Month: August 2020

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:21-22 NIV)

Worship prevents sinning.

Our hero today is Job. Forty chapters exist in the book named for him.  His story is the oldest book in the Bible.  We meet him right after tragedy has struck.  He’s lost his family, his livestock and servants.  These events happened because of a conversation between God and Satan.  As usual, Satan is accusing.  He thinks the only reason Job is faithful to God is because he hasn’t had any hardship in his life.  Satan is wrong.

Job’s response to his losses is worship.  He tore his clothes, shaved his head and fell to the ground in worship of his one and only God.  As a result, he didn’t sin.  He kept his focus on God.

Worship keeps our focus on God.

In the midst of his tragedy, Job turned to the One who could help him.  He didn’t believe his life was free from pain and heartache.  He accepted his fate because he trusted in God.  He devoted his life to God.  All he had was and is God’s.  In Job’s mind, God had sovereignty over his life.  If God wanted to take everything away, that was His choice.

Worship draws our heart closer to God’s:

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116:1-2 NIV)

The more we worship God, the more we worship God.  As we lift our eyes to the skies, focusing our hearts on Him, our spirits unite.

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 NIV)

For over twenty years, I’ve made a practice of reading through the Bible in a year.  Each time I got to the book of Job, I dreaded it.  His trials and tribulations remind me the same thing can happen to me.  God has control of my life, He can do what He wants.  The suffering Job endured, no one wants.  But then I did a study of the book by Lisa Harper.  “Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy” is one I highly recommend. 

I got past the conversation with Satan.  When studying Job, people get hung up on why God even chats with Satan.  But if we can’t get past those few verses, we won’t unearth the beauty found within the pages.  We will miss the story of friendship that unfolds as Job’s friends counsel him.

Job teaches us many lessons.  First, worship prevents you from sinning.

Question of the Day:

Have you spent time worshiping God today?

Further Reading: Job 1-3 NIV,  1 Corinthians 14:1-17 NIV, Psalm 37:12-29 NIV, Proverbs 21:25-26 NIV

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthian 13: 4-8 NIV)

God defines love for me.

The Bible, to me, is a collection of love stories.  When I read through the pages, I look for love.  God’s love is always present.  People struggle with the stories of the Old Testament, more violence and rape exists in its pages than any movie screen.  The New Testament’s brutality is just as bad.  Crucifixion is a horrible way to die.  The person can’t breathe normally and dies from asphyxiation, lack of oxygen to the blood cells.  Yet in the midst of a horrible death we find the greatest act of love for us.

Love is action.

Jesus’ death on the cross was an action of love.  He sacrificed His life because of His love for us.  And He did it willingly to enable a relationship with God we can have no other way.  Jesus’ act exemplified the words in today’s verses.

Patient. Kind. Not Envious. Humble. Honoring. Selfless. Forgiving. Truthful. Protecting. Trustworthy. Hopeful. Perseveres. Never fails.  

Putting someone else before yourself is an act of love.

My husband plans out his last bite at every meal.  He saves his favorite food for the final fork load.   I didn’t learn this until years into our marriage.  One random conversation with a friend revealed this to me.  Worst yet, for years, I had taken his last bite, not realizing it.  He never said a word.  His act of not telling me was love.  Now that I am aware he does this with every meal, my not taking his last bite is an act of love back to him.  Love in action.

God’s love for us is unconditional, that means no limits to it.  Whatever you think you’ve done that is unworthy of God’s love, you are wrong.

John Newton wrote Amazing Grace.  Before he started following Jesus, he was a slave trader.  For years, he witnessed the brutality of slavery, and condoned it.  Not until he met Jesus did he realize what he was doing.  He quit and became a minister.  And he wrote these words:

Amazing grace! How Sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed!

God’s love is unconditional.  Lavish in His love today.

Question of the Day:

How does God’s love define love for you?

Further Reading: Esther 8:1-10:3 NIV, 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13 NIV, Psalm 37:1-11 NIV, Proverbs 21:23-24 NIV

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Your purpose is specific to your life.  No one else can do what you can do.

Esther is facing the decision of a lifetime when we meet her.  Should she risk her life to save the Jews, or not?  She’s a jewish orphan married to King Xerxes.   Haman, one of the king’s officials is plotting to kill all Jews.  Esther’s uncle, Mordecai tells Esther she must get the king’s help.  The problem, the king hasn’t sought her company in awhile.  In Esther’s time, if  the king doesn’t call for you and you go to him, you may die.  What Mordecai was asking her to do could result in her death.  

Esther was a wise woman.  Before she did anything, she and her people fasted and prayed for three days.   No one else was in the position she was to help save the Jewish people.  No one else had the influence over the king like she did.  God placed her in a specific place, for a specific purpose.

Your place, your purpose.

Place and purpose change over a lifetime.  Today’s purpose is different from tomorrow’s.  What seems small is big.  What is big, small.  Each day is a building block to your life purpose.

Esther was an orphan, taken in by her uncle when her parents died.  She lived with him until the king began his search for a queen.  When called into the king, she kept it simple.  He fell for her.  She became his queen.  Esther didn’t engineer any of it, she just lived the life God gave her.  Day in, day out, which led to this pivotal moment.  An orphan, now in a position to save her people.  Read her story in “Further Reading” below.

One other thing to note, if you don’t fulfill your purpose, someone else will.  Mordecai told Esther this.  If she didn’t help, God would raise someone else up to do the work.  But Esther would miss the blessing.  Her family name would no longer exist.

When God calls us to a purpose, we have a choice.  We can fulfill it or not.  God has someone else who can do it.  But He wants you to do it. He wants you to grow, He wants you to receive the blessing.  Just like Esther grew. Just like Esther received the blessing.

Your life has purpose.  You were made for such a time as this.  Don’t miss what God is doing.

Question of the Day:

Are you missing what God is doing in your life?

Further Reading: Esther 4:1-7:10 NIV, 1 Corinthians 12:1-26 NIV, Psalm 36:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 21:21-22 NIV

“Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.” (Proverbs 21:19 NIV)

A nag is someone who annoys or irritates (a person) with persistent fault-finding or continuous urging.  We all nag others to some extent, whether we realize it or not.

Mom’s nag their children to brush their teeth, make their bed, clean their rooms.  Wives nag husbands to fix the leaky toilet, pick up their dirty clothes, take off their muddy shoes. Husbands nag their wives about cleaning the house, cooking meals and whatever else annoys them.   Friends nag friends to break up with the boyfriend, or make up with the boyfriend or not have a boyfriend.  Nagging is a no win situation for all concerned.

No one wants to live with a nag.

As a tennis coach, I nag a lot.  “Racquet back.”  “Get those feet moving.” “Finish that stroke.’  The phrases I use are the same.  Tennis requires the same simple actions over and over again. The more repeated the motion, the better the player.  They tire of hearing me say the same thing over and over. Eventually, I don’t have to say it anymore, they begin to tell me.  I tire of saying it, they tire of hearing it.

No one enjoys nagging.  Nagging is a form of unmet expectations.  We set an expectation for someone.  They don’t do it.  Until it’s done, we nag.  Or is there a better way?

Recently, I’ve stopped nagging on the tennis court.  Instead, I’ve learned new drills.  Not only do they learn to move their feet, but they have fun while doing it.  Without realizing it, they’ve done what I wanted them to do all along.  The kids respond better to fun games, than repeated nagging.  

“The Karate Kid” is a 1984 movie about martial arts.  Mr. Miyagi is the wise teacher to his young protege.  Before he allows his student to set foot on the mat, he has him do a series of chores. The tasks help develop the muscle memory the student needs to successfully compete in martial arts.  In other words, Miyagied: he learned the skills necessary without realizing he was learning.

Instead of nagging, Miyagi.

Find another way.  Every student I have requires a different approach.  The first thing I have to do is learn how to communicate with them.  What motivates them?  What doesn’t?  Some kids need verbal praise.  Some kids need to understand the mechanics of the stroke.  Some kids need visual cues.  Once I understand how to communicate with them in a way they will receive, they begin to learn.  Instead of nagging, I’m teaching.

Learning opportunities happen everyday.  If we learn to capitalize on them, we’ll nag less.  Reduced nagging equals more peace. Nag less, teach more.

Question of the Day:

Who do you need to find another way to communicate with today?

Further Reading: Esther 1-3 NIV, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 NIV, Psalm 35:17-28 NIV, Proverbs 21:19-20 NIV

“Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.” (Psalm 35:1 NIV)

God knows who your true enemies are.

You may think you know, but you don’t know.  We get our enemies so wrong.  We fight the wrong battles.  We put energy into a battle that doesn’t exist, because we think we know what people are thinking.  We think we understand their hearts intent, but we don’t.  We create enemies that don’t exist.

Meanwhile, God knows who the real enemies are.  He’s fighting the battle we ignore because we’re focused on the wrong thing.  God contends for us in the battle.

God contends for us in the battle.

When I’m on a zoom chat and I see the deadpan faces of others, I try not to assign emotion based on their look. Zoom has taught me what I look like when I’m listening, it isn’t what I thought.  Where I thought I had a pleasant look on my face, I now know, it’s just plain.  No look whatsoever.  Now I understand why strangers have come up to me and said, “Smile, life isn’t that bad.”  The lack of emotion on my face makes me look sad.  People could make lots of wrong assumptions because of how I look.

We assume we know.  We read into words or actions meanings that are incorrect.  We form the wrong conclusions in our minds about who is our enemy and who isn’t.  God knows who is truly fighting against us, often our biggest enemy is ourselves.  We think we know, so we assume.  God knows the truth.

God knows the things we say to ourselves that aren’t true.  He knows the lies we believe.  He knows the actions we take that hurt ourselves more than anyone else.  Lord knows, I’m my own worst enemy.  Only through Him have I learned to not trust myself when I make a snap decision.  God reveals the truth in time, but I have to wait.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV)

God contends with our enemies by how we treat them.  We are to love and pray for them.  Which is why we should love and pray for ourselves.  If we are our own worst enemy, then only God can protect us from ourselves.  A common prayer I pray: “Lord protect me from myself.”

As I look back over my life, I’ve been my own worst enemy.  The mistakes I’ve made are a result of the decisions I made.  No one else is to blame.  But God protected me.  He taught me.  He carried me.  He contended with me when no one else did.

God contends for us, especially when we’re the enemy.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever considered your worst enemy is yourself?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 12:27-13:31 NIV, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 NIV, Psalm 35:1-16 NIV, Proverbs 21:17-18 NIV

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” (1 Cor. 10:14 NIV) 

Idols rule you.

The definition of idol is an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.  The biblical definition is an image of a deity other than God, the deity itself.  Things we idolize in America: jobs, cars, relationships, sports, religion.  The list is truly endless. Pets, homes, vacations, alcohol…anything you worship is an idol.

From a Christ follower’s perspective, anything that gets in the way of your relationship with God is an idol.  My tennis racquet was a recent idol God asked me to give up.  As a tennis player, I had 2 racquets, one a backup in case I broke a string.  Racquets are very personal.  Everyone likes something different.  When I find ones I like, I stick with them for as long as I can.  The two I have now are my all time favorites for various reasons.  Teaching a tennis camp a couple weeks ago, I had a prompting to give one to a student who didn’t have a racquet.  My instant response was “No way, not my racquets.” I realized in that moment, my racquets were idols. I gave the racquet away.

You can rule idols.

Years ago, I did Dave Ramsey’s money management course.  Great course, taught me how to handle finances Biblically.  One of the areas addressed is tithing, giving 10% back to God.  Tithing isn’t about money, tithing is about faith.  Do you have faith God will do more with the 90% in your life than you will do with the 100%?  Money is an idol we all battle.  The love of money is the root of evil:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV)

Tithing breaks the love of money.  The best way to “offend” money is to give it away.  The lure of money is seductive.  So many different ways money affects people.  We all need it to live.  Money can easily consume our thoughts.  But when you give it away to God, you’re putting money in its place.

Yes, money is important.  Yes, you need money to live.  But without God you wouldn’t have life, nor money.  God first, money second.

Demolish idols by putting them in their place:

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NIV)

God helps you put idols in their place when you give them to Him.  Maybe the answer is giving it away, maybe not.  But when you submit it to Him, you gain control.  The idol is no longer an idol. 

Question of the Day:

What idol do you need to talk to God about today?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 11:1-12:26 NIV, 1 Corinthians 10:14-33 NIV, Psalm 34:11-22 NIV, Proverbs 21:14-16 NIV

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19 NIV)

Everyone is free.  Everyone is a slave to someone. Following Christ means you’re a slave to everyone.  But what does that mean, slave to Jesus?  

Doulos is the Greek word for slave or bondservant used throughout the Bible.  A more detailed definition is: one who gives himself up to another’s will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men; devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests. 

Slave to Christ, Slave to all.

As you get to know Jesus, you will fall madly in love with Him.  You can’t help yourself.  His love for others makes you love Him.  When you read the story of the adultress caught in the act, put yourself in her position.  John tells us the story in chapter 8.  Caught in bed with a man, she’s dragged naked through the streets to where Jesus is teaching in front of a large crowd.  The law punishes this offense with stoning.   People throw rocks at you until you are dead.  The accusers want to see what Jesus will do in this situation.  In one of my favorite moments in His ministry on earth, Jesus bends to the ground and begins writing in the dust.  Slowly, one by one the people leave.  Eventually it is just Jesus and the woman, whom He forgives and lets go.

Put yourself in her place.  You are in bed with someone.  Men drag you out of bed, through the house, into the street.  Their destination, the local church where Jesus is.  Their intent, to have you stoned to death.  You have to stand in front of a huge crowd in all your glory as the men hash this out.  Then you watch as Jesus bends to His knees and begins writing. You don’t know for sure what Jesus wrote, but you watch as one by one, people begin to leave.  When everyone has left, Jesus rises to His feet, looks with love into your eyes and says:

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:10-11 NIV)

How can you not love Jesus after that experience?

When you understand the depth of Jesus’s love for you, you want others to know it as well.  Becoming a doulos to Christ is your ultimate desire because of the love He has for you.  Loving like Jesus is the best way to tell others of His love for them.  To love like Jesus, become a slave to everyone.

Question of the Day:

Who are you doulos too?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 9:22-10:39 NIV, 1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13 NIV, Psalm 34:1-10 NIV, Proverbs 21:13 NIV

“He read it aloud from daybreak till noon…in the presence of…men, women and others who could understand…all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:3 NIV)

Understanding creates interest.

Today’s verse resumes the story of Nehemiah, our topic recently.  After the completion of the Jerusalem wall, the town gathered together.  From early morning until noon, Ezra read the Old Testament to the crowd.  The people are hungry for God’s word after the miracle they witnessed.  The restoration of the wall was miraculous to them.  They had a new understanding of God they didn’t have before.  Listening to the Priest read His words had new meaning to them.  Understanding created an interest in God, possibly for the first time.

The Israelites experienced God.  The experience gave them understanding.  Understanding created a new interest in God.  

Experience generates understanding.

When we found out my Mom had pancreatic cancer, I experienced God in a new way.  My mother didn’t tell anyone she was sick.  When she ended up in the hospital in need of emergency surgery, we knew.  The operation revealed cancer.  The surgeon didn’t know if the cancer was colon or pancreatic.  He said to pray for colon because it was not recurring.  Pancreatic cancer almost always returns within five years.  I prayed for colon cancer, it was pancreatic. My ultimate prayer, let her live.  The news crushed my heart.  But then God worked a miracle.

Ten years prior my mother had another emergency surgery.  This operation removed an obstruction in her colon caused by an aspirin.  They removed a section of her colon.  The scar tissue from that surgery saved her life.  Mom’s pancreatic cancer grew towards the scar tissue.  The cancer grew into my Mom’s colon instead of up through the middle of her body.   The percentage of cases where surgery is a treatment option for pancreatic cancer is low.  My mother was one of the few.  The true miracle, the surgeon removed all of the cancer.  God gave us five more years with her.  Time to tie up loose ends.  Time to come to grips with her death.  Time to prepare for life without her.  Time to say goodbye.  

God answered my prayer ten years before I prayed it.  He knew I would one day ask Him for more time with my mom. Part of my struggle the first time she had surgery was, “Why?”  Now I knew the answer.  God was prolonging her life.

My experience with God deepened my understanding of God. My new understanding of God made me want to know Him more.  My hunger for His word grew.

Experiencing God deepens our understanding of Him.  Understanding creates a new interest only deeper relationship with Him satisfies.  

Experience, Understand, Grow. Repeat.

Question of the Day:

How are you experiencing God today?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 7:73-9:21 NIV, 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 NIV, Psalm 33:12-22 NIV,  Proverbs 21:11-12 NIV

“So I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3 NIV)

Know your task, know your focus.

Nehemiah is rebuilding the Jerusalem wall.  People are scheming to get him off track.   Four times they tried to get him to stop work.  His reply was the same each time: no.  Basically, he said, “Give me one good reason why I should?”  They couldn’t.  Nehemiah had his priorities straight.  He knew Who had given him the job.  He knew what the job was.  He didn’t let anyone or thing keep him from his assigned task.

“Keep your head in the game,” means not getting distracted.  In the game of life, distractions are plenty.  As a Christ follower, God has given us clear instructions of what our job is.  We are to love God, love others (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).  We are to make disciples everywhere we go (Matthew 28:19 NIV).   Nehemiah’s God given job was building a wall, ours is helping others know Jesus through acts of love.  God given task requires God given focus.

God given tasks requires God given focus.

Nehemiah’s focus was God given.  He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was doing the Lord’s work.  Nothing is more important than the Lord’s work. How did Nehemiah know?

First, he prayed.  When he found out about the situation in Jerusalem, he prayed to God for guidance.  He was cupbearer to the king.  He couldn’t just leave his job.  He was stuck where he was unless God moved.  

Second, God answered.  A couple of days later he’s bringing wine to the king, who notices Nehemiah’s sad face.  The king wants to know why he’s sad, Nehemiah tells him the truth.  The king asks what would make Nehemiah happy.  Before answering, Nehemiah prays again.  Then he tells the king he wants to leave his job and rebuild the wall.  The king lets him.

Nehemiah knew he was doing God’s task.   God opened the doors for him to go.  In no way could Nehemiah have caused what happened to happen.  He had no control over the king, the king controlled him.  However, God controls the king.  Whether the king believed in God or not, God still used him to answer Nehemiah’s prayer.  Without a doubt, Nehemiah knew what he had to do, nothing was taking his head out of the game.

God works the same way in our lives.  We have a dilemma that is out of our control.  We pray.  God opens doors we can’t.  He directs our paths in ways we cannot predict, but cannot deny. Once we know the task, God gives us the focus.  Know your task, know your focus.

Question of the Day:

Do you know what your God given task is for today?

Further Reading:  Nehemiah 5:14-7:73 NIV, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 NIV, Psalm 33:1-11 NIV, Proverbs 21:8-10 NIV

“Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:2 NIV)

God’s blessing is forgiving your sin.

God’s grace is available for all who believe in Him.  When you humble yourself and admit, “I’m a sinner,” to God, He forgives you.  Not only does He forgive you, He can no longer see your sin:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 NIV)

God forgives our sin, He removes it from us.  What does that mean about future sin?  Truth is, we never stop sinning.  We’re human, perfection is not part of the definition.  We all have struggles which we battle daily.  We know the right thing to do, we do the wrong thing.  

Nothing separates us from God’s love.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

Future sin won’t separate us from God.  However, that fact doesn’t mean we have free reign to do whatever we want.  Sin has consequences.

A memorable moment in my childhood involved my little brother tattling on us.  Three siblings in the house, we decided to try smoking.  We found cigarette butts from my Dad and smoked them.  My little brother, also smoking, told my Mom.  Her punishment, she gave us what we wanted.  She had us smoke a cigarette.  Needless to say, we couldn’t.  My oldest brother inhaled, turned green and was immediately sick.  My little brother and I didn’t even try.  None smoked again after that.

We experienced grace from my Mom.  In order to teach us, she gave us what we wanted. When we got what we wanted, we didn’t want it anymore.  My Mom didn’t stop loving us or end her relationship with us because we sinned.  When my younger brother confessed, she forgave him.  God forgives us when we repent, but He also wants us to learn and grow from our mistakes, just like my Mom did.

God’s grace is His greatest gift to us.  His love covers all sin.  When we accept His grace, our relationship with Him begins.  As we pursue a relationship with Him, He will teach us as a loving parent.  He knows we battle the flesh daily.  Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.  Either way, God still loves us. 

Sin is a lifelong battle.  Seeking God’s grace isn’t a one time journey.  Each time we falter, we seek His grace.  God’s grace renews us for the next battle.

Question of the Day:

What area do you need God’s grace in today?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 3:15-5:13 NIV, 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 NIV, Psalm 32 NIV, Proverbs 21:5-7 NIV