Author Archives: jsjdevotions

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June 2, 2014

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Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Nature

LET’S GET REAL

2014 - 6- 2 scarlet hibiscus webFrom infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God’s approval. They equip God’s servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things. [2 Timothy 3:15-17 (GW)]

As I walked through my favorite bird sanctuary there was a cacophony of sound. Birds were warbling and cooing, hooting and chirping. That same holiday weekend, thousands of people were a few hours north at Disney World sitting in comfortable theater seats to watch and hear artificial birds and flowers sing. They were missing the real thing: the butterflies and birds, the lizards and alligators, the scarlet hibiscus and swamp lilies. Of course, they also didn’t hear the piercing shriek of the hawk, the guttural croak of the pig frog, or see the gator put an end to the anhinga. Nor did they have to contend with cobwebs, pesky flies, even peskier mosquitos or humidity and heat. They were in comfort, enjoying air conditioning, soft seats and perfectly orchestrated songs, seeing and hearing precisely what they wanted to see and hear.

2014 - 6-2 great egret - little blue - webI wonder if, like choosing Disney’s tiki birds over a walk in a real bird sanctuary, some of us choose our churches for the comfort instead of the truth. If the only messages given are the ones we want to hear, if the only messages we receive make us feel good about ourselves, we might be in the wrong place. Christianity isn’t about complacency and feeling righteous. It’s about change and change isn’t always pleasant. Sometimes we need to hear things that challenge us, that make us question who we are, and how we spend our time and money. Along with hopeful messages about love and forgiveness, we need messages that open our eyes to hidden sins. Yes, He brought us good news and “tidings of comfort and joy;” but he also told us the road would not be easy. His purpose is not to entertain us; His purpose is to save us!

 If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. [St. Augustine]

 

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May 31, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Holy Spirit, Obedience

WE BREAK THE LAW

We Jews know that we have no advantage of birth over “non-Jewish sinners.” We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it—and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good. [Galatians 2:15-16 (MSG)]

There are 613 laws given in the Old Testament that cover everything from sacrifices, religious rituals, and dietary laws to health rules, civil law and to how to get along with other people. A quick look at the Old Testament shows us that having the law and knowing the law certainly didn’t mean following it. Even the clear laws about not making graven images or setting up pillars for worship weren’t followed. In spite of well-defined directions about handling the Ark, we know David screwed that one up! Although the Jews were to heed the call of every prophet in every generation, deaf ears were turned to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many others. The Old Testament demonstrates that mankind can never be made right with God by good behavior, simply because we are incapable of it on our own. The law demands perfection and it’s easy to see none of us are anywhere close to that.

Paul had his work cut out for him trying to unite Jewish and non-Jewish Christians in one faith. Several Jewish Christians believed that the laws of the Old Testament were binding on the new church. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul points out that salvation doesn’t come from following the law but from faith in Christ. Although Paul wrote that Christ freed us from the law, we must remember that salvation in Christ doesn’t free us from good conduct. Now, however, we don’t have to do it on our own power. With Christ is in us; good behavior is possible. When we get right with God by faith, we are changed. We follow God’s way, not because the law says we have to but because we want to and, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we are capable of doing so.

So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. [Romans 3:27-28 (MSG)]

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May 29, 2014

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Holidays & Holy Days, Holy Spirit, Sharing Our Faith

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN – ASCENSION DAY 2014

Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. [Luke 24:50-53 (NLT)]

Today, forty days after Easter, is Ascension Day. Instead of celebrating Jesus’ return to His disciples as we did nearly six weeks ago, we celebrate His departure from them. Unlike most partings, however, this was not a sad farewell but rather a joyous one. The message Jesus left His disciples (and us) is one of hope and reassurance: all is well and we are not alone. The Holy Spirit remains with us.

The disciples didn’t just stand there and wait for His return and neither should we. He gave us all a job to do until that day comes.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” [Acts 1:8-11 (NLT)]

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May 28, 2014

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God's Promises, Nature

PROTECTING THE NEST

mockingbird - IW072aawebBut this is what the Lord has told me: … The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will hover over Jerusalem and protect it like a bird protecting its nest. He will defend and save the city; he will pass over it and rescue it.” [Isaiah 31:4a,5 (NLT)]

Most birds don’t appear very intimidating, so unless you’ve seen a mockingbird defend its nest, this verse from Isaiah might not seem terribly reassuring. Several mocking birds live in my neighborhood and I enjoy listening to their delightful songs. This is nesting season, however, and the bird with the beautiful songs now has a loud aggressive rasping call that is used to harass any other bird or person that ventures near its nest. This little bird will even give chase to birds over twice its size just to keep its nest safe. A mockingbird family has chosen to nest in a shrub just a few feet from my lanai. As a result, whenever I go out, one of the parents will sit atop the screen and screech down at me. It harasses me non-stop with the bird version of, “Stay away from my babies! Stay away from my home! Go away, go away!” It gives me great comfort to know that God promises to love, defend and protect me like a bird protecting its nest!

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May 27, 2014

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Challenges & Difficulty

The Perfect Storm

One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” [Luke 8:22-24a (MSG)]

Our lives become chaotic and difficult with the diagnosis of a chronic or life-threatening disease, the loss of a job, a loved one’s death, or a car accident. When a family member sinks into depression or addiction, when unexpected and overwhelming expenses occur, when a marriage fails or the weather destroys our homes, life takes a terrible turn. If we have to face only one crisis (or even two) at a time, we usually manage to muddle through with faith, prayer and God’s guidance. Sometimes, however, our lives go from bad to catastrophic when those troubles combine. Through no fault of our own, chronic misfortune plagues us and we find ourselves in the midst of a perfect storm of adversity. Like the disciples, we’re certain that we’ll sink in the troubled waters.

Father, at times it seems as if our lives are going to capsize and we’ll drown in our troubles. Calm us when the storm hits; forgive our lack of faith when we try to bail ourselves out instead of turning to you. Help us trust that you will strengthen us while you quiet the storm. Reassure us that if our boats capsize, you’ll teach us to swim!

Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass. Then he said to his disciples, “Why can’t you trust me?” Luke 8:24b-25a (MSG)]

 

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May 25, 2014

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Prayer, Trusting God

Who’s on Your Speed Dial?

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. [Psalm 105:4 (NLT)]

Do you remember the “Seinfeld” episode about one’s placement on the speed dial of someone else’s phone? Following a bad date, Jerry discovered that his name had moved from seventh to ninth position on his girlfriend’s phone. “This speed dial’s like a relationship barometer,” was his conclusion.

Our pastor told the story of a church council that was dealing with a rather vexing problem. In fact, there was so much discord that the survival of the parish was at stake. During a particularly contentious council meeting, the minister suggested that they pause for some prayer. A stunned church elder responded, “Good Heavens! Has it finally come to that?”

My point? Who is first on our speed dials? Is God the first one we call with our problems or the last resort when all else fails? If He’s not number one, there’s something wrong with our relationship. Let’s keep him in first place and remember that, if we chat with him daily about the little things in our lives, it’s much easier to hand him the big problems when they arise.

Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness. [H. Jackson Brown, Jr.]

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. [Colossians 4:2 (NLT)]