Devotion.al

Tag: church

  • Trusting God’s Way

    Psalm 1, Jeremiah 17:5-10, 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

    Has someone ever said to you, “I don’t trust anyone?” First, imagine like that. Someone who lives such a paranoid life could never be happy. You cannot love if you cannot trust. Second, anyone who says that hasn’t walked down the road of thinking that through to the . You certainly cannot function in modern society, or really among humans, without some level of trust. Even when driving (when trust is often least), we generally trust people. We have no choice. To get from one place to the other we have to expect that everyone is trying to get to their destination, too, and will behave accordingly. Oddly enough, if such a person were to exist, there is still one person they have to trust, themselves.

    While it is almost impossible to distrust everyone, it is far to easy for people to believe in those who are in power or have influence. We often seem to turn off our common sense and our ability to right from wrong when dealing with certain people. Sometimes, even more strangely, we continue to trust people that have already betrayed our trust. People put a lot of trust in the things of man: wealth, power, influence, cars, homes, boats, , etc. The most dangerous trust, though, is when we get to the point where human knowledge trumps God. For clarity, we’re talking about God. We aren’t talking about, for example, evolution and Genesis, or Jonah and the whale (fish). We’re talking about trusting things of man rather than God. The thing that probably endangers man most of all is knowledge.

    Whether your of the Garden of Eden (a story in the book of Genesis) is a parable (story) or definitive truth, the underlying truth (other than humankind’s pride) is that knowledge is a barrier between us and God. We put it there. We chose, and daily choose, to put knowledge between ourselves and God. Our society honors and elevates those who use knowledge to oppose God. This is nothing new. The sad state of most American Christians (and there are exceptions) is that if there is an enemy (of which America has had and has made many) the general is not one of, “God, forgive us.” It is, “…raise the Department of Defense budget.” We often justify this response by saying, “it’s a wise choice.” The question we should constantly be asking ourselves “is it the God-ly choice.” Now, here is the real rub. Honest (with themselves) Christians may on many fronts including “just” war, dealing with poverty, dealing with immigration. That is perfectly okay (and normal). What is not normal, and should be, is, “what is God’s response to this through me?” Am I honoring God, or dishonoring God. Again, the reality is that different people will come to different conclusions. Yep.

    When we trust God’s redemptive work in us and by extension God’s redemptive work in , we can trust people not because people are trustworthy. We trust God’s work because it’s God’s work, not ours. When we trust God’s work, we become that tree planted by the water, nourished by the love and grace of God. God’s transformative grace continually works on, in, and through us. Changing our lives from ones that trusted the things and ways of man, into lives the revolve around God and his love. When God justified us he set us apart to be weird. Trust God. God does amazing things.

    1) Even in the church, people often turn to the ways of man. Why do you think that is?

    2) Especially in the church, people turning to the ways of man is problematic at best, sinful at worst. How can you tell when something is the “ways of man” rather than the “ways of God”?

    3) Often the phrase, “the reason of the heart,” is used to not judge another (and justifiably), but also it is used to justify our personal actions. Why is the concept of only God knowing our heart (both feeling and motivation) both freeing and very dangerous?

    FD) How can you start asking yourself “is this God’s way” ? What do you think the result will be?

  • Heart of Food

    Psalm 141, Daniel 1:1-16, Mark 7:14-23

    With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, chocolate and sweets often come to mind. Food is often a significant part of gatherings whether they be gatherings of , friends, or . Barring royalty or the of developed nations (mostly), food scarcity is a real thing. In the days of Scripture, people would spend either the majority of their time or to secure food. When food is such a significant part of your efforts, food can take on deeper cultural and religious meaning.

    The story of Daniel begins with a test of food. It is easy, but not certain, to believe that the king’s food did not meet Jewish dietary law. Or it could be that the food was first “sacrificed” to idols before being eaten. Or it could be that the four wanted to show that their sympathies were with their starving fellow Jews. Regardless, food was the center of a challenge. As the four were Jewish captives, this was viewed as a political . The religious overtones within Scripture are there, as well. All of it revolves around food.

    In ‘ time, there were many rules regarding food. The Jewish religious rules were intended to fulfill the requirements of Israelite law. And the religious leaders imposed further rules, just to assure that the original rules weren’t even close to being infringed upon. Under Roman rule, however, Jewish dietary law also took on political overtones. Dietary laws were often used to socially Jews from Romans, creating a barrier between people. Food, one of the unifying themes of humanity, was now a separator, not an uniter.

    Jesus’ declaration regarding dietary laws was indeed not just about the food. It is definitely about . Jesus takes the concept of food and turns it into the matter of the . When we look at how food was used to separate people, we can see Jesus’ point. Food was the outward symbol of an inward .

    1) Have you been the guest of a family whose taste of foods was distinctly different than yours? How did you react? Did it impact your ability to fellowship with them around the table?

    2) While Jesus was correcting the excesses of the Jewish religious leaders, he is correcting us. What outward symbol (food, attire, accent, stuff) have you ever used to categorize another person? Does that categorization help or hinder looking at others like Christ?

    FD) Why do we use food in our gatherings? Why is that good? Why is that bad?

  • Life Vessel

    Psalm 71, Isaiah 55:1-13, Acts 9:19b-25

    It is easy to get lost in despair. It is easy to let the troubles of this world get you down. When the world especially tries to drag you down with, “if there really was a God…” The psalmist feels overwhelmed and opposed. There is even some feeling of being abandoned by God. Yet, the psalmist does not lose hope, and God, even when questioning. It’s okay to question what’s going on. God’s big enough to handle the question. It’s not that we question. It can be how we question. Really, it is who we look at when we question. Are we looking at ourselves? Are we looking at ? Or, are we looking, really looking at God?

    Isaiah has questions. The people of Israel have questions. They have lots of questions, and heartache, and loss, and , and anger, and despair, and…a whole of issues. The words shared by Isaiah are really the question…who/what are you looking at? When we look at God, we can receive -giving water and life. When we look elsewhere, it goes out of us. That can be good, as long as we keep looking to God to receive. However, the longer we are open to receiving, we end up leaving ourselves open to being changed. Some people take a touch. Others take tap. Others require a spiritual 2×4. It is what happens afterwards that is the difference: our response and how we look at God.

    got the 2×4 (or something bigger). He had an experience that was so powerful that he changed. He went from a man successfully penalizing the church (including being an accomplice to murder), to being an obvious and outspoken support of Christ and his church. So much so, that it is not an unreasonable question to ponder, if he was so quickly able to successfully defend Jesus as the Messiah, why couldn’t have figured it out earlier? What if…a powerful question, that has no real answer.‌

    • ‌1) Being a vessel of God’s water (spirit) can us deeply. Why can that be scary to people?‌
    • 2) What do you think of the Christian life in the of Isaiah’s words? Should your Christian life be changed?
    • 3) We often think of Paul being alone. Yet, he was never alone. What does that tell us about Paul, ourselves, and how we view important people?
    • FD) Sometimes we don’t understand God. Is that okay? Is it okay to not understand, and still and trust God?

  • Decisions and Struggles

    Jeremiah 11:15–16, Isaiah 52:1–12, Galatians 4:12–20

    We cannot avoid the reality that the world as it stands opposes the , while at the same time yearning for it. People try to avoid the reality that the is opposed, and try to “be at peace” with the world. On the other hand, there are those who are so obsessed with “the opposition” that they either spend the majority of their efforts and energy opposing, or huddle behind the “four walls” of their church, family, and/or larger “tribe”. Part of what makes the walk so difficult and why it requires constant reorientation, is that we are to walk between these two extremes.

    The two verses in Jeremiah recall that the people of Israel have wandered far away from their God, and have turn rituals of life into empty actions. They were set apart and planted to be a symbol. They became spiritually diseased, and the only thing that could the disease was fire…a cleansing fire. Yet, instead of changing their ways they kept to the old.

    Isaiah’s call to Zion/Jerusalem is for it to “wake up” out of the despair and disgrace that it has found itself in. It is time to throw off the old clothes and the contaminated ways. It is time to put on new clothes and new ways. yourselves.

    The old bad non-life-giving ways have a way of coming back. Jeremiah and Isaiah opposed them. Generations later, had to fight them again. Now it was not just the old Jewish ways that he had to confront (like Jeremiah and Isaiah), it was also the ways of the that had to be opposed.

    Paul is makes two very important points. The first is there are people that are trying to put themselves above others (mostly Paul, but they would have also been putting themselves above the elders) to control and try to what is Truth. They also appear to be doing it for personal of money or pride. Not good reasons to change who one respects.

    The other important point is that Paul speaks of them being his children, that he is again going through the childbearing pains, trying to restore them to where they were in their beliefs. Christ has to be formed in them (again). This would be what we would call backsliding. Paul was now separated by distance, and was doubly pained that he couldn’t be there in person.

    Christian should always move forward, but sometimes, due to culture, family, habits, we go backwards. It sometime seems we have to start all over again. If it has been a really hard fight, we could succumb to despair.

    • 1) American individualism, especially prevalent in the Western parts of the United States, almost convinces people to find their own way in a vacuum. What happens when we make decisions in isolation?
    • 2) Spiritual decisions made in isolation along with cultural influences can endanger our spiritual lives. What do you do to help immunize yourself in that area?
    • 3) Most often, our biggest spiritual battles will be in areas that we have always struggled with. What are you doing to strengthen yourself in those areas, and finding accountability?
    • FD) Do you have, or ever had, a favorite article of clothing, a shirt, or accessory? Have you ever not wanted to wash it, because it might get hurt? What happens when it gets really yucky? Then what? Your spirit sometimes needs some cleaning, too? What do you do to clean it?

  • Seeking Voices

    Psalm 57, Galatians 4:1–11, Luke 7:20-30

    Paul words to the Galatians are a warning and yet imbued with and grace. Paul recalls for them that they were slaves to statues, sacrifices, and temples that did not give them . In fact, these things took life. When we are talking about life here, we’re not speaking of biological life, but spiritual life. The Galatians were spiritual captives to those that wanted to keep them chained up.

    This spiritual enslavement is both Jewish (to the Mosaic law and to the Rabbinic law put over it) and Gentile (to the pagan and Roman cultures and religions to which they began). Paul’s concern is that they are being called/cajoled/harassed by both insiders and outsiders to to “their roots,” whether Jewish or Gentile, respectively.

    This is why the concept of slave and heir are important here. A way to think of it is that their souls have been enlightened by the . They are now children of God. However, in similarity to those enslaved by the “old” ways, they aren’t quite free yet. They have a choice to make. They can choose to be free, fully accepting the inheritance of God, or they can choose the comfortable old way, where they are not free. They are free to choose, but only one path leads to true .

    By and large, the rituals of both the pagan and Jewish traditions were to satisfy the rules and to make things okay. On the other hand, Christianity has many traditions and rituals. All of them are (supposed to be) a response to what was already completed by Jesus Christ. However, even the can sometimes forget that it is free of those requirements. How easy it is to follow the old ways!

    In the time of Jesus, we cannot forget that Jesus wasn’t the only wandering teacher. He also wasn’t the only person called a prophet. The sad truth is that there are always those who set themselves up as prophets, and many people would follow them. These followers were seeking the release of what was holding them down, though many could not put it into words. We even still see this today.

    The interplay between Jesus and John is significant, as John is testing and validating Jesus’ prophetic call, and Jesus is affirming John’s prophetic call. This ties them together as far as many of the people are concerned. Yet, the trap of having a prophetic voice to follow is that people will often find themselves always following the latest and greatest prophetic voice. The church is no different.

    Often pastor, elders, and leaders do the same. It is nature to want to be near the successful. The successful, though, are often as trapped (if not more so) than “” people.

    When Jesus and John validate each other’s calling, there is a sense of mutual submission. They are looking to the other for validation and confirmation. This is unusual when it comes to those who put themselves up as prophetic voices, for they then consider their voice the only one to be listened to.

    • 1) When you seek voices to into your life, do you test them? If so, how? If not, why not?
    • 2) Thinking of the grisly deaths of Jesus and John, why would anyone set themselves up to be a prophet?
    • 3) Where do you see voices in our modern context trying to be prophetic influencers? What seems to be the primary motivation?
    • FD) What does it mean to have someone speak into your life?

  • Be Being Prepared

    Psalm 54, Acts 20:16–32

    Be gracious. How many times did you someone say, “If I were God…,” or have you said that yourself? Most of the time, those four words do not result in a gracious response. In fact, they are usually the introduction to something vengeful or self-righteous.

    Sometimes we do hear a gracious response after those four words, but then how often is our response to that grace…grace-filled. It’s sad, but often grace is not the initial human response.

    Despite our own orientation to grace-less-ness, we still look to God for grace-full-ness. Why is it that we expect more out God’s response than we deliver on our own?

    Deep down, beyond our conscious thoughts, we have an understanding that grace should be the way of things. As we all know, and as the psalmist states, we are among people whose “…teeth are spears and arrows, whose are sharp swords…” Sadly, we are often those same people to others.

    Even sadder, sometimes we are that way to those we hold closest in our hearts. The psalmist takes a breath…and then…PRAISE GOD! God is faithful! that God is faithful often allows us to be grace-filled, even when highly distraught or distressed, as Paul was on his way to Jerusalem.

    As Paul gives his farewell address to those he loves personally and deeply, he summarizes his time in Ephesus. There are some things we should be taking from Paul’s address. First, he sought to be humble. We know that Paul was smart.

    Often smart people act as though they are better than others, just because of their intelligence. Paul made the case that wasn’t this way with him. He did not shy away from telling what needed to be told (profitable). It also tells us that others said many things that were not “profitable” to the Ephesians. This was one of Paul’s deep concerns.

    He warned the Ephesian elders to be aware of those that would tear the innocent apart and lead them astray. He is telling them to up. They will no longer be able to rely on Paul to be the , but they are now responsible. Paul reminded them of the tears he shed as he spoke the Truth, not just of God’s grace and kingdom, but that people will come (who might even be friends) that will try to destroy the of the Ephesians.

    He is doing those last minute reminders. He believes that this journey to Jerusalem will be the end of his journey, and wants them to both for grief and to wear the mantle of leadership.

    • 1) In his address to the Ephesians, Paul mentions the “…the of God’s grace…” Why is that especially important for Paul as he looks to the end of his journey?
    • 2) When we look at the psalmist’s words about the “” of humanity, how can the gospel of God’s grace respond?
    • 3) Paul’s history with Ephesians, and his effectiveness with them was built over years. What does that tell about the legacy of faith?
    • FD) Why does Paul use the imagery of for the people of the church and wolves for the people outside of the faith (not necessarily outside of the church)?

  • Worthy Scraps

    Mark 7:24–30, Psalm 2, Isaiah 26:1–6, Genesis 17:1–7

    It’s been over a month since . Within the time frame of the church “year”, we are halfway through the “season” of Epiphany. As a brief reminder, Epiphany is the observation day of the Wise Men coming to Jesus. It is a reminder that while Jesus was Jewish, his salvific work and kingship were for the Gentiles (non-Jews), too.

    It is also a not-so-subtle jab at the Jewish religious leaders that they missed the coming of the king. While Jesus made it clear that the emphasis of his time on earth was for the salvation of and preaching the of God to the Jews, it was supposed to be only the beginning.

    While Jesus emphasized the Jews, it was not that he was exclusionary. There is the Samaritan woman (almost worse than a Gentile to the Jews) at the well. There is also the Roman Centurion. Then there is today’s story of the Syrian Mother seeking the welfare of her daughter.

    In Jesus’ initial to the woman, note the emphasis on the “children”. Children is definitely a reference to Jews that have had a seat at the table of God since Abraham. In other words, Jesus tells the woman to wait until the Jews are “fed”.

    The allusion to feeding on God is interesting, too. We could be offended at the appearance of Jesus calling the woman a dog, yet it would be a culturally relevant way for a Jew to refer to her (it doesn’t make it appropriate in our day and age). It is also an accurate reflection of the gap between the woman’s heritage and that of the Jews.

    It does seem to be a test in some way. Jesus didn’t say no. In a way, Jesus was asking her what the most appropriate thing was, which makes her response even more amazing.

    She does not dispute that Jesus is Jewish, and thus his priority is the Jews. It was entirely appropriate that she acknowledged and respected his avowed . Again, Jesus didn’t say no.

    This mother took “the scraps” that Jesus tossed her, and gave a beautiful response.

    Think about small children. When they eat, they are not the tidiest of eaters. Food ends up on the floor. Sometimes by accident, sometimes by being tossed. Small children often do not fully grasp the concept of food and its worth, just as the Jews were missing the beauty of God’s incarnate.

    The mother saw the worth of Jesus (food) and lunged for the crumbs that children ignored. Jesus healed her daughter. Just like the Centurion’s , the daughter was healed at a distance. The and of the Gentiles (the outsiders) exceeded the faith of the Jews (insiders).

    • 1) While many Christians identify with the Gentiles and outsiders, it isn’t always the case. Are you able to see where you might be more like an insider rather than an outsider?
    • 2) What does the word epiphany mean to you? How does that meaning apply to the Wise Men? How does that apply to your Christian walk?
    • 3) Food is an important part of the story. What are some different ways food can be used to tell a story of faith?
    • FD) We can become blind to the we have (like the Jews were blind to Jesus). What blessings do you need to remember today?

  • Transitioning

    Psalm 29; Isaiah 43:1–13; Matthew 3:13–17

    Many people claim to have heard from God. Often in church culture, we about Elijah and the “still, small, of God” (1 Kings 19). In Psalm 29, however, the voice of the Lord is anything but quiet. Massive trees break, the earth shakes, deer giving premature birth, the woodlands stripped bare, all due to the voice of the Lord. The voice of the Lord can be quiet or loud, depending on what we need.

    Through Isaiah, God calls out to the Israelites. The Israelites are in exile, and in . God reminds them that it is God who made them. It is God who formed not just humankind, but the people of Israel, reminding them of the promise made to Abraham.

    After the reminder—which is also a statement of reassurance—comes the challenge. As the Israelites walk through the waters, rivers, and . God will be with them. It is not insignificant that God says, “…when you pass/walk through….” God is not talking about avoiding trials (waters, rivers, fire). God accompanies in the midst of trouble. It is not just the accompanying, though. The figure of of “through the waters/floods” is one of death into new : Jacob became Israel; Israel leaves Egypt; Israel enters the promised land; Elijah’s last walk; Elijah’s prophetic beginning.

    Walking “through the fire “is a symbol of purification. This is similar to the burned sacrifices, which were performed for the cleansing of sin. Through fire, metals are refined, and the impurities removed. In these times, fire was also a sign of life and security.

    One can say when we perceive that God is with us and for us, we will walk through our trials and be transformed.

    Even for , baptism (i.e., walk through waters) is a transition from life to death to life. When Jesus is baptized, he goes from the life he had (probably that of a carpenter) to the life of , the Gospel of the . Just like us, Jesus “walks” through the waters. Jesus knows the things of our lives, for he walked them, too.

    1. Can you think when God has walked with you through times of refinement? What did you hear from God during this?
    2. When did you “walk” through a time of death into a new life (or way of )? How did God walk beside them?
    3. What is similar between times of refinement, and times of death-to-life? What is different between them?
    4. [FD] What does baptism mean to you?