Devotion.al

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  • It Makes A Difference

    Psalm 54, Isaiah 50:1–11, Mark 6:47–56

    There is an old military quip that went something like, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” How much truth in that statement is up to question, yet there is a strong tendency to ask for help or deliverance from something greater than themselves. The current culture of press media, social media, politicians, and celebrities is encouraged by this tendency. Somehow, someone else will make it better for us, or at least make us feel better.

    The Psalmist knows who he is asking for deliverance. The psalmist believes that God is indeed faithful and powerful, and can deliver him from all his troubles. Now, to be clear, this deliverance is based upon /faith in God, the implied following of God’s will, and that deliverance is within God’s plan. The psalmist does seem to be quite clear that God has delivered him before, which causes him to believe that God will deliver him again. The psalmist’s trust is based upon God’s character, not his own, or someone else’s.

    In the Psalm, it is looking to the past and is for assurance. On the other hand, in Isaiah we come to the lack of deliverance of Israel. They are not in a place of deliverance. They have been looking to other gods, other peoples…anyone other than God. Now, at their wits end, God becomes a source of . It would seem that the divorce certificate and being sold to creditors is the result of their behavior. Not so fast!

    The point being made is that God did not divorce Israel. There is no certificate of divorce, meaning that Israel’s willful separation from God is not permanent! Creditors? That just means a debt has to be paid! Israel may be in a bad place. They are not stuck there! God then assures them that he can deliver them!

    It is strange and sad, that often God has to remind them that he is God, and that he has the power of and . Yet, that is what God is doing here, reminding them (again) that their God can and restore them! This is God also telling them they are not too far gone. They can be saved.

    The second section of the Isaiah passage is the response of the faithful . There are multiple layers in this “servant” passage. This could be considered the words of Isaiah himself, as the faithful prophet trying to get God’s people to recover themselves. This passage (along with the other “servant” passages in Isaiah) are often connected to Jesus. Another layer is a general faithful servant.

    As a generality, it can be seen as the idealized Israel trying to draw-in prodigal Jacob, which is odd on the face, since they are the same person. Yet, Israel is the one chosen and named by God, and Jacob is the one not quite there. We ourselves often walk that line between faithful and faithless. Sometimes we hold tight to God, other times we wander away. Sometimes we are just lukewarm toward God.

    The disciples had their own struggles with this, and they were physically with Jesus! Jesus just fed thousands. The disciples were sent off in a boat. After Jesus had some personal prayer time, he walked on the water to the boat. The disciples then freak out thinking that Jesus is a ghost (or some sort of spirit). Only after he speaks with assurance that they accept that it really is Jesus.

    Mark ends this story with an interesting phrase, “…their hearts were hardened.” Mark uses this passage later on as Jesus is still working on the disciples so they get it. The hardened heart echoes the Pharoah in Exodus, along with the Israelites in the wilderness, immediately prior to and during exile. This is not something to skip over. In the midst of regular undeniable miracles, the hearts of the disciples still did not get it.

    • 1) How were the disciples different than the Israelites? How were they similar?
    • 2) What is the one think you think ultimately made the difference for the disciples to “get it”?
    • 3) How can we follow the psalmist’s example and strengthen our resolve to trust God? How can you strengthen today in their resolve to trust God?
    • FD) When the arteries/pipes of heart become hard, our heart does not work as well. How is that like our spiritual heart?

  • Worth or Hardly Worth Doing

    Psalm 1; 2 Kings 5:1–14; Luke 3:1–18

    Let’s reword Psalm 1:1…

    How happy is the one who walks in the advice of the holy and , who walks on the path set by God, and sits in the company of those who follow the Lord.

    Sometimes by writing the opposite in the /Poetry literature, it helps to better understand what the writer is conveying. In Psalm 1, the Psalmist is talking about a life filled with and by God. This is a life of with God, and those who choose to be called by his name and be led by him, and in fellowship with other believers. This may often seem slow, monotonous, and unexciting. People will often avoid such a life, and look at things outside, which seem more dramatic or exciting.

    Naaman initially rejected Elisha’s instructions for not meeting his . He was expecting at least a hand-waving! Naaman, at least, would have accepted miraculous healing (with the hand-waving), but whether it was geographic pride (my rivers are better than yours) or personal pride (Elisha didn’t come to see him personally), Naaman was ticked. What is particularly interesting is Naaman’s servants’ approach to the matter. They rhetorically ask him that if Elisha’s (God’s) requirement was some great feat (contextually, some military matter), wouldn’t he have done it?

    On the surface, Elisha’s hand-waving and a great feat are different. Truly, though, they both revolved around Naaman’s pride. His pride was a barrier to his healing. This is why the wisdom of Psalm 1 applies. Sometimes, the clean (righteous, holy, etc) life isn’t doing huge things, are having huge things happening to you, but resting beside the living water of God, and taking in the love and goodness that it brings.

    There are other times when resting in your life, leads to other issues. When John starts baptizing people, he calls out to the comfortable and those seeking excitement. He calls them Brood (or offspring) of Vipers. It is not a stretch to believe that John was telling them that their bite (i.e., hearts and words) would lead to death, as vipers are poisonous snakes. One could also infer the connection between the snake of Eden (tempting Adam and Eve into the first sin) and the viper (who leads to death).

    The people, both the general populace and the Pharisees, could claim that they were looking for the Messiah (or his messenger), or looking for a better life. Yet, John does put a result out there. Those who say they repent (and thus could be baptized) were to display “good fruit.” The implication being that no good fruit was being produced.

    Naaman and John tie the contradiction of the human condition. If we think it’s it, we’ll do really hard things that require sacrifice. However, sometimes the hardest thing is to do nothing exciting. On the other hand, we are also people of a culture who want to be like many of those baptized by John and just be done after that one thing. Yet, the true life offered through Christ is relational. is not meant to be “the “. It’s not even meant to be the beginning. Baptism is the public profession of the in Christ inside our heart. It is another step along the road of life with Christ.

    1. How do you see the need for excitement or big events driving your personal life? How about your work or school life? How about your faith and/or church life?
    2. We seek both comfort and excitement. Where do you find that contradiction in yourself?
    3. What would attract you to “sit” with God? What draws you away from it?
    4. [FD] What big thing would you like to do for God? What small things do you do for God?

  • Salvation of Becoming

    Psalm 2; Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 56:1-8; Luke 2:41-52

    Many people have taught and believed that once a person prays the Sinner’s Prayer that they are safe from Hell. The most famous one was used by Billy Graham to lead people to Christ. It is:

    Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your .

    Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) has a slightly different version, which is:

    Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

    And there are plenty more. While Billy Graham led people to Christ through this prayer, something is missing. The Cru version both simplifies and expands on the famous Billy Graham version. Do you see the biggest difference? Look to the . The Billy Graham version goes, “…I want to…” The Cru version says, “…Take control…Make me…” Billy Graham firmly believed that with Jesus was not, “say the prayer, and you are done.” Yet, many Christians, using Billy Graham’s prayer, believed exactly that. Many responded (related) to Jesus and lived (or live) a life of daily transformation. Others, sadly, said the prayer, did not change (nor submit to being changed), went on the way they already lived, but assumed they were saved.

    The Cru version is better in that there is an identification that God will be doing the work, and the person will be doing the submission/inviting/surrendering. The Cru version gets closer to the heart of the matter. Salvation isn’t just a series of words, it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.

    In Psalm 2 we read, “You are my son; today I have become your .” This a relational transformation. This is the next step of salvation. Both passages of Isaiah consist of relational transformation, you were this, you are now this. Relational transformation is not new to Christ. Through the prophets, God was saying it constantly. It is not the rules, it is the living.

    This past Sunday, we heard about Jesus having difficulties of being a 12-year old boy, and doing things as a 12-year old boy would do. Part of the teaching was how after the event of being lost (okay, left behind) and found (at the Temple), Jesus was obedient, and increased in wisdom and stature. This too is relational transformation. There is a tidbit that wasn’t discussed, as it would have distracted from the message: the question of Jesus’ .

    There are 2 common translations of Jesus’ words, “…being about my Father’s business…,” and “…be in my Father’s house…” There is a continuity in Jesus’ words, and that is the relationship to God the Father. While we might take it for granted (especially, since it’s Jesus), in the context of the day, Jesus was connecting his identity (and his inheritance) to God the Father, not Joseph his father. Culturally, this is similar to saying, “you’re dead to me,” to Joseph. While this, of course, wasn’t Jesus’ intent, we can take a lesson from it.

    When we pray the sinner’s prayer, make the commitment to allow ourselves to be transformed, and choose to be in relationship with God (Father, Son, and Holy ), we are telling the death, the powers of darkness, the world, and our sin, “you are dead to me.” We then take on the mantle of a child of God.

    1. If Jesus is the Savior, the Lord, why is the so strong to just “get it done” with a prayer? How should the knowledge of that temptation inform your life with Jesus?
    2. Regarding your spiritual life (church, life groups, devotional reading, bible reading, prayer), are you tempted to just, “get it done,” so that you can check it off the list?
    3. Why does “get it done” work against a relationship?
    4. [FD] Why do you want a relationship with Jesus? What is a relationship?

  • The Hope Beyond Us

    Psalm 38, Isaiah 32:10-20, Joel 2:12-13

    In regards to their , many people struggle with two particular areas. The first is pride. Realizing that one’s salvation involves the surrendering of self, a person can stop right at the . Holding onto one’s self (one’s pride) can keep a person from taking the final step of into God’s salvation.

    The other area is . Often the struggle with sin goes hand-in-hand with pride. If we look around us at the world, however, we can see that the world’s definition of a “good” person might not meet God’s definition of “good.” You may have heard a phrase similar to, “good enough is the enemy of great,” usually used in the business world. Let’s take that with sin. Good enough could be “better than the other person” or “everybody’s doing it” or “no one else is getting hurt by it.” Great is God. If we’re “good enough” are we the enemy of God?

    It sounds harsh. David, according to the world, was “good enough.” He committed sins, just like other leaders. He killed people in war, just like . He was, it seems, a weak parent. While he wasn’t an enemy of God, per se, at the end, his greatest project of building God’s temple was handed over to his because of the blood he had shed.

    There are consequences of doing wrong. Our legal system takes care of some things. Our social circles take care of other things. At the end of our lives, God takes care of the things, as we stand before the throne.

    The passage in Isaiah takes us through the good enough, through the consequences, and to the . The passage in Joel calls on us to be honest with ourselves, and what we have done, all in the context of God’s , compassion, and .

    To get to the best part of the story of ourselves, we need to dig into the ugly part of ourselves, hearts conflicted with pride and sin.

    1) Why do you think it is important to know the starting point of a journey?

    2) Does the starting point of a journey determine the end of the journey?

    3) Why do you think people judge/condemn others (or themselves) for the starting point of their journey, rather than focusing on getting to the right end?

    KD) What does it mean to you to be good enough? Why would you want to be better?

  • Working At Peace

    Working At Peace

    Psalm 29, Romans 5:1-11, Philippians 4:2-9,

    “The LORD gives his people ; the LORD blesses his people with .”
    Psalm 29:11

    “…we have peace with God through our Lord Christ.”
    Romans 5:1

    “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
    Philippians 4:7

    Through Jesus Christ we are at peace with God (). This is also expressed as being God’s children, the LORD’s people. So, God gives us strength. This strength, the fulfilled through Christ, is a peace that surpasses all understanding.

    Peace isn’t a one-time thing. Peace is not something that just happens. Peace is hard work. For us to be reconciled to God (“…peace with God…”), the of God came to earth, became one of us, and died for all of us. If Jesus died for this peace, why do we ever think it is easy?

    It takes strength to be at peace. It takes effort to be at peace. “That person cut me off, they…” Be at peace? Have you driven around here? Just driving can cause one to not be at peace with the people around them! Then there are the , work, and general people dynamics which just makes being at peace hard!

    PEACE IS HARD WORK! “I’m at peace about this.” If one is truly at peace about something, there was effort involved. Sometimes we are at “peace” because we are fatalistic about it. Sometimes we are at “peace”, because we “know” the result. Sometimes we are at peace because we surrendered it to God.

    1) Why do you think “spiritual” peace is viewed as something “just” given?

    2) Have you ever had to work really hard to be at peace about something?

    3) Should you feel guilty about having to work at being at peace?

    4) Is being at peace the effort?

    KD) Are you at peace with God? If not, why not? If you are, how?

  • Light Walking

    Light Walking

    Psalm 4, Isaiah 26:1-13, Matthew 5:13-16

    “Many are asking, ‘Who can show us anything good?’ Let the of your face shine on us LORD.”
    Psalm 4:6

    “I long for you in the night; yes, my within me diligently seeks you…”
    Isaiah 26:9

    Yesterday, we read about being the light of Christ. In the context of yesterday’s reading, it is the light of Christ that shines onto and into a world of . Today is Monday. People went to work or school or out into the public. Did you? Did you that you are a bearer of Christ’s light of peace? Or were you the person that hid the light underneath the basket.

    Have you ever walked around with a lit candle (or candles, if we’re talking birthday cakes)? Think about walking and the flame. If you walk too fast, the candle goes out. If you put your hand in front of the candle, the light going ahead of you is blocked. Lastly, if you stare at the candle while walking to watch and make sure the candle doesn’t go out, your eyes begin to hurt, and you can temporarily blind yourself.

    Too fast? In this day and , it is far too easy to go too fast. Too fast driving, too fast , and, most importantly, too fast to have deep relationships.

    Hand in front? If you prevent the light from guiding and informing your path, you will end up someplace other than Jesus wants you.

    Staring at the candle? Too focused on doing “all the right things” (the light is good) causes one to focus not so much on something bad. It also blinds us to what is around us and the need to do something about it. What’s the point of bringing the light without sharing the peace?

    1) We each have one of those areas where we are focused on doing stuff and forget people. Where are you being too fast in your ?

    2) We all struggle with and temptation, and so try to protect the light of Christ we have. Yet, if we spend all our efforts protecting it, it does not its purpose. How are you trying to control things that is keeping God from working through you?

    3) Focusing on the flame? Being like Jesus, is not staring at the light that he gives, but doing what he did. You are not Jesus, however, you’re going to make a mistake. You’re going to make a mess. Focus on carrying the light into the mess of your life and the lives of others. Where do you need to spread the light, rather than focusing on your understanding of the light?

  • Secured Hope

    Secured Hope

    Job 8:13-18, Psalm 62:5-8, 2 Peter 3:1-18

    “…the of the godless will perish.”
    Job 8:13

    “ in God alone…for my hope comes from him.”
    Psalm 62:5

    “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
    2 Peter 3:9

    While many might consider me patient, I know my own impatience. While I wait for something, I still want it now. Yet, I wait.

    1) Do you think of yourself as impatient? Do others think of you as impatient?

    2) Can you think of someone you feel is impatient?

    Yesterday, hope was the focus, just as it is today. In fact, hope is part of the foundation of the Christian faith. Faith is . Hope and faith are tied . They really cannot be separated. While Job’s friends had questionable motives and an unclear understanding of God, there is still in them. Bildad reminds Job that hope not founded on God is useless. In the Psalm, David reminds himself and us that unshakable hope can only come from God. In other words, true hope is based upon faith (trust) in God.

    The birth, , and of Jesus, the Son of God, was (and remains) fulfilled hope. Peter reminds the church that this is not the end of hope. Jesus will come again. In Peter’s day, people were already losing hope because God had not yet come back. Around 2000 years later, Jesus has still not returned! If our hope is based on our understanding, how easy it is to lose hope. When our hope is based upon God, God, and relying on God’s nature, our hope remains secure!

    3) Do you lose hope quickly? Why?

    4) If you trust God today, why would you not trust God with tomorrow?

    5) How does being impatient undermine trusting God?

  • Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Psalm 25:1-10, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36

    “…for you are the God of my …” Psalm 51:5

    “In those days and at that time, I will cause a Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
    Jeremiah 33:15

    “…they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great .”
    Luke 21:27

    Hope. It’s a big for how small it looks. The Psalmist knows God is the source of his salvation, despite current circumstances. God’s words to Jeremiah provide for a hope that Jeremiah can guess he will not see, but they are still hope for the Israelites.

    Christmas is about hope. It is about Emmanuel, which means God with us. It is about God sending the Son down to us. , however, is not just about Christmas, and the singular time that God became man. Advent also looks to the next time God returns…at the end of the story.

    Advent, therefore, is about both the hope fulfilled for both Israelites and the of the world, and it is about the hope to come when Jesus returns. Hope is to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. Hope was fulfilled when Jesus was born in a manger. We obtained hope through his on the cross and his . Then there is the expectation of the of Jesus…more hope!

    1/KD) Why is hope important?

    2) Why do we easily think of the hope of Christmas, but not of the hope of Jesus’ return?

    3/KD) What is your hope this Christmas?

    4/KD) What is your hope a year from now?