Devotion.al

Tag: questions

  • Heart of Money; Heart of Mercy

    Heart of Money; Heart of Mercy

    2 Corinthians 8:1–15; 1 Timothy 6:17–19

    Generosity is a good thing. A generous heart is a good thing.

    Paul encouraged generosity among the churches. The churches would care for one another as they were going through trials (famines, war, etc.). The graciousness of one gave life to another church.

    The churches did not do this to receive; they did it out of generous hearts.

    The US churches have been known around the world for their generosity. The US churches were so effective, that they deeply affected US culture to also be generous.

    Except, that seems to be waning. Both the US church and the US population is becoming less generous. A lot of that is likely due to fear. However, much of that seems to also be an expectation of reciprocity. In other words, “what do we get out of it?”

    The other part of the waning aspect may actually be the most concerning. This is the “washing of hands” part. I’ve given my to the cause (church, , NGO, etc.). I have done my duty, and I can go on .

    We can be generous with money, but not with our hearts. We can be generous with our hearts, but not our money. However, being generous in one area and not in the other, really means that we are generous at all. It is an all or nothing situation.

    It sounds harsh. It is. It sounds impossible. It just might be. Or, at least impossible without God.

    How generosity actually takes place is not a fixed recipe. The people of Macedonia were generous to the best of their capability. The churches of Corinth may have had a greater capacity to be financially generous.

    The people of Macedonia were not absolved of financial generosity. It was to the best of their means and through generous hearts. They prayed. Pray generously!

    The people of Corinth may have been capable of giving far more than the people of Macedonia. That didn’t absolve them from praying. It is both/and.

    The church, as a whole, is struggling financially. The patterns of the past are broken. Truly, the church is in (or should be in) a hugely transformative process.

    While you may be giving as you have, just because a building (even the church building) is closed, doesn’t absolve you of the of loving people generously.

    What loving a person does to live generously at this time is a little strange. It could be going “old” school and calling people. It could be texting them. It could be emailing them. It could even be sending a letter.

    Giving financially is part of the life, and so is living generously in ‘ lives. The rhythm of life may mean different forms of generosity at different times. However, a single form of generosity is not living life generously, it is living life monotonously.

    ※Prayer※

    , give us hearts that beat with your generosity. May we live generously through your . Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) How do you give generously? How do you live generously?

    2) Why do you think both financial and life generosity are important?

    3) Which area do you need to live or give more generously? Why do you say that?

  • Clothed in Rags

    Clothed in Rags

    Psalm 94; Luke 6:27–36; 1 Corinthians 4:9–13

    Bless your enemies. Except “bless” means something more than just be nice or even help them. “Bless” means to for God’s divine favor to come on them.

    We all want blessings, but we are being called to ask for God’s blessings for those who make our lives difficult, miserable, or (in some extreme cases) seek to kill us. This is a high bar of expectation. It’s a hard high bar of expectation.

    In many respects, this may be the hardest teaching of . To assuage our own feelings of anger, betrayal, and trespass, we want vengeance! We want victory! We want justice!

    “For [the Most High] is gracious to the ungrateful and .” (Luke 5:35)

    “That is foolish,” proclaims the world. The world is right, from the world’s . From God’s perspective, however, foolish is following the world.

    declared himself a disgraced spectacle that the world spat upon. Yet, Paul was determined to carry on. He chose a path to bless and to be gracious to others.

    This world could use a lot more of this, don’t you think?

    However, the problem is that we want others to do it first. This isn’t the path that Jesus set out.

    The world has taught us that a win-win scenario is false. Or to put it another way, that life is a zero-sum game. The world is correct. It is their math that this the problem.

    The world’s math does not include God. The world’s math does not include Jesus (unless he can be used to make ). The world’s math is incapable of including the Holy Spirit.

    So, why, as believers…as children of God…do we assume the world’s math is correct?

    Yet, we do. We say and live as if the world’s math is correct.

    What has also become increasingly clear is that the has long been dressed-up in the world. Now the world is handing us filthy rags to wear, and we are offended. We took the nice clothes from the world already, if the world is done with us, why would they want to give us nice things?

    So, what are we to do with the rags of the world? Realize they are the rags of a world that is passing away. We still have our “clothing of white”. Even in its “not yet” state (i.e., we don’t have it yet), it is still better than the finest clothes of the world.

    ※Prayer※

    God, help us to look at the world as you do…a place that is passing away. Help us recall where we are called to live eternally and to look at the world through your eternal eyes. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What is something that you need to to the world?

    2) What is something that you need to surrender to God?

    3) How are these two things the opposite side of the same coin?

  • Cause and Effect

    Cause and Effect

    1 Kings 16:29–33; 1 Kings 17:1–5; 1 Kings 18:10–18

    Ahab blamed Elijah for the ongoing drought in Israel. Or, at least he could blame Elijah for the drought.

    Ahab knew that Elijah had declared that no rain would fall on Israel. Sounds like a pretty good reason to blame Elijah. Except, the real reason was Ahab.

    He had gotten to a point where whatever he wanted was reasonable, even if it was unreasonable from anyone else’s . His wife, Jezebel, encouraged and enabled such behavior. Between the two of them, Israel was in a bad situation.

    Ahab had the dubious distinction of being the worst king so far in not following God. Depending on how you read it, either Ahab was worse than any of the kings before him or was worse than all of them combined.

    From our perspective of as the Water, the drought can be a symbol of without God. It certainly fits the narrative. Israel was without God, and Ahab can be symbolic of Israel.

    It is often important to look beyond the surface story and see the deeper meaning. For example, Ahab was blaming Elijah for “holding back” the of water. Yet, the were withdrawn as a result of behavior.

    The goal wasn’t punishment, but repentance and . Ahab looked at it as someone else’s fault, and couldn’t see anything but someone else.

    ※Prayer※

    , help us to see your even when we struggle. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) How do you recognize something as your fault? How about responsibility?

    2) What is the difference between fault and responsibility?

    3) What is the difference between a spiritual drought and a spiritual wilderness? How can you tell the difference?

  • Using Ways

    Using Ways

    Luke 16:1–9

    This is one of those interesting parables.

    I knew a small business owner who taught a Sunday School lesson on this passage. He was quite honest that he hated it. As a small business owner, he could not understand the apparent for a person who reduced what was owed.

    This is understandable. He viewed this as stealing by the manager and  by those who owed the rich man. In most respects, he (the small business owner) was right.

    The rich man is more the vehicle of the story. The first thing to recognize is that the rich man received an accusation. That’s it. In Jewish law, it took 2 or 3 witnesses to convict.

    tells the story in such a way that we understand that there is to the accusation. Of course, the manager freaking out pretty much made it clear that there was a lot of truth in that accusation.

    There are two really important things to from this particular parable.

    The first is Jesus’ admonition to use the ways of the world wisely to gather friends. This does not mean that Jesus is suggesting theft or unGodly methods. Jesus is suggesting using the world’s ways (i.e., books, TV, radio, the ) to make friends and to influence .

    This is good advice. In fact, without being open to the world’s ways, we often have no common ground with which to open conversations that lead to God. The world’s ways include business, politics, education, and pretty much everything. Yes, let’s use it all to bring people to God!

    The second piece is often overlooked. I have certainly overlooked it.

    The rich man and even the manager are successful in the world. We often focus on that, which shows our own hearts.

    The people for whom the manager reduced the debt were the poor. We have to remember that our concept of middle-class is historically a pretty recent one. Most of these people owed debts that they may never be able to pay.

    They would be, effectively, owned.

    Why is this important? Well, the underlying implication is that the poor will have the eternal dwellings (i.e., heaven), and the only way the rich man or (specifically) the manager will have a place in eternity is through those that he gave mercy.

    The concept of “class warfare” predates Karl Marx by centuries. While this passage and conclusion would seem to reinforce such a concept, at the same time, all things are possible with God, especially with a contrite heart.

    ※Prayer※

    Heavenly , may we—your children—be always looking for ways to use the world’s ways to expand your , , and glory. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What do you think of the rich man and his to the manager’s initiative?

    2) What ways of the world can you think of that you can use to bring people to God?

  • Summary Path

    Summary Path

    Malachi 4:5–6; Matthew 17:10–13; John 1:19–28

    said that John was Elijah. John said he wasn’t Elijah. Who was right?

    The question is, who is Elijah? The other question is, who’s asking?

    First of all, let’s talk about Malachi’s words. Malachi prophesied that Elijah would come back to Judah heralding a massive change. Malachi spoke to the Jews post-exile.

    Despite the of the temple, the people were with and ennui. God didn’t meet their expectation of restoring everything to the way they perceived it having been before (even if its perfection was figurative). They were walking on the downward slope away from God, again.

    Malachi didn’t let them off the hook. God was coming, in God’s timing. People would come to God, or they wouldn’t, but something momentous would happen. The Day of the Lord was often synonymous with the of the world. It was also used to indicate a God-driven cataclysmic change.

    Malachi’s words had transformed as the precursor to the Messiah. Elijah would come before the Messiah. This not a literal thing, as reincarnation was not part of Jewish thought. This “Elijah” would be “in the spirit of Elijah” meaning a prophet of God, but with a particular focus on restoring the between the people and God.

    So, why did John deny being Elijah? Probably because he didn’t see himself that way. The problem with being compared to a legendary figure is that you know you’re not the legendary figure. There was a lot of weight and expectation, and John probably didn’t want to bear that burden.

    Also, as there was so much build-up regarding the Messiah, there was likely just as much build-up around Elijah, and much of it was probably wrong. Why would John want to be a part of that?

    There is also the last part of it, which is who Elijah was really couldn’t be evaluated until the Messiah completed the return. John was dead before the fulfillment, and without himself seeing the fulfillment, he certainly would have questioned being “Elijah”.

    Jesus, on the other hand, knew what was coming, and knew what had gone before. He had the perspective to be able to John “Elijah”. In the spirit of Elijah, the Messiah (Jesus) did indeed reset the Day of the Lord. It was only through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that John could fully be called “Elijah.”

    Often, our own perspective of our lives is twisted and/or minimized, for we (like John) cannot really see what came before and what will come after. We do not know the hearts we’ve changed, the paths we’ve diverted. Only at the end will God let us see it all from an eternal perspective.

    That we are faithful to God. That we pursue God. That we follow God. That we try to help others follow God. This is what God will let us see at the end. For now, we can only put one step in front of the other.

    ※Prayer※

    Father God, help us to accept that we cannot see the eternal effect of our lives. Lord Jesus, help us to follow you that the eternal effect brings you . Holy Spirit, guard and strengthen our hearts for those times when we are discouraged because we don’t see that we’ve made a difference. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) There are 2 kinds of eulogies. One that is by the deceased for reading at the funeral, and the ones that are written in the hearts of others. Which one matters most? In what ways does the eulogy matter for both?

    2) What concepts and feelings come to mind when you the phrase, “The Day of the Lord”? Why might that be?

  • Drink or Eat

    Drink or Eat

    Judges 6:25–32; Hebrews 5:11–6:3

    Supposedly, the Israelites were the People of God. Their lives after their entrance into the Promised Land was certainly not a testimony to that. The worthless gods and idols of the land became the focus of their lives. God became a second thought, if that.

    Weak Gideon (his own thoughts of himself) was being asked to stand up to his father (leader of a weak ), which would then stand up to the tribe around them. That sounds encouraging.

    While we might knock Gideon for doing it at night, it does make sense. Gideon was first approached as he hid in the wine vat squashing grapes. was ingrained in Gideon.

    In the end, Gideon did what God required.

    As we learn, however, Gideon did not have to fear his father. Even though Gideon had sacrificed two bulls (not a small loss) without permission, and incurred the wrath of the tribe, Gideon’s father stood firm. Despite the fact that Joash (Gideon’s father) had an altar to Baal and an Asherah pole, Joash still asked, “who defends Baal?” This implies that Joash may have been outwardly compliant to the culture, but was, in fact, loyal to God. This would explain why Gideon was .

    For whatever reason, the people of Israel became lazy in their faith and followed the easy path of the people that remained. They followed the idols. Despite the forging of the Israelites in the desert, and even their forging in war to take the promised land, the of their culture had not yet turned to God.

    The author of the Hebrews is facing a similar situation with the recipients of that letter. The lazy way of the “rules of the ancestors” rather than the harder Way of Christ was still not being overturned.

    The author of Hebrews was, in some ways, mocking the recipients by calling them unweaned children. They weren’t even receiving pre-chewed meat from their “parent”. Of course, the author of Hebrews implied that this was an active choice of will. They chose to set aside the good “meat” of Christ for the milk of the Law.

    This was a cultural momentum that needed to be overturned.

    Whether it was the stories in Judges, to the reforming of the Law into the way of and , to today as people are not even interested in God, it all revolves around the same issue/concern: self over the revealed ways of God.

    While we are often quick to point the finger at the culture around us, it must not be denied that “” culture is actually very similar to the culture. In fact, it can be reasonably argued that the culture we see around us is a result of the Christian culture of years past.

    As we experience the disruption of COVID, perhaps we can see where the cultural Christianity, of which we are a part, can and must be changed to we Christians and to bring people into the .

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, help us to walk your path and not our own. , nudge, and convict us to put our feet where Jesus walks. Father God, thank you for your mercy and grace as we all too often think of ourselves first, others second, and you third. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What similar scenarios might be happening around the world right now for Christians that are similar to Joash?

    2) What does Joash’s example teach us about what we see about others?

    3) What milk are you seeking rather than meat? What might the meat of today be?

  • House Building

    House Building

    Psalm 127; Matthew 24:1–2; 1 Corinthians 3:1–11

    Unless the Lord is in it, it will fail. This is a common adage heard in the , and it is based on Psalm 127:1. Yet, the interpretation often is, if it is successful, God is in it. This spiritualizes (or over-spiritualizes) far too many things.

    The sun also rises on and good. The rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)

    The vanity spoken of in Psalm 127:1 isn’t earthly or failure necessarily. It’s about what it means for the . Striving to be the CEO at the of 25 (or even 65) is all well and good, but what’s the point?

    Is God in Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, IBM, Apple, etc.? Yes, insofar as God is everywhere. Are they blessed by God? Insofar as they are made by people made in the image of God, yes.

    That isn’t the point, though. How do each of these affect one’s with God? That is the question. Whether it was the or it is the States of America, in the infinite eyes of God it all falls down.

    We are all called to be coworkers and laborers in God’s fields. We are called to be builders, maintainers, repairers, and even remodelers of God’s buildings. People are God’s fields. People are God’s buildings.

    The Kingdom of God is for people, not stuff or titles. People are to fill the Kingdom of God for only eternal souls can fill an eternal kingdom.

    ※Prayer※

    Eternal God, help us to grasp even a little more of what it means to be part of your eternal kingdom, , and . Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) How can we be both laborers/builders and fields/buildings? What does this tell you about God?

    2) Why is it important to acknowledge that while all success is God allowed, all success is not God blessed?

  • …Who’s There?

    …Who’s There?

    Matthew 7:7–12; Luke 13:22–30; Revelation 3:14–22

    “Knock, Knock” jokes rank up there with “dad” jokes. Most of the time they are a play on words, and almost all the time they’re only cute (or funny) when a kid says them.

    These passages with knocking in them are probably quite familiar to you. If not, hang around circles, and they will show up.

    The first passage is probably number two on the knocking list. It is filled with a great . However, some have misunderstood the promise, and that has caused a lot of .

    When taken out of context, the passage sounds like God is some cosmic vending machine. You just put your prayer in and out comes whatever it is you want. Within those same circles, there is an added, God just wants you to be happy.

    In context, though, the passage is about entering the of God. It’s not about wealth or health. It’s about where your citizen is while on Earth, and where you will be after your time here is gone.

    The second knocking passage is similar to the first, however, it adds a rejection clause. The implication is people trying to force their way “past” the gates. The implication in this passage is that just because you’re at the right place (let’s say, church) and saw God, that doesn’t mean your heart has submitted to God.

    As Jesus continues, he goes so far as to poke at the Jewish pride of being the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Just because they were born in the right place of the right blood did not them the right to enter the Kingdom of God.

    The third of our knocking passages is probably the most famous of them all. It sounds so warm and fuzzy that Jesus is knocking on the door. However, when we have the warm fuzzy feelings, we should often double-check them.

    The message isn’t Jesus come on in. The message is really a question, do you know Me? One generally does not open one’s doors strangers without some caution. One certainly doesn’t invite them in for dinner. The implication is that they don’t know or forgot Jesus!

    Knocking is making one’s known to another. It can be a sound of warning. It can be a sound of greeting. What it is exactly depends on the between those on the other sides of the door.

    Knocking doesn’t stop at knocking. There is a choice that goes along with it: yelling, “go away”; opening the door grudgingly; opening the door gladly with a warm welcome; ignoring the knocker, and they go away; there are probably other responses, too.

    Which door will Jesus walk through?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord Jesus, there are many doors in this . Help us to view them as opportunities to seek and see you, and to also bring through those doors to you. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What feelings did/do each of today’s passages create in you? Why?

    2) The first two passages are about the Kingdom of God. How does the third passage affect your understanding of the first two?

    3) We all want to believe that we would warmly and gladly welcome Jesus if he knocks. How comfortable are you if he knocks right now? Now what?