[Jesus] said to [his disciples], “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”   Mark 6:31

A friend listened patiently as I rattled on about my busy day and my never-ending list of things to do. I felt I had used my time wisely, but her response surprised me.  “Where did God fit in?” she asked. Embarrassed, I realized I had expected to be praised for all my accomplishments. Her question made me re-evaluate my busy schedule.  Most of us want others to see us as industrious. Do we dare admit that we spend time praying or reading the Bible or that we simply sit and ponder God’s blessings in our life?  Jesus wanted his disciples to serve; but more than that, he wanted relationships with them. In addition, Jesus invited them into times of rest to renew their minds and bodies for the work they were called to do.  We can easily fall into the trap of trying to impress others with our doing and overlook the importance of “resting” time with God. With God on our daily calendar, we will find renewed energy to accomplish all that lies before us each day. 

Father, forgive us for trying to earn your approval with our achievements. Draw us aside that we may be renewed by spending time in your presence. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment. Jude 7

It may seem like a bit of a stretch to use Sodom and Gomorrah as an example and warning to us in the church today, but that is exactly what Jude did. One of the most obvious reasons we are to remember this biblical account of sin and judgment is that it is prophetic of the condition of the last days.  I cannot think of a time in my years of following the Lord when I have seen greater immorality among those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. I cannot personally think of a time when I have seen more open and blatant sin taking place on the part of those who profess to be Christians.  When we hear the names Sodom and Gomorrah, we immediately think of immorality. But there were other things at the root of these sins. Ezekiel 16:49 offers God’s assessment: “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” These people were proud, they had more food than they needed, and they had too much time on their hands. What an accurate description of our nation today.

The pride of those who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah was a nationalistic pride. They felt strong and indestructible—precisely the way many of us feel today within the borders of the United States.  The problem is that we have forgotten God. We have done our level best to push Him out of our schools, out of our courtrooms, and out of our culture, and we are now reaping the results of those actions…a shocking moral breakdown in our society.

Let’s walk in the conscious, moment-by-moment fellowship of Jesus Christ today, remembering that our true security lies in Him.

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Theology and doctrine are not trivial matters. Yet there are people today who set aside biblical teaching and say, “I just want to experience God. I don’t want to argue over doctrine. I just want to love Jesus.” That is a nice sentiment, but it is also a very dangerous one. It means they might end up loving the wrong Jesus. They might end up believing the wrong doctrine.

That is why the Bible exhorts us again and again to have our lives and doctrine in order. One of the reasons so many people are falling prey to false teachings today is that they do not have a grip on good Bible teaching.

I once heard a statistic that 80 percent of people who are pulled into various cult groups were once part of a church. That isn’t necessarily saying they were believers, but it is saying that these people had some church involvement at some point in their lives. If that statistic is correct, then it is alarming. It shows there are people who could have spent time in church, maybe a lot of time, but because they didn’t have their doctrine in order, they were led down the wrong road.

If you have your doctrine in order, if you know what the Bible teaches, then you will be able to refute false teaching and defend your faith. It’s what Jude means by exhorting Christians to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

“You acted foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.  1 Samuel 13:13

Saul was appointed King of Israel by the hand of God. Samuel gave clear instructions to Saul about going to Gilgal. Saul was to wait for Samuel in order for Samuel to perform the burnt offerings and give Saul instructions about his attack against the Philistines. Unfortunately, Saul was a DIY guy.  Saul grew impatient and fearful as he watched his army begin to disperse. Saul felt it was time for action. And in true DIY fashion, Saul performed the offering himself. And just as he was finishing, Samuel arrives.  It is hard as DIY humans in a drive-thru world to let God’s timing work in our lives. We want results now. We expect to be through a trial immediately so things can “get back to normal.” We want all the answers to our situation and circumstance, now.  However, in many facets of our lives, we are required to submit to authority. At work, in school, in our communities; we are subject to authority figures. If we are in Christ, we are subject to God’s authority. And although God’s timing is not always the way we want it, it is certainly what is best for us. And submitting to His authority is the only way we can be sure we’re on the right path.

Dear God, I know that You only have my best interest in mind. Thank You for using Your authority in my life to help mold me into the person You want me to become. Help me to not be a DIY human, and to instead be patient as I wait on Your perfect plan to unfold. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

I am shocked at what some people today will do and still claim to be Christians. They will blatantly do what the Bible tells them they should never do.  The idea that you can do whatever you want as a Christian and still be forgiven isn’t unique to our day, however. Paul had to refute that fallacy, as we see in the above verse.  It is a false teaching that says that you can go out and blatantly disobey God, reassuring yourself that “God’s grace will cover it all.” It is a perversion of the teaching of the grace of God.  The Bible says that the grace of God is given to us so that we might say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age as we wait for the return of Christ.  It doesn’t say that the grace of God was given to us so that we can do whatever we want and break His commandments with abandon. Grace and law work closely together. The law tells me that I am a sinner. Grace tells me how to deal with my sin.  While it’s true that the Christian is no longer under the constraint or the extreme limitations of the law, it doesn’t mean that he or she should disregard it altogether. It means we should obey it because we want to, not because we have to.

What you believe determines how you will behave.

…remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.  James 5:20

How often does our desire to be politically correct trump our call as Christians to share God’s truth with those around us? Sadly, the answer is: more often than not.  We don’t want to be the bad guy or rock the boat. So we may gloss over an issue, situation or circumstance, even when we see that it’s wrong. Rather than speaking out, we close our mouths and look the other way.  But when we do that in the face of blatant sin , we’re working directly against God’s purpose for having us here on earth. We are called to be “salt and light” in this world (Matthew 5:13-16) and to help turn others from their sin. How else will those without Jesus Christ come to know Him if we don’t speak up?  God has equipped each of us with the strength to defend the truth of His Word. That doesn’t mean we are to go around judging and condemning people for their actions. But it does mean that we as Christ followers have a responsibility to lovingly and biblically show them the error of their ways—and how to find a better, more fulfilling life through the forgiveness of our Savior.

Dear God, It can be so difficult to confront the sin that I see in the lives of others. Help me to lovingly show them the error of their ways through the truth of Your Word. Because as I do, I know they will discover the amazing life You have in store for them, and I’ll discover what it means to be used for Your glory. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.   1 Peter 2:9

Lighthouse keepers have to be a sturdy breed. It can be wearing and lonely to be stationed where they are. The work is generally heaviest when and where conditions are the worst. A lighthouse might be more comfortable stationed inland. But those in the riskiest locations — out where the wind howls — have the most opportunities to rescue people.

The glow of a lighthouse isn’t meant to illuminate the inside of the building. It’s meant to pierce obscurity when darkness descends and storms arise. The noise a lighthouse makes isn’t for the keeper’s entertainment. It’s for cutting through fog too thick for light to penetrate, for raising an alarm, for guiding the lost.

When I see a lighthouse situated at the far edge of safety, I think of our call to light the world. Like the beacons that guide ships to safe harbor, we are the hope of the Lord made visible. We drive our light into the darkness and our voices through the fog of life. “See! Hear! Come! Christ is where chaos ends.” Let us shine boldly so that those still tossing in the storm may find their way to the safe harbor that Christ offers.

Dear Lord, give us your courage to be a light when darkness seems overwhelming. Amen.

Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   John 13:35

The dimness of the emergency flashers told me the car had been on the roadside for a while. “Do you need help?” I asked.  “Yes,” the driver said, as he helped his wife into my vehicle. Both of them were deaf. I asked if I could take them to a phone or service station. “No, thank you. Just take us home,” he replied. Home was 35 miles past my house. I wanted to help them, but this seemed a bit much. I searched for a way out but found none.  I reluctantly asked, “Would you like to stop to eat something?”  “No, thank you; but we could use a restroom.”  When we were on our way to their house, I asked how long they had been stranded. “Three or four hours,” he said. I shook my head in disbelief.

“How long did you plan on staying there?” I asked.

He replied, “Until our prayers were answered.” His response of faith silenced and humbled me.  We can often easily identify those God has sent as answers to our prayers. But how often have we been God’s answer for someone else? Even when we don’t want to be inconvenienced, even when we are reluctant, God’s grace expressed through our actions can work wonders.

Father, we thank you for answering our prayers through others. Help us to be available to you when someone near us is in need. Amen.

Then he [Jesus] said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  Matthew 22:21

God is the author of authority. And He always works through authority. In fact, authority is in the very character and nature of God.  Think about the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit—three in one, one in three; co-existent, co-eternal, co-creators. They are all equal in form, but different in function. As they work together, they have authority and submission going on.  When Jesus lived on this earth, He submitted Himself to the authority of the Father. The Holy Spirit submitted Himself to the authority of the Son. So in the very essence of who God is, we have authority and submission. Not only did He submit to God’s authority, but also He submitted to the authorities on earth. And He made this clear when He quoted today’s verse to the Pharisees who were trying to discredit Jesus by trapping Him with His own words.  Authority issues. Don’t let them manifest themselves through various forms of rebellion. Take your cue from the Trinity: commit now to submit to the authority placed over you, so that later, you won’t fall into a trap created by your own actions or words. 

Dear Lord, Sometimes I just feel so helpless when my rebellion flares up. Before I know it, I say or do something that I come to regret later. Please help me to come to You first, the Author of Authority, whenever these issues come into my life. I know that with Your strength, I can do all things—even it means submitting to the authority placed over me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

[God] who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.   Philippians 1:6

I love gadgets. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw the newest laser level on sale. Having just moved, I had pictures and wall hangings to be hung. This tool would do the trick! Minutes later, I was at home shooting the laser’s little red beam on every flat surface of my house. (It even curved around corners.) I had confirmed within the hour that everything in my house was level. Content, I put the gadget on a shelf — where it still sits. The pictures and wall hangings remain unhung.  In today’s reading from Amos, the prophet talks about a different leveling tool, a plumb line. The plumb line, a piece of string with a metal weight, is hung to see if vertical lines such as walls are straight (plumb). If they are not, with time walls may buckle. Amos says that a time is coming when all people will be measured according to God’s standards. God is no longer content with the way the people have begun to buckle and sway.  As with the people to whom Amos spoke, God calls us to be ready, to examine ourselves by the standard established through scripture and Christian tradition. Even if we leave these tools on a shelf to collect dust, God is faithful. Each of us is a project that God will see through to completion. 

Holy God, give us courage to look at ourselves in light of who you call us to be. Then help us to open ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Amen.