True Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Kings 8, Acts 7:51-8:13, Psalms 129, Proverbs 17:1

The prayer of King Solomon at the dedication of the Temple is one of my favorites in all of Scripture. It’s serves as a great model for us as we think about our own prayer life. It begins with an ascription of praise for who God is and a recognition that He is utterly transcendent. 

"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:23‬) Solomon acknowledges the greatness of God. His majesty. His glory. His splendor. He is not just one among many gods. He is alone is the true God of the heavens and the earth. He is also a God defined by faithfulness. Eternal loyalty. Steadfast love for His covenant people who are the humble recipients of His blessing. This attitude is truly the starting point of prayer. Prayer must begin with an understanding of who God is and who we are. We are not the same. We are not on the same level. God is the shepherd and we are the sheep. God is the potter and we are the clay. God is the king and we are his servants. Prayer place us in a humble position before the Lord. This is the ONLY posture one can take when we come before God in prayer. 

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:27-28‬) As we come humbly before the Lord, we are assured of His promise to hear us. To listen. To attend to our prayers. God hears every word. Every cry. He sees every tear. He knows the secret thoughts of our hearts and He delights when we bring those before Him openly and honestly. Solomon makes it clear that the Temple’s primary purpose is to serve as a house for prayer. A place where Israel can come before God and lay their requests before Him. 

God not only listens to our requests, He also hears our confession. Throughout this prayer, Solomon acknowledges the inescapable reality of sin. It is ubiquitous. It is endemic. It is simply part of who we are as God’s people. So when a man or woman sins. When God’s people sin collectively. Whether against neighbor or friend. Through systems of oppression or abuse. When Israel suffers defeat at the hands of their enemies or the rains are shut up in the heavens or famine strikes the land. In those moments, if Israel will humble themselves and pray and seek God’s face, God promises to hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. He promises to “hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know...” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:39‬)

God will do all these things in such a way as to make His name great upon the earth. Even in Solomon’s prayer, there is a missional, outward-facing component.  "Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.” (1 Kings‬ ‭8:41-43) God desires to fill the earth with His glory. Israel is called to serve this very purpose. In the way Israel orders her life and faithfully serves her Lord, she will be a witness to the nations and to all of creation of the steadfast love of God. 

You can see why I love this prayer so much! As I said above, it is a great model for us to follow in our own lives as we ponder and reflect on our relationship with God. Because of Christ, Christians have access to the Father in ways Solomon, in all his wisdom, could never have imagined! Because Christ sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us continually, the door is always open. The way to the Holy of Holies always clear. We have a standing invitation to come before our Heavenly Father with the blessed assurance He will always listen. When you pray, pray with this eternal promise firmly fixed in your mind and heart. 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 9-10, Acts 8:14-40, Psalms 130, Proverbs 17:2-3

Building with God

Readings for today: 1 Kings 7, Acts 7:30-50, Psalms 128, Proverbs 16:31-33

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain. Unless the Lord establishes our steps, we will stumble and fall. Unless the Lord has commissioned our work, it will fall apart. Unless the Lord is with us, our ways can never be pure.

I am still thinking about the Psalm we read from yesterday. Especially as I read ambitious building projects Solomon undertook. He spends seven years building the Temple of God. This glorious building that would become the beating heart of Israel for generations. Then he spends thirteen years building his own house which includes these different halls where he will conduct the business of the nation. The people labor for twenty long years to bring Solomon’s vision to pass. It is a mighty work. It is a hard work. On some level it is the Lord’s work. (Though one wonders why Solomon spent twice as long building his own house as he did the Temple of God?)

What work is God doing in your life? What “house” has He called you to build? I distinctly remember a period of time in my own life where I made my own plans. I tried to build my own house without the Lord’s blessing. I remember my mentor, Steve Haynes, telling me, “Doug, I want you to remember something as you go to Wisconsin. You are not going to plant a church. You are going to get involved in what God is doing. Whatever church comes out of it will simply be a byproduct of you joining the Lord in His work in your city. Don’t ever forget this!” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I did. Steve was trying to keep me from making a massive mistake. He was trying to keep me from putting the cart before the horse. From getting out in front of God. But in my arrogance and pride, I thought I had it figured out. My way was pure in my eyes. How could it get any more pure than planting a church for Jesus? My heart had already put together a plan but I failed to grasp that it would be the Lord who would establish my steps. And when it came time for the Lord to weigh my spirit, I was found wanting.

It is so easy for us to fall into this trap. To “assume” because we are doing God’s work. Because we are engaged in ministry. Because we are taking care of our families. Because we are having success. Because everything we touch turns to gold that somehow God must be pleased. So we keep making plans. We keep dreaming dreams. We keep doing our thing and we forget all about God. We rarely consult Him. We rarely ask Him what He thinks. We rarely bring our plans before the Lord in prayer. Except when things go wrong, of course! When we run into barriers. Roadblocks. Failure. Then we cry out to God. What happened? Why me? What went wrong.

There’s a wonderful spiritual practice called the daily examen. It is the simple practice of bringing the details of our day before the Lord morning and night. Each morning when we wake up, we take our schedule of activities to God in prayer. We pay close attention to our hearts as we do. What makes us anxious today? What brings us peace? What are we excited about? Why? What causes fear? As we bring those things to God, we ask Him to bring consolation. To lead and guide us. To give us wisdom. And then at the end of each day, we repeat the exercise as we look back. What went well? What was hard? Where did we sense God’s abiding presence? Where did He feel absent? Why? What did we learn? It doesn’t take that long and yet it can make a huge difference in helping us understand the difference between asking God for His plan or asking God to bless our plan for our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 8, Acts 7:51-8:13, Psalms 129, Proverbs 17:1

The Power of Wisdom

Readings for today: 1 Kings 3:3-4:34, Acts 6, Psalms 126, Proverbs 16:26-27

 “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." (1 Kings‬ ‭3:5‬)

Put yourself in Solomon’s shoes as you read today. You have a glorious vision of God. He literally bends the heavens to come down and enter your dreams as you sleep. He says to you, “What shall I give to you?” “What is it you want?” “Tell me your heart’s desire and I will make it happen.” What would you say? How would you respond? What would you ask for?  

Take a moment. Don’t let yourself respond too quickly. Let the Spirit search your heart as you ponder and reflect. What would you ask for? As you think, let me encourage you to get in touch with your deepest fears. We all have them. Secret fears we harbor in our hearts that we spend a lifetime running from or protecting ourselves from. So much of how we choose to live our lives is in response to primordial fears we all carry inside. Fear of failure. Fear of not having enough. Fear of being unsafe. Fears for our children or our children’s children. Fear of insignificance. Fear of disease. Fear of death. What do you think Solomon was afraid of? As a young man, he had just inherited a powerful kingdom in the Middle East. (Not the safest or calmest place in the world, especially back then!) He was surrounded by powerful neighbors with powerful armies. He faced enemies both at home and abroad. As fabulous as his wealth was, it was fleeting in the ancient world. It could be here today and gone tomorrow. There was no FCC to guarantee his money. His people were looking to him for guidance and wisdom. What if he failed? What if he couldn’t live up to his father’s incredible legacy? All eyes turned to him as he ascended the throne. Would he be able to hold it? Would he preside over a period of peace and prosperity or would the nation crumble under his leadership? What if famines struck? What if the rains didn’t come? What if harvests failed? Plagues struck his livestock? So much responsibility at such a young age! 

I imagine Solomon’s dreams were often filled with anxiety and fear. The pressure to perform had to be enormous. So when the Lord came to him with this question - “What shall I give to you?” - Solomon responds from the depths of his heart.  “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” ‭(1 Kings‬ ‭3:9‬) Centuries later, a man named James would encourage God’s people to pray a similar prayer. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James‬ ‭1:5‬) It’s a potent prayer. Transcending time and place and circumstance. Solomon is clearly not simply focused on the present or even the short-term. He knows the challenges he will face. He knows the years will weigh heavy. He knows there will be trials and tribulations and struggles and heartache. He knows all of this and so he asks for divine wisdom to make good decisions for the sake of God’s people. How selfless! How humble! How insightful! 

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches His disciples, saying, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew‬ ‭7:7‬) Isn’t that amazing? Essentially, Jesus is asking his disciples the same question He once asked Solomon. What is it you want? Ask and I will give it to you! Seek it out and I will show it to you! Be persistant in prayer and I will open the door for you. I will let you into my presence. I will answer all your questions. I will meet all your needs. I will give you what your heart desires. 

Wait a minute, you say! That cannot be true! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers that were never answered! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers that just seemed to bounce off the ceiling! We’ve all prayed lots of prayers and gotten the silent treatment - so we thought - from the Lord. So what’s really going on here?  What’s Jesus really saying? 

Jesus is no genie. We are not Aladdin with a magic lamp. Expressing to God our deepest desires and deepest needs is not the same as making three wishes! God probes the deepest recesses of our hearts.  Psalm 42:7 describes it like this, “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.” The Apostle Paul says it like this in Romans 8:26-27, “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” This is why Paul can say with confidence that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose! Because God responds to the deepest needs of the human heart. The needs we can’t give voice to. The needs we don’t want to admit to. The needs are most afraid to express. 

The most amazing thing about Solomon is that he’s in touch with his needs. He knows he is weak. He knows he is young. He knows he is immature. He knows he is unable to carry the burden that has been placed on his shoulders. He acknowledges all of this and his prayer therefore comes from that deep place within as he asks for divine wisdom to bear up under the challenges that will come. And God answers his prayers. “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore,”(1 Kings‬ ‭4:29‬) Are you in touch with your deepest needs? Have you spent time reflecting on your fears? Have you come face to face with your failure? Do you acknowledge your weakness and insignificance and are you willing to bring those needs before God? This, friends, is prayer. Humble. Heartfelt. Authentic. Real. Honest to goodness prayer. And such prayers God will NEVER dismiss or despise! Thanks be to God!

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 5-6, Acts 7:1-29, Psalms 127, Proverbs 16:28-30

Suffering for Christ

Readings for today: 1 Kings 1, Acts 4, Psalms 124, Proverbs 16:24

 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8-11‬)

Something very powerful takes place when we share in the sufferings of Christ. The Apostle Paul experienced it as did the Apostles Peter and John and the new believers in Jerusalem. Christians throughout the ages have experienced it in places like Russia, China, and Ethiopia. I have had the privilege of meeting many of them. Over the past ten years I have personally trained hundreds of church planters in the Horn of Africa. Many of them bear on their bodies the scars of the persecution they face on a daily basis. They’ve been threatened. Beaten. Shot. Stabbed. Imprisoned. Some of them have even died in the field. And still they go. When I ask them how I can pray over them, they never ask for personal safety but always for boldness to preach the gospel in the face of the opposition. It is deeply humbling and inspiring. 

I think about these men and women when I read Acts 4. I love the boldness of those first believers. Peter and John are arrested, imprisoned, and tried for preaching about the resurrection of Jesus. They were not among the elite. They had no wealth. No power. No education. They were just ordinary men whom God used to proclaim an extraordinary message. The gospel stirred up the city - as it always does - and threatened those in power - as it always does. So Peter and John were threatened. I imagine they were roughed up a bit as well. But they return home praising God for the opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ. They shared all that happened with their friends and went to prayer. They praised God for the persecution. Praised God for His sovereign will and plan. Praised God for the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. And they prayed for even more boldness. Even more courage. Even more strength to go forth and share. And God answered their prayers. The room in which they were praying began to shake as they were filled with the Holy Spirit and the gospel went forth with even more power from that day. 

What do you pray for when you come against opposition? What do you pray for when you experience suffering and hardship? What do you pray for when you are in pain? For most of us, I imagine we pray for relief. Healing. Safety. Comfort. These are not necessarily bad things to pray for but they certainly are not the most important things. The Apostle Paul experienced all these things and more in his life. He was mistreated, abused, left for dead. He gave up his home. His family. His livelihood. He sacrificed everything for the sake of knowing and serving Christ. And what did he gain in return? Christ. Peter and John and the early believers made similar sacrifices. They considered everything “rubbish” when compared to knowing and serving Christ. And what did they gain in return? Christ. What if - instead of safety and security - you prayed for boldness? What if - instead of comfort and peace - you prayed for courage? What if - instead of provision and protection - you prayed for God to use all that you are and all that you have for His Kingdom work in this world? What would your life look like if God were to answer such a prayer? 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 2:1-3:2, Acts 5, Psalms 125, Proverbs 16:25

Why, God?

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25, Acts 3, Psalms 123, Proverbs 16:21-23

There are so many stories I do not understand. So many things the Bible says that I do not get. I question. I doubt. I struggle. I fight. The cynicism in me wants to chuck the Bible across the room at times. Today is one of those days. Every time I read this story about God inciting David to sin and then turning around to judge him for it baffles me. Sure, I know what the Old Testament scholars say. They argue this is theological spin from the “court scribes” who are trying to make sense of what happened. They argue that the people of Israel were superstitious and took such a strong view of God’s sovereignty that when a plague is unleashed on the nation, they have to come up with some kind of theological rationale. All that sounds good but I’m not sure I buy it. 

I think the Bible says what it says. “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel...” I have spent many hours pondering what it must be like to be a totally holy God interacting with an unholy people. The Bible is clear that not one of us is righteous. All of us are corrupt. Selfish. Greedy. Lazy. We do not do the things we ought to do. We choose self-destruction over and over again. In the way we spend our time. In the food we eat. In the activities we pursue. Medical health professionals everywhere agree. The data is unequivocal. Furthermore, we often make choices that hurt not just ourselves but others. In the words we say. The actions we take. The anger and rage that boil up within. We are so prone to hate and violence. Again, medical health professionals everywhere agree. The data is unequivocal. It’s why I believe if there’s one doctrine in Christianity that is empirically provable, it is total depravity. Original sin. It impacts us all. 

If this is true - and I firmly believe it is - then it is truly wondrous God’s anger isn’t kindled against us...ALL. THE. TIME. He has every right to be angry at the way we treat our bodies. The way we treat others. The way we treat the world He has made. He has every right to judge us for our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. He has every right to condemn us for our inaction and unwillingness to love ourselves, others, and the world He has made in the way He demands. He is God. He is the one who made us. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is our Creator and we are living in constant rebellion against His sovereign will and plan. And the anger of the Lord does indeed break out against us at times. Especially against His people. Those called and set apart to reflect His glory in the world. Those whom He loves. Those whom He saves. God even uses Satan and evil and sin at times to do His bidding. Consider the case of Pharaoh, Job, Saul, or in this case, David. While I may not understand, God is righteous in His decision because David is an adulterer and murderer. Someone worthy of death. As are the people of Israel. None of them is innocent. Innocence is not a category one can apply to any human being. 

So where can we find hope? Only in God’s mercy. Only in God’s grace. I love the words from the Psalmist today. “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.” (Psalms‬ ‭123:1-3‬) Without God, we are helpless and hopeless. Lost and doomed to wander in darkness. Our strength will fail. Our willpower is not enough. Our self-discipline will crumble. We have nothing. We bring nothing. We offer nothing back to God. Thankfully, He doesn’t need anything from us and out of unconditional love offers everything to us in Christ. He takes our place. He is punished on our behalf. He pays the price for our sin. He bears the full weight of God’s wrath and judgment. He endures. He suffers. He dies. And God’s justice is satisfied. The work is finished. Recompense has been made. Forgiveness is now extended. All I can do is pick my Bible back up and praise God for His amazing grace that saved a wretch like me. 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 1, Acts 4, Psalms 124, Proverbs 16:24

An Amazing God

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 22:1-23:23, Acts 2, Psalms 122, Proverbs 16:19-20

I once attended a prayer luncheon where the keynote speaker shared his testimony. Brought up Communist, he became a rising star and leader in a student revolutionary movement in college. His influence became dangerous which led to him leaving his studies to hide out in the mountains of his country. There he continued to draw followers until he and his small group of friends had amassed an army of 150,000. They engaged in guerilla warfare for a number of years until they eventually invaded the capital city and overthrew their own government. He became Prime Minister. For five years he held his position until he eventually was betrayed by his close friend and imprisoned on crimes of corruption. It’s tough to know what’s true and what was politically motivated but in the man’s own words, “he was the chiefest of the chiefs of sinners.” He was a man of violence. A man who lived with a gun in his hand. He was a man of power. A man who enjoyed exercising authority over others. He was a man of great appetites. Using his power and influence to gratify his own desires. His end came as swiftly as his rise to power.

Because of his great influence, he was put in solitary confinement for years. No bed. No toilet. No place even to wash his hands. He suffered tremendously. He was lonely. He was afraid. One night, he had a vision. Jesus appeared to him. Offered him release in exchange for belief. He didn’t answer right away. Things got worse. In the depths of his pain and heartache, he cried out for Jesus’ return. The next night, the vision came back and this time the man got on his knees. He gave his life to Christ. Everything changed. 

As I listened to this man’s testimony, I was reminded of King David. David too was a man of violence. A man who was raised from a young age to a position of power and influence. A man who used that power and influence to gratify his own desires on more than one occasion. David too was a man of great contradictions. Capable of amazing love and generosity and grace in one moment and brutal, horrifying, seemingly capricious violence in the next. And now here he is at the end of his life still composing praise songs to God!

What are we to make of such a man? Wrong question. What are we to make of such a God? A God who would love a man like David? A man like the one I heard recently? A man like me? We are all people of great contradictions. All of us are capable of great good and great evil. Capable of great beauty and great ugliness. Capable of amazing acts of generosity as well selfish acts of greed. Perhaps this is why David kept writing his poetry? Perhaps he knew this truth deep down? Despite all his sin. Despite every mistake. Despite the people he had hurt along the way. David’s confidence was in the Lord.

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” (2 Samuel‬ ‭22:2-4‬)

Where is your confidence today?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25, Acts 3, Psalms 123, Proverbs 16:21-23

Gathered Worship

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 20:14-21:22, Acts 1, Psalms 121, Proverbs 16:18

Psalms 120-134 are called the “Psalms of Ascent” in the Bible. Many believe these were the songs Israel sang as they ascended to Jerusalem to keep the three annual festivals detailed in Deuteronomy 16. They are songs of worship. Songs of praise. Songs of thanksgiving. They express the deep gratitude the people feel towards God for all He has done for them. They sing them together. They sing them as they gather. One can almost imagine thousands coming to Jerusalem all singing these songs with one voice. It must have been a powerful, moving scene. In addition, many scholars believe these were the songs Israel sang at different high points in their history like the dedication of Solomon’s Temple or the rebuilding of the walls during Nehemiah’s time. Over and over again, Israel returned to these psalms to express their faith and trust in God.

Christians have built on this tradition of worship. Many churches throughout the world sing these psalms in worship. The Eastern Orthodox Church sings these psalms every Friday during Vespers. The Roman Catholic Church in the west schedules these psalms to be sung during daily prayer. The goal is to remind Christians we are on our own pilgrimage to a Heavenly Jerusalem and these psalms build the spiritual intensity of the worship service as we prepare for the reading of the gospel. It’s a powerful thing to experience.

These psalms are favorites among believers. We love the language of God protecting us. God guiding us. God providing for us. God helping us. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms‬ ‭121:1-2‬) “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” (Psalms‬ ‭123:1-2‬) “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalms‬ ‭125:1-2‬) Something happens to us when we gather together to sing these praises. Something transformative. Something life-changing. We are encouraged. We are strengthened. We are blessed by the experience of being in God’s presence together.

This is the essence of corporate worship. This is why gathering weekly with a community of believers is so vital to the Christian faith. Yes, I know many of us worship Jesus daily on our own. Yes, I know many of us experience Jesus profoundly as we hike or hunt or spend time in nature. But neglecting the worship of God with the people of God places us at risk. It places us out of step with thousands of years of Christian history. It places us out of step with the will of God as revealed in Scripture. It’s frankly arrogant and prideful and foolish to claim we don’t need the church. God loves His bride. God loves His children. God loves having His family together. God loves hearing His people sing. God loves meeting His people in the sacraments. God loves teaching His people through His Word. Jesus said,  “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them." (Matthew‬ ‭18:20‬)

It is getting harder and harder for Christians to commit to weekly worship. There are so many demands on our time, it is easy to compromise. It is easy to give ourselves a pass. It is easy to assume we can get to it later. But when we privilege other things before corporate worship, we are in grave danger of placing these things above God. We cannot “put God first” and neglect corporate worship. The reality is we cannot love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength without giving Him the worship He deserves and the worship He demands.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 22:1-23:23, Acts 2, Psalms 122, Proverbs 16:19-20

Loving Jesus More...

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 19:11-20:13, John 21, Psalms 120, Proverbs 16:16-17

 “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" (John‬ ‭21:15‬)

It’s THE defining question of our age. The fundamental question of our existence. It separates the follower of Jesus from the fan. The true believer from the casual. And eternity literally rides on our answer. Do we love Jesus more? More than anything else in our lives? More than out possessions? More than our family? More than ourselves? Essentially a restatement of the First Commandment - Thou shalt have no other gods before Me - and Jesus’ own summary of the Law - You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength - Jesus’ question cuts right to the heart of our faith. Do we truly believe in Christ? Are we truly a follower of Christ? If so, we will seek to love Jesus more than anything else in our lives. We will place Him first. We will prioritize our relationship with Him above all other activities and responsibilities. We will make become like Him our primary goal in life. 

Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? Do you love me more than this world? Think about all you have seen in the last three years. Think about the miracles you’ve witnessed. Do you remember when I healed your mother-in-law? Remember when I cast out all those demons? Remember when I raised the dead? Those were signs, Simon, of a new world. A new Kingdom. My world coming into your world. Do you remember standing on top of the mountain and seeing Me in all My glory? Transfigured before your very eyes? The veil between your world and mine grew thin in that moment. Do you remember all I taught you about my world? About love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control? These are the ways of the my world. And what I want to know is do you love my world more than you love your own? Do you love my ways more than you love your own? Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?

Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? Do you love Me more than your old life? Look around you. Does any of this ring a bell? Do you remember this is the very place I found you. The very place I first called you. Do you remember you’d been fishing all night and were tired. And I asked you to take me back out again. Cast out your nets. See what happens. You did what I asked though I could tell you thought I was crazy. And you brought in such a catch that your nets began to break and your boats began to sink. In that moment, you caught a glimpse of who I was. The Lord of heaven and earth. So when we got to shore and I asked you to give up everything and come follow Me…you did. Now I’m asking again. Do you love Me more than these? More than this old life? More than the boats and the nets and the fish? More than what’s familiar? More than what’s comfortable? More than what you know? Do you love Me more than your home? More than your business? More than your lifestyle? More than your community? Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?

Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? More than your family? More than your closest friends? More than these other disciples who are here with you? This isn’t a competition. I’m not asking you to be the best disciple or the first disciple or the most devoted disciple. I’m not asking you to stop loving them or loving your family. I am simply asking if you love Me more? Do you love Me supremely? Do you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Do you love Me above everything else in your life including your closest relationships? Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?

Such a challenging question. As I said, it cuts the heart of who we are and what we love. You see, friends, Jesus demands that we love Him more than anything else in our lives. More than this world. More than the things of this world. More than our jobs. More than our lifestyles. More than our town. More than our neighborhood. More than our closest friends. More than our kids. More than our spouses. More than we love ourselves. And this is the secret to the Christian life. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. Lose your life for my sake and you will find it. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and then you will be able to love your neighbor as yourself. Everything starts with the love of God. Everything flows from the love of God. Everything has its source in the love of God. You want to have the best marriage? Love Jesus more than you love your wife or husband. You want to be the best parent? Love Jesus more than you love your kids. If you’re single, do you want to be the best friend or future spouse you can be? Love Jesus more. You want to be the best employer or employee? Love Jesus more than your work. You want to be the best neighbor? Love Jesus more than you love your community. You want to be the best person you can be? Love Jesus more than you love yourself. Do you want true peace and contentment? Define your life by Jesus. Align your life with Jesus. Ground your identity in Jesus. Loving Jesus supremely allows us to love others and other things appropriately. Loving Jesus first allows all our other loves to fall into their proper place. So make Christ your greatest treasure. Love Him more than these...

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 20:14-21:22, Acts 1, Psalms 121, Proverbs 16:18

Failure to Forgive

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:10, John 20:1-31, Psalms 119:153-176, Proverbs 16:14-15

There are consequences when we fail to forgive from the heart. Consequences when we fail to reconcile. Consequences when we fail to follow God’s will and seek to restore broken relationships. The impact of those consequences tend to be commensurate with the authority and power and influence we wield. So a parent who refuses to take this step with their child can impact future generations. An employer who refuses to take this step with employees can cost a company. A pastor who refuses to take this step can disrupt a congregation.

David was a king. A man who held the power of life and death in his hands. A man whose authority was supreme and final. The impact of his decisions impacted not just him or his household but a nation. This is true not only in the Absalom narrative but also at other times in David’s life. There is a ripple effect to the decisions he makes. When he makes good and godly decisions, the nation is blessed. When he makes poor and ungodly decisions, the nation is cursed. As we’ve read the last few days, David’s refusal to execute justice when his daughter Tamar was raped creates a crisis in his family that eventually spreads to the nation. Absalom takes matters into his own hands leading to his exile. David brings him back but refuses to forgive him and restore him to his place. In his isolation, Absalom begins to conspire to steal the kingdom. David seems blissfully unaware as Absalom’s influence grows. He’s almost caught completely by surprise when the news finally comes and he has to flee for his life. The ripples grow as allegiances shift and new alliances are formed. Ahithophel sides with Absalom. Hushai with David. Joab goes with David so Absalom makes Amasa his new general. Abiathar and Zadok stay in Jerusalem as priests but remain loyal to David. Shimei curses David. Ziba makes his move to take over what’s left of the household of Saul. Everyone looking out for themselves. Eventually there is civil war. Absalom is murdered by Joab. Such is the chaos that happens when forgiveness and reconciliation are ignored. It leads to all kinds of brokenness, suffering, and pain.

We’ve all probably had this experience. A friend says something or does something that hurts. We refuse to forgive. Now the rest of our friends feel forced to choose sides. A marriage breaks up. Divorce papers are signed. Once again, friends and family feel forced to take sides. A business deal goes south. Partners split up. Lawyers are called to divide up the assets. Clients and customers are pressured to shift their loyalties. Seasons of ministry come to an end. Pastors are let go. Forced out in some cases. Congregations split. Such experiences are painful and never easy. Too many of us take the path of least resistance which is avoidance. Abandoning the relationships we once enjoyed because forgiveness is too hard. Reconciliation too much. The way of Jesus too difficult. 

And yet, His words continue to haunt us. Continue to push us. Continue to convict us. Forgiveness and reconciliation is ESSENTIAL to the Christian life. Face to face, coming to terms with our brothers and sisters is REQUIRED by Jesus if we are to call ourselves His disciples. We are not given any other options. Any other choices. Jesus wants His family to be unified not just in name but from the heart. 

“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us...For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭6:12, 14-15‬)

“Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew‬ ‭18:21-22‬)

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." (Mark‬ ‭11:25‬)

Think of the pain that could have been avoided had David listened to God. Think of the pain in our own lives that could be avoided if only we would listen to God. Who is Jesus calling you to forgive today?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 19:11-20:13, John 21, Psalms 120, Proverbs 16:16-17

The Courage of Christ

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 17, John 19:23-42, Psalms 119:129-152, Proverbs 16:12-13

 “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John‬ ‭19:28-30‬)

Most of the time I struggle to give Jesus His due. Mainly because I know He is both God and man, I often assume the things He accomplished - all of which are way beyond me - somehow were “easy” for Him because of His divine nature. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus stepped down out of heaven. He emptied Himself of His divine glory and power in order to become a human being. Everything He endured was hard. Everything He suffered was real. Judas’ betrayal hurt. Peter’s denial broke His heart. Every lash of the whip caused Him unbelievable pain. His trial and condemnation before those He came to save wounded Him deeply. I cannot fathom the pain He felt as He hung on the cross.  

It took an unbelievable amount of courage for Jesus to face His death. It’s why He agonized over it in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was afraid. He was terrified of what awaited Him. He didn’t want to go through it. He begged the Father to change His fate. But in the end, He submitted. He surrendered. Someone once said, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” I believe Jesus embodied this truth. As He hung on the cross, He refused to numb the pain by accepting the sour wine the Romans offered. He wanted to stare death and evil in the face with a clear eye. He wanted to drink the cup of wrath to its dregs and exhaust the power of the enemy. He wanted Satan to know He never ran. Never shrank. Never stepped back from His fate. This is why we call the cross a victory. This is why we believe death was defeated. Because Jesus - full of pain and heartbreak, his body torn to shreds - took on the full measure of the world’s sin and cried out, “It is finished.”  

I am in awe every time I sit and ponder what Jesus did on the cross. The death He died for me. How can it be? How can it be that God would die for me? Amazing love! Amazing grace! The courage it took for my Savior to suffer on my behalf! The bravery it took for Him to embrace His fate knowing what it would cost. The very idea that God would lay His life down for me in an act of extraordinary love! It is more than I can ever ask for or imagine. All I can do is fall on my face in worship. Fall on my knees before His throne. Give Him back all that I am and all that I have to use for His purposes in the world.  

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:10, John 20:1-31, Psalms 119:153-176, Proverbs 16:14-15

Learning to Love the Law

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalms 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John‬ ‭14:15‬) Jesus’ words. Simple. Plain. True. Not if you want to earn my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be good enough for my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be worthy of my love, keep my commandments. Simply, “if you love me, keep me commandments.” The reality is we cannot love Jesus and reject His commandments. We cannot love Jesus and reject His ways. We cannot love Jesus and reject the Law of God in our lives.

The other day I took my car into the shop. It keeps dying at random times like at stoplights and intersections. Not good! So they hooked it up to a diagnostic machine to see if they could determine the problem. The Law of God operates in much the same way. It serves as a diagnostic for what’s truly going on in our hearts. When we read God’s Word, do we find ourselves naturally wanting to obey? Do we find ourselves aspiring to be more than we are? Do we experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit and a deep humbling in our hearts for how far we have fallen short? Do we repent? Do we experience regret? A godly sorrow? Or do we avoid God’s Law? Do we reject God’s Law? Do we find ourselves dismissing God’s Law as antiquated? Irrelevant? Impossible?

We don’t know for sure who penned the words of Psalm 119 but there is a tradition that tells us David wrote this Psalm in order to teach Solomon the “ABC’s” of the spiritual life. (The Psalm is arranged in stanzas according to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.) David, as we know, was a “man after God’s own heart.” Why? Certainly, it had nothing to do with his behavior. Over and over again, David proved himself to be the chief of sinners. Just like you. Just like me. No, what set David apart was his great love for God’s Law. Despite his crimes. Despite his mistakes. Despite his failures. David never stopped loving God’s commands. Never stopped aspiring to them. Never stopped seeking to follow them all the days of his life. David’s love for the statutes, testimonies, and rules is expressed over and over again in this particular Psalm.

“Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart...”

“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!”

“In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches...”

“I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word...”

“My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times...’

“Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors...”

“I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭119:2, 10, 14, 16, 20, 24, 32‬)

Many Christians today claim to love Jesus and yet reject His commandments. They claim to love God and yet reject His Truth and His Way. They believe God’s laws are culturally bound and therefore useless in today’s world. They argue that God’s laws are biased, privileged, and mysoginistic. They argue God’s laws are too patriarchal and hierarchal and tyrannical. So they reject God’s Law. They reject God’s commands. They reject God’s ways. But this is pure hypocrisy. One cannot love God and NOT love His commands. Jesus doesn’t leave us that option. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 

Now it’s important to remember to distinguish between the ceremonial laws governing the worship life of ancient Israel. The civil laws governing the national life of ancient Israel. And the moral law which is timeless and eternal. Laws forbidding the eating of shrimp are NOT the same as laws governing sexual immorality. Laws forbidding the mixing of two fibers in clothing are NOT the same as laws governing violence and murder. David is addressing the moral law in Psalm 119 as is Jesus in John 14:15. These laws were put in place to teach us how to follow God faithfully. To live a godly and blameless life before Him. They were put in place to convict us when we fall short and instruct us when we seek wisdom. 

So do you follow David’s advice? Do you meditate on God’s law? Day and night? Do you love God’s commands? Believe they are what’s best for your life?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 17, John 19:23-42, Psalms 119:129-152, Proverbs 16:12-13

Living with Dysfunction

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalms 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

All families live with some level of dysfunction. Dysfunction occurs where unhealthy behavior (rage, addiction, abuse, neglect, etc.) is normalized, leading members of a family to make unhealthy accommodations rather than pursue repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Left unchecked, dysfunction leads destructive patterns of behavior that often impact generations as unhealthy coping skills are passed down from parent to child. Breaking generational cycles of sin is extremely difficult and requires incredible courage as well as sacrifice as dysfunctional family systems often violently resist change.

Consider the family of King David as the pre-eminent Biblical example of a dysfunctional family system. Of course, his situation was made much more complex by the cultural practice of polygamy which led to many children by many different wives and concubines, all seeking to ascend the line of succession. Dynastic considerations complicate what we read today but many lessons can be drawn that are helpful in our own lives. Amnon is the oldest son of David and heir apparent to the throne. As such, he has grown accustomed to power and privilege and simply taking what he wants when he wants it. His treatment of Tamar, his half-sister, is horrific in its own right but probably emblematic of how Amnon lives his life. Absalom is not much better. What begins as a noble desire to protect his sister from public shame ends in murder and a coup attempt against his own father. Who knows what prompted Absalom’s move against David but it clearly was pre-meditated and even assisted by some of David’s closest confidants. David doesn’t help matters much. As king, he should have punished Amnon for his crime but instead appears to give him a pass. Once Absalom takes matters into his own hands, David appears both relieved and appalled. He refuses to forgive and reconcile with Absalom which only isolates him further and divides the royal household. David chooses to ignore the growing conspiracy until its almost too late and thus has to flee into exile. His family shattered. His kingdom divided. His country on the brink of civil war.

I think of my own family system. We spent a few years in counseling together as we tried to break patterns of sin that have not only been passed down but reinforced by our own choices. I had to learn to deal with my anger issues. Wrestle with my own fears and failures and disappointments. I had to face the fact that I caused my children pain through the choices I made and in how I responded to the difference circumstances we had to face as a family. I had to take a long hard look at myself through Christ’s eyes and repent. Ask for forgiveness. And pursue reconciliation. It’s not easy. It requires humility and sacrifice. I have to relinquish my need for control. My need to protect my kids from the consequences for the choices they make in life. My need to project “success” to the world around me. I had to come to grips with the fact that my family is as broken as any and I am a major contributor to that brokenness because of my own sin issues. Honestly, it’s a painful journey. Then again, dying to self is always painful.

What about your family system? If your family’s story was included in the Scriptures, what would others see?  What failures? What successes? Would they see patterns of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation? Or would they see pride, neglect, abuse, addiction, and rampant conflict? Or perhaps a mixture of both? Where is Christ at work in your family right now? What areas do you need Christ to pay particular attention to in order to bring healing, wholeness, grace and peace? Are there particular family members you need to be praying specifically for? Who are they? What are the issues? How are you contributing to the pain? Ask Christ to help you chart a different path. One that leads to true transformation.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 15:23-16:23, John 18:25-19:22, Psalms 119:113-128, Proverbs 16:10-11

That They May Be One...

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 13, John 17, Psalms 119:81-96, Proverbs 16:6-7

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John‬ ‭17:22-23‬)‬

There is power in unity. There is power when God’s people abide in Him. There is power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. This power is not our own. It is a divine power. Tearing down every stronghold and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. Tearing down every dividing wall of hostility that stands between us and God, us and each other. It is the power of salvation for all who believe. It’s a power that regenerates hearts. Justifies our very being. Sanctifies our lives. It is a power to make those orphaned by sin into children of the Most High. This is the power of God.

Jesus knew this power. Jesus drew on this power. Jesus understood this power. He lived in close, deep, intimate communion with His Father His entire life and He drew on this power constantly to heal, forgive, cast out demons, calm storms. He drew on this power when He multiplied the loaves and fishes and turned water into wine. He drew on this power when He suffered. Died. And this same power was at work when He was raised from the dead. This is the power Jesus offers to those who follow Him. 

The gift Jesus offers us in Himself is beyond comprehension. He literally offers us the same power that created the universe. The same power that raised the dead. The same power that will one day bring all things together and make all things new. This same power is available to us through our relationship with Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This is why no weapon that is formed against us can stand! This is why no flaming arrows of the evil one can pierce the shield of faith! This is why we have nothing to fear! Because we abide in the Vine! We stand on the Rock! We drink from fountains of Living Water! 

But what does union with Christ look like? Agreement. Submission. Surrender. It requires us to take our lives. All our thoughts. All our words. All our desires and align them with Jesus. Make His will our own. Allow His Spirit to determine what is True and Noble and Right rather than continuing to do what is right in our own eyes.

As we draw close to Jesus, we will find ourselves drawing close to one another as well. The Body of Christ will discover a collective power in its unity that will make a huge impact on the world. I firmly believe this is the secret to the revival taking place in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Djibouti. Over 4,600 churches have been planted. Almost 600,000 lost people have been saved. God is changing the landscape in places like Gojo, Dire Dawa, and Borena. He is changing the landscape in Torit, South Sudan and in northern Uganda. He is just getting started in Djibouti and will move into Somalia in the next few years. All because believers in these regions have put aside their differences and come together as one in Christ. Does this mean they agree on everything? Absolutely not! Unity is not the same as unanimity! No, their unity comes from a deeper source. A spiritual source. A well that never runs dry. Their common faith in Christ!

I love the words of Psalm 133. How good it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity! It is like precious oil that overflows! Dew that drenches the mountains, bringing new life! There God commands His blessing…life evermore! In these fractured and divided times, the church has a great opportunity to show the world the power of the gospel in our unity with Christ and each other! May we answer the call of Jesus’ prayer!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalms 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

The Holy Spirit

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 12, John 16, Psalms 119:65-80, Proverbs 16:4-5

Today’s reading introduces us to the Holy Spirit. What some have called the “forgotten member of the Trinity.” Because of the materialistic nature of Western thought and our discomfort with anything supernatural, we often forget the Holy Spirit and the active role He plays in our sanctification and salvation. As Christians, we do not struggle to wrap our minds around the Father. The Creator of heaven and earth. We similarly do not struggle to understand the Son. The Savior of our souls. We do struggle to understand the Spirit. The One who comes to live with us and dwell with us and point us to Christ. And yet, the Spirit is so important! He is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that though He would ascend back into heaven, we would not be abandoned. Not left stranded in this world. Doomed to wander as orphans and strangers in this world. 

The Holy Spirit is sent to accomplish several things. First and foremost, He is the Helper. (John 16:7). His role is to encourage and assist believers in following Christ. How does He do this? “When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:” (John‬ ‭16:8‬) He operates as the “conscience” in the heart of every believer. He lets us know when we wander and stray. He tells us when we fall outside of God’s will. He brings us back in confession and repentance. He also leads us to righteousness. He doesn’t just show up when we do something wrong, He teaches us what is right and good and holy and pure.  He also reminds us all of God’s final judgment. An assurance for believers and a terror for unbelievers. 

The Holy Spirit also guides us into all truth.  He illumines God’s Word so that we may understand God’s ways more fully and seek to align our lives with Him. He gives us insight to see God’s activity all around us in creation. In the lives of those we love. Even in our own hearts. Sometimes He shows us what’s to come. Gives us a foretaste of heaven or a premonition of the future. Finally, and most importantly, “He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.”‭‭ (John‬ ‭16:14-15‬) The main job of the Holy Spirit is not to draw attention to Himself but to point us to Christ. I think this is one of the reasons He is so often overlooked. He never self-promotes but instead fulfills the will of the Father and the Son to glorify Christ above all things. 

Belief in the Holy Spirit is essential for every Christian. Learning to hear His voice. Tap into His wisdom. Follow His will is what leads us to sanctification. He is the One who makes us more into the image of Christ and surrendering to His will in our daily lives is the essence of what it means to be a disciple.  

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 13, John 17, Psalms 119:81-96, Proverbs 16:6-7

#MeToo

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 9-11, John 15, Psalms 119:49-64, Proverbs 16:1-3

It is estimated by the World Health Organization that 1/3 of women worldwide are victims of sexual abuse. A 2017 poll taken by ABC News and the Washington post reports that 54% of American women have reported receiving unwanted and inappropriate sexual advances, most of which is never addressed. The #MeToo movement first got started in 2006 when Tarana Burke used the hashtag in social media to draw attention to the struggle of women of color, particularly in underprivileged communities. However, it really gained steam when the allegations of Harvey Weinstein were first made public in 2017 and it has since spread like wildfire through all sorts of different industries. Hollywood. Media. Corporations. Government. And yes, the church.

The great heroes of the Bible have their own #MeToo moments. The story of David and Bathsheba is perhaps the most famous. David, flush with his success on the battlefield and drunk on his own power and privilege, decides to stay home rather than head off to war. As he stands on the roof, proudly overlooking all he has accomplished, he catches a glimpse of the beautiful Bathsheba bathing beneath him. He heart fills with lust. He covets this beautiful woman and who’s around to stop him? The army is off at war. Her husband is one of David’s mighty men which suggests David knew Bathsheba already. Perhaps this was a secret desire he’d been entertaining for years. He calls for her. Commands her to come. With her life on the line, she obeys and conceives a child from their one night stand. Now comes the coverup. David sends for Uriah but Uriah refuses to cooperate. So David orchestrates his murder.

It’s a horrible story. One we cannot and should not reduce to a morality tale. Bathsheba is raped. Uriah murdered. A child dies. All because of David’s insatiable lust and appetite for power. Left to his own devices, David might have gotten away with it. But God was watching. God is always watching. “For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.” (2 Samuel‬ ‭12:12‬) God sends Nathan the prophet, David’s own brother you’ll remember, to confront him. Nathan risks his life to stand up to David. Expose his sin. Call him out.

Frankly, we need more Nathans in our world. Courageous people who are willing to stand up to power expose sin. Women and men of conviction who refuse to tolerate any form of abuse. For far too long the church has protected men who abuse and those who protect them. High profile cases in the Roman Catholic Church are matched with similar high profile cases in the Protestant world such as the Sovereign Grace scandal or the allegations made against Bill Hybels and Willow Creek. In a social media world, there is no longer any place to hide which is a very good thing. The stories must be heard. The cries for justice must be satisfied. The truth must come out. These women are our sisters in Christ. They sit in our pews every week. They serve in so many ways. They give so much of themselves. We must listen. We must believe. We must act on their behalf. 

Judgment begins at the house of the Lord.  (1 Peter 4:17) We must clean up our own mess first before we dare to speak out to the culture around us. We must safeguard and protect. We must be honest and transparent. We must implement healthy systems of accountability. Real lives are at stake and we must not fail. 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 12, John 16, Psalms 119:65-80, Proverbs 16:4-5

Building for Success

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 7-8, John 14:15-31, Psalms 119:33-48, Proverbs 15:33

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalms‬ ‭127:1‬)

One of the things I struggle with the most is my desire to be successful. To make my life count. To do something significant. To strive to be the best. These are values ingrained in me from an early age. They are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. The problem is I too often let these good things become ultimate things in my life. I start to pursue success at the expense of my relationship with God or those I love. I focus on the future rather than finding contentment in the present. I covet what I don’t have rather than be thankful for what I do have. 

About a year or so ago, the Lord spoke to me during a time of prayer. It wasn’t an audible voice or a lightning bolt from heaven or anything like that. It was simply an impression in my heart. A feeling in my gut. A few random thoughts in my head that suddenly coalesced into a message I needed to hear. It was a short message. Three simple words. Obscurity. Anonymity. Insignificance. I was journaling and these three words started ringing over and over again in my head. Obscurity. Anonymity. Insignificance. Over the years I’ve learned to pay attention to these kinds of things in my prayer time so I sat back from my keyboard and asked the Lord to give me further insight into what He was saying. God said, “I want you to labor in obscurity. Embrace anonymity. Pursue insignificance.” To be honest, my first thought was, “Wait a minute! That doesn’t sound right! Frankly, it sounds unAmerican!” God’s answer? “Exactly.” :-) 

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” King David has a desire to build God a house. It’s a godly desire. A good desire. One that is affirmed by Nathan the prophet. But it is not the Lord’s will. “But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, "Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?...'Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel‬ ‭7:4-5, 8-13‬) I love how God flips the tables on David here. It is not David who will build God a house but God who will build David a house! It is not David who will make His own name great but God who will make David’s name great!

Unless God builds the house. Unless God builds David’s house. Unless God builds our house. We all labor in vain. This was the message God was sending me during my devotional time. I was spending so much energy working so hard to be successful. To stand out among my peers. To be faithful to God. And yet all the while God was calling me to rest. To trust. To stand back and let Him do the “building” of my life. Let Him guide and direct my path. Let Him have the glory for the success I was seeking to achieve.

Over the last year, I’ve been learning more about the meaning of those three, God-given words in my life. 

• Obscurity - I love where I am. I love the people I serve. I love the team I get to serve alongside. We are not the largest or fastest growing or most “successful” church but we are a family. We serve God faithfully. We are producing gospel-fruit on a regular basis. Lives are being changed. People are being transformed. It is awesome to be part of!
• Anonymity - I am released from the pressure to perform. To succceed. To self-promote. No one knows my name. This work isn’t about me. I love the fact that I don’t always have to be up front. Don’t always have to preach. Don’t always have to be in charge. I am simply one of the pastors at PEPC. 
• Insignificance - I am deeply aware of how truly insignificant my contributions to the Kingdom of God are in the grand scheme of things. The reality is I will be completely forgotten within a generation or so of my death. My own family won’t remember who I was or what I did. All my accomplishments and achievements will quickly turn to dust. And that’s okay. Because my significance is not found in what I do but in who God is and I am content simply to serve Him in whatever way He sees fit. 

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Where do you need to step back and let God build in your life? In what areas do you need to hand over the tools, stop working so hard, and let God take over? Whose blueprint are you operating from? Yours or God’s?

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 9-11, John 15, Psalms 119:49-64, Proverbs 16:1-3

Greater Things

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 4-6, John 13:31-14:14, Psalms 119:17-32, Proverbs 15:31-32

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John‬ ‭14:12-14‬)

This passage has always thrown me for a loop. Greater works than Jesus? Greater works than the Son of God? Greater works than the 2nd Member of the Trinity? Surely you jest, Jesus! Jesus healed. Jesus raised the dead. Jesus cast out demons. Jesus turned water into wine. Jesus calmed the storm. Jesus died for the sins of the world. How in God’s name can I be expected to do greater things than Jesus? 

My problem is twofold. First, I tend to read this passage “selfishly.” What I mean by that is I tend to assume Jesus is asking me to perform miracles in my own strength. According to my own wisdom. I look at my own resources. My own lack of faith. My own struggles and doubts and fears. And I naturally assume there is no way Jesus is serious so I dismiss what He has to say out of hand. Surely, I cannot do greater works than Christ! Jesus is asking the impossible!

Secondly, I tend to read this passage individualistically. I assume Jesus is talk to me as an individual. I am supposed to do greater works? I am supposed to perform miracles? Anything I ask for in Jesus’ name will be fulfilled? I forget I am part of a larger community. Something the Bible calls the “Body of Christ.” I forget that the people Jesus is addressing understood themselves “communally” not individually.  

What’s my point? When we read the Bible “selfishly” and “individualistically”, we run the very real risk of missing so much of the what Jesus is talking about. Jesus is not lobbing the ball back into our court as He heads to His Father. He promises to be with us always even to the end of the age. He promises the gift of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling presence of the 3rd Member of the Trinity. He promises we will be clothed with power from on high when the Spirit descends. This is not a power that arises from our own strength or the depth of our own faith. It comes to us as a gift from God. And as we exercise this faith. Praying in Jesus’ name. Praying in alignment with His purposes for our lives. Praying for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. His promise is sure. He will do it. He will accomplish it. He will work miracles and signs and wonders in and through us. 

That last word is key...us. This isn’t about me. It’s never about me. It’s always about us. Always about the community. The Body of Christ. The family of faith. God clothes us with power. God indwells us when two or three are gathered in His name. God equips us for His work in the world. God gives us gifts so that we can encourage and equip and empower one another along the way. God works through His church to bring His blessing to the world. Surely when one considers the impact of the church on the world over the last two thousand years, one can see the fulfillment of what Jesus tells Philip. We have indeed done greater works than Jesus! Not because we are greater but because we who have surrendered to His will have allowed His Spirit to work through us to bring blessing all over the earth. What Jesus began with 12 men has now impacted billions. And all this happened after Jesus ascended to His Father.  

You were created for more than you realize, friends! You are part of something larger than yourselves! God has a much greater plan for your life than your personal success! God wants to use you...and those you live in relationship with who love Jesus...to change the world! To declare the glories of the gospel to the ends of the earth! Imagine if all of us pooled all our resources. All our time. All our talent. All our treasure and put in service to proclamation of the gospel? Imagine the impact we could make! Here’s the good news! You don’t have to imagine it. You can see it already happening all around us as Christians gather together to fight injustice, serve the poor, visit the sick, love the incarcerated, and help those in need. Are you part of it? Good. Push yourself to take another step. Are you not yet engaged? What are you waiting for? Jump in and experience the joy of serving Christ alongside those who love Him! You were meant for greater things than you know! Trust the promise of God!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 7-8, John 14:15-31, Psalms 119:33-48, Proverbs 15:33

Servant Leadership

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39, John 13:1-30, Psalms 119:1-16, Proverbs 15:29-30

The greatest among you will be a servant. These are the words of Jesus and they run directly against our culture today. In order to serve, one has to be selfless. One has to be willing to put another’s needs above their own. Be it their spouse. Their children. Their co-workers. Their classmates. The poor. The sick. The hurting. One has to be willing to put aside one’s own needs, wants, and desires. Position, power, and privilege. One has be willing to listen. Learn. Love without strings.

This is the model Jesus gives us when he wraps a towel around His waist and washes His disciples’ feet. He took the position of the slave. The servant. The lowest of the low in order to serve those He loved. He washed their feet in humility. The Lord of the Universe not holding onto pride or privilege and instead relinquishing it all for the sake of both His friends and His enemies. We too often forget that Judas Iscariot was present throughout the Last Supper. His feet were washed. He too was served the bread and the cup. Jesus loved him to the end as much as He loved the rest of the disciples. 

We live in a self-centered world. We talk about self-protection. Self-care. Self-esteem. Self-help is a billion dollar industry. Self-proclaimed gurus use all kinds of media to promote their latest, greatest “secret” to a fulfilled life. But the fruit is rotten. Our society is more fractured than ever. People are more depressed than ever. People are more lonely than ever. Life is more unfulfilled than ever. It doesn’t seem to matter how many toys we buy. How much money we make. How many awards and accolades we receive. How many people we sleep with. It doesn’t seem to matter how many laws we pass or people we elect or organizations we launch. We cannot seem to grasp the simple truth that the more we focus on “Self”, the more we will despair. We will never measure up. Never satisfy all our desires. Never arrive at self-fulfillment. 

So what do we do? We follow the way of Jesus. The way of surrender. The way of service. The way of selflessness. Whoever loses their life will find it. Whoever gives up the world will gain it. Whoever denies “self” will find true acceptance. Jesus gave Himself away. He laid down His life so the whole world might be saved. He forgave freely. He embraced sinners. He loved even His enemies. If you want to know what a life of surrender looks like...look to Jesus. If you want to know what a life of service looks like...look to Jesus. If you want to know what a life of self-denial looks like...look to Jesus. He is literally the most joy-filled man who ever lived. He is the most peace-filled man who ever lived. On this everyone -from Buddhists to Hindus to New Age to Agnostics to Christians -seem to agree. Jesus found the secret to a truly fulfilled life. Maybe we should trust Him when He says His is the Way, the Truth, and the Life? 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 4-6, John 13:31-14:14, Psalms 119:17-32, Proverbs 15:31-32

Whose Glory do you Seek?

Readings for today: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11, John 12:20-50, Psalms 118:19-29, Proverbs 15:27-28

“Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (John‬ ‭12:42-43‬)

We love the glory of man. We love the honor, success, and accolades of this world. We love the power and privilege and position we achieve. We love the wealth and possessions we accumulate. We love to compare ourselves to others. To keep up with the Jones’. To compete for the trophies of this world. It may be in business where we seek to climb the corporate ladder. It may be in the home where we push our children to achieve all they can. It may be at school where we collect honors and awards for our academic success. It may be at the end of careers where we look back and recount the mountains we summited along the way. Yes, we love the glory of man.  

And for the glory of man, we too often sacrifice the glory of God. Living out our faith is costly. It requires sacrifice. Humility. Putting others before ourselves. It requires the greatest to become the least. The rich to become poor. The powerful to let go of their control. Living out our faith means taking all that we are and all that we have and putting it to use for God’s Kingdom. It means claiming the name of Jesus even though it may cost us a promotion. A friendship. Our reputation among our neighbors. Advancement at school. Living out our faith in some parts of the world costs a Christian their family and community. They are cast out and shunned much like the the people John references here in his gospel. The pressure to conform is incredible. And the temptation to seek the glory of man over the glory of God very real. 

We face this temptation on a daily basis. When a co-worker comes to you to gossip about another colleague. When a group of students tries to rope you in on their bullying. When your neighbors throw their parties with all kinds of booze and drugs. It’s hard to take a stand for Christ. It’s hard to have the courage to stick out from the crowd. To seek the glory of God over the glory of man. When your boss tells you professional advancement depends on you toning down your faith. When teachers at school make fun of Christians, calling them ignorant, intolerant, and bigoted. When neighbors no longer include you or talk to you because you are raising your children so differently. These are all very real situations faced by real Christians on a regular basis. We can get angry at the injustice of it all. We can shake our fists and let our frustrations get the best of us. We can play the victim and develop a “persecution complex.” Or we can simply recognize seeking the glory of God over the glory of men requires sacrifice. Requires us to give up honors and accolades and recognition in this world in order to obtain those things in the world to come.  

I have some dear friends who live in Muslim-dominated eastern Ethiopia. When they came to Christ, they were thrown out on the street by their family. Ostracized by their community. They lost friendships. Jobs. Homes. Even marriages and children. They were beaten. Thrown in jail. The temptation to backslide was real. The pressure to relinquish their faith to go home almost irresistible. But they persevered. Like the Apostle Paul, they considered the present sufferings of this world not worth comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in Christ. (Romans 8:18) They have given everything to follow Christ. To seek His glory above the glory of man. 

What about you? What have you given up? What is God challenging you to give up right now? Where will you have opportunities today to seek the glory of Christ above your own glory or the glory of man?  

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39, John 13:1-30, Psalms 119:1-16, Proverbs 15:29-30

An Egotistical God

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 29-31, John 11:55-12:19, Psalms 118:1-18, Proverbs 15:24-26

Recently I had dinner with someone who asked me why the Christian God had an ego. I asked him what he meant. He talked about how the God of the Bible seems overly concerned about His own glory. His own honor. His own fame. He demands too much from us. All our gold. All our wealth. All our time and attention. He wondered if God was co-dependent or insecure and said he could never worship a God like that. I asked him what would make God more worthy of worship in his mind? He answered with a laundry list of human needs - poverty, violence, drought, famine, etc. - that God could take care of and if He did, He would be more worthy of worship. 

It’s tempting to use God as a means to accomplish our own ends. Judas looked with disdain on the extravagant offering Mary gave to Jesus. The ointment she “wasted” on Jesus’ feet could have been sold and given to the poor. Surely Jesus didn’t need such extravagance? Surely Jesus didn’t need such devotion? Surely Jesus would side with Judas and rebuke Mary for her sin? He must have been shocked when Jesus instead turns and rebukes him. "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." (‭‭John‬ ‭12:7-8‬) Jesus knew the future. He knew what was coming. He knew Mary - however unwittingly - was anointing him for his burial. Her act of devotion was preparing Him for His death. All Judas could see was the immediate needs before him and even those were an excuse for him to line his own pockets. He was not focused on Jesus. Jesus was a means to another end for Judas and the same was true for all the disciples. They believed Jesus would restore the kingdom of Israel and they would be granted places of honor. None of them truly understood what was happening except for women like Mary. Women who were fully devoted to Jesus. Women who loved Him for who He was not just for what He could do for them. 

God is worthy of our worship. He is worthy of all our honor and devotion. He is worthy of the best we have to offer. Our gifts. Our time. Our talent. And yet how many of us see God as a means to another end? Perhaps we see Him as the means of blessing in our own lives and so we give and serve with the expectation that we will get something in return. Perhaps we see God as the means of solving the world’s problems and so we serve with the expectation that God will relieve human suffering and pain. Perhaps we see God as the means of eternal salvation so we raise our hand. Pray our prayer. Check the boxes and then go about life as usual assuming we’ve got our “get out of hell” free card. Friends, God will not allow Himself to be used. He will not be reduced to some genie in a bottle. He does not exist to serve us. We exist to serve Him. We exist to love Him. We exist to worship Him. This is why we were created and it is why Jesus affirms Mary. She saw Him clearly whereas Judas did not.  

God doesn’t have an ego. He doesn’t need us. He lives in perfect communion with Himself - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The great news is that He wants us to share in His life. He invites us into relationship with Him. He loves us and reaches out for us and longs to draw us close. There will always be problems in this world. The poor. The hurting. The suffering. God never intended this world to be this way and in fact, He is preparing a world for us where all tears will be wiped away and sin and death will be no more. He sees more and knows more than we do so perhaps a little humility is in order? Perhaps God is God and we are not? Perhaps He knows what’s best for us and it transcends the needs of this present world? 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 1:1-2:11, John 12:20-50, Psalms 118:19-29, Proverbs 15:27-28