04.28.09
“FAITH IS SPELLED R.I.S.K.”
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This devotions was written by Os Hillman, Today God Is First
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FAITH IS SPELLED R.I.S.K.
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“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matt 14:29-30).
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Jesus told Peter to get out of the boat. There is always a risk when we attempt something never done before. Naysayers seem to come out of the wood work. Why? Because it’s not their vision, it’s yours. Sometimes we fail the first time out. It’s a fact that most entrepreneurs fail before they are really successful.
“Success,” said Winston Churchill, “is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” Everybody fails. It’s part of the process that leads us to maturity and success. Most successful entrepreneurs don’t think of their failures as defeats. They think of them as lessons.
If you hope to succeed, learn everything you can from your failures. In The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar, Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams observed, “Our experiences may not all be triumphs and successes, but so what? Failure is usually a far better teacher than success – if we are willing to learn the lessons. As Houston Astros pitcher Larry Dierker observed, ‘Experience is the best teacher, but a hard grader. She gives the test first, the lesson later.’”*
God never gets mired in our past failures. He is constantly viewing our lives with future success in mind. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isa. 43:19). Someone once said, “When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you’re headed for the grave.” God wants to give us new dreams that are bigger than anything that has ever happened to us in the past.
Don’t let past failures keep you from future successes.
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*Pat Williams and Jay Strack, The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar (Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 2004), p. 103.
04.08.09
“BAND OF THE SURRENDERED”
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BAND OF THE SURRENDERED
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Mark 14:36 NIV
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
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Matthew 12:46-50 NIV
6 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.
50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
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In the marketplace of competing agendas, the idea of surrendering one’s will is strange concept. Divesting from one’s right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness is such an un-American ideal. But when we look at the heart of Jesus, and the history of salvation; the yielding of one’s will to God’s higher promptings is absolutely critical in the pursuit of Kingdom life, liberty, and joy.
Jesus points the way for us. As the cup of suffering is placed before Him, Jesus first prays for its removal. But in the very same breath, surrender to the higher will of His Father is intentionally chosen. To do His Father’s will has been the driving engine of his life and ministry; the very food by which He is sustained and in which He delights (cf. John 4:34).
As one wholly surrendered to the will of God, Jesus is able to re-establish the boundaries of identity and loyalty. No longer is one’s inclusion amongst the people of God based on genetics. No longer is one’s filial status unchallenged as the primary marker for loyalty. A new solidarity is established; one which revolves around having surrendered to the will of the Father. When Jesus mother and brothers go to “collect” him, thinking he is making a fool of himself; Jesus points to his disciples and declares that they are his mother and brothers. For like Himself, they belonged to the band of the surrendered; wholly surrendered to the will of the Father.
We too will not fail to face the challenge that Christ and the disciples encountered. Will we opt to find solidarity amongst those seeking their own agenda, or within filial loyalty contexts? Or will we derive energy and delight in surrender to the Father’s will; and find that we too are counted amongst the band of the surrendered?
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you muse on the beautiful character of Christ; that though in very nature God, he knew how to surrender His will. Will you muse on the costly sacrifice of Christ, that He would drink from the cup of suffering out of that surrender? All for His father, and for us.
- Will you take stock of all the agendas that compete for your loyalty? Your own desires, the expectations of family, friends, employers, etc. Will you demote them in order to prioritize the will of the Father in your life? As you surrender, will you listen in faith knowing that God will clarify His will for you?
- Will you draw strength from others who belong to the band of the surrendered? Will you seek and offer encouragement, knowing that God is able to fulfill His higher promptings in all our lives?
This devotional written by Pastor Martin
04.06.09
“ON THE RIGHT ROAD”
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ON THE RIGHT ROAD
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Matthew 5:10-12 NIV
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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Psalm 119:156-157 NIV
156 Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.
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Navigating through a complex system of foreign highways is a challenging feat, even with a GPS. It is important to know that you are on the right road. Pastor Earl Palmer used to use that very phrase, i.e. on the right road, to translate the idea of Matthew’s beatitudes. You are on the right road when one hungers and thirsts for righteousness; when they are poor in spirit; when they choose to be meek, etc.
When the terrain becomes difficult to traverse, it is even more important to know that you are on the right road. When others come to accuse, threaten, and persecute for choices made in and for Christ, the temptation is to ask oneself…did I do the right thing? The writer of the book of Hebrews unpacks his whole letter in response to that very situation. Jesus, knowing what it means to walk through persecution, reminds his disciples that this is part of the all inclusive package deal of discipleship.
Those who find the fist of persecution coming their way must run to some kind of refuge. Those who have stood up for Christ in the midst of impending persecution, that refuge is God’s compassion and God’s statutes. For God will not sit idly by; but will comfort and vindicate those step up to affirm His Word and ways.
We who have chosen the road of discipleship will find that the net result of the persecution will amount to rejoicing. But not a flippant celebration, clueless to the circumstances. Rather a tearful praise, knowing the cost of faithfulness to God’s revealed statutes. When we find that we are paying the discipleship cost of persecution, we find that we are on the right road; the very road of our Lord and Savior.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you praise and rejoice in the amazing humility of Christ? That the Holy One Himself would willingly suffer persecution at the hands wicked men for the sake of God’s word and will? Will you praise God Father for the consummate vindication of His Son and His Word?
- Will you resolve to trek on the right road; even if it means encountering insult and injury for His names’ sake? Will you ask for a strengthened and purified discipleship?
- Will you pray for those who accuse and throw stones at you? Will you ask God to guard your heart from any bitterness or retributive rage? Will you pray for deep comfort and perfect peace?\
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
04.03.09
“HYPERBOLIC FORGIVENESS”
HYPERBOLIC FORGIVENESS
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Matthew 18:21-22 NIV
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
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Luke 17:3-5 NIV
3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
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It is oft said that to sin is human; to forgive is divine. There is some truth in that sin and the painful consequences of sin are so endemic to human concourse. Carried within the spiritual DNA of a person, it is seemingly transmitted in every touch; like the oil on one’s finger which leaves fingerprints of sin. Sin is a direct function of our broken humanity. And yet to forgive is divine. Divine as in somehow transcendent beyond to the gravitational pull of sin. True forgiveness is not sourced in mere human ability. For when pushed to the limits of true love, human ability to truly forgive falls short.
Jesus makes sure His disciples understand how high and above true God empowered forgiveness is. He uses hyperbolic language to demonstrate how futile human forgiveness is; and how true forgiveness means tapping the transcendent source. Peter comes to Jesus, chest swelling with spiritual pride. “How many times shall I forgive, up to even seven times” He asks. Two and a third more than the limit that even the highly righteous Pharisee would declare, Peter has outstripped the limits of even those highly spiritual leaders. What a shock it must have been to have Jesus blow his ignorant pride out of the water. Not seven times, but seventy time seven.
That same message, put in another context was when he tells his disciples, if your brother sins against you seven times in the same day; but asks for forgiveness each time; forgiveness is to be given without condition.
Having heard this, the apostles immediately cry out in a prayer, “Increase our faith!” Given the absurdity of difficulty level; this is not something human ingenuity can achieve. It is hyperbolic language to describe a genuine truth; this is what forgiveness begins to look like. True forgiveness, which flows from God. Such dramatic forgiveness do we encounter in Christ, that in comparison to that which we are called to forgive…even a trickle of the overflow of God’s mercy and compassion will not fail to empower deep forgiveness. Is it not the Lord’s intention; to blanket the many transgressions of the world with hyperbolic forgiveness? Is it not within our purview to overflow this kind of forgiveness as we tap into His transcendent love?
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you not praise and worship God who has washed every stain with hyperbolic forgiveness?
- Will you listen for God’s prompting in asking for forgiveness today? Not only from God Himself, but from others? Will you put your weight on God’s seventy times seven level of forgiveness?
- Will you think of those who have hurt and marked you with their sinful touch? Will you ask for an increase in faith commensurate with a disciple of the Lord Jesus? Is there anyone specific you need to forgive?
This devotion was written by Pastor Martin
03.17.09
“DISCIPLE PATRICK”
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DISCIPLE PATRICK
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Matt 28:18-20 NIV
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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Today is the day when many in the English speaking world don upon the color green, post up decorations of shamrock and leprechaun; and generally celebrate all things Irish. I’m speaking of course of St. Patrick’s day.
However, like Christmas, the holiday’s celebrations don’t seem to quite match up with it’s roots . What was once a holy-day in remembrance of a profoundly influential missionary to Ireland, has been largely reduced to rituals of commodified culture; a communion meal reduced to a plate of corned beef and a pint of Guinness.
But if we were to reflect on the historical Patrick, we would find a man who echoed the love and passion of Christ himself. His story, taking place during the latter half of the fifth century is one of missionary zeal and ultimately discipleship. Abducted from his native Whales by Irish raiders at the age of sixteen, he worked as a captive slave for six years. His faith grew during his captivity, and through God’s guidance was able to escape and make an arduous journey home and freedom. Just a few years after returning home, he had a vision of an Irish man named Victoricus carry a letter to him, which upon reading echoed the cry of the Irish people to come and “walk among us.” In faith, and by calling, Patrick returned to lifelong sojourn in Ireland to make disciples of his former pagan captors.
Many of the stories of his exploits are no doubt the stuff of legend (e.g. banishing all snakes from Ireland, etc.) But what we do know is that his missionary activity resulted in thousands of baptisms, establishments of Christian communities, even beatings and imprisonments for ministry done in Christ’ name.
He went by the name, Patrick Daorbae; “Patrick the enslaved” (as the second gaelic portion of his name is translated). Enslaved by whom, one might ask? Yes, he was formerly enslaved by the very people whom he risked his life to reach in Christ. But all the more, he enslaved by choice to the one who purchased his redemption by shed blood on the cross. Though he is referred to as a saint, he never was formerly canonized by any Catholic pope. But by his life and testimony, we could give him the title “disciple,” having gone to make disciples of his former Irish captors, baptizing them in the Triune name, and shaping a whole culture to obey the ways of Christ.
How might our lives, much less our celebrations change as we remember both Patrick, and Christ today this eighteenth day of Lent?
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, would you bow in worship before your King; the King of Kings who chose to suffer the shame and death of a slave; in order to free you from the bondage of sin & self; Satan & hell?
- Will you reflect on the “cloud of witnesses”; i.e. the disciples of the generations that gone before us; how our lives and cultures have been so irrevocably touched through their lives of costly love? How might God be calling you to echo the disciple’s commission of Christ in your life?
- Would you lift up persons and peoples up in prayer who have yet to be reached by the gospel of Christ? That God would raise up modern day Patrick’s, to win them to Himself?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
03.12.09
“SWITCHING YOKES”
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SWITCHING YOKES
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Matt 11:28-30 NIV
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
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Jer 6:16-17 NIV
16 This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
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Sometimes in a crisis, there is a natural urge to save yourself by just working harder. Whether it’s the student who pulls successive all nighters or the bread winner of a family who takes on a second job to make ends meet, an increase in sheer labor is a common route in seeking salvation.
Such was the prevalent ethos at the time Jesus arrived at the scene. Under brutal occupation by the Romans, their religious leaders told them that if they but get their religious acts in order, that God would then fulfill His promises to save. The Essenes even moved out to the desert as a remnant community; believing that if they could just practice Sabbath perfectly, that it would almost force God’s hand to move on their behalf. The Pharisee’s stayed amongst the people, outlining some five thousand plus rules to get the people into spiritual shape. This with the underlying assumption that the way out of the crisis is to work harder spiritually.
To a people suffering under the oppressive yoke of legalistic demands, Jesus opens his arms and declares with bold authority, “come to me… and I will give you rest.” The Sabbath rest that they were really seeking was not to be found on the road of spiritual productivity; rather in the very person of Jesus. Soul rest is not something that is earned after a season of terrorizing toil, rather it is a gift from the only person who could give it; the Lord of the Sabbath.
But the salvation and rest we are longing for does not come in mere freedom; rather by way of switching yokes. Rejecting the oppressive yoke which chafes and embeds splinters in our neck, Jesus bids us to take upon His yoke. Jesus’ call for us to switch yokes however is not tantamount to an appeal to pick our poison. For the Lord of the Sabbath makes invitations here to learn from Him; to walk the road He walks. He is the gentle servant long prophesied (Isa.42:3); whose authority flows from a core of humility. And the yoke He bids us take has been expertly crafted to match the contours of our soul.
When we don upon His yoke, there is labor and productivity involved. But the labor is light, and the productivity (so to speak) is maximized. Rather than wandering in circles, walking the path marked by Jesus’ footsteps truly leads us to deep, soul satisfying rest.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you honor and worship the Gentle Servant, Humble Savior who submitted Himself to the unjust yoke of illegitimate authority; wicked men who nailed Him to a cross…all in order to give you rest. Will you tell Him how much you prize and adore Him?
- Will you respond to His invitation to switch yokes? Where have we served false masters, logged illegitimate hours of spiritual work? Will you ask Jesus to show you His way; and will you ask for His promised rest to come upon you?
- Do you know of others who are shackled with idolatrous yokes? Will you pray that in their weariness and burden, that they would be brought face to face with the Lord of the Sabbath?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
03.11.09
“POWER OF THE MEEK”
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POWER OF THE MEEK
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Ps 37:7-11 NIV
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret–it leads only to evil.
9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace
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Matt 5:5 NIV
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
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Few fathers would tell their sons that the best way to deal with troublesome bullies on the playground would be to be meek. In our day and age, the word is synonymous with being spineless, docile, weak. For the perception is, on the playground might makes right. In a competitive environment, goods and rights must be grasped; for there are only winners and losers…decided by use of mental, fiscal, and physical force. When even the gentle of heart finally surrender to this belief, they lash out unrestrained violence.
And so is Jesus clueless or irresponsible in declaring that in response to persecution and hatred, that the route of victory is that of meekness? Is he genuinely aware of the world in which we live, or is he just spouting off nice platitudes to appease church ladies in their Sunday best? Or does He know something we do not? Has He bought into a different operating system for the way the world really works? Could it be that He is echoing something that was known by the people of God all along?
In Psalm 37, the Psalmist is profoundly aware of the violence all around. Surrounded by godless, unspeakably violent nations; as well as the wicked within their borders; the question of how to live in the violent land was of meaningful concern. In response, the Psalmist charts out a path which includes trust, reticence, and peace. For the playground is not a free for all; there is a Sovereign God watching and operating as Judge. We are called to trust in His justice and mercy; and not take vengeance into our own hands. The twin demons of anxiety and anger, worry and wrath are to be abandoned for the sake of an all encompassing peace: an already great shalom which awaits full consolation by the Sovereign Judge.
Being meek does not mean being weak. It means that restraining a violent strength that clamors to be unrestrained. In a way, meekness reflects a greater strength. Jesus who has legions of angels who must have been spoiling to join the fray, instead submits to the weak and violent authorities (Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas) who believe themselves to be in power. It is Jesus who exhibits the greater power, one which is able to hold heart and hand in check because it hasn’t surrendered to the belief that it’s only a free for all on the playground.
The meek don’t stand by cowering in fear when others are being oppressed. The meek don’t shy away from confronting evil out of sheer timidity. They face it down with faith and moral force; even to the point of taking up a cross. For in order for the meek to be meek, they have tapped the strength of the Father in Heaven. And instead of the violent wicked who will have earned themselves but retributive justice, the meek are guaranteed to inherit heaven and earth; even the fullness of the Kingdom.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you bow before the Judge of all the all the earth; who watches every word, deed, and intention of the heart? Will you subscribe to His sovereign rule over your life, and over the “playground”?
- In reflection, where have you grasped for your agenda with force and violence vs. trust and obedience? Will you repent: turning away from wrath and worry, will you ask for God’s redeeming touch?
- Will you pray for a greater strength to bubble up from within? One which doesn’t cry out for vengeance, but that is able to outlast and outheal the wicked , through great peace?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
03.09.09
“DOWN THE MOUNTAIN”
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DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
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Deut 1:6-8 NIV
6 The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers–to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–and to their descendants after them.”
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Matt 17:1-4 NIV
17:1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
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For the long traveled and weary, the idea of just settling down is a tempting one. The inconveniences of traveling on an extended journey can outweigh the early joy of adventure; and even undermine the very purpose of setting out in the first place.
In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the generation who having wandered for forty years in the desert and are poised to advance finally into the promised of the sinful recalcitrance of the previous generation. Having been told to advance, they balked; not only at the final step, but even along the way. They preferred the “comfort zone” of Sinai, over faithful forwarding to the task of conquering the land. They chose to stay on the mountain, rather than take to the road in trust and obedience.
The temptation to linger too long on the mountain is one in which the disciples were in danger. On another mountain in the book of Matthew, Moses and Elijah show up to pow wow with Jesus. Peter’s immediate response is to think of putting up shelters for an extended stay. Jesus knows better. He bids them to get up, and treks down the mountain; taking the road which leads invariably to the cross.
The mountain top experiences are no doubt necessary for our knowing and growing our God. But it is but part of the dialectic of faith; the already but not yet dynamic where our journey is not yet finalized. There is land to be conquered, crosses to be taken up.
Our Lord and Savior comes down the mountain. He lingers not in that comfort zone, but keeps trekking; treading down the road that leads to the Via Dolorosa; to Golgotha; through death and the grave. But that was neither His, nor our ultimate destination point. He rises again, ascends upon high in the clouds; ready to call those to Himself who are willing to also come down the mountain.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you bow the knee before the High King who stepped down off his “mountain top” throne; to bear the suffering, sin, and shame of those in the valley; all to bring them up to Himself? Who is like unto our God?
- Will you reflect on: what is your comfort zone? What shelters have you made on what mountain tops, in order to avoid cross & Kingdom conquest? Will you ask God for conviction and courage to tread the roads He bids you tread; and promises to accompany you on?
- Is there anyone you know who is stuck on their journey; whether by fear or confusion? Will you pray that God reveal His love and power to them? Will you be willing to pray, and even journey along with them at Christ’s behest?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
03.03.09
“BANKRUPTCY & BLESSING”
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BANKRUPTCY & BLESSING
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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God” Matthew 5:3
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23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
Matthew 18: 23-27
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Whether it be for a business, or an individual; the filing of Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy code usually signifies a recognition of failure in the current financial structure. Failure in the ability to the projections to repay debt to creditors, as well as some measure of failure in the fiscal model employed to date. Chapter 11 provides for some measure of protection, in order that reorganization can happen; as opposed to simple liquidation. In the right circumstances, it can provide a new lease on life for entities in dire distress.
Along those lines, acknowledgement of spiritual bankruptcy before our primary creditor, Holy God, both prompts reorganization of soul and life, and offers a new lease on life and life eternal. The gospel writer Matthew in his gospel uses the analogy of monetary debt to illustrate our spiritual predicament. In his version of the Lord’s prayer, forgiveness is couched in the language of nullifying debt. In the parable of the servant who owed ten thousand talents (multi-millions dollars in our currency), it is only when the servant both acknowledges his debt and pleads for mercy, does his master-creditor decide to absolve him; not only of the just penalty of the debt, but the principal and interest due him as well.
Likewise, when we both acknowledge our sin before God, and plead for mercy do we find that the principal of our spiritual debt, and the huge penalty coming our way is marked “PAID IN FULL”. Paid, not in the currency of dollars, pesos, or yen; but in blood…the body and blood of Christ, given and shed for us. This payment is so massive, that it not only covers for our unpayable debt; but we become recipients of a priceless Kingdom; just given to us by unspeakable grace.
Spiritual bankruptcy acknowledges the failure of the current spiritual structure, and provides for God’s solution: forgiveness and mercy. But it also provides a new “lease” on life, whereby drastic reorganization is in play. The Kingdom has been given, paid for in the costly coin of the cross. But how many of us reneg on the new lease; whereby our lives are no longer our own.
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- This morning, will you approach the throne of cosmic shaking grace, and fall before the nail pierced one seated there; in thanksgiving and worship for the costly price paid for your life.
- Will you reflect on: where have you yet to declare spiritual bankruptcy? Where are you still trying to atone for, and create spiritual wealth apart from God? Will you bring them all to God, asking for forgiveness; with hands and hearts ready to receive the Kingdom?
- Will you ask God, “As you are my Master, where do you want me to reorganize my heart & life?” Are there any investments or habits that God wants you to restructure? Are there any “debtors” to you that God wants you to forgive? Will you gladly obey His directives?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
02.28.09
“DESERT DISCIPLINES”
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DESERT DISCIPLINES
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Deut 8:1-5 NIV
8:1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. 2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
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Luke 4:1-4 NIV
4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
For those of us who have had “disciplinarian” fathers, the idea of having a God who disciplines can evoke emotions of dread; memories of cringing and penalty. However, the language of discipline in the scriptures operate in arenas beyond mere crime and punishment. For a good father does far more than correct wrong behavior, he proactively trains his child with what he needs to thrive in the challenging environments to come.
It is within this model of training we find Israel as God’s son, experiencing the disciplining love of Yahweh God. Humbling and testing in the desert, where the very experiences of hunger and provision seal in a higher discipline; that of trust and obedience. As the book of Hebrews declares [cf. Heb.12:7-11], only true sons receive this kind of discipline/training; the lack of which marks illegitimate sonship.
Jesus knows this all too well. Having been thrust into the desert for 40 days of hunger and testing, the devil comes and challenges Jesus’ sonship. “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread,” ala, would a loving father give you a stone if you were to ask for bread? To which Jesus correctly responds, “Man does not live on bread alone,” ala there are higher disciplines my Father would work in me that I submit to completely. As the “Son of God,” Jesus was to fulfill a higher task; Messianic ministrations leading him to be stretched out and nailed to a cross.
How humbling it is to know that even Jesus God’s Son was disciplined in the desert, trained through hunger and suffering; and found to be a true Son. Whom among us could declare as He did, “Man does not live on bread alone,” while rejecting the disciplining love of God which thrusts us into the desert. But for those of us who submit and embrace, how will not our sonship be refined and revealed?
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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
This morning, will you approach the Father of Higher Love with a heart willing to submit and receive training. Will you hear the encouragements of the Son of God echoing the Father’s words, “you do not live on bread alone.”
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As you continue with your Lenten fasting, will you center your practice in the context of training for righteousness? Will you shrug off any notion that God is somehow wickedly amused by self-deprivation; but rather give yourself anew to the intentional pursuit of trust and obedience in God’s word?
This devotional was written by Pastor Martin
