I Just Want to Thank You

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I woke up this morning before 3:00 and, realizing that I wouldn’t go back to sleep, I started my daily routine. Cup of coffee in hand, I went to my home office, opened the Scriptures, and began to meditate on the Lord. It wasn’t long before a song kept repeating itself in my mind. It was an old Andre Crouch song, Take a Little Time. I found myself praying some of the words of that song, “I just want to thank You.” 

Where the thought came from, I don’t know, but it struck me that my prayer was a little too simple. I’m a pastor, and that makes me a professional pray-er, right? Maybe my prayer should have been a little more theological. Perhaps I should have thrown in a few “wouldest” and “couldest” to make it sound more holy, or something.

“I just want to thank You.” To quote the future mayor of Hill Valley, Goldie Wilson, in Back to the Future, “I like the sound of that!” Simple? Yes. But more importantly, from the heart.

“I” - Personal, not theoretical. Intimate.

“Just” - If it’s the only thing I accomplish today, that’s fine. I may not have lofty words, and that’s fine too. I just have something to say.

“Want” -  This is my deep desire.

“Thank You” - The object of my gratitude is not an ethereal, cosmic everything. It’s God the Father, the Creator of everything; Christ, who died and rose again for me; and the Holy Spirit, my constant Helper and Guide.

“I just want to thank You” may just be the highest praise you can offer God.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136.1

God’s Rules Were Not Made to be Broken

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

You’ve probably heard, as I have, that rules were made to be broken. We tend think that way when we believe a rule was capriciously made or which was not founded in reason. Maybe it’s true in some cases, like when a car can be driven just as safely and sensibly at 40 MPH as 30 MPH on a particular stretch of road, but for whatever reason, some authority thought the lower speed limit was better. So, drive that way or be ready to pay up! 

May I be so bold as to say I hope you don’t think that God’s rules were made to be broken! His rules were not only made in reason, but also in absolute, all-knowing wisdom. It’s not like God woke up one day and said, “I think I’ll make some crazy rule just to mess with people.” Never! God perfectly understands what is best for everything and everyone. He doesn’t change His rules due to sociological experiments either. Every one of His rules are like a manufacturer’s guarantee for true happiness — for your good!

When we disregard God’s rules, that’s called sin. Yes, I know it’s an unpopular term today, but let’s use that good, biblical word and call it what it is, sin. God’s rules are not mindless, purposeless regulations that, if they weren’t there, would otherwise make your life happier, easier, or less stressful. They aren’t meant to restrict your freedom, they are for your good. 

It’s like the guy who went to a beach and saw a sign that read: “NO Swimming.” He wasn’t about to let someone restrict his desire to enjoy a day in the water, so he jumped in. It wasn’t long before he saw dorsal fins coming his way and he needed to get out in a hurry. He was in shark infested waters. The rule wasn’t made to restrict his happiness, but for life itself. 

God’s ways are not our ways, so said Isaiah [55.8-9]. He named sin “sin” for a reason. He made disobedience to His rules painful for a reason. Live God’s way. It’s better for you, even life itself — and abundant life at that! [John 10.10]

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Deuteronomy 10:12-13 

Ready for the Test

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

When I was in school, I was much like all the other kids in the class that weren’t fond of the Friday “Test Day.” I did have a few favorite teachers, though, who always gave us hints about what to expect on the test. Knowing what the test was going to cover made them somewhat more palatable.  

As a Christ follower, you are also going to experience test days. That’s what the Bible says; that your faith is subject to testing. I can’t tell you it will be on a Friday, though. It could happen anytime, like a “Pop Quiz.” Or, it could be like a Mid Term exam that lasts for an extended period of time. Regardless, it’s best to be prepared because you know the test is coming. 

This morning, I’m giving you some of the questions you will face on your next test. Study them, and you’ll do well when the test comes.

Question: Do you believe God is in control?

I hope you answered - YES! This question may be repeated on future tests as well. It goes without saying that the test may have come as a surprise to you, but it wasn’t a surprise to God. Settle this matter in your heart. God is in control. 

Question: Do you believe God is good? 

It’s one thing to say God is in control, but it’s an all together different thing to say He is good, especially when your instincts say He isn’t leading you somewhere good, like a rafting guide who takes you over white-capped rapids and dangerous falls. Those are good times to remember that “the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations” [Psalm 100.5].

Question: Can you wait patiently in faith until you see the victory?

As you can see, the test questions are getting harder, and, of the three I’ve given you, this is the hardest. Sometimes, the test seems to have no tangible way out. You can’t find a workable solution. You’ve prayed about it so long that you don’t know what to pray about anymore. 

Don’t break your #2 pencil in half. Don’t crumble up the test paper and throw it in the trash.  That’s the time to wait and see God’s solution. Because He is in control, and because He is good, He can be trusted to preserve your faith until, at last, it is proven to be “more precious than gold.”

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith — more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1.6-7

Speak Truth to Lies

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Deception! That’s the power a lie has over you. And for the most part, it’s enough. When you face a temptation, it looks better to you or for you than it really is. When you buy into the lie, you can actually convince yourself that something very bad for you is good for you, or that you really deserve it.

Notice that I mentioned lies and temptations in the same paragraph. I did it on purpose because that’s what temptations really are — lies. They can be overt, and they can be subtle, but they are lies nonetheless. Jesus saw through the lies of the tempter after fasting forty days. Every one presented to Him was defeated by the truth of God’s Word. 

Here's a practical lesson I learned from a seminary professor many years ago. He said, "No matter the lie, name it and insert the truth." When you believe the truth, it’s a deal-breaker for deception. So, name the lie. Is it bitterness? Lust? Unforgiveness? Substance abuse? Materialism? Being unequally yoked to an unbeliever? You insert the temptation. All lies, and irresistibly inviting — tantalizing! You’ve named the lie, now, insert the truth. Find specific statements and principles in the Bible that unquestionably refute the lie. 

When you live by the truth of Scripture, you’ll be much happier because the “truth will set you free” [John 8.32]. I guess one could think that God is a “cosmic killjoy” who only wants to make you miserable, but that is a lie!

And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” Matthew 4.3-4 

Goodness and Mercy are on Your Heels

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

If you are a Christ follower - if by faith you have forsaken your sins and they are forgiven - I have great news for you. Listen to me now, “Relentless goodness and mercy are after you.” You may feel defeated today. Don’t worry about it. You are being pursued by goodness and mercy. You may not have followed God perfectly - none of us have, of course - but don’t go down the path of despair. Goodness and mercy are on your heels, pursuing you. 

Isn’t that what the Psalmist said? That goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life? Goodness (defined as bountiful blessing) and mercy (defined as lovingkindness and favor) are hunting you down every minute of the day. 

Do you think you’ve failed God too many times? Do you think there is too much water under the bridge, that it’s too late for you? Do you think there are too many others greater than yourself, that you are insignificant or unimportant? Trust me, I’ve heard all of this many times before. It’s old news and a trick of the enemy to make you think that God has given up on you. 

Stop for a moment and listen. Do you hear it? It’s the sound of goodness and mercy heading your way. They are running full speed to chase you down. They are relentless and will follow you all the days of your life. They will overrun all the rotten stuff in your life and pursue you until you enter the house of the Lord, where you will remain with Him forever.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23.6 

Grace to the Humble

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

When I played football in high school, I was a lineman, both offensively and defensively. My job as a defensive lineman was to put the quarterback down. It would have been an easy task were it not for one thing … I always had opposition. That’s right, there was someone who stood on the other side of the ball thwarting my every move. It’s tough, isn’t it, when you have a competitor blocking your at every turn.

Have you ever thought about God being your competitor, the one who opposes you? I know this may sound a little wonky, but hear me out. The Bible says that God opposes the proud. Could it be that the pushback we feel sometimes is none other than God; that He is the force making it difficult for you?  

Allow me a little “confession time” this morning. I have to check my heart regularly to make sure pride isn’t there. I’m not always good at it because I find myself, at times, in direct conflict with God. It happens mostly when He doesn’t do what I tell Him to do, even after I explain to Him how exceptionally good my plans are. And, yes, there are times when we are at odds because He won’t give me what I want, especially when it doesn’t matter to me how much it may cost someone else. And, don’t get me started on how unfairly I’m being treated. I could burn your ears off with stories about what others have done to me or said about me. I know for a fact that my grievances are more grievous than your grievances because, well, they’re mine. That’s not too prideful, is it?

There is an antidote for this. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” [emphasis mine]. He gives His grace — His help, His strength, His provision, His presence, His peace — to those who humble themselves before Him. 

We have some options here. We can keep walking in pride until God does something to make us humble. That was Nebuchadnezzar’s confession in Daniel 4.37b, “And those who walk in pride He [God] is able to put down.” Or, we can follow James’ instruction and “humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” [4.7].

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5.5

Bear His Name Well

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

God is serious about His name. He neither holds back a little chuckle, nor says, “It’s cool,” nor holds guiltless the one who blasphemes His name. It’s so serious that one of the Ten Commandments says that we are forbidden to take His name in vain. And, if God is so demanding about this, we’d do well to know what it means.

As a child, I was taught that to take God’s name in vain meant to say “cuss” words. My Mother would often say to me, “Rickey, you’re not allowed to say those ‘nasty’ words.” Now that I’m older (and I hope a little wiser), I find that kind of instruction akin to Paul’s counsel to the Ephesian Christ followers to “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth” [4.29a NASB].

The Hebrew word “vain” in the third Commandment, means not to “to lift or bear God’s name for any empty, purposeless, false, or futile purpose.” Therefore, taking God’s name in vain can be done verbally as well as by misrepresentation.

As a Christ follower, you now bear His name. You represent Him to the world. So, I implore you to represent Him accurately. Let me say the Commandment this way: “You shall not misrepresent the Lord’s reputation by using His name in any vain, purposeless, inaccurate or empty way — EVER!”

One practical way we can prevent taking His name in vain is by walking our talk. That was the religious leaders’ problem in the New Testament. Jesus said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” [Matthew 15.8]. Author, professor, and theologian Elton Trueblood wrote, “The worst blasphemy is not profanity, but lip service.” I agree. Simply moving your lips doesn’t equal a Christ-honoring life!

We shudder to think that a single blasphemous word would pass our lips. But let’s not stop there. Let’s think about that third Commandment when we fail to represent God/Christ accurately. You are a Christ follower. You bear His name. Bear it well!

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Exodus 20.7