Devotion.al

Tag: Scriptures

  • Rumble

    Rumble

    Exodus 19:17–20; Haggai 2:5–9; Hebrews 12:25–27

    We are often skeptical about God making the mountains tremble and the oceans roar. Our deeper understanding of the natural world makes us a little arrogant about things. We “know” that it’s really tectonic plate movement that causes that. The heavens don’t really shake, so we think. We “know” all about stars and gas giants and planets.

    While the often turn to (what was to them) mysterious events beyond their understanding, their underlying understanding matches our own. God created everything.

    The writer of Hebrews understood and shared that created things are not permanent. They will not last. The writer of Hebrews presents this in contrast to the which is .

    Often, we judge our lives, their successes, and failures, upon the frailties of created things. Sometimes we value our lives based upon career, , gathered things. Sometimes we value our lives upon people. Regardless, in the face of the of Heaven, they are only temporary.

    In a time such as this, when society seems so unstable, it is good to understand that the Kingdom of God is stable, everlasting, and unshakable.

    ※Questions※

    1) What is something created or temporary you find really important? Why?

    2) Even when science gives a mechanism or way to understand the natural world, why is it still critically important to who created it all?

    3) What’s “shaking” you right now? How can you put that on the sure foundation of the Kingdom of God?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us be assured that we are firmed rooted on your foundation. Amen.

  • Living

    Living

    Deuteronomy 5:26–27; Ezekiel 33:11; Luke 20:34–40; John 5:39–40; John 8:56–58

    A God? To many people today, God is just a fairy tale who belongs amongst the pages of Grimm’s fairy tales and folklore. For them, God is no different than the ancient Roman and Greek gods, and of no greater value (perhaps even less) than the Hindu gods.

    Yesterday’s devotional was about the we are called to make. While the devotional didn’t talk about our common failures in being good and witnesses, most of us realize that we have messed up more than a few times.

    Being faithful often means being humble when we fail, requiring us to be honest with ourselves and others. That can be difficult. Being open (and thus vulnerable) about our flaws sometimes requires greater than we are capable of on our own.

    Our witness requires greater strength than it used to. Our witness requires greater vulnerability than it used to. Our witness requires greater transparency than it used to.

    The concept (our reality) of a living God allows us the to breathe in the pressure of the “greaters”. Our God is greater still than the greatest Created thing or person.

    When we understand that God is a God of the living it helps to put a few things into . It wasn’t a small thing that observed that God named Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph in the present tense. When we focus on the dead and what comes after, or even what came before, we don’t live in the fullness of the that has been given to us.

    This is, even more, the case when we talk about the . People dig into the Scriptures to know more about God. People dig into the Scriptures to deny God. Even those of Jesus’ day who knew the Scriptures well were unable to see the living God before them. While the Scriptures are living and active, they are living and active only because of the living God.

    A living God means that God is not sitting on the sidelines. God works in and among and through .

    ※Questions※

    1) How does God being living affect your daily walk with God?

    2) Especially when it comes to Jesus, but not only, why is “living” so important?

    3) Have you ever known someone who was “alive”, but who wasn’t living? Do you think they knew Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    God of the living and breathing Creation, help to know to the depths of our souls that you are living and breathing in us. Amen.

  • You’re MINE

    You’re MINE

    Luke 9:49–56

    Family feuds can be long and painful. Some people are relieved that they won’t be traveling for the annual family gathering during Thanksgiving.

    The Jews and the Samaritans were family. They were at one point, at least. Over the generations, things continued to get worse, until they became enemies.

    Peculiarly, the Samaritans still retained some semblance of God . Even that created some tension, as both Jew and Samaritan viewed “their” understanding of God as right, and the other as wrong.

    That came to the Samaritans recognizes that they still had a place in God’s family. Jesus’ earthly ministry focused on the Jews, but the Samaritans were there in the margins.

    There was no question that the Samaritans viewed Jesus in a positive . In this passage, though, we see that there is still some aspect of us versus them.

    The Samaritans were upset that Jesus would “abandon” them for Jerusalem. This was a problem of misunderstanding and . They had some view of Jesus as theirs, despite him being a Jew.

    Jealousy such as this isn’t all that uncommon. The problem is that we frame famous people with our own beliefs. We will often look at them and interpret everything they did or said through the lenses of our beliefs.

    Christians have done the same thing. We take our beliefs (communism, capitalism, race, nationality, culture) and Jesus. We’ve seen that a lot this chaotic year.

    Yet, if we read the and the views of other people (especially from other cultures or theologies), it tends to shake our lenses a bit. Sometimes more than we like.

    We like our Jesus just like we like our politicians and celebrities: safe for us, but not for them. The Samaritans were much the same.

    However, at least with Jesus, if he is safe for everyone, then we can be sure that that’s a false view of Him.

    ※Questions※

    1) What false views of Jesus have you held?

    2) What are the dangers of false views of Jesus?

    3) What are the best ways to determine if we have false views of Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, help us to truly know you so that we are not lead astray from you, your , or your message of and to the world. Amen.

  • Work-Out Regimen

    Work-Out Regimen

    Luke 7:36–50; Philippians 2:12–16

    The scorn of the Pharisees toward Jesus was pretty easy to see. They were effectively declaring that Jesus could not be an actual true prophet, because he dared to accept the anointing by the woman. “If he only knew what she was like,” they said.

    Jesus did and her anyway. He didn’t her any less or any more because of her “unclean” state or status. He loved her because she was a person made in the image of God.

    A more recent way of that exact same thinking is, “when you get yourself cleaned up, come to church, and get to know Jesus.” Or (even sadder), “I’ll come to church when my is cleaned up.” That was not Jesus’ attitude. THANKS, BE TO GOD!

    The woman came to Jesus. Jesus declared her sins pardoned. She never sinned after that. Oh, …

    For the vast majority of people, “getting clean” is a lifelong process. For a drug addict, “getting clean” from the drug is only step one. They then need to “get clean” from friend circles, ways of thinking, and sometimes the place they are at. It is not an easy road.

    Oddly enough, Jesus seems to forgive sins pretty easily. It’s not that the sins are minor. They are acts that us from God. The problem isn’t God, it’s us.

    We want to keep doing what we did because it is comfortable. Even those who seek and desire change (and are even change-agents) like comfortable.

    Paul calls on the Philippians not just to declare Jesus as Lord. Paul calls on the Philippians to be changed. Just like us, they needed to change their habits. They need to change thought processes. None of these things change . They change us.

    “…by holding firm to the word of life.” There is a play on words here, for the word is the message (salvation through Jesus), the word is the Scriptures, and Jesus is the word.

    The easy answer is to hold onto Jesus for dear life. The life answer is that holding onto Jesus allows us to him so that we are free in our hearts and minds to remove all in our life that separates us from in him.

    ※Questions※

    1) When was the last time you were like the Pharisees? Why is that the issue that causes this ?

    2) When was the last time you were like the woman? With what did you anoint Jesus’ feet (this can be a symbol)?

    3) How and with whom are you working through your salvation? How can you deepen that?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, as you have brought us into the light, help us to release our darkness so that we can draw others to you. Amen.

  • AntiPyros

    AntiPyros

    Proverbs 16:28; Philippians 2:1–13; James 3:1–13

    A pyromaniac is a person who continually fails to resist the to start fires, often as a sort of method to relieve tension or for instant gratification. Pyromania (the term for the condition) is an impulse control disorder. What should we those whose (or keyboard strokes) cause firestorms of angst, hatred, , sorrow, etcetera?

    As Christians, perhaps one of the biggest acts of serving we can do in these days is to be firefighters. This is not about “fake news”, “doctored news”, “spin”, or any other term being flung about these days to discredit those perceived to be from the so-called opposition.

    It wasn’t that long ago that the entire West Coast of the US was blanketed with smoke from many wildland fires. Millions of acres burned. Some categorize the amount of acreage burned as record-breaking. If we were to estimate the number of firefighters working to knock out the fires at 350 thousand (which is probably a quite high estimate), that would be around 1/10 of 1% (0.001) of the US population.

    Why do those numbers matter? A relatively small proportion of the US population put out so many fires over a large amount of acreage. That’s the way we should be.

    In the context of the , fire is a symbol of the and a purifier/cleanser. However, the other side of fire is utter destruction. A purifying fire can be good, however, the church (and society, and history, and the world) has had too many instances when a purifying fire becomes corrupted, and all it does is destroy.

    There are far too many people like those in Proverbs 16:28 who seek to sow discord and conflict, and who spread gossip to tear down their intellectual opponents. The Scriptures certainly do not celebrate such individuals. Nor should we.

    Gossip and conflict-starting put oneself above others. When we look to ourselves and not others, there is a huge potential to sow hatred and derision rather than the love of Christ. When we speak in love and with the intent to build others up, the fire-starting tongue becomes a blesser rather than a curser.

    ※Questions※

    1) Where are you seeing Christian brothers and sisters being unholy fire-starters and spreaders, rather than holy firefighters?

    2) What are some ways and words that you can use to help quench the unholy fires of words that are shared around you?

    3) What, if any, experiences have you had where what was (or was intended to be) a purifying fire turned into a destructive one?

    ※Prayer※

    Holy Spirit, we ask you to us up as beacons of your grace and love. Guide us to be the ones that holy fire and extinguish unholy fire. Amen.

  • A Time To Sin

    A Time To Sin

    Job 1:9–22; Ecclesiastes 3:1–11; Ezekiel 18:5–18

    You are probably familiar with Pete Seeger’s Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season). Written in the late 50s, it was commercially via The Byrds in 1965. It takes Ecclesiastes verses 3:1–8 and puts them to music.

    Pete Seeger’s intent behind the song was to promote world . That’s a very laudable goal. The irony of that goal is that the lyrics are almost a fatalistic to the fallen and unpeaceful ways of the world.

    There are a lot of things not specifically mentioned as having time for. Certainly, singing and learning were part of life at that point, but they aren’t specifically mentioned (though singing could be inferred with dancing). The internet and driving weren’t mentioned specifically (of course) but would be covered under “everything”.

    The “everything” is a pretty big catch-all. Does that mean, then, that there is a time to sin?

    That might seem to be a stupid question, yet, depending on one’s view of God, it isn’t stupid at all. The answer to that question may very well display what you think about God in several significant ways (though we won’t get them all).

    When you read the story of Job (whether allegorical or true) how do you “read” the between Satan and God? Is God allowing or directing?

    Based on the of this section of verses, Job did not assign wrongdoing to God (blame), and as such, did not sin. Then should we conclude that God allowed this to happen?

    For many, leaving it as “a mystery” is fine, except for the problem of blame. If God wills/desires it, and if God is omnipotent, then how can God be loving and full of grace and . The rejoinder often is, we can’t know the mind of God. This is true, in so far as finite creatures (us) trying to fully understand the infinite (God).

    Yet, the Scriptures (given by God) also provide us insights into who God is, so the conclusions we draw from the Scriptures also deeply affect how we view and relate to God.

    Is this that important? Yes. When you sin, is it you sinning by your will, or is God willing you to do something then assigning the sin to you? That is the choice laid before us.

    Ezekiel’s words reinforce one answer. Your sin is a result of your will (or in the face of ).

    What is also part of this is that your sin cannot be laid at another’s feet (God’s or human’s). It is yours. Own it. Yes, own your sin.

    This is not go and sin again. It is own your sin so as to repent and restore right relationship with God.

    “‘…For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.’ This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. ‘So repent and live!’” (Ezekiel 18:32)

    ※Questions※

    1) Repent is based on the root of “turn from” or “turn around”. What do you need to repent from? If you cannot think of a “sin” (or even if you can), what is something else that you might need to turn from to improve or deepen your relationship with God?

    2) How do you define sin? How do you know/learn if something new (such as a behavior) is a sin, or not?

    3) What your current or past Job moments? How do/did they affect your relationship with God?

    ※Prayer※

    Heavenly , as we read your , we learn about you. Help us to be stirred to read your word that we continue to in our knowledge of and relationship with you. Amen.

  • Ever Cleaning

    Ever Cleaning

    Matthew 12:43–45

    Have you ever had a guest (or guests) coming, and all of a sudden you realize your house is a mess? Maybe you go a little crazy cleaning the house up-and-down. You might even draft the spouse or kids to “help”.

    The guest(s) then come. The event/time comes and probably went just fine. Then you don’t clean the house until the next guest. You just leave it. The toilets and sinks turn foul. The and hair build on every surface and in every crevice. Food crumbs are being walked out of the house by ant trails. You just let it all go until the next guest, right?

    Of course not! Granted, you may not clean as minutely as when a guest comes. You won’t let it all go, though.

    This passage of is not quite the same as cleaning the house for the guest. It’s cleaning the house to get rid of the bad guest. It also about why one cleans the house.

    The “ generation” wanted the Messiah to come and make everything better…without changing what they were doing. They wanted the Messiah to refresh, but they really didn’t want renewal.

    On the other hand, there are aspects to this parable that apply to our own lives.

    Often, when we first come to Jesus it seems as if a huge burden (the bad guest) had gone away. Yet, for many people what ends up happening is that for a short time things are great, but all of a sudden all the habits or addictions or struggles that appeared to be conquered all come back with a vengeance. Kind of like the 7 new spirits.

    The house in the parable is empty of . No spirits. No Jesus. No Spirit. That means an unHoly party is quite possible.

    Once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we still need to keep the house somewhat clean. Yes, with Jesus and the present we don’t get a complete unHoly party, but we certainly don’t have a peace-filled house if we allow the evil spirits to still live there.

    There is no “one time” cleansing of the house of our soul. There is passing the deed from the world to us, then to God. That doesn’t mean we can stop cleaning the house.

    Reading the helps to fill the space with God’s . Confessing our sins helps to fill the house with . At all times, God wants to fill the house with …we just need to accept it.

    ※Questions※

    1) What do you do to regularly “clean” the house that is your soul?

    2) Have you ever been told that once you know Jesus, everything will be fine? What is the problem with that? What is the truth in that?

    3) Why is it important to recognize that all Christians need to be regularly “cleaning” their soul?

    ※Prayer※

    Holy Spirit, guide us to the corners and even the closets of our lives that need to be cleaned. Help us to regularly look to you and your people for guidance in that. Amen.

  • 3 Greats

    3 Greats

    Luke 11:9–13; 1 Corinthians 12:31–14:1

    It’s a little presumptuous to talk about Christmas. However, it is likely that Christmas will be very interesting this year. Either the traveling will breakout to overwhelm the system (which is suffering from abandonment, at this point), or everyone will stay home. Regardless, children will still eagerly await to see what the wrapped presents contain.

    Parents don’t wait for Christmas to gifts, or even until birthdays. Often the unthought present is a favorite meal or just a hug on a bad day. Little gifts of are generally just lived out. We actually don’t think of them…and that’s a good thing.

    Love is the best four-letter word. It is also one of the most confusing words. When uses it here, it is a deep affection and . In other words, looking to the benefit of the other.

    His famous words are often used in wedding ceremonies. It’s not wrong (For, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in …” 2 Tim 3:16). It’s just part of a bigger picture.

    Paul’s real focus is the “greater” gifts: , hope, love. In the context of these words, though, it is about the spiritual gifts given to the people of God. Going back to ‘ words, “If you then, who are , know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13)

    Our constant focus on love (though worthwhile) misses the point Paul is trying to make. The three greater gifts are what make the spiritual gifts powerful and effective.

    Great! You can a fish into believing it’s allergic to water! You obviously don’t love it.

    Fantastic! You know the Scriptures and the original languages! You have lost all hope with your knowledge.

    Wonderful! You are a talented medical worker through whom bodies thought gone can heal. You have left the soul (including your own) to wither and die.

    What should be the most interesting thing here is that Paul brings up three (faith, hope, love) and only speaks of one (love). Paul felt, it seems, that faith and hope were sufficient on their own, and needed no further explanation. Love, however, needed something more.

    In an era where “faith” and “hope” seem to be faded (if not gone) in the wider culture, and love has generally become a saccharine-sweet noxious feeling that is stuck in a romantic byway, the church (that is, you) must relearn, regain, reteach, and rejoice in the 3 greatest gifts: faith, hope, love.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we not take the lesser or greater gifts for granted. May we actually use them for your glory and to fulfill your will for our lives. Amen.