Avoiding the Pitfall

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Matthew 23:1-12 (NIV)

One of the pitfalls which many celebrities can experience is when they became arrogant or aloof with their notoriety. They come to expect certain types of treatment when they go to restaurants, parties or stores. When they contribute to a charity or do an act of service, they assume they will be noticed and acknowledged in some public manner. Celebrities are not the only ones who can succumb to this pitfall. Ordinary people risk adopting similar attitudes and behaviors if they are given power or status for whatever reason.

In a conversation with his disciples, Jesus calls out this potential pitfall. Jesus warns against following the example of the Pharisees who exalt themselves. They make a public showing of their actions. Instead Jesus tells the disciples to humble themselves and be servants. They are not to take titles or place anyone, including themselves, in the place of the Father or the Messiah. The pitfall of arrogance is to be avoided through conscious humility.

We would do well to listen to Jesus’s warning and instruction. Jesus is not indicating that we show or promote disrespect but instead he is advocating we keep a healthy perspective when it comes to recognition and acknowledgment. We are to avoid assuming that we deserve anything outside the decency and honor any person deserves. Anything more than that should be because others have chosen to offer it and not that we have an expectation for more. Our service to and for others should be done because we are following Christ’s example, not to receive accolades. We should always reserve the places of highest honor in our lives for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

New Life

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

Spring is a wonderful time of year because of all the new life which surrounds us. During winter the fields lay fallow, trees are barren of leaves, and grass, along with other plants, become brown. It is easy to perceive everything as being dead. With the arrival of spring flowering plants shoot out of the ground, buds which will burst out as leaves on the trees, and the green color returning to the grass and plants signal that life now exists where death seemed to reign.

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus with words about death and life. In our sins and transgressions we were dead. We followed the ways of the world and the spirit of disobedience. But God made us alive in Christ because God loves us. God has raised us to the heavenly realms where we sit with Christ. This is grace which has saved us. We have been created and prepared by God to do good works in Christ. In Christ, what was perceived as dead is truly alive.

Like creation gets a new life in the spring, we are given new life. We can put behind us those behaviors of our past which were killing our spirits. Because of God’s love for each one of us, we were not left in death but instead we have been resurrected into a new life. With new life, new opportunities exist. There are opportunities to serve others, establish mutually nourishing relationships, and discover the wonders of God’s love and grace. Embrace this new life given to you in Jesus Christ.

Being A Member

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)

Many organizations have rules or standards which they expect their members to follow. Some fraternal organizations, in addition to rules, have rituals and customs which they observe on a regular basis. The rules are intended to insure the members represent the organization in a positive light to others. Some of the rules may also guide the interactions between members so there is an attitude of respect. Being part of a group usually comes with expectations; or at the least common behaviors.

Paul writes to the Colossian believers that as people chosen by God, they need to exhibit certain behaviors and characteristics. They are members of a group which is seen as holy and dearly loved by the Father. He tells them to adopt characteristics which demonstrate love given by God. Paul continues by instructing them on how to interact with one another based upon what they have received from the Lord. In order to live out this guidance, Paul tells the people to rely upon the message of Christ and to assist one another in following that message. Then he concludes by challenging them to do and say all things in the name of the Lord.

Those of us who are followers of Christ are members of God’s chosen. We are not chosen as part of an elite group or at the exclusion of others. God has chosen to love and redeem us. This is the group of which we are members. The instructions and expectations Paul gives the Colossians then apply to us as well. They are intended to ensure we represent to the world the behaviors of people who are loved and redeemed by God. This can be a challenging set of membership expectations. Paul’s last instruction can benefit us as we strive to meet the expectations. This instruction requires us to pause and ask ourselves how Jesus would feel about his name being attached to our words or actions before we say or do them. Definitely would prevent us from doing anything which does not align with the group membership expectations.

Congratulations on being a member of God’s group. Strive each day to uphold the expectations.

All You Need

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

When a person is preparing to complete a project, it is important to ensure that you have all the items you need for the project. Whether it is cooking a meal or building a doghouse, you cannot successfully achieve a satisfactory outcome if you are missing ingredients, materials or necessary tools. Planning out your work, collecting necessary items, and organizing allows you to succeed. If you are lacking in anything, the end result will be subpar or possibly a total failure.

In the letter we refer to as 2 Peter, we are told that we have been given everything we need for a godly life. This can be found in the knowledge of the Lord who called us; called us to be heirs of the kingdom of God. We have been given promises which allow us to participate in God’s divine nature. The letter continues by encouraging us to gather the elements which will make us effective and productive in our knowledge of the Lord. We are to confirm our call and election as heirs to God’s eternal kingdom.

What exciting news is found here. We learn that we have been given by God all that we need to confirm our eternal kingdom inheritance. We have been given the knowledge of who Jesus Christ is and what he has done. The knowledge that Jesus is God’s Son who obtained for us the removal of our sin is what we need to be called inheritors of the kingdom. Adding to this an adoption of Christ-like behaviors and traits makes our knowledge even more effective. We only need to confirm this by publicly declaring what we know to be true about Jesus Christ. It is like picking up our free pass into the kingdom.

Positive Focus

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

There is a lot of negativity in our world. Some sociologists state that since the 1970s the population of the United States tends to view institutions such as the government and the church, as well as life in general, in a more negative way than the generations prior to the 1970s. The same sociologists view the 1960s as the turning point leading us to the negative turn. Events and experiences of the 1970s, and each decade since, have caused people to lose confidence and hope in ever receiving many beneficial influences from anything or anyone outside themselves.

Paul writes a letter to the believers of Jesus Christ in the area of Philippi. Toward the end of his letter, he gives them some final instructions to follow. Our passage today contains those instructions. He tells them to rejoice in all situations. Show their gentleness. Do not be anxious but let prayer be the manner in which they present their requests to God. God’s peace will guard each heart and mind. Their thoughts should focus on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Paul is directing the people to focus on the positive aspects of life with trust in the Lord.

The advice Paul gives to the Philippians can be solid advice for us today. We are quick to identify all the problems and negative aspects of life. Our ability to identify and articulate everything which is  wrong in the world around us overshadows our attempts to find the good aspects. A recommendation for all of us might be that we reread these verses every Monday morning before we start a new week as our way to help us accentuate the positive in our lives. Some of us may see a need to do this daily instead of weekly.  Whichever method you choose, the message here is to focus on life’s positives.

Praying Correctly

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:7-15 (NIV)

Understanding and participating in prayer can be a daunting experience for people. There usually is a great concern about “getting it right.” Prayer is much simpler than many people tend to make it. Prayer is a conversation, a conversation between a human person and a loving spirit we name God. When we engage in prayer we are verbalizing what is on our hearts and mind. Prayer should be spoken using words we would use if talking to our closest friend. There is no one way to pray, there is YOUR way to pray.

In the Gospel of Matthew, a scene is recorded where Jesus gives his disciples an idea of what they could talk with God about. Jesus uses language which was common during his lifetime. He also keeps it short and sweet. First he tells God how he views God and his hopes in relation to God and God’s kingdom. Then he speaks to God about his needs to be fed (physically and spiritually) and to be forgiven. Jesus concludes by asking for assistance from God to avoid life’s pitfalls. All of this prayer is said in a corporate manner so that the disciples understand this can be used by them in an individual sense and in a group sense. A simple conversation with God, using the language of the day and not saying words just to say them.

This prayer should alleviate any concerns which you may have about praying. This prayer shows us that there are no difficult rules to follow when praying. Just talk to God who loves you beyond human understanding. Share with God.

Faith

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 4:1-12 (NIV)

What does it mean to have faith? The dictionary states “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” Having faith does not come easily nor does it mean abandoning what common sense tells us. The key to faith is the trust which is necessary. Trust takes time to develop so it is natural that faith takes time to develop. When faith has been established, the confidence one has in someone or something will aid the person in following and/or believing.

In our reading today, Paul writes about the faith of Abraham. Reading Paul’s letters can at times feel like you are on rabbit chase. If you are able to keep on the trail with Paul, you will obtain great insights into faith, Jesus Christ, God’s love and how to live as redeemed children of God. Paul speaks about how Abraham became righteous, or right with God. Paul writes that Abraham was right with God not because of any actions which Abraham did but because he had faith in God. Paul then continues in what may seem a very complicated manner to show that this righteousness is available to Gentile and Jew alike.

For us today, Paul’s connection between Abraham’s faith and the faith of people in Paul’s time is easily transferable to us. Abraham’s faith was in God, our faith is in Christ, the revelation of God in humanity. Like Abraham and the Romans, we are not right with God because of anything we have done or will do but because we trust and have confidence in Jesus Christ. Faith is all we need to have confidence in living as a redeemed child of God.

Importance of Giving Thanks

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

A dangerous occurrence in relationships is when one person assumes the other person knows what is being thought or felt. This happens far too often and frequently leads to hurt feelings. It is important for humans to make the effort to verbally express to one another feelings and appreciation. By expressing these items, confusion and doubt can be avoided. This helps to bring clarity into the relationship.

In our passage today, Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to him for assistance. Jesus responds by sending them to a priest. This is customary when a person appears to be healed from leprosy. The priest had to declare them clean before they could return to regular society. What seems different here is that they were healed on the way, not before they left. They must have believed Jesus would heal them before they arrived at the priest’s location. Then the account shares that only one of them returned to thank Jesus, a Samaritan whose nationality was despised by the Jews. Jesus declares that this man’s faith has made him well.

Here we are reminded of the value in expressing gratitude. Gratitude is one of those feelings that was referred to above. The other nine must have assumed Jesus would know how grateful they are for being healed. They probably wanted to return to their families and former life so quickly that they did not think to take the time to find Jesus and express thanks.

We can be guilty of the same assumptions and being too busy to stop long enough to offer thanks. We do this with one another. We do this even more often with the Lord. Our thoughts can be that others and the Lord obviously know we are thankful so keep moving forward with life’s activities. It can be an unspoken assumption.

Jesus tells us that the opposite is true. Jesus shows how much it means to be sought out and thanked. The expression of these assumed feelings make a significant difference. Take time to pause and give thanks when someone does something for you. Make the time to express your gratitude to the Lord. Afterall, the Lord gave you the air you just breathed and so much more.

The Anchor

Today’s devotion is based upon a song written by Ray Boltz. The song is entitled “The Anchor Holds.” It speaks to those times in our lives when we are facing and experiencing challenges. Times when we feel battered. Listen to it and read the words as you watch this video.

Ray Boltz captures the essence of our human struggle. It can be easy to lose faith and we may want to give up in such times. The waves and the storms can seem overwhelming. Yet our anchor, our faith in Jesus Christ, our knowledge of the love of God as expressed by Christ, can and will sustain us. The anchor will prevent us from being bashed against life’s rocks. We can survive the storms and sail on calmer seas once again.

What did you hear in Boltz’s lyrics?

How do you rely on your anchor?

The Lord wants to be your anchor. Will you let it happen?

An Oath

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:13-20 (NIV)

There are a variety of situations in which a person takes an oath to seal a promise made. Elected officials take oaths, as do judges, military personnel, and non-elected government officials. The oath is to confirm their promise to fulfill their assigned duties and to support the Constitution of the United States of America. A witness in a court proceeding takes an oath confirming their promise to tell the truth as they answer questions. There are all types of oaths but they each exist for the one purpose to affirm the fulfillment of a promise made.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrew people talks about oaths and promises. Specifically, an oath made to Abraham and then a promise made to us. God promised Abraham that he would be blessed and have many offspring. The writer tells us that God swore an oath to God’s self to fulfill the promise to Abraham. God kept that oath. The writer continues by connecting the promise and oath God made to Abraham with the promise of our salvation. The writer indicates that knowing God’s previous fulfillment assures us of the promise made for us. This assurance becomes the anchor of our hope. 

We have been made the promise that if we believe in Jesus Christ as God’s son who gave us a way to salvation from ourselves, we would experience our eternal life in God’s presence. This promise was given many years ago so some wonder if it is still possible. What we read here is an answer to that question. The promise is real and can be trusted to be fulfilled as seen throught history. This history includes what has been recorded in Scripture but also through the testimony of people present and past. In trusting in the oath and promise of God, we find hope.