So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”  John 2:15-16 

 

Confrontations can be extremely uncomfortable. They are usually filled with a great deal of tension and anxiety for everyone involved. Emotions flare, voices raise and accusations fly. Whether you are confronting someone who wronged you or correcting someone who has chosen the wrong path, it is always one of the hardest things to do. 

Jesus understood the importance of confrontation because it reveals the truth. He came to this earth from heaven as the truth to confront sin. He didn’t just quietly walk by people and let them make up their own moral code. He confronted sin in love with the truth of God’s Word. 

Christ would not let sin reside in the Jerusalem temple and he will not let it stand in today’s temple. The Bible says that our bodies are modern day temples, and Christ will confront you when there is sin in your heart that is hindering your worship of him. Let him uncover the hidden sin in your heart so that you can enjoy freedom in him.

 Lord, confrontations are extremely uncomfortable—especially when I have something to hide. But I invite you to search all of the hidden places of my heart and remove anything that is hindering my worship and replace it with the truth of God’s Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus said to Martha, “Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”   John 11:25-26

To me, the raising of Lazarus is one of the most amazing of all the miracles Jesus performed. But there’s a deeper insight in this story than the astonishing fact that he brought a dead man back to life. In our reading for today, Jesus says, “Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” Then he asks Martha the ultimate question, “Do you believe this?” The question may have been directed to Martha, but it is also a question that Jesus asks each of us: “Do you believe?”

Though Jesus rescued his friend Lazarus once from physical death, ultimately Lazarus did die, as everyone does. But God rescues us from spiritual death, shows us the path to eternal life, and ends the separation between us.  If we come to believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God, the resurrection and the life, then life triumphs over death. It sounds almost too easy, too good to be true: Believe in Jesus, and have eternal life. But because of his death and resurrection, we can wrestle with Jesus’ question to Martha and can come to believe. 

Dear God, thank you for Jesus, who gave himself on the cross for us. Help us to extend your love to those who do not yet believe. Amen.

“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.” James 5:7

I overheard a conversation, I wanted to jump into the dialogue, but I had to go and more importantly, I would have to admit that I was eavesdropping, so I moved on. “He’s just in it for the money,” the man said. He named the author of a best-selling Christian book. “It’s simplistic. Over-hyped. I can’t believe it’s sold so many copies.” This conversation made me think about a youth I had worked with, Ann.

When I first met Ann she was a new believer. Occasionally our pastor would ask people to pray together. On those Sundays our youth opened  their arms and Ann joined. But as much as she loved it, it wasn’t her family.  Her parents didn’t understand her faith. Her older brother mocked her faith.

Ann went on mission trips. She was involved in youth group. She left for college and organized campus ministries, and even traveled to Africa to minister to children with AIDS. The longing for her family to love Jesus intensified, but from the outside looking in it appeared that her prayers were hitting the ceiling.  What Ann didn’t know is that her brother was watching closely. His little sister’s faith had grown and now she was a person of faith.

One day he bought a book and read it straight through the night. Somewhere between dark and dawn Ann’s Savior became his. In the next few months he led his fiancé to Christ. He shared his faith with his parents, and now that both of their children’s lives had been changed, they too became believers. That was four years ago. Recently, I was told, Ann came home to visit her family, and they all came to church. I couldn’t help but look back with excitement remembering when I heard these words, “Could families gather together and pray?” Ann walked down the aisle. Her family wrapped her in their arms. It was a beautiful sight, I was told.

And the book that the man had said was simplistic and overhyped? That was the very book that Ann’s brother read that changed his life. It was an answer to a faithful girl’s prayers.

What does this have to do with you and me? As a writer, every day I’m in my home-office wearing jeans and a T-shirt writing on a computer, hoping that someone might actually hear the message. But I can’t see the bigger picture. I don’t know if the words are making a difference or not. All I know is that God called me to communicate a message and to be faithful to that call.

Maybe there are days that you struggle, too. Maybe all you hear are the negative comments like those of the man. But does that mean that nothing good is happening? Absolutely not!  When I think of Ann, I am encouraged to place my ministry in God’s hands and allow Him to do the miracles while I type one word at a time.  Will you trust Him to do miracles with your faith and your work as well?

Dear Father, I don’t always see the bigger picture, but You do. Today I place my discouragement and comments of others in Your hands. Thank You for wisdom, encouragement, and renewed joy as I trust You with the bigger picture. Amen.

“He must become greater; I must become become less.” John 3:30

Sometime ago i was at an event where the words to the worship music were placed on a screen for all to see. But thatt night i noticed something: every time they used the word “I” on the screen, it wasn’t capitalized. My editor’s eye was drawn to this glaring error, and i spent much of the time that i was supposed to be singing trying to discern why they had done this. Oversight? Trying to be cute? It bugged me.
Then i felt God’s whisper to my heart, causing me to go a bit deeper. “Why are you stressing about capitalizing the i?” He asked me. “Why does it need to be capitalized? Who decided that? Maybe these folks recognize that “i” am not important — but I AM is.”
While i am not proposing a little i revolution — shaking up tradition and causing a crisis in the grammar world — i am wondering, what does a little i life look like?

Sacrifice?
Surrender?
Slaying self?
Setting apart?
Seeking Him?
Serving others instead of doing what i want?

This little i thing could catch on. It should catch on, because it’s the life Jesus called us to. We don’t need to be capitalized. We need to be small, insignificant — just a jot and a tittle, the littlest marks in the alphabet. Instead of a capital letter that announces our importance. At least, that’s what i am learning these days — and trying to live out. Sacrifice, surrender and servanthood are hard. But i know that’s what God calls us to do; laying down our wants, needs and desires and straining towards His.

Dear Lord, I want to make Your name famous and mine unimportant. Help me to be mindful of my tendency to make things about me. And help me Lord to keep the focus on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

Whenever I was driving up near where I used to live, I always looked to see if “my” birch tree is still there. The tree is about 15 miles from my old home, on the right side of the road. Its stark, white bark boldly stands out among the deep green leaves and brown bark of the other trees.

Like that birch tree, we are meant to stand out in this world. We are to stand out not so we can draw attention to ourselves but to draw attention to our Savior. In a world full of darkness, people are searching for light. Where else are people going to see the light of Christ but in his followers?

Of course, God doesn’t expect us to go out on our own. God equips us with the Holy Spirit and the Bible to guide us. The Bible teaches us that the world will know we are followers of Christ not because of any words we may say but because of the love we show others. The love of God will make us shine like a birch among sycamores.

Father, give us the strength, the wisdom, and the love to shed your light in this dark world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.  James 5:14-15

Do you find it hard to believe people who say they have the power to heal others? In a society where science is supreme, miraculous healings just don’t add up. Many find it hard enough to accept the healings written about in the Bible, let alone believe in miraculous healings today. 

Although the power of God is hard to comprehend, he is just as strong today as he was when the Bible was written. He is still active in the world, healing his creation and empowering believers to carry out his plan. This includes working through the prayers of believers to heal the sick. But God is not a magic genie who is obligated to grant our wishes. He listens to our prayers and works on our behalf within the parameters of his plan.  Do you have doubts that God still heals? That’s okay. Just be sure to bring those doubts to God. Be honest with him while you talk about your belief or disbelief in miracles. God doesn’t want us to compartmentalize our faith. He wants us to have faith in him with all things and trust that he will work everything out for our good.

Lord, I admit that I have trouble believing in miracles. I sometimes doubt that you are the same God today, that you were in days of the Bible. I pray that you will help me to strengthen my faith so that I can trust you in all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”    John 9:1-3

What motivates you to do what you do? What is your purpose in life? What drives you to serve in the areas that you serve?

There is no doubt that these questions cause you to engage in some serious thinking about your life. Many people tend to go through life without a purpose to drive them. In our society, we often hear phrases like, “Carpe diem” or “You only live once.” We think that serving ourselves is the key to living the best life ever. But we couldn’t be further from the truth. 

While Jesus was here on earth, he was not interested in drawing attention to himself. He could have made himself the center of attention in a three-ring circus of miracles and amazement, but he didn’t. He could have leveraged his power for fame, fortune or power, but he didn’t. Jesus’ entire purpose was to point people to the greatness of God.  

If we are not careful, the world’s motives will take over our life. When we make it our purpose to bring attention to our own greatness, and attempt to position ourselves in the spotlight, we will find ourselves on an endless search for fulfillment, remaining empty inside. But Jesus came to this earth to model how we can attain the fullness of life. He shows that we should have one purpose, one motivation, one reason for serving�and that is to bring glory to God.

Lord, I know that by nature I am fueled by my own selfish ambition. But I want to push myself aside and dedicate my life to bringing you glory. I want to use all of my duties, gifts, and talents for the advancement of your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Matthew 19:14

People often ask me at what point in my life I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I am sure my answer is often disappointing because I had no earthshaking or near-death experience that brought me to my faith. Because my parents were Christian, strong in their beliefs, I have known about Jesus and felt close to him as far back as I can recall. I remember sitting in Sunday school, looking up at pictures of Jesus holding a little child and wishing with all my heart that I could be that child sitting on Jesus’ knee.  I guess you could say that my faith was given to me by my parents the day I was born and has evolved over the years. Their gift is definitely a “gift that keeps on giving.” Through my study of God’s word, I have made my faith the foundation for the many decisions I have had to make in my life. Faith is my rock — immovable, unshakable, unchangeable — that one thing I have been able to depend on and trust completely during the dark and tough times inevitable in life. This gift has been a priceless and precious legacy that I have joyfully handed down to our children, who are now handing it down to our grandchildren.  Although I am now in my later years, I know I am still a child of God, one of the little children Jesus still calls to and holds close.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

After years of striving to walk with Christ, I arrived at a place in my spiritual journey where doubts and insecurities had become obstacles in my path. I found myself wondering if what I had believed all my life was in fact true. My mind and heart were full of questions like, “Is the Bible really the word of God?” and, “Does God really love me unconditionally?” I was desperate to believe again, but like the father in Mark 9:24 I had to accept that I needed the Lord’s help with my unbelief. All of my striving would not remove these roadblocks to my faith.

With a graduate degree, I had always relied on my ability to reason. However, feeling overwhelmed by doubt and confusion taught me a humbling lesson: There are some things that I just cannot figure out. Isn’t that what faith is all about — believing in something beyond our limited powers of observation and reason?  Like the father described in Mark 9, I had to become desperate enough to cry out, “Help my unbelief” (verse 24) — and in mercy, Christ has answered my cry.

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your unconditional love for us, even when we struggle with unbelief. Help us to turn our doubts over to you, mindful of your grace and mercy. Amen.

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”   John 15:5

I heard, the other day, a lady remark: “Two rose bushes in my garden are a true gift from God. They are planted close to the house, and I have a perfect view of them. I can see and enjoy these plants all the time, especially when they are in bloom.  A few days ago, in a bit of a rush, I cut a few flowers and placed them temporarily in a container with water. Several hours later, I decided to transfer them to a vase. Much to my dismay, two short-stemmed blooms were drooping and lifeless. I quickly noticed that the stems of these two roses did not reach the water level. Consequently, they did not look as fresh as the other ones with longer stems.”

I began to think about Jesus’ words in John 15:5: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” There are those among us who are fragile. They too are God’s children. We have a responsibility to care for them by offering the Living Water, Jesus Christ, through our love, witness, prayer, and wise counsel. When we help them to find this Water, these fragile ones can grow stronger and bear beautiful flowers, as they were meant to.