Walk This Way: Like Jesus
"Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:6)
Here's something that would be weird: A 28-year-old guy who never, ever walked in his whole life even though he was perfectly healthy. He just never felt like it. He never got around to it. Maybe someday when he's older.
Guess what? That never happens. Human babies who can walk always do eventually. If they don't, they're not healthy. Something is wrong that needs fixing.
But I know some Christians who think it's perfectly normal not to walk in the way of Jesus. They seem to think you can be a healthy Christian without ever moving your spiritual legs, without ever getting up and following after Jesus. Guess what? Healthy Christians always walk -- unless there's something seriously wrong. (We might fall down a lot, but that's because we're walking in the first place.)
We're going to talk for the next week or two about what we should expect to see our spiritual legs doing as we grow up in Christ. Where should these wobbly new legs be taking us? What should be different about us than if we were not Christians, at all? Come back tomorrow.
Think: What does the idea of walking as Jesus did mean to you? Do you expect to see yourself walking more and more like Him as you grow as a Christian?
Pray: Ask God to help you to understand what it means to walk as Jesus did -- and then ask Him to help you to continue to do that.
Do: If want to read ahead, check out Romans 12:9-21 to see what kind of hiking we'll be talking about for the next two weeks.
Fool Week: Sad Dads
"To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool." (Proverbs 17:21)
We're wrapping up Fool Week with a moment of silence for the dads of fools everywhere. They're out there right now grieving and joyless.
Everybody wants their dad to be proud of them. Of course we do. It's built into us to want our dads to respect us and be glad to call us their kids. Sometimes, dads aren't great at showing that. Dads can be fools, too.
But here's something students don't always ponder: Dads want to be proud of their kids, too. And it's hard to be genuinely proud of what the Bible calls a fool -- someone who has rejected God's way for his or her own path through life. That makes wise dads sad, because they know every path but God's leads to pain, heartache, and disappointment.
You can't make your dad be proud of you -- that's up to him -- but you can give him (or anyone whose opinion matters to you) good reason to be proud of you by growing in wisdom, looking for it and figuring out how to live by it.
Most dads want exactly that for their kids.
Think: Do you tend to think of your dad as a wise person? Do you think he wants you to be wise in how you live your life? Does that matter to him?
Pray: Ask God to help you to continue to grow in wisdom in a way that would give your dad -- or anyone you respect -- good reason to be proud of you.
Do: Read how urgently one dad begs his kids to go out and get wisdom in Proverbs 4:1-8.
Fool Week: Lie Your Way Out
"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception." (Proverbs 14:8)
A lie is a powerful tool. It can definitely get you out of a tough spot. A good lie might even help you to get exactly what you want in any given moment.
But telling a lie is also like pushing the button on a time-bomb when you can't see the clock. You never know when it's going to go off, but you always know it's going to blow up in your face eventually.
Unless you're a fool. Then you're positive you'll get away with it forever.
The wise person makes a choice ahead of time: I'm taking lying off of my menu of options. I'm going to do the harder work of "giving thought to my ways," of figuring out an honest strategy to solve the problem even if it costs more time, money, or effort than hiding the truth.
Think: Is lying still on your menu of options? If so, how often do you select it? What's keeping you from removing it?
Pray: Ask God to help you to give thought to your ways and to reject the folly of deception.
Do: Notice this week how often you make the foolish choice to sacrifice truth for convenience.
Fool Week: Hey, I’m Annoyed!
"A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult." (Proverbs 12:16)
Fool Week marches on. It's a kind of madness, really. A marching madness. There may be a bracket to fill out.
Anyway, today's fool believes that he has a biological need -- a human right, even -- to express whatever he's feeling whenever he's feeling it. So if you bother me, offend me -- and especially if you insult me -- I'm not going to wait around to let you know I am not okay with that.
This fool really likes saying, "I am NOT okay with that." Sometimes really loud.
The prudent guy, on the other hand, has developed the life skill of telling his emotions when they can come out and when they have to stay home. He decides, "Making a deal out of this insult isn't going to help anyone; it's only going to lead to less interesting trouble."
That doesn't mean he's a chump; he doesn't let every insult pass. He talks about how he feels sometimes -- just not every time. He's a cool cat, that prudent guy.
Think: How often do you keep from showing those around you that you are annoyed? How often do you let an insult pass without responding to it?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to show your annoyance at once, but to be able to overlook an insult when it's the wisest choice.
Do: Notice this week who in your life can't seem to keep from showing everything they're feeling -- and who chooses to let an insult slide without responding to it. If you're curious, ask them how they do that.
Fool Week: Quick Words
"He who answers before listening -- that is his folly and his shame." (Proverbs 18:13)
Welcome back to Fool Week on the PW. You were wise to come.
Here's another fool we can all relate to. This one has no obstacles in his head between his mind and his mouth. If he thinks it, it just comes roaring out. Apparently, those obstacles have been moved over between his ears and his brain, because whatever you're saying to him isn't getting through.
This person -- and we've likely all been him once or twice or more -- is entertaining to watch sometimes, but humiliating to be. His biggest problem is that in the heat of the moment, he loses his fear of revealing his ignorance. He's convinced what he has to say is vastly more important than whatever it was you just told him.
Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." And the heart of the foolish is full of only themselves.
Think: Do you ever catch your mouth getting ahead of your ears? What could you do to make sure your ears win that race more often?
Pray: Ask God to help you to have the wisdom to listen before answering.
Do: Think about memorizing this wisdom verse: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." (James 1:19)
Fool Week: Blaming God
"A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD." (Proverbs 19:3)
We're meeting a lot of fools this week, including this one: The person who can't take credit for hurting himself.
The thing about folly is that it doesn't work, right? God's way -- the way of wisdom -- isn't just the spiritual thing to do, it's the thing that works. Living life His way leads to more happiness, more success, more peace, more of everything that's good.
Living life by my own rules to please myself, to prove myself, to show them all that I can make it on my own. That's folly, and it doesn't work. It leads to less happiness, less success, less peace, less of everything good.
But the fool doesn't see it that way. The fool shoots himself in the foot and blames God for allowing guns to be invented. He drives away his girlfriend with his out of control temper and blames God (and her) for her lack of loyalty. He ruins his life and hates God for letting it happen.
Ouch.
Think: Why do you think it's so easy for us to blame God or others for things we do to ourselves? What would it take for us to be more honest with ourselves?
Pray: Ask God to help you to take responsibility for any pain you bring into your own life and then ask Him to help you to learn wisdom from those mistakes.
Do: Look for examples this week of people foolishly blaming others for things they did to themselves.
Fool Week: Hear Me Speak!
"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions." (Proverbs 18:2)
Are you ready to meet some fools this week? (Say "yes" or I'll call you a fool.) Great!
This proverb is about pleasure, about what feels good. Which is more fun for you -- understanding or being heard? Do you have a better time trying to figure out what's what -- or telling everyone else what it is even if you're not really clear on the details.
This verse says the fool is more motivated by expressing himself than knowing what he's talking about. Have you met him? I have. He makes regular visits to my mirror, the jerk.
But you don't have to just accept yourself as someone who loves to hear yourself yak. You can get wisdom. You (and me) can ask God to help us to find more fun in learning than knowing, more joy in asking than in answering.
Think: Be honest with yourself. How important is it to you to have people respect you for your opinions? Is it so important that you sometimes forget to care about other people's ideas?
Pray: Ask God to help you to find pleasure in understanding and not to delight too much in airing your own opinions.
Do: Ask a friend you really trust to be honest with you about how often they think you care more about talking then listening.
Fool Week: Get Wise Friends
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20)
Welcome to Fool Week on the PW. We're dissecting fools this week in search of what it takes to be the opposite of wise. Hint: It's not that hard.
Why does it matter if we know what a fool looks like? For one, hanging out with fools will get you hurt. Today's proverb says that your friends rub off on you. Wise friends make you wiser. Foolish friends make foolish choices which leads to painful consequences that they share with their friends.
Looking to join a posse or add some friends to your network. Here's a tip from proverbs: Always look for friends that are wiser than you -- at least a few of them. Be humble enough to be the least wise person you hang out with, and you're bound to get wiser.
Think: Would you say most of your friends are wise or foolish? Which ones are the best influence on you? Who do you influence to be wiser?
Pray: Ask God to help you to walk with the wise and to avoid being a companion of fools.
Do: Make a quick list of your three wisest friends and then find a way to spend some time with them in the next few weeks.
All About Him: How He Loves
"The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made." (Psalm 145:15-17)
Without God, nobody eats. Without God, nobody sleeps, breathes, has sex, or comes home to their kids at the end of the day. Without God, we have nothing.
Truthfully, we take God for granted because He meets our needs and grants our desires for sustenance (and so much more) so consistently that we mostly don't even think to ask HIm for those things -- until we're running dangerously low.
But every meal, every pleasant moment, every good thing is a gift from Him to us, because He is "loving toward all He has made." Do we always get exactly what we want all the time? No. What tyrants we would be! But every good thing we get that we do want is something He has given to us.
Will you praise the God who gives you everything today?
Think: Why do you think we so often forget that every good thing we have and enjoy in our lives is a gift from God? And when we do remember, why do you think we forget that He gives them to us because He loves us?
Pray: Praise God that He is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.
Do: Another potential memory verse for your list: James 1:17.
All About Him: Pride vs. Praise
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." (Psalm 145:13-14)
Let's focus on the very last phrase of these two verses: "The Lord . . . lifts up all who are bowed down."
It's hard for true praise and true pride to do a sack race together. They're both going in different directions. If you don't get rid of one or the other, it turns into this kind of awkward wrestling match as they both attempt to drag each other toward opposite finish lines.
Now when I'm engulfed in pride -- when every thought comes back to me -- I can still fake-praise God. And I can be convincing, just in case you're watching. But it's not true praise. My pride doesn't leave any mental oxygen for legitimately praising someone else if it doesn't also benefit me.
But -- and this is amazing to me -- if I kick pride to the curb and truly humble myself before God, what does He go and do? He lifts me up. When I selflessly elevate Him to the top of my heart, He elevates me.
I don't know why, but I love Him for that.
Think: How do you know when you are engulfed in pride, when everything in your life is all about you? How do you change that and force yourself to bow in humility before Him?
Pray: Thank God that He upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
Do: Read (and memorize?) how Peter puts this same idea in 1 Peter 5:6.
All About Him: Creatures and Children
"All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom." (Psalm 145:10-12)
How often do you think of yourself as a creature? As something made by another? As a manufactured item? I don't much, personally. But it's what we are, isn't it? We are made by God. He is creator; we are creation.
The reason, maybe, that it's a hard idea to hold on to is that we are also sons and daughters of the creator, those of us in Christ. We are made and we are adopted. We are assembled and we are children with a home and a Father and a place in the universe.
Why wouldn't all He has made praise the Lord? Why wouldn't all of us who see ourselves as both creation and family of the Maker tell all the others of His mighty acts and glorious kingdom . . . our home forever?
I am proud to be made by Him and not self-made, to belong to Him and not on my own, to call my Maker . . . Daddy. Of course I will praise Him, right along with all else He has made.
Think: Does the fact that you are a created thing make you feel more or less significant? What are some reasons you can think of that anyone would not want to think of themselves as the creation of God?
Pray: Thank God for creating you and offering you a place in His family through faith in His only begotten Son.
Do: Look for an opportunity this week to praise God to a friend or family member who does not believe in Jesus. You don't have to sing; just say something that is great about Him.
All About Him: God of the Testaments
"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." (Psalm 145:8-9)
"How can you believe in the God of the Old Testament? So angry and cruel and vengeful. I'd much rather believe in the God of the New Testament."
Have you heard that one? Aside from the obvious problem that we don't get to choose who God is, no matter what God we're willing to worship, the God of the OT and the NT are the same God. He doesn't change. Ever. God is God.
I don't blame anyone for wrestling to understand God's judgement and justice and wrath from a human perspective. But the God who wipes out sinners is the same God who sent His Son to die for them and offer salvation.
David describes God's true character right here -- in the heart of the Old Testament -- and it is as it ever was: gracious, compassionate, not quick to get angry, loaded with love and good to all. That is a God worthy of our praise.
Think: Do these two verses describe God as you imagine Him? If not, how do you need to adjust your picture of Him?
Pray: Praise God for His grace, compassion, patience, love, and goodness to all He has made.
Do: Looking for good verses to memorize? Think about adding these two to your list.
All About Him: Talk Think Announce Enjoy
"They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." (Psalm 145:5-7)
Like most of you, when I think about praising God, the picture in my mind involves standing in an audience full of people singing words together as we read them off of a screen. And that's a good thing we do as part of our worship services at church and in youth group. I think we should praise God in that way.
But notice the form praise takes in these three verses from Psalm 145. In each of these six phrases, the praiser does something -- speak, meditate, tell, proclaim, celebrate, or sing -- that is focused on some aspect of God's greatness -- His majesty, works, deeds, goodness, or righteousness.
I think I need to add some these things to my praise playlist. I need to praise God by talking about His greatness to someone, by meditating on His wonderful works alone in my thoughts, by proclaiming from my Facebook status, maybe, His great deeds. How could I celebrate His goodness this week? Would you want to come to that party?
Think: How often do you praise God outside of church or youth group? What good things have you said or thought or enjoyed about Him this last week or two at home, online, or at school
Pray: Ask God to help you to find more ways to praise Him more often for specific things that make Him great.
Do: Pick one of the six phrases in today's passage and make it true of you this week.
All About Him: Unfathomable
"Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts." (Psalm 145:3-4)
Fathom is an oceangoing term. It's a unit of measurement about six feet long; sailors used to determine the depth of the water below them. When the water was deeper than they could measure, it was said to be unfathomable.
We've gotten better at measuring ocean depths. For instance, the Mariana Trench is the deepest ocean spot we know of. It's about 36,000 feet deep (or, I guess, about 6,000 fathoms), which is higher than planes fly, only in the opposite direction. Check out this link for a cool visualization of just how deep that is. Notice the little tiny dot at the top to show the size of a person.
The NIV version of today's verse says that God's greatness in unfathomable. (Other versions use the world "unsearchable.") No matter how advanced we become, we'll never be able to find the bottom of God's goodness; we'll never reach the end of His greatness.
That's just one reason He is worthy of all the concentrated glory-giving praise we can focus in His direction -- and why we'll feel so right and satisfied when we do.
Think: How many other things can you think of in the world that are beyond measuring -- or have no end? Who else do you praise besides God for their greatness?
Pray: Tell God that He is worthy of praise and ask Him to help you to enjoy praising Him as He deserves.
Do: Read today's passage to your parent or another wise adult -- especially the second sentence -- and ask them to commend God's works to you (or to tell you what great things He has done in their life).
All About Him: Everyday and Forever
"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." (Psalm 145:1-2)
Human beings are praise machines. We're built to cheer. It's in our DNA. That doesn't mean we always want to do it, but we've got the code for it. Put 20 or so of us in a room where someone is performing or competing or even just telling good jokes, and we're very like to hoot and clap and holler and buy the poster.
Our God is the perfect praise-receiving machine. Okay, He's not a machine, but there is no more natural target for praise in the universe than Him. And we're told He actually responds when His kids praise Him with real hearts.
It only makes sense that we should get together, especially since that's what He built us to do and because something in us wakes up and feels truthful when we are in the act of praising Him. Everybody wins.
We're going to praise Him right along with the songwriter king of Israel this whole week to find out more about why He deserves our praise -- and why we're missing out if we don't make our lives all about Him.
Think: Does praising God feel to you like a duty or something you look forward to? How hard is it to think of real reasons to praise Him? How often do you praise Him to someone else without singing?
Pray: Ask God to help you to praise Him as He deserves. Thank Him that as a Christian, you will praise His name for ever and ever.
Do: If you want to get a jump start on the week, read all the way through Psalm 145.
What Now?: He’s Coming Back
"They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.' " (Acts 1:10-11)
You almost feel bad for the disciples. They're always playing catch-up to whatever Jesus is talking about or doing, right up to the very end. He tells them not to leave Jerusalem. He says the Holy Spirit will come on them and give them power. He says they will be His witnesses everywhere.
Then He flies up into a cloud! Then some angels show up and say, "Why are you looking at that cloud?" Because Jesus just disappeared into it, that's why!
But Jesus knew they needed more answers: So He sent these two angels to fill in the gaps. To let them know He was gone to heaven. And to let them know He's coming back in the same way someday. To let them know the story isn't over, yet.
What now? Use the power of the Holy Spirit to be Jesus' witness in this world. And keep watching the sky, getting prepared, waiting for Him to come back and make everything right once and for all.
Think: Do you have an expectation that Jesus could come back "in the same way" at any moment? If you did, how would that change the way you live today?
Pray: Thank God that Jesus is coming back someday. Ask Him to help you to live like it could be today.
Do: Read on in Acts for the wild, amazing story of the early days of the Christian church.
What Now?: Going Up
"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." (Acts 1:9)
We've spent this week walking through Jesus' last few days before leaving earth, which finally happens in today's verse. It's Jesus' last in-the-flesh miracle. Theologians call it "the Ascension." To me, it sounds like flying. And that's cool.
Technically, we're told Jesus was "taken up," so maybe He wasn't the one doing the flying. Either way, He added gravity to the list of natural laws He had effortlessly broken to make the point that He is, in fact, the Son of God.
So where did Jesus go? Peter saw the disappearing act with his own eyes and later said this about Jesus' next stop: "Jesus Christ . . . has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." (1 Peter 3:21-22)
So what does He do? Well, here's one thing: "Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (Romans 8:34)
That's where our Lord is right now -- but it's not the end of the story. Tune in tomorrow.
Think: What surprises you about how Jesus made His exit from earth? How much more seriously would you take His words in verse 8 if He instantly flew into the sky after saying them?
Pray: Thank God that your Lord is right now sitting in heaven at God's right hand interceding for you.
Do: Read and ponder Acts 1:8 again, Jesus' last words to His disciples before disappearing into that cloud.
What Now?: The Mission
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
The questions had been hanging in the air for 40 days: "We believe you are the Messiah. We've been following you, learning from you, for three years. We saw your die and return to life; we know you are the Son of God. We know this changes everything forever."
"Now what?"
Jesus finally gives His disciples their mission right before disappearing into the sky. 1) You will receive the power of God. 2) You will tell my story here, there, and everywhere.
You and I have a similar mission to represent Christ in every corner of our world. We need the power of God to do it, and the day-to-day details aren't the same for each of us. But there is an answer to "now what?" for us: Use God's power to let everyone you know see Christ in you, how He has made it possible for you to be forgiven and become God's child with a brand new purpose and future.
Think: How would you describe God's purpose for you life between now and when you go to heaven? How much responsibility have you taken to be His witness in your world?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God for the power of the Holy Spirit to be Jesus' witness in every corner of your world.
Do: Read Matthew's last recorded words of Jesus to the disciples in Matthew 28:16-20.
What Now?: The End?
"So when they met together, they asked him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.' " (Acts 1:6-7)
One of the reasons Jesus' crucifixion seemed to catch the disciples off-guard is because they believed all along that He had come to set up His kingdom on earth, to overthrow the Romans and return Israel to her glory days, just as the prophecies say He one day will.
Now that He had died and come back to life -- with that kind of power available to Him -- was it finally time to put Israel back on the map? "Really: What happens now, Lord?"
Jesus is clear: You don't get to know that, but the Father has set a date. The kingdom will come at the perfect time. That leaves them -- and us -- waiting for the final resolution. In Romans 8, Paul says that waiting is painful, but it can also be patient as we trust our Father's strength, heart, and wisdom
In the meantime . . . tune in tomorrow.
Think: Do you ever have a sense that you're waiting for God to bring justice, to bring resolution, to bring us all home to be with Him, to finally make everything right? What makes the waiting harder and/or easier?
Pray: Thank God that His timing is perfect even when He doesn't tell us what it is. Ask Him to help you trust His timing
Do: Read how Paul described our painful and patient waiting in Romans 8:18-27.
What Now?: Wait
"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' " (Acts 1:4-5)
If you attended last weekend's PlanetWisdom Tour event in person or via satellite, you walked through the last 14 hours of Christ's life before the cross. This week, we're walking through a few verses about His last 40 days before He left the planet.
Notice first: More evidence that Jesus was really, physically alive: He ate! Ghosts don't eat. Real, living men eat. Jesus came back from the dead to breathing, eating life.
Notice next: He told the disciples to wait for a gift, the Holy Spirit. He didn't want them jumping into any kind of ministry until the Holy Spirit came to give them real power. In other words, He didn't want them to serve Him with the best they had to offer; He wanted them to live for Him with the best power God had to offer.
He wants the same from us.
Think: If someone asked you to explain it, why would you say that Jesus called the Holy Spirit a gift from the Father? What makes the Holy Spirit a gift?
Pray: Ask God to help you to serve Him with God's power through the Holy Spirit, not with your own strength.
Do: Read how Paul describes God's gift of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 1:21-22.
What Now?: Be Convinced
"After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1:3)
I never blame anyone for doubting that Jesus came back from the dead. It takes real faith to believe that the impossible happened. But you must believe it to be a Christian, and you must be convinced about it to be willing to lay your own life on the line.
The disciples didn't have to just believe it; they saw Jesus alive again with their own eyes. And He didn't just appear to them briefly in a vision or floating in a dim mirror. They didn't need high-tech ghost hunter tools to catch a glimpse. He wanted them to be convinced that He was dead and then all the way alive again -- to give them the courage to give their own lives for Him.
So He kept appearing to them for over a month. He kept letting them confirm His real, physical life with their eyes and touch and even watching Him eat.
And in case they would one day worry that it was some kind of grief-induced hallucination among the 11 of them, Paul tells us that Jesus showed Himself to over 500 people at once after He was dead and alive again. (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.) They could always confirm that lot of other people saw Him, too.
Think: How does believing that Jesus was raised from the dead change the way you live your own life for Him? How should it change the way you think about death?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God for helping you to be convinced in the reality of Jesus' resurrection from death. Ask Him to help you live like you believe that you'll be resurrected, too.
Do: If you haven't, yet, read 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
What Now?: Just the Beginning
"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen." (Acts 1:1-2)
Some of you reading this devo spent this past weekend walking through the last 14 hours of Christ's life before the cross at the Planet Wisdom Tour with Mark Matlock, Dawson McAllister, The Skit Guys, and Dutton. We hope it was both fun and meaningful.
We thought we'd pick up the story of Jesus about 40 days after He rose from the dead. The resurrection must have been the high point of the disciples' lives (and ours, come to think of it). But as Jesus got ready to leave them, they were also thinking, "Now what?"
Luke describes those days to us in just a few verses, picking up from where he left off in the book of Luke. We're going to listen closely for a few days to what Jesus said to the disciples before His exit to try to hear what He might also be saying to us about what we should do with our own lives from here on out.
Think: In as few words as possible, what would you say is your big "P" purpose in life -- or your top two or three, anyway?
Pray: Ask God to help you to understand how the reality of Jesus' death and resurrection should change the way you live your own life now and in the future.
Do: Read Luke 24 to catch up to what happened from Jesus' resurrection to this moment in the story.
Not Reluctant: Included
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Today's verses are the story of how a person comes to be in the family of God. And how you can know for sure that you're still in God's family.
Remember from the 12 verses before this: God did all the work. He made the plan to adopt you (because He wanted to and because it made Him happy). He executed the plan by sending His Son to be executed in your place, for your sin. Then He published the good news that you were welcome through faith in Jesus.
Then A) you heard the truth and B) you believed and C) you were given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that your place in God's family is secure (even though you're not home, yet).
Of course, there is no C) without B). That is, there is no place for anyone in the family of God who has not trusted in Jesus for their salvation.
Think: Have you believed the "word of truth, the gospel of your salvation"? How have your expressed your faith in Jesus? Are you convinced that God is strong enough to forgive and to guarantee you a place in His family?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God for including you in Christ when you heard and believed. Thank Him for marking you with the seal of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your place in His family.
Do: Read the rest of Ephesians 1 (or the whole book) to see how Paul builds on these huge ideas.
Not Reluctant: Works Out Everything
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:11-12)
I realize not every Christian agrees, exactly, about all of the implications of God's predestination and election of His children. And some people really seem to enjoy debating the issues surrounding human free will and God's control over everything in the universe. We're not going to crack that nut here.
Having said that, we have heard this week about how much God wanted us -- making plans ahead of time to include us in His family because He wanted to and it made Him happy -- and about all the grace and knowledge He has lavished on us as His children. That makes it miles easier for me to trust Him however He chooses to work in the world.
I believe God can do whatever God wants to do, and I want Him to do that. I may never get all of my questions about freewill and predestination answered before I get to heaven, but I trust my Father's heart. How could I not after everything He has done for me?
Think: Are you able to trust God's character and love for you even when it's hard to understand exactly how He works in the world? Why or why not?
Pray: Thank God that He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.
Do: If you have questions about human free will and predestination, ask your parent, pastor, or youth leader what their perspective is.
Not Reluctant: Showing His Plans
"And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:9-10)
Again today we hear more about God's pleasure, His delight, what makes Him happy. Part of the reason He is not a reluctant Father is because including us in His family -- adopting us as His kids -- is for His pleasure. It makes Him happy.
But in today's verse, His pleasure (or desire or intention) seems to have motivated Him to include us in the "mystery" of Christ and/or to bring to pass His long-hidden plan to rescue us, to forgive our sins through the blood of Jesus, to redeem us as His own children -- and eventually to restore peace and order on the earth under Jesus' rule.
He wants us to understand what's going on because He loves us, because He seems to be excited about it, because He has engineered the day when everything will finally be as it should. And then we will be with Him forever.
Think: Why do you think it's easier for people to think of God as having strong negative emotions instead of strong positive ones? Do you usually think of God as an emotional being? Why or why not?
Pray: Thank God for making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure. And thank Him, too, that all of His plans will succeed at exactly the right time.
Do: Think about a few of the things that please you most. Then make a quick list of the things Ephesians 1 has shown us that please God.
Not Reluctant: Lavished
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:7-8)
We continue listening this week to Paul tell us that our God is no reluctant Father -- He really wants us -- and we trip over the word "lavished." It's not a word we're used to hearing in the Bible. (A quick search of BibleGateway.com brings it up six times in the NIV.)
We usually think of lavish as either "luxurious" (lots of gold, leather, intricate stitching, etc.) or as a way of heaping an obnoxious amount of good stuff on someone (as grandparents, rich boyfriends, and sports team owners do). In other words, we think of lavishing as being excessively generous to the object of your affection.
Exactly. That's exactly what God has done for us -- like a doting first-time dad filling up the baby's room with giant stuffed animals and video gaming systems and a baseball glove -- more cool stuff than a baby would know what to do with, yet.
God has lavished on us (because of our redemption in Christ) the riches of His grace, along with His wisdom and understanding. We don't know what to do with it all, yet, but we know He's given us way beyond what we need. We'll never lack for any good thing that really matters with Him as our Dad.
Think: Do you usually think of God as a Father who has lavished you with good gifts because He's so excited to have you in His family? Why or why not?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God that because of Christ's blood, He has redeemed you, forgiven your sins, and lavished on you the riches of His grace with all wisdom and understanding.
Do: Think about memorizing 1 John 3:1: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (Be sure to memorize the exclamation points, too.)
Not Reluctant: What He Wanted
"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:4-6)
Here's a weird thing to think about: In the story of God's rescuing you from your sin and your future in hell were made into a movie, how would you imagine your character? Would you be the damsel in distress -- or her obnoxious friend that gets rescued just because the hero came for the other girl?
You know what I mean. It's a standard action movie plot. The hero risks everything to save the woman he loves, but that means he's obligated to try to save whoever is with her at the time. He wouldn't have made the effort just for them, but he can't in good conscience leave them behind.
I think sometimes we think of ourselves as the lucky supporting character in the story of God's great love for . . . other people. "Well, I guess I'd better save you, too. Just to be fair. Even though you're annoying."
That's ugly wrong. God made the plan to adopt us -- you -- in love and "in accordance with his pleasure and will" -- because it made Him happy and He wanted us. God is no reluctant Father. Ever.
Think: How do you think of yourself as fitting into God's story of love and grace? Why would we ever discount God's love for ourselves or others?
Pray: Thank God that He made a plan to adopt you into His family because He loves you, because He wanted to, and because it made Him happy.
Do: In whatever stories you read or watch this week, think about why the hero risks him- or herself to help others. Compare that to why God rescued us through Jesus.
Not Reluctant: Blameless in His Eyes
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (Ephesians 1:4)
We're rediscovering this week that God is not a reluctant Father. He is a joyful dad who made a plan to include us in His family because He wanted to. Because it made Him happy.
And to make it possible for Him to be with us, He even made a plan for the barrier between us to be torn down. He is God, after all. He can't, He won't live with the stench of sin and death, even our sin.
So long before He assembled us in the womb, He gave us the gift of making a way for us to be "holy and blameless." He would sacrifice His sinless birth Son as the payment for the sins of all His to-be-adopted children.
Bottom line: He always wanted you for His child, and He did what it took to make it happen through Jesus.
Think: How does the idea that God was planning for your future before time began make you feel about your place in the universe? Does it change how you think of yourself? How you think of Him?
Pray: As a Christian, thank God that He chose you in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight
Do: Look up definitions for "holy" and "blameless."
Not Reluctant: With Every Blessing
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
My wife and I were married for a long time before our son was born. My love for her started as infatuation then grew deeper and then I made a commitment to love her for life. The feelings that come with that are strong, complicated, romantic, exciting, and sometimes confusing.
But on the night our son was born, I fell in love in a completely different way. It wasn't complicated or fluttery. I didn't have to make any decisions about it. I just knew immediately that I would do anything for him, give anything to him, suffer anything for him. I felt strong and happy beyond what I knew was there.
This week, we're going to try to believe what the Bible says is true -- that God loved -- loves -- us in that exact same way (only God-sized). That's why He has given His kids everything there is to have in eternity forever, as today's verse says. But that's just the beginning of the story.
Think: I did not understand what a dad's love was like until I became one. How would you describe God's love for you if someone wanted you to explain it to them?
Pray: If you are in Christ, thank God that He has blessed you in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Do: Ask a wise Christian dad you know (even yours, maybe) to describe some of the things he felt on the day his child was born.
Love Week: What It Is
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:10-12)
Happy Valentine's Day. (Unless you're boycotting the day, then just, "Happy Day!") I guarantee you that the words in today's passage about real, true love are way better than those written in any greeting card anyone will get today.
This is love defined: We didn't love God; He loved us and proved it.
This is love's demand: Pass it on. Make heroic sacrifices for other people. Give away your most treasured moments, dollars, ideas, and relationships for the good of another.
This is love displayed: If you are in Christ, the God who loves you is alive in you loving everyone you know.
Think: How seriously do you take being loved by God? How seriously do you take giving His love to others? Can you have one without the other? (Hint: no.)
Pray: Ask God to help you to love others with the same love He has given to you.
Do: Read more about love in 1 John 4:7-21.
Love Week: Because He Wants To
"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." (Ephesians 1:4-6)
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Whether you care about that or not, we hope you care about God's baffling, perfect, life-changing love for you.
Try hard not to start arguing in your head about the whole predestination debate if that's something that bothers you. Instead, notice the first two words: "In love." God adopted us as His kids because He loves us. Because it made Him happy. Because He wanted to.
Did we deserve it? No. How could we deserve to be loved that way, to be loved like God loves His Son Jesus? How could we expect that? How could we deserve it? We couldn't. We shouldn't. He gave it to us for free.
God loves you. He wanted to be your Father since the beginning. He's happy to have you in His family. You are loved.
Think: How important is it to you to be convinced that the God of the universe loves you like a dad loves his child? How does that change your heart towards Him?
Pray: Thank God that He loves you, that He adopted you because He wanted to, because it made Him happy.
Do: If you know a wise Christian dad who has adopted a child, ask him how he feels about making the choice to do that and how he feels about his son or daughter.
Love Week: When It Hurts
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." (Hebrews 12: 5-6)
Happy Valentine's Week or not, we're digging into bigger love than hearts and flowers here on the PW devo. Today's love message: "God is going to get you!"
Okay, not exactly, but that's what it sounds like a little. The truth is closer to thinking of God as a parent -- the only perfect one you'll ever have -- and thinking of yourself as a child who is far from perfect and still collaborates with sin.
NOTE: This verse is not saying God will judge you for your sin. He already judged His only begotten Son for your sin and forgave you when you trusted in Jesus. What this verse does say is that when you sin, He will use loving pain to call you back onto the best path for you with Him.
In fact, read on a little in the chapter and you'll see that if you never have any hardship in your life, you should wonder maybe if God really is your Father. Because dads that love their kids discipline them. Period. In that sense, His love hurts sometimes, but it trains us to lead the best life we didn't know we wanted.
Think: Does it scare you to think of your loving God disciplining you when you sin because He loves you? Should it?
Pray: Thank God that He disciplines you because He loves you. Ask Him to help you not to lose heart when He rebukes you, but to move closer to Him again.
Do: Read all of Hebrews 12.
Love Week: Give Happy
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Whatever the pro's and cons of this V-Day week are for you, we're using the "holiday" for our own purposes here on the devo to talk about what the Bible calls love.
And here's a weird verse for Love Week. It's about giving your money away -- and not just for a big box of chocolates and some flowers. It's about investing your money in the God you trust with your life. God loves folks who do that "cheerfully."
But wait! Doesn't God love all His kids unconditionally, even the ones that don't give cheerfully? Yes! But He also loves for us for the ways we show we trust Him in Christ, like giving away our hard-earned dough for His sake.
Dads love to see their kids learn and grow and "get it." God loves to see us following Jesus' path by laughing in the face of fear while we give our lives away for Him.
Think: Do you see how God's love for us is unconditional -- we can't lose it -- but that He also loves us for trusting Him more and more? Why do you love your parents or siblings or best friend?
Pray: Thank God for His love for you and ask Him to help you to be a cheerful giver in every area of your life.
Do: Ask your parent(s) why they love you and if they'll ever stop loving you. Think about how their love for you is similar or different from God's love for you.
Love Week: Like This, Too
"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)
We're still making our stand for and against Valentine's Week -- in the name of love. (Are you hearing U2 in your head now, too?)
How much evil has been done in the name of love? "If you really loved me, you'd [fill in the blank] with me." "I love my kid way to much to ever tell her 'no.' " "I feel bad for cheating on my wife, but how can I help who I fall in love with?"
That's all bogus love. Real love doesn't enjoy sin; it enjoys telling and hearing the truth. When love is the real motive, it's all about doing the best thing for the other person -- protecting (not using), trusting (not controlling), hoping (not fearing), and moving forward (not bailing out).
That kind of love doesn't fail. We sometimes fail to love that way, but God never does.
Think: Have you ever felt manipulated by false ideas about love? Have you ever used a wrong idea of love to manipulate someone else? Can anyone really love that selflessly?
Pray: Ask God to help you to give love that rejects evil, enjoys truth and protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Thank Him for loving you like that.
Do: Why not try to memorize (or brush up on) 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Love Week: Like This
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)
We continue our love/hate relationship with Valentine's Week by diving into some real love talk from God's Word. And you might have guessed we'd swing by these verses.
Their point is that love is not a feeling or idea or genre. It's a hard thing with edges and rules and definitions -- at least when the Bible talks about it. That word love means something much bigger here than it does on a cheap Valentine's card with a chalky piece of candy glued to it.
If that thing you're saying you feel for someone doesn't come with patience, kindness, and a refusal to envy, brag, be rude, serve yourself first, get angry quickly, and keep track of who did more wrong to whom -- then it ain't love. (Yes, I said "ain't," but I resisted saying, "baby.")
Much bigger: This is the way God loves us on the days we are least lovable, least obedient, least attractive. Because His love -- real love -- isn't earned. It's given.
Think: Do you think it's valid to say we love someone if we don't mostly treat them as these verses describe? Do you have a hard time believing that God loves you -- every day -- with the kind of love pictured in these verses?
Pray: Thank God for love that is never envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, or tracking wrongs. Ask Him to help you to love others that way.
Do: Write down two names -- the person who treats you most like these verses describe and the person you treat most this way.
Love Week: Demonstrated
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Happy Valentine's Week. Or Happy Making Fun of Valentine's Week Week. Some people just can't stand the hype leading up to the biggest greeting card day of the year. Others can't wait to get some candy love!
Either way, the PW Daily Devo is here for you. Call this week's devotionals our valentine to you -- or the ultimate anti-Valentine. We're cool both ways, as long as you're cool digging into some verses about God's giant, expensive, expressive, impressive love for His children.
For starters, we're absolutely convinced that God has proved His love for us way before we could do anything to make ourselves lovable. As today's verse points out, He gave His Son to make it possible for us to live with Him forever. Do you need more evidence?
Think: Do you ever wonder if God really loves you? Are you convinced that His gift of the life of Jesus in your place is a demonstration of His forever love for you? Why or why not?
Pray: Thank God that He demonstrated His own love for us by sending Christ to die for us when we were still sinners.
Read: See how huge this idea really is when you read Romans 5:1-11.
Faith Works: Be Disciplinable
"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." (Proverbs 3:11-12)
Here's a hard idea: God disciplines His kids. That includes you and me. Listen close, though -- God does not punish His kids for their sin. Jesus has already been punished for our sin. The punishment for sin is death and hell. God has zeroed out that debt for those who have trusted in Christ for their salvation.
But God does discipline His kids -- and, yes, that is a huge difference. His discipline seems to involve allowing enough pain to come our way to get our hearts back in line with Him, to get our feet back on the path He has called us to.
Not all kids take being disciplined very well. Some get angry and resentful. Others rebel even more. Some get discouraged and want to give up at the very thought that they aren't perfect, after all.
Faith that works says, "I was wrong. God loves me and is right to correct me or discipline me. I will accept that and move closer to Him by obeying Him."
Think: How do you receive being corrected, rebuked, or disciplined? Why is it so hard to take it well? How is correction and discipline evidence of God's love for you?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to resent His discipline or correction, but to received it well because you know He loves you.
Do: Read more about God's discipline in Hebrews 12:1-13.
Faith Works: Give Him Your Stuff
"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10)
Too many people have read these verses as some kind of formula for getting rich, as if God has set Himself up as the best currency exchange system ever: "Put in $10, get out $100."
But this chapter is about trusting God's way, not using Him to get rich so we can live our way. To honor God with my "wealth" means that I understand it all comes from Him, that I refuse to use any of it to dishonor Him, and that I give part of my income back to Him somehow. Then God promised Israel to respond with abundant crops.
Jesus challenged His followers to even deeper faith, to see money as something to be used to store up wealth in heaven, not fickle fortunes on earth. He praised a poor woman who gave all she had because that showed she was trusting God to give her all she needed today and forever.
Think: How can you honor God with your wealth? Why would you do that? What would you expect to happen as a result?
Pray: Ask God to help you to show your trust in His ability to provide for you by willingly giving away some of your money and stuff to and for Him.
Do: Ask a wise Christian you trust how they decide how much is right to give to God in dollars, time, energy, and attention.
Faith Works: Trust His Eyes
"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." (Proverbs 3:7-8)
It's not that you and I don't have any of our own "wisdom" apart from God. We do. It is based on our unique perspective of the world. Our experiences. Our point of view. And God tells us not to trust any of that.
Wow, is that a different message from what the rest of the world tells us. "Trust yourself." "Don't let anyone tell you that what you have to offer isn't valuable." And then God says, "Don't be wise in your own eyes." Your perspective isn't reliable.
How much humility does it take to trust God's perspective instead of mine? (Hint: Lots!) That's what "fear the Lord" means. Whenever my POV doesn't line up with His -- His wins. Period. If I go my way, I go the wrong way.
The payoff here is that God's way leads to a healthy life. Mine -- when it's different from His -- leads to sin. And sin breaks things (including my mental, emotional, and physical health). Why not trust His eyes, instead?
Think: Has anyone ever given you the exact opposite advice from this, telling you to trust your own wisdom first in life? What's wrong with that idea?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to be wise in your own eyes, but to fear Him and shun evil.
Do: Ask one or more of your parents to tell you about a time with they trusted their own perspective and made a foolish choice. Or did the opposite.
Faith Works: Live Simple
". . . in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:6)
Want your life to be complicated? Really confused and stressful and messy? It's easy to accomplish: Just give some of your life to the Lord. Just acknowledge Him in some of your ways. And then save the rest of your ways for yourself.
Trust me. It's like signing up for a multiple personality disorder. Why? Because God's way is not your way. If you make a commitment to trust Him in some things and not others, you'll always be trying to keep the parts of yourself a secret from the other parts of yourself.
I'm not saying it can't be done. Most of us do it every day. I'm just saying it sucks. James called it being "double minded and unstable," this trusting in God some and me some. And it leads to foolish living and giant headaches.
Want to live simple? Want to walk a straight-ahead path that's going somewhere? Trust God with 100 percent of your heart and acknowledge Him in all of your ways.
Think: What would you lose if you trusted God by obeying Him in every part of your life? What would you gain?
Pray: Ask God to help you to acknowledge Him in all of your ways.
Do: Make a quick list of parts of your life that you tend to keep away from God, that you'd rather not let the "God part" of your life know about.
Faith Works: Burn Your Plan B’s
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
Is there a harder thing in life to do than this?
The verse starts out like a cheesy Valentine's Day card: "I trust in You with all my heart!" In modern language, that has come to mean, "I trust in You a whole bunch."
What it really means is, "I'm not saving any part of my heart to trust something else in case you don't come through." Or, "Yeah, I just torched all my Plan B's. I've got no back-up plan. Your map is the only one I'm following."
Then the punch line: "Don't even lean on your own understanding." Ignore what "feels right" and/or "feels wrong." Ignore your math worksheet. Ignore your instinct; trust God's path instead.
Think: If you've made a commitment to live this way, how hard are you working to know God's path for you from His Word? What are some of the things we tend to want to trust instead of God?
Pray: Ask God to help you to trust in Him with your whole heart and not to lead on your own understanding.
Do: If you have memorized Proverbs 3:5-6 (or not), write them out on a piece of paper without looking. Peek if you have to, then start again.
Faith Works: Tattoo Your Heart
"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." (Proverbs 3:3-4)
It's too easy to just nod along with your youth leader, Sunday School teacher, pastor -- and especially your parents -- when they're breaking down truth from God's Word: "Yup, I believe that. What's for lunch?"
It's much harder to cross over to, "Now what am I going to do about it?"
In today's passage, the Father tells his son -- and God tells us -- to make an absolute, unbreakable commitment to "love and faithfulness," to remembering and obeying God's instructions because you love Him and you've promised.
How committed? He tells us to tie love and faithfulness around our necks and tattoo them on our hearts. In other words, make them your permanent attitude and motivation.
The payoff for living that way: You'll gain the respect of God and the people in your life.
Think: You can't really tattoo your heart, but how could you make your commitment to love God and to follow Him faithfully in Christ more permanent in your life? What would keep you from doing that?
Pray: Ask God to help you to make your love for Him and faithfulness to follow His direction more and more permanent.
Do: Make a quick list of three things you could do this week to keep God's Word (maybe Proverbs 3:5-6?) right in front of you as much as possible so you can't forget it.
Faith Works: Remember & Obey
"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity." (Proverbs 3:1-2)
Do you ever wonder what it means to "trust God" or "have faith"? Those are kind of squishy words that can mean all kinds of things to lots of different people. You can say to yourself, "I will start trusting God . . . now." And then what?
We're going to spend this next week getting practical with Proverbs 3. It is full of wisdom from a father to a son (and from God to us) about what we should do to trust God. How do we put faith into action?
Step one, says the wise father (and God), is to remember. Remember His teachings. Remember the words and commands of God. And then store them permanently in your heart so you can obey them. That's bottom line wisdom: "Remember and obey God's Word; it leads to good things!"
Want to get practical about your faith? Find a way to keep from forgetting what God teaches and to do it. More tomorrow.
Think: Do you do anything on purpose to try to get God's teaching into your head so you never forget it? Practically speaking, what could you do to make that happen?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to forget His teaching and to keep His commands in your heart.
Do: Install a couple of God's commands in your heart right now by memorizing (or brushing up on) Proverbs 3:5-6.
Pray Big: Worship Big
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
We've spent this last week listening in on Paul's prayer for the Ephesian Christians, a huge prayer for huge power so they could understand and live in the reality of a huge idea -- that the God of the universe loves them and will never, ever stop.
To understand that truth about God's commitment to us in Jesus changes a person. In fact, it changes everything. Ultimately, if the all-powerful God is for you -- and will be always -- how could you future be any better?
In these final verses, Paul responds in the only way that makes sense: worship. "To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"
Amen.
Think: Are you convinced that God is all-powerful and that He loves you unconditionally in Jesus -- and that He will love you forever? If so, how does believing that change the way you live? How does it motivate you to respond to God in worship?
Pray: Say to God, "To you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"
Do: Make a point this next week to remember God's love for you in Christ and to worship Him for it.