July 18


Lessons


... serving God helps in every way by bringing you blessings in this life and in the future life too ... Command and teach these things ... be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith and your pure life ... continue to do these things ... Be careful in your life and in your teaching. If you continue to live and teach rightly, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

I Timothy 4:8, 11, 12, 15, 16 (NCV)


The king ... then all the people promised to obey.... There was no king like Josiah before or after him. He obeyed the LORD with all his heart, soul and strength, following all the Teachings of Moses.

II Kings 23:3, 25 (NCV)


There’s an old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Yeah. That’s right, and here’s a new one, “Obedience changes lives .. and not just our own.”

To God obedience is the sweetest thing, the evidence of a heart that’s right with Him ... and, therefore, right with others.

So, here’s the truth: our actions and our obedience impact others. This positive thing starts on the inside, so that better choices are made. We choose for God and our character grows strong. As we make consistently good choices, we grow spiritually. In the process, we teach others and impact them in helpful ways—not always easy but for the best. Deliberately or not, the truth in our lives gets caught by others.

In this world, our lives are books and we are read daily. Some books, it turns out, are better reads than others are, but we all get read by somebody. And everyone of us can be a little Josiah. We are leaders to someone, somewhere. We teach them, we lead them ... by our example, by our obedience ... or by our disobedience.

The best lessons are lessons of blessing ... lessons of obedience.


Father, help us to obey. Amen.

July 17


Great Sacrifice


Stay here ... while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.

Genesis 22:5 (NIV)


Here, Abraham teaches us a simple yet amazing lesson. Do you see what he calls what he is about to do? He knows full well he is about to sacrifice his son Isaac, the heir of the Promise. He will literally tie the boy up, take his knife out and raise it high with every intention of thrusting it into the lad's heart. And ... he calls it worship?

Worship. Giving to God what He deserves, what He wants, what He expects ... like our total obedience.

We know well the suspense and eventual twist in this "real-knife" drama. God stops Abraham at the last minute. He provides him with a ram to sacrifice in Isaac’s place (the poor animal just happens to be stuck in a thicket nearby). And God is pleased. Abraham has held back nothing—even that which is most precious to him. Even his dear son—loved like none other.

And so this lesson comes home to me. This thousands of years old drama has meaning in my life. It tells me I must offer up that which is dearest to me. We all must ... if we want to be like Abraham—a person of great faith, reputation and title—the friend of God.

In time and eternity, we can want nothing more....


My Father and my God, this day I come to Your altar with open hands and a willing heart. You have blessed me with beautiful things. Please take the dearest and the best. I give them freely and rejoice always with this universal truth: You know what is best.

July 16


Three Gifts


He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way.

I Peter 2:24 (The Message)


Because of His great love ... He ... made us alive together with Christ.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV)


God’s great love has given us many gifts, and in these short verses I see at least three special gifts: life, freedom and family.

These three offer a unique blend for His greater joy. As we use all three for His glory, each seems to heighten our overall experience. By God’s grace, I am free to live a spiritual life that helps others. As I delve into this deeper life, I grow closer to Christ and our Heavenly Father, and as I continue, my life experience takes on greater meaning. The more meaningful my life, the more precious the freedom He gives. And again, this great freedom makes me appreciate the benefits of right living and draws me into a deeper love with my Christian family—the living, breathing, serving family of God.

God has provided us a sort of triple joy, planned, carried out, and promoted by the ultimate three: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Can you imagine better help or better gifts? No wonder we are free, alive, together, and ... full of joy!


Lord, thank You for Your precious gifts, for these in particular, and ... for the beautiful oneness of the family of God.

July 15

Heart Fix


May the Lord lead your hearts into God's love and Christ's patience.

II Thessalonians 3:5 NCV


This is what I desperaqtely need: a complete renovation of the heart. To do it, I need to open it up, become vulnerable and allow God to look and probe and, ultimately, to rebuild, to retool.

No one said it would be without challenges, but this morning I have hope. This morning I see just the items needed to complete the job: His love and Christ's patience.


Father God, lead me into this love. Make me more like Jesus. Amen.

July 14

Games


Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.

I Peter 3:8 The Message


Last Thursday it was Monopoly, then Friday morning it was a game called Payday. My son, Alex, had two days off from school, and both days he wanted me to play. Both times I wanted to say, "No." Both times the Spirit overruled. "Play," He seemed to say.

"Okay...." was all I could muster as I sat down on the living room floor and helped set things up.

Alex cleaned my clock. I was really trying to win. Honest.

Now I read this verse and it's like God's confirmation. "You did okay; you did good, in fact. And, by the way, I want to see more of this!"


Father, give me a playful, unhurried heart. Amen.

July 13

The Better Plan


God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

I John 3:20 NCV


God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him.

Philippians 2:13 NCV


For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

II Chronicles 16:9 NAS


Sometimes it takes us 40 or 50 years or perhaps even a lifetime to take hold of this truth: God is on our side ... and He has a better plan.

This is unchanging, enduring truth, but for some reason, we just don't get it, not until life beats us up, or we get tired of discovering dead ends. Something happens. Something makes us want more than the same old same old, more than we thought we wanted. Whatever it is, we decide for God. We decide to listen. We become truly interested in trying it His way--totally. In essence, we give up on ourselves.

We give up, and in that moment we grow closer to Him than we've ever been. In our hearts we want nothing more than to please Him, and in those occasional times we do stray, we come to realize the dreadful affect of not pleasing Him. It can give me the chills.

And me? Yes, I am speaking of myself more than anyone. I seek God and nothing more. This is my heart laid bare before you. This gives me my greatest satisfaction: in seeking Him, I know Him and strive to please Him. It's all Jesus wanted to do, please the Father, and there is no higher calling. None.

Down deep, this is all we really want. It's all we really need, because the simple truth has become our reality: God is on our side ... and He has a better plan.


Father, guide us deep into Your better plan. Amen.