Press the arrow to watch grass grow (and enjoy it too!) while thinking of how God will develop the potential of your life.
ScriptureListen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. John 12:24-25 [The Message]
Observation
What does a grain of wheat look like? Wrinkled, hard and brown? You might be right in thinking that to look on the outside of the kernel. But what about inside of the seed? What does the inside of a grain of wheat look like?
If you were to peer inside of a grain of wheat you would see fields of wheat waving in the Kansas sun. There are bakeries full of bread. There are bread trucks full of baguettes, bagels, black bread, rye bread, damper and sourdough. There are shelves laden with challah, hushpuppies, tortillas, pumpernickel and dinkelbrot. There are plates of cakes, brownies, donuts, crumpets and Twinkies.
There is more to one grain of wheat than meets the eye.
Application
If a grain of wheat is full of so much potential then why are we so afraid to let the Lord whittle our life down to one, single seed? All of the extraneous things of our life are winnowed away until we are reduced to just one seed. And with so much potential, why do we cling onto his hand lest he drop us into some rich, black soil? I think it is because we think more about what we’ve lost than in the potential of what is still yet inside of us. If we could grasp God’s greatness in our smallness then we would cease seeking great things for ourselves and let him use our littleness.
Prayer
Father, I am a seed. That matters more than anything else. I embrace that concept while letting everything go. Amen.
Scripture Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Saviour and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us…. Titus 3:1-5
Observation
Behind the rusting Iron Curtain of the Cold War, a peasant farmer and his wife kept their faith in God through intense persecution. Their son John told me the story of a police raid on their property. A truck loaded with workmen pulled up to the farmhouse. The workers clambered up onto the roof of the little house. As a reprisal for their stubborn faith in Christ, the farmer and his wife would lose the roof of their house that day. The tiles would be removed one by one and they would be left open to the elements. Around lunchtime the old farmer sang out to the men on the roof, “Boys, come on down. Mama has fixed you some lunch.” John told me that the workers put all the tiles back in place and drove away.
Obedient and ready to spring to action that describes the motive of the Christian. When treated unfairly we are to not talk badly of others but to be peaceable and gentle. No matter how much our point of view may not be considered, we are to consider the perspective of others, even if that means feeding a work crew that is tearing down your own house.
If Paul’s words stopped at verse 1, it would all be hard to take and impossible to do. But thankfully he adds a few more verses. He reminds us that there was a time in life that we supposed that rebellion is the way to authority. But then kindness appeared and that changed everything. It is impossible to watch the injustice of the cross and not to be moved by the tenderness of Christ. He died not for himself but for us. He forgave those who killed him. He showed mercy to his mother and to thieves. He refused anaesthetic so that he could be fully awake to love us.
Application
In the face of Christ’s kindness, of the Father’s kindness, it is hard to live selfishly. This intention of Jesus lubricates our stiff joints into action when we are asked to do what we don’t want to do. My call is not just to do good, but to do good for the right motive and to package it with the tenderness that Christ gave to his suffering. The only way we can surrender rights in that way is to have full trust in God our Saviour. What we release he will bless. He just might give us our roof back.
Prayer Father, help me to live the Jesus life. Jesus live through me. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to a heart-changing song from JesusCulture.org as you read today’s devotion on fire.
Scripture
Flaming fire His ministers. Psalm 104
Observation
It is from verses like this one that John Wesley explained the attraction of his ministry, “Set yourself on fire and people wll watch you burn.”
Some pastors excell at chopping and stacking wood. With laborious exegesis they saw and split cords of firewood but there is no fire. Other preachers are like boxes of matches. There is not a depth of knowing that comes from the word of God. With spit and shout they ignight like a box of match heads all at once the flame is bright but it does not last.
A preacher needs firewood and the fire. He needs both careful study as well as burning prayer.
Application
Next weekend I’m speaking to some of my favourite folks at Peninusla City Church in Frankston, Victoria in Australia. I want to bring the wood as God sends the fire!
Press the arrow to listen to Kari Jobe sing “Cry Out” while reading today’s devotion about a single purpose.
Scripture Unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11
Observation
Thin strips of veneer are as flimsy as cardboard. But laminated together they become plywood, strong and stable. My heart is often like cardboard. It knows what it should want to do, but it cannot manage the strength to do it. And yet, when empowered, my human will can be greatly used by the Lord to choose the right and leave undone the wrong.
My only hope is lamination. The very weakness that works against me, when bonded together by the Holy Spirit, can empower me.
The message is not that God must peel and discard layers of our heart that are ineffective. Instead, he takes the very part that won’t cooperate and uses it to do his will.
Application
I had lunch yesterday with a man who has run between 3 to 6 miles a day for 31 years. I eyed his sixty-five-year-old lithe body and wanted to put my dessert back. What would keep a man running every day for 31 years? I can scrape together about 6 weeks of willpower to do anything and then my will becomes as flimsy as wallpaper.
Prayer Father, I am full of weakness. But the superglue of your power can somehow blend with my ineptness and create resilience. I need give you my flimsy heart and ask you to bring it together to fear you. Let my first question and my only aim be to do the thing that pleases you most. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to JesusCulture.org sing “Where You Go I Go” as you read today’s devotion about money.
Scripture But by the twenty-third year of Joash’s rule, the priests hadn’t done one thing—The Temple was as dilapidated as ever.
King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the company of priests and said, “Why haven’t you renovated this sorry-looking Temple? You are forbidden to take any more money for Temple repairs—from now on, hand over everything you get.” 2 Kings 12:6-7 [The Message]
Observation
God’s house was dilapidated not because there wasn’t enough money but because the priests put their own needs first. Before the house was fixed they first wanted to be paid. After all they had house payments, kids to feed and put through school. It all seemed reasonable.
But it was not acceptable. Before the workers could be paid, God’s need first had to be met. It took a leader like the King to see the problem clearly.
Application
I’ve tried to keep the principle throughout life that first the expenses of the church should be met and then my own salary as a pastor. There have been times I’ve gone without pay because of that decision. We need leaders like King Joash who see priorities clearly. May I see those priorities today. This principle is easier to remember when church planting, but when the church becomes more established it becomes fuzzy.
Prayer Father keep my perspective clear. The church does not exist to support me, but I am here as a leader to serve the church. Thank you for the gift of income you have for me to use. I don’t take it for granted. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to Gateway Worship sing “God of My Days” as you read today’s devotion about children.
Scripture And they placed the king upon the royal throne. 2 Chron 23:20
Observation
The king’s name was Joash and his feet did not touch the floor. He was just eight years old and already he was king. The great chair swallowed him up as his little legs dangled.
King Joash shows us the value of one little child. God had promised his grandfather David a line to last forever. But all of the heirs to the throne had been murdered. Just one tiny baby was left. The hefty rope was now reduced to just one thread. But because of that single fibre named Joash we have Jesus, salvation and the church today. That’s how valuable one child is.
Dwight Moody came home one night from preaching. His wife asked how many had come to the Lord. Moody replied, “Two and a half people.”
Mrs. Moody smiled and said, “You mean two adults and a child, don’t you.”
“No,” replied Moody. “Two children and one adult. The man has already used up half of his life to serve God, but the children have all of their life yet to live.”
Application
When I am blase about children I need to look and see the man inside of their eyes and the woman inside of their smile. I must anticipate their potential.
Prayer Father, help me to get it as you make it. Help me to see that the kingdom is about being a child. Help me to look under the feet of the power play and see the children at play. That’s where the power lies. Help me to see it like you see it. Amen.
Scripture Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.” 2 Kings 4:1-4
Observation
Before reading on, first a disclaimer. I am not a thrill-seeking, miracle junkie who believes that every day holds a miracle. I think miracles are miracles because they are unusual. A true miracle is when God sets aside his normal mode of operating that appears to us to break the laws of nature. Actually, God isn’t breaking any laws, he’s just acting like himself. This surprises us and we call it a miracle. But God is quite relaxed about the whole process. After all, he is God. We are surprised, after all we are human.
Here’s the uncomfortable part for me. Elijah and Elisha get my curiosity aroused. I would be far more at ease to leave them in children’s picture books. But their lives draw me to the risky edge of the miraculous. These were ordinary men, just like us, yet their lives were filled with surprising events. What did these men do that made room for the miraculous? I could easily hydroplane over these stories and consider them history. But they are reality, written to stretch me to be more open to the miraculous. Here’s a pattern I can see in their miracles of how I can be more of a conduit of the miracle working power of God.
1. Spiritual father. Both Elijah and Elisha were spiritual fathers, who had endured tough times so that they could discern between want and real needs in the spiritual children around them. This enabled them to assess desperate situations to have a sense when God wanted to intervene with the miraculous.
2. Man of God. Both were men of God, whose hearts were closer to what God desires than to their own desires. They could be trusted by God to step beyond just asking in prayer, but declaring the desires of God.
3. Desperation. The miracles came only to needy people in desperate times clinging to the edge of hope. There was no other option left.
4. Creative words. As men of God and spiritual fathers, these prophets did more than pray, they discerned the will of God and spoke with confidence of God’s intentions. Their words inspired people to act in faith and became creative to make room for miracles.
5. Catalyst. There was often a catalyst, some material thing or unusual action, that would release the power of God into the situation.
6. Power. Something about the desperate need, confident faith and the willingness to risk appealed to God and released creative power to work a miracle.
Application
All of this stretches me far beyond where I feel comfortable to act. And yet there is something about these stories that keeps calling me back to reflect more. The big question is, was their style just an Old Testament, prophet thing, or is there any of this in the NT? So I go straight to Jesus. We find him doing some of the same. Instead of praying over the sick, he often speaks with words of confidence as if they were well. His words were creative words. Peter spoke with words that brought death to Ananias and Sapphira. Paul spoke and Elymus went blind. These were not everyday events, they were miracles. Jesus, Paul and Peter were not ordinary men. They were seasoned men of God and spiritual fathers. And yet their lives disturb me and draw me to live more than an ordinary life.
Prayer
Father, I’m processing still, not because I doubt, but because I know my limits. I’m not Elisha nor Elijah. But the masters motivate me to expect more. Jesus said “greater things than these.” So I lay the ordinariness of my life before you and ask you to do something quite surprising. And because I am so ordinary, if you choose to do something miraculous, anyone who hears of it will know it had nothing to do with me. Do surprising things through the people around me and even through me on occasion. Amen.
Press the arrow hear a great story of courage from Aaron Boyd of Bluetree about the writing of the song “God of This City”.
Scripture “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.” 2 Chronicles 15:7
Observation
Courage is what makes the two point gap for a basketball team that wins in overtime. When teams are equal the choice to be courageous is the only advantage.
Courage is sweaty palms, short breath, butterfly stomach, dizzy head with waves of fear with the decision to try anyhow. Courage is knowing it won’t make any difference hoping that it just might. The courageous one knows that no one comes out alive except me.
We know what courage feels like but where does it come from? Courage comes from the hope of reward. I will push and stretch when I know there is something worth reaching for.
Application
If I am to be a courageous man, I must constantly remind myself of the rewards that can come from courage. I can imagine lives changed, leaders raised up and churches established. That is motivating for me.
Prayer Father, don’t let my waver. You may call me to be strong, but it is you who has the power. I look to you to be my energizing source to press on. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to “Your Love Never Fails” with Chris Quilala from Jesusculture.org.
Scripture Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:5
Observation
Some people greet with sandpaper. Their life is gritty and abrasive that makes for friction. They start every relationship on the offense. They will hurt others before they can be hurt. Their lives are sprinkled with the grit of harshness, impatience, selfishness, exactness, inconsideration, unreasonableness. Rarely does one person have all of that abrasive sand stuck on one personality, but even just a grain or two can make it feel as if they are working against others rather than with them.
There are sandpaper days for all of us. Maybe we were irritated by someone else on the way in and so on the way out we rub others the wrong way. Or the grit can be more deeply imbedded into our personality. Some past season of hurt has left us with a rough surface that grinds at the worst possible moment.
How can we change? One simple thing: just remember that Jesus is watching and listening. That changes everything. I read about the president of a great company who was hiring new executives. He was intentionally late to test the applicants. One high-powered hot-shot, belittled the secretary in the front office no matter how kind she was to him. When the president later arrived and the interview was in full swing, the secretary stepped into the office and the boss introduced her. “Have you met my wife?” He didn’t hire the young man that day.
If some people greet with sandpaper, then others come with velvet. The “gentle spirit” described here is a rich word that takes a paragraph to explain. Here is the bullet-point list:
patient
unselfish
forbearing
reasonable
considerate
on the side of others
seeing life from their point of view
working with them and not against them
not enforcing rights
refraining and restraining
extending deadlines
stretching due dates
This gentleness implies more than being nice, it means taking another person’s side and making life fit them well.
Application
Meekness is a vulnerable way to live. It is not that we might be taken advantage of, we will be. But because the Lord is near there are rewards that no human being can ever give. When I want to wear a suit of sandpaper, may I dress in velvet. May others who brush up against me feel the softness of grace.
Prayer Jesus, you are gentle of heart and so others find rest for their souls near you. Let me be a rest-stop in a rush hour world. Wrap me up in velvet and turn me loose today. Amen.
Scripture I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14
Observation
The older we get the more storage space we need because we gather more and throw less away. Like layers of fossil record, tie-die shirts from the 70’s, Cabbage Patch dolls from the 80’s, to monochrome monitors from the 90’s pile up the story of our life. We don’t throw enough away and life slows down under the load.
Today I see that I’ve read Philipiians 3:13 wrongly for the past 48 years. I used to think that Paul was trying to forget bad things so he could move onto better things. But that’s not so. It’s clear from the context that he could remember many good things, proud deeds of days gone by that would swell his chest with pride. Forgetting the past for Paul meant dumping the attic and garage and starting life each day with a swept-clean perspective. He would not live in old glory days. He would not put hope in past treasures. Instead, he would look forward to what was next.
Application
It isn’t just regrets of the past that slow me down. It’s also all of the wonderful accomplishments that fill a resume. Landfill is all that stuff is. Leslie and I are on the verge of downsizing. Levi’s almost gone. We don’t need a 5 bedroom house anymore. We’re thinking small and sparse. I think that Spartan outlook needs to clean deeper than our closets. I need to clear out in my mind a lot of extraneous good things from the past and get on to what is immediately at hand. The prize is ahead.
Prayer Father, show me how to clutter-free my life. Amen.
Scripture A man’s pride will bring him low,
But a humble spirit will obtain honor. Proverbs 29:23
Observation
Dr. Wingrove Taylor was a stately man. With the lilt of a Caribbean accent, greying hair against his rich black skin, he looked every bit the church statesman that he was. An astute orator, his preaching skills had won him the respect of the West Indies where he was the General Superintendent of his denomination. Yet humility seemed to be his middle name. While speaking at an international conference for his church, Dr. Taylor was seen peddling a bicycle in his neatly pressed suit. He had been offered a rental car to take him to his hotel. But the seasoned veteran turned it down. He explained with a twinkle in his eye, “The bicycle is good for my heart.”
I think Dr. Taylor had more in mind than just his cardiovascular system. In a gathering of many leaders, he knew that the humble way would do his spirit good. It wasn’t his speaking gift that led him to the honour of leadership. It was his humility.
Pride is a bull’s-eye that attracts attack. Even those without discernment can detect pride and they hate it. God detests it as well. Natural and supernatural events happen to give a person a chance to be humble.
Humility is the most stable place, for the ground is always steady at the bottom. Humility is attractive and in time awarded. But to the humble the rewards don’t matter. Thomas Edison kept his medallions in canning jars on a shelf. That’s the attitude of the honourable.
Application
Being in the low place is not a choice in life, it is inevitable. The only choice I have is whether I will be there willingly or unwillingly. Today I choose to be low so that at least my lowness can be of use to God and bring him glory. Corrie ten Boom, when applauded, would lift her hands and eyes to heaven as if lifting up a bouquet. She would explain that she was just giving her flowers back to God.
Prayer Father, today I embrace Jesus and let his humility soak into my heart. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to Natalie Grant’s song, “Our Hope Endures” while reading where hope comes from.
Scripture
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Observation
Where does hope come from? Hope is a fresh scent of good things God is cooking up for us. It is the sun that makes us get out of bed in the morning. It is a song in our mind that wakes us up in the night. Hope is what keeps us looking long after the posse went back home. Hope is what keeps us praying longer than is reasonable. Hope is not a superfulous, expendable extra in life like the cherry on a sundae. Hope is mission critical. In the toughest conditions, hope is what makes the difference between those who survive and those who do not
We need hope. But where does hope come from? Thankfully hope does not come from us, but from God. Hope somehow doesn’t feel hopeful when we have to talk ourselves into it. But when hope comes from heaven it enables us to believe more than we could ever do so on our own. Hope is a gift from God that keeps us walking forward when the road runs out.
How do we get new hope? Romans 15:13 is full of exciting possibilities of hope. God’s last name is apparently “hope”. With hope come the children of “joy” and “peace”. Hope can get out of control as it abounds in tough places. Hope is power that comes from the Holy Spirit, a power that others do not have to rise above their circumstances. Hope is totally of God. There is only one word in Romans 15:13 that is up to us as human beings. Our responsibility is “believing”. If we will use faith then God will give us hope.
Application
If I will believe, God will give me more hope. No matter how discouraging the circumstances, there is always something we can believe for, no matter how small. We as Christ followers are to be defined by what we are believing for. We are to live from “faith to faith”. We should be believing for something. Though my nose may be bruised from the crush of doors slammed in my face, yet I will continue to believe. In that resolute faith I will have more hope.
Prayer
Father, today you see what I’m believing for. I pray that you would shovel hope into my life. I need this power of anticipation that the Holy Spirit can give to me. Amen.
Scripture I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,
And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with nettles,
And its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw, I reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
“A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
Then your poverty will come as a robber
And your want like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-34
Observation
We normally would think of the brightest person as one who learns only from the best. That person must have gone to a good college, had great mentors, and read the best sellers.
But not so according to the Bible. The most brilliant man is one who can learn from poor teachers as well as good ones. That person learns twice as much because every human being becomes an instructor, whether wise or unwise.
King Solomon could learn from a lazy farmer as much as he could from a busy one because he knew where to find the lesson. He knew that learning comes from reflection. It takes observing what is happening, what is not happening, where it came from, where it is heading and more to discover principles to live by. His lesson was clear: poverty is not an accident, it is often a personal choice. Daily chores frighten poverty away.
Application
I want to be a life learner, who looks at every person as my teacher, whether they are older or younger, more skilled or less skilled, more experienced or inexperienced. I choose today to humble myself so I can learn from every person. I also choose to look for the lessons that are being taught, even from those who are not good teachers or good examples.
Prayer Father, today be my teacher in every person that I meet. Amen.
Scripture What is desirable in a man is his kindness…. Proverbs 19:22
Observation
What do people want most out of me? Is it my money, my wisdom or my good looks? Hardly. What people want most is kindness.
Kindness feels good. It is a cool drink on a hot day. It is a warm blanket on a cold night. It is a soft pillow on a hard bed. It is a firm place to stand in shaky times.
Kindness is surprising, rarely asked for, never expected but sorely needed. That is why kindness is as enjoyable to give as it is to receive.
Kindness has a cost, however. It demands that I am prepared to do what I don’t feel like doing. I may be tired, grouchy or out of sorts but kindness is acting not as people deserve but as they need.
Application
When I think of some of the kind people that I’ve known, my own kindness falls far short. I need to up the kindness delivery in my life, not just when I feel like it but when it is needed most.
Prayer Father, make me kind and kinder than I want to be. Amen.
Scripture In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:26-28
Observation
There are bold moments in prayer where we courageously march into the throne room and state our case and God works in power. But there are groping moments in prayer when we fumble around looking for what it is we should be asking for. Sure we can pray, but what should we pray for?
“What should I pray for?” is the question of the mature believer. He has discovered that prayer is not about telling God what to do, but listening enough to ask what the Father wants. But how can we know?
There comes a level in prayer where we have to have more confidence in what Christ is praying for us than in what we are praying for ourselves. We must put more stock in wordless prayers than in our own words. At this extremity of prayer the gift of tongues is so useful. For here the Holy Spirit prays through us, though our mind does not grasp the meaning.
Application
The goal of prayer is to let the Spirit of God pray through me, whether in my words or in a prayer language. Right now I’m praying about our next home. So many questions. I want to enter into this level of groaning prayers.
Press the arrow to listen to 10th Avenue North “By Your Side” as you read today’s devotion about God’s direction.
Scripture Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Observation
This Post-It note sized verse was one of my mother’s favourites. As a child it seemed simple. But now life is complex. It’s tempting to look for more complicated things. However, this simplicity is just what we need.
Here’s my paraphrase:
Instead of trusting your instincts and distrusting God, totally lean into everything he says with every part of your willing and choosing. Hold your own opinion with skepticism, because you don’t know best.
Don’t worry about knowing what to do, instead just know God and then you will know what to do. Strive for the deep knowing between friends that is wordless but deep. Sitting in a silent room both know the others thoughts. As you fall into that friendship with the Lord you will know what is on his mind.
The blessing is not so much that God will take you to the right road, but that he will bring the good road up to meet you. He will straighten the kinks and bumps.
Application
The choice word in this is “acknowledge”. The Hebrew word is one we all know. “Yada”, made famous by Jerry Sienfeld, “Yada, yada, yada.” The word means more than “to know” as if God’s direction were just information. The word means more like “knowing”, because through deep relationship we know what is on the mind of a friend even without words. Life is confusing and requires direction not so that I will get directions and make my way, but so that through all the bewilderment I will come to really know the Lord.
Prayer Father, today I want to know you more than I want to know my way. That is the test of whether I’m leaning on my understanding or my own. I don’t want just information, I want an ever deepening relationship with you. Amen.
Scripture Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…. Romans 5:1
Observation
Having a relationship problem is bad, but what is worse is to have someone out of sorts with us but to never know that they are offended. We are blase to their hurt. It pushes us apart, but we don’t know what is wrong.
This is exactly what is between God and us. Without Jesus, no one realizes that God is offended. None have a clue of how deep that damage is. The proof of the pain between us and God comes by the price tag of the clean up of the mess. The repair bill to restore our relationship with God was astronomical. The Father giving his precious Son was more costly than even the Exxon-Valdeze clean up bill.
But the expensive repair of our relationship with God through the death of his only Son shows us another thing. God loves us more than all of the hurt between us. In fact, he wants our thoughts to focus on the enormity of his love for us.
The greatest gift that God can give to us is the gift of peace. The sense that relationship is restored and that we are right with God is enormous reassurance. Just as when a human relationship is fixed up, we can sit with a person and say nothing yet feel everything that is good inside of our hearts. The greatest thing that God has to give to us is the gift of peace. The awkwardness is gone. God accepts us.
Application
I’m not supposed to get used to the peace that God has given to me through Jesus Christ. I’m supposed to live in amazement that I’m forgiven. My tenendency is to get used to the peace of God. I do want to move onto what think must be “higher things”. But there is nothing greater than this. The rift ifs healed. God is at peace with me. This is to keep me amazed forever. I’m always making my Jesus walk more complicated and moving away from simplicity. I must come back to this simple centre: I am at peace with God.
Prayer Father, I choose to dumb down my faith and to live in the centre of peace. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to to “Here I Am to Worship” from Hillsong Church.
Scripture …Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:13
Prayer Hello God, I’m back from the dead. I’m alive, thanks to you. The coffin cover is opened. I have pushed through the soil and sod. The rigor mortis is out of my body. Life energizes my system. Resurrecting power tingles inside of me. My mind is alert; my body is poised. I’m ready for action. I am reporting in today for service in the army of the resurrected ones. You have things for me to do today. Let’s get going. Let everything be used this day for the benefit of Christ.
Observation
I love the crispness of the thought to present myself as one alive from the dead. I need to come to him fully alive ready to act. I must never underestimate what has been given to me. It all must be used for him.
Application
I’m going to let this thought linger into action today. I’m alive and reporting for duty. Amen.
Press the arrow to listen to John Waller “Still Calls Me Son” while reading about your life purpose.
Scripture Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…. Romans 1:1
Observation
If a letter should have a return mailing address, what should a human life have? There should be some kind of indication of who we are, where we are from and where we are going. The sentence should be short enough for a mailman to read at a glance. That one phrase should sum up our life.
When he wrote letters, Paul didn’t put a return address at the top, he put a simple statement about himself.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…. Romans 1:1
That crisp set of words put his life mission in focus.
His core identity was as a slave in chains to the Messiah Jesus.
He had a calling to be a spiritual entrepreneur to launch new congregations.
He was reserved for a special work of whatever it took to tell the good news message.
We need that sentence, because when we end up at the wrong address, we know where to go back to. Life tends to take us away from living, because we lose touch with our purpose in the confusion of existence. As my mentor often said, we need to reinvent ourselves backwards, by remembering our original purpose and returning to it. Sometimes, when lost, it is best not to look for where we are going, but to return to where we began to begin afresh to find our way home. If we know our return address of life purpose, we can always retrace our life purpose to the start.
Application
That was a simple sentence to wake up to every morning and to give clarity to the day. Too often my sentence becomes fuzzy. I lose track of my core identity. I hear other voices and lose the call. I forget the special work. I need to refine my sentence, my core, my call, my commission.
Prayer Father, today, sharpen my pencil and clarify the words that give me direction. Amen.
Scripture So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:25
Observation
One of my favourite pictures in the Bible is summed up with the words “every man under his vine and fig tree.” I imagine Jewish backyards with patios and landscaping, with lamb sizzling on the bbq and kids playing on the lawn. Having a home and family to fill it is one of life’s greatest rewards.
Why were the people blessed with this idyllic life? Because they had a good leader in King Solomon and they chose to fall under his leadership. Some cared for the king’s 40,000 stables. Others farmed to feed the palace one month out of 12. Sill more hauled rock and timber in rotating shifts in Lebanon.
The choice to come under that leadership brought blessing. There was time to do landscaping. There was time to let a tree grow big enough to enjoy its shade. Life was good because of a good leader and the choice of others to follow his lead.
Application
I have been blessed with a good leader in our pastor and in the leaders of our church. I’m thankful for them and open my heart to them.
Prayer Father, help me to follow and to reap the rewards of following those whom you have placed in leadership over my life. Amen.