Let it Ring

SCRIPTURE
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of sever suffering, you welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere.

I Thessalonians 1:4-8

OBSERVATION
What a success story of a new community of believers.  The church is Thessalonica began with a bang.  Paul commends the church for becoming a model to other believers.  It's interesting here that Paul uses the singular "model" emphasizing the community of believers rather than "models," which would emphasize individuals.  It seems like a portion of their success happened because they were a true community.  Of this community, Paul admired their "work produced by faith, their labor prompted by love, and their endurance inspired by hope."  The result, the message of the Lord rang out from Thessalonica to the ancient world.  

APPLICATION

What a community of faith!  Not only were the Thessalonicans a model to the believers in their day, but they are a model for us today.  And they are model not just how we are to live as individual believers, but as a community of Jesus' followers.  Together, we can pursue work produced by faith.  Together, we can develop labor prompted by love.  And together, we can experience endurance inspired by hope.  We truly are better together when we are a Christ-centered community.  If we can do this, then, like the Thessalonicans, our faith, love and hope will "ring out" to those around us.

PRAYER
Father, help Koinonia to be a place of true community characterized by faith, love and hope.  Use us to spread your message of grace and mercy to those who haven't heard.

Thanksgiving

SCRIPTURE
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Matthew 27:50-51

OBSERVATION
The crucifixion was a violent and brutal event.  Jesus was beaten, bruised and bloodied even before he reached the cross.  All this was done for the sake of restoring God with his creation, so that we could have a new life in God.  At the moment of Jesus' death, the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  The curtain formed the entrance and barrier to the Holy of Holies.  It separated God's holiness from humanity's sinfulness.  Jesus' act on the cross removed this separation.  

APPLICATION
What a great reminder of Jesus' love for us.  He willingly endured suffering and death so that we could be made whole, so that we could experience a new life in God's presence.  How appropriate that this passage fell on Thanksgiving.  We have many things to be thankful for, but nothing should outweigh our thankfulness for God's love.  

PRAYER
Father, thank you for salvation.  Thank you for deliverance.  Thank you for grace and mercy.  Thank you for your love.

Religious Stuff

SCRIPTURE
Everything they do is done for men to see:  They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

Matthew 23:5-7

OBSERVATION
Here, Jesus talks about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees.  He says that their source of motivation is pride and recognition.  On the outside, they do all the "religious" stuff.  They not only do the religious stuff, they excel at the religious stuff.  They wore big phylacteries. Phylacteries are a pair of black leather boxes containing scrolls with biblical verses.  They were worn to serve as a remembrance of God's deliverance.  The same was true of the tassels.  Two items that were supposed to remind the Jews of God's deliverance and faithfulness were twisted into objects of pride.

APPLICATION
Like the Jews, how often have I taken something that is intended to draw me closer to God and used it to bring attention to myself.  Maybe a prayer, a comment, a message, a blog entry....  Like the Pharisees, I've take religious stuff and used it to build myself up in the eyes of others.  At times, I've let the opinion and perception of others cloud my pursuit of God.  But, I'm not living my life for others.  I'm living my life for God.  Or, at least, I want to be.  I need to consistently place my focus of God.

PRAYER
Father, forgive me for those times when I have drawn attention to myself rather than to your glory.  Help me to live my life solely and wholly for you.

490

SCRIPTURE
The servant fell on his knees before him.  'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'  The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.  But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.  He grabbed him and began to choke him.  'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

Matthew 18:26-28

OBSERVATION
Here is a story of a servant who has been forgiven greatly, but when given the opportunity to forgive another, he withholds grace.  Jesus tells this parable when asked by the disciples how many times we are to forgive someone.  The disciples were looking for a specific answer, something like, "7 times, that ought to do."  But Jesus responds by telling them they should forgive 70 times 7, 490 times.  490 times!  Jesus seems to take away the rational of trying to count how many times we've forgiven someone.  Who could remember that many instances?  Who would keep a tally?  And then, just after dropping the 490 bomb, he tells this parable.  The point?  It's not about numbers, it's about being a forgiving person.  Forgiveness is not something  a 'to do list,' but rather an inner attitude of the heart that stems from love.  

APPLICATION

I have to be careful not to look at forgiveness as something "to-do."  Sometimes, I can think I need to forgive someone out of Christian duty or obligation.  And while we are directed by Jesus to forgive others, Jesus seems to want us to be forgiving people.  People who forgive from the heart in response of the great forgiveness that has been extended to them.  That great forgiveness was motivated solely by love.  My forgiveness towards others should be the same.

PRAYER
Father, help me to become a person so full of your love, that I naturally forgive those who hurt me.

So What Are You Worried About?

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.


OBSERVATION
Matthew 6 verses 25-34 are all about not worrying about personal needs being filled. Whether food, clothes or the future, the passage reminds us that God is big enough to care for each and every one of us. Worrying does no good at all!

Verse 27 says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" And yet that is what we do all the time. In this time of economic downturn, it is so easy to start worrying about the future and about whether there will be enough for tomorrow. We start to worry and we start to hoard and hold rather then give and release. What good is it? None at all.

Above all, the principle to remember is that when we seek God's kingdom first, then everything else will be taken care of. Keep the priorities straight and He will supply all of our needs. It is so simple and yet we get distracted and filled with disbelief so often.

I had a father in the faith tell me recently, "God's people will be just fine in this economic downturn." This man had learned the principle of seeking God first, and has seen, time and again, that God provides for His children. He wasn't worried and He wasn't going to worry.


APPLICATION
Today I am not going to worry about the future. I'm not going to worry about the economic markets or downturn. Yes, I am going to pray about it, but I'm not going to be panicked. I'm not going to stop giving and I may even give more! After all, if God is the one who supplies, His economics are not dependent upon the world's!

PRAYER
Lord, today help me to keep my focus on pursuing You and Your Kingdom. You promise that you will supply all my needs (not all my wants) according to Your riches in glory. Let me not spend wasted time on worrying about things I can do nothing about. I love you! Amen.

Resist the Devil

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 4:11
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.


OBSERVATION
It is always instructive to look at how Jesus responded to the temptation of the Enemy and to also see how long the Enemy put up a fight! I have heard people yell at the devil many times — but one of the most effective strategies, I think, is this one modeled by Jesus. When the Enemy tempts Him in the wilderness, Jesus does not yell and scream, He simply resists the Devil's attacks by responding with the Word of God. If this is not spiritual warfare, what is?

Further, the devil can only fight for so long! I love this part! He attacks Jesus three times and then leaves.


APPLICATION
The Word of God is our sword -- it is our weapon that is suitable for, as Paul says to Timothy, "reproof, correction and training in righteousness." It is sharp and it is effective. But do I know how to use it? Do I apply the Word when the Enemy attacks? Or do I respond with noisy but not so effective responses? Today, I will use the Word to respond to the attack of the Enemy!

The C3 technique taught in the Battlezone men's discipleship training program is this. When encountering temptation:
1. Call a timeout.
2. Confess the temptation and ask God for the way of escape.
3. Choose to obey the Holy Spirit and walk away from temptation, declaring His Word appropriate to the occasion.

PRAYER
Lord, as I commit even more to hide your Word in my heart, teach me how to use this powerful weapon against the attack of the Enemy. Make me a warrior like Jesus! Amen.

Holiness is Key

SCRIPTURE
2 Corinthians 12:21
I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

OBSERVATION
Paul is very concerned with the purity of the church. In this section he spends a lot of time demonstrating his credentials so that the Corinthians know that he is qualified to speak to them with authority. He does so in order that they would respond to his message -- the message of repentance!


APPLICATION
My purity and holiness is VERY IMPORTANT! I am part of the church and Christ desires His bride to be pure and ready for His return. The question I must ask myself is, "What am I doing to maintain the bride's purity?" Similarly, I must encourage others to live their lives in purity for Christ's sake. It is so easy to mess up and then go on as if nothing every happened, but Paul is saying 'repent'!

PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for allowing impurity to creep into my life! It seems that I am surrounded on every side by a world that seeks to convince my that small compromises are okay — but a little sin is like a little leaven, it spoils the whole loaf! Father, help me to resist the enemy today and to walk in your power! Amen.