MINISTER OF RECONCILIATION
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Posted:Jan 18, 2016 4:40 am
Last Updated:Jan 20, 2016 4:15 am 16723 Views
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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Bible in a Year: Genesis 43–45; Matthew 12:24-50
While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his .
Romans 5:10
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached on a Sunday morning in 1957, he fought the temptation to retaliate against a society steeped in racism.
“How do you go about loving your enemies?” he asked the Dexter Avenue Baptist congregation in Montgomery, Alabama. “Begin with yourself. . . . When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it.”
Quoting from the words of Jesus, King said: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you . . . ; that ye may be the of your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:44-45
As we consider those who harm us, we are wise to remember our former status as enemies of God (see Rom. 5:10). But “[God] reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” wrote Paul 2 Cor. 5:18. Now we have a holy obligation. “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (v. 19). We are to take that message to the world.
Racial and political tensions are nothing new. But the business of the church is never to feed divisiveness. We should not attack those unlike us or those who hold different opinions or even those who seek our destruction. Ours is a “ministry of reconciliation” that imitates the selfless servant-heart of Jesus.
In Christ there is no east or west, in Him no south or north, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.
Hate destroys the hater as well as the hated. Martin Luther King Jr.
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WHAT'S IN THE BANK?
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Posted:Jan 15, 2016 4:18 am
Last Updated:Jan 18, 2016 4:40 am 13959 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:4-7
Bible in a Year: Genesis 36–38; Matthew 10:21-42
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
In the winter of 2009, a large passenger plane made an emergency landing in New York’s Hudson River. The pilot, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who landed the plane safely with no casualties, was later asked about those moments in the air when he was faced with a life-or-death decision. “One way of looking at this,” he said, “might be that for 42 years I’ve been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education, and training. And on [that day] the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal.”
Most of us will at some time face a crisis. Perhaps it will be a job termination or the results of a medical test, or the loss of a precious family member or friend. It is in those times that we must dig down deep into the reserves of our spiritual bank account.
And what might we find there? If we have enjoyed a deepening relationship with God, we’ve been making regular “deposits” of faith. We have experienced His grace (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:4-7). We trust the promise of Scripture that God is just and faithful (Deut. 32:4; 2
Thess. 3:3).
God’s love and grace are available when His need to make a “withdrawal” (Ps. 9:10; Heb. 4:16).
Great is Your faithfulness, O Lord God! Each day I see You provide for me and show me mercy. Thank You.
Remembering God’s faithfulness in the past strengthens us for the future.
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Saying Goodbye
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Posted:Jan 14, 2016 12:55 am
Last Updated:Jan 15, 2016 9:11 am 10905 Views
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Read: Luke 9:57-62
Bible in a Year: Genesis 33–35; Matthew 10:1-20
No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:62
Saying goodbye is hard—to family and friends, to a favorite and familiar place, to an occupation or livelihood.
In Luke 9:57-62 our Lord describes the cost of being His disciple. A would-be follower says to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus responds, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (vv. 61-62). Is He asking His followers to say goodbye to everything and every relationship considered precious?
God wants what is best for us.
In the Chinese language there is no direct equivalent of the English word goodbye. The two Chinese characters used to translate this word really mean “see you again.” Becoming a disciple of Christ may sometimes mean others will reject us, but it does not mean we say goodbye to people in the sense that we are to forget all our past relationships. Saying goodbye means that God wants us to follow Him on His terms—wholeheartedly. Then we will see people again from the right perspective.
God wants the best for us, but we must allow Him to take priority over everything else.
Dear Lord, I want to follow You wholeheartedly. Help me not to place anything or anyone before You.
When we follow Jesus we get a new perspective.
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GATES OF PARADISE
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Posted:Jan 13, 2016 5:22 am
Last Updated:Jan 14, 2016 12:55 am 9213 Views
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Read: John 10:1-9
Bible in a Year: Genesis 31–32; Matthew 9:18-38
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.
John 10:9
Italian artist Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378–1455) spent years skillfully crafting images of Jesus’ life into the bronze doors of Italy’s Florence Baptistery. These bronze reliefs were so moving that Michelangelo called them the Gates of Paradise.
As an artistic treasure, the doors greet visitors with echoes of the gospel story. It was Jesus who said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9). On the night before His crucifixion, He told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6). Within a few hours Jesus would say to one of the criminals being crucified at His side, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Jesus is the way, the truth, & the life.
The apostle Peter a few weeks later boldly proclaimed to those who had called for Jesus’ death that “there is no other name under heaven . . . by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Years later, the apostle Paul wrote that there is only one mediator between God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).
The gates of paradise are found in the Savior who offers everlasting life to all who believe and come to Him. Enter into the joy of His salvation.
I needed a mediator because of my sin. Thank You, Jesus, for being the way to the Father by Your death and resurrection. I will be forever grateful.
Jesus died in our place to give us His peace.
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HOLD ON!
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Posted:Jan 12, 2016 4:56 am
Last Updated:Jan 13, 2016 5:23 am 8455 Views
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Read: Revelation 3.7-13 |
Bible in a Year: Genesis 29–30; Matthew 9:1-17
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have.
Revelation 3:11
A cowboy friend of mine who grew up on a ranch in Texas has a number of colorful sayings. One of my favorites is “It don’t take much water to make good coffee.” And when someone ropes a steer too big to handle or is in some kind of trouble, my friend will shout, “Hold everything you’ve got!” meaning “Help is on the way! Don’t let go!”
In the book of Revelation we find letters to “the seven churches in the province of Asia” (chs. 2–3). These messages from God are filled with encouragement, rebuke, and challenge, and they speak to us today just as they did to the first-century recipients.
Holding on to God's promises in hard times strengthens our faith.
Twice in these letters we find the phrase, “Hold on to what you have.” The Lord told the church at Thyatira, “Hold on to what you have until I come” (2:25). And to the church in Philadelphia He said, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (3:11). In the midst of great trials and opposition, these believers clung to God’s promises and persevered in faith.
When our circumstances are harsh and sorrows outnumber joys, Jesus shouts to us, “Hold everything you’ve got! Help is on the way!” And with that promise, we can hold on in faith and rejoice.
Lord, we cling to Your promise, expect Your return, and hold on with confidence as we say, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
The promise of Christ’s return calls us to persevere in faith.
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YOU HAVE VALUE
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Posted:Jan 10, 2016 10:33 pm
Last Updated:Jan 12, 2016 4:56 am 8507 Views
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Read: Romans 5:6–11
Bible in a Year: Genesis 27–28; Matthew 8:18-32
You were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6:20
After my mother-in-law died, my wife and I discovered a cache of US Indian Head pennies in a dresser drawer in her apartment. She wasn’t a coin collector, as such, but she lived in the era when these pennies were in circulation and she had accumulated a few.
Some of these coins are in excellent condition; others are not. They are so worn and tarnished you can hardly see the imprint. All bear the stamp “One Cent” on the opposite side. Although a penny these days has little value and many consider them useless, this one-cent coin would have bought a newspaper in its day. And collectors still find value in them, even those that have been battered and abused.
Perhaps you feel tarnished, worn, old, or out of circulation. Even so, God finds value in you. The Creator of the universe wants you—not for your mind, your body, your clothes, your achievements, your intellect, or your personality, but because you are you! He would go any distance and pay any price to possess you (1 Cor. 6:20).
In fact He did. He came down to earth from heaven and purchased you with His own blood (Rom. 5:6, 8-9). That’s how much He wants you. You are valuable in His eyes, and He loves you.
As I think about Your love for me, Father, I wonder with amazement how You could love someone like me—and I praise You.
Christ’s death is the measure of God’s love for you.
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THE BEST KIND OF HAPPINESS
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Posted:Jan 8, 2016 4:26 am
Last Updated:Jan 9, 2016 5:37 am 8491 Views
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Read: John 8:31-38
Bible in a Year: Genesis 20–22; Matthew 6:19-3
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32
“Everybody's doing it” seemed like a winning argument when I was young. But my parents never gave in to such pleas no matter how desperate I was to get permission to do something they believed was unsafe or unwise.
As we get older we add excuses and rationalizations to our repertoire of arguments for having our own way: “No one will get hurt.” “It's not illegal.” “He did it to me first.” “She won't find out.” Behind each argument is the belief that what we want is more important than anything else.
The best kind of happiness comes from the salvation we receive through Jesus Christ.
Eventually, this faulty way of thinking becomes the basis for our beliefs about God. One of the lies we sometimes choose to believe is that we, not God, are the center of the universe. We think we will be carefree and happy only when we reorder the world according to our desires. This lie is convincing because it promises an easier, speedier way to get what we want. It argues, “God is love, so He wants me to do whatever will make me happy.” But this way of thinking leads to heartache, not happiness.
Jesus told those who believed in Him that the truth would make them truly free (John 8:31-32). But He also warned, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (v. 34).
The best kind of happiness comes from the freedom we find when we accept the truth that Jesus is the way to a full and satisfying life.
Lord, we confess our tendency to rationalize everything to get what we think we want. Guide us today so that we choose to obey Your commands instead of pursuing our own desires.
There are no shortcuts to true happiness.
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STARTING UPSTREAM
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Posted:Jan 7, 2016 4:09 am
Last Updated:Jan 8, 2016 12:29 pm 9285 Views
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Read: Matthew 6:5-10
Bible in a Year: Genesis 18–19; Matthew 6:1-18
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:8
My home sits along a creek in a canyon in the shadow of a large mountain. During the spring snowmelt and after heavy rains this stream swells and acts more like a river than a creek. People have drowned in it. One day I traced the origin of the creek to its very source, a snowfield atop the mountain. From there the melted snow begins the long journey down the mountain, joining other rivulets to take shape as the creek below my house.
It occurs to me, thinking about prayer, that most of the time I get the direction wrong. I start downstream with my own concerns and bring them to God. I inform God, as if God did not already know. I plead with God, as if hoping to change God’s mind and overcome divine reluctance. Instead, I should start upstream where the flow begins.
Thanksgiving & praise should be our natural responses to God's amazing handiwork.
When we shift direction, we realize that God already cares about our concerns—a loved one’s cancer, a broken family, a rebellious —more than we do. Our Father knows what we need Matt. 6.8
Grace, like water, descends to the lowest part. Streams of mercy flow. We begin with God and ask what part we can play in His work on earth. With this new starting point for prayer, our perceptions change. We look at nature and see the signature of the grand Artist. We look at human beings and see individuals of eternal destiny made in God’s image. Thanksgiving and praise surge up to Him as a natural response.
Dear Lord, I praise You for loving and caring for me so much. What would I ever do without You?
Prayer channels God’s supply to our needs.
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RINGING REMINDERS
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Posted:Jan 6, 2016 3:36 am
Last Updated:Jan 7, 2016 4:10 am 11471 Views
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Read: Psalm 37:21-31
Bible in a Year: Genesis 16–17; Matthew 5:27-48
Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Psalm 37:24
The clock tower at Westminster, which contains the bell known as Big Ben, is an iconic landmark in London, England. It is traditionally thought that the melody of the tower chimes was taken from the tune of “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” from Handel’s Messiah. Words were eventually added and put on display in the clock room:
Lord, through this hour be Thou our guide;
So by Thy power no foot shall slide.
These words allude to Psalm 37: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (vv. 23-24 nlt). Notice how intimately involved God is in His ’s experience: “He delights in every detail of their lives” (v. 23 nlt). Verse 31 adds, “The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.”
How extraordinary! The Creator of the universe not only upholds us and helps us but He also cares deeply about every moment we live. No wonder the apostle Peter was able to confidently invite us to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5.7 As the assurance of His care rings in our hearts, we find courage to face whatever comes our way.
Loving Father, thank You that every part of my life matters to You. Encourage me in my struggles so that I might walk in a way that reflects Your great love and honors Your great name.
No one is more secure than the one who is held in God’s hand.
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THE LONELY SEASON
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Posted:Jan 5, 2016 2:00 am
Last Updated:Jan 6, 2016 9:30 am 12232 Views
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Read: 2 Timothy 4:9-18
Bible in a Year: Genesis 13–15; Matthew 5:1-26
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:16
Amid the pile of post-Christmas mail I discovered a treasure—a handmade Christmas card painted on repurposed cardstock. Simple watercolor strokes evoked a scene of wintry hills livened with evergreens. Centered at the bottom, framed by red-berried holly, was this hand-printed message:
Peace be with you!
Small acts of encouragement build up our brothers & sisters in Christ.
The artist was a prisoner and a friend of mine. As I admired his handiwork, I realized I hadn’t written to him in 2 years!
Long ago, another prisoner was neglected as he waited in prison. “Only Luke is with me,” wrote the apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:11). “No one came to my support, but everyone deserted me” (v. 16). Yet Paul found encouragement even in prison, and he wrote, “The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength”
(v. 17). But surely Paul felt the lonely ache of abandonment.
On the back of that wonderful Christmas card my friend wrote, “May the peace and joy and hope and love brought about through the birth of Jesus be with you and yours.” He signed it, “Your brother in Christ.” I put the card on my wall as a reminder to pray for him. Then I wrote to him.
Throughout this coming year let’s reach out to the loneliest of our brothers and sisters.
What lonely people can I think of right now? Newcomers to town? Prisoners? People in the hospital or in senior living centers? What can I do, no matter how small, to reach out to them?
Reach out in friendship and encourage the lonely.
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