Devotion.al

  • Rest and Recharge

    Exodus 35:2–3, Leviticus 25:2–5, Matthew 12:1–9

    What recharges you? An extrovert will be charged up by being with people. An introvert charges by being alone. Both, in many respects, are forms of . Part of the problem with , as it is practiced, and as the rules seem to state, there can be no work on the Sabbath.

    Let’s also deal with when is the Sabbath…it’s the day of rest, not a day of a week. There are those that insist only Saturday or Sunday are the day of the Sabbath. There is kind of a round-robin on this. God rested on the 7th day, whichever day that was. If you look and a US calendar, technically the Sabbath should be a Saturday (the last day of the week). If you look at Western European calendars, the Sabbath is Sunday (the last day of their week). Just comparing calendars should put some on this.

    In the days of the of Jerusalem, the priests, the gatekeepers, the guards, the merchants (who sold “sacred” goods on the Temple grounds), the workers were all very busy…working on the Sabbath. Were they an exception? Yes. However, as we are all now part of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9), do we all work on Sundays? No, but we always want and need more volunteers! (Had to be said)

    Rest is at the core. Not just rest, though. It is to be sacred rest. What is that? That probably is a discussion between you and God. Some people find gardening to be restful (despite being “work”). If it is not what you do for a (which is really where the “no work” concept comes from), then it very well could be rest, while it is not rest to someone else (for example, someone who doesn’t like gardening).

    Some find their rest watching sports. Some find their rest reading. Some find their rest cooking. Who are we to judge someone else’s rest? However, there is that “sacred rest” part. How does one get there?

    1) How do you deliberately focus on God in your Sabbath day activities?

    2) What activities do you find restful? What activities of do you think are not restful? Why?

    3) Do you feel that Sabbath rest should be “productive” or “non-productive”? What does that mean to you?

  • Worship Together

    Genesis 28:10–17, Exodus 3:1–6, Luke 23:44–46

    Have you ever been confronted by a person who states that they can God better in nature than in a ? They might be right. Jacob put a stone under his head, and upon waking declared that the wilderness was the house of God.

    Moses is wandering in the wilderness minding sheep. He walks to a burning bush that is declared by God to be a holy place. This is no church.

    During the last moments of ‘ crucifixion, the temple curtain (dividing the “” temple from the Holy of Holies) was torn in two. The division between earthly and Heavenly is gone.

    So, what about our challenger? They might be right. Perhaps they can worship better in God’s . It’s not out of the question as we look at Jacob and Moses. If we are only called to worship God, then the challenger is right. So, where does that leave us? Moving beyond worship.

    The is far more than mere worship (not that it isn’t good and necessary). However, the way of Christ means being transformed into Christ-likeness. As good as worship is, it is only meant to be a piece and not the centerpiece of life of a Christian. When we worship , in comparison to alone in creation, we also become more of one heart. This allows—over time—us to temper and form one another.

    1) Have you ever been tempted to just go it alone in worship? Why? What restored you?

    2) If you’ve had a conversation with such a challenger, what was your ?

    3) For you, what is the connection between worship and ?

  • The Truth of Lies

    Proverbs 29:22–25, Philippians 2:5–11, Galatians 6:1–5

    Tell the truth. That is a maxim for life. However, often we succumb to the to lie. We can be surprised when it pops out, or we could plan for it. There are times where lying is appropriate (as many Germans, for example, lied to the Nazis to protect Jews). Most lying, however, is not such.

    Lying can come from anger. It can come from pride. It can come from . An angry person may lie to inflict upon the person they feel is hurting them. A person of pride may make their story bigger to make themselves feel superior. They might also lie to preserve their way of life or gain. Fearing mankind, however, is probably the biggest root cause of lying. The wisdom of Proverbs is that fear men before fearing God is not a good prioritization of things.

    ‘s train of thought regarding submitting himself to all (really, by he did), Jesus provides the example of selflessness. We are often taught a selflessness that is mindless and without self. Yet, that is not Jesus’ example. Did Jesus at any point forget who he was? Did Jesus stop being who he was? Of course not!

    The humble and aware obedience that Jesus displayed is the example. Jesus was angry at times (think the temple). He did not lie or seek to hurt . He sought to correct others in a way that some (not all) would understand. Jesus could have made himself out to be the King of Kings.

    Instead, he would escape the crown of an Earthly kingdom. Jesus consistently shared the Truth in the face of people who not only didn’t want the Truth, they also wanted him dead.

    The biggest temptation when it comes to lying is catching the other person in it. We feel so much better about ourselves. “…if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing…restore…with a gentle .” The gentle spirit is why Christ’s is so essential. We’ve all been there.

    What makes that lie we told better than theirs? Nothing. We need to submit ourselves to our fellow Christians, not just because we are called to, but because when humbly submit ourselves, we are able to correct in .

    We don’t like this submit, humbleness, nor truth. It makes us uncomfortable when we make it a way of life. We don’t mind doing it when it costs us nothing. If it costs nothing, of what value is it?

  • Through God’s Mercy

    2 Corinthians 4:1–6

    Ministry. . Determination. Cleansing. Sharing. Shining.

    Ministry: each and every one of us is a minister of the of . Every one of us. Pastor and preachers they have their roles. That does not excuse anyone from being a minister of the Gospel.

    How are you being a minister of the Gospel? (And you are being one. Even a bad one is still one)

    Mercy: God showed us immeasurable mercy through Christ. We are called to that mercy with others. We are called to be merciful to others. Mercy can be shown in many ways.

    How are you showing and mercy, especially God’s mercy, to others?

    Determination: the is not a destination. It is a journey. It often takes far more determination (not giving up) to walk the way, than it takes to do something else.

    How is your determination?

    Cleansing: emptying our spiritual closets is scary and healthy. Secrets and sins strengthen in . Open the doors and let the in. Confession and open discussion with one another keeps the doors open, and the light shining in.

    How is the house cleaning going? Do you have help?

    Sharing: if we truly believe the Gospel, we will share it. This is not the “beat them over the head” sharing, it is the heart that is “strangely warmed” that people are drawn to so that they get to share in the warmth.

    Are you sharing the warmth of Christ?

    Shining: the world is full of shiny stuff. The world is full of pretty lights. We can become too concerned with the holy light being drowned out by the worldly light. We are called to shine. We are like the stars made by the Creator. Always shining. Sometimes their shine is hidden by the sun, the glory of God. Sometimes it’s hidden by the lights of the city (the world). Regardless, the shining doesn’t stop.

    Are you shining?

  • People Needed

    Isaiah 30:8–17, 1 Thessalonians 2:2–12

    “To make Christlike disciples in the nations.”— of the Nazarene Statement

    “Iron sharpens iron and one person sharpens another.”—Proverbs 27:17

    Discipleship is not a program, nor is it a class. It is a lifestyle. If we are not careful, Sunday School, Life Groups, Youth Group, Children’s Church, even Sunday Service become mere flattery of our wordly wants and desires, rather than discipleship.

    If you aren’t being challenged by God’s and during or as a result of these (even as the leader), then it is all empty. Will the challenge always occur? No. If it rarely or never occurs, that is the “best” indicator.

    The problem is that we often just want easy, even at Church. Church, sadly, isn’t meant to be easy. Church, as framily, is meant to be transforming. Transformation can often be painful or uncomfortable.

    In Isaiah, we read the consequences of flattery and (pointless/false) positive words, and it isn’t pretty. Paul challenged the Thessalonians to listen for the , rather than be flattered by the speakers trying to turn them away from the Gospel and probably against Paul himself.

    We are to be challenged, not because our views are true or false, but through the maturing of our as it faces the real world is how we show the world the love of Christ, and become the of the world.

    The hard part for our egos is that we often want people to be nice when we need them to be kind. What’s the difference? Think of someone standing on the railing of a tall skyscraper with a strong wind. Nice: “be careful.” Kind: pull them back, even if it hurts them. One is passive (doormat). One is life. In a true discipleship , we need kind people, and we need to be authentic. That is scary.

    1) What discipleship relationships and patterns do you have?

    2) It’s easy to say prayer, bible reading, and attending church are your patterns. However, plenty of people do those, too, and we don’t them Christians. What is the difference?

    3) With the new Life Groups in the Fall, what new path will you take? Will you join (or lead) a Life Group? Or will you start a small band with the covenant to one another? Or will you stagnate?

  • Just Praying

    1 Samuel 1:1–18, Luke 18:1–8, Matthew 6:5–15

    “…The of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”—James 5:16

    As a gift, prayer is probably second only to salvation and . The ability to talk to the Creator of the universe. The God who calls us children.

    Prayer can take many forms. While there may not be as many forms as there are people, there are still many forms which can be done in many combinations. Prayer is also changing. Prayer doesn’t just us, but through our lives, our prayers change and how we pray changes.

    Hannah was thought to be drunk. However, her heartache was so acute that words failed her. In a culture where prayers were spoken aloud (especially in public at the Tabernacle), someone praying quietly (or silently) was abnormal, and (as Eli displayed) not particularly trusted. Hannah’s prayer was effective, however, along with even Eli’s blessing. The boy who came of it, Samuel, was the spiritual of Israel for many years.

    Hannah shows the ‘s prayer. Jesu talked about persistent prayer. Regardless, for example, of what you think of him now, Franklin Graham (the of the famous evangelist Billy Graham) ran away from the faith of his . He was the prodigal son. Ruth Graham (the wife of Billy Graham) was persistent in prayer for her son, Franklin. After many years, Franklin returned to the faith. She, like the widow in ‘ story, was persistent. However, unlike the unrighteous judge in the story, our prayers are heard by the righteous God. Ruth Graham incorporated her prayers for her son in her daily devotionals.

    Who says which form (devotionals or a poured out heart at a single annual festival) is better? There are many Christians who look to Jesus’ words and draw huge generalizations that Jesus does not make. For example, the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have on me, a sinner,” has been used for years. People condemn it as babble because it is used in repetition. However, these same people often use the Lord’s Prayer (a mere 2 verses later) as memorized prayer without meditating on the actual words and meaning. Which is right?

    1) What are your preferred methods to pray? Why do you think that is?

    2) Have you ever tried to pray a different way? Why? What was the spiritual difference?

    3) How is your prayer ?

  • Spirit Grades

    Jeremiah 23:30-40, 1 John 4:1–6
    What is a spirit?

    In the , there is the . That is certainly one. However, often the time spirit is used, it is not a good thing. There are evil spirits. There are deceptive spirits. It is the deceptive spirits that make an appearance all too often. What is even sadder is that many of these deceptive spirits deceive with wonderful sounding things like peace. In the case of Jeremiah, the deceptive spirits led people to provide false dreams, false promises, and deceptive ways. The ways, as God says, that are not good for the people. These, of course, are the most subtle, most attractive, the hardest to see, and the hardest to escape.

    This is why it is no small reason that John encourages us to test the spirits that come to us. We are to rely on the Spirit, along with the fellowship of mature believers. Of course, there is also the darker side of that, where group-think is in play, and the Holy Spirit is lost in an attempt to sustain the ways of old. The spirits that say is not from God, or that Jesus really didn’t die, or that Jesus did not rise from the dead? They are all active today, just as they were in John’s time. The world, the part that wants to remain deaf to God, seeks spirits, just not the Spirit of God.

    Zeitgeist is a concept from German philosophy. It means “spirit of the ”. The basic concept is that there is a dominating understanding or a group of characteristics that accompany and define a certain time or era. This is a different spirit, but it affects the Christian life, and the world, often as much as the deceptive spirits (as if the deceptive spirits are part of it). , the other, hatred, anxiety, loneliness, and so much else are the signs of illness. They are also the zeitgeist of our day.

    As much as we don’t want to fear or hate, we still turn to it. There is a form of deception that appears like . The world is so full of negative emotions, that often without them people do not feel alive. Let that sink in. Without negative emotions, people feel as if they are dead. It’s strange. In the time of Jeremiah, it was the ways of peace that were a lie and people sought it. From Christ to now to tomorrow, the way of peace is the truth, and people cling to the negative.

    1) When you watch or read news stories, do you see positive or negative?

    2) When people call one of your tribes (religion, , state, political party) evil or misguided, how do you respond?

    3) The practice of and need for the spirits have not stopped. One could that practice and need are even more important now. What are you doing to strengthen and sharpen your ability to test the spirits?

  • Be Strange

    Joshua 7:3–15, 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12

    The pivotal in the book Dune at one point talks about having a “stamp of strangeness” put upon him. This stamp was definitely a different context, yet “stamp of strangeness” was and is exactly what God does to us when he calls us and we accept him.

    When the Israelites are finally about to enter the Promised Land, God calls on the Israelites to consecrate themselves. In other words, they were to emotionally, spiritually, and physically themselves for the work (taking, , and thriving) in the Promised Land. This means that Egypt was a closed door. This means that they were to be separate even from their “relatives” (i.e., the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother). They were to be strange.

    later tells the Thessalonians to be strange, too. In this passage, there is a cultural battle they are facing. In their larger culture, it wasn’t uncommon that a man had a wife (often a political or social marriage), a lover (intellectual and/or sexual), a concubine (generally an indentured servant or slave), and a prostitute. A man would be considered normal to have at least 3 of these, and potentially more (e.g., the number of concubines and prostitutes could vary). In some areas, this was encouraged. Heterosexual monogamy was strange. It doesn’t appear that there were specific issues that Paul was addressing, but an attitude and . Just like the Israelites, Christians were to be strange.

    Due to frailty, we often don’t want to be strange. We want to be normal. We want to fit it. While it is important to have non-Christian friends and acquaintances, it is due to the expectation of being strange that means we (as Christians) must have Christians in our most intimate (non-sexual) where we are held accountable and hold accountable.

    When we read Paul’s words today, they are strange yet again. The world is heading toward (and arguably is) a society of relationships that are not in line with God’s creation (especially sexually). One can point to a huge number of issues (and it’s not one or two) that are not only opposed to created intent but are also being found to inhibit or damage real relationships with people. Paul addresses that, too, when he talks about behaviors damaging others in the , and they don’t have to be participants to be damaged.

    All believers are called to be progressively sanctified. In other words, part of our Christian journey to be continually shaped by the Holy into the image of Christ in partnership with fellow maturing believers. The “stamp of strangeness” grows stronger, and becomes a cross to bear in the world of the transforming nature of God.

    1) What are you actively doing to place yourself in an authentic accountable relationship? If nothing, what is holding you back?

    2) The world speaks and trumpets individuality. However, the world only celebrates “safe” individuality. What makes “Christian” individuality dangerous? Is there really such a thing is a Christian individual apart from the body of Christ?

    3) Thinking to the separation aspect, what is a place in your life that you need more separation from the world?

Devotion.al

Rest and Recharge

Exodus 35:2–3, Leviticus 25:2–5, Matthew 12:1–9

What recharges you? An extrovert will be charged up by being with people. An introvert charges by being alone. Both, in many respects, are forms of . Part of the problem with , as it is practiced, and as the rules seem to state, there can be no work on the Sabbath.

Let’s also deal with when is the Sabbath…it’s the day of rest, not a day of a week. There are those that insist only Saturday or Sunday are the day of the Sabbath. There is kind of a round-robin on this. God rested on the 7th day, whichever day that was. If you look and a US calendar, technically the Sabbath should be a Saturday (the last day of the week). If you look at Western European calendars, the Sabbath is Sunday (the last day of their week). Just comparing calendars should put some on this.

In the days of the of Jerusalem, the priests, the gatekeepers, the guards, the merchants (who sold “sacred” goods on the Temple grounds), the workers were all very busy…working on the Sabbath. Were they an exception? Yes. However, as we are all now part of the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9), do we all work on Sundays? No, but we always want and need more volunteers! (Had to be said)

Rest is at the core. Not just rest, though. It is to be sacred rest. What is that? That probably is a discussion between you and God. Some people find gardening to be restful (despite being “work”). If it is not what you do for a (which is really where the “no work” concept comes from), then it very well could be rest, while it is not rest to someone else (for example, someone who doesn’t like gardening).

Some find their rest watching sports. Some find their rest reading. Some find their rest cooking. Who are we to judge someone else’s rest? However, there is that “sacred rest” part. How does one get there?

1) How do you deliberately focus on God in your Sabbath day activities?

2) What activities do you find restful? What activities of do you think are not restful? Why?

3) Do you feel that Sabbath rest should be “productive” or “non-productive”? What does that mean to you?