Joy in Knowing the Scripture

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

When I think about the times that I’ve experienced the greatest joy, contentment, courage, and confidence in God, it’s in the times when I’ve been most devoted to the study of, and meditation on, Scripture. When I was in Bible College, I used to make up 3X5 cards with Scripture verses on one side and the “address” on the other. I carried them with me everywhere. When I was at a signal light waiting for it to turn green, I’d try to memorize the passage or address. I credit those times for my faith and attitude being renewed. I also think that by focusing on the Word, my heart and mind were inclined toward God. 

God’s love and power are poured into us as we take in Scripture. The Psalmist knew this only too well. He taught that when we walk with integrity, following the instructions of the Lord, great joy is the result [119.1 - NLT]. There’s justification for that joy because, as we walk in His statutes, we refrain from compromising with evil [119.3 - NLT].

The Psalmist went so far as to recite the statutes of the Lord aloud. He found it delightful [119.13-16]. I suggest we do the same. Whether aloud or in silence, let’s fill our minds with God’s Word. When we do, God fills us with His wisdom, which guides us through the ongoing, ever-changing, seasons of life.

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Psalm 119.1 - NLT

Unholy Retribution

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

My psychology professor in Bible College was also the school’s President (one of his degrees was a PhD in psychology from Ohio State University). While we learned a lot about psychology from him, we also learned a lot about the Bible. He was so insightful. One day, he was talking about self-centeredness. I jotted down this quote from that class, “We are so full of ourselves. We get hurt by the smallest of things. The reason we are so easily offended is that we are still alive to self and full of pride.”

Sampson was like that. He was easily offended when things did not go his way. He was one of Israel’s last judges, a powerful warrior/judge who overcame many attacks by the Philistines. But he was full of himself, and that pride, along with lust, ultimately led to his downfall. 

A case in point is the time his wife got him to reveal the answer to a riddle he had given. The prize was to be thirty changes of clothing. She gave the answer away and that made him boiling mad. He went out and killed thirty men and took their clothing. 

Samson’s father thought he hated his wife, so he give her to Samson’s best man. Then one day, Samson took a goat and went to see his wife so he could “go into her tent and be with her.” When he realized what his father had done, he burned down some Philistine grain fields. In turn, his wife and her father were killed by the Philistines. When they did that, he took revenge by killing more Philistines. On and on it goes.

Samson’s eye-for-an-eye response only reinforced his selfish reputation as he said, “As they did to me, so I have done to them” [Judges 15.11].

God allowed some good to come from Samson’s life, but his selfishness and unbridled desire for retribution led to much heartbreak. 

I don’t know of a Christ follower who hasn’t been hurt or offended in one way or another. I have. And sometimes, like Samson, all one can think about is getting even - getting their pound of flesh. The only way I know to come against that is to recognize that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God” [Galatians 2.20]. How does that help, you ask? When Christ is in us, we also have “the hope of glory” [Colossians 1.27]. 

Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” Judges 15.11

Love One Another

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I love modern technology, but it can make for some uncomfortable situations. Like the man and woman sitting in an office lunchroom together. The man, out of the blue, proclaimed his love to her. She was taken aback, but responded that she had felt the same way. But when the man turned his head toward her, she could see that he was talking to someone else via an earpiece. His passionate outburst wasn’t meant for her at all. OOPS!

While that is a case of mistaken love, there must be no mistake in our love for each other (brothers and sisters in Christ), just as Paul told the Corinthian Christ followers in his first letter to them, chapter 13. Of course, we are not talking about romantic love here. Rather, it’s the love of God in us, which leads to unity.

The love we are to have for each other is the same agape love that is used in the New Testament to describe God’s love for us — the love that He lavishes on us faithfully, abundantly, and sacrificially.

Brothers and sisters in Christ are not merely acquaintances to be greeted politely. They are just that, brothers and sisters whom we are called to love patiently, kindly, and without keeping a record of wrongs they have done [1 Corinthians 13.5].

By the way, loving one another this way is an expression of our love for God [1 John 4.20-21].

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13.4-8a

A “Good” Goodbye

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I don’t particularly like goodbyes, especially when I’m close to the one I’m saying goodbye to. I remember last summer we took our grandchildren on a road trip. When we got home, I hated that we had to hug each other and say, “Goodbye.” I wanted to get back in the car and start over.

With that, I can only image the pain of the disciples when Jesus said, “Goodbye,” even though He told them He’d see them again in “a little while” [John 16.16]. And to top that off, He said it was better, to their advantage, that He go away. Hardly believable!

It’s been two thousand years since Jesus said that. Is it true? Has it been to our advantage that He said, “Goodbye?” Well, consider this …

The Holy Spirit now indwells and empowers believers. It was only ten days after the ascension of Jesus that the Holy Spirit began His baptizing ministry, where now, He would indwell every believer, just as Jesus predicted in John 7.39. And speaking about empowerment, there was an explosion of evangelism, the likes of which the world had not known, when the Holy Spirit started dwelling inside the believers [Acts 1.8]. 

The Spirit works in the hearts of mankind. When Jesus said, “Goodbye,” the Holy Spirit came and began to “convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” [John 16.8]. It isn’t necessary for us to win arguments or outtalk unbelievers. All we need to do is testify to what Jesus has done. The Holy Spirit does the rest. 

The Spirit guides. Before He left them, Jesus told His disciples that when the Spirit came, He would guide them into all truth — some things they could not, at that moment in time, bear [John 16.12-13]. Later, after the Spirit came, the disciples did write down those truths, which we call today, the New Testament. Every time you open the New Testament, you’re hearing, by the Spirit’s inspiration, the truths of Jesus as told by His disciples. 

Indeed, when Jesus left the disciples, it was a “good” goodbye. His goodbye to the disciples was necessary in order to say, “Hello” to us.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 14.7

Childlike Prayers

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Four-year-old David was a Star Wars fanatic. One night he climbed into bed, folded his hands, and prayed, “Dear God, thank You for Lego Star Wars. General Grievous has four lightsabers! Watch.” 

With that, He jumped up on his bed and launched into a battle using his imaginary lightsabers. Both of his parents tried not to laugh (an impossible task, by the way). When he finished, he dropped back into bed, folded his hands, and said, “Amen!”  

I really like that. Children are able to approach God about anything, unlike many of us adults who worry that we bother God with such trivial things. We sometimes think we have to earn the right to approach God. Children don’t see it that way. They just talk to God about anything and everything. That’s the way it should be!

God cares about what grabs our attention and captures our imagination. It’s not a bother to talk with Him about it. In fact, I think He rather enjoys it! After all, we’re given the invitation to pray about everything [Philippians 4.6].

Let’s take advantage of that and talk to God about everything. If it matters to you, it matters to Him.

But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” Mark 10.14

Already, Not Yet

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I know people who open one small gift on Christmas Eve. They say it makes for a fun preview of the excitement of opening the remaining  gifts on Christmas Day.

That is somewhat similar with Jesus’ teaching concerning the kingdom of God. He taught His disciples that the kingdom wouldn’t come all at once. It would be like a tiny seed that grows into a very large tree [Matthew 13.31-32]. Some scholars call this the “Already, but Not Yet” principle. 

Already: The curse of sin and death that opposes God’s kingdom was defeated through the blood of the cross [Colossians 1.20]. At that time, all that God had promised began to come true, available through Christ. Still, it has yet to pervade all of creation. That time will come in the future [Ephesians 1.10].

Not Yet: In the meantime, we face tribulation. Jesus said so. But along with that warning, He also held out a great hope: “Be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” [John 16.33].

“Be of good cheer.” “Take heart.” That was Christ’s encouragement because life’s disappointments don’t have the last word. The Good News of God’s kingdom has the final say. The “seed” that started at Christ’s resurrection marked the turning point to an end of all the brokenness in the world. 

I encourage you to take heart. Though it may not always look like it, day by day, pieces of God’s kingdom are falling into place.

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Matthew 12.31-32

Share God’s Amazing Grace

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

You’ll rarely find a more dramatic conversion than that of John Newton. He is most remembered for penning the words of Amazing Grace. But in his autobiographical work, The Life and Spirituality of John Newton: An Authentic Narrative [1764], we see some of his life before his conversion. He called himself a notorious blasphemer, a rebellious shipman, and a slave trafficker — the most wretched among us. 

After his conversion, Newton became a prolific author, preacher, and hymn writer. But some don’t know that he was also a great mentor of God’s grace. He developed friendships through which he taught God’s grace. 

One such friendship was with the poet, William Cowper. Cowper suffered with terrible depression. His most productive years started at the time his friendship with Newton began. In collaboration with Newton, he produced many great hymns including There Is A Fountain Filled with Blood [1772].

One biographer noted, "Cowper, throughout [his] life, lacked personal initiative. The encouragement from Newton, however, was enough to spur Cowper to produce some 60 hymns. And when Cowper later sunk into such a depression that he nearly took his own life, it was his friendship with Newton that stayed his hand.”

Newton also played a vital role as friend and mentor to William Wilberforce. It was Wilberforce who led the fight that ultimately ended slavery in England.

Newton’s story illustrates the need for believers to find, and be, mentors in the faith. That’s what Paul had in mind when he sent Titus to Crete. The church was a mess and needed someone to instruct them in the word of God and mentor them as to how to live for Christ.

Paul insisted that he teach certain things to the Christ followers so they would reject their old, sinful life and embrace their new life in the kingdom of God. They desperately needed a mentor like Titus to help them grow with Christlike gentleness and humility.  

Friends and mentors — we need them! Not only are we strengthened by their fellowship, but we also can be used to build up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.  Titus 3.8