Sidetracked

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Idol worship isn’t just an Old Testament concept. It continued throughout the New Testament and into our day as well. In New Testament times, no idol was revered in Ephesus more than the goddess Diana. A gigantic statue of Diana was placed in a magnificent temple in Ephesus—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Furthermore, a lot of money was made from the idol-making industry that developed there.

When Paul went to Ephesus preaching the truth of God's Word, many converted, becoming Christ followers. The victorious Christian witness was so compelling it threw the idol making industry into a tailspin, as idolatry diminished in favor of Christianity.

Theologically, an idol is anything that sidetracks our devotion to God. Whether we like to admit it or not, many in our day are “sidetracked!” But rather than worshiping statues, we choose possessions, pleasures, or positions as our gods. Then we invest our time, finances, and energy into these things.

And just as in Paul’s day, people don’t like to have their idols dethroned, so be ready for opposition. Living out the abundant life that God gives to Christ followers will discredit the idols that are around us. So keep on lifting up Christ in your life. Others will see a difference and be drawn to Him and the abundant life that He offers.

So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed (Acts 19:20).

Trials and Tribulation

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

As you go through life, don’t make the mistake in believing that it will be smooth sailing all the way home. The Scripture is filled with examples of the opposite, as well as warnings about it. Take, for example, the warning Jesus gave to His disciple: “…In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world” (John 16:33 – The Message Paraphrase).

Joseph and Mary are clear examples of this. They were in God’s will and part of His divine plan. And soon after the spectacular birth of the Son of God, they were forced to flee for their lives to a foreign country. The hardships Joseph and Mary faced were not because of sin and disobedience, it was just the opposite.

Take heart, dear Christ follower. Don’t become discouraged when you face opposition. Don’t allow opposition to make you doubt God’s will for your life. If you have walked daily with God, following Him, He will see you TRHOUGH whatever you are facing. 

I’m reminded of the first Christ followers. They were warned by the religious leaders not to preach about Jesus. As they continued to preach, they were beaten and jailed. Rather than throwing a “pity party,” they asked God to give them boldness (Acts 4:24-31). So be alert and ready for the hardships of life like the early Christ followers—even His Son, Jesus. But remember this, you won’t face more then you can handle.

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it (1st Corinthians 10:13 – The Message Paraphrase).

Don't Stop Praying

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

“Don’t stop praying, Rick!” That was the advice one of my seminary professors offered when I was making a major life decision. He then said something that has stuck with me these many years; “Your faithfulness allows God to reveal greater insight to you than to the less faithful.” Now looking back about 40 years, I believe it to be true. God takes pleasure in answering prayers that come from a faithful heart. 

One of the many New Testament characters who experienced this was Anna, a widow of many years. A widow in her day was not in an enviable position—very little status in society and nearly helpless on her own. So she began to pray and spent night and day in prayer and fasting in the Temple.

She continued faithfully in prayer until it was answered, but that answer did not come at once. As a matter of fact, it didn’t happen until nearly the end of her life. Although it was a long time, God honored her faithfulness.

While it may be difficult to do, faithful praying may take a lifetime of waiting to receive an answer. Isn’t that an integral part of intercession? God is looking for intercessors—Christ followers that will continue to pray and to believe until they hear from God.

“There was also a prophetess, Anna… a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:36-37).

Preparation Precedes God’s Presence

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

  

It never ceases to amaze me that God dwells in these bodies of dust. What a concept! Yet that is exactly what Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). How important it is then, that we prepare for His presence.

John the Baptizer helped many to prepare for the Savior. His message was unchanging and resolute, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). Many responded to John’s message. Being prepared, they recognized Jesus when He came, and they left everything to become the first Christ followers. It was necessary that they prepare for His presence. 

In this case, the instruction was specific—REPENT! Repentance is a complete change of heart or change of mind. It is a surrender of our lives to His. He is Lord, and we must prepare to receive Him as Lord. Nothing else is acceptable and anything else is inadequate. 

Some in His day said they were ready to follow the Lord, but it became obvious they were unprepared (Luke 9:57-62). The religious leaders in His day were completely unprepared for his arrival. They knew He was coming and even knew where He would be born (Matthew 2:4-6). However, when the words announcing His birth were proclaimed, they made little, if any, effort to join Him. They were unprepared because they preferred, instead, their rituals.

Let me encourage you to be prepared for Jesus. Unprepared, you will miss the opportunity to experience Him. Unprepared, you will remain unmoved in personal worship. Unprepared, the freshness of His word will be painfully silent.

Nothing can substitute for a pure heart before God, neither piety nor religious activity. A pure heart happens in only one way—repentance! The Psalmist told us what to do. He said to pray this way, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

Preparation precedes God’s presence. Are you prepared?

"Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight" (Luke 3:4).

Keep Growing in the Lord

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

I nearly break out in a sweat when I think of the words, “Clear your desk, take out a blank peace of paper and a pencil; this is a ‘Pop Quiz’!” It was merely a way for a teacher to evaluate my progress on a given subject, but I didn’t like it in the least. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more accustomed to the idea—from tests in schools, to evaluations at work, to physical exams by doctors.

But, how about spiritual growth? That needs to be evaluated as well. The apostle Paul talked about spiritual growth when he wrote to the Christ followers of Corinth: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. “ (1^st Corinthians 13:11)

Infants act like infants, babies act like babies, kids act like kids, etc. That is right and good. The same is true of the spiritual life. There is nothing wrong with acting like a infant when you are an infant, but it isn’t natural to remain one. One of my pastors was fond of saying, “I don’t mind bottle feeding the milk of the Word to infant Christians, but I refuse to part a beard to get the nipple in!” The author of Hebrews agrees: “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” (Hebrews 6:1).

As an infant believer, you may not know how to relate to others or overcome in your battle with jealousy, wrath, or unforgiveness. So stay in the Word, walk and grow in your relationship with Christ. The longer you do, the more you become like Him or as Paul says, you are “conformed to the image of Christ” (see Romans 8:29).

Measure the progress in your spiritual life from time to time. Ask a mature Christian to evaluate your actions: for areas of weakness, things that need improvement, and evidences of growth. And don’t neglect asking God for His evaluation as well. Trust me, it may be painful when He reveals His test scores, but a true Christ follower will never be satisfied with less than a maturing relationship with God.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)