Devotion.al

Tag: age

Devotionals tagged with age.

  • Chained or Unchained

    Chained or Unchained

    Deuteronomy 27:12–28:1; John 8:31–40; Galatians 3:7–14

    There are many wonderful things in life that begin well and then become dead weight. Buying a house is one of those. We are now in an era when people buy houses and pay against a large debt for 15–30 years. It doesn’t take too long for the of home “owning” to be faced with the frustrations of maintenance, flaws, , changes, life changes, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a house. It could be a car. It could be student loans. It could be your job.

    The Law wasn’t intended to be life-giving. It was intended as God-oriented protection. If you followed the law, there was a framework that guided one into a righteous life.

    Somehow this became twisted, and the Law became life.

    “Whoever does not put this law into practice is cursed.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)

    This does not say that the Law is life. It says that not following the Law results in bad consequences. Within the Law there were “resets” built in. Sins, errors in judgment could be dealt with. Life could move on.

    However, there is a difference when it is a lifestyle. This is not about ignorance. This is not about an unbeliever. This is about those who declare God their God and live in such a way that they have not put God first in their lives.

    What becomes the struggle is “proving” that God is first in our lives. Often, we “prove” it by living a more “holy” life. The Church of the Nazarene, for example, was long known for its stances against , smoking, and dancing. Not doing these things was the mark of “” but is what the areas of broken where these things occurred that was the real issue.

    When holiness (or the appearance thereof) become chains rather than freedom, then holiness has become the Law. If that is the case, then that might make a lie out of, “who the Son sets free is free indeed,” because then, it seems, we want to find new chains to live in.

    ※Questions※

    1) What are some Christian “rules” that you can think of? How do you think they became rules?

    2) What rules can you think of that were intended to “” or “preserve” life, but ended up chaining it? Does that make the rule bad?

    3) What is a rule that you wish wasn’t a family rule? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    , you called us to a life of following you. Help up discern freedom from chains as we try to follow your way. Amen.

  • See and Be Seen

    See and Be Seen

    Genesis 16:7–14; John 1:47–51

    Have you ever been to a big event? Maybe a concert? Maybe a sports game? And then you spend anywhere from 2 to 4 hours with thousands of your closest friends.

    Most of those people really aren’t your friends. Unless you are ticket holder buddies, you are unlikely to see them again.

    The reality is that a church service, even when small, can often feel the same way. You gather with other like-minded (at least somewhat religiously) individuals. You sit, stand, sing, pray, sit, listen, leave.

    You may not feel that way. You may feel like your church is your family. If so, that’s great! It is also as it should be.

    However, there are those that don’t feel that way. They can feel separated, ignored, unknown. They can feel unseen.

    Hagar was cast out. She and her son were no longer welcome in the place she called home. She and Ishmael were now in -threatening danger. In that day and , being alone in the wilderness does not bode well for a woman and a boy.

    There are a lot of people inside and out of the “the body of Christ” that are in a place of being alone. Human survival is far more than food, shelter, and clothing. We need to be known. We need to be seen. We need to be heard.

    Hagar’s story is stronger than the simple story of Nathanael. Yet, Nathanael’s heart was open to because Jesus saw him. Yes, Jesus saw him from far away. Jesus, though, identified Nathanael’s , as well. There is more than just . There is knowledge of the person.

    Developing those relations is important for human thriving. It is also important for the spiritual growth of the and the body of Christ.

    We all have spiritual growth of some sort. However, what sort matters greatly. If your growth is alone, then you can be sharp, but you can also be blunt. Without others to stand beside you, and sometimes in front of you, your growth may be that of a monster not of a believer.

    Only in faithful fellowship are we kept on the narrow path. Only in faithful fellowship can we really be seen by others. Only in faithful fellowship can do more than just survive.

    ※Questions※

    1) Who are you actively walking with to and be discipled by? If no one, who could you see being discipling partners with?

    2) Why do you think so many people do not have healthy discipling ?

    3) What will you do to champion healthy discipling in your church?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, thank you for your example of walking for years with people as broken as me. Help me see that I still need just like others. Help me be your to others and help me accept your light from others. Amen.

  • Cross Section

    Cross Section

    Psalm 78; Zechariah 8:1–6; Acts 2:14–21

    Ever had an itch. One of those itches you just can quite reach. Maybe you’ve used a pen (or pencil). Maybe you’ve used one of those bamboo scratchers shaped like a hand. Or perhaps you’ve used a wall corner. Or, if push comes to shove, you ask for help.

    In many respects, (or the church service) has been a back-scratcher for years. There have been shifts over the years as how the service is done (from “liturgical” to “modern”, for example) to the musical instruments (no instruments, to organs, to brass and wind, to piano, to guitars, to electric guitars, to full ) to the style of music (chant, hymns, country, contemporary, hip-hop, rap).

    Music is one of the biggest backscratchers, as people will determine which church they will attend depending on the music genre (and then the instrumentation, too). Preaching styles, too, also affect church attendance (3-point sermons, topical, expository).

    For the last few decades, though, the bigger one may well be programs, especially programs for youth and children. This isn’t a bad thing, to be clear. It does, however, have some problems. They are the same problems as service styles, music styles, instrumentation, preaching…they scratch an itch.

    It was much easier when there was only one style. Then there would be only one . There is also the reality that the lack or of any of the above (and this is not an exhaustive list) may be a “barrier” for a new person (whether unbeliever, new believer, or seasoned believer).

    It is the whys of it all that matter. There was a quip (a stereotype that is sadly mostly true in the US) that the hour of church on Sunday is the most segregated hour of the week. The context of this quip is race. However, it applies to so much more.

    In many churches, maybe even yours, you can look around during the church service and see the segregation of . Sometimes the children leave at the beginning or in the middle if they’re there at all. Sometimes the youth leave. Sometimes they all . Each church can do it completely differently.

    The result, however, is contrary to what the New Testament seems to display…unified across age and people groups.

    Some are beginning to question if we have lost our biggest opportunity to one another by separating to scratch our itch.

    This is not an attack on the way your church “does” church, though it might seem to be. The question we need to be asking ourselves is…how does [youth group, music choice, etc.] affect successful ? How does it inhibit discipleship? How do we scratch our itches and still maintain our fidelity to “telling the next generation” the “great things that God has done”?

  • Solitudinal Gift

    Solitudinal Gift

    Mark 6:30–46

    The story of feeding 5000 people (or more, as many question if this 5000 was only counting the men, or everyone) is very impressive. Feeding the hungry is a good thing and should be celebrated. This story, though, is bookended by something that we often skip over so we can get to “the good stuff”.

    The disciples had come back. They had been sent. They preached. They healed. They shared the about Jesus and the . They were probably really excited to .

    Jesus, however, knew they needed something they didn’t recognize they needed…solitude.

    In our day and , solitude is a struggle. Theoretically, the quietest spot in the continental US is in Olympic National Park in Washington. There is a place in the Hoh Min rain forest that one is unable to the sounds of humanity. To protect this space there have had to be discussions with the FAA, airlines, and even the Federal Government about keeping it that way. It has been a struggle.

    As humanity’s technology has evolved, it’s effect upon solitude has been significant. Many people will suffer measurable hearing earlier than in previous generations due to noise. As hearing is one of our senses, and often the one that senses danger first, our hearing is active. Any noise, therefore, may disrupt our quiet.

    Now, people buy technological devices to quiet the sound around them, so that they can simulate quiet.

    The disciples were probably feeling a “high” of experience. Many of us have had those spiritual highs. We want them. We pursue them. We miss the next step.

    Jesus wanted his disciples to be removed from the excitement. They needed time to (as we say) decompress. It may have been a good time to process with Jesus what they did in his .

    Instead, people clamored and disturbed them. Out of compassion, Jesus fed them.

    Jesus sent off the disciples. Not quite the same as being alone with them, but through that , a separation was made, and the disciples could be “off”. No one knows what they talked about (if anything) on the trip. It was away. Which is what mattered.

    There are ebbs and flow in . Jesus had his own ebbs and flows and wanted the same for his disciples. That applies to us, too.

    In an “age of distraction”, where even can be more full of noise that time with God, we need to each take deliberate actions to seek God and to find our own solitude. Even the extroverts need solitude (maybe less than introverts, granted). You may not be able to go to the Hoh Min rain forest, but you can and should find a place, a way, and a time, to be alone with yourself (no matter how much that might disquiet you), and also find time to be alone with God.

  • Bound Emotion

    Bound Emotion

    Bound Emotion

    4 September 2020

    Ezekiel 24:15–27; Jeremiah 16:5–9

    There is something unusual about marriage. For whatever reason, a man and a woman have a special kind of that transcends logic. There is a deep spiritual aspect to it that is part of the Christian marriage ritual, “what God has joined let man not separate.”

    While this is the ideal, we are all far from the ideal. As much as there are men and women who are “2-become-1”, there are a great many couples were 1 plus 1 equals neither 1 nor 2. In most such cases, barring miraculous intervention, the couple separates.

    A few decades ago, the concept of “no-fault” divorce was invented. In reality, it mostly seems to have been an “agreement” that the reason for the divorce was something other than infidelity (whether of sexual or other nature) and that it was okay. This was a “thumb the nose” at the church, but it was also a recognition that the church often failed to understand this sacred institution.

    The deep deception of “no-fault” divorce was the perception that “no-fault” meant “no hurt”. Divorce hurts. Sometimes it is the path to divorce. Sometimes it is the event. Sometimes it is the result. Sometimes it’s all of it.

    There is something deep within us that understands marriage is not to be trifled with. This is why younger generations are putting it off, even while cohabitating. This is also why same-gender marriage became a cultural phenomenon.

    Despite powerful and public peoples’ often peculiar and sometimes alliance driven marriages, most normal people see something transcendent in marriage. Even in this day and age where divorce in the church is as high (if not higher) as the culture around. There is still something.

    Imagine then what it would be like to receive the message as Ezekiel did. While you may have received, for example, the news that a loved one was going to die, or even suddenly died, you had the ability to . Ezekiel was commanded to not grieve. Just as he would soon bury his wife, he would bury his feelings.

    Males are, granted, more likely to tuck their feelings away. However, just as we are often tempted or even driven to disobey when commanded to do (or not do) something, imagine Ezekiel being commanded to not grieve, which probably made the of his wife even more pronounced on his .

    While the do not say that Ezekiel stands figuratively in the place of God, it does make sense. The precious (Israel) is about to die (conquered and exiled). This is a result of sin and corruption. God, therefore, cannot grieve for God’s was denied. If God were to grieve, God might protect Israel once more, allowing it to fall even more deeply into depravity.

    This gets even darker in Jeremiah’s words. Jeremiah is banned from lamenting with any family who has lost a loved one. In other words, lamentation has become a luxury. The gift of lamentation has been taken away. The gifts of consolation, commiseration, and sympathy have also been taken away. Through their disobedience, the deepest loss is now only a fact. Hearts and feelings must be set aside.

    ※ Prayer ※

    Father God, we are thankful for your never-ending . Give us the wisdom and discernment to be bearers of your compassion, mercy, and love for all of those who are grieving in these days. Amen.

    ※ Questions ※

    1) What does it mean to lament, to you? How is that different from being sad or grieving, if anything?

    2) Have you ever repressed really strong emotions? Why? What were the lingering effects?

    3) In Jewish/Israelite society, and lament were semi-public events. How did that work in the church pre-COVID? How does it work now?

  • Instigation

    Instigation

    Jeremiah 15:10–14; Matthew 10:16–23; Matthew 12:46–50

    Christmas is coming! All I want for Christmas is for 2020 to be over. How about you?

    2020 may be the year of . There is no question that the country is divided. While 2016 was certainly divisive, it is almost nothing to today. As much as many may blame the president, a political party other than theirs, any politician, the media, and whomever else they want to…the divisions all our rooted in our sin.

    In many respects, this may be a blessing in disguise. For too many years, any form of conflict or disagreement has been shoved into the dark corners. It wasn’t that long ago that “safe places” were a thing. The beauty of these days is the reality that there is no “safe space” where we won’t hear something that conflicts with our beliefs.

    How we , however, is certainly an issue. Many church folks are no longer conversing on issues. They just attack and/or shut down. We have lost the ability to argue well and with love.

    The church is in the middle of a very painful transformation. This isn’t just the incorporation of digital into its (rather than as a side project), it is the racial, political, health (COVID), and economic strain that is occurring throughout the world. These concerns are forcing the church to confront itself with the many things it has done and hasn’t done.

    At this point in the church’s circle are prophetic voices of varying kinds. Many are not appreciated or even listened to (just like the Old Testament prophets).

    Jeremiah was given a message by God. He mourns his birth as the people scorn and hate him even though he did nothing against them. He only spoke God’s words.

    Jeremiah certainly was not popular. He was rightly regarded as a prophet. It was just that the words didn’t fit their desires.

    This really hasn’t changed. ‘ warning to his disciples was straight . They weren’t going to be liked. Their choice to follow Jesus may cause them to lose family and friends.

    Families divided because someone follows Jesus. What happens when families and other are divided because they have different understandings of what it means to follow Jesus? That’s the question for this age.

    It used to be one or two issues that divided the church. Now, there are many. Perhaps it is the language we use when we disagree. Perhaps our language is too rigid. Perhaps our hearts are too hard.

    Jesus formed a new family that transcended the earthly bonds. In Jesus’ day, it was the blood of the family. After his , it was the division that separated Jew from Gentile. Today it is , race, abortion, the military, the appropriate place of patriotism, protest, COVID, healthcare, the environment, and so many other issues.

    “For whoever does the will of my in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” The will of the Father? Love the Lord your God with all your body, soul, mind, and strength; love your neighbor as yourself.

    ※Prayer※

    Heavenly Father, help us do your will that we would be fully functioning members of your family. Amen.

    1) How are you doing talking to on issues with which you disagree? Do you filter your values through the will of the Father?

    2) What forms do prophetic voices take today? Is there any particular form you would automatically ignore?

    3) What are the current issues that prophetic voices are discussion that make you uncomfortable? Why does that make you uncomfortable?

  • Disciple, Baptize, Teach

    Disciple, Baptize, Teach

    Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Corinthians 1:14–25

    One of the measurements of a ‘s growth is the annual number of baptisms. If we were to review the church’s (and, by this, generally all American churches), the percentage is not particularly great. It certainly does not the so-called New Testament numbers.

    A lot has changed over the years. In certain traditions, infants are brought to be baptized into the of the church. While the Church of the Nazarene generally dedicates infants, functionally it often ends up being the same.

    Is a good measurement? Yes…and no. Baptism does not a make. It would be nice if it were that easy.

    There is probably a reason why the order is disciple, baptize, teach. The two primary modern pathways are baptize/teach and teach/baptize. seems to not be part of the primary paths.

    Yes, the disciple is used a lot. The actually living as a disciple seems to be lacking. But, you say, we have a discipleship class or book or…really, something that teaches.

    The evidence of a lack of discipleship is all around us. Look at our culture. Look at our news. Look at our sports.

    Paul’s words somewhat feed into that. He states that he was not sent to baptize, but to preach. Now we often immediately equate preach to teach (not just because it rhymes). Paul seems to that.

    Especially in the apologetic intellectual Christianity of today, preaching is often used as teaching. Paul calls his preaching foolishness. Paul’s foolishness wouldn’t seem to be the same as today’s preaching.

    It might even mean that the wise, the teacher of the law, the debater of the might very well be the church and its practices. This is not to tear down the church, but to examine it. This is meant to examine us.

    , you commanded your disciples to make disciples. Help us to do our part. Amen.

    1) What is discipleship? What does a disciple look like?

    2) What is the difference between being a disciple and being taught?

    3) Do you think Jesus meant the three (disciple, baptize, teach) in a particular order or to actually separate them? Or do you think Jesus had something else in mind? If so, what?

  • It’s All About…

    It’s All About…

    Psalm 5; 2 Corinthians 10:7–18; James 1:22–27

    In this , getting oneself out in front of potential employers has become a big issue. Whether it is the applicant or the HR Manager, differentiating is an issue.

    Out of this has come the concept of a “personal brand”. In many regards, it often seems that personal branding is all about boasting and shining the spotlight on oneself. There is training for one’s “personal brand”.

    Boasting isn’t all bad. By definition, boast means to have a strong affirming opinion of or confidence in a person. In black and white, that looks like a very positive. Already, we can see an issue.

    The definition of boasting is not often the one we use. Our general definition (though the context may that) is that it is groundless or overly inflated opinion of another, but usually oneself.

    The Hebrew actually goes along well with the “official” definition. Often, such as in Psalm 5, it is translated as exult or and with God usually being the subject of it. That is very reasonable.

    Even in the Greek, the issue is the same. What we miss through the is the modifier: empty, shallow, false, or something else. We will imply or infer when we or of “boasting”, but we often mislead when we rely on inference or implication.

    When is talking about boast, the context is crucial to understanding what he means. It is also incredibly important that we see the “emptiness” that Paul is referring to. The false measurement that the nameless are comparing themselves to is…themselves.

    Or, if we take James’ words into account, people who forget who they really are and then measure themselves by a false image.

    Boasting, as said earlier, isn’t necessarily bad. It is groundless boasting that is the issue. People can boast for others (think of a job or personal references). However, the danger in boasting is the foundation upon which it is based.

    When Paul talks about boasting in the Lord, that’s a pretty safe foundation. Yet, when Paul talks about it, it is more along the lines of “look what God did” rather than “look at what God did through me.” Still, either one is better than “look how well I did.”

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, let our hearts be humble towards others and you. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Is there a difference between bragging and boasting?

    2) How does the mirror concept of James help understand the concept that Paul is trying to convey?

    3) Taking the opening definition of boasting and comparing it to our “street” understanding of it, what other words can you think of that have something similar? How might they affect how you read Scripture?