Why it Matters - Mentors

Readings for today: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24

I have been extremely blessed to have godly mentors in my life. Don Bachman. Berk Sterling. Sam and Fran Atchison. Daisy Grimes. Steve Hayner. Tom Melton. Bud Sparling. Randy MacFarland. David Schultz. Each of these men and women played or plays a critical role in my spiritual development. They pray for me. They process with me. They encourage me. They confront me. They hold me accountable. In a very real way, I am the man I am today because of their influence. And that influence ripples out into my marriage, my parenting, and my pastoring. I cannot imagine my life without their influence. And though God has called some of them home, their influence lives on in my life.

Jehoash (or Joash) also benefited from a godly mentor. “Throughout his lifetime Jehoash did what the Lord approved, just as Jehoiada the priest taught him.” (2 Kings 12:2 NET) Jehoash ascended the throne at a very young age. He survived the massacre of his family and was raised in the temple courts for six years. There he came under the care of Jehoiada. Jehoiada taught him to love the Lord. Taught him to serve the Lord. Taught him to honor the Lord. The result? Jehoash is counted among the more godly kings of Judah. He repaired the Temple. He restored the worship of the people of Israel. Sadly, after the death of his mentor, Jehoash turned from the ways of the Lord. He pandered to the politicians. He ignored the prophets. He even killed his mentor’s son. His kingdom descended into chaos. The Syrians defeated him in battle and he was murdered in his bed. Jehoash’s life demonstrates the power of a godly mentor and what can happen when we don’t have one.

The Christian life is both caught and taught. It is handed down from one generation to the next. It’s why the Apostle Paul encourages older men to spend time with younger men and older women with younger women. He knows the power of a mentor. He himself was blessed with godly mentor named Barnabas and he became a godly mentor to a young man named Timothy. Do you have a mentor in your life? Someone who is teaching you and modeling for you what it means to follow Jesus? Are you a mentor? Are you passing on what God has done for you and all God has taught you to the next generation?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 14-15, 2 Chronicles 25-27

Why it Matters - You

Readings for today: 2 Kings 9-11, 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, 23

“I have designated you…” “I have chosen you…” “I have called you…” Over and over again, throughout the Scriptures, God makes it clear that the primary instrument of His will is the human being. The creature made in His image. The creature to whom was given the mandate to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion over all God had made.” God never wavers from this commitment. It’s why we see Him coming back to humanity time and again to renew His covenant. Noah and his family. Abraham and Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob and Leah and Rachel. Joseph. Moses. Joshua. Gideon. Deborah. Samuel. David. To name a few. Many of them are instruments of His grace and mercy and love. Many of them are instruments of His righteous judgment and wrath. Many of them are both. Jehu stands in the long line of those called by God for a particular purpose. He is to execute God’s judgment on the family of Ahab. The sins of this particular family have been piling up and the bill has now come due. Just as God promised.

Jehu is a terrifying figure in Scripture. A man of war. A man accustomed to violence. A man capable of terrible brutality. His commitment to destroy the family of Ahab and the Baal religion is total and absolute. He starts with the two kings of Israel and Judah and works his way down to Jezebel and Ahab’s sons. He calls every prophet and priest of Baal to attend to him and then slaughters them in the very temple where they worship. Finally, he goes after Ahab’s supporters. His nobles and close friends. He offers no mercy. No quarter is given. No one escapes. The destruction is so complete that the people of Samaria begin to use the former site of Baal’s temple as a latrine. This kind of holy war is deeply unsettling to a 21st century reader and yet it foreshadows the final judgment of God. It’s a sobering reminder that when God truly does intervene in our world to put an end to evil and sin, the destruction will be complete. At that moment, for those who have not yet bowed the knee to Jesus Christ, no mercy will be offered. No quarter will be given. No one will escape.

Thankfully, God is patient, not wishing any to perish in the final judgment. It’s why He delays His 2nd coming. He wants to see everyone be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth. And it’s why He calls His church - you and me and all those who follow Jesus - to share the gospel. We are God’s chosen instruments. Set apart for His great Kingdom work. He has designated us to accomplish His purposes in our world. If you are reading this devotional today and do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I plead with you with all my heart to make that commitment today. And if you are reading this devotional and have given your life to Christ, I plead with you with all my heart to make Him known to those around you today! Don’t wait! Don’t delay! We do not know the time or the hour Jesus will return and we want everyone to be ready to meet Him with open arms.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24

Why it Matters - Generational Sin

Readings for today: 2 Kings 8:16-29, 2 Chronicles 21, 22:1-9

All of us leave a legacy. Some godly. Some good. Some bad. Some truly evil. And the ripple effect on future generations is real. Ahab was a terrible king for all kinds of reasons. He broke just about every one of the Ten Commandments. He chose to worship Baal rather than Yahweh. He made graven images. He took the Lord’s name in vain. He lied. He coveted. He murdered. He stole. He treated sin flippantly and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord than any of the kings who came before him. His wife Jezebel was at least his equal in unrighteousness. She partnered with him in all of his crimes. She sought the death of Elijah, Israel’s greatest prophet. Together, they did more to lead Israel astray than any other king in her history.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to us when their influence exerts itself generationally over their descendants. Jehoram, king of Judah, came under their sway by marrying their daughter. As such, he chose to walk away from his own father’s example of faithfulness and instead “walk in the ways of the kings of Israel.” The result is predictable. The same things that happen to Israel begin to happen in Judah. War breaks out on their borders. Tribes like Edom successfully revolt and set up kingdoms of their own. Pagan shrines known as “high places” are re-established throughout the hill country. God’s people begin to worship other gods. After Jehoram (or Joram) dies, his son Ahaziah follows his ungodly legacy. He even makes a strategic alliance with the house of Ahab against Syria that ends in great tragedy. The house of Ahaziah comes to an end. Jehoram, Ahaziah’s father, dies “to no one’s regret.”

It’s a sobering reminder to us all. Generational sin is real. The sins of the fathers and mothers are often passed down to the children. Sin that goes unaddressed in our lives is often repeated by those who follow us. We exert a shaping influence for good or for evil on those around us, especially those in our own homes. How often have I seen my own weaknesses and struggles reflected in my children? How often have I seen my doubts and fears reproduced in the people I serve? How often have my own sinful tendencies come back to haunt me? Thankfully, God is faithful. As I humble myself and repent before Him, He is faithful to forgive and He is faithful to make my life a living demonstration of the gospel. Through my brokenness, His surpassing grace and power makes itself known and this too ripples out across the generations. So it comes down to this…what kind of legacy do I want to pass on? And what I am doing today to build that legacy?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 9-11, 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, 23

Why it Matters - God Makes Himself Known

Readings for today: 2 Kings 5-7, 8:1-15

The story of Naaman has always resonated with me. Maybe because I’ve met many modern day Naaman’s myself. I have met witch doctors and tribal leaders who were utterly devoted to their pagan gods but who contracted a disease or suffered a loss and through a miraculous series of events, turned to faith in Jesus Christ. it could be through a dream or a vision. A miraculous healing or resurrection. A sudden turn of fortune like rain during a drought or an overwhelming harvest. God uses a variety of ways to make Himself known. Some are natural. Some are supernatural. It’s less about the means and more about the ends as Naaman himself discovered. Yes, there were plenty of rivers for him to bathe in back in Syria but that wasn’t really the point. The point is by bathing in the Jordan, he is exercising faith in the God of Israel rather than the gods of his own country. The same is true when God delivers Israel from the armies of Syria. One time He strikes them blind. Another time He causes them to hear the sounds many chariots and horses. Again, the means don’t matter. What matters is God is making Himself known to His people.

I think about my own life. I think about the many ways God has revealed Himself to me. Sometimes through pain and hardship. Sometimes through joy and success. Sometimes through ordinary means. Sometimes through extraordinary means. I have experienced God’s deliverance personally. He delivered me from sin and death through the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit when I was in college. He delivered me from the foolish choices I made as a husband and father through Christian counseling. He delivered me from professional mistakes through different godly friends and mentors. He delivered me from fear and anxiety by performing many signs and wonders in the church I love and serve. Sometimes I find myself questioning God’s means like Naaman. Sometimes I fail to appreciate God’s means like the Israelite king Elisha was dealing with. Sadly, I sometimes I even try to take advantage of God’s means to serve myself but God is always faithful. Faithful to confront. Faithful to convict. Faithful to forgive my unbelief.

God wants to make Himself known. This is the main theme running throughout the Bible. He makes Himself known to individuals. He makes Himself known to the nations. And He is still making Himself known today. How is He making Himself known to you? How is He making Himself known through you?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 8:16-29, 2 Chronicles 21, 22:1-9

Why it Matters - Step of Faith

Readings for today: 2 Kings 1-4

Today I was challenged to take a step of faith. To make a commitment without knowing what will happen. To make a promise without any guarantee I will be able to deliver. To place myself in a position where I truly have to depend on God. These kinds of steps are hard for me. “Faith” is a spiritual gift that doesn’t come naturally. In fact, when I take spiritual gifts inventories, faith often trends towards the bottom of the list. It’s not that I don’t believe. I do. With all my heart. It’s that I have a hard time walking by faith and not by sight. I am like the man who comes to Jesus saying, “I believe…help my unbelief.” I come by this struggle honestly. It stems at least to some extent from growing up in a home with an addict who broke promise after promise. So there’s a part of me that’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Always preparing to be let down even by God. Thankfully, He is merciful and tender towards me. He knows my besetting sin and He is gentle in calling me to repentance. He provides me opportunities like today to take baby steps so I might grow in faith and confidence. So after praying over the challenge put in front of me, I took a step of faith and now am trusting the Lord to work it out.

How I wish I could live like Elisha! A prophet of deep faith. He walks so closely with God. He trusts God so much. He refuses to leave Elijah’s side until he gets a double portion of his spirit. He parts the waters of the Jordan. Purifies a well in Jericho. Points a widow to miraculous provision. Raises her son from the dead. Cleanses a poisonous stew. Feeds a multitude. At each and every point, Elisha seems to have the right answer for the right moment not because he is so wise but because he walks with the Holy Spirit. But then I remember Elisha too had to learn. He was one of the seven thousand who hadn’t bowed his knee to Baal when Elijah found him plowing his fields. He served Elijah faithfully for a significant period of time, probably years, though the Bible doesn’t give us an exact timeline. And in that time, he learned how to walk by faith and not by sight.

Perhaps you are like me and walking by faith isn’t easy. Perhaps you are like those I know for whom faith seems to come naturally. Either way, the Lord is faithful to give us opportunities to grow our faith by learning to trust Him. He gives us challenges and pushes us to make commitments only He can deliver on. He gives us dreams and visions only He can make come to pass. He consistently takes us beyond our own resources and wisdom and strength so we will learn to depend on Him. And if we prove faithful, if we prove trustworthy, we will see miracles come to pass as He delivers on His promises.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Godly Counsel

Readings for today: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-20

i have often asked God for dreams and visions. Inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Ideas that can only come from Him and be accomplished by Him. The problem is I often don’t know what dreams are God-inspired and what dreams are inspired by my own ego. This is where godly counsel comes in. It’s so important to have godly men and women in your life who are not afraid to dream God-sized dreams with you but who are also not afraid to tell you “no.” I think of the mentors I’ve had in my life or the elders I serve alongside or the friends and colleagues I meet with on a regular basis who’ve played this role. Certainly my wife is a key figure in helping me figure these things out.

Ahab had a big dream. He wanted to recapture a city from the Syrians. He invited Jehoshaphat to join him. But Jehoshaphat wanted confirmation the dream was from the Lord. He asked for godly counsel. Ahab brought hundreds of prophets in to make the case. Unfortunately, they were on his payroll. They didn’t want to tell the king anything he didn’t want to hear. Jehoshaphat sees right through their facade. He asks for a second opinion. Ahab relents by sending for Micaiah, a man notorious for being willing to speak God’s truth to Ahab and tell him “no.” Micaiah comes and tells the kings what the Lord has decreed. In their arrogance, they charge into battle and it costs Ahab his life. The Lord used Ahab’s arrogance to bring about His judgment for the way he lived his life. Imagine how different things might have been had Ahab been willing to listen to godly counsel.

What about you? Do you have godly counselors in your life? Men and women who will pray with you, seek the Lord with you, discern with you, and have the courage to confront you? Do you have men and women who can “test the spirits” with you to see if they are from God or a projection of your own ego? These kinds of relationships are the key to living a godly life.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 1-4

Why it Matters - Evangelism

Readings for today: 1 Kings 20-21

God desires all to be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth. All means all. Every single person on the planet. The Lord is actively pursuing them. Actively reaching out to them. Actively showing His love to them. This is what it means when we say God is missional. Missional is not just something He does, it’s who He is. It’s a part of His divine nature and character. He is the first missionary. He is the first evangelist. He makes Himself known to us in all sorts of ways. He is the God who sees. He is the God who hears. He is the God who knows.

Consider how He pursues King Ahab. Literally the worst king in Israel’s history. “There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, just like the Amorites whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.” (1 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NET) And still God loved Him. Still God pursued Him. Still God delivered Him. Why? So He might come to know the Lord as God. He gives him victory over the Syrian armies. He gives him victory a second time against overwhelming odds. And even when Ahab compromises by refusing to kill the Syrian king or hardens his heart in bitterness and anger over Naboth’s vineyard, the Lord still shows mercy when he repents. “The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.” (1 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬)

If God shows such divine forebearance with a man as wicked as Ahab, imagine what He shows you. Me. Any one of us who resist His will and His love. God is still on a mission. God is still making Himself known. God is still seeking to win our hearts. Turn and embrace Him as your Lord and Savior today.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-20

Why it Matters - Trustworthy

Readings for today: 1 Kings 17-19

What do you have in your hands? I was challenged by this question this week. I am currently spending time with pastors and ministry leaders from across the world. We are being hosted by an organization that does incredible things for the Kingdom. Their achievements are nothing short of miraculous. They specialize in going to hard places and doing the impossible in the name of Jesus. Their track record of success is impossible to ignore. Their growth is exponential as is their impact. And yet, they are some of the most humble people you’ll ever meet. They don’t pretend to have it all together. They don’t pretend to have it all figured out. They simply take what God puts in their hands and use it to serve the poor for His glory. They are often stretched beyond their resources. They often do not know how it will all work out. But they trust. They believe. They walk in faith. And God entrusts more of Himself and more of His resources to them as a result.

We see the same dynamic play out in the life of the widow from Zarephath. She is poor. Destitute. On the verge of starvation. When Elijah meets her, she is literally gathering firewood to prepare one final meal for herself and her son. But she is willing to trust. She believes Elijah enough to take him at his word. And she offers what little she has in service of God’s plan. What’s the result? Miraculous provision. “The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.” (1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭16‬ ‭NET)

What do you have in your hands? Perhaps you’re like the widow in Zarephath and it’s not much. You’re barely surviving. You’re living on the edge. Perhaps you’re like the organization I’m with. Though you may have rose from humble beginnings, you find yourself with access to all kinds of resources. Either way, the question is still the same. What do you have in your hands and how will you use it to serve others for the glory of God? Will you trust God enough to give everything away over and over again so you might experience His miraculous provision in your life? God is looking for trustworthy people to whom He can entrust the resources of heaven. Are you such a person? Are you becoming such a person?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 20-21

Why it Matters - Chaos

Readings for today: 1 Kings 15:25-34, 1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 17

Chaos was woven into the fabric of creation by humanity when she fell into sin at the beginning. From that point forward, every time chaos increases it is a sure sign of God’s curse and disfavor and is the logical consequence of disobedience. Thankfully, God is not afraid of our chaos. He is not surprised by it nor is He helpless before it. Just as His Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning of time, so His Spirit still hovers over the chaos of our lives.

Consider our reading today and the chaos that plagued the northern kingdom of Israel because they refused to obey God in worship. King after king continued to serve the detestable idols set up by Jeroboam and come under God’s judgment. “This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning.” (1 Kings‬ ‭16‬:‭19‬ ‭NET) The result was chaos. Assassinations. Kings reigning for days before being destroyed. Entire families massacred. Bloodlines ended. It was a brutal and violent time. Sadly, I’ve seen similar dynamics in play in nations where there is no rule of law and corruption runs rampant.

Where are you experiencing chaos in your life right now? Chances are that area of your life is not aligned with God. It’s worth taking time to reflect and ask yourself where you may be following short. Praying and asking God to show you where you remain double-minded and half-hearted. It’s not always obvious but nothing remains hidden to the Holy Spirit if we will simply open up our hearts and minds to Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 17-19

Why it Matters - Revival

Readings for today: 1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16

Revival flows from repentance. The two concepts are intimately related in Scripture. In fact, you can’t have one without the other. When God’s people repent of their sins and turn from their wicked ways, God promises to respond. He promises to hear their cries and heal their hearts and restore their nation. Repentance is more than feeling convicted. More than feeling guilty. More than feeling the closeness of God’s Spirit. More than a spiritual high or emotional moment. It always results in godly action. The tearing down of the idols in one’s life. Freedom from addiction to sin. Seeking the righteousness of the Kingdom of God for ourselves and for our neighbors. Justice in our communities and nation.

Asa led a revival in Judah. Following the reigns of his father and grandfather who were half-hearted in their devotion to the Lord, Asa set a godly example for his people to follow. He trusted in the Lord with all his heart. He tore down the idols his people had made. He even removed his own grandmother from her position because she worshipped false gods. He called on God to lead him in battle against overwhelming odds. The result was revival. Many people coming from all over to join his kingdom. He placed the worship of the Living God at the center of his life and the lives of his people and it resulted in tremendous blessing. The land had peace for many years.

As Christians, we look for revival. We pray for revival. We long for revival. But revival flows from a repentant heart. A heart dedicated to God. A life sold out to God. There is nothing God can’t do with a person who fully surrenders to Him.

This week, I have the privilege of spending time with Hal Donaldson and his team from Convoy of Hope. They are a remarkable group of people dedicated to spreading the gospel through humanitarian relief and community development. They have grown from humble beginnings into one of the largest charitable organizations in the world. All because they keep their focus on serving Christ and serving the poor, the hungry, and the hopeless in our world. Hal will tell you his is the most unlikely of stories and yet God is doing a great work through him. In fact, I would argue that the revival of hearts and lives and communities that Convoy fosters is a great example of what happens when repentance gets put into action.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 15:25-34, 1 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 17

Why it Matters - Jealousy

Readings for today; 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 11-12

Throughout the Bible, an important question is consistently raised. Who do I serve? Do I serve God or do I serve myself? Do I serve God or do I serve man? Adam and Eve faced this question in the Garden. Will I serve God or will I seek to become like Him? Joshua challenged the people of Israel with this question as they stood on the cusp of the Promised Land. Choose this day whom you will serve. Either the Lord or the gods beyond the River. The kings of Israel were consistently challenged by this question. Would they serve God or their own self-interest? Would they remain faithful to God or would they serve the gods of the nations around them? Tragically, they far too often chose the latter.

Today’s reading introduces an important concept. Something we need to know and understand about God. He is jealous. Jealous for His name. Jealous for His glory. Jealous for the worship He righteously demands and rightfully deserves. Unlike human jealousy which is often rooted in pride and power and the need to control others, God’s jealousy is righteous and good. It is grounded in His holiness. It is reflected in His unique and perfect character. God is god and there is no other. He will not share His throne with any other. Be they gods or human beings. So when Israel seeks to live like the other nations, worshipping the false gods of the other nations, refusing to give God the glory He is due; He gives them over to those nations so they will learn the foolishness of their ways. “Yet they will become his subjects, so they can experience how serving Me differs from serving the surrounding nations.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬) God refuses to honor a divided heart. He refuses to bless divided loyalties. He lays claim over every square inch of creation and every square inch of every human heart. He will not settle for anything less.

Who do you serve? It’s a question worth pondering in your own life. What drives you? What motivates you? What gets you up in the morning? What gives you nightmares and wakes you up at night? Is it the Lord? Is everything you say and do submitted to Him? Do you find yourself seeking Him? Longing to serve Him and honor Him with your life? Or is God more of an afterthought? Peripheral to the everyday pursuits of your life? We are what we worship. Who we worship is the most important thing about us. it shapes and forms and fashions us and ultimately determines the direction of our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Listening

Readings for today: 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10

Listening is a lost art. A skill we no longer seem to possess. Whether you’re talking about spouses in a marriage, parents and children, supervisors and employees, different political parties, or church leaders in a denomination. All of us struggle to listen. Listening is different than simply hearing the words another person speaks. Listening involves seeking to understand. To place oneself in the other person’s shoes. To try to see things from their point of view. To sympathize with their concerns. It’s a skill I often have to teach couples and families in counseling. Similarly, I’ve found myself trying to help colleagues learn to listen as we navigate challenging discussions in our denomination. I honestly don’t know how successful I’ve been. Listening is hard work.

Among the many reasons for the split in the kingdom of Israel was Rehoboam’s failure to listen. He refused to listen to the concerns of his people. He refused to listen to the wisdom of the elders. He and his friends thought his power was absolute and he therefore could ignore the very real concerns everyone raised about the forced labor his father employed. After the kingdom splits, Jeroboam also fails to listen. He refuses to listen to God and creates an entire new religious system for the northern kingdom complete with golden calves, new shrines in Dan and Bethel, new religious festivals, and an entire new class of priests. This unwillingness to listen to God lays the groundwork for the end of his dynasty and becomes an ongoing problem for the northern kingdom.

Are you a good listener? An active listener? Do you not just listen to the words others say but the heart behind them? Do you seek to understand? Put yourself in the other party’s shoes? See things from their perspective? It could be God. It could be your spouse. A child. A parent. A friend. A colleague. How can you begin practicing the art of listening today?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 11-12

Why it Matters - Syncretism

Readings for today: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9, Proverbs 30-31

Syncretism is an ever-present danger. It is so tempting for us to merge our different belief systems or religious faith or socio-cultural understandings. We struggle remain faithful. Struggle to keep God first. Struggle to worship the Lord alone. We have all kinds of reasons. It could be fear. It could be expediency. It could be a desire for superficial unity. But the bottom line is we compromise. We settle. We accommodate and in so doing, we lose our distinctiveness. We lose our uniqueness. We lose our moral and spiritual center.

This is what happened to Solomon. He started so well. He was so humble. So faithful. So devoted. But as time went on, it seems like his fame went to his head. His desire to maintain peace caused him to sin. Instead of keeping the first commandment to worship God and Him alone, he builds shrines to false gods. The gods of the nations around him. The gods of the different kings he was making alliances with. Sure, he may have had all kinds of reasons. Some of those may even seem logical and rational. But these false gods led him astray. The results are devastating. For him. For his family. For his nation.

We live in a world full of all kinds of influences. Most of which are not good. Even evil. To allow such influences in our lives is to run the risk of syncretism. Worshipping the Lord but also worshipping other gods. The gods of pride, money, success, reputation, power, influence, you name it. Jesus is clear. The greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. All not part. Giving our full devotion to Him alone.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10

Why it Matters - Remembering God

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 7-12

Remember your Creator. This is the advice of the Teacher in the final chapter of Ecclesiastes. He recognizes - probably from his own life - our very human tendency to forget God in the midst of life. We forget Him when we are young. We forget Him when the sun is shining and times are good. We forget Him when we are strong and able. We forget Him when we are full of life and energy and without a care in the world. We forget Him when all kinds of opportunities are coming our way. We forget Him when we are at the height of our success and influence and wealth and power. And lest we think we are immune to this temptation, we need to remind ourselves Solomon was all these things and more.

The key is to fear God and obey His commands. But that’s easier said than done as well. Fearing God doesn’t come naturally to us. It must be trained if it is to be ingrained. It comes as a result of time spent every day with our Creator. It requires a weekly gathering with God’s people to reorient the self-centered desires of our hearts. It comes through intentionality as we allow others into our lives and share transparently with them so they can hold us accountable. These are the formational practices Christians have employed for centuries in some form or another in order to “remember their Creator.”

Furthermore, obeying God’s commands takes daily practice. We must meditate on His Word day and night so we know what He expects from us. We must memorize His commands so we can take them to heart. We must hide His Word in our hearts if we are to resist sin and take our stand against the evil one. After all, we cannot obey God’s commands if we do not know them. And we cannot know God’s commands unless we commit ourselves to studying them. So many people claim to know Christ but they have no idea how to follow Him. They claim to love Christ but seemingly have no interest in obeying Him. It must break God’s heart to see His children pursue a way of life apart from Him. Imagine the impact we could have on the world if we would remember God when we are strong and young and energetic and excited? Imagine what would happen if we would give God the firstfruits of our lives rather than the leftovers after we have primarily served ourselves? Imagine how different our lives would be if we gave God the best years of our life? We don’t have to imagine. We simply have to start right where we find ourselves today.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9, Proverbs 30-31

Why it Matters - Satisfaction

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 1-6

Satisfaction is the key to freedom. Contentment is the key to peace. Those who spend their days always looking for more will never have enough. This is true on many levels. Wealth. Possessions. Success. Accolades. Position. Power. As soon as we reach a particular level, we start looking at the level above us. Several years ago, I ran across some research that sought to define what it meant to be rich. The research was based on polling data in the United States. By and large, when people were asked what it meant to be rich, they typically would define it as somewhere in the neighborhood of making twice as much money as they did at the time. If they could just double their salary, then they would be rich. This measure seemed to hold true all the way up to those making around five million a year. Once you got to that threshold, then you would agree that you were already rich. The main takeaway from the article wasn’t the identification of a number at which point people could be declared “rich” as much as pointing out that most people tend to compare themselves to those who have more not less. They tend to look at what they don’t have rather than what they do have. They tend to focus on their lack rather than their abundance and it leads to dissatisfaction. I think this applies in many areas of life not just our finances.

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon writes, “As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.” (‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬) Clearly, dissatisfaction is an issue that transcends culture. It’s not just something we struggle with here in 21st century America though the consumerism that is rampant in our culture surely doesn’t help. It’s something human beings have struggled with since the beginning. And just like death itself is never satisfied, so our eyes are always wandering. Always looking for more. Always wanting more. Always desiring more. I’ve been all around the world and I’ve seen this dynamic play out. It cuts across all economic and social classes. And it creates all kinds of problems in our world. The disparities between rich and poor. The powerful and the powerless. The “in” crowd and the “out” crowd. These inequalities lead to all kinds of conflict and even violence in some places. But even if one is able to overthrow a social order, it only gets replaced with one reinforcing the same dynamics. There’s not a single human system - political, social, or economic - that has ever solved this riddle.

So what’s the answer? Christ. Only Jesus can truly satisfy. Only Jesus can truly set us free from our sinful wants and desires. As we fix our eyes on Christ, we find ourselves desiring more of Him. And as we desire more of Him, the things of this world fade into the background. Their hold on us begins to diminish. As the old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus and the things of this earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 7-12

Why it Matters - Righteous Impact

Readings for today: Proverbs 27-29

I am often asked why there is so much violence and suffering in the world. So much anger and hate. So much corruption and greed. So much injustice and oppression. My answer is always the same. Our world suffers from a lack of righteousness. What we are seeing and experiencing is the fruit of wickedness. It is the fruit of a way of life that leads to death. The fruit of a self-centered, self-absorbed society. A society obsessed with self-promotion and self-gratification. It is the seed of the original sin coming to full bloom. “You will be like god.” This was the original temptation and the human race continues to not only fall for it but actually embrace it with each succeeding generation.

Is there a way out of the mess we find ourselves in? Absolutely! But it requires us to embrace Christ. To believe in Jesus and obey His commands. It requires us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness rather than our own. I love how Solomon puts it in today’s reading. “When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2 NET) Nothing could be more obvious and true. When a critical mass of good and righteous and godly people live in a community or a nation, that society is blessed. When a critical mass of selfish and greedy and corrupt and wicked people live in a community or a nation, that society is cursed. Certainly this ebbs and flows over time and no society is perfect. There is always work to do. Always evil and wickedness to root out. But when one looks throughout history and throughout the world today, one can see glimpses of what such a society can and should look like. William Wilberforce bringing an end to the transatlantic slave trade. Hutus and Tutsis reconciling in Rwanda. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948. The creation of public hospitals to serve the poor and sick throughout the Roman Empire by Basil of Caesarea. The fight for universal suffrage by people like Susan B. Anthony, MLK, and Sojourner Truth. All of these are examples of what happens when the righteous come together to advocate for change. And all of these are the fruit from the same root which is the Christian faith.

There is nothing Christians cannot accomplish if they band together to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Our problem is that we too often focus on the latter half of that verse. We want to make sure “all the rest will be added unto us.” So we fight and squabble among ourselves for power and privilege and wealth and influence. Meanwhile, the world around us continues to burn and the lost among us continue to lose hope and the least resourced among us continue to struggle. If only we could take our focus off ourselves and put it on Christ where it belongs. Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and do all we can to faithfully follow Him. Give all we have and offer all that we are in service to His Kingdom. Relinquish our will and our desires and our preferences and our desire for comfort so we might serve Him. What does it look like for you to prioritize God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness in your life today?

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 1-6

Why it Matters - Example

Readings for today: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

There is nothing more powerful than a godly example. Godly parents setting an example for their children. Godly grandparents setting an example for their grandchildren. Godly employers setting an example for their employees. Godly pastors setting an example for their churches. Godly political leaders setting an example for their people. We tend to admire godly people even if we don’t always agree with their beliefs. Their manner of life and humility and willingness to serve is applicable no matter if you are a person of faith or not. I think of the godly men and women I have known over the course of my life. They come from all different backgrounds and life experiences. Some of them were highly educated and some had little formal education. Some were very wealthy and some didn’t have much in the way of material resources. Different ethnicities. Different nationalities. Different languages. I have been blessed by a diversity of godly mentors and friends.

At the beginning of his reign, Solomon set a godly example for Israel. “Then Solomon offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar of the Lord which he had built in front of the temple’s porch. He observed the daily requirements for sacrifices that Moses had specified for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and the three annual celebrations - the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Temporary Shelters.” (2 Chronicles 8:12-13 NET) He followed the prescribed way of life God had established for his people at Mt. Sinai and Israel flourished as a result. The Lord blessed them with great wealth and influence in the region. Most of all, the Lord gave them peace. Peace with their neighbors. Peace with their friends. Even peace with their historic enemies. This was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Solomon. “I have answered your prayer and your request for help that you made to Me. I have consecrated this temple you built by making it my permanent home; I will be constantly present there. You must serve with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. Then I will allows your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 9:3-5 NET)

Why is it so hard for us to follow God’s commands? Especially when He guarantees they are the path to an abundant life? Abundance in love. Abundance in joy. Abundance in peace. Abundance in friendships. Abundance in community. Abundance in resources. Abundance in success. This is not a “health and wealth gospel” nor is it “name it and claim it theology.” We cannot manipulate God, force His hand, put Him in our debt, or do anything else to make Him bend to our will and bless our selfishness and vain conceit. Rather, this is simply the reality of what it means to walk with open hands and an open heart before Him. As we walk in “integrity and sincerity” and authentically and passionately seek Him and His will for our lives, He blesses us. He honors those who honor Him.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Praise

Readings for today: Psalms 146-150

I didn’t sleep well last night. Too much on my mind. Too many things swirling around in my head. The significant conflict facing my denomination next week. The presentation I am making on the floor of the General Assembly and its potential to create even more anxiety in an already anxious meeting. The opportunities God is presenting to the church I serve which are many and varied and carry all kinds of potential but also risk. The opportunities God is presenting me as a leader in the different organizations I am currently serving. My oldest child moving back home with her partner and the wonderful opportunity we’ll have with all our kids in town to build great memories. Celebrating thirty years with my wife who is the greatest gift God has given me outside of His Son Jesus Christ. So much going on in my world right now! In addition, I think of all the needs I am aware of locally and around the world. The hard choices facing so many I love. The grief and pain they carry. The heartbreak and hopelessness. Every morning I wake up to texts, WhatsApp messages, and DM’s asking for prayer and it is a privilege to come alongside my brothers and sisters to intercede but it is often overwhelming.

What do I do when I feel overwhelmed? I praise. I turn to the Psalms like the ones we read this morning to remind myself to praise God for who He is and how He holds all of life - including my life - in His hands. The Psalmist faced all kinds of hardship in his own life. Life in ancient Israel was never easy. Even in the golden age of Solomon there were threats all around. But still the Psalmist praises God. Praise is a rehearsal of all God has done in our lives. It is a reminder of His great faithfulness to His people. His provision and protection of those He loves. When I praise, I find my attention directed heavenward. Above the cares and worries of this world. Above my anxieties and fears. Above the chaos and storms that may be raging all around me. Praise leads me to peace because I know God sits enthroned above it all. I know God is more than able to intervene on my behalf. I know God is good and He loves me and He will not shut His eyes to my pain or His ears to my cries. This is why praise is essential in the life of every Christian.

What would it look like for you to begin each day with praise? Praise for a new morning. Praise for new opportunities. Praise for new mercies. Praise for the breath you’ve been given. Praise for the life God has blessed you with. Praise for the many ways God has been faithful over the course of your life. Rehearsing these things to yourself on a daily basis is a rich spiritual discipline. One that guards and protects your heart against the corrupting influences of our world.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

Why it Matters - God’s Steadfast Loyal Love

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136

Hesed. It’s the Hebrew word for God’s eternal, faithful love. It is the love that delivered Israel from all her enemies. The love that established Israel in the land. The love that put David and his son, Solomon, on the throne. The Temple was built to be the embodiment of God’s eternal, faithful love. It was built to remind Israel of this love. It was built as a celebration of this love. It’s why, once the Temple was complete and the glory of the Lord filled the Holy of Holies, the people cried out, “Certainly He is good; certainly His loyal love endures!” (2 Chronicles 7:3b NET) It’s why the Psalmist composes Psalm 136 as a song of praise for God’s faithful love. I know sometimes we don’t like to sing songs with choruses that repeat over and over again but this didn’t seem to bother the Psalmist! Not when the subject was God’s hesed - God’s eternal, steadfast, loyal, faithful love!

In the Hebrew, hesed conveys a deep sense of connection. A faithfulness that will never end. It is eternal. It is forever. Nothing can break it. Nothing can defeat it. Not even Israel’s sin. Yes, God promises that if the people of Israel turn away from Him He will judge them with righteousness and send them into exile but when they repent, His faithful love will always bring them back home. Restore them to their former place. Return them to the Land and renew the covenantal relationship He has with them. The faithful love of God is why we can always hold onto hope. No matter how dark things get. No matter how hard things get. No matter what life may throw at us. God’s love never ends. God’s love always holds. God’s love never fails. As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “God’s love bears all things. Believes all things. Hopes all things. Endures all things. It never fails.”

So where do you find yourself today? What challenges did you wake up to this morning? What obstacles in your life are you working to overcome? What is the state of your heart? Are you following Christ or do you find yourself far from Him? Are you on the narrow road to salvation or have you taken a step off onto the wide path that leads to judgment? No matter where you find yourself, know that God loves you and is waiting for you to repent and turn back to Him. He is waiting to welcome you not with condemnation but with His eternal, faithful love.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 146-150

Why it Matters - Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Kings 7-8, Psalms 11

All Scripture is God-breathed. All Scripture is God’s Word. All Scripture carries divine weight and authority. However, I do believe there are some Scriptures worth coming back to time and again. Some Scriptures that are particularly useful and instructive for us as believers. The prayer of Solomon is one such Scripture. It is a powerful prayer combining themes of praise, petition, confession, mission, and hope for Israel’s future. It’s a model prayer worthy of emulation in our own lives. When I am struggling in prayer, I find myself coming back to Solomon’s words for inspiration and renewal. It keeps my prayers from becoming self-absorbed with anxiety and worry. It directs my attention upward and outward rather than purely inward. I commend to anyone seeking a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Solomon begins with praise. He praises God for His uniqueness. He praises God for His covenantal faithfulness. He praises God for His steadfast love in fulfilling His promises. God alone is worthy of our praise. He alone is worthy of all honor and glory. He deserves our full attention. He deserves our single-minded devotion. He alone is to be worshipped for He has created all things and He sustains all things and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. But He is not just transcendent. Not just a divine potentate. He is a loving Father who sits on the throne and who guards our lives and watches over us in love. This is why we praise Him.

Solomon continues with petition. He brings His requests before the Lord full of confidence. He knows God will deliver on His promises. He knows God is faithful. He is fully convinced God is able. There is nothing like petitioning God in full faith. Nothing like coming before the Lord with a confident heart, knowing we will find mercy and grace and help in our time of need. It may not come in the way we would expect. God may have greater plans than us. Different plans than us. But His lovingkindness never fails. His mercies are new every morning. And if we walk with open hands and an open heart before Him - as Solomon does - His promise is He will provide.

Solomon offers seven confessions and requests for forgiveness. He covers a range of topics. Everything from false accusations to military defeat to drought and famine to the general sins of God’s people as they turn from the Lord and go astray. The time will come. The time will come. The time will come. It’s a repeated refrain. An acknowledgement that God’s people are not perfect. They will fail and fall. They will need God’s forgiveness in the future. They will need God’s Spirit to move them to repentance. They will experience God’s discipline as He corrects them and draws them back to Himself. He calls on God to be just and righteous. He calls on God listen from heaven. He calls on God to forgive sin and heal their land.

Solomon turns the focus of his prayer outward in mission. He calls on God to recognize the foreigner who come seeking Him. Gentiles who are not part of God’s chosen people. Pagans who hear about God’s mighty deeds and God’s righteous reputation who will come to pray to Him. He calls on God to hear their prayers so that the nations of the earth will acknowledge His Lordship and turn to Him just as God’s people have turned to Him.

Finally, Solomon ends his prayer with hope. Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is not blind faith. Solomon grounds His hope in God’s faithfulness. He asks God to continue to be attentive to His people, hear their prayers and cries for help, and respond to them. He grounds His hope in God’s election of Israel. God chose them out of all the nations of the earth to bear His great name, to be His special possession, His chosen race, and a royal priesthood. Solomon knows His hope will not be in vain because it rests on God’s promises.

What an incredible model for us to follow! I would encourage you to begin using this framework for prayer in your own life and see what happens. God is still faithful, friends! He still answers prayer! He is with you and He longs to have the same relationship with you that He did with Solomon.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 4-7, Psalms 134, 136