No More Curse!

TODAY'S READING: Rev. 19, 20, 21, 22

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 22:3
³ No longer will there be any curse.

OBSERVATION: This one simple verse sums up for me the hope and joy of the book of Revelation. There will no longer be any curse of sin, sickness, sorrow or pain; no cruelty or selfishness that hurts others. How incredibly marvelous! That promise is worth striving for and something worth the "sacrifices" I have to make here on earth to obtain. Of course, the sacrifices I have to make are simply learning to crucify my sinful nature and live according to the power God gives me to live a holy life. It's practice for the kind of living I will be doing in heaven. But there, I will no longer have the struggle I have here, because my sin nature will be taken out of me. Oh, hallelujah!!! That will be glorious! No more struggle. Peace at long last.

APPLICATION: I need these scriptures. I need to be reminded of the goal of my faith and the reward at the end of this life. God gives me plenty of rewards right now: I certainly experience joy in his presence, as well as his peace, comfort, wisdom and fellowship. But there is also strife, injustice, pain caused by others and pain caused by my own sin that I have to endure. Sometimes these negatives almost overwhelm me. But there will be a time when all that is over and done with. And I will be with others who have had their sin natures removed as well. I can't even really imagine an existence where there will be no pain in relationships but I am looking forward to it. The idea of that motivates me to work on becoming totally submissive to God now so that I am as close to helping bring heaven to earth for myself and others as possible.

PRAYER: Help me, Father, to become more like you. May I forgive with ease, turn from every temptation that is evil, and love others with abandon. I know I often fall short of that, and I ask your forgiveness. Thank you for your promise of a true utopia. I look forward to it. Come quickly, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Thoughts About the Future

TODAY'S READING: Rev. 15, 16, 17, 18

OBSERVATIONS: I'm not following my typical format today. I just want to make some general observations about the entire reading in these 4 chapters. Revelation is a confusing book. It has confused theologians through the centuries and many still disagree about issues such as: Will there be a Rapture? If so, when will it happen; pre-tribulation, mid-trib, or post-trib? I just don't know and I don't think those are the most important ideas to be concerned with in the book. The main point is that God has set a time when Satan and his demons will be judged, sin will be judged and done away with, Jesus will return as the triumphant ruler of all heaven and earth, and those who have been faithful to him will be with him forever in a place where there will be no more sorrow or pain. Hallelujah! There are warnings to the people of God in these chapters that need to be heeded though. We are warned to come out from worldly people and not engage in their sins. What are some of the specific sins mentioned? Idolatry, materialism, sexual sin, and an arrogance that refuses to submit to God. We are also told that the world leader during this time, and his prophet, will be able to do miraculous signs and wonders through the power of demon spirits. So we should never equate the miraculous with godliness. The two are not necessarily connected. God performs miracles but so does the devil. So, what does all this mean?

APPLICATION: 1) We need to be aware of what is happening and the "signs of the times". 2) We need to commit ourselves to holy living and rid ourselves of sin. 3) Be humble and teachable before God 4) Discern between works of the devil and works of God; don't be fooled by counterfeit miracles.

PRAYER: Father, There are many times that I am too caught up in the desire for more "stuff". There is only one thing I really need in life, and that is to stay close to You and become more and more like you. Teach me your ways, O Lord, and lead me in paths of righteousness for your Name's sake. See if there be any wicked way in me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. And come quickly, Lord. The world is getting darker all the time. Help me to be a bright light in it to lead as many out of the dark as possible. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Hard Times Ahead

TODAY'S READING: Rev. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

SCRIPTURE: Rev. 13:5-10

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. ⁶ He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. ⁸ All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
with the sword he will be killed.

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

OBSERVATION: I am always rather amazed at Christian pastors and leaders that I hear who proclaim a "prosperity" gospel. These scriptures make it very clear that in the end times, Satan and his earthly lackeys will be given power to "make war against the saints and to conquer them". It goes on to say that some will be destined to go into captivity and some will be killed for their faith. Not a pretty picture for believers! I like comfort and pain-free living. But the Word is clear that I need to be strong in my faith and realize that I may have to suffer, even to the point of death, for my convictions. Some Bible scholars hold that many believers will already be gone from earth at the time when this persecution takes place (the "rapture") but others do not. No one knows for sure, as there are scriptures that support both theories. Whatever the case, I need to be prepared to endure through anything. Whether those that knew the Lord before these events have been taken out of the world or not, it is clear there will be saints on the earth when this world-wide persecution happens. How shall we then live?

APPLICATION: The last verse I listed here says that we Christians need to have patient endurance and faithfulness to get through this. I may suffer physically by being jailed, raped, tortured, or murdered. Whatever I suffer here, I need to remember that the forces of evil triumph for only a short time. Satan is doomed, as are all who follow him, and their suffering will be eternal. Once I die here, I will live forever in God's kingdom of love, health, and security, never again to suffer pain of any kind. I need to keep my eyes upon Jesus and the prize of eternal life. There are also practical ways I can prepare. I can get out and stay out of debt. I can plant food in my yard so that I have my own supply. (Scripture makes it clear that food will be pricey and hard to come by in the end times). I need to heed the scripture which says to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. And we better learn to like each other a lot more than we do now. It could be that enclaves of Christians will have to live together in order to survive. It's a depressing scenario but we must remember that it is short-lived and God conquers in the end forever!

PRAYER: Father, pour out financial blessing to your people now before all this evil comes, but let us not use the wealth you give us to get more "stuff". May we use it to get out of debt and to plan wisely for our futures so that we have resource to help ourselves and the greatest number of other believers as well. Keep me faithful an give me patient endurance through all things. Speak to the hearts of those I love who are far from you right now. Do whatever it takes to bring them close to you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Identity and a Servant Spirit

TODAY'S READING: John 12, 13, 14

SCRIPTURE: John 13:3-5 (emphasis added)
³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

OBSERVATION: The word "so" in these verses links two key thoughts: 1) Jesus knew who he was and the authority he had so 2) he got up and served his disciples. It was his firm sense of identity that allowed Jesus to put himself in the position of a servant to those who were his students and followers. He was the Master, yet he served those who were under him. I believe it is very difficult to put oneself in a position of serving others without a firm sense of identity and self-worth. It is important to note how Jesus served his disciples in this passage. He served them in the role of a house slave; the lowest form of servant. We have all seen people who serve others from a sense of the superior condescending to give of themselves to "the little people". They maintain an air of superiority while they are among those they are helping. This was not what Jesus did. He stripped down to his undergarments and took on the rather gross job of washing all the dirt and grime off of his disciples feet. This was a job for a lowly house slave. This was one of the reasons that Peter objected to being washed by Jesus. Peter thought this was an improper role for Jesus to take on. But Jesus said he was doing this as an example to us of how we should be with each other. We should be willing to do the lowest of jobs to serve one another, and we should do it without airs of superiority. We can do this only if we are very secure in our identity as sons and daughters of God.

APPLICATION: My mother-in-law has a saying written in the fly-leaf of her Bible that says, "You never know what kind of servant you are until someone treats you like one". How true! In fact, without a very strong sense of identity, we bristle at anyone who would treat us as "less than" and act superior to us. Being treated like a servant is a test of how strong our sense of identity as a child of God really is. A servant spirit is really only born out of knowing who we are in the Lord. If I get angry when someone treats me like a servant it is a sign that I need to work on my understanding of my identity with Jesus. This is not to say that it is ok for others to treat us as if we are less worthy than they are. In fact, if the other person is a believer, we should lovingly confront that attitude in them; but not from a place of being offended by it. We confront only to help them become more like Christ. If we get offended, we know we need to work on our identity so that we can grow in being the kind of servant to others that Jesus was.

PRAYER: Father, help me to grow in my understanding of all that it means to be your child. I need to continually be understanding more about the authority I have and the standing I have in the kingdom because I belong to you. You said that a servant is not above his master and that the things you did are the same things I should do. Rid me of the vestiges of the sense of unworthiness I have from my childhood and from the hurt caused by others even as an adult. I want to be fully identified with you so that I can love others and serve others as you did. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

True Words; False Conclusion

TODAY'S READING: John 9, 10, 11

SCRIPTURE: John 11:49-53

⁴⁹ Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰ You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵² and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³ So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

OBSERVATION: This scripture is very interesting because it is one of the few places where a person prophesies truth but comes to the completely wrong conclusion. Caiaphas prophesied earlier in the year that Jesus would die for the nation of Israel and for all "the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one". This was a true prophecy. However, Caiaphas believed Jesus was a blasphemer and an evil person. He believed it was right for the Jewish religious leaders to plot to kill Jesus because he believed Jesus' death would bring about unity among the Jews that were in Israel and those that lived abroad. His prophecy was true but his interpretation was not; it was from the pit of hell.

APPLICATION: Why is it that we are so completely enamored with those who give prophecies or move in the other gifts of the Spirit? Jesus makes it clear that there are those who will prophesy and even perform miracles in his name who do not have a relationship with him (see Matt. 7:21-23). It is the character of a person we need to look at in order to assess whether they are godly or not. A person who is not living in relationship with God can prophesy or pray for the sick and have them recover, but without the Spirit speaking to them the conclusions they come to may be very false. If we listen to someone because they can move in the miraculous but they do not have communion with God, we risk being deceived. Satan uses anyone he can to deceive, including religious people who are not following God. He will take truth and twist the interpretation into something false and misleading. We need to look for the fruit of the Spirit in others and keep our spiritual "antennae" attuned to the Spirit.

PRAYER: Father, may I recognize and discern immediately when someone who seems to be spiritual and moving in the gifts is being used by the enemy to mislead and deceive. And help your people to have the awareness to recognize truth from error as well. Keep your Church healthy and holy, circumspect and cautious. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Wrong Focus

TODAY' READING: John 5, 6

SCRIPTURE: John 5:6-15
⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, ¹⁰ and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

¹¹ But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

¹² So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

¹³ The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

¹⁴ Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

OBSERVATION: Jesus sees a disabled man, heals him, and tells him to go on his way. Then the religious leaders come along and berate the man for daring to carry his mat on a Sabbath day. They are focused on the wrong things. Are they amazed that an incredible miracle has occurred? No. In fact, they are offended that anyone would heal on the holy Sabbath day. They interrogate the man to find out who would do such a thing. After the man leaves them, Jesus finds him again, in church, and warns him against willfully disobeying God anymore in his life. The man has a wrong focus also. The Pharisees have left him but he goes and seeks them out to tell them that it is Jesus who healed him. So the man wants the blessings of God but he does not want to be told what to do or to change his lifestyle. He is rebellious and cares more about currying favor with human authorities than he does about pleasing God.

APPLICATION: We humans have an uncanny tendency toward missing the point. We still tend to focus on the wrong things. We, like the Pharisees, still tend to like "formulaic" Christianity (eg., raise your hand, say a certain prayer and your "in" with God). We don't like it when God does things that don't fit in with our idea of how things ought to be done. And we also tend to be rebellious like the man who was healed was. We want God to bless us but we don't want to submit to his will. We are often offended when God puts constraints on us that we don't like or understand.

PRAYER: Father, I see when other Christians fall into this trap of having the wrong focus but I don't often see it when I do the same thing. I need your Spirit to reveal my waywardness to me. Keep me focused on the right things and on my own issues. It is so easy to sit in judgment of others. I do not want to do that. It is enough for me to discover and repent of my own folly. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Two Extremes

TODAY'S READING: James 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

SCRIPTURE: James 3:14-18 (emphasis added)
¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

OBSERVATIONS: Two kinds of wisdom are being contrasted here, one is earthly and the other is from heaven. The contrast is interesting but what caught my attention more than the contrast was the typical responses we humans have to earthly wisdom. Verse 14 says we tend to either boast about it or deny it. These are about as opposite as you can get. First of all, I don't think we often see the evil motivations behind "earthly wisdom". James says the motivations are typically envy or selfish ambition. Envy motivates us to do whatever we have to do to get the same stuff that we see others have or to do nothing and simply resent those that have it, feeling that we are "owed" the same things. Selfish ambition really motivates every other response we have in life. It is wanting what we want, when we want it without thought to anyone's well-being but our own. And James says we should neither boast about this type of wisdom nor deny that it is in us. We seem to have no "middle ground" response. We either brag about our own accomplishments and whatever "wisdom" we have or we deny that we have any negative motivations in our life. If we live in denial then we don't have to deal with any of the sin in ourselves. All the blame is focused outward to others or to bad luck and difficult circumstances that we have no power over. We then have no responsibility to change.

APPLICATION: I have to watch myself and catch my thoughts and examine them in the light of these scriptures. If I find myself taking credit for and being boastful about any of the good in my life or, conversely, if I find myself denying any personal responsibility for sin in my life, I can be assured that I have started to engage in earthly wisdom. I need to be aware of and on the lookout for these two extremes. They are warning flags that I need to watch for so that I will keep on the path of pursuing heavenly wisdom.

PRAYER: Father, how prone I am to extremes! Help me to maintain balance in my life and to appropriate your wisdom in all things. I neither want to be in denial about my sins and personal failings nor do I want to be arrogant and take credit for the good things in my life. You are the one who works good into me as I submit to you. Thank you for your grace that allows the Spirit to transform me from one degree of glory to the next. Continue that good work in me, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Wrong Kind of License

TODAY'S READING: Heb. 12, 13; Titus 1:4

SCRIPTURE: Titus 1:4
⁴ For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

OBSERVATION: How true this is today! Obviously, this has been a long-standing problem in the Church. It was happening in Titus' day and it is still happening now. This grieves me to no end because I believe it is one of the biggest reason that the Church in America is so powerless! We have lots of people who go to church regularly but who see no reason to change their sinful behavior because, after all, our God forgives sin. They conveniently forget all the scriptures that speak of judgment and of the grace of God being given to us to give us the power to overcome sin and to live a holy life. It is not to be used as an excuse to live as we please. There was another verse in today's reading that relates to this ideas as well. It speaks of a need to "worship God acceptably" (Heb. 12:28). If there is an acceptable way to worship God then that implies that there is also an unacceptable way to worship God. The idea that there are any "unacceptable ways" to worship is anathema to most people today. Since God is love, he would never judge someone's worship, would he? Apparently, the answer is yes. That verse ends by saying that our God is a consuming fire. That carries that problematic reference to a God who judges again. What do we do about that?

APPLICATION: I need to accept what the whole Bible teaches about God. Both old and new testaments speak about God judging people and judging sin. There are so many who try to twist the Word to get rid of a God who judges but the idea is clearly there. I need to appropriate the grace of God to live a holy life, free from sin. His grace is there to forgive me when I fall (if I repent) but it is mainly given so that I will receive power to overcome sin instead of living in a moral morass. Hallelujah! I can be victorious! The other application of these scriptures is that I need to pray for the Church to become aware of false teachers and to do what I can to turn others from their false doctrines.

PRAYER: Father, I want to live my life in a way that is pleasing to you. I want to worship you in ways that are acceptable to you. Help me to do that. And cleanse your Church from those who would slip in and undermine the power of the Church by teaching that our sin does not matter because Jesus' death provides forgiveness for all we do. What a terrible twisting of truth! I thank you that you forgive, and I praise you that your grace provides the power to overcome sinful thoughts and behaviors. May I avail myself of that grace and teach others to do the same. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The True Test

TODAY'S READING: 2 Tim. 1, 2, 3, 4

SCRIPTURE: 2 Tim. 2:19
¹⁹ Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

OBSERVATION: The entire book of 2 Timothy speaks often of what constitutes truth and error and genuine and false religion. The conclusion of the matter is fairly well summed up in the above scripture. The Lord is the one who knows those who truly belong to him; we cannot always tell. But we are given a big clue in the second statement, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." We hardly ever hear this talked about in church. In fact, it is a rather unpopular idea. It is much more acceptable to talk about the unconditional love and forgiveness of God than it is to suggest that we are required as Christians to turn away from wickedness. But Paul stresses to Timothy throughout the book that behavior is the true test of faith. Does our belief change how we behave? Do we repent when we realize we have sinned? Or are we comfortable in harboring bitterness, lust, greed, resentments and the like in our hearts? Do we look for teachers who make us comfortable with our lack of holiness? We are told in this letter that people will come to love pleasure more than they will love God, yet they will want to have a form of godliness in order to look holy without wanting to engage God's power to change any behavior of theirs that might not conform to his revealed expectations. I must see to it that I do not become one of those people.

APPLICATION: It is my responsibility to guard my heart and mind and to examine myself to see if I am in the faith. I have to invite the Holy Spirit into this process because it is so easy for us to deceive ourselves. If I am not immediately uncomfortable when I sin (even in my thoughts) I am in danger spiritually. The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. Spiritual growth, authority and power do not come by accident. It takes intentional submission to God.

PRAYER: Father, you are holy and I want to be wholly like you. Convict me of sin when it is still a thought in my mind so that I may repent before it hurts anyone else. May I cease to engage in any godless chatter which corrupts me and anyone listening to me. My the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Unusual Tool

TODAY'S READING: 1 Timothy 1, 2, 3, 4

SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 1:18-20 (emphasis added)
¹⁸ Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. ²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

OBSERVATION: So God uses Satan as a tool to teach people not to blaspheme? Hmm... Interesting to say the least! This scripture has flummoxed many a Christian. I've heard several explanations from theologians and pastors over the years as to the meaning of this. The one that makes the most sense to me is, "I'm not sure what this means, or the implications of this, but I would be careful about turning anyone over to Satan." I thought that was the most honest teaching on it. However, I think it may mean that if someone has known the Lord, and then goes astray, it is better to let them experience the full effects of their sin without trying to mitigate or rescue them from the consequences of it so that they will learn that serving and obeying the Lord is a much better way to live. The hope is restoration, not punishment. Sometimes, when people refuse to repent when confronted with their sin, experiencing the consequences of their sin is the only hope for bringing them to their senses.

APPLICATION: Whatever the meaning of this verse, I agree with whoever it was that I heard say that this is an extreme measure and one we should be extremely careful about employing. While my life experience has taught me that it is often true that rescuing someone from a bad situation that is a direct result of their own disobedience is a sure way of interfering with what God wants to do in them, it is also true that God often wants us to help people who have problems, even of their own making, in order to show them the love and forgiveness of Christ. So, what are we to do? PRAY! Each situation needs to be brought before God and we need to listen for his instruction.

PRAYER: Father, give me wisdom! I want to be obedient to you in every situation. I do not know what each individual needs and how you have been dealing with them in their lives. Give me insight and let me function fully in the gifts of the Spirit. Make me an agent of reconciliation and restoration in your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

IF...

TODAY'S READING: Col. 1, 2, 3, 4

SCRIPTURE: Col. 1:22, 23 (emphasis added)
²² But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

OBSERVATION: There are a lot of "if's" in the Bible. They are there for a reason and we need to pay attention to them. These verses contain an incredible and wonderful promise made to us by God. We are reconciled to God and are free from all unholiness. No accusation can be made against us --- then there's that word if. If we continue and establish ourselves firmly in our faith and are not moved from the hope we have in the Lord. Such a little word with such weighty meaning. I hear so many Christians glibly claim the promises of God, stating that God's love is "unconditional". There are very few promises of God that are unconditional. Most all of them (including salvation) have an if attached to them. If you repent; if you obey; if you hold on to; if you continue --- all these are examples of phrases attached to God's promises in the Word. We cannot weary the grace of God for his love is unfailing (not unconditional). He will not tire of us returning to him and restoration is always available if...

APPLICATION: I must be careful to read and apply the promises of God rightly in my life. I have responsibilities in order to receive all that God has for me. The "if's" tell me what those responsibilities are. I had better pay attention.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for all the great and precious promises you have made to me in your Word. I want them all! Help me to see and understand what my part is in obtaining them. May I be humble, repentant and dependent on you. I'm so grateful that I cannot "out-sin" your forgiveness and that your supply of patience with me is inexhaustible. You are wonderful! I love you and praise you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Be a Star!

TODAY'S READING: Philippians 1, 2, 3, 4

SCRIPTURE: Phil. 2:14-16 (emphasis added)
¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶ as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

OBSERVATION: Do everything without complaining or arguing. WOW! That's a tall order. Complaining and arguing is "native language" to most of us. Actually, it is the language of our sin nature, and therefore, when we speak that language, we are participating in Satan's plans and kingdom. My husband said once that Satan inhabits his praises the same way that God inhabits the praises of his people. Could it be that when we complain and argue that we are inviting Satan's presence into our lives and situations with others? Yes, I think so. Paul tells us to stop this behavior so that we can become blameless and pure and without fault. Apparently, stopping complaining and arguing is a prerequisite to being able to maintain purity in a perverse world system.

APPLICATION: This is such simple and practical admonition. Like so much that is in the Bible, it is simple, but not easy. I need to really watch my thoughts and my words. I do not want to allow Satan a foothold into any part of my life, nor do I want to give him entry into my church or other social situations by engaging in negative complaining or arguing.

PRAYER: Father, keep me from negative speech! May I be one who brings your life wherever I go by how I speak and act. I want to be faultless in a crooked and perverse generation and to shine your light to others. May I be a star for you! Empower me to do that. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Finding What Pleases God

TODAY'S READING: Eph. 5, 6, Ps. 119:1-80

SCRIPTURE: Eph. 5:1-10 (emphasis added)

¹ Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord.

OBSERVATION: We don't tend to think of people who are immoral, impure or greedy as idolators but what they all worship is pleasure, power, fame or fortune. I think the most common of all these idols is pleasure. Even those who seek are greedy for money usually want to have it to spend on pleasures for themselves. Our society as a whole envies those who can obtain all the pleasures they want. It is the driving force behind most advertising. This whole section of scripture contrasts light and dark, good and evil, and choosing to live like God wants us to instead of living to please ourselves.

APPLICATION: In the cesspool of moral decay and idolatry that we have to live in, it is essential that we take the responsibility to find out what pleases the Lord and embrace living according to what we discover. We cannot hope to withstand the constant barrage of worldliness and temptation around us without the disciplines of prayer, reading the Word, and fellowship with others who are striving to be like Christ. But these disciplines do more for us than just help us to withstand temptation; they allow us to advance the Kingdom and be victorious overcomers who are also able to help set others free from the grip of Satan. They are the way to personal healing from the effects of sin but also to becoming warriors who snatch those who are held captive by the enemy and set them free.

PRAYER: Father, help the Church here in America and Europe to not fall into the trap of not making time to engage with you personally on a daily basis. I know we are marching toward the end of the age and your return, but I so long to see all of us who call you Lord be much more full of your power and authority. Move in your Church and bring us to repentance for our idolatries. I want to make more room for you in my life and I know that is necessary for others as well. May we be used by you to set others free. May we set ourselves to the task of finding out what pleases you and then living that out in our lives. I love you, Lord. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and everything that is unworthy of you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Innocence is Better than Penitence

TODAY'S READING: Rom. 13, 14, 15, 16

SCRIPTURE: Rom. 16:19
¹⁹ Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

OBSERVATION: This verse caught my attention because it is so counter-culture to our current societal values. It is not considered "cool" to be innocent today. In fact, if you are innocent you are likely to be considered socially inept, a nerd, and to be put down and teased unmercifully. Kids are pressured by each other to become sexually active before they are out of high school (if not junior high), to drink alcohol and smoke weed, shoplift for fun, be disrespectful of authority figures, and it is definitely NOT cool to be kind to others. Even friends are expected to poke fun at each other with denigrating comments. I have a quote in the fly-leaf of my Bible that says, "Innocence is better than penitence". So true! God loves innocence. He desires to spare us the pain that inevitably follows the pleasure of sin. He forgives us when we are penitent, but how much better would it be to be innocent and not have to suffer the effects of sin? Oh, how God loves us and wants to keep us free from the cynicism and jaded view of life we get when we become "worldly-wise".

APPLICATION: We need to be obedient to God ourselves, knowing that the restrictions he gives us are not to keep us from good fun but to spare us personal pain and destruction. We also need to encourage others, especially young people, that innocence is "cool", good and wise. They need our encouragement because they get none of it when they are among others in their peer groups at school.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you that you have given us the keys to living a happy, fulfilled life. Help me to live in obedience for my own good and also for the purpose of being a good example to those who are coming behind me. May I encourage others to live innocent lives and to avoid evil. In Jesus
Name, Amen.

It's a Difficult Book

TODAY'S READING: Rom. 9, 10, 11, 12

SCRIPTURE: Rom. 9:10-24
¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. ¹¹ Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

¹⁴ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! ¹⁵ For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

¹⁹ One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” ²¹ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

²² What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? ²³ What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

OBSERVATIONS: This section is one of my least favorite in all the Bible. It is hard to reconcile with other parts of the Bible and has been the subject of argument and division between differing schools of theology for centuries. I am not a Greek scholar. When I read these verses I wish I were. I have to depend on others who are and the commentaries that they have written. Even they do not agree, so I am left somewhat flummoxed by the task of trying to integrate these verses into my theology. Does God actually choose to hate some people before they are born and have done anything good or bad? The commentaries I read either conveniently didn't really deal with that and skirted the question or they said the original language means more "I have not chosen Esau" than "Esau have I hated". That is a little more palatable and makes it somewhat (though not totally) easier to accept. But I am left unsatisfied.

APPLICATION: The Bible is NOT an easy book! Unfortunately, many Christians try to make it one and come up with pat answers and platitudes that do not do the scriptures justice. I think we are not, as a group, willing enough to struggle with the scriptures and to, at times, leave certain questions hanging without an answer. It is better, I think, to leave something unanswered and simply admit we cannot at the moment understand how it fits with other verses in the Bible than to force it into our theology just for our own comfort. It is okay to be uncomfortable with portions of scripture and not to have all the answers. It is important to be able to say to ourselves and others, "I don't know". Some of my questions won't be answered until I am face to face with God. I don't like that, but I have come to be at peace with that fact. That doesn't mean I won't keep seeking to understand and study. It simply means that I won't always succeed in that endeavor. I have enough experience with God to trust him and believe, even if there are things I don't understand about him. I have to stay humble in my approach to God's Word.

PRAYER: Father, help me to understand your Word and to adequately communicate it to others. But keep me from feeling like I have to have an answer for everyone about everything you have said. Some of it I don't really like; it just doesn't seem to fit what I know about you. But I trust that the problem is with my weak understanding and not with you. You have always been faithful to me even when I have suffered unjustly or have gone through difficult times. I love you, Lord. Lead me in your truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.