Daily Devotions

Monday, February 09, 2009

Current Study: Love         

Today’s Topic: Say the Words

Today’s Scripture:  1 Corinthians 16:13-14  Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. 

Today on my favorite morning radio show – which I only get to listen to for a few minutes as I drive to the office – the two hosts were debating whether or not men like to receive Valentine’s Day gifts. Mark believed they do. Matt said they didn’t. Mark said men need to hear that they are loved. Matt said it’s all about the man showing the woman she is loved. At one point Matt even said, “Valentine’s Day is so girly!”

Well, I have to side with Mark on this one. Valentine’s day is about the expression of love. Now historically it may be true that the emphasis has been on what men do for women, but women want to express their love as much as men do. Maybe Matt isn’t so concerned about getting a gift or a card because gifts and words of affirmation are not his love languages. Have you ever studied the love languages? In case you haven’t, we’re going to take a quick look at them this Valentine’s week so you have the information you need to express your love in the most appropriate way. After all, you don’t want the expression of your love to go unnoticed or unappreciated.

According to author Gary Chapman there are five love languages, and we all track heavily towards one of them. The five languages are –

§         Words of Affirmation

§         Quality Time

§         Receiving Gifts

§         Acts of Service

§         Physical Touch

If you want to study them in detail, go to http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/learn.html. I want to share just a few suggestions from each of them this week. Because the main issue on this morning’s radio show started with the subject of cards, let’s begin with the love language of words – words of affirmation.

This morning I received an email from a famous pastor. It wasn’t a personal one – it was his weekly devotional he writes. Here’s what James MacDonald of Walk In The Word has to say about the language of love.

One of the most powerful ways to communicate love to the people in your life is with words. Words matter. Yes, actions are necessary to back them up, but at the end of the day, you’ve just got to get some things said. Make it your goal to get these four phrases in your weekly, if not daily, vocabulary:

1: I love you.

Men, the key is to say it deliberately. Don’t mumble it into the phone and then hang up. “Whew. I said it and it didn’t get messy at all.” Yeah well, it needs to get a little messy. Get her in your arms, look in her eyes, and get it said: “I love you.” Or pull your kids to you, no matter their age and speak the words. They may fidget, but they’ll remember and be altered by your genuine expressions of love.

2: I need you.

I’ve been praying that the bedrooms of every married couple reading this will ring with these words. How about it, men? In your private moments, tell that woman who has stood by you how much you need her. Go ahead: “My actions may sometimes communicate the opposite, but I want you to know that I know I really need you.”

3: There is no one like you.

OK, ladies. Every man is one among millions. At work, he’s one among thousands. At church, he’s one among hundreds. So when he walks through that door each night, he desperately needs to know he is your one and only. He’s first, highest, and best. Tell him.

And that leads to . . .

4: I thank God for you.

Tell your beloved spouse, children, and parents that they are a gift from God to you. Better yet, pray aloud together. Let them overhear you tell the Lord how grateful you are that God gave them to you. Wives, tell your husband, “Honey, you’ve worked so hard lately and I so appreciate the way you try to take care of our family and the energy and effort that you put into providing for us. Thanks for being a faithful man.” Husbands, look for your opportunities to say, “Babe, thanks for one of the greatest meals I have ever had. What you made tonight was fit for a king.” And after she picks herself up off the floor, she’ll be like, “Uh, thanks.”

Get the words said. Yes, it really matters. Expressing your love is a huge piece of making your spouse and your family the priority, lifelong relationship that God designed for you and that you all desperately want.

Great stuff. Let’s put it into practice. Let’s start speaking the language of love. Come on – say the words.

Pastor John

Daily Devotions

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Current Study: Reconciliation         

Today’s Topic: Pursue Peace

Today’s Scripture:   Romans 12:17-21  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends upon you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Sometimes it’s just not possible. Our best attempts at reconciliation are met with stiff resistance. We cannot help but wonder – “How far should I go to make things right?”

So what’s the answer? How far should we go to bring peace? I know for myself there have been times in my life when I just didn’t have anything left to make things right. I think I struggle with this issue because somehow I was led to believe that I am responsible for other people’s choices. As a result, I developed a dysfunctional need to fix everything. That’s okay when I’m working on a dryer or a dishwasher, but not with people.

I was challenged with this a couple of weeks ago when I received an email from a reader who shared how she misunderstood this aspect of reconciliation. She said, As a very young child there was a lot of yelling in my family. I tried to be the peacemaker by making excuses for everyone’s behavior. If that didn’t work, I’d apologize for whatever was wrong just to stop the fighting.

What the Father pointed out to me was that I was reinforcing Satan’s lie that I deserved no better than to be treated this way.  My whole life I have, in effect, accepted responsibility for others actions so that they wouldn’t feel bad and would have a way to save face. I tried to keep the peace. I came to realize that I wasn’t doing anyone any favors and maybe doing more harm than good. It’s not up to me to make excuses for anyone’s transgressions. It is my place to say “That hurt” and forgive them. Or “I’m sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me”. Just like the Father does for me.

In an attempt to feel good about herself, this reader was actually prolonging a lie that actually made matters worse. The truth is that we are not responsible for the choices of others. We are only responsible for ours. When the Bible calls us to be peacemakers we are not to confuse that role with that of an enabler. Taking responsibility for another person’s choices and actions only enables the behavior to continue. That’s not true reconciliation. Reconciliation isn’t real unless both parties agree. That can’t happen unless both parties take personal responsibility for their own choices and actions. It isn’t peace if both parties in the dispute aren’t brought to a point of repentance for their own actions. We must stop sugar-coating our choices and the choices of others, and we must not fix the consequences until the full lesson has been learned. That should be true not only in our relationships as adults, but it sounds like a good guideline for proper parenting as well.

Our Scripture passage today emphasizes this point of personal responsibility when the Apostle Paul writes, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” It’s pretty obvious that we are only responsible for our own choices. We are charged with living in peace with others. We are not charged with forcing others to live in peace with us.

Sometimes they won’t respond with peace towards us. When they reject our attempts at peace, I see three possible responses we could have. First, we could retaliate. For an example of this and how God taught King David a lesson, read the story in 1 Samuel 25. Our Scripture passage above makes it clear that we are not to take revenge in any form.

Second, we might try to manipulate the situation to bring what looks like peace. This may involve things we’ve mentioned before like taking false responsibility for an action or by lessening the severity of the action or the hurt it caused. This type of dishonesty does not bring true peace.

Third, we can continue to love – not only in thought and feeling, but in activity. This is the only correct response to people’s rejection of our attempts at reconciliation. We must not deceive ourselves into believing that we are truly living at peace with everyone if that peace is in word only. There must be specific activities of good intentionally directed at our enemies if the evil is to be overcome.

Surrounding the story of King David in 1 Samuel 25 are two other stories of David’s relationship with King Saul. Saul had chosen to be the enemy of David. Twice, once in 1 Samuel 24 and once in 1 Samuel 26, David spares King Saul’s life. Read those stories. When you’re done, put the lessons learned from all three stories together and you will discover the truths of Romans 12:17-21.

We have not been commanded to do something impossible. By the grace of God present in our lives, we can live at peace with everyone.

Pastor John

Daily Devotions

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Current Study: Reconciliation         

Today’s Topic: Trust the Promises of God

Today’s Scripture:   Genesis 33:10 For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 

It was a bad case of sibling rivalry. In their culture, the oldest male child was given the birthright, which meant he would not only officially carry on the family name and heritage, but would receive a double portion of the inheritance. It was understood and accepted by all the other siblings who were usually separated by a year or more in age. But in this case, two brothers were born just minutes apart. In fact, they were born so close together that the second twin actually had a hold of the heel of the first born as they were delivered. Poor mom. What is that like to deliver a baby with his arms pushed out first?

Even in the birth of twins, it is obvious which one is the firstborn. He would be the child of blessing and he would receive the birthright and the inheritance. Or would he? Mom knew the answer. Even while in the womb the two babies had been jostling for position. Their mother asked the Lord for an explanation. He told her that each boy would be the father of a great nation, but that the younger boy’s nation would be the greater, and the older boy would end up serving the younger one. Hence the sibling rivalry. But that rivalry was exaggerated by the parents. Dad liked the oldest brother best, and favored him. Mom chose the younger brother, and nurtured him. She even went so far as to try to assist God in the accomplishment of His plan for the boys.

When they were grown and prospering, word came to the younger son that his twin brother’s caravans were on an intercept course with his own. He was scared. He feared for his life and the lives of all his family members and servants. He knew that reconciliation was the only possible solution. So he devised a plan that would hopefully appease his brother and make peace. The foundation of that plan was the promises of God. As he is preparing to meet his brother by dividing his entourage into two groups and designating a series of large gifts to be presented to his brother, he stops to commit the outcome to the Lord. He prays, “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’” The promise of God gave him the confidence to seek reconciliation.

Wrestling with reconciliation of people is hard work. It takes great endurance and perseverance. To test the younger brothers resolve, God sends a man – I believe the Son of Man – to wrestle with him. The young brother is so strong and determined that the Lord has to actually dislocate his hip. Still he will not let go until he receives the blessing of God for his life. Not only does God bless him, but he changes his name. No longer would he be called Jacob, but rather Israel, and would become the father of the nation after his own name.

Immediately after the wrestling match, as the sun rose on a new day, Israel saw his older twin brother Esau coming towards him. He went towards his brother in brokenness and humility, trusting the promises of God. As he approached him with bowed head, his brother ran to him and embraced him. They hugged and they wept as their conflict melted into reconciliation. But that wasn’t enough for the older brother. He wanted to be completely reconciled, and his first words resulted in his introduction to all the members of Israel’s family. There would be no remaining animosity.

Israel of course believed that his gifts had paved the way for such reconciliation. But that was laid to rest quickly when Esau minimized their importance in the reconciliation by refusing to accept them. Israel insisted, but not because the he considered  the gifts to be a bribe, but rather an expression of thanksgiving for the reconciliation that took place. Israel said, “Accept these gifts, for to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.”  Gifts cannot bribe reconciliation. Gifts are the result of reconciliation.

So what did we learn? You will probably get more out of this story than just one point as the Holy Spirit makes application of the truths to your specific situations in life. But this one thing is significant for me – By trusting the promises of God, I will persevere through any pain and be patient no matter how long it takes, so that I might receive the blessing of God that comes through reconciled relationships. How about you?

Pastor John

Daily Devotions

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Current Study: Reconciliation         

Today’s Topic: Trust the Sovereignty of God 

Today’s Scripture:   Genesis 50:19-21 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

It started with jealousy. “Why did dad love him so much more than he loves us,”  they complained. So they hated him and treated him unkindly while dad treated him with kindness and gifts of love. Things got worse when this youngest brother began predicting that one day all of the older brothers would bow down to him and serve him as their king. Now they hated him even more. How dare he speak in such a degrading way about them? Even his father was upset with this, and rebuked him. His words were causing major family problems.

Then one day his older brothers took advantage of an opportunity to remove him from the family. In a remote place with no witnesses, they had their little brother trapped. At first they were going to kill him and be done with it, but one of the brothers used his influence to persuaded the others with an alternate plan. Some travelers from another land were nearby, so they sold their brother to them as if he was a slave. Then they took that precious coat their father had made for their brother as a symbol of his love for him, and they coated it with goat’s blood. The coat was delivered to their father and it was reported that he had been killed by a wild animal.

The brother was taken to Egypt by the travelers and sold there as a slave to a high ranking government official. But the young man made the most of his situation. He didn’t let anger turn into bitterness which would have destroyed his potential. Instead he trusted that God, in His sovereignty, would still bring good from all of it. He never got involved in payback. He spent no time devising a plan to be restored to his previous position. His new home and new position is where he would focus on being faithful to his LORD.

During the next few years his resolve to be faithful was severely tested. He was thrown in prison based on a false accusation of adultery with his master’s wife. He was neglected by two friends who had promised to help him after he had helped them. But through it all he remained patient and faithful to allow God to fulfill His plan. Finally his opportunity arrived, and he was restored to his position with his master. His faithfulness was eventually rewarded with a position of leadership, which eventually led to him being second in command of the whole country.

Meanwhile, his brothers and father are suffering from a severe famine in his former homeland. They travel to their brother’s new land, not knowing that he is there or that he is in charge of what they need to survive. After a series of events that test them, their brother is revealed to them and they are filled with fear. They remember what they did to him, so he must also remember. They know how they would have born a grudge if what they did had been done to them. They realized that not only did their brother have the right to repay them for the wrong done to them, but that he now had the authority and the power to repay them in kind. At best the saw that they would be slaves for the rest of their lives. At worst he would have them killed.

But that was not the heart of their brother. He had the heart of God, who did right even when wronged. Their brother saw the hand of God in control of all things, and surrendered to God’s purpose and plan. He saw the bigger picture, and realized that had it not been for what his brothers did to him years earlier he would not be in a position to rescue them now. He saw the fulfillment of his faith – that God is always in control, and what we see as evil is still a part of God’s plan to bring Himself glory and good. So rather than retaliate, he reassured them and they were reconciled.

The story of Joseph found in the last 12 chapters of the book of Genesis is amazing. It is a story with false accusations, hardship, and hurt, all with the potential for great pain and revenge. But it is primarily a story of faith and forgiveness. It is a real story of reconciliation. I urge you to read the whole thing. I encourage you to listen as the Holy Spirit teaches you the lessons of faith in the sovereignty of God and faithfulness of the follower of God. You will learn the power of perseverance. You will discover the fulfillment of forgiveness. You will revel at the reconciliation of relationships. But be careful as you read. You will see yourself in the story somewhere, and God will seek to change you. Let Him do it. You may see it as temporary hurt, but God intends it for good.

Pastor John

Daily Devotions

Monday, February 02, 2009

Current Study: Reconciliation         

Today’s Topic: Stories of Reconciliation

Today’s Scripture:   Romans 9:1-3  I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.

Everyone has a story. I’m sure this morning there will be a lot of stories told about the Super Bowl and the commercials during the game last night. I’m going to tell you one right now.

There were 18 seconds left in the first half. The score was 10-7. Arizona was on Pittsburgh’s three-yard line and preparing to take the lead. Kurt Warner released a pass headed towards receiver Anquan Boldin, when Steeler linebacker James Harrison stepped in front of Boldin and intercepted the pass at the goal line. He then proceeded to run past and over almost every Cardinal player on his way to a 100-yard touchdown. It was the longest play in Super Bowl history. It was phenomenal.

I was amazed. I was shocked. I wanted to see Kurt Warner win. I am a boyhood Pittsburgh fan. I didn’t know whether to be angry or overjoyed. Just as Harrison crossed the goal line the phone rang. It was my son Josh. He was having a youth group Super Bowl party. I thought he was calling to see if I had seen the play. When he answered there was no noise in the background. There was excitement in his voice. He proceeded to inform me that two of the unchurched girls in his youth ministry were at the party. They had also been in church in the morning. They had lots of questions, and Josh and his wife Brittany had spent a lot of time talking to them during the day. At the very moment that the officials ruled that Harrison had scored a touchdown, Josh informed me that both of the girls had just prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. God had just intercepted two lives and scored touchdowns in their lives. His story is better by far.

After rejoicing with Josh for a moment, I asked him if he had even seen the interception and touchdown run. He knew nothing about it. There was something much more important that he was doing. We rejoiced some more – after I told him the football story – and he told me he’d give us all the details at our staff prayer meeting this morning. I can’t wait to hear all of the details. There is no greater story than the story of reconciliation to God.

I have two things with which to challenge you. First, how many of us would be willing to sacrifice the first-hand experience of Super Bowl stories and even the funny commercials for the experience of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with another person? Would we have told them to wait until after the game? I am so proud of Josh and Brittany for sacrificing the temporary and insignificant for the sake of the eternally significant. We must all be alert to the distinction we must make between personal gratification and God’s call to be ministers of reconciliation, and we must choose the latter over the former every time.

Second, I want to share some stories of reconciliation with you over the next few days that will hopefully encourage you. Some will be stories like the one today – stories of reconciliation to God. Others will be stories of reconciliation between people. I must admit I have limited resources for stories of people reconciling with others. Maybe you have one or two and would like to share them. Please email them to me, or, if you prefer, post them yourself to this blog. I want us to see reconciliation in action.

In closing, let me challenge you to look carefully at your life and see what things, interests, goals, or activities there are in your life that take priority over being interrupted by God to be a minister of reconciliation to another person. Surrender them. After all, is there anything so great in our lives that it should be held on to at the cost of another person’s soul?

Pastor John