Wednesday Morning Devotional

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. – 2 Peter 1:5-7

So you’ve taken the step from faith to virtue.  You have actually begun to do the things you believe with all your heart that God wants you to do.  I remember the three things I was to do:  Stop telling lies, stop hanging out with a certain group of friends, and actually start studying the Bible.  It sounds so easy doesn’t it?  It was five years after my profession of faith before I finally made the move from faith to virtue.

The next transition from virtue to knowledge took 15 months.  My plan was to read the entire Bible in one year.  It actually took three months longer.  I didn’t beat myself up if I missed a day; I just picked up where I left off.  I also wasn’t that discouraged when I hadn’t finished after 12 months.  I just kept on reading until I finished.

In no way did my reading of the Bible mean that I knew everything that I needed to know.  I have found after reading it several times now that the more I learn, the more I realize there actually is to learn.  At the same time, I don’t want to take away from just how valuable that first read through of the Bible actually was.  There are still things that speak to my spirit by reading the passages that I highlighted my first time through.

The best part of it all was the fact that somewhere in the middle of those 15 months, God had changed my heart and I didn’t even realize it.  I went from having to stop lying, having to stop hanging out with my friends, and having to read the Bible to actually wanting to.  I now had a brand new outlook on life in general and what it looked like to love God and actually be conformed to His image.  I wasn’t even close, but I felt like I grown leaps and bounds toward it.

If you have systematically never read through the entire Bible, this is probably the best way that you add knowledge to your virtue.  Get a really good study Bible that will help you understand a little of some of the more difficult stuff.  Learn how the Bible is laid out.  Go to a church where the Bible is taught and God’s Word is highly revered.  Test the pastor and ask yourself, “Does this person actually love God?”   Watch carefully the way they live their lives and pay very close attention to how they treat people, especially people who can do very little or even nothing for them and “their” church.

Read Christian books, but read with caution.  We do not lack for wolves in sheep’s clothing simply looking to get rich quick off of their book sales.

Many churches put their sermons online.  Find some good ones that you like and add knowledge to your virtue by simply listening to them.  Just remember, pray constantly for a discerning spirit.  I have had spells of being led astray because I liked the way a pastor spoke.  I have put more stock in the man rather than the Word he was preaching.  This is usually not a problem if you are actually reading the Word for yourself.

If you have placed your faith in God and are doing the things you believe He would have you do, how are you now adding knowledge?  If you don’t really have a plan, develop a plan and start today.  If you are winning and gaining knowledge in the place of devotion, you will begin to win in the next step that we will talk about next week.

Later

Adam

From Faith to Virtue

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. – 2 Peter 1:5-7

Virtue: Behavior showing high moral standards

I am typing this right after a 4 am gym session. See, I have gotten slack about my workouts. For the past probably year and a half, I have been hitting the gym at least four days a week. I usually make myself go on Monday and Tuesday, then one more day Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, then one day on the weekend. As long as I keep that pattern, I feel great, am healthy, and seem to have all the energy I need to do everything that I do. I have faith that if I work out and eat right, then I will be healthy. But what good is my faith in working out and eating right if I don’t actually do it? None whatsoever.

Faith without works is dead. — James 2:17

When I am counseling people who are far from God, I go through a two-step process. First, I want to hear their salvation story. When did you get saved? Describe it to me. Take me back to the time and place where it happened. Tell me who in all was involved. How did you feel? By hearing these answers, I know whether or not the person has had a genuine salvation experience.   They have either placed their faith in Jesus Christ or they have not.

The follow up question is one of my favorites. I constantly ask myself this question even today. It is a question that can be worded for believers and non-believers. If they have faith, I say “Since you know God is real and He has saved you, loves you, and wants the very best for you; what do you think He would want you to start doing or even stop doing?”   If the person has not placed their trust and hope in Christ, I plant a seed with a hypothetical question: “Suppose there really is a God in Heaven who really does love you and wants the very best for you, what do you think He would want you to start doing or stop doing?”

Here are some answers that are often repeated:

“He would want me to start treating my mom better.”

“He would want me to start trying in school and bring my grades up.”

“He would want me to have a better attitude at work.”

“He would want me to spend more time with my family.”

“He would want me to start reading and learning the Bible.”

“He would want me to stop _________________” (partying, cussing, lying, cheating, stealing, watching porn, sleeping around, etc.)

Then comes the final follow-up question: “If you were to start this new way of behaving, who would benefit the most?” The person always says that they themselves would benefit the most in the long term. We then figure out one simple thing they can actually do to get started. I realize that if the person doesn’t have faith, then they haven’t really added virtue to faith, but maybe, just maybe, they will do it and realize that God was the source of the blessing that came afterwards. After all, they changed their behavior because it is what they believed God would have them do based on the assumption that He does exist and actually loves them and wants the best for them. They just might begin to think, “well maybe He does exist!”

If you are a Christian who has faith and adds this behavior of actually being obedient to The One whom you claim to believe in and trust . . .

You have just gone from faith to virtue.

Later

Adam

If you want a really cool assignment:

Read Luke 5:1-11.

Find the specific moment when Peter went from faith to virtue.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. – 2 Peter 1:5-7

I like reading the epistles of Peter. We so often think of him as the one who denied Jesus three times. I guess it makes us feel better about ourselves to remember all the negative stuff about people. We so often forget that Peter was re-instated by Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus asked Peter if he unconditionally loved Him two times. Peter was completely honest and said, “No, I only have a brotherly love for you.” Jesus then asked, “Do you have a brotherly love for me?” Peter said, “You know all things . . . You know my love for you is only at a brotherly type love.” Jesus said, “then feed my sheep.” In other words, “Get back to work with that kind of love in your heart, even though it might be less than what you want it to be. Be diligent in your faith and you will grow to an unconditional love for me.”

By the time Peter writes these epistles, decades have gone by. He has been diligent and he has grown leaps and bounds in his faith. In fact, he gives us the information we need to know to go from faith to love. He figured out the hard way early in his life that you don’t just believe in God and then magically have an authentic love for Him. Believing this very thing had caused him the greatest heartache of his existence.

So, do you have a real deal, authentic, and unconditional love for God? Ponder that question and really answer it for yourself.

I asked my children this last night. One said “no” and the other said “yes.” I asked them if they believed that I loved Him unconditionally. They both said “yes.” I said, “Then why do I sometimes obey and get it right, but then other times disobey and get it wrong?” They didn’t know what to say. I told them that I wasn’t there yet, but I’m closer than I was when I got started as a Christian. I also told them that it was more than okay that they weren’t there yet. I read them this verse from the Bible and told them it was many years before Peter got there, and he had Jesus himself as a personal teacher.

Throughout the course of the next few weeks, I want to write about the journey from faith in Christ to real love for Him and a genuine love for other people. It all begins with faith in Jesus and what He did at the cross of Calvary to save anyone and everyone who would call upon His Name. Faith in Him is only the starting point. At this point, so many would recommend that these new believers “love God and love people.” This is the church motto of many, many churches. This is also what Jesus calls the greatest commandment. Do you think that right after faith, we as new believers are capable of obeying God’s greatest commandment?

I’m still not there, but I have fallen in love with the pursuit. I am so thankful Peter starts off by saying, “giving all diligence.” This lets me know that it will take time. I have been a Christian now for 25 years. Thanks in part to this verse; I know where I am in the journey to really falling in love with the King of Kings. I hope that over the course of the coming weeks that you find where you are as well.

Later

Adam

You shall set apart a district for the Lord, a holy section of the land;  — Ezekiel 45:1

I remember as a kid that there were specific times and specific places I had to be.  Nearly all of these involved television sets.  For instance, on Friday nights, I had to be at my Granny’s in front of the television by 8:00 because the Dukes of Hazzard would be on.  Every day after school, I would haul it to the house from the bus because I could catch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe just as it was coming on.  I hated those days where I missed my shows.

Kids today with their fancy DVR’s will just never know. 

Five years after becoming a Christian, I finally decided to carve out a time and place and actually read the Bible for myself.  So often, I would find myself excited to go to my place to find out what happened next in God’s story.  Fifteen months later, I had read through the entire Bible.  To this day, I don’t think there has been a period of time where God has changed me so much.  I couldn’t help but wish that I had done it sooner.

For the longest time after my fifteen months, I was very random.  After I moved out on my own, I just made no new consistent place where I met God; therefore I was very sporadic in my attempts to do so.  Most of the time, I would give Him a bit of time before I went to bed, which would often end up with me falling asleep about 30 seconds into a prayer.

I never really grew again as a Christian until I designated places in my home as Holy unto the Lord.  I am writing this today because my place is about to change.  In the spring and summer months, I meet with God on a couch in what we call our “computer room.”  As soon as the weather gets cool enough, I meet with Him in a rocking chair in front of our gas logs.  This is always in the morning before anyone else in my family is awake. 

Sometimes though, distractions just abound.  Sometimes I just cannot quiet my spirit and concentrate on Him to save my life.  At times like this, I like to take a walk around what I call “the loop.”  It is basically a two mile walk that if you catch while the sun is rising or setting is pretty glorious.  Because of my scattered mind, I may listen to praise and worship music and/or one of my favorite preachers that constantly pour into my mind and soul.

If for some reason I can’t walk, I take a drive.  Some of the most Holy Spirit filled times in my life have occurred right there in the driver’s seat of my automobile.  Some moments have been so intense; I will absolutely never forget them.

So why am I writing this?  Other than to remind myself where my Holy sections of land are, it is to get you to think about the time and place where you meet God.  

When and where do you go to have focused time with Him?  If you don’t have a time and place, now would be the perfect time to designate one.

Later

Adam

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord:  Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  – Luke 19:8

Zack received the invitation to follow Jesus from Jesus Himself.  “I must abide at thy house,” Jesus told him.  The church could learn quite a bit from Jesus right there.  The invitation I received was, “ask Jesus into your heart.”  I did that, but nothing changed at my house.  I kept all of my pet sins and the biggest idols in my heart remained.

Unlike me, Zack understood that if Jesus was coming to his house, the main idol of his heart had to go.  Zack’s main idol was money.  He loved it.  He loved it so much he became a tax collector.  Romans loved to turn Israelites into tax collectors.  Some of the Israelites didn’t mind being hated by their fellow countrymen if it meant they could have a lavish lifestyle.  Up until this moment in his life, Zack was one of these that didn’t mind.

The crowd was disgusted with Jesus for going to Zack’s house.  “He has gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner,” they said, as if they avoided that status somehow.  Today’s crowd of church people still seem to forget that “sinner” is everybody’s default setting.  Here is a man letting Jesus into his house, and the crowd can only say negative things about the whole situation.

Here is the part I want to point out that sure blessed me today.  Zack did not make a plea to those people saying bad things against him.  He appealed directly to Jesus.  “You are now the Lord of my life!  Money has been dethroned!  I give half of my money away right now!  I will find the ones I have cheated and pay them back four times what I took!  My heart is changed because of You, Jesus!”  Zack appeals to nobody but the King Himself.  I like that.

A similar thing happened to me after salvation.  I told a guy of my fairly new faith in Jesus.  He did as the crowd did to Zack and pointed out my sins.  Unfortunately, unlike Zack, I wasn’t willing to make the hard changes in my life that would cost me the lifestyle that I loved.  I did not argue with my friend.  I couldn’t, he was right.  However, I did as Zack did and made my appeal to Jesus, “Lord, help me follow you for real.  Change my heart.  Help me dethrone these sinful things that I love.”

One by one, little by little, He did and is still doing just what I asked Him to do 20 years ago.  Sometimes I still worry what people think of me.  I’m going to let Zack teach me today exactly what I should do when I start listening to murmurs in the crowd.  I will make my appeal directly to God.  I will make an honest assessment, and if what they are saying is true, I will ask God to change me.  If what they are saying is untrue, I will do as Zack did and say, “Look how you’ve changed my heart Lord!” 

Ah, there is no one like you, Lord.

Later

Adam

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” — Luke 5:8

Last week, I talked about Peter reluctantly obeying God. Through that obedience, Jesus opened up the floodgates of heaven and blessed him. Some would say that He blessed Peter with a boatload of fish, which He did, but it was more than that. Most of today’s Christians would be content to have these types of material blessings. However, Peter did not merely receive presents . . . he received presence.

Here is the thing: Nowhere in this story does Jesus call Peter a sinner. Yet, Peter calls himself a sinful man. Nowhere in the story does Jesus say, “Peter, I am pure and holy, you are defiled and full of iniquity . . . you must accept me as your Lord and Savior or be separated from me.” Peter just knew. In a single moment . . . he knew.

Here’s the other thing: Everybody around him saw the exact same thing, but did not have the exact same reaction. I remember sitting in church as a new follower of Christ. Most of the people there were bored out of their minds, or at least seemed like it to me. But, I remember looking around and seeing tears flowing from some of the men’s eyes. They were experiencing something on a completely different level than the majority of us. I immediately said what was probably my first ever non-material prayer, “God, I want to experience what these men are experiencing.”

It didn’t take long. Within the next few weeks I was listening to Christian radio and “The Best Thing” by Big Tent Revival came on the radio. I had heard the song before, but this time it ignited something in my spirit. God filled my 1991 Ford Ranger up with His Presence. I began to weep. It lasted for probably 10 seconds and I still remember the words that I said, “Turn it off, Lord . . . I can’t take it.”

Now, I had no idea that Luke 5:8 was in the Bible. Nor did I know about Isaiah’s experience in chapter 6 of his book of the Bible. All I knew was that God was holy on a massive scale and I wasn’t anywhere near the spectrum. All I knew was that God was big . . . REALLY big, and I was small . . . crazy small. It was an experience that I will never forget. It is an experience that God still gives me quite often and I seem to be able to handle it for longer and longer durations. I don’t have these experiences as often as I’d like, but I always seem to have them in just the right places at just the right times.

Ask God to show you that difficult thing that He wants you to do . . . or not do. You probably already know what it is. If you are in a position to where you are willing to obey, even though it may be a reluctant obedience, pray this prayer: “Lord, I want to experience the holiness of your presence.”

There is absolutely nothing like it in the world.

Later

Adam

But Simon answered and said to him, “Master we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”  — Luke 5:5

Why do you obey God?  Really think about that question and try to formulate an answer before you read on.  I recently listened to a sermon that reminded me of one of those “Hell, fire and brimstone” sermons.  I’m certainly not against these, but they must be done well.  This one was not done so well.  Basically, the gist was that we must obey God or suffer the consequences.  We must forsake the wicked ways of this world because the punishment for not doing so is inevitable.  This, of course, is true, but also incomplete.

As hard as I tried as a young, beginning Christian, I could not do right.  There was part of my problem; I looked at it as “doing right” instead of “being obedient.”  Anyway, I honestly believed God would send me to Hell for a lot of the stuff I was doing and would find myself doing it anyway.  I would ask for forgiveness and hope that my life wasn’t about to end like the rich man’s in Luke 16.  My primary motivation to do right was fear.  Despite my fear, I had a major problem; I still loved the sinful things that I was doing.  I can only imagine how silly I looked promising God, “I’ll never do it again,” when He and I both knew that I would.

Too often, God is presented as bad medicine.  He is good for you, but He tastes horrible.  I feel like Peter thinks of Jesus this way at this precise moment.  “We’ve toiled all night” is his way of saying “I don’t want to.”  “And caught nothing,” is his way of saying “I don’t think it will do any good.”  “Nevertheless, at thy word,” is reluctant obedience.  But, it is obedience nonetheless.

There was a series of things that I reluctantly obeyed that changed everything for me.  The place called Hell ceased to be the primary motivating factor and I obeyed simply because Jesus said to in the Bible.  It is very important to note that I did not want to do any of them, but I did them anyway.

“Nevertheless, at thy word, I will obey.”

Which of Christ’s commands do you have the hardest time obeying?    What makes you hesitate and not want to obey?

Maybe He is asking you to end a toxic relationship.

Maybe He is asking you to carve out time each day for just you and Him.

Maybe He is asking you go to work or school today with a great attitude.

Maybe He is asking you to take on or be a part of a ministry.

Think long and hard.  What are the nets in your life He is asking you to let down that you just don’t want to let down?

Would you let them down anyway, just because Jesus asks you to?

Peter did, and man did he receive a blessing . . . and it wasn’t just fish.

Later

Adam

Because of my integrity you uphold me, and you set me in your presence forever. –Psalm 41:12

I remember signing an academic honesty statement at Clemson University. It basically said that I would not cheat in any way whatsoever in any of my classes. The idea is that if a student has academic integrity, the grades they receive are the grades they actually earned. In 2007, thirty thousand students were anonymously questioned about cheating. 60.8% of the respondents admitted that they have cheated. In every poll I’ve ever seen, the number is always between 50% and 75%.

Most students lack integrity.

The word integrity evolved from the Latin word integer. As a math teacher, I have used the word integer quite frequently. Integers are defined as positive and negative whole numbers. Fractional values and decimal values are incomplete and therefore don’t get to be called integers.

In my main verse for this WMD, David says God holds him up and allows him to experience His presence because of his integrity. There is no partiality with David. In God, he is whole. He is complete.

In the Christian life, a follower of Jesus must have integrity. Every man and woman who calls himself or herself a Christian must have no disconnect between their words and their actions. What they say they believe and the way they actually live must match up or they lack integrity.

Integrity for me is an ever-increasing thing. I had too many years as a teenager and young adult where I had no integrity. I called myself a Christian, but I acted just like the world. I would actually tell people I was a Christian, then turn around and say and do sinful things; things I knew in my heart went directly against God and His commands. Consequently, I never felt like God was really with me.

There was a specific moment in time where integrity started to mean something to me. God was allowing me to sink in life. I had no integrity; therefore He had neither reason nor obligation to hold me up. I knew men who experienced His Presence and I wanted what they had. The only difference in our lives was the fact that they actually seemed to live out their faith in God; I only talked about it. Therefore, I knelt beside my bed asked God to help me start actually doing Christianity.

Life has never been the same. He has never failed to hold me up. In addition, He sends me a very real sense of His presence at just the right times. His eyes are constantly circling the globe looking for hearts fully committed to Him.

Is your heart completely committed to Him? Are your words and your actions integrated?

Examine yourself today. Does what you say you believe and how you actually live match up? Do you feel like God is holding you up? Are you experiencing His Presence?

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, my Rock, and my Redeemer. Amen.

Later

Adam

Before the Service Begins

I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” – Psalm 122:1

Psalms 122-134 are called the Psalms of Ascent.  I like to call them the songs of preparation.  They were actually the songs the Israelites would meditate upon and sing on the way to church.  For many, this was quite a lengthy trip and they purposefully made great use of their time.  By the time they got to the Temple, their hearts and minds were prepared to be in the presence of God Almighty.

This makes me wonder:  How much do today’s Christians prepare before entering what they believe is the House of God?

As bad as I hate to admit this, I do much better now that I am the preacher than I did as an attender.  My “ascent” often begins with a one or two mile walk around my neighborhood.  I just pray and really make sure that I’m in tune with the Holy Spirit.  I empty myself as much as possible to be clean before Him.  Then, I get the family up and going at a time where we will not be rushed to get ready.  We have a “no electronics for entertainment” rule until after the service.  On the way to church, we generally have conversations about life and honoring God.  We prepare to go to the house of the Lord.

I have found that when I prepare, I feel the presence of God in some way regardless of what happens in the service.  I also find that I am super sensitive to others who have made the proper preparations.  If the song leader and preacher, along with most of the congregation have prepared properly, then get prepared to feel the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  There is nothing else on planet Earth like it.  Could you imagine what it felt like in the Temple if all of the attenders from all directions really had these songs in their heart, sang them, meditated on them, and were enjoying God even before they arrived?

If I am honest, when I was simply a church attender with no responsibilities, I never even thought about preparing my heart.  I wasn’t glad when it was time to go.  I got ready in pretty much the same manner I went to work.  I was only glad if the band played a song or two that I really liked.  I was only glad if the youth group was doing something cool.  I was only glad if a preacher that I really liked gave a really great message.  I was completely dependent on the preparation of others. Consequently, my church experiences would be hit or miss.  Usually, if it was a hit, it was only because someone else had made the proper preparations, not because I had made mine.

How do you “ascend” to the House of God?  How do you prepare yourself and your family for the worship service?  How do you build anticipation?  Do you get to go to the house of the Lord?  Or, do you have to go to the house of the Lord?   How should the hours leading up to the start of the service look?

If the service starts at specific time, arrive before that time.  As much as possible, make sure you never feel rushed.  Every moment should feel peaceful and enjoyable as you prepare to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.  When you do arrive, be purposeful in your talk.  Football, TV shows, movies and Facebook are nice to talk about, but not right before you offer up praise to Almighty God.  Make it all about Him!

We have an amazing opportunity every week to prepare to meet God and experience Him; let’s not waste any of them.

Later

Adam