April 4, 2014

Are we living in the land, but not of the land?

Leviticus 18:1-3

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'I am the Lord your God. According to the way of life in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the way of life in the land of Canaan, where I bring you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.'"

Personal Challenge...

When we give our lives to Christ and choose to follow Him as a member of His body He plucks us out of this world and puts us into His world, His kingdom. These verses are an image of how we are to live our lives. We are not to go back to the old ways that we lived before, but are to live as new creations under His new covenant. That old life is now the Egypt that He has rescued us from and that we are to leave behind. And since His new kingdom still exists in the midst of the temporal world as it is today, Canaan typifies the physical world around us that we are living in now while being members of His royal family. We are commanded to not take on the practices and beliefs of this world, this Canaan, as well. We are called to be set aside, set apart, living our lives for Him and for His kingdom. If we as individuals, or collectively as churches and bodies of fellowship, do not act and look any different than the world around us (Canaan), then we are not living for Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

April 3, 2014

Rebuilding the wall...

Nehemiah 6:16

And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

Personal Challenge...

When people look at my life do they become disheartened in their own eyes? Why? Just as in the day of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall, God is active in our lives. He is performing miracles and great things in and through us. He has granted us eternal life. He has filled us with the Holy Spirit and bestowed upon us both the fruit of the Spirit as well as our own unique spiritual gifts. Am I living my life (rebuilding the wall) in a way that when people look at my life they only see the mighty hand of God at work and become disheartened because they don't see Him doing the same in their lives? Oh, how I pray for the ability to live my life this way, to manifest Him in everything that I do and say, to become nothing so that He can become everything. Is this not His desire for us as well? Glory be to God!

April 2, 2014

Actively seeking Him...

1 Chronicles 28:9

"And now, my son Solomon, know the God of your fathers, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing soul; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you forever."

Personal Challenge...

David reminds us here that a Christian life, a godly life, is a life of action. We are to serve God completely and fully. We are to seek Him aggressively and purposefully if we expect to find Him. He expects us to be active in our relationship wit Him and therefore with those around us.

April 1, 2014

Accepting His will...

Prayer for the Acceptance of God’s Will

O Lord, I do not know what to ask of You.
You alone know what are my true needs.
You love me more than I myself know how to love.
Help me to see my real needs which are concealed from me.
I do not dare to ask either for a cross or for consolation.
I can only wait on You. My heart is open to You.
Visit and help me, for the sake of Your great mercy.
Strike me and heal me; cast me down and raise me up.
I worship in silence Your holy will and Your unsearchable ways.
I offer myself as a sacrifice to You.
I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will.
Teach me to pray. Pray You Yourself in me.
Amen

Personal Challenge...

Every day I pray this prayer as part of my personal prayer rule. It is so easy to slip into a mode of repeating something by rote and failing to really let the words sink into our hearts, minds, and souls. As I process this prayer today we are in the midst of a very unknown time, with basically every part of a critical decision taken out of our hands. All we can do is wait, and wait, and wait, all the time watching the clock tick down to another critical event that has been set in motion and will definitely come to fruition. It feels like standing between two giant dominoes as you see all the rest of the line falling in your direction. So as I read this prayer again today am I just reading the words on the page or am I lifting them up to my Lord as a sacrifice to Him? Am I willing to give up my life, my desires, to Him as a sacrifice and trust that He will do the best thing for us at the perfect time? He has never disappointed or failed me. He will not start now. Lord have mercy.

March 31, 2014

Going through the Refiner's fire...

Jeremiah 30:16-17 (37:13-14 LXX)

Therefore, all who devour you shall be consumed, for all your enemies shall devour themselves. Your sins multiplied because of the abundance of your wrongdoings, thus they did these things to you. But those who tore you to pieces shall be as prey, and I will give all who plundered you as plunder. For I will bring about your healing from a painful wound. I will heal you,' says the Lord. 'For you were called Dispersed, for they said, "She is your prey, because no one seeks her."'

Encouraging Words...

Sometimes God allows the consequences of our sinful behavior to overtake us so that through it we can be refined and turn back to Him. This is never pleasant, but it it serves to return our hearts and our minds to Him it is worthwhile. Better yet, to not stray from Him and have to be corrected. In all cases we are His precious children and He does what is necessary to keep us on the right path, His path. Glory be to God.

March 30, 2014

Following in His footsteps...

Psalm 25:4-5 (24:4-5 LXX)

Make known Your ways to me, O Lord,
And teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation,
And on You I wait all the day.

Personal Challenge...

Oh, what an easy prayer to say, yet so difficult to practice. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

March 28, 2014

What is that hidden treasure worth?

Matthew 13:44

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Personal Challenge...

Do I treat the great and glorious gift of salvation as something so special that I sell all that I have, give up all that is important to me, so that I can have it? How often do I sell my Lord short for my own desires? What a precious gift we have in Christ. A gift that is worth abandoning all for. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.