April 1
Bread?
As bread Jesus is a common presence in our lives.
John 6
32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Jesus was God in the flesh and demonstrated that while God is a Spirit he does manifest himself to us in ways we can understand. He comes to us as the Bread of Heaven capable of sustaining our mortal bodies and giving life to us as bread gives life to our mortal frame. Jesus identification with us in taking on a mortal body was two fold. He comes to us to sustain us daily. He also comes to us to lift our eyes to the original intent when he will give us bodies that will never die.
As bread Jesus is a common presence in our lives. He is as common as a meal, as available as bread, there always to be received and internalized. Like bread, there is a mystery to his fusion into our lives and bodies. Like bread He grants sustenance, strength and blends his life with ours. The image of bread is clear to us and so the thought of Christ sustaining us should be clear also.
We sustain nothing except that we have been sustained. We have no individual powers that are not a gift from another life.
Romans 6
10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
April 2
The Bread of Life
Like bread and wine as we internalize Christ His life is infusing our mortal bodies and we have an eternal Passover from death and the slavery of sin to life and the favor of God.
John 6
53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
Believe it or not! The early Christians were accused of cannibalism. It is not unlike today when Christians are accused of all kinds of heinous crimes when they have been the advocates for gentility and human value. It is the kind of literalism that many have without going behind the symbolism of Jesus’ words.
These words were the institution of The Lord’s Supper sometimes called the Eucharist and Communion. It is a meal which ended the letting of blood of sacrifices. When Jesus spoke these words he was proclaiming an end to animal sacrifices for the atonement of human sins. He became the last and only good sacrifice. He was declaring the end of pagan practices of blood letting by proclaiming a mere piece of bread replaced the lamb of the Passover and the wine on the table replaced his blood. In effect he was saying that when we take these elements of the table by faith we were celebrating that we have internalized His Spirit as one internalizes the food we eat or the breath we draw.
The scriptures are clear to say that God is not pleased with blood sacrifices but we were so addicted to pagan rituals that He gave them sacrifices to demonstrate they do not work to give us peace with God. After centuries of such temple worship it was clear that sacrifices did nothing for us. However, one thing does work. It is the inbreathing of the son of God who is to us spiritually as bread and whose life is in us as the blood that courses through our capillaries. We are one with Christ by the simple affirmation of our need for His life and our dependence not upon ourselves but upon Him for our alliance with God.
Jesus replaced the lamb which was the food of the Exodus. He replaced the blood of the sacrifice and all sacrifices with his own shed blood once and for all. Now we are free to invoke His name, ingest the symbols of his body and blood knowing we have participated in the mystery of bread and wine being changed in our bodies and infusing our bodies to take on the form of living flesh in us. Like bread and wine as we internalize Christ His life is infusing our mortal bodies and we have an eternal Passover from death and the slavery of sin to life and the favor of God. When God sees us who believe and trust in Christ He sees only Christ, not those alienated from Himself.
Yes, death is the effect of sin and of our flawed natures and actions. Even the good we would do we cannot do. Yet, through Christ and internalizing His Spirit by faith we draw the breath of life and the ugliness that makes us repugnant to a righteous God is blotted out.
Romans 7
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Hosea 8
13 They offer sacrifices given to me and they eat the meat, but the LORD is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt.
Hebrews 10
5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.' " 8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
April 3
The Bloodless Revolution
Jesus resurrection was simply the only powerful bloodless revolution the earth has ever seen and it will last to the end of time.
John 6
54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
Bloodless, Christ lay in the grave. He had given all of his life. He had shed his blood that we might understand the love of God was so great He was ready to give the greatest gift. However, that was not the end of Jesus. Drained as he was of the substance of this life he would rise again.
The fact is that the first followers thought it was over. Those early disciples had not believed he would be raised from the dead. But it would happen. On this day, the day of his body lying in a grave, the great plan of God was in effect to raise this bloodless Christ from the death. And they, who did not first believe, came to believe. They saw him. They explored the solidarity of his body. They touched him. He ate with them. He appeared to them and many over a period of 40 days until the message was clear. He was no specter. He was real and with them in bodily form until he was removed from their sight to wait their own resurrections after their own deaths. This they believed and trusted with their very lives and are a witness to those of us today who walk their paths.
The miracle of his resurrection was attested to by many witnesses. If we are to believe any witnesses we should believe them. Jesus resurrection was simply the only powerful bloodless revolution the earth has ever seen and it will last to the end of time.
I Corinthians 15
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
April 4
A New Era
This scene of the resurrection marks the end of all useless rituals. It marks the end of victimhood. It delineates a new creation from the old. It marks the beginning of the possibility of a new birth.
Easter Sunday
John 20
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
The resurrection of Christ is the birth of real hope. Why? Because it means death, nor form of death, has a permanent hold on humanity. Until the resurrection the human race was left to fend on its own. There was nothing upon which human beings could count. Though people tried to live with hope their hopes had no foundation because until death was conquered no one could say for certain that the hope for good had any foundation. Death was and is on every human effort to improve the lot of humankind.
This is the record of those who passed down their own assurance to us. In a dark room, a group of disillusioned disciples gathered to discuss their dispersal back to the old patterns of life to which they were accustomed. After all, their hopes were shattered. Jesus was gone but suddenly he was there among them. He showed them his hands and feet. He touched them and perhaps embraced them and as he did they felt His breath in their faces. This Jesus was the same Jesus they had known before his death but this time He took the position of the Creator who breathed the breath of life into Adam’s lifeless form. The Scriptures say he breathed on the disciples. (That Greek word translated as on also means into.) As he breathed he said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Now, they and all upon whom He breathes, have life.
This scene of the resurrection marks the end of all useless rituals. It marks the end of victimhood. It delineates a new creation from the old. It marks the beginning of the possibility of a new birth. And, as many as receive the forgiveness of sins so freely offered by Christ and receive His Spirit become new creatures in whom the death principle no longer has dominion. It is a new era of our possibility of a relationship with God.
II Corinthians 5
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.April 5
Delusions of Grandeur
It is truth that the wicked eventually perish and with it all that they dreamed.
Proverbs 11
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing.
8 The righteous man is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead.
Solomon wrote Proverbs. It says so in the preamble. It is also clear that they were written by someone who had experience with wealth and power. As a result of having life experience God was able to reveal the futility of human symbols of power. Riches and control are unstable fixes and fascinations of this world.
There is no time when the futility of relying upon accumulation and control is more evident than when we face death. Not only do we leave our fortunes behind but they have nothing to do with our standing with our Creator. We may seek to immortalize our names with them but that too passes away. A poignant modern image of this was displayed for the world as the Iraqis toppled the statue of Sadam Hussein from its pedestal and dragged its head through the streets of Bagdad. It was only an image of something that has been repeated many times. It is truth that the wicked eventually perish and with it all that they dreamed.
Be secure in wisdom and reliance upon your Creator who alone has the fulfillment of all that compels you and all for which you hope. Seek Him with all of your heart and you will find Him.
Ecclesiastes 4
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
April 6
God Values People
We live by ideas and righteous ones lead to harmony and prosperity.
Proverbs 11
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
It is always clear though not always understood that ideas have consequences. We live by ideas and righteous ones lead to harmony and prosperity. Wrong ones lead to disintegration and destruction.
Having travelled to socialist countries I can witness to the fact that socialism is a bad idea and destructive to the societies of men. In fact, at beginning of glasnost the new Russia invited evangelical Christians in to restore some moral order to their culture. It seems the Socialist experiment had destroyed morality. In general, the people had been reduced to passivity and had little room to grow or expand their horizons materially or spiritually.
Because of the openness of formerly Socialist countries I was privileged to conduct teaching courses for leaders in several former soviet bloc countries including Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Ukraine. In each country I got to see the difference the gospel made in the life of the people. In general society we saw poverty, depression, sadness and lethargy. However, in the churches there was the vital life of the New Testament Church as viewed in the book of Acts. If ever I had any notions that Socialism was a good way of life those notions died when I saw the effect of it as an ideology.
I cannot help but say Amen to the words, “Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.” After all, what good can come from forced allegiance and doctrines that honor and value neither God nor his creatures? While Christians have always used their God given freedom of choice to honor God no matter what the consequence people thrive when they are valued as children of God and their freedoms recognized.
April 7
Power to Love
In Christ we see what love is. Through the Holy Spirit we receive the motivation and power to love.
Ephesians 5
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
In a world where boundaries are so important it is impossible to avoid prohibitions. After all, the law is our instructor and we learn by first knowing what not to do. Later, we learn that the greatest cure of avoidance is positive action of opposite nature. For example, instead of saying “do not hate” we learn ways to love. Instead of “not” stealing, we practice serious honesty. Instead of “not” cursing, we learn to bless. The power of life is NOT found in avoiding things. That is a matter of safety. Instead, the power of life, is found in responding imaginatively with commitment to be creative and contributive.
It should be said that God’s approach to the human race has necessarily been instructive on what we should avoid. Thus we have the 10 commandments which are largely negative. However, the law was given to reveal the boundaries. The New Testament gives us the path of positive action because we learn that we can receive the Holy Spirit. In Christ we see what love is. Through the Holy Spirit we receive the motivation and power to love. That is the ethical good news of the New Covenant.
April 8
Fragrance of Christ
If we are to be examples of Christ we should desire to make a difference by our presence wherever we go.
Ephesians 5
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
The Tabernacle and the Temple of Biblical times had a definite order that was set by Divine prescription. They had three courts or gathering places. Most Bible students know that the Priests were the only ones to enter the Tent of Meeting or the Temple proper. And, within one of the chambers of the Tent and Temple was what is called the Altar of Incense where priests burned incense continually as a symbolic sweet fragrance to God. That incense represented the prayers of the people. It was an offering being made before the hidden chamber where God manifested himself in light upon the Mercy Seat. It is said, therefore, that the Priests who ministered within the chambers of the Temple or Tabernacle bore the fragrance of worship and sacrifice upon their clothes.
Jesus, the scripture says, was like the priest but offering himself to God as a sweet fragrance to God. That fragrance covers the smell of our carnality and corruption. That fragrance is like continual prayers of intercession going up before God. That fragrance is the reminder to all that a sacrifice has been made on behalf of us all that gives us all permanent access to the Father. Jesus came and by his presence here made all the difference to satisfy the demands of conscience and condemnation in the presence of our Holy God.
Like the priests of old there are those who by their presence make a difference. They have a fragrance upon them. Usually they have demonstrated and authority in their lives. They have an authenticity about them and they connect with others in ways which we are not always able to understand.
How do we have such a fragrance? It comes by following Christ with the intent of revealing Him. It comes through loving service until that love springs from a willing and genuine spirit. It comes by spending time prayerfully and in worship in His presence. If we are to be examples of Christ we should desire to make a difference by our presence wherever we go.
April 9
It Is Who Knows You
We are persons who have been given dignity by another Very Important Person.
Psalms 22
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
Rejection is a terrible thing. When others reject us we do feel like worms. It is, therefore, good for us to get comfortable with the feeling. As we get comfortable with the feeling we are then in a position of recognizing the truth. We are not worms. We are persons who have been given dignity by another Very Important Person. Others may mock but they are wandering off into a world of pain because we, the believers, “trust in the Lord.” The feeling will come but the truth is that the faithful can rest in God’s even greater faithfulness. Others may mock but he sees into the depths of us. Others may reject us but we are certain in the love of our God who so loved the world with all of its broken people that He gave His only son. If the Psalmist has a reason to believe in the love of God and our imputed worth then we who see backwards to the cross have even more.
April 10
In God’s Plan
…we have a supernatural origin, have elementary and flawed supernatural responses and can by the grace of God rise above our limitations.
Psalm 22
10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
It is a scriptural truth that God knows us from the womb. The prophet Jeremiah learned this:
“4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah 1:4-6 (NIV)
The recognition that your life was blessed and graced by God from you beginnings is tantamount to realizing you have someone to whom to be thankful. I have known many people who have found themselves in difficult situations and for unknown reasons escaped. Their response, though measured, was often, “Someone up there was looking out for me.”
It is also true that there are many who may endure similar challenges and do not come this to conclusion. Yet, they have feelings connected with their survival. For example, one may be depressed because he was spared and others were not. Another may feel special and attribute their survival to their superior genetics enhanced by their exploitation of those gifts. However, all survivors have a common bond. They all have a need to understand their survival. This tendency alone is a significant transcendent trait that lifts us from the animal world. Animals simply go on. They do not celebrate or fret about their survival or existence.
Sooner or later we will all confront the challenge to understand why we are here. The solution we find to that question makes all the difference. Are we a collection of atoms connected by happenstance? Then, why value our lives at all? Are we here by some great choices we or someone else made? Then, where did we get the unique power to make those choices? In effect, few are clear about their origins until they are in trouble. However, when we are clear of mind in our purpose it makes all the difference.
The Bible teaches purpose. Your creator has a purpose for you. He has designed you to rise above the negative genetics you may have received. He has designed you to overcome the tests that destroy many. He has designed you to even excel in areas you in which you seem to have no “natural” abilities. In effect, we have a supernatural origin, have elementary and flawed supernatural responses and can by the grace of God rise above our limitations.
You were created with a purpose. It is time to ask God what that purpose is and align yourself with His plan for you.
A Word and a Prayer
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
April 11
God is With Us
There is no place where God is not “present” or accessible.
Psalm 22
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
The Psalmist speaks to God: “But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.” (vs 19).
There is a sense with all of us that when we are sufferings, endure depression, or even encounter rejection and hostility God seems far away. The Psalmist says what humans feel when he asks God not to be far away. The Bible, however, teaches that God is not in Heaven as a far away district but in the heavens. That is in essence what Jesus told his disciples to visualize when they pray, “Our Father, who art in (the) heaven(s)….” What do these heavens comprise?
Heaven(the heavens) is the atmosphere, outer space and even dimensions not seen. It represents the everywhere that holds the presence of God. It means something both sub-micro and ultimate-Macro. There is no place where God is not “present” or accessible.
Think of it this way. He is closer to us than our own bodies. He is in the breath we breathe. He is present as life in our very cells when by faith we do receive Him. He is not far, though far he may seem. Therefore, receive Him today. Let Him do his perfect work and rest in the knowledge of His promises and purposes in your life.
April 12
Condition Red!
Crucifixion is the quintessential essence of human suffering all rolled into one deed. Here was all mankind in the throes of death and defeat!
Psalm 22
12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
One cannot read Psalm 22 without seeing the obvious parallels of Christ upon the cross. In fact, it is one of the best descriptions we can have of what it was to be crucified as Jesus was crucified: surrounded by “powerful men” who mocked and derided; His heart slowing in its beat and thumping placidly in his body; His strength waning away; His mouth dry with thirst; His feet and hands pierced; His bones separating; and His enemies dividing his garments at His feet. Crucifixion is the quintessential essence of human suffering all rolled into one deed. Here was all mankind in the throes of death and defeat!
Considering all of this we hear the cry of Christ through these words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? “ We remember his words shouted out in death throes, “Into Your hands I commend my Spirit….It is finished!”
What was finished? The power of life over death was finished. The power of evil over good was finished. The power of power-hungry men daring to stand in the place of God and judge was finished.
Listen to the anthem of victory today:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
Join the chorus of those who have been empowered by His Spirit:
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him— may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.
AMEN
April 13
They Trusted
It is a good thing to remember God’s deliverances. It is one of the ways we maintain our perspective and faith in His goodness and power to deliver us.
Psalm 22
4 In you (God) our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
There is nothing like a backward look to see the grace of God in our lives. Many of us have to recognize that at times our lives have been miracles of survival. But can we surely say that our Fathers put their trust in Him? Perhaps even more of us cannot. However, if we can stand with either group we will have testimony that God’s hand has been evident in not only helping us survive but in our very prosperity.
Recently I was in a room full of scores of Christians I had not seen for years. I remember them when they were young. Many of them, by their own testimony, were skating on the edge of disaster until they submitted their lives to Christ. Yet, there they sat before me with their children and in some cases their children’s children. They were a living testimony that when we put our trust in the Lord we are not only delivered but we prosper. Above all, I want to be one of those fathers who pass on such a legacy to my children and grandchildren.
It is a good thing to remember God’s deliverances. It is one of the ways we maintain our perspective and faith in His goodness and power to deliver us.
April 14
Not Forsaken
Let us push on declaring our confidence in God’s dominionship.
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
Our faith is not based upon our feelings at any given time. God is not to be associated about how we feel about him. In this Psalm the singer cries out as poignantly as one can to declare his feelings that God is far away and does not hear him. Yet, through faith he remembers who God is and declares that his experience is not presently shared by others because God is “the praise of Israel.”
Many people despair and give up in their confidence in God. We all are tempted because our feelings and present experiences are not the whole reality. Let us push on declaring our confidence in God’s dominionship. In due time, he makes himself known to those who go through the wilderness of human experience and each time we emerge from such moments we discover a freshness of experience and a greater faith in our Lord.
April 15
Jesus the Center
When Jesus reveals himself to us He calls us to gather those sheep whose lives are fragmented, broken, scattered and to call them back to Him and His Kingdom to be unified around His person and purposes alone.
Proverbs 11
9 With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” (Luke 11:23)
It is clear that the effort to gather, to pull together and to bring cohesion is godly. God is one. Like the center of gravity all things with divine mass are drawn to unity. They are drawn to him: his purposes, his methods, his motives and his message. On the other hand: destruction, enmity, strife, slander, rebellion, personal ambition and self-centeredness are the centripetal forces that tear apart and scatter.
When Jesus reveals himself to us He calls us to gather those sheep whose lives are fragmented, broken, scattered and to call them back to Him and His Kingdom to be unified around His person and purposes alone. In the course of that we are to recognize the enemies of the order of God: they destroy, they use, they sow discontent and deceit. Those who are against him leave behind a wake of destruction, injury and personal harm. Those who are for Christ know Him and His ways: the healing of the broken- hearted, the union of God and man, and the wholeness of humanity.
We cannot realize the purposes of God until we can identify the enemies to that purpose and move quickly to the side of the unifying and healing Christ.
Ephesians 5
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
April 16
Mock Not
It is always time to respect the basic humanity and potential of others and to hold our tongues.
Proverbs 11
12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.
Never mock another when they are down. In fact, never mock another. Derision is never a good thing but there are times when we must admit we are tempted. How many times have we seen a terribly misguided person get their comeuppance? It is time to hold our tongues. How often does someone make us angry and frustrated enough to fall into the trap of deriding them because we are pushed to our natural limits? It is time to hold our tongues. How many times have we seen someone go on a vicious attack of another and been tempted to jump in and put that person in their place? It is time to hold our tongues.
There is a television show that capitalizes on the human proclivity to deride. (I’ll go no further. It is time to hold my tongue.) One only has to view that show one time to see what the results are when you get people in a room mocking and deriding one another. It is murder in the making and this phenomenon counts for more deaths daily on the streets and institutions of our nation than we can imagine. It is always time to respect the basic humanity and potential of others and to hold our tongues.
An acquaintance of mine was captured a number of years ago by rebels in the jungles of South America. In the course of that captivity he was derided and beaten. He suffered daily and momentary humiliation. Yet, in all cases he was praying for his captors. He spoke respectfully to them, found ways to return good for evil and to serve. In time he won some over to the gospel. In time he gained his freedom when some of the harshest of his captors defended him. It is wise to hold our tongues and never wise to deride our neighbor.
April 17
The Kindness Factor
Kindness is the character of our Creator and when we act as He would act we remain in His favor rests with us.
Proverbs 11
17 A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
Kindness has its own reward. No one can be faulted for being kind but it is a revolutionary thought to think of kindness as benefiting the person who shows it. Many often think that kind people are “patsies.” They are looked upon with derision.
To whom is kindness to be shown? Everyone. Even when we reproach people, as may prove necessary, it is right to do it with kindness. Such reproaches are not only likely to be heard but they are a good discipline for the one who must correct. For example, a teacher who calls a student “stupid” or other such names will gain more favor and benefit by approaching the student with gentleness with the intent of instructing. That way, if the reproach is rejected the teacher still has the freedom of conscience to know they have not contributed to the delinquency of the student. In the long term a kind reproach will be remembered more than we think.
We may think that not everyone deserves kindness. However, that is not the point. Kindness is the character of our Creator and when we act as He would act we remain in His favor rests with us. Contrariwise, those who are cruel will certainly find themselves undercut and victimized by those who gain power over them.
Kindness is good living. It is also good for business, politics, and general human relationships because it creates attitudes where real redemption may take place.
April 18
Power Lifting
When we submit we take the position of strength.
Ephesians 5
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
The word submission is not a term general society uses. Fundamentally, it does not mean to grovel as we may suppose. Neither does it mean that we are to bow down or forsake our dignity. There is simply power in submission. It means to get under and lift up. When we submit we take the position of strength. After all, if we are lifting are we not holding another up?
In human discourse the attitude of submission is vital. We listen to others with the intent of finding something of which we can approve. We are looking for an opportunity not only of learning but of supporting. That way, both the person to whom we submit and we benefit. Furthermore, it is a way of reverencing Christ who himself was the model of submission not only to the will of His Father. Even as he stood before Pilate and Caiaphas he was submitting to the constituted authorities. In the end, it was He and not them who emerged to demonstrate the blessing of God.
April 19
Peace and Freedom
Jesus is our power and He is our guide and peace into the presence of the benevolent God of whom we would otherwise be in terror.
Proverbs 11
18 The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death.
20 The LORD detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Contrast and compare the wicked versus the righteous. The wicked gain by devious means, pursue perversity and end in slavery to their own devices. The Righteous sow good, gain life, enjoy the delight of their Creator with all of its benefits and find freedom of conscience and judgment.
Righteousness is not something which we can see in the behavior of people merely because they bear the mark of humanity. Religions strive for righteousness. The Christians believer believes God looks at the faith of the submitted heart and imputes the righteousness of Christ to that believer. We stand not in our own natures before God but in the nature of Christ which covers us as a garment and courses through our “veins” as His life. He is our “cover” and He is our life. Jesus is our power and He is our guide and peace into the presence of the benevolent God of whom we would otherwise be in terror.
April 20
True Beauty
There is no person that cannot have the light of beauty within. Those who enhance it by living wisely and compassionately will reflect it in their faces and outshine all other imitations.
Proverbs 11
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
The scriptures seem to be hard on womankind. However, the point is well taken for men as well. We have many maxims that cover this same theme that beauty is voided if the behavior is not corresponding. Several are: “Beauty IS is beauty does”; “Beauty is inside, not outside”; and “A rotten potato in a silken sack is still rotten.”
Ours, like the Greek and Roman eras, is an age of narcissism. It might be said, however, that though the Greeks idealized the human body they at least placed emphasis upon the beauty of the mind also. However, in both of these historical cases, the flaw is as it is today. Admiration of the human body or mind is the “beauty worship” that amounts to nothing if there is no wisdom or discretion in behavior. Beauty that is external fades and beauty that stresses the glory within is one that not only enhances external beauty but is beautiful in it self. .
Where do we see real beauty? It is in the face and the face that reflects kindness, joy, love, compassion and even long suffering is a beauty that makes us stop and draw near to the person who demonstrates it. It also may be found in the face of the simplest soul or the wrinkled visage of an aging woman or man. There is no person that cannot have the light of beauty within. Those who enhance it by living wisely and compassionately will reflect it in their faces and outshine all other imitations.
April 21
Gathering Your Inheritance
We may be possible inheritors of treasure but we are gathering none of it during those moments when we are immoral, impure or greedy.
Ephesians 5
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Two people enter a treasure cave. One immediately begins filling his pockets with gold and precious jewels. The other, in his haste and greed, scoops up rocks without realizing he is not gathering treasure. That is what it is like when we fill our hearts, minds, mouths and lives with garbage, grit and things not becoming a child of God. We may be possible inheritors of treasure but we are gathering none of it during those moments when we are immoral, impure or greedy. A lifetime of such wasteful opportunity will greatly reduce our ability to enjoy the joys of God and His ultimate kingdom.
How are you gathering, dear Christian? You may be a child of the kingdom but you may or may not be using your precious life to gather treasures. You may or may not be enlarging your capacity to appreciate the wondrous things God has prepared for you. It would be a sad thing to inherit a heaven and be of diminished capacity to enjoy it.
April 22
Natural Course of the Righteous
If we have aligned ourselves with God’s Spirit and nature we will by nature pursue good.
Proverbs 11
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
We get what we desire. If we want the good we will set our sights upon it and keep the good before us at all times. If we have aligned ourselves with God’s Spirit and nature we will by nature pursue good. We will be conscious at every moment that our actions have consequences and weigh every decision carefully. We will have not hope in anything that is self-aggrandizing, selfish, inconsiderate, unmerciful, unkind, or which brings sorrow and pain to another. We will set our minds on sowing seeds of encouragement and love among our fellow man. The righteous are the lights of this world. The wicked only know how to destroy or waste their efforts in producing wrath which begets anger.
Sow righteousness today. This is how we change ourselves and the world.
April 23
Honorable Messengers
We cannot expect that because a thing is good, or sounds good that we can realize any good thing if we are not in league with virtuous partners.
Ephesians 5
6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
We are to resist those who speak empty words. Such words are not necessarily bad words or even wrong words. They are words that are not practiced by those who speak them. The emphasis here is not that we should ignore good words but not align ourselves with those who are a law to themselves even though they speak good things. We must embrace the message but depart from the hypocritical messenger in any meaningful partnerships. We cannot expect that because a thing is good, or sounds good that we can realize any good thing if we are not in league with virtuous partners.
Who does this leave? It leaves us with those who have certain humility about them. They are the people who are quick to admit their deviation from truth and to amend their ways. They are the people who are broken by their own frailty and flaws. They are the ones who are willing to stand and work with us to bring every thought, deed and purpose into alignment with God’s clearly defined will for humanity. This passage is not about bad words it is about partners who are not moving in the ways of the Kingdom of God.
April 24
Generosity: Life Cycle
God blesses the generous person by opening up the wealth of the Kingdom which is righteous, peace and joy. He may also increase our store of material wealth…
Proverbs 11
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Giving is a choice for individuals whether they are poor or wealthy. The size of the gift is relative to the giver. However, generosity is more a matter of the heart when we practice giving. God blesses the generous person by opening up the wealth of the Kingdom which is righteousness, peace and joy. He may also increase our store of material wealth because he knows He has one who is ready to sow benevolence. Giving has its own refreshing and it is apparent that one hindrance to generosity is fear. Does the farmer fear he will lose his grain when he sows his seed in the spring? Neither should we fear losing anything in God’s economy when we are generous. We will get it back and over brimming with blessing.
April 25
The Shepherd
The Lord is a Shepherd who identifies and walks with us.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
“The Lord is my Shepherd” are the most quoted words of scripture and probably best known. Somehow it strikes a chord because it declares comfort, quiet, rest, and restoration. Yet, the poem also says “He leads….” When we go through paths that challenge our principles, pass through Death Valley, or sit in the presence of enemies He is leading there also.
He guides us in all places. He is with us in all places. And, if He were only a comforting Shepherd we would not have to refer to Him as a Shepherd. He could just as well be an absent and distant God, an indifferent observer, or a capricious god gazing down from some Olympus to laugh at the sufferings of humanity. He isn’t that. The Lord is a Shepherd who identifies and walks with us.
We know he is the Shepherd by experience. This was how David knew Him to be so. It is also our testimony that when we ask Him to guide. He grants us wisdom. When we ask Him for His help, He is there to guide. Thinking of a recent prayer of mine of no fewer than six specific petitions I can attest to the fact He does answer. Each of those petitions was answered within a month. I must conclude that He was guiding me even in praying that that prayer and that the probabilities of such definite answers were astronomical in probability. It was not the first time for such answers and I can be assured it will not be the last. The Lord is my Shepherd and the Shepherd of all who call upon Him from their hearts.
April 26
Opinionated
There comes a point in every person’s life when they have to decide to be “opinionated” about what is truth, godly righteousness and what is right vs. wrong.
Ephesians 5
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
There comes a point in every person’s life when they have to decide to be “opinionated” about what is truth , godly righteousness and what is right vs. wrong. If we do not make that decision we will fall into the shadows and roll into the darkness. If we do make that decision we should not be intimated by those of opposing opinions. Instead, perhaps we can get them to speak of their views and gently ask a few challenging question. Even before we speak we will do well to build a few bridges by showing interest, compassion and mercifulness. There is nothing worse than preaching at people or even assuming others cannot help us frame even the views we believe to be right in a better way. In the end, none of us has the obligation to change anyone. As believers we should believe Jesus when he says, “You are the light of the world.”
The contrast of Christ’s teaching and what the pragmatist thinks is the difference between light and dark. His words ground us solidly in reality. The pragmatist changes from day to day concerning what is right because he operates from his emotions and self will and is not anchored in reality.
April 27
Seeing Present Good
The search for good is not pretending it exists when it does not. It is actually seeing the good that is present.
Proverbs 11
27 He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.
The search for good is not pretending it exists when it does not. It is actually seeing the good that is present. It is also doing what one can do to bring it to light. Aren’t we all lifted by stories of human kindness and stories of courage? They are present everywhere. When we put the light on them we are participants in passing the gift of sight and hope forward to others. This is the engine that really drives civilizations onward and builds constructive cultures. See the good and you will find it but as the word warns see evil and it will come upon you.
This day is a day of deconstruction. Deconstructionists have little to say that is good about the past, the deeds of good people or the sacrifices of those who live quiet and heroic lives. Why do they do this? They need to see evil where good exists in order to seize power. It should be enough for us to understand that in the end they are destroying the fabric of the world and bringing down evil upon themselves.
Good begets good as evil begets evil. That is enough to understand as we avoid reacting to the evil about us. Let us celebrate the good today! Let us believe it exists in this dark world. Let us bring a light to it. Let us encourage those who act out of good will and plant as much of it as we may. In time the good has a way of over powering those who seek to destroy it and of bringing light to chase away the darkness. We should never use discernment to see evil alone. It exists in our hearts that we may praise and emulate good.
This is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ that love has overcome the world even the evil that would destroy it.
April 28
Hoarding
It is pitiful to have examples of generosity and openness only to fall prey to our own inclination to gather and not scatter, to trust in riches and personal lust instead of righteousness.
Proverbs 11
26 People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Solomon was one of the richest men in the world of his time. Yet, he had a lot to say about the curse of riches. It is almost as if he realized that with all of his wealth he had lost something and is speaking to us from the dark side. That concept is certainly born out in the book of Ecclesiastes and in the eventual outcome of his life. He had some much and yet in the end left a divided Kingdom. He had prominence but took the internal security his father David had finally established. In effect, he frittered it away with what his father David had established and destroyed the harmony of a nation by excessive taxation and taking from the nation. His son Rehoboam continued in this excess as was instrumental to splitting Israel into two nations. Israel never recovered its former harmony. (I Kings 12)
It is sad when we have lessons from life we do not follow. It is pitiful to have examples of generosity and openness only to fall prey to our own inclination to gather and not scatter, to trust in riches and personal lust instead of righteousness. Solomon, we may remember, asked God for wisdom after building the temple for Jehovah. (I Kings 3) For awhile he led his nation with great wisdom. However, he soon fell prey to hoarding silver and gold and forsook the God of his youth for pagan wives, foreign alliances and their gods. Wisdom means nothing if we do not choose to act on the wisdom we have.
April 29
Bondage of Infidelity
…the effect of infidelity is loss and bondage.
Proverbs 11
29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
We cannot help but wonder how the families of Adolph Hitler, John Dillinger, Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dalhmer must have suffered emotionally and socially because of the deeds of their family members. However, we don’t have to go to those extremes to apply the concept of this proverb. We only have to think of the families of those who desert their families, or commit crimes of graft, crimes against society, and otherwise bring shame upon their families. It is a fact that these acts contribute to the generations of suffering for the families. It is also clear that they contribute to the disintegration of the family and societies.
It is important for the every child brought into to the world not only to have a family but to be taught to honor the family bond. Part of training from time immemorial is the building of family values and cohesion. There is a reason for family crests. They contribute to those characteristics which represent the family and stories which made those values important. Even the modern family can keep significant family memories alive with an emphasis upon purpose and value.
The person who injures his family does not escape his own difficulties. In the proverb that trouble seems to be only the loss of the family inheritance. The essential truth is that the effect of infidelity is both loss and bondage to those who have maintained family honor.
April 30
Male Initiative
…the initiative to be the model of love is clearly laid upon the husband and father.
Ephesians 5
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for 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." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
The highest standard is always the example of Christ. In this case the scriptures squarely lay the responsibility upon men to make their families work. What ever we may argue about wifely submission, as the scriptures speaks, the initiative to be the model of love is clearly laid upon the husband and father.
Manhood is not defined by one’s career or masculine activities. It is defined by the whole man: one who is attuned to his world physically, spiritually and has emotional maturity. Such a man is beginning to become like Christ and able to take initiative, to give and to lead his family into a knowledge of the Father. He is able to love sacrificially, selflessly and seriously. He understands that to love his wife is to love himself because their destinies are intertwined.
