Remember, Repent, Repeat

Daily Reading:  Revelation 2

Scripture Focus: Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. (Revelation 2.5a)

Devotional Thought: Recently I have been preaching a series of messages I entitled "Where's the Church?"  These are messages from the book of Revelation and include Jesus' words to the Seven Churches in Asia.  The first church he addressed was the church in Ephesus.  Where was this church? "In Denial."

Jesus commended the church in Ephesus.  They were hard-working and patient.  They endured persecution.  They had maintained a pure and true doctrine and morality.  They refused to grow weary, but just kept on going.

In this church of purity, morality, and consistency, however, Jesus found a tragic flaw.  So deep was the flaw that he told them to "Remember.  Repent.  Repeat."  What was the flaw?  They had abandoned their first love.  And they were living in a state of denial.

It is tragic when we put orthodoxy and duty in the place of love and passion for Christ.  It is tragic when we would rather follow the rules than love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  It is tragic when we have forgotten how much Jesus means to us.  No matter how perfectly performed, dry dead religion does not please the heart of the Lover of our Souls.

In Luke 7, Jesus was eating in the home of a respectable "church member."  A scandalous woman crashed the dinner party and wept profusely at the feet of Jesus.  Jesus' host was indignant.  Jesus, however, saw things differently.  He said that her great love was due to her recognition that her great sins had been forgiven.  He received that kind of love with joy, but the church member left him feeling cold.

How about you?  Is your love for Jesus still red hot?  If not, "Remember.  Repent.  Repeat."

Prayer: Lord, you have given me so much.  Forgiveness!  New life!  Unconditional love!  Cleansing!  Forgive me, O Lord, when I take these things for granted, and reignite a passionate love for you in my soul!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  24 Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. 25 They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. 26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness, 27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands. 28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; 29 they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever. (Psalms 106:24-31)

Fear not

Daily Reading:  Revelation 1

Scripture Focus: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1.17b-18)

Devotional Thought: Last week in church, a quartet presented the song "Known" by Tauren Wells.  Consider the lyrics: "You see right through the mess inside me. And you call me out to pull me in. You tell me I can start again. And I don't need to keep on hiding. I'm fully known and loved by You."

Did you catch that?  "I don't need to keep on hiding!"  God knows me and yet loves me unconditionally!

That was the message of Jesus to John in Revelation when he said, "Fear not."  The Greek word for revelation is apocalypsis.  It means unveiling.  As Jesus is revealed, unveiled, we have less and less reason for fear, for he...

·        Is the First and Last.  All of creation is the work of his hands, and all of history is lived within his existence.  Jesus is therefore the perfect Judge for he knows all truth; nothing is hidden from him.  What he pronounces clean is clean.  What he writes is certain.  When we dwell in him, we are connected with the Ultimate Reality.

·        Is the Living One.  He died but is alive forevermore.  Jesus, the eternal living one, entered into our sphere so that he might taste death for us all.  Neither death nor the finitude of this world could hold him.  By his power he conquered his own death and is alive forever.

·        Holds the keys of death and Hades.  Having conquered his own death and grave, he has wrested the keys out of the hands of our captor and sets us free!

Jesus has done all this for you and me, even though he knew us.  He did it because he knew us.  So fear not.  You are fully known and loved by Him!

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, that you are the First and Last.  You are the Living One.  You are alive forevermore.  And, you hold the keys to eternity!  I follow you with confidence and praise.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  19 They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. 20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them-- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. (Psalms 106:19-23)

Freedom

Daily Reading:  Galatians 5-6

Scripture Focus: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.  Galatians 5:1

Devotional Thought: Almost from the beginning of history, some form of slavery has existed.  In Galatians 5, Paul speaks of freedom in Christ.  He instructs the Galatians to “not submit again to a yoke of slavery,” (v1).  What is this slavery to which Paul refers?  Jesus answers plainly in John 8:34, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

Paul has much to say about this subject, and not just in this letter.  He knows that the human heart is bent towards legalism, towards religious activities that will save us from our sins.  In Paul’s days, this attitude manifested itself in the “circumcision sect,” those who would have the new believers follow the old Jewish law in order to be saved.  Paul argues, “If you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you,” (v2).  In other words, it’s either the grace of God through Jesus that saves you, or it’s your ability to adhere to the whole law.  The latter is impossible, and there is no middle ground.

Today, we see that the “circumcision sect” way of thinking is still alive and well.  We hear and are glad for the news of the gospel, yet we feel like we must somehow supplement his grace with our own atoning works.  This is heresy.  Nor should we accept the grace of God and abuse it, continuing in unrepentant sin – this is evidence that we never really knew Jesus (Matthew 7:23).  When we accept the grace of Jesus, we do so to the exclusion of all else.  We throw off the yoke of slavery to sin, but we take up another yoke.  We become “slaves of righteousness” (Rom 6:18), and the fruit we get “leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life,” (Rom. 6:22).

Jenny

Prayer:  Lord, you have created our hearts, and you know that we are inclined towards slavery.  Help us to realize our freedom in Christ, that we would happily become slaves to righteousness!

Psalm of the Day:  13 But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. 14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; 15 he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them. 16 When men in the camp were jealous of Moses and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD, 17 the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. 18 Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. (Psalms 106:13-18)

Meet in the Middle

Daily Reading:  Galatians 4

Scripture Focus: I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.  (Galatians 4.12)

Devotional Thought: Have you ever used the website, "Meet in the Middle"?  I use it frequently when I'm trying to set up points of rendezvous with family and friends.  It's a great tool when you don't know exactly where the middle is and when you don't know what's in the middle!

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians to urge them to meet him in the middle: "Become as I am, for I also have  become as you are."  In other words, "Let's compromise.  Let's meet in the middle."  Often we think of Paul as being inflexible and dogmatic, and at times he could be.  But, I think he gets a bad rap in that regard.  Paul was very flexible when it was advantageous to be so.  On one occasion, he wrote, "To the Jews I became as a Jew...  To those under the law I became as one under the law... To those outside the law I became as one outside the law...  To the weak I became weak... I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. " (1 Corinthians 9.20-23).  If compromise furthered the mission of the gospel, Paul was all for it!  If, however, compromise undermined the cause of Christ he was against it.

John Wesley, the great English preacher of the 18th Century who began the Methodist movement, was a proponent of the maxim, "In the essentials, unity.  In the non-essentials, liberty."  I guess the trick is to determine what are the essentials.  That's not easy, but I would venture to say that too often, we probably name things essential when they really are not. 

How about you?  Are you willing to meet in the middle?

Prayer: Lord, help me to hold on loosely to my ways but to hold on tightly to yours.  Help me to discover the difference as I become a student of your Word and a vessel of your Spirit.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  6 Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. 10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. 12 Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. (Psalms 106:6-12)

Law and Promise

Daily Reading:  Galatians 3

Scripture Focus: Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! (Galatians 3.21a)

Devotional Thought: Evangelicals tend to struggle with the tension between grace and law.  We, like our Protestant forebear, Martin Luther, know salvation is by grace alone, through faith.  Those of us raised in a 'legalistic' environment tend to overcompensate to avoid being seen as judgmental.  Paul, however, was perfectly content to live with the tension. Yes, we are saved by grace.  Yes, our salvation is inexorably linked to obedience.  Certainly the Law was not contrary to grace.

Paul would say following the Law does not bring us salvation, but he would also say the Law brings us to salvation.  The Law is our schoolmaster, teaching us of the need of grace. The Law is our prosecutor, proving to us that we cannot be saved by works.  And, the Law is our trainer, helping us to know the will and way of the Lord. 

Is the Law, then, 'contrary to the promises of God'?  Certainly not!

The word Greek word translated contrary is "kata" and means down from, against, or throughout.  The context helps determine the meaning of the word in particular usage.  In this case, all the meanings apply:

·        Is the Law down from the promises of God?  Certainly not!  The way of the Law must come first or there is no need for grace. 

·        Is the Law against the promises of God?  Certainly not!  The Law's very purpose is to lead us to grace.

·        Is the Law throughout the promises of God?  Certainly not!  The Bible says that God has made a new way.  The old way of the written code has passed away, and we no longer serve according the Law, but by the Spirit of grace. 

We're not afraid of the Law because we are under grace!

Prayer: Thank you, O Lord, for the wonderful grace of Jesus!  And, thank you for the Law that leads me to grace.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  1 Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise? 3 Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! 4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, 5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. (Psalms 106:1-5)

Along with Me

Daily Reading:  Galatians 2

Scripture Focus: I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. (Galatians 2.1b)

Devotional Thought: "Never go alone."  That piece of advice was given to me many years ago by a veteran pastor.  He was referring to when I went out to do ministry - hospital calls, nursing homes, other visits and functions of the pastorate - I should always take someone with me.  The 'never' and 'always' are impractical, of course, but it is a good principle. 

The Apostle Paul modeled this principle in his ministry.  On almost every recorded occasion of ministry, Paul had someone else with him.  He learned that practice, of course, from the Master himself!  Jesus took his disciples with him wherever he went, and he let them stretch their apostolic wings under his tutelage.

When Paul had to go to Jerusalem to settle a dispute with the elders of the church, he went with Barnabas, taking Titus along as well.  Barnabas was a Jew.  He was probably older than Paul and had been a Christian a lot longer than Paul.  As a matter of fact, Barnabas had been instrumental in Paul's spiritual and ministerial development.  Titus, on the other hand, was a Greek.  He was younger - both in physical years and in spiritual experience - than Paul, who had served as an instructor and supervisor to him.  This shows that Paul was always learning, and always teaching.

I have been taught to ask myself two important questions: "Who is discipling me?"  And, "Who am I discipling?"  How would you answer those questions?  If you don't have a mentor who is leading you to higher heights, ask God to provide someone!  Seek out relationships that will enhance your understanding and broaden your perspective.  And, if you aren't discipling someone else, open your eyes, for - as Jesus said - "The fields are white unto harvest."

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the people whom you have sent into my life to help me grow in spirit and in service.  Help me to be a positive influence in someone else's life, too, that they may grow in g wisdom and knowledge and grace.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  37 Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribes who stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night. 40 They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. 42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant. 43 So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. 44 And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil, 45 that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD! (Psalms 105:37-45)

Division of Labor

Daily Reading:  Galatians 1

Scripture Focus: Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead... (Galatians 1.1-2)

Devotional Thought: Today is Labor Day, so let's consider the Division of Labor we find in Galatians 1.

Paul was an apostle.  Yet, Paul had not met Jesus while Christ walked on this earth in his incarnate body.  A careful reading of Acts 1 reveals that an apostle had to be an eyewitness of Jesus - to have personally known Jesus - not just heard about him through the witness of others.  So, how could he make the formal claim of apostleship?

Paul's apostleship wasn't from man.  Paul was careful to point out that his authority did not rest on any ecclesiastical body.  Human authority had actually cause him to persecute Christ and Christians.  Nor was his apostleship through man.  While Paul had heard about Jesus through the Christians he had persecuted, none of those testimonies had convinced him that Jesus was the Son of God.

So, how did Paul become an apostle?

It was through Jesus Christ.  Though Christ had ascended to the Father and no longer walked on this earth in his human body, he appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus.  And when he appeared he commissioned him in his apostleship!  But it was also through God the Father.  The same power that raised Christ from the dead also raised Paul from spiritual death.  That power was from God.

The same thing is true today.  We need to remember that when we testify to others about the grace of God.  The power to convince others does not rest in us.  That power is from God.  We want our family and friends to know Jesus, so we bear witness to his saving grace.  But, we must pray and depend on God to do the work of convincing and converting.  When we try to do it, it becomes coercion - never a good thing!

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for saving me, and for giving me the wonderful privilege of bearing witness to your amazing grace.  Help me to allow you to do your work of convincing and converting the lost.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And the LORD made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. 25 He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. 26 He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They performed his signs among them and miracles in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they did not rebel against his words. 29 He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die. 30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. 31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. 32 He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land. 33 He struck down their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. 34 He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number, 35 which devoured all the vegetation in their land and ate up the fruit of their ground. 36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength. (Psalms 105:23-36)