Endurance ... and Blessings (James 5:9-11)

Today’s scripture: James 5:9-11

Endurance.

Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially : the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.” 

James refers to Job, who is certainly an example of one who withstood hardship or adversity. And he received God’s blessings after he endured (Job 42:10-13).

Many of us have had our own “Job moments.” Perhaps you’ve lost a child. Or a home. Or your health. You’ve experienced tragedy and hardship and suffering. Maybe you are still.

And too often, instead of enduring, we try to cover up our pain through alcohol or drugs or rejection of God.

I’ve mentioned in previous blogs that I covered my own suffering through the latter. I turned my back on God whom I blamed for allowing sexual abuse and emotional pain. I didn’t endure.

After I made my way back to God and recognized His compassion and mercy, I experienced new suffering—I continue to suffer today.

But now I’ve learned to endure because I know God is compassionate and merciful. I know He loves me through the pain. I know He gives me strength through my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). I know I can crawl on His lap and cry out to my Abba.

And one day, after I’ve endured all this world throws at me, I will stand pain-free in the presence of my Lord God (Rev. 21:4). And I pray He’ll smile at me and say, “Well done, my daughter. Well done” (see Matt. 25:14-30).

Anticipation ... Is Making Me Wait (James 5:7-8)

Today’s scripture: James 5:7-8

Like many of you, patience is one of the “fruit of the Spirit” that I struggle with the most. Fortunately, the older I get, the easier it is to wait.

But the one thing that I feel really impatient about? Christ’s return.

I really can’t wait … although I know I must.

When I went through Philippians a few months ago, I talked a lot about this when I came to verses 21 and 23 in chapter 1. I believe with all I am that being with Christ is far better than being here on earth.

This earth and all it holds is nothing compared to being in the very presence of my Lord and Savior. Being free from this pain-filled body. Being free from wars and rumors of wars. Being free from natural disasters that maim and destroy.

So, I read words like these from James that I’m to be “patient … until the coming of the Lord.” And I know he’s right. I must patiently wait Christ’s return.

But James reminds me of something else I can do as I wait. I can strengthen my heart. I can grow more like Christ as I study and meditate on the word of God. I can spend time in prayer seeking the Father’s will. I can share the truth of the gospel.

And I can be assured that the “coming of the Lord is near” … nearer than it has ever been.

Oh, Lord Jesus, come quickly! But I’ll patiently wait for You and strengthen my heart as I wait.

God's Friend? Or His Enemy? (James 4:4-6)

Today’s scripture: James 4:4-6

James has been writing about how the tongue can destroy and how conflict between believers can harm and how we don’t receive answers to prayer because of wrong motives.

Now he really lays it on the line.

He accuses those of us who have “friendship with the world” as adulteresses. And rightfully so. The church, the body of Christ, is described as the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17). And what do we call a bride who cheats on her bridegroom?

So if we cheat on the Lord by being friends with the world, we are rightly called adulteresses. We are enemies of God.

Wow.

I don’t know about you, but that thought makes me cringe. I in no way want to be God’s enemy. But I see myself often spending more time watching TV shows that don’t honor God or reading books that don’t nurture my faith. Time that I should be spending with my Bridegroom.

But there is hope. God’s grace. If we humble ourselves and come to Him, surrendering our lives to Him, He showers us with His grace. He forgives our sins. And He invites us to one day attend the marriage feast.

When you one day stand before God’s throne, whose friend do you want to be?

A Challenge for Today ... and Every Day (1 Timothy 6:11)

Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11

Paul began to wrap up his first letter to Timothy with two exhortations.

The first is a plea: “… flee from these things …” Yesterday, we talked about pursuing riches and the love of money, and these are what Timothy is to flee from—and we need to flee from them as well.

However, Paul also exhorted Timothy—and us—to “pursue” some specific things (Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions):

Righteousness: being in “accord with divine or moral law and free from guilt or sin”

Godliness:  being “pious” and “devout”

Faith: “belief and trust in and loyalty to God”

Love: “unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another”

Perseverance: “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition”

Gentleness: being “honorable” and “kind”

Oh, my … Paul’s not asking for much, is he? (Too bad you can’t hear the sarcasm in my writing!) Seriously, don’t you read lists like this and think, “How in the world can I even begin to be righteous or godly or gentle?” You wonder, “I have faith, but sometimes it’s hard to persevere.”

Well, you’re right. You won’t be able to fully flee the love of money and pursue the items on that list on your own. The good news? You’re not on your own!

The Holy Spirit is in with you—within you. If you seek His strength and guidance, He’ll help you to pursue those things that will make you more and more like Christ and let Him shine through you.

Practice, Practice, Practice (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22)

Today’s scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

I’ve heard sin defined as “missing the mark” or “falling short.” I’ve also heard it defined as anything that takes our focus off of God.

This world is full of things to entice us. And when we neglect to “hold fast to that which is good”—those things of God—we can easily get sucked into sin. God desires our hearts to dwell on things that are pleasing to Him. Paul wrote, “… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9).

Practice these things.

A while ago, WWJD was a big thing. What would Jesus do? While it became almost a joke, in and outside of the Christian community, it’s still a valid question. Are we really focusing on what Jesus would do in every situation? Do we ask ourselves if God would be pleased with our thoughts or actions?

If we really sought God’s will in all things and “examine[d] everything carefully,” we might live very differently than we do.

Like a Thief in the Night (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)

Today’s scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

No one knows when Christ will return—except for the Father Himself. Yet we really don’t need to know.

Instead, we need to be prepared at all times for He will return “just like a thief in the night.” A burglar doesn’t announce when he’s going to rob you. Neither will our Lord announce His return.

But Paul uses another analogy: He’s going to come “suddenly like labor pains upon a woman …” While a woman may not know exactly when her labor will start, she usually has a hint or two. Braxton Hicks pains. Nesting instincts. And so we have some indication of Christ’s imminent return.

Jesus said:

See to it that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, "I am He!" and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. or nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. (Mark 13:5-8)

Although we cannot know the day and time, it feels very much like we’re experiencing those labor pains, so we need to, as my grandfather used to say, live as though Jesus is returning today and plan as though He won’t return in our lifetimes.

Or as Jesus also said,

But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, "Be on the alert!" (Mark 13:32-37)

Because He will return. And I say, “Lord Jesus, come quickly.”

How's Your Walk? (1 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Today’s scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12

“… walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” What does this really mean? What manner is worthy enough to deserve being a part of God’s kingdom?

I believe it means behaving in a way that pleases God. It means spending time in His word learning more about Him and His character. It means praying and communing with Him, listening to His voice.

It means striving to live by the greatest commandment, and “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). And living by the second greatest, as well, by striving to “love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 31).

It means allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest His fruit in you so you are loving, joyful, patient, gentle, and kind (see Galatians 5:21-23). It means serving the “least of these” (Matthew 25:31-40).

Or as Paul wrote, it means to live devoutly, uprightly, and blamelessly, and exhort and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Sounds like a very high calling, doesn’t it? When the end result is being with God in His kingdom, it’s really the least we can do.

At Home or Absent (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

Today's scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

I’m totally with Paul. I definitely “prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be home with the Lord.” I honestly cannot wait until I meet my Savior face-to-face.

But, as I often say, every day that God gets me up out of bed is another day He’s choosing to use me to fulfill His purpose. And so what should I do? I should have the same ambition Paul did: “to be pleasing to Him.”

I need to follow His “greatest commandments”: loving Him—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and loving others (Mark 12:30-31).

I need to be loving, joyful, gentle, kind. I need to have self-control, to be patient, to be faithful (Galatians 5:22-23).

I need to seek His will in all things (James 4:15).

Yes, we each have a purpose, and God will continue to use us until He takes us to heaven, either through death or Christ’s return. And even though we may long for the day we stand in His presence, our focus must be on living to please Him.

In a Holy Manner (1 Corinthians 11:33-34)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:33-34

Communion or the Lord’s Supper is not a time to get together and socialize. It’s not a time to eat and drink for pleasure:

They were to eat for hunger and pleasure only at home, and not to change the holy supper to a common feast; and much less eat up the provisions before those who could bring none did partake of them, lest they should come together for condemnation … Holy things are to be used in a holy manner, or else they are profaned. (Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible)

And that’s the bottom line, isn’t it? "Holy things are to be used in a holy manner..." And guess what? When we accept the gift of salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are holy. And so we also should behave in a holy manner.

Loving our God—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Loving others as ourselves. (See Mark 12:30-31)

Demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Avoiding the “deeds of the flesh”: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these (vv. 18-21).

Striving to live like Christ in all we say, do, or think. Being lights in a very dark world (see Matthew 5:14-15; Romans 2:19; Philippians 2:15).

Again I have to ask the question: How are we different from unbelievers? Are we holy people acting in holy manners? Or are we just like them … except we say we love Jesus?

Something to think about … and I hope you do.

An Unworthy Manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:27-32

Yesterday, we looked at words that are very familiar to many of us: Do this in remembrance of Me.

Paul was specifically writing about what Jesus said when He served His disciples bread and wine just before His arrest and execution.

But shouldn’t everything we do be done out of gratitude for our Lord’s sacrifice? In several places in Paul’s gospels, he writes about grace and then asks something like, “Does the knowledge that we’re forgiven from our sins give us liberty sin again? May it never be!”

If we consider what Jesus did for us, how He suffered betrayal and denial, torture and ridicule, a horrifyingly painful death, shouldn’t we act and think and speak “in remembrance” of Him? In other words, shouldn’t the Savior of our souls be so “front of mind” that we choose to honor Him in all we do?

We are unworthy of His grace, yet God sees worth in each of us. We are, therefore, worthy in His eyes. To do anything in “an unworthy manner” (in a manner that doesn’t honor Christ) whether it’s taking communion, dealing with our children, interacting with our coworkers—even updating our Facebook status—is just like saying what Jesus did doesn’t really matter.

Oh …. And may that never be!

Be Imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1

Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins. He was buried and then rose from the grave. He appeared to hundreds of people before His ascension into heaven.

And a new faith was begun.

It wasn’t too long before a new term was used: Christian (see Acts 11:26). Out of curiosity, I decided to Google “definition of Christian.” Webster’s simply says, “one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.” But that seems too simple. Many people profess to believe in Christ, but belief isn’t enough. After all, “the demons also believe, and shudder” (James 2:19).

Another online dictionary states that a Christian is one who “profess[es] belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus” (thefreedictionary.com).

Yet even that seems lacking.

The best definition—for me at least—is Christ-follower or one who strives to live like Christ. Or as Paul writes, one who imitates Christ.

Today, some Christians don’t like the term because the world equates “Christian” with “hypocrite.” And yes, many people have done some really hurtful things in the name of Christianity.

But what if those of us who bear the name of our Savior really did all we could do to live like Christ, to imitate Him?

To love others as ourselves. To be willing to lay down our lives for others. To be gentle and kind and humble. 

Then perhaps the term would be revered—even among those who choose not to follow Christ. 

Glorifying God in Everything (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Today's devotional is short, but (I hope) sweet. I just have one thing to ask: What would it be like if we only we lived to do everything to the glory of God.

Everything.

What we think. What we say. What we do. All for God’s glory.

Quite a few years ago, the initials WWJD were wildly popular: What Would Jesus Do? The idea behind it was exactly verse 31 says: "do all to the glory of God."

Loving others. Treating them with gentleness, kindness, and patience. Looking beyond our differences and celebrating the similarities.

Serving God—heart, soul, mind, and strength. Seeking His will. Following His plan.

Praising Him. Worshipping Him.

Glorifying Him.

In everything. 

Lawful ... but Not Profitable (1 Corinthians 10:23-30)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23-30

God established the law to help His created beings know how to live. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome: “I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COVET’” (7:7, NASB).

However, those of us who have accepted the gift of grace and salvation through the sacrificial death and resurrection of our Savior are no longer under the law (see Galatians 3:13; 4:5). Instead of focusing on a list of “do’s” or “do nots,” we should instead focus on living as Christ did. We should strive to love our God—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and love our neighbors (see Mark12:30-31).

Think of it: If each of us really focused on living the “fruit” of the Spirit, how different would this world be? If we were people of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23a, NKJV). Why? “Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (5:23b-25).

Just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do something. We’re all called to serve God in the way He’s called us. We’re not all preachers or teachers. We’re not all gifted the same way.

Certainly, we need to live righteously, but more importantly, we need to seek God’s will in all things. striving to glorify our Lord.

Flee from Idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

It’s so easy to get caught up with the things of this world … too easy. We’re inundated with images of wealth, beauty, sex. The biggest, fastest car. The grandest house. The designer clothes. The gorgeous celebrities. It’s all so enticing.

It’s easy to make things and people our idols. We focus on them instead of God. We “sacrifice” to them instead of to the One who created us and then made a way for salvation.

It’s true. We may not literally sacrifice on an altar, but we do sacrifice every day. We sacrifice our time, our money, our God-given skills and talents.

Instead of spending time in prayer, we watch television. Instead of focusing on God’s word, we focus on the latest gossip or bestselling novel. Instead of giving to our church, we take the vacation of a lifetime.

I’m not saying these things are bad in themselves. I watch television. I read novels. I love to travel. But I try very hard to make these things significantly lower on the priority scale than my time with God.

We can’t sacrifice to the world and equally sacrifice to God. One or the other will come out on top.

The question is: Which is more important? Where are we investing the majority of our time, treasures, and talents?

Trials and Temptations (1 Corinthians 10:11-13)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Sometimes I reread a verse I’ve read many times before, and I’m struck again by how God blesses His children.

Many Christ-followers are familiar with verse 13: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." These words give me both peace and confidence.

Peace because I know God is faithful in all things, even in times of temptation or trial.

I do have to make a clarification here: I used to work with a woman who insisted that temptation meant exactly that, and she claimed that those who quoted the verse as “God will not allow you to experience trials beyond what you are able” were wrong. However, when you look at the word “tempted” and cross-reference with at least one other reference using the root word (see 2 Peter 2:9), you find it does also mean trial. The Amplified Bible offers additional context for today's verse 13:

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

So, I can be confident that not only will God not give me anything more than I can endure, but He’ll also give me the strength to endure it.

Trials will come. Since the fall in the garden, they’re just a part of life. But we can be confident that our faithful God will see us through.

Praise Him!

Some "Do Nots" (1 Corinthians 10:6-10)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:6-10

In these verses, Paul gives us several “Do nots.”

Do not be idolaters. Some of us think of idolatry as worshipping an image of some other god, and yes this is true. But idolatry is more than that. We Christians can be idolaters. If we put anything—things, hobbies, work, relationships—ahead of God, then they become idols in our lives. I quoted Susanna Wesley a while ago when I wrote about sin, but I think her words speak to this idea of idolatry as well:

Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself.

We need to make absolutely certain God is number one priority in our lives.

Do not act immorally. When we do anything that goes against God’s moral code, we sin. We are to keep ourselves pure and abstain from sin of any kind: sexual, spiritual, mental, emotional. We should strive to dwell on those things that are good and lovely and edifying (see Philippians 4:8). We should, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (NKJV, 1 Timothy 2:22).

Do not try the Lord. While many of us go to the story of Gideon and his testing of God with the fleeces, we need to trust God and His plan. We need to focus on Him and spend time in His word and in prayer. We need to love Him fully—heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Do not grumble. Of all these “do nots,” this may be the hardest for some of us! We tend to be a discontented lot. We have been blessed so much, yet we want more. God promises to supply our needs—not our wants—and, for many of us, He has done so abundantly. God miraculously brought the Israelites out of slavery, and provided food and water, and yet they grumbled. God provided for their needs. yet they complained time and time again (see Exodus 15:24; 16:2; 17:3). Our needs have also been provided for, and yet, we, like the Israelites, we grumble and complain. We must not to do so.

God, and our relationships with Him, must be our first priority. We must live to please Him by not living immorally or testing Him or grumbling.

Because one day, we’ll stand before Him. I don’t know about you, but I long to hear, "You are a good and faithful servant … Come and share in my happiness!" (CEV, Matthew 25:23).

Lawful, yet Sinful (1 Corinthians 6:12-14)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-14

Susanna Wesley was the mother of two great men of faith, John and Charles. A wonderful quote about sin is ascribed to her: “Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish for spiritual things then it is sin for you, however, innocent it may be in itself” (source: dailychristianquote.com).

This is very much what Paul is saying. Yes, there are many things the Bible condemns as sin—those things we must not do—adultery, lying, wrath, pride. But sometimes, even those things that are “lawful” become sin to us. If I’m focusing on a hobby or a vocation or a relationship that takes my focus off of God, then it is sin for me.

One definition of sin is “missing the mark” or not being whom God has created me to be. Sin is anything that separates me from God and His plan. So, believe it or not, even ministry can be sinful if I’m not pursuing it wholeheartedly seeking God’s will.

Praise God, though, all we have to do is turn back to God—and turn over anything that is making God anything less than the number one priority of our lives. We merely need to “confess our sin [knowing that He is] faithful and just to forgive us of our sin” (NASB, 1 John 1:9).

Or as Martin Luther wrote, “Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want” (source: dailychristianquote.com).

Indeed. Choose what you want. Choose those things that are profitable and choose not to be mastered by anything—other than the Master of your heart.

Sin Versus the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

We are all sinners, each and every one of us. No one is without sin. Even when we come to faith through the acceptance of and belief in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, we still sin.

However, as we become more and more like Christ, as we mature in faith, we learn to avoid sin more and more.

When we do sin, we need to go to Jesus and confess our sin.

These verses deal with those who haven’t committed their lives to Christ. Those people who practice sin unrepentantly will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” I could add to this list: those who are habitually angry or prideful or those who gossip or slander.

Yes, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and yes, the penalty for that sin is death—eternal separation from God (Romans6:23). When a person knowingly and willfully chooses to live in sin, when he chooses not to follow Christ, then he chooses death.

This world is winding down. I believe this with all my heart. One day—be it days, weeks, or years—Christ will return. Everything on this earth will be no more. So ask yourself this one question: Is the sin I choose to live in worth eternal separation from my Creator?

Temporary sin versus not inheriting God’s kingdom?  I don’t think so.

"Judging" Believers (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Ah, more controversy. It’s times like this when I ask myself why I base these  devotionals on entire books of the Bible. It would be a lot easier to write theme-based devotionals: love, peace, grace, mercy.

I guess that's why last year I decided to spend the entire year in the psalms. However, when I started this devotional blog several years ago, I felt led to focus on entire books, and this year I wanted to meditate on some of Paul's epistles ... entirely and in context. This means, of course, that I will have to deal with verses and passages that aren’t necessarily the easiest to write about.

Today’s verses make it clear that we are not to judge “outsiders.” But we are to not only judge those who call themselves our Christian brothers (and sisters), but to “remove” them if they don’t repent.

We can’t judge outsiders because they don’t believe as we do. They don’t study and apply the Bible as we do. So how can we expect them to follow its commandments? On the other hand, however, those who call themselves Christians should know God’s word and how He expects us to live. And if they don’t, if they deliberately sin, then we should first approach them as Jesus described in Matthew 17 (see Wednesday's devotional). Then, if they still don’t repent of their sin, we need to remove them from fellowship—but we still need to pray for them and try to win them back.

So many who call themselves Christians live habitually sinful lifestyles. Sex outside of marriage. Pornography. Cheating. Gossip. Pride. Lying.

The key word here is “habitually.” The Bible says “practice” (see Romans1:28-32; Galatians 5:20-22; Ephesians 4:17-19). We’re all fleshly, and we battle with sin all the time. The difference is whether or not we choose to practice that sin.

And if a brother or sister chooses to sin, then we need to lovingly, yet purposefully judge them—and seek to reconcile them to their Savior.