Prayer: Persevering because It Is Possible

Prayer: Persevering because It Is Possible
Scott Lyons
8/25/2013
We can and should pray always because it is always possible to pray. We live in the risen Christ, the One who is always with us, and because of his constant presence we can pray at any time. And if we can, we should. Stanislaus Kostka, a Polish Jesuit, wrote in a letter to his friend Ernest, "I find a heaven in the midst of saucepans and brooms." Everything, no matter how mundane or mean, can be not only an occasion for prayer but also a prayer in itself, a liturgy to God if offered up as such. This is true even, I suspect, with the laundry.

As a stay-at-home dad, I have occasionally joked, "Must I feed the children today?" But while I say it with tongue in cheek, the weight of something even so small as making lunch becomes on some days burdensome. Our love wanes in the exhaustion of the "never-ending." But we can take these daily demands and find God in their repetition, like a prayer or a poem. It must be an intentional thing, rising up from the heart, a conscious taking up of this cross for the other. And when we offer it to God in prayer and in love, this seemingly small thing becomes a beautiful work that stretches out into eternity.

We Christians pray too little. We pray too infrequently. We offer too little of ourselves to the One who gives all of himself. Our minds should always be turning toward Christ in prayer, not merely because we are desperate for his mercy and presence but because he is the lover of our souls. He made us. He saved us. He continues to save us. He draws us into his very life, into that perfect communion of his love.

Every encounter we have is an occasion for prayer. When Peter and the apostles were arrested and whipped, they “left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41, NLT). And Paul, while living under house arrest, wrote to the Philippians, saying, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4, NLT). So should our lives be. When your friend or spouse enters the room, give thanks to God for them. When you see the sunset, give thanks to God for it. For rain and sun, for cold and heat—in all things and at all times, bless the Lord. We should delight in the glory of everything, giving glory to God for all things so that his praise is always on our lips.

Even when trials come, Paul says that we should give thanks to God (1 Thessalonians 5:18). James tells us to consider them as opportunities for joy (James 1:2) because these sufferings and trials are friends and teachers who, if we are willing, can lead us to Christ.

Prayer should always be on our lips. We must ask God that we might see.

As I write this article, I am in the middle of a national forest in Michigan. The silence is heavy and beautiful. The endless Michigan skies stretch above and through the leaves of oaks and maples. It is easy to bless God for such beauty as can be found in Michigan forests and on the shores of the Great Lakes. But I will not always be here.

You may not be somewhere beautiful now. Maybe you are taking a break from laundry or are weighed down by the stresses and worries of life, which are many. Stand up for a moment and raise up your hands in prayer and bless God for all that he has done and is doing in your life. He loves you and is faithful. Open yourself to his grace, and though you are in the middle of suffering, recognize the One who walks beside you and who shepherds you. And bless him: “The King of Love my Shepherd is / Whose goodness faileth never, / I nothing lack if I am His / And He is mine forever” (Henry W. Baker).

Solitude: Our Vintner

Solitude: Our Vintner
Scott Lyons
8/21/2013
Solitude helps us on the path of sanctification, our communion with and conversion to Christ, our perfection in love. It makes a human into a full person. We must flee the world to embrace solitude. Our destination is Christ; solitude is an avenue.

Solitude is not an easy road. We long to be part of whatever currently seems to us to be important. But solitude turns away from this, longing instead to be in the life of the most holy Trinity, within that perfect communion of love. This is not a turning away from loving other people but an intentional turn towards the desert, embracing solitude so that I might be able to love people as I ought. And while solitude is not easy, it is fruitful. I have heard it said that the best wine grapes are grown in poor soil. Their wild growth must be checked and pruned back or else worthless grapes will be produced. The vintner is looking for grapes full of flavor and vitality. So he stresses the vines, prunes them severely, limits water, and even risks the entire crop at times so that he might see the fruit that he desires. The stresses on the vine produce intensity of flavor.

We are wine grapes. Even our Lord, the Scriptures say, learned obedience through suffering. Without suffering, without the trial, then the subject is unproven. It is not that Christ was disobedient and learned to be obedient (as we must). Rather, his obedience was revealed through his suffering: the poorest of soil, revealing the most perfect of grapes, producing the best wine.

Solitude brings us face to face with ourselves. It is useful in leaving nothing to us but a true image, a correct understanding of who we are. Perhaps you hate quietness, or you crave distraction in order to avoid some pain in your life. Discipline yourself with solitude. The desert father Abba Moses said, "The man who flees and lives in solitude is like a bunch of grapes ripened by the sun, but he who remains amongst men is like an unripe grape" (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, p. 140).

Distraction can be a terrible evil. It can be, as Neil Postman put it, a matter of amusing ourselves to death. Now the distractions themselves are innocent enough, but our obsession with them can lead us astray from our true journey, our true goal—like the lotus-eaters and Odysseus. Distraction is, for many of us, our drug of choice. We use it to numb the pain of life. We distract ourselves in order to avoid ourselves, life, and our sin.

Solitude rips a person away from distraction. It makes us confront our lives and ourselves. It helps us confess our sin. It is not, at the beginning, a pleasant process. Sometimes it becomes increasingly unpleasant as we see the extent of our sinfulness. We confess our sin and see the next layer—we see how ancient it is. Solitude is a ruthless but useful tool. It requires time to unearth the true men or women God intended us to be.

The spiritual disciplines are vintners, friends, teachers, and guides. They are the path to Christ, to becoming more like him, and to loving God and others more perfectly. Solitude is an effective discipline if we are willing that it be so. May solitude be your vintner, that you might be an acceptable offering—the work of human hands, moved and strengthened by grace, poured out, offered up, and made acceptable to God.

Weekly Sermon: The Huddle

On August 24/25, Pastor Diehl shared the message The Huddle, looking at lessons from Luke 9.

Weekly Sermon: The Huddle

Positive Thought For 08-28-13

Helping you to thrive this week, here's another Positive Thought: The Lord loves it when you put your hope in His unfailing love! See Psalm 147:11 

Stirring Up Justice

Stirring Up Justice

Judges 9:22-57

Read After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon's seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. The citizens of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot. One day Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shechem. During the annual harvest festival at Shechem, held in the temple of the local god, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimelech. "Who is Abimelech?" Gaal shouted. "He's not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He's merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, 'Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!'" (Judges 9:22-29)

Reflect This "spirit that stirred up trouble" was not just an attitude of strife, it was a demon. It was not Satan himself, but one of the fallen angels under Satan's influence. God used this evil spirit to bring about judgment on Shechem and Abimelech. First Samuel 16:14 records how God judged Saul in a similar way. Abimelech was the opposite of what God wanted in a judge, but three years passed before God moved against him, fulfilling Jotham's parable. Those three years must have seemed like forever to Jotham. We may wonder why Abimelech wasn't punished sooner for his evil ways. We are not alone when we question why evil seems to prevail. Job, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk all asked God that question (Job 10:3; 21:1-18; Jeremiah 12:1; Habakkuk 1:2-4, 12-17). God promises to deal with sin but in his time, not ours. Actually it is good news for us that God doesn't punish sin immediately because we all have sinned and deserve God's punishment. God, in his mercy, often spares us from immediate punishment and allows time to turn from our sins and turn to him for forgiveness. Trusting God for justice means (1) we must first recognize our own sins and repent, and (2) we may endure a difficult time of waiting for the wicked to be punished. But in God's time, all evil will be judged. All wrongs will be made right.

Respond Next time you see evil succeeding, pray not only for God's justice, but pray that by his mercy, evildoers would repent and turn to God. Then thank God for his patience with you and for the grace, mercy, and forgiveness he's shown you through Christ.

Romans 12:12-21

Romans 12

12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
  14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
  17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
  19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

"I will take revenge;
  I will pay them back,"*
  says the LORD.

20 Instead,

"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
  burning coals of shame on their heads."*

21 Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good

A Way Of Escape

READ: Matthew 4:1-11, 1 Corinthians. 10:12-13

[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it. —1 Corinthians 10:13

Highway 77, which passes through the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, features a series of runaway truck ramps. These semi-paved exits appear in an area of the highway where the altitude drops nearly 1,300 feet over the course of about 6 miles. This steep descent combined with the road’s winding path can create problems for motorists—especially truck drivers.

Just as a runaway truck needs an escape route from a highway, we also need “a way of escape” when out-of-control desires threaten our spiritual well-being. When we face temptation, “[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). God enables us to say “no” to enticement through the power of His Word. Jesus conquered Satan’s temptation relating to food, authority, and trust by quoting verses from Deuteronomy (Matt. 4:4-10). Scripture helped Him resist the devil despite the effects of a 40-day fast in the wilderness.

When we are tempted, we may feel like disaster is just around the bend. Memories of past failure and isolation from others can intensify this feeling. However, we can trust God in moments of temptation; He is faithful. He will provide a way for us to resist sin’s allure. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee. —Hawks/Lowry

The best way to escape temptation is to run to God.

Heavenly Prayers

Revelation 6:1-17

Jay Cutler, NFL quarterback for the Chicago Bears, led his team as they played in the NFC Championship Game. If the Bears won against the hated Green Bay Packers, they would play in the Super Bowl. Cutler was tackled hard a few times during the first half, enough that he took himself out of the game. Some fans became furious when they saw what they thought was a healthy Cutler sitting on the bench. He didn’t appear to be cheering the team on. He simply stared blankly as the Bears lost.

Cutler’s appearance of stoic resignation is how I used to think of heaven: When I leave this earthly contest, I will go to my eternal rest where I’ll sleep a lot. But then I read John’s snapshot of heaven, where martyred saints are shouting to God, “How long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10). These saints aren’t resting, they’re actively praying!

Origen wrote that “all those fathers who have fallen asleep before us fight on our side and aid us by their prayers.” Gregory of Nazianzus said that his deceased father “accomplishes there now by his prayers more than he ever did by his teaching.” And Martin Luther told his friend that if he died first he must pull him to heaven by his prayers, “For we confess one God and with all saints we abide in our Savior.”

Luther was describing the communion of the saints—all Christians, whether dead or alive, remain connected in Jesus. We pray for them, asking God to give a special hug to our deceased loved ones. They pray for us, cheering us on from stands packed with a great cloud of witnesses. Death may have pushed them to the sideline, but they’re still in the game.

— Mike Wittmer

Read Hebrews 12:1-29 to learn how we remain connected to other Christians who have died.

How does it help to remember that we remain connected to those who have died in Christ? What message would you like Jesus to pass on to someone for you?

A "Wool-Proof" Test

A "Wool-Proof" Test

Judges 6:33-40

Read Then Gideon said to God, "If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised." And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew." So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew. (Judges 6:36-40)

Reflect After seeing the miracle of the wet fleece, why did Gideon ask for another miracle? Perhaps he thought the results of the first test could have happened naturally. A thick fleece could retain moisture long after the sun had dried the surrounding ground. Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? In either case, though his goal was right (to obey God and defeat the enemy), his method was less than ideal. Gideon seems to have known that his requests might displease God, yet he demanded two miracles even after witnessing the miraculous fire from the rock that had consumed his sacrifice to God (Judges 6:21). Certainly, seeking God's will can take time and prayerful attention. But demanding extra signs to confirm what God had said was an indication of Gideon's unbelief. Gideon knew God's will, but still he hesitated. He delayed obeying God because he wanted even more proof. Fear often makes us wait for more confirmation when we should be acting in faith. "Putting out fleeces" displeases God when they only confirm what God has already said.

Respond If you are uncertain about God's will, perhaps waiting for more clarity can help. But there are many things that God is already very clear about. If you focus on obeying the parts of God's will that you know, you may find that what you don't know becomes clearer, or maybe doesn't matter anymore. Today the Bible will go a long way in helping you understand what God's will is. As you learn to obey it, you'll hear God's voice more clearly because it will be in harmony with what he's already said.

Isaiah 26:4-21

Isaiah 26 4 Trust in the LORD always,   for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock. 5 He humbles the proud   and brings down the arrogant city.   He brings it down to the dust. 6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,   and the needy walk all over it. 7 But for those who are righteous,   the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right,   and you smooth out the path ahead of them. 8 LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;   our heart's desire is to glorify your name. 9 All night long I search for you;   in the morning I earnestly seek for God. For only when you come to judge the earth   will people learn what is right. 10 Your kindness to the wicked   does not make them do good. Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong   and take no notice of the LORD's majesty. 11 O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.   Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Then they will be ashamed.   Let your fire consume your enemies. 12 LORD, you will grant us peace;   all we have accomplished is really from you. 13 O LORD our God, others have ruled us,   but you alone are the one we worship. 14 Those we served before are dead and gone.   Their departed spirits will never return! You attacked them and destroyed them,   and they are long forgotten. 15 O LORD, you have made our nation great;   yes, you have made us great. You have extended our borders,   and we give you the glory! 16 LORD, in distress we searched for you.   We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline. 17 Just as a pregnant woman   writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,   so were we in your presence, LORD. 18 We, too, writhe in agony,   but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given salvation to the earth,   nor brought life into the world. 19 But those who die in the LORD will live;   their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth   will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew   on your people in the place of the dead! Restoration for Israel 20 Go home, my people,   and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while   until the LORD's anger has passed. 21 Look! The LORD is coming from heaven   to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed.   They will be brought out for all to see.

Our Daily Bread -- On My Side

READ: Psalm 118:1-6

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. —Psalm 118:6

After diminutive Olympic athlete Gabby Douglas captured two gold medals in the 2012 London Games, she made this proclamation: “God will never fail you. He’s always on your side.”

Sometimes this kind of statement by an athlete can be misunderstood. It can be taken to mean that if I’m competing against you in a sports contest and I have God’s help, there is no way I can lose. But if we turn to Psalm 118:5-6, we get the true picture of what this line means. The psalmist wrote, “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.”

Another version translates verse 6 as “the Lord is with me” (niv). It’s the idea that when trouble comes into our lives, God, who is full of mercy and love (which “endures forever,” v.4) will always be attentive to us and provide the protection we need.

We don’t have to be an Olympic champion to appreciate this kind of divine attention. This is what we need when the economy falters and our finances can’t keep up. It’s what we need when a relationship we cherished falls apart. No matter what our situation, as Christ-followers we know where to find help. “The Lord is on my side.” —Dave Branon

Be still, my soul—the Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide—
In every change He faithful will remain. —von Schlegel

In the midst of every trial, God is on our side.

Lesson In Humility

Proverbs 3:5-12

I know you’ve tried your best, but your best isn’t good enough.” If someone said those discouraging words to you, your thoughts might be something like, Whoa! Come on, I’ve been doing my best. Surely, that’s worth something!

Well, yes and no. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Isaiah 64:6 reads: “We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags” (MSG). Besides, objectively speaking, it’s possible that our best might not meet the mark, due to a lack of experience, knowledge, or skill.

So while it is only right that we do our very best, it is never right when we take pride in our best efforts.

Pride is a Christian’s greatest enemy. It inclines us to depend on our own understanding and not to seek God’s will in all that we do. As Christians, we are always to be learning to say, “I can’t live up to this demand, I can’t do this thing that is asked of me; but He can, therefore I can.”

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was a marvelous example. He wrote: “It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than me; for in the easiest positions He must give me grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient. So, if God places me in great perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trial, much strength?”

God knows how easily I can be “impressed with [my] own wisdom” (Proverbs 3:7) and desire that my best efforts be noticed and rewarded. As my loving Father, He corrects me (Proverbs 3:11-12). So, when you receive a disparaging remark for your best effort, stop and consider: Is my loving Father teaching me a lesson in humility?

— Poh Fang Chia

In Numbers 12:1-16, Miriam demanded that her good efforts be recognized. What was the result of her demands?

Should God or you be praised when others see your best efforts? Why is it important for us to be humble before God and others?

Positive Thought 08-23-13

Getting a great weekend started with a STAR 88.3 Positive Thought: "Eternal encouragement and good hope come from the LORD." See more 2 Thessalonians 2:16

So, What’s God Really Like?

So, What’s God Really Like?
Is there really a God? If so, what's he really like? Have you been asked those questions lately? Maybe you've asked those questions yourself because of conflicting information you've heard.

In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet describes a vision of God. Obviously, he was convinced that God existed! So, what is God like?

We can know what God is like by looking at the names given for him in Scripture. Each name--Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, Yahweh (or Jehovah), Abba--reveals an aspect of God's character.

Yet there are some aspects of God's character that are mysterious. For example, God has always existed. (See Ps 90:2.) That's mind-boggling.

Another mysterious element of God's character is the fact that he never changes (see Mal 3:6). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Heb 13:8). In other words, he is forever consistent.

Still another is the fact that God is infinite--limitless. This infinity is expressed in different ways. In regard to time, God is eternal; he always was, is, and will be. In regard to space, he is omnipresent, or everywhere at once. No corner of the universe lacks his presence. In regard to power, he is omnipotent, or all-powerful. God can do anything that is consistent with his character. In regard to knowledge, he is omniscient, or all-knowing. There is nothing and no one that God does not know completely. He knows everything about you.

We can comprehend many of God's characteristics because he shares them with us to some degree. These include the abilities to think, to love, to make wise choices, to communicate, to work, and so on. Though God's ability in these areas is light-years beyond ours, he has given us some capacity to resemble him in certain areas. Remember, we are made in the image of God.

There are many different ideas and belief systems centered on the question, Who is God? Christianity is based on the confident assertion that the real God, the God of Isaiah and of the Bible, has revealed himself to us, and we can know him.

Victory Fanfare

Victory Fanfare

Judges 5:1-31

Read "When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel! "My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD! "Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched down to the city gates. "Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam! "Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors. They came down from Ephraim—a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander's staff. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds—to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors." (Judges 5:8-17)

Reflect Although God had given Israel clear directions, the people failed to put his words into practice. Without God at the center of their national life, pressure from the outside soon became greater than power from within, and they were an easy prey for their enemies. War was the inevitable result. Four tribes—Reuben, Gilead (either Gad or Manasseh), Dan, and Asher—were accused of not lending a helping hand in the battle. No reasons are given for why they didn't help their fellow Israelites, but their reasons may be the same ones that stopped them from driving out the Canaanites in Joshua's time: (1) lack of faith in God to help, (2) lack of effort, (3) fear of the enemy, and (4) fear of ruining the economy that depended on trade with the Canaanites. This disobedience showed a lack of enthusiasm for what God wanted Israel to become.

Respond Are you excited about what God wants to do in and through your life? Or does holiness sound like a drain of life and joy? If you are more excited to gain recognition, power, or money, you may find yourself besieged by stress, anxiety, illness, or fatigue when your dreams slip out of your grasp. Ask God to give you a clear picture of the life he wants for you, and ask him to ignite your imagination for what it could mean for your future.

Psalm 9:10-20

Psalm 9

10 Those who know your name trust in you,
  for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem.*
  Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
  He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

13 LORD, have mercy on me.
  See how my enemies torment me.
  Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates,
  so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.
  Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
16 The LORD is known for his justice.
  The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.     Quiet Interlude*

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.*
  This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;
  the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

19 Arise, O LORD!
  Do not let mere mortals defy you!
  Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O LORD.
  Let the nations know they are merely human.    Interlude

Our Daily Bread -- The Gift Of Light

READ: John 8:12-20

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. —John 8:12

Sir Christopher Wren designed and built more than 50 church buildings in London during the late 1600s. His design style had two prominent features—the first of which was sturdy, tall steeples. The second, however, was more profound. Wren was convinced that all of the windows in his churches must use clear glass as opposed to the stained glass so popular in churches of that era. In part, his reason for the clear glass is found in words attributed to him: “God’s greatest gift to man is light.” Allowing light to bathe people as they worshiped was, to Wren, a celebration of that gift.

In the Genesis account, on the first day of creation God made light (1:3). The light God created is even more than just a means by which to see. It’s a picture of what Christ brought when He entered this darkened world. In John 8:12, our Lord said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” To the follower of Christ, light is one of the great reminders of the character of our Savior and the quality of the life He has given us through His sacrifice on the cross.

Wren was right. God’s greatest gift to man is light—Jesus Christ, the Light of the world! —Bill Crowder

Creator God, I thank You that You spoke light
into the darkness of the universe, and I thank
You that You brought light into the darkness
of my heart through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to give light to a dark world.

Shameless Persistence

Luke 18:1-8

It was supposed to be one of those in-and-out trips to the store—all I needed was laundry detergent. But then my daughter spotted some playthings for sale. She begged, “Can we look at the toys?” I responded with, “Maybe.” Then, she used a negotiation tactic popular with children—shameless persistence. “Mom, pleeeeease?” She kept up the requests until we finally ended up knee-deep in baby dolls and books.

Spiritually speaking, God doesn’t mind persistence in His children. The Bible encourages us to always “pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). In fact, Jesus told a story about a widow who badgered a judge with repeated requests for justice (Luke 18:3). The judge had a bad reputation, and yet he thought: “I’m going to see that [this woman] gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests” (Luke 18:5). Even the crooked judge handed down “a just decision in the end” (Luke 18:7).

Since God is a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11), Jesus assured us that “God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night” (Luke 18:7). Besides justice, God also gives “good gifts” and the Holy Spirit’s help to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13).

Are you struggling to ask and knock with the fervor of the persistent widow? Maybe you’ve prayed about something, but then gave up and tried to fix the issue yourself. If so, remember that God is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Going back to God again and again puts the outcome in His hands. And it allows us to say, “Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2).

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read Deuteronomy 10:10 to see how God answered Moses’ persistent intercessory prayers.

What’s the difference between vain repetition in prayer (Matthew 6:7) and “shameless persistence”? (Luke 11:8). What do you need to pray about today?

A Devotional for Leaders

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew--throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-20, NLT

A good leader looks for undiscovered qualities in people and provides opportunities for those qualities to become assets. The ability to nurture talent and encourage growth in others can also create deep loyalty. One of the tasks Jesus had to accomplish in his three years of ministry was to put an effective team together that could follow through with his mission after he had ascended to heaven. One problem was that no one had ever been trained in the field of church planting. Jesus had to pick people for his team who could grow into their jobs. His ability to see potential in people brought twelve very different men together. How did Jesus persuade the disciples to join him? No begging, no buttering up. Jesus did not give the disciples false hope or exaggerate their potential. He simply told them that they would remain fishermen but that the bait and the catch would be much more significant. Scripture tells us that Andrew and Peter responded immediately to the offer Jesus made. They faltered and fell along the way but always got back up and continued to follow Jesus. History records that they were loyal to Jesus unto death. Jesus called them away from an unexciting, common existence to a compelling and challenging career. The disciples could not have envisioned themselves as part of future earth-changing events, but Jesus knew exactly how they would be used to further his kingdom. Jesus had a vision and he invited simple men to step out of the common and into something completely new. That invitation made all the difference for the disciples and for the world.

Psalm 146:5-10

Psalm 146

5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel* as their helper,
  whose hope is in the LORD their God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
  the sea, and everything in them.
  He keeps every promise forever.
7 He gives justice to the oppressed
  and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8   The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
  The LORD loves the godly.
9 The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
  He cares for the orphans and widows,
  but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10 The LORD will reign forever.
  He will be your God, O Jerusalem,* throughout the generations.

Praise the LORD!

Our Daily Bread For 08-22-13

READ: Matthew 5:17-20

The entirety of Your Word is truth. —Psalm 119:160

Pandora is one of the musical marvels of the Internet age. It helps you create your own personal radio station by allowing you to “customize” your music. It plays a song and you then click a thumbs up or thumbs down sign to indicate whether or not you like it. You end up with a grouping of only songs that you like.

Unfortunately, sometimes we do that with the Bible too. People may choose some Scripture passages they especially like and ignore others, and so they “customize” it to their preferences. The psalmist looked at God’s Word this way: “The entirety of Your Word is truth” (Ps. 119:160). And the apostle Paul told Timothy, a young pastor, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Scriptures were important to Jesus (Matt. 5:17-18), but He looked at them differently than the religious leaders of His day. To Him, “You shall not murder” was on the level of being “angry with [a] brother without a cause” (vv.21-22). Far from customizing Scripture, He was concerned about the motivation of people’s hearts in applying all of it.

As we embrace God’s Word more fully, we’ll know Him more deeply and desire to honor Him. —Marvin Williams

Lord, I don’t want to treat Your Word lightly or
to dismiss what seems too difficult. Show me
my heart and help me to obey from the heart
whatever You tell me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart.

Bible in a year: Psalms 110-112; 1 Corinthians 5

False Gods, True Blessing

1 Samuel 7:3-13

The stuff of life has a way of turning our hearts away from God. False gods include money, success, school, careers, romantic relationships, children, and more. Tim Keller, in Counterfeit Gods, defines a false god this way: “Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”

In 1 Samuel we find the Israelites falling away from God as they fell for false gods (1 Samuel 7:1-3). After tasting defeat at the hands of the dreaded Philistines and subsequently enduring deadly divine punishment due to disobedience, the people felt distant from Him (1 Samuel 4:1-2, 6:19). They cried out, “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” (1 Samuel 6:20).

Much like the way we think and sometimes behave when we’re feeling weak or insecure, the people turned to false gods to try to fill the spiritual hole in their heart. We might seek material things, achievements, or sex to make us feel better. But nothing will satisfy our deep desire and need for God.

Samuel the prophet made it clear that the Israelites had been looking for hope and meaning in all the wrong places. He said to the people, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods . . . . Determine to obey only the Lord” (1 Samuel 7:3). Fortunately, they got rid of their false gods (1 Samuel 7:4).

The end result? Out of obedience flowed blessing—the Israelites were able to defeat the Philistines in battle (1 Samuel 7:10). The One true God conquered a people who worshiped false gods.

What are the false gods in your life? Turn them over to God as you seek Him and His blessing alone.

— Tom Felten

Read Isaiah 43:10 and note what God says about Himself and false idols.

When are you most prone to seek false gods? Why can they never satisfy your deepest needs?