Devotion.al

Tag: trust

  • Confessional Life

    Psalm 51, 1 John 1:8-2:6, Mark 13:31-14:2

    Honesty is the best policy. Or is it? Some people will take advantage of our honesty. Some people will look down on the honest. Think about politicians. Most people don’t them. Many of their campaign promises are false, or impossible whether due to finances, political will, and in general. Yet, they remain in despite a general perception that they are not trustworthy. Many are treated like royalty or some sort of salvation figure. It just doesn’t make sense.

    David was not the best-behaved person. He did a lot of things wrong. Yet, as Psalm 51 shows, he was honest with himself (eventually) and with God. Once confronted by his sin, he confessed. David knew that God (through the prophet Nathan) was in condemnation. David threw himself (proverbially) at the merciful feet of God. David knew that God would be right condemning him, yet still faithful that God would redemptively.

    Our own honesty may begin with the confession that we are still far from perfectly following Christ. In fact, the more like Jesus we become the more aware of how far we are from him. That is the point, though. Our pride can and does often keep us from being honest, especially with ourselves. Many churches make some sort of proclamation on Sunday that is in line with this passage in 1 John. Since it is done every week, it can become rote and is not an honest confession. When it becomes rote, like the sacrifices often were, then the true confession of sin doesn’t occur, and the relationship between God and self is not restored. Taking this passage of 1 John in conjunction with David’s words, “…Against you—you alone—I have sinned…” Even though David harmed , just as we have, ultimately the sin is against God. Sin really is the damaged relationship between man and God. God paved the way. We have to walk the road.

    In addition, we have this reality that Jesus presents in Mark. We don’t know when our time will come. It is not about God waiting to drop the other shoe. God doesn’t work that way. It is about a life of confession, , and relationship. When this life is lived out and the time comes, all will be well.

    1) What do you need to to God? When you confess, are you truly repentant, or are you just going through the motions?

    2) There are two common perspectives of confession. One is forgiveness from the lawgiver (escape). Another is a of relationship. When you think of confession are you being honest about your perspective of it?

    3) Sometimes being honest is hard. What is the hardest honest conversation you have ever had? What made it so hard?

    FD) What is the different between a liar, and a person who told a lie? Are they different?

  • Changing To Embody

    Psalm 37:1-12, Jeremiah 12:1–17, 2 Peter 1:2–10

    We can look around, and what’s wrong with the world. Those who are corrupt or greedy seem to be doing so much better than good people. When we look around, we can either be discouraged or we can look up.

    This really is nothing new. The psalmist reminds himself and us that envying is short-sighted. It is also unwise. When we God and do good we live securely. Living securely, however, does not necessarily mean comfortable as the world wants it. That’s why looking side-to-side becomes a distraction. When we are looking side-to-side we are not secure in ourselves.

    Isaiah is looking side-to-side. He takes the of the “wicked” though and perceives it as a test of his heart. Isaiah defines it as God him to know his heart. God already knows Isaiah’s heart. This more about Isaiah understanding his own heart, his to his fellow man, and his relationship to God. There is also another relationship that is important to understand, and that is the relationship with the land. The land itself mourns at the wicked who are present in it. While Isaiah’s heart might be right, the hearts of the people around him definitely are not. The affect him, others, God, and the land. All because their hearts are not right with God. And God is the key to a good and secure .

    As Peter opens with the grace of God, we understand that it is by God’s grace that we are even able to approach the throne of God. It is through this grace that we begin the journey of transformation from the life of the “wicked” to the life of the righteous. Peter then provides us with a roadmap with waypoints of increasing Christ-likeness. As we become more Christ-like, the to look side-to-side fades away. The glory of God shines more deeply in us, transforming us to more-and-more find our in God and not others.

    1) Do you see God shaping you to be more God-facing, rather than people-facing?

    2) Do you see the waypoints (2 Peter 1:5-8) in your life? Do you see any in your life embodying each of these traits more and more?

    3) What makes these traits contrary to the world? Why is it important to understand why they are contrary?

    FD) How can we help each other develop these Godly-grace traits?

  • 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 , and trust 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 others? 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 , 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 life- 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 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 Jesus 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 () can us deeply. Why can that be scary to people?‌
    • 2) What do you think of the life in the light 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 love and trust God?

  • 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 . It is a reminder that while Jesus was Jewish, his salvific work and kingship were for the (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 of and preaching the kingdom 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 normal 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 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 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 word 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 servant, the daughter was healed at a distance. The and trust 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 blessings we have (like the Jews were blind to Jesus). What blessings do you need to today?

  • 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 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 / 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 future 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 of Creation 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 physical heart become hard, our heart does not work as well. How is that like our spiritual heart?

  • 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 ask 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 . I want to and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name.

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

    Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying 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 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 end. 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. , 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. 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 Father.” 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’ response.

    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 (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 ), we are telling the , the powers of darkness, the world, and our , “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 temptation 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?

  • It’s Forever

    Psalm 68, Genesis 28:10-22, Hebrews 11:13-22

    How often do we look at the world asking, “what’s wrong with the world today?” How often do we look around ourselves asking, “what’s wrong with everyone?” How often do we look at ourselves in the mirror asking, “what’s wrong with me?” Often this question comes when we feel as if we have no control, even over ourselves.

    How do we then respond to the faithfulness of the psalmist? I have no doubts that the psalmist saw many things that were wrong in the world. Whether it was foreign nations, the powerful around him, the struggles within his , or even the struggles inside himself. Despite all of this, the psalmist still trusted God. The concepts of good and , positive and negative, right and wrong, just or unjust are going through dramatic changes and challenges in our current culture. Many Christians are searching for solid ground to put their feet upon in the midst of this turmoil. All are seeking to be true to Christ, to their , and to their .

    Jacob was in disarray himself, at the time of his . Regardless of how you perceive of Jacob at this point, from a practical point of view, he was an exile from everything he knew. He was on his way to his uncle, who he didn’t know. In between the past and the future, Jacob had a vision. In this vision, Jacob received a promise that was the continuation of the promise God gave his grandfather.

    While the psalmist may not have seen the Godly he anticipated, for sure Jacob (and his father and Grandfather) did not see the fulfillment of the promise. Yet, they held onto God. The author of Hebrews emphasizes their and faith. The author noted that they viewed themselves as foreigners and temporary residents. This should also be our perspective of things. When we have the long-seeing and long-reaching understanding that this is temporary, it gives us some relief from our human responses to everything around us, and to instead develop a Godly response to the world.

    1) Why is it important to understand in your head and your that forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) didn’t see the fulfillment of the promise that God made to them?

    2) Why might long-seeing and long-reaching be important to developing your Godly response to the world?

    KD) Has someone made a promise to you that it took forever to be completed? How does that feel?

  • Guilty and Free

    Psalm 103, 1 Samuel 4:1-22, Isaiah 43:14-25

    Imagine being someplace you’ve never been and driving down the road only looking at the rear-view mirror. Your peripheral would catch some of the more dangerous things, but you would miss a lot. All too often we go through this way. You may not have escaped your past, but you cannot embrace the without looking .

    Much of life is common among people. We live and die. We and hurt. We fail and succeed. We have regrets and we have gratitude.

    For many people, this year has been very hard: huge changes; life-changing events; lives lost; lives gained; big mistakes; new jobs; loss of jobs; moving; being forced to . There are many that are looking to this year, and so very ready to start the new one, yet many will be filled with fear, unsure of what will come.

    In 1 Samuel, we read of a very bad time. The Ark of the , a Godly object—that many staked their identity and security on—was lost to a powerful enemy. Their (judge) and his sons have died. All seemed lost. The Israelites were fearfully looking toward the future.

    By the time of Isaiah, the people were again looking to the future with fear. There had just been a declaration of guilt (Isaiah 42) and failure. The so-called People of God had been reminded of their failure to fulfill their role. The judge of the universe had declared their guilt. Just as many are fearfully looking to the new year, so, too, were the People of God fearful of what came after their conviction.

    “Do not the past events, pay no attention to the things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming…” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

    1) Be deeply honest with yourself. What do you fear in regards to the coming year?

    2) One can fear what is coming and still trust God. It is the type of fear that is the key. How can fear be good or bad?

    3/KD) What is the one thing you are most worried will happen next year? What is the one thing you are most looking forward to next year?