July 28

Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always,
   but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
   than he who flatters with his tongue.
Proverbs 28:14,23 ESV

To fear the LORD is to know He is in charge of your life. To fear the LORD is to decide--over and over again each day (and sometimes each hour, or each minutes)--to submit yourself to His rule in all things.

When someone takes the time and effort to correct you and by such words to save you from wrong-doing you know this person fears the LORD and has your best interest in heart.

When we are engaged in doing something we know is wrong, how often don't we harden our hearts against others? It is easy to rehearse pithy responses against others to keep them from getting close enough to speak the words of rebuke you need to hear. Once we begin to harden our hearts against someone we become, as the Proverbs say, unyielding as a fortified city. We are not just hardening our hearts against others, we are denying the fear of the LORD and hardening our hearts against our own conscience, but most importantly, we are hardening ourselves against our Father.

But the way of wisdom is to yield one's heart to the searching work of the Spirit. The way of wisdom is to go the throne of Jesus Christ and pray for the heart of stone to be removed and to be given a heart of flesh that will respond to the concerns of those around us. Weigh and evaluate what someone says. Even when someone is mostly wrong in their evaluation there is a grain of truth in what is said and a bushel of compassion in braving another's person's anger in order to speak life and correction.

Father in heaven it is an awesome thing that in Christ You take sinful men and women to be your sons and daughters. It is extravagant love that moves in mercy for us, so that while we were yet sinners, Christ's death sets us free from condemnation. Holy Father and Just Judge Jesus, pour out the Spirit so that whatever areas of our hearts have become hardened will be softened and prepared for the rebukes and corrections that will lead to greater holiness. Spirit of God, when You direct us to coach another person in the fear of the LORD, grant us to be gentle but firm in showing such love. Thank You for the blessing of community which sharpens, corrects, encourages and bears each others burdens so that together we grow in maturity as the family of God. Amen.

July 27

The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold,
   and a man is tested by his praise.
Proverbs 27:21 ESV

Refining silver takes very high heat--the silver melts and the impurities are drawn out. Gold is refined in a furnace and purified. Interestingly praise is the refining furnace for people. If we are always hungry for the praise of people we will never be satisfied. Those who are in Christ, following Him, are refined by suffering and purified by the Word and Spirit and the only praise we seek is that of God. He has given us talents, skills and responsibilities. When at last we lay down our mortal remains and are before our Father in heaven, we long to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant." As Oswald Chambers puts it, we offer: Our utmost for His Highest. It is the pathway of self-denial and obedience to our King which is the crucible for believers and we endure knowing the Spirit will conform us to Christ and bring us to our Father in heaven.

Father in heaven, thank You for the work of Christ. Thank You that in His Name we are set free from the punishment of sin. Thank You, Father in heaven, for the Spirit given to believers so that we serve with our eyes fixed on the throne of Jesus Christ. In our lives, Lord, be glorified.
Amen.

July 26

The word of the LORD came to me, "Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.
Ezekiel 24:15 ESV

Ezekiel was a prophet. The LORD warned him that his wife would die suddenly, as a warning to Israel that the temple, which was the light of Israel's eyes, would suddenly be taken and profaned. It is such a hard prophecy and difficult to understand.

First, Ezekiel's wife would be with the LORD. The glory of eternity cannot compare with the world. 
Second, Ezekiel, as a prophet knew that all he had--calling, family, home, every single thing and person and possession--belonged to the LORD. Ezekiel held it in trust from God.
Third, this lesson is for us, when we mourn the loss of someone, it is deeply painful, but for believers in Christ there is profound hope. The Spirit of God seals our faith and guards us in Christ until faith becomes sight. Finally, all suffering is used by God our Father--to refine us, correct us, discipline us and so on. Christ Himself was made perfect through suffering. God is not imposing on us something He Himself has not endured. Christ suffered more intensely than any other human. Suffering by the Hand of God is painful but necessary for the Christian so that we let go of our sin and rebellion and learn to cling to Him alone.

God my Father, when I suffer, let the Spirit guide me in the Word, in prayer, and in hope that clings ever more tightly to Christ. When I do not have the strength to hold on to You, thank You for the words of Christ--none shall snatch the believer from My Father's Hand. Sustain those around me who are suffering. 
May we, in true community rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
Amen.

July 25

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,
   lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.
Proverbs 25:16 ESV

A few days ago I was listening to a talk given by Ravi Zacharias:  "The Problem of Pleasure." Zacharias noted we have a theology of evil, of good, of so many things, but we the Church seems to be silent on pleasure. Crediting F.W. Boreham, Zacharias noted three principles of pleasure that must be observed. I found them incredibly helpful and clear.
1. Pleasure must not distract from our life's goal. We belong to Christ and if our pleasure distracts our attention from Him, it is for us sin.
2. Pleasure indulged in excess quickly becomes sickening. Look at the text from Proverbs. How easily we have too much of food, or too much alcohol, too many items of clothing, too much time on our hands so that we don't know what to do, or too much sweetness which becomes cloying to us and can turn the stomach.
3. Pleasure must not detract from the sanctity of others. If my pleasure violates or harms another, it is sin..

As I reflected on these I realize true pleasure, therefore is found in Christ. He is our goal, He is our focus. True pleasure is found in training in wisdom, knowledge and righteousness--this is the work of the Spirit, restoring in us the image of God. As an athlete will count calories and carefully weigh out sweets so we too in our marathon of life enjoy pleasures in their place and right quantities. Finally, our personal pleasures must honour the family and community in which God has placed us. We strive to honour life, for people bear the image of our Maker and therefore are worthy of respect.

You, O God, have caused the boundary lines to fall for me in pleasant places. In every part of my life may Christ be the goal and highest joy and His Spirit direct my steps so that I contribute to the blessing of true community. May the joy of the LORD be my strength and the salvation of God my song and may this anthem of praise encourage others to join in the growing chorus of praise. In my life, LORD--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--be glorified. Amen.

July 23

Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed.
Jeremiah 48:10 ESV

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the Living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:12-13 ESV

We are dedicated to our work--well, because we are paid. We are dedicated to our hobbies, because they are fun. We are dedicated to family functions (for some us it is so only because our spouses make us). But are we dedicated to the LORD? This curse, recorded in Jeremiah, staggered me when I read it a few days ago. All too easily we give to the LORD little dribs and drabs and left-overs of our time and attention and heart.

He, the LORD, is worthy of all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Hearing the Word preached is a means of grace. Gathering with believers who are passionate sharpens us and keeps us from slackness.

The devil is ever trying to harden us against the blessings poured out on us in Christ. The devil is trying to distract believers so that we do not serve with passionate commitment.

Today, get to church. Today phone a friend and say: "Let's get back to the church." Today recognize God's Spirit is touching you and stirring you to renewed zeal. Today throw off laziness and procrastination and know this--the LORD, the LORD He is our strength and our Song!

As Your people gather today--in house churches or magnificent stone structures, in secret where there is persecution or in groups large and small where there is still freedom to worship--revive our faith and reinvigorate our resolve to serve you with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Let Christ be lifted up so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. Let the Spirit cleanse the trash from our hearts and minds so that our service to You, Triune God, may be limitless. Amen.

July 22

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set out before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV

It is one of those days when I get up and before my feet even hit the floor I am already counting the minutes until I can go back to bed. The weight which clings is depression. One gift God has given as a tool to fight depression is running. The first steps of the first kilometer are killer. I just want to go back to my room and back to bed. Every joint and ligament complains and my brain is urging me to quit. But then the breathing evens out. The pace improves. The legs find their stride.

Walking with Christ and enduring with Him requires every ounce of effort. We belong to Him. We are rescued by Jesus' blood. Our energy is focused on staying true to Him and fighting off all the temptations of the enemy. The devil does not play fair, he is, after all, the father of lies and when he lies he speaks in his native language. He promises what he cannot and will not ever deliver.

Therefore, the struggle to hold onto faith is the most important contest of our lives. Do not give up hope. This is what I am preaching to my own heart. It is around 11 AM here, so in 9 or 10 hours I can go to bed. The weight has not left my chest nor lifted from my head. But He has sustained me this far. He will give what is needed moment by moment through the day.

Thank You God for the great cloud of witnesses--fellow believers who in Your great wisdom are praying when praying is too hard for me. Thank You Jesus that You are the founder and perfecter of faith--even my now staggering faith is not beyond Your help. Amen.

July 21

They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
   and it went ill with Moses on their account,
for they made his spirit bitter,
   and he spoke rashly with his lips.
Psalm 106:32-33 ESV

Moses was the man whom the LORD had appointed to lead His people out of Egypt. He prayed persistently for this people. Whenever they grumbled, he prayed. Whenever they longed for food in Egypt (forgetting their slavery) he prayed. When they set up an idol and worshiped it, he got angry and he prayed. The people grumbled for water and Moses was instructed to speak to the rock in order that it would bring forth water. He struck it. I wondered the significance of this. I have read Psalm 106 many times, but yesterday, for the first time, I realized Moses' sin. His heart had become bitter and it was reflected in his words and his actions. The LORD forgave Moses, but as a consequence, Moses was not permitted to go into the Promised Land.

At the cross of Jesus Christ, all our sins, all the sins of all the people in the world are covered by the blood of Christ. Bitterness is to reach into that blood covering and claim back the deadly prize of anger nurtured in the heart. Bitterness is a vile vine that yields a fruit which continually poisons the mind and heart. If a man, righteous and godly as Moses wrestled with bitterness, how much more ought we to seek to purge it from our souls and hearts and thoughts? We are not entitled to bitterness. We are not entitled to hold on to this or that wrong which we think someone else had done against us. We are to yield our all to the cleansing flood of Jesus' blood.

Spirit of God, thank You that You are the Lamp lighting up every part of my heart so that I can clearly see where the cancer of bitterness is gnawing at my heart and mind. Thank You, Spirit of God, that You bring the healing and cleansing of Jesus' blood to every stain and all wrong-doing in the lives of those who believe. Spirit of God, thank You that in Christ I am continually being made holy and am confirmed as a child of the Father in Heaven. Move me God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit to forgive those who need forgiveness and prepare me and humble me so that I may seek forgiveness also. Through the Spirit's reconciling work accomplished by Christ among Your people, Mighty God be glorified. Your word says that a brother, or sister, offended is harder than a fortified city. Break down the walls of bitterness and set us free in Christ.
Amen.

July 20, 2017

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men.
-I Corinthians 16:13 ESV

Well, I don't really feel like having my devotional times this morning. This passage from yesterday stands out to me, especially the phrase: "act like men".
A man might not feel like going to work, but he knows he must provide for his family, so he goes. A man might not feel like doing repairs around the house, but if he doesn't repair the shingles then his roof will leak. A man will stir himself and get going. All of us have things that we don't feel like doing, but we know are necessary, are good and will benefit others and ourselves, so we just stir ourselves and do it. 
Excuse me while I head off and get alone with God.
God, help me to delight myself in You. From all the distractions and excuses and sinful inclinations of my heart, draw me away to Yourself. Amen.