Press the arrow to listen to Phil Stacey “You’re Not Shaken” as you read today’s devotion about handling confrontational moments.
Scripture How can Satan drive out Satan? Mark 3:23 Who are my mother and my brothers? Mark 3:33
Observation
Jesus was hit with the old “one two” punch. First came the preachers and next came his mother and brothers. Both thought that Jesus was out of his mind.
Jesus was backed into a corner. He was called a madman and he had no one to defend him. The establishment had turned their backs on him and he had lost the confidence of his own kinsfolk. It would have been easy for Jesus to have become defensive, but he didn’t make himself look pathetic.
Instead, Jesus turned to the power of a question. Questions are like hot water on ice, they melt through hardness with a power stronger than a speaker’s personality but from the weight of the question mark. After a question is asked it will keep on asking in the mind of the opponent. Questions beg to be asked. Once spoken they are sent out the door like child beggars into the street. They won’t relent until satisfied.
Question marks are hungry things.
Application
Jesus is fascinating because he is God showing us how to be a human being. There is a better way than defensiveness. There is a power of a question. If Jesus could defend himself without appearing defensive, even when accused of insanity, and still come out looking wise, then there is in this an example for me to follow today.
Prayer Father, in the heat of the moment, when this devotional moment is long forgotten, help me to remember and to do what Jesus did and still does. Amen.
Scripture It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-2
Observation
If I could attend any New Testament church, I think Ephesus would be the congregation I would like to visit. Why not Jerusalem Church? Ephesus was a different animal. Revival in Jerusalem was to be expected, but not in Ephesus. Ephesus was a place of idol-worshipping pagans. But there, the biggest church outside of Jerusalem was born. It was a life giving church not just to a city, but to an entire state. How did it happen? Here are some things I see.
1. Timing. Paul didn’t rush to start the church. In fact, he put it off for several years. It gave time for Apollos to plant and then Paul to water. We are often in a rush, but God is not. Seeds must be planted and then waited for to grow.
2. The whole package. The miracle started with 12 leaders totally open, without any misgivings, to receiving the Holy Spirit. They had received the box in baptism, but it had never been opened. There was no theological hopscotch over nuances of words and questions of timing. They heard. They opened. They received.
3. Daily reasoning sessions. Like the church at Jerusalem, they met daily. There is something about increasing face-to-face time that speeds up the process. These were not lectures, they were dialogues of the reality of Jesus as Messiah.
4. Prayer for the sick. Miracles happened because they asked for them. In these daily meetings there must have been regular times of prayer. Out of these came the miracles that made Jesus famous.
5. Dealing with hidden things. Why did the people leave books of witchcraft on their shelves so long? Better yet, why did God bless people who had ouija boards in their closets? Such is God’s grace. Yet even more remarkable is what happened after they burned millions of dollars worth of black magic books. The fear of Jesus fell on the whole city.
Application
In a age of slick methods, Acts 19 offers something that tingles with life. Have there ever been any Christians in the past 2,000 years more successful at overturning such a pagan region in so short a time? The Bible has the story of experts. It should be the first book we consult.
Prayer Father, take me back to Bible principles. You have shown me some mighty works over my lifetime. I’ve been part of churches that have shaken cities. Those days are past. Do something new in me today Lord. Let me stumble into an Ephesus. Amen.
Scripture Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:18-19
Observation
What kind of people did Jesus notice while he walked the earth? It’s important to know, because too often we take notice of the wrong type of people. If his focus is our focus then we can do the works of Jesus better.
Here are those Jesus noticed.
1. People who don’t go to church. Those uncomfortable in a synagogue seemed to be his favorites. He didn’t make the assumption that those who don’t go to church are not interested in God. Instead he looked in the eyes of the 90 per cent of the population and found something of the God-spark in them. The disciples seemed to drift to the pharisees, but Jesus kept the focus on those who have not yet come. As he became more popular he fought himself out of the circle of adoration and directed more attention on them. They mattered much to him.
2. Little people with big faith. Not much impressed Jesus except faith. When he saw faith everything stopped. Great faith was the only thing that would bring surprise to his face.
3. Unassembled leaders. Jesus ignored the seminaries in favor of the business world. There he found leaders in the rough. He saw potential in others before they could see it in themselves. He cherished that potential and mined it out with great skill.
4. Those hungry from obedience. Hungry people brought the most out of Jesus. He spoke for 3 days to hungry people until they were starving. He called his family members those who hear the word of God and obey it. There was little patience in Jesus with those who were lazy and hungry. But give him a hardworking man, hungry from doing his will and his attention was aroused.
Who didn’t get special attention from Jesus? Anyone who was satisfied with themselves, resting on their achievements, who felt just that little bit better than others to be good enough for God. They did receive attention from Jesus, but not the kind we would like to receive.
Application
My leadership is limited by the people I notice or don’t notice. If I’m caught up in my own self-importance or pride in my cause, I only notice star players who can help me look good. We may shine, but Jesus will not be seen. But if I can get over myself enough to be enamored with Jesus, there is hope that I will notice his kind of people. There is something in church life that fights against noticing Jesus’ kind of people. It’s called “redemption lift”. Following Jesus improves my condition and so I forget from when I came. I must fight to get back to origins, so that I remain the kind of person Jesus would want to notice. Then there is home that I will be focused on Jesus’ friends.
Prayer Father, everything in church life pulls me away from these beautiful people. We create church for folks like us. We are more impressed with credentials than with faith. We want ready-made leaders rather than the unassembled ones. We want a banquet hall without a work out room. Jesus save me from your followers lest we make a world that is comfortable for us. Just as you repeatedly pulled the disciples out of comfort zones, so keep me in a world where I can see things as you do. I choose today to value those you value. Just help me to get over myself. Amen.
Scripture Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number. “Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. Job 9:10-11
Observation
Could a multi-story building crane slip through a street unnoticed? Surely the builder of skyscrapers could not blend into traffic. Great machines construct great buildings. They are as magnificent as the structures they build. They stand out.
So where is the maker of stars and planets to be found? I read yesterday that over 400 planets have now been discovered beyond our solar system. One of these behemoths is six times the size of Jupiter and Jupiter itself is 300 times the size of Earth. VY Canis Majoris may sound like a chemical additive for making shampoo, but it is in fact a star 2,600 times larger than our own sun. It is a mere 4,900 light years away from our planet. The creator of suns and planets is greater than mega Jupiters or gargantuan stars.
Then where is God to be seen? As great as his creation is, God can still slip unnoticed in human life. I heard a sad interview with Richard Dawkins the scientist who preaches atheism. When asked what he would say if he were to meet God after death, he replied, “I would say, ‘Why did you make yourself so difficult to find?’” Job struggled with the invisible God. In his pain, his vision was blurred. God seemed absent.
Application
We should not take the invisibility of God for his absence. He is present, though he is not seen. Some artists are so egoistical that they draw more attention to themselves than to their artwork. God is not like this. Jesus said that he is humble of heart. He camouflages himself in humility so that only the humble can find him. I think it gives the maker of gigantic suns and immense planets some degree of satisfaction that only those who think like children can find him. God makes himself difficult to find to help us to become humble like him.
So how can I see the invisible God? The secret is to relax in what we do not know and to focus on what we can see. Honestly, giant stars and planets don’t help me much with discovering God as much as when I reflect on the last four decades of my life. The jpegs of my mind scroll through the faces and places choreographed like some intricate dance. There are so many coincidences, divine appointments, unexpected breaks, and open doors. I could never have planned such a life. As I relax into what I do not know about God, and instead focus on thankfulness for the life I can see, I come to discover that the grand artist is hiding in the crowd. He is with me though he cannot be seen.
Prayer Father, there is so much of you and yet so little of you enjoyed by us. We humans waste little time meditating on your works. It’s time to reflect. It is time to thank. It is time to see you in your hiddenness. How I delight in your ways when I become at ease with what I don’t understand. That is the definition of faith. Amen.
Scripture And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” Acts 12:8
Observation
How short is the gap between hearing and obeying? We can be part of a miracle if we will obey as quickly as possible.
The Lord does not need our complete comprehension of what he is doing, he only needs our obedience. Peter did not wake up until the miracle was over. Only in retrospect did he discover that he had been walking in a miracle and not known it.
Nonetheless, Peter did what was needed most: he obeyed instantly. If he had asked the natural questions like
Why should I?
Who are you?
Where are we going?
then he would have missed the miracle.
Application
God needs my instant obedience today. That happens when I accept that I am a servant first and foremost. To be a servant means that my life and all of my actions are in the Lord’s hands. If I have a problem, it is not my problem it is God’s because I am his property, his servant. It is not mine to worry but to obey. My mum used to pray, “Well Lord, it’s going to be interesting to see how you get us out of this one.” Peter had that kind of faith in God because he slept on death row. May I have the faith to trust and obey.
Prayer Father, speak clearly to me and I will obey you promptly. Amen.
Acts 1 is predictable. Jesus exits and the church has a business meeting. All in all it is a dull chapter compared with the next one.
Acts 2 is far more interesting because the Holy Spirit shows up. Instead of a group of leaders deciding what they are going to do, God works through them and then explains later what he is doing. They aren’t playing church. They are the church. Jesus is taking over and the world pays attention.
Without the Holy Spirit’s power, the local church is a service club. I once belonged to a service organization. Their good deeds emulated many mission programs of local churches. I was disturbed to see how much good they could accomplish without asking for God’s help. It made me wonder how much of what happens in local churches that may have nothing to do with God. How many churches are Acts 1 churches? Jesus has exited and they settle down to business.
I want to be part of an Acts 2 church, where God has more in mind to do than we do. Where power sweeps us up in eternal purposes and we find ourselves in the middle of things we would never otherwise do. This is a church that is so obviously God that no one would think of taking the credit.
Pentecost celebrated the coming of the law. How appropriate that God would pick that day to send the Holy Spirit. Grace overwhelmed the law. That grace was the attractive thing. Pentecost was also a harvest day and it ended with a harvest of souls being baptized. It is easy to read just the first verses of Acts 2, but the chapter must be taken in as a whole. The coming of the Holy Spirit resulted in evangelism. In fact, every other Acts 2 moment in the book of Acts results in people being saved.
Application
I want to be in an Acts 2 church where Jesus throws a party with the Holy Spirit and guests keep on coming.
Prayer Father, this story was written not as a memory but as a memorial to call us back again and again to that kind of church. Put a curiosity in us to step out of predictable Christianity and let us enter into this picture again. Let me be part of an Acts 2 church or bring one where I go. Amen.
Scripture
This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.” Nehemiah 8:10-11
Observation
There is a path that can lead us from and old season and into a new one. It is not a simple process of stepping out one door and into the next. There is always a hallway between rooms; there is always a process between seasons. Spring and autumn give prep time for summer and winter. There are principles we need to embrace daily, weekly, even monthly as we move from one season and into another.
Re-mind. A friend of mine said once, “I laid in bed this morning and I had to re-mind myself.” He accented heavily the word “mind.” We literally need a new mind, so we must re-mind the old one. By reminding ourselves of the promises of God we are making our mind new. Our greatest enemy during change is not external, it is always internal. There is an internal conversation in our thoughts. If it does not align with God’s word we will misinterpret the season. We will have suspicions, when we should have faith. Just as carefully as we chose the music we play in our car, we need to select with care our thoughts. The word of God will “re-mind” us and give us a fresh way of thinking.
Re-joice. “Re-joicing” is recycling old answers of prayer into new words of praise and thanks to God. When current conditions demand more and do not yield as many reasons to praise, we need to turn to the archives of our past and “rejoice” by remembering again what God has done. In this way we begin to trace his trail, and can see, though we cannot see the destination that we know that God is steadily making a way.
Re-store. “Re-storing” is letting God fill up our inner warehouse for the future through sabbath rest. Convalescence is tedious. Outwardly we feel fine and anxious to move ahead. But inwardly there are deeper things to heal. When it seems that nothing is happening, God is doing everything. The inner warehouse is filling up with new supplies of grace.
Re-new. This step is different from the others. We can do nothing to make newness come, except to believe that “behold I make all things new.” Newness is a human longing. Fresh paint, new carpet, cut grass all touch something inside of us. “Re-newing” mean that God takes old things and makes them new from the inside out. He can bring us back to an old spot and we can find it unrecognizable. In this step we can do not except believe. This is all of God’s doing and none of ours. We can only offer him faith.
Prayer Father, I write these things today, not because I’ve never heard them but because I need to constantly do them. Let these things become a reflexive part of my living so that all things can become new. Amen.
I'm Phil McCallum, a husband, father and most of all one of the people Jesus loves. I'm privileged to serve Evergreen Community Church in Bothell, Washington as Senior Pastor where people love enough to believe "it's all about relationships." In 1982 I made a vow to read God's word daily and apply it to life. Each day I write out my reflections. Some days I post those on my blog. It's a little personal but it's my hope it will stir you to go deeper still. Learn how I do my devotions. These are my thoughts and not necessarily those of the ministry I serve. By the way check out the computer study Bible Glo. I highly recommend it.
