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Fill past the Full mark

24 Jan

Fill past the Full mark

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

Have you ever met a stranger that in less than five minutes you knew they were a believer in Christ? There was something about them that was different, something they could not hide, something they did not want to hide; Christ’s light shown through them for all to see. People are naturally drawn to them to experience what they have to give. People are always blessed by their presence, many may not even understand why. It is a blessing to stay in their presence as a friend and see Christ working through them blessing others. I have prayed for God to sanctify me into that strong of a disciple; for them to know me as a child of His at every encounter.

Paul was encouraging the Philippians to live for Christ in that way. To change their focus from the worldly to the eternal. Philippi was a Roman colony and many of it’s citizens modeled their lives after Caesar, but Paul was reminding them they should model their lives after Christ. If they were spending their resources focused on the requirements as a Roman citizen, they were lowering their standards as a heavenly citizen. Paul may have been speaking to some division in the church; he was encouraging them to stand together; that you stand fast in one spirit. Paul continues to encourage them how to live and remain together as a church in the coming scriptures. A group that shares the same eternal focus, and unity with that focus, shows the strength of God through it. Paul shows this example to those who don’t believe in verse 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. (ESV)

“You may be the only Bible someone ever reads.” That popular phrase carries eternal weight with it. There can be the power of Christ in you every day to all those that you meet. There could also be the destructive power of hypocrisy in your conduct of every day. The path of sanctification is a rough road to travel. Your enemy will give you every reason and detour to take your eyes off the eternal goal. Your motives, actions, reactions, are all relevant to where your focus lies; and how much time your invest in the pursuit of it. You cannot be a person with that light, if you don’t spend time daily seeking that Light in prayer and His Word. John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” To be that person that His light spills out of to bless all those He places in your path, you must first fill yourself with Him to the point you cannot contain.

 
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Posted by on January 24, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Every Moment

23 Jan

Every Moment

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I have been writing this week in Philippians, and I was excited to know one of my favorite statements by Paul would likely be where I found myself today. Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. There are so many roads to travel down with Paul in his example of a life focused on Christ. Paul was writing this letter from prison; prison could bring death; and all that mattered to him was that Christ was glorified in his life or in his death. Paul lived a life so incredibly sold out for Christ that he saw God’s hand in his every situation of every day. He knew he was exactly where God wanted him for that very moment, and he poured himself into drawing the attention to Christ for every moment. There was no difference, no matter to Paul, if he lived or died as long as Christ was exalted and glorified in it.

One of my daily devo’s came to my inbox with Matthew 6:34 above this morning. Matthew 6 is one of my favorite passages of scripture, where Christ lays out so much of an application of how to live our lives for him. I right now have some really big things demanding my thoughts, and it is easy to become distracted from the worry about the days and things that MAY come. I saw the similarity in Paul’s statement and Christ’s words to us. A life focused on the present situation, and serving Christ in that situation, is a life dedicated to the moment with God. This life produces a lack of concern for the next day; for the next day may not come. James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. How many moments with and for Christ are lost in the worry of the tomorrow that may never come.

Satan is the author of these doubts and worries of your tomorrows. He slides into your mind and steals your daily focus; he replaces it with an anxiety of the unknown future; he steals your joy for the day and replaces it with the worry of tomorrow. John 10:10a The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  When you feel those anxieties press, deny them through the power of prayer with a heart for God. Claim the day and the moment for your life to be focused on drawing glory to Christ in that moment. This will likely prove to be a continual process throughout each day as Satan continues to try and distract you. This will prove to be a day closer to Christ as a result of your seeking Him in every moment for focus and strength. In those moments your eyes are opened, and you may see and hear the voice and plans He has for your for that time with and for Him. John 10:10b. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. This abundant life is a life dedicated to glorifying Christ in every moment of your day with Him.

 
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Posted by on January 23, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Who gets the glory?

22 Jan

Who gets the glory?

Philippians 1:15-18   Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

The outpouring of the gospel in ones life that it has changed is a natural work of that Good Work. It should so stir your soul that you cannot contain the good news. You have felt that change that salvation has brought, and the desire to share that good news is a work of Christ’s Spirit that now lives inside of you. We all have a seed of evangelism sown in us with the knowledge of Christ that dwells in us. That need to spread the story of salvation should always come from a pure heart driven by the motive of attention to the Savior; not the soul saved. Our testimony is the proof of the act of salvation, but should not be the focal point of our witness.

Paul was in prison and the gospel was spreading outside of the walls. The news was getting back to him of those seeking to bring glory to themselves in their preaching of it. It is unclear of exactly what was being taught, but they seemed to be preaching salvation through Christ. It did not seem to be the heretical preaching of the Judiaizers Paul spoke of in Galatians. These people may have been jealous of the attention Paul was receiving; they may have sown their dissension from lack of respect for Paul; for some reasons they seemed against him and in their preaching the gospel and sowed division with it. 6 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely,. Many of today’s preachers in the media have these same selfish motives that hide in pride and money behind their ministries. A good friend of mine came to know Christ listening to one of them, but he also came to see the trouble in that ministry as he grew closer to Christ himself.

Paul rejoiced in all the news of the gospel being spread. He knew that those who were preaching the word must answer with the motives of their hearts to only God. God knows the heart and knows the reason behind every word and action. As we grow closer to God ourselves, we gain a knowledge and understanding of Him as Paul spoke of in Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. This knowledge that is used in the context of our relationship with God, is used in the discernment of our relationships with each other. God may shed the light on ministry motives; He may open our eyes to those in the media. We like Paul can rejoice in the spreading of the gospel, but like Paul we must only seek to draw glory to Christ.

 
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Posted by on January 22, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Well, if he can……

21 Jan

Well, if he can……..

Philippians 1:12 -14    But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Paul was in prison for preaching the Good News of Christ. His boldness in sharing his faith had landed him chained to most likely an elite guard in the Roman army. He knew his imprisonment could eventually lead to his death, but he did not slow down sharing the news that Christ is Lord. In a twist of irony the guards were chained to Paul; they could not escape his preaching; Paul knew this and pressed on. He saw God at work in all of this and the opportunity to take the gospel to where it would not have gone if he was not imprisoned. Paul rested on God’s sovereignty; knowing that God was at work in all of this. His boldness during his imprisonment became a huge encouragement to those who faced persecution; and reached those who may have seemed unreachable.

You are not where you are in your life by accident; God has either allowed or designed it. With that understanding should come a peace about it. I could list my own struggles as you, both large, and the daily that become large, but don’t all of them either draw our attention away from, or closer to God? The choice is ours; we either look down in the misery of the problem, or we look up to the glory of the Deliverer from it. I struggle with memory on a large scale that seems to be getting worse; I have coined the statement “ I live in the present tense”. With the genealogy of my family of those diseases, the reality of it is very scary. I choose not to focus on it, but to consistently pursue God in it. Every day I am out here seeking God looking up scriptures again & again that I just can’t memorize. This present tense keeps my heart seeking God for that word that is just on the tip of my tongue. Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

Satan is the pinnacle of deception, and he plays on the “woe is me” of our souls continually. Satan always draws us to the pit of misery, and the “how could God” of despair. All he desires to do is to draw us away from the One who can take us away from what we are battling. There is no misery in the life of a disciple; only a life with different opportunities to show the love of Christ is all situations. How you handle these situations is a direct reflection of your faith to others. God  most likely is using you to encourage someone else facing the same battle without Him. Paul’s imprisonment encouraged those who might be facing persecution themselves. 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. “Well if Paul can do it through Christ, so can I.”

 
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Posted by on January 21, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Knowledge & Discernment

20 Jan

Knowledge & Discernment

Philippians 1:9-11     And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul was writing the letter to the Philippians from prison. In a place where most would have seen  a huge setback and trial, Paul saw God’s work in it, and the ability to share the gospel and the joy he possessed in Christ. Paul saw God at work in every thing in his life; he knew that his paths were directed by God and he sought to serve him every day. A central theme in Philippians is Paul’s joy, and he expresses that joy in relationships. Paul used two Greek words to describe those types of relationships; knowledge for our relationship with God; discernment for our relationships with each other. The closer our relationship with God, the greater our discernment in our lives and relationships here.

What comes first; the earthly relationship or the one with Christ? We may hear the Gospel preached and come to know Christ; but at that point it becomes our duty to pursue Christ. We should desire to sit under good teachers that help reveal God’s Word to us. We should desire to spend time in the Word ourselves with daily diligence; to have a sincere heart for God. We should seek to know God and the things of God; in these things are found the knowledge of God. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. In this knowledge is a relationship is nurtured; a relationship that you were created for by Him that you are now in pursuit of. You will never come to know more about God until you truly seek God with all your heart. God knows your heart and will reward you with opening your eyes and mind through your heart for Him.

The closer we get to God, the more discernment He may give us. Discernment is a key to unlocking a better understanding of the things that surround you every day. Paul is speaking of discernment in the light of person-to-person relationships, and we all need a better understanding of those realities. This world is full of darkness, and much of that darkness may lie in false relationships. God will open our eyes to these things the more time we spend with him. The promises that come in the scriptures that follow in verses 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.(ESV). With this gained understanding comes the joy that Paul possessed. He saw God at work in all aspects and relationships of his life. He sought to glorify God in all his life with that knowledge of their relationship, and the worldly discernment that he gained from it.

 
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Posted by on January 20, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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From start to finish

19 Jan

From start to finish

2 Corinthians 8:10-11   And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.

Paul was writing his second letter to the Corinthians. He was here trying to encourage them to give to support the needy in Jerusalem and Judea. The Jews there due to sieges, famine, and persecution were in dire need. Although Paul was called to deliver the Gospel to the Gentiles, he still had a heart for his fellow Jew and took the opportunity to express the brotherhood of Christians in sacrificial giving that knows no bounds. Paul had used the example of the churches in Macedonia that had given so sacrificially. Paul spends much time in chapters 8 & 9 on the subject of giving; more than anywhere else in the New Testament.

A product of the heart of a Christian is a desire to give; to serve; to perform a good deed out of love for what Christ has given us; a desire to repay and extend our love to others. The Corinthians excelled in many gifts, and Paul encouraged them to use them. 2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you abound in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us–see that you abound in this grace also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. The giving of ourselves in any way in the name of Christ is an act of Christ through us; it lets His light shine through us to a dark world. These examples of our love for our fellow man are examples of Christian love; providing for those in need. Christ gave us the ultimate gift when we were spiritually bankrupt; He paid our eternal debt and gave us the opportunity to become eternally rich.

The scripture above could be paraphrased simply, “Finish what you started”. So many times we are spurred on to the impulse of acts of kindness only to have Satan block our paths of completion. Satan indeed will give you every reason and opportunity to not see them through to completion; many of them will even seem under good pretense. When you are given the thought of the act; God knows what he has supplied you for that thought. 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. That is your enemy trying to convince you you cannot do it; you will not complete it; you will not succeed with it. Christ is telling you to start and finish it; He will provide.

 
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Posted by on January 19, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Out – Over – Move on

18 Jan

Out – Over – Move on

Acts 15:37-39   Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;

There had become a huge conflict in the early Christian church regarding the circumcision of the new Gentile believers. A meeting had been called in Jerusalem with all the apostles and the Jewish counsel. They had agreed somewhat that circumcision was not a requirement of the faith; 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Paul and Barnabas were to set off to deliver the news and encourage the early churches. An argument over John Mark who had earlier deserted them caused Paul and Barnabas to go their separate ways. The ministry doubled, and Paul was even reconciled to John Mark later in his life (2 Timothy 4:11).

If you stay in church long enough, you will have conflict in church. It is going to happen, it is going to divide, it can weaken testimonies and ministries. It can be a test of your faith; it can be a test of where your heart lies. If you take your eyes off the Person, you will surely be disappointed in where you place your hope. Satan loves dissension; Satan smiled at the argument of Paul and Barnabas; God doubled the ground covered by separating the two great men of faith. Barnabas headed to Cyprus; Paul headed to Syria, and then on to Cilicia. God was at work in all those men and He had a plan that included separating them to grow their ministries. Barnabas had chosen not to take their argument to the Jewish counsel, but to keep his eyes on his ministry and faithfully serve the Lord.

We are told throughout the Bible that when we fight we must forgive and make up. What if we are only forgiven the amount we are able to forgive? The Bible speaks directly to how we view one another, and that view may be held in how we forgive. Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. We are told not to even go to sleep with without resolving conflict; get it out, get it over, move on. Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. Putting conflict in the past is part of moving on with the ministry God has placed on your heart. God may be doubling the ground covered as a result; just like the days of Paul and Barnabas.

 
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Posted by on January 18, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Is He or isn’t he?

17 Jan

Is He or isn’t he?

John 11:25-26    Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11 is the chapter in the Bible that even most lost people know; it is where we find the story of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. There are so many points in the scripture; so many ways Christ describes the power of the Father; his Sovereignty, or all knowing and control over our lives. The free will that He has given us allows us to waiver, but He is in control of all things. Christ knew that Lazarus was going to die, and Christ knew there was a purpose of God behind it; for Christ to glorify God in it. John 4:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” In my Bible I have written beside this scripture Romans 8:28; a reference to the control God has over all His creation.

Do you believe in Christ as the Son of God? Do you believe He came to earth as 100% God, 100% man, all to provide you a means to reach heaven? He was not a good man, was not a great prophet, was not the archangel Michael; He was and is God. You must get this right; you must not waiver on your believe in Christ as the eternal Son of God; sitting right now at His Father’s right hand on the throne in heaven. He alone holds the key to your forgiveness of sin and eternal paradise with Him. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. You must believe that there is no other means by which you will enter heaven; but by all other means you will be denied and punished eternally in hell.

There are so many false religions out there. All of them point to many ways to God. All of them point to you doing something to earn your way to God. All of them point to the power of yourself to puff your chest out in pride for that accomplishment. What kind of god do they have who could not do it on his own; their god makes you work your way in to help him? My God is so great that all it requires is the faith in Him to do what I cannot. To humble myself and understand that He is God and He sacrificed His Son for me. That faith and humble repentance is the key to eternal paradise and security. The Apostle John’s gospel focal point is the deity of Christ; he begins his writings with this statement of Christ in the beginning of time as the Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. There is no middle ground; either He is God to you, or He is not. This decision and understanding is eternal.

 
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Posted by on January 17, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Hypocrisy

16 Jan

Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:1-4   Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Matthew 23 is a chapter that Christ bears down on the self-proclaimed religious of that time. The scribe and the Pharisee were interpreters of the law of Moses; the book of the Torah; God’s word and commandments to early Israel. They fancied themselves high above others; their pride was the backbone of their existence. The felt separated, elevated, chosen, above, special……one could make an endless list of the adjectives wrapped up into their self-worth. But in reality all they were was religious. They were wrapped up in religiosity in their pride; and they were not only failing miserably in trying to reach God, but they were dragging those seeking God down the path to hell with them.

The term hypocrite is used nine times in Jesus’s condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. He points early in the chapter of them knowing what to do, yet not even lifting a finger to do it. Hypocrisy is simply the act of saying one thing and doing another; not living what you believe or preach. We all know it; we all have done it; we all know that it is one of the leading reasons people look down upon Christianity. They see our hypocrisy lived out every day when we tell them we go to church every Sunday. If you are the only Bible, or the only example of a Christian to a lost soul every day, how do they view Christians based solely on your example? 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

I have been having the discussions of religiosity with a friend of mine. Of the people who feel good about themselves for going to church every Sunday; fulfilling their obligation of their Christian duty. The only time they think of their Christian duty is that Sunday morning; living for the cares of the world the other 6.5 days in the week. I lived most of my life as that person; I know the false comfort found in religiosity. Many will pay for that mistake eternally when they stand before Christ and He says he did not know them. Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ That is the most terrifying scripture in the Bible! It alone should stir you to pursue Christ with every essence of your being; living a life dedicated to him every single day; a life so given over to him you are filled with the peace that you know He knows you; for he speaks to you every single day.

 
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Posted by on January 16, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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A voice in the dark

15 Jan

A voice in the dark

John 20:14-16    Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Mary Magdalene had visited the Christ’s tomb and found him missing. She had went to Peter and John to tell them, and they raced to go see themselves. They left the tomb and Mary to go to their own home; it is believed that John went to tell Jesus’ mother Mary the good news. Mary Magdalene remained and wept. When she got the courage, she peeked in the tomb only to find two angels there. They encouraged her, and suddenly someone appeared outside the tomb with her; it was Christ, but she did not recognize him. Then when Christ called her by her name she immediately recognized him by his voice that she knew.

How did she know? John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. There is theology wrapped into this, but simply stated it may have been dark and her focus was on what she was seeing in the tomb. But she instantly knew Christ’s voice calling her by name; she now knew who stood in her midst. She had spent so much time with Christ that it could have been pitch black dark and she would have known him.

There is so much in this world that deadens your senses to the things of God. Satan places every distraction in your path to take your ears away from slowing down to hear that still small voice of God. Satan will let you work hard, play hard, and feel good about yourself for giving God a couple hours on Sunday. He will let you feel good in your religiosity and he will continue to lead you astray. The way to hear God’s voice is to spend time with him every day. To seek him in his word and prayer every day. Doing these things will enable you to recognize the voice of God in the darkness of the world. You will know it is He, that is calling out your name.

 
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Posted by on January 15, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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