Whether you believe you can or can't either way you're right!

This famous line is by Henry Ford.  I love that statement because so often we end up sitting in the death trap of our own doubt.  Doubt is scary monster that we should all run from.  When we live in a state of doubt, our doubt will most certainly capture us and hold us ransom. 

The bible says that all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. This means that there's nothing that you and I can't do with the power of God in us. We also believe and teach that God lives in us from the time of belief, or baptism which ever comes first.

As an illustration for this idea, I love to look at Peter as he was cruising across the water toward Jesus.  The story doesn't indicate how far out he got or how long he'd been walking, just that he saw the wind and the wave and sank like a rock!  Peter believed that he could walk on water simply because Jesus called him to come toward him.  Peter believed that no matter what his lord called him to do, he would be able to do it.  And honestly he was right!  Peter jumped out of that boat and I would venture to guess he started strolling toward Jesus like he'd been walking on water all the time. 

But something quickly changed - he began to dip into his reasoning and realized how crazy this water walking thing really was.  As soon as he quit believing that he could walk on water, he sank.  He didn't stop believing in Jesus, because Jesus was still walking on the water.  He stopped believing that he could do what he set out to do and instant failure snatched him up and dragged him down. 

We are all a bit like someone in this story. Either we step out in faith and start journey toward Jesus, like Peter started out doing, or we begin to doubt God's power in us and we immediately start treading water and sinking.  Or we could simply be like the other eleven in the boat, who were so comfortable with the status and position that they left the hard job to someone else. 

Whoever you are in this story, it's not hard to be like the first Peter and start walking toward Jesus.  It's not hard to simply believe that Jesus has given you the power to do what he has put before you and then simply to trust it and run!  Today take something and really trust God to be there.  Lean into him like you've never leaned into him before - and I promise, if it's the thing God has called you to do you'll be walking on water in no time! 

Lord give us the courage to do you will no matter what our reasoning tells us.  Amen.

When God Smiles

I'm not sure how many of us here in central Ohio have noticed or not.  I don't want to jinks it or anything but the sun has shined for about four days straight.  We whined and complained about the rain.  We talked about building arks and God forgetting his promise with the whole rainbow thing.  But how many of us have taken the time to thank him for the smile he's shown us the past couple of days? 

Today I'd like to lead you in a time of thanks.  God is so amazing and so wonderful that often we just miss the many things he does for us.  We all overlook the "little" things in life.  When small things happen that are wonderful, we rarely say anything positive about them.  When the bad stuff happens we're all over complaining about them.  So today we're going to be thankful. 

No matter what happens today - BE THANKFUL!

We've got so many things to be thankful for - family, friends, cars, houses, churches, jobs, food, money (even the change that we stick in our ash tray - aka trash can), the ability to walk and talk, running with our kids,  even having kids to yell at or who we complain about.  We are so very blessed in so many ways.  Today just go through your day with your eyes wide open to the many blessings that God has put in your life today. 

Jesus - we hardly see you in our lives.  We complain when we don't see you, and when you're blatantly doing something good we rarely recognize it's you.  Help us see you today so that we can give thanks for the many blessings you've put in our life.  AMEN

What is faith?

Honestly - faith isn't really something that's hard to come by in our world.  People practice the basics of faith every day.  You get in a car and you exercise faith that the wide pedal on the left (or middle for you manual drivers) will stop you.  You put faith in that chair you're sitting in to read this.  Granted it's easy to have faith in something that you've seen work a million times or more.  It's easy to live by the philosophy that seeing is believing. 

But I'm inclinced to think of faith a little differntly.  Today you are at a monumental point in your life.  You are at a point when your life collides with the truth of Jesus' resurrection and the amazing grace of God given to you.  When these three roads collide, I believe that point is called radical faith. 

Any monkey can have faith, but it takes a follower of God to have radical faith.  Radical faith is leaning into God.  Even when you can't see him, lean.  Even when it seems as if he's gone and left you all alone - just keep leaning!  Never stop leaning into God. 

You see, what happens when you lean into God is simple.  You begin to see him.  You see him because you believe and trust that he's there.  Seeing isn't always believing, but truly believing is seeing.  That's what the writer of the book of Hebrews was getting at when he wrote - faith is being sure of what is hoped for and certain of what is yet unseen. 

When you can see what's not physically there, chances are, you've been leaning into God.  When challenges arise, lean into God.  When everything's going right, lean into God.  When you have needs, lean into God.  No matter where you are or what's going on in your life, lean into God.  He'll never let you down!  He will let you slip and sometimes get skinned up a bit, but he'll never leave you all alone. 

Lord help us to live with radical faith today. Help us lean into you today! Amen.

Grace PLUS?

One of the most popular misconceptions about grace is that it needs something added to it.  Honestly that couldn't be further from the truth.  There's a passage in scripture that says My grace is sufficient for you. There's another that indicates saved by grace, through faith in Christ, and this not by works so that no one can boast.

I believe these two passages really cut through the garbage in our thinking.  They get right down to the fact that grace is all about what God already did for us.  They tell us that God is big enough, strong enough, present enough, forgiving enough to forgive our sins and restore us to a right relationship with himself. 

It blows my mind how many people are in the world who say they have to add to God's grace.  Or better yet that they've done too many wrong things that they can't be forgiven, as if they could take away from how amazing God's grace is. 

Here's the truth of the matter - you can't make God love you any more than he already does.  And the reverse is true - you can't mak God love you any less than he already does.  That's what grace is about -getting the undeserved love and goodness of God. 

Today I encourage you to bask in the grace of God.  See everything around you as God setting you up for something great.  It's truly amazing how God can take something that looks terrible and frightening and turn it into something amazing, wonderful, and full of blessing. 

Lord, open our eyes that we might see you today!  Amen.

I'm rich! And so are you!

Growing up I learned that grace could be defined as God's riches at Christ's expense.  It's one of those nice acrostic things.  That phrase works really well for those of us who know God's riches but for those who don't know God's riches or was it cost Christ - it's somewhat meaningless. 

But we're going to stick with it today.  We're going to look at how rich we really are.  It never ceases to amaze me how rich I truly am and how seldom I realize it.  I had to get new tags for my car last Friday. I generally dread going into the BMV.  But I had a new perspective when I walked in there.  I realized that I got to do something that less than 8% of the world's population got to do - have a car. 

I rode in a friend's car not too long ago and he opened his ash tray to pull out some change before going into the store.  Not that's rich!  And most of us are just like him - we keep money in a trash can.  We have houses, clean water, enough clothes that we have to decide what we'll wear not where we'll get our clothes from. 

You see if we would allow our perspective to change a bit, we just might see how great God's riches already have been showered on us.  Instead we get grumpy when we don't have everything we want.  We complain and grumble when we work hard and don't get our raise - because we deserve it we think.  We close an eye to those who have nothing.  We turn our heads so we don't have to look at the homeless man on the streets.  We change the channel so we don't have to see the television commercial with the starving children.  We ignore the news so we don't have to see all the families displaced by storms and other natural disasters. 

I believe living in God's grace, his undeserved goodness, means that we walk around with our eyes wide open.  I've challenged everyone at our church to do this and just write down the good that's happened to them this week.  This has caused me to see all kinds of things that I probably would've just ignored.  God has promised you riches that you couldn't even comprehend, and honestly most of us reading this today have those riches and we don't even recognize it. 

Take time today to give thanks for the riches that God has given you.  Lord, thanks for all the things in my life.  For my family, house, car, and all the rest I thank you.   Help me to be more grateful for the stuff you've given me.  Help me to share what I have with those who don't have anything.  Amen.

Grace = a better life now!

There's a great bible verse in 2 Corinthians that contains a quote from Jesus that says my grace is sufficient for you.  I've got to be honest though.  Some days it sure doesn't feel like it.  Some days I'm not sure if God's grace really is enough.  Some days I want God's grace and some kind of assurance for the future. Some days I want to know that it's all going to work out ok, and by ok I mean the way I have dreamed up in my head. 

But that's not what this verse says.  It says that his grace, and his grace alone is enough.  Yesterday we said that grace was getting the good we don't deserve, so what good have you been receiving?  A really cool thing happened yesterday that reminded me that God's grace isn't just an eternal life insurance policy that grants me heaven.  God's grace actually affects me today, that's why his grace is simply enough. 

Yesterday I went to a local home improvement store to help my grandpa get new locks for house.  I picked up the locks I thought he would like and took them to the counter.  I really don't like the self-check lanes at stores because they put hard working people out of a job, so I went to the only line open.  This gave me a chance to meet a man who would show me a better life.  The cashier told me the total and as I was pulling out my card to pay for the locks, this man handed me a card that gave me 10% off the total bill.  It ended up being a pretty good savings.  We talked for a couple minutes more and I thanked him for showing me a better life today and for demonstrating what grace was all about.  Then I left. 

God says that his grace is sufficient.  That means it's enough.  There's nothing you need to add to it or subtract from it to make it work in your life.  I believe there's a common misconception in our world that says grace is for heaven, but I have to work harder for a better life now.  This couldn't be more false!  God wants us to have a better life right now!  He wants us to survive and thrive and be joyful and content and all the things that a loving father wants for his children.  That's why his grace is enough, because it takes care of the heaven bit very well but it does more!  So much more. 

Today be on the look out for unexpected goodness shown to you.  Look for ways that God is bettering your life right now. 

Lord open our eyes that we might see you working among us on this journey we call faith.  Amen.

Grace...what is it?

This week we focus on the grace of God.  All week at Living Truth here in Marysville, we're looking at the grace of God.  As a matter of fact, I left everyone with an assignment after church yesterday.  The assignment was to simply look for times that you have received something good that you didn't deserve. 

You see that's the definition that we're using for grace - getting the good we don't deserve. It's pretty simple actually.  All we have to do is look around us at every turn and we'll see ways that we've been graced without our even realizing it. 

The bible verse that we used yesterday in church is such a great reminder of the fact that grace is given not earned.  Paul says in Romans 5 while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  That's crazy!  That's totally undeserved and it's not something we could even ask for.  That's what makes it grace.  If we could dream it up or ask for it or want it or do something to get it then it's not really grace. 

Grace is totally and completely someone else's work on your behalf.  Very simply grace is given not earned.  That was our big truth yesterday.  Take that phrase and write it down somewhere.  Remember that phrase this week and you'll be amazed at how big our God really is. 

Here's the assignment...just take a piece of paper and a pen and all throughout the week jot down times when you've received something that you didn't deserve.  Write down the ways that you've been "graced" this week.  Then if you're able, bring that paper with you to church next Sunday to Living Truth and we'll do something with it.  I'm not telling you to share this grace with anyone.  I don't want you to even worry about telling other people about it.  Just live in it.  You can't give away what you don't know for yourself, so get to know his grace to you this week. 

Lord we know that there are so many blessings around us everyday that we just overlook.  Help us to see these things today.  Help us to know the blessings that you have graced us with each and every day.  Amen.

When God Breathes

One of my favorite concepts in all of scripture is that the Holy Spirit is the very breath of God.  With a mere breath he brought life to a ball of dust, then named it Adam.  With a simple breath he assured Elijah that he was present.  With a breath he began a movement of people that we would end up calling the church.  And over the past couple of weeks his breath has been a bit too much for us to handle. 

The news is startling.  The faces of homeowners say it best.  The devastation they feel cannot be put into words.  The tornados that have ripped through this country over the past couple of weeks have contained in them the power that only God could allow, or potentially even cause. But why?  Why would this happen?  Why would our God, loving and all that, allow this vast devstation and death to occur on his watch? 

I struggled a bit with this question as I anxiously awaited to hear from a friend of mine who was in the path of these storms in Alabama.  But then something hit me.  Perhaps God was breathing on us a bit.  Perhaps God was using his breath, sometimes gently and sometimes a bit more powerfully, to show us that he still contains the power of wind, wave, earth, and all things.  Perhaps God has a great plan for this devastation.  Perhaps God has noticed that as a church we've become increasingly comfortable with the things around us so he's giving us something to react to.  Perhaps God has a desire for his movement of people (aka the church) to start moving again. 

I know that none of this sentiment will help rebuild homes.  I know none of it will restore power or house displaced families.  It won't raise the dead or bring healing to the hurting.  But there is something that we can do in response to this breath of God that just might change the entire outlook in the long term. 

You see it wasn't until God breathed into Adam that he woke up and began to live a life of faith and service toward God.  So now that we've seen, and some of us experienced, the breath of God the past couple weeks perhaps we will be able to mobilize.  I believe that the church is only the church when it's moving, serving, loving, doing, walking, talking, living the message of God's undeserved goodness.  Today I challenge you to start moving.  I challenge you to respond to the breath of God and come alive with his power and his love and start serving.  Maybe your service will take you to the hardest hit areas to serve and rebuild.  Maybe your service will keep you closer to your home to serve and care for your neighbors and friends.

No matter where you go just go.  No matter who you serve - just serve.  No matter who you talk to - just talk.  No matter who you love - just love the way God calls us to love - with hands and hearts and lives.

Lord protect those without homes today.  Provide shelter for them.  Encourage them.  Show them that you are ever present.  Move your church into great acts of service as these thousands of people attempt to put their lives together again.  God don't let us sit.  Remind us of the wonders of your breath.  Amen.

A watched pot never boils...

I have to be honest - waiting is not something I do very well.  Not at all.  Partially my personality, partially my gender, partially my fast-paced life - but I just don't like to slow down and wait.  But there's something worse than waiting - watching the pot for it to boil. 

We all know the saying a watched pot never boils.  And we all know that this is not true by any means.  But we do know that a watched pot seems to never boil.  It seems like when you watch the pot for it to boil, it takes easily twice as long.  I believe the same is true in many things: waiting for the phone to ring from that special someone, waiting for the loved one to come out of surgery, waiting for answers to prayers, and the list goes on. 

I've honestly had a lot of waiting going on in my life and I know that it's only going to get worse.  I feel like I'm always waiting on my family, not because they're slow but because I like to be early.  I feel like I'm always waiting on people to follow-thru on their promises.  It seems like I'm always waiting on God to answer my prayers. 

If you are in a time in your life when you're waiting perhaps this verse will work for you the way it has for me.  Very simply one of the psalms states be still and know that I am God. 

Now that's not an earth-shattering concept.  We all know that but rarely do we live that way.  We live as if we know best.  This verse means that the answer you are looking for might not be the right answer at all.  It means that if God is God then you are not!  So when you wait remember these two key things:

1. You are not God, so whatever answer comes - even if it's not the one you were hoping for - it's the one that God is going to work out for good. 
2. Be still! - This is just as hard as acknowledging that we're not God sometimes.  Be still might mean sitting in a quiet room and just doing nothing.  But that would drive my type-A personality nuts!  So for me, being still is doing nothing to pursue the answer I desire.  It's resting in the fact that whatever direction God will lead is ultimately the right direction.  Be still means that God's ways just might not be my ways and that's ok.  Be still happens when we are at peace when life is crumbling around us. 

So let God be God today.  Don't take his role on yourself, you couldn't do it anyway.  And just be still, whether it's in the quiet of your study or on the seat of your lawn mower.  Just be still in the presence of God today.  Today's prayer is on your shoulders - make you entire day a walking conversation with God.

When broken doors open doors

It's been a couple of months ago now that I was looking out my home office window after hearing a loud crash.  As it turned out my neighbor had an unfortunate experience with their garage door - it twisted off track and had come down at a diagonal.  Now admittedly I'm not knowledgeable about garage doors at all but I am adventurous and always willing to learn.  I'm what many call a "jack of all trades, master of none." 

So I proceeded to go over to see if I couldn't lend a hand to at least get the door all the way to the ground.  Well a little muscle later the door was down on the ground and the home owner had made arrangements for the repairman to come the next day to make the necessary adjustments.  What happened next could only be from God. 

The home owners began asking questions about what I did for a living - obviously not garage door repair.  This led to a wonderful conversation that lasted for over an hour and a couple of beers (thanks man!).  The family now worships with us on a regular basis - and all because a door broke!

The moral of the story is don't overlook a broken door it might just be a couple of beers away from a gospel moment. 

In all seriousness God does some amazing things when we're not even paying attention.  He breaks doors all of the time just to see how we'll respond.  Today I pray that we have our eyes open to see where God is moving and what he is breaking.  I pray that we see and respond to the broken door and that we get the wonderful experience I had of sharing my Jesus over a couple of good domestic cold ones. 

Lord, be with us today as we seek to live our lives for you.  Open our eyes so that we can see you moving and breaking things around us.  Help us to respond with hands ready for service and mouths ready to speak the truth of your love.  Amen. 

I want it all!

I've had those days when it seems like everything I see someone else have - I instantly want for myself.  Not want in the "I'll just take it" way but want in a way that makes me less content with my own status in life. Honestly, there's always something out there that we want.  There's a new gadget.  An upgraded whatever..an improved something...a better thing.  I personally don't believe that it's bad to have wants.  I do however believe that the problem comes from what we do with those wants. 

While reading from 1 Corinthians 4 this morning, this line caught my attention - Already you have all you want.  Already you have become rich! 

For real?  I've already got it all?  It sure doesn't feel like it sometimes.  It feels like I've got nothing sometimes.  It feels like I have so many wants that I can't stand it.  But the question for me today is what drives you...

I know that when I'm driven by my wants I'll never be satisfied, but when I'm driven by my calling as a husband, father, pastor, son, brother - I know that I'm fully equipped for what God has in store for me.  It doesn't mean that life is easy or even always great.  It simply means that I have everything and it's all been given to me by God. 

Take some time today to think of the many things you've got in your life.  Think about your job, your cars, house, tv, computer, phone, bed, and many other possessions - they are blessings from God.  Thank him for them today.  Give thanks to God for the blessings that HE has poured into your life today.  Rejoice in this Easter Monday that everything is in reach for you.  There is absolutely nothing that God can't do in and through you.  So today rise up and sing God's praises. 

Lord we need help being content.  Please give us that spirit of contentment today as we seek to serve you.  Amen.

How big are you?

The other day I asked my daughter of 17 months how big she was.  In an instant she lifted her hands straight up as if to say - I'm this big, look at me.  It was cute.  I believe this is what nearly every child does when asked how big they are. 

You see when we show how big we are, it's about us.  We elevate ourselves and lift ourselves up.  It's natural.  But there was a time when Jesus was asked how much he loved us and his response was oh so different!  He didn't reach his hands up and say look at me.  He didn't jump up and down and ask for greater acclaim in the world - instead he opened his arms and showed how deep, wide, and long his love for us really was. 

The bible says that greater love has no one than this - than he lay down his life for his friends.  Today is Good Friday.  Today is when it starts to get good!  Jesus died but that's not the end - (spoiler alert) - he also ROSE!  When Jesus was asked how much he loved us he opened his arms on the cross and let the weight of your sins and mine be thrown on him.  He allowed them to nail his hands and feet to the cross so we wouldn't have to do it ourselves.  But he also rose! 


Today I write this devotion and dedicate it to a little girl name Samantha.  She is fighting for her little life.  She's on machines and is heavily sedated.  Her dad is a pastor and a friend.  Her mom is a wonderful woman of God.  Travis, Stephanie, Samantha - know that your God is this big!  He died and rose for you.  He gave you new life in his son Jesus. So today for you and for all the things God has done we say - ALLELUIA!!!  Our God is greater than anything that comes our way!

Lord bless this family today.  Guard them and protect them.  Remind them that Good Friday is just the beginning of the new life we receive through your son.  May you begin that miraculous healing in Samantha today as well.  Amen. 

Only a man?

I have a new found appreciation for Paul and his writings every time I pick up one of his letters.  Today is no different.  This morning I only had to read a few short verses before I was stopped dead in my tracks by these words, For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?  Are you not acting like mere men?

Wow!  That's a pretty pointed statement.  I know that Jesus tells us to obey his teachings and live as people of the light, but this verse makes it very personal.  We can't be jealous if we're going to be followers of God.  We can't be quarreling if we're living in the new standard of Christ. 

You see it's not easy being a follower of Christ.  Followers of Christ do more than just believe and go to worship - they actually follow Christ.  They allow Christ to transform their entire life.  They begin to think with the mind of Christ.  They see things through the lenses of Christ's glory.  They act as if they were the hands and feet of Christ. 

When we live by this new standard, there's no room for quarreling, fear, stress, anxiety, abuse, anger, hate, lust, jealousy, or any of the other sins we can come up with.  When we follow Christ and truly seek to be his disciples, then we will be able to even walk on water.  So keep your eyes on Christ today, no matter what comes your way look at it through Jesus' eyes and you'll be amazed at what happens! 

Lord give us your eyes to see, your hands to serve, your feet to go, your mind to understand, and your mouth to speak the glory of your name.  Amen. 

Ever Feel Dumb?

Have you ever felt really dumb?  I mean really dumb!  It's the kind of feeling that makes you shake you head at yourself and wonder what you were thinking.  I've had that feeling way too many times.  Some say that's because I'm a guy. Others say that's my personality to do and then to think later, but I think often it has something to do with today's bible reading. 

This morning I only journeyed a couple verses and came across this line - God uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong.   I love that line, but I also have a bit of a problem with it.  I mean seriously - I went to four years of college to gain wisdom, and four more years of seminary to do the same and now God says he likes the fools.  That's a hard one to get our minds around.  Perhaps it's because we're too smart to get it. 

I think that Paul is teaching us a very important truth - God's actions don't make sense - and that's good! You see nothing that God does really makes sense when you think about it.  Creating the world in six days - nonsense there's too much detail, yet he did it.  Part a sea and allow people to walk across on dry land - nonsense there'd be too much mud, yet it happened.  Send his own son to die for our sins - crazy the innocent are not supposed to undergo punishment, yet that's the reality in which we live. 

But it's not just in the bible that God does things that don't make sense.  He's still doing them today.  I know that many people are facing some real challenges in their lives right now.  I know that often we're going to choose the smart thing to do, but I wonder if here God isn't telling us to get a little foolish.  Out of money - spend more?  Tired - stay up later?  Stressed - take on more responsibility?  Can't swim - jump in the ocean? 

I'm not saying that this is the case all of the time but I'm pretty sure that when Peter jumped out of the boat and walked to Jesus he didn't regret a minute of it - and that was ridiculous!  Men can't walk on water but he did - and because he did what was foolish in the eyes of the world he's the only one who felt Jesus picking him up.  When we make our own plans and take God's place, we'll never feel his hands pulling us out of troubled times. 

So today - get crazy!  Let it all go!  Leave it all to God and watch how he can defy reason.  Then share with someone you know what it felt like to have God pick you up and set you on dry ground again. 

Lord today we want to get crazy.  We want to be seen as fools in this world so that you might get the glory and reveal your plans in and through us.  Give us the courage to live a life contrary to reason.  Amen.

Is Jesus really enough?

I've got to be honest.  Lately that question has been a bit hard to answer.  Some days the answer is absolutely yes.  Other days it's really hard to even see if Jesus is still there.  But all the same I know the right answer.  I'm sure most of us do.  The answer is that God is all sufficient.  That his power is made perfect in our weakness.  That he is the creator and sustainer of all.  That he will never leave us nor forsake us. 

But what do you do when it appears God is missing in action?  What do you do when God seems to be taking a bit of a siesta?  This week we'll see what Jesus did when his Father was missing in action.  We'll see exactly how he reacted when his father let the entirety of the sins of the world be lumped on his innocent shoulders.  This week is celebrated in the traditional church as holy week.  It's a time to remember all that God has done.  It's a time to celebrate the life, death, and very soon the resurrection of Jesus.  We're going to get distracted by the gloomy weather, the craptastic things that happen in our lives, the economy, and even those tiny plastic eggs. 

Here's a verse that I'm going to use to guide me this week.  It's a busy week for pastors.  It's a crazy week for just about everyone so rest in this passage and all that it entails this week.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1 - For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

This verse is so great because when God is at his weakest and dumbest points (not that he has those) he is still stronger and smarter than I'll ever be!  He knows the end of this roller coaster even though I can't even see past today.  He is hovering above me carrying the brunt of this weight even though I feel as if the world is crashing on my shoulders. 

Join me in giving God today.  Join me in turning over all of your junk to the God who is strong enough and smart enough to handle it all.  Let him have it because he is completely capable of shouldering anything you can throw at him. 

God today be my rock.  Carry my problems.  Lift the weight.  In your wisdom give me answers to the questions that I face.  Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Throughout this season of the church year known as Lent, I'll be posting devotions from an organization called Lutheran Hour Ministries.  If for some reason I don't get the devotion uploaded, go to this site - http://www.lentendevotions.net/dailydevotions.asp. 

"Shining in the DarknessAsh Wednesday"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

March 09, 2011

Read John 1:1-18.TEXT: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5).

Our Lenten season begins in the darkness of winter and by the end of our nearly seven week journey the darkness will have given way to the light of spring. This battle between darkness and light is the theme of the Gospel of John, and it will be the theme of these Lenten devotions.

Chapter 1 begins with the Christmas story; John tells us the Word of God became human and entered our world. But immediately John hints at the struggles our Savior will face: "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." In the coming weeks we will see Satan, the prince of darkness, use many instruments in his efforts to snuff out the Light: fanatical crowds, treacherous enemies, a disciple's kiss, a high priest's oath, a Roman official's fear, a whip, thorns, nails, a dead tree and a huge stone.

All of us struggle with the power of darkness in our lives, the darkness of fear, doubt, dread and anxiety. We see it in our health problems, financial struggles and our strained relationships. We see it in the darkness of our own struggles within.

On this Ash Wednesday the Holy Spirit calls you to gather with His people in church where He will shine His glorious light into the darkest corners of our sin-filled hearts and minds. The ashes of Ash Wednesday remind us of the death that darkness has brought to all. But it also reminds us our Savior took our death upon Himself, giving us His life and forgiveness.

Join us as we journey through the Gospel of John, watching the Light battle and overcome the darkness for us.

THE PRAYER: Light of the world, shine in my heart and bring me peace. Amen.

Never grow weary!

Have you ever just been too tired to even care anymore?  Perhaps it's the fault of that person who just seemed to suck the life right out of you.  Perhaps it's the multitude of needs present in our world and you just don't think that you can make any difference at all.  Perhaps you're just tired. 

Whatever the reason, I think it's important that we hear these words from Galatians 6 - let us not become weary of doing good. Paul knows that all people are just naturally going to get tired of helping people.  Eventually those people that we try to help are going to get on our last nerve and they'll become a burden.  They'll be just another thing that we have to do, and we'll lose our passion for helping them.  It's actually pretty normal. 

Now, I've never embedded a youtube video into a blog before so I hope that this works.  If not, go to www.youtube.com and search for Team Hoyt I can only imagine.  Watch it then come back...

 So I didn't mean to bring in a tear jerker on a Friday morning but the video is pretty cool.  Paul tells us to never grow weary.  That means that we should be willing to go the distance with someone.  The problem with many of us when we serve is that we spread ourselves too thin.  We try to serve everyone - all at the same time.  That's just not possible.  We'll just wear ourselves too thin and lose all desire to serve after a relatively short time. 

Today I want to encourage you to serve just one person.  This is going to mean that you'll have to most likely tell others No, but it's going to be worth it in the long run.  Find that one person and go the distance with them.  Be the one who walks alongside them and really believes in God's power in them.  Don't grow weary.  Go the distance. 

Lord, I want to get better at serving those around me, but I often get tired. Thank you for not growing weary of my inabilities.  Thank you for going the distance for me.  Give me the strength and courage to go the distance in my serving of those around me.  Amen. 

If you're interested in more on this idea of serving just ONE, join us in worship this Sunday morning at Living Truth Church or check out the message next week on our downloads page.

Snow Day!

On this snowy Friday morning, I figured that I would take a small break from my normal routine of reading the book of Acts and do a little devotion on snow.  It may seem a bit crazy to do a devotion on the light fluffy stuff but give me a minute and hopefully you understand where I'm coming from.

For some of us we're probably fed up with the whole snow thing.  That's often what happens when the snow sits on the ground for over a month without melting.  We're now on something like day 7 of snow days in a year when we only get 3 approved by the Ohio governor.  This all makes for many happy for the moment school children.  But what does all of this white fluff have to do with the bible?

Snow is a pretty important theme in the bible.  Perhaps you've heard the saying as white as snow.  This saying is critical for us as Christians.  You see the idea behind white as snow is the way the snow looks this morning.  It's perfectly white.  It hasn't been driven on.  It has no salt and grime in it. 

Now I'm anything but perfect.  I'm not as white as snow. I'm often grimey, dirty, covered in the gunk of life.  But in Christ none of that matters.  The sin and wrongdoing all cover and infect my life with the same ugliness that this snow will soon be infested with. 

In our lives as believers in Christ, we know that it's not about our doing, saying, or even believing that makes us white as snow.  It's the work of Jesus that makes us white.  It's his death and resurrection that turn our sin stained lives into beautiful, white, and even perfect lives in Christ.  When God sees us, he no longer sees the dirty stuff of our sin - he sees the perfection of his son.  That means that all of our wrongs and dirt have been removed (not covered - removed).  There's no residue left from our sin.  It's as if the sin never even existed. 

So today go play in the snow.  If you don't want to go play in the snow that's fine - just look at it and realize that this is how God sees you.  Perfectly pure.  Free of all imperfections.  And the great thing about this, it's not conditional. There's nothing that you or I could do to make God love us any less (or more). 

So today enjoy your snow day!

Lord - thank you for snow!  For the reminder that it gives us of the perfection that you give us in your son Jesus.  Help us to rejoice in the snow that we see outside this morning.  Amen.

Even THEM?

Have you ever been a part of a members only type of club?  One of those elite organizations that only certain people are allowed to enter?  Perhaps a gated community?  Maybe a country club with membership restrictions? 

If you have then you can probably relate to a concern early in the days of the church in Acts 11.  The idea of repentance leading to life was thought to be only for the "insiders."  If you were a part of the in-crowd, then you would be accepted. But if you didn't belong to the right race - no such luck! Peter was just returning to the church from a visit with a man named Cornelius - who just happened to be one of them, an outsider, a person was not part of that in-crowd.  The church people, the Jews, had a hang-up with this.  They immediately questioned Peter about his actions.  You mean you ate with that guy?  You went into his house and actually sat at a table with a man of that foreign race? 

Peter then unloaded his most recent message from God that said basically that God doesn't descriminate.  He said that what he deems right - we have no business declaring wrong.  What he calls clean - we can't call unclean. 

You mean that the message of the good news of Jesus is for all people?  You mean that it is for them too? You mean that anyone can repent and receive the new life that Jesus offers? 

It was at that moment that the church started understanding how great and revolutionary this message of Jesus really was.  It was in this moment that the gospel was beginning to be understood.  Jesus' death paid for the sins of the whole world.  And his resurrection opened heaven to all people.  Jesus' actions made the outsiders welcome members of the in-crowd.  Jesus' death and resurrection promises all people, even the unlikables, that even they are welcome here! 

Lord help us to extend your hands to the unreached.  Give us boldness to share your love and forgiveness to those who are not part of the in-crowd. Amen.

Are you good enough?

I've had the opportunity to have many conversations with many different people about being good enough for God.  It's amazing that so many people in our world believe that we have to BE good and DO right to get in with God.  But the truth of the matter is scripture is pretty clear on this issue.  There are two verses that come to mind here - it's not what's on the outside that makes a man clean and what God has made clean man has no right to declare unclean. 

In Acts 10, Peter is summoned to the house of a man named Cornelius.  He was one of them, and by that I mean a Gentile, not a Jew, not one of the chosen ones, potentially not good enough.  God called Peter to go to him and eat with him and to bring them the message of the gospel.  Ultimately the people in his house were baptized.  This is all pretty big news.

But what is it that makes us right with God?  I mean what is it that makes God accept us and love us and welcome us into his heaven?

Our good deeds? - pretty sure it's not that because the bible says that we are saved apart from works so that no man can boast in his own accomplishments.  Then what about in a special prayer or some series of specifically assembled words?  - pretty sure it's not that either because isn't that about us too.  Is it some form of washing or cleaning of oneself?  the rite of baptism? church attendance? eating the right foods? being of the right political persuasion? attending the right church denomination?

While all of these are not bad in and of themselves, the scriptures are pretty clear from my perspective that they all fall short.  Not any one of these things will make us good enough for God.  The bible demands absolute perfection, no exceptions.  Nothing can come in the way of our perfection.  If you've ever done anything that isn't completely right.  Even if you've erred oh so slightly just one time in your life, then you're just not good enough.  And honestly, none of us are good enough.  Even better that's not even the point of the bible.

The bible isn't about being, doing, working good or hard enough.  It's not about assembling all the right works and saying all the right prayers.  The life of the Christian is about living the "God did enough" life.  Scripture says that God paid the price for our wrongs.  He removed our sins (errors, misdeeds, wrongs) from us as far as the east is from the west.  When Peter met Cornelius and began to realize what God had been telling him, he realized that God didn't show favoritism based on how long we've known him, or how good we are, or what race we belong to, or even what church we attend.

God is 100% gracious - he gives us the great things that we simply don't deserve.  He did everything for us so that we don't have to do anything.  We simply don't reject it.  So today, be good but not perfect.  Help people, but if you miss an opportunity it's ok.  Today just live the life that says God did enough and have a great day in the Lord.

Jesus today we need to know that you were enough.  Reassure us of your presence and the power of your life, death, and resurrection.  Amen.