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Matthew 7:1-5

23 Jun

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:1-5

Dear God, this is the verse yesterday from My Utmost for His Highest. I don’t normally read his commentary before I start typing to you, but I read the first few sentences today. He had an interesting sentence in there: “There is a difference between retaliation and retribution.” He says that what Jesus is indicating in his different lessons is that we shouldn’t retaliate, but we should be aware that what goes around comes around.

I suppose the trick is to pull myself out of the retribution feedback loop by not retaliating. If someone is doing something wrong and I do not retaliate like I would normally want to then I am short-circuiting the natural order of things and exhibiting your love. After all, that’s what you’ve done with Jesus and your love for us. You love us unreasonably, and I am grateful for that.

I have a few relationships that I can gratefully say I stuck around even through what I perceived to be wrongs done to me. And after several years, I can say I’m glad I did. I’m glad I am not looking back now and thinking that I shouldn’t have let that relationship go 10 or 20 years ago. I haven’t always been perfect in those relationships. I’ve caused my share of pain as well. But I’m glad they are still there. Retribution is an interesting thing.

Father, help me to always be a source of mercy by drawing on the mercy you give me. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for loving me. Now, please flow through me and take your love and mercy to others through my life.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 23, 2020 in Matthew

 

Mark 8:31-38

21 Jun

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:31-38

Dear God, it’s Father’s Day, and I want to say it to you: Happy Father’s Day! Thank you for being my father. Thank you for being a good father and loving me. Thank you for noting giving me every desire of my heart, but for slow walking me through this life. Thank you for continuing to teach me and grow my heart and mind. Thank you for nourishing my soul. Thank you for opening my eyes more and more to the life perspective of others.

I took a long bike ride this morning and I listened to some Christian music while I also did some thinking. Two things stand out to me from the ride.

  • The first is I started thinking about my children and how never once in their growing up did I ever worry about society holding them back. They are both white, from an educated, middle class home, and I knew they would have opportunities. The only thing that could get in their ways would be tragedies such as health issues or losing a parent, or personal choices. But I never once thought about their skin color getting in their way or even being a threat to their safety. Having started reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin this week, all I can think about now are my black niece and nephew and how their lives will have challenges I never had to face with my children. It has changed how I pray for them and their parents. Yes, as sensitive as I like to think I am, there is still a lot for me to learn.
  • The second was listening to Keith Green’s song, “‘The Prodigal Son Suite.” His lyrics for the part when the son comes home and makes his speech to his dad add some words that aren’t in the actual text in Luke 15, and I heard them in a new way this morning. Here are the words he used: “Father, I’ve sinned. Heaven the shame. I’m no longer worthy to wear your name. I’ve learned that my home is right where you are. Oh, Father, take me in.” Now, in our American society, we don’t necessarily think that our place is right where our parents are. And you have certainly told us that we are to leave our father and mother and cleave to our wives. So from a human perspective I’m not advocating this, but from a spiritual perspective (and this, after all, is a parable about you and us) it is right on point. My place is right where you are, denying myself.

That brings me to this passage today. The verse was, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” But the context of that one verse is important. It follows up Jesus being blunt about the suffering to come, Peter’s rebuke, and then Jesus’s rebuke of Peter.

Father, I’ve sinned. Heaven the shame. I’m no longer worthy to wear your name. I’ve learned that my place is right where you are. Oh, Father, take me in. And thank you for saying yes to this request through your son and part of your being, Jesus.

I pray all of this with courage because of this very gift,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 21, 2020 in Mark

 

Ephesians 5:25-33

19 Jun

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:25-33

Dear God, this is a great verse for Father’s Day weekend because it is a reminder to me that my life as a father and a husband is not about me, but it is about what I bring to the table. And, in terms of my marriage, you call me to bring this to the table:

  • Love my wife
  • Give her the kind of love that cleanses her
  • Pray for her, including scripture
  • Take responsibility
  • Unite with her instead of my parents

So what kind of love cleanses my wife? Well, it starts with praying for her, but even before that I need to be about submitting to you and presenting myself to you and to hear and holy and blameless. I need to first be cleansed by you if I am to offer her the kind of grace and love that she needs from me. So the priorities are:

  1. Pursuit of you through humble submission and disciplined discipleship
  2. Extend the love you give to me to her
  3. Pray for her
  4. Build her up into the the woman you created her to be and supporting that as my highest calling
  5. Allowing respect to come naturally from her after I have done these things instead of demanding it

Father, I must also remember in all of this that I have two fathers-in-law. I have her father and I have you, and you see everything I do behind closed doors. I am sorry for where I have failed in each of these areas. As I go through this weekend, I commit to focusing more on this as your Father’s Day weekend because you are so good. This weekend isn’t about the love I receive. It’s about the love I have the opportunity to give.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 19, 2020 in Ephesians

 

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John 17:13-20

17 Jun

“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
John 17:13-20

Dear God, thank you for praying this prayer for me. Thank you for having this kind of heart for all of us. I think, today, I am going to pray this for my fellow Christians. The ones in my family, in my church, in my community, and in the world.

Father, help us to all learn from you that we might have a full measure of your joy within us. Give us your word, and help us to receive it and embrace it even if it costs us the approval of the world. Don’t relieve us from the sufferings of this world, but use those sufferings to draw us closer to you and to learn to help our sisters and brothers in their suffering. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil. Sanctify us by helping us to live in your truth. Help us to know truth from lies. Help us to know the voice of the shepherd and to discern when we are hearing Satan instead. Send us into the world so that we might be your ambassadors to others who need you and need to see you in their neighbors. And sanctify us through the power of what Jesus did for us. What you did through sending Jesus for us.

I pray all of this in Jesus’s powerful name–my only hope,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 17, 2020 in John

 

Colossians 3:12-15

16 Jun

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15

Dear God, the part of this passage that strikes me this morning is the second sentence: “Make allowance for other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.” Make allowance for others’s faults. Allow it. Don’t feel the need to change them. Don’t try to mold them into the perfect person, whether it is your spouse, your child, etc. Yes, as a parent you need to parent, but then there is also the idea of modeling grace by extending it to your child and then also allowing them to see you extend grace to others.

“Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in [my heart].” Peace. Peace. One of Paul’s fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Peace. If Jesus is the vine and I am the branch, then that peace must come from him and will only come when my branch is attached to the vine. and then that peace flows through me and enables me to allow for other’s faults. It enables me to forgive anyone who offends me. Yes, there are still grudges I hold. I am sorry for those. Please reveal them to me one by one so I can forgive them.

Father, help me to follow John 15:5 and be a branch on your vine. Help me to remain in you so that I can bear much fruit. And let that fruit be love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness and self control. Purge from me all that is in Galatians 5:19-21 (sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” May my life be a complete tribute to you for your glory’s sake and so that you might enter the world through me as your vessel.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2020 in Colossians

 

Philippians 3:17-21

14 Jun

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:17-21

Dear God, who are my role models (referencing verse 17: “keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”)? Do I look to people whose god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame? Am I that kind of role model to others? Is my mind set on earthly things?

Or is my citizenship in heaven? Do I eagerly await Jesus’s return? Do I submit everything I have to his control?

About 30 years ago, Michael Jordan was heavily criticized for not taking some political stands on behalf of disenfranchised black people–especially in his home state. Particularly, he did not endorse what could have been North Carolina’s first black senator against a segregationist named Jesse Helms. His off-the-cuff line to his teammates was, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” I think I’ve criticized him for not being more politically active over the years. I’ve criticized Tiger Woods as well. They had enough that they could sacrifice a little for the greater good, right? f

Well, I have to look in the mirror and realize that I protect myself and the organization for which I work every bit as much as those two men protect their image and their marketability. I raise money for a nonprofit in a small town, and people from all political perspectives support our clinic. I am quite calculating in how I represent myself publicly. I don’t want anyone to know how I vote, and I am careful about trying to not offend anyone. Yes, my stomach is often my god and I pursue glory to my shame.

Father, you know I’ve been praying through a lot of this lately. I’ve been praying about my responses to the current political and cultural climates. How much do I do publicly? How much do I do behind the scenes? How much do I not do at all? And how will my actions be an example to someone else? So help me. Help me moment by moment. Help me to be one life through which your presence enters the world so that your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 14, 2020 in Philippians

 

Ahithophel

13 Jun

2 Samuel 15-17

Dear God, Fred Smith taught me something I didn’t know this week in his blog post “A Friend’s Revenge.” He taught me that Ahithoophel was likely Bathsheba’s grandfather, and the fact that Ahithophel aligned himself with Absalom in the attempted overthrow of David was possibly motivated by revenge for what David had done to Bathsheba and Uriah. What?!? How have I read that story so many times and not figured that out? I did a little research in Wikipedia (so it must be true) and it indicated that 2 Samuel 23:34 says Ahithophel was Eliam’s father, and 2 Samuel 11:3 tells us that Bathsheba’s father was named Eliam. This could have been a coincidence, but it would be an interesting vagueness for the author to leave us if the connection isn’t there.

That being said, and working from the assumption that this is true, I have a couple of thoughts.

  1. How did Ahithophel think this would end for Bathsheba and his great grandson Solomon? Absalom would certainly have killed Solomon, and Bathsheba would either have been killed or become Absalom’s wife/concubine. Given her age by that point, I doubt she would have been first choice for wife/concubine. So he was putting her in even more danger.
  2. Did he really think a kingdom run by Absalom would be better than a kingdom run by David. At that point, maybe he did. David seems to be  abdicating a lot of responsibility and lying down on the job. In fact, he was in a downward spiral ever since he decided not to go go and join the troops back when he hooked up with Bathsheba. I would imagine that succession planning was so unofficial back then that he might have been just trying to figure out which way the wind was blowing and go with it.
  3. Again, if this is true, then it was obviously an open secret what David had done to both Bathsheba and Uriah. That means that everyone knew including Solomon, which would help to explain why he treated women the way he did as an adult. Isn’t that what kings do?

But let me spend some time on this aspect of revenge as motivation. The most remarkable people in the world are those who do not seek revenge. Dr. Martin Luther King is regarded with more reverence by most people because he was forceful in his demands for justice and equality without being vengeful. The same is true for Nelson Mandela. In fact, in the midst of all of the racial tensions right now in this country, I wonder how much we have to learn from South Africa. I literally don’t know enough to know the answer to that question, but it is certainly remarkable that when Nelson Mandela came to power, as I understand it, he did not seek revenge on those who persecuted him.

I’ve wondered a lot this week about how Jesus would be responding right now if he were here in the flesh. Would he be attending protests? Would he be posting on social media? Would he be giving interviews or making public speeches? Would he just be talking to those in his sphere of influence and loving on them? Would he be seeking out regional and national leaders to give them counsel? Would he be participating on racial equality panels? Would he be vandalizing statues and destroying businesses and burning churches? Would he be taking photos of himself with a Bible? Some of these are obvious “yes’s” and some are obvious “no’s,” but many are vague and I don’t know what he would do. But I do know that revenge would not be part of the motivating factor. After all, even as he died, he asked that you would forgive those that were killing him.

Father, help me to be an instrument of your peace. Help me to know how to forcefully join a peaceful call for action that is not laden with revenge. And please raise up leaders who will lead in this spirit. The spirit of revenge that is flowing through our country right now is painful to watch. Let mercy lead.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 13, 2020 in 2 Samuel, Matthew

 

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Matthew 7:15-23

09 Jun

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:15-23

Dear God, I confess to you that I am coming into these passages today with a huge amount of personal bias. There are leaders who profess to be your children, but, in my mind, they are ferocious wolves in sheep’s clothing. And I recognize it through their fruit. And I’m not linking this to any one particular political party in the U.S. I see hypocrisy everywhere.

So it’s important to think about the fact that Jesus says that I will be able to tell the truth about a person by their fruit. According to Galatians 5:19-21, here are the fruits of the ferocious wolf:

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But according to Galatians 5:22-23, here are the fruits of the sheep:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

From a political standpoint, I can’t say that I see many people who seem to be legitimate sheep. What I guess confuses me the most is that there are Christians who are labeling some of these leaders as Christians with no evidence based on these five verses. Someone says they are a Christian and they claim to be pro-life so they are accepted at your vessel. It’s almost surreal to me.

So what is my role in all of this? I confess to you, Father, that I do NOT pray for these leaders nearly enough. I don’t pray for their spiritual transformation. I don’t pray Proverbs 21:1 over them:

In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.

You used Pilate. You used Samson. You have used Godless people throughout history for your purposes. Sometimes you’ve even managed to use me despite the fact that I am a fool. So father, I pray that you will be working in all of this. Give us as Christians and as a nation exactly what we need to bring us into complete repentance and surrender to you. As for me, I am sorry. I am sorry for my sin. I’m sorry for my racism, my selfishness, my lust, my gluttony, and my cowardice. Please give me the courage to do exactly what you want me to do and to not miss any of the opportunities you lay before me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 9, 2020 in Galatians, Matthew, Proverbs

 

Habakkuk 3:12

08 Jun

In wrath you strode through the earth and in anger you threshed the nations.
Habakkuk 3:12

Dear God, this is an Old Testament passage. In light of the new covenant, what makes you angry now, and how do you handle that anger? I’ll start out by saying that I doubt I’ll be able to work through this deep theological issue this morning and in this format, but it’s an interesting question.

I guess I can try to think about what angered you and Jesus in the New Testament.

  • Hypocrisy among your believers — This is the first thing that came mind as I thought about Jesus. The hypocrisy of the Pharisees seemed to really anger him.
  • Disrespecting you for selfish gain — I’m thinking about Jesus clearing the Temple during Passover on this one. There were plenty of people who disrespected you, but to do it so brazenly for profit really angered him.
  • People who cause others to stumble (Luke 17:1-2).
  • Stubborn, unrepentant sinners who are confronted (Luke 17:3-4).
  • Christians who intentionally mislead people into thinking they are doing holier things than they really are (Acts 5:1-11).
  • Rejecting others who need our charity (Matthew 25:31-40).

Is there a theme in all of these things? If there is, it’s selfishness and deception among your believers.

So what is your response to these things now? Frankly, I don’t think I can be sure of the answer to that. Is it separation from you in eternity? I don’t know? Do you remove a certain level of protection from us to bring us to repentance? I don’t know. Do you actively punish us? I don’t know (although I tend to follow the school of thought that you might remove some protection before you actively punish). And, ultimately, I suppose my understanding of your response isn’t nearly as important as my understanding of what makes you angry in the first place. What grieves you.

Father, help me to not grieve you. Help me to not anger you. I’m sorry for my selfishness. I’m sorry that I still doubt you. I’m sorry that I still indulge my own vanity and actively cultivate a less than genuine image for others to see. I’m sorry I don’t pursue relationships with the poor and downtrodden. I hope, I hope, I hope that when you look at me you don’t see someone who is constantly grieving you because you don’t deserve that from me or any of us. You are a good and wonderful God and I am very grateful for your love.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 8, 2020 in Acts, Habakkuk, Luke, Matthew

 

What I would say…

07 Jun

Dear God, I have some relatives graduating and one getting engaged this year. When I was thinking about graduation presents for them, I thought of two things.

For the graduates, I thought of a daily devotion book called My Utmost for His Highest. You know I know this one well. In fact, it was my source for scripture when I first started doing these prayer journals to you 20 years ago. But my history with that book actually goes back closer to 40 years. My dad used it as a daily devotion when I was young, and he gave me a copy of it when I graduated from high school. The inscription reads:

8/27/88

John,

This book has really been meaningful to me as it constantly challenges me to turn loose of the distractions of life and to move into a deeper personal relationship with Jesus. I pray that you will likewise find it helpful in your personal walk with the Lord as you enter an exciting new phase in your life as a Baylor student.

Love,

Dad

I used it regularly my freshman year of college. The weakness in it for me is that its words were written pre World War I by a Brit, and the British language he used in the early 20th century was different than the language we use now. Thankfully, about 30 years ago, James Reimann re-edited it to update the language and it’s even clearer now.

The theology is this book is so solid, but I often found that just reading the daily verse, reading Mr. Chambers’s reflection on it, and then saying a prayer to you didn’t stick with me throughout the day. It wasn’t until I started to journal through the passages starting in April 2000 that your scripture and what you were saying to me through it began to seep into my soul.

So I found this version of the James Reimann edited edition that includes a column for at least writing down some personal reflections. IMG_3111

I ordered one for my niece and my nephew. I pray over these two books, that you will use them along with all of the other tools in your toolbox to draw their hearts into yours and lead them to lives submitted to you.

The second book I ordered was the one that changed the course of my marriage and who I eventually became as a husband to my wife. This one is for the niece who got engaged. It’s called Sacred Marriage and it was written by Gary Thomas. IMG_3112

The subtitle of the book is “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” That question alone gets your attention. Through reading this book and attending a workshop in person with my wife, you revealed to me how much I was depending upon my wife’s and children’s acceptance for my sense of worth instead of simply leaning into you. Ironically (or perhaps, providentially), I encountered this book right about the same time I started doing these prayer journals to you. I know we’ve talked about this a lot before, but I was a needy husband, and my neediness was oppressive to my wife. She could never fill up my “God hole” that I’d allowed to grow without you. I had made her an idol. I became codependent. It was all bad. But Gary helped me to see how you use my wife, my children, and everyone around me to shape me through the giving of myself, not the taking. That simple paradigm shift changed everything, and it helped me to become more disciplined in my pursuit of you as the source of my joy and peace.

So I have these young relatives who are starting new chapters in their lives. They have tremendous opportunities to radically affect the trajectory of their lives through the choices they make now. Who will they be in 10, 20, or 30 years? Well, as an uncle that they know just a little, I hope that what they know of me will give me the credibility to share these two critical tools you used on me and have them receive them as part of the tools you are using on them.

Father, I want to pray over my niece and my nephew right now. I pray for my niece, that she will experience the full measure of who you are. Help her to embrace you completely. Help her fiancé to completely embrace you as well. And as they work out their respective faiths with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), unite their hearts together completely. Give them mutual respect and help them to turn loose of their expectations of the other. Fill them with so much of your presence that they don’t need to look to the other for their worth. And for my nephew, he has had a rough and confusing few years, but now he’s about to start college. There is a lot of healing to do there. Guide him in into your heart. Hold him close. Raise up people around him whom you will use to strengthen and encourage him. Heal his broken relationships and bring glory to your name through his life.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 7, 2020 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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