ALL – Psalm 70:1-5
ALL – Proverbs 24:8
OT – Isaiah 54:1-57:14
NT – Ephesians 6:1-24
Interesting passage for the day: Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere. – Ephesians 5:4, The Living Bible
Thought: Prayer is harder for me, in some ways, than Bible study. When I’m studying the Bible, I always know exactly where my reading for the day is supposed to begin and end. If I have a question, I do some research until I think I have the answer. I can consult with “experts.” Even if I’m not sure exactly what’s right, I can at least get to the point where I have a lot better an understanding of all the perspectives I should be thinking through.
But with prayer, it’s a lot harder to feel like I’ve made progress. Sometimes I struggle to come up with words to say. When I do, I might be stumbling over myself. Even if I set a goal of praying for a certain number of minutes, I find that I struggle to fill them all with actual prayer. My mind gets distracted. The time goes by, and I’ve managed a sentence of prayer.
Perhaps that’s because I often don’t bring God my needs, but my wishes. I don’t take time to confess my true heart to God. I ask God to help me finish up the day’s business, but my prayer time is distracted time because my mind is so worked up about getting back to the day’s business.
Instead of just asking God to help me with my tasks, perhaps I need to pray more about Him changing the way my heart rebels against doing some of them. Instead of merely asking God to help my kids learn to be quiet (for once!), perhaps I need to pray more about Him teaching me patience, about Him leading me in being a good father to them, and about Him getting their full attention so that they grow in understanding that sometimes their volume bothers other people. Instead of praying just to pray, perhaps I should be praying so that I get to know my heavenly Father better and so that He changes my heart, my behaviors, my thinking, my speech—me. And as I get to know my own needs better—my need to be more like Jesus, not just my need to have a good day—perhaps my prayers for others will be deeper and more intentional and focused, too.
Father, help me to pray to You sincerely, exposing and confessing my deepest daily needs. Help me to see my need for a heart that grows steadily more Christlike. Help me to recognize that I’m not the most patient man in the world, and to pray about it. Help me to understand that getting my tasks done doesn’t mean that I’m a success in Your book, and to pray about it. Teach me to pray in a way that honors You, that really seeks You and finds You, that taps into my real needs and weaknesses and comes to You for my every provision and strength.
Question: Do you struggle with prayer sometimes, too? What helps you to turn to God for an extended time of honest prayer?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label honesty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label honesty. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
No Airbrushed Jesus
ALL – Psalm 44:1-7
ALL – Proverbs 22:10-12
OT – Job 34:1-36:33
NT – 2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Interesting passage for the day: We do not try to trick people into believing—we are not interested in fooling anyone. We never try to get anyone to believe that the Bible teaches what it doesn’t. All such shameful methods we forego. We stand in the presence of God as we speak and so we tell the truth, as all who know us will agree. – 2 Corinthians 4:2, The Living Bible
Thought: What would be the goal of tricking people into believing? What would be the benefit of fooling people into doing what we say? I can’t think of any positive reason to deceive people into agreeing with me.
I’m not saying that I can’t see any reason why tricking people could be fun, exciting, and even fulfilling. When people agree with me, it helps me feel better about my own perspectives. When people trust me so much that they don’t even question my thoughts, there could be a bit of a rush at the realization that I have the ability to lead them just about anywhere—at least for a while. And the more people who believe me and follow my lead, the more I would be able to pat myself on the back for being such a magnetic and charismatic leader. The experience of this kind of success might be like an ongoing shot of adrenaline. So there are reasons that tricking people into believing us could be an amazing experience.
But none of those reasons is positive. Especially not when we’re talking about Jesus Christ. Getting tons of people to follow me, thinking that I had led them to Jesus even though I had really just giving them pep talks with Jesus’ name liberally sprinkled throughout my inspiring speeches (perhaps a case of using Jesus’ name in vain?), would be useless for everyone involved. The people would not have actually come to know Jesus. I would have “gained the whole world and lost my soul.” And Jesus would look at me from His throne and ask, “How did you possibly think this would end well—stealing My glory for yourself?”
No, when we talk about Jesus, we want to be as straightforward and honest as possible. Sometimes—perhaps even often—we’ll draw smaller crowds. But our goal is to draw together worshipers for our great King Jesus, men and women who worship in spirit and truth. This kind of worship only happens when people really know who Jesus is. Let’s introduce Him honestly.
Question: What do you not like to tell people about Jesus and His Word? Let’s encourage one another to lovingly and honestly introduce people to Jesus Christ as He is.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 22:10-12
OT – Job 34:1-36:33
NT – 2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Interesting passage for the day: We do not try to trick people into believing—we are not interested in fooling anyone. We never try to get anyone to believe that the Bible teaches what it doesn’t. All such shameful methods we forego. We stand in the presence of God as we speak and so we tell the truth, as all who know us will agree. – 2 Corinthians 4:2, The Living Bible
Thought: What would be the goal of tricking people into believing? What would be the benefit of fooling people into doing what we say? I can’t think of any positive reason to deceive people into agreeing with me.
I’m not saying that I can’t see any reason why tricking people could be fun, exciting, and even fulfilling. When people agree with me, it helps me feel better about my own perspectives. When people trust me so much that they don’t even question my thoughts, there could be a bit of a rush at the realization that I have the ability to lead them just about anywhere—at least for a while. And the more people who believe me and follow my lead, the more I would be able to pat myself on the back for being such a magnetic and charismatic leader. The experience of this kind of success might be like an ongoing shot of adrenaline. So there are reasons that tricking people into believing us could be an amazing experience.
But none of those reasons is positive. Especially not when we’re talking about Jesus Christ. Getting tons of people to follow me, thinking that I had led them to Jesus even though I had really just giving them pep talks with Jesus’ name liberally sprinkled throughout my inspiring speeches (perhaps a case of using Jesus’ name in vain?), would be useless for everyone involved. The people would not have actually come to know Jesus. I would have “gained the whole world and lost my soul.” And Jesus would look at me from His throne and ask, “How did you possibly think this would end well—stealing My glory for yourself?”
No, when we talk about Jesus, we want to be as straightforward and honest as possible. Sometimes—perhaps even often—we’ll draw smaller crowds. But our goal is to draw together worshipers for our great King Jesus, men and women who worship in spirit and truth. This kind of worship only happens when people really know who Jesus is. Let’s introduce Him honestly.
Question: What do you not like to tell people about Jesus and His Word? Let’s encourage one another to lovingly and honestly introduce people to Jesus Christ as He is.
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
A Heart Like a Toilet – Clean on the Outside Only
ALL – Psalm 78:1-31
ALL – Proverbs 12:19-20
OT – Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
NT – Luke 11:37-12:7
Boy meets girl, what happens next? Usually, they’re both going to try to make a good impression. What happens from there is anyone’s guess.
Prospective worker meets potential boss, what happens next? Usually, they’re both going to try to make a good impression. What happens from there is, again, up in the air.
Pastor meets congregant, what happens next?
Good impressions are not only part of the secular world. Believers like to make a good impression on people, too. Not only do we want to make a good impression—we want people to like us! I can’t think of anyone who would prefer to be despised rather than liked.
But what happens is that we begin to make an idol out of our reputations and our relationships. We want people to like and appreciate us so much that we will sin to get their approval, or else we’ll sin if we don’t get it. And often, the way that we sin to get people’s approval is that we stop being honest. All of us already have sin in our lives; those of us who need other people’s approval and appreciation add yet another sin—we hide the sin that’s already there rather than bringing it into the light, humbly and honestly confessing our sins and repenting of them before God.
A love of men’s approval and respect that rules over all other loves, including our love for God, is deadly. Jesus talked with the Pharisees about this issue in their lives:
Woe to you Pharisees! For how you love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the respectful greetings from everyone as you walk through the markets! Yes, awesome judgment is awaiting you. For you are like hidden graves in a field. Men go by you with no knowledge of the corruption they are passing. – Luke 11:43-44, The Living Bible
Are you pretending to be someone you’re not? Are you covering over your shame in order to deceive people? Don’t get me wrong—it’s not a good idea to give people detail after detail about our sins. But we must be honest about the fact that we are sinners, and even help people know what kinds of struggles we face and ask for their help and prayer. We must deny the temptation to create a false image of ourselves, to paint a picture that says we have everything under control. The only way to keep our hearts clean is to deliberately and honestly admit who we are, how we think, what we want, the things we do. The best way to lead others to know God is not to portray ourselves as people who never sin, but as people who have learned to confess our sins in humble honesty before God, finding the grace that He has already provided for us through Jesus Christ.
Are you honestly cleaning out the corruption in your heart by confessing your sins and having them washed away by the blood of Christ? Or are you harboring your sins, refusing to confess and repent of anything for fear of what people might think?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 12:19-20
OT – Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20
NT – Luke 11:37-12:7
Boy meets girl, what happens next? Usually, they’re both going to try to make a good impression. What happens from there is anyone’s guess.
Prospective worker meets potential boss, what happens next? Usually, they’re both going to try to make a good impression. What happens from there is, again, up in the air.
Pastor meets congregant, what happens next?
Good impressions are not only part of the secular world. Believers like to make a good impression on people, too. Not only do we want to make a good impression—we want people to like us! I can’t think of anyone who would prefer to be despised rather than liked.
But what happens is that we begin to make an idol out of our reputations and our relationships. We want people to like and appreciate us so much that we will sin to get their approval, or else we’ll sin if we don’t get it. And often, the way that we sin to get people’s approval is that we stop being honest. All of us already have sin in our lives; those of us who need other people’s approval and appreciation add yet another sin—we hide the sin that’s already there rather than bringing it into the light, humbly and honestly confessing our sins and repenting of them before God.
A love of men’s approval and respect that rules over all other loves, including our love for God, is deadly. Jesus talked with the Pharisees about this issue in their lives:
Woe to you Pharisees! For how you love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the respectful greetings from everyone as you walk through the markets! Yes, awesome judgment is awaiting you. For you are like hidden graves in a field. Men go by you with no knowledge of the corruption they are passing. – Luke 11:43-44, The Living Bible
Are you pretending to be someone you’re not? Are you covering over your shame in order to deceive people? Don’t get me wrong—it’s not a good idea to give people detail after detail about our sins. But we must be honest about the fact that we are sinners, and even help people know what kinds of struggles we face and ask for their help and prayer. We must deny the temptation to create a false image of ourselves, to paint a picture that says we have everything under control. The only way to keep our hearts clean is to deliberately and honestly admit who we are, how we think, what we want, the things we do. The best way to lead others to know God is not to portray ourselves as people who never sin, but as people who have learned to confess our sins in humble honesty before God, finding the grace that He has already provided for us through Jesus Christ.
Are you honestly cleaning out the corruption in your heart by confessing your sins and having them washed away by the blood of Christ? Or are you harboring your sins, refusing to confess and repent of anything for fear of what people might think?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Two Devastating Failures
ALL – Psalm 75:1-10
ALL – Proverbs 12:12-14
OT – Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
NT – Luke 10:13-37
Have you ever been on a bridge or narrow pathway so high that you could look over the edge on either side and know that a fall meant death?
Among Christians, one of the most inspirational thoughts in all of Scripture is known as the “double love command.” Jesus tells us that it summarizes all the Law and the Prophets (the OT). Here is one version of it, recorded by Luke:
“It says,” he replied, “that you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself.” – Luke 10:27, The Living Bible
In this case, it was not said by Jesus, who responded:
“Do this and you shall live.” – Luke 10:28, The Living Bible
No one can measure up perfectly to this command. Even among those who seek to obey and fulfill these requirements, people usually make the mistake of obeying just ONE of the TWO commands given here.
Some people love God with all their hearts. They devote themselves completely to God, or so they think. They spend all their time reading their Bibles, praying, attending services, and helping with official church programs. If someone interrupts their service to God, that person gets set aside, left behind, left alone. But God says to these people, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates (neglects, ignores) his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20, NIV).
Other people really do a good job of loving people. They open up their homes, they share their food, they give cash to every beggar, they devote themselves to programs that help people to get out of poverty and homelessness and drugs. They always sympathize with people, always listen, always care, never judge. But these people often lay aside their Bibles, sweep sins (their own and other people’s) under the carpet, neglect to pray, think of Jesus as merely a good man, and worry that any spiritual discussion will hurt people’s feelings. To these people, God says, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21), and “…this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23, NIV). Loving God is obeying God, and obeying God is believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Neglecting our faith is just as destructive as neglecting our neighbors.
The double-love command is a united command. We are not to love God but hate our neighbors. Neither are we to love our neighbors but neglect God. We are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We all fall short. We all struggle more either with loving God or with loving people (though, if we’re honest, we fall short in both). We sin. Which is why we praise God that Jesus Christ, His Son, died on the cross to provide forgiveness for our sins. There is grace for us, even as we fail in the two most important commands of all. But that grace is not intended to make us neglect the commands; instead, it strengthens us to stop wallowing in our failures and sins so that we can get up and grow in obedience and love. This requires humility and honesty. We must recognize our failure and call on our Lord for help.
Which side of the command do you struggle with most?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 12:12-14
OT – Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19
NT – Luke 10:13-37
Have you ever been on a bridge or narrow pathway so high that you could look over the edge on either side and know that a fall meant death?
Among Christians, one of the most inspirational thoughts in all of Scripture is known as the “double love command.” Jesus tells us that it summarizes all the Law and the Prophets (the OT). Here is one version of it, recorded by Luke:
“It says,” he replied, “that you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself.” – Luke 10:27, The Living Bible
In this case, it was not said by Jesus, who responded:
“Do this and you shall live.” – Luke 10:28, The Living Bible
No one can measure up perfectly to this command. Even among those who seek to obey and fulfill these requirements, people usually make the mistake of obeying just ONE of the TWO commands given here.
Some people love God with all their hearts. They devote themselves completely to God, or so they think. They spend all their time reading their Bibles, praying, attending services, and helping with official church programs. If someone interrupts their service to God, that person gets set aside, left behind, left alone. But God says to these people, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates (neglects, ignores) his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20, NIV).
Other people really do a good job of loving people. They open up their homes, they share their food, they give cash to every beggar, they devote themselves to programs that help people to get out of poverty and homelessness and drugs. They always sympathize with people, always listen, always care, never judge. But these people often lay aside their Bibles, sweep sins (their own and other people’s) under the carpet, neglect to pray, think of Jesus as merely a good man, and worry that any spiritual discussion will hurt people’s feelings. To these people, God says, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21), and “…this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23, NIV). Loving God is obeying God, and obeying God is believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Neglecting our faith is just as destructive as neglecting our neighbors.
The double-love command is a united command. We are not to love God but hate our neighbors. Neither are we to love our neighbors but neglect God. We are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We all fall short. We all struggle more either with loving God or with loving people (though, if we’re honest, we fall short in both). We sin. Which is why we praise God that Jesus Christ, His Son, died on the cross to provide forgiveness for our sins. There is grace for us, even as we fail in the two most important commands of all. But that grace is not intended to make us neglect the commands; instead, it strengthens us to stop wallowing in our failures and sins so that we can get up and grow in obedience and love. This requires humility and honesty. We must recognize our failure and call on our Lord for help.
Which side of the command do you struggle with most?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
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