Rethinking Rebellion

Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.' Daniel 3:15-16

Their lives were on the line. All they had to do was dance when the Pied Piper played his little tune. It was as simple as going along with the rest of the entire nation. Surely these three Hebrews would bow to the golden image. After all, it would be wrong to disobey their king, right?

Wrong. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw through the lies and the pressure, and they refused to obey a king and a culture that were not in line with God's will.

They stood with God, and not just once; they stood with their God twice. Nebuchadnezzar called upon his entire nation to bow before the golden image he had made, and only these three remained standing. The exalted king of Babylon prepped his furnace, but gave the boys one last chance.

The enemy has not changed his tactics much since the time of this story. He does not tempt us only once, but will keep looking for weaknesses in our defenses, doing anything he can to make us bow before a false God. He works to sweep us away in the trends of the culture, to make us think that we must be just like everyone else. And he whispers, If you will just bow, then good! Everything will be good if you will worship just like everyone else.

How do you respond when you feel the pull to bow to something other than the one true God? You don't. Look at what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say We have no need to answer you in this matter.

Rebel against culture. Stand firm. Give no answer to the enemy. This is our calling as those who belong to God.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You are God above all other gods! I choose to worship You alone. Please show me where I am bowing to any false god and give me strength to stand.

Amen

Better Jobs

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men. Colossians 3:22-23

Are there some things about your workplace that you'd like to change? I mean, do you wake up excited to go to work every day?

Most of us probably do have quite a few things we would like to change about our workplace-even those among us who are owners and employers-but did you know that God has something He desires for your workplace? It's true.

God desires, and has always desired, that your workplace be something just as sacred as the church sanctuary is.

He does not want our lives to be compartmentalized, where one day we go to church and the next day we pretend like the weekend never happened. He does not want there to be a separation in your life between the things sacred and the things secular. He wants to be glorified in everything we do, every day of the week, and in our verses today, He helps us to know how.

First of all, look to the end of our verses. This is where it all starts. Is your life for God or for you? Do you go to work for God or for yourself? When you go to work, are you working like God is your real employer? Because He is. He is your provider, and ultimately whatever service you render to man is actually what you render to Him.

Let me put it this way-if you wanted to get a job working for God and He asked your boss for a reference, what would your boss say? Would he tell God that you're his hardest worker, never late, always dependable, and thorough in your work? Would he talk about the good influence you are on your fellow coworkers, pulling them into a higher standard of excellence as a company? Would he brag on you, telling God that he can't imagine the company without you?

This is the standard we have as children of God in the workplace. This is what faith looks like on Monday through Friday. Then when our actions have set us apart, we can give glory to God, our true Master, and influence our whole company for Him.

Prayer Lord God,

I confess that I have not always taken my faith to my workplace, but I want to live my whole life for You. Please help me to be the best employee I can be, working as unto You with my whole heart.

Amen

The Yardstick of Hardships

Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. 2 Corinthians 11:29-30

How do you measure your life? Many of us have a doorpost somewhere in our house where we marked off our kids' growth, but what do you have in your life to mark your spiritual growth?

I propose today that your hardships can become your yardsticks for measuring life. I know this is a different way of thinking about them, but that's a good thing. So look with me today to the other side of your hardships to the point in time when they become testimonies.

How does your story read? What do you share with people as you're standing in line at Starbucks?

Do you have this thing down, saying, You know what? I used to be living for all the wrong reasons. I used to be very religious, but it was empty and hollow. It never really fulfilled, and I had my attitudes and activities all wrapped up in the wrong things. Problems never went away and my priorities were messed up. But then something happened. That unfulfillment and disappointment was overwhelmed the moment I invited Jesus into my life.

I don't think you have to get overly sensationalistic about it. It doesn't have to be this how-low-can-you-go testimony story. It could be just like generalities. Here's who I used to be. Here's what I used to be involved in. It was never fulfilling. I was disappointed. I was just kind of like all over the map. And then I met Christ. I'll never forget that night when I just prayed-it was a really simple prayer-Lord, take over.'

I confessed with my mouth that I needed him in my life, that I'm a sinner. I never ever in a million years could come up with enough evidence that I deserve anything other than death. And He washed away my sins. He forgave me of every mistake that I have ever made. And since then, oh my goodness.

Yeah, there have still been some problems, but it's different now. God's with me in them and He helps me overcome. And even in the middle of those things, He gives me this incredible peace like I can't even describe it to you.

Is this your story? It could be, as you simply mark out your life by God's faithfulness to you as you go through hardships. And when you share your story with others-imagine this-it can become their story, too, as they invite Jesus into their lives for the very first time.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for always being faithful to me in times of hardship! Please help me to see Your hand at work in my life, especially in the hard times, so that I can testify of Your goodness and lead others into Your kingdom!

Amen

When the Church Gets It Wrong

For I fear...lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbiting, whisperings, conceits, tumults. 2 Corinthians 12:20

Why do you go to church?

I think there are a lot of people who go to church for what they think they can get there. They're like, I feel so depressed; I need that pastor to give a really good word today. If it doesn't speak to me right where I am, I don't know what I'm going to do. Or they say, Wow, what a rough week I've had! I'm really looking forward to the worship time, but I hope they don't play that same song they've sung the past four weeks.

Then there are other people in some churches that it's like they're not even trying to connect with God there, instead busying themselves with gossip and backbiting and creating division within the church.

Some people even do this while pretending to be godly, which sounds something like, Did you hear what that teacher said this morning? I'm not really sure that's biblical. Now, do we need to hold to a high biblical standard? Yes. However, most of the time I've heard people say this, what they're really trying to do is run away from the conviction they felt from the word that was preached, so they pretend the other person is the one with the problem.

And what is the problem in all of these things? It's selfishness, Church, pure and simple.

Just as Paul wrote a list to the Corinthians of what should never happen in church, he gave lists to the Colossians of what should happen, saying, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Do you see the difference here? In what we should do, we have each taken responsibility for our walk with the Lord during the entire week so that when we gather together for fellowship, we all have something to give. To give!

Imagine what church would begin to look like if we all came with something to give. Would anyone lack? Would anyone go spiritually hungry? Would anyone fail to grow in their relationship with God? No, and instead of these things, the body would actually build itself up in a way we have never before seen.

Please, take responsibility for your spiritual walk during the week. Then when you come to church, you won't need to take. In fact, you'll have something valuable to give.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that I have something valuable to give the rest of Your body when I come to church! Please let Your Word dwell in me richly, then give me opportunities to teach others what you have taught me.

Amen

The Promise of the Presence of the Power of the Holy Spirit

Then the LORD said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place. Judges 7:7

Did you ever realize that the places the Bible talks about are real places? They are!

In fact, one trip to Israel that I went on, I went to the spring where Gideon led his men to give them a drink, where God whittled that army down to three hundred men.

While we were there at Gideon Springs, I got up front and I just starting telling the story of Gideon, telling how the story starts with a pretty good-sized army. It begins with 32,000 guys, but God says, You know what; there are too many soldiers in this army for me to give you the victory. This probably sounds strange to us. Usually, the more the merrier, you know, the more guys you've got fighting for you.

But the Lord says, Nope, we need to whittle this thing down. Just go ahead and tell the guys who want to go home to go home. Just like that, 22,000 leave. 10,000 are left.

And the Lord looks out and He goes, You know what, there are still too many guys here, so take them down to the spring. And the spring is still there. You can go and see the same spring that Gideon goes to there. The Lord gives them all a little test there at the water in how they drink it, and only three hundred men drink in the way He was looking for, keeping their heads up and their eyes open, looking out.

And all of a sudden as I was telling this story, a guy starts walking through our team and comes forward and says, I need to be baptized. He followed our crew down into Gideon Springs and got baptized.

You know, I just really think this is a powerful story, seeing how God not just used three hundred men to deliver Israel from the Midianites, but how God used little-old-me to help bring Nick to salvation.

I just really hope and pray with all my heart that that's your life today, that you've invited Him into your life to be your Lord, to be your Savior, to be your King.

And if that is you today, praise God, and I want to encourage you. Sometimes it might seem to you as if you're the minority. Gideon certainly could have thought that. Our team in Israel could have thought that. But God's on your side. You plus God equals a majority.

And if God is for you, who can be against you?

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You that You are with me and for me! Thank You that You see the circumstances that I face and You see how hopeless I have felt. But now that I know You are with me, please help me and lead me to overcome all that I face!

Amen

The Miracle of Giving Up

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Did you know that God waits for you to give before He gives you more? See, He already gave you all you have, but there is a purpose in His giving.

It's not that God gives with strings attached; it's just that faithfulness is important to Him. When He sees that we're faithful with what we have, He knows He can trust us to do the right thing with more.

Our verses today compare our finances with seed and liken giving to sowing. Now, if we're going to sow sparingly, it doesn't give Him much to work with. But if you sow bountifully, He is going to bless you for that and you will reap bountifully, for God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Now, if you've ever wondered what God's perspective is on prosperity, there it is. He's saying that He supplies all things for all sufficiency so that we may abound in every good work. And in all the alls there, don't miss the point-the good works we do with the seed He gives us.

God is saying He will supply seed to the sower, okay? He doesn't say he'll supply seed to the hoarder. He wants to bless you so that you can see this miraculous, faithful hand of His provision showing up in what you have sown.

If you're holding on so tightly, then you're not going to be able to see the fruit of the promise that He will be with you there, that He'll supply for you there, that He'll multiply for you there. He will increase the fruits of your righteousness there so you can be more generous, so you can give more away.

Do you see that word in our verses-liberality? Do you know what that word is? Liberal. You need to become a liberal. And I don't mean politically, but I do mean generously. Become more liberal and generous, so that God can bless you with more seed, so that you can bless more people, so that He can bless you with more seed, and on and on.

You are enriched in everything for all liberality. Find somewhere today where you can be liberal in giving.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for providing for all my needs, giving me more than just enough so that I can sow seed into good ground! Thank You that I can trust You to provide for me as I simply live by what Your Word says!

Amen

Who Do You Love?

Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.' This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me.' John 21:18-19

What if Jesus appeared to you right now and told you that you were going to be martyred for Him? Would that change your love for Him?

That's the test that Peter faced in our verses today. Jesus directly told him that he would one day be crucified as a martyr for Him, but called him nonetheless to follow. How would you respond to this?

Peter's response was to look over his shoulder at John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had leaned upon Jesus' breast at the Last Supper. And, looking at John, Peter said, What about that guy?

Like Peter, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others, justifying ourselves based on how they're living. We look to see how fervently they love Jesus, and then adjust our love level to match theirs. We watch for how passionately and zealously the people around us serve the Lord, how much of themselves they give to Him, and what areas of their lives they withhold from Him.

But Jesus isn't looking at them right now. He's looking at you.

Can you hear Him today? Can you hear Him asking you, Will you follow Me no matter what? Will you give Me all of your life today? Will you live your life based on what I say and what I am asking of you instead of on what other people do for Me?

This is exactly what Jesus said to Peter. He said, What about that guy? I'm talking to you. Will you follow me, no matter where I lead you?

It all comes down to a personal relationship with Jesus. It doesn't matter what everyone else is doing, what are you doing? Do you have that personal relationship of compassion, connection, and commitment in letting God find you, call you, help you, feed you, serve you, and love you?

Will you follow God, no matter where He leads you?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I confess that I might not like all the places You lead me, but I love You more than that. So I choose today to follow You and let You lead me and love me, no matter where that takes us.

Amen