Don't Swerve

Proverbs 4:25 "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you."

Solomon is writing about the supremacy of wisdom. Wisdom is to be gained at all costs according to Solomon. In verse 25, he advises to keep our eyes straight ahead of us. He wants us to continually look in front of us-not to the side or behind us-just directly before us.

I was driving home yesterday from a Memorial Day weekend at my in-laws and we encountered some heavy holiday traffic. Being a curious fellow, my eyes tend to wander and I like to check out what's going on around me. I like to watch fellow motorists-see what they are up to, what they are driving, what's going on in their vehicle. I like to imagine where they are coming from and where they are going. Many things on the road steal my attention-cows in the field, roadkill on the shoulder, a broken down car, SUV's that think they own the road, truckers who ride my bumper...Anyhow, as soon as I take my eyes off the road, I begin to swerve. I do this a lot. My wife makes fun of me (and gets a bit angry) when I swerve. The point is, when we take our eyes off of what's most important-what's directly in front of us-we are prone to swerve. And bad things happen when we swerve!

Dear Lord, help me to keep my eyes in front of me so I don't swerve. Amen.

One Sinful Lamb

Romans 3:25 "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice..."

Paul is explaining how Jesus became a sacrifice for our sins. Just as sacrifices were made to atone for sin-usually bulls and goats-Jesus was playing the part of sacrifice for us. God "presented him" just like a priest might present a bull or goat before the altar. This is an almost eery image-God "presenting" Jesus like he really was an animal. Jesus was slaughtered on our behalf.

I've been reading "Vintage Jesus" by Mark Driscoll and he emphasizes the concept that Jesus took on our sin. Even though he himself was sinless, on the cross he literally bore our sin. He became sin and became everything we are on the cross. He took on the sins of the world and died in our place. He was the ultimate sacrifice. Normally, you would slaughter some goats or a bull year after year to atone for sin. But now, Jesus as the perfect lamb died for all the sins of all the world. One shot and it was all done. This just makes me awe at the love God has for me.

Dear Lord, help me to remember Christ's sacrifice. Amen.

Smoke what you're selling

Romans 2:21 "you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?"

Paul has some harsh words here for the Jewish leaders and teachers in Rome. At that time many Jews-especially teachers, thought of themselves as superior to Gentiles. Paul confronts these conceded and hypocritical attitudes. He tells them that if they think they are so high and mighty, they better be practicing what they are preaching. I'm sure Paul knew many of them were not "walking the talk." Jesus had similar encounters with the religious elite years earlier. The point of Paul's barrage is that we ultimately are all equal at the foot of the cross and if we are going to be a leader or teacher, we better be modeling what we are preaching.

I'll never forget Rob Bell once saying to a group of pastors, "Are you smoking what you're selling?" I better ask myself that question every day! The worst thing in the world is to be a poser, phony, fraud, or hypocrite.

Dear God, help me to smoke what I'm selling. Amen.

A Thesis of Faith

Romans 1:16-17 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"

Paul is writing to the church in Rome and this passage serves as the thesis for his letter and his ministry. This passage drives everything he does. He states that righteousness from God is revealed in the gospel and is now available to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ. No longer is righteousness sought after through good works, rituals, and personal achievement. No longer is righteousness available to Jews only. Now righteousness is available to all through faith alone. Paul as a Jew takes the time and effort to make it perfectly clear that our salvation, our righteousness, our right standing with God, is through faith in Jesus. Our ancestry, family line, and our personal good works and best effort no longer affect our standing before God-as if they ever did! Now it is all about Jesus.

How much faith do I put in my good works? How much faith do I put in what I've accomplished? My vocation? My past? My family? My goodness? How much faith do I actually put in Christ? What do I think really saves me, truly reconciles me to God? It is so easy to get caught up in doing, doing, doing, and doing more good works to earn my righteousness. I need to remember my salvation is through faith in Christ.

Dear Lord, help me to put my faith in you and not in me. Amen.

Live for the Weekend?

2 Thess. 3:6 "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us."

Apparently in the Thessalonian church there were some idle people-some busybodies and Paul instructs the believers there to keep their distance from them. Paul reminds them how he and his companions kept busy and did not waste time or take advantage of others' work while they were with them. He set an example for them to follow.

It is very easy to become idle and lazy in our society. We have so many freedoms, so many luxuries, so many temptations vying for our time, money and energy. These can draw us away from being useful and doing what is right. So many people settle for an ordinary life and live for the weekends. Movies, video games, and entertainment become their pursuit instead of God. Life is only so long and I don't want to waste it on stuff that doesn't matter. I need to guard against wasting time and becoming idle.

Lord help me to spend my time on you, others and my family and help me to not live for the weekend. Amen.

HeMan

1 Chron. 25:1 "David, together with the commander of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymballs..."

David is setting up his kingdom/administration and he appoints a group of people for the ministry of prophesying. Included in this group are 14 sons of HeMan! Apparently, HeMan was not originally a steroid injecting, sword wielding hero who battled Skeletor, but rather the father of a family of prophets! These prophets were accompanied by harps, lyres and symbols.

Later in this passage it says that the prophets were "given him through the promise of God to exalt Him." So there was this entire team/ministry created to prophesy and exalt/worship God. I had to journal on this passage as I saw the name HeMan-my boyhood idol! What I see here though is that God has created people for specific tasks and Heman's is not to fight Skeletor or the Phillistines-that's Joab's job-Heman's is to speak for God and praise Him.

Dear Lord, help me to know the purpose you created me for and help me to devote myself to it. Amen.

The Right Kind of Short Temper

Psalm 30:5 "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

David is dedicating the temple and reflecting on his hot and cold relationship with God. David and the Israelites ride a rollercoaster of sorts as they find God's blessing and then disobey and receive God's punishment. Again and again this happens. It's amazing how often they screw up and how patient God is with them.

It is easy to dwell on our sin, our mistakes and our failures. Sometimes we have a hard time moving on and letting go. And surely God doesn't ignore our sins, but his anger only lasts a moment. He is quick to forgive, quick to reconcile, and quick to take us back. I must remember that once it is forgiven, it is done. I must move on and have faith in God that my sins are taken care of.

Dear Lord, help me to remember your goodness and your patience. Amen.

True Motivators

1 Thess. 1:3 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul is beginning his letter to the Corinthian church and is applauding the work they have done in the Lord. Paul is reminding them that he is thankful for them and he keeps them in his prayers.

It is interesting to me that work, labor and endurance are all produced, prompted and inspired by faith, love and hope. Paul highlights these three-faith, hope and love also in 1 Corinthians 13. Work isn't just for work's sake. We do what we do because we are prompted and inspired by our faith, hope and love in Jesus. Our faith in him produces good works. Our love for Him prompts us to labor for something bigger than ourselves. Our hope in Christ inspires us to endure until the end. It all begins with our relationship with Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me to work, labor and endure because of my faith, hope and love in you. Amen.

Jesus vs. Chariots

Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

David is the author of this psalm and he states that we trust in God, not in chariots and horses. It is ironic that David said this considering David, maybe more than anyone else in the Bible knew and used the power of chariots and horses! David is consistently beating up on people. Yet here he declares we are to trust not in the war machine, but in God alone.

At this time there is a lot of debate as to who will be our next president. There is lots of talk of politics, taxes, war, oil and the economy. Where is our hope? Is it in Obama? Clinton? McCain? Chevron or Amoco? Our hope needs to be in Christ. Obama can't save us. Big oil and big military can't either. As followers of Jesus, our trust should be in Him alone.

Dear Jesus, help me to not fret over oil prices, the falling dollar or extremists in Iran. Help me to put my trust in you! Amen.