The Heart of the Matter

On October 1, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Isaiah 29: 13       NIV

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

This passage presents us with an interesting question. Is worship really worship if our hearts are not engaged? How can worship be meaningful to God if we are caught up in rote service rather than an expression of our hearts?

It is so easy to become accustomed to the form of worship such that we never really enter into it meaningfully. How well do I know this myself? Even as I prepare these daily devotionals I am reminded that if they come from my mind they are of very little use to those who read them. Many times I sit down at my computer, Bible in hand and begin the “work” of the Word of the Day. To an outside observer it may look like I am fulfilling the call of ministry on my life but I know that I am being works minded instead of worship oriented. So, I must stop and start over.  

This daily devotional should be a form of worship for us both. We each should approach it with an expectation of meeting God heart to heart. In order for me to convey God’s heart to you, I must begin with prayer and I suggest that is how we should approach any form of worship. We should begin with God on our minds and engage in a process of opening our hearts to be a heart of worship. Worship which proceeds from our minds is not worship at all. It is only an exercise, barely even a shadow of worship. God makes it clear in today’s passage that worship of our mouths is nothing. Only when worship is an overflow and an expression of our hearts is it welcoming to God. I would go so far as to say that anything which is intended to be worship but which is merely from routine and mental assent is repugnant to God. He is looking for us to pour our hearts out to Him. He is not in the least interested in the structure of our worship services. He really isn’t even interested in what many of us call a worship service. He is only interested in heart felt worship. He is looking for a people who will greet Him with expression of their deep feelings for Him. He wants to hear our hearts cry out, “I love you Father.” In fact, I truly believe that He would rather have one heart felt “I love you” than 30 minutes of singing and praying that is little more than a prayer concocted in our minds and songs that are little more to us than a page number in the Hymnal.  

We all have our routines. Our churches and our church services have their routines too but we must not let rote words and symbols become substitutes for a heart that expresses admiration and adoration of the Father. Whatever we do whether in our private lives or in our corporate praise services we should remind ourselves of the reason we are entering into a form of worship. When we connect again with our hearts and get out of our minds we will flow with pure expression of love for the Father. That is worship; that is what is important. That is the heart of the matter.

Back to Top

Spiritual Farming

On September 30, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 97: 11

Light is sown like seed for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

One of the most illustrative Biblical principles is that the Kingdom of God is like a seed which is sown. Jesus compared the Kingdom of God with seed many times. In Luke 13: 18 – 19, for example, he said, “What is the kingdom of God like and to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed….” And of course there is the very famous parable in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew. But these two examples are not isolated. God often uses the seed to explain to us how the Kingdom of God works. In today’s example, light is sown as is gladness. Have you ever stopped to consider that Jesus was a seed that was sown? God sowed Jesus, His only child and He reaped many children. This is the lesson that God has been attempting to teach His kids for generations now.

Too many times we think of sowing seed as only relating to financial gifts. Well, if you need a financial harvest I cannot think of a better seed to sow than money. However, whatever you sow that also you will reap. If you sow kindness, you will reap kindness. If you sow distrust then people are not going to trust you. What do you suppose a person who sows love will reap?  

The point that I would like to make is only a reiteration of what Jesus taught. The Kingdom of God is like farming. It works through sowing of seed. Christianity does not have to be difficult. Operating in the Kingdom does not have to be a mystery. Jesus certainly tried to reveal the internal workings but we were hard of hearing. What you sow is what you will reap. Sow nothing, reap nothing.  

Once we understand this simplest of principle we can look at our lives and determine if there is any area of lack. If there is then there is a chance that we don’t have enough seed in the ground in that area. We can also check the quality of our seed. Seeds sown in anger, unforgiveness and the like are doomed the same as a seed that is nothing more than some used up thing that we no longer want anyway. But when we sow in faith then the Father causes the seed to grow even though we don’t know how.

Since Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God operates by sowing and reaping it might pay us well to meditate on it a bit. God is sowing light and gladness. That is an awesome concept if you think about it. I wonder what the harvest will be. It is a crop that has been planted for you. Now, receive your harvest but don’t forget to emulate the Father and sow some of that seed back into the ground for the bounty that is to come. And for goodness sake, don’t eat the seed for next year’s harvest which simply means, don’t take all that you have reaped, all that God has given you and spend it on your flesh. Put some back into the Kingdom of God so that it can produce another crop for you. The Kingdom of God is like a seed but it only works when you plant.

Back to Top

Consolation

On September 29, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 94: 19               NIV

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

It should come as no surprise that God can ease our souls even in times of great anxiety. What may be easily overlooked, however, is our contemplation of God’s abundant grace in our time of need.  

When we are under pressure or worried it is easy to retreat within ourselves. I call it the turtle syndrome. We withdraw into our shells in an attempt to protect our vulnerabilities. While it may be a completely normal reaction to stress or anxiety, it is the worst thing we can do. Walking with God is not always intuitive though. That is why the Bible tells us that we must renew our minds (Romans 12: 2). God is our strength and our fortress in our times of need. So, instead of drawing in on ourselves we must learn to extend our hearts to Him. This is walking in faith. It is the path of walking in the Spirit also. The very essence of walking with God is that we turn towards Him at all times. We can learn to live in a state of always looking towards Him.

Another key element of receiving the consolation of God in those anxious moments is to seek Him with your heart. How do you do that? For me it is always a matter of shutting up my mind for a few minutes. When you can get quiet in your mind and in your heart then you will find that you can hear God. In times of high anxiety, though, it feels like your insides are running on caffeine. Slow down, take some time to quiet down and look to God to be the consoler of your heart. Pick up your Bible and turn to the Psalms. God will give you peace and comfort. He always does. He will trade your anxiety for His consolation and peace. In times of great trouble, He is there with you. He has joy ready to pour into your heart. Train your heart to turn to Him and receive.

Back to Top

Let it be Me

On September 26, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Ezekiel 22: 30

“And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”

Many times people ask, “Why did this bad thing happen” or “Why did God allow this bad thing to happen?” Now you have the answer. God didn’t allow it, we did. God saw the inevitability of seeds that were sown and looked around for someone to stand in the gap for that family, nation or person but when He looked He found no one. God would have intervened in the affairs of man many times but He couldn’t find anyone who would pray.

Psalm 115: 16 reads, “The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.” You see God has given the earth to us. Recall that in Genesis 1: 28 God gave authority to rule the earth to mankind. While we know that God is sovereign we also should recognize that a sovereign has the right to give his authority to another. Once done, the sovereign must follow the rule of law that he has established. All of this is to say that god can no longer move freely in every context in the earth. He cannot make you accept Him as Lord because He gave you authority over your life and choices. We call that free will. This very principle bars God from intervening at times when He would like to. We have been given the authority in the earth so we must invite God to participate and we do so through our prayers. You can personally keep God out of your life or invite Him to participate with you. You really are the master.

In the same way, He cannot just step in any time He would like. Even when you see something like the tragedy of 9/11 you have to recognize that God wasn’t the one who was asleep at the wheel. He tells us in today’s verse that He looked around for a man to stand in the gap for the land but could find no one. Perhaps He tapped me on the shoulder that morning and asked me to pray for the land. Maybe He had been saying to many of us for months to pray for our nation but we were so full of our own lives that we never heard Him.  

There are two points I believe in this message. First, let us stop blaming God for our failures and secondly, we need to make our hearts and ears more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit so that God can speak to us and in speaking to us, commission us to pray. He wants to spread salvation but He must have someone who will pray. Let it be me.

Back to Top

Disciples of Truth

On September 25, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

John 8: 31 – 32

Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The most telling part of these verses may be the first phrase. Jesus was saying to those who believed in him that there was more to follow. Just hearing him speak was not the answer. He told them that they must abide in his word. Some translations say to continue in his word. I believe what Jesus is saying is that it is not enough just to hear Jesus word once. Instead we must learn to live in his word. Those who stay in his word will have truth and that truth will set them free of every sort of hindrance.

Let’s close the circle on this and see how it works. From the first chapter of John we know that Jesus is the word, the incarnate word. The word was with God since the beginning but then came alive in the form of a person and dwelt among mankind. We also know that Jesus is the truth (John 14: 6). Jesus is the word and he is the truth. We also know from John 14: 6 that Jesus is the life. Therefore, if we want life we must dwell in the word and we must dwell in truth. Let’s go one step further though. In John 6: 63  Jesus tells us that the words that he spoke are spirit and life. So, life is in the word, spirit is in the word, truth is in the word and freedom is in the word. If we want to live a life worth living, really if we want any life at all then we must abide in the word of Jesus and lest we deceive ourselves, the entire Bible is the word of Jesus. Remember he was with God in the beginning so all the word of God is Jesus.

Further, if we want to be disciples of Jesus then we must abide in his word. To abide does not mean a casual glance at the scriptures now and then. It probably implies a daily residence. If you abide in your house, then doesn’t that mean that is where you live? It is the place we call home and to which we always return. While travelling we even think of that place which we call home. This is the place of habitation and rest. Jesus is trying to get us to think of his word the same way we think of our homes. His word should be the place to which we always return. It is the place of comfort and rest. It is our secure haven and only when we have learned or decided to take up residence in his word can we be his disciples.  

There are so many pieces of church life these days and it is easy to get bogged down in all of the things we feel we must do but there are only a few things that Jesus calls needful. So, when you cannot do it all do those things which are most important. Chief among them is attendance to the word. There is no truth, there is no life, there is no discipleship or freedom apart from a habitual abiding presence in the word. There is a reason why ministers beyond me send out daily devotionals. We all know that liberty and life are contained in the daily consumption of the word. The word, Jesus, is our shelter and our daily bread. It is the presence of God in our lives to bring his truth alive within us. There is no life apart from the word. It is just that simple. And do not let anyone mislead you. There is no doctrine, no 7 step program, no teaching series that can replace the Word of God. They are all complimentary, meaning that they are intended to illuminate the Word for you but it is the Word which has the power to change lives. Abide in that almighty presence of the Word of God. Receive life, truth and freedom.

Back to Top

Seek and Find

On September 24, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 9: 10

And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; for Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.

Here is some good news for the middle of the week. God has not and never will forsake those who seek Him.

I am not going to write today about “the name” of God but there is a huge message there. I will just say that learning God’s name and learning about the names He used in the Old Testament to present Himself will most definitely increase one’s assurance that God is for them. It stimulates trust which yields rest.

Honestly, seeking God is the answer to every problem you will ever face. Christian counseling would be really easy if the counselors could just get people to hear that advice and follow through on it. Every answer for every problem is in God so all we have to do is seek Him out and ask the question.  

And here is the promise from God to you today; if you seek Him you will never be forsaken. Those who seek will find. God hides in plain sight hoping that you will come looking for Him. I have likened it before to playing hide and seek with a small child. When my nephew was young I started out hiding too well. I learned that I had to hide in plain sight. It is amazing to think of now but he was overjoyed when he found me. How much greater is our joy when we “find” God? He’s not really hiding, you know? He has positioned Himself where you can find Him. You just have to lift your head and look and sure enough, there He is. I promise, when you seek you will find.

The rewards of seeking God’s face are boundless. I may speak in terms of His solving problems but that is very much the least of the benefit. Unfortunately, words fail me when I try to convey how much better and how much easier all of life is when you abide in the presence of God. It is relief, joy, hope, success, enlightenment, and on. Whatever your heart needs, whatever you are seeking in your life, they are all found in the presence of God. 

What could I offer you that would stimulate you to seek God like you never have before? How can I encourage you to pursue Him with renewed vigor? Would a million dollars do it? How about the promise of peace? The truth is that anything that would motivate you is already in the Father. Pursue Him relentlessly. Pursue Him like you pursued your spouse. And be willing to surrender the control of the reins to Him. If you will do this you will never even think again about being forsaken. You will know how precious you are to God and He will become your closest friend. That is heady stuff but it is true. The God that created the entire universe in all of its wonder and complexity wants nothing more than to be your friend. I told you that you were special.

Back to Top

In Christ

On September 23, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Corinthians 1: 30

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.

By the grace and the formidable power of God you have become one with Jesus. You are hidden away in him, safe and secure. In Jesus is everything you could possibly need. Do you need wisdom for a business decision; he is the wisdom of God in our lives. He provided and his blood pronounces that you are in good standing with God; that is your rightness or righteousness in him. You are sanctified which means that you have been made holy, dedicated to sacred use; consecrated. Did you realize that? That makes you very special. And that is not even the end of it. Jesus also redeemed you from the curse of the law, the shackles of slavery and the death sentence that was upon you. You have been set free indeed.

But by the miracle working power of God you are actually in Jesus. Can you fathom what that means? It sounds a little new age but most of the new age lexicon is just things which have been derived from God and then have had a twist put on them. For example, people think of meditation as New Age. In a way that is just funny. It may be “New” Age but God invented mediation before there even was an earth. He has been teaching his children about visualization and meditation for thousands of years so don’t let today’s idea upset your apple cart. The miracle of Jesus in you and you in him is completely feasible when you understand that there is a spiritual realm which is every bit as real as the physical realm. People adhere to the physical evidence because they are much more skillful with their five physical senses than they are with spiritual discernment. If, however, you can accept by faith that you are in Christ then you will gain an entirely new perspective on life. No matter what situation presents itself picture yourself “in Christ”. Wouldn’t it completely change your point of view if you knew that no matter what the matter is Jesus is every bit as much a part of it as you are? What if you were looking at your current situation through his eyes instead of through yours? Would that matter? Of course it would. Jesus has power to bring to bear on any and every situation. He also has great favor with the father. There is nothing (legal and moral) that God wouldn’t do for you but if you don’t believe that at least believe God would do if for Jesus. If you are in a mess God is interested in helping you and your big brother out of it.

Grab this idea – you and Jesus are an integral unit. When you go to the grocery store, he goes too. When he sits at the right hand of the father, you are right there with him. Your DNA is beginning to intertwine with and duplicate his. You are never without him. Even when you feel alone, you have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverb 18: 24). In your darkest moments, he is your constant companion. You are a part of him and he wants the very best for you.

Back to Top