Category: Daily Devotionals

ARE THEY GETTING AWAY WITH IT?

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Romans 12:14

            The only way I can bless those who persecute me is to have faith in the justice of God.  I have to trust that my Father does not take my pain lightly and is anything but passive when I am wronged.  Otherwise, I will see the command to ‘bless those who persecute me’ and believe that God shrugs His shoulders and fails to care about how much I may have been hurt.  The only thing I’ll perceive He’s concerned about is keeping the peace between enemies.  Does He love peace more than He loves truth?  Does He love reconciliation more than He angers over injustice?

            These are the questions that can keep a child of God up at night ~ especially if they have been raised in a home where pain was not acknowledged.  Parents saw their children’s tears, heard them cry, and may have even heard the story of what caused the tears, but then walked away and appeared unmoved by it all.  “Pray for your enemies” is a hollow command in the halls of stoic homes.

            Against the backdrop of loving my enemy however is the reality of imprecatory passages, like Psalm 69:23-24 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.

            Paul loved this Psalm and quoted it several times in Romans.  Jesus loved this Psalm as well and quoted it twice from the cross.  Continue reading “Are They Getting Away With It?” →

PURSUE IT?  SERIOUSLY?

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Romans 12:13

            Get ready.  The picture here is one who pursues the opportunity to show hospitality.  I can too easily be passive, waiting for the need to arise and land at my front door.  I’ll wait to be asked.

Outgoing people can throw a great party and love having a crowd in their home.  But that doesn’t mean that they are exuding the love and presence of the Spirit.  Their reasons for having people in their home can be as carnal as the reasons someone who is shy doesn’t think they can do it or do it well.  Continue reading “Pursue It? Seriously?” →

NOT THREE THINGS – BUT ONE

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

            “Just what I need,” you might say.  “Three more things to do when I’m hurting.  I must rejoice, be patient, and remember to pray.  Life is hard enough without putting more demands on me.” 

            To assume that God is putting demands on me is to miss the beauty and power of this verse.  They aren’t three separate things, but one constant chain of eternal energy and empowerment.  Here’s how. Continue reading “Not Three Things, But One” →

HONORING WHO DISHONORS ME

Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  Romans 12:10

         The ‘one another’ is another member of God’s family.  But let’s face it, God’s family doesn’t always act like family.  There are times I believe I must look out for myself because others around me aren’t going to do it.  It’s hard to fathom that God would ask me to honor all brothers and sisters above myself.  Aren’t there conditions for this?

         Apparently not.  God honored me, was faithful to me, when I was not faithful to Him.  God loved me when I didn’t love Him.  God preserved my spirit through treacherous times even though I wounded His Spirit.  In this way, He showed me how to love, with action, the other members of His family that He loves.  Even in their disobedience.

         Recently, I saw a friend pray for someone who was extremely jealous of her.  Tearfully, she asked God to bless her and reveal Himself to her.  And He did.  God rewards those who obey. Continue reading “Honoring Who Dishonors Me” →

DISPENSING WITH THE CHURCH FACE

Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Romans 12:9

         Genuine.  Sincere.  These should be the last words I see on a 3×5 card before getting out of my car and going out in public.  The world is often a stage and ‘nice’ is the mask I wear as a Christian.  Do others experience me as sincere?

         Sincere is based on Latin words meaning ‘without wax’.  There was an ancient practice of using wax to hide cracks in inferior pottery so that it could be disguised as more valuable and sold for a higher price.  A high-end piece of pottery had a stamp on it that said, “Without wax” to show that it had not been doctored.  As a person, I want to be sincere, not just hiding my true nature and true feelings.

         What would happen if our home church, for one month, decided to drop all masks and dispense with polite chitchat?  No, “Good to see you!  You doing okay?”  What if every conversation was thoughtful, intentionally real?  What if there was no pressure to say something to every person that walked by?  What if there was no pressure to smile?  Continue reading “My Church Face” →

WHAT DID I SIGN UP FOR?

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: the one who leads, with zeal.  Romans 12:6,8

         If I am given something to manage and I’ve accepted the responsibility, I should do it well.  The paperwork shouldn’t sit on my desk, hidden under a stack of other things I’d rather do.  When I don’t turn things in on time, return phone calls, and administrate what I’ve agreed to organize, I leave a bad spiritual taste in other’s mouths.  If I don’t care, and I am Jesus’ ambassador, then others conclude that He doesn’t care either.

         When Paul wrote these words, he was writing to people who lived under a different kind of local government.  There were no hospitals, orphanages, or rescue missions.  Extending compassion and mercy to those who needed it advanced the kingdom.  People within the church were given responsibility to take care of people in their villages and cities, even cities like Rome.  When their spiritual enterprise was well ordered, the love of Christ was on beautiful display and the flavor of the Gospel exploded.

         God is not a God of confusion and whatever He does, He does well.  If He redeems just one area of my life, there are always dozens of side-benefits.  He gives even more than He promises because His nature is to bless.

         What is on my plate today?  Have I missed deadlines?  Continue reading “What Did I Sign Up For?” →

LEADING THROUGH SERVING

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if service, in our serving.  Romans 12:6-7

         I knew a period of time, four months in all, where Jesus washed my feet when I closed my eyes to pray.  I saw Him stooped in front of me, sitting on a stool, washing my feet.  He was in no hurry.  Time stood still.  He said nothing but just tenderly served me.  The humility of His service and the power of His tenderness changed me profoundly.  It has had ripple effects on my heart over the years; my willingness to forgive others being the biggest change.

         The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.  Matt.20:28  The spiritual gift of serving is one that is so beautifully demonstrated through the acts of Jesus.  He did it – even while silent.

         Most leaders lead by making a lot of noise and standing out in front of others; beckoning them to follow.  Serving as Jesus served doesn’t look like that.  If I’m going to serve as Christ did, I don’t see myself at the top and others beneath me.  I am their servant.  I assess their needs and quietly minister to them.

         William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, told his missionaries on the way to India: “Go to the Indians as a brother, which you are, and show the love which none can doubt you feel.  Eat, drink, and dress and live by his side.  Speak his language, share his sorrow.”

         Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The church is herself only when she exists for humanity.  She must take her part in the social life of the world, not lording it over men, but helping and serving them.”

         I got a lump in my throat recently when I learned that our pastor served an elderly woman in our congregation by taking her sick cat to the vet.  Ah yes, exactly the kind of service that leaves the aroma of Jesus.  Continue reading “Leading Through Serving” →

I SPEAK FOR WHOM?

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith.  Romans 12:6

         I can’t believe it.  The implications of being a prophet have washed over me this morning.  A prophet is anyone who speaks the word of God.  That would not be relegated to a few elite but to every child of God.  So, that’s me.  In God’s physical absence here on earth, I stand in for Him and speak on His behalf.  What a sensational calling I enjoy and a sobering one, too.

         The Greek word for prophet means ‘one who stands in front of another person and speaks for him.”  Remember the story of Moses and Aaron?  Moses fainted at the call of standing before Pharaoh and delivering the message God gave him.  So, God allowed Aaron to speak for him.  “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.”  Exodus 7:1

         Really, this could be re-phrased for any of us today who are speaking God’s words into our life’s situations.  We are praying scripture over loved ones, speaking for God in church meetings, proclaiming kingdom principles inside a boardroom, and sharing the Gospel with a neighbor.  “See, I am making you like God to ______________, and you are my prophet.”  Continue reading “I Speak For Whom?” →

SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.  Romans 12:6

         Every single child of God is given at least one spiritual gift.  I should not be exercising my gifts out of my own wisdom or as a lone ranger.  I am to be part of a community where my gifts contribute to their well being and where their gifts contribute to mine.  We make up the body of Christ.  When one part doesn’t function properly, there is a spiritual limp the whole group experiences.

As I talk with women, I find that so many have no idea what their spiritual gift is.  Why is this?  Because we have not been defined.  We don’t know who we are.  Because of parental voids, we were not told how, and why, we are special.  We have never experienced, as children, hearing how we are ‘bent’ by God’s design.  We grew up without a keen sense of self-awareness, without clear direction.  We floundered into adulthood.  We had no plans for ourselves and ended up following other’s plans.  People are not good taskmasters and we ended up disillusioned and suspicious.

None of us have to live in a parental void when God is our Father.  He can penetrate the deafening silence of our childhoods with the clear direction of His Spirit.  He is willing, and eager, to define us.  The prayer, “Show me who I am and how I’m wired….” is answered with great detail.

Here is a link to a great spiritual gifts test.  http://buildingchurch.net/g2s.htm Continue reading “Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Ignorance” →

WHAT IS A CHURCH?

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  Romans 12:4-5

            “I’m going to church” we say to one another.  What we really mean is, “We’re going to a building, one where a group of people meet.”  The only biblical definition of church is ‘the meeting of a group of people who have put their faith in Christ – a meeting where the Spirit of God rests.’  A church can meet in restaurant, the basement of a school, in a home, or in an institutional building with a steeple.  In the last few years, the resurgence of house churches are becoming more commonplace in the U.S.  That is a good thing since I can easily become close-minded to such an idea in Western culture.

            One disturbing thing though was revealed in a recent USA Today survey.  Of the 56 percent of Americans who attend church, 46 percent do so because “It is good for me”, and 26 percent go because it is where they hope to find “peace of mind and spiritual well-being.” Continue reading “What Is A Church?” →