Wednesday Morning Devotional

For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  – Romans 6:14

Several years ago, right at a peak of my walk with the Lord, I led a group in Bible study.  I was at a peak because I had finally let go of some sinful things in my life.  I was obedient to the Holy Spirit, and I was feeling the presence of God like never before.  I knew He was with me.  Looking back, I probably should have titled my Bible Study, “Can we walk in obedience?” rather than “Can we live sinless?”  At any rate, I was trying to encourage holy living.  What ended up happening was someone said, “We aren’t perfect . . . we sin every day.”  Most of the group rolled with this, and I ended up questioning everything I believed up to that point.

I believe there are two ways to view sin in our lives.  The first is that sin is the slightest deviation from absolute perfection.  Since this requires perfect power, perfect knowledge, and requires my desires to line up perfectly with God’s . . . I will never be sinless, at least on this side of heaven.  People love to say, “Well, I’m not perfect,” or “Nobody’s perfect.”  Personally, I believe most people only say this to make themselves feel better about their undisciplined walk with Christ.  The logical reasoning goes something like this:  Since I sin in some small way that I probably don’t know about, I don’t really have to fight this sin I do know about.

The second view, in my opinion, makes holy living possible.  It goes like this:  Sin is willfully choosing to go against what I know for sure God wants me to do.  I am talking about a willful transgression against a known law.  I rarely immediately obey God.  When He asked me to stop lying, all I could do was go to work on it and ask for His help.  That was about as immediate as I’ve ever gotten.  When He asked me to ditch my party crowd, I took months to obey.  When He asked me to drop some simple things that I cared about more than Him, sometimes I took years.  But every time I stepped into obedience, I was met with more of Him.  It has become easier to obey Him because I know more of Him is the reward.  But even still, there is a war constantly being waged between my flesh and spirit.  

I think God wants me to go here this morning because there are so many Americans calling themselves Christians who don’t even realize they are supposed to fighting sin.  There is no difference between the old and new man.  Therefore, there is no contrast for the world to see.  There are so few ethical businessmen, so few joyful faces, so few anointed testimonies, and so little holy living that there are almost no opportunities for the lost to experience God outside of a church building.  

Make every effort to be the reason someone considers Jesus today.

Lord, You are the only person who was ever sinless.  We may not be sinless, but we can certainly sin less.  Help us to grow in holiness.  May people all over this country begin to read the Bible and take it seriously.  Prompt our minds and hearts to obey Your Word and obey the Holy Spirit.  Help us always choose You.  Help us always choose Your way.  We are so prone to wander . . . prone to leave the God we say we love.  You are the author and finisher of our faith.  All praise, honor, and glory belongs to You for anything good and holy that is done in this life.  May all who claim to know You begin to truly walk in obedience.  Send revival like this world has never seen.  Amen.

“Make me like one of your hired servants.”  — Luke 15:19

I am so thankful that this request from the Prodigal Son wasn’t granted.  When you read the story, the father didn’t even allow him to let those rehearsed words escape his mouth.  Had those words been granted, Christianity would be like all other religions . . . you’d have to earn your way to “better.”  I also wish that the people who put all the subtitles and section headings had put a little more thought into them.   “The Prodigal Son,” should be “The Son Who Came Home,” or something like that. 

Anyway, ever since the fall of man in the garden, we haven’t stopped trying to earn it anyway.  Adam hid himself from God after he had sinned, but not without first trying to make a covering for himself.  I hear an awful lot of people say that they need to change before they come back to God or get back in His “good graces.”  I have certainly thought this in the past, but once again, I’m so thankful He doesn’t allow stuff like that.  The truth is, He is the only one who is able to make those changes in us over time.  He is the vine; we are the branches.  He provides all the spiritual nutrients that make true and lasting change possible.

I have a great friend that I’ve been watching grow in the Lord since he was a teenager.  I was in my late 20’s or early 30’s when the conversations first started.  I certainly had my own massive amount of growing to do as well.  I have been incredibly blessed to experience, albeit in a much smaller way, what God experiences with each of His children.  I never tried to clean him up, and so far, I haven’t seen any effort from him to try to look any special way to impress God, the church crowd, me, or anyone.  He just simply believes, admits what he does and doesn’t know, and keeps on trying to get to know Him.  He even vehemently lets me know the parts of the Bible that he doesn’t like.  I often feel like one of our long conversations is worth 10 church services.  We both come out better on the other side, or at least different.

Here we are in the middle of Holy Week.  Tomorrow, Jesus will wash the feet of Judas.  Friday, Jesus will be beaten and nailed to a cross.  He showed us how to treat people . . . all people.  He also took the punishment for our sin so that we could immediately be back on speaking terms and not have to hide and sew fig leaves.  If you’re still trying to earn it, receive His forgiveness by trusting in Him.  Then, tell Him everything.

Lord, how different this world would be if You had never come.  Thank You for leaving the comfort of Heaven and coming down here and allowing us to treat You like we did.  Nobody else would have done such a thing.  I’m completely different now than I would have been had I never come to believe.  I simply ask You to help me, the friend I talked about, and all who read this to simply keep trusting You by faith.  Help us to keep getting to know You, keep letting You change us, and keep growing us until that glorious day when our faith becomes sight.  Thank You for making me Your son.  Use me to introduce a lot more people to You before my time is up.  Amen.

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings like eagles.  They shall run and not be weary.  They shall walk and not faint.  – Isaiah 40:31

Tomorrow morning, do you plan on having at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time with the Lord?  I remember a time when I thought reading a quick devotional each morning made me some sort of super-Christian.  Recently, I heard of a particular group of nuns in a particular convent.  One of them said the first five hours of every day is spent in complete silence waiting on the Lord.  One day of the week is spent in 24 hours of silence.  To most Americans, that probably sounds like torture.  Those nuns call it the most important parts of their lives.

I realize most of us reading this couldn’t do 6 fives and 1 twenty-four if we wanted to, but we all know we could do 7 thirty minute days.  The problem is . . . we can’t wait.  I pulled a 14-hour day yesterday.  I spent most of it wanting to be home.  I was constantly checking the time because I couldn’t wait to get home.  Even though I hadn’t physically worked that hard, I was tired.  With about two innings left in the baseball game that I drove that evening, I thought of this devotional.  I walked three laps slowly around the facility and just chilled with the Lord and waited upon Him.  He didn’t really speak with me . . . we just sort of walked together.  You know what ended up happening?  

My strength was renewed.

I’m pondering this morning just what this looks like in everyday life.  Can I teach today without wanting to just mow through these class periods?  Can I walk a little slower and take that time to walk with Him?  I don’t know . . . but I’m going to try.

Lord, the Bible has all the answers.  I just hate that I wasted so many years not reading it after I was saved.  I might could have created patterns and habits that would have profited me greatly over the years.  But we can never go back . . . only forward.  Help me get this right, Lord.  May waiting on You become one of the joys of my life.  Help Christians throughout our country learn to wait.  Show us an America with renewed strength.  Most of all, help us never get tired of walking with You.  Amen.

It Isn’t Weird Until You Put All of it On

Put on the whole armor of God.  – Ephesians 6:11-18

My Family was in Nashville around the Holidays last year.  The mall there is the best one that I’ve ever seen.  I say this because I spent a ton of money on Black Friday . . . or should I say SAVED a ton of money?  I definitely spent it.  Having said that, I got some cool stuff that in no way would I have ever paid regular price. 

My favorite pair of boots is a pair of Ariat rain boots.  Also, the hat that I gravitate to these days is my brown Ariat hat.  I’ve had these for a while.  But, when I was in Nashville, I bought a pair of Ariat jeans and a few shirts.  

When I drive a bus for a ball team after school, I try my best to change clothes.  I don’t want to drive in teaching clothes, and I don’t want to teach in driving clothes.  I was driving after school, so I quickly went home to change my clothes.  I was going for speed, so I basically went for the most available.  I wound up putting on an entire Ariat outfit.  I paid zero attention to it until twice someone poked fun at me.  I was asked if I worked there and then asked if I robbed the outlet store.  No big deal, but it got me to thinking.  As long as you are mixing and matching brands, nobody cares.  However, if you put on all the same brand, then that is kind of weird.

The Bible says we are to put on the whole armor of God.  There is a helmet, which represents what we let into our minds.  There is a breastplate, which represents guarding our hearts.  There are shoes which represents our willingness to tell others about Jesus.  There is a shield that if you carry around, it means that you are on guard against the devil and his schemes.  There is a belt that represents keeping yourself pure because it pleases God.  Lastly, there is a sword which is the Word of God.  It is our only offensive weapon that allows us to strike serious blows to the enemy.  

As you look around at people today who claim to follow Christ, do you see evidence of them wearing all the armor?  It is only weird in America if someone wears it all.  I recently went on a spell of wearing all the armor except for the helmet.  I kind of lost my mind for a bit.  I was keeping one foot in the world, and the other one in church.  I know it doesn’t work like that.  As soon as I put it on, I felt so complete.  I began to feel God’s presence more often and my heart just gravitated towards Him more.  

Almost immediately, someone let me know that someone they knew thought I took this Jesus stuff a little too seriously.  Now, I might make sure I mix and match my clothing so I’m not wearing the same brand again, but I hope and pray that I’ll be weird from now on because I’m wearing ALL the armor that God provides.  

Lord, as always, there is no one like You.  You have been, are, and always will be the best thing that this life offers.  Help me and all who read this morning to live for You, and I mean truly live for You.  Eternity is a long time.  Prepare us for it, Lord.  Help us to intentionally wear the armor of God.  Amen.

Let the weak say, “I am strong.”  — Joel 3:10

In this verse, the Israelites are preparing for war.  They are calling on God to make their much inferior weapons mightier than the arsenal of the enemy.  They are being commanded not to say, “We can’t win.”  Even if that is what they feel, they are to speak and proclaim the opposite, “We are strong in the Lord and well equipped for victory.”  

Yesterday, I pulled a 17.5 hour day.  I started at 6:30 am and got home at midnight.  I immediately went to sleep, and it felt like I had to wake up almost instantaneously.  I have a really bad habit of saying, “I’m tired” when I feel like this.  I am always right!  I drag through the day looking forward to an early bedtime.  

Today, I’m sure I’ll say it plenty of times out of habit, but I’m going to add Joel 3:10 to it after I do . . . “I am strong in the Lord!  This is what He does . . . work in weakness.”  This has me thinking about other bad habits that I may have where I speak things into existence that I don’t have to endure.  

Let the weak say, “I am strong.”  

Today is a good day to try it out.

Lord, there is no one like You.  You love to work in weakness.  You love to make a way when there is no way.  There was no way the Israelites could defeat the Egyptian army.  There is no way David could beat Goliath.  There is no way those three boys could escape Nebuchadnezzar’s fire.  There is no way those hungry lions wouldn’t eat Daniel.  Peter thought there was no way You could restore him after he denied You three times.  I may be weak, but today I am strong and well equipped to honor You with my life.  Amen!

It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. – Acts 15:19

Somehow, Americans have made Christianity seem difficult.  I know a lot of people who say they are Christians.  However, if you take a quick look at their social media, or simply have a conversation with them, you find strange beliefs.  Over the years, Christians have been told that they aren’t “real Christians” if they don’t meet some arbitrary condition that validates them as a Christian (man, I want to go off on a string of examples).  You don’t have to scroll very far to find someone who says, “The god that I serve . . .”, “The god of MY Bible says . . .”  or “Renounce your Christianity if you believe . . .”  Then, they will quote some random verse that is supposed to convince me to think and believe exactly like them.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, screams of idolatry more than using God’s Word to justify your position on things that will not matter in eternity.  God made us in His image, now we are stupidly returning the favor and making Him in ours.  

How does one even get to heaven?  Simple . . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved! (Acts 16:31). Put your complete trust in Him.  Give Him the rest of your life.  He becomes your Lord and Master!

What do I do after I get saved?  Simple . . . grow in the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Read the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13).  Remain in your faith and never let Him go.  Just as seed grows from the ground and becomes fruitful, we remain in Him and He makes us grow and become fruitful.  

As I grow, what do I do?  Simple . . . tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ (See Matthew 26) and make disciples.  Give without announcing that you gave.  Fast without acting like you’re starving.  Pray without anyone seeing.  These simple truths along with many others are found in Matthew 5 in the Sermon on the Mount.  You have the rest of your earthly life to study the Word and learn the heart of God and His will for your life.  Build your life on the rock . . . not the sand.  

Unfortunately, the god of this world tries to make people believe it is about anything and everything else.  I’ve started to write a string of examples several times in this post, but I’m afraid that I would not be speaking the truth in love.  I know that I would only be making myself feel better by taking shots at all the stupidity being associated with Christianity.  

Lord, I can see my own hypocrisy in all of this.  I am pleading with You to help me get this right.  I want to love, serve, and honor You with all my heart, mind, life, and strength.  I can so quickly get judgmental towards others.  I can so quickly gravitate towards putting others in their place.  Yet, You call me to none of that.  You simply call me to a relationship with Yourself.  Help me and all who read this to keep Christianity simple.  Help me to love those I can’t currently stand.  You’ve been merciful to me my whole life . . . help me show that same mercy to others.  Amen.