Don't answer like Felix

In Acts 24, Paul, charged with various crimes, defends himself to the Roman governor Felix. Paul takes the opportunity to inform Felix about the resurrection of Jesus, to which Felix responds (Acts 24:25, NLT),

Go away for now. When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.

And then Felix left Paul in prison.

Felix had a golden opportunity. He was speaking face-to-face with someone who had spoken with the resurrected Jesus, and instead of taking Paul's message to heart, Felix delayed and, ultimately, refused the call.

But don't we do the same? When God attempts to call us, do we always see and hear his message? When God calls us, do we always respond?

It's easy to read Acts 24 and wonder what Felix was thinking. But before casting judgement, let us make sure we aren't answering similarly!

Ask God

In 1 Chronicles 14:10 (NLT), David asks God,

Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?

God answers that, yes, David should fight the Philistines, and God will allow David to prevail. In 1 Chronicles 14:14, David asks God for a specific military strategy, and, again, God provides the answer.

Note that David asks God for guidance and answers.

Now contrast that with a verse in the next chapter, in which David speaks with his priests about how to move the Ark of the Covenant (1 Chronicles 15:13, NLT),

Because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the Lord our God burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it properly.

The point is this: God wants us to ask for his guidance and wisdom in all matters. Indeed, this is part of praying without ceasing!

Today, let us offer a simple prayer asking God to guide our hearts to conform with his will.

If you breathe, praise God

In Psalm 8, David, gazing upon the stars in the sky, marvels at God's infinite power. It probably benefits us spiritual to occasionally gaze upon the night sky, and ponder what power could have created even that infinitesimally small part of the universe that we can actually see!

But pondering that infinite power leads to an obvious question, which David asks God in verse 4 (NLT),

What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?

Indeed. If God can create the expanse of the universe, why does he bother with something as insignificant as us? The answer, simply enough, is that God loves us. It's a type of infinite love that our finite minds can't possibly process.

Even though we can't process that infinite love, we can be thankful for it. God took a bunch of molecules, and breathed life into them, creating us and making us part of his plan. So regardless of our personal circumstances, let us turn to the last verse in the Psalms (Psalm 150:6, NLT), and offer this simple prayer of praise:

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord.

The yoke is easy

In Matthew 11:30 (NLT), Jesus says,

For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.

The point is this: He's not asking much of us. He asks only that we believe. Can it really be that simple?

I posted earlier this week about Naaman, but that story, presented in 2 Kings 5, has deeper spiritual implications, including some that portend the "easy yoke" of Jesus. In that chapter, Elisha heals Naaman's skin affliction, not by some elaborate spiritual magic show, but rather by sending a messenger to tell Naaman (2 Kings 5:10, NLT),

Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.

Well, Naaman clearly wanted the magic show! He responds angrily (2 Kings 5:11, NLT),

I thought he would certainly come out to meet me! I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!

Finally, Naaman swallows his pride, washes in the Jordan, and becomes healed.

Naaman was not required to do too much in order to become physically healed. Likewise, Jesus does not require much of us to become spiritually healed. So, like Naaman, let us swallow our pride and accept the easy yoke of Jesus. Just believe!

Expecting rewards for doing right

2 Kings 5 tells of Naaman being healed of a skin affliction by the prophet Elisha. Naaman, ecstatic to be healed, attempts to offer Elisha a gift as a show of gratitude. But Elisha answers (2 Kings 5:16, NLT),

As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.

Had Elisha accepted a gift, that acceptance would have signaled that Elisha did something worthy of praise. But Elisha correctly interprets that any seemingly righteous action, whether supernatural or not, comes from God, the creator of all righteousness. Reading between the lines, Naaman should have offered his gift directly to God. And since God does not want our materialistic possessions, that gift should have been one of humble praise.

On a more general note, in this midst of our sinning, if we happen to do something righteous, we should not suddenly expect some sort of reward. Rather, as Jesus says in Luke 17:10 (NLT),

When you obey me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'

Simply put, we must obey God, and realize that harmony with him is reward enough!

A quick morning prayer

Too often, it seems like our days lose spiritual focus almost before they even begin. It takes discipline, but saying a quick prayer first thing in the morning can help place our spiritual concerns upfront in our lives.

Verse 8 of Psalm 143 (a psalm of David) presents a simple, easy-to-memorize morning prayer. I especially like the KJV rendering of that verse,

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Note that, in several short phrases, David expresses his desire to hear God, to trust God, and to follow God. This passage highlights that effective prayers need not be long!

What we "see"

In the 6th chapter of 2 Kings, the army of Aram has surrounded Dothan, with the goal of capturing the prophet Elisha. One of Elisha's servants expresses alarm at the sight of Aram's large army, to which Elisha responds (2 Kings 6:16, NLT),

Don’t be afraid! For there are more on our side than on theirs!

How can that be? Does Elisha have his own army? No, but he does have God on his side. Elisha then prays (2 Kings 6:17, NLT),

O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!

The servant then sees the hillside filled with horses and chariots of fire!

What the servant fails to see, prior to Elisha's prayer, is God's infinite power to deliver his people from even the most dire of circumstances. We, likewise, must learn to focus on spiritual powers, rather than earthly strengths. Today, let us focus on the message from Proverbs 17:24 (NLT),

Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

What we need from God today

That natural emotional ups-and-downs of life inevitably include unexplained feelings of sadness and anxiety, to which we can pray to God for relief. But there's something even more important that we need from God on a daily basis. Specifically, we need him to shine light on our sinful behaviors, so that we can change our ways.

But asking God to shine light on our sins is, to put it mildly, not easy!

The last two verses of Psalm 139 combine these two things we need daily from God, and therefore, they make a great daily prayer. First, those verses ask God to search our hearts and identify the sources of our sadness and anxiety, and then they ask God to make us aware of our sins (Psalm 139:23-24, NLT),

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Today, try praying these two verses.

Acceptance by God, not by people

The end of Acts chapter 12 finds the people of Tyre and Sidon having some sort of political squabble with Herod Agrippa. To make amends, Herod delivers a speech, which is warmly received (Acts 12:22, NLT),

The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, "It's the voice of a god, not of a man!"

Herod's political skills obviously have resolved the conflict. And what's more, the people are exalting him. Great news!

Unfortunately, Herod must have let the adulation from the people go to his head. In Acts 12:23 (NLT),

Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people's worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

We are all guilty of seeking the acceptance, or perhaps even the adulation, of other people. And certainly, it's nice to be liked! But that desire for human acceptance inevitably creates a ripe environment for sin. Let us, in all we do, keep God first, and give all credit to God.

Learning from discipline

Proverbs 10:17 (NLT) states,

People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life,

but those who ignore correction will go astray.

Zephaniah 3:1-2 (NLT) hits a similar theme,

What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem,

the city of violence and crime!

No one can tell it anything;

it refuses all correction.

How do we react when misfortune comes? Do we become so focused on our situation that we forget about God? Even worse, do we become angry at God for letting misfortune happen?

We should recognize that God's discipline is a spiritual test, as uncomfortable as that thought might be. How should we respond to those tests? The life of David provides a perfect example for us to follow. He was always quick to confess his sins and submit to God.

Of course, emulating David is easier said than done! But let us strive to match his humility and Godly spirit.

What are we working for?

It's easy to become so wrapped up in our daily work, that we forget about God. But that's a big mistake! Psalm 127:1-2 (NLT) says,

Unless the Lord builds a house,
    the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
    guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
    from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
    for God gives rest to his loved ones.

That same theme appears in the book of Ecclesiastes. The message is this: Even our most focused, diligent efforts cannot overcome God's will. As Proverbs 16:33 (NLT) states,

We may throw the dice,
    but the Lord determines how they fall.

So whatever it is we do day-to-day, we should do it for God's will.

God's light, by which we see

The sun and moon allow us to see physical things by day and night. But what is our source of light that allows us to see spiritual things? Psalm 36:9 (NLT) makes clear that the answer is God,

For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.

God's spirit serves as our light to spiritual matters, both in good and bad times. That spiritual light is infinitely brighter than the physical light provided by the sun and moon, but we must open our eyes to see that spiritual light. Unfortunately, we all too often close our senses to spiritual matters.

Today, let us open our eyes to see God's spiritual light. We can do so by praying without ceasing!

Failing to recognize God

(Note: For the second straight post, I am drawing inspiration from "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon.)

Luke 24 records the famous "Walk to Emmaus" in which, following Jesus' resurrection, Jesus joins two of his followers on a seven mile walk to Emmaus. However, his followers do not recognize him! As recorded in Luke 24:16 (NLT),

But God kept them from recognizing him.

The wording notes that God was responsible for their lack of recognition. But even so, their lack of immediate recognition seems hard to fathom. After all, they knew Jesus!

But on the other hand, doesn't this exactly describe our own lives? God tries numerous methods to grab our attention, but we often close our eyes and ears to spiritual matters, and instead we focus on tangible, earthly pursuits.

Today, let us pray for spiritual awareness, so that we can respond to God's call.

Paul's "faithful sayings"

(Note: Material in this post draws inspiration from material in "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon.)

In Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus, he provides four "faithful sayings," which, when put together, provide excellent concepts upon which to meditate in prayer. Here are those four sayings, all from the KJV.

1 Tim 1:15

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

1 Tim 4:9

Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

2 Tim 2:12

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.

Titus 3:8

They which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.

Those sayings summarize what we are to believe, and how we are to behave. Today, let us find a quiet place and spend several minutes of reflection upon those "faithful sayings."

Washing our feet

In John 15:3 (KJV), Jesus declares

Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

What a powerful statement! He has cleansed us of our sins.

But, even after being cleansed, our human nature means that we continue sinning. Do we remain clean despite our continual sinning?

In John 13, Jesus says the answer is "yes" (John 13:10, NLT),

A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.

In our daily walk through life, we sin, which accumulates sinful "dirt" on our "feet." Therefore, we need to "wash our feet" (that is, repent and humble ourselves before God) every day. (And if you think you haven't sinned today, think harder!)

But our constant need to wash our feet does not mean we need to be re-saved every day. Jesus is telling us that we need to continually cleanse ourselves of the daily sins that are a routine, albeit unfortunately, part of life. And that continual cleansing can happen by praying without ceasing!

Strength in God

1 Samuel 30 finds David in dire straights. After a humiliating military defeat, his troops were on the verge of mutiny (1 Samuel 30:6, NLT),

David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter ... and they began to talk of stoning him.

Facing the possibility of death, how did David respond? In the second part of verse 6 (NLT),

But David found strength in the Lord his God.

I'm always amazed that, when faced with grim circumstances, David manages, despite his imperfections, to find the appropriate spiritual response.

David's entire life serves as an example for us. In our prayers, let us try to emulate his spirit.

God's absence: our greatest fear

What should we most fear? Many people would answer "death" or "disease," because certainly we fear harm to our physical bodies. But Jesus tells us not to fear those. In John 11:26 (NLT), he says,

Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.

Again, in Luke 12:4 (NLT), he says,

Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that.

Rather, our biggest fear should be an absence of God's presence in our lives. In Psalm 104:28-29 (NLT),

When you supply it, they gather it.
    You open your hand to feed them,
    and they are richly satisfied.
But if you turn away from them, they panic.
    When you take away their breath,
    they die and turn again to dust.

Sin causes us to remove ourselves from God. David understood this. Following his sin with Bathsheba, David pleaded to God (Psalm 51:11, NLT),

Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Thankfully, God is more faithful toward us than we are toward him. If we pray for God to fill us with his spirit, he certainly will!

Receiving from heaven

In John 3:27 (KJV), John the Baptist, responding to a line of inquiry from his followers, says

A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Quite a humbling thought. It reminds me of the line from Hannah's Prayer (1 Samuel 2:9, KJV),

By strength shall no man prevail.

The point is this: We cannot rely on our own physical strength or intellectual cleverness. Instead, we are to rely on God, and God alone.

Repent, and then what?

1 Samuel tells of the Israelites asking for a king, similar to the government structures of the surrounding nations. That request displeased God for two reasons. First, it showed the Israelites trying to emulate the practices of their neighbors. Second, in showed the Israelites trusting their security to something other than God. Nonetheless, God relents and names Saul as Israel's first king.

Samuel, Israel's spiritual leader at the time, chastises Israel for its sinful request. The Israelites, to their credit, repent (1 Samuel 12:19, NLT),

“Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die!” they all said to Samuel. “For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king.”

Whenever we conform to the sinful ways of this world, or whenever we place our trust in something other than God, we likewise are to repent.

But then what?

Samuel responds (1 Samuel 12:20-21, NLT),

Don’t be afraid. You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless!

It does no good to repent, and then continue sinning. We must repent, and then change our ways.

Godly Thoughts

In John 4:24 (NLT), Jesus explains,

God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

As a spirit, God courses through our physical world. Sometimes, he reveals himself to us via our natural senses, which explains why some people report seeing visions of Jesus or angels. But more often, God, as a spirit, speaks to us in the spiritual realm. It's our responsibility to extract ourselves from physical concerns and connect with that spiritual existence.

And herein lies the major problem with sin. Yes, sin imparts worldly pain on ourselves and others. But the much bigger problem with sin is that sin injects static into our spiritual harmony with God. That's why, after sinning, reconnecting with God seems so difficult.

Most sins begin with ungodly thoughts. Today, let us work to avoid sinful, earthly thoughts by praying this passage (Psalm 103:34, NLT),

May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.

Ruth: An Example to Follow

The short book of Ruth focuses on a Moabite woman who faces dire circumstances after losing her husband, so she decides to accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi, to the foreign land of Israel. Naomi warns that Israel might not offer improved circumstances, and, therefore, Naomi suggests that Ruth should remain in Moab.

Ruth responds (Ruth 1:16, NLT),

Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Facing near-certain poverty in an unknown land, that is a response of faith! Let us emulate Ruth's attitude. God doesn't ask much of us. He wants us to follow him, put our trust in him, and, ultimately, leave the consequences of life to him.

As it turns out, Ruth's circumstances did improve in Israel. Today, we know her as the great-grandmother of King David!

Too Wonderful to Understand

In Judges 13, God's angel announces to Manoah and his wife that they will give birth to Samson. Manoah asks the angel (verse 17, NLT),

What is your name?

The angel answers (verse 18, NLT),

Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful for you to understand.

Different translations phrase that verse in various ways. Here are a few alternate renderings:

NIV: Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.
ESV: Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?
KJV: Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
NET: You should not ask me my name, because you cannot comprehend it.

The notes to the NET Bible explain that the original Hebrew adjective denotes something in a category of its own, something beyond full human comprehension. The NET Bible also notes that the same word appears in Psalm 139:6 (NLT),

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

So the point is, although we can ponder God's design, because we are limited in our human form, we can't completely grasp it. Indeed, it is too wonderful for us to know! Even the names of angels, evidently, are beyond our grasp.

These passages highlight the need for humble submission before God. Let us make that the theme of our prayers today.

God Rejoices Over Us

Psalm 100:2 (NLT) says,

Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing with joy.

That is, not only should we praise God, but we must do so with "joy." That theme is repeated throughout the Bible.

But that "joy" flows both ways! Several days ago, a stranger saw me holding a Bible, and he told me to check out Zephaniah 3:17. (Evidently, this is a famous passage, but I wasn't aware of it.) Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) reads,

For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

So God rejoices over us! But why? In the grand scheme of this universe, we are lowly and insignificant. It's a testament to God's love that he views us as something special.

I wish I could find that stranger who pointed me to that passage in Zephaniah, so that I could thank him. I'm convinced that God used that person to point me to a passage I needed to see.

Follow Thou Me

John 21 finds Jesus issuing a great piece of spiritual advice to Peter. To set the scene, Jesus has just offered a hint to Peter about how Peter will die. Peter, understandably rattled, asks Jesus to give John the same treatment.

Instead, Jesus evades Peter's request for information about John's death by saying (John 21:22, KJV),

...what is that to thee? follow thou me.

What great advice for all of us! It's easy to become distracted by complexities of this world. But spiritual living need not be complicated. Simply, we must obey him when he says, "follow thou me."

Maintaining Spiritual Focus

Luke 10:38-42 finds Jesus visiting two sisters, Mary and Martha. During the visit, Martha works hard preparing a big meal, while Mary just sits listening to Jesus. Naturally, this irritates Martha, who complains to Jesus (verse 40, NLT),

Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.

Jesus responds (verses 41 and 42, NLT),

My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Do we sometimes become distracted by the busy events of daily life? Do we spend our days working, cooking, cleaning, etc., only to arrive at the end of the day, and realize we never even took time to pray?

Jesus is saying that, whatever happens in our lives, we must maintain spiritual focus. We must pray without ceasing!

Pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Different Bible translations adopt various approaches in interpreting Psalm 84. I believe the NLT, from which I cite in this post, makes the message of the psalm clearest.

Verse 5 says,

What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
    who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Does this mean we physically must visit Jerusalem? Revelation speaks of heaven as a sort of "New Jerusalem," so this verse probably refers to the pilgrimage of life, and its end goal of ascension to heaven.

So what rewards await those who embark upon such a pilgrimage? Verses 6 and 7 say,

When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
    it will become a place of refreshing springs.
    The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
 They will continue to grow stronger,
    and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

These verses provide us excellent focus as we navigate through life. Let us not become distracted by the ways of this world. Rather, let us recall that we are sojourners, maintaining a focus on heavenly matters.

Eliphaz Offers Job Some Advice

I, like many others before me, remain fascinated by the book of Job, and I continue to be drawn to its main message (or my interpretation of its message!).

In this post, let's turn to chapter 5, which finds one of Job's friends, Eliphaz, issuing advice. Now, all of Job's friends, at various parts of the book, make some good points and some questionable points. Indeed, that's one of the defining features of the book.

But chapter 5 finds Eliphaz offering some truly beautiful advice. In verse 8 (KJV),

I would seek unto God,
and unto God would I commit my cause.

That is, whatever pains, anxieties, worries, sorrows, and even joys we experience, we should seek God and commit our efforts to him.

Then, in verses 18-19 (KJV), Eliphaz acknowledges God's infinite power both to afflict and to heal,

he maketh sore, and bindeth up:
he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
He shall deliver thee in six troubles:
yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

Read the entire chapter 5, but focus on verse 8 and the stuff that follows. That material makes for a very nice prayer!

Nebuchadnezzar's Conversion

Paul's conversion stands as one of the Bible's (and history's) defining moments. But Nebuchadnezzar's conversion is another remarkable moment.

Nebuchadnezzar was the Babylonian king during the early years of Israel's captivity in Babylon. The early chapters of Daniel record several of Nebuchadnezzar's interactions with the exiled Israelites, but his full-blown conversion comes in Daniel 4.

Ignoring a warning to stop sinning, Nebuchadnezzar walks on the roof of his palace, gazing out across his kingdom. He says (verse 30, NLT),

Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.

How many times have we been guilty of this exact same sin! We attribute our successes to our own cleverness, while forgetting about God. As punishment, Nebuchadnezzar is afflicted with some kind of mental illness.

But to his enduring credit, he recognizes that punishment for what it is, and he reforms his ways. Verses 34 and 35 (NLT) record his conversion,

After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,
    and his kingdom is eternal.

All the people of the earth
    are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
    among the angels of heaven
    and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
    ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

And just like that, a person who seemed like an instrument of evil becomes a believer! Let us learn from Nebuchadnezzar's example.

What Does God Want from Us Today?

I've been working through Deuteronomy, a book that lacks exciting narratives, but contains immensely important life advise.

Upon waking up in the morning, we might ask ourselves: What does God want from us today? What can we do to please God? How do we conform to his will?

Deuteronomy 10:12,16 (NLT) contains the answer,

What does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul ... Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

A similar message appears in the final chapter of Ecclesiastes. Note that God's demands are not complicated or onerous. Nor should we view them as optional! Today in our prayers, let us reflect upon the message in Deuteronomy 10:12,16.

Sins of Omission

In confessing our sins to God, we tend to list things we've done wrong, or commandments we've violated. But it's harder to list the right things we should have done.

In this post, let's turn to Deuteronomy 22:1-4 (NLT), and let's take this one verse at a time. In verse 1,

If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner.

Hmm. But what if the owner lives far away? Or what if we don't even know the owner? In verse 2,

If its owner does not live nearby or you don’t know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it.

OK. But does this apply only to farm animals? In verse 3,

Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility.

OK. So these commandments just deal with lost items, right? In verse 4,

If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or ox has collapsed on the road, do not look the other way. Go and help your neighbor get it back on its feet!

By this point, the message is clear. We must help others, regardless of who those others might be, and regardless of what the circumstances might be. Not helping others is a sin.

If we add those "sins of omission" to our other transgressions, the list grows infinitely (and depressingly) long. It becomes clear that we cannot ever become righteous in God's eyes through our own works. Instead, our only hope is to appeal to God's infinite forgiveness.

Tested and Refined

The Bible makes it clear that God tests our love by putting us through various trials. God, speaking through Isaiah, says (Isaiah 48:10, NLT),

I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.

That uncomfortable verse invites an uncomfortable question: Why does God do this to us? Certainly it's not because he needs validation of our commitment to him. After all, in his omnipotence, he already knows the outcomes of those trials.

Rather, the purpose of those trials is that we learn where we stand in our commitment to him. Those trials are learning lessons, albeit painful ones, for us.

But not all of those tests are painful. Sometimes God seduces us with worldly treasures and pleasures to test whether we'll stray from his path. In Deuteronomy 13:1-3 (NLT), God, speaking through Moses, says,

Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.

So some of those "tests" might involve paths that seem cool, powerful, or otherwise attractive in some earthly sense. But those paths run counter to God's will, which means we must avoid them. Those paths are different types of tests.

Just remember, those tests provide learning lessons for our own good!

Assurance of God's Promise

In Isaiah 45:19 (KJV), God, speaking through Isaiah, says,

I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth:
I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.

During those inevitable times when our faith wavers, let us turn to this verse to be reminded of God's promise. He does not say, "Seek me in vain." Rather, he says (Jeremiah 29:13, KJV),

Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

But does this promise apply only to the "seed of Jacob" (meaning Israelites). As it turns out, we're all the "seed of Jacob," whether related by blood or not! Paul writes (Ephesians 3:5-6, ESV),

The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

So the message is this: It doesn't matter where you come from, or who you're related to. God's message in Isaiah 45:19 applies to you!

Don't Conform to this World

We must follow God's commandments regardless of what others around us are doing. That is, "everyone else does it" is not an excuse in God's eyes. We must view ourselves as sojourners -- we live in this world, but we belong to God.

As the Israelites left Egypt and entered into the promised land, God was well aware of the temptation to conform to behaviors of the world. He issued this note of caution (Numbers 33:55, NLT),

If you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live.

Now, that does not mean that we, as sojourners, should create trouble for others. As Peter states (1 Peter 2:13-17, NLT),

Submit to all human authority ... don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil ... Respect everyone ... Fear God, and respect the king.

So the lesson is clear. We must strive to obey God's commandments, while also humbling ourselves before God and man.

Advice from Ezekiel 18

The Bible can seem complicated and dense, but in certain passages, God distills his main message into a few simple sentences. For example, I posted previously about simple advice from Isaiah 33.

This post turns to Ezekiel 18. For context, the Israelites have just been deported to Babylon, as a punishment for their continual sinning. God, speaking through Ezekiel, has spent several chapters chastising the people for their unfaithfulness. Those chapters make for some unpleasant reading!

We then arrive at chapter 18, verses 30-32 (NLT), where God offers the people a straightforward path away from their troubles,

Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit ... Turn back and live!

This advice applies to all of us. Are our sins crushing our spirit? If so, repent, turn back to God, and live!

Another Simple Morning Prayer

Saying a quick prayer first thing in the morning can set our day on the correct spiritual path.

In this post, I'd like to turn to Psalm 59:16-17. (I really like the KJV rendering of those two verses.)

I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

By reciting these verses, we praise God for his (1) power, (2) mercy, and (3) protection. Simply put, God didn't have to allow us to wake up this morning. That fact that he did should be viewed as a merciful gift, and we must praise him accordingly.

Hannah's Prayer

I enjoy parts of the Bible that provide self-contained prayers, such as this one from David.

Another famous one, known as Hannah's Prayer, appears in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. If you feel that your prayers have recently become stale, turn to Hannah's Prayer, and let that form the basis of your prayer to God.

The prayer emphasizes God's supreme power to accomplish his will. I won't copy-and-paste the full prayer, but here are some highlights from the NLT translations.

My heart rejoices in the Lord!
    The Lord has made me strong.
...
 No one is holy like the Lord!
    There is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.
...
The Lord gives both death and life;
    he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
    he brings some down and lifts others up.
...
No one will succeed by strength alone.
    Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
...
He gives power to his king;
    he increases the strength of his anointed one.

What to Boast About

We should not boast about ourselves or our accomplishments, because all of that stuff is transitory. Psalm 49:20 (NLT) states,

People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
    they will die, just like animals.

Indeed, when we stand before God, our earthly possessions and accomplishments cannot save us. Psalm 49:7 (NLT) states,

...they cannot redeem themselves from death
    by paying a ransom to God.

If we are to engage in any boasting, God, speaking through Jeremiah, explains that it should be about spiritual matters (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLT),

Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
    or the powerful boast in their power,
    or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
    should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord
    who demonstrates unfailing love
    and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.

So the only thing we should take pride in is our belonging to God! Let us reflect upon that message in our prayers today.

Being Content with God's Gifts

During the Israelites' journey from Egypt to Canaan, God provides the people manna (a bread-like substance). But turning to Numbers 11:5-6 (NLT), the people begin to grumble,

We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt ... But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!

God responds (Numbers 11:18,20, NLT),

Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it ... You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord.

Despite that God was already providing their nutritional needs, the people wanted more. Naturally, this attitude angers God.

We're all guilty of this sin. We fail to recognize our blessings, and we desire more, sometimes even to the point of coveting.

Today, let us remember the Words of Paul (Philippians 4:11-12, NLT),

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.

A Simple Prayer from Exodus 33

I enjoy passages of the Bible that provide simple prayers with timeless relevance.

In this post, I'd like to turn to Exodus 33, a time during which the Israelites were roaming the wilderness. Moses, the Israelites' leader, was apprehensive about his mission, and he appealed to God with the following prayer (Exodus 33:13, NLT),

If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor.

That prayer is simple, beautiful, and timeless. At some point today, find a quiet place, and recite that prayer to God. Perhaps you'll receive the same response from God that Moses received (Exodus 33:17, NLT),

I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.

God's Cure for Unexplained Sadness

Do you ever feel discouraged, anxious, or sad? And furthermore, are the reasons for those feelings sometimes difficult to pinpoint?

Psalm 42:11 (NLT) provides a quick recipe for escaping those feelings.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!

The word "again" in the fourth line hints that our anxiety is, in part, due to the fact that we have drifted away from praying without ceasing. So next time those feelings of discouragement set in, find a quiet place, recite Psalm 42:11, and reflect upon its meaning. God wants us to rejoice in his spirit!

"A Method for Prayer" by Matthew Henry

I posted previously about "Morning and Evening," a wonderful prayer devotional by Charles Spurgeon.

In this post, I'd like to point the reader to another useful book on prayer entitled "A Method for Prayer" by 17th/18th century British minister Matthew Henry. The book essentially provides a Bible-based outline for how to pray. Henry's goal is to teach us to "pray the Bible." The neatest thing about the book is its extensive compilation of Bible verses for each "section" of prayer.

Many people have attempted to modernize the language of the book, as well as to use modern Biblical translations for the scriptural references. Here is a useful website, including free downloads of ebook versions.

I have really enjoyed this prayer book. Try it today!

Responding to God's Call

The last few chapters of Isaiah make for an intense read! I've previously posted about the final chapter here.

In this post, I'd like to turn to verse 1 of the second-to-last chapter (Isaiah 65:1, ESV),

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
    I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
    to a nation that was not called by my name.

Isaiah often touches upon this theme: God calls us, but it is our responsibility to respond. We sometimes fail to recognize his calling, because, as Jesus says in Mark 8:18 (NLT),

You have eyes--can't you see? You have ears--can't you hear? 

That is, we need eyes and ears tuned to spiritual, rather than earthly, matters. In our prayers, let us ask God for those eyes and ears. As written in Proverbs 20:12 (NLT),

Ears to hear and eyes to see--both are gifts from the LORD.

A Simple Morning Prayer from Deuteronomy 26

In the morning, many of us are groggy, grabbing for coffee, and rushing to get our day started. But before doing anything else, saying a quick prayer can set our day on a proper spiritual course.

Deuteronomy 26:17 provides a great template for a quick morning prayer. (I switched second to first person, and I changed the tense of the first verb, but, otherwise, I copied this verse from the ESV.)

I declare today that the Lord is my God, and that I will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.

I previously have posted that memorizing a Bible verse can be a great way to jump start prayer. Well, Deuteronomy 26:17 is an easy-to-memorize verse, and a great way to start the day!

"Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon

I recently discovered this excellent prayer book, written by Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th century English preacher. The book consists of two Bible verses per day, one for morning and one for evening, with each verse followed by a short reflection.

Given its age, and that its Bible verse comes from the King James Version, the book is in the public domain, at least in the U.S. Therefore, there are free digital versions all over the place. Here is a free iPhone app, and here is a downloadable pdf copy, and here is a website that links to each reading.

I really enjoy Spurgeon's insights, and this book is an excellent way to jump-start one's prayer life.

How Much Should We Focus on Politics?

(Note: Some parts of this post draw inspiration from a recent sermon by Jack Graham.)

As the first commandment states (Exodus 20:3, NLT)

You must not have any other god but me.

So if we focus our attention and passion on politics more than on God, then that's a problem.

But assuming we haven't gone that far, how much attention should we focus on politics? This is a difficult question, especially when politicians and courts pass laws or issue judgements that appear to have moral and/or spiritual implications.

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks his disciples (verse 13, NLT),

Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

His disciples respond by repeating some of the theories floating around about Jesus: that he is John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.

But then Jesus changes the subject. He asks (verse 15, NLT),

But who do you say I am?

I think the point of this passage is that, it is easy to get sucked into political debates, especially when those debates bleed into matters of faith. But the much more important concern is how we, as individuals, view matters of faith.

To Peter's credit, he gives the only answer that matters (verse 16, NLT),

You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

That's not to say that political issues aren't important. Certainly, peoples' lives are affected by what politicians do. But, in our prayers, let us first emulate Peter's focus before moving on to other matters.

Important Passages from Psalm 24

Psalm 23 is the most famous psalm, and justifiably so. Yet, I find myself particularly drawn to Psalm 24. (And I especially enjoy Psalm 24 in the King James Version, even though that's not usually my translation of choice!)

First, I like the first verse (KJV).

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

This verse emphasizes that we came into this world with nothing, and we'll leave with nothing. Therefore, everything we see, feel, and possess belongs to God. We merely borrow those things while we're here.

Second, I like verses 3 and 4 (KJV).

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

What does it take to reside in God's kingdom? We must avoiding sin (that is, keep "clean hands"), and we must maintain a Godly heart. Further, we must lift our souls to God, and not to earthly "vanities." And we must not use our own words in any unholy manner (that is, not "swear deceitfully").

The problem is, we have all violated that ideal placed forth in verses 3 and 4. Every one of us. So our only hope is God's mercy. During our prayers today, let us focus on the deep messages present in Psalm 24.

Prayer of Salvation: Isaiah 12

Many parts of the Bible present short, easy-to-memorize prayers. In this post, I'd like to turn to Isaiah 12. The preceding chapter, Chapter 11, contains an important Messianic prophesy. Following that phophesy, Chapter 12 presents a beautiful prayer. Here are verses 1 and 2 from that prayer (ESV),

I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
    for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
    that you might comfort me.

Behold, God is my salvation;
    I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation.

That's a short, easy-to-memorize prayer, and it applies to anyone who accepts God's salvation.

God's Guidance, in Light and Darkness

Exodus 13 finds the Israelites departing from Egypt. God leads the people on a roundabout path, in order to avoid Philistine territory. How do they know the correct path? Exodus 13:21 (NLT) reads,

The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.

This passage reflects how God, through his Holy Spirit, guides us, both in good times and in bad. Our responsibility is to pay attention. Let us recognize his "pillar of cloud" during good times and his "pillar of fire" during bad times. In order to recognize that guidance, we need ears and eyes that are tuned to spiritual frequencies. As written in Proverbs 20:12 (NLT),

Ears to hear and eyes to see—
    both are gifts from the Lord.

Making Sense of the Trinity

The Trinity is one of the most difficult concepts in faith. In this post, I try to make sense of it. But be warned: I am not a professional theologian!

First off, as Paul points out, as early as Genesis, God, when talking to himself, speaks in the plural. For example, after Adam and Eve eat fruit from the tree of life, God says (Genesis 3:22, ESV),

Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil.

So there's an early hint that God consists of multiple "elements," for lack of a better term. More importantly, we need all three of those elements for our own salvation.

First, we need the Father to extend to us his infinite mercy, because we are infinitely sinful. Without him grabbing our attention and extending to us his mercy, there is no salvation. (This topic steps into the area of unconditional election, which I know is a subject of debate among different denominations. I will leave that debate to trained theologians, but I'll add that, to me, it really doesn't matter. The main point is that we need God for salvation.)
Second, we need the atoning death of the Son. Without that atoning death, we are bound by the Old Testament law. As written in Deuteronomy 27:26 (ESV),

Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.

Therefore, if we break any part of the law, we are cursed. But we all break the law! So how do we avoid this curse? As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV),

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

That is, Jesus served our sentence for us, freeing us from the law, and entering us into a covenant of grace.

Third, we need the Spirit, because even after receiving salvation, we are still drawn to sin. We need the Spirit to give us new life, and guide us in proper paths.

That's my (admittedly amateurish) understanding of the trinity. If our prayers, let us acknowledge and be thankful for all three elements.

Sermon Podcasts

I recently discovered the website SermonAudio.com, which collects thousands and thousands of recorded sermons available for free download. The sermons are searchable by speaker, topic, or Bible passage. Even better, the same website has a smartphone app with all kinds of neat features. In particular, the smartphone apps allow playback at 1.5x and 2x speeds, which means you can listen to a 40 minute sermon in 20 minutes!

At this time, I don't have much advice on which speakers to listen to, because I'm still becoming familiar with the website. (I've enjoyed John MacArthur for some time. I've also been listening to the classic teachings of C. H. Spurgeon. And I even found sermons from a pastor at a church around the corner from my house!)

The point is, we have a nearly limitless collection of sermons available to us!

Focus on Heavenly Matters

In 2 Chronicles 25, King Amaziah of Judah is assembling his army. In doing so, he pays a large sum of silver to hire 100,000 soldiers from neighboring Israel.

But at this time, God is angry with Israel for turning from him. So a prophet tells Amaziah (verses 7-8, NLT),

Do not hire troops from Israel, for the Lord is not with Israel. ... If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.

Upon hearing that warning, Amaziah should have trusted God. Instead, Amaziah is worried about the silver! (verse 9, NLT),

Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?”

Amaziah clear is focused more on earthly matters than he is on heavenly matters. The prophet then answers (verse 9, NLT),

The Lord is able to give you much more than this!

The lesson: God's power is infinitely greater than silver, fame, human praise, or any other earthly pursuit. In our prayers, let us turn our focus to heavenly matters, and place our trust in his salvation.

What Does Being "Saved" Mean?

People of faith often talk of being saved. What exactly does that mean? I've posted on this topic previously. But returning to this topic, I am reminded of a sermon I once heard by John MacArthur. In that sermon, he said that Ezekiel 36 provides the perfect description of what it means to be saved.

Specifically, turning to chapter 36, verses 25-27 (NLT),

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

That's what happens when we turn our lives over to God.  Today in our prayers, let us ask God to give us that salvation.

God's Infinite Mercy

I recently read The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. First off, the book is not a swashbuckling adventure in the mold of The Da Vinci Code. Rather, the book is a series of dialogues that explore possible links between Isaiah 9:10, the 2001 terrorist attacks, and the global economic meltdown of 2008. The book has generated some controversy, so I won't wade into those discussions here.

Nonetheless, I was completely struck by a conversation that began on page 226. Without giving away important parts of the plot, that conversation notes that, as humans, we tend to grade our own righteousness according to our own self-created standards. But we should be comparing ourselves to God's standards!

The books asks us to consider the most evil person ever born (whoever that might be). How much distance, measured in righteousness, separates us from that person? Maybe a lot, but that distance is finite. Now consider the distance, measured in righteousness, between God and us. That distance is infinite! That means that, from God's perspective, we are worse than the most evil person even born, when viewed from our perspective.

How do we overcome such an infinite gap in righteousness? As Jesus says in Matthew 19:26 (NLT),

Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.

God's mercy is infinite! All we can do is humble ourselves before him, and accept his infinite love.

Anyway, that material in the Harbinger is already in the Bible. But it struck me nonetheless.

David's Prayer in 1 Chronicles 29

I've posted previously about 1 Chronicles 29. In this post, I turn to that chapter again.

Of course, the Bible contains many of David's prayers in the Psalms. What continues to amaze me is David's spiritual understanding, which is many levels deeper than mine! 1 Chronicles 29 contains one of my favorite prayers by David.

To set the scene, the Israelites are preparing to build a temple of worship, and they have collected all of the necessary building materials. David then issues the following prayer, which appears in 1 Chronicles 29:10-20. I won't copy the whole prayer. (Here is the entire prayer.) Rather, here are a few highlights from the NLT translation.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.

What a prayer! David displays such humility, reverence, and perspective. Today, let us try to emulate David's example.

Avoiding the Backslide

I posted previously about reacting to God's discipline. Now, suppose that we react appropriately, and God removes (or lessens) our affliction. What next?

Unfortunately, when God sends us blessings and good fortune, it's easy to become comfortable and fall into spiritual complacency. Turning to 2 Chronicles 12, God has established Rehoboam as king of Judah. Then, in verse 1 (NLT),

When Rehoboam was firmly established and strong, he abandoned the Law of the Lord, and all Israel followed him in this sin.

The subsequent verses describe how, after this backsliding into sin, God inflicted punishment upon the nation.

The New Testament speaks even more directly about the dangers of backsliding into sin. Turning to 2 Peter 2:21-22 (NLT),

It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

Similarly, in John 5:14 (NLT), Jesus, after running into someone he had previously healed, says,

Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.

And, again, in Luke 11:24-26 (NLT), Jesus says,

When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.

The message is clear. When we are fortunate enough to have our affliction lifted (or lessened), we must fill our spirits with God. Do not return to a sinful lifestyle.

Bible Reading Plans

The Bible is not structured like a novel, so trying to read it in a spiritually meaningful way can be daunting, especially for newcomers.

One approach is to read the whole thing over the course of a year, a process that, somewhat surprisingly, only requires about 10-15 minutes per day. But to get the most out of that process, it's helpful to have a daily reading plan. Some Bibles, such as this one, are specifically designed for daily reading.

But you don't need to purchase a specially-designed daily Bible. All you need is a reading plan! The popular One Year Bible website offers two different options: (1) a daily plan (pdf link) which blends passages from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs; and (2) a chronological plan (pdf link), in which the daily readings are arranged in the (approximate) chronological order in which they occurred.

The website offers options for online reading, or you can print those pdf files, tuck them in your Bible, and use them as guidance. (And, of course, there's no reason to wait for January 1 to begin!)

Whatever route you take, an organized voyage through the Bible can be spiritually fulfilling!

John 14

John 14 contains a huge amount of important spiritual content. Here are a few highlights, taken from the NLT translation.

14:1-2,

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

Jesus tells us that the heavenly life is waiting for us. We don't deserve that gift. Instead, we must place our trust in him and accept that gift.

14:6,

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Jesus tells us that he, and he along, is the path to eternal salvation.

14:9-11,

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! ... The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

Jesus tells us that there is little, if any, separation between him and God. We should view them as one in the same.

14:20,

When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

The message is that, as believers, we live in communion with God. God is spirit, and, as believers, we join in that spirit.

I encourage everyone to read the whole chapter. Reflect and pray upon its deep meanings.