“…Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry…”
2 Timothy 4:11
Some people can’t get past the past. They hold on to hurts and don’t drop disappointments. How they treat you today depends entirely on yesterday – a very long ago yesterday. They give you no chance for change.
Not Paul. “…Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry…” Mark? Didn’t he write one of the four gospels? Yep – Same guy. But before Mark wrote about Jesus, he walked out on Paul. It happened many years before. Paul and Barnabas were on their first mission trip, and Mark (sometimes called John Mark or just John) was traveling with them as their helper. (Acts 12:25, 13:5)
They weren’t too far into the journey when Mark couldn’t take it anymore and headed back home to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) When Paul left for his second mission trip, he refused to take Mark “because he had deserted them…and had not continued with them in the work.” (Acts 15:38)
Mark had been a deserter and quitter. An uncommitted homebody. But Mark had changed, and so had Paul. Mark grew stronger. Paul grew wiser. He gave Mark credit for the changes in his life and knew that they were now better together than apart.
Paul gave Mark a chance to change.
God gave you a chance to change.
Perhaps you should pass it on.
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
Who is someone you are not giving a chance to change?
RESPOND
What will you do today to show that person you are “past the past.”
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I Know You! Devotion 12
“…The Lord knows those who are His…” 2 Timothy 2:19
God knows you. What an amazing truth! The full of power, filled with splendor, all holy King of the Universe knows little me! “The Lord knows those who are His…” And He knows you well. Jesus is a good shepherd who knows His sheep (John 15:14). Sheep aren’t like cows which can be placed in a pasture and pretty much left alone; sheep must have close, continual contact with their shepherd.
A good shepherd knows each of his sheep thoroughly. He knows their personalities, their habits, their likes and dislikes. He understands their fears, their excitement, and their needs. When a shepherd notices that a sheep is missing, he knows exactly which one has left the fold. This intimate knowledge helps him search the best places for his little lost lamb. Each is special and each is well-known.
God knows you. Right now in the middle of sustaining creation and fulfilling His plan, God is focused on you. He knows your thoughts today. Your heart. Your schedule. He knows your personality, your habits, and your concerns. You are special to Him and you are well-known by Him. You will never have to reintroduce yourself to God or remind Him of who you are. He will never forget you. He will never ignore you. You are very precious to Him. You are His.
God knows you best.
He loves you most.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
What is your reaction when you realize that God really does know YOU?
RESPOND
Rejoice today that God knows you and that He loves you.
God knows you. What an amazing truth! The full of power, filled with splendor, all holy King of the Universe knows little me! “The Lord knows those who are His…” And He knows you well. Jesus is a good shepherd who knows His sheep (John 15:14). Sheep aren’t like cows which can be placed in a pasture and pretty much left alone; sheep must have close, continual contact with their shepherd.
A good shepherd knows each of his sheep thoroughly. He knows their personalities, their habits, their likes and dislikes. He understands their fears, their excitement, and their needs. When a shepherd notices that a sheep is missing, he knows exactly which one has left the fold. This intimate knowledge helps him search the best places for his little lost lamb. Each is special and each is well-known.
God knows you. Right now in the middle of sustaining creation and fulfilling His plan, God is focused on you. He knows your thoughts today. Your heart. Your schedule. He knows your personality, your habits, and your concerns. You are special to Him and you are well-known by Him. You will never have to reintroduce yourself to God or remind Him of who you are. He will never forget you. He will never ignore you. You are very precious to Him. You are His.
God knows you best.
He loves you most.
It doesn’t get any better than that.
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
What is your reaction when you realize that God really does know YOU?
RESPOND
Rejoice today that God knows you and that He loves you.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Well Done!
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The headline was shocking and sad - “Couple Loses $450,000 Home.” In today’s economy, foreclosure is not uncommon, but the mortgage payment wasn’t the problem. The family had been given the home, debt free, along with money for 25 years of taxes, in a 2005 Extreme Makeover – Home Edition episode. Unwise choices and poor decisions left them on the street and across the front page. What a shame.
None of us like to feel ashamed. Approval is much better. What we do with what we’ve been given makes the difference. We need to do our best. We’ve heard it from parents, teachers, coaches, and bosses, and now we’re told by God. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…” Don’t feel overwhelmed. This isn’t about trying to be something we’re not; it’s simply about using what we’ve got! (Poor grammar – Rich truth)
Paul encourages Timothy to do his best – to build well. Just as a good workman takes the provided materials and constructs a quality object, each day we need to take what we’ve been given and manufacture a masterpiece. You can do it. God knows you can! Because you are His precious child, He’s given you all you need – debt free. He’s given you His life, His power, His presence, His passion, His purpose. His supplies of joy, peace, patience, comfort, and strength will never run low. He’s handed you the blueprint – His Word, and He says, “Build and build well.”
Unwise choices and poor decisions often leave us feeling ashamed and unworthy. We certainly don’t want to “present ourselves to God” and we don’t really want Him coming around to check on us! The reality is that God is not a building inspector who occasionally “checks in to check up.” Instead He is a gracious foreman who stays at our side, hands us supplies, and cheers us on.
We’ve been given much. Let’s do our best. And He will say, “Well done!”
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
How have you done your best today with what you’ve been given?
RESPOND
Thank God for giving you what you need – debt free. Ask Him for wisdom to build well.
The headline was shocking and sad - “Couple Loses $450,000 Home.” In today’s economy, foreclosure is not uncommon, but the mortgage payment wasn’t the problem. The family had been given the home, debt free, along with money for 25 years of taxes, in a 2005 Extreme Makeover – Home Edition episode. Unwise choices and poor decisions left them on the street and across the front page. What a shame.
None of us like to feel ashamed. Approval is much better. What we do with what we’ve been given makes the difference. We need to do our best. We’ve heard it from parents, teachers, coaches, and bosses, and now we’re told by God. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…” Don’t feel overwhelmed. This isn’t about trying to be something we’re not; it’s simply about using what we’ve got! (Poor grammar – Rich truth)
Paul encourages Timothy to do his best – to build well. Just as a good workman takes the provided materials and constructs a quality object, each day we need to take what we’ve been given and manufacture a masterpiece. You can do it. God knows you can! Because you are His precious child, He’s given you all you need – debt free. He’s given you His life, His power, His presence, His passion, His purpose. His supplies of joy, peace, patience, comfort, and strength will never run low. He’s handed you the blueprint – His Word, and He says, “Build and build well.”
Unwise choices and poor decisions often leave us feeling ashamed and unworthy. We certainly don’t want to “present ourselves to God” and we don’t really want Him coming around to check on us! The reality is that God is not a building inspector who occasionally “checks in to check up.” Instead He is a gracious foreman who stays at our side, hands us supplies, and cheers us on.
We’ve been given much. Let’s do our best. And He will say, “Well done!”
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
How have you done your best today with what you’ve been given?
RESPOND
Thank God for giving you what you need – debt free. Ask Him for wisdom to build well.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Forever Yours - Faithfully
“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful…” 2 Timothy 2:13
Ever had someone depending on you? Here’s a better question – do you remember a time when someone wasn’t depending on you?!? Here’s the real question – Have you ever let someone down? Didn’t carry through? Dropped the ball? I can relate - literally. The disappointed groans of my high school teammates wafted all the way to left field as the softball hit my glove and fell to the ground.
“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful…” Who Jesus is does not depend on what we do. We drop the ball – He never does. We don’t carry through – He always does. We let others (and ourselves down) – He never will. We are faithless – He remains faithful.
But does He really? We pray diligently and our friend still succumbs to disease. We try so hard but the relationship falls apart. We do what’s right and end up holding shattered dreams. Is Jesus really trustworthy? Or do we, like my softball teammates, have good reason for faltering faith?
No. No, we don’t. He truly is always faithful, but our faith sometimes falters when it gets out of focus. We focus on what we want God to do, not on what He said He would do. We want constant happiness and pain-free living - now. Jesus said we would have trouble on earth. But He promised to always be with us, to strengthen us, to love us. Paul, who we know was living right and doing good, pleaded with God to take away his pain. God did not. He reminded Paul that His grace is enough and that in our weakness, His power is perfect. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
God is faithful. We will not always understand the “why,” but we never have to question the “who.” We live in a world messed up by people constantly choosing their way over God’s will. That causes pain. That causes problems. We live in a world where death and sorrow are realities. They bring anguish. They bring grief. Why doesn’t God fix it all right now? Why doesn’t He always do what we ask and answer our prayers with a “yes”? Is it because He is unfaithful? Untrustworthy? Dropping the ball? No. God has a purpose. He has a plan. He is our loves-us-no-matter-what, full-of-grace, gives-us-strength Father who is working in us for our eternal good and through us for His ultimate glory.
When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.
You are forever His and He is forever yours – faithfully.
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
What circumstances of life are causing you to doubt God’s faithfulness?
RESPOND
Thank Him for the ways He is keeping His promises in the middle of those tough times.
Ever had someone depending on you? Here’s a better question – do you remember a time when someone wasn’t depending on you?!? Here’s the real question – Have you ever let someone down? Didn’t carry through? Dropped the ball? I can relate - literally. The disappointed groans of my high school teammates wafted all the way to left field as the softball hit my glove and fell to the ground.
“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful…” Who Jesus is does not depend on what we do. We drop the ball – He never does. We don’t carry through – He always does. We let others (and ourselves down) – He never will. We are faithless – He remains faithful.
But does He really? We pray diligently and our friend still succumbs to disease. We try so hard but the relationship falls apart. We do what’s right and end up holding shattered dreams. Is Jesus really trustworthy? Or do we, like my softball teammates, have good reason for faltering faith?
No. No, we don’t. He truly is always faithful, but our faith sometimes falters when it gets out of focus. We focus on what we want God to do, not on what He said He would do. We want constant happiness and pain-free living - now. Jesus said we would have trouble on earth. But He promised to always be with us, to strengthen us, to love us. Paul, who we know was living right and doing good, pleaded with God to take away his pain. God did not. He reminded Paul that His grace is enough and that in our weakness, His power is perfect. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
God is faithful. We will not always understand the “why,” but we never have to question the “who.” We live in a world messed up by people constantly choosing their way over God’s will. That causes pain. That causes problems. We live in a world where death and sorrow are realities. They bring anguish. They bring grief. Why doesn’t God fix it all right now? Why doesn’t He always do what we ask and answer our prayers with a “yes”? Is it because He is unfaithful? Untrustworthy? Dropping the ball? No. God has a purpose. He has a plan. He is our loves-us-no-matter-what, full-of-grace, gives-us-strength Father who is working in us for our eternal good and through us for His ultimate glory.
When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust His heart.
You are forever His and He is forever yours – faithfully.
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
What circumstances of life are causing you to doubt God’s faithfulness?
RESPOND
Thank Him for the ways He is keeping His promises in the middle of those tough times.
LOVING GOD THROUGH HIS WORD - Study 5
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
If only the table could talk. It would surely be a best-seller. Tales of my father, skinny dipping in cool creeks and hiding skunks in dark mailboxes. Stories shared by my mother of tough times in cotton patches and toddling twins on Caribbean beaches. Mean teachers, funny friends, athletic victories, and academic failures all tumbled on top of each other, mixed with interruptions, exclamations, opinions, and advice. Our table tasted the salty tears of broken hearts and sorrowful souls. Its legs withstood pummels of frustration and poundings of joy. Its surface is now permanently indented with the drudgery of math homework and the delight of wedding invitations. And, ah, the stories - the old stories, the new stories, the same stories repeated so often that the table could recount them as well the long-suffering in-laws! Many decades of life, bound by love, joined by belonging, shared around the table of family.
Since the table can’t, one day I plan to write it all down, wanting the ones who come behind us to know the hilarious adventures, the hidden skeletons, and the hearts’ desires of their rich heritage. So they can better understand who they are, whose they are, and how that matters in the middle of their today.
God beat me to it. And His book is a best-seller. THE best-seller of all time. Written in love. Penned by grace. It’s the story of family – God’s family. His book is filled with hilarious adventures, hidden skeletons, and hearts’ desires. It’s the story that helps us understand who we are, whose we are, and how that matters in the middle of our today. The pages come alive as God draws us close to share His life. The words written “back then” speak to us “right now.” As we read God’s story, He is with us, telling it to us, waiting for our responses, wanting to help us know Him, willing to show us ourselves.
And what a story it is! Written over 1600 years by 40 different authors, the 66 different sections are a love story, a poetry collection, a history book, an instruction manual, a warning label, a heartfelt letter, an epic saga, a daily diary, an accurate account, a living legend. It’s the true tale of God’s love and God’s grace.
And it all started “in the beginning.” Actually it started before the beginning, when way back before time even existed, God planned for us to be His own. So in the beginning, out of nothing at all, He made the earth and outer space, and said that it was good. He took some dirt, made a man, watched him for a bit, and then very wisely said, “It is not good for man to be alone!” As Adam took the first afternoon nap, God took a rib bone from his side and created Eve to be his wife. Adam woke up, took one look at Eve, and said, “Wow, man!” (Which when shortened makes the word “woman”!!) And God said it was very good!
And it was. Until one day Satan, whose pride had been his downfall in heaven eons earlier, tapped into Eve’s ego and tempted her to eat the one fruit she had been instructed to avoid. She bit in. Adam bought in. And we’ve all been choosing our way over God’s will ever since. But God’s sovereignty is bigger than our sin and His story continued – to right-living Noah, who went against the long-range forecast of sunshine and built an ark to save his family (and the human race) during the flood, on to faith-filled Abraham, who at 75 obeyed God, moved to an undisclosed destination, and wound up at 100 changing diapers and singing lullabies to his promised baby boy Isaac! Isaac’s son was Jacob. Jacob’s son was – well, actually the wheelin’ and deelin’ Jacob had twelve sons, four wives (all at the same time), and a serious counseling bill! At 130 years old he and his whole family ended up moving to Egypt because the ten oldest boys had sold Joseph, the next-to -youngest, as a slave to get rid of him. However, after a stint in prison due to the fury of a spurned woman (his boss’ wife, no less!) God moved Joseph to the palace to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and organize a nation-wide relief effort during a seven year famine. And we’ve only finished Genesis!
Exodus picks up where Genesis leaves off and tells us of God rescuing Jacob’s many descendants (the Jewish people) from severe slavery in Egypt through Moses, parting the Red Sea for a miraculous escape from a furiously pursuing Pharaoh, and giving guidelines and instructions for relating to Him and each other through the 10 Commandments and other laws. We learn about the tabernacle - the tent church - where God’s presence lived, the sacrifices the people brought to cover their sins, and their 40 year “I told you to believe my promise” camping trip.
And on God’s story goes. The Israelites finally crossed into the Promised Land, conquered the existing nations, settled as their own country, and promptly turned away from the God who had given it all. After Joshua died and before God chose King Saul, judges like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah led through cycles of rebellion and repentance. And then we come to King David, the shepherd boy, giant slayer, harp player, who loved God, led his county, and lusted after Bathsheeba. His son Solomon built God’s temple and begged for God’s wisdom but didn’t use his gift very wisely as he married foreign women and worshipped false gods. During the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, a civil war split the country. The ten northern states seceded from the union to form the nation called Israel, while the two remaining southern states were called Judah. God recorded for us the messages he sent through his prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah, as He called for people to return to Him and to follow His ways. A few kings listened. Most didn’t, so God sent His people into captivity to learn some hard lessons.
But even in Babylon, God carried on His purpose. Daniel and his three friends chose veggie stew over royal steak and came out healthier and smarter for it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the king’s idol and God refused to let them burn in king’s furnace. He shut the mouths of lions, moved the hearts of kings, and kept His promise to deliver His people after seventy years. Nehemiah guided the returning exiles to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall and Ezra led them to revive their hearts. Haggai encouraged them to construct a new temple, and Malachi called for authentic worship.
Then for 400 years God said nothing. Then He said something. Big. Really Big.
“Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. Today a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!” Luke 2:10-11
“The Word became flesh and lived among us. And we saw His glory.” John 1:14
“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all share their take on the story. His story. The story of Jesus. They share birth announcements and life lessons. They give us glimpses into what He did and what He said. From divine wine at weddings to hushed storms at sea, we see the great power of God. His hands lifted the lonely leper, halted a burial procession, and turned a little lunch into a great feast. His heart rejoiced as the children ran to Him; it broke as his people rejected Him; it grieved as his friends wept with Him. He chose twelve to learn most from Him and to share life with Him, but He was all alone as He struggled in the garden and sacrificed Himself on the cross.
All four Gospels tell the story of his triumph over death, and in Acts, Luke continues narration of the greatest story ever told. We learn of His journey back to heaven and His promise to return. We feel the Spirit’s fire as it consumed the Christ-followers at Pentecost and convicted the hearts of thousands. We delight in the brave witness of Peter and John as they restored the crippled beggar and rebuked the criticizing Pharisees. We march with Paul toward Damascus, only to be stopped in our tracks by the light of God’s glory and the truth of His grace. We watch in amazement as God turned an arrogant lawyer into an awesome leader who spread His story of redemption throughout the known world. The notes Paul wrote to friends and fellow Christians in places like Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, and Philippi, help us understand that “what we’ve got is worth a lot,” and they show us how to live it out every day. Paul’s personal letters, along with those of Peter, James, and John instruct us, encourage us, and keep us on track. From Hebrews 4:16 we learn that “The word of God is living and active.” And Paul tells Timothy in chapter 3 verses 16 and 17 that “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
All good stories have a happy ending and the Bible is no exception for those who are His. John was old and battered when God rewarded His exiled apostle on the rough and rocky island of Patmos with a preview of coming attractions. Bottom line – God wins. Satan loses. And we live forever “without fault and with great joy” with our grand and glorious God. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Revelation 22:21)
So what do we do with a story so great? Learn it. Live it. Love it. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Paul reminds us that “all scripture is God-breathed.” That sounds like it “comes from the mouth of God” to me! Just as bread nourishes our bodies, the Bible feeds the hunger of our hearts. The Christian life is not low-carb!
How do we deepen our relationship with God? How do we dig into this living BREAD? Start with the B: Believe It! Take God at His word and believe His words. You won’t understand it all – Believe it. You won’t like it all – Believe it. The Bible is not a buffet where you pick and choose what you prefer. It’s a set menu with no substitutions or modifications. Trust the Master Chef! He knows what’s best. Don’t doubt what He serves. Believe it!
R- Read It! Great preachers can preach about it; good teachers can teach about it; skilled singers can sing about it, but there is no substitute for reading the Bible yourself. Don’t know God second-hand. Listen directly to Him. Find a version you can easily read and dig in! It’s quite fascinating that God instructs the king of Israel to “write for himself on a scroll a copy of God’s law…It is to be with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life…” (Deuteronomy 17:18-19) The king was to write down God’s word for himself and read some of it every single day. This would help him know God, know how to relate to others, and know how to live. That pretty much sums it up! Read it!
E- Examine it! The Bible holds the keys to life and how to live it. Shouldn’t we seriously endeavor to consider what it says and explore what it means? Time spent studying God’s Word is never wasted. Paul encouraged Timothy to “correctly handle the word of truth.” Closely examining God’s Word is how we “get a handle” on the Bible. Asking “Who? What? When? Where? Why? & How?” about a passage is always a good place to start. Try using the CAP approach. What do these verses tell me about God’s character (C)? What do these verses tell me about my actions or attitudes (A)? What promises are stated or implied in these verses (P)? A cap goes on my head, so what is the one thought about these verses I will wear in my head and heart today? The Bible is the greatest treasure on earth. We can study a lifetime and never dig out all the loot! Let’s grab our tools and go for it! Examine it!
A – Attach It! Reading and studying are important, but it’s also imperative to attach God’s Word to our lives. That simply means to memorize it. Don’t panic. You can do it. You might have a lousy memory for names and details, but never forget that God has filled you with His Spirit and His power. Ask Him for the ability to remember His word and diligently work at scripture memory. In the heat of battle soldiers do not ask the enemy to hang tight while they run back to the arsenal to get ammunition for their empty gun. In the heat of life, we need to have the ammunition of God’s Word ready for our enemy. Remember that’s what Jesus Himself used when tempted by Satan. We also need the guidance of God’s Word as we continually choose actions and reactions throughout each day. Often we need the comfort and reassurance of God’s Word as our weak hearts stumble in fear or despair. Yes, we can run find our Bible and read something, but wise Christ-followers attach verses in their minds which are ready to be remembered and used. Memorizing Scripture is like “getting it to go!” We can drive through our memory and find something to feed on right then! Attach it!
D – Do It! Duh! But so often we don’t! We can loudly proclaim our belief, voraciously read chapters each day, diligently study all the facts and figures; we can even memorize many passages long and short, but unless we actually do what we know, it really doesn’t do much good at all. This “listening to it but not living it” has been a problem for many for centuries. James reminded his friends way back to “not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Do what God says. One afternoon as my daughter skipped through the house singing a song she learned at school, the words caught my immediate attention –“Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe!” What a great truth for a 5 year old and for a 55 year old! We spend many hours trying to figure out what we should do in different situations of life. We need to focus on doing what we know, no on knowing what to do! If we will do what God clearly tells us in His word, I have a sneaking suspicion we will almost always know what to do when faced with those decisions not specifically mentioned. The more we do, the more we’ll know! Just Do It!
The Bible is the only way to feed the hunger of our hearts. Our discontentment, restlessness, insecurities, and anxiety will decrease and begin to disappear as we spend time with God through His Word. There is no substitute. There is no alternate method. We know God through His living and active Word. It is our daily bread. Dig In!
2 Timothy 1:7
If only the table could talk. It would surely be a best-seller. Tales of my father, skinny dipping in cool creeks and hiding skunks in dark mailboxes. Stories shared by my mother of tough times in cotton patches and toddling twins on Caribbean beaches. Mean teachers, funny friends, athletic victories, and academic failures all tumbled on top of each other, mixed with interruptions, exclamations, opinions, and advice. Our table tasted the salty tears of broken hearts and sorrowful souls. Its legs withstood pummels of frustration and poundings of joy. Its surface is now permanently indented with the drudgery of math homework and the delight of wedding invitations. And, ah, the stories - the old stories, the new stories, the same stories repeated so often that the table could recount them as well the long-suffering in-laws! Many decades of life, bound by love, joined by belonging, shared around the table of family.
Since the table can’t, one day I plan to write it all down, wanting the ones who come behind us to know the hilarious adventures, the hidden skeletons, and the hearts’ desires of their rich heritage. So they can better understand who they are, whose they are, and how that matters in the middle of their today.
God beat me to it. And His book is a best-seller. THE best-seller of all time. Written in love. Penned by grace. It’s the story of family – God’s family. His book is filled with hilarious adventures, hidden skeletons, and hearts’ desires. It’s the story that helps us understand who we are, whose we are, and how that matters in the middle of our today. The pages come alive as God draws us close to share His life. The words written “back then” speak to us “right now.” As we read God’s story, He is with us, telling it to us, waiting for our responses, wanting to help us know Him, willing to show us ourselves.
And what a story it is! Written over 1600 years by 40 different authors, the 66 different sections are a love story, a poetry collection, a history book, an instruction manual, a warning label, a heartfelt letter, an epic saga, a daily diary, an accurate account, a living legend. It’s the true tale of God’s love and God’s grace.
And it all started “in the beginning.” Actually it started before the beginning, when way back before time even existed, God planned for us to be His own. So in the beginning, out of nothing at all, He made the earth and outer space, and said that it was good. He took some dirt, made a man, watched him for a bit, and then very wisely said, “It is not good for man to be alone!” As Adam took the first afternoon nap, God took a rib bone from his side and created Eve to be his wife. Adam woke up, took one look at Eve, and said, “Wow, man!” (Which when shortened makes the word “woman”!!) And God said it was very good!
And it was. Until one day Satan, whose pride had been his downfall in heaven eons earlier, tapped into Eve’s ego and tempted her to eat the one fruit she had been instructed to avoid. She bit in. Adam bought in. And we’ve all been choosing our way over God’s will ever since. But God’s sovereignty is bigger than our sin and His story continued – to right-living Noah, who went against the long-range forecast of sunshine and built an ark to save his family (and the human race) during the flood, on to faith-filled Abraham, who at 75 obeyed God, moved to an undisclosed destination, and wound up at 100 changing diapers and singing lullabies to his promised baby boy Isaac! Isaac’s son was Jacob. Jacob’s son was – well, actually the wheelin’ and deelin’ Jacob had twelve sons, four wives (all at the same time), and a serious counseling bill! At 130 years old he and his whole family ended up moving to Egypt because the ten oldest boys had sold Joseph, the next-to -youngest, as a slave to get rid of him. However, after a stint in prison due to the fury of a spurned woman (his boss’ wife, no less!) God moved Joseph to the palace to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and organize a nation-wide relief effort during a seven year famine. And we’ve only finished Genesis!
Exodus picks up where Genesis leaves off and tells us of God rescuing Jacob’s many descendants (the Jewish people) from severe slavery in Egypt through Moses, parting the Red Sea for a miraculous escape from a furiously pursuing Pharaoh, and giving guidelines and instructions for relating to Him and each other through the 10 Commandments and other laws. We learn about the tabernacle - the tent church - where God’s presence lived, the sacrifices the people brought to cover their sins, and their 40 year “I told you to believe my promise” camping trip.
And on God’s story goes. The Israelites finally crossed into the Promised Land, conquered the existing nations, settled as their own country, and promptly turned away from the God who had given it all. After Joshua died and before God chose King Saul, judges like Gideon, Samson, and Deborah led through cycles of rebellion and repentance. And then we come to King David, the shepherd boy, giant slayer, harp player, who loved God, led his county, and lusted after Bathsheeba. His son Solomon built God’s temple and begged for God’s wisdom but didn’t use his gift very wisely as he married foreign women and worshipped false gods. During the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, a civil war split the country. The ten northern states seceded from the union to form the nation called Israel, while the two remaining southern states were called Judah. God recorded for us the messages he sent through his prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah, as He called for people to return to Him and to follow His ways. A few kings listened. Most didn’t, so God sent His people into captivity to learn some hard lessons.
But even in Babylon, God carried on His purpose. Daniel and his three friends chose veggie stew over royal steak and came out healthier and smarter for it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the king’s idol and God refused to let them burn in king’s furnace. He shut the mouths of lions, moved the hearts of kings, and kept His promise to deliver His people after seventy years. Nehemiah guided the returning exiles to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall and Ezra led them to revive their hearts. Haggai encouraged them to construct a new temple, and Malachi called for authentic worship.
Then for 400 years God said nothing. Then He said something. Big. Really Big.
“Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. Today a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!” Luke 2:10-11
“The Word became flesh and lived among us. And we saw His glory.” John 1:14
“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all share their take on the story. His story. The story of Jesus. They share birth announcements and life lessons. They give us glimpses into what He did and what He said. From divine wine at weddings to hushed storms at sea, we see the great power of God. His hands lifted the lonely leper, halted a burial procession, and turned a little lunch into a great feast. His heart rejoiced as the children ran to Him; it broke as his people rejected Him; it grieved as his friends wept with Him. He chose twelve to learn most from Him and to share life with Him, but He was all alone as He struggled in the garden and sacrificed Himself on the cross.
All four Gospels tell the story of his triumph over death, and in Acts, Luke continues narration of the greatest story ever told. We learn of His journey back to heaven and His promise to return. We feel the Spirit’s fire as it consumed the Christ-followers at Pentecost and convicted the hearts of thousands. We delight in the brave witness of Peter and John as they restored the crippled beggar and rebuked the criticizing Pharisees. We march with Paul toward Damascus, only to be stopped in our tracks by the light of God’s glory and the truth of His grace. We watch in amazement as God turned an arrogant lawyer into an awesome leader who spread His story of redemption throughout the known world. The notes Paul wrote to friends and fellow Christians in places like Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, and Philippi, help us understand that “what we’ve got is worth a lot,” and they show us how to live it out every day. Paul’s personal letters, along with those of Peter, James, and John instruct us, encourage us, and keep us on track. From Hebrews 4:16 we learn that “The word of God is living and active.” And Paul tells Timothy in chapter 3 verses 16 and 17 that “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
All good stories have a happy ending and the Bible is no exception for those who are His. John was old and battered when God rewarded His exiled apostle on the rough and rocky island of Patmos with a preview of coming attractions. Bottom line – God wins. Satan loses. And we live forever “without fault and with great joy” with our grand and glorious God. “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Revelation 22:21)
So what do we do with a story so great? Learn it. Live it. Love it. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Paul reminds us that “all scripture is God-breathed.” That sounds like it “comes from the mouth of God” to me! Just as bread nourishes our bodies, the Bible feeds the hunger of our hearts. The Christian life is not low-carb!
How do we deepen our relationship with God? How do we dig into this living BREAD? Start with the B: Believe It! Take God at His word and believe His words. You won’t understand it all – Believe it. You won’t like it all – Believe it. The Bible is not a buffet where you pick and choose what you prefer. It’s a set menu with no substitutions or modifications. Trust the Master Chef! He knows what’s best. Don’t doubt what He serves. Believe it!
R- Read It! Great preachers can preach about it; good teachers can teach about it; skilled singers can sing about it, but there is no substitute for reading the Bible yourself. Don’t know God second-hand. Listen directly to Him. Find a version you can easily read and dig in! It’s quite fascinating that God instructs the king of Israel to “write for himself on a scroll a copy of God’s law…It is to be with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life…” (Deuteronomy 17:18-19) The king was to write down God’s word for himself and read some of it every single day. This would help him know God, know how to relate to others, and know how to live. That pretty much sums it up! Read it!
E- Examine it! The Bible holds the keys to life and how to live it. Shouldn’t we seriously endeavor to consider what it says and explore what it means? Time spent studying God’s Word is never wasted. Paul encouraged Timothy to “correctly handle the word of truth.” Closely examining God’s Word is how we “get a handle” on the Bible. Asking “Who? What? When? Where? Why? & How?” about a passage is always a good place to start. Try using the CAP approach. What do these verses tell me about God’s character (C)? What do these verses tell me about my actions or attitudes (A)? What promises are stated or implied in these verses (P)? A cap goes on my head, so what is the one thought about these verses I will wear in my head and heart today? The Bible is the greatest treasure on earth. We can study a lifetime and never dig out all the loot! Let’s grab our tools and go for it! Examine it!
A – Attach It! Reading and studying are important, but it’s also imperative to attach God’s Word to our lives. That simply means to memorize it. Don’t panic. You can do it. You might have a lousy memory for names and details, but never forget that God has filled you with His Spirit and His power. Ask Him for the ability to remember His word and diligently work at scripture memory. In the heat of battle soldiers do not ask the enemy to hang tight while they run back to the arsenal to get ammunition for their empty gun. In the heat of life, we need to have the ammunition of God’s Word ready for our enemy. Remember that’s what Jesus Himself used when tempted by Satan. We also need the guidance of God’s Word as we continually choose actions and reactions throughout each day. Often we need the comfort and reassurance of God’s Word as our weak hearts stumble in fear or despair. Yes, we can run find our Bible and read something, but wise Christ-followers attach verses in their minds which are ready to be remembered and used. Memorizing Scripture is like “getting it to go!” We can drive through our memory and find something to feed on right then! Attach it!
D – Do It! Duh! But so often we don’t! We can loudly proclaim our belief, voraciously read chapters each day, diligently study all the facts and figures; we can even memorize many passages long and short, but unless we actually do what we know, it really doesn’t do much good at all. This “listening to it but not living it” has been a problem for many for centuries. James reminded his friends way back to “not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) Do what God says. One afternoon as my daughter skipped through the house singing a song she learned at school, the words caught my immediate attention –“Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe!” What a great truth for a 5 year old and for a 55 year old! We spend many hours trying to figure out what we should do in different situations of life. We need to focus on doing what we know, no on knowing what to do! If we will do what God clearly tells us in His word, I have a sneaking suspicion we will almost always know what to do when faced with those decisions not specifically mentioned. The more we do, the more we’ll know! Just Do It!
The Bible is the only way to feed the hunger of our hearts. Our discontentment, restlessness, insecurities, and anxiety will decrease and begin to disappear as we spend time with God through His Word. There is no substitute. There is no alternate method. We know God through His living and active Word. It is our daily bread. Dig In!
Faith - Less
“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful…” 2 Timothy 2:13
“If we are faithless…” How kind of Paul to put in the “if.” It’s a bit like saying, “Just in case you happen to find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a moment (or many months) of less than what would be considered appropriate and proper faith…” Let’s be honest – “if” is the middle of “life” and often right in the middle of life we find ourselves a bit faithless. I’m not saying we don’t believe in God. I’m not saying we don’t have any trust. I’m not saying we throw in the towel and walk away from what we know to be true. I’m just suggesting that there possibly may have been a time in our journey when we didn’t have as much faith as we knew we should/could have had. Faith –less. Less –faith.
We’ve all been there. Moses, standing by the burning bush, begs God to send someone else to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Aaron, staring at a smoky mountain blazing with God’s glory, fashions the golden calf. Elijah, brashly calls down fire from heaven and then sheepishly runs from the murderous threats of an evil woman. Gideon wrings out his divinely drenched fleece and requests just one more miraculous sign. Andrew holds the fish and loaves of a lad’s small lunch and wonders how so little could help so many. Peter, cowering in the high priest’s courtyard, slams his Savior to save his skin. Faith – less. Less – faith.
Don’t lose heart. Jesus knows yours. He knows you are human. He knows you are His. He doesn’t just give his grace and strength to the good and the strong. He gives them to the needy. To the faith-less. In our times of less-faith. Moses talked to God for 40 years “face to face as a man talks to a friend.” Aaron operated God’s tabernacle and offered the atonement sacrifice in God’s holy presence. God fed the scampering Elijah the first angel-food cake and filled him up with hope and help. Gideon blew a trumpet, smashed a lamp, and his 300 men routed many the thousands of Midian. Andrew passed out the Messiah’s McFish and marveled at the twelve baskets of leftovers. And Peter, fresh off a lakeshore restoration project, boldly preached his first public sermon to thousands at the Pentecost Feast.
Perhaps Paul should have said “When…”
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
In what areas of your life are you a bit “faith-less”?
RESPOND
Think of a God-promise that can give strength to trust.
Thank God that He never has less grace when we have less faith!
“If we are faithless…” How kind of Paul to put in the “if.” It’s a bit like saying, “Just in case you happen to find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a moment (or many months) of less than what would be considered appropriate and proper faith…” Let’s be honest – “if” is the middle of “life” and often right in the middle of life we find ourselves a bit faithless. I’m not saying we don’t believe in God. I’m not saying we don’t have any trust. I’m not saying we throw in the towel and walk away from what we know to be true. I’m just suggesting that there possibly may have been a time in our journey when we didn’t have as much faith as we knew we should/could have had. Faith –less. Less –faith.
We’ve all been there. Moses, standing by the burning bush, begs God to send someone else to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Aaron, staring at a smoky mountain blazing with God’s glory, fashions the golden calf. Elijah, brashly calls down fire from heaven and then sheepishly runs from the murderous threats of an evil woman. Gideon wrings out his divinely drenched fleece and requests just one more miraculous sign. Andrew holds the fish and loaves of a lad’s small lunch and wonders how so little could help so many. Peter, cowering in the high priest’s courtyard, slams his Savior to save his skin. Faith – less. Less – faith.
Don’t lose heart. Jesus knows yours. He knows you are human. He knows you are His. He doesn’t just give his grace and strength to the good and the strong. He gives them to the needy. To the faith-less. In our times of less-faith. Moses talked to God for 40 years “face to face as a man talks to a friend.” Aaron operated God’s tabernacle and offered the atonement sacrifice in God’s holy presence. God fed the scampering Elijah the first angel-food cake and filled him up with hope and help. Gideon blew a trumpet, smashed a lamp, and his 300 men routed many the thousands of Midian. Andrew passed out the Messiah’s McFish and marveled at the twelve baskets of leftovers. And Peter, fresh off a lakeshore restoration project, boldly preached his first public sermon to thousands at the Pentecost Feast.
Perhaps Paul should have said “When…”
Time For A Little R&R
RECOGNIZE
In what areas of your life are you a bit “faith-less”?
RESPOND
Think of a God-promise that can give strength to trust.
Thank God that He never has less grace when we have less faith!
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