What's in a name?

Acts 4

Yesterday we talked about what it is that we have that we might give to someone else. As believers, we possess the same thing that Peter did -- the name of Jesus -- and all the power associated with it.

As a result of the healing of the lame man in chapter three, 5,000 men come to faith in Jesus Christ. They are set free from their sins. But Peter and John end up in jail, confined by the religious leaders for their role in this "disturbance." In this we see Luke continue his emphasis on the theme of the name of Jesus.

When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire,“By what power, or in what name, have you done this?" - Vs 7

Peter responds: "By the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene -- by this name this man stands before you in good health." - Vs 10

Then he adds: "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." - Vs 12

The religious leaders are speechless. They don't know how to respond, so they decided "let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name" - Vs 17. And "they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus" - Vs 18.

After being warned and released, Peter and John return to the other disciples and share what has happened. They end up praising God and praying, "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus" - Vs 29-30.

The name of Jesus. To speak the name of Jesus in that day was risky business. Especially in the days and weeks immediately after His crucifixion. Because the religious leaders wanted Him dead and gone. But the disciples were proclaiming to be alive and well. To talk about His name was to talk about His resurrection and His power. To talk about His name was to proclaim that He was Who He said He was: The Messiah, the anointed One, the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

To proclaim the name of Jesus took guts back then. But has anything really changed? It takes real guts to speak His name today. No, it's not difficult to talk about Jesus. A lot of people do that. They talk about Jesus the teacher, Jesus the prophet, Jesus the doer of good deeds. But that's not the Jesus Peter and John were proclaming. No, if we proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior, and the one and only way to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation, we will catch some heat. If we proclaim that Jesus' name is synonomous with life-transforming power, then we will face rejecting and ridicule, just as Peter and John did.

So if we speak the name of Jesus like Peter and John did, we will face persecution. We will encounter problems. So what should we do? We should pray for confidence and boldness just like they did. They didn't attempt to pray their problem away. They didn't ask God to remove the persecution, to get rid of their enemies. They prayed, "take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence" - Vs 29.

They knew that power was associated with the name of Jesus. They knew that lives would be changed through the name of Jesus. They knew that trouble would come as a result of speaking the name of Jesus. But they also knew it was worth it. So they asked for boldness to speak His name in the midst of the threats. And God answered their prayer. He still wants to answer that prayer today. Are you and I ready to pray it?

Father, give me the boldness and confidence to speak the name of Jesus Christ. To tell of His resurrection and the power it brings to deliver men and women from slavery to sin and the penalty of death. There is no other name worth talking about. There is no other name under heaven that is worthy of mentioning. So give me the guts to talk about it to everyone I meet. Amen.

What Do You Have To Give?

Acts 3

But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk! - Vs 6

"But what I do have I give to you."

What do you have to give today? What is in your possession that the world around you desperately needs? Do you have anything worth having, anything that could truly transform another person's life?

Peter did. When he and John arrived at the entrance to the Temple courtyard that day to pray, they encountered a familiar sight: A lame man begging for alms. This guy was a regular fixture at the Gate Beautiful. He had picked out this spot a long time ago and made it a habit to be there every day at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer, to take advantage of all the pious people making their way into the Temple courtyard to pray. It was a good spot for someone looking for a handout, or this man wouldn't have been there. Religious people are always giving people. It's what we do. We may not give a lot, but we do give. And this man knew that to be the case.

So when he saw Peter and John, he simply saw two more potential "givers." But he was about to get more than he ever expected. According to verse 5, he was "expecting to receive something from them." But the first words out of Peter's mouth probably disappointed him: "I do not possess silver and gold" Peter knew what he wanted. He knew that this guy had money on his mind. That was all he had come to expect. Even though money could do nothing to change his circumstances. At the end of the day, he would go home just the way he came: "Lame from his mother's womb."

But Peter's response to the man had a second part: "But what I have I give to you." This is the part that hit me between the eyes this morning. In essence, Peter was saying, "I don't have what you want (silver and gold), but I do have what you NEED."

So what did Peter possess? Well, if we're not careful, we'll just jump to the conclusion that Peter had the power to heal, because that's exactly what he did. He grabbed the guy's hand, lifted him up, and told him to walk. But Peter tells us exactly what it was that he had that he given to this man. You find it in verses 12 and 16:

A power greater than himself - Peter tells the astonished onlookers, "Why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power we had made him walk?"

Peter knew he was nothing more than a conduit, a pipeline, of God's power. He was a resource that God was using to touch and transform lives.

The name of Jesus - Peter goes on to reveal that it was Jesus' name "which has strengthened this man." That's where the power and the authority comes from. Look at verse 6 again. Peter said, "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene -- walk!" We tend to focus on the faith it took for Peter to say the last word, "Walk." But Peter's real act of faith was recognizing that the very name of Jesus had power attached to it. And as Jesus' representative, Peter knew he had the authority to use that name to transform the lives of those around him.

And faith in that name - It was not the lame man's faith that healed him, but Peter's faith in the name of Jesus. Peter is the one who said, "Walk!" Peter is the one who grabbed the man's hand and raised him up. Peter is the one who knew that he possessed something that would change this man's life forever.

So what do you possess today? What do you have today that could change the life of those in need around you? They're out there. Needy people waiting at the gate for someone to give them what they think they need. But as Christ followers, we possess what they really need. The life-changing, transforming power of the name of Jesus Christ. You see, people don't need another handout, they need to hear about Jesus. People don't need our sympathy, they need to hear about Jesus. People don't need to be ignored, they need for us to step out by faith and speak the life-changing name of Jesus Christ into their lives.

So let's give the greatest gift we could ever give another human being. The gift of the name of Jesus. Let's share Him with someone today. His name has the power to change, heal, and transform. But do we believe it?

Father, help me believe in Your Son's name. Not just for salvation, but so that I might speak the name of Jesus into the lives of all those with whom I come into contact. Help me trust in the power of your name to transform lives. Help me remember that this isn't about my power and piety, it's about the name of Jesus. The name above every other name. Amen.

God’s Mighty Deeds.

Acts 2

Speaking of the mighty deeds of God. - Vs 11

I think it's interesting that when most of us read this passage we get hung up on the theatrics: The noise of the rushing wind, tongues of fire, speaking in tongues, wonders and signs.

It's a case of form versus function. And that has always been a problem for us as Christians. We read a passage like this and the temptation is to try and replicate the methodology used to get the results they received. But we risk leaving out some key ingredients. We stress the how and lose sight of the what.

In the midst of all the excitement, what was really going on? The disciples, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, were "speaking of the mighty deeds of God" (vs 11). Sure, they did it in a pretty spectacular manner - in a wide variety of languages that none of them naturally knew how to speak. But it was NOT the tongues that brought about the conversions that day, it was the disciples proclaiming the incredible deeds that God had done. Peter summarized what those deeds were in his address to the people.

1. God delivered Jesus up to die as part of His predetermined plan
2. God raised up Jesus from the dead
3. God exalted Jesus back to His position of authority at His right hand
4. God poured out the Holy Spirit as promised
5. God made Jesus both Lord (master) and Christ (Messiah)

What was the result of Peter telling the people about God's mighty deeds?

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do? - Vs 37

Peter answers their question by telling them to repent and be baptized, so that they might "be saved from this perverse generation" (vs 40).

The results are pretty amazing:

1. They added 3000 converts to the church that day
2. They were devoting themselves to hearing the Word of God
3. They practiced fellowship and community
4. They experienced an ongoing sense of awe
5. They witnessed signs and wonders from the hand of God
6. They were meeting each others needs
7. They were glad and sincere in heart
8. They were praising God daily
9. They were attractive to the lost community around them
10. They saw their numbers grow daily

Pretty amazing stuff. But we risk missing out on it all if we just focus in on the spectacular nature of the tongues. The truth is we have all the ingredients to see these same kind of results today.

A hand-full of dedicated followers + the Holy Spirit + telling the mighty deeds of God = transformed lives

Are you telling others of the mighty deeds of God? Or to ask it another way, are you sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ? That's what this story is all about. It is the plan of God as lived out through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. That is what we are to tell. Like the disciples, we are witnesses to the reality of this story, because it has changed our lives. We are witnesses to the transformational, life-changing power of Jesus Christ and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. So let's start telling and watch what happens.

Father, your deeds are indeed mighty. But sometimes I want to see more. I want to see you do additional mighty deeds and lose sight of the ones you have already done. Help me to never forget that the greatest deed has already been done - You sent Your Son! And because of that, my life has never been the same. Give me the boldness to tell others. Amen.

Our Of Sight. Not Out Of Mind.

Acts 1

This Jesus, who was has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven. - Vs 11

Jesus has just disappeared into the clouds. After a 40-day reunion with His disciples, some last-minute instructions, and an exit any Hollywood producer would love to capture on film, Jesus leaves His disciples and returns to His Father in heaven.

In verse 11, two angels give the disciples some words of comfort. They tell them that Jesus is going to come back just the way He left, but only in reverse. It's a not-so-subtle reminder that this is NOT the end. It is the beginning. The beginning of the church age. You see, verse 11 contains an unseen parenthesis. Jesus' departure and future return bookend the age in which the church, the body of Christ, takes up the Lord's work. His departure marked the arrival of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. That is what the rest of the book of Acts will explain.

In a way, verse 11 is a reminder to the disciples that they have work to do. They are not to be staring up into the sky, sadly recounting what has been or anxiously anticipating what is to come. They are to be busy. And Jesus gave them their marching orders just before His feet left the dirt of the Mount of Olives. You find their job description (and ours) in verse 8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Verse 11 should be exciting news to any follower of Jesus Christ. Because it tells us that there's an end to the story. Jesus left, but He is coming back. He is not done yet. His work is not complete yet. The disciples were hopeful that with Jesus' appearance on the scene just days after His death, it must have been time for Him to set up His earthly kingdom. They even ask Him in verse 6: "Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

"This is it!" they thought. We just had the timing off a little bit. Now that He has foiled the plans of the Jewish leaders and the Romans, Jesus will be taking over. There was a new sheriff in Jerusalem! But that was not to be the case and Jesus tells them so. No, it was now their turn to shine. The Lord's ascension was vital to the continuation of His work on earth. His leaving put in motion the Holy Spirit's coming. No ascension - no Comforter. No Comforter - no power. No power - no church. No church - no chance for the good news to be spread all over the world.

I can get real excited about Jesus coming back. Why? Because our side wins! Just take a look at these passages:

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. - Revelation 1:7

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it {is} called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes {are} a flame of fire, and on His head {are} many diadems; and He has a name written {on Him} which no one knows except Himself. {He is} clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white {and} clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." - Revelation 19:11-16

In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south . . . then the Lord, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him. - Zechariah 14:4, 5

He is going to come back right to the very spot from which He left! That's incredible. But until then, He has given each of us a job to do. Matthew records them in His gospel.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20

He has gone, but He has not left us. He is with us. He is within us. And He has empowered us to be His ambassadors, spreading the news of His kingdom to every corner of the globe. So how are we doing? How are you doing? Are you making disciples? Are you representing your King well in your little corner of the world? In your office, your home, your neighborhood? Let's get busy. Let's make Him famous.

Father, help me to remember that the story is not over. Your Son is coming back some day. And when He does, He is going to set all things right. In the meantime, help me focus on your agenda and not mine. Help me live for your kingdom instead of mine. Help me catch the vision of making disciples. Don't let me be satisfied with anything else. Amen.

Wide-Eyed Wonder.

Luke 24

Then their eyes were opened. – Luke 24:31 NASB

It's just days after the death of Jesus. Two of His followers are slowly making their way from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus. As they walk along they discuss the events of the last few days. How did this all happen? Where did it all go wrong? Their Messiah, Jesus, had failed to establish His kingdom. Instead, He had suffered the fate of a common criminal by being hung on a Roman cross until dead. And their hopes had died with HIm. No more kingdom of the Jews. No more overthrow of the Roman oppressors. Their precious Messiah was now just a memory. A phantom of what might have been.

Suddenly, their intense conversation is interrupted by the voice of a stranger. They hadn't noticed him walking along beside them. He asks them what they are talking about. They are a little surprised and put out by this strangers seeming lack of awareness of current events. But they politely bring him up to speed on all that had happened in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration. They revisit the painful events of the last week, pointing out that Jesus, the Nazarene prophet, had been crucified by the Romans, thus ending any hope they had of Him redeeming Israel from their slavery to Rome.

They share one more interesting bit of news. It seems that the body of Jesus had disappeared. The tomb was empty. Some were even claiming that He was alive!

But they were headed home.

I love this story. Here are two followers of Jesus walking along the road with Jesus, but they fail to even recognize that He is there. Their eyes are blind to His presence. They talk about the risen Lord, but fail to see Him. Isn' t that just like you and me? We can get so wrapped up in our circumstances, sadly recounting how things have not turned out quite the way we expected since we started following Jesus, that we fail to see Him walking right beside us. We can accurately tell His story, including His death, burial, and purported resurrection, but be blind to His presence in our lives. Why? Because things are not as we expected they would be. Our version of the kingdom didn't come about. Sure, we hear He is alive, but we don't really believe it. Our eyes are blind to the reality of His presence.

But then God does graciously opens our eyes, just like He did theirs in verse 31 of chapter 24. Something happens that makes us suddenly recognize that what they said was really true - He is alive! He has conquered death! He is exactly who He claimed to be! But what was it that opened their eyes? Why was it that they were unable to see the truth of the Savior's presence in their lives that day? I think it was a lack of vision. They had become near-sighted, unable to see beyond the borders of their own limited little worlds. Like me, they suffered from a severe case of spiritual myopia. Anything beyond their own little world was a blur. All they could see was that their hopes had been dashed, their dreams had failed to materialize, their goals had gone unreached, the desires had bone unmet.

Then Jesus opened up the Scriptures and helped them focus on something beyond themselves - namely Him. "He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (Vs 27). Later, at a casual meal in their home, Jesus broke the bread and handed it to them. "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him" (Vs 30). I am sure these two had heard first-hand accounts from the lips of the disciples of that final Passover meal they had shared with Jesus. They knew about the cup and the bread. And when Jesus broke it that day in their home, it all came into focus. Their perspective changed. They were no longer two myopic, disappointed, self-absorbed individuals. They were hopeful, expectant followers of the risen Lord. He really was alive. They had seen Him. They had experienced Him. So they returned to Jerusalem with "hearts burning" and hopes soaring.

Isn't that how we should live? Yet many of us mope around as if Jesus never had risen from the dead. Sure, we claim He has. We sing about it, talk about it, and say we believe it. Yet we fail to see Him in the everyday affairs of life. Why? Because we can't see the big picture. We are self-absorbed, focused on our own little kingdom agendas. Jesus has failed to deliver what we expected. Our lives have not turned out the way we planned. The future looks dark and out of focus. We fail to see beyond our immediate circumstances.

But He is there. Waiting for us to lift our eyes and see Him for who He really is. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords with His own agenda and His own plans – for this world and for our lives. His kingdom is bigger and better than ours. And He wants us to get a glimpse of it. When we do, we will see clearly for the first time why we are here and what it is that He wants us to do in us and through us.

Father, Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready my God, Thy will to see, open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine! Amen.

Guilty, Yet Pardoned.

Luke 23

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? - Isaiah 53:7-8 NASB

This chapter is a case of the guilty versus the innocent. In fact, Luke goes out of his way to make it clear that Jesus was innocent of the crimes for which He was accused. I counted at least seven times in this passage where Jesus was determined to be without guilt. Pilate, a pagan Roman politician declared Him so. Herod, a corrupt Jewish puppet king couldn't find any fault in Him. Even a condemned criminal, hanging on the cross next to Jesus, clearly saw the innocence of Jesus.

But there He hung. The Just for the unjust. The innocent for the guilty. The sinless One in the place of sinful men.

You see this theme of innocence and guilt throughout this chapter. Even in Luke's recounting of the release of Barabbas. Here was a man, a condemned insurrectionist and murderer, who is chosen by the people for release over Jesus. The one who was really guilty was set free. Yet the One who was guiltless was condemned. In doing some research on this passage I discovered something I had never seen this before regarding Barabbas' name. It means "son the the father" in Aramaic. Isn't it interesting that this "son" was set free while the Son of God was sent to die in his place?

Another glimpse into the innocense and guilt theme is found in the two criminals who were crucified on either side of Jesus. Three men received the death sentence that day, yet only two deserved it. Jesus was quiltless, yet He suffered the same humiliating, agonizing fate. Even one of the criminals could see the difference when he exclaimed, "We indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong!" - Vs 41.

Jesus was completely sinnless and guiltless, yet He died in my place and yours. Sinless perfection took on the penalty for our sins. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul reminds us that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Jesus suffered a criminal's death in the company of criminals. Jesus died while a murderer was spared. Jesus took the place of a guilty man. Jesus was declared guilty allowing Barabbas to go free.

But isn't that exactly what Jesus has done for you and me? Like Barabbas, I have been allowed to talk away from my death sentence a free man. Someone else paid my penalty. Someone else took my punishment. Someone else suffered the pain meant for me. Jesus "gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father" (Galatians 1:4). And "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

We don't know what happened to Barabbas. But we do know he walked away that day a free man. Did he return to his life of rebellion and murder? Or was he forever changed by the events of that day? We have no way of knowingBut the real question is whether you and I have been changed by the events of that day? Do we fully recognize and appreciate what Jesus did for us that day? You see, we were just as deserving of death as Barabbas was. We were on death row awaiting the inevitable death sentence. Then Jesus showed up and He took our place. He sacrificed His perfectly sinless life for our sin-saturated one. He took the nails meant for us. He suffered the abuse that was rightfully mine to bear. But has that selfless, sacrificial, substitutionary act changed us forever? Do we really see our guilt up against His innocence? Until we do, we will never fully appreciate what He has done for us.

Because He did, I can truly be called Bar Abba - a son of the Father. Fully forgiven and completely free!

Father, thank you for sending Your Son to die in my place. Jesus, thank you for sacrificing your sinless life for my sinful one. Thank you for enduring death so that I might enjoy life. I can never repay You, but I hope to thank You by living my life in such a way that it brings glory and honor to You. I owe everything to You! Thank You!!!! Amen.

The Down-To-Earth Disciples.

Luke 22

I love the disciples! These guys are great. They are so down-to-earth and real. With the disciples, what you see is what you get. No pretense or posturing. If they think it, they say it. These are salt-of-the-earth kind of guys - fisherman and tax-collectors - regular Joes who were fully human and lived out their faults and failures right out in clear view for everyone to see.

I guess that's why I can relate to them. But if the truth be known, I used to look down on and judge the disciples for their seeming ignorance and inability to trust Jesus for who He was. I say, "I used to" because one day I woke up and realized that I am just like them. I can be just as stubborn, near-sighted, and self-absorbed that I fail to see the truth in who Jesus was and what He was saying.

I can relate to the disciples. I can see myself in their thoughts and actions. Take a look at verse 24:

And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded as the greatest.

Amazing! Look at the context. Jesus has just shared the Passover meal with them. He has been talking to them about His coming suffering. He has talked about giving His body and His blood. He has revealed that one of them is about to betray Him. And their response? They immediately break out into a discussion over which one of them was going to be the betrayer and that naturally led to a debate about who among them was the greatest.

This wasn't the first time this topic had come up. It seems that this was a favorite point of discussion among the disciples (Mark 9:34; Matthew 18:1; Luke 9:6). Even the mother of two of them got into the act by asking Jesus to "command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one of Your right and one on Your left" (Matthew 20:21).

Power, position,and prominence were important to the disciples. Why? Because they were looking for a different kind of kingdom. They had each followed Jesus because they believed Him to be the Messiah, but their understanding of what Jesus had come to do was off? They had each followed Jesus for purely selfish reasons. For what they could get out of it. They saw Jesus as a conquering king who was going to set up His kingdom on earth and each of them would get to play a part in helping rule over and administrate that kingdom. Therefore the debate.

But isn't that what we do? Isn't that how we think to some degree? Didn't many of us come to Jesus for what we thought we would get out of it? A better life, a happier marriage, a ticket to heaven? We can even be guilty of jockeying for spiritual significance in the kingdom of God. We want to be thought of as more spiritual than someone else. We want to be given authority or some degree of honor for who we are and what we contribute to the kingdom cause.

But Jesus had other plans. He had come to bring another reality. His kingdom was about serving, not being served. In His kingdom the first were to be last and the last first. In His kingdom the least would be the greatest. The leader must be like the servant. He even told the disciples, "I am among you as the one who serves" (Vs 27) and "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 28:20).

Paul describes it this way in his letter to the Philippians:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4

He goes on to use Jesus as the perfect example of this new mentality we are to possess as His followers. We are to have the attitude that Jesus had. One of service and self-sacrifice for the good of the kingdom. An attitude of self-denial and humility, putting the will of God above our own, and the kingdom of God in place of our own.

So how are we doing? Do we have the attitude of Christ? Or are we spending our time debating where we stand in the spiritual pecking order? Are we more interested in being served or serving? Do we prefer special treatment or treating others as more important than ourselves?

What is amazing is that Jesus chose the disciples - men just like you and me - and He was able to use them. But first He had to transform them. Which is what He is doing in us. He is slowly weaning us off our obsession with power, position, and prominence and transforming us into His own likeness. Selfless, sacrificial, humble, and possessing a heart for the things of God.

Father, forgive me for being too obsessed about me. Help me to see that your kingdom is not about me. It is about You. Continue to open my eyes and give me a heart for others. Give me the attitude of Christ so that I might consider myself as "the least of these" and others as more important than myself. Thank you for your patience with me as I struggle with my humanness. Continue to transform me into Christ's likeness. And may Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life. Amen.

Wow! This was a heavy one.

Luke 21

As I read through this chapter, I have to admit that I had a strong urge to reach up to the shelf in my office and crack open a trusty commentary on Luke in order to gain some insight into the meaning behind this passage. Because what Jesus had to say here had my head spinning.

But then I thought about the poor disciples. Can you imagine how much their heads were spinning as they listed to these words of Jesus? I don't think they had a clue as to what he was talking about. Sure, they got all the references to earthquakes, famines, conflicts, persecution, and betrayal, but they had no way of knowing when all these things were going to take place. I just picture them standing there, jaws slack, eyes wide open, inwardly panicking about all they are taking in. "Is this what we signed up for?" they ask themselves.

So as I read this passage again, I began to look for words of comfort to go along with the words of conflict, confusion, and chaos. And there they were. Strategically placed throughout Jesus' discourse are some helpful reminders from the lips of the Savior to help His disciples survive and thrive during difficult times. And they still apply today.

Use every opportunity to share - In verse 13, Jesus tells the disciples that even though they are going to be arrested, put on trial, and persecuted for His names sake, they need to see it as an opportunity to tell others about Him. Don't try and protect yourself, make the most of the situation and share about the life-changing love of Jesus Christ.

Rely on the Lord - Verses 14-15 remind us that God will give us everything we need to endure everything that comes our way. We don't have to worry about having enough strength to face the difficult days ahead, because we have God on our side.

Remember that you will endure - Verse 19 reminds us that no matter what we face in the future, we WILL endure. Saving faith doesn't fall apart or fade away - it endures. To cease to trust Jesus is to never have trusted Him. Your ability to endure persecution and pain is proof of the faith within you.

Watch and wait expectantly - Verses 27-28 remind us to have an eternal perspective - to live in anticipation of the Lord's return. Don't wallow in the despair of the day, but lift up your heads and keep your eyes open for the ultimate answer to all of life's problems" The redemption of this world that will come with the return of the Lord.

Trust God's Word - Verse 33 puts it all in perspective. While the entire creation could evaporate tomorrow, the word of God is lasting, permanent, and trustworthy. This world and everything in it is impermanent and untrustworthy, but you can count on God's word.

Guard your heart - Tough times can be tough on our hearts, causing us to worry, weighing us down with doubt and despair. We can take our eyes off the hope of the Lord's return and focus in on the circumstances around us. In verse 34, Jesus tells us not to let that happen.

Stay alert and pray for strength - The opposite of a life filled with worry and despair is a life of complacency and carelessness. Jesus encourages us to be alert, to have our eyes open to all that is going on around us. In other words, be realistic. This stuff is real and it calls for prayer. We need endurance. We need strength. We need wisdom. And these things only come from one place: God.

So, what are you going to do in the difficult days in which you live? There are signs of despair everywhere. People are suffering. The news is not good. But are we supposed to panic? Not according to Jesus. We live in a fallen world in need of a risen Savior. Let's turn to Him - even when we don't understand all that is going on around us.

Father, help me to be a glass-half-full Christian who sees Light in the midst of darkness. Who sees Hope in the midst of despair. Who looks up when the temptation is to be down. Give me an eternal perspective. Help me keep my eyes focused onYou! Help to me to trust that you have the details of my life and this world all worked out and Your plan is perfect.  So I have no reason to worry. Amen.

Rendering Capabilities.

Luke 20

He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” - Luke 20:25 ESV

I know it's only the end of January, but it's hard not to think about tax season. Before we know it, April 15 will be here and all of us will be rushing to "render unto Caesar." In fact, the ads and commercials for tax preparation services have already started. Most try and take a humorous approach, but for some reason I find it very difficult to see paying your taxes as a laughing matter. Especially in the midst of economic hard times.

But I digress. As I look at Jesus' response to a trick question posed to him by the Jewish religious leaders who were obsessed with finding some charge they could level at Him and get Him out of the way, I am convicted. Not about paying my taxes, but about false worship.

You see, Jesus tells them to "render" or literally "discharge what is due" to the government of their day. That just happened to be the Romans. They had a civic duty and responsibility to pay their taxes. Even if those taxes were unjust and exorbitant (which they were). But the thing that hit me is that I tend to give the government more than it deserves or even demands. I render unto government what really belongs to God:

My trust, confidence, hope, dependence, expectation, desire for protection, need for stability. In short, I end up worshiping government instead of God. This morning the news agencies are all talking about the House having passed President Obama's $819 billion stimulus package. Many Americans are placing their hope and confidence in this bill being our way out of the financial crisis this country is in. There are even a lot of believers who are hoping someone, anyone in government will come up with a solution.

But is government where my hope should lie? Are politicians the ones in whom I should place my confidence? Is Washington or Rome where I should turn for solutions to the difficulties of life?

I am to render unto God what is rightfully His and His alone. My confidence, my trust, my hope, my allegiance, my dependence, my obedience, my life. So this April 15 I will render unto Caesar what is rightfully his. But beginning today I will attempt to give God what only He deserves. Care to join me?

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! - Psalm 31:24 ESV

Father, these are difficult days, but you are a powerful God. Help me to remember that you alone are worthy of my trust, allegiance, confidence, hope, and love. Give me a confidence to face each day with peace, hope, and joy. Amen.

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Seek And Save Mission.

Luke 19

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. - Luke 19:10 ESV

If the Lord ever needed a purpose statement, this would have been it. In one short sentence we read the real reason behind His birth, His life, and His death. He came to seek and to save the lost. Which included me! And some vertically challenged Hebrew tax collector named Zaccheus.

I love this story. I can't read it without thinking about the little Sunday School song I learned growing up as a child.

Zaccheus was a wee little man,

and a wee little man was he.

He climbed up in a sycamore tree,

for the Lord he wanted to see.

And as the Savior passed him by,

He looked up in the tree,

And he said, "Zaccheus, you come down;

For I'm going to your house today,

for I'm going to your house today"

Zaccheus came down from that tree,

as happy as he could be,

He gave his money to the poor,

and said: "What a better man I'll be."

But while this clever little ditty covers the "chance" encounter Zaccheus had with Jesus and the subsequent life change that resulted, there's something missing, and it's the statement recorded in verse 10. What happened to Zaccheus is a picture of what Jesus came to do for every man, woman and child: To save them from their lostness. You see, Zaccheus was a "wee little man" in more than just height. He was lacking in more than physical stature. He had come up short on the righteousness index and was going to find himself standing at the gate of heaven unable to meet the mandatory holiness height requirement to enter.

He was LOST. A sheep without a shepherd doomed to get as much out of his earthly life as he possibly could because his hopes of heaven were blocked by an insurmountable wall of righteous standards he could never get over. Especially at his size!

But something remarkable happened. Jesus enters the scene. Zaccheus is up in a tree, attempting to overcome his height disadvantage and catch a glimpse of Jesus. But Jesus found him and said, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Wow! Jesus was offering this sinful man an opportunity to have his home, and subsequently his heart, occupied by the Son of God. You can tell by the reaction of the crowds that Zaccheus was far from deserving. He was a known sinner. By his own admission he had become rich through fraud and corruption. Yet Jesus chose him over over all the others in the crowd that day.

You see, Zaccheus is me. I was once the same spiritually stunted sinner in search of a savior. I couldn't measure up. I consistently came up short on the righteousness requirement. I was lost. But Jesus was seeking for me and He found me. And like Zaccheus, my life has never been the same. Salvation came to my house.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound T

hat saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found;

Was blind, but now I see.

– Amazing Grace, John Newton

Thank you Father for sending Your Son to seek me. Thank you Jesus for finding me. Let me never forget that like Zaccheus, I was undeserving of your grace and mercy. I didn't measure up. I was a "wee little man" unable to reach You, so you reached out to me. And I am eternally grateful. Amen

Could You Use A Little Justice?

Luke 18

As I read through Luke 18 this morning, one verse jumped out at me, and it happened to be the very first one.

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. – Luke 18:1 ESV

Have you ever prayed and lost heart? Have you ever prayed and felt like God was wasn't answering or that He didn't even hear your request in the first place? If you're anything like me, you've probably had this feeling more times than you would like to remember. So this passage really struck a chord with me. You see, I thought I knew this passage pretty well. But in doing my devotional this morning I tried to look at it with a fresh set of eyes. In the last I had always seen the first parable as a lesson in persistent prayer. After all, it's a story about a widow who kept "continually coming" to the unjust judge and ultimately wore him down. But is persistence the real point here? If so, then we run the risk of turning this parable into a license for asking for and getting whatever we want from God. Just ask loud enough, long enough, and persistently enough, and God will eventually have to give in to your request.

But the real point seems to be about the content of the woman's request, not her methodology. Yes, she ultimately got what she was asking for, but what was it that she was requesting? According to Jesus, it was justice. She had asked this judge for legal protection from her opponent. In verses 7-8, Jesus says, "...will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and wil He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly." This woman was in need of justice. So she turned to the only source she knew could deliver it, and she asked for it consistently and persistently until she received it. Why? Because she was helpless and hopeless to do anything about it herself. This earthly judge was her only hope -- for justice.

So what's the point? I need to pray for justice to be done. I need to believe that justice will be done. But when will it happen? According to Jesus, it will come "when the Son of Man comes." Ultimate justice on this earth will only come when the Lord returns and makes everything wrong right. But when He returns will He find His people praying faithfully and expectantly for justice to be done or will He find that we have long since given up and given in? The real message in this passage for me is about praying for the return of the Savior. It is about allowing the injustices I see in this world to remind me that the only solution is His return. When I see someone suffering from a potentially life-threatening disease, I am not only to pray for their healing, but to pray that justice be done. That this wrong be made right. When I encounter yet another marriage dissentegrating before my eyes, I am not only to pray for restoration, but to allow it to remind me that the ultimate, long-term solution is His return.  Seeing and experiencing injustice in this world should cause us to pray for His return. I should long for His return more than anything else. To pray for anything less is to expect too little and to settle for far less than true justice.

Do you long for His return? Are you eager to see justice done? I am. And what a joy it is to know that that day is coming. His second coming will bring justice on the earth once and for all.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new." -- Revelation 21:1-5a ESV

Father, may I continue to grow in my understanding of and desire for justice, which is available only through Your Son and will ultimately come when He returns. Help me long for and pray persistently forthat day more than anything else. Amen.

Increase Our Faith.

Luke 17

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." - Luke 17:5 NASB

The thing that struck me the most out of this chapter was the request of the disciples for "more faith." At first blush, this would seem to be a noble request. They appear to be asking the Master to increase their faith. But what they failed to recognize was that it is not a matter of the amount of faith we possess, but its presence. They were apparently wanting MORE faith so they could do MORE with it. Just take a look back at chapter 9. These guys had been sent out by Jesus and were given "power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases."

My take is that the disciples' request for more faith was a not-so-subtle request for more power. They wanted more so they could do more. But Jesus' response was that if they only had a little, they could do much.

It is interesting that Jesus then goes on to tell a parable about the slave owner and his slave in verses 7-10. If we keep the parable within the context, it would seem that Jesus is teaching them that their faith will be increased at the proper time. Right now it was all about Jesus and His ministry. The disciples, like the slave in the parable, were to serve Jesus and His needs. They needed to see themselves as "unworthy slaves" who were to simply do what they ought to do: faithfully serve the one who has called me.

I sometimes ask God for more, of even good things like faith, as a reward for my obedience and service. But instead, I need to do my job as an "unworthy slave" and faithfully serve, leaving any reward up to God.

Father, help me to be recognize my position. Forgive me for always wanting more, when you have already given me so much, including Your Son. I want to serve you faithfully, not for the recognition or reward, but out of gratitude for all you have done for me. Amen.

Know Your Audience.

Luke 16

The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. – Luke 16:8 NET

I spent 29 years of my life in the advertising business as a creative director. It was my job to come up with ads and marketing campaigns to help my clients successively sell their products and services to their customer base. To do so required more than creativity, it demanded that I know both the product and the potential purchaser of that product. I had to get into the head of the consumer and understand how they think. I had to learn their likes and dislikes. I had to understand what motivated them. I was spending my client's money in an attempt to garner customers for their products. This was all about wise stewardship. But it was sometimes easy to see my job as just a place where I got to be creative and produce clever radio or TV commercials, or produce eye-catching magazine ads that displayed my creative skills. In other words, I could easily get wrapped up in producing ads that made me look good and not my customer. In fact, I produced more than my fair share of ads over the years that won me creative accolades but didn't produce much in the way of revenue for my clients.

In the first part of chapter 16 Luke records the parable of the shrewd manager. It is a difficult parable that Jesus doesn't bother to explain for us. But the basic idea seems to be that of stewardship. You've got a manager who loses his job because he squandered his master's possessions. We don't know exactly what he did, but he was dishonest and it cost him his job. So it seems that he was told to clear up all his accounts before his final day on the payroll. There is debate as to what exactly happens next, but the best bet is that this manager went to all of his master's debtors and gave them a chance to clear up their debt by paying a reduced settlement. Many commentators believe he was able to lower their debt by eliminating what would have been his own commission. He is praised by the very man who had just fired him for his wise actions. He satisfied his former boss and his customers. Jesus also praises this man's actions by recognizing that he knew exactly how to handle those with whom he worked and lived. He was a product of this age and he understood how to make the most of his interactions with others of this age.

So what's the point of this parable? It seems that Jesus is saying that the people of this world actually think about how they use their resources. Whether they belong to them or someone else. Even if they misuse them, they still give it some thought. This man wisely used his position to come up with a workable, long-term solution to his problem and that of his master. He gained favor with his customers and a praise from his former boss. Jesus seems to be saying that we, as believers, must live in this world with a sense of responsibility for what we have been entrusted. We need to have an other-oriented mentality. Rather than obsess about us, we need to think about others – especially the lost. It may require that we sacrifice short-term rewards for long-term benefits. This man was going to lose his commissions, but he was gaining long-term favor with every one of those people he had helped. When he was out looking for work, he was going to have a great network of people who were favorable disposed to him. Jesus says that when we live in this world with a sensitivity to those around us and wisely steward the resources God has given us, we win over the lost. We make friends of those who have typically been burned by the self-centered, self-seeking mentality of this world. We can use money and possessions in such a way that we gain favor with men. We show them that our possessions do not possess us. The manager in the story knew how to use money to influence others. As Christians, we need to learn how to use the resources of this world, entrusted to us by God, in such a way that the lost see that there is something different about us. We are to live as those who worship one master, and it isn't money!

Father, I want to be wise with what You have given me. Yet, I know that I have often misused Your resources and been unfaithful. I have not had an other-mentality, but a me-focus. I have used what you have given me to reward myself rather than to reach the lost. Give me a wisdom that sees and understands how the people of this world think. Let me show them, using the resources of this world, that I serve You as my master and nothing else. Money is not my god, You are. Amen.

Repent!

Luke 15

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. – Luke 15:7 NASB

Who in the world wouldn't need repentance? Is there really anybody out there who is so righteous that they don't need to turn from their sin and be rescued? Well, in Jesus' day there was a group of religious leaders who truly believed they were beyond the need for repentance. They viewed themselves as righteous and certainly in no need of a Savior. The Pharisees were a group of self-righteous, pride-filled individuals who saw no need for repenting because they did not view themselves as sinners. They were taking care of their own sin by living in obedience to the law. They were their own saviors. Their righteousness was self-produced.

But sadly, they were delusional. They only thought they were righteous. There would be no celebrating in heaven over their pitiful attempts at redeeming themselves. In fact, Jesus said, "Count on it--there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue" (Luke 15:7 MSG). These guys had no need of rescue. In their minds they weren't drowning. They saw all those around them as the ones who were in trouble. They despised their own people and viewed them as little more than dogs. They viewed themselves as the healthy ones and everyone else as sinners who were holding back the kingdom of God. That's why they had such a hard time with Jesus and his association with the common people of His day. On one occasion, they confronted Jesus about his poor choice of dinner guests. "But when some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with people like that, they said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with such scum?' When Jesus heard this, he told them, 'Healthy people don’t need a doctor––sick people do. I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.'" (Mark 2:16-17 NLT).

One of the first things we have to do before coming to Christ is to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior. But if we can somehow justify ourselves before God and earn his favor by our own efforts, then we eliminate the need for the cross. We also devalue Christ's death on the cross. He died in vain. What He did was unnecessary if we could save ourselves. Self-righteousness turns grace on its head because it views the sinner as somehow capable of earning God's grace through human effort. It is no longer a gift, but a payment for our performance.

But twice in this passage, Jesus says, "there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents" (Luke 15:10 NLT). Repentance is an acknowledgment of our sin and our awareness of our need for a Savior. But not just at salvation. The truth is, many of us as believers still rely on our self-righteous activities to somehow earn us favor with God. We try to keep Him pleased with us by doing things for Him. In his book, The Practice of Godliness, Jerry Bridges says, "So often we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without taking the time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. This is impossible to do." This is, in essence, nothing more than an attempt at self-righteousness. We don't really need the Savior or a deepening relationship with Him. We think we can somehow develop Christ-like character on our own. This is exactly what the Pharisees were guilty of. That's why Jesus told His disciples, "that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mark 5:20 NASB). Where do we get that kind of righteousness from? The Savior Himself. So every day I am to repent of my own self-righteousness and embrace the fact that I stand as righteous before God because of what Jesus Christ has done for me on the cross. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Father, I am a sinner in need of a Savior – as much today as ever. I still have need of Christ's power, forgiveness, grace and mercy. I can't live this life without Him. I try, but I always fail. I can't sanctify myself any more than I could have saved myself. Your Son and the indwelling Holy Spirit make it possible. Never let me forget that. Amen.

Count the Cost.

Luke 14

Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple. – Luke 14:27 MSG

Discipleship. It isn't a word we use a lot any more. And even when we do it carries a lot of baggage with it. When we say discipleship we tend to think of scripture memory, Bible studies, class room environments, and a small group of Christians who are really serious about their faith. Discipleship is for those who want to be students of the Word. They are wired differently than the rest of us. They have a special capacity for learning deep doctrinal truth and a desire to spend countless hours alone, studying, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture. They are just not like the rest of us. They're a super-spiritual breed who are set apart from the rest. The are the few, the proud, the Marines. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Yet, when you read the words of Jesus you can't help but realize that to a certain degree, disciples really are a breed apart. They are special. But it is NOT a classification of people within the Christian community who just happen to take spiritual matters a little more seriously. If you are a follower of Christ, you are a disciple. In fact, Jesus made it quite clear that you had to be willing to shoulder your own cross before you could follow Him. You couldn't be His disciple without it.

There is a cost to discipleship. There is a cost to following Christ. It was never intended to be easy. John MacArthur has this to say about the cost of discipleship: "Discipleship...more than just being a learner, being an intimate follower, having an intimate relationship, following to the point where you would go as far as death out of love. There's no question about the fact that the only message Jesus ever proclaimed was a message of discipleship. The call that Jesus gave was a call to follow Him, a call to submission, a call to obedience. It was never a plea to make some kind of momentary decision to acquire forgiveness and peace and heaven and then go on living anyway you wanted. The invitations of Jesus to the lost were always direct calls to a costly commitment."

There is a cost to following Jesus. But that is not a popular message. It never has been. It wasn't popular when Jesus communicated it more than 2,000 years ago. His followers didn't want to hear Him say, "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple" (Luke 14:33 MSG). This sounds harsh and demanding. But it is really the message of discipleship. Dallas Willard describes it as the life of an apprentice to Jesus. "Being his apprentice is, therefore, not a matter of special 'religious' activities, but an orientation and quality of my entire existence. This is what is meant by Jesus when he says that those who do not forsake all cannot be his disciple. (Luke 14:26, 33) The emphasis is upon the all. There must be nothing held of greater value than Jesus and his kingdom. He must be clearly seen as the most important thing in human life, and being his apprentice as the greatest opportunity any human being ever has" (Dallas Willard, How Does The Disciple Live).

Discipleship has a cost. So did our salvation. It cost Jesus His life. When I follow Him, He asks me to count the cost and determine whether I am willing to make His kingdom the most important thing in my life. Will I allow it to replace anything and anyone else? Will I, like Paul, count everything else as loss compared to knowing and following Jesus Christ as His disciple? (Philippians3:8).

Father, I want to be a disciple of Your Son who is willing to consider anything and anyone else as expendable compared to the joy of following Him. Anything it costs me is well worth it compared to all that I receive in return. Help me grow in my appreciation of the gift I have received and make Your Son and His kingdom the highest priority in my life. Amen.

I Don't Know You!

Luke 13

And he will reply, "I tell you, I don’t know you. Go away, all you who do evil." – Luke 13:27 NLT

Over in Matthew chapter seven, we have the companion passage to this lesson taught by Jesus. In both cases, you have people who, at the time of judgment, will come forward claiming that they had done all kinds of things for God. In the Matthew passage they say, "Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name" (Matthew 7:22 NLT). In the Luke passage they say, "We ate and drank in Your presence , and You taught in our streets" (Luke 13:26 NASB). In one case, they seem to be depending on their good deeds to save them. In the other, they are putting their hope and trust in the fact that they have some kind of a relationship with Jesus. But in both cases, it doesn't work out too well for them. Jesus basically tells them, "I don't even know you!"

Self-effort can never earn us favor with God. Self-righteousness can't produce true righteousness. The Pharisees had been trying it for years and they still stood before God as sinners, condemned, unclean. But if you try to rely on just a surface relationship with Jesus, you will also be sorely disappointed. Many claim to know Christ, but have not placed their faith in Him. They have a knowledge of Him, but not a relationship with Him. He doesn't know them because they are not really His. I love the way the New Living Translation puts it: "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21 NLT). Religion and rule-keeping are not enough. Doing things for God is not enough. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. God is looking for a relationship based on faith in His Son's atoning death on the cross. That requires us to give up our quest for spiritual perfection on our own. It requires that we give up relying on some surface, skin-deep understanding of who Jesus is. In other words, it requires surrender to God's only plan for salvation. Faith in His Son as my sin substitute. It is NOT what I can do for God that matters. It is what Jesus Christ has already done for me on the cross. It is not knowing about Jesus that matters. It is knowing that He lives within me. "I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NLT).

Father, I know I can't earn favor with You by doing more for You. You have already shown me Your favor by sending Your Son to die on the cross in my place. I know I can't rely on a surface knowledge of Christ, but must constantly remember that He lives within me. It is His presence in me that transforms me and makes me Your child. You know me because I am known by Him. You see me as righteous because You see me through Him. And for that I am grateful. Amen.

Rich With God.

Luke 12

Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. – Luke 12:21 NLT

This is an interesting passage. Typically we use it when we want to talk about giving. Which seems to make sense. But when you look closer at the context of the passage, it seems that giving is not really the point Jesus is trying to make. Jesus is using a comparison to the man in the parable He has just told. This man, who was a wealthy land-owner, was suffering from a eye problem. Actually it was an I problem. He was obsessed with himself. Just look at verses 17-19. In just three short verses he uses the personal pronouns I or my at least 11 times. It is all about him. His crops. His barns. His grain. His soul. He is large and in charge. He mistakenly believes that he is in control of his wealth and his destiny. Nowhere does he factor in God. His decisions are all up to him. His future is all up to him. After all, his abundance had been all up to him!

But God had other plans. God calls the man a fool. Because all the while he has been planning his future – filled with eating, drinking and good times – God had another plan and another schedule. That very night he would lose his life. All his plans would evaporate and all his efforts to store up for himself treasures here on this earth for future enjoyment would disappear. That is when Jesus turns to His disciples and says, "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself and in not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21 NASB). You see, because of the way this verse is typically translated, we think that it is telling us to be rich toward God. We are supposed to generous with our resources and give them to God. Now don't get me wrong. There are plenty of verses that support tithing and giving, but I just don't think this is one of them. I think this verse carries an even more important point. We are not being told to make God rich, but to be rich with God. We are NOT to fill our lives with stuff and set our hopes for the future on material things. No, we are to fill our lives with God – fully realizing that our present as well as our future are in His hands. We are to abound in His riches.

Jesus goes on to say, "He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern" (Luke 12:31 NLT). This isn't about us giving to God, but about Him giving to us. "So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom" (Luke 12:32 NLT). The problem with the man in the parable is that he didn't need God. He had riches to spare and was putting all his hope for the future in them. But those kinds of riches can only deliver temporal satisfaction. They are unreliable for anything but short-term satisfaction. God has riches beyond anything we could ever imagine, and He wants to share them with us. His riches are eternal and everlasting. His treasure is in heaven, and is not of this earth. He makes that clear in verses 33-34. "Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe––no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be" (Luke 12:32-33 NLT). The Message paraphrases that last verse this way: "It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being."

This isn't a parable about giving. It is a parable about receiving. Receiving riches from God and a treasure stored up for us in heaven that we can never lose. Are you rich with God today? Are you abounding in His riches today? Are you relying on His wealth of resources or are you counting on your own riches to bring your joy, contentment, happiness, and fulfillment?

Father, thank You that I don't have to depend on my riches. First of all, I don't have much. And what I do have is not going to last. It can't even satisfy me right now, let alone in the future. But the riches that you offer are eternal. I want to be abounding in your riches. The riches of your grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. I want my heart to treasure what you have provided for me, not what I can provide for myself. Amen.

The Eyes Have It.

Luke 11

The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. – Luke 11:34 NLT

How's the health or your eyes today? Do you have blurry vision? Are you seeing double? Do you have trouble seeing things far away or up close?

In Jesus analogy, a healthy eye is a a clear eye. Jesus uses the Greek word haplous and it means single, healthy, or whole. It is an eye free from double vision. It is not clouded by cataracts or any disease that would prevent the light on the outside reaching the inside. The issue in this verse seems to be one of vision. Do we see things like God sees them? Do we have His perspective or is it clouded. John Piper puts it this way: "How you see reality determines whether you are in the dark or not." Do we see things the way God sees things? Do we have a singular, focused vision or is it blurred by the things of this world?

It's interesting that this same phrase is used by Jesus over in Matthew 7, but it is sandwiched between two teachings on treasure and money. Jesus seems to be saying that our spiritual vision must be clear or we will view everything in this world wrongly. If we see as God does, then we will see everything on this earth as resources to use for His kingdom purposes, not for building up our own little kingdoms. We will see that our treasure lies in heaven, not on earth. If we see things as God does, we will not try to serve God and wealth. We will have a clear view of the role money plays in this life. We will not make it our god or our savior. It is simply a tool at our disposal for accomplishing God's plans.

When we have a "bad" eye or an unhealthy perspective on this world, we will be filled with darkness. We will fail to see clearly. To be filled with darkness is to be blind. It is interesting that one of the most common physical maladies that Jesus healed was that of blindness. He took people who were physically blind and restored their sight. He gave them the ability to see clearly for the first time in their lives. And one of the main accusations Jesus leveled against the Pharisees was that they were spiritually blind. They were like blind guides leading blind people. They were unable to see and would end up leading those under their care right into a ditch. They were so blind they could not recognize the Messiah standing right in front of them. They were blinded by jealousy, pride, arrogance, and greed. Jesus came to restore sight to the blind. He came to give us a new capacity to see clearly for the first time in our lives. But many of us still live in darkness, because we our eyes are not clear. They have been clouded by the philosophies and empty promises of this world.

But God has called us to a relationship with His Son. We are not to love the world or the things of the world. Our desire is to be for Christ and His kingdom. We are to have eyes for Christ. According to John Wesley, the believer's goal is "to do not his own will, but the will of Him that sent him. His one intention at all times and in all places is, not to please himself, but Him whom his soul loveth. He hath a single eye; and because his eye is single, his whole body is full of light. The whole is light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth enlighten the house. God reigns alone; all that is in the soul is holiness to the Lord."

So how's your vision today? Is it clear? Are your eyes healthy? Do you see things from God's perspective? If so, then you will be filled with light, and not darkness.

Father, thank You for the light of Christ that shines in my life. Open my eyes so that I might see things with an ever-increasing clarity and focus. I want to see life from your perspective and not my own. When I see things the way You do, then I will be filled with an awareness that makes everything around me clear. Amen.

Look At Me, God!

Luke 10

All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you--that's the agenda for rejoicing. – Luke 10:20 MSG

I love this story. It is so typical of how we respond to God as we "perform" for Him. We get so proud of our efforts on His behalf. Like the disciples, we come back all excited about the power we have demonstrated. "The demons are subject to us in Your name!" (Luke 10:17 NASB). Look at us go! Aren't we doing some really fantastic things for you God? Aren't You proud of us? What would you do without us?

Yet Jesus responds to them in a very interesting way. He says, "do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20 NIV). This had very little to with what the disciples had just done, but it had everything to do with what Jesus was going to accomplish not too long into the future. We have a tendency to believe our own press clippings, and to begin to think that we are far more important to this story than we really are. In fact, we tend to want to make ourselves the stars of God's redemptive story. But there is only one star and that is Jesus Himself. He is far less interested in what we can do for Him than what think about what He has already done for us.

In his classic devotional book, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers says, "Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?"

We should rejoice that what Jesus has done makes it possible for our names to be written in heaven. We have permanent, irrevocable reservations there. Not because of anything we have done or will do, but because of what He has done on our behalf.

Father, thank You that my name is written in heaven. And it is not because of anything I have done or will do. Otherwise, it wouldn't be there at all. It is simply because of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross as my sin substitute. Forgive for the many times I put far too much value in my accomplishments for You. Forgive me for trying to serve You more than worship You. Amen.

Not Exactly Good News.

Luke 9

For I, the Son of Man, must suffer many terrible things," he said. "I will be rejected by the leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. I will be killed, but three days later I will be raised from the dead. – Luke 9:22 NLT

When these words came off the lips of Jesus, His disciples were less-than-ecstatic. In fact, they were surprised and confused. This wasn't exactly what they had signed up for. After all, they were fully expecting Jesus, as the long-awaited Messiah, to set up His kingdom on earth and destroy the oppressive rule of the Romans. He was going to be the warrior-king who, like His ancestor David, would wage war against the enemies of Israel and set up His kingdom in Jerusalem. It was going to be great, and the disciples thought they would be ruling right alongside Christ in His earthly kingdom. Now here He comes talking about suffering and death at the hands of the elders, chief priests and scribes of Israel. None of this made sense. Why would the religious leaders of their day want to kill the Messiah? This all had to sound preposterous to the disciples. And as if that wasn't bad enough, Jesus goes on to tell them that they were going to have to deny themselves and take up their own crosses if they were going to continue following Him. Wow! Not exactly good news.

But we know that is exactly what it was – good news. Jesus' death was the key to His coming. He came to offer Himself as a sacrifice for all. Ephesians 5:2 tells us that Jesus "gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." He died so that we might live. His death resulted in a different kind of victory than the disciples were looking for. He came to set them free from the rule of sin and the penalty of death, not the Romans. He came to give them victory over the grave, not some foreign occupying army. The life Jesus was offering was going to require death. His own. And it would require of the disciples a daily dying of themselves. They were going to have to die to their expectations and dreams. They were going to have to die to their addictive habit of trying to save themselves. They were going to have to lose their lives in order to gain the new life that Jesus offered. But it would prove to be an exchange that was well worth it. Our sin for His righteousness. Our forgiveness for His condemnation. Our new life for His death. His power for our weakness. Our salvation for His sacrifice.

So the bad news would prove to be very good news after all. And it still is.

Father, thank You for the good news regarding Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for coming up with a plan that was far better than anything the disciples could have dreamed up or dreamed of. Your way is the best. And I am grateful that the bad news regarding Your son's death would prove to be the best news of all time. Amen.