Come as Little Children

Today's Reading: Matthew 18:1-5

I am drawn to babies; it’s not hard to understand why. They are innocent and pure, dependent on others for their life. There is no jealously, ambition, or arrogance within them. We teach them that pretty quickly. In Matthew 18:1-5 we are given a picture of the disciples need for ambition and competition. 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. (NIV)

Jesus is insistent that change is necessary for us to be called his own. He also implies that change means being converted back to approaching life as a child; dependent for everything.

I don’t like being dependent for anything. It feels unnatural and certainly un-American, yet dependence on God is a theme throughout his redemption story. He has everything we need.  This is so evident in the story of the Wilderness wandering and how God sent the daily supply of manna. Yet, dependent as a child is what God is looking for. This is about our hearts and not about appearances. God’s kingdom is not about ranking, money or power. His kingdom is about humility and change that comes from knowing who he is, how much he loves us, and who I am as his child. In order to be in the Lord’s kingdom, I must change: stop trying to be better than others, come face to face with my dependence on God’s provision, be open about my spiritual needs, and learn to listen and learn. Being like a child means living with no fear of what is coming next.

How do we change like this? It is not on our own power but with God’s power and in our own humility. Humility is about living in the truth; not covered with masks. It is about living in service to others. People will notice us not for our status or wealth, but for our service and our love for truth.

- Sandy Welfare

The Real Deal

Today's Reading: Acts 2:29-41

Peter's sermon in Acts 2 is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. To put verse 36 in today's language, it might go something like this: 

“Everyone who is listening to my voice or reading this: You have rejected Jesus and refused to believe in Him. But God, the only God, the God of the universe, has made Jesus both supreme ruler and your one and only hope of rescue from evil. He is all that and more. And regardless of whether you accept this message, it does not change the fact that it is the absolute, bedrock truth.”

There are only two possible responses to such a message – acceptance or rejection. There is no middle ground. To try to ride the fence or remain indecisive is to reject Jesus and say no to God.

By way of persuading the people, Peter refers to a passage from David that most of those present would have been familiar with, though perhaps uncertain of its true meaning. Many may have thought it was just flowery poetic language and that David was referring to himself or some purely human successor. Peter clarifies: “David surely wasn't talking about himself. You know David is dead, and you know where David is buried. No, he was talking about Jesus, who is NOT rotting in a tomb, but was literally raised to life. We all saw him and talked with him and ate with him AFTER he died on the cross. Jesus has fulfilled David's prophecy. He's the real deal. And YOU killed him.”

Jesus is the real deal. Perhaps that's the message for this modern, hip age. Don't we want the real deal, the genuine article, something that won't disappoint? We see so much, especially in people, that turns out not to be the real deal. Corrupt politicians, disappointing lives of actors or sports figures. And closer to home, friends, coworkers, spouses let us down and prove themselves to be untrustworthy. Not only that, but in our better moments (when we are willing to own up to our own failings) we know that we ourselves do the same to others. Paul reminds us in Romans 3 that none of us is the real deal: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

We all need, we all want, someone who is the real deal. Peters words echo down through the ages, “You've rejected the one and only real deal in the universe.” The people listening to Peter were convicted by his message. They realized their desperate need to do something about the crime they had committed. Not just any crime, but that of murdering the one whom God had chosen. Although we today cannot reject him in such an overt way (murder), we are still just as guilty of rejecting him, of refusing him, of turning our backs on Christ.

God still longs for us to be convicted today, just as the people were 2000 years ago. He longs for his prodigals to run to him, asking “What shall I do?”. Happily, that forlorn question is not the end of the matter. The screen doesn't fade to black at that point. Instead, Peter's message is one of wondrous hope: Despite your sordid, rotten past, God holds out his hand of love. Turn away from your past, believe in Jesus, be baptized in his name, and God will wipe that past away. Turn to God, follow in Jesus' steps, and receive the gift of God's spirit.

You want the real deal? It's Jesus, the God of the universe in the flesh. For 33 years, God became one of us. He knows us from the inside out, and he loves us. He's the one and only real deal.

- Donn Hines

Seeing is Believing...or is it?

Today's Reading: John 12:37-50

We often quip that “seeing is believing,” or “I’ll believe it when I see it.”  And this is certainly supposed to be the case in the gospel of John. All throughout the first 12 chapters of John, Jesus has performed signs so that the people will believe. He turned water to wine, he healed, he fed, he walked on water, he even raised Lazarus from the dead. He performed these signs so that people would believe, and yet we get to John 12:37 and read that even though Jesus had done many signs, people still didn’t believe him. In fact, the more clearly he performed signs so people could see, they still did not believe. Or, more accurately, as we read in verse 42, many did believe, but they were unwilling to admit they believed because they were afraid. The more Jesus demonstrated his power, the more violently people react against him.

Approaching this text some 2000 years later, it seems to me we have a couple of options. We could pat ourselves on the back, feeling satisfied that even though we weren’t there to see the signs of Jesus that we have believed him anyway. We could leave this text feeling intellectually or morally superior to those who refused to believe Jesus, even though they were privileged to actually see his miracles and hear his words. Option one is technically true, perhaps, but where does it lead us?

The other option, as I see it, is to realize that belief doesn’t come so easily to everyone. Maybe some of us find it easy to believe. Whatever other spiritual struggles we may have, belief isn’t hard. For those of us for whom this is the case, one lesson we can take from this text is compassion for those who find it hard to believe. In the very next passage, Jesus says he doesn’t judge them. I suspect we shouldn’t either. 

For others of us, however, belief may be more difficult. Having not had the opportunity to look him in the eye, hear him talk or see Jesus, belief may not be so natural. For those of us in this camp, perhaps we can take encouragement from this text. Jesus didn’t come to judge. He came to say what God told him to say, which he summarizes in two words: eternal life.

- Tera Harmon

Come Boldly

Today's Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

PREFACE: I've been really enjoying the New Living Translation recently. Check out the NLT version of the passage here.

The Hebrew writer makes a bold claim: the Word of God is alive. Why is that important to point out? I mean, obviously the Bible's important, but why do we need to know that it is alive?

We need to be reminded the Bible is alive and powerful to keep us from living lives that make God's Word look dead and impotent.

In verse 12, the writer describes how God's word exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. There's a slicing description of the Bible as being sharper than any sword, "cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow."

According to this passage, God's word has an ability to cut into our inmost thoughts and desires, an ability to convict and strip us bare as no other collection of words can. When we read the Bible, there is a strong chance we're going to have our souls sliced up, our sins exposed, because there is nothing we can hid efrom God.

But the passage doesn't end there.

In verses 14-15, the writer reminds us that Jesus died for our sins. He covers our innermost desires and thoughts, no matter how unclean they are. Beyond that, Jesus, our High Priest, understands our sin because He has walked where we've walked. He gets it. Life on earth is hard. But Jesus lived life here and did it without sinning.

Finally, the writer challenges us in verse 16: come boldly to the throne of God. There, the passage says we will receive mercy. So ultimately, God's word isn't just convicting us of our sin. It's convicting us of our salvation. Because God will give us grace "when we need it most."

Can we live a life that continually, boldly comes before God's throne in search of mercy? What would that life look like? I believe it would look like a life fed daily by a living, powerful Word.

We need to be reminded the Bible is alive and powerful to keep us from living lives that make God's Word and Christ's cross look dead and impotent.

- Taylor Walling 

An Unnatural Love

Today's Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

What jumps out immediately to me is verse 14 where Paul says to the readers, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." He uses the word "agape" for love, which is, when you understand the word, an unnatural way to act...at least for me. The New Testament uses other words for love like "philos" which is kind of feeling "warm and fuzzy" about someone. There is another Greek word for family love which is the love you have toward your children. There is also a Greek word of sensual love which is not used in the New Testament. All of these come naturally, but "agape" does not. It is the way that God loves and it remains unnatural to me until I become more like Him.

When you read these verses, Paul is telling church people how they ought to act toward one another. Look at the words he uses..."compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiving one another, teaching and admonishing one another, do all in the name of the Lord." All of this requires agape which is totally focused on the object which is loved. Paul says love is the glue that pulls it all together. This is what makes it possible.

How do I become like Him so that I too can love as He loves? This answer evaded me for many years until I realized/learned that this is what the Spirit of God helps me do! For years I told people to just do it...do it...do it. They couldn't because you can't just do it, do it, do it, alone. In the second half of Romans 8:5, Paul says, "but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." Living in the Spirit allows us to love as God loves and treat one another as God treats us.

- Jack Van Curen

Those Teachable Moments

Today's Reading: Psalm 25

As I read through Psalm 25, I hear the voice of a child who has grown up with an amazing parent. The writer reminds His Father, God, of his amazing parenting in verse 7, "Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good." This is a trustworthy parent who uses his child's mistakes as teachable moments and turns them into invaluable lessons for life. He states that God "instructs sinners in his ways." Forgiving the sin and guiding His children with truth and love to learn from their sin and despite their sin, to become more like Him.

As parents, we can all relate to teachable moments with our children. How merciful it is to give grace and mercy in a moment when punishment and consequences are the words that want to fly out of my mouth! I can choose to be like God in the moment and guide, teach, instruct with love and mercy. Or lose the moment to teach, caught up in my indignation at the sin so easily committed, and after so much repetitive instruction! (Because God has never had to teach me anything more than once, right?)

I realize that I have been at the other end of God's mercy and grace, as He has taught this sinner His ways. What a powerful God, to face down my arrogance and price when I sin, humble me and then gently life me in His arms to guide me and teach me in His ways. Not as a parent with righteous indignation, but as a loving parent, intent on guiding His child toward righteousness and repentance. He has guided me in His truth and taught me His ways...His loving and faithful ways.

When God's grace and mercy are so evident through His using the sin in my life as "teachable moments," it becomes easy for me to get humble and want to show the same heart to my children. David began this Psalm with a declaration of complete trust in God. He goes on to share his iniquities and sin, yet the recurring thoughts are of a God that will rescue him and teach him with love and truth. I want to trust my Father, God, with all of me, like David, "warts and all", and to pass on this trust for God's teaching to my children...in good times and in bad times. Not so they can put their faith in me, but in God who gets all the glory!

- Tee Buckner

A Reflection of God

Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Be the reflection of God and teach His story...

This is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Let me set the stage...God has just delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt. God used all the events of the Exodus to remind the Israelites of His might power. The night of the last plague, the Hebrews were given instructions to place a symbol on their homes, the blood of a lamb. This told the angel this home was with God and to pass over it. They chose to love God and follow Him. The Hebrews then began celebrating this event as the Passover to help future generations learn and remember what God did for them.

I want to challenge you to take a look at your day to day life and ask yourself a few questions: Is the Lord glorified throughout my day in my speech and actions towards others? Is the Lord glorified in my drive to work or school? What can I do during my time at home that will bring glory to God?

I think about my two kids and consider whether the things I am doing will make a great impression them for God. I want them to know of His great power and love, so they will tell God's great story to their own children some day.

We are so much like the Hebrew people because we have been given the same opportunity through Jesus. Jesus is the lamb that was sacrificed on the cross to save us, so that we may be delivered from sin. We have the opportunity to teach and pass on this great love to our families and friends, to remind folks of God's once again mighty act of love.

- Rachel Bright

Are you hurting? Pray.

Today's Reading: James 5:13-20

"Are you hurting? Pray. Are you sick? Pray. Are you feeling good? Sing." I love these few simple sentences from verse 13.

This past week Michael and I had to go out after dinner and run an errand. We got back in the van only to find that it wouldn't start. I tried several times but it just never happened. While we sat there waiting a friend called. As the conversation came to an end, I asked her if she could pray for me since Michael and I were stranded in the parking lot. I turned to Michael in the backseat and told him we needed to pray that God would get the van started so we could get home. As soon as the prayer was over he excitedly said, "Start the van."

I turned the key and it started. I looked back to see a giant grin on his face.

What a wonderful feeling to rely on God for ALL of our needs. There is nothing too big or small for God. He wants us to talk to Him. He wants us to ask in faith. In verse 16 He tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Is your marriage struggling? Pray. Have you lost a loved one? Pray. Is your job not going well? Pray. Is money an issue? Pray.

Is life going great right now? Sing and praise God for all He has done.

- Jennifer Franklin

Healing for the Wounded

Today's Reading:  Jeremiah 17:7-14

   

We have all been wounded, hurt, lied about, falsely accused, neglected, let down, taken advantage of, disappointed, abused and walked all over.  We, too, have treated others just as badly.  It has been said, "hurt people hurt people."  True healing and salvation is found only in the eternal, high, glorious Lord!  He is the fountain of living water.  When we trust in him and make him our hope and confidence, we will find the life and healing illustrated by the fruitful trees planted along a riverbank.  

 

Prayer:  Lord, our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked.  Heal us and make us whole, as only you can. Forgive us as we have forgiven those who have wounded us.

- Joseph Suttle

Artist: Joseph Suttle

God Heals All Things

Today's Reading: Psalm 30

Healing comes in many forms, and in our culture we often hear things like “Time heals all things”, etc.  This week as I have spent time reading in Psalm 30, it was with no lack of clarity that the word “Time” should be replaced by “God”, as in “God heals all things”.   “O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me”.  I know for me personally the big step in the statement above is actually calling for help.  We live in a time and place where our world tells us to “pick yourself up by your bootstraps”, or even “get ‘r dun”…the focus is always on ourselves but when we fail to get it done on our own, we seek out professional help for physical and emotional healing.   There is still a certain sense of self in seeking professional help as we analyze which doctor is the most qualified to do for us what we need/want and we remain in control of the process (at least we convince ourselves that we do).  

What if we shift our perspective?  What if we read God’s Story with purpose and begin to find the love and grace, even the healing that He offers between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21?  What if we begin to understand the story in its entirety?  What if we allow our focus and energy to be diverted from ‘me’.  What if we allow God’s word to flow into our body and soul and provide a perspective and a healing that cannot be controlled by us, bought by us or achieved by us?  The Psalmist acknowledges that pain will come, weeping is inevitable and anger is unavoidable; but points out the temporal nature of any such suffering.    Healing comes about when our eyes and spirit are clearly focused on the unshakable foundation that is GOD.

I am not sure where you are right now and what type of hurts you may be experiencing, nor would I pretend to understand your hurts, as they are uniquely yours.  Regardless I do want to encourage you with this.  Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well…I expect healing is part of “all these things”.  

- Ryan Preston

It's in His Hands

Today's Reading: I Peter 1:3-9

I love the power God supplies us through His word. As you read this passage it is overflowing with action and results. Verse 3 regenerates us with, "His great mercy results in our new birth in living hope," and verse 5 comforts us in God's care when it reminds us that, "through faith we are shielded by God's power." Verses 6 through 8 remind us to see the big heavenly picture: "In this we greatly rejoice as though we suffer grief in all trials which proves our faith genuine and results in praise, glory and honor when Christ is revealed."

The work has already been done by God. Our part is to embrace the power of Christ and spread the good news of His salvation to the world.

Because God has already done the work, we can embrace the comfort of knowing that He has it all under control. The Creator of the Universe who orchestrated every detail of our salvation holds our lives and plans in the palm of His almighty and powerful hands.

Ahhhh...I feel the comfort of not having to try to control it all. He has it all under control. 

- Jen Johnson

The God of All Comfort

Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7

I love Paul's writings. More specifically I love the way he writes. When he really wants you to get something, he just repeats it over and over again. A real help for those of us who might be a tad more hard-headed than others.

I am not naming names...I'm just saying.

That's exactly what Paul does here in 2 Corinthians. He starts by praising God who is "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." Who do you want to run to when times are tough or you feel alone or afraid? Running to the Father of compassion and the God of comfort might be the best place to start.

What is most striking to me about this passage though is Paul's reason for our own suffering. Let's face it, we've all had times where we just couldn't figure out why in the world a certain thing was happening in our lives. Or maybe it was a series of things. You know the kind of week I'm talking about. The week where you just barely move past what seems like a serious blow...to your health, your finances, your family, or your friends...and before you catch your breath, here comes another one.

And then maybe there is even another one...and another one bites the dust.

Don't you ask yourself at those times, what is the purpose behind all this? I know I do. Why...and where...and how...and is God working?

We may not get to know all those answers but Paul assures us of one thing. As we turn to God in our times of trouble, He will comfort us "so that, we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." Praise God that He has a purpose in all things that touch our lives. And even if we don't know the reason why today, we can know that our compassion for others can grow from our own sufferings. And that God can use our sufferings and the comforts we have received to comfort others.

Look around you today. There are many people who need God's comfort and just don't know where to find it. Will you share the comfort you have received from the Father of compassion with those you meet?

- Holly Barrett

The Comfort of a Hug

Today's Reading: Isaiah 61:1-7

Your momma told you the truth: First impressions are important! 

The first time you meet someone or hear someone speak will influence the way you see that person.  For a preacher, first sermons are very important.  Jesus knew that as well. (Maybe his mother told him?)  At any rate, he chooses an interesting text for his first lesson when he gets back home to Nazareth after his 40 days in the dessert.  He could have chosen many scriptures to preach from.  After all, he authored them all! But when handed the scroll of Isaiah he opens to a beautiful passage about the power of God’s word to bring comfort:

    “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor…”

What a wonderful cascade of beautiful promises of hope and encouragement.  And that’s barely half the passage.  Jesus stopped there but his Hebrew hearers knew well that the promises continued: “to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning…”

As I read it, it feels like a hug from a friend when you are hurting or an embrace from a loved-one when you are in tears.  When close friends suffered a painful loss we went to see them.  There was no speech to be given: they just needed to be held.  The message of God does just that.  It holds us in the arms of good news, comforting news. When we open God word and let it pour into our souls it brings peace and beauty instead of the pain and despair that is often all around.  Think about it: How often is what you hear on the news really “good news”? 

God’s word is a powerful reservoir of hope and comfort for the hurting and alone.  His message is simple: 

I’m here and I care. 

I know your heartaches and I will walk with you through them.

I love you so much…

As you read God’s word this year, listen for that voice of comfort and strength.  It will give your soul the courage you need to face any foe or any fear.

And then share it with someone.  For Jesus didn’t say he was sent to just know good news for the poor.  He came to preach it.  And then he asks you and me to do the same.

Happy New Year and Blessed Good News to you and yours!

- Jeff Walling