Luke 18:1617
But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
God has a special place in His heart and in his Kingdom for children.
Children have little hang-ups about life's troubles, they don't suspend faith for philosophical reasons, they don't doubt just because they don't see, they receive discipline when they need it and recognize love when they see it.
And they grow.
I can't help but think of my buddy Russell Witek when reading about the faith of a child. More on Russ soon....
Father - bless me to bring children to know You. Amen.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Fulfilling my Design and Call
Luke 17:10
"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
I am God's servant. I am blessed to serve such a good and benevolent master. When I obediently serve Him I deserve no special thanks or recognition; I profit none. For I have only done what I was designed and called to do. There is nothing extraordinary about obedience. As God's chosen servant, this is the least I owe.
Does my attitude reflect this truth? Do I seek profit or recognition? Do I expect a special reward from my master or those I serve? Too often the answer is yes.
Instead, can I be content to simply serve and know that I am faithfully fulfilling what I was designed and called to do? Can my reward be my own joy in knowing that I am doing what I was created to do? Can I be humble, set aside ambition and pride, and faithfully live out an ordinary, obedient life? This is the least that I can do.
Father - humble me and make me increasingly content to serve You where I am. Strengthen my obedience and make me more and more faithful to fulfill my design and call. Let my joy be found in ordinary obedience. Amen.
"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
I am God's servant. I am blessed to serve such a good and benevolent master. When I obediently serve Him I deserve no special thanks or recognition; I profit none. For I have only done what I was designed and called to do. There is nothing extraordinary about obedience. As God's chosen servant, this is the least I owe.
Does my attitude reflect this truth? Do I seek profit or recognition? Do I expect a special reward from my master or those I serve? Too often the answer is yes.
Instead, can I be content to simply serve and know that I am faithfully fulfilling what I was designed and called to do? Can my reward be my own joy in knowing that I am doing what I was created to do? Can I be humble, set aside ambition and pride, and faithfully live out an ordinary, obedient life? This is the least that I can do.
Father - humble me and make me increasingly content to serve You where I am. Strengthen my obedience and make me more and more faithful to fulfill my design and call. Let my joy be found in ordinary obedience. Amen.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Leveraging Wealth
Luke 16:9
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."
There is nothing sacred or righteous about money and wealth. Riches are a tool God has provided to achieve a greater goal and steward a greater value; people. The world knows how to bribe and buy favor. The sons of light (8) however hold money in too high esteem. It's not that they are greedy for it or enslaved by it - it's that they hold it as sacred and manage it in fear or reverence. Jesus calls money "unrighteous" and calls us to leverage it by any means to win over the world for everlasting ends. Since the souls of men are of higher value, money is a tool and means to this greater end. And since all belongs to God, we don't have to worry about running out of money or dwindling our resources - granting that we are investing in the right things; lost people. This must be our sacred trust. In this we must be faithful stewards.
Father - let me hold loosely to my wealth and value people higher than my material resources and wealth. Teach me to leverage my stuff for what You value. Teach me to be shrewd with what is common and hungry for what is sacred. Amen.
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home."
There is nothing sacred or righteous about money and wealth. Riches are a tool God has provided to achieve a greater goal and steward a greater value; people. The world knows how to bribe and buy favor. The sons of light (8) however hold money in too high esteem. It's not that they are greedy for it or enslaved by it - it's that they hold it as sacred and manage it in fear or reverence. Jesus calls money "unrighteous" and calls us to leverage it by any means to win over the world for everlasting ends. Since the souls of men are of higher value, money is a tool and means to this greater end. And since all belongs to God, we don't have to worry about running out of money or dwindling our resources - granting that we are investing in the right things; lost people. This must be our sacred trust. In this we must be faithful stewards.
Father - let me hold loosely to my wealth and value people higher than my material resources and wealth. Teach me to leverage my stuff for what You value. Teach me to be shrewd with what is common and hungry for what is sacred. Amen.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
God's Preference: Grace
Luke 15:7
"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."
Sometimes when I Meditate on a verse I end up more awestruck than aware of God's reality. I can hardly put into words what I feel when I read this verse. Would God really rather be gracious and merciful over just? According to this He is more gratified and glorified by forgiveness than by justice; wrath or reward.
This leads me to the words of Paul in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
So what am I to do with this preference God has for His mercy and grace?
I will pass it on. I say to you, that moreso, there will be more joy in heaven over ninety-nine sinners who repent than over just one.
Father - help me understand Your grace and compel me to pass it on. Make it my joy as well to see your grace and mercy extended to all those who cross my path. Make me an instrument of glory for You. Amen.
"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."
Sometimes when I Meditate on a verse I end up more awestruck than aware of God's reality. I can hardly put into words what I feel when I read this verse. Would God really rather be gracious and merciful over just? According to this He is more gratified and glorified by forgiveness than by justice; wrath or reward.
This leads me to the words of Paul in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
So what am I to do with this preference God has for His mercy and grace?
I will pass it on. I say to you, that moreso, there will be more joy in heaven over ninety-nine sinners who repent than over just one.
Father - help me understand Your grace and compel me to pass it on. Make it my joy as well to see your grace and mercy extended to all those who cross my path. Make me an instrument of glory for You. Amen.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Content to serve.
Luke 14:13-14
"But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
It's easy to serve and minister when recognition, praise and compliments flow. It's gratifying to receive a thank you card or invitation in response to ministry. It's tempting to let these responses dictate where we serve and the direction of our ministry. We can view these as "signs" of God's blessing, confirmation of our gifts or validation for a job well done. But God has a plan for those who cannot repay an do not think to thank and very little will validate ministry to them in this lifetime. God has a special place for these at His banquet table and a special reward for those who value them as He does. The questions I keep asking myself are these; "can I be content ministering to children for a lifetime? Can I put away ambition and prideful hunger for recognition and simply love those whom God has given me? Can I pass on public reward in this lifetime and quietly store up treasure in heaven?
Father - humble me and make me increasingly content to serve and minister to middle school students and their families. Remove my ambition and replace it with compassion for those who cannot repay. Fill me with a drive for the poor, the disabled, the hurting, they young and the old so that I can be found faithful to love those whom You love. Amen.
"But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
It's easy to serve and minister when recognition, praise and compliments flow. It's gratifying to receive a thank you card or invitation in response to ministry. It's tempting to let these responses dictate where we serve and the direction of our ministry. We can view these as "signs" of God's blessing, confirmation of our gifts or validation for a job well done. But God has a plan for those who cannot repay an do not think to thank and very little will validate ministry to them in this lifetime. God has a special place for these at His banquet table and a special reward for those who value them as He does. The questions I keep asking myself are these; "can I be content ministering to children for a lifetime? Can I put away ambition and prideful hunger for recognition and simply love those whom God has given me? Can I pass on public reward in this lifetime and quietly store up treasure in heaven?
Father - humble me and make me increasingly content to serve and minister to middle school students and their families. Remove my ambition and replace it with compassion for those who cannot repay. Fill me with a drive for the poor, the disabled, the hurting, they young and the old so that I can be found faithful to love those whom You love. Amen.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Strive for the narrow gate
Luke 13:24
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
Jesus calls for us to "strive" for the narrow gate while others simply "seek." The word strive here in the Greek is "agonizomai" from which we get our word "agonize." It literally means to fight or contend as in a battle or competition with strenuous zeal to achieve a desired goal. From an evangelical standpoint, this seems backward. Many strive by works to earn God's favor while He only calls us to by faith believe in and seek Him. So what are believers supposed to agonize over when it comes to the kingdom of heaven? I believe we are called here to fight against the tendency to broaden the road to heaven, to make excuses and exceptions to God's demands or to rely on works and other additions to our faith. The human temptation and tendency is to relax into comfort rather than contend for uncomfortable Truth. We must battle against lowering the bar, moving the target and watering down the Gospel. Our aim must be to enter into the kingdom of heaven by grace alone without exception or addition.
Father - strengthen me as I strive to hold true to the faith you require. Guard me from watering down the message or broadening the road. Let me be found faithful and worthy to enter by the narrow gate. Amen.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
Jesus calls for us to "strive" for the narrow gate while others simply "seek." The word strive here in the Greek is "agonizomai" from which we get our word "agonize." It literally means to fight or contend as in a battle or competition with strenuous zeal to achieve a desired goal. From an evangelical standpoint, this seems backward. Many strive by works to earn God's favor while He only calls us to by faith believe in and seek Him. So what are believers supposed to agonize over when it comes to the kingdom of heaven? I believe we are called here to fight against the tendency to broaden the road to heaven, to make excuses and exceptions to God's demands or to rely on works and other additions to our faith. The human temptation and tendency is to relax into comfort rather than contend for uncomfortable Truth. We must battle against lowering the bar, moving the target and watering down the Gospel. Our aim must be to enter into the kingdom of heaven by grace alone without exception or addition.
Father - strengthen me as I strive to hold true to the faith you require. Guard me from watering down the message or broadening the road. Let me be found faithful and worthy to enter by the narrow gate. Amen.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
silence
Just an update to say that I'm still alive and well, just unable to get online as we redecorate our home. I'll catch up on all my posts when I have a moment.
Thanks for following.
God's Grace,
Pete
Thanks for following.
God's Grace,
Pete
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
