – do not become frustrated and defeated! You are not alone…many of us (including myself) are right there with you.

Homework Assignment:
Read Matthew 12:33-37 again right now:
³³“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Questions to Ponder:
What work still needs to be done in my heart right now?
Are there weeds growing amongst the fruit?
How can I de-clutter my heart today and remove the rotten fruit?
How can I encourage others around me today?
What soothing words can I speak on behalf of Christ to those I meet today?

Prayer:
Dear Lord, I confess that at times I do not always produce good fruit in my life.
Sometimes my words are harsh and my actions do not reflect You.
Help me to be your image in all that I say and do today.
I desire to produce in my life a harvest of hope and love for You and you alone, and in so doing I might be an Eternal aroma to those I meet. Help me to be the very best representative of you! In your name I pray these things. -Amen.

January 3, 2017 0

Day 2 – Residing In The Goodness…

Focus Verse: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28 (NIV)
The grace of God resides within us. His presence provides what we need in the good times as well as the bad.

Our focus verse for today has less to do with some sort of magic “goodness”and more to do with where we choose to place ourselves daily. What I mean by that is this: are we firmly planted in our faith in the almighty? Or, like shifting sands, do you waver and even falter when stressful/difficult things occur?

The emphasis within this verse is “…of those who love Him…” Whatever you may face today, wherever your path might take you, how deep does your love for God go? To what depths will you journey…will you go even beyond your comfort zone to serve our Father in heaven?

The goodness God offers might not manifest itself in earthly riches and worldly fame, but rather in our daily provisions and spiritual blessings. He gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. He loves us and know exactly the means by which to provide and to protect us. The very real question is: do we trust Him? Might I confess that I still struggle with this trust. I still attempt to “handle” it all on my own…and I usually fail gloriously when I do.

Might I suggest that we tackle this trust issue moment by moment instead of with vast brush strokes and promises?! …and in so doing, may we plant ourselves firmly in the goodness of God, and remain there!

Prayer: Dear Lord, I want to reside within your goodness. Show me how that can take place within my doubting moments. Help me to surrender to you even when the going gets tough. I long to be yours and yours alone! Thank you for this glorious day that you have given me and the blessings that I often take for granted. Reside with me throughout my day and all that might frustrate my plans. May Your will be done in my life today.

-Amen.

January 2, 2017 0

Category: devotional