The Measure of Our Days

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised. Song of Solomon 8:6-7

What is the greatest force in all the world? We can think of many things-tsunamis, tornados, hurricanes, nuclear weapons, volcanoes, earthquakes, and more-but the most powerful force in the world is love.

Look at God's description of love that He paints for us in our verses today. There are seven pictures for us in these verses of what our love relationship with God should look like.

First, it is personal. He says, Set me as a seal upon your heart. This is referring to the king's signet ring, a mark of identification as personal as our birth certificate or social security number. It is everything that defines who we are, now defined by and sealed by the identity of Christ.

Second, it is powerful. Throughout scripture, the arm is a symbol of strength. And here in these verses we see that love binds God's strength and our strength together-us holding fast to Him and Him being our strength for all our needs.

Third, it is permanent, as permanent as death. Nothing can beat death accept the love of our Savior who is more powerful and permanent than death.

Fourth, it's possessive. God is a jealous God, and His jealousy is fierce as the grave, yearning for our hearts to belong to Him alone. How jealous is your heart for Him?

Fifth, it's passionate. His love burns so passionately that He is called an all consuming fire. His love for us defines who He is. Can you say the same about your love for Him?

Sixth, it perseveres. We've seen a lot of floods in America in recent years. Katrina drowned a whole city. But not even those waters, not even all the waters of the ocean could put out the flame of God's love.

Seventh, it's priceless. Consider all that God's love is, and then know that you could never buy it, not with everything you have.

Come and experience this love the Lord has for you today; then love Him the same way in return.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

You love me, and that's just incredible to me. Please help me to receive Your love in every way that You show Your love to me, and then help me to love You back, all day every day, with everything I have.

Amen

Wrong Way Worship

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all at the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Hey, listen up, there's something I want you to know.

That's how Paul started 1 Corinthians 10. I think that's an interesting way for him to start this chapter. In some translations, it says, I don't want you to be deceived. And cer-

tainly if Paul thought it was important to know, then we should make it important to know as well.

He wanted them to know about Israel and how they got tripped up and distracted by idols, how they didn't even make it into the Promised Land. He names some of them in the next few verses so that we can make sure we stay free from them and avoid the same fate as those Israelites.

First, he names lust. It's an idol, lust. Sexual immorality, that's an idol, too, just a click away on your computer. Guys, gals, I'm telling you, get the help you need to keep this idol from destroying your life. Don't let it trip you up.

Second, he names tempting Christ. It's an idol, but what does it mean? It means taking the things God has given you for granted, even hating them, and wishing you had never come out of the world. That might be a surprise for some of you, because the way you're living, it's like you haven't come out of the world yet. Come out of the world, then be thankful for what God's done for you.

Third, he names complaining. Yes, complaining. It's an idol, taking your eyes off of God and all He's done for you and yelling at Him like He hasn't made things good enough for you. So what's the point of all this? I mean, surely you and I aren't going to fall into idolatry,

right? Well, don't be so fast, because Paul warns us to take heed, lest we fall.

In other words, we shouldn't just pass ourselves on this test and assume that we're okay. What we need to do instead is look to Jesus, because the point here is that we can't do life God's way by ourselves. We need help-His help.

Will you humble yourself today, asking God to help you live for Him?

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for giving me the Israelites as an example so that I can learn from their mistakes. Please help me today and every day to live for You, staying away from all idols and worshiping You alone!

Amen

The Losses of Lawsuits

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? ...Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? ...I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? 1 Corinthians 6:1-3,5

What is one of the biggest problems our society has today? Dishonor.

Dishonor is defined by the me first mentality, the attitude that puts self first before all else and refuses to consider the broader impact of our actions and decisions.

One ultimate expression of dishonor in the Church is bringing lawsuits against fellow believers. We need to take this matter seriously, and I will give you four reasons why.

First, it dishonors the family of God. When we insist on putting ourselves first, even if we have suffered wrong, instead of preferring one another and being thankful for what we have, then it dishonors the whole family. It is especially shameful to bring our disputes before unbelievers, as though they are somehow more capable to decide justice than a wise believer with the Spirit of God living in them.

Second, it dishonors the future. Paul says, Do you not know that we will judge the entire world, and the angels as well? Certainly we can judge cases among ourselves! Do not forget who you are or think yourself unworthy to hold the gavel and bring justice, for one day you will even judge the angels! Begin to practice now what will then be perfected.

Third, it dishonors the fellowship between you, your spouse, your kids, your business, or any other relationship you have had which you are now trashing by taking that person to court. We go to court trying to make things right, but we do more harm than all the good we could possibly ever get back.

Fourth, it dishonors the forgiveness we have already received. The truth is that when we bring our issues to court, refusing to forgive those who have wronged us, then we are dishonoring the forgiveness we have received. We have been forgiven, and so we must forgive.

No matter what, we lose more in a lawsuit than we gain. Above all, we lose our witness and trash the holy name of Jesus. Flee this dishonor and choose to be thankful, forgiving those who have done you wrong.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for forgiving me, even dying for me after all I did against You. Help me to have that same attitude toward those who wrong me, that I would rather die for them and restore our fellowship than to see them punished for the wrong they did.

Amen

When the Church Gets It Wrong

For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, Lbackbiting, whisperings, conceits, tumults. 2 Corinthians 12:20

Let's get one thing straight-Jesus is perfect, but His Church still sometimes messes up. The problem is when we keep messing up without thinking we're doing something wrong. One of the biggest ways that the Church can mess up is in thinking that it's all about us. It sounds like this, Well, the music was too loud/quiet/fast/slow/modern/old/etc. I didn't like the preaching and it wasn't helpful for me. I'll just try a different church next week.

Let me ask you, do we come to church for us? Do we come for others? Or do we come for the glory of God?

I was at a big church once, just sitting in the greenroom before the service, and in this greenroom, they had all of these monitors of the cameras that are in the sanctuary. Now, all these cameras were watching the people as they came in, so all of us in the room were just watching these people who had no idea they were on camera.

All of a sudden, this lady walks in and everybody in the backroom says, Watch her. Watch her right now. Watch this.

All the cameras in the sanctuary focused in on this gal as she walks in, and here's what she did. She walks into the sanctuary and she starts looking around. She's kind of scoping out the room, but not to find the most comfortable seat where the air isn't too cold or too hot, where the light is just right to see her Bible.

She didn't walk in with that; you could just see it in her countenance that she was praying about where God wants her to sit. Suddenly, she notices in the front right corner of the sanctuary this elderly lady sitting all by herself. And she goes out of her way in that corner of the sanctuary to walk down the aisle and over the pews and through the rows and down over here and plants herself down next to this elderly lady.

And everybody's watching. The cameras are zooming in as she does this. And it wasn't more than a couple of minutes before she had her arm around that elderly lady, praying for her, and the lady starts crying.

Listen, what those cameras caught wasn't recorded on tape, but I hope it is now forever recorded in your heart, that we are coming before the Lord with this heart of taking Him, His house, His Word, and His work most seriously.

And taking ourselves seriously? Please not so much.

Prayer Father God,

Thanks for the reminder that life isn't about me. Please soften my heart to live beyond myself, especially as I gather with my Christian family.

Amen

Holey Moley

I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable. Isaiah 3:4-5

Have you ever been stuck under an incompetent leader? It's frustrating, isn't it? But then have you had a chance to lead after that and couldn't do any better? See, it's very easy to tell when things are not going how they ought to go, but it's much more difficult to know both how to fix it and how to get others to follow you to the solution.

Leadership really isn't an easy thing for most people, which is why our verses today pro-

claim a message with terrible consequences for Israel.

What happened was that all their godly leaders had been replaced with something else.

All their wisdom had been replaced by disrespect as one generation of godly kings failed to pass on their faith to their children, allowing them to grow up completely ignorant of God. Now, I don't know about you, but that sounds a lot like America these days.

That's why we, as a church, are doing all we can to reach out to the next generation, so that we could see God raise up a new generation that seeks to please Him with their lives.

But for those who are raised apart from God, you start wondering, Well, how are they going to run things when they're put in charge? How are they going to treat us? The Bible tells us exactly how they'll treat us-with disrespect and insolence. And if you think about it, you can begin to understand how this was part of what brought the downfall if Israel, because it led the nation in a downward spiral.

So if this is the direction that America could be heading, what do we do about it? Well, if nothing else-not that this is a small thing-for goodness' sake, get your kids to church. We hear the voice of godly leadership in Joshua, who said to Israel, Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Talk with your kids and be the leader in your home. Tell them, Hey, you know what, the world might choose to serve other things, but our family already has made its choice. We serve the Lord. That means we go to church. That means we read our Bibles. That means we pray. And that means don't do the things the world does; we honor God instead.

Don't let the next generation become a curse upon America. Invest in them today so that they learn to love Jesus.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

You are the God of my family and there is no other! Please teach me to raise my children to love and follow You and bring honor for Your name back to America!

Amen

Better Families

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20

Have you ever seen a pet that went to obedience school? It really is amazing the difference between the pets who know they are not in charge and the ones who think they might still have a chance.

All people should have to go through obedience school, too. There is never a time in life when you will not have to answer to someone. You will always have to obey, and the earlier in life you can learn this, the better off you will be.

Training our children to obey us as their parents is one of the best things we can do for them. It will save them trouble with teachers and employers for the rest of their lives, setting them up for good grades, great jobs, and high placement for promotions and raises. Not only that, but when they are trained to obey us as parents, they are trained to obey God as their Father.

To do this right requires work in three areas very early in life. First, children need to accept the reality that they need to obey their parents in all things. This means without fussing, whining, complaining, arguing, or watering down what they were told to do. But I don't want to, does not get to be part of their vocabulary.

Second, children need to understand that their job is to learn. Your job is to teach (and to keep guard that what they learn from others, television programs included, does not violate biblical values), but their job is to learn.

Third, children need to know who they are. Even at the youngest of ages, you can begin to positively reinforce who they are. If you call them the nightmare-strong-willed-devil-child (as I have heard several Christian parents call their children), or even if you call them difficult, then what do you think they will be? Perhaps they acted that way, but your words will reinforce wrong behavior as a deeply held identity. Instead, choose to use words toward them that call them higher, no matter how they live up to it. After all, God calls us overcomers even in the midst of our failures, so we should do the same for our children.

These three areas help to establish healthy boundaries that cause children to flourish without squelching who they are. Hold fast to these things and you will begin to have a better family.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for giving us instructions in Your Word that help us have better families! Please give me wisdom in raising my children and help me to apply the tools You give us in Your Word.

Amen

The Full Surrender

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

I once met a girl named Zoe. It was at a church youth retreat up in British Columbia, and she was about as rough as they come.

Every time I spoke, she walked out on me. Her t-shirts cussed at me. She had so many piercings that it looked like she fell in my tackle box. Her skin was covered in tattoos. She gave off such an unwelcoming feeling that even I, the camp speaker, avoided her until the last day. In fact, I might have avoided her for the whole week except for one thing-I knew a guy who had a daughter named Zoe ripped away from him in a nasty divorce. His ex ran off and took his daughter to Australia and he hadn't seen her since. I had to find out, no matter how much of a long shot it might be, if she was his Zoe.

It was the last mealtime of camp and I got her to sit at my table. I asked her, Hey, small chance, I know, but is your dad a friend of mine from San Diego named Rob? She started to cry. Turns out she was that Zoe, but she didn't stick around long, running off on me again.

The next day was our seven-hour boat ride back to Vancouver, and I sat next to her the whole time, throwing every Bible verse I had ever memorized at her. She finally said, You're a little thick! I want nothing to do with you, or my dad, or your God! Leave me alone!

I felt like a failure, I mean, a complete failure. But the story ends well. I called my buddy Rob and told him about his daughter. He somehow already knew she was there and had bought a ticket to go up there before she headed back to Australia. He found her completely cleaned up, not at all as I had last seen her, and they called me. After the boat docked, I just stayed there all night, she told me, and I thought about everything you said at camp. When the sun came up that morning, it melted my heart and I invited God into my life. Jesus Christ has taken over my life and radically changed me from the inside out!

Listen, maybe you feel like a Zoe, needing to let Jesus Christ take over your life, or maybe you know a Zoe. Maybe your marriage feels lost. Whatever it is, however far beyond reach you feel your Zoe is, remember today that it is not so lost or damaged that God isn't able to redeem and save it.

His arm is not too short to save! Ask God to transform your life and the life of the Zoe you know.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that no one is beyond Your reach! I pray for my Zoe today, that You would send someone to them, even if it's me, to reach them and bring them home to Your love!

Amen