DOUBLY GOOD

Well, I was posting everyday for awhile during our 21 Days of Prayer. I started noticing, however, that as I did, viewership was falling. Probably because I was bombarding you and you couldn't keep up! So over the next few weeks I will post remaining devotionals.

DOUBLY GOOD

Daily Reading: Gen 20:8-22:8; Mat 7:1-12

When I was a kid, 7-Eleven was the place. Do you remember those blue ICEEs? They were the best! And the candy aisle. Wow. Maybe you remember the marketing slogan, “Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven.” I probably shouldn’t have thanked heaven for 7-Eleven because it’s likely the reason I had more than my share of cavities.

I have another 7-Eleven that will be better for you: Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

In what is known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives a lot of teaching on prayer and here in chapter 7 there are some questions with vivid images: like v. 9-10,

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

Picture a Dad coming home from a trip. His 5-yr old meets him at the door:

“Dad, what did you bring me? Did you remember to stop by the pet store? Did you get me a clown fish like Nemo?”

Dad says, “I sure did, son. It’s right here in this box.”

The boy opens the box and out slithers a snake. Yikes. Any Dad that would do that ought to be in counseling—at the least! If that’s the way he jokes, it’s over the line in my book. That’s a Dad who doesn’t understand the vulnerability of his son and what that does to his relationship. All that it would take is once or twice with a scene like this one and you have a boy who will quit asking Dad for anything. The trust in his Dad’s goodness would be broken—perhaps beyond repair.

And it seems to me that Jesus would agree. This is what Jesus is saying in Matthew 7. He’s wanting to contrast the goodness of a faithful Dad with the heavenly Father:  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

In essence, Jesus is saying, “Even a loser Dad would not stoop so low to surprise his son with something that he doesn’t need. If he’s hungry, would he answer his hunger by giving him a piece of limestone? If he wanted fish, would he respond by giving his son something that could hurts or kills him like a copperhead?” Of course, Jesus is expecting us to answer, “Absolutely not. No loving Dad would do that.”

So Jesus says, “How much more…” Our heavenly Father is not erratic. If earthly Dads are mostly good, know this: your heavenly Father’s goodness is doubly-good. He doesn’t answer our needs with what would hurt us.

But if God is good why hasn’t He given me what I asked for?  Let me respond to that question with a question: Have you ever prayed a prayer in the past that now as an older and wiser person, you are grateful God didn’t answer that prayer? I don’t know all of God’s plans for you, but I do know this, His greatest goal for you is that you become like His Son, Jesus. Greater than His desire for your happiness, is His desire that you reflect God’s glory as God’s son or daughter.

So pray. Ask. However He answers you can be confident of this: He’s is more generous than the best earthly Dad there is. Thank God for Matthew 7-Eleven.

Prayer: Father, first let me thank You for Your character, that Your nature is love. I also thank You that You are wiser than I am and You will not answer my foolish wishes with foolish answers. Thank You for those unanswered prayers that would have brought harm to me and those around me. Help me as I pray to ask for what is best for me and Your kingdom.

For further study: Is Matthew 7:1 a command to never judge anyone for anything?

If there’s a verse that people can quote, likely it’s this one. It’s the retort for just about anything people disagree with: “Didn’t Jesus say to never judge?” As is so often the case, one phrase without understanding the conversation can change the meaning. Reading further in the same chapter,

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruits.

How do you do this without some wise judgment? Sounds like Jesus is recommending some judgment here.

Or consider the words of the apostle Paul, Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 1 Cor. 6:13

St. Paul is telling us that one day, the saints will judge angels. If that’s so, then there are some things in this life that believers should judge among themselves as well in a faithful, merciful, and loving way.

In Matthew 7:1, Jesus is telling His followers about the principle of mercy and honesty as it relates to judgment. He doesn’t say we shouldn’t ever point out a speck in your brother’s eye. Jesus words are this, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” Matthew 7:5. Rather He’s saying, “Deal with yourself first. Judge yourself. How much mercy do you give yourself? It’s better to give a lot of mercy because you’re going to need it when you have a very obvious log in your eye! Deal with that first. THEN you will be better able to see clearly to help someone else.”

Questions:

·       How merciful are you toward your spouse’s mistakes and flaws? If you got as much mercy as you doled out, how much would you get?

·       How can it be actually a loving thing for someone to point out your flaws or blind spots? Does it feel loving to you? Why or why not?

21 DAYS - DAY ELEVEN "Pray First"

Daily Reading: Gen. 19:12-20:7; Matt. 6:16-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) There are mainly two ways to live:  Like Jesus is King or you are king. In the kingdom where you are king, there are pros and cons. The pro is that you are king. The con is that you are king. In other words, you might have power to choose your desires first, but you also are solely responsible and there is no one to pray to if the buck stops with you! Being king isn’t always as fun as it seems. Like the little boy who was tired of being told what to do and says, “I want to be boss.” One evening at the dinner table, he’d had enough. He determined it was his turn to be boss. So Dad promoted him. “Buster, for the next hour, you are boss.” The boy gleamed. “My day has arrived,” he thought. Then the requests started coming in. Big sister asked if she could go to the mall with her friends. “Oh and by the way, I need a ride and $20.” The boy thought for a minute, looking befuddled. The new “boss” was already in a quandary. Finally, he perked up with the solution. “Go ask your mother,” he piped. Being boss isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There’s a small thrill of being in charge, but there’s a weight that comes with it! The anxiety. This is what Jesus says it’s like when you are your own God, when you place anything first besides God. What is life like when you are king? Here it is:  Anxiety! What will I eat? Drink? Wear? How long will I live? Is this sickness serious? Will Islam institute Sharia law here? Will I die alone? Anxiety. Jesus says, “These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Matthew 6:32 NLT)         But I don’t worry about food and clothes, you say. I know I can go to Salvation Army or the local food pantry. And there’s welfare. But do you worry about who will love you tomorrow? Will I get married? Will my kids get into college? Will I die alone? So Jesus’ solution? It isn’t just “Stop worrying!” It’s to stop being king--and to pray. TO PRAY FIRST, IS A WAY TO SAY, JESUS IS KING AND I’M NOT. Start making God your first pursuit. Paul said the same thing didn’t he? “Be anxious for nothing. But pray about everything.”  (Phil. 4:6) What might change if… --when your child is having trouble at school, you would pray and seek God’s kingdom first? --when you’re going for an interview, you prayed first not last? --when you’re making plans for the year, you sought to know God’s plans first? --when you started each day, you prayed first? Begin today. Pray first. Make God #1. Prayer:  Father, so often I have begun our talks with what I want. Today, I begin by asking that You open my eyes to what You want. Cause Your Scriptures to pierce my selfish ambitions and make me aware of Your activity around me. I want to partner with You to accomplish Your will in my days and bring You glory.         For further study:  What does Jesus mean when He says, “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”? Most concerns, worry and anxiety are not about what’s happening right now but what might happen. What if this headache turns out to be a tumor? What if my son leaves home and I never see him again? What if my wife has an affair? What if my company goes bankrupt? What if I die alone? Now, because the world is broken and mankind is fallen, these things do happen. But worrying today about what might happen tomorrow isn’t helpful according to Jesus. Sure, some might use this as an excuse not to plan, prepare or strategize for the future. But other passages like Proverbs 6:6-15 tell us otherwise. The wise man is a man who plans for the future but knows he can’t control the outcomes. I’ve heard of those who are martyred for their faith. In fact, right now some friends of mine in India are suffering for their faith with public harassment and burglary. I’ve thought, “How will I respond if that ever happens to me? Will my faith be strong enough? Will I remain faithful to Christ?” What Jesus seems to say here throughout this passage is that God supplies what we need when we need it. He gives us DAILY bread. And here in v.34, He says in so many words, “There is enough trouble for you to face today without worrying about the trouble you’ll face tomorrow. I will supply the grace, the bread, the strength, the love, the faith you need for today. So don’t worry about tomorrow.”[1] Grace to you, Pastor Shawn   [1]Some of these thoughts are inspired from content in the sermon by John Piper, “Today’s Mercies for Today’s Troubles,” 9/13/94 http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/todays-mercies-for-todays-troubles (Accessed 1/9/2015).

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A True Man

I had a bittersweet day last week. I said so long to one of my godsons. He's entering the Marines with aspirations of being a pilot. I have a few scenes stuck in my head like one after church when he's about 5 and comes up on the platform to sit beside me after church. I can't remember what we talked about but we chatted while he swung his feet back and forth because they didn't touch the floor yet. I remember thinking even at 5 years old, he was talking like a little man. He's 24 now. On the day he left I wrote these words to him. Maybe they can be something you share with a young man in your life.

 

A TRUE MAN
(by Shawn Craig)

Some say a man is the sum of his strength,
The brawls he can win, the beasts he can beat
Some say a man is the width of his chest,
The size of his shoulders, the breadth of his neck

Some judge a man by his height and his weight,
The force of his arms, the length of his gait,
They look at the stats of his speed or his skill
And gage his true worth by his body and build

But what is a man ‘tho stronger than steel
Who fails to restrain his lust or his will
Who follows the crowd and bullies the weak
Who wastes all his days and squanders his strength

He might be a bully, a monster or brute,
A kid with tough skin, a thug in a suit,
He might be courageous, he might look the part,
But he’s not a man, although he has brawn

But if there’s a rock for those who are weak
If there’s a servant who honors his King
If there is one who will swallow his pride
And share every win with those by his side

If he is brave, but knows how to cry,
If he has heart and knows how to die,
If he is steel that knows when to bend,
Then there’s a true man…there’s a true prince!

21 DAYS - DAY NINE "Do I really have to pray for my enemies?"

DAY NINE – January 13 DO I REALLY HAVE TO PRAY FOR MY ENEMIES?  Daily Reading: Gen. 17; Matt. 5:38-48 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44 ESV) I love people - all different kinds. I love the uniqueness of cultures, the differences in personality and individuals. But people can also disappoint and deeply hurt. I recall one instance as a young pastor on staff and being maligned behind my back. This person was kind and friendly to my face; but when she was with another group, she spoke hurtful things about my leadership. I prayed that God would resolve the situation and defend me. But He didn’t. While I was sharing the woes of this with a prayer partner who didn’t know the person, my prayer partner asked, “Have you tried praying for your enemy? That may be the way out of this trial.” Well, if you mean praying that God would transfer her to another church so she could be a blessing elsewhere…then Yes! But I knew the question was asking something deeper of me. Was I praying on a regular basis that God would bless her? I knew the answer. At this part of Jesus’ sermon, something in us rises up to say, “Surely He doesn’t mean my enemies.” But Jesus does mean my enemies and yours. Because He knows what happens when we pray for our enemies. As I began to pray for this enemy of mine, things began to change. I can’t remember this lady repenting or retracting her words, but I do remember the pain I had felt began to lessen. Instead of angst and resentment, I began to feel compassion for this person. No, not the first time I prayed. But little by little, the iceberg in my heart began to melt. Praying for your enemies may or may not heal the relationship, but it will heal your heart. Who is your enemy? Who hurt you? Are you praying for them? If not, begin today. Prayer:  Jesus, you loved your enemies and prayed for them and for that I am grateful - because I was once one of them. Give me the love I need to follow Your example. Holy Spirit come. Reveal the icebergs in my heart and melt them with Your holy fire. I bless ________ who hurt me. I pray that _________ will experience the width, the length, height and depth of Your love and be filled to the measure with You. FOR FURTHER STUDY: What’s the deal with the awkward subject of circumcision in Genesis 17? In Genesis 17, God asks something of Abraham that may seem odd to the 21st century mind. In Gen. 17:10 & 13, God says to Abraham, “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you:  Every male child among you shall be circumcised…and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.” God has a purpose in everything He asks of us. And Abraham did as he was commanded. For generations to come, it was the sign that you were a Hebrew - a child of the covenant. The word covenant, if you recall, means “to cut.” God had affirmed His covenant in chapter 15. Now it was Abraham’s turn to give a sign of His covenant with God. But why this sign? Couldn’t God have asked them to cut their ear lobes or something? Let me submit some practical thoughts: Circumcision affected the most private part of a male. God’s covenant is deeply personal, yet physical, in its symbolism. Circumcision indicated a link between God and man’s sexuality. If a Hebrew man considered entering into sexual sin, there was a mark (a constant reminder) that he was to live as God’s son, both in his heart and in his sexuality. God’s covenant with us impacts our sex life. Circumcision was a permanent mark which could not be reversed. Once a son, always a son. This communicates the permanence of God’s covenant. In the New Testament, we have a clearer understanding of God’s purposes in circumcision as we study passages like these: When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision - the cutting away of your sinful nature. (Colossians 2:11 NLT) But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. (Romans 2:29 ESV) Don't forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called "uncircumcised heathens" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. (Ephesians 2:11 NLT) Questions for study: What does circumcision say about God’s view of human sexuality? In Colossians 2:11, what are the implications of hope by the circumcision that Christ performs in cutting away our sinful nature? From Romans 2:29, what do we see as the danger in religious observances? Grace to you, Pastor Shawn

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21 DAYS - DAY EIGHT

DAY EIGHT – January 12

Daily Reading: Gen 14:14-16:16; Mat 5:27-37

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Genesis 16:13

I used to work in a department store and I learned some insider stuff I didn’t know before. I learned about the employees that work there who pose as shoppers to watch for potential shoplifters. I learned about the hidden cameras and the one-way windows where there were eyes on virtually every part of the store. It was cool to know the insider info but also unnerving to know how much they knew about the shoppers.

In chapter 16, Hagar is on the run. She has acted with contempt against her mistress Sarai and is now homeless. Perhaps fearful, certainly feeling rejection, a messenger from God appears with a promise and with direction. She is to turn around, go back to Abram and Sarai, with a submitted attitude. But secondly, God gives her hope concerning her son’s future and with it God’s promise of sustaining her. She is no longer an abandoned single mom without protection or hope.

Hagar responds to this encounter with her new name for this God she now knows personally. The name? It takes a phrase to properly interpret the Hebrew name into English: “You are a God of seeing.”
Hagar may have felt like an abandoned, single mom on the run with no one watching out for her. But God is not just the God who knows all things. He is the God who sees.

• Are you a single Mom who follows Jesus and is slugging it out every week in the work force and coming home to work that is never done? God sees.
• Have you been in a dry place where the Heavens seem silent? God sees.
• Are you a pastor or a godly man who labors quietly, faithfully without applause? God sees.
• Has 2014 been a year of hardship, with frequent battles followed by despair? God sees.

Prayer: God my Father, You are not only the all-powerful, all-knowing God. You are the all-seeing God. I would be terrified of that thought except for grace that gives me confidence to approach You. Because of my faith in Jesus, I am comforted by the truth that You see my suffering, my service and my situation and You are both able and willing to help me. Help me as I pray to see life how You see it.

For further study: What is the meaning of the meat, the lantern, etc. in Genesis 15:7-20?

It seems all rather gruesome to us—animals split open and laid out while Abraham looks on and wonders what will happen. It is strange to us except for those of you who enjoy a good pig roast or open BBQ! But, for the Hebrews like Abraham, this wasn’t quite so strange. The most solemn promises were guaranteed with blood and known as covenants.

Abram has asked a question in v.8. In so many words, Abram has asked, “How will I know You are good for your promises? God says, Stand by. I’m going to give you an object lesson. So, as God commands, Abram gets the animals and cuts them in two and lays them out—as the word “covenant” conveys the meaning, “to cut,” a solemn agreement between two parties affirmed with blood.

There was rich symbolism in this era regarding covenants. In those days, those entering into a covenant would cut an animal, lay it out and walk between the pieces in a figure eight. It was a way of saying, “If I don’t keep my promise to you let me be like this animal—cut in two.” Serious vow. So Abram is looking on as God is about to give an object lesson.

As we read further in Genesis 15, the sun is going down. A deep sleep falls upon Abraham along with great darkness. Abram can watch but he can’t do anything. And as the sun sets, a smoking torch passes between the pieces of meat which represents God’s solemn vow. God is in effect saying, “If I don’t keep my promise to you let this be done to me.” God is saying, “My word is good. My promise holds. My blessings are certain.” The writer says it plainly: “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land.” (Gen. 15.18)

And God, as He so often does, gives a double whammy in this object lesson for this was not only a lesson for Abram, but one for us as well—a picture of what was to come. As followers of Jesus looking back on this scene through the lens of the New Covenant, we can see that in the same way, the Son of God was not cut in two, but flogged, pierced, nailed to a tree, stretched out to make a covenant with all who believe in Him.

We, in a similar way as Abraham, may ask, “Is God good for His promises?” And God the Father says, “Look at the cross. There’s My covenant. My word is good. My promise holds. My blessings are certain.”
Romans 5:6, For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. God made a blood covenant on a tree outside Jerusalem. The Lamb was bruised and beaten. His blood was spilled to say, “I give You my solemn promise.”

21 DAYS: DAY FIVE "WHERE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN"

DAY FIVE – January 9

Daily Reading: Gen 11:22-12:20; Mat 5:1-16

Memory Verse: Now the Lord said^a to Abram, “Go from your country^b and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”Genesis 12:1 ESV

I've taken a trip or two with a gang going to the same place. We used to call them convoys, I’m not sure they still do. It’s where one vehicle leads the way who knows the way. Your job? To follow the lead car. Maybe like me, you’ve done that. You’re following that white mini-van, then while driving and talking you lose sight of it. Or maybe you passed it up and didn’t realize it. What’s the solution? Find another white mini-van and follow. No. You need to find the RIGHT white mini-van and follow.

There’s a reason they call Abraham the man of faith. God calls him to leave extended family, his homeplace, and go to points unknown. The added detail? He’s 75. It’s one thing to do that at 17. It’s quite another at 75. But Abram does it. And the rest is a remarkable adventure of faith, doubt, conquest and victory and a legacy that continues in the nation of Israel today. But it began with a decision to let God lead him to “the land that I will show you.”

I know you’d like to know the outcome of some decision to obey God or maybe what your future looks like. But that’s not the way faith works. Faith works like this, ‘Follow God and let Him show you what He wants to show you.’

During this 21 Days of Prayer, I’m hoping you will join me in following God to the land that He will show you. There are places we haven’t been that He wants to take us. There are sights you haven’t seen, things you haven’t heard…yet. And the only way you will get there is to leave status quo and let Him lead.

Prayer: Father, you have an adventure before me. There are times I pause because I fear the outcome. But You are good and where You lead us is good. You are my Shepherd. Lead me beside still waters and restore my soul. Lead me in the paths of righteousness for your cause, for Your glory.

For further reflection: In Matthew 5, we read the familiar Beatitudes. Are these commandments for a happy life?

Books have been written on these verses which come from the most famous sermon Jesus ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus begins with the oft-quoted blessings that follow certain people: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…blessed are those who mourn…” Many books make claims like these, “Nine Steps to the Happy Life.” Since there are nine beatitudes, is that what Jesus is saying?

Remember that Jesus is a Rabbi. His purpose is not to abolish the Old Testament (c.f. Mat 5:17) but to bring clarity to it. Some have wrongly suggested that these are Jesus’ New Ten commandments, thinking, “He’s doing away with the Old Ten Commandments and now giving you a set of new ones.” But if that’s what is happening here, it doesn’t sound like good news to me. It sounds like this, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” so try harder to cry more so you can be comforted by God. Wow. No thanks.

Rather, what Jesus is saying is this, “When you embrace my kingdom, my way of living, you will discover a blessing even when life hurts. When you mourn, you will find a comfort that comes from God that is unlike any other.”

Blessed are the merciful? “When you embrace my teaching, my way of being, you will find a mercy that is beyond yourself. And as it overflows your heart and reaches others, mercy will come back to you from Me, through others.”

These are promises available for Jesus’ people. Not for all people everywhere. And it can only happen by fully embracing the Jesus’ way of living, the new kingdom.

21 DAYS - DAY THREE "HOW TO THRIVE"

Day Three – Jan 7

Daily Reading: Gen 9; Mat 4:1-11

Memory Verse: But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4 esv)

I don’t like fasting. There, I said it. This Biblical habit that Jesus practices and told us to practice of doing without food for a day or more just isn’t fun. My stomach growls at me and complains. My energy wanes and my thoughts about food increase.

In this passage, Jesus was fasting for an extended period. And because Jesus practiced this habit, I do it sometimes because I’m following Him. And although my body doesn’t like it, I find out at least two things by doing it:

1.     I discover how big of an idol food and my comfort really is. It’s only when we deny ourselves of something that we find how much we love it. Like the alcoholic who says, “I can quit drinking anytime,” but never does because he’s in denial. The day he does without he finds out how much alcohol really has him. When I say no to morning breakfast or lunch at Panera’s, I discover how much food really has me. Since I want God to have more of me, this neglected practice of fasting, of giving up food now and then, makes a lot of sense.

2.     My mind is clearer to listen to God. Although, thoughts of food do creep in, when you fast you will find that you will think more clearly. I may hear God’s voice more clearly. The Scriptures, the true living bread, will jump of the page. Often, there will be a heightened sensitivity to the spiritual world. And this is the point.

As Jesus fasted, Satan tempted him first with stomach food. Jesus responded with Scripture He had memorized as a young boy, Deuteronomy 31:8, “…Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus recognized something we forget,

We need food to survive, but God’s living Word is what makes us thrive.

The reason that many are surviving but not thriving is this: they eat food everyday but they don’t eat God’s Word. They never say “no” to their stomach, but they say “no” to the daily meal of God’s Word. The solution? Eat food to live. Eat God’s Word to thrive. By this we do not mean just daily Bible reading. I also mean that bit of God’s Word that He makes alive to you, that you meditate and think about beyond that time set aside for daily Bible reading.
Let’s open the scriptures daily like we are feeding our soul. Devour it. You haven’t fasted? Start by giving up one meal and use that time to “eat” God’s Word. Listen. Reflect. Journal. Meditate. That’s how we move from surviving to thriving.

Prayer: Father, give me eyes to see how I need Your Word to thrive. Increase my appetite for what You would say to me. Give me ears to hear Your voice. Jesus, You are the Word made flesh. Live in me. Grow in me. Cause me to come alive by the Holy Spirit.

For further reflection: How did Jesus respond to temptation and can we learn from His experience? Examine Matthew 4:1-11.

With each temptation, Jesus responded beginning with three powerful words: “It is written.” God’s Word has power like no other. In Ephesians 6, God’s Word is called the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Jesus knew the Scriptures and He used it as a sword to defeat the Enemy.

Your best defense like in other arenas of life, is a good offense. When you are tempted, use God’s Word to gain victory over temptation. This means that we must have at least some of the Scripture in the arsenal of our mind.

What scriptures do you need to know to defeat the temptations you are struggling with? Use tools you can find in most study Bibles like a concordance or topical chain reference. Or go to a website like www.bible.cc and look up topics so you are prepared for battle.

21 DAYS - DAY TWO

Day Two – January 6

Daily Reading: Gen 7-8; Mat 3

Memory Verse: Matt 3:11 NKJV

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

You’ve probably made some New Years’ resolutions. I’ve made some too. Most will be forsaken or forgotten within a few weeks. But some will stick. How can we make real change stick?

In Matthew 3, John distinguishes himself from Jesus with the words, “He who is coming after me is mightier than I.” John was also known as John the Baptist because he baptized so many, signifying a fresh start and repentance. As people heard him preach, they recognized their need for change and were water baptized. Great step. Important decision! But what John couldn’t do was effect that change beyond dunking them in the water. This is why John in effect says, “Jesus is stronger than I am. Jesus is going to not dunk people with only water, but with the Holy Spirit and fire. That Holy Spirit will live in them and bring about true change as it burns up the junk that needs to go.”

Hear this: New Years’ resolutions toward spiritual long-lasting change are impossible without the Holy Spirit. That’s why religion by itself fails to change people. And that’s why Jesus is stronger than John the Baptist! John couldn’t make people into new people. But Jesus can change your life through the Holy Spirit’s power!

Are you depending on Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit? Or are you trying to muscle your way through the exercise of spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, giving or fasting by sheer willpower? It won’t work. The will of the flesh, your natural inclinations, are stronger than your will! But Jesus is stronger than John the Baptist and He is stronger than your willpower! Are you leaning on Christ and the Holy Spirit for real change in your life?

Prayer: Father, thank you that Jesus is stronger than I am. You have given us the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out. So do it. Burn out the garbage in my heart that needs to go. Fill me again with the Holy Spirit.

For additional study: Why was Jesus baptized, even though He was God’s Son?

“Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (3.15)

In Matthew 3, John argues with Jesus when He asks to be baptized. Why? John feels unworthy. “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” (3.14). Yet Jesus asks John to go ahead and do it NOW. (3.15) It’s like Jesus is saying, “Maybe what you say is true: I should baptize you. But this is the right thing to do here and now. So let’s get on with it!”

There is a “now” time for repentance and baptism. Some people put it off. We excuse ourselves or procrastinate with, “someday” or “I don’t feel ready.” But let me ask it like this: “If Jesus believed in a “NOW” time for water baptism, what’s your excuse?” And if Jesus’ purpose includes baptizing you with the Holy Spirit, are you experiencing that?

21 DAYS - Day One

For the next 21 Days, we're on a journey as a church to devote ourselves to Jesus and to prayer. I invite you walk along with us by giving God the first part of our year, the first part of day.

Day One - January 5

Daily Reading: Gen 5:15-6:22; Mat 2:13-23

Memory Verse: Gen. 5:24 “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him”

Sometimes my wife and I will take walks together. It’s one of my favorite times—especially in the Spring. Sometimes we will comment on what we see around us: a wildflower poking up through the rocks, a squirrel scurrying up the tree, a budding dogwood. Other times, we walk and say nothing. But there is unspoken communication, an unspoken reality: “I’m not alone.”

Enoch walked with God. He didn’t just know about God. He didn’t just talk to God now and then. He saw life as a journey with God. The Bible doesn’t say much more about this man. But that’s a great testimony by itself. He lived 365 years—one year for every day of the year, a long, full life! Then from what we can see in this verse, Enoch simply disappeared. He walked so close with God that at some point God opened a doorway from this sphere into the eternal reality and Enoch just walked right in.

During these next 21 days, I challenge you to simply ‘walk with God.’ How would your prayers change if you saw yourself walking with God? Maybe try that now and then. Bundle up and take a walk, in the morning preferably. If not, try it on your lunch hour or in the evening. Talk to God about everything: what you’re looking at, your thanks, your worries, your fears. If not a literal walk, take a walk through the garden of your heart with Jesus and talk with Him about what you see: the weeds of unforgiveness, the rocks of gratitude, the briars of worry and care. Soon you’ll experience the truth: “I’m not alone. God is with me.”

Prayer: Father, thank you that You are the kind of God who does not remain at a distance. You want to walk with us. I want to desire that more and to experience You in the everyday rhythms of life. Help me to draw near to You through Your Son, Jesus and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

For further study: Did people really live this long and if so, why?

Answer: The Bible should be taken literally unless there is a good reason to believe it is figurative language. I believe they really lived this long during this era. After the flood, life spans decreased.

Why did God begin to shorten the lifespan? First, because of mercy. In Gen. 6:3, we read, “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with^[b] humans forever, for they are mortal^[c]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” In mercy, God shortened the lifespans. How is that merciful you say? Some things don’t get better with age. Imagine a jar of honey that gets thicker and thicker until it is hard and eventually rancid. Get the idea? Imagine a cranky old man who continues to get crankier by the day. Let him live 600 years and what do you have? It’s not pretty!

Secondly, the lifespans seem linked to life before the flood. Whatever catastrophic events that may have been connected with the flood may have changed the earth’s atmosphere in such a way that life on earth was altered. It may have been a change in ultraviolet rays or something like that. The Bible doesn’t give us much in the way of scientific detail so we should be careful not to give in to fables and conjecture here. But something changed and it was God’s choice.