Facing Instability

Read: Psalm 126 & 127

"Restore our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south." Psalm 126:3

Examine:

The work of restoration is a tough process. Whether it is a business, relationship, emotional issue or lifestyle, losing something and then having to start over can be overwhelming. These two Psalms offer four practical steps in enduring through the work of restoration:

1) Make sure that God is leading the process. (127:1)

2) Keep on keeping on when things get tough. (126:5-6)

3) Work hard but do not become obsessed. (127:2)

4) Don't sacrifice your kids in the process. (127:3-5)

Apply:

Unless God is leading the work and is the energy, power, and spirit behind it, it will fail. This means that I have to spend less time doing and more time seeking. It is easy to get caught up in the work and lose sight of God. I need to make sure that I have periodic times set aside to withdraw and make sure that it is God doing the work and not my flesh.

Sowing in tears is a concept that I have to deeply understand and accept. Nothing worth while comes easy. Quitting during the rocky times is a mistake. If I know that I am aligned with God's heart and will, then I must not only endure the stormy times; I have to stay productive in the midst of them.

Hard work is demanded but becoming obsessed does no good. There is no need to run myself in the ground by sitting up late and getting up early because of worry. I need to know that God gives me rest. I have to set reasonable limits and learn to step away from things and rest.

Kids often bear the brunt of their parents frustrations. Hard or stressful times drain my patience and my energy, but the level of patience and energy required to keep up with my kids never decreases. No matter what I face in my life, I need to set my heart to understand that nothing is more important than raising my kids and releasing them well.

Pray:

Father, there is not one single aspect of my life that is stable right now. Everything is simultaneously being torn down or built back. There is no place of rest. From the moment I wake up until the time I lay down I am pressing into something that demands something of me. In the midst of it all, I just want to pause and say thank You.

Your word to me this morning is true. Your voice has led me to the place I am and I celebrate Your sovereignty over my life. You have never been more real and tangible to me than you are right now. I know that the plans You have for me are good. I know that You will make my joy complete in the end if I do not grow weary in doing what is right.

I want to hold fast to You today. Draw me into Your presence, strengthen me with Your grace, and assure my direction with Your voice. I ask that my every step and my every word only serve to bring You glory in my life. The day is coming when my mouth will be filled with laughter and my tongue with joyful shouting. Until then, my heart holds strong to a faith that says "endure".

More Than a Comfortable Life

Read: Psalm 124 & 125

"Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us then they would have swallowed us alive..." Psalm 124: 2-3

Examine:

Overwhelming odds reveal an all powerful God. Lives of control and safety keep God small and controllable. Lives of crazy faith and total abandonment reveal the true greatness of God.

Apply:

My faith is not intended to only be fire insurance for my soul. The power of God is not intended to simply be property and casualty insurance to protect what is mine from the storms of life. I cannot experience the greatness of God and stay in my comfort zone. Following God will carry me into situations that are bigger than me. Saying yes to God is saying yes to Him orchestrating circumstances that prove His greatness.

Pray:

I want Your greatness more than my comfort. The moment my lips part and those words roll off my tongue my flesh convulses with fear and trembling. My rational mind wants to build, strengthen, and protect what is mine. My flesh does not want to relinquish control so it begins to assault my faith with doubts. My enemy fears my life being sold out to You and his attacks are vicious and well timed. Still, I say to You this morning from the bottom of my heart and at the top of my voice; I want Your greatness to fill this earth more than I want comfort to pad my life.

His Word is Never Void

Read: Psalm 120 & 121

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come?" Psalm 121:1

Examine:

The mountains that the Psalmist is referring to are presumably the mountains heading into Jerusalem. As he contemplated a journey to Jerusalem something happened inside of him and he found relief. He chose to head towards the city of God and take his eyes off of his problem. As he did this his focus shifted from himself and landed back on God.

Apply:

Problems come and can really wear me out. The past two weeks have been more than a small challenge to me. Actually, the past month has been quite painful. I have been shaken, stirred, and poured out. My faith has been stretched, tested, and challenged. As this has happened I have been all over the place emotionally. Some days I have responded well and stayed locked in with God. Other days I have fallen off into my flesh and reacted poorly. Psalm 121 is a great reminder of how I need to respond to everyday life.

Regardless of what happens in my life I need to make the choice to lift up my eyes to the heavens and journey towards God. Satan's only hope in his war against me and God is that I will allow the troubles of life to cause me to choose to step away from God. Satan has no power over me if my eyes and my heart are set on God. He knows this. His best and primary strategy is to get my eyes down and focus them on what is not right or fair. He has implemented this strategy on man since the Garden of Eden and is quite skilled in delivering it.

As I step towards God I think it is important that I not think about Him solving my problem, but it is best to just think about Him. As I do this it becomes easy to remember the things that I know of God. His greatness. His majesty. His power. His strength. The scriptures are full of amazing promises about God, His character, and His nature. When I allow my mind to dwell on those things I find that the truth of who God is dwarfs whatever problem I am facing. I stop thinking about me and I start thinking about Him.

Pray:

Wow! The journey of life with Christ is crazy! I never in all my days imagined that I would be sitting where I am contemplating the choices that are before me. Everyday of life is an amazing gift. I am reminded this morning of the importance of lifting up my eyes and looking towards heaven. This world does not contain my reward. Heaven is my home and my reward is an eternity of life in a perfected place, enjoying a perfected relationship with You.

This world and all that is in it is broken and is being done away with. While I am in this world I will face troubles; Your word is clear on that. But Your Word is also clear on the truth that Jesus said I should be of good cheer because He overcame the world. That is what I celebrate this morning. I am an adopted son of the Living God. I am filled with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. The same righteousness that was Christ's has been given to me. You, my Father, have blessed me with every Spiritual blessing I need to complete every good work You desire of me. I will not fear. I will not be shaken. I will walk towards You with boldness because Your Word is never void.

Four Reminders

Read: Titus 3

"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed." Titus 3:1

Examine:

The Cretans were notoriously a people who struggled with the things listed above. Paul encouraged Titus to stand firm in reminding them that their choices needed to be aligned with the new heart they were given through Christ. Paul's intent was for them to live ready to engage God's mission.

Apply:

There are four reminders I am hearing in this morning's text that I need to stick with if I am to be ready for God to use. First, I need to be relationally connected with God. God is not some concept that exists in abstract thoughts. He is a loving creator who has poured out His grace on me. He has adopted me as a son and He desires for me to experience Him in ways that are real, tangible, and personal. I must always press in towards Him and stand firm in a place of true connection with Him.

Second, I need to be engaged in good behavior. The world that I live in does not set the bar very high in terms of what good behavior is. It is becoming increasing easy to find justification for making bad choices. This is easy, but it is not profitable. God's call on my life is not to be legalistic but that I be stubbornly tenacious

in my determination to only make choices that are profitable for me, the kingdom, and others. If a choice does not align with creating profit for these three things then I need to stay away from it.

Third, I need to be clear in my theology. Several times Paul encourages me to stick with statements that are trustworthy. I need to know what I believe, what is worth fighting over, and what needs to be let go. Senseless arguments are of no value and walking away from things I need to stand for is unacceptable. I can only balance these things if my understanding of God's Word is accurate and reliable.

Finally, I need to be relationally healthy. Broken relationships are kinks in my armor. This means two things. First, I need to know when to let a person go. Some people are just broken and need to be left alone with God. Verse ten says to confront them twice and then leave them alone. I can wear myself out and prolong a person's ignorance if I continue to allow them to cause me pain and frustration. Second, it means that I need to be careful to not be the person listed in verse ten. I need to pursue the people in my life in a manner that builds them up, honors God, and edifies me.

Pray:

Father,

As I have sat with You this morning I have felt a peace that has been calming. It is as if You opened up my heart and eased every tension. I sense Your presence and my spirit has been stirred and the stresses in my life have been put in perspective. Thank You for meeting with me today. It is amazing to know that You are alive and active in my life.

I pray that You lead me today to make choices that are in alignment with the four things we have discussed this morning. I want to be connected with You, I want engage in good behavior, I want my theology to be sound, and I want my relationships to be healthy. I submit to You this morning and fully trust in Your grace and power to make these things be true of my life.

Setting My Eyes Straight

Read: Titus 1

"in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago," Titus 1:2

Examine:

The hope of eternal life and the absolute ability to trust in God's promises are the two things Paul called Titus back to in this verse. Titus' mission was revealed in verse five of this chapter. Paul left him to set in order the things that remained and to appoint elders. This was a tough and divisive work. I can only imagine the trials that Titus would face. In the salutation of this letter, Paul is calling Titus to keep his eyes set on the prize of eternal life and the irrevocable promises of God. As the weight of his mission pressed in on him, these two things would be his only constants.

Apply:

My eyes are not currently set on these things. My heart is heavy and my life feels out of control right now. The only certainty I can find seems to be the fact that nothing will be certain. Days twist and turn revealing new struggles and challenges. I retreat to places looking for rest and clarity and seem to find only turmoil and confusion. It hurts. It challenges my thinking, tests my faith, and pushes me to my limits. It is also exactly where God wants me.

God has a call on my life and I am running after that call. To move deeper into that call requires me to move deeper into His heart. Moving deeper into His heart requires a more complete emptying of myself. A more complete emptying of myself requires high levels of discomfort and challenge. God is not silent, He is not sitting on the sidelines, and He is not tormenting me. As a loving Father He is allowing me to struggle so that I may better learn to stand firm and strong. He is removing what is weak and replacing it with what is strong. He is taking away the broken things to which I cling, so that He can secure me with things that can never be shaken.

Pray:

Father, I need to confess my foolishness to You this morning. I feel hurt, isolated, alone and confused. I have allowed this pain to control my thoughts and behavior. The past two weeks have been excruciating. Your word has felt silent, my prayers have felt empty, and my strength has felt exhausted. Feelings are real, but they are not truth.

The truth is that I am never alone. The truth is I am not being beaten; I am being refined. The truth is You are not silent; You are active. I trust You completely. I return to You today to boldly confess that You alone are God of my life and You are worthy of all of my trust and praise. Your voice has led me to the place that I am right now and it is Your unshakable promise to complete Your work that will lead me out from here.

I invite You to continue to have Your way in my life. Open the eyes of my heart to see past the deceptive work of my emotions and allow me to see the true intentions of Your will. The mission ahead of me will require more of You and less of me. The more of You part sounds great. The less of me part requires a painful stripping of things that get in the way. You are good and I trust Your work in my life. Forgive me for forgetting that.

No Brainers

Read: 2 Timothy 1

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Examine:

Timothy did not have to look very far to find a reason to be timid. He was young. He was preaching a message that was counter to everyone's culture and beliefs. His mentor was imprisoned and was nearing the end of his life. Persecution was rampant and there was a steady stream of people leaving the faith. False teaching was compromising the truth and opening the doors for people to believe whatever they wanted. In the midst of these circumstances it would have been easy for Timothy to just hunker down and back up. Paul, sensing this, laid out the charge for Timothy to press into the power, love, and discipline that was available to him through the Spirit in him.

Apply:

My circumstances are quite different than Timothy's but the work of the enemy is the same. As I try to draw near to God my enemy will normally work to produce one of two emotions in me; timidity or apathy. Timidity is lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery and as result it leaves me easily alarmed, cowardly, and shy. When I give into these feelings of timidity it sucks the life out of me and makes me feel weak and useless.

Apathy is the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. Being a follower of Christ is not a mental exercise nor is it a form of meditation and self-realization. The truth of what I believe should ignite in me a great sense of passion, emotion, and excitement. When I allow my heart to become apathetic towards the things of God it becomes easy for me to seek passion, emotion, and excitement in the things of the world.

Prayer:

Power, love, and discipline sound like no brainers when the compared to timidity and apathy yet I often trade the former for the latter. Why? It makes no sense to me Father. I make choices that I do not understand and end up staring in the mirror at a man I do not like. There is nothing in me that desires to be a timid and apathetic man, but I am. I really do not like confessing that to You. My pride is fighting every word I write and my flesh is tearing away at my emotions in a strong attempt to hold me back. But I come to You this morning to confess this to You. Forgive my apathy and my timidity.

Break my heart for the things that break Yours. Stir inside of me a great passion for Your truth. Transform my emotions so that they ignite inside of me an excitement that is visible and attractive. Strengthen me, give me assurance of the things I hope for, and plant inside of me a heart of great courage. I ask You to do inside of me the things necessary to produce the man You desire me to be and use me to accomplish the purpose You have for my life.

Just In Case Conversations

Read: 1 Timothy 3

"I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed..." 1 Timothy 3:14-15

Examine:

Paul's life had taught him many things. One of the key lessons he had learned was to not make any assumptions regarding the amount of time he had on earth or how he would spend it. His realization of how precious and fragile life was caused him to live his life as if he was on borrowed time. He lived clean. He said what he needed to say as soon as he could say it. He did not want to risk dying with things left unsaid.

Apply:

This is a great reminder to me today. Life is short and it is precious. The things that haunt me in life are the things that are left unsaid in my heart. I need to live each day with the sobering realization that I may not see another day of life. I hope and plan on making it for years to come, but in case I don't; my heart needs to be void of things unsaid. There are four conversations that can pile up in my heart: 1) I forgive you conversations. 2) I want to make sure you know how much I love you conversations. 3) I love you to much to let you do this conversations. 4) I need to give God my yes conversations.

Pray:

Father, my heart is complicated. It seems like the things that I do not want it to express flow out effortlessly while the things I want it to express lock themselves down and refuse to budge. I want to live with a clean slate. I ask that You break the bonds of unforgiveness that hold my heart captive so that I can release the things I hold against others. I pray that I not take the people in my life I love for granted and that I communicate my love for them from a truly grateful heart. Confrontation is never easy but it is cruel to sit on the sidelines while a friend self-destructs. Give me the courage I need to have tough conversations and the grace I need to have them in the right way. Above all, I do not want to die without knowing that I have done everything You have asked of me. Help me to clearly hear Your voice today and slow me down so that I can be engaged in what You are doing in my life.

Two Simple Phrases

Read: 1 Timothy 1

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 1 Timothy 1:15

Examine:

Paul never forgot where he came from. He knew his past and fully understood his mistakes. He did not justify them or try to make them sound better than they really were. He owned them. Paul also did not hide behind his past. He did not experience condemnation or find reason to excuse himself from service. Paul fully understood that Jesus saves sinners and puts them into His service.

Apply:

Sometimes it is just good to sit and be grateful. I picked up a journal of mine that I started in 1999. As I read through some of the pages I became grateful that I no longer was the man who penned those words. I became overwhelmed at just how far God has brought me in 11 years. I would agree with Paul today; it is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and put them into service.

Pray:

Thank you. Those are two simple words that You do no hear from me enough. The life I once lived was one of pure rebellion and self-gratification. I have run from You , cursed at You, abused You, and misunderstood You more times than I really want to think about. There have been some dark seasons in my life that fully disqualify me from being anything other than chief among sinners. Through those times You never gave up on me. You never stopped pursuing, You never stopped forgiving, and You never stopped disciplining. I am grateful to You Jesus for the removal of sins.

Lead me. Those are also simple words that You do not hear from me enough. Take the life that I have left and use it as You will. You have an unconditional Yes from me. Whenever, wherever I want my life to make You smile. Set the sights of my life on love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

I love the way You love me.

A Picture That Does Not Match

Read: Colossians 4

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may be able to speak the mystery of Christ..." Colossians 4:2-3

Examine:

Prayer was not a token gesture for to Paul. It was not a nice-to-do or even a good-to-do. It was a must-do. He implored the people of the church to pray. He asked them to devote themselves to continually pray, to be alert while doing it, to keep their hearts grateful in doing it, and to focus their intentions on the spreading of the mystery of Christ.

Apply:

In this passage Paul paints a picture of prayer that does not match my life. "Devoted to continual prayers that are alert, grounded in gratitude and focused on the spreading of the gospel" does not exactly describe my prayer life.

Pray:

Father, there is something missing in my prayer life. There are three things that I feel convicted about in my prayers that I need to confess to You this morning. First, my prayers are way too geared towards personal comfort. Most of my prayers are centered around my life and that is egotistical, self-centered, and lacking in gratitude. I ask that You take my eyes off of myself and open them wide to world in which You have left me as a missionary. Break my heart for the things that break Yours and fill my prayers with a devoted labor to the spreading of the gospel of Christ.

Second, my prayers are not alert. I see this two ways. First, the act of prayer itself is all over the place with me. My mind wonders, my thoughts drift, and my connection with You is intermittent. Second, my spiritual life in general is not alert. It is easy to allow the pace of life to lull me into a catatonic spiritual state. Then something happens and I either miss it or I am ill prepared to act. Help me be alert today. I want my connection with You to be constant and my awareness of You to be life altering. Lead me today. Fill my mind with thoughts that are continually given to You and help me stay focused on the mission field You have chosen for my life.

Finally, my prayers are for my glory. I struggle with what I want to say and inside of me there is a strong urge to sound good when I pray. I want to hear people say amen. I want them to be moved and impressed. This is vanity and pride and I confess it to You as being the ugly sin that it is. I will never be the man You desire me to be until I am a man sold out to seeing You get Your glory. I ask that You set my heart on seeing You get Your glory. I pray that this would become an all-consuming passion for me.

Step away, Step in, and Live it Out.

Read: Colossians 3

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is , seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:1-2

Examine:

Steven Covey says that before we start a work it is helpful to begin with the end in mind. His logic is that you have to know where you are going before you start building or working a plan. In the same way Paul encourages this body of believers to set their sights on the things above and then apply their lives towards it by stepping away, stepping in and living out some things.

Apply:

There is no way I can read Colossians three and justify living a carnal life. I am set free from the restrictions of the law and grace freely covers all sins and that is an absolute fact. My behavior does not affect where I am going but it does affect the ride I experience and the fruit I will enjoy when I get there. Verses 5 through 15 contain two sets of things that I will naturally step away from when I set my sights on the things above. The first set speaks to desires of lust. Sexual sins, sins of greed, and sins of evil desire are all forms of lust of the flesh that should be decreasing in their occurrence in my life. Verses 8 through 10 contains a set of actions that speak to sins of the heart and tongue. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech all make the list and are just as deadly as sins of lust. If I am setting my sights on the things above I will experience a supernatural increase in my desire to step away from these things.

The Christian life is not just about the things that I don't do. The scriptures place an equal, if not stronger, emphasis on the things that I should do. Verses 12 through 17 contain several things I need to step into. These things all are tied to the condition of my heart towards other people. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience should season every thought I nurse and every word I speak. The love of Christ should indwell me and motivate every choice I make. The word of Christ should dwell in me and flow through me to others. If my sights are set on the things of heaven then I will experience a supernatural increase in my desire to step into these things.

The things I step away from and the things that I step into will produce a man with a Christ-like heart and mind. Verses 18-25 lists three very specific places where I should live this out the strongest: My relationship with my wife, my relationship with my kids, and my relationship with people in authority over me. These are the three primary relationships in my life. If these three are good then I can endure almost anything. If anyone of these three experience struggles then my life becomes tough. If two of these three go south my life can become unbearable. The number one thing I can do to secure these vital relationships is to live out the word of Christ in my heart.

Pray:

Father, this is an amazing passage of scripture. It I were limited to one passage of scripture this would be the one that I would choose. There is not single accomplishment in life that I can think of that would compare to the impact that living this passage would have on my life. If I step away from the things listed, step into the things that are encourage, and live these things out in my marriage, in my parenting and in my submission to others then my life will be at peace.

You know that my spirit is not merely willing to do these things; it leaps towards them. You also know that my flesh does not simply look at these things unfavorably; it sets itself against it. This creates a turmoil inside of me and opens up battlefields around me. I pray for Your guidance, peace, and strength. Help me fight this fight and win it for Your glory. Speak to me clearly and guide my choices today.

A Biblical Energy Bar

Read: Philippians 4

"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." Philippians 4:11

Examine:

Chapter four of Philippians has to be one of the most quoted books in the New Testament. "Be anxious for nothing." "Rejoice in the Lord always." "The peace of God which surpasses all understanding." "My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." "I can do all through Him who strengthens me."

This book of the Bible is presented like a little Biblical energy bar for saints who have become weary.

Apply:

I have lived off of many of these scriptures and have often returned to them for strength during times of struggle. As I have sat reading this morning, I am convicted that I often miss out on the truth of these verses. There are a few things which I need to learn.

"Not that I speak from want."-- The scriptures do not exist to supply my wants. The God of the heavens stands ready to supply His mission. I need to speak from a perspective of standing firm in God's call on my life to be about His business. I need to have my heart set on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent and worthy of praise. I need to make sure that my selfish ambition is laid low and that my zeal for the goodness of God to be unleashed on the world is placed first in my life. Then, and only then, will I be able to speak from a position of strength and not merely whine from a position of want.

"For I have learned."-- Those words linger on the page and send a chill up my spine. Learning means a process of tearing down and building up. Learning means allowing circumstances that are beyond my control and liking to flip my logic upside down. Learning means taking chances, making mistakes, falling down, and getting back up again. Learning is not automatic. It takes work, persistence, and experience. Learning means it will not come overnight. I have to commit to the learning process and joyfully accept the reality that the things of God develop over time.

"Be content in whatever circumstances I am."-- Content is defined as being satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else. This means that my goal in life has to shift from wanting more to finding contentment with what I have. My ambition will push me to press hard. Most of the stress I feel in life is not so much the circumstance themselves. The pain is caused by the longing to have something different. I am taken aback when I consider how many of my prayers are tied to a change in circumstances.

Pray:

Father, there are days when the things I feel in my heart seem too complicated for my mind to apply words to them. There is a depth of conviction I feel this morning that I can not identify. I desire to be in the center of Your will, but the thought of the process seems to create inside of me a sense of sadness. I read Your Word and pray but so often am not really seeking Your heart. The truthful confession that I have to make to You today is that I am often looking for the easy button.

I commit to You this morning the things I want and ask that You burn them. I acknowledge to You this morning that You have chosen a learning plan for me and I submit to the process. I also look at my life this morning, recognize the unholy discontent it contains, and confess it to You. Following through with these three simple statements is a task that is far beyond my ability. I cling to Philippians 4:13 this morning, knowing that Christ in me can do all the things You ask of me.

A Battle Stirring Inside of Me

Read: Philippians 2

"Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." Philippians 2:1-2

Examine:

The "if phrases" used in this verse can be better translated in Greek as meaning "since". The Church at Philippi had become divided. They were squabbling and disagreements threatened to split the church. In stead of demanding uniformity by exerting outside pressure in the forms of rules and demands Paul called them to unity by calling them back to the work of the Spirit inside of them. Outside pressure can not change the heart of a man. The Spirit, on the other hand, works on the heart and produces the same mind, maintains the same love, unites in spirit, and focuses on one purpose.

Apply:

The pride in me does not like this verse. The voice of the world hates it and has programmed my flesh to react harshly to it. Everyone is seeking equality or empowerment. Fight for what is yours, take what others are withholding from you, demand equality, and be relentless in your pursuit of your agenda. That is the message of the world and it is those words that stir a battle inside of me as I read this passage. The trick with this battle is the cunningness of my enemy. He knows that I will sniff out behaviors that are obviously against the Spirit so he masks them. He creates blind spots, teaches me to use phrases that sound holy, and provides me with justifications that logically avoid sounding like sin.

That is the importance of my time alone with God in His word. It is sharper than any two edged sword and only it can rightly divide the Spirit from the flesh. I must spend time daily sitting across the table from myself and allow God to help me see me for what I am. I have to allow him to reveal my blind spots, introduce me to the heart behind my vocabulary, and prove the ridiculous nature of my justifications.

The key to winning this battle is found in Philippians 2:1. I can not survive this process if I am not receiving life from Jesus through the Holy Spirit in me. He has to be my sole source of encouragement. He has to be my consolation. He has to be my supply of affection and compassion. When I allow these keys access to my heart they will unlock the strength, energy, security, and passion required to obtain the fruit found in Philippians 2:2.

Pray:

Father, there are areas of my heart that my flesh does not want to me to see. He has hidden them and surrounded them by strong defenses. The voice of my flesh is loud right now. He is hurling threats and promising pain. He is loading his weapons and promising a fight. As Your voice speaks to me this morning my flesh is attacking Your words and trying to snuff them out.

I stand before You right now and push past the threatening words of the coward, traitor, and bully inside of me that Your word calls my flesh. I ask that You to reveal my blind spots, introduce me the heart behind my vocabulary, and prove the ridiculous nature of my justifications. I have sought shelter in these things for far to long and I am no longer satisfied with their inadequacy.

Take me into the heart of my Savior this morning. Fill me with the strength of the Holy Spirit You placed inside of me. Unlock the strength, energy, security, and passion required to pursue the fruit You desire my life to bear.

Work in Progress

Read: Philippians 1

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Examine:

In this letter Paul will challenge the Church at Philippi to live their lives in a manner worthy of Christ. He will raise the bar of their commitment and will likely confront some things in their lives that will need to change. In this verse there are a couple of reminders that he gives to the church right of the bat: 1) He is confident that they will make it. 2) It was God who started the work in them. 3.) God would be faithful to complete the work.

Apply:

I sometimes think of my salvation as something that was in my past. It is very tempting to think my ticket to eternity has been punched, my sins are covered by grace, and I can just chill-out until the end. That is not the case. God has only just begun. My relationship with Him and the transformation of my life did not become complete when I professed Christ as Savior and Lord. My salvation was complete and my sins were taken away but the process of discipleship only began when I became saved. It is critical for me to remember that I am not done. God has a mighty work left to do in me and through me.

Pray:

I am a work in progress and I want to work and progress this week. As we journey together through the book of Philippians over the next few days, I give to You my heart, my mind, my emotions and my preferences. I ask that You give me wisdom and understanding as to the things inside of me that You want to change, redirect, tear down or build up. Raise the bar and increase the stakes for me this week. Move me deeper into Your heart and divide me further from the world around me. Fill me deeper with Your love and allow the light of Christ to radiate more brightly through me. Calm the fears that this prayer creates inside of me and help me find the courage to boldly live out the faith You planted in me.

Sliced and Diced

Read: Psalm 119:153-176

"The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting." Psalm 119:160

Examine:

Any verse from the Bible can be taken out of context when it is viewed in isolation. This Psalmist did not study the word by looking for individual parts that fit his situation or conveniently backed up his beliefs. He absorbed the word in its entirety and came to learn that the sum of all its parts equaled truth.

"The sum of your word is truth" means all of it can be trusted. The totality of God's written revelation is not just true — it is truth. To love the Word is to obey it, and to obey it is allow the Spirit of God to adjust me towards it. The Bible is not a magic book that conveys divine life and earthly prosperity to anyone who picks it up and reads it. God's living Word communicates His life and power to those who read it, meditate on it, and adjust their lives to it because they love God and His Word more than they love their comfort or logic.

Apply:

I have grown up in a world where the Bible has been sliced and diced. Just about everywhere I look I see isolated verses posted on just about everything imaginable. Bridge over-passes, church signs, key chains, bracelets, hats, shirts, and on and on the list goes. I grew up being taught the importance of memorizing verses. I was told these verses could create an arsenal of weaponry to stand against attacks from my enemy. I was trained to read the word daily and try to find things that would help make my day better. I was trained...wrong.

The more I pursue Christ the more I am coming to realize that the things was taught as a kid were only partly true. The piece that was left out was the importance of knowing the Word in its entirety and the loving Its truth at the very core of my being. The entirety of the word almost always presents a radically different picture than a verse or passage viewed in isolation. If I am looking for relief and I have a good enough reference book I can read enough "feel good" scriptures to talk myself into feeling better. That is one of the benefits of the scripture, but it is not the main point.

The main point of God's Word is to transform me from the inside out. That means that most of the time the Word should reveal to me something about myself that needs to change. The Word is always going to lead me to a crisis of belief that forces me to take a stand of faith. It is always going to lead me to die to myself and follow further after God. It is always going to lead me to life, joy, and peace, but it is always going to take me there by a path I least expected.

Pray:

Father, Your ways are not my ways. I know that to be true yet I am often frustrated when You do not perform like I think You should. Your Word is truth and my ways are crooked. I know that yet I am often surprised when I am offended by the truth found in the sum of Your word. The flesh resists the things of the Spirit. I know that to be true and yet I am shocked at the torment I often feel as You move and stir in my life.

Father, I do not want to be me. I came to the cross and surrendered my life because I came to the realization that I am broken, lost, and destructive. Regardless of what my emotions often tell me, my true confession to You is that I want to change. I want to be in the center of Your will. I want to live my life on the edge of my faith and fully engulfed in Your power to change. The only thing that can lead me there is me applying the entire counsel of Your Word to my life and allowing Your whispers to lead me to make different choices. I ask for this from You today. Lead me to leave my sliced and diced Bible in my past. Teach me to pray and live according to the sum of Your entire Word.

The Inclination of My Heart

Read: Psalm 119:97-120
"I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end." Psalm 119:112

Examine:
The Psalmist was all in with God. Regardless of what happened in his life or with his circumstances the Psalmist was committed to sticking with God's law and seeking out God's ways.

Apply:
It is easy to get sucked up in the prosperity gospel. The messages are inviting. Give and it will be given back. Ask whatever you want in His name and it will be done. Say to the mountain be thou removed and it will be cast into the sea. Jesus came that we may have life to its full. It sounds so promising. It dawns a light of hope that ignites the dark skies of lack and warms the coldness of despondency. Many times I have pursued this expression of the gospel and many times I have been left feeling cold, naked, and confused.

There is another form of the gospel that is not so easy to get sucked up in. Take up your cross and follow after me. He who wants to save his life will lose it but he who loses his life for My sake will gain it. In this life you will have troubles but take heart because I have overcome the world. The world will hate you has it has hated Me. Consider it all joy when you encounter trials. Verses of this nature comprise much of the New Testament. Jesus did not sugar coat what it would cost to follow after Him. The writers of the New Testament did not leave behind the chronicles of lives of luxury. Their faith cost them everything on earth and they considered it pure joy. They, like the Psalmist, inclined their heart to follow after Christ forever, even to the end.

Pray:
As I sit this morning I am taken back in my mind to all the times I have stood in a room, stretched my arms out wide, quoted a passage of scripture, and then prayed to claim something I needed or wanted for my life to be easier. An honest inventory reveals that more times than not the things I claimed never became mine. These experiences tested my faith. Many times I turned my back on You as the peace of my soul was pillaged by the anguish of disappointment. Following these experiences I have lost countless hours of sleep wrestling with demons who challenged me to consider the results of my tested faith and the ineffectiveness of my prayers. In the darkness of those lonely moments I have said some nasty things to You and more than doubted Your character, power, and promise. I was foolish and misaligned with the truth. I am so grateful for Your grace and Your forgiveness.

This morning I am held captive by this bold declaration from the Psalmist. I am challenged by the story of this man who, regardless of the pain in His life, was able to hold steadfast to his love for You. I am much stronger in my faith than I once was but I also see that I still have work left to do. I pray that You continue to divide me from my worldly desires. I ask that heaven and the promise of eternity would become a tangible experience for me today. I beg that the goodness of Your ways would be life to my soul, strength for my journey, and the only light that radiates from my spirit. From where I am and as best I can I stand for You today. I incline my heart towards You and proclaim that choose You forever, even to the end. These are bold words that only You can backup.