Category: Devotion

Jesus on God as Father

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Being a father, my goal is to be the best I can be, at least, be the kind of father that God wants me to be. I often fail like all of us, but I thought it might be interesting to think about Jesus’ thoughts about the Father.

Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon” (Luke 11:2).

For those of us who have grown up praying the Lord’s Prayer, we find it familiar and comfortable to address God as Father. But it’s hard for us to relate to the extraordinary invitation of Jesus as he teaches us how to address God. We can simply turn our hearts to God and say, “Father.”

Why is This So Amazing?

Well, before Jesus, people didn’t speak to God in such a personal way. Though the Old Testament sometimes pictures God as a father to Israel (for example, Psalm 103:13), and though Jews could address God as “our Father in heaven,” the simplicity and intimacy of Jesus’ “Father” is unprecedented.

The fact that Jesus referred to God as “my Father” or, more simply, “Father,” was a potentially scandalous presumption. Yet, given his unique relationship with his heavenly Father, we might allow Jesus this extraordinarily familiar communication. But the fact that Jesus invites us to address God as Father boggles the mind, or at least it should.

A Word Study:

The Aramaic word that Jesus used in this prayer was Abba (see Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). Abba was a word used by children in the time of Jesus, something like “Papa” or “Daddy” in contemporary English. But Abba could also be used by adult children as a term of respect, much like “Father” for us. So, this word encourages us to come before God as free, open-hearted children, while it does not surrender the respect we offer to God as we approach the King of kings and Lord of lords.

A Word Picture:

Jesus himself offered a fascinating picture of God as Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). In this story, a father runs to embrace his wayward son, even as he reaches out to his obedient son as well. God as father extends himself in unimaginable love and forgiveness, always seeking reconciliation with us, his children.

Application:

  1. Do you address God as “Father” when you pray? Why or why not?
  2. What does it mean to you to speak to God as your father?
  3. If your father is lacking in honorable qualities, it may be difficult to address God as your Father, but we must understand the “ideal father” that Jesus set before us. How can you overcome any negative images of “father” in your heart?
  4. If you are a father, how are you embracing the characteristics of God as Father to your own children: love, acceptance, care, protection, familiarity, discipline, guidance, encouragement, comfort, support?

It is so amazing to speak to the God of the universe with such directness and intimacy. Sometime today, thank him for the invitation offered by Jesus to speak to God as he did. Thank him for his sacrifice that makes it possible for us to know God as our Father in heaven. Thank him for the mind-blowing, heart-filling privilege of being one of his children.

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Taste and See

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This is a great psalm of trust and hope. The historical occasion to which this heading alludes is found in 1 Samuel 21:10–15; however, there is nothing obvious in the context of Psalm 34 to make such a specific connection. Abimelech, like Pharaoh, was likely a dynastic designation, not a proper name.

Psalm 34 – The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer. A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Here is a little outline of what we find in this psalm:

  1. David’s Praise of the Lord (Psalm 34:1–3)
  2. David’s Prayer to the Lord (Psalm 34:4–6)
  3. David’s Prosperity in the Lord (Psalm 34:7–10)
  4. David’s Proclamation of the Lord (Psalm 34:11–14)
  5. David’s Preservation in the Lord (Psalm 34:15–22)

This is an individual song of thanksgiving, and according to the title, it originated in the days when David was “on the run” from Saul. A slight problem is apparent in the title in that David actually faked insanity and madness before the Philistine ruler Achish, not Abimelech (1 Samuel 21:10–15). On the other hand, Abimelech may be a title for any Philistine ruler. That seems to be the case in the dealings of the patriarchs with the Philistines (Genesis 20:1–18; 21:22–34; 26:1–17).

David began by urging others to join him in praising the Lord, and then he recounted how God had heard his prayers and delivered him (Psalm 34:6). Those who depend on the Lord will lack nothing (Psalm 34:10). Those who expect His blessings must keep away from from evil. When they do, they will see how faithful the Lord is. Evil will surely meet judgment, but the saints of the Lord will never be held guilty in His eyes (Psalm 34:22).

Today I want to focus on Psalm 34:8. I recently read a story about a woman who gave her young daughter four jellybeans and let her know that was all the candy she was going to receive.

After practically inhaling the first three candies, the daughter lingered over the last one. She sucked on it, took it out of her mouth, bit into it, sucked on it some more, then gnawed at the outer shell. Knowing that this was her last jellybean, she took a full 45 minutes to ingest the treat completely.

The mom observed her little girl with amusement. It occurred to her that she was watching a lesson of the value of savoring—enjoying taste and texture and learning to draw out every possible bit of flavor from the pleasurable experience.

When we read, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), we can be sure that God wants us to “savor” His presence. He allows us to gain intimate and satisfying knowledge of Him. When we meditate on His Word, we will draw out a deeper understanding of who He is (Ezekiel 3:1-3).

Ezekiel 3

1 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

As we taste of His goodness and love, God will reveal the distinctive flavor of His creativity, sovereignty, holiness, and faithfulness.

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Making Responsible Choices

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I was a part of the student group last night; Craig Goodmurphy led a presentation about teenagers making responsible choices during these developmental years. While a lot of the information probably went in one ear and out the other, he presented scientific details about the development of neural pathways. Drugs and alcohol have a significant effect on the brain (and therefore decision-making), because nerves need to wire and fire properly. When we ask the kids “what were you thinking?” they have an imagination that honestly tells them that what they are doing is safe, responsible and logical. They are convinced they can handle it, and they are doing a good job… while observation from the outside shows they are wasted and reckless.

During this season of proms and ring dances, there will be teens all over this city making poor choices that will effect the rest of their lives. What is a parent to do? Check out this verse:

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. (Proverbs 22:6)

Every year I approach May and June with mixed emotions. I know how exciting it is to be finished with teachers, classes, and homework and to look forward to a summer of fun. And for high school graduates, the future seems exciting, filled with potential. But I also know of the shipwrecked lives, kids who never even make it to summer because of careless celebrations at proms and other parties. It seems like every year we read of carloads of kids who are killed through drinking and driving, and other tragedies.

As I watch seniors walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, I know that they will be headed for the whole range of ups and downs as they make the difficult transition into adulthood. Our future as a nation truly does rest with this generation, and I wonder what that future will hold.

I also wonder about the kind of world we are giving them. My generation has made a few contributions, but we have also formed a society based on self-centeredness, materialism, and greed. It’s a violent world, filled with guns, gangs, crime, abortion, and abuse. Despite the progress and the optimism of the ’60s and ’70s, racism is on the rise again. Personal freedom and choice have come to mean that a person should have the right to do almost anything he or she wants, with no restraints. Families are falling apart. Alternate lifestyles are being taught as normal, and this generation has been trying its best to purge public life of every trace of biblical faith.

It’s not a pretty sight, but it’s not hopeless. There is time to change the direction, but it must begin with our children.

This is a good time to think about our kids, of all ages. We need to reach them now; we dare not wait until graduation.

  1. What are we doing to teach them the right values?
  2. What are we doing to motivate them to serve others?
  3. What are we doing to heal their pain and meet their needs?
  4. What are we doing to lead them to Christ?

The Bible verse above is not a guarantee of raising successful kids, but if we don’t raise them right, we can nearly guarantee they won’t turn out right. Think of what you can do to reach this generation. There is no better investment of your life.

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In Times of Spiritual Dryness

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When I think of Lent, I think of the wilderness experience of Jesus. He is alone in the desert and being tempted by the enemy. The desert is a dry and dusty place where we might sense that God has forsaken us, but remember that we will never understand the joy of God’s presence until we experience the dryness of his absence. We truly do not know what we have until it is gone.

Many people at times express what can be called spiritual dryness in their lives. Some have said that they lack the desire to pray. Others have felt an inability to focus fully on God when they are in prayer. I suppose that we all face some degree of spiritual dryness in our lives from time to time. I looked in the Bible for an answer and found the words of the prophet Ezekiel both incredibly prophetic and comforting.

This is how Ezekiel records his experience.

“The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I said, ‘O sovereign Lord, you alone know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them: dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.'” (Ezekiel 37:1-5)

At times we all have felt like a dry bone in the desert. We all have felt disconnected from God and desperately in need of the living water that only Jesus Christ can offer. In these incredibly descriptive words of Ezekiel, there is both a hauntingly candid view of the reality of our separation from God and at the same time the revelation of God’s promise to fill our parched bones with the refreshing truth of his Word.

As Ezekiel goes on to explain, writing as the voice of the Lord:

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” (Ezekiel 36:25-26)

Ezekiel knew that God would reveal his Word, and that God’s Word, which would provide you and me with the truth of God’s love, was the only remedy to our dry bones. Several thousand years later, God sent Jesus Christ to this earth as “living water” (John 4:10), to renew our spirits and give us the possibility of new life in Him. As Jesus himself has said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

I am reminded of the writings of Madam Guyon, who was a French mystic who died in 1717. She writes on the subject of spiritual “dry spells.” She says that we must realize that times of dryness await us.

We must realize that God has only one desire. Certainly we can never understand a dry spell unless we understand what He desires. His desire is to give Himself to the soul that really loves Him and to that soul which earnestly seeks Him. And it is true that this God who desires to give Himself to us will often conceal Himself from us—from the very ones who seeks Him!

So why would God do that? Perhaps we need to learn the ways of God. Our God often hides Himself, but for a purpose. Why? His purpose is to rouse us from spiritual laziness. His purpose in removing Himself from us is to cause us to pursue Him.

I love Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” A casual glance to see if he is there is not enough, we must search with all our hearts.

The Lord Jesus is looking everywhere for believers who will remain faithful and loving even when He has withdrawn Himself. If the Lord finds such a faithful follower, when He does return, He rewards the faithfulness of His child. He pours out abundant goodness and love.

Here, then, is something we must understand. We will have times of spiritual dryness. It is part of the Lord’s way.

But the fact we will have spiritual dry spells is not the issue. The important question is, “What you will do in times of spiritual dryness?” We must learn something about our natural tendencies. It will be the natural thing to try and prove our love to the Lord. During a spiritually dry season we try to prove to the Lord our faithfulness toward Him; we do this by exerting our strength. We will hope that such self effort would persuade Him to return more quickly.

This is not the way to respond to the Lord in seasons of dryness. So, what shall we do?

We must wait the return of God with patient love, self denial and humiliation. Even though the Lord has hidden Himself, remain constantly before Him.

Spend time with Him in worship and in respectful silence.

By waiting upon the Lord, we will demonstrate to Him that it is He alone we are seeking. We then demonstrate that it is not the selfish enjoyment and blessing we receive from being in His presence that causes us to love Him. We will be showing Him that it is not the pleasure which we experience, but our love that motivates us. We follow Him because it is the right thing to do and He deserves it, not because what we get out of it in the end.

So, be patient in your prayer during those seasons of dryness.

Let me ask you a question. What if the Lord called you to spend your whole life waiting for His return to you? How would you live if this were the fate the Lord had for you for the rest of your life? What would you do?

Consider this:

Wait upon Him in a spirit of humility, in a spirit of abandonment, with contentment and resignation. Spend time in prayer. Come before Him quietly and peacefully, recalling His presence even though His presence may evade you.

I would guess that if you would conduct yourself in this way, it will please the heart of God and compel Him to return to you much more quickly than any other.

Dryness. Dry bones. Parched deserts. Let’s go to the New Testament (John 4:1-42).

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well and asked for a refreshing drink of water. Jesus chose to spread the gospel by stretching the cultural norms of his day. The Samaritan woman openly questions Jesus’ statement about “living water.” It is only when He addresses her pain that she comes to believe:

“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. (John 4:16-19).

Jesus names the things that have alienated her from participation in her community, and she eventually comes to believe that He is the Messiah.

There are times in life when we feel as if we are in a waiting room, unable to define what it is that causes our pain. Other times we know what the pain is, but no one acknowledges it. When I have experienced pain in my life, I have discovered that naming it is the first step in the healing process. Jesus provides help for us in identifying and treating our hurts, but often it is hard to see His grace on our own. God uses people in our community — family, friends and church to identify the sources of pain in our lives.

After this woman’s encounter with Jesus, she proclaimed the good news to her community. They believed in Jesus as a result of her witness, but she was only a messenger of the gospel. Their interaction with the woman led them to seek Jesus out for themselves. Members of our community can help us to see God’s healing work, but like the Samaritan woman they are only messengers. God knows our pain and always is waiting to help bring healing.

Earnestly seek God’s presence. Remain faithful in the dry places. Drink from the well as He provides refreshment for your soul. “Can these bones live,” O Son of Man? God only knows. (Ezekiel 37:3).

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When Confession is a Good Thing

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I have always heard the phrase, “Confession is good for the soul.” In my case, I suppose it was in the context of my parents knowing what I did anyway so I might as well fess up. The “good for the soul” part might have come from the Catholic church where one of the seven sacraments is confession, but my confession was good for my back end.

What I want to address today is confession and how it relates to our marriage. The Bible talks about confession quite a lot, for instance James write:

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16)

Consider for a moment the last time you hurt your wife. An unkind word, impatient gesture, or a harsh tone from you that did some damage. Something in the last day or so will do just fine. Let’s assume for a moment that you have not resolved that offense. What would be easier to do?

  1. Go to your wife and say, “You know when I said or did that thing that hurt you? Well, I’m sorry.”
  2. Go to your wife and say, “You know when I said or did that thing that hurt you? I was wrong, will you forgive me?”

Granted, we may have to admit that we would find either statement hard to say, but if we want to promote a healthy relationship, does it make a difference how we “confess our sins to each other?”

Most people find it much easier to say, “I’m sorry,” than to say, “I was wrong, will you forgive me?” Why is that? Are they interchangeable expressions, or do they approach an offended person with very different messages? Consider for a moment that the first is actually a non-confessional statement quite capable of causing further offense, while the second is an example of genuine confession.

“I’m sorry” states a feeling but gives the other person no opportunity to respond. It’s not much more that a vague report of being uncomfortable. It doesn’t really take responsibility or accept the vulnerability of confession. It’s not even clear: Am I sorry you got hurt or sorry that I hurt you? The phrase, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t risk having the other person say, “I don’t forgive you.” That’s why we say, “I’m sorry”–because we’re really not.

“I was wrong. Will you forgive me?” is scary, because:

  1. It lets down our defenses.
  2. It gives your wife a clear opportunity to retaliate.
  3. It forces us to reverse positions, and we might get hurt.
  4. It allows the depth of the offense to become clear, perhaps your wife isn’t ready to forgive.

“I’m sorry” doesn’t ask for forgiveness, but “Will you forgive me” recognizes that forgiveness isn’t something we can take for granted.

Application: So, do you want to be healed? Do you want your marriage healed? Are you willing to take the risk of becoming vulnerable in order to visualize God design for your marriage? What do you need to do TODAY as far as confession? Is there repentance that needs to take place? How many bridges have you burned? Too many? Did you violate a trust or do you leave your underwear on the floor all the time? Confession and repentance is the key with our relationship with God, think about how that works with your wife, too.

The statement above says, “When confession is a good thing.” I dare say it is always the best policy; from the heart and done quickly. Don’t allow anger and bitterness to build up.

Hey, take a look at this testimony of Joel and Susan. Well worth your time to see this.

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You and Me Against the World

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I know that living in this world is difficult for a believer. The “world” seeks to persecute and ridicule all that we embrace and into which we have put our faith and eternal destiny. I received a call before our Leadership Seminar last night from a woman in tears fearing that Jesus had left her. Her spirit was defeated and discouraged; her world had fallen apart. She had made some mistakes, had a recent breakup with her fiance, was actually involved in a lot of ministry and was quite familiar with the teachings of the Bible. After a while I found her to be a delightful woman who is truly seeking after God. Her story is one that should bring encouragement to the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). How passionate are we when it comes to seeking God? (Jeremiah 29:13, 42:1).

She seeks to follow the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and focuses on the command to obey all that I have commanded you. For her, all means all. I love her confident faith and sincerely desire to be an obedient follower of Jesus. Her passion is to be one of Jesus’ sheep, and not be brushed aside as a goat (Matthew 25:32-33). I challenge each of us to read a command of Christ and become obedient to it, and only then move on to another command.

Another issue discussed was the persecution that believers face in the world. There is an evil that seeks to bring the faithful down. I’m not one looking for demons under every rock or the devil behind every mishap, but the Bible is clear when it comes to our citizenship is not of this world (John 18:36, 17:14, Philippians 3:20, James 4:14, 1 Peter 5:10). My study takes aim at the world and how God and we relate to it.

Our relationship to this sinful world:

How we relate to the world:

  1. We are in it (John 17:15, 2 Corinthians 10:3)
  2. We are strangers in it (1 Peter 2:11)
  3. We are not of it (John 15:19, 17:14, 16, James 4:4)
  4. We must not adopt it’s standards (Romans 12:2, Titus 2:12, James 1:27)
  5. We must not love it (2 Timothy 4:10, 1 John 2:15-16)
  6. We must be crucified to it (Romans 6:6, Galatians 6:14)
  7. We must overcome it (John 16:33, 1 John 5:4-5)
  8. We must proclaim the gospel to it (Matthew 24:14, 28:19, Mark 16:15)
  9. We will one day judge it (1 Corinthians 6:2)

How the world relates to us:

  1. The world hates us (John 15:18, 17:14, 1 John 3:13)
  2. The world persecutes us (John 15:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:12)
  3. The world has false prophets (1 John 4:1, 3, 2 John 7)

God’s relationship to a sinful world:

The Father:

  1. He loves it (John 3:16
  2. He sent the Son to save it (John 3:16, 17, 17:18, 23)
  3. He reconciled it through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19)
  4. He holds it accountable to him (Romans 3:19)
  5. He will judge it (Psalm 96:13, 98:9)

The Son:

  1. He is the light (John 3:19, 8:12, 9:5)
  2. He takes away it’s sin (John 1:29)
  3. He is it’s Savior (Luke 2:10-11, John 4:42, 1 Timothy 1:15, 1 John 4:14)
  4. He gave his life for it (John 6:33, 51)
  5. He has overcome it (John 16:33)
  6. He will judge it (Acts 17:31)

Application: We are truly to be in the world but not of the world. We are set apart, sanctified for a greater purpose.

  1. How have you embraced the mission of Christ as your own?
  2. What areas of temptation are aimed at derailing your life and witness?
  3. In what ways do you need to get the world out of your life?
  4. What is holding you back?
  5. How are you investing in another man, or is another man investing into you?
  6. In what ways have you been persecuted for the sake of the gospel?
  7. What worldly standards have you allowed to creep into your life, marriage or family?
  8. How will you combat this tendency and stand strong in your faith?

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Jesus Had an Interesting Entourage

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I am intrigued at Jesus’ command that we are to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:16, 18). It forces us to determine where our loyalty lies; and not to run from the lost in favor of our own holy huddle with other believers. Our primary fellowship is changed from old friends to new believing friends, but we cannot forsake our old friends. Our relationship changes from one of fellowship to one of evangelism. While going alone to reach out to old unbelieving friends may cause one to revert back to old patterns of behavior, going with a strong fellow believer may provide the strength and security needed to reach out to lost friends. After all, Jesus sent the first missionaries out in teams of two (Luke 10:1, 2-3).

But before he sent out the 70 (or 72) take a look at those who were closest to Jesus:

Soon afterward, Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil spirits. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:1-3).

This is one of those passages from the Gospels that receives relatively little attention, but when you read it carefully, you may be surprised by what you learn.

The passage begins by describing Jesus’ kingdom ministry, which is no surprise. We know that Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom of God in the region of Galilee, and that he took his twelve disciples with him (Luke 8:1). But then Luke describes an interesting group of Jesus followers, people who were essential to his ministry but are rarely remembered: some women he had healed and from whom he had cast out evil spirits like Mary Magdalene (from whom he had cast out seven demons), Joanna (the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager), Susanna, and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:2-3).

There are several surprises here:

1. The first is that Jesus’ traveling entourage included many women. Not only did most rabbis in the time of Jesus exclude women from their teaching, but associating with women would have led to suspicion and criticism.

Why did these women follow Jesus? Luke says that Jesus had healed them and cast out evil spirits from them. This implies that they followed Jesus out of gratitude and love, an implication that is supported by the passage in Luke that precedes this one (Luke 7:36-50).

Among those who followed Jesus were Mary Magadalene, who is mentioned for the first time in Luke. Another follower was a woman named Joanna, who was the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager (Luke 8:3). To me, this comes as a bit of a shock! We would not expect such a woman to follow Jesus, both because of her connection to Herod Antipas, who was no fan of Jesus, and because she was surely a person of financial means. Her experience of God’s love through Jesus was powerful enough for her to leave her comfortable and safe life in order to support Jesus.

2. Luke notes that Joanna was one of those who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples (Luke 8:3). But using their own savings, and perhaps by earning money along the way, the female followers of Jesus provided the financial base for him and his followers to focus on proclaiming the kingdom of God.

The presence of these women among the close followers of Jesus serves as an encouragement to women today, who can sometimes feel like second-class Christians in our male-leadership dominated church culture. It emphasizes the fact that all Christians have a valuable and necessary role to play in the ministry of the kingdom. Some, those who are gifted for preaching, should preach. Others, who are gifted for making money, should provide financial support for the mission of Christ. The church of Jesus Christ will be what God intends it to be only if each and every person, male and female, faithfully utilizes the gifts and opportunities God has given.

Application: When you picture the traveling entourage of Jesus, do you include the women who traveled with him? Why or why not? How does the presence of these women who supported Jesus and the twelve encourage you in your discipleship and Christian service?What are some things that you have given up to follow Jesus? What may be keeping you from following Jesus and you sense God may be asking you to give up. In what ways has God called you to support the mission of Christ? Tithing? Giving to missions? Serving in missions? Impacting your community, school or office? Have you ever taken a spiritual gifts inventory to discover the areas of ministry that would best suit your wiring, talent and personality? [ Take a free online inventory here ]

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Is Your Life in Balance?

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I read a book by a physician named Richard Swenson, The Overload Syndrome: Learning to Live Within Your Limits. Years ago I actually was able to be a part of a corporate retreat where Dr. Sewnsen was the speaker, talking about Margin in life. Perhaps you’re tired of running around wondering about what ever happened to your “spare time?” Do you dread going to work? Are your relationships strained from stress? Do you wish you could check into a hospital just to get some sleep?

Busyness. Stress. Overload. We all know the struggle of trying to handle the load of life in the American context. You don’t have enough time to do the things you have to, let alone those things you’d like to do. You feel tired, worn out, and burned out. These symptoms are signs that you’re suffering from a disease that affects millions of people, he calls it, The Overload Syndrome.

What can be done? A few of Swenson’s suggestions include:

  1. Make solitude a priority for resting and thinking.
  2. Deal correctly with possessions so they do not possess you.
  3. Combat media overload.
  4. Deal with information overload.
  5. Make wise choices.
  6. Lower expectations.
  7. Slow down and enjoy life.

I see much of our problem as being out of balance. Notice in this verse how Jesus grew in several ways:

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. (Luke 2:52)

A balanced life is characterized by order, peace, and wholeness. The parts of our life are as they should be and where they should be. Each part of the balanced life gets the right amount of time and effort at the right time. It’s not giving each part of life the same amount of time that makes life balanced; it’s giving each part the necessary amount of time.

The life of Jesus is a great example concerning balance. Throughout his life, Jesus was under constant pressure. Friends and enemies pursued him, yet when examining his life as recorded in the Bible, we see that he never hurried, that he never had to play catch up, and that he was never taken by surprise. He managed time well, bringing it under control, because he knew the importance of balance. Jesus’ life was well rounded. According to the Luke passage, he grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially.

  1. Does your life reflect balance?
  2. Do you make time for intellectual growth? If you are too busy to read a book or engage in study that stimulates your mind, you are too busy.
  3. Do you make time for physical health? Many people burn out because of improper personal maintenance. Don’t be another fatality on the emotional highway. Take care of your physical self.
  4. Do you make time for your relationship with God? You always spend time with the ones you love. 
  5. Do you feel too busy for prayer, Bible study, meditation, or personal devotion? Psalm 46:10 can be translated, “Take time and know that I am God.” The question is, “Will we do it?”
  6. Do you make time for primary relationships? Is adequate time provided for your spouse, family, and friends?

Only you can answer those questions honestly, and only you can take the necessary steps to bring order, harmony, and balance back in your life. Why not start today?

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Leaders Must Have Vision

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When leaders lead, they need to have a vision of what can be and should be done. John Maxwell is the modern leadership guru who has written a lot of books. In The 360 Degree Leader, Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization, he has a section on vision where he says it the key to successful navigation. The more you invest in the vision, the more it becomes your own. People respond to a vision is different ways:

  1. Some attack it: with criticism and sabotage mainly because they did not create it or even understand it, so they don’t agree to work with it.They feel unneeded to achieve it and they aren’t ready for it.
  2. Some ignore it: they do their own thing.
  3. Some abandon it: they leave the organization.
  4. Some adapt it: by finding ways to align with the vision.
  5. Some champion it: they take the leader’s vision and make it a reality.
  6. Some add value to it: the vision becomes something more than originally anticipated. It is rare but not impossible to add value to the vision.

Another Maxwell book is The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Become the Person People will Want to Follow, he mentions vision as quality 21. “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.” Vision leads the leader, it’s that important. It sparks and fuels the fire within.

  1. Vision starts from within: you can’t borrow someone else’s vision; and you must draw on natural passions and abilities.
  2. Vision draws on your history: key events in your past are instrumental in creating vision.
  3. Vision meets other’s needs: vision is far-reaching and does more than include others, it adds value to them.
  4. Vision helps you gather resources: it is the magnet that attracts others, challenging and uniting them.

The more challenging the vision, the more winners it will attract, and the harder the participants will fight to achieve it. Check out this familiar Bible verse:

When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (Proverbs 29:18)

Robert Fritz wrote, “It is not what a vision is; it’s what a vision does.” It is active. Vision is the ability to see. Helen Keller was asked, “Is there anything worse than being blind?”She said, “Yes, having eyesight but no vision!”

Leaders imagine a preferred future, which is the essence of vision. Vision is the image of the compelling future God wants to create through you. Leaders can stand up and say this is where we are going.

I read about Mike Vance who tells of being at Walt Disney World soon after its completion when someone said, “It’s too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this.” Vance replied, “He DID see it—that’s why it’s here.”

So, what kind of vision do you have?

Myopic vision: Leaders with myopic vision are so nearsighted that they live only for today. Their vision of the future is fuzzy. They can barely see beyond their noses.

Peripheral vision: Leaders with peripheral vision are blindsided by side issues. These visionaries are hampered in moving forward because they catch the threatening images of lurking problems in the corners of their eyes. They are fearful of shadowy difficulties and people lurking on the sidelines who will defeat their efforts. These folks are easily distracted.

Tunnel vision: Leaders with tunnel vision see only what’s dead ahead of them and assume that their narrow view of reality reflects the whole world. They don’t see other people or other issues.

Panoramic vision: Leaders with panoramic vision see the big picture. They see beyond today. They see what is ahead of them. They see what is to the sides of them. They have a basic understanding of the key ingredients of a healthy organization and know the steps that it will take to get them there.

Vision is perhaps the greatest need of leadership today. How’s your vision? Without it the church or your company will be like an unbridled horse. With it the organization will be focused, moving toward the fulfillment of the dream.

The Guidance of God

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This month we have been looking at the topic of “Hearing the Voice of God.” As we strive to hear God’s voice, we can be assured that he will be asking something of us. If we have the faith to seek him, actively listen, and then actually follow through and obey, life is then aligning itself with kingdom purposes.

Today I believe it is extremely important to make sure we emphasize the proper words in the theme for the month. Most of us will tend to emphasize HEARING the voice of God. Others might emphasize hearing the VOICE of God, but I submit to you that our emphasis needs to be on hearing the voice of GOD.

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. — Isaiah 58:11

While the Bible never uses the word guidance, it does speak of a Guide. We may seek guidance, but God provides something better than guidance, he provides himself.

Many of us struggle to understand and discern God’s guidance for our lives. We ask questions like:

  1. Should I marry or not?
  2. Should I marry this person or that person?
  3. Should I have another child?
  4. Should I join this church or that one?
  5. Which profession should I follow?
  6. What job should I take?
  7. Is my present line of work the one to stay in?

Here lies the major distortion of knowing and doing God’s will. Does God lead and direct in these areas? Yes. Does he come out and overtly tell us what to do? Rarely.

So how does God guide us? Consider these principles:

  1. God’s guidance concerns itself more with our steps than our overall journey.
  2. God’s guidance is more preoccupied with the present than with the future.
  3. God’s guidance has less to do with geography and more to do with morality.
  4. God’s guidance is more interested in our character than our comfort.
  5. God’s guidance is not insider information.
  6. God’s guidance is that we pursue the Guide more than guidance.

In seeking God, his plan will be revealed. His way will be known through his Word. We need to know the Bible, but more importantly we need to know the Guide. God does not guide us magically; he guides us relationally. The Bible must be studied so we may become acquainted with the ways and thoughts of God. God’s aim is that we become his companions who walk with him on a journey. He already knows us. Now he wants us to understand and know him. The more we understand him, the more real our relationship will be with him and the more likely we are to keep in step with him in the direction he is taking us.

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